A recent newsletter focusing on a conversation between Charlie Sykes and Adam Kinzinger opened with a list of Trump’s offenses against the rule of law (and arguably, sanity…) during just one week.
Posted a video of “King Trump” dumping feces on fellow Americans.
Announced that he is completely demolishing the East Wing of the White House to make room for his sh*tty ballroom.
Demanded that the DOJ cough up $230 million in taxpayer dollars to salve his wounded ego.
Murdered two more people on the high seas, without providing either due process or actually any evidence at all.
Presided over the explosion of the national debt to $38 trillion.
Screwed over America’s farmers as he bailed out his buddies in Argentina.
Commuted the sentence of chronic fraudster, fabulist, and MAGA lickspittle George Santos; even as we learn that one of the J6 rioters pardoned by Trump was arrested for plotting the murder of a top congressional Democrat.
Failed to end the killing in Gaza or the war in Ukraine. Failed to reopen his own government.
Declared that he — Donald J. Trump — is greater than either George Washington or Abraham Lincoln.
And that was just one week!
Each of these offenses warrants an in-depth discussion. Some of them are additional evidence–as if additional evidence were needed–of his accelerating mental decline; others demonstrate his utter lack of qualifications for any public office, let alone the highest office in the land. But I want to focus in on what might seem like the least consequential of these assaults on decency and respect for the rule of law–the demolition of the East Wing of the People’s house.
That demolition is a metaphor for the entire Trump Presidency–not only because it is vivid, but because it demonstrates Trump’s inability to understand the office he holds.
In a very real sense, Presidents are tenants–entitled to reside in the White House during their terms of office. We the People are the landlords. Our tenants can make alterations if they are properly approved by the agencies entrusted with those decisions–a process that Trump has contemptuously ignored.
Not only has Trump destroyed part of a historic structure that is not his, he is proposing to construct a gaudy and inappropriate “ballroom” that will extend over the site and dwarf the rest of the White House. And as Paul Krugman has explained, the fact that the proposed addition is gaudy and tasteless reinforces our understanding of Trump’s mentality.
Why, you might ask, at a moment of national crisis am I writing about Trump’s bad taste?
Masked government agents are snatching people off the street. The National Guard has been sent into major cities on the obviously false pretext that these cities are in chaos. The U.S. military is essentially murdering people on the high seas. Huge tariffs are, in addition to their economic costs, undermining a system of alliances former presidents spent generations building. Green energy is being eviscerated, vindictive prosecutions are the norm, and many millions are on course to lose their health insurance. So why do I want to talk about Trump’s appalling design sense?
But these aren’t separate issues, because tackiness and tyranny go hand in hand. Yes, Trump has terrible taste and probably would even if he didn’t have power and, thanks to that power, wealth. But the grotesqueness of his White House renovations is structural as well as personal. For the excess and ugliness serve a political purpose: to humiliate and intimidate. The tawdry grandiosity serves not only to glorify Trump’s fragile ego, but also to send the message that resistance is futile.
Trump’s tastelessness has long been the subject of derision. (The interior of his New York apartment–with its gold toilet, overscaled rooms, and inaccurate historical detailing has been widely mocked.) But as Krugman notes, the ballroom isn’t simply one more sign of Trump’s personal vulgarity. “Trump is turning the people’s house into a palace fit for a despot partly because that’s his taste, but also to show everyone that he can.”
There’s an old adage to the effect that a picture is worth a thousand words. The photos of the East Wing’s destruction will test the accuracy of that adage.
Citizens who are unaware of the administration’s assaults on democratic processes and the rule of law–people whose “information bubbles” don’t include the appalling behaviors of the incompetent clowns Trump has installed, or the video of Trump dumping shit on the American public– may nevertheless react to the visual evidence that this man is both mentally ill and exceptionally dangerous.
Not to mention vulgar and trashy.
Professor-today’s message is very simple and exactly on point. This is the message we should be sharing with Americans. Thank you.
Dennis Southerland
The $2.2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill, known as the CARES Act, did not have a roll call vote in the House of Representatives. Instead, it passed by a voice vote on Friday, March 27, 2020
The voice vote allowed the bill to pass swiftly while minimizing the need for lawmakers to return to Washington to confirm a quorum existed for the Constitutionally-required majority vote. (The voice vote presumes the quorum exists.)
Would it have been more beneficial for the taxpayers to have a roll call record of who voted for, and who voted against, the $2.2 trillion CARES spending bill, or more beneficial to have it pass speedily with no written record that the required quorum existed and the Constitutional majority requirement was met?
What visual representation of Congress does this portray?
“Citizens who are unaware of the administration’s assaults on democratic processes and the rule of law–people whose “information bubbles” don’t include the appalling behaviors of the incompetent clowns Trump has installed, or the video of Trump dumping shit on the American public– may nevertheless react to the visual evidence that this man is both mentally ill and exceptionally dangerous.”
He is currently spewing his heavily fertilized, addlebrained, baseless thought-waves around the globe rather than staying here in what remains of our White House to do the job he was elected and is paid to do. The mindless following of his cabinet members, led by Speaker Johnson who is positioned bent over holding his ankles for Trump’s next order, who sent the House members home, also out of their work zones. We currently have NO active government.
“Those who live by the sword, die by the sword.” and “What goes around, comes around.” will not happen in my lifetime unless someone finds a way to take his hand off of the national wrecking ball before it is too late to act.
Vulgar and trashy has never before been a problem within our government, no matter which party was in control; he must have spent the intervening years between his presidential terms gathering the most vulgar, trashy, Fascist minded who have been lurking within the governmental system, waiting for someone to lead them. Their “Visual Representation” is now obvious to the unenlightened and those who could have prevented this internal insurrection of the United States of America, who ignored the signs. I believe the Democratic party, along with the few now “woke” old Republicans, are as confused and afraid of our future as I am these days.
All this idiocy from one man adds up to a summary word: PSYCHOPATH.
I often wonder what those 81 million registered voters think about as their grocery prices rise, their products aren’t selling anywhere and their health care premiums are about to hit the rocket ship to the moon.
Oh. Wait. Thinking. Duty. Civic responsibility. Sorry. None of that applies to those who allowed this to happen. My bad.
Great article, Sheila!
I’ve already listed all the oligarchs who have supported the Epstein Ballroom, and they were the same companies that swore off political contributions after the Jan 6th Insurrection – pathetic cowards.
The MAGAts who are protecting Trump and his poor decisions should all be listed with the traitorous oligarchs, so the people can start figuring out how many guillotines we’ll need.
I mean, Trump just openly meddled in the Argentine election to ensure a right-winger got elected. Milei has run the country into the ground, and the only thing keeping the government alive is borrowing tens of billions of dollars. Trump and Bessent are bailing out their billionaire hedge-fund managers, like Rob Citrone.
Meanwhile, the limp Democrats have no viable response. They’ve done nothing to hold Trump accountable. #NADA
I saw Letitia James and Mike Bloomberg walking with the corrupt and disgraced Andrew Cuomo rather than with the honorable Zohrain Mamdani in New York. While Epstein’s Ballroom is a potent metaphor for Trump and MAGA’s persona, the image of Cuomo embraced by NY Democrats (and Bill Clinton) is a persona of the Democratic Party – corruption versus ethical leadership. Why? Mamdani wants to tax billionaires to fund his programs to help people. #cowards
p.s. It’s October 29th, and I’ve not heard one word from the oligarchy against Trump starving women, children, and seniors in November to prove a political point that he’s a King and will do whatever he wants. #cowards
if we still had a country by the people, we wouldnt be funding a ball room for the rich. though the tech bros so-called fronted money for it, we the taxed are paying for its upkeep,and pushing our working class noses into more of trumps ride to crap on us,again. when the 2025 trash was sworn in jan 25. there was the standing crown in arms, the billionaires(who couldnt tollerate to cold,er,maybe the threat issue). invited and unashamed of the fact they elected this wet rock undersider. the following of congress criters to just be amused again, declares we the people again are merely serfs again, economic slaves to another step down of the economy whereas we submit,or maybe interened into a iced alcatraz.while the dow rockets again with our work and sweat to be given a resession. the American people are tied to credit and the slavery of whos in charge. now its has a gold seal attached to it..no one mentions a living wage of being in charged by majority. the news is not a source of worthy opinions unless you find what maybe a underground news source,that,in the very near future may happen. the world looks on as its tied to our presense. maybe it should give trump the finger and play a diffrent hand.
food for,thought. im following the trend of data centers and the tech bros push for using it. theres a piece in commondreams.org, Brad Reed.
“cartoon villan,ex senator krysten sinema now shiloingnfor big tech.”seems her
approach to demanding the areas to build is paramount and local meetings have no more bearing on wether you like it or not..seems this push will make a authoritarian move to take over and build. now ask yourself why they want to house every aspects of every human alive?
Here are some Trump shortcomings:
He has always led a sheltered life, so he doesn’t know much.
He doesn’t read at all.
He doesn’t listen to anyone.
He surrounds himself with loyalists who pledge never to tell him he is wrong.
He has failed at many things he tries.
He lies prodigiously.
He considers everyone else beneath him in stature.
He is a convicted felon.
He’s way too old for responsibility and in failing health.
He is irredeemably selfish.
He prefers to surround himself with bling that cheapens our surroundings.
His only recreational interest is golf, which he cheats at constantly.
He has no appreciation of the natural world.
He lives in an ego dreamworld.
I received a News Break on my cell phone earlier regarding the upcoming SCOTUS hearing on the legality of Trump’s tariff situation. John Roberts was somehow connected to this situation and the News Break mentioned his connection and Rehnquest’s to the upcoming SCOTUS tariff hearing. I Googled information and found this article on The Learning Network; couldn’t copy and paste all of it and didn’t see Roberts mentioned; what connection can he provide to increase SCOTUS aid to Trump, full immunity and destructive tariffs and will Trump return in time for that tariff hearing or stay out of reach? I didn’t read the entire Learning Network article to connect Rehnquist/Roberts/SCOTUS and Trump’s easy takeover of this nation so quickly and so thoroughly.
“On Jan. 20, 1981, Iran released 52 Americans who had been held hostage for 444 days, minutes after the presidency had passed from Jimmy Carter to Ronald Reagan. The hostages were placed on a plane in Tehran as Reagan delivered his inaugural address.
The New York Times said that Reagan’s address “made no reference at all to the long-awaited release of the hostages” as he was “apparently following a self-imposed restraint of not saying anything until the Americans had left Iranian air space.”
Reagan of course took the accolades for the hostage return worked out by President Carter much earlier than the Reagan inauguration. We need to be looking further into our past Republican government activities to understand how easily Trump has risen to “gold standard” as a Fascist American President.
Reagan announced the release of the hostages later in the afternoon at a Congressional luncheon. “The news seemed to turn the inauguration celebration, normally a highly festive occasion, into an event of unbridled joy for Mr. Reagan and his supporters,” The Times wrote.”
Such fun!
Every week I become more and more angry with the GOP politicians that continue to choose their own self-serving pockets and power over what is in the best interests of our country. They could have made a pact (immediately after his election or at least before he was sworn in) that they would collectively refuse to allow trump to destroy what is left of our country. Instead, they keep choosing their own mega-donor’s interests. Lining them up to be used for target practice as a pro-2nd Amendment firing squad tests their weapons would be a good start at ridding the country of their despicable filth.
Now, regarding the ultra-right wing supreme court members that are responsible for making it clear to trump that he is above the law? Dunking them head first in raw sewage before lining them up for a firing squad might be a good start. Actually, adding the raw sewage part would also be appropriate for the GOP politicians.
I saw a piece by someone who does renovations for a living. She pointed out that the hasty demolition neglected things like asbestos abatement (the EW was built in the 1940’s? when asbestos insulation was still all the rage). Apparently “downwind” is now hazardous. Also weather protection: no provision has apparently been made for inclement weather (tarps etc.) Because DC winter weather is so benign. No provision for replacing the public entrance used by WH tour groups, no two “concept” drawings are the same, apparently they’re working to “concepts of plans” not actual architectural and construction drawings. I suppose there’ll just be raw earth, idle equipment, and money going into trump’s pocket until sometime next spring.
Yet another article had the reporter following the dump trucks with the removed rubble – they’re going somewhere else where (her secondhand sources say) he’s building a golf course, probably on public land, because why wouldn’t he?
And still *another* another article wondered where the paintings, wall coverings, paneling, etc. went. Was it just trashed with no preparation at all?
Yet among the horrors he’s visited on us, this actually ranks as one of the most trivial. But, as Elizabeth Warren said, it perfectly encapsulates the trump regime: illegal, destructive, and not helping you.
Thanks, Sheila, again for a wonderful post. I sometimes get copied on MAGA media talking points from an acquaintance–especially the ones that they think constitute a “gotcha”. The latest MAGA media lie I received is captioned (paraphrased) “here’s for all you haters”, along with photos of the repair and renovation work done by President Truman, who gutted the entire interior of the White House. The implication is, of course, that Truman just decided, on his own volition, to tear down the interior of the White House, so therefore, Trump also has the right to tear down any part of the White House he wants.
The fact is that when the White House was built in the 1700’s and repaired after the War of 1812, there was no indoor plumbing, electrical wiring, HVAC ductwork or telephone cables because those things didn’t exist. Bathrooms and the other things were added over the years by cutting through the floors and wooden support beams that supported the floors of the White House. Even when FDR was in office, it was known that serious problems with the interior support had developed–when tour groups would walk around upstairs, the ceiling below would visibly vibrate and light fixtures would bounce around. FDR had engineers look at the situation and was told that extensive repairs would be needed. There may have been some temporary shoring up done, but due to WWII, the money wasn’t there.
After Truman took office, one morning they found that a leg of Margaret Truman’s grand piano had fallen through the floor, so a cadre of engineers and historic preservationists reviewed the situation and came up with several recommendations–some of which included tearing down the entire structure and starting over. The situation was dire–they had to move quickly to remove and store historic objects and the Trumans were decamped to Blair House for their own safety because the White House was in danger of collapsing in on itself. It was decided that the best alternative was to preserve the outside walls and re-do the interior, with steel support beams. Congress made several appropriations for this purpose, all done with full approval and support of historic preservationists.
Just another example of MAGA media lies and the gullible people who believe them–anyone who opposes Trump is labeled a “hater”–so, therefore, there’s no validity to opposition to Trump. Also, MAGA media are NOT journalists–they deliberately lie and put out misleading information–the comparison between Trump arbitrarily tearing down the East Wing–after promising that the White House wouldn’t be touched, and without consulting the various historic preservation and other authorities whose approval for modification of federal buildings is required–much less Congress–is outrageous. He won’t disclose who the donors for this project are, either–so we won’t be able to track how they receive approvals and other quid pro quo for their “donation”. And he lied about there being some pent-up desire for a massive ballroom–where would 600 -1,000+ guests park, how would they be vetted? The WH already is capable of supporting large state dinners and other events–there is no need for a ballroom. Also, the WH bunker WAS under the East Wing. Not any more.
But, more than anything, the destruction of the East Wing when the government is shut down, air traffic controllers and other essential federal workers aren’t getting paid, SNAP benefits end in a few days, Trump’s refusal to allow the use of the SNAP contingency fund, his leaving town and refusal to meet with Democrats, Johnson shutting down the House and all of Repubicans’ lying by trying to blame Democrats who are trying to save the ACA, proves their unfitness to lead and the lengths to which Republicans will go to pay homage to the pathetic excuse for a human that Trump is. And, Americans are seeing the truth, too. Poll after poll shows that most Americans oppose the demolition of the East Wing and Trump’s tariffs, his economic policy and shutting down the government and cutting nutrition assistance in order to give tax breaks to the wealthiest.
Since the East Wing of the White House was where the first ladies’ offices were, destroying it drives home how little the trump regime thinks of women’s contributions to this country. Sexist, misogynist, and unfairly and stupidly dominate over women is the image trump tries to project.
Demanding that Johnson not allow the new Arizona Representative to be sworn in to ensure that she not provide the needed vote to bring a petition to the floor to vote to release the Epstein Files. Epstein apparently made a lot of money off of men who violated underage girls who didn’t want to be publicly exposed and paid a lot to keep it that way. Possibly someone is still making money off those lists and/or doesn’t want personal exposure or both?
I was alarmed when I heard James Carville recently say that when Americans say that they’re afraid, he tells them “You’re not afraid enough”! He said most Americans cannot begin to realize how those people think (trump and company) and what they intend to do. Keep putting the spotlight on the sick corruption of the trump regime.