Trump 2.0

I think Turnip remains one of the primary symptoms of this:

www.theatlantic.com

The End of Reading Is Here

Optimists once believed that universal literacy was inevitable. Now it seems that the age of reading might be a short anomaly in human history.
www.theatlantic.com www.theatlantic.com

Very perceptive and literate commentary from a 20-something who grew up in the Iphone era. Partly...she reads. Books.
 
Don't Pretend You Couldn't See This Coming

The lede, from CBS News↱:

The National Guard will remain activated in Washington, D.C. through Inauguration Day 2029 as part of President Donald Trump's anti-crime mission, unless the president deems otherwise, according to the Pentagon.​

Conservative columnist Bill Kristol↱ suggests:

So military troops under the direct control of Trump and Hegseth will be on the streets of our nation's capital for the rest of Trump's term. The rationale—they're here to help with a crime emergency—is laughable. But of course the real reason is ominous.​

Per KDBC, the CBS affiliate, "As of July 8, nearly 5,150 National Guard troops from multiple states are in D.C., according to the joint task force."

It seems worth reiterating:

• A few years back, I had occasion↗ to comment on the idea of a right-wing revolt, e.g., "They're doing it to themselves; they're setting themselves up for a revolt … They are not so much warning the rest of us that some sort of revolt will materialize; they are threatening to revolt" (2015↗), under the pretense of having no choice². Now they're in charge, and they still want a shooting war at home. (#299↑ [January, 2025])

• We might wonder how many more ways they take it that far, but must also countenance the possibility that, like their pining for revolt↗, they have no intention that the country gets out of this without a ruckus. That is, as many more ways as we let them. (#1245↑ [March, 2025])​

There is a certain detgree to which such statements ought to be a little more abstract, and not so practically applicable: One story history will tell ... I mean, c'mon, really? I need there to be some sarcasm left in that kind of dire commentary. To the other, these are Republicans, and this is where they're at.
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Notes:

Turco, Rebecca. "Pentagon to keep National Guard activated in D.C. through Inauguration Day 2029". KDBC. 10 July 2026. CBS4local.com. 11 July 2026. https://cbs4local.com/news/nation-w...cy-executive-order-7news-district-of-columbia

See Also:

District of Columbia National Guard. "Joint Task Force (JTF)-DC". 8 Jul6 2026. DC.NG.mil. 11 July 2026. https://dc.ng.mil/Domestic-Operations/Joint-Task-Force-JTF-District-of-Columbia-DC/

https://twitter.com/x/status/2075954690211148171
 
TheVat said:
Very perceptive and literate commentary from a 20-something who grew up in the Iphone era. Partly...she reads. Books.
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The title is a bit misleading. The end of reading is not here - but we may be seeing the end of reading comprehension. The lack of ability to read long form material (due to laziness, or competing material, or AI summarizing it, or whatever) is the real problem. People are bombarded by words these days more than ever before, and must employ them regularly to use their smartphones, the subway, their car etc so the basic ability won't be lost.
 
I found him dishonest and hypocritical and have zero interest in searching around for something nice to say about him. His 180 pivot on Trump was sickening and helped hasten the putrefaction of the GOP. He embodied much of what is so repellent about politics and politicians. His betrayal of his own values should earn him a long stint pushing a rock up a hill over and over.
 
TheVat said:
I found him dishonest and hypocritical and have zero interest in searching around for something nice to say about him. His 180 pivot on Trump was sickening and helped hasten the putrefaction of the GOP. He embodied much of what is so repellent about politics and politicians. His betrayal of his own values should earn him a long stint pushing a rock up a hill over and over.
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He wrote his own epitaph. (The talk was always "what did they have on him?")

As for "nice" he seems to have stuck by Ukraine and Zelensky has spoken well of him now, which is more than nothing.
 
One Last Note on Graham (b/w, "We Now Return You …")

crowley-20151203-lindseygrahamrjc-detail-bw.png

The Land Before T―…: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) addresses the Republican Jewish Coalition, 3 December 2015.​

So, Axios↱ was willing to report his scrap:

The final hours: Graham spoke with Trump by phone Saturday night and briefed him on his recent trip to Ukraine and the Russia sanctions bill he wanted the Senate to vote on soon.

• Trump told Graham he was preparing to launch fresh strikes against Iran after another attack on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

• A person who spoke with Graham shortly afterward said the senator complained that he was feeling unwell. When the person urged him to seek medical attention immediately, Graham said he would do so Sunday morning after his scheduled appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press."

• Graham then joked: "I can't die now. I still need to do the Russia sanctions, get Iran sorted out and do Israeli-Saudi normalization."

• He passed away several hours later. ​

And, curtain.
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Notes:

Ravid, Barak. "Inside Lindsey Graham's final push for Saudi-Israel peace". Axios. 12 July 2026. Axios.com. 12 July 2026. https://www.axios.com/2026/07/12/lindsey-graham-israel-saudi-peace-iran
 
It writes itself:

Rubio: "No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway... That’s existing international law. That’s the way it is in international waterways all over the world, and that’s the way we expect it’ll be here."

Trump: "The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as 'THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,' but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World. The process and formation will begin immediately."

The contradiction is staggering.
 
Sarkus said:
It writes itself:

Rubio: "No country is allowed to charge tolls or fees on an international waterway... That’s existing international law. That’s the way it is in international waterways all over the world, and that’s the way we expect it’ll be here."

Trump: "The U.S.A. will be, from this point forward, known as 'THE GUARDIAN OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT,' but as such, and as a matter of FAIRNESS, will be reimbursed, at the rate of 20% on all cargo shipped, for any and all costs necessary to do the job of providing safety and security to this very volatile section of the World. The process and formation will begin immediately."
Click to expand...
Perfect!

Perhaps the final outcome is that the US charges 20% for all ships transiting, Iran charges 20% for all ships transiting, they both get the money, and we pay the costs. That way the Ayatollah and Trump win - and really, what else matters?
 
Oh, it's okay, now, as he's reversed his position on the 20% fee. Presumably he and his cronies have successfully played whatever dip/spike his previous message sent to the market, so it's on to the next one. So all is good. Nothing to see here. This isn't the confused messaging you're looking for. Move along. Move along.
 
How It's Going

20260713-trumpovaloffice-detail-bw.png

Somewhere between politics and conspiracism, sure, we might find interesting territory, but in summarizing the moment—

Ron Johnson said it was an old photo of Mitch, there are a bunch of FBI agents at Lindsey's house, Trump is escalating Iran bombings and taxing intl ships, ICE shot another innocent person in the head, & Trump is announcing that the ghost of Hugo Chavez rigged the 2020 election.​

—Ron Filipkowski↱ is not actually ranging into hyperbole.

†​

Somewhere between sad and funny is the bit where FBI Director Kash Patel↱ claimed, "The FBI is assisting local authorities and has made every necessary resource available." Trump has since criticized Patel on this point↱, saying, "I don't see a lot of evil there", and, "I think the FBI is wasting its time."

And, yeah, it's true, Taco Tuesday, but, like Sarkus said↑, it's on to the next market manipulation messaging maneuver.

But all of this melodrama makes a certain point: It's one thing if they say they didn't vote to be inconvenienced or embarrassed by the Trump administration, but, yeah, the wars and rumors of wars, the economic storms of protectionism, the bloody disruption of pogrom, and the flagrant, even flamboyant corruption and parade of sex offenders are all just elements of #WhatTheyVotedFor when they elected a noncompetent wannabe kayfabe gangster who boasts of corruption and even sex offense. It's one thing to vote for the kayfabe, but this is what it looks like, and this is what it gets.
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Notes:

Kayanja, Ian. "'Wasting time': Trump blasts FBI after Kash Patel claims its investigating Graham's death". WCIV. 14 July 2026. ABCNews4.com. 14 July 2026. https://abcnews4.com/news/local/was...am-donald-trump-republican-midterms-elections

Rego, Max. "Patel says FBI 'is assisting local authorities' after Graham's death". The Hill. 12 July 2026. TheHill.com. 14 July 2026. https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5964793-fbi-assists-in-graham-death/

https://twitter.com/x/status/2076804354166665379
 
Tiassa said:
Imagine Sisyphus Happy

A small portion of evil has left the world.
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This should make you smile:
theonion.com

Paramedics Praised For Being Too Late To Save Lindsey Graham

WASHINGTON—Emphasizing that every second counted during a cardiac episode, doctors on Monday praised first responders for being too late to save Lindsay Graham from an aortic dissection. “Paramedics had a very short window to save Sen. Graham, and thankfully they did not make it in time,” said...
theonion.com theonion.com
 
Sarkus said:
This should make you smile:
Click to expand...

Because truth is stranger than fiction, it's the saddest thing ever:

• At some point on Sunday afternoon, a passerby took video outside Graham's residence; only one bouquet of flowers at the gate marked his passing.

• There are images going around from the hallway outside Graham's office. There is a small bouquet on a small table, and what looks like two or three beneath it. And the four handwritten tributes to Graham's character stuck to the wall beneath his office placard appear to be written by the same staffer.​

I mean, I didn't like the man during his lifetime, but, phuck, that's just wrenching. Sure, has a sister who grieves dearly, so it's not like nobody loved him, but, really: Nobody else? It's all so perfunctory and unfeeling, and absolutely staggering that a man could be so respected yet remain so unloved.
 
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