December 31, 2020--Out On A Rail

The only people who almost as much as Melania want to see Trump ridden out of Washington on a rail are Mitch McConnell and Mike Pence. 

For different reasons. 

Melania hates Washington itself and longs to resume lazy lunches at the Plaza in New York with her girlfriends. She can't wait to begin to collect her pre-nup money. Just being with him she earned every million and now wants to enjoy it. 

She's been packed up for weeks ready to depart, fearing that her husband will figure out a way to have some entity--the Supreme Court, the Electoral College, the Proud Boys--overturn the results of the presidential election.

My advice to her? Keep packing and before making any lunch reservations, check to see if any of your old girlfriends are willing to be seen in public with you. (Ditto Jared and Evanka.)

Then there is Mitch.

For him it's not about issues he cares about (are there any?) or money or sex. It's about power and with Trump remaining in town McConnell will continue to be left to scrape for crumbs while being expected to continue to serve as enabler in chief.

He has his ideal job--since he was five-years old all precocious little Mitchy wanted was to be Minority Leader. Can you imagine? On the rare occasions he would join other kids on the streets of Sheffield, Alabama, where he spent his childhood years, they wanted to talk about the Crimson Tide while he read Article 1 of the Constitution to them. It is no surprise he was the last one to picked for a softball team. But only after all the girls were chosen.

So he's with Melania--

Then there is poor Mike. 

Pence was thrilled when Trump wasn't reelected. After four years of bondage he finally would be able to stand in places other then the shade of Trump's left shoulder. And finally get his 2014 campaign going. Tomorrow is not a day too soon with Rand Paul, Marco Rubio, and Ted Cruz stirring about, all but announced. 

More than anything else, though, what Pence wants is a Pence of his own. 

A mini-Pence willing to put up with big-Pence's incessant flexing, primping, and blow drying. And be OK delaying his own presidential aspirations. Willing to be Pence-Lite for eight more years.

I know this scenario is not as much fun as the old GOP clown car. But I'll take it.

December 30, 2020--Georgia On My Mind

Next Tuesday is Election Day again in Georgia. For just two races. 

Both senatorial seats are up for grabs and who wins or loses is uncommonly consequential. The majority leadership of the Senate is the actual big prize.

If the Republicans win just one of the seats they will retain control of the Senate and Mitch McConnell will continue as Majority Leader.

If the Democrats manage to win both they will take control and Chuck Schumer will replace Mitch.

Pundits see each race to be a tossup but with the GOP candidates perhaps likely to win the two.

But if my arithmetic is correct, the Democrats can still take control, even if they lose one seat.

Here's how--

If a sitting GOP senator decides that he or she is no longer a Republican and, like Bernie Sanders and Angus King, switches parties, becoming an Independent and, again like Sanders and King, who are Independents, caucuses as they do with the Democrats.

The Senate would then be deadlocked at 50-50 wth vice president Kamala Harris casting all tie-breaking votes. Including who will serve as Minority Leader.

A long-shot? Yes. But there is a plausible way for this to happen--Mitt Romney becomes the third Independent-Democrat.

Our politics has become unpredictable and stranger things have already happened, starting with the implausible Trump becoming president.

So stay tuned. 

December 29, 2020--These Boots Are Made For Flaunting

If anyone is wondering why Trump came up with $2,000 as the per capita figure that people would get as part of the Covid relief legislation, wonder no further.

Did you notice the thigh-high leather boots Melania wore on the flight last week to Palm Beach?

They were Christian Louboutins and they go for $2,195 a pair.

$2195, $2,000. Close enough. Especially with Melania's 10% discount.

A chicken in every pot; Louboutins in every closet.

December 28, 2020--Chaos Theory

People are wondering what's going on with Trump.

The latest has us trying to understand why he, in full Grinch mode, is either not going to sign the Covid relief legislation or will sign it or then again maybe he'll veto it.

I have a theory--

If we have learned one thing about him we know he is the opposite of consistent.

We also know he cares about nothing or anyone other than himself. 

And then we know that more than anything else he is desperate to continue as president beyond January 20th. Not to govern but in order to remain indictment poof. 

So far he's taken the judicial route, gambling that a federal court somewhere or the Supremes will find in his favor and rule that Biden stole the election and thus Trump can serve as president in perpetuity. 

And thereby stay out of jail in perpetuity. 

This approach, we know, isn't working. Court after court, was many as 50, have summarily thrown out his petitions. 

So what's left for Trump?

Something at which he excels--Chaos!

If he can engender enough chaos to justify his imposing martial law he might be tempted. Trump could then try to make the case that food riots (which would be the result of the end of Covid relief money) threaten America's cities and he thus has no choice but to . . . 

And, of course, he has to continue (unindicted) as president to save the county from the Crips and Bloods and MS-13.

Keep an eye on recently-pardoned, retired general Michael Flynn. If he shows up at the White House (where he is again welcome) in a homemade uniform, that will be evidence that his new assignment is not at Fox News but rather to lead the effort to bring about chaos. We'll also understand why he's no longer walking around in an orange jumpsuit.

This is a very dark scenario but the good news is that it has virtually no change of even getting off the ground. The courts and the military have already signaled that they will not sit still for any funny business of this kind. And our bone-spurred president, we know, is a physical coward. So don't expect to see him in camouflage. 

But this does not suggest that Tump is not thinking about martial law. He should, though, be thinking about getting himself some good lawyers. He'll require at least a dozen. Not including Rudy. This time he'll be needing real lawyers.

Breaking News--Before I posted this Trump capitulated and signed the relief bill. Next--he packs up to leave the White House.

December 24, 2020--Remembering Joe Harris

I met Joe on the day I began working at Staten Island Community College. I didn’t know at the time that the president of the College, William Birenbaum, intended for us to work together as a team devoted to making recommendations to him about how to diversify the student body and faculty.

 

But intended or by chance, it made no difference because within a half hour of meeting that first afternoon we began the process of becoming professional brothers.  

 

Over the years we did in fact come up with many programmatic ideas to recommend to Bill Birenbaum that he subsequently implemented. As a result the college became a more inclusive place.

 

Not everyone on the Island shared this diversity agenda and that frustrated but did not derail us. With Joe frequently leading the way we accomplished a great deal. Including, with colleagues, making lifetime friendships. 

 

Joe and I also had lots of fun and in the process learned a great deal about education and each other.  We worked so closely together, literally every day, that it became impossible to know where an idea originated. Was it something I thought of or something that Joe initiated? But this closeness was a true measure of our collaboration.

 

On the other hand, I learned many things from working with Joe that were pure Joe.  For example, he was the most patient impatient person I’ve ever known. He never lost sight of the movement of time and how important it was to take advantage of the opportunities we had to contribute to bringing about change at the college.

 

I brought my version of impatience to our collaboration but did not have the patient gene. I learned that from Joe. He taught me that without it we would not succeed. We needed both in equal supply. I required frequent reminders about how institutions resist change and from Joe acquired the tools to become more effective.

 

It is very difficult to think of a world without him as a part of my life. 

 

Brothers indeed!  

December 23, 2020 -- Not Funny

I found myself yesterday afternoon laughing at the Lincoln Project's latest commercial. It's about Mike Pence. In it he is shown as always behind Trump, hovering in the background in full suck-up mode.

As with most of their other ads this one has high production values and is very well written. 

It has an audience of one since the Project's real goal is to get under Trump's skin. He apparently watches them and they do make him crazy. 

But this time I allowed myself to move from feeling amused to wondering what right now is the purpose of more ads of this kind.

I love them since I despise Trump and all that he is and stands for and thus feel he deserves every barb sent his way. But I am wondering why we should be mocking Trump "just" 28 days before his term of office ends. 

That should be our goal, no? To help assure that he does in fact leave.

I ask as getting under his skin, getting under anyone's skin for that matter, when that person is isolated and terrified, frequently causes him to respond disproportionally. Sometimes irrationally and, more ominously, sometimes violently. 

Trump at this point is like a cornered animal and as much as I enjoy seeing him mocked and satirized and twisting in the wind, more than anything else I want him removed from the White House. Thus, I am not sure we want to get in the way of that by torturing and inciting him. No matter how cleverly.

We do not need to do this as his presidency right now is collapsing on itself. It doesn't require piling on.

There will be, though, more opportunities to make fun of him and agitate him when the judicial venue shifts to New York where he will face many city and state criminal charges, none of which will be pardonable.

I know that what I am proposing will makes things less fun but it may be the smart move.

December 21 2020--Ladies of Forest Trace: Kapos

A number of Behind readers have been asking if I've heard from the Ladies of Forest Trace--my very ancient mother (who was 107 the last time I wrote about her) and the "girls," a group of her friends, who lived together in Lauderhill, Florida, in Forest Trace, a residence for seniors.

When George Lindberg asked about them the other day, George who has followed them here for years and who knows their histories and should have known their fate, I realized something strange was happening--George, other friends, and readers have been asking if I've heard from people who are no longer here. No other way to put it--people who are deceased, who have died.

I asked George,"What's with this? You of course know that . . ."

He cut me off. "I know what you'e asking and what more can I say. I know the truth and what's realistically possible, but with all that's happening one could think that maybe, just . . ."

This time I tried to cut him off, but George pressed on, "That your mother and her friends would have figured out a way to, you know, communicate with you and that you would then be able to pass along what they've been thinking and where they see us headed. On the other hand," he continued, "they may have decided to ignore the mess we've made of the world they left us. Who could blame them if they're looking for distractions. Like the rest of us. But if there is any way to reach out to us, mother Zwerling is the one I'd bet on to figure out a way to do so."

"What a wonderful fantasy," I said, "I would love to hear from her."

And then, shortly thereafter, wouldn't you know it, I began having a series of vivid dreams in which my mother and the Ladies were featured. 

When I told George, he didn't seem surprised.

"Don't let them tell you how wonderful it is where I am now," my dream mother said, sounding very much herself, "You would think they could at least serve a good piece of fish. But it always comes out dry and tasteless."

I leaned in, wanting to remember every word.

"Can you believe it," my mother said, "The world is coming apart at the seams and I'm talking about fish!"

"It's all right," I said, "Just hearing your voice is wonderful enough. And so . . ."

No, no, darling. I know you want to know about them. Him. What we think."

"Well, yes, but I don't want to aggravate you."

"What else do I have to do? Aggravation here is an activity. Like shuffleboard, Mah Jong, and bypasses."

She whispered, "We'll talk later. I don't want to upset the younger girls. They get cranky if they miss their beauty sleep. So I'll wait until they go to bed and come back. At 7:30. Then we'll have time to talk. As you would say, heart-to-heart. Or do I mean, head-to-head? As I told you last time I'm beginning to forget things."

I could sense her frustration. She had always been a perfectionist. Holding herself to the highest, most impossible standards. The rest of us as well.

At the stroke of 7:30 I sensed her presence.

"Did I wake you?" she asked softly.

"No," I said in jest, "It's still a half hour to my 8 o'clock bedtime."

Ignoring that, she said, as if out of the blue, "So, do you know about Kapos?"

"I do, but what about them? What do Kapos have to do with him? You promised you would tell me what you and the Ladies think."

"Tell me first what you know about them."

"Him and his people? His enablers?"

"That's a good way to talk about them. But I mean his Kapos. Tell me what you  know about them."

To talk about them was not something I relished. We lost so many relatives in the camps. This would take us well beyond aggravation.

"You can tell me. I'm still your mother and your can share anything."

I knew that to be true and so I said--

"During the Holocaust, there were Jews who were called Kapos. They were chosen by the gestapo guards to help them run the camps. Including murdering their landsmen, other Jews, in the gas chambers and ovens. They were the lowest of the low. Animals."

"And for this," my mother said, "the Nazis gave them more food to eat. They should only perish."

"Most of them did. Most of the Kapos also were exterminated. But, mom, I am still reluctant to think about him as a Nazi or a Kapo. As a despicable authoritarian, yes; unfeeling, yes; corrupt, yes; dangerous, yes. But not like an SS Nazi or a Kapo. It hasn't, and I believe it will not, come to that. I think he will begin to fade from the scene after Biden is sworn in. But," I said, "here I am telling you what I think while I'm really interested in hearing about what's on your mind. The Ladies too."

"What we see to be the worst are those you call enablers and what we call collaborators. They are the most dangerous. Without them collaborating he never would have gotten this far. We do think he has harmed our democracy but it still survives and will outlast him. About his Kapos, though, we're not so sure. That's what has us worried."

"I agree."

"How many billions voted for him?"

"Seventy-four million is bad enough. Thank God it was only millions. But too many. Especially if you're concerned about his supporters and what they might be up to."

"Now you see why the girls are always sleeping. Or trying to."

"And you?"

"Like a rock, knock wood. I'm happy to be at eternal rest. Which reminds me, it's past my bedtime. I listen to music, operas, when I'm sleeping. In spite of what is happening music that beautiful reminds me things will get better.

December 14, 2020--Jack's Last Tape

"I'll bet you thought I was dead." 

Jack chuckled, enjoying his attempt at humor. 

I said, "The last thing Trumpers should laugh about is people dying."

Ignoring me, he said, "Well I'm still here to tell the tale." 

"Unless you're calling to concede, I'm not interested." 

"I'll admit it isn't looking good."

"That's an understatement." 

"I called to . . ."

I cut him off, "Your boys are looking more and more like the gang that can't shoot straight. They're mainly a lot of bluster  Even at the so-called rally they held in Washington on Saturday the best they could manage was to stab a few people. Including some of their own people. Not that that's nothing. But it was pretty pathetic. Thankfully all they could manage was to look scary. Most of them seemed like they're living on McDonald's and six packs."

"I don't disagree," Jack said, "Though 74 million . . ."

I lied, "I only have five minutes. After the Supreme Court I'm feeling good, optimistic, and don't want you bringing me down."

"I'll only . . ."

"I've spent years tying to figure out his appeal and why so many of you are eager to serve as his sycophants. I've lost some friends because by taking him seriously they contend I'm an enabler."

"Could I . . ?"

"You know what? I'm finished with you and your kind. The fact that you're still supporting him tells me there's something seriously wrong with you. I won't go so far as my friend Eli who says that the problem is that you're all stupid. But it is almost enough to write you off because you're so eager to believe what Trump spews and Fox News promulgates." 

"Let me say . . ."

"Most of the people I know--admitably liberals--think it's all about race. That Trumpers, including you, continue to follow him because you're racists. That's a big part of the problem but for me that's not the whole picture."

"So what . . ."

"A lot has to do with how he treats everyone with contempt. Especially women. Why so many keep voting for him is still one of life's unsolved mysteries."

"But he . . ."

"More than anything else he has stood by and done nothing while hundreds of thousands of Americans died. In a just world he would be prosecuted for mass murder and treason as he does what he can to undermine American democracy."

Jack said, "I can't believe . . . "

Before he could complete a sentence, I told him his five minutes and five years are up.

December 13, 2020--Candidate In Waiting

 I love the idea that on January 6th when Congress receives the results of the Electoral College tally, which will show that Joe Biden has been elected, it is the vice president who announces the results.

As Gore did for George W. Bush.

For poor Mike Pence who hasn't run short of things to suck up to this will be complicated since a covey of Republicans are pressing not to accept the EC results. They are continuing to call for Trump to remain in office. 

What would that mean for the ever ambitious Mike Pence? 

Nothing good. 

December 11, 2020--Let Me Eat Cake

For once in his life Rudy Giuliani is telling the truth. About his recent hospitalization and treatment for COVID-19. 

While "average" people receiving treatment in tents set up in Walmart parking lots, Rudy was whisked past them into Georgetown University Hospital, placed in a private suite, and--most important--received the same cocktail of efficacious medications that were administered to Trump in early October when he was hospitalized briefly for allegedly having COVID.

After being discharged Rudy confessed that, "If it wasn't me, I wouldn't have been put in a hospital, frankly."

And he wouldn't have received potent antibody medication which is in very short supply. If he was lucky, if he had been in a "normal" hospital, and they had one, maybe he would have been placed on a ventilator.

This royal sense of entitlement reminded me of something from the 2016 campaign--the Billy Bush, Access Hollywood tape, where Trump was caught on an open mic, describing how to seduce women you begin by kissing them.

He spoke about how you don't have to wait, especially "when you're a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab 'em by the . . . You can do anything!"

And you don't have to wait to get your hands on the best antibodies.

December 10, 2020--Progressive Enablers

I've been spatting with a few friends who feel I am missing the most important Trump story--how he has been leading a coup that aims to overthrow American democracy.

We aren't disagreeing so much about the specifics (for example, Trump's mauling the justice and electoral systems--we agree about most of that) but we are not in alignment about the potential big event. A coup.

Perhaps Trump has been engaged in this treason, although I do not see him strategic-minded enough to conceptualize something this complicated and ambitious much less competent or smart enough to pull it off. He's a chaos-maker not a coherent revolutionist.

And so I declare myself to my friends as interested mainly--as I have been for more than five years--in what we Progressives have been inadvertently doing to encourage and ultimately enable him. Big picture or rooted in an endless stream of day-to-day outrages.

This of course stirs things up and contributes to matters getting heated between us when we have a full-bore discussion . . . or fight.

When the latter breaks out I feel accused of being the enabler when I "normalize" Trump by taking him seriously.

I say back that I would take anyone seriously who gets 74 million votes. That's not normalizing, I claim, but smart.

They demand examples and deserve them.

So here is what I think is a "good" one--about how Progressive elites, especially during the 2016 campaign, enabled Trump. And continue to do so.

How does supplying $2.0 billion of free-media time sound?  This astonishing bounty was made available to Trump at no cost by the cable news networks.  And this accounting is just though March, 2016. The first half of his run for the nomination. 

(In contrast, Hillary was given just $746,000 worth of free airtime.)

MediaQuant keeps track of these things and also reported that most of the free media was not provided by Fox. Most was made available by CNN and the even-more-liberal MSNBC.

It was all about their ratings. And Trump's as well. They rode the exponential curve together, in tandem. 

They saw their numbers soar every time he appeared on one of their shows. They couldn't wait to have him back.

Arguably, there would be no MSNBC without this Trump surge. There would also be no Trump as we have tragically come to know him.

So these friends and I will continue to work both sides of the street--they will focus on the coup picture; I on things such as Trump and the Russians and his legal exposure in New York.

There is room for all of us. There's a lot to do. 

December 9, 2020--Banana Republic

Romania, governed until 1989 by Nicolae Ceausescu, the most viscous of Soviet-installed dictators, tried and executed then at the end of the Romanian uprising, Romania had a national election this past Sunday

The New York Times reported--

It was supposed to be a moment of victory for Romania's prime minister, Ludovic Orban, but after his party suffered an unexpected loss in parliamentary elections on Sunday, Mr. Oban resigned from office Monday morning.

What took him so long?

Why is it taking even longer here?

December 7, 2020--Once More: Rudy

Rudy Giuliani's hospitalization for COVID-19 reveals that the virus has even more symptoms than previously disclosed. 

In addition to fever and chills, cough, shortness of breath, muscle or body aches, headaches, loss of taste or smell, and sore throat, we now know that those afflicted also have to contend with loud farts and black hair dye streaming down their cheeks.

But Rudy has the best doctors. Those who treated Trump with steroids and Clorox injections when he allegedly had COVID. So Rudy should be back on his feet by January 21st at the latest.

December 4, 2020--Fight Like Hell

Like many of us, president-elect Joe Biden is thinking about why it is essential for Americans of all persuasions to find ways to talk to and work together.  

About this, in a wide-ranging interview with Tom Friedman of the New York Times, the former vice president said--

"I want to make sure we're going to fight like hell by investing in America first."

And this time, he insisted, rural America will not be left behind.  "We have got to rebuild the middle class, but especially in rural America.

"There is no way Democrats can go another four years and lose almost every rural county in America and be successful as a party.  For their sake and the country's, Democrats have to figure out what is going on there and speak to rural voters more effectively."

Biden continued, "You know, it really does go to the issue of dignity, how you treat people.  I think middle Americans feel forgotten.  I think we forgot them."

Biden closed the interview by reflecting on the ugliness of the last four years--first seeing the glass half empty but then decided in the end, "who knows, maybe it's half full."

"Seventy-two million people is a lot of people to vote for Trump," he said, "But maybe, just maybe when Trump is gone from the immediate scene I'm not so sure that ugliness stays.  There may be twenty percent of it.  Twenty-five percent of it, I don't know.

"But some portion has to come back to a place where we can collaborate.

"We need to figure out how to work together.  Otherwise, we're in real trouble."

Joe's got it figured out. Now, for the rest of us . . .

December 2, 2020--The Last Rat

The last rat to jump the sinking USS Trump is William Barr. 

As reported yesterday by the Associate Press, Attorney General Barr said that the Justice Department has not uncovered any evidence of widespread voter fraud that would change the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. 

This despite President Trump's repeated claims that the election was stolen and his refusal to concede to president elect Joe Biden.

Sorry, I got this wrong--Barr is not the last rat.

Still hovering by the life boats are Lindsey Graham, Mike Pence, and how-could-I-forget, Mitch McConnell.

Stay tuned

December 1, 2020--It's Simple

Last week I wrote that I plan to use whatever political energy remains in my tank to find reasons why so many voted for Trump, especially a majority of white women.

I heard from a few friends. All said it's because of racism. That Trump did a good job of scaring white people and inciting them to vote for his reelection because he would do a better job than Biden of protecting them and their property from marauding gangs of black people.

A very smart friend suggested I need to learn more about what it's like to be an African American in America and that the best way to do that is to read books and articles by African American novelists, poets, and essayists such as James Baldwin. 

This was a useful suggestion and I immediately ordered a half dozen books.

Another friend said--

"Steven it’s simple. White America fears non white Americans. Especially after Black Americans put Biden in office. It’s all racist. Period."

To this I wrote back--

"Thanks of your comment. If it's all about racism, how do you explain the fact that Obama twice received more than 50 percent of the popular vote? Racism is a powerful factor but far from the whole story." 

It's not that simple.

So let's see what else comes in the mail.

 

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