Martin Longman is the web editor of the Washington Monthly.
He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. Before joining the Monthly, Martin was a county coordinator for ACORN/Project Vote and a political consultant. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
I often have to contain an urge to understand Trump in a traditional frame of reference. It just does not apply, but it’s so tempting to attempt to explain him with the same thought processes we’ve used to explain countless other democratic pols. Because Trump does not follow those conventions, and is a different kind of leader/politician. Maybe he does “understand” how the government works. But in his case that does not mean that he cooperates, makes rational compromises, works toward clearly thought out goals, etc etc. He is driven, by his psych illnesses, to always cause maximum confusion, and… Read more »
There are consequences to electing a deranged madman. If the country had gone for him again, I’d say we have the leadership we deserve. Thank God there were enough sane Americans to vote him out but I know we’re all rather terrified by the reality that there were more than 70 million votes for four more years. Have we fallen through the looking glass or has our country always been this fucked up and we’ve simply been shielded by institutions that channeled the stoopid in less harmful ways (at least for those who were white)?
I often have to contain an urge to understand Trump in a traditional frame of reference. It just does not apply, but it’s so tempting to attempt to explain him with the same thought processes we’ve used to explain countless other democratic pols. Because Trump does not follow those conventions, and is a different kind of leader/politician. Maybe he does “understand” how the government works. But in his case that does not mean that he cooperates, makes rational compromises, works toward clearly thought out goals, etc etc. He is driven, by his psych illnesses, to always cause maximum confusion, and… Read more »
Because he really doesn’t care about government or governing–it’s just about being the superstar.
No need to understand how something works, if your
goal is only to destroy it.
https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/fintan-o-toole-trump-has-unfinished-business-a-republic-he-wants-to-destroy-still-stands-1.4435655
Thanks, texponder. That was a terrific, accurate, and thoroughly depressing piece from the Irish Times.
There are consequences to electing a deranged madman. If the country had gone for him again, I’d say we have the leadership we deserve. Thank God there were enough sane Americans to vote him out but I know we’re all rather terrified by the reality that there were more than 70 million votes for four more years. Have we fallen through the looking glass or has our country always been this fucked up and we’ve simply been shielded by institutions that channeled the stoopid in less harmful ways (at least for those who were white)?
Republican party and conservatives are so smart. Derp!