Something that's been interesting to watch is the quiet race to be the successor to Trump (no, it won't be Ivanka). It's a delicate dance: you have to be deferential enough to Trump and his devoted base to line up their support -- Trump's not going anywhere after he leaves office and he will clearly use his Twitter feed to try to hand-pick (and control) any future Republican who would replace him. At the same time, they need to be able to pose as independent enough that they can pivot to distancing themselves from Trump's style and excesses (aimed at bringing back those GOP voters who are disgusted by him). Here are four candidates clearly positioning themselves for the post-Trump Republican environment
https://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2019/08/the-grotesque-sadism-of-lindsey-graham.html
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/21/mike-pence-send-her-back-chant-1424137
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/7/30/1875486/-The-ever-cowardly-Rand-Paul-repeats-Trump-s-racism-in-an-apparent-bid-to-suck-up-to-the-man
https://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2019/07/the-future-of-gop-obviously-isnt-nikki.html
Former Trump chief economic advisor says the trade war is a failure
https://www.bbc.com/news/business-49187126
Mr Cohn said the tariffs had made it expensive to import vital products from China, counteracting the effects of Mr Trump's tax cuts, which were designed to stimulate the US economy. He said: "When you build plant equipment, you're buying steel, you're buying aluminium, you're buying imported products and then we put tariffs on those, so literally the tax incentive we gave you with one hand was taken away with the other hand. "So we are not seeing the manufacturing job creation. . ."
Nevertheless, more tariffs are coming. Why? https://politicalwire.com/2019/08/01/trump-will-impose-new-tariffs-on-chinese-goods/
https://www.vox.com/world/2019/8/1/20750494/trump-china-tariff-300-billion-10-percent-iphone
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/8/1/1875961/-More-tariffs-ahead-as-Trump-admits-agriculture-deal-with-China-never-really-existed
https://slate.com/business/2019/08/trump-chinese-tariffs-trade-federal-reserve.html
More: https://politicalwire.com/2019/08/01/u-s-economy-reverts-to-a-pre-tax-cut-growth-rate/
U.S. Economy Reverts To a Pre-Tax Cut Growth Rate
The disappearing middle class
https://politicalwire.com/2019/08/01/its-getting-harder-to-stay-in-the-middle-class/
The Senate passes a massive budget bill -- with 23 Repubs voting against it. Will Trump credit the Dems when he signs it?
https://www.axios.com/senate-passes-budget-deal-debt-ceiling-2021-d9aef39d-cf49-469e-8a7c-3324b183bf81.html
https://thinkprogress.org/23-senate-republicans-vote-against-the-budget-deal-after-backing-the-deficit-busting-tax-bill-0400781e18c0/
Trump: https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1156935288322699265
"Budget Deal is phenomenal for our Great Military, our Vets, and Jobs, Jobs, Jobs! Two year deal gets us past the Election. Go for it Republicans, there is always plenty of time to CUT!"
[NB: Yes, the good old "spend now, cut later" promise. Lucy's football.]
Trump's positions on every major issue are unpopular
Nevertheless, more tariffs are coming. Why? https://politicalwire.com/2019/08/01/trump-will-impose-new-tariffs-on-chinese-goods/
https://www.vox.com/world/2019/8/1/20750494/trump-china-tariff-300-billion-10-percent-iphone
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/8/1/1875961/-More-tariffs-ahead-as-Trump-admits-agriculture-deal-with-China-never-really-existed
https://slate.com/business/2019/08/trump-chinese-tariffs-trade-federal-reserve.html
More: https://politicalwire.com/2019/08/01/u-s-economy-reverts-to-a-pre-tax-cut-growth-rate/
U.S. Economy Reverts To a Pre-Tax Cut Growth Rate
The disappearing middle class
https://politicalwire.com/2019/08/01/its-getting-harder-to-stay-in-the-middle-class/
The Senate passes a massive budget bill -- with 23 Repubs voting against it. Will Trump credit the Dems when he signs it?
https://www.axios.com/senate-passes-budget-deal-debt-ceiling-2021-d9aef39d-cf49-469e-8a7c-3324b183bf81.html
https://thinkprogress.org/23-senate-republicans-vote-against-the-budget-deal-after-backing-the-deficit-busting-tax-bill-0400781e18c0/
Trump: https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1156935288322699265
"Budget Deal is phenomenal for our Great Military, our Vets, and Jobs, Jobs, Jobs! Two year deal gets us past the Election. Go for it Republicans, there is always plenty of time to CUT!"
[NB: Yes, the good old "spend now, cut later" promise. Lucy's football.]
Trump's positions on every major issue are unpopular
https://thinkprogress.org/republican-party-is-running-on-unpopular-ideas-in-2020-53f5b1ae666f/
Health . . .immigration . . .taxes. . . abortion [read on]
Health . . .immigration . . .taxes. . . abortion [read on]
In investigation news. . .
https://crooksandliars.com/2019/08/watchdog-i-cant-investigate-jarvanka
The Trump administration's intelligence watchdog has declined a request from four top Senate Democrats to investigate how the White House has handled security clearances for Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump and other employees, according to a letter obtained by NBC News. Michael Atkinson, the inspector general of the intelligence community, meaning the chief internal watchdog for the nation's intelligence agencies, wrote to the senators that he would be happy to conduct such an investigation, but could only do it if President Donald Trump asks him. . . .
https://www.emptywheel.net/2019/08/01/the-ongoing-question-of-trumps-and-his-flunkies-susceptibility-to-compromise-by-russia/
KRISHNAMOORTHI: Since it was outside the purview of your investigation your report did not address how Flynn’s false statements could pose a national security risk because the Russians knew the falsity of those statements, right?
MUELLER: I cannot get in to that, mainly because there are many elements of the FBI that are looking at different aspects of that issue.
KRISHNAMOORTHI: Currently?
MUELLER: Currently. . . [read on]
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/james-comey-charges-justice-department-memo-leaked
The Justice Department has decided not to bring charges against former FBI Director James Comey for leaking memos he wrote documenting 2017 conversations he had with President Trump. . . “Everyone at the DOJ involved in the decision said it wasn’t a close call.”
https://crooksandliars.com/2019/08/watchdog-i-cant-investigate-jarvanka
The Trump administration's intelligence watchdog has declined a request from four top Senate Democrats to investigate how the White House has handled security clearances for Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump and other employees, according to a letter obtained by NBC News. Michael Atkinson, the inspector general of the intelligence community, meaning the chief internal watchdog for the nation's intelligence agencies, wrote to the senators that he would be happy to conduct such an investigation, but could only do it if President Donald Trump asks him. . . .
https://www.emptywheel.net/2019/08/01/the-ongoing-question-of-trumps-and-his-flunkies-susceptibility-to-compromise-by-russia/
KRISHNAMOORTHI: Since it was outside the purview of your investigation your report did not address how Flynn’s false statements could pose a national security risk because the Russians knew the falsity of those statements, right?
MUELLER: I cannot get in to that, mainly because there are many elements of the FBI that are looking at different aspects of that issue.
KRISHNAMOORTHI: Currently?
MUELLER: Currently. . . [read on]
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/james-comey-charges-justice-department-memo-leaked
The Justice Department has decided not to bring charges against former FBI Director James Comey for leaking memos he wrote documenting 2017 conversations he had with President Trump. . . “Everyone at the DOJ involved in the decision said it wasn’t a close call.”
In other news . .
.
This is interesting, and important
https://politicalwire.com/2019/08/01/fbi-warns-conspiracy-theories-are-terrorism-threat/
The FBI for the first time has identified fringe conspiracy theories as a domestic terrorist threat . . .
More: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/fbi-identify-conspiracy-theories-domestic-terrorism-threat
The Mueller report said the Russians interfered in 2016, and they're still doing it. Mueller in his testimony said the Russians interfered, and they're still doing it. (It's the one thing about which he really got upset.) Trump says, Eh?
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-mueller-russia-election-meddling-warning
This is interesting, and important
https://politicalwire.com/2019/08/01/fbi-warns-conspiracy-theories-are-terrorism-threat/
The FBI for the first time has identified fringe conspiracy theories as a domestic terrorist threat . . .
More: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/fbi-identify-conspiracy-theories-domestic-terrorism-threat
The Mueller report said the Russians interfered in 2016, and they're still doing it. Mueller in his testimony said the Russians interfered, and they're still doing it. (It's the one thing about which he really got upset.) Trump says, Eh?
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-mueller-russia-election-meddling-warning
“You don’t really believe this. Do you believe this?” Trump said, scoffing at the report’s question. He added that he did not bring up election interference with Putin in the call.
More: https://crooksandliars.com/2019/08/trump-tells-press-he-doesnt-believe-russia
The "Moscow Mitch" moniker really got to McConnell. Now maybe he'll do something about election security
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/08/01/schumer-mcconnell-election-security-1444541
Schumer predicts McConnell will take up election security
Trump's new head of the Bureau of Land Management wants to just sell off federal lands
https://politicalwire.com/2019/08/01/trump-pick-for-managing-federal-lands-wants-to-sell-them-all/
Trump wants to use the military procurement process to punish his enemies
https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2019/08/trump-takes-his-revenge-on-jeff-bezos/
Kris Kobach is a krook
https://www.thedailybeast.com/kris-kobach-uses-border-wall-group-to-fund-senate-bid-likely-illegally
Trump says, what do you expect me to do about racist chants at my rallies?
https://politicalwire.com/2019/08/01/trump-not-sure-he-can-stop-chants/
“I don’t know that you can stop people. I don’t know that you can. I mean, we’ll see what we can do. I’d prefer that they don’t. But if they do it, we’ll have to make a decision then.”
How John McCain handled it: https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2015/09/18/mccain-2008-presidential-campaign-audience-question-on-obama-as-arab.cnn
No chants at the rally, but racially coded attacks on "inner cities"
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-avoids-send-her-back-chants-at-ohio-rally-compares-baltimore-to-third-world-country
“While Republicans are working every day to build up our country, the rage-filled Democrat Party is trying to tear America apart,” the president shouted to lusty boos. “The Democrat Party is now being led by four left-wing extremists who reject everything that we hold dear.”
Rage-filled? https://crooksandliars.com/2019/08/trump-supporter-tries-beat-peaceful
Trump's Cincinnati rally Thursday night was intended to incite division, as all of his rallies are. . . . The video above was shot by anti-Trump protester Scott Fantozzi, who caught 29-year old Dallas Frazier descending from the passenger side of a red pickup and choosing out protester 61-year old Mike Alter. . . . That was apparently exactly what Frazier wanted. He came at Alter and punched him three times in the head. He was winding up for another go when someone pushed him out of the way and police intervened. . . .
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-supporters-cheer-rally-immigrants-protesters_n_5d437d43e4b0aca3411b0fae
Trump Supporters Cheer As Immigration Rights Sign Gets Torn At Rally
Nice! https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2019/08/fake-media-misquotes-donald-trump-again/
Trump just promised to cure cancer. . . . "very shortly"
The Great Winnowing is about to happen
https://politicalwire.com/2019/08/01/only-7-have-qualified-for-next-debate/
Only 7 Have Qualified for Next Debate . . . Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Beto O’Rourke, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
Any more? https://www.huffpost.com/entry/democrat-next-debate-qualifications_n_5d43432ee4b0acb57fc9837e
More: https://crooksandliars.com/2019/08/trump-tells-press-he-doesnt-believe-russia
The "Moscow Mitch" moniker really got to McConnell. Now maybe he'll do something about election security
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/08/01/schumer-mcconnell-election-security-1444541
Schumer predicts McConnell will take up election security
Trump's new head of the Bureau of Land Management wants to just sell off federal lands
https://politicalwire.com/2019/08/01/trump-pick-for-managing-federal-lands-wants-to-sell-them-all/
Trump wants to use the military procurement process to punish his enemies
https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2019/08/trump-takes-his-revenge-on-jeff-bezos/
Kris Kobach is a krook
https://www.thedailybeast.com/kris-kobach-uses-border-wall-group-to-fund-senate-bid-likely-illegally
Trump says, what do you expect me to do about racist chants at my rallies?
https://politicalwire.com/2019/08/01/trump-not-sure-he-can-stop-chants/
“I don’t know that you can stop people. I don’t know that you can. I mean, we’ll see what we can do. I’d prefer that they don’t. But if they do it, we’ll have to make a decision then.”
How John McCain handled it: https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2015/09/18/mccain-2008-presidential-campaign-audience-question-on-obama-as-arab.cnn
No chants at the rally, but racially coded attacks on "inner cities"
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-avoids-send-her-back-chants-at-ohio-rally-compares-baltimore-to-third-world-country
“While Republicans are working every day to build up our country, the rage-filled Democrat Party is trying to tear America apart,” the president shouted to lusty boos. “The Democrat Party is now being led by four left-wing extremists who reject everything that we hold dear.”
Rage-filled? https://crooksandliars.com/2019/08/trump-supporter-tries-beat-peaceful
Trump's Cincinnati rally Thursday night was intended to incite division, as all of his rallies are. . . . The video above was shot by anti-Trump protester Scott Fantozzi, who caught 29-year old Dallas Frazier descending from the passenger side of a red pickup and choosing out protester 61-year old Mike Alter. . . . That was apparently exactly what Frazier wanted. He came at Alter and punched him three times in the head. He was winding up for another go when someone pushed him out of the way and police intervened. . . .
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-supporters-cheer-rally-immigrants-protesters_n_5d437d43e4b0aca3411b0fae
Trump Supporters Cheer As Immigration Rights Sign Gets Torn At Rally
Nice! https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2019/08/fake-media-misquotes-donald-trump-again/
Trump just promised to cure cancer. . . . "very shortly"
The Great Winnowing is about to happen
https://politicalwire.com/2019/08/01/only-7-have-qualified-for-next-debate/
Only 7 Have Qualified for Next Debate . . . Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Beto O’Rourke, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.
Any more? https://www.huffpost.com/entry/democrat-next-debate-qualifications_n_5d43432ee4b0acb57fc9837e
Pete Buttigieg on the need for structural reform
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/7/30/20748078/pete-buttigieg-democratic-debate-cnn
Furthermore, I think we are paying way too much attention to the fine details of policy differences around proposals that -- in the end -- aren't going to get enacted anyway. Free college for everyone? Don't make me laugh. Most of these proposals have to be viewed politically: What is their potential for generating a much-needed public debate? Which ones might trigger practical initiatives that DO have a chance of passage? And, most of all, which ones can help generate an electoral majority to win? I am getting tired of Candidate A attacking Candidate B because one imaginary policy lacks some element that the other imaginary policy contains. That's dumb, and it's dumbing down the debate. False promises and fact-free arguments are the Republican game. Our game should be realism and honesty
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/the-democrats-need-to-get-their-act-together
The Democrats Need to Get Their Act Together
https://www.vox.com/2019/8/1/20750150/democratic-debate-cnn-medicare-for-all-kamala-harris-joe-biden-presidential-power
The presidential debates wasted too much time talking about stuff only Congress can do
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/08/democratic-debates-foreign-policy.html
Foreign policy is often the most important and difficult part of a president’s job. So why don’t the debates spend more time on it?
Some candidates seek advantage by attacking presidential policies -- Obama's, not Trump's
https://www.politico.com/story/2019/08/01/cory-booker-obama-presidency-criticism-1444314
2020 hopefuls argue Obama's presidency not above criticism
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/biden-obama-2020_n_5d4326a6e4b0ca604e2edddd
Many Democrats Say Criticizing Obama’s Legacy Isn’t A Good Idea
https://www.salon.com/2019/08/01/biden-says-it-is-absolutely-bizarre-that-candidates-attacked-obamas-policies-at-democratic-debate/
Biden says it is "absolutely bizarre" that candidates attacked Obama's policies at Democratic debate
The Senate used to be a place of relative comity and respect; Senate rules were created to force some deference to the minority. The Repubs have destroyed that
https://crooksandliars.com/2019/08/sen-leahy-rips-sen-graham-and-republicans
https://crooksandliars.com/2019/08/fix-moscow-mitch-rushes-judicial
17 million voters purged in just two years
https://politicalwire.com/2019/08/01/millions-removed-from-voter-rolls/
More GOP retirements are coming
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/house-republicans-more-retirements
GOP "rattled" https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/8/1/1875960/--Republicans-rattled-at-rate-of-retirements-in-House
There goes another one: https://www.thedailybeast.com/will-hurd-is-the-latest-republican-to-say-he-will-not-seek-re-election
The only black House Republican . . .
Bonus item: Late night comics on the best debate comments
https://slate.com/culture/2019/08/democratic-debates-jokes-colbert-seth-meyers-kimmel.html
https://slate.com/culture/2019/08/democratic-debates-jokes-colbert-seth-meyers-kimmel.html
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