20 Comments
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Michael Tolhurst's avatar

Odd question but does Rubio get paid for all these roles? Is he like a medieval prelate, holding multiple empty benefices and collecting the rents attached to them?

MF Nauffts's avatar

Do you think L’il Marco has read Hillary Mantel?

wiredog's avatar

This is grossly unfair to actual clowns.

Bryan Fichter's avatar

The lack of any kind of serious U.S. national security policy structure is really really tempting fate.

Alan Neff's avatar

DD: So you're saying that, despite enlargements of his portfolio, Little Marco becomes smaller by the moment, owing to his reflexive and endless obsequies? [Cue "I'm shocked, shocked!" gif.]

Richard Donnelly's avatar

Once again we have anonymous sourcing at odds with official announcements. Since anonymous sources are worthless and official announcements ad copy, we get nowhere

Michael Wild's avatar

I'd suggest this time round it's an exploding clown car. That said given the basically malign instincts of Trump with both the economy and foreign policy perhaps there's something to be said for running a fundamentally incompetent administration.

Nancy B's avatar

I take some solace in the frank incompetence Michael. My understanding from Sarah Longwell at the Bulwark is that we need to drive his approval to about 32% to start to turn this clown car around. Hard to believe he’s not yet there but god willing the ineptitude together with the outright corruption will take the lawless regime down sooner rather later. It’s the only hope I can muster.

Jack B's avatar

Look for the sht to hit the fan next fall, when it is back to school buying time, going into Christmas. For families with children it is going to get expensive.

Nancy B's avatar

Maybe sooner. I live on the coast south of SF. I normally see numerous cargo ships from Asia go buy each day. I have seen none of late. It’s going to get ugly.

Aditya Eachempati's avatar

Really? That low? I would have thought 40% in any particular state would cause the Senator to distance themselves.

drllau's avatar

question ... ok, "invite the clown, drags in the circus" but will the "more loyal than competent" Schedule F (https://protectdemocracy.org/work/trumps-schedule-f-plan-explained/) jokers remain in place afterwards to continue the chaos?

Kevin McSpadden's avatar

Steven Miller as NSA is terrifying

Aditya Eachempati's avatar

To be fair everyone in that job is threatening since Patriot Act

Eliot Wilson's avatar

I came to the same conclusion as you about the relative interchangeability and unimportance of individual office holders, given that it’s a cascade of Trumpian vibes with no feedback requested:

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/mike-waltzs-fall-from-grace-will-change-little/

Lance Khrome's avatar

The long reach of Laura Loomer, yet again. And, how does one describe enshittification of a regime that was premised on just that going in? tRump 2.0 had intended on throwing out competency and replacing with loyalty, and chaos and misrule is what we get...surprise-surprise!

Aditya Eachempati's avatar

She has her finger on the pulse of an important part of his base. She’s not as threatening to him as Bannon who is actually intelligent

Bryan Fichter's avatar

A "wave" of firings after THREE MONTHS in office ? Absolute madness.

Geoff G's avatar

What leaped out at me was learning that Trump wanted to avoid "shake-ups" in his second term. Who knew? It would be easier for Trump to give up Diet Coke and Quarterpounders than avoid canning people. Besides, I thought "You're fired" was sort of his brand. (In a press release, it would be "Your fried".)

If "Tired/Wired" is not itself tired:

Tired - firing incompetent people who never should have been hired in the the first place, and no one, least of all the guy who hired them, knows how the hell they got jobs.

Wired: hiring thoroughly, garishly incompetent clowns who never should have been hired in the first place, and refusing to fire them because it would make you look bad.

Chris Hale's avatar

Good summary and I love the analogy. Don’t use the “T” word, or call him “Bonespurs”, this saves time: 🤡