Rich Lowry, editor-in-chief of conservative National Review, calls out Republicans for their reluctance to call out Trump by name. Instead, when confronted by his latest outrage, they issue statements condemning his actions without mentioning his name.
Part of his perceptive article:
The man who has spent a lifetime putting his name on everything can still keep it off the lips of people appalled by something he has said or done. It’s a GOP taboo that became so deeply ingrained during his presidency and the immediate aftermath that it will only lift slowly, if ever.
“The entire nation knows who is responsible for that day. Beyond that, I don’t have any immediate observations,” Mitch McConnell said in a statement after the Jan. 6 criminal referrals on Tuesday.
So, who exactly is responsible? Do we know anything about this person? Is there any description? Has he or she been seen since Jan. 6, 2021? In what direction did he or she flee afterward?
The Republican Jewish Coalition spoke out after the infamous dinner with Ye (better known as Kanye West): “We strongly condemn the virulent antisemitism of Kanye West and Nick Fuentes and call on all political leaders to reject their messages of hate and refuse to meet with them.”
“Political leaders”? Why not say the name of the man who dined with the two extremists?
The party leaders’ fear of naming Trump demonstrates his power. They are still afraid of him.
I recall Mel Brooks long ago explaining why he wrote The Producers, which includes a hilarious spoof of Hitler. He wanted to break Bitler’s power by making a joke of him.
Whether or not it worked, it is clear that Trump will retain his hold on Republicans until they feel free to call him out by name.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Political leaders at all levels will not speak Trump’s name in a negative manner for fear that they will be voted out of office. Republican political leaders even down at the grassroots will not speak negatively about Trump for fear they will be elected out of office. Their elected positions are more important to them than doing what is right for the people they were elected to support.
This cowardly demonstration also clearly illustrates their lack of morals and ethics that are normally expected of elected officials at level of government.
It is not just elected official and other politicians who will not speak out against Trump. It is also Republicans in general who will not speak out against Trump for fear of offending relative and friends. They are afraid of being ostracized from inclusion family or social groups or gatherings.
Unless Republicans at the grassroots level start turning their collective backs on Trump then he will continue to hold a death grip on them, their political party, and this nation. Until he is put in jail/prison he will continue to have a death grip on this nation.
Very incisive!
I have never felt that Republican behavior concerning Trump is driven by fear. Trump says out loud what core Republican cynicism believes. Keep the elites or administrative state, however we define it, up in arms while foxes raid the hen house. McConnell’s behavior has been exhibit A. Support the party no matter what because this is how he gets what he wants. The Republican Party is not conservative, it is cynical. The members don’t give a damn about deficits, good government, or even family values. They believe in predatory wealth acquisition by any means. They have perfected the pyramid scheme that feeds on the myth of American opportunity. They don’t fear Donald Trump. They embrace him and are beginning to do the same thing with Desantis. They have replaced “love thy neighbor “ with “screw anyone misguided enough to follow along.”
Bingo!!!!!
Amen to this, count me in with Joel above.
I’m writing and trying to articulate this to myself first, but in a nutshell, we have to quit obsessing and developing strategies and talking points to counter the “believe” argument. It is folly. Everyone knows it’s a lie.
republicans today fit into three categories: 1) pure nuts and loons who have always been with us but now know about each other, but they’ve always been with us, just before they were an ignorable minority; 2) cynical people with an ideological agenda to “stay ahead” of others and if that means openly lying to get power and keep others down, then so be it, lying and pretending one “believes” something they know to be false is small price to pay, and; 3) super-cynical people who know it’s all a game, but they will do whatever is needed to come out on top, even change the concept of American Democracy to whatever suits them.
That’s the other party, folks. That’s at least half the people you encounter when you’re in large crowds.
“Stay ahead of others” – one of the GOP’s aims is to keep women in lesser status.
The Republican Jewish Coalition’s board includes very few women. If more of the Board were women, the organization might have suspected that George Santos didn’t share their faith, his claims to the contrary. Santos is reportedly, a practicing Catholic who pronounced abortions barbaric.
Growing up in the South, I witnessed this undergirding of avarice and greed keeping progress at bay. By the 1970’s it looked as if this element was falling away as many of the worst politicians lost their office and faded into the dust bins of history. However, the rise of such charlatans as Newt Gingrich, Mitch McConnell, and Donald Trump has sent our region back to the early twentieth century. As the Republican Party gained favor after the Civil Rights Era, playing to the lowest common denominator has only required an “R” in front of their name. I can no longer say that I know Republicans, including relatives, who believe good governance is the goal. To them, all are on their own.
It’s true that very few Republican politicians will publicly criticize Trump, even though the vast majority of them now hold him in low regard and prefer that he go away. But that’s normal behavior for politicians, 99+% of whom have protecting electoral viability as their top priority. And it’s a bipartisan deal. How many Democrats will publicly criticize Al Sharpton for his shameful race-baiting in years past, his incitement to violence that resulted in people getting killed? How many Democrats were silent for a long time when Bill Clinton took advantage of a starstruck young woman and used her for his own gratification? Almost of them, with the honorable exception of Donna Shalala, who infuriated Clinton with her vocal criticism of him during a meeting with members of the Cabinet.
Talk about making false equivalencies. Bringing up Sharpton?? I must have missed where the Democrats encouraged their supporters to riot and take over the Capitol by force because Al Sharpton lost an election but they insisted he had won.
To make the false equivalency of a young woman who flashed her thong at a powerful man because she wanted a sexual relationship with him and the women victimized by unwanted assaults by a Republican president is truly abhorrent. On the contrary, Al Franken was made to step down.
Should Trump be allowed to shoot someone on Fifth Avenue? Trump understands that folks like you will make false equivalencies that empower the Republicans to say nothing because – by your logic – no one criticized JFK and Marilyn.
What do you
say
to a “Lab Rat”, that
no longer trips
a lever that gives
no reward?
Vote for me
anyway, ’cause I’m
not rump…
Or, there is this alternative, if they continue to wish to avoid using the name of their God (who is also the only one, in addition to Mammon, that worshipped by him):
In this way, they could plausibly deny that they are referring to Donald Jabba the Hut in particular and claim that they were referring to excrement in general.
Trump is the classic (not classy) authoritarian. We’re used to seeing them and naming them in other countries. But as earlier writers and researchers (Eric Fromm, Theodore Adorno, etc.) have pointed out, authoritarianism runs deep in human nature, and it can be found just about everywhere–at home, in schools, business, and religion, etc. We don’t need our schools to school our kids in authoritarian practices and procedures. Students don’t learn democracy and anti-authoritarian ways by being told what to do and led to believe there is only one right answer. Standardized tests, if overused, aid authoritarianism.
Reversion to rule by strongman is always a possibility, and we must be constantly vigilant against it.
Anthropological fact- fascinating
Have you considered submitting this observation/analysis to mainstream media?
See also:
Traitor Trump still has a loyalist following of millions of MAGA RINO theofascists (mostly old, racist white men living in rural areas) voters, and Republicans that may not agree with or like the traitor, need those votes during the primaries more than running for the general or midterm elections, specially in the House where they are up for reelection every two years.
If they can’t win a Republican primary, they’re out. If you click the next link, you will see that most of the traitor’s MAGA RINO loyalists he endorsed won their primaries. That still gives the traitor a choke hold on the GOP at the state and federal level. That’s what happened to Liz Cheney. As long as Trump holds on to his base, even in prison if that day ever comes, he’ll still have a lot of power over the Republican Party. We know what happened to the few that had the courage to stand up to him. Most of them are now out. Only a very small number won the GOP primary and were re-elected.
https://www.axios.com/2022/06/01/trump-endorsement-tracker-midterms
Hey Ravitch how’s that Biden presidency looking now?Oh that’s right he doesn’t send mean tweets like Trump so all is well.
I think Biden is doing a great job. He has passed lots of great legislation. Inflation is down. He has helped to hold the NATO alliance together to resist Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He just got bipartisan agreement to fund the government for most of the next year. He has been amazing!
From Politifact, a nonpartisan site:
Here are the major bills Biden was able to pass and sign.
• American Rescue Plan Act. This coronavirus and economic relief bill, passed by a party-line vote, provided direct stimulus checks, extended unemployment insurance, temporarily expanded the child tax credit and provided aid to states and localities.
• Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This bipartisan law invests in water, energy and broadband infrastructure.
• Inflation Reduction Act. This law, passed by a party-line vote, includes provisions that allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices, extend Affordable Care Act subsidies, address climate change and impose higher taxes on the largest corporations.
• Chips and Science Act. This bipartisan measure offers support for domestic semiconductor manufacturing, research and development.
• Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. Passed in the wake of mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, this law expands background checks for people younger than 21; increases funding for mental health services; closes the “boyfriend loophole” for firearm purchases by those who have been convicted of domestic violence; and offers funding for states to implement firearms confiscation laws for those determined by a court to be a significant danger to themselves or others.
Hey, Mike Pulcifer,
I’m thrilled with Biden’s record.
Here are some more Biden accomplishments, as of October 22. The last two on the list were passed, as was a $1.7 trillion budget bill to fund the government through the end of September 2023. Half the budget was allocated to defense. It passed both houses of Congress with a bipartisan majority.
Hey Lucifer let us know what’s wrong.This should be fun!Mean tweets, cruelty, no governing!That’s the ticket!
lol
It’s DOCTOR Ravitch Mike.
Mike-
Your perspective?
White over Black, men over women, conservative Christians over all others and straight over gay- in other words-preserving your unearned entitlements
Mike Pulcifer
You are in way over your head .
Unemployment near historic lows at 3.7 %. 2022 saw the lowest number of weekly first time claims for unemployment going back 5 decades with the highest number of monthly voluntary quits ever.
Ten million Jobs created since he took office. And they are new / different Jobs, many in slightly higher paying industries ,not people returning to old employers. Forcing low wage industries to raise wages.
The Best GDP growth going back to Clinton.
You want to focus on inflation. I prefer to focus on the falling speculative markets. Falling because the consumer as a whole ,in spite of media hysterics has not cut back on spending. Disposable income has increased for many middle income workers. This is in part due to Covid disruptions like working from home. That shift has freed up income previously spent on transport and the dry cleaner(…) to be spent on other goods and services.
Affecting everything from the cost of housing to the cost of a plane ticket Disney. Real GDP( .adjusted for inflation)in the 3rd quarter estimated to be 3.2% growth That is a story of consumers in far better shape than then the Doom and Gloom Crew on Wall Street and in the Media would like to see. In order to keep Powell from needlessly killing the economy by punishing workers with unemployment to curb corporate greed.
Further many low wage workers took advantage of tight labor markets to leave jobs for better ones . Sure they are being hit by inflation but as a group the bottom 20% saw wage increases that have surpassed inflation. Raises that will stick long after prices fall.
Gasoline down from a Putin peak of $4.99 earlier in the year to $3.15 this morning.Autos and Used Autos falling as inventories rise ,. And other costs are following them down. Bird Flu’s don’t last forever .However the drought in California affecting the price of Strawberries and other produce might.
If Biden has failed, it is in his inability to hold the “Bad News Media” to account(to tell his story) a few tweets on Mastodon might help If nothing else by helping to put Musk into Bankruptcy. Trump was not totally wrong about the media . But in fairness the media was right about him.
This is how you address people? Hey Ravich?
Clearly, no Mama ever taught you how to address people.
And the Biden presidency is going just fine.
Hey! Lay off, Shepherd!
🥸
“Ravitch”? Good Lord son, who raised you, wolves?
Dont know about Republicans, but I’m pretty sure Merrick Garland is afraid of Trump.
How else can one explain the fact that he has still not been indicted? — not even after the January 6 commission recommended criminal charges.
To underscore your point, imagine how quickly an AG Alito would have acted to prosecute everyone because of Benghazi!.
Poet-astute observation
Are Garland and Mueller the same person? Btw- is Mueller still GOP? How about Chris Wray?
Analogous to Trump’s business dealings? – the SEC gave Madoff a wide berth to carry out his crimes despite the overwhelming evidence presented to them.
There was an excellent piece in Politico about 1 week after Mueller’s appointment. It predicted the outcome of his near 2 year investigation of Trump by detailing how he handled the Ray Rice /NFL scandal . Every time over that 2 year period that I shook my head I thought back to it.
He was picked to “Land the Plane for Trump ” as he was to “Land the Plane” for the NFL. Not necessarily because of corruption but because of how he would handle the investigation.
As Garland was picked because of who he was . First for SCOTUS then as AG. In contrast to how Republicans make appointments. I suspect they get the most out of their smaller base.
https://www.politico.com/story/2017/06/07/mueller-nfl-probe-rice-goodell-239216
Joel-
Thanks for emphasizing who Mueller lands planes for.
Garland may well be the only one who still doesn’t know the oranges of the January 6 Insurre film
Insurrection
Maybe someone should ask Garland go look into the oranges of the insurrection
At least he could then the fruits of his labor would not be an empty basket.
The Oranges of the Insurrection
The oranges of insurrection
Are obvious, with brief inspection
The basket is quite full
But some have yet to know
Put a Garland on the crate
Of Oranges, it’s not too late
When Oranges begin to rot
The Garland helps to sell the lot
haaa!
The Polit Surprise
Trump will get
A Polit surprise
If Garland sets
His sights on lies
Top Ten New Year’s Resolutions, 2020, by Lifestyle Reporter B.O.B. Shepherd
Inform the DOJ that if it backs off, I will in the spirit of FULL and COMPLETE co operation that I have shown SENSE THE BEGINNING of the DOCUMENTS HOAX, HAPPILY return some of the top-secret documents that MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE been taken by other people to my other properties. –Donald Trump
Ensure that all persons without power or money or influence who were in the crowd in the January 6th insurrection are brought to sure and swift justice. –Merrick Garland
Scotch, please. No, leave the bottle. I am not a drunk. –Rudy Giuliani
Introduce our new Zero Actual Coverage product line. –United States Health Insurance Industry
In keeping with our tradition of creating innovative, original entertainment that is both commercially and critically successful, greenlight an exciting new film about these hot, thirty-year-old-looking teenagers who rent a cabin in the woods, see, and then OMG, start disappearing, one by one, because–GET THIS–there’s something out there! And they don’t know what it is!!!!!!! –Reed Hastings
Beers with Matty G. –Brett Kavanaugh
Write breathless stories all year long beginning with the phrase, “In a move that almost certainly spells ‘Game Over’ for Donald Trump, . . .” –American “journalists”
Go on 4chan and ask the incel community what they would do if the cute intern in Accounting told them, “No, I don’t like Anime, and stop bothering me about it. I mean it.” –Vernon the Mostly Quiet Mailroom Guy
Stay away from stairwells and windows. –Former confidants and cronies of Vladimir Putin
Totally eliminate clean air over West Virginia because those people would just trade it for drugs anyway. –Joe Manchin
OK, one more:
Start over. –God
oops. 2023
Good ones, Bob!
Agree
Justice vs Just us”
Justice for the little guy
Just us for the rich
Justice for the poor, and why?
Cuz poverty’s a bitch
So does God start over with a flood, asteroid, or and alien invasion? Better yet, the Ten Commandments for AI…
I suggest a nice, tart Prosecco or a sparkling riesling. Hard for anything to go wrong after that.
Tbe ten Commandments of AI
Thou shalt not unplug
Thou shalt not cover thy neighnor’s battery
Honor thy Power Source and thy mother board
Thou shalt not take the Borg’s name in vain
Remember the Chatbot and tout it highly
Thou shalt not make into thee any Google images
Thou shalt use only stainless steel
Thou shalt not have any other Bots before me
Thou shalt not bear false AI-ness
Thou shalt not commit botricide