Trumpzilla Isn’t Stupid, but We Might Be…

According to Dylan Byers of CNN, Trumpence Bannon has canceled multiple open press events this week, opting not to let reporters into the room to ask questions.

Before last night, I would see this behavior as the avoidant pouting of a petulant manchild who can’t deal with criticism or even form a coherent sentence on his own. But last night I attended a free speech and democracy panel hosted by Pen America. Timothy Snyder, a Yale history professor and author of a new book call On Tyranny, put Trumpzilla’s actions in different light.

In Snyder’s view, Trumpence Bannon is following the classic script of fascism. His attempts to undermine and marginalize the press is nothing less than the second step in a plan to destroy democracy. The relentless shocking statements, the endless manipulation of the news cycle and the normalization of the absurd are the methods used to cripple truth and make America a 21st Century totalitarian state.

It is easier to laugh at Trumpzilla than to take him seriously. It is comforting to see him as a buffoon and regard any references to fascism and totalitarianism as pure hyperbole. But it is a mistake to think it can’t happen here. Once you subscribe to that fallacy of American exceptionalism, the end has already started.

Why Trumpence Bannon Told Flynn to Call the Russians

“Scapegoat (noun): A person who is blamed for the wrongdoings, mistakes or faults of others, especially for reasons of expediency.”

I’m not a spy, but I have some exposure to spy logic. I’ve written five spy novels and I’ve read tons more. I’ve studied international affairs with a particular focus on spying.

That’s why the Flynn resignation sounds like a poor excuse for a cover story.

Peter Baker of the Times, published an article earlier today claiming that Trumpence Bannon (TPB) only found out about Flynn’s Russia contacts after the fact.

"Asked if Trumpence Bannon instructed Flynn to talk about sanctions with Mr. Kislyak, Spicer said, “No, absolutely not.” Asked if Trumpence Bannon was aware that the issue had come up before the Justice Department told the White House, Spicer said, “No, he was not aware.”

So let me see if I get this straight: Flynn goes off the reservation and tells a Russian diplomat what Trumpzilla is going to do to help Putin, but he never got orders from anyone else, or told anyone else anything before he made the call. Is that the story we’re going with?

Question: Why would he do that? Was he promising Russia that he could somehow manipulate Trumpzilla into aiding Russia before anything was decided? Was he just talking out of his ass? Or was he just doing what TPB told him to do? Did TPB tell Flynn to use his Russian contacts to go outside the State Department protocols and make a back door deal with Putin?

Answer: In my experience, the concept of cui bono (for whom does it benefit) is a helpful tool for understanding human behavior. Under this theory, people act based on their motivations and self interest. So if Flynn talked to Russia, there was a reason for it. If Flynn wasn’t the ultimate beneficiary of the action or he wasn’t the ultimate decision maker, then someone else got the benefit.

Question: Who could benefit from Flynn talking to Russia?

Answer: Trumpence Bannon.

Based on the current shitshow, the logical sequence of events goes like this: Trumpence Bannon wanted to reward Putin for helping with the election. He sends Flynn to deliver that message. If the message goes through, great. If Flynn gets caught, he gets thrown under the bus and the Trumpocalypse rolls on.

We need to change that narrative.

We need to prove Flynn talked to the Russians because Trumpence Bannon ordered him to make that call. We need to establish that Flynn was not a rouge agent, but an active member of an administration catering to a hostile power. We need to drain the swamp before North Korea starts firing test missiles and Russian ships are breaking peace treaties…

Too late.

Trumpence’s War on Truth (about Terror)

By Gamal Hennessy

In less than a month, the Trumpocalypse has devolved in the cesspool of “making shit up as we go along” even when discussing issues as serious as terrorism.

One only has to look at stories of the non-existent “Bowling Green Massacre” or Trumpzilla’s recent anti media rant about the under reporting of terrorist attacks around the world.

But we’re used to this by now.

We challenge everything he says before it’s even left his mouth. We call him on his bullshit and he responds with the same hasty, uninformed , stupidity that defines his brand.

Consider this analysis from Katie Mettler of the Washington Post:

“But what’s more telling is not what the list included — but what it didn’t. Some of the countries most devastated by terrorism from Islamic extremists were left out entirely, as were any mentions of terrorist attacks on U.S. soil perpetrated by active shooters, or race terrorists like white supremacist Dylann Roof.”

Translation: According to Trumpence Bannon, violence that stokes fear of the other and upholds the narrative of racist exclusion needs to be over reported. Violence that doesn’t fit this narrative needs to be labeled as fake news or ignored completely.

All this ignorance would be comical, except half the population of ‘Merica either believes this bullshit without question or doesn’t care that he’s always lying. Either way, his lies are going to get us into a war. He’s going to make money from it, while some of us die. And he’ll just pretend it didn’t happen at all.

Have fun.

G