The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

“How’s The Weather, Donald?”
“It’s Raining Knives”

Posted on | February 29, 2016 | 99 Comments

by Smitty

Here are the first there paras of a must-read Angelo Codevilla essay over at the Federalist:

The Obama years have brought America to the brink of transformation from constitutional republic into an empire ruled by secret deals promulgated by edicts. Civics classes used to teach: “Congress makes the laws, the president carries them out, judges decide controversies, and we citizens may be penalized only by a jury of our peers.”

Nobody believes that anymore, because no part of it has been true for a long time. Barack Obama stopped pretending that it is. During the twentieth century’s second half, both parties and all branches of government made a mockery of the Constitution of 1789. Today’s effective constitution is: “The president can do whatever he wants so long as one-third of the Senate will sustain his vetoes and prevent his conviction upon impeachment.”

Obama has been our first emperor. A Donald Trump presidency, far from reversing the ruling class’s unaccountable hold over American life, would seal it. Because Trump would act as our second emperor, he would render well-nigh impossible our return to republicanism.

The whole thing is an essential read, and floats the question: who best to un-frack this mess? No one, really; “Progress” was built in a century. We can start with Cruz, but it’s going to take much more than eight years to get to a suitable course.
Via Bearing Drift, here is a more detailed personal deconstruction of Her Majesty’s Secret Servant:

Loved the Gold Sharpie bit starting at 6:00.
We can thank Blutarski of Queens for driving forth the unlamented Florida Niedermeyer. Because we’re generous like that. But now it’s time for conservatives to sober up.

Category: Donald Trump

Comments

99 Responses to ““How’s The Weather, Donald?”
“It’s Raining Knives””

  1. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    February 29th, 2016 @ 8:50 pm

    Super Duper!

  2. Finrod Felagund
    February 29th, 2016 @ 10:33 pm

    I’m hoping for good news tomorrow night, and I define good news as “Ted Cruz winning more states than Texas and Arkansas”. Especially if Alaska is one of them, since that would frost Palin’s cookies.

  3. Garym
    February 29th, 2016 @ 10:36 pm

    Liberal douchebag John Oliver brilliantly takes down trHump better than anyone on “our” side ever has. You can multiply this kind of take down by 1000 if Mr. Spray Tan gets the nom.
    #makedonalddrumpfagain

  4. Adobe_Walls
    February 29th, 2016 @ 10:36 pm

    So what do you plan to do if it gets down to Trump, Hillary and possibly Bloomberg?

  5. Garym
    February 29th, 2016 @ 10:39 pm

    I’m going to do my best in Colorado tomorrow. I’ve seen no polls here, but my gut tells me trHump has won over the low info voters.

  6. Garym
    February 29th, 2016 @ 10:41 pm

    Vote for down ticket Conservatives and have a look at Gary Johnson. At least I agree with him on half the issues.

  7. Adobe_Walls
    February 29th, 2016 @ 10:44 pm

    So a protest vote. A reasonable act.

  8. Garym
    February 29th, 2016 @ 11:01 pm

    I voted for Johnson when I lived in NM. After a decade of a progressive dunce named Tony Anaya (we aptly named him Tiny Anoya) Johnson was a breath of fresh air. He never hid his Libertarian beliefs, which I can appreciate.

  9. CrustyB
    February 29th, 2016 @ 11:18 pm

    Whoever is the next president is going to have to raise taxes so high to pay for Obama’s communist spending spree that in four years he’ll be voted out of office.

  10. Adobe_Walls
    February 29th, 2016 @ 11:24 pm

    ACE has a good piece on this today. He posits that if Cruz isn’t the nominee the GOP is toast. The biggest fear among party leadership is that not only would a Hillary landslide cost the Senate but possible the house which I very much doubt. The upside of Trump winning the election, no matter who holds congress is gridlock (Washington’s only redeeming value). Additionally while SMOD isn’t coming, Trump might bomb Washington.

  11. Achilles
    February 29th, 2016 @ 11:41 pm

    “Our guy is the most conservative. To prove it here’s a British Leftist attacking the other guy. “

  12. Finrod Felagund
    March 1st, 2016 @ 2:23 am

    This fellow has the theory that Donald Trump will not win a single closed primary or caucus (29 of the 50) because only 29 percent of Trump’s support comes from registered Republicans. Therefore he theorized that Ted Cruz should be the favorite to win the GOP nomination. Interesting theory, and I hope it works– Oklahoma being a closed primary will be a test case on Super Tuesday (if Trump does poorly there compared to elsewhere, it lends credence to the theory), and all four caucuses on Saturday March 5 are closed, so if Trump falls flat there, then it buttresses the theory.

    http://theconservativehistorian.com/wordpress/2016/02/28/update-my-projections-from-super-tuesday-to-the-end-of-the-gop-presidential-primary-season/

  13. smitty
    March 1st, 2016 @ 2:39 am

    Write in Cruz, like a boss. Because at the point of Three Dorks From New York, what difference does it make?

  14. smitty
    March 1st, 2016 @ 2:39 am

    Perhaps.

  15. smitty
    March 1st, 2016 @ 2:40 am

    What about the substance of what Oliver said?

  16. smitty
    March 1st, 2016 @ 2:41 am

    So, crossover Democrats fluffing Trump’s numbers?

  17. Finrod Felagund
    March 1st, 2016 @ 3:34 am

    Raising taxes doesn’t raise revenue. In fact, since World War II there have only been two years when government revenue has exceeded 20 percent of GDP: 1945 and 1999, which were both abnormal years. Raising taxes when the government is already collecting close to that 20 percent line simply retards growth which lowers future revenues.

  18. Finrod Felagund
    March 1st, 2016 @ 3:35 am

    Three Dorks From New York. That’s an awesome line.

  19. Powered by UNicorn flatulence
    March 1st, 2016 @ 4:22 am

    Good news is Trump truncaTED in Texas

  20. Nick
    March 1st, 2016 @ 4:38 am

    Article V Convention of States…
    Its time.

    Put not your trust in a single man, when we can restore state sovereignty and remove power from DC.

  21. Paul McCormick
    March 1st, 2016 @ 6:10 am

    My theory is a lot simpler, we await the empirical data(SUPER TUESDAY) as to whether or not the big flush is in the near future or “We the People” will stop this insane march to oblivion.

  22. Paul McCormick
    March 1st, 2016 @ 6:14 am

    Interesting, very interesting!

  23. Quartermaster
    March 1st, 2016 @ 6:37 am

    It’s possible. If that’s the case, then perhaps the GOP will get their “sane” back and close primaries. Frankly, that’s not the way to bet.

  24. CaptDMO
    March 1st, 2016 @ 6:37 am

    That’s nice, but day late, and dollar short.

  25. Quartermaster
    March 1st, 2016 @ 6:41 am

    I think the GOP is toast no matter who the nominee is. What we are seeing now is just the beginning of the death thros. I also doubt that if the Donald ends up as POTUS, that gridlock won’t happen, that he will govern with executive orders.

    If the Senate is lost, that falls mainly on the Turtle and his lies and stupidity. He’s the poster child defining what the word we don’t mention here means.

  26. CaptDMO
    March 1st, 2016 @ 6:44 am

    Really, has 4000 years of “history” taught us that raising taxes (I ASSUME you infer income/sales) is the only way to eradicate “debt”?
    OK, MAYBE at The University of Phoenix/ Rutgers/Oberlin/NYU schools of economics and PoliSci……
    Probably NOT at West Point.

  27. CaptDMO
    March 1st, 2016 @ 6:47 am

    What is the evidence of substance in “comedic interpretive theory” (“Idiocracy” aside of course)

  28. CaptDMO
    March 1st, 2016 @ 6:51 am

    To what desired outcome…generally, exactly, or even theoretically?
    Careful what you wish for, Robert’s Rules of Order (or The Code Duello) didn’t arise from a vacuum!

  29. CaptDMO
    March 1st, 2016 @ 6:58 am

    Does ACE define what HE means by “the GOP”?
    GOPe?
    Registered Republicans?
    Actual voting “members”
    Politicians with an(R) after their name?
    “Right wingers”?
    Conservatives (as defined by WHO?)
    Folks with a demonstrable resume/CV/voting/activism office record?
    Get’s “sticky” dunnit?

  30. CaptDMO
    March 1st, 2016 @ 7:06 am

    Are the high information, highly educated, demonstrably wise elite, in Co. “expected” to come out in substantial numbers and vote otherwise?

  31. CaptDMO
    March 1st, 2016 @ 7:16 am

    Simpler version.
    “Voting Trump is like saying you’re so sick of cheap GOPe …”, and saying YOU’RE FIRED!
    I’ll endorse Mr. Sanders as the “free” doobie-to-powder-to-rock candidate.

  32. CrustyB
    March 1st, 2016 @ 8:17 am

    Oh I agree. Even a glance at economic charts since FDR show that increasing taxes = lowering production. The liberal/communist dream of taxing the 1% at 100% would raise enough revenue to fund the federal government for, what, two or three weeks only? But this is why you don’t create deficit to being with. We’re not even talking about just the debt here.

    “Savior of the economy” my ass.

  33. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    March 1st, 2016 @ 9:02 am

    Drink…a lot.

  34. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    March 1st, 2016 @ 9:04 am

    Good reason to have three manhattans, each the size of a small punch bowl!

  35. Bob Belvedere
    March 1st, 2016 @ 9:09 am

    It’s Goddamn brilliant – thanks, Smitty.

  36. Bob Belvedere
    March 1st, 2016 @ 9:11 am

    Too many Open Primaries, I fear.

    Trump benefits from such stupidity on the part of the GOP..

  37. Bob Belvedere
    March 1st, 2016 @ 9:12 am

    Buy more foodstuffs and ammo?

  38. Nick
    March 1st, 2016 @ 10:41 am

    As compared to the ongoing COS occurring in the White House?

    This is the only choice we have that can avoid ruin. Remember, it takes 3/4 of states to approve what comes out of the COS. Its just like Congress submitting a new Amendment – it still needs approval.

  39. Nick
    March 1st, 2016 @ 10:42 am

    This is the only choice we have that can avoid ruin. Remember, it takes 3/4 of states to approve what comes out of the COS. Its just like Congress submitting a new Amendment – it still needs approval.

    I fear that the alternative will be worse.

  40. marcus tullius cicero
    March 1st, 2016 @ 10:49 am

    …and I blame them Retroglicans for forcing elitist ,”moderate”, weak candidates like McCain and Mitt down our throats to be rejected by the American Conservatives to lose elections…

  41. daialanye
    March 1st, 2016 @ 11:08 am

    Worse yet, those percentages apply to only Federal taxes.

    To introduce a historical note, when the Byzantines liberated North Africa from the Vandals everyone celebrated. Until, that is, they found that instead of the Vandals one-tenth of wealth the Byzantines wanted one-third.

  42. daialanye
    March 1st, 2016 @ 11:13 am

    Every Drumpf supporter should be forced—forced, I say—to watch this video.

    Wouldn’t change many minds, but we more rational voters would enjoy tremendous amounts of schadenfreude were Donnie Drumpf to gain office.

  43. Achilles
    March 1st, 2016 @ 11:25 am

    There is none. Maybe you can drum up a quote from Jon Stewart or Sarah Silverman.

  44. Paul McCormick
    March 1st, 2016 @ 11:28 am

    It may be our last chance to save the REPUBLIC without force of arms.

  45. Darth Chipmunk
    March 1st, 2016 @ 11:35 am

    Hey, I hear Romney’s interested.

    There’s a joke in there somewhere. But I’m a simple squirrel.

  46. DrGreatCham
    March 1st, 2016 @ 11:36 am

    “What is the evidence of substance in “comedic interpretive theory” (“Idiocracy” aside of course)”

    None, quoting a liberty-hating Trevor Noah-wannabe is the sure sign of a losing argument.

  47. Finrod Felagund
    March 1st, 2016 @ 11:51 am

    At this point I would gladly vote for Romney if the alternatives were Trump, Hillary and Bloomberg.

  48. Evi L. Bloggerlady
    March 1st, 2016 @ 11:52 am

    I would promote Cheetos, since they last forever, but then you might get brain damage like Little Green Football’s Charles Johnson.

  49. Finrod Felagund
    March 1st, 2016 @ 11:53 am

    Could you post a link to that Ace piece? I never seem to be able to find what I’m looking for when I go hunting around his site.

  50. Finrod Felagund
    March 1st, 2016 @ 11:58 am

    I agree. Government shouldn’t be spending more than 20 percent of GDP, period.

    You would think that Joseph was onto something back in the book of Genesis with the 20 percent tax rate he proposed to save ancient Egypt from famine.