What we don’t know about Flynn

So some people are still asking what’s the big deal about Flynn talking to the Russians after the election but before the inauguration. There are essentially three reasons why this matters. The first is the “one President at a time” norm that has been broadly observed up until now. The second is that it was not cleared. And the third is that it could indicated the Flynn – and possibly others – have been compromised. We need a full investigation.

On Republican talking points about Flynn

So House Republicans are pushing the talking point, “Why were Michael Flynn’s calls being monitored? Recording American citizens’ telephone calls is deeply disturbing.” This from the group that recently reauthorized the Patriot Act (which authorized the NSA to listen in all all sorts of American’s phone calls). But mass surveillance aside, Flynn was talking to the Russian Ambassador. On the...

Defund the agencies and fire them all

Genius comment of the day: “Defund the agencies and fire them all.” From a Trump supporter upset about the leaks on Flynn. So, that’s the FBI, the CIA, the NSA, and the DIA. And possibly the Justice Department as well. Yea, we’ll be in great shape without the entire national security apparatus. Putin applauds you. Motto for Trump supporters: “It is much easier to suggest solutions when you know...

Voters want bi-partisanship?

According to a recent poll, most voters want Democrats to work with Trump. At least that is what the headline said; I’m not sure about the methodology or sample size, but it seems plausibly representative. Sure, most voters favor a bi-partisan approach in theory. They elected Obama on that very premise (“…not Red America and Blue America, but the United States of America”). But voters also elect...

Why Trump’s Experience is not helping him

So Trump, the CEO guy (or at least he plays one on TV) is having a rough time managing the federal bureaucracy. Which really shouldn’t be any surprise, since his previous experience was essentially running a lifestyle brand. He did some real estate development, not very successfully, and most of his actual profit in recent years came from brand licensing (most of those “Trump” towers around the world—in Turkey, India,...