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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsDowd: A Lot About Trump Doesn't Add Up
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/12/opinion/trump-presidency-multitasking.htmlIn one sensational swoop, President Trump was able to set the global economy reeling, shatter our alliances, shred our standing in the world, tank consumer confidence, scupper the Kennedy Center and tart up the Oval Office, turning it into Caesars Palace on the Potomac.
And yet he still managed to find time to brag about winning his Jupiter golf club’s championship and sign an executive order relaxing restrictions on water pressure from shower heads — “I like to take a nice shower to take care of my beautiful hair,” the president cooed. He also ordered an investigation of an election security official he had fired four years ago for having the temerity to acknowledge that the 2020 election was not stolen.
“We’re living in a bizarro world where heroes are being targeted and scoundrels are in a position to target them,” David Axelrod told me.
-snip-
Trump is engaging the full power of the presidency to settle scores. The White House was not meant for petty tyrants on revenge tours. In the biggest job in the world, Trump seems like a very small man.
-snip-

dalton99a
(88,169 posts)
(Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times)
BoRaGard
(4,972 posts)for crying out loud
Irish_Dem
(68,128 posts)IrishBubbaLiberal
(1,351 posts)I can’t stand her.
Disclaimer: She is closely related to one of my brother in laws.
I don’t know her at all personally,
Maybe met at wedding decades ago
Irish_Dem
(68,128 posts)She got what she wanted and now wants us to feel sorry for her.
musette_sf
(10,373 posts)🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
3catwoman3
(26,502 posts)The thought of that fugly, overly long, disgusting mop hanging down all wet after a shower is enough to make me
kimbutgar
(24,833 posts)
usonian
(17,100 posts)
kimbutgar
(24,833 posts)forgotmylogin
(7,813 posts)It's literally the "walk like you belong here without stopping and nobody will question you" taken to an extreme. Trump doesn't know how government works, but that is no problem because he doesn't care; if his orders aren't carried out he'll find someone who will do it or do it himself, never mind established rules and regulations and checks and balances.
We had a new trainee at work whom everyone was impressed with for a couple weeks because he was handling a large number of tasks incredibly efficiently and quickly and we all wondered what his secret was. Turns out, he was submitting high-level escalation forms himself that he was supposed to turn over to an advanced team who knew all the extra intricacies and regulations to review and eventually submit to the payments team if valid. He was completing his work quickly because he was bypassing review, and payments assumed everything was good to go and didn't bother checking because the normal team was trained not to submit invalid payments. He of course was eventually fired and it took weeks to sort out all the damage he did. Skipping the process gave him time to wrongly accomplish a lot.
twodogsbarking
(13,341 posts)GoreWon2000
(1,461 posts)She was one of the NYT's ring leaders in the war against Al Gore in 2000.
FalloutShelter
(13,263 posts)They brought the body parts to the lab where the monster was built. They made money and, some of them, careers on the back of their perfidy.
Now? Now? They are concerned that the monster is rampaging against the village?
Not forgiven. Not forgiven.
c-rational
(3,012 posts)Last edited Sat Apr 12, 2025, 04:04 PM - Edit history (1)
wash donny 2 scoops.
SocialDemocrat61
(4,192 posts)So are Nancy Pelosi and AOC.
c-rational
(3,012 posts)SocialDemocrat61
(4,192 posts)make it clearer next time.
Cirsium
(2,305 posts)Were is the confusion? Many self-professed "good Catholics" have normalized fascism.
SocialDemocrat61
(4,192 posts)You didn’t use the quotes the first time.
Cirsium
(2,305 posts)I only posted once.
Why don't you say what you mean to say rather than dancing around it? I suspect that your problem is that you feel that ALL Catholics are being criticized. Yes?
SocialDemocrat61
(4,192 posts)Didn’t realize you were another poster.
Not dancing around anything. The poster I originally replied to didn’t use quotes, so their criticism didn’t sound like it was meant to point out hypocrisy as they later claimed.
Cirsium
(2,305 posts)You thought all Catholics were being criticized?
SocialDemocrat61
(4,192 posts)Cirsium
(2,305 posts)"Another good Catholic who has helped sane wash" Trump does not mean all Catholics sane wash Trump.
Does "another American who voted for Trump" mean all Americans voted for Trump? No.
SocialDemocrat61
(4,192 posts)Another NYT reporter makes more sense in context?
Cirsium
(2,305 posts)There has been a shift over the last 20+ years over to Catholicism being used to promote extreme right wing politics. Part of that is influential converts such as Raymond Arroyo and Newt Gingrich. Then we have Brett Kavanaugh, Samuel Alito, Amy Coney Barrett, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas, Neil Gorsuch - extreme conservatives, raised, or in the case of Thomas, converted to Catholicism. Then we have conservative Catholic media, ETWN in particular, and our Catholic radio network here, Baraga Broadcasting, has gone conservative. There are the Fox news talking heads making a show of their Catholicism - Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, Maria Bartiromo, Jeanine Pirro, etc. They follow in the footsteps of Bill Bennett and Pat Buchanan.
The inconsistency between the teachings of the Church and the politics of that gang of rogues should be clear enough., and it is that inconsistency that is being pointed out in the case of Dowd. It is the hypocrisy that is the problem, not their faith.
Public profession of Catholic faith while promoting extreme right wing politics is relevant.
There was a time when Catholics were a persecuted class in Protestant America, yes.
SocialDemocrat61
(4,192 posts)How is Dowd’s religion relevant? You didn’t even mention her, so nice dodge.
And there have always Catholics who are both democrats and republicans. Same as there are other Christians and Jews who are both democrats and republicans.
So why bring up someone’s religion when it’s not relevant. And why single out Catholics from other Christians especially when 82% of evangelical Protestants voted for Trump vs only 52% of all Catholics.
Fun fact: there are 126 Catholics in congress; 70 Democrats and 56 Republicans.
Cirsium
(2,305 posts)First off, Catholics are not a persecuted class. Dowd is the one who injects her faith into political discussions, as do those people I mentioned in the other post. That makes it relevant. "Not all Catholics" is not relevant. No Catholics are being persecuted when we say "another self-proclaimed Catholic goes MAGA."
SocialDemocrat61
(4,192 posts)than those of other religions? When has Dowd ever used her faith as an excuse for supporting Trump?
And making the statement “another self-proclaimed Catholic goes MAGA” is a form of persecution. Dowd’s religion was completely irrelevant to the conversation.
Cirsium
(2,305 posts)It doesn't make it more relevant than those of other religions.
“Another self-proclaimed Catholic goes MAGA” is not a form of persecution. Who is getting persecuted and how?
Would saying “Fox hires another blonde spokes-model” be a form of persecution against blondes?
SocialDemocrat61
(4,192 posts)It’s singling out one group of people. It’s the same as say “another black man commits a violent crime” or “another Jewish person steals someone else’s land”. Unfortunately, too many are blind to their own bigotry.
Cirsium
(2,305 posts)Jewish and Black represent persecuted classes of people. Catholic does not.
"Another Black personality goes MAGA" is not necessarily bigoted. MAGA is a white supremacy political movement, hence any Black person supporting it is newsworthy.
"Another influential Catholic goes MAGA" is not bigoted either. MAGA flies in the face of Catholic teachings, hence any influential Catholic supporting it is newsworthy. It does not play on negative bigoted stereotypes that support and defend real world harm done to a group of people.
“Another black man commits a violent crime” is bigoted, because it plays negative racist stereotypes that support and defend real world harm done to a group of people. Strange that you can't see the difference.
You are working really hard at this. You are not being harmed by the remark about Dowd, nor is anyone else. Trying to fit some imaginary bigotry model detached from any reality onto every situation is a way to dismiss and trivialize actual bigotry.
By the way, all of those people I mentioned themselves say that their religion is relevant to their politics.
"Another prominent Catholic objects to Trump's deportation scheme." Is that bigoted?
How about "Catholic voters support Biden." Bigoted?
Can we ever use the word "Catholic?"
SocialDemocrat61
(4,192 posts)And if you don't think that there still isn't bigotry against Catholics, you're denying reality.
And bigotry against any group harms us all. Dowd's religion is irrelevant. Why are you so dedicated to defending it. Why did you jump into a discussion between 2 other people that had been resolved? Why is this so important to you?
TommyT139
(1,222 posts)"Another good Catholic who has helped sane wash" Trump means all Catholics sane wash Trump?
Does "another American who voted for Trump" mean all Americans voted for Trump? No.
SocialDemocrat61
(4,192 posts)And why is Dowd's religion even relevant?
And why do you care how I read it? The issue was resolved between me and the other poster but you decided to jump in to reserect it?
Cirsium
(2,305 posts)Sorry to cause you distress. I think that which groups are a persecuted class and which are not is very important. Powerful right wingers saying that their politics are informed by their faith, and then claiming they are being persecuted for their faith should anyone disagree with their politics, makes their faith a political issue.
SocialDemocrat61
(4,192 posts)How is Dowd’s religion relevant? And who are these other good Catholics? Joe Biden? Nancy Pelosi? AOC? Sonya Sotomeyor? Ruben Gallego? Joaquin Castro? Lawrence O’Donnell? Alicia Menendez?
Cirsium
(2,305 posts)Not all Catholics.
Of course. No one said "all Catholics.'
SocialDemocrat61
(4,192 posts)in the context of the topic
Blue_playwright
(1,600 posts)… but Hawk on TikTok and YouTube has Lil Donnie Two Scoops sweatshirts. lol
c-rational
(3,012 posts)c-rational
(3,012 posts)⁸
Trueblue1968
(18,458 posts).... If that !!!
zorbasd
(380 posts)more like 0.5".
GoCubsGo
(33,720 posts)Never could stand her, and she has further cemented my distaste for her with this latest drivel.
wnylib
(25,223 posts)Personal power and wealth are his only concerns.
Fore example, "America First" is a pretense that only the gullible fall for. When Trump says, "American First" it translates to, "Me first."
Trump does not believe that rare earth metals in Greenland are necessary for national security or international peace. That's a cover excuse for his own greed. He will either profit directly from access to those metals, or indirectly as promises to lure tech industry support for him both financially and politically.
It's a demonstrated given that Trump never speaks the truth about anything. His words always need to be translated according to his personality and character (or lack of it) traits. He puts out superficial reasons for his actions and policies, but they are always just a cover for whatever personal goals he has. If you keep that in mind, you can analyze whatever Trump says in order to look for what he really is up to.
617Blue
(1,878 posts)SocialDemocrat61
(4,192 posts)Grins
(8,231 posts)Any sentient being who really looked at Trump going back to his early childhood, his adolescence, college years, his sadist parents, their treatment of their eldest son, Trump trying to steal his father’s fortune cutting out his siblings - Hell! MARY TRUMP and her brother!!! - his false identities, assault of his first wife, his unbelievable multiple bankruptcies, his cheating of investors (not to leave out ALL his wives) etc., etc., etc. It goes on and on!!!
All that DOES ADD UP!
He’s an ignorant, sadistic, clinical narcissist with fantasy’s of his personal grandeur! And millions of his voters knew - or were at least, aware - of ALL OF THAT.
SocialDemocrat61
(4,192 posts)is like reading a spoiled teenager’s slam book.
Demovictory9
(35,333 posts)edhopper
(35,772 posts)He is doing what Putin wants, and it adds up.
progressoid
(51,266 posts)Paladin
(30,139 posts)Golly, MoDo---What were your first 100 indications of that?
Beartracks
(13,854 posts)It was obvious he was going to do that because MAGA and Republicans incessantly accused the Biden administration of doing it.
Everything with Republicans in general, and MAGA specifically, is projection and hypocrisy.
==================
greatauntoftriplets
(177,491 posts)"Caesars Palace on the Potomac"!
3catwoman3
(26,502 posts)eppur_se_muova
(38,852 posts)Ritabert
(1,005 posts)It took long enough.
allegorical oracle
(4,608 posts)sole champion. I watched on TV as he was awarded the CO-championship of that event. His co-champion was never named, but posed with him on the course as the award was made.
Hours later, on AF One, he stated that "HE" won the championship.
The bugger never stops exaggerating. Can't trust a thing he says.
GreenWave
(11,055 posts)45 minus 47 = -2! q.e.d.
Emile
(34,062 posts)J_William_Ryan
(2,644 posts)Trump is a figurehead and mouthpiece for the fascist right.
The EOs, administrative directives, and policy decisions all come from the Heritage Foundation scum in the West Wing; the sycophants, Cult members, and conservative ideologues determined to advance their racist, bigoted, misogynistic agenda hostile to immigrants, working Americans, retirees who depend on SS and Medicare, and of course low income Americans and the poor.
Trump just signs what he’s told to sign and allowed to say stupid, off-the-wall things because they know it doesn’t matter.
NNadir
(35,578 posts)Fuck her. If she wants to know why the United States has collapsed, she and her fucking paper might invest in a mirror..
Sky Jewels
(9,063 posts)Fuck. You.
BaronChocula
(2,641 posts)Or is it Captain O'Blivious?
She takes what everyone already knows and wraps it up in something that passes for quasi-elegant prose. Useless.
Lokee11
(326 posts)= KRASNOV!
Hekate
(97,215 posts)
Skittles
(163,383 posts)AND the people who have enabled them FOR DECADES
struggle4progress
(122,672 posts)BlueMTexpat
(15,571 posts)doesn't add up either!
JohnnyRingo
(19,842 posts)I'll be using that.