Excellent recap as usual Steven. I am just wondering, and I am not at all prone to conspiracy theories, that this drama between these two deplorable man-babies could be purely performative. First of all, they had a lot of time together to cook up a made-for-TV drama of this nature. Second, it is in keeping with two malignant narcissists to want to keep themselves in the spotlight, even it it displays their pathology to the sane world. But lastly, and you referred to it at the bottom of the article, this serves to divert attention from the real damage and dirty work being done by trump/GOP minions in the shadows. This may be a real feud, but I don't really care and I am not going to spend a lot of my attention on it. I'm fine if they crush each other, but we need focus on what the Project 2025 extremists are methodically orchestrating while the world is fixated on the trump/musk nonsense and other regular tricks to get us to take our eye off the ball.
I hesitated writing about it until I had strong sense this wasn’t just for show. But you’re right this is all part of the ongoing destruction laid out in project 2025.
There are so many similarities between them and that’s exactly why they were bound to conflict eventually. I really appreciate this reflection. It reminds me how easily we misread political shifts as personal growth, when often they’re just rhetorical recalibrations. I recently wrote about how politicians don’t truly “flip” so much as they reveal what was already there. We like to believe in transformation, but too often, it’s just the same values in a new mask.
The whole sordid story illustrates the irreplaceable value of a government in which overall substantial power to act in the interest of its citizens is balanced between three different and coequal sources of power.
Elon Musk (for example) is a private contractor with enough power to influence foreign wars, determine a presidential election, and maliciously strand a few astronauts on a station floating in 0-gravity far far above our beloved earth.
We need to ensure that this corrupt privatization of power (the unraveling of the New Deal) which began in the 80s under Reagan, has reached its apex. Time to turn this ship around.
A tragedy indeed! And I don't believe for one minute that their idiotic public behavior will benefit Democrats or most Americans. Behind the scenes it's business as usual - finding ways to make regular folks (the MAJORITY of us!) suffer and pile on big rewards for the ultra rich.
I can only see the BBB and my imperative to seek its demise. There are only a few weeks to render it asunder. Many distractions are being proffered, but I will not look away from the mission to destroy the life-threatening BBB. The BBB will kill and bankrupt our most vulnerable. Food will be taken from children. Our courts will be harmed. Many will be forced into homelessness. Currently we annually pay $1 trillion in interest on our national debt. Our economy interest rates are going up as our creditworthiness declines! Future generations will be forced to deal with a national deficit nearly twice its current $36 trillion size. I can see the current deficit growing to $69 trillion by 2036, and then there will be $3.6 trillion of annual interest on that accumulated national debt. The CBO softballs future inflation rates (2%). The CBO softballs future interest rates (3.5%). I call BS. Let us take a look at more credible drivers, like the current interest rates gradually increasing from the current 4.91% to 5.8% and the current 2.3% inflation growing to 3%. It was the CBO that told us the 2017 TCJA tax bill would be deficit neutral and now we find out that it costs us $4.6 trillion over the next 10 years. And they want to make that tax cut permanent. Over my dead body.
Steven, Sadly…but honestly…your very preceptive piece was, as usual, right on the mark! That said, What else can we think is going to happen? There is no honor among thieves! Yes…something has to be done…we could (possibly) rid ourselves of one or two of the worst but then what??? The list of identical replacements is virtually without end! Therefore, how does a Nation replace an entire Government? Another Election??? I think it’s fair to assume that…and rightly so, the origin of the trouble in this country today can be honestly laid at the feet of the Electorate and the disastrous 2024 Election results. The very same Electorate that did, or failed to, provide…the votes necessary to install or prevent the current Administration from forming. Included as well, the Democratic Party, who…to this day, have not supported America or, her Citizens. I include a majority of Democrats because the same Electorate philosophy installed them as well. These facts are supported easily by just reviewing the Election stats…approximately 50% of the Electorate either supported tRump or, the worst…did so by not voting at all or, the very worst, supporting some nobody…just to say they DID vote! The other 50% did their American duty honestly and in good conscious!
How many sensible Americans believe a midterm in 2026 or Election 2028 is going to correct the problem…which is the prevailing Electorate mindset itself! Unfortunately that will need to be a generational correction…if possible at all!
You are soooo correct, this is just a side show. But we should not forget that 49.81% of the voting population thought that Mr. TACO was the right person for the job. There is an enormous number of stupid people in our country. I am defining stupidity here as a “loss of reality.” Only a small number of them will get in the streets with us and protest this insanity.
Well said! I have been advocating for years that neuro-psych testing be a requirement for ANYONE running for office at any level! From mayor to president. These kinds of personality disorders should be weeded out before they can even get on the ballot.
All you need to know about this is said in the final line of Josh Johnson’s comedic routine titled “Why They Are Turning on Elon”: “She was only dancing…”. If you want to make bets on who wins in this contest, my $$ is on Musk, which is why (IMHO) StarLink should NEVER be allowed near the FAA, or anything else of significance. Is it time to resurrect “The Terminator”? Pretty wooden acting, but…could it be prescient? Is it time to resurrect NASA - remember “Apollo 13”? I do, and continue to be amazed at the dedication of NASA scientists who brought those men home to their families and the country.
I certainly hope you’re right, Steven, regarding doing all we can to prevent this kind of tainting of the Office of the Presidency. These two belong in a playground sandbox.
What’s happening out of sight is what we really need to be concerned with. Arrogance + cruelty + incompetence = catastrophe.
These two’s massive egos, influence, and performative populism were always on a collision course.
The damage is not yet finished by any means.
Unfortunately, you are absolutely right.
You said it all, beautifully, in the first paragraph. When, oh when, will enough good people rise up and say “Enough!”?
Excellent recap as usual Steven. I am just wondering, and I am not at all prone to conspiracy theories, that this drama between these two deplorable man-babies could be purely performative. First of all, they had a lot of time together to cook up a made-for-TV drama of this nature. Second, it is in keeping with two malignant narcissists to want to keep themselves in the spotlight, even it it displays their pathology to the sane world. But lastly, and you referred to it at the bottom of the article, this serves to divert attention from the real damage and dirty work being done by trump/GOP minions in the shadows. This may be a real feud, but I don't really care and I am not going to spend a lot of my attention on it. I'm fine if they crush each other, but we need focus on what the Project 2025 extremists are methodically orchestrating while the world is fixated on the trump/musk nonsense and other regular tricks to get us to take our eye off the ball.
I hesitated writing about it until I had strong sense this wasn’t just for show. But you’re right this is all part of the ongoing destruction laid out in project 2025.
There are so many similarities between them and that’s exactly why they were bound to conflict eventually. I really appreciate this reflection. It reminds me how easily we misread political shifts as personal growth, when often they’re just rhetorical recalibrations. I recently wrote about how politicians don’t truly “flip” so much as they reveal what was already there. We like to believe in transformation, but too often, it’s just the same values in a new mask.
If anyone’s interested:
https://open.substack.com/pub/devinmccune/p/the-mask-doesnt-change-the-face-politicians?r=5jlujj&utm_medium=ios
We need to focus attention on Russell Vought, the driver behind Project 2025. Elon was merely a useful tool for a while.
Focus on Peter Theil as well.
Absolutely!
The whole sordid story illustrates the irreplaceable value of a government in which overall substantial power to act in the interest of its citizens is balanced between three different and coequal sources of power.
Elon Musk (for example) is a private contractor with enough power to influence foreign wars, determine a presidential election, and maliciously strand a few astronauts on a station floating in 0-gravity far far above our beloved earth.
We need to ensure that this corrupt privatization of power (the unraveling of the New Deal) which began in the 80s under Reagan, has reached its apex. Time to turn this ship around.
A tragedy indeed! And I don't believe for one minute that their idiotic public behavior will benefit Democrats or most Americans. Behind the scenes it's business as usual - finding ways to make regular folks (the MAJORITY of us!) suffer and pile on big rewards for the ultra rich.
I can only see the BBB and my imperative to seek its demise. There are only a few weeks to render it asunder. Many distractions are being proffered, but I will not look away from the mission to destroy the life-threatening BBB. The BBB will kill and bankrupt our most vulnerable. Food will be taken from children. Our courts will be harmed. Many will be forced into homelessness. Currently we annually pay $1 trillion in interest on our national debt. Our economy interest rates are going up as our creditworthiness declines! Future generations will be forced to deal with a national deficit nearly twice its current $36 trillion size. I can see the current deficit growing to $69 trillion by 2036, and then there will be $3.6 trillion of annual interest on that accumulated national debt. The CBO softballs future inflation rates (2%). The CBO softballs future interest rates (3.5%). I call BS. Let us take a look at more credible drivers, like the current interest rates gradually increasing from the current 4.91% to 5.8% and the current 2.3% inflation growing to 3%. It was the CBO that told us the 2017 TCJA tax bill would be deficit neutral and now we find out that it costs us $4.6 trillion over the next 10 years. And they want to make that tax cut permanent. Over my dead body.
https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/the-25-trillion-annual-deficit-plan?r=3m1bs
I have adopted the name, The Big Brutal Bill, which was given to it by another person on Substack.
Excellent, but I prefer the name given by messaging guru Anat Shenker-Osorio: The MAGA Murder Budget.
Steven, Sadly…but honestly…your very preceptive piece was, as usual, right on the mark! That said, What else can we think is going to happen? There is no honor among thieves! Yes…something has to be done…we could (possibly) rid ourselves of one or two of the worst but then what??? The list of identical replacements is virtually without end! Therefore, how does a Nation replace an entire Government? Another Election??? I think it’s fair to assume that…and rightly so, the origin of the trouble in this country today can be honestly laid at the feet of the Electorate and the disastrous 2024 Election results. The very same Electorate that did, or failed to, provide…the votes necessary to install or prevent the current Administration from forming. Included as well, the Democratic Party, who…to this day, have not supported America or, her Citizens. I include a majority of Democrats because the same Electorate philosophy installed them as well. These facts are supported easily by just reviewing the Election stats…approximately 50% of the Electorate either supported tRump or, the worst…did so by not voting at all or, the very worst, supporting some nobody…just to say they DID vote! The other 50% did their American duty honestly and in good conscious!
How many sensible Americans believe a midterm in 2026 or Election 2028 is going to correct the problem…which is the prevailing Electorate mindset itself! Unfortunately that will need to be a generational correction…if possible at all!
Hi Steven,
You are soooo correct, this is just a side show. But we should not forget that 49.81% of the voting population thought that Mr. TACO was the right person for the job. There is an enormous number of stupid people in our country. I am defining stupidity here as a “loss of reality.” Only a small number of them will get in the streets with us and protest this insanity.
Well said! I have been advocating for years that neuro-psych testing be a requirement for ANYONE running for office at any level! From mayor to president. These kinds of personality disorders should be weeded out before they can even get on the ballot.
Excellence sum-up of what's going on, Steven. We have much work to do!🙏❤️
All you need to know about this is said in the final line of Josh Johnson’s comedic routine titled “Why They Are Turning on Elon”: “She was only dancing…”. If you want to make bets on who wins in this contest, my $$ is on Musk, which is why (IMHO) StarLink should NEVER be allowed near the FAA, or anything else of significance. Is it time to resurrect “The Terminator”? Pretty wooden acting, but…could it be prescient? Is it time to resurrect NASA - remember “Apollo 13”? I do, and continue to be amazed at the dedication of NASA scientists who brought those men home to their families and the country.
I certainly hope you’re right, Steven, regarding doing all we can to prevent this kind of tainting of the Office of the Presidency. These two belong in a playground sandbox.
So Musk must have cut a better deal with Vance. Huh.
We have to stop being sidetracked with all these different theatrics in government. We need to stay focused. This is the best place for it.