To this very day, I have no idea how or why nobody has ever charged Michael Flynn with anything more than lying to the FBI.
He is a very dangerous man who by all means should have been stripped of his rank and pension the minute he was charged with anything.
What is it with this man? Is it that he's too crazy to be touched? Does he know too many important people?
He should be in prison, preferably the SuperMax and in isolation 23 hours a day. He is that dangerous, but no-he's cited in important documents as the agent of a coup d'etat and military takeover of our election!
Jesus H. Christ-the man is a traitor and he's still seen on Fox News pandering his latest lies every time you turn around.
And you begin to wonder who else wasn't busted for this stuff, like all those congresspeople who refused to certify the election results-a lot of them..147 Representatives, and 8 Senators who did as well.
We came damn close to martial law and a coup d'etat as we ever could have since the Civil War. Someone has to be brought to justice for this, and Trump is only one of them.
I fear that we're not even scratching the surface of this real-life example of "Seven Days in May", which is as close as we thought we'd ever be.
All the obvious reprehensible actions aside, I can’t believe they thought the military were the folks for the job.
As a member of the armed forces. I can confirm that this would have been a cluster fuck of epic proportions. We can’t even update our internet browser without three IT guys looking at it first.
It would have taken literal years to complete this Coup.
This is a duffleblog story just waiting to happen.
This guy couldn't plan a picnic or a two-car funeral, let alone a coup; this is the same kind of sophomoric "flood the zone with bullshit" that his Muslim bans were. History will debate whether they were clusterfucks or shit-shows, but no wonder he tanked the USFL and, all of mathematics to the contrary notwithstanding, bankrupted casinos. That anybody would vote for or believe in this moron is the worst thing I have ever heard about my country. My fear is that the next one (Hi, Tom Cotton; yo, Josh Hawley; hold on, there, DeSantis) won't be this remarkably stupid.
Mr. Trump has spent much of his life promoting fantasy. WWW Wrestling, the Apprentice, various fake products, schools and the fantasy themed casino's. He has lived inside some kind of gold plated lie for 70 years. None of this is a surprise. His fantasy of the military comes from a man who never served or even understands military culture. He imagines things that excite him and then tries to draw the public into the fantasy. Sydney Powell and Rudy Giuliani live in fantasies as well. Gradually the country will figure out this fantasy life and reject it. Just be patient.
I hope you're correct, but as of now I see no sign whatsoever of that happening. T-Rump isn't losing any significant support, and his worshipers are becoming more, rather than less, ardent in their adoration of him.
He Trump osmotically transferred his fantasy to the crew of fiends around him who in turn delegated the fiendish details down the line until they were all in a frenzied fiendish stew together right to the boiling point. They formed their own mad mass of ideological hysteria—a swarming angry mob And the Wizard looked on. And smiled!
"If you have any doubts, you need look only as far as the farcical “audit” done by a single state, Arizona, which began around April 1st of this year." You right that the AZ "audit" took months, but it wasn't even the full state. It was an "audit" of one county.
I used to joke, especially during TFF's administration that I shouldn't allow myself to spend the day NOT watching the news because every time I did, something really important would happen. and today, I didn't watch the news and BANG! this is extremely big. the only problem is that, all those other times, what looked entirely like a "smoking gun" would end up being some kind of weird misfire. the difference now, of course, is that TFF isn't the president. so maybe this is a bullet. it sure sounds like one. I really like THIS one because it seems to scream for application of that 14th Amendment provision that anyone who plans a takeover of the government is barred from ever holding public office. I realize that a lot of lawyers consider this application problematic, but jeez...this really is a plan for a straight-ahead, old fashioned military coup. if I didn't know otherwise, I'd say TFF seems to have read his Malaparte ("Technique of the Coup D'Etat") but he wouldn't have had to. Bannon doubtless knows it by heart. wow.
I wonder about the 14th Amendment provision -- how would it be invoked? By act of Congress? Then we're hosed, cause the Senate GOP will filibuster and we know those two TFF Democratic senators will refuse to override the filibuster.
Did this executive order never make it to the Defense Dept. or did the DOD turn it down or ignore it? As you say, no wonder trump didn't want this stuff to get to the commission on the Jan.6th insurrection!
Detailed, yes, but as Lucian points out, there's no provision for dealing with the reaction of elected officials and citizens to the military rolling in to take over -- or for resistance within the military either. It reads a bit like very bad science fiction.
Great essay, Lucian. And to think, we thought we’d seen the most egregious abuses of government by a sitting President during Watergate. Tricky Dicky is laughing his bony butt off…
First, this action would be totally against Posse Comitatus which prevents the American military from acting as a domestic police force. So, Point #1 whichever of Trump's A Team of lawyers recommended this action was recommending a violation of standing law. So, let's be sure we find out whether it was Rudy, Sidney or Jenna who thought this was a good idea. Or the sitting WH Counsel?
But, as Lucian points out I detect the fine hand of one Michael Flynn behind this. Now I know Trump gave him a pardon for his past crimes but does that include one for which he has not been previously indicted?
Finally, what is most chilling about this memo is the inherent assumption by Trump and anyone who was involved in thinking up/writing it that the military would automatically follow orders from headquarters in implementing this coup. So, I am hoping the 1/6 Committee is diving deep into whomever in the military might have been in communication, formal or off the books , with the White House so as to give aid and comfort to such a scheme.
The more we dig into the rot the more we find just how rotten this Administration and those whom Trump surrounded himself were. It is a wonder the White House did not simply implode from all the rot before he had to vacate it.
Oh, and I wonder if any of those with the last names Jordan, Gohmert, McCarthy were aware of any of this. You know "Trump's friends in Congress" to whom he referred in his call to Georgia about finding another eleven thousand votes?
I thought t-RUMP's pardon of Flynn was comprehensive-- for any and all crimes committed in the past and that might be committed in the future. Or am I wrong about this?
The worry is that the machinery and many of the players, from top of government on down to local school boards, is still place- in other words. What's to keep this from happening again?
"All we have to do is make sure this ship of fools never gets near the White House again." And be sure they don't get near state capitols too! I'm already seeing signs of this in my blue state of CT. Subtle but definitely here.
Still not understanding "Electoral I Ching, I Googled the term and found this lengthy explanation: " ‘Firm correctness’: an I Ching app predicts the Asheville City Council elections.' " After reading the article, I give up. I do not need to know what I Ching means. I have lived 76 years without encountering the term. I'm good with that.
To this very day, I have no idea how or why nobody has ever charged Michael Flynn with anything more than lying to the FBI.
He is a very dangerous man who by all means should have been stripped of his rank and pension the minute he was charged with anything.
What is it with this man? Is it that he's too crazy to be touched? Does he know too many important people?
He should be in prison, preferably the SuperMax and in isolation 23 hours a day. He is that dangerous, but no-he's cited in important documents as the agent of a coup d'etat and military takeover of our election!
Jesus H. Christ-the man is a traitor and he's still seen on Fox News pandering his latest lies every time you turn around.
And you begin to wonder who else wasn't busted for this stuff, like all those congresspeople who refused to certify the election results-a lot of them..147 Representatives, and 8 Senators who did as well.
We came damn close to martial law and a coup d'etat as we ever could have since the Civil War. Someone has to be brought to justice for this, and Trump is only one of them.
I fear that we're not even scratching the surface of this real-life example of "Seven Days in May", which is as close as we thought we'd ever be.
George Washington would have hanged the lot of them!
I suggest the Romanov solution for all the principals.
I have frequently dreamed of that solution!
My Congressman, Greg Steube, FL-17, is one of the 147, as well as one of the group who refused to honor the Capitol Police for their service.
If you want a laugh, read one of his Sunday updates.
All the obvious reprehensible actions aside, I can’t believe they thought the military were the folks for the job.
As a member of the armed forces. I can confirm that this would have been a cluster fuck of epic proportions. We can’t even update our internet browser without three IT guys looking at it first.
It would have taken literal years to complete this Coup.
This is a duffleblog story just waiting to happen.
The traitors outside the military are definitely idiots, I have to assume there are more LTC (Ret) Vindmans in service at present.
We can only hope and pray that there a a LOT more Vindmans!
Although I have no connection with the military, a very similar thought occurred to me! "A clusterfuck of epic proportions" sums it up perfectly.
This guy couldn't plan a picnic or a two-car funeral, let alone a coup; this is the same kind of sophomoric "flood the zone with bullshit" that his Muslim bans were. History will debate whether they were clusterfucks or shit-shows, but no wonder he tanked the USFL and, all of mathematics to the contrary notwithstanding, bankrupted casinos. That anybody would vote for or believe in this moron is the worst thing I have ever heard about my country. My fear is that the next one (Hi, Tom Cotton; yo, Josh Hawley; hold on, there, DeSantis) won't be this remarkably stupid.
Based on results, plenty more boneheads willing to serve their cause.
No doubt. This should be unbelievable but it's not.
Mr. Trump has spent much of his life promoting fantasy. WWW Wrestling, the Apprentice, various fake products, schools and the fantasy themed casino's. He has lived inside some kind of gold plated lie for 70 years. None of this is a surprise. His fantasy of the military comes from a man who never served or even understands military culture. He imagines things that excite him and then tries to draw the public into the fantasy. Sydney Powell and Rudy Giuliani live in fantasies as well. Gradually the country will figure out this fantasy life and reject it. Just be patient.
I hope you're correct, but as of now I see no sign whatsoever of that happening. T-Rump isn't losing any significant support, and his worshipers are becoming more, rather than less, ardent in their adoration of him.
He Trump osmotically transferred his fantasy to the crew of fiends around him who in turn delegated the fiendish details down the line until they were all in a frenzied fiendish stew together right to the boiling point. They formed their own mad mass of ideological hysteria—a swarming angry mob And the Wizard looked on. And smiled!
Remember the child's glee at attending the Bastille Day military parade in Paris? The coward can only PLAY army!
It just gets scarier and scarier how close we got to a "Third World" type coup d'Etat.
"If you have any doubts, you need look only as far as the farcical “audit” done by a single state, Arizona, which began around April 1st of this year." You right that the AZ "audit" took months, but it wasn't even the full state. It was an "audit" of one county.
I used to joke, especially during TFF's administration that I shouldn't allow myself to spend the day NOT watching the news because every time I did, something really important would happen. and today, I didn't watch the news and BANG! this is extremely big. the only problem is that, all those other times, what looked entirely like a "smoking gun" would end up being some kind of weird misfire. the difference now, of course, is that TFF isn't the president. so maybe this is a bullet. it sure sounds like one. I really like THIS one because it seems to scream for application of that 14th Amendment provision that anyone who plans a takeover of the government is barred from ever holding public office. I realize that a lot of lawyers consider this application problematic, but jeez...this really is a plan for a straight-ahead, old fashioned military coup. if I didn't know otherwise, I'd say TFF seems to have read his Malaparte ("Technique of the Coup D'Etat") but he wouldn't have had to. Bannon doubtless knows it by heart. wow.
I wonder about the 14th Amendment provision -- how would it be invoked? By act of Congress? Then we're hosed, cause the Senate GOP will filibuster and we know those two TFF Democratic senators will refuse to override the filibuster.
The Fat Fraud, which a family newspaper could get away with printing, works for me, too.
BOTH work!
That fat fucking fool and fraud. TFFF.
The Fat Fuck?
I dunno about that nickname. Ya don't hear much about his sex life these days. Probably couldn't get it up with a derrick!
Did this executive order never make it to the Defense Dept. or did the DOD turn it down or ignore it? As you say, no wonder trump didn't want this stuff to get to the commission on the Jan.6th insurrection!
After reading this and Heather Cox Richardson's piece this morning (https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/january-21-2022?r=2cxus&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email) I find myself wondering who was capable of planning this detailed. I keep coming back to Flynn/Stone.
Bannon is definitely in the mix. You can practically smell him 😂
I can practically smell him every time I see his face on the screen. Phew!
Detailed, yes, but as Lucian points out, there's no provision for dealing with the reaction of elected officials and citizens to the military rolling in to take over -- or for resistance within the military either. It reads a bit like very bad science fiction.
Great essay, Lucian. And to think, we thought we’d seen the most egregious abuses of government by a sitting President during Watergate. Tricky Dicky is laughing his bony butt off…
Imagine If Trump had G. Gordon Liddy on his team! Yikes!
I honestly think Bannon is even more dangerous
Remember Liddy running his hand through a flame.
If Bannon did that he would explode!
God Bless America! The truth shall be told.
OH, where to start with this one?
First, this action would be totally against Posse Comitatus which prevents the American military from acting as a domestic police force. So, Point #1 whichever of Trump's A Team of lawyers recommended this action was recommending a violation of standing law. So, let's be sure we find out whether it was Rudy, Sidney or Jenna who thought this was a good idea. Or the sitting WH Counsel?
But, as Lucian points out I detect the fine hand of one Michael Flynn behind this. Now I know Trump gave him a pardon for his past crimes but does that include one for which he has not been previously indicted?
Finally, what is most chilling about this memo is the inherent assumption by Trump and anyone who was involved in thinking up/writing it that the military would automatically follow orders from headquarters in implementing this coup. So, I am hoping the 1/6 Committee is diving deep into whomever in the military might have been in communication, formal or off the books , with the White House so as to give aid and comfort to such a scheme.
The more we dig into the rot the more we find just how rotten this Administration and those whom Trump surrounded himself were. It is a wonder the White House did not simply implode from all the rot before he had to vacate it.
Oh, and I wonder if any of those with the last names Jordan, Gohmert, McCarthy were aware of any of this. You know "Trump's friends in Congress" to whom he referred in his call to Georgia about finding another eleven thousand votes?
I thought t-RUMP's pardon of Flynn was comprehensive-- for any and all crimes committed in the past and that might be committed in the future. Or am I wrong about this?
The worry is that the machinery and many of the players, from top of government on down to local school boards, is still place- in other words. What's to keep this from happening again?
Good thing this coup attempt contained so many crazies, morons and outright fantasists; they outnumbered the few frighteningly competent individuals.
If you saw the Boris and Peter nonsense on Ari Melber the other night, total nonsense.
Jimmy Breslin could have written The Gang That Can't Think Straight.
"All we have to do is make sure this ship of fools never gets near the White House again." And be sure they don't get near state capitols too! I'm already seeing signs of this in my blue state of CT. Subtle but definitely here.
All states in danger at present.
Electoral I Ching. I SO wish I could borrow this term in conversation with my peers.
Sorry, what does "Electoral I Ching" mean? Today is the first time I have encountered the term, not once, but twice.
Still not understanding "Electoral I Ching, I Googled the term and found this lengthy explanation: " ‘Firm correctness’: an I Ching app predicts the Asheville City Council elections.' " After reading the article, I give up. I do not need to know what I Ching means. I have lived 76 years without encountering the term. I'm good with that.
Thank you, TC. Now I understand. Your analogy of tossing a coin helps clarify the I Ching method of electoral prediction.