Ouch! Trump’s speech was a trainwreck! The one thing I did not have on my bingo card is that he would stick to the teleprompter to shout his way through a speech that can only be described as “American Carnage II.” It was an awful speech delivered in a style reminiscent of your MAGA-loving drunk uncle trying to win a family argument at Thanksgiving by being the loudest person in the room.
The speech was a lie from start to finish. Worse, he committed the cardinal sin of trying to gaslight the American people by telling them prices are going down, even as consumers believe otherwise. Trump rubbed salt into the economic wounds by saying that his favorite word is “tariffs”—the very thing that consumers (and the Fed Chair) blame for increasing prices.
The speech oozed desperation and bewilderment. Trump can’t understand why voters are losing faith in him. Trump apparently believes that yelling at voters will force them to change their minds about his miserable performance. That won’t happen; instead, it will make voters resent Trump even more.
As many political commentators observed immediately after the speech, the best thing that could happen to Democrats is for Trump to repeat the speech every night until the midterms. It was that bad.
But we cannot rely on Trump to lose the midterms. We must win them with effort and a platform that speaks to the American people. All signs suggest that we are on the right path.
For those who were worried that Trump might pivot on Wednesday to a new strategy or different message, he reminded us that he is incapable of self-reflection or personal growth. Trump has one speed and one set of guiding principles: unbridled narcissism, greed, vengeance, deceit, and cruelty.
Coda:
While fact-checking the speech dignifies it more than it deserves, one section is remarkable because it amounts to an admission of a constitutional violation. Per the NYTimes,
In a surprising moment, Mr. Trump announced what he called a “Warrior Dividend,” in which checks of $1,776 will be sent to some 1.4 million members of the military. The president said the money would come from tariffs he has levied on goods imported into the country.
“The checks are already on the way,” he said.
The president has no independent authority to appropriate funds; Congress must do so. Moreover, the president does not have control over how tariffs are spent; Congress does. If Trump spoke truthfully when saying that “the checks are already on their way,” that is likely a violation of the Antideficiency Act and Article I of the Constitution. The fact that Trump admitted to statutory and constitutional violations in his speech should be front-page news.
Also, I agree with commentators who suggested that Trump’s performance on Wednesday was either drug-altered or impaired by health issues. See Simon Rosenberg, Hopium Chronicles, There Is Only One Story Tonight - Trump Is Unwell.
Developments in the House
There were several major developments in the House on Wednesday: (1) failure to extend ACA subsidies; (2) failure to exercise control over Trump’s attacks on alleged drug boats; (3) passage of a bill criminalizing healthcare for transgender minors.
House passes “healthcare” bill without ACA subsidies
There was dramatic action in the House on Wednesday as four Republicans signed a discharge petition sponsored by Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to force a vote on a bill to extend ACA healthcare subsidies. That petition will force a vote in early January. See NYTimes, Republicans Clinch Democratic Bid to Force Vote on Health Subsidies. (Accessible to all.)
But, in a confusing procedural outcome, three of those same Republicans rejoined their caucus to pass a “healthcare” plan that did not include ACA subsidies. That bill will likely die in the Senate. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, the House bill will result in the loss of insurance for 100,000 Americans. See the NYTimes discussion in the article linked above.
Democrats attempted to force a vote on Wednesday on their “clean” extension of ACA subsidies, a maneuver that appeared headed toward passage. But Speaker Mike Johnson called a surprise end to the voting period, thereby locking out several Democrats who were expected to support the motion but had yet to vote. Chaos ensued. See Raw Story, ‘Crazy scenes on House floor’ as Dems ‘livid’ over early end to key vote: reporter.
Per Raw Story (quoting WaPo reporter Marianna Sotomayor),
“The House floor is just exploding right now after Republicans—frantic they would lose a procedural hurdle that would force a vote on a Dem discharge petition—closed the vote early, Republicans really are playing with the floor right now in ways that’s not usual. They’re nervous.”
Mike Johnson’s abuse of his Speakership to frustrate “the will of the House”—and the will of the people—is reprehensible.
House votes down Democratic effort to restrain Trump’s attacks on alleged drug boats
In two votes that failed by narrow margins, the House refused to pass a resolution calling for an end to Trump’s war on alleged drug boats off the coast of Venezuela. See Reuters, US House defeats bids to rein in Trump Venezuela campaign.
In a related development, senior military officials contradicted Pete Hegseth’s claim that the video of the second strike on an alleged drug boat would threaten national security. See Mediate, Pete Hegseth Claim On Video Contradicted By Military Leaders.
So the only reason for Hegseth to withhold the video is that it is evidence of a war crime1 or murder. For that reason, it must be released.
House passes bill sponsored by Marjorie Taylor Greene to criminalize healthcare for transgender minors
Marjorie Taylor Greene proposed a medieval bill that criminalizes healthcare for transgender minors. See HuffPo, Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Bill Criminalizing Minors Trans Care Passes House.
Per HuffPo,
Greene’s bill, known as the Protect Children’s Innocence Act, would put doctors in jail for up to 10 years if they prescribe puberty blockers to adolescents or hormone replacement therapy to young trans people. The bill bars gender-affirming surgeries for minors, which are already rare. But the legislation would not just punish doctors, it could ensnare parents and anyone who transports or consents to a minor receiving gender-affirming care.
The bill will not pass in the Senate, but it is another step in the Republican effort to normalize discrimination against transgender people. See Erin in the Morning, MTG’s Felony National Youth Trans Ban Passes House; 3 Dems Vote For It, 4 GOP Vote Against It.
Per EITM,
While the Senate is expected to block the measure, advocates warn the House vote will still have consequences—normalizing criminal penalties for standard medical care and setting the stage for further federal and administrative efforts to restrict transgender healthcare nationwide.
Furthermore, many people will view the defection of Democrats on the bill as a major betrayal.
However, the defection of multiple Republicans in the other direction is noteworthy, and shows there could be some level of resistance to national bans among some in the party who are facing tough elections.
Democrats must help to protect the rights of all persons under the Constitution. “Persons” include transgender people, including minors. In no other area have we criminalized medical treatment based on the gender identity of the patient . . . except in Texas for doctors, relatives, and drivers who assist women obtaining reproductive healthcare.
Trump’s enablers are allowing him to use the federal government as an instrument of revenge
One of the revelations (or rather, confirmations) of the Vanity Fair interview of Susie Wiles is that ostensibly “responsible” members of the DC political establishment are ciphers and quislings who are enabling the worst impulses of an aspiring dictator. By refusing to stand up to his vengeful behavior, they are reshaping the constitutional system of checks and balances designed by the Framers.
On Wednesday, various sources reported that Trump included derogatory explanations below the portraits of Barack Obama and Joe Biden in the new “Presidential Walk of Fame.” See The Independent, White House adds plaques below Biden and Obama portraits calling them ‘the worst President in American history’ and ‘divisive’.
Per The Independent, the plaque beneath Barack Obama’s portrait claimed that he was “one of the most divisive political figures” in US history. The plaque beneath Joe Biden’s portrait reads,
Sleepy Joe was, by far, the worst President in American History. Taking office as a result of the most corrupt Election ever seen in the United States.
The plaques are childish and disgraceful, a stain on the White House—the People’s House. Where is Susie Wiles? What kind of coward would allow her boss to disgrace the nation? When this dark period in our history is over, the Susie Wiles of the world will have to account for their actions.
Opportunities for Reader Engagement
On Thursday evening, December 18th at 8PM ET, Mary Mulvihill and Judy Loeb of Seniors Taking Action will join Susan Wagner on her podcast “It Needs To Be Said”. It can be seen at The Grassroots Connector on Substack.
They’ll discuss their new organization, We the Seniors, an alliance of 53 grassroots groups of senior activists working to protect the rights of older Americans, elect Democrats and put an end to Trumps’s cruel and destructive regime.
Tune in to the Grassroots Connector on Substack at 8PM ET this Thursday to watch “It Needs To Be Said”.
Concluding Thoughts
Trump’s retribution campaign is currently focused on former special counsel Jack Smith and Senator Mark Kelly. He could not have picked two worse candidates for his petty and illegal effort to intimidate his opponents. Both men have the character, experience, and ability to embarrass Trump’s minions in any proceeding instituted against either of them.
On Wednesday, Republicans took the deposition of Jack Smith in private, fearful that a public deposition would expose Trump’s hacks as small, petty men who are no match for the formidable Jack Smith. In the small snippet of Smith’s opening statement, we caught a glimpse of the pounding that Trump will take if he dares to subject Smith to a public hearing in the House. Bring it on!
Smith’s opening statement read, in part,
Our investigation developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and to prevent the lawful transfer of power.
Exploiting that violence, President Trump and his associates tried to call members of Congress in furtherance of their criminal scheme, urging them to further delay certification of the 2020 election. I didn’t choose those members; President Trump did.
As Rep. Jamie Raskin said, Jim Jordan made a wise decision to hold the deposition out of public view. The best outcome for America would be a public hearing at which Smith would be free to make his case against Trump’s criminal conspiracy to prevent the peaceful transfer of power.
So, too, with Senator Kelly. Although the right result is for the Pentagon to drop its sham investigation of Kelly, it would serve the Pentagon right to be embarrassed in a court-martial of Kelly, which would be open to the public.
At the court-martial, we would learn the names of the faithless members of the Judge Advocate General Corps who would stoop to prosecute Kelly. We would see Kelly’s lawyers cross-examine senior members of the military who would, under oath, confess that they have an affirmative obligation to refuse to obey unlawful orders. Bring it on!
The best way to beat Trump is to stand up against his bullying—the opposite of what Susie Wiles is doing. We are fortunate to have men and women like Jack Smith, Mark Kelly, and Letitia James who refuse to be intimidated by Trump.
As I titled a newsletter several weeks ago, “We are all Mark Kelly.” Add to that “We are all Jack Smith, Letitia James, Eric Swalwell, Adam Schiff . . . .” Every time we undertake a small act of resistance, we share in the courageous stand of others who are on the leading edge of the battle with Trump. We should be proud of them, and proud of ourselves!
Talk to you tomorrow!
Daily Dose of Perspective
A reader objected in the Comment section to yesterday’s newsletter in which I referred to the possibility of a “war crime” or murder. The reader asserted that there is no war between the US and Venezuela, and therefore no possibility of a war crime.
Whether there is a war is a question of international law—one that is not controlled by the aggressor. (The actual terminology is “international armed conflict,” not “war.”) Russia claims that its invasion of Ukraine is not a “war,” but a “special military operation.” That semantic expedient does not insulate Russia from liability for war crimes charged by the International Criminal Court. Indeed, the ICC has charged Vladimir Putin with war crimes arising from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which Russia claims is not a “war” but a “special military operation.”
The US has conducted more than 20 attacks on boats over a four-month period, with more than 90 deaths. Does that constitute an “international armed conflict”? The ICC will decide the answer to that question; if the answer is “yes,” then war crimes can be charged against members of the US military and administration.
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