The Old Toothless House Cat In Winter

He thus entered into a criminal conspiracy, and so he's liable for the whole false-elector shebang. https://t.co/qJySpzMnjZ

— George Conway🌻 (@gtconway3d) January 2, 2023

GOP Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson: “I do not believe that Donald Trump should be the next president of the United States...I think Jan. 6 really disqualifies him for the future.” pic.twitter.com/yh7PZ5KGgh

— Republicans against Trumpism (@RpsAgainstTrump) January 2, 2023

There’s no direct causal link implied, but the death by a thousand cuts is now evident.

Trump is a mentally unwell, morally bankrupt person, comically unqualified for the presidency.

Otherwise decent people argue we should ignore this because ends.

Then he debased and disgraced his defenders, waging war against the ends for which they prostituted themselves.

— Gregg Nunziata (@greggnunziata) January 2, 2023

It’s very hard to think of “otherwise decent people” making this argument, because it calls into question how they are decent people at all. It’s little different than this:

Good analysis. Many had egg on their faces. But biggest takeaway is RCP has zero cred. Journos have been way late realizing this. They consistently choose polls to game the numbers to GOP advantage. They got burned this time but the game playing isn’t new. https://t.co/thiX0u6iyy

— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) January 1, 2023

I suppose the journalists in question are still “decent people,” but they are self-evidently dupes and fools. Decent people can be fooled, but believing Trump is beyond foolish. It’s selling your birthright for a mess of pottage. You sell your decency along with it, and that happens long, long before you get to January 6th. It starts in Trump Tower with the declaration Mexico is full of rapists and thieves.

Let's posit that Trump is mentally and morally sound and that he wants the best for our country. By what calculus could you conclude that he has the skills to actually deliver results as president?

— Gregg Nunziata (@greggnunziata) January 2, 2023

By the calculus that “a man hears what he wants to hear, and disregards the rest.” I assume this hypothetical includes that “decent people” believe Trump built the wall, cowed Putin, managed Kim, defeated racism and Covid and terrorism, balanced the budget, restored common decency, and put a chicken in every pot. However, in reality, if by “accomplishment” you mean destruction, Trump accomplished a great deal; but all of it negatively. The people who praise that are either self-evidently not “decent people,” or if they are, their decency is no credit to them.

Or maybe these are the “decent people” Nunziata is talking about:

Many of my friends tell me we must support Trump because of his resoluteness on judges and abortion.

Trump, meanwhile, is busy blasting his own (excellent) judicial nominees as political hacks and blaming pro-lifers for dragging down the party.

— Gregg Nunziata (@greggnunziata) January 2, 2023

I really can’t find anything decent in pure transactionalism, or in appointments like Judge Cannon or Justice Kavanaugh. It really does come down to definitions.