2:00PM Water Cooler 11/21/2024 | bare capitalism

“Republicans Should Defend Matt Gaetz To Finish The Use Of Salacious Lies As A Political Weapon” [The Federalist]. “The claims in opposition to Gaetz are however one other data operation, nevertheless, mirroring those that beforehand focused Donald Trump and Brett Kavanaugh. And this sample will proceed unabated until Individuals unflinchingly condemn the tactic — regardless of the goal. We must always have realized this lesson from Donald Trump’s first presidential run and time in workplace. From Crossfire Hurricane, to the pee-tape file, to Particular Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, unsupported and unbelievable accusations leaked to the general public hampered Trump’s potential to advance his agenda. Again and again the costs proved unfounded, and but upfront of the 2024 election, the lawfare continued. The nation, nevertheless, had wised up by then and acknowledged the varied legal and civil fees leveled in opposition to Trump for what they have been: an effort to intrude within the election. Why then is anybody giving credence to the accusations in opposition to Gaetz, particularly given the FBI — after completely investigating the matter for 2 years — determined to not cost Gaetz?” • Unusual bedfellows, Lambert and The Federalist, although right here we’re. (My place, nevertheless, is that even salacious truths must be deweaponized (grownup to grownup, consensual being the usual. I’m certain Roger Stone would agree with me….).

“4 Trump administration picks have sexual misconduct allegations of their previous” [CBS]. “Matt Gaetz, Pete Hegseth, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Elon Musk are all in line to function high authorities leaders. All have confronted various levels of sexual misconduct allegations. The president’s picks to hold out his agenda mirror an incoming administration hostile to the norms of the ‘Me Too’ motion.” Ah sure. #MeToo. Bear in mind Time’s Up? Good occasions. Anyhow: “Habits that may have gotten an individual fired or canceled (or not nominated to a cupboard place) over the past a number of years, seems to be much less problematic within the Trump 2.0 period. Machismo was usually a centerpiece of Trump’s enchantment to voters throughout the 2024 marketing campaign. He frequently spoke about toughness — whether or not that trait utilized to his immigration coverage, combating illicit drug commerce or surviving two assassination makes an attempt. Wrestler Hulk Hogan delivered a primetime speech on the Republican Nationwide Conference, ripping off his shirt whereas lavishing reward on the nominee. And Trump additionally frolicked on right-leaning podcasts with largely male audiences. His entreaties to male tradition paid off in November.” • “Male tradition.” Huh? Is {that a} factor now?

“Donald Trump will get a brutal actuality verify” [Politico]. “Donald Trump is just not a monarch. That’s the unmistakable lesson of the ill-fated nomination of Matt Gaetz for lawyer basic. Slightly than showcasing Trump’s absolute energy over his GOP allies, it revealed his limits. The doomed nomination lasted simply eight days — and its failure is an unwelcome lesson for the president-elect, who has been projecting invincibility and claiming a historic mandate regardless of his reed-thin widespread vote victory. Although Republicans will management each chambers of Congress, the resistance from Senate Republicans to Gaetz’s nomination proved that there are nonetheless some checks on Trump — regardless of how restricted — that may maintain, regardless of concern on the left that he’ll squeeze Congress into submission, get carte blanche from the conservative-dominated Supreme Court docket and enact his agenda at will. ‘I believe it reveals that Donald Trump can’t get something [that is, everything] he desires,’ mentioned Erwin Chemerinsky, dean of the College of California-Berkeley Faculty of Regulation. However Chemerinsky and others cautioned in opposition to extrapolating an excessive amount of from the Gaetz debacle — he was so uniquely despised and compromised by authorized and political scandal. ‘However the details listed below are so egregious, and Gaetz so unqualified, that I might be cautious in generalizing an excessive amount of from it.’” • By “unqualified” we imply “populist,” after all…

“Trump faucets Russ Vought, one of many authors of Venture 2025, to steer finances workplace once more” [CBS]. “President-elect Donald Trump is anticipated to call Russ Vought to steer the Workplace of Administration and Funds, in keeping with two sources near the transition. If confirmed, this shall be Vought’s second time within the position. He served as OMB director throughout Trump’s first time period, too. Earlier within the Trump administration, Vought was deputy OMB director and appearing director. Earlier than he joined the primary Trump White Home Vought was vp of Heritage Motion for America, which leads a grassroots effort to implement conservative insurance policies throughout the U.S. It produces a conservative scorecard that grades members of Congress on their votes on conservative payments. Vought wrote a chapter of The Heritage Basis’s Venture 2025 blueprint — his chapter covers the ‘Govt Workplace of the President.’ The OMB director’s workplace develops the president’s proposed finances, and it’s answerable for executing the president’s agenda throughout the federal authorities.”

“Dr. Oz” [Daring Fireball]. “I met Dr. Ozten years in the past. It was after the Apple occasion on Tuesday, 9 September 2014, on the Flint Heart in Cupertino…. I had a one-on-one off-the-record briefing with Jony Ive…. Whereas I used to be ready for my briefing with Ive, the one different individual from the media ready with me was Oz. It’s a bizarre factor to be alone, successfully, with somebody of Ozs movie star. It’s like being in a room with 1,000,000 {dollars} in $100 payments stacked in a perfectly-arranged pyramid. Regardless of the way you to attempt to direct your consideration, your thoughts retains popping again to Holy shit, there’s 1,000,000 {dollars} in money proper there. His hair was excellent…. We spent an unceasingly awkward 10 minutes…. He by no means shut up. He chattered, nonstop, with inane observations, like ‘Hey, take a look at that one, it’s orange! What’s that one, leather-based?” He was not speaking to me, nor was he, actually, speaking to himself. It was like he was speaking to a TV digital camera, as if we have been being filmed for B-roll footage for his present — however there was no digital camera. It was simply me and him, standing round that desk exhibiting dozens of Apple Watch prototypes that we have been unable to the touch…. I got here away with the impression that Mehmet Ozwas, regardless of his well-deserved medical renown, preternaturally vapid and preening, and, thus, to me, an incongruous determine. Concurrently a superb thoughts within the discipline of thoracic surgical procedure, and but dumb as a rock in on a regular basis human interplay. I spent the primary jiffy with him questioning if I ought to introduce myself. I spent the previous few glad I hadn’t, as a result of he was so clearly a staggeringly uninteresting and uninterested man.” • Not the one one….

“Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy: The DOGE Plan to Reform Authorities” [Wall Street Journal]. “Most authorized edicts aren’t legal guidelines enacted by Congress however “guidelines and rules” promulgated by unelected bureaucrats—tens of 1000’s of them annually. Most authorities enforcement selections and discretionary expenditures aren’t made by the democratically elected president and even his political appointees however by hundreds of thousands of unelected, unappointed civil servants inside authorities businesses who view themselves as immune from firing because of civil-service protections. That is antidemocratic and antithetical to the Founders’ imaginative and prescient. It imposes huge direct and oblique prices on taxpayers. Fortunately, we now have a historic alternative to resolve the issue.” Highlights from MSN: “Based on Musk and Ramaswamy, . ‘We’ll focus significantly on driving change by way of government motion primarily based on present laws moderately than by passing new legal guidelines,’ they wrote, describing the US Structure as their ‘North Star.’” Hilariously, they steal a liberal Democrat trope (which I’ve at all times hated as a result of it doesn’t imply something). Extra: “Certainly one of their first initiatives includes figuring out rules that Trump may nullify instantly by way of government motion. These, they argued, would free companies and people from the constraints of ‘illicit rules’ and stimulate the financial system. ‘When the president nullifies 1000’s of such rules, critics will allege government overreach. Actually, it is going to be correcting the chief overreach of 1000’s of rules promulgated by administrative fiat,’ they famous. Acknowledging the probability of political and authorized pushback, Musk and Ramaswamy expressed confidence of their mandate. ‘With a decisive electoral mandate and a 6-3 conservative majority on the Supreme Court docket, DOGE has a historic alternative for structural reductions within the federal authorities,’ they declared. The authors set an bold deadline of July 4, 2026, to finalise their reforms, framing their mission as a transformative effort to revive governance to its constitutional roots. ‘We count on to prevail,’ they concluded, signalling their readiness to confront entrenched pursuits in Washington.” • I’d prefer it if DOGE would unleash Lina Khan and the NLRB, and cease defending the crypto bros, however none of that appears more likely to occur.

“May Trump really do away with the Division of Schooling?” [Vox]. “Even with out actually shutting the doorways to the federal company, there might be methods a Trump administration may hole the DOE and do vital harm, Valant and Kettl mentioned. The administration may require the company to chop the roles of company staff, significantly those that ideologically disagree with the administration. It may additionally appoint officers with restricted (or no) schooling experience, hampering the division’s day-to-day work. Trump officers may additionally try adjustments to the division’s greater schooling practices. The division is one in all a number of state and nongovernmental establishments concerned in faculty accreditation, for instance — and Home Majority Chief Steve Scalise (R-LA) has threatened to weaponize the accreditation course of in opposition to universities he believes to be too ‘woke.’ Lastly, Trump may use the division’s management position to have an effect on coverage not directly: ‘There’s energy that comes from simply speaking to states what you wish to see’ being taught in colleges, Valant mentioned. ‘And there are plenty of state leaders across the nation who appear able to observe that lead.’ Trump’s plans for the division will seemingly grow to be clearer throughout [Linda] McMahon’s affirmation hearings. She has been an advocate for the varsity selection motion, and posted reward for the hands-on schooling gained by way of apprenticeships shortly earlier than her nomination was made public.”

Deploy the Blame Cannons!

“Trump’s dictatorship is a fait accompli” [John Q, Crooked Timber]. Helpful flowchart:

With Gaetz flaming out, I’d say we’re on the way in which to “Governs Constitutionally” (granted, for some definition of “Constitutionally”).