Corruption On A Scale Never Previously Imagined February 22, 2019February 20, 2019 Rachel Maddow had fun last week with a proposal Trump recently made for fireworks on the Fourth of July. It then turns more serious, with one more example of what in any other adminsitration would be called a scandal. There was a time your career could face ruin over accepting $16,000 in — legal — contributions. It’s what led to Nixon’s famous Checkers speech. HAVE YOU READ OR (BETTER STILL) LISTENED TO ANDREW McCABE’S BOOK YET? YOU MUST. IT’S WAY MORE THAN YOU’VE SEEN ON TV. Why some British people don’t like Donald Trump, by Nate White: A few things spring to mind. Trump lacks certain qualities which the British traditionally esteem. For instance, he has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace – all qualities, funnily enough, with which his predecessor Mr. Obama was generously blessed. So for us, the stark contrast does rather throw Trump’s limitations into embarrassingly sharp relief. Plus, we like a laugh. And while Trump may be laughable, he has never once said anything wry, witty or even faintly amusing – not once, ever.* I don’t say that rhetorically, I mean it quite literally: not once, not ever.* And that fact is particularly disturbing to the British sensibility – for us, to lack humour is almost inhuman. But with Trump, it’s a fact. He doesn’t even seem to understand what a joke is – his idea of a joke is a crass comment, an illiterate insult, a casual act of cruelty. . . . And it goes downhill from there . . . Even so, sometimes there are bright spots on a bleak horizon. Have you seen this? Trump administration launches global effort to end criminalization of homosexuality. A complex issue, as you will read. Have a great weekend. *This is not in fact true. During one of the Republican primary debates, when each candidate was asked what Secret Service code name she or he wanted, Trump deadpanned: “Humble.” I still laugh thinking about it.