Josh Marshall at TPM's Take on Trump's Trip

[BadgerMom]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/trumps-ominous-adventure

Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo posted an editorial this evening about Trump's first sojourn abroad as president. He expressed many of my thoughts about that trip. The quote below sums up my feelings, too.

The sum total of everything that happened on this trip casts the entire Trump/Russia story in a decidedly more ominous light.

And the light was already quite ominous.

He discusses how Trump's message to and about NATO adheres so closely to Putin's. He discusss Trump's facility for changing his position on many topics, but he remains unchanged in his views of Russia and stances to favor Russia. All of these things worry me, frustrate me, anger me.

I know investigations--especially those being impeded--take time. I hope our country has the time to spare.

[Zorro]

1. Trump indeed is Putin's puppet

He is betraying the country every day, and the Congressional Republicans are all on board with his policies.

Traitors all.

[BadgerMom]

2. He was a reluctant convert

Marshall was slow to acknowledge what all of the clues point to. It makes this observation all the more somber.

[Moral Compass]

3. Unfortunately I think Josh Marshall is right

I noticed during the campaign that, even when prompted, Trump would not say anything negative about Putin.

Then he was elected and that continued.

He has also, not particularly subtly, made statements that call into question his and the U.S.'s fealty to NATO. As this piece notes he mimics some of Putin's words about NATO.

Now, he and his staff are telegraphing that after an upcoming meeting with Putin, that he'll move to terminate the sanctions currently in place on Russia.

Trump and his people and most of the Republican leadership may indeed be committing treason by actively supporting and advancing the interests of a hostile foreign power.

Our system of government may be unable to combat this.

When a single party has captured all of the branches of government (including most of the governorships of the states) who is to stop the traitors? Is a special counsel going to be enough?

The biggest flaw in our system is that there really has never been anything stopping anyone who is operating in complete bad faith from doing whatever they want. Suits can be brought and even criminal charges can be filed but if the Department of Justice is compromised then who is to actually pursue the cases?

Even if the cases are pursued...if the judiciary is compromised--who is to side with the rule of law?

A woman has been arrested, tried, and convicted of laughing during Jeff Sessions confirmation hearings. She is going to go to jail unless some court finds that her 1st amendment rights have been violated. But who is bring to bring the suit?

Trump has refused to divest himself of his businesses and is actively using his office to juice his profits. Foreign leaders feel compelled to stay at the Trump Hotel in Washington. The Emoulments clause is simply being flouted. Blatant nepotism is the order of the day with Jared Kushner being granted the highest of clearances and tasked with a broad range of key tasks--including bringing the Israelis and Palestinians back to the peace table.

Trump shared incredibly sensitive information with the Russian foreign minister and the Russian ambassador. He met with them the day after he fired the Director of the FBI. Russian photographers were invited to this meeting, but the US press was kept out.

Who is there in the government to put a stop to blatant corruption, actively promoting the interests of a hostile foreign power, and sharing crucial intelligence with that foreign power?

When all parts of our federal government have been compromised who has the power to stop this?

The Founders never imagined this.

We very well may have been defeated from within.

[MBS]

4. I agree with Josh Marshall.

It's such a creepy feeling not to trust the people in the White House -my own country!- in matters of national security.

But I don't. And every day that goes by gives me more and more reasons to be alarmed.
Trump's rudeness to our allies, and his failure to endorse something as fundamental as Article 5 (not to mention his failure to endorse the climate change agreement, the subject of a separate rant in itself ) is a terrifying confirmation of his disloyalty to our country, and of his apparent intention to disrupt, compromise, or dismantle NATO.
What the HELL is going on?

[Stuart G]

5. k and r..nt