It really is most gratifying to see trump scrambling around, trying to find money. All he’s ever done is brag about how rich he is, all he’s ever told us is that he’s a billionaire, that he’s very very very very wealthy, and that he will fix everything. Now he is literally scrambling looking for money, and 30 companies have refused to post a bond for him. 30 companies! This was revealed by his lawyers to the court as they plead for more time and/or for a reduction. It must be so humiliating for trump, which I find extremely gratifying.
My guess Russian Oligarch(s) will step up to indirectly finance him (and/or the Saudis). Once again: Vote in November! Biden or Dictatorship! is the choice-starkly clear.
Clinton winning the popular vote by 3 million votes is not a narrow victory, any more than Biden winning by 7 million votes is a narrow victory. Gore winning by 500k was indeed a narrow victory.
We seriously so need to be able to switch to a popular vote metrics only asap. Ugh. The interstate compact will have to do. Since Democrats have trifecta flipped Michigan, that should be the next state to join the compact.
I wouldn't have said so four years ago, but Biden is showing the wisdom I doubted he possessed in 2020. His biggest negatives, his "decrepitude" and his tacit support for Netanyahu's Palestinian Genocide Tour, are being dealt with—decisively with his State of the Union address (watching the Trumpers and the "Biden's Too OLD!" crowd scramble to come up with excuses like "Biden's on COKE!" 🤣 now), and slowly but surely by disentangling the U.S. from Bibi's the Butcher's demand for a blank check to go Full Hitler on the Gaza.
I’m curious, are all Republicans just rolling over for Trump’s RNC takeover? Are they just letting him take whatever money they do have and starve all other R candidates across the country? Do they think this is some form of fourth dimensional chess strategy, rather than simply Trump flailing trying to get elected to solve his legal problems? It’s so bizarrely one-sided and I can’t tell if there’s behind the scenes resistance or if the GOP has given itself over to Trump so completely they’re just going to stand there while he consumes what resources it has left.
I think the resistance was the effort to challenge him in the primary. That failed, and Trump's now the head of the party. There are huge incentives to back the presidential candidate and not make waves. So I think that probably many people aren't happy, but feel that challenging him is not really an option if they want to stay in the party. (looking at Liz Cheney, they're probably right.)
Clinton also lost because, to pick a specific example, the Dakotas combined have a population of about 0.5% of US population but over 1% of electoral college, giving it a ratio of approx 2.3x "votes per person".
The electoral college and “swing states” maybe, but she won the popular vote decisively, with a three million votes margin. It is the electoral college that needs to be abolished via constitutional amendment, which is currently unlikely, or bypassed via the interstate vote compact, which needs a few more states before it reaches 270 yet.
I am sure Trump's posterior is NOT orange; probably lily white which he himself is not. I hate to see the color orange sullied so.
You mean the not so rich, some probably poor, saps that have been contributing to Trump's criminality fund to pay lawyers. They don't want to continue to enrich his lawyers. He's GOT to pay his lawyers or they would quit.. OR maybe they are not in it for the money but the reputation they think they are gaining in the criminal world, white collar criminals.
The amounts Trump has been fined are astounding and he shows no remorse or willingness to keep his mouth shut. Maybe that's because he still thinks that is getting his applause and keeping his minions entertained. If he cannot keep his mouth shut and as well keeps bragging about his money he should face more civil suits. I look forward to the day that the Trump Tower is repossessed. It would be significant.
Re the photo above : Melania, in a transactional marriage it seems, is not saying whether she will campaign with Trump or whether she even voted for him in the primary. Putting up an appearance here and there is about all she will do.
Up to now I've always thought Trump had a clear enthusiam advantage looking at his high-energy zealots cheering every word he says (no matter how dumb or irresponsible. But perhaps the decline in donations, especially in small donations that are way down, suggests that the MAGA group is getting smaller (it does nothing to add to its number) and is starting to tire. It's not as though the US economy has gone down hill dramatically in the last year or so. Quite the opposite in fact. I take more heart from the Republican/Trump money problems as a possible sign of declining MAGA enthusiasm then I do about the fact they'll be able to afford less ads and staff to direct volunteers.
That said the point that money matters more for House and Senate races is a good one. It won't take much for the Republicans to lose the House and a Democrat controlled House would at least put the brakes on horrendous Republican legislation if we get Trump Mk 2. (Please No!)
couple of niggles on an otherwise excellent piece.
1. He hasn't had to pay E Jean yet. He's had to pay a surety and pledge his FL brokerage account as collateral. Which mean he cannot USE the account unless he wins and the surety doesn't have to pay.
2. Keep in mind that a lot of trump's buildings are condo buildings. In a rental building, the owner of the building has income stream which makes the building valuable to a buyer. In a condo building, the sold units are, from the point of view of income, gone geese. What trump owns in Trump Tower are the service areas and the Incredible Shrinking Condo that is his NY residence. He has otherwise already pocketed the value of the other residences. So "Save Trump Tower" is a pretty misleading slogan.
For the Trump International Hotel in Vegas (which he owns half of) the value to trump was measured (by Eric) by the number of unsold condos still left. My figures came from 2022 when Eric asserted that the worth based on unsold units was $111,000,000. Letitia James actually challenged that. Of course, that value has to be divided in two. If any have sold since then, the value has decreased. If you believe the real estate agent selling those condos, there are 35 available at a median price of $350K. (12,250,000 total) But you can't tell if those are first sales or resales. And if all resales, only half of that is trumps.
It is tricky figuring out what exactly trump owns, not to mention whether his buildings outside New York rely for their valuations on "the trump brand." That is pretty useless in a foreclosure sale.
Interesting to see that James's first move has been to file her judgment in Westchester County, which might well mean she's going after a golf course and the "family compound" at Seven Springs.
It may be that the dearth of cash in the GOP is indicative of news getting around that Trump is a bad horse to bet on. As well, maybe there is a wider realization that the GOP has turned to the dark side.
Wondering how many more Republicans are going to jump ship. Also wonder how many of those who jump ship will actually vote for Treacherous-treasonous-tantruming-traitor-Trump. That is the advantage of a secret ballot. I also feel that polls are skewed in their samples because I do not know anyone who is for Trump. Right now I am in Germany where no one is for Trump except maybe The New German Nazi party known as the AfD. T-T-T-T-T heads The New American Nazi Party. Seeing him through the lens of God & Country, the recent documentary by Dan Partlan and Rob Reiner. Here they are interviewed discussing it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8QasbXXNZc
It seems that the White Nationalist Evangelicals are brainwashed to give until they have nothing left as a way to buy their way into heaven. The is the kind of Catholic Church antics with the letters of absolution that were sold to the wealthy in the Middle Ages that made Martin Luther and his followers break away and begin Protestantism as getting away from the excesses of the Catholic church. Now, these megachurches are doing exactly that which the Reformation was against. It is certainly crazy. Apparently the faithful are running out of money because Treacherous-treasonous-tantruming-traitor-Trump has milked the last drops of water out of those stones.
Let us hope that this misfortune for the Republicans leads to huge losses in November, from President on down.
American needs a HARD Left turn, and while Joe Biden isn't the man to do that? At least he's shown his willingness to steer the country out of its Rightward Fascist skid.
Biden has been the most progressive President since FDR and LBJ, methinks. You wouldn’t have thought that would happen before the election, but the legislative policies sought and enacted both, and the enforcement of dormant laws like antitrust laws, have way exceeded my expectations for sure. And he did enact monthly child credit checks for a while, that was blocked by Manchin from continuing.
I agree that now that Manchin and Sinema are leaving the Senate, the ahistorical 60 votes filibuster cudgel that McConnell has ruthlessly invoked for nearly every single Senate vote can finally be modified if not outright abolished, because the last two holdouts against that were indeed Manchin and Sinema. Real progress can finally begin.
"She and Whatley have already radically cut the RNC, firing more than 60 workers."
This is usually portrayed as a loyalty purge. But does anyone have a swag as to how much money in reduced labor costs they save for Trump to not pay his lawyers?
I thought I read somewhere that the last round of lawyers he hired, maybe around the beginning of the year, he had to pay them in advance a certain amount or something like that. Not that it's done any good.
I don't know where you read it Kim H. but it sounds very credible. Trump has a history of being tardy in his payments, lawyers like to be paid and Trump is definitely not a sort after client in the legal community. Years ago he had the reputation of 'doesn't listen, doesn't pay'.
It really is most gratifying to see trump scrambling around, trying to find money. All he’s ever done is brag about how rich he is, all he’s ever told us is that he’s a billionaire, that he’s very very very very wealthy, and that he will fix everything. Now he is literally scrambling looking for money, and 30 companies have refused to post a bond for him. 30 companies! This was revealed by his lawyers to the court as they plead for more time and/or for a reduction. It must be so humiliating for trump, which I find extremely gratifying.
Yeah Maggie, but I'm hungry for more!
Excellent piece.
TFG is broke and it IS bad news forcGOP.
However, TFG is ALSO a bigger security risk.
My guess Russian Oligarch(s) will step up to indirectly finance him (and/or the Saudis). Once again: Vote in November! Biden or Dictatorship! is the choice-starkly clear.
Clinton winning the popular vote by 3 million votes is not a narrow victory, any more than Biden winning by 7 million votes is a narrow victory. Gore winning by 500k was indeed a narrow victory.
We seriously so need to be able to switch to a popular vote metrics only asap. Ugh. The interstate compact will have to do. Since Democrats have trifecta flipped Michigan, that should be the next state to join the compact.
I wouldn't have said so four years ago, but Biden is showing the wisdom I doubted he possessed in 2020. His biggest negatives, his "decrepitude" and his tacit support for Netanyahu's Palestinian Genocide Tour, are being dealt with—decisively with his State of the Union address (watching the Trumpers and the "Biden's Too OLD!" crowd scramble to come up with excuses like "Biden's on COKE!" 🤣 now), and slowly but surely by disentangling the U.S. from Bibi's the Butcher's demand for a blank check to go Full Hitler on the Gaza.
The RNC has a new slogan...Be Broke. 🤑
The RNC's new slogan—"Don't Be Woke, Be Broke!" 🤣 🤣 🤣
Hahaha!!
I’m curious, are all Republicans just rolling over for Trump’s RNC takeover? Are they just letting him take whatever money they do have and starve all other R candidates across the country? Do they think this is some form of fourth dimensional chess strategy, rather than simply Trump flailing trying to get elected to solve his legal problems? It’s so bizarrely one-sided and I can’t tell if there’s behind the scenes resistance or if the GOP has given itself over to Trump so completely they’re just going to stand there while he consumes what resources it has left.
I think the resistance was the effort to challenge him in the primary. That failed, and Trump's now the head of the party. There are huge incentives to back the presidential candidate and not make waves. So I think that probably many people aren't happy, but feel that challenging him is not really an option if they want to stay in the party. (looking at Liz Cheney, they're probably right.)
Clinton lost because so many voters refused to vote for a woman. We all know it’s true.
Clinton also lost because, to pick a specific example, the Dakotas combined have a population of about 0.5% of US population but over 1% of electoral college, giving it a ratio of approx 2.3x "votes per person".
agreed
The electoral college and “swing states” maybe, but she won the popular vote decisively, with a three million votes margin. It is the electoral college that needs to be abolished via constitutional amendment, which is currently unlikely, or bypassed via the interstate vote compact, which needs a few more states before it reaches 270 yet.
I am sure Trump's posterior is NOT orange; probably lily white which he himself is not. I hate to see the color orange sullied so.
You mean the not so rich, some probably poor, saps that have been contributing to Trump's criminality fund to pay lawyers. They don't want to continue to enrich his lawyers. He's GOT to pay his lawyers or they would quit.. OR maybe they are not in it for the money but the reputation they think they are gaining in the criminal world, white collar criminals.
The amounts Trump has been fined are astounding and he shows no remorse or willingness to keep his mouth shut. Maybe that's because he still thinks that is getting his applause and keeping his minions entertained. If he cannot keep his mouth shut and as well keeps bragging about his money he should face more civil suits. I look forward to the day that the Trump Tower is repossessed. It would be significant.
Re the photo above : Melania, in a transactional marriage it seems, is not saying whether she will campaign with Trump or whether she even voted for him in the primary. Putting up an appearance here and there is about all she will do.
Up to now I've always thought Trump had a clear enthusiam advantage looking at his high-energy zealots cheering every word he says (no matter how dumb or irresponsible. But perhaps the decline in donations, especially in small donations that are way down, suggests that the MAGA group is getting smaller (it does nothing to add to its number) and is starting to tire. It's not as though the US economy has gone down hill dramatically in the last year or so. Quite the opposite in fact. I take more heart from the Republican/Trump money problems as a possible sign of declining MAGA enthusiasm then I do about the fact they'll be able to afford less ads and staff to direct volunteers.
That said the point that money matters more for House and Senate races is a good one. It won't take much for the Republicans to lose the House and a Democrat controlled House would at least put the brakes on horrendous Republican legislation if we get Trump Mk 2. (Please No!)
couple of niggles on an otherwise excellent piece.
1. He hasn't had to pay E Jean yet. He's had to pay a surety and pledge his FL brokerage account as collateral. Which mean he cannot USE the account unless he wins and the surety doesn't have to pay.
2. Keep in mind that a lot of trump's buildings are condo buildings. In a rental building, the owner of the building has income stream which makes the building valuable to a buyer. In a condo building, the sold units are, from the point of view of income, gone geese. What trump owns in Trump Tower are the service areas and the Incredible Shrinking Condo that is his NY residence. He has otherwise already pocketed the value of the other residences. So "Save Trump Tower" is a pretty misleading slogan.
For the Trump International Hotel in Vegas (which he owns half of) the value to trump was measured (by Eric) by the number of unsold condos still left. My figures came from 2022 when Eric asserted that the worth based on unsold units was $111,000,000. Letitia James actually challenged that. Of course, that value has to be divided in two. If any have sold since then, the value has decreased. If you believe the real estate agent selling those condos, there are 35 available at a median price of $350K. (12,250,000 total) But you can't tell if those are first sales or resales. And if all resales, only half of that is trumps.
It is tricky figuring out what exactly trump owns, not to mention whether his buildings outside New York rely for their valuations on "the trump brand." That is pretty useless in a foreclosure sale.
Interesting to see that James's first move has been to file her judgment in Westchester County, which might well mean she's going after a golf course and the "family compound" at Seven Springs.
It may be that the dearth of cash in the GOP is indicative of news getting around that Trump is a bad horse to bet on. As well, maybe there is a wider realization that the GOP has turned to the dark side.
Wondering how many more Republicans are going to jump ship. Also wonder how many of those who jump ship will actually vote for Treacherous-treasonous-tantruming-traitor-Trump. That is the advantage of a secret ballot. I also feel that polls are skewed in their samples because I do not know anyone who is for Trump. Right now I am in Germany where no one is for Trump except maybe The New German Nazi party known as the AfD. T-T-T-T-T heads The New American Nazi Party. Seeing him through the lens of God & Country, the recent documentary by Dan Partlan and Rob Reiner. Here they are interviewed discussing it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8QasbXXNZc
It seems that the White Nationalist Evangelicals are brainwashed to give until they have nothing left as a way to buy their way into heaven. The is the kind of Catholic Church antics with the letters of absolution that were sold to the wealthy in the Middle Ages that made Martin Luther and his followers break away and begin Protestantism as getting away from the excesses of the Catholic church. Now, these megachurches are doing exactly that which the Reformation was against. It is certainly crazy. Apparently the faithful are running out of money because Treacherous-treasonous-tantruming-traitor-Trump has milked the last drops of water out of those stones.
Let us hope that this misfortune for the Republicans leads to huge losses in November, from President on down.
American needs a HARD Left turn, and while Joe Biden isn't the man to do that? At least he's shown his willingness to steer the country out of its Rightward Fascist skid.
Biden has been the most progressive President since FDR and LBJ, methinks. You wouldn’t have thought that would happen before the election, but the legislative policies sought and enacted both, and the enforcement of dormant laws like antitrust laws, have way exceeded my expectations for sure. And he did enact monthly child credit checks for a while, that was blocked by Manchin from continuing.
I agree that now that Manchin and Sinema are leaving the Senate, the ahistorical 60 votes filibuster cudgel that McConnell has ruthlessly invoked for nearly every single Senate vote can finally be modified if not outright abolished, because the last two holdouts against that were indeed Manchin and Sinema. Real progress can finally begin.
I find this all very satisfying, even though we have a long way to go until November. May the money keep flowing to the Democrats!
"She and Whatley have already radically cut the RNC, firing more than 60 workers."
This is usually portrayed as a loyalty purge. But does anyone have a swag as to how much money in reduced labor costs they save for Trump to not pay his lawyers?
I thought I read somewhere that the last round of lawyers he hired, maybe around the beginning of the year, he had to pay them in advance a certain amount or something like that. Not that it's done any good.
I don't know where you read it Kim H. but it sounds very credible. Trump has a history of being tardy in his payments, lawyers like to be paid and Trump is definitely not a sort after client in the legal community. Years ago he had the reputation of 'doesn't listen, doesn't pay'.
"Trump makes a rare public appearance with Melania" - from the photo caption
I'd add: And even more rarely, she's smiling.
I even wondered, due to the smile, if that was the fake Melania.