Awww, spent a few days away from Hubski and missed this. Hope it went well! I still remember discovering Hubski way back then when looking for something more pleasant than reddit. Glad it's still here and still more pleasant than reddit. Well done mk and everyone! I'm a bit of a lurker but still an appreciator.

To sum up the current situation, the U.S. is experiencing a fake self-coup that requires the administration to do exactly the things a regime would do if it were attempting to stage an actual self-coup, with millions of people sincerely believing the stated justifications for the strongman’s consolidation of power and with the regime’s legislative allies playing along, under the apparent belief that eventually the courts, which are stocked with unqualified loyalists, will soon say the game is done.

No one who might be able to break the spell of Trump seems willing to rip off the Band-Aid.

It's revealing that the Republican Party acts around Trump the way people acted around Stalin or Hitler. No-one dares to be the bringer of bad news. Except with these men there was proven reason to be afraid. To behave this way around Donald Trump, of all people, just makes Republicans look pathetic.