So what else is new?

...or why the MAGA base is outraged by the Epstein cover-up, but not so much about the important stuff?

Even though, before he was elected to anything, our sitting president was best friends with now deceased, convicted pedophile, Jeffrey Epstein, the ever-so- wise, conspiracy-loving MAGA faithful feel betrayed, not because they suspect that the born-into-wealth-and-privilege, inheritor of same, multiply bankrupted, mediocre business person, truth and morality-averse cult leader finally elected after twice failing to win the popular vote, could possibly be implicated in Epstein’s depraved criminality, but, rather, because they feel deprived of the vindication they sought when they bought into the perpetual Fox News propaganda that not only are all Democrats haters of America, but, more likely and in high numbers, pedophiles trafficking minors and even inclined toward cannibalism.

No matter that long held constitutional norms fundamental to nearly 250 years of democracy are more obstacle than guideline for the president, who presses every lever of due process in his own defense, but sees no foul when he directs it be circumvented when applied to folks whose skin color is darker than his orange glow.

No matter that loyalty has become more important than principle or competence, or that the once scrupulous Department of Justice has been transformed without apology into the Department of Misguided Presidential Retribution, trying and, shamefully, succeeding in part, to intimidate institutions of higher learning, the free press, and legal professionals who dare oppose his self-serving extremism

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No matter that misguided policies benefit those who have successfully worked the system to economic advantage and don’t need government assistance, doing so at the wrong-minded cost of depriving and likely financially and/or physically harming those less fortunate.

No matter that past friendships, be they with NATO allies or not, or with individuals who, as it turns out, foolishly assisted our past misguided wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, are now re-evaluated on the basis of “what have you done for me lately?”

Whether or not the seedy Epstein “client” details ever see the light of day, including the mystery of, “Did he off himself or was he the victim of rich, evil villains at risk of public humiliation and loss of fortune,” we are being led to the brink of economic malaise with the imposition, willy-nilly and without so much as even the “outline” of a sensible “plan,” as transactional improvisation substitutes tariff-based, regressive taxation as a bogus foreign policy masquerading as ‘Making America Great Again.” Ironically, it more likely presents the abdication of American greatness, all while Putin continues to wage civilian-lethal war on the Ukraine. We deserve better than 47 and the sycophantic enablers who populate his administration, his Supremely Partisan Court, and weakly bend to his will in Congress. Continue to support him at your and our collective peril.