Plumbing the depths

 It is a truth universally acknowledged that everything Trump touches turns to shit, and Maggie Haberman of the New York Times says she has proof.  Her forthcoming Confidence Man:  The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America features photographs which show his distinctive Sharpie scrawl on torn paper in the bottom of two toilets.

That's the White House on the left -- I wish I could get my bowl that clean.  The other is from an overseas trip and the name "Stefanik" can be discerned, as in Elise Stefanik, gauleiter of the House Republican Caucus and ardent Trump defender.  Another Trump apologist, Taylor Budowich, has denied it and Trump called Haberman "a maggot" (or "MAGAt"?), so you know it's true.  Why does it matter, other than proof of his slob nature?  Because it's illegal to destroy government documents or to spirit fifteen cartons of them off to your shabby resort hotel.  He must have noticed staffers retrieving them from wastebaskets and taping them together, and that's when he began eating them or flushing them (or both).  

There's another book coming out that takes us even closer to Trumpism than an examination of his spoor.  In The Divider:  Trump In the White House, Peter Baker and Susan Glasser recount an exchange with John Kelly:  "You fucking generals, why can't you be like the German generals?"  When Kelly asked for specifics, Trump said, "The German generals in World War II."  "You do know they tried to kill Hitler three times and almost pulled it off?"  "No, no, no, they were totally loyal to him," Trump insisted.  Valkyrie was released in 2008 -- you'd think he would have seen it by now.  More to the point, neither Trump nor Budowich nor any other sycophant has denied the truth of this story.  Eating memoranda is gross.  Wanting to be the unquestioned leader of Nazi America is perfectly fine.  Have to read the book to find out what our "fucking generals" did to annoy him that day.

I hate to say "I told you so" -- no, I actually love it but I rarely get a chance.  I believe this corner of Blogenheim predicted that the July job numbers would somehow be another shameful defeat for Joe Biden.  Sure enough, these very serious economic experts want you to know that the White House was completely wrong in its projection:  It was 528,000, not 250,000, you very silly Democrats! You were off by...um...a whole lot of thousands.  And did you predict torrential rain in Death Valley?  What use are you anyway?  And where is all the monkeypox vaccine?  Also, aren't we supposed to be neck-deep in infant formula by now?  Well?  

Texas is full of people with contempt for the law, but I didn't realize that included copyright law.  The Door McAllen church in McAllen seems to think it can help itself to the work of Lin-Manuel Miranda without permission and distort it beyond recognition.  Their production of Hamilton, live- streamed twice in a show of defiance, includes added biblical references and a sermon denouncing homosexuality.  One can only hope they're one of those "prosperity gospel" churches that rake in millions from the sheep -- Miranda is entitled to a big payday.  And soon -- before the Door's production of The Diary of Anne Frank where the Franks and Van Daans accept Jesus just as the Gestapo roll up.

Rudolph Giuliani is scheduled to testify before a Fulton County grand jury tomorrow but claims his doctor won't let him fly.  Fine, said Deputy DA Will Wooten, we'll buy him a train or bus ticket.  Of course the real problem is Judith Giuliani and her lawyer.  Maybe Tyler Perry could disguise him as Madea for the day.

Over 37 million Americans have diabetes and the Republicans apparently feel confident about not needing their votes.  They got a $35 price cap on insulin removed from the Inflation Reduction Act yesterday because...I have no idea.  Because it's a Democratic bill?  That seems like a sound reason.  A unit of insulin costs nearly a hundred dollars in the US.  In Canada it's $12, so plan your vacation as if your life depended on it.

Defund the police?  Vincent, Alabama, has gone one better.  The town of 1,956 has disbanded its force of three after one of them sent a racist text, presumably to the other two.  Vincent is in Shelby, St. Clair and Talladega counties, so they can call on three sets of sheriffs if things go sideways. 

A fourth set of human remains has surfaced, literally, in Lake Mead.  The Southwest may run out of water but a lot of missing persons cases will be closed this year.  Climate catastrophe closes a door and opens a window.