(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . “Pimping their Pain” [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-06-09 The expected reactions began after the announcement of Donald Trump being summoned to court next Tuesday (June 14) to answer what eventually may be more than a 30-count indictment, including espionage, stealing government documents, and obstruction for refusing to give them back. Of course, Fox News was apoplectic, featuring Trump lawyer Alina Habba, presidential candidate Tim Scott and a bevy of partisan experts. The dissents were filled with the words unprecedented and weaponization. Trump supporters never start with the words he is not guilty of the crimes he is accused of; it is always a finger-pointing ritual aimed at law enforcement. They conveniently neglect that Trump appointee, Chris Wray, runs the FBI and AG Merrick Garland, who was tapped for the Supreme Court because he was essentially a dare by Barack Obama to Mitch McConnell to reject him. After all, McConnell later endorsed Garland to head the DOJ. The mainstream media, including CNN, took the more cautious approach of waiting to see what the charges entailed. The most inciteful comment may have come from Mr. Kumbaya, former Obama administration special advisor Van Jones. When asked by another CNN contributor David Urban why despite all of Trump’s behavior and criminality, his supporters will not leave him, Jones said because Trump is pimping their pain. He explained that economic nervousness and feeling left behind are real for many Americans, and Trump seized on that anxiety, turning it into divisive anger. Jones had used the pimping analogy earlier to discuss border towns’ migrant policies. Predictably, Hillary Clinton’s name was bandied about in conservative media, along with Joe Biden, as proof of a two-tiered justice system. I submit we blame the former President responsible for what we are seeing, Gerald Ford, yes, Gerald Ford. I am old enough to remember the resignation of Richard Milhouse Nixon and how the unprecedented nature of the charges against him, we were told, would collapse the Republic. Despite the fears, there was no “Human sacrifice! Dogs and cats living together! [or] Mass hysteria!” What came out of it was a pardon for Nixon that greenlighted any future crimes by succeeding presidents. Ford, who served as Vice President to Nixon, mistakenly proffered the prosecution of a former president would hurt the nation. His assertion and assumption were held up as the chief reason why he lost the election to former President Jimmy Carter. Despite the hucksterism of former President Trump, the American people will eventually crave honesty. An example of that was the 2020 election cycle. Trump supporters are fond of pointing to his 74 million votes but conveniently ignore Joe Biden’s 81 million. Everything about Richard Nixon’s criminality was unprecedented, the break-in of Democratic headquarters and obstruction of justice. Much like what may finally doom Donald Trump, audio tapes were the undoing of Nixon. Trump’s former VP, Mike Pence, talked fervently about the need for the death penalty to deter murder. When it was pointed out to him that mass murderers often want to be killed, so how can the death penalty be a deterrent, Pence persisted, “But I just believe in the deterrent of law…’ but now says he hopes the Department of Justice does not go ahead with the charges against Trump. Blaming Ford is said partially with my tongue firmly in my cheek, but what is true, treating a president like a deity excusing everything from sexual abuse to stealing government secrets, unfortunately, extends past his 74 million to the rest of us. Vote Against Guns [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/6/9/2174357/--Pimping-their-Pain Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/