David Frum

After his successful consolidation of power, the Leader prepares for show trials of those who resisted his first failed putsch.

"Well, Grant, we've had the devil's own day today, haven't we?"

"Yes. Lick 'em tomorrow though."

- Grant and Sherman after the disaster of the first day of Shiloh, April 1862. They won the next.

Today is one of the bad days in American history. Better days will come.

Hard to take seriously the red-white-and-blue rhetoric of freedom on a 4th of July where the US president has cut off aid to a democracy fighting for its independence against ferocious attack by a foreign tyrant.

In January 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt answered the "America First" of his day - and foresaw the "America First" of ours:

"We must especially beware of that small group of selfish men who would clip the wings of the American eagle in order to feather their own nests."

The original sin was failing to send Donald Trump to prison for the rest of his life for mounting a violent coup to overthrow the election of 2020.

The Constitution says that Congress must approve gifts to the president and his family from foreign potentates, but apparently the Constitution is mostly decorative these days.

The main argument for a Strategic BItcoin Reserve seems to be that Bitcoin holders worry about an impending shortage of greater fools and need the US government to act as the greatest fool of last resort.

Canadians will vote tomorrow in the most emotional election since 1988. I have my own preference. But I note: no one doubts that the vote will be free and fair - or that the loser will peacefully accept the voters' decision. That may not sound much. It's more than others have.

It's not only breathtakingly corrupt, it's manifestly illegal, no matter what permission is received from a cowardly and compromised Department of Justice.

The United States sent possibly innocent men to a foreign prison without a hearing ... and put a convicted felon who led a violent coup against the Constitution in the White House.

Rights of due process don't depend on our personal opinions of the accused. For example, I regard the January 6, 2021, criminals as insurrectionists and traitors - yet I am still glad that each and every one of them got a proper trial before they were convicted and sentenced.

Trump and Vance are not selling out Ukraine because of anything Zelenskyy said to them.

Trump and Vance are selling out Ukraine because of things Putin and Musk said to them.

Trump defying a 9-0 Supreme Court decision is the reason I say "if we still have free and fair elections in the United States" when I talk about 2026 midterms.

When making a MAGA cabinet, it's very important to strike a careful balance between billionaires, sex criminals, Russian assets, anti-vaxxers, and just plain unpleasant people.

This past week, the Chinese learned

1) exactly where Trump's pain points are;

2) how much to squeeze them before he flinches;

and

3) how little America's partners and allies want to help this president.

Highly useful information.

www.charlotteobserver.com/news/local/c...

‘Pizzagate’ gunman fatally shot by police outside Charlotte in traffic stop

Kannapolis police said Edgar Maddison Welch pointed a gun at officers on Saturday, two of whom then fired at him.

My memoir of my daughter, gift link renewed. www.theatlantic.com/magazine/arc...

Miranda’s Last Gift

When our daughter died suddenly, she left us with grief, memories—and Ringo.

It's not just the biggest peacetime tax increase in US history. It's also the most regressive tax increase in US history.

We are headed toward a US constitutional crisis vastly bigger than Watergate

This isn't about Zelenskyy, a patriot and hero. This is about an American administration penetrated and compromised by America's enemies.

A month on Bluesky. Feels like this thing is catching on.

No taxpayer bailout for crypto scam artists

Sunk in shame for this un-American administration and its cowardly enablers. www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...

At Least Now We Know the Truth

The truth is ugly, but it’s necessary to face it.

The Trump right hates Zelenskyy because he exemplifies integrity and courage, and the price of following Trump is to abjure those qualities forever.