I read an Ezra Klein article earlier today about Paul Ryan. The content didn't surprise me: Ryan lied about his objectives, Republicans have no principles, yadda, yadda, yadda. What occurred to me, midway through the article, was the question of why on Earth anyone would ever have believed Ryan in the first place. To begin with, he is, first, last, and always, a politician. I expect every politician, regardless of political affiliation, to lie about every thing. But putting that aside, he's a Republican, an especially vicious and amoral form of liar. The more I read these sorts of eulogies to the so-called moderate Republicans who are leaving the federal government, the more I'm disgusted by the self-delusion of the American political news media. Call these jackals polite; call them genteel; call them urbane; but don't for a second confuse them with actual moderates.
Obviously, I am beside myself with glee after the confrontation between Pelosi, Schumer, and Trump earlier today. Say what you will about Pelosi, but people seem to forget that she is actually tough as nails; when Obama wavered on whether or not to push through the Affordable Care Act, Pelosi had a real Lyndon Johnson moment and urged him to fight for something big. I think it was the right move, since ultimately Republicans were (are) ready and willing to fight tooth and nail against any Democratic policy, no matter how benign. Schumer...he at least has the ability to speak in complete sentences, which puts him miles ahead of the President. But it will be oh so much fun to watch the President lashing out at genuine political opposition and criticism from people who can legitimately interfere with his desired goals, whatever those happen to be.