On Monday, I was minding my own business thinking about what blog to write:

Will Ukraine Be Rebuilt?
End Confederate Welfare
Indict Everyone but Trump First
Did Tom Cruise Try to Kill Hitler?

Suddenly out of nowhere the Rubicon was crossed to use a popular metaphor.

[Forthcoming history blog – Do Audiences Understand Your Metaphors and References?]

The execution of a search warrant at the home of a former and loser President already under multiple investigations is a game changer. But to what?

MAFIOSO RECEIVES SPEEDING TICKET FOR GOING 7 MILES OVER THE LIMIT

When I was growing up, I read an article in the local paper about a New Jersey Mafioso who had received a speeding ticket for going 7 miles an hour over the speeding limit. I do not recall if I even had a drivers’ license yet, but it seemed to me that ticketing a Mafioso for that infraction was not standard police work. Something else was involved.

My favorite criminal action by the current Mafioso Don was Sharpiegate. Who can forget the image of the doofus-looking Donald the Menace sitting in front of the map he had just altered? As I wrote in July 2020:

In addition, tampering with National Weather maps is a civil (criminal?) offense. While it is not an impeachable offense, it still is illegal. There will be a special exhibit in the Unpresidential Library about Sharpiegate.

Unfortunately, the significance of Sharpiegate is worse than that. If someone cannot admit error on a hurricane path, what are the chances of admitting error on coronavirus? If a person rates a 10 and wouldn’t change anything he did, what is his explanation for why there are over 135000 Americans dead now? Why did Europe quarantine us? There’s really nothing that could have been done differently? Ask him.

Now we learn that he saved that map as a memento of his presidency perhaps for future sale on eBay. While Mafioso Donny should be held accountable for Sharpiegate, like the ticket for going 7 miles per hour over the speed limit, there is more to the warrant than that given the stakes involved.

LOCK HER UP

On one hand, the Democrats now have received a gift which they can leverage into an ongoing campaign refrain.

If he had only swallowed government documents, it would have been enough.
LOCK HER UP! LOCK HER UP! LOCK HER UP!

If he had only shredded government documents, it would have been enough.
LOCK HER UP! LOCK HER UP! LOCK HER UP!

If he had only flushed government documents, it would have been enough.
LOCK HER UP! LOCK HER UP! LOCK HER UP!

If he had only burned government documents, it would have been enough.
LOCK HER UP! LOCK HER UP! LOCK HER UP!

If he had only removed government documents, it would have been enough.
LOCK HER UP! LOCK HER UP! LOCK HER UP!

Democrats now have the opportunity to constantly serenade Mafioso Donny as he prepares for his next presidential try. Perhaps Michael Flynn can lead the chant.

VICTIMHOOD CAN BE VERY EFFECTIVE

Victimhood can be a very powerful political tool. Look how it helped his 2016 opponent get to that position. After Monica Lewinsky, the co-president who had failed with Rodhamcare became “Our Lady of Perpetual Victimhood.” Remember people exclaiming “Why don’t they leave poor Hillary alone?” Nita Lowey, my own Representative, sacrificed her chance to become Senator, as she gladly stepped aside to allow someone greater than her have the honor of running. Lowey ridiculed the divided Republicans for not being united in the candidacy as the Democrats were.

For the Trumpican wannabees, the executed search warrant has been devastating. They have been obligated to rally round victimized Mafioso Donny and kiss his ring. Each one now tries to outdo the other in expressing their fealty. No one will challenge the Victim in Chief just as Lowey did not.

Unfortunately for the wannabees, there are consequences to sacrificing yourself. Once Lowey fell on her sword, never again would she have that moment when she could have become Senator. The consolation prize of putting in her charge of the Democratic House elections was a dismal mismatch. Similarly for Ron DeSantis. 2024 is his moment. Unless he is the Vice Presidential candidate, which is unlikely, he will never be better positioned to make a run for the Republican nomination than now. Assuming the United States is still a single country in 2028, the Republican presidential nominee then is more likely to be either the incumbent Trumpican Vice President or a non-Trumpican Republican.

If I may mix my metaphors, the crossing of the Rubicon is the sinking of the wannabee presidential ship. Now they are all forced to play Trump musical chairs or Trump Russian roulette to be the Vice Presidential candidate. Perhaps that is why Elise Stefanik sent a thank-you note to the Attorney General.

2022 ELECTIONS

The calculus for the 2022 midterm elections has been upended. The standard out-of-power party losses still may apply but then again, they may not. The normal political winds have been shifting in the Democratic favor lately and may continue to do so for months ahead – the price of gas is down, inflation is moderating, the stock market is up, jobs are increasing, legislation is being passed, Americans are not dyeing abroad in never ending wars … and who knows what else might happen.

Then there is abortion and Krakatoa Kansas (Krakatoa Kansas versus the Red Wave, August 7, 2022).

Now there is the Rubicon crossing. This means that practically every day there will be a Trump-related news item. It could be about the civil case in New York. It could be about January 6 cases in Fulton County, the House Select Committee, or DOJ. It could be about Documentgate. Or it could be any one of a number of associates who have been indicted, subpoena, searched, or who request immunity. And every time something happens, there will be a message as if he were still on Twitter. Given his personality and modus operandi, he will become a regular feature in the news. There will be no escaping his media presence – just what the Republican political professionals wanted to avoid.

And since Monday, Mafioso Donny has easily surpassed Michael Flynn, Roger Stone, and John Eastman in the number of times he has admitted he is guilty. Only son Eric with 500 surpassed him. I know it is very difficult to actually sing all the verses of “100 Bottles of Ketchup on the Wall, 100 Bottles of Ketchup” but don’t be surprised if some enterprising young Democrats try for 440 verses of the Mafioso anthem.

The story continues to unfold. We are learning that there was an informant. There had been an earlier subpoena issued. The response was the same as by Bannon to his subpoena. Then there was a warrant. It was authorized by the Attorney General himself. Even as this blog is being typed efforts are underway to unseal the warrant. The American public will get to peak behind the curtain, something Mafioso Donny could have allowed if he did not have something to hide. Maybe he will still try to hide it.

My guess is that Macho-macho Boy thinks of Garland as some wimpy professorial type whom he can dominate the way he dominated Lafayette Square [this was written before I learned about the DOJ announcements]. Surprise! Surprise! Surprise! He failed. Not only was his home violated from his perspective, his own safe was broken into. That is a physical reminder that he is not President anymore … and guarantees that he will try to be again.