The Powers of the President Will Not Be Questioned: It's Official, the Fascists Have Arrived and They Are In Charge

The first few weeks of Don Trump's stay at the White House have been rather like a blurred ride on a mutant concoction of LSD and Nazi crank. Sean Spicer, Steve Bannon, Mike Flynn, and the female incarnation of Skeletor, Kellyanne Conway have been sucking up to the Russians, while babbling nonsense and crazed lies at a dizzying pace.

Now comes another one. His name is, Stephen Miller, and he's one of Trump's senior policy advisers.

Until he showed up on the Sunday talk show circuit a little over 24 hours ago Miller had pretty much been able to stay under the radar, despite having quite a history. According to Wikipedia he became a conservative devotee in high school after reading a book authored by that grotesque NRA wanker, Wayne LaPierre.

While at Duke University, among other things, he wrote a number of conservative columns for the student newspaper and publicly accused poet Maya Angelou of, "racial paranoia." He went on to work as press secretary for the notoriously brain dead, Michelle Bachmann and also Arizona republican congressman, John Shadegg. He then took a job as director of communications for Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions. In addition he worked on the 2014 campaign of tea party candidate Dave Brat, the guy who unseated heretical republican congressman Eric Cantor.

A former Duke Senior VP described Miller this way to the "News and Observer. " He (Miller) "...seemed to assume that if you were in disagreement with him there was something malevolent, or stupid about your thinking--incredibly intolerant."

Yeah, he'll fit right in with this bunch. To erase any lingering doubts, yesterday he proved it.

While appearing on ABC's, "This Week," he displayed a song and dance routine about the administration's voter fraud claims that would have made Gene Kelly envious. When asked by George Stephanopoulus about the Trump assertion thousands of voters were bused into New Hampshire from Massachusetts last November, he said this: "I, having worked before on a campaign in New Hampshire, can tell you that this issue of busing voters into New Hampshire is widely known by anyone who's worked in New Hampshire politics. It's very real. It's very serious."

Then came the old soft shoe slide. He added, "This morning, on this show, is not the venue for me to lay out all the evidence."

After several more minutes and fancy steps around the stage, Stephanopoulus finally told Miller, "...for the record you have provided zero evidence that the president was the victim of massive voter fraud in New Hampshire. You provided zero evidence of the president's claim that he would have won the general--the popular vote--if three to five million illegal immigrants hadn't voted. Zero evidence for either of those claims."

On the surface it looked to be the same indefensible bullshit, just a different voice. However, when it came to the big picture we saw something edgier, more dangerous, about Steve Miller. He is actually willing to say what we've only suspected Conway and the others of thinking.

The same morning, when he showed up on , "Face the Nation," the discussion turned to Trump's attempted ban on immigrants and refugees from the dreaded seven nations named in the executive order. Here is what he said about a federal court blocking its implementation: "We have a judiciary that has taken far too much power and become in many ways a supreme branch of government." Then, he added darkly, "Our opponents, the media, and the whole world will soon see, as we begin further actions, the powers of the president to protect our country are very substantial and will not be questioned."

Cornell law school professor Jens David Ohlin was quick to say Miller had shown, "An absurd lack of appreciation for the separation of powers set forth in the constitution."

That's putting it mildly. Someone not as polite as Professor Ohlin could, with considerable justification, point out those exact same words might very well have been uttered by Joseph Goebbels a number of decades ago.

Indeed, here is a crazy fuck who has Donald Trump's ear and clearly believes the president cannot be questioned by anyone, be it congress, or the courts, when it comes to whatever the administration decides is a national security issue. And we all know that could include a lot.

A week ago, or so ago we had a United States military convoy driving down a highway flying not an American flag, but one with Trump's name on it. Then we had El Don addressing troops, thanking them for their votes, while demeaning the media and his political opponents. Now we have Stephen Miller on national TV telling us the powers of the president will not be questioned.

Yes, it's time to break out the Hugo Boss uniforms and armbands America. It is now official. The fascists have arrived and they're in charge.



sic vita est



2-13-17