Brian Beutler

Why not both? Trump got elected by promising lower grocery prices AND by accusing his opponents of being corrupt, radical lunatics.

Look, I don't know WHY "affordability" doesn't seem to work on (or even be believed by) "economic anxiety" voters, whereas the Epstein Files can actually move MAGA voters.

But it's actually happening in full view of everyone, and STILL the advice is to do the opposite!

Woof.

More great use cases for LLMs to go along with pushing, enabling, manipulating: whitewashing and reinforcing psychosis.

This is all John Roberts’ fault Trump owes his corrupt and abusive reign to one man.

Great and correct piece by @pemalevy.bsky.social. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

Essay | How to Turn the Bureaucratic Grind of Life Into a Party We all feel it: the growing stream of administrative tasks sapping our time, spirits and social lives. Admin Night represents a tiny, nerdy resistance.

People are holding administrative burden parties to collectively take on tasks
www.wsj.com/lifestyle/re...

Trump’s Warships Trigger Rally in Venezuela’s Defaulted Bonds As US President Donald Trump trains naval guns on the Venezuelan coastline, talk of regime change swirls in Caracas — and on Wall Street, where speculators are bidding up prices on the country’s defau...

Cool, seems part of why we're going to war with Venezuela is to provide yet another mechanism for funneling money to Wall Street. (gift link)

Schumer acknowledged to reporters he was involved in negotiations with Thune on the CR, and specifically the provision entitling senators to millions in compensation. 1/

christ this is grim

“The combination of Trump’s lawlessness and the pardon power complicate the psychology of deterrence in a perverse way. His power and poor character create an artificial penumbra of impunity covering everyone who chooses to believe he’ll protect them.”

ICE employee among 16 men arrested in Bloomington sex trafficking sting, police say According to Bloomington Police Chief Booker Hodges, officers started the three-day sting on Nov. 5. They used several methods to find people who were attempting to solicit a 17-year-old girl for sex.

Oh. www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/ne...

very irritating lol. here, go read my neighborhood change reports on all 50 biggest metros and then we'll talk! law.umn.edu/institute-me...

MAGA Corruption And The Psychology Of Deterrence Criminal accountability may be off the table for some Trump loyalists; but other forms—yes, including impeachment—are not.

important writing here to suggest just how far the trump regime has taken us into the jungle of rich white men's greed.

www.offmessage.net/p/maga-corru...

Donnie's bitches (Bondi, Hegseth, Bessent, and Rubio) should consider that "bygones won’t be bygones on the other side of this constitutional interregnum."

MAGA Corruption and the Psychology of Deterrence
www.offmessage.net/p/maga-corru... via @brianbeutler.bsky.social

Would love to see someone from the moderate, Majority Dem faction really address and wrestle with the political effects of what Labour has been up to.

At this stage there’s literally no reason to believe the admin, even if it releases more than you’d expect, are being forthcoming. It’s the opposite of conspiracy theory to look at the proudly lawless pattern of deception and raw power that this trump admin has engaged in then to conclude they’d…

*Every single* institution, organization, and individual who caved into Trump already looks worse for having done so.

And every one that stood up continues to look better.

“.. a finding that could end America’s status as a nation that has eliminated measles.”

@nytimes.com
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/17/h...

MAGA Corruption And The Psychology Of Deterrence Criminal accountability may be off the table for some Trump loyalists; but other forms—yes, including impeachment—are not.

The Caribbean murders and the Epstein coverup underscore the importance of deterring compliance with Trump’s illegal and corrupt orders. But his poor character and the existence of the pardon power complicate the psychology of deterrence. www.offmessage.net/p/maga-corru...

"The people committing these murders need to ask themselves: Can I depend on a faithless man like Trump to provide me with an actual pardon, not just a wink and a gibberish memorandum written by unethical lawyers? And what other forms of accountability might I face that Trump can’t protect me from?"

Laura Loomer tweet saying GOP has a Nazi problem.

I can no longer follow the plot of this show. I suspect the writers and actors can’t either. I don’t think they have a show runner.

Whoa!

Really interesting piece on weakening the resolve of Trump foot soldiers.

Assuming Trump issues blanket pardons, “…what other forms of accountability might I face, short of prosecution, that Trump can’t protect me from?”

The Epstein coverup is unraveling at the moment. But the likelihood of Trump and Pam Bondi using bad-faith revenge investigations to slow disclosure—or, worse, the destruction of evidence—militates for raising the specter of the dread i-word.
www.offmessage.net/p/maga-corru...

MAGA Corruption And The Psychology Of Deterrence Criminal accountability may be off the table for some Trump loyalists; but other forms—yes, including impeachment—are not.

To wit: people need to question whether Trump’s actually good for a pardon, and also be reminded that there are non-criminal forms of accountability that Trump can’t protect them from: disbarment, public exposure, civil liability… and impeachment.

The Epstein coverup is unraveling at the moment. But the likelihood of Trump and Pam Bondi using bad-faith revenge investigations to slow disclosure—or, worse, the destruction of evidence—militates for raising the specter of the dread i-word.
www.offmessage.net/p/maga-corru...

MAGA Corruption And The Psychology Of Deterrence Criminal accountability may be off the table for some Trump loyalists; but other forms—yes, including impeachment—are not.

To wit: people need to question whether Trump’s actually good for a pardon, and also be reminded that there are non-criminal forms of accountability that Trump can’t protect them from: disbarment, public exposure, civil liability… and impeachment.

MAGA Corruption And The Psychology Of Deterrence Criminal accountability may be off the table for some Trump loyalists; but other forms—yes, including impeachment—are not.

The Caribbean murders and the Epstein coverup underscore the importance of deterring compliance with Trump’s illegal and corrupt orders. But his poor character and the existence of the pardon power complicate the psychology of deterrence. www.offmessage.net/p/maga-corru...

MAGA Corruption And The Psychology Of Deterrence Criminal accountability may be off the table for some Trump loyalists; but other forms—yes, including impeachment—are not.

Brian Beutler: MAGA Corruption And The Psychology Of Deterrence www.offmessage.net/p/maga-corru...

Old enough to remember when "the war on Christmas" was saying "happy holidays."