Why do we continue to pretend that there is anyone in the Trump regime besides

[Atticus]

"Der Furor" himself who "counts"?

It does no good at all to get a statement from Pompeo or Pence or Mnuchin or Fauci about anything. Trump routinely contradicts and overrules both his political hacks and the few genuine experts he's managed to retain.

The press should stop clambering for interviews with anyone but Trump. When McEnany dodges a question by suggesting that a journalist redirect their question to State or Justice or CDC, they should loudly refuse, stating that Trump is the only one who has any authority, often undercuts his own people and too much time has been wasted trying to obtain reliable information from people who are mere window dressings in an empty house. "If Trump or you, his chosen spokesperson, don't say it on the record, it is meaningless. Now, would you like me to repeat the question?"

[underpants]

1. Anyone still there is at best a third stringer

I don’t think that they ever really filled all the positions especially staff. Usually new administrations have the cream of the crop from Ivy League to Stanford to pick from. Who the hell, even at the beginning, would want TRUMP anything on their resume?

Miller is a first string Nazi - I’ll give them that.

Pence is a potted plant to start with. The people he brought with him from Indiana - Azar and the Surgeon General- have exhibited exactly what you’d expect.

The rest of the staff are like re-tread tires from a guy someone knows.

[sop]

2. After Trump, this country really needs to rethink the powers of the presidency.

It's clear we have no checks and balances, independent government oversight is a joke, the Supreme Court has been politicized, congressional investigative and subpoena powers are toothless, the president can violate any law with total impunity, and much of the media no longer takes its constitutional watchdog role seriously, it's just endless propaganda and entertainment.