Speaking of the context in which the Solicitor General made a verbal gaffe that would have been ignored had his brief not supported Trump policy, slickwilly reflects on one of the most peculiar of the new standards Democrats and progressives are attempting to apply to this President when they would have considered parallel efforts with Democratic White House occupants laughable. This the argument that President Trump’s often hyperbolic campaign verbiage must be regarded as permanent and unrepealable statements of deeply held motives, intentions and beliefs.
Here is slickwilly’s Comment of the Day on the post,“Gotcha!” Ethics (Or The Absence There-Of): The Solicitor General Misspeaks:
The assertion was the later words could not negate things said while campaigning, in other words, campaign rhetoric and promises. This is a peculiar stance to take: politicians say things all the time that are rhetoric, hyperbole, misstatements, partial truths, and outright lies.
(Not to mention that if EVERY POLITICIAN were held to this standard, we would not have any left.)
“If you like your plan… if you like your doctor… hope and change… require employers to provide seven sick days year… Close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center… Allow five days of public comment before signing bills…Tougher rules against revolving door for lobbyists and former officials …”
(This is my favorite, the irony is delicious.)
All that was Obama. Bush (both of them) did the same, as did slickwilly Clinton, and (I suspect, as I was too young to pay attention) Reagan before them. Campaign promises seem to be made to be broken, and no one prior to the ‘get Trump’ folks would have attempted to claim that they were binding in law.
Some of those were not campaign promises, but spoken by a sitting President. Does that make them less binding than campaign rhetoric?
Where is the outrage about the outright lies told by a POTUS, knowing that he was lying to the American people to pass a program that would substantially harm most of them?
People are beginning to pay attention. Acting like an asshat gets noticed, and noted, by voters. It speaks for itself, and normal folks know that people who act like it are not trustworthy in everyday life. It should preclude the progressives ballyhooed ‘Blue Wave’ later this year.
And if it doesn’t, the American experiment really will be over, and deservedly so.
Ethics Alarms 
Well said, slick. Well deserved COTD, but prepare to be lambasted by double-standards. Best guess, first one will be “It’s ok for Obama to do because he was a black, liberal POTUS.
Thanks, DD
Go for the marlin! Best piece of meat I ever ate was a swordfish steak at the Big Fisherman, Rockport. ‘Course, that was before the fire.
Most notably: Bush 41 paid the price, rightly so, for his No New Taxes pledge. He was in total control of the outcome of that. He picked that hill to die on and could have said, “I promised the American people, so, if you want higher taxes, it will be over my veto.”
If Trump has anything comparable, it is “the Wall,” but not necessarily who will pay for it.
-Jut
Second try…
Congratulations, slickwilly – well-said and the COTD honor is fully deserved.
“People are beginning to pay attention. Acting like an asshat gets noticed, and noted, by voters. It speaks for itself, and normal folks know that people who act like it are not trustworthy in everyday life. It should preclude the progressives ballyhooed ‘Blue Wave’ later this year.”
That point, I believe, is why we will not see – well, it’s certainly why we should HOPE that we will not see – Republicans acting just like Democrats as a “resistance movement” against the next Democrat president, just like the TRUMP-hating, TDS crowd has been acting. Because if Republicans do act like that, they will have their pink slips handed to them in droves. Because the Deep State propcasting all-in-for-oppressive-leftism media will harp on antics like that with the most fervent glee – and I dare say, with the most credible persuasiveness. We often hear ourselves saying these days, “That [resistance antic] is why TRUMP got elected, and it’s what will get TRUMP re-elected.” If Republicans launch their own thwart-the-Democrat-president’s-every-effort-to-do-her-job, a la the TRUMP-haters, they will secure a permanent Democrat majority in Congress and set back their party’s hopes to win the White House for at least two generations. Despite how the Democrat Party will mal-govern (and they will).
You may have a point, lucky. Then again, it depends on how far the bar is lowered for the average middle class American between now and then. If such behavior is allowed to continue, establishing a new norm, then average voters will not only tolerate it, but expect it.
This is a dangerous trap to be in, as a nation.
Lucky: My concern is if one side keeps ignoring they are in a near hot war with the other, the aggressor just will never stop until their opportunity to dominate the reasonable comes to the fore. Then we are well and truly screwed.
So, how do we fight a war without (consequences) retaliation?
Jim, I don’t think either side is ignoring the near hot war with the other. I believe each side has its own delusions regarding how that war might go. Aggression, escalated sufficiently, will always provoke retaliation, eventually. Oppression will trigger violent aggression against the oppressors, eventually. How that might play out in the American left-vs-right war-to-come, I don’t think anyone knows or can say with certainty. There will be plenty of unintended consequences and plenty more unexpected sufferings and hardships, though. I, for one, am locking and loading for “free speech killers.” Many of those killers will be killed, once they obtain the power they feel entitled to. I guarantee it.
Congrat’s!!’
Thanks, Z
Well done.
Equally frustrating are the political comments that are vaguely enough worded with plenty of terms that have wide windows of connotation so that a politician can say “well, here’s what I meant” regardless of what actually occurs.
And they ALL do it.
I just wish that recordings of hypocrisy made a difference at the polls.
Jack,
Thank you for the honor. I believe we are watching a sea change in our politics… and the outcome is very uncertain. Either way, the status quo in place in my lifetime will be changed forever.
Sorry I did not see this until today: I try to disconnect on weekends and focus on my wife’s health and our family’s well being.
I will also be away starting Wednesday evening: going to the Gulf coast to fish with my father and brother.
I hope you catch the biggest, best grouper and amberjack!
(my Gulf faves)