AI has been busy
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What worried me most about Trump’s now deleted ‘Jesus’ post was his apparent lack of ability to anticipate that it would greatly offend a large chunk of his own supporters - as indeed it did. I’d never expect Trump to empathise with these people’s beliefs, but I’d always assumed he’d be sufficiently savvy not to offend them with something that they’d probably perceive as blasphemous.
If he’s lost the capacity to anticipate the consequences of that action, then if he wasn’t already he’s certainly a candidate for the 25th Amendment.
Also he’s surrounded by supposed Christians, but no one seems to have spoken out against his post - pragmatic politics before faith.
Lastly, continuing the religious theme, I’m beginning to think that Opus Dei might have infiltrated senior members of the US governmenrt.
It’s becoming interesting, or should I say scary how two seemingly loony RW major conspiracy theories from recent years have some parallels in the real world, albeit those actually implicated in the latter are right wingers.
i) Many aspects of the Epstein affair resembles the conspiracy theory behind QAnon (my link is to The Encyclopaedia Britannica entry.)
ii) Many senior members of the Trump administration are fairly recent ultra RW Catholic converts, or are backed by RW Christians. However, unlike the traditional Christian supporters of the Republicans, the current upper echelons seem closer to the secretive Opus Dei society and for me this has some parallels with the longstanding conspiracy about the Illuminati.
I’m usually very scepical about conspiracy theories, but these two seem to be possibly imperfect reflections of events in the ‘real’ world
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Whited sepulchres the lot of 'em.
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[quote=“DrMarkH, post:182, topic:56767”]
If he’s lost the capacity to anticipate the consequences of that action, then if he wasn’t already he’s certainly a candidate for the 25th Amendment.
This is really the sign that he’s lost his political sensitivity and awareness, and is possibly gaga, although it could also be that he’s starting to believe his own lies and the propaganda put out about him.
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That’s a new word for me so had to look it up, not sure of your context?
It’s in the bible, referring to people who pretend to be very observant and holy and respectable but are in fact morally putrefying and stinking of corruption, like a whitewashed tomb with a rotting corpse inside. It’s in the NT, poss Matthew, anyway he’s having a go at the scribes and the Pharisees for being a bunch of hypocrites.
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I think we in Europe must now consider ourselves in the grip of 2 deranged dictators, and must seriously consider how we can manage without both, but it will cost money.
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I would use pias in the same context.
A pious person is sincere though - the thing about the whited sepulchres is that it’s a very effective metaphor and yet another example of why the King James bible is a treasure of language and a fantastic work of Eng Lit even if it was written by a committee.
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And with a specific set of politics in mind. The Geneva bible translated/written a few years before got very short shrift for being a bit too libertarian.
As we are finding out by experience, so many of the safeguards built into the US consitution rely upon their application by people who respect the constitution rather than the man upon whose support they rely upon for their jobs.
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Trump’s fellow Republicans simply have to turn on him. (Or Melania has him committed!) There must be Rp senators who have had enough, cannot support it anymore (not in my name kinda thing) Get a body together, start whispering in Vance’s ear offering him the gig etc. Not quite frying pan but there’s at least a chance that the madness will stay within its borders.
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Plus ça change…
Or in modern English, no change there, then.
That’s actually Mark’s comment, but yes.
So, I’m curious, as an American who isn’t completely familiar with UK law and procedures (though probably more familiar than most Americans), how would this be any different if this drama was being played out by a UK PM who has gone off his rocker? I suppose there would be a vote of confidence/no confidence, but if the members of his party acted as the Republicans are now, would it change anything? Are there any other safeguards build into the UK system?
The PM isn’t directly elected so it’s probably technically a lot easier to oust one, cf Mrs Thatcher and several more in her party. But people who know a lot more about it than I do will be along soon 
:
I suppose the first safeguard would be within the PM’s party where they could press him to resign or vote to sack him as PM, but again, what if the majority of his party felt the same loyalty to the PM as the Republicans doto Trump?
With Mrs T, the cabinet went to her en masse to say she couldn’t carry on as PM and talked her into resigning. That was the Tories though.
Under Labour rules it seems to require ministers to resign. Here’s a recent article.
Technically, the King could dissolve parliament and so force a general election, not likely to happen but it is possible.