CT Blue

I know all these people must be smarter than me. For instance, I never could have masterminded the theft of an election like Brian Kemp did. But even I have noticed that more than one person who has loyally done as Trump asks has had reason to echo these lines from Paul Simon’s Paranoia Blues:

I got some so-called friends
They’ll smile right to my face
But, when my back is turned
They’d like to stick it to me
Yes, they would

I mean, is anyone surprised by this:

Well, that was fast. Between Wednesday morning and Wednesday evening, Donald Trump went from celebrating that “Our Country is starting to OPEN FOR BUSINESS again” to criticizing Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision to reopen businesses, including hair salons and gyms, starting Friday. Making Trump’s about-face even more interesting is that in a Tuesday evening phone call, he reportedly told Kemp he supported the move.

The timeline is this: Kemp announced his decision on Tuesday, with resistance from local officials and business owners building on Wednesday. A source tells CNN that on the Tuesday evening phone call, both Trump and Mike Pence praised Kemp. Wednesday morning, Trump tweeted “States are safely coming back. Our Country is starting to OPEN FOR BUSINESS again. Special care is, and always will be, given to our beloved seniors (except me!). Their lives will be better than ever…WE LOVE YOU ALL!” Then, at Wednesday evening’s press briefing, Trump said, “I want him to do what he thinks is right, but I disagree with him on what he is doing. I think it’s too soon.” Hmm. What do you think Trump was told between Wednesday morning and Wednesday evening?

Trump claims he told Kemp not to do it, but we know, without even having been there, that that’s a lie. Kemp knows it’s a lie, unless he is capable of doublethink. Trump’s modus operandi is out there for everyone to see. He will stick it to anyone, whenever it suits his purposes. He expects blind loyalty, and gives nothing in return. Yet people like Kemp continue to do his bidding, even when it would appear obvious to any sane person that doing so is contrary to their own self interest. Kemp won’t miss a beat, he’ll march to Trump’s drum until the crack of doom.

Why do all these Republicans think that they are the exception to the rule, even after he’s stuck it to them once or twice? It would be funny, except that it is just one more example of the enabling that is allowing the genius to subvert the Republic.