Dr. X's Free Associations

Greg Olear:

“Don’t they know?” I scream when I see these Bernie stickers. “Don’t they realize who he really is?” Apparently not. But then, to them, and to most on what Sean Hannity might call the “radical left,” Bernie is not a person as much as an ideal: A sort of liberal Santa Claus who will come down our collective chimney to deliver free healthcare and free college, and, with the aid of his ineffable North Pole magic, break up the banks, slay the patriarchy, eliminate racism, end income inequality, and tax corporations into insolvency—all while raising the minimum wage for his workshop elves. How he plans to actually accomplish any of this he only hints at—Bernie rarely deigns to answer process questions and usually gets grouchy when pressed for details—but it all sounds so wonderful we want to believe, just as we every year insist that yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

His psychological appeal has some things in common with Trump's appeal. The blunt, rough-talking style affects the manner of straight talking and an aura of certainty, even if the content is bullshit. Further, he makes many promises that he can't remotely keep because of reality constraints. Those restraints are matters of both will and way.

The Hill, Trump speaking to college conservatives at a Turning Point event:

“I never understood wind,” Trump said, according to Mediaite. “I know windmills very much, I have studied it better than anybody. I know it is very expensive. They are made in China and Germany mostly, very few made here, almost none, but they are manufactured, tremendous — if you are into this — tremendous fumes and gases are spewing into the atmosphere. You know we have a world, right?”

“So the world is tiny compared to the universe. So tremendous, tremendous amount of fumes and everything. You talk about the carbon footprint, fumes are spewing into the air, right spewing, whether it is China or Germany, is going into the air,” the president added.

He didn't even mention windmill cancer.

But there's a story behind his animosity toward windmills:

Here, it gets personal. Which, for Trump, means business. In 2006, he purchased 1,800 acres of property to develop as a luxury golf resort in Scotland, the old sod, his mother’s birthplace.

Trump fought and unsuccessfully sued to prevent a wind farm from being built off the Aberdeenshire coast, claiming it would destroy the view of “perhaps the greatest golf course anywhere in the world” and, potentially, lower revenue.

Trump made fun of a widow tonight at his Rally in Battle Creek, MI. The woman was Rep Debbie Dingell who lost her husband last year. He was a loved and respected Congressman. Trump mocks his death implying he may be looking up from Hell. Then pretend cries acting like he’s Debbie pic.twitter.com/wje7J1xqyX

— Mystery Solvent (@MysterySolvent) December 19, 2019

Mr. President, let’s set politics aside. My husband earned all his accolades after a lifetime of service. I’m preparing for the first holiday season without the man I love. You brought me down in a way you can never imagine and your hurtful words just made my healing much harder.

— Rep. Debbie Dingell (@RepDebDingell) December 19, 2019

The Cruelty Is the Point: President Trump and his supporters find community by rejoicing in the suffering of those they hate and fear.

So weird that America First isolationism always slides from “none of our business” to actively siding with dictators and despots. https://t.co/xbDv3yy2Sc

— Tim Miller (@Timodc) December 3, 2019

Republican Congressman Cried 'Witch Hunt.' Now He's Pleading Guilty.

AP:

SAN DIEGO (AP) — California Rep. Duncan Hunter said he plans to plead guilty to misusing campaign funds and is prepared to go to jail, a stunning turn of events for the six-term Republican who had steadfastly denied wrongdoing and claimed he was the victim of a political witch hunt.

Film Quickie

We watched Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman twice over the weekend. This film is a Netflix Original with limited release in theaters. A seven-day run in a Los Angeles theater is an eligibility requirement for Academy Award consideration.

The Irishman follows the criminal career of Frank Sheeran, a Philadelphia mob hitman who worked for Jimmy Hoffa. Near the end of his life, Sheeran claimed that he murdered Hoffa. The film is based on Sheeran's account of events.

Joe Pesce as mob boss Russel Bufalino, Robert DeNiro as Sheeran, Al Pacino as Hoffa and Ray Romano as teamster attorney Bill Bufalino, all delivered outstanding performances. I wouldn't be surprised if the film lands a Best Picture nomination along with a Best Director nomination for Scorsese and Best Actor nod for Pacino. At over three hours, it's on the long side, but none of it is superfluous or boring. It has novelistic epic feel about it, and as long as you put yourself in a frame of mind to accept the pacing, the long run-time won't be off-putting. X-ometer: 9.7/10