It's Not Over Until It's Over

So, Mueller...  Some thoughts:

Many folks opposed to Trump had  unrealistic hopes for Mueller's findings, and may now react to the report with anger and apathy; not unlike the "General Betray-us" outrage that followed the Petraeus report on the Iraq war. It would be a mistake. Mueller and his team did an exhaustive and penetrating examination of the Trump campaign and its relationship with the Russian government and individuals. The report does not exonerate Donald Trump or his campaign organization but does find (as far as has been reported) that neither the candidate or campaign crossed a criminal line when it came to accepting foreign assistance. That is, admittedly, a low bar but one that ought to give some comfort to Americans who care more about our democracy than party.

The investigation needed to be done and it wasn't a witch hunt. It was precipitated by incredibly stupid -- and in one case, drunken -- behavior by Trump campaign staff and advisors and by the candidate himself; all of whom seem to lack any awareness that appearance of impropriety matters.

Trump has been his own worst enemy. His servility and fan-boyish behavior to Putin, Kislyak, and Lavrov reinforced the worst suspicions that he was "gotten to," or is an active supporter of Russian aims. Trump's declaration to Lester Holt that he fired Comey "because of the Russia thing" amounts to obstruction in plain sight, but still obstruction. Trump's legal team of John Doud and Ty Cobb pursued the right strategy of transparency but Trump's nearly hysterical response to being investigated -- something he should have welcomed as essential in clearing him and his campaign -- leaves reasonable folks thinking he has something to hide or is too emotionally fragile to hold office. Neither scenario helps him.

This isn't over, in spite of the Trump Team's end zone celebration. Mueller's investigation spun off further lines of investigation that are now closing in. I am reminded of the Nixon team, in January 1973, congratulating themselves over containing the Watergate inquiry with a few guilty pleas, just before James McCord sent a letter to Judge John Sirica and the dam broke.

Great Walls, Then and Now

This, as you likely know, is part of the Great Wall of China. I emphasize part because most of the wall looks nothing like this section, which was built about 800 years ago, was the last section built, and was intended to protect the environs of Beijing from raiders from the north.



Most of the Great Wall has long since crumbled and was never much to look at in the first place. In many locations, it wasn't much more than berms, designed to give defenders a better position from which to fire at approaching enemies or to slow attackers.

In many areas, the original wall was undermined by water or seismic activity.

My point is that, even in a medieval or earlier setting, wall-builders knew the limits of the structures. They knew that "WALL," as our dear leader now calls them, are only as effective as topography and military needs allow. Donald Trump likes the image of one section of the Great Wall, but has no idea how China's emperor's and military commanders actually used it over the centuries.

Taxpayers--through their Congressional appropriators--should not permit such blatant ignorance to dictate how billions of their dollars are spent (or wasted). Do we need border security? Yes. But we need border security that works. It will and does include barriers where they make sense. It also includes technological solutions where barriers are problematic.

Border security also--importantly--includes trying to mitigate the causes of refugee flight from violent, strife-prone regions to our southern border. Finally, as far as drugs and trafficking, border security requires improving our ability to interdict at airports and seaports.

But, as far as relics of the past that were at best partially effective, let's just leave them in the 1300s.