Vance and the Trump-Musk Feud
And a very sobering Throwback Thursday on anti-Semitism
Yours truly has been pretty busy and was offline for two days for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. Hence, limited posting. Also, please vote in the online poll in my last post! I really want to hear from my readers.
I don’t have much for the Veeply Round-up. News is dominated right now by the Trump-Musk fight—brilliantly analyzed by Jen Golbeck. Right now Musk is losing, because the MAGAverse loves Trump. Musk was a welcome sidekick, but he would never be the main character. Unfortunately someone who becomes the richest man in the world is not likely to accept sidekick status. Hell, Musk bought Twitter because he wanted to be the main character, but he quite frankly is not as interesting or funny as Trump. I don’t like Trump, but he is a performer. Musk just comes off as weird.
Machiavelli has a section in The Prince, in which he advises a ruler who needs to do some nasty deeds to assign it to a key henchman and when the deeds are done publicly execute the henchman. I expected that to be Musk’s fate from the beginning. Musk and his team wreaked havoc across the federal government, cowing the federal workforce. Mistakes that have consequences can be blamed on the departed Musk. In the meantime, the Trumpist goal of debilitating the “deep state” has been at least partially achieved.
This sounds like smart politics, but if our government actually fails at something important, like disaster response or mailing social security checks, the limits of this political strategy will become apparent. When asked by a reporter about the top challenge the United Kingdom faced, PM Harold MacMillan, reportedly answered, “Events dear boy, events.”
Also, it is at least possible that Musk’s attacks will exacerbate GOP fault lines, particularly around the budget bill (which Musk hates.) So events have not finished playing out.
Since this newsletter is first and foremost about VPs, it is tough to say what Musk’s departure means for Vance’s standing in the administration. There are many reports that Trump does listen to Vance’s advice, he doesn’t appear to be in the President’s inner circle. Meanwhile, Vance is focusing on delivering a Trumpian message in the most palatable possible form. Vance also appears to have avoided feuding with probable rival Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Vance probably supported DOGE’s overall goals and methods, but is also happy not to have been directly involved and thus stained by it’s unpopularity.
With Musk gone, there is perhaps a bit more room for Vance to raise his profile—but probably not much.
Today’s Throwback Thursday is from Tisha B’Av (the saddest day in the Jewish religious calendar) six years ago. In the wake of anti-Semitic attacks I offered a note of hope. I’m not as sure now, with two violent attacks on Jew in the United States within weeks of one another. I wrote that there are not mobs coming after, just disturbed individuals. I’m not sure if that’s still true either. I’d like to think America remains different, but maybe not. Discuss.
A Note of Hope on Anti-Semitism in America
Today is Tisha B’Av, the saddest day in the Jewish year. It is the day we remember the destruction of the ancient temples. It is a day of mourning, fasting, and contemplation. As it ends however, it turns to a message of hope, that what was lost will be rebuilt and renewed.
As it is nearly over, let me offer a message of hope.
I too am horrified by the seemingly endless cycle of massacres, and sadly, American Jews have been an all too frequent target. The massacre at the Pittsburgh synagogue was the deadliest attack on Jews in American history and has since been followed by shootings at synagogues in San Diego and Miami.
Where’s the hope?
At synagogue, after one of these incidents, the rabbi asked for thoughts. When the room was silent, I offered this:
None of us have any illusions that anti-Semites are out there and want our blood. But they are a fringe. Unlike so many times in our history, there are no mobs gathering the streets calling for our blood. And the government is not complicit, it is absolutely opposed. When anti-Semitic incidents occur, does anyone doubt that the police are committed to protecting us? When an incident occurred here, and the FBI became involved, was there any question that they were not investigating diligently? When incidents occur, do our neighbors say – like they may have said in Germany or Poland (where our ancestors fled) – “Well, Jews, what can you expect?”
The answer is: No. I am sad that we have felt the need to hire a policeman to sit outside our synagogue on Shabbat. But I do not doubt that he will do his uttermost to protect us. If something did happen, our neighbors, of every faith or none would be here to support us. Our political leaders would condemn it vehemently.
I am horrified by the violence, like all of you, but I am still heartened, that in this country, we are not alone.
That is my message of hope. For those observing, I hope you had a meaningful fast.