January 31, 2017

"In hindsight, I believe it was wrong for Barack Obama to normalize Donald Trump."

Said Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), really sticking his neck out. He's a Democrat from California.

At least he's criticizing Obama, but what did he — does he, retrospectively — want Obama to do? Not welcome Trump to the White House? Not attend the Inauguration? That would have made Obama look abnormal.

As I'm writing this, Meade points me to Instapundit, who is saying: "The more they try to 'de-normalize' Trump, the less normal they seem."

ADDED: Ted Lieu is not just from California, he's from the 33rd District...



... Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Malibu, Santa Monica, UCLA campus, University of California, Venice, Westwood...

69 comments:

rehajm said...

Yah. De-normalize is not a thing.

Anonymous said...

He's a Pelosi buddy, with Henry Waxman's old LA district.

Achilles said...

Go democrats! Keep up the fight! A majority of Americans support what Trump is doing but keep claiming it is extreme and unconstitutional! It is a total winner for you to claim we have to let sharia law into the country. Please take your new found hatred of executive orders and scream on the mountain tops.

And we missed you anti war protesters. Seriously dust off those peace signs and get your unshowered selves into the streets.

Your hypocrisy is beautiful.

Sebastian said...

It's just another move in the framing war. The left thought they had defined the new normal. In fact, they had. But Trump and the Deplorables didn't buy it. Whether they can actually define a new new normal, and make it stick, remains to be seen. But loss of framing power is one cause of the current prog hysteria.

David said...

"... Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Malibu, Santa Monica, UCLA campus, University of California, Venice, Westwood..."

He is large. He contains multitudes

Clayton Hennesey said...

It's highly debatable how far Rep. Lieu is sticking his neck out since, as you're writing this, California is debating a statewide nullification of federal law:

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2017/01/30/calif-to-consider-enacting-statewide-sanctuary/

As with South Carolina in 1860, who, exactly, is "de-normalizing" whom here, and what steps should a normal President do to protect the integrity of the Union?

Gusty Winds said...

The hand wringing by the left and the media, and promises to go to the heartland and understand the people who voted for Trump were empty. It's all bullshit. They want to "de-normalize" normal.

Is anybody in the mood to unify anymore? Fuck it. Let's fight.

Achilles said...

"Is anybody in the mood to unify anymore? Fuck it. Let's fight."

Exactly.

Original Mike said...

"In hindsight, I believe it was wrong for Barack Obama to normalize Donald Trump."Said Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.), [sarcasm]really sticking his neck out[/sarcasm]."

FIFY

David Begley said...

Why would us flyover people consider Ted Lieu normal?

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

I would humbly submit that the wisest course of action is for Democrats to normalize themselves. First learn what "normal" means, then aspire to be a little less than 180 degrees out of phase with that reality. Hint: you need to win on a national level, not just the coasties.

Michelle Dulak Thomson said...

Alas, the "coasties" do represent a good slice of the country.

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

He represents (for the most part) elite ivory tower angry entitled spoiled brat progs.

Michael K said...

Some of this is fund raising. It will work in his district.

rehajm said...

Ted Lieu is not just from California, he's from the 33rd District...

The West LA fault line

The people who shaped the district have a sick sense of humor.

Ken B said...

Obama did that? And here's me, thinking the election did it.

Big Mike said...

@rehajm, "denormalization" is a perfectly valid term -- in database design methodology and advanced mathematics.

@Althouse, did the anti-Walker demonstrators there in Madison like "normal" to you? When the BLM demonstrators call for death to cops, does that seem "normal" to you? The anti-Semites of the campus BDS movement, are they normal? The Jewish journalist who expressed his fear that the plumber who fixed his sink might have been a Trump voter, do you think he's normal by any reasonable definition of the word?

Hey Democrats!!! Welcome to the real world. Let us know how you like it here.

Achilles said...

Blogger Michelle Dulak Thomson said...
"Alas, the "coasties" do represent a good slice of the country."

A smaller slice both electorally and geographically every day.

And when we pass national voter ID laws for federal elections and mandatory voter roll validation they will be a permanent minority.

Comanche Voter said...

Ted Lieu doesn't have a patch on Barbara Lee -D--Berkeley. My late sister in law--a long time Berkeley resident said "Barbara Lee was the only Representative with the balls to oppose Bush" on something or other. Ms, Lee's website today is full of stuff opposing the "hateful Executive order". Hate is a bad thing in Berkeley; of course "hate" is anything a Berkeley resident disagrees with.

So Barbara Lee is a piece of work-sort of a low rent Maxine "Gatemouth" Waters D-South Los Angeles---but without the sophistication. But Lieu and Waters come from Los Angeles---where 1,693 of the 1,700 voting precincts in the city went for Hillary over Trump.

Calling Trump Hitler, Fascist, Extremist, Outrageous is hardly a profile in courage here.

AllenS said...

So, CA doesn't want to send the Feds tax dollars from the state. Will CA just not collect Fed tax dollars, or will they collect Fed tax dollars (and state, local, etc tax dollars) and just keep collected Fed tax dollars?

Joe Biden, America's Putin said...

Let progressives normalize killing babies at 9 months, pedophilia, under-age sexual deviancy thru legalized prostitution of minors, and ISIS.

Money waste, fraud and lies are already normalized among the progs.

Big Mike said...

And as for Lieu's district -- limousine liberal all the way. My favorite people ... NOT!

madAsHell said...

I'm sorry.
I know we've been talking about normal for the past couple of days. There has even been a 3 part lecture, but I have no fucking clue how Obama can normalize Trump. Is there some homo-erotic element that I don't understand?

Curious George said...

"Clayton Hennesey said...
It's highly debatable how far Rep. Lieu is sticking his neck out since, as you're writing this, California is debating a statewide nullification of federal law:"

Althouse was being sarcastic, but I hope CA goes through with it. And ASAP. That way we can make the necessary changes http://i68.tinypic.com/vq5i76.png



buwaya said...

You can blame me I guess.
I have helped fund both UC Berkely and UCLA.
That couldnt have helped.

Left Bank of the Charles said...

Uh oh, Barack Obama is being trumpitized.

I'm Full of Soup said...

The liberal parts of the country is in mental meltdown. Is there anything that can pull us back together at least to 80% or so? I don't think so - at least not until the media reforms itself and starts to report a balanced picture of fed and state issues.

CJinPA said...

Possible Scenario:

Trump front loads the really controversial stuff: "Muslim ban," "the Wall," (and Obamacare repeal?)

The Left takes to the streets on a near daily basis.

Then he starts with the more conventional: Massive infrastructure spending (which labor unions love), pipeline building (ditto)...spending money. Probably a few surprises that annoy the right and please the left.

Protesters are now sounding repetitive. People are tired of the constant shouting.

Mid-term elections.

Hagar said...

Off topic - or maybe not.
Is the Democrats behavior after Trump's election and inauguration what is meant by the expression "jumping the shark"?
I have seen reruns of the Fonz clip, but being somewhat literal-minded, have never quite understood what it was about.

Big Mike said...

Make that look like "normal"

Anyone know when they're gonna fix "preview"?

Martha said...

My son and his wife live in Ted Lieu's district. They left their house election night to attend what was billed as an election victory party. But by the time they arrived at the party, it had become a non-victory wake and the attendees were horrified, in shock, and not celebrating anything. I could not help but laugh gleefully when he told me about the event the next day and I still chuckle at the memory. Normal won that election. Thank God.

Anonymous said...

buwaya said...
You can blame me I guess.
I have helped fund both UC Berkely and UCLA.


Or, since your tuition didn't amount to the full cost, you could argue that they paid for one of their destructors. :)

William said...

I remember when they tried to define John Roberts as some kind of weirdo whose views and philosophy were far different from those of ordinary Americans. You've got to admire the effort and creativity that goes into such efforts........ I've spent most of my life trying to look and act normal. It takes a lot of effort and concentration, and you win nothing if you pull it off.. The thing about Trump is that he doesn't even try. He has created his own world and put gilt around the edges. If the glass penthouse is high enough off the ground, you don't have to worry about people throwing stones. Trump doesn't want to normalize Trump. Be interesting to see how this plays out.

campy said...

That congressional district map looks like quite the sprawling monstrosity. I didn't realize evil rethuglicans had gerrymandered CA.

Titus said...

Why the need to point out the communities in the district?

damikesc said...

Shame that Ted Lieu touches kids in appropriately, isn't it?

It's highly debatable how far Rep. Lieu is sticking his neck out since, as you're writing this, California is debating a statewide nullification of federal law:

What is it with Democrats and nullifying laws they do not like?

If CA won't accept taxation, should they continue to receive representation?

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

The Democrat's insistence on normalizing Hillary Clinton's actions cost them the White House, House, and Senate. Happily, they are incapable of understanding that.

Oso Negro said...

Rage is not a sustainable emotion. I understand that civil war means bad outcomes for everyone, but I am starting to fantasize about conservative Californians going through the progressive districts of California like the Serbs through Srebrenica.

DanTheMan said...

Trump has put "normal" up for negotiation. The left is coming to the realization that they are going to end up getting schlonged in this deal.

damikesc said...

The funny part of their rage is that if their candidate won, we'd be KILLING Syrians, not just denying them entry to our country.

Chuck said...

As I'm writing this, Meade points me to Instapundit, who is saying: "The more they try to 'de-normalize' Trump, the less normal they seem."

I have to agree with this.

What a freakout, so far, over so little policy!

In policy terms, Trump has thus far:
~Nominated a cabinet that looks a lot like what a President Cruz, President Perry or a President Huckaby would have chosen;
~Canceled the TPP, just like Hillary Clinton promised;
~Signed an executive order that, for a matter of mere weeks, affects a few thousand marginal immigrants (with significant numbers of exceptions for important cases of wider importance);
~Signed some salutary EO's signaling an initiative to reduce the federal regulatory state, unsurprising (and welcome) to all Republicans.

What else has Trump done, in terms of real policy? The freakout does indeed say more about the left, than it does about Executive Branch policy in the 45th presidency.

Chuck said...

Blogger campy said...
That congressional district map looks like quite the sprawling monstrosity. I didn't realize evil rethuglicans had gerrymandered CA.

1/31/17, 9:40 AM


California has a redistricting commission now. (I suspect you knew this, from your deservedly sarcastic tone. But not a lot of people outside of Cali know that. And of course the commission redistricting caused some of the worst fights among California incumbent Dems.)


Blogger Titus said...
Why the need to point out the communities in the district?

1/31/17, 9:47 AM

Because they are some of the wealthiest and presumptively best educated, most "progressive" communities in the world. And they still thrive on unserious progressive political theater like that statement.

MountainMan said...

Trump should send 15-20,000 of the Syrian refugees to his district when we start accepting them again. It would be only fair.

traditionalguy said...

The Dem guy is seriously saying that Hollywood spin masters lost control of the narrative of who controls the Government. Silly rabbits, if they cannot control the message in DC, then how will they ever control it in the World Governance of Money Flows Capitol?

This error has caused a World Governance crisis, and it was to started when Obama gave respect to the election of Trump, thus showing the Presidential election in the USA still has a meaning.

damikesc said...

Schumer saying he will filibuster the SCOTUS nominee, without knowing who it is, should get rid of the filibuster really fast as well.

Freder Frederson said...

The more they try to 'de-normalize' Trump, the less normal they seem.

Yeah, torture lover and genocide advocate Instapundit is normal.

William said...

I can see why people object to Trump. He really does live outside the normal limits. The only people who live the way he does are people like the celebrities in Lieu's district.

I'm Full of Soup said...

Ditto what Chuck said at 10:03AM.

Ryan said...

I live in Ted Lieu's district, in Santa Monica, and my kids go to Santa Monica High School. The day after the election, when Trump won, half the student body skipped class and held a rally in the Courtyard where they yelled "Fuck Trump" over and over. This made the teachers proud.

Drago said...

Field Marshall Freder: "Yeah, torture lover and genocide advocate Instapundit is normal"

LOL

Yeah, our favorite Field Marshall thinks this is actually true!

Too funny. The left has gone so far around the bend the accusations, by necessity, MUST become more and more unhinged in order to "make an impact".

Only 12 days thus far and it's been more fun watching the left self-immolate over the period than any other period of any length for the last 30 years.

David Begley said...

Ryan

Was there any punishment of the students?

At my Jesuit high school, there would have been hell to pay for a stunt like that.

buwaya said...

This stunt was pulled on ALL San Francisco public high schools, and many middle schools, twice, once on Nov 9 and again on inauguration day.

buwaya said...

And possibly also at SF City College and SF State, though I'm not sure of the extent those as they have plenty of night school/adult students. Some students/faculty anyway.

HoodlumDoodlum said...

This normalization hysteria is too much.

Here, let's use adapt a literary metaphor to help our Hollywood-loving Leftists understand. Think of the cultural and social norms of the nation as a forest, each tree representing some rule, more, or manner of the American society. Some of those norms were a bit, well, "judgmental," and the Left has, for the last half century or so, been diligently chopping them down. Their stated goal, of course, was a more perfect life of tolerant coexistence, so they had to keep chopping and chopping to get at that devil Intolerance. Norm after norm they destroyed--politeness, good manners, separation of personal and political, respect for institutions and rules followed by others but to which one doesn't subscribe--all few to the Left's axe. Oh, but what winds blow now! A vulgarian like Trump would have been booed off the stage in past decades--the nice people would have been too offended to give him even tacit support! But offense itself has been banished, and appeals to "normalcy" are entirely empty! The tools polite society used to keep impolite people away are all gone now, gleefully destroyed by the very Left that now begs for help.

It's all a bit ridiculous. How can a person without military experience be President? Well, Clinton helped with that. How can a person with a thin record of government executive experience be President? Well, Obama helped with that. How can someone who relies on shaky claims to gin up popular outrage be allowed to gain popularity? Well, that's what the Media has been doing--has prided itself on doing!--for decades now. The Media treats the political musings of vapid celebrities as important (oh, listen to Meryl Streep, people!) and then acts shocked that people treat a vapid celebrity as a valid political figure.

I could go on (and on and on), but it's pretty obvious. Trump's election was the result of a backlash against a Left-driven agenda, yes. But Trump was only possible--that is to say, Trump as a candidate could only exist--because of the decades-long work of the cultural Left to destroy cultural norms and remake society in Left-approved ways. Thanks for Trump, you smart tolerant progressives--you worked hard to make him possible.

cubanbob said...

HoodlumDoodlum well said. Shorter summation: payback is a bitch. Now if only Trump would implement Glenn Reynolds Hollywood Tax and force cable unbundling Comrade Lieu would stroke out.

As for California wishing to become a sanctuary state, let them. It's called federalism. All the same it works both ways, they can become a sanctuary state and the feds can forbid the tax deductibility of any taxes paid to the State of California and its subdivisions along with the removal of the tax exempt status of any CA state or subdivision bond issues along with the removal of the charitable, non-profit and tax exempt status of any entity in CA. CA liberal politicians being exceptionally arrogant and stupid, this might not be sufficient to clear their minds so it may take removing their personal civil liability immunity in federal court from damage suits brought on by victims of crimes committed by illegal aliens to concentrate their minds. Unlimited liability, not dischargeable by bankruptcy and wages and pensions subject to garnishment. That should do it.

mockturtle said...

Not all of us who voted for Trump were merely voting against the Dems and Hillary. Some of us took him at his word that he would right many of the wrongs our country has endured in these past several decades. Give me a vulgar SOB who gets things done over a smooth-mannered SOB who doesn't.

Hammond X. Gritzkofe said...

33rd District.

There should be an algorithm to create electoral districts.

Maybe start at State Capitol with a line due East. Rotate counterclockwise until sufficient ZIP codes are gathered (or garnered) to fill the required population count. Continue in CCW spiral.

Would avoid Gerrymandering.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

Chuck, you're doing a fine job today. Please enjoy my compliments on your style and substance.

Mike (MJB Wolf) said...

I notice this list of California illegal sanctuary cities and counties does not have Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Malibu, Santa Monica, UCLA campus, University of California, Venice or Westwood on it:

Bell Gardens, California
Berkeley, California (reported 6/23/09)
City of Industry, California
City of Commerce, California
Coachella, California (considering)
Concord, California (reported 8/18/12)
Costa Mesa, California (reported 6/14/14)
Cypress, California (disputed 7/10/15 by Cyrpress City Manager - see below)
Davis, California
Diamond Bar, California
Downey, California
Fresno, California (disputed 7/6/10 - see below)
Lakewood, California (7/27/15 -sanctuary status disputed by Bill Grady, Public Information Officer of the City Manager's office)
Long Beach, California
Los Angeles, California
Lynwood, California
Maywood, California
Montebello, California (disputed 6/28/10, see below)
National City, California
Norwalk, California
Oakland, California
Paramount, California
Pico Rivera, California
Salinas, California
San Bernardino California
San Diego, California
San Francisco, California (1989)
San Jose, California
Santa Ana, California (reported 6/14/14)
Santa Cruz, California
Sonoma County, California (2006)
South Gate, California
Vernon, California
Watsonville, California
Wilmington, California

That's one reason, Titus.

wildswan said...

I think we should still try and unify. A lot of people in California disagree with the zombies who were bitten by the media and suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) and are running wild. Nine of my relatives live there and disagree with all they see. But they are keeping quiet because they don't want to be attacked by a TDS zombie crowd as happened to that guy in the Portland airport.

However, by "unify", I don't mean meeting TDS half way. I mean leaving a pathway back for the TDSers in our hearts. Some day they will find those "real people" Nancy Pelosi was looking for yesterday and get to know them and calm down.

Fernandinande said...

Oso Negro said...
but I am starting to fantasize about conservative Californians going through the progressive districts of California like the Serbs through Srebrenica.


INSTRUCTIONS
TO ALL PERSONS OF
CALIFORNIAN
ANCESTRY
Living in the Following Area:
Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Malibu, Santa Monica, UCLA campus, University of California, Venice, Westwood

...etc...

Fernandinande said...

HoodlumDoodlum said...
This normalization hysteria is too much.


Don't normalize normalization!

It's just a new way of saying "beyond the pale", or "it's evil so we're not listening", etc.

Up next -
Fake normalization
Hacked normalization
Russian normalization
British normalisation

mockturtle said...

Wildswan suggests: I mean leaving a pathway back for the TDSers in our hearts.

Our pathway has always been open. It is they who have blocked their pathway.

damikesc said...

How can a person who won the Presidency need to be "normalized"?

richardsson said...

A Little ancient history here...I'm surprised that district is still that shape. It was originally created by Jess Unruh in the old aerospace days when those upper middle class areas were still Republican. Before there was Ted Lieu, and before there was Henry Waxman, that was Robert "B-1 Bob" Dornan's old district. But, as aerospace abandoned Los Angeles, so Republican voters left as well. Unruh's idea was to put as many Republicans into a single district to reduce their governing clout. You can see that they still exclude the formerly working class areas of Mar Vista and south Santa Monica, where the district was then defined as running along "15 feet east and west of the mean tide line of the Pacific Ocean." I'm not sure why that district retains that shape except that it no longer matters.

wildswan said...

"Mock Turtle said
Our pathway has always been open. It is they who have blocked their pathway."

I think so, too. I only mean not to normalize their hysteria, and to assume they will wake up someday. Some are actual brothers and sisters; I have to think they will wake up and, if them, why not others whom I don't happen to know.

JaimeRoberto said...

Back in the day Democrats rebelled against Washington because they were afraid of losing their slaves. Now they do it because they are afraid of losing their cleaning ladies. That's progress, I suppose.

damikesc said...

Back in the day Democrats rebelled against Washington because they were afraid of losing their slaves. Now they do it because they are afraid of losing their cleaning ladies. That's progress, I suppose.

Long as the labor is dark-skinned and can be paid less than the current minimum wage, labor has no better friend than Democrats.

Big Mike said...

So what really would happen if California succeeded in seceding? The Senate would go from 100 members, 52 Republicans to 46 Democrats + 2 alleged Independents, down to 98 divided 52 to 46. McConnell wouldn't need McCain or Graham for close votes. The House would shrink by 53 members, 14 GOP and 38 Democrats (one seat vacant). The Republicans would lose Darrell Issa, the Democrats would lose Maxine Waters and Nancy PelosI. The now leaderless Democrats would go from a 47 seat deficit to a 71 seat deficit.

Don't pay attention to the noise; it's the Democrats in the rest of the country who will block Calexit.

Also, we need the Navy bases there in San Diego.