MICHAEL FLYNN IS IN A WORLD OF PAIN

Martin Longman writes in the Washington Monthly about Flynn's links to Russia and the far-right in Europe. Longman repeats the story of Flynn meeting a woman Russian agent in Cambridge and his lying about not having been paid by the Russians. 

Longman does an excellent job of documenting Flynn's earliest ties to Trump and why his case is way more than talking sanctions with the Russian ambassador. 

Longman writes that Flynn is facing serious jail time for several crimes he committed.

And what is bizarre is that Trump expressed before his trip the desire to hire Flynn back.

Longman's article really is a must read.

"These Numbers Start To Matter."

++Josh Marshall looks another way at the numbers I printed below. He's saying that Cruz' showing in New Hampshire, a state where he lacks a natural constituency, may spell doom to Rubio's chances of becoming the establishment's pick. He thinks we have to see why the feedback will be from the Iowa Caucus and those who drop out afterwards. In any event, the "establishment" is in trouble.

++Martin Longman over at Washington monthly says that Bernie has to win both Iowa and New Hampshire. The Iowa polls show Hillary's lead dwindling. But Martin's point was that Obama once stood ready to deal a knock out blow in the first two contests in 2008 but the difference was that he had deeper roots in the Democratic party. Hillary has a large lead in committed delegates and large leads in the next contests of South Carolina and Nevada. 

Can't Break Out Of The Nihilistic Feedback Loop

++Martin Longman and Nancy LeTourneau do tag team wrestling today at the Washington Monthly. Nancy writes two pieces--one on Obama's policies for native Americans and another on how Obama's scandal-free second term breaks the second term jinx and keeps the door open for another African-American.

++Martin's piece on David Frum's Atlantic piece about how the glorious GOP restoration in 2016 has become undone and how the establishment is frantic about trying to piece together true party again as the base has rebelled. Longman's piece thinks that the turning point was not the bailout of the banks but the Senate passing immigration reform. The GOP wanted a party of the permanent minority as they face their demographic winter and couldn't stomach what the establishment wanted. Nice job of analysis, Martin or shall we say Booman.

You Fasten the Trigger for Others To Fire

++Glenn Greenwald in his new book referred to the bellicose nature of the Washington Post. I thought it was just I've become intemperate in my old age.

++But Martin Longman at Washington Monthly just posted a piece with the above title and a withering critique of the Post's impulse to war. He points out that no one at the Post who advocates endless deployments of our troops have ever been to war. 

++He then eviscerates Charles Krauthammer for his characterization of the Afghanistan withdrawal as a symptom of "Obama's narcissism".

++In his West Point speech, Obama did say the United States should lead the world but not succumb to the temptation of rushing to war.

++I am surprised that bloggers are getting hip to the Post's War Jones. I find it unsettling on a daily basis.