I think the thing that has been causing me the most angst about the analysis of the rulings yesterday is that a narcissist like Trump doesn’t play by our rules and isn’t even playing the same game.

Protecting ourselves from him requires seeing through his motivations.

1/

In order to predict, understand and manage down the danger he poses, we have to be able to see the world through his eyes.

What is he trying to do? Why is he trying to do it? What will happen if he succeeds?

2/

If you can run the narc’s operating system, you can foresee what’s coming and stave it off or at least be prepared for it.

Operating from outside only looking at what happens is like waiting for a bomber to blow something up to know they’ve struck.

3/

Nearly the entirety of the analysis yest centered on the machine of our justice system and its rules.

The subtext is a belief that the system can constrain Trump - even though we know he routinely subverts that machine and works around it.

4/

It’s like being frogs in a pot but celebrating the orderly operation of the stove.

We’re still in the pot. We are in danger until we are out of that pot. And we will be in that pot for as long as Trump is President.

5/

Anything that even tangentially may help Trump retain the presidency poses a danger.

Trump’s enablers are actively doing all they can to help him retain that presidency.

So, whenever an outcome is helpful to his *campaign* we need to assume that was the goal.

6/

And whenever one of those kinds of efforts succeeds, we need to understand that we have been further endangered not somehow protected.

Trump does not play by our rules. He doesn’t even operate within our system.

7/

Focusing on how strong the guardrails are doesn’t keep you from getting hit by a car.

You have to watch the road for that.

Makes me actively anxious to see so much rejoicing over the affirmation of the guardrails while there’s still a drunk driver behind the wheel.

8/8