Have been thinking a lot about this piece on the challenge that elite impunity poses to journalists https://www.cjr.org/public_editor/washington-post-tesla-trump-power.php

Trump was obviously the most grotesque example of this, but he is by no means the only elected who simply does not care what journalists think, who does not feel accountable to the public or constituents, and who therefore cannot really be shamed or otherwise kept in check

This week has offered two very salient examples of elite disdain for the public—Cuomo's blatant lying about nursing home deaths, Ted Cruz dipping out of state in the midst of a disaster. But no one expects the reporting on this to actually hold them accountable.

Yes, they've made statements and Cruz cancelled his trip. No one thinks that is going to make either Cuomo or Cruz less mendacious or actually care about people's needs.

I don't think you can tell the story of the current moment without noting the effect that elected officials' open contempt for their own constituents has had on faith in the political system, electoral process, etc.

As my colleague @jacobplitman put it, we're basically at a situation that's "mask off, face off, skin off, just skull here folks." (Which of course makes the Punisher icon as avatar of nihilistic reaction all the more symptomatic).

So what does the journalist do when confronted with the bare skull of barbarism? It seems like all we can do is document for the archive and hope that someone, sometime in the future stumbles upon this record attesting that once there were people who tried to dissent.