The GOP is ignoring the grave danger inherent in Trump retaliating against the Vindmans, Sondland, Volker, Taylor, and Yovanovitch—whether or not he had authority to do so. Not only is there no evidence of wrongdoing by these folks, they're being harmed to *scare* whistleblowers.
1/ The GOP is aiding Trump in moving the Overton Window, making the once unthinkable routine. Presidents *can* fire anyone they want—but *don't*. They *don't* fire people for no reason. They *don't* fire people for a corrupt reason. They *don't* fire those who've acted honorably.
2/ There was a time when we assessed whether government actions were appropriate. If a president wildly deviated from common practice, we saw the pattern and asked "why." Now the GOP has introduced a wholly amoral analysis for *every* action by Trump: can he *technically* do it?
3/ The problem is that the GOP *isn't going to run this fall* on the slogan, "Trump technically could do that!"
No—*today* they'll say "he technically can do it," and *tomorrow* they'll tell America it's *good* that he did it.
And they'll *have to*—he's running for re-election.
No—*today* they'll say "he technically can do it," and *tomorrow* they'll tell America it's *good* that he did it.
And they'll *have to*—he's running for re-election.
4/ So as Trump started firing whistleblowers with no evidence of malfeasance, the GOP must be said to have *cheered* it, because in the final accounting that's *exactly* what some are doing and what *all* will *eventually* do. It signals that "right" doesn't matter in government.
5/ The GOP *knows* it's arguing in bad faith about what Trump is doing. When Trump fired Comey, Democrats rightly cried obstruction. Mueller agreed. *These* firings have Democrats saying they're *immoral*—and the GOP replies, "they're technically okay." Which isn't the objection.
6/ The standard for good governance—for members of both parties—is ETHICAL GOVERNANCE. In America we don't say, "Well, he had no good reason to do it, and in fact clearly had a corrupt reason to do it, but it's technically something he can do."
That is AMORAL. We are not AMORAL.
That is AMORAL. We are not AMORAL.
7/ Half the time, now, Republicans *coddle* unethical government. The rest of the time they're falling back on an *amoral malaise* that has nothing to do with serving our country well. *Never* do we hear Republicans, now, talking about what is actually honorable and just.
Never.
Never.
8/ Of course, with Trump's mass firings of whistleblowers—which is *exactly* what we should call this—an amoral reaction is in fact an *immoral* one. Because Republicans *know* that Trump didn't take these steps amorally—he did what he did to corruptly scare other whistleblowers.
9/ The *most* we get now is *this* feckless bullshit, below, which is almost worse than anything else because it seems specifically calibrated to *immunize* Trump—through the repetition of a key word to the point of meaninglessness—from any accountability.
10/ If you think the fear Trump is corruptly sowing in whistleblowers isn't real, consider my exchange, below, with @donwinslow—who says he knows of multiple DOJ whistleblowers who can blow the whistle on Barr shutting down *8* Trump investigations but are too scared to speak up. 
