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Culture War Roundup for the week of August 25, 2025

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The noise thing is true, but irrelevant here because the signal in the culture war is so very strong.

Right now, Trump is playing two-tits-for-a-tat, and his core supporters fully support him in this.

Trump has not even reached parity. How many political opponents has HE sicced the criminal apparatus of government on? Because it was sicced on him PERSONALLY at least 5 times. And quite a few in his administration. How many Democratic allies have been sued to bankruptcy in show trials? I count a minimum of two the other direction (Alex Jones and Rudy Giuliani. As a bonus civil show trial, the E. Jean Carroll case). How many times was Biden impeached? How many times was the Biden or Harris campaign literally wiretapped? How many Democrats disqualified from office due to their participation in a riot? There's at least one on the Republican side.

Actual, formal criminal investigations of prominent political opponents announced by law enforcement agencies? Three - James Comey, John Brennan, and John Bolton, versus zero at this stage of the Biden administration. Part of the reason why I described the Biden administration's response to Trump's election antics as milquetoast was that Merrick Garland slow-walked things to the point where Trump could and did delay any trials until after the 2024 election.

Targetted investigations of prominent political opponents intended (based on public statements by the White House or Congressional leadership) to lead to formal criminal referrals in the future - lots (the exact number is unclear because I don't know how many of the investigations Trump announces on social media actually happen) , versus one federal investigation at this stage of the Biden administration (the House Jan 6th committee). There was also the NY State investigation into the Trump organisation.

Given how slowly the justice system works (and did work against Trump, and will work for him), the claim that Trump is doing less lawfare than Biden is a claim that he is incompetent or unserious and the lawfare he is announcing won't actually happen over the next three and a half years. I agree this is plausible.

How many political opponents has HE sicced the criminal apparatus of government on?

At least two- Letitia James and also the federal reserve governor lady.