Paul Waldman

Paul Waldman (born February 27, 1968) is an American columnist and senior writer for The American Prospect, as well as a contributor to The Week and a blogger for the Washington Posts Plum Line blog. Quotes Republicans are already making it clear: Trump can do whatever he wants (December 5, 2016) Republicans are already making it clear: Trump can do whatever he wants, The Washington Post (December 5, 2016) We’ve never had a president whose business created as many potential conflicts of interest as Donald Trump, and at the same time we’ve never had a president who cared less about conflicts of interest as Donald Trump. Indeed, he and his children are making it quite clear that they will use the presidency as a tool to make as much money as they can. And Republicans, particularly Congress, have apparently decided that if Trump does it, it’s okay. We’re going to see this again and again: not just a disinterest in Trump’s copious conflicts of interest, but a willingness to parrot whatever ludicrous defense Trump makes of them. You can say that this is just standard partisanship, and the president’s party is always going to defend him. But what’s different about this moment is how blatant and unapologetic the incoming president is being about continuing to pursue his business interests. This is a reminder that the institutions we rely on to keep the government honest are dependent upon the integrity of the people within them. When you have divided government, the administration knows that both the Congress and the media are watching it, which restrains its behavior. But we’re in the process of creating an environment where everyone knows that accountability is a joke. External links Biography at the Week Category:1968 births Category:Living people Category:Academics from the United States Category:Bloggers from the United States Category:Journalists from the United States Category:Non-fiction authors from the United States Category:Columnists from the United States Category:Jews from the United States