Monday morning roundup

Michael Graham, writing at CBS News, says that it looks like the Very Stable Genius is correct that there is no collusion to be found between his campaign team and any Russian actors. Lots of ambition-fueled incompetence, yes, but not collusion. But Graham also points out that, true to form, Trump does himself no favors with his always-in-bad-taste tweets.

Many are likely to think that if there was no collusion, then the entire story really was the "witch hunt" President Trump keeps telling them it is. He will have turned out to be right, no matter how many other things he did wrong.

I believe this is the reason Trump stepped on his own good news regarding the McCabe firing.  Why he didn't do what many (myself included) considered the smart move: Let McCabe's firing speak for itself.  Why he sent out his first-ever tweet attacking special counsel Robert Mueller using the key word: "collusion:"

"The Mueller probe should never have been started in that there was no collusion and there was no crime," he wrote Sunday. "It was based on fraudulent activities and a Fake Dossier paid for by Crooked Hillary and the DNC, and improperly used in FISA COURT for surveillance of my campaign. WITCH HUNT!"

Susan Wright at RedState on what sure looks like Jared Kushner's development company having mastered the art of weaponizing construction.

Andy Smarick at AEI on how Betsy DeVos's overall orientation is great - decentralizing the way education is handled in this country - but that she needs to do a better job of letting local and state-level people involved in that know she supports them.

The problem, however, is that the secretary seemed to imply that state education leaders are lacking the energy, vision, or courage to do what America’s schools need. It is a strange sales job for federalism that publicly questions the capacity of those to whom power would be handed.

In her speech, DeVos said, “For too long, many of you have operated — and in many cases, been forced to operate — as if your work was only accountable to folks in my office.” Here the secretary used an unfortunate and inaccurate trope about state education leaders, suggesting that they sit around waiting for direction from Washington. In truth, state superintendents and state board members are constantly dealing with a vast array of challenges, from improving funding formulas and teacher-preparation programs to reforming school-discipline policies and data systems, to managing delicate relationships with governors, legislators, local districts, advocacy groups, and more. All of this is done by state leaders who are passionate about helping students.

Elsewhere in the speech, DeVos asked, “What are you going to do to serve students in your state?” giving the impression that this wasn’t already their driving force. She also asked, “So, don’t you think it’s time to do something different? To try something new that enhances student achievement?” and argued that state leaders shouldn’t launch a “PR push” to defend their plans. Again, intentionally or not, the secretary implied unflattering things about state leaders — that they aren’t trying to do things differently and that they focus on optics.

Not only does this undermine the case for decentralizing power, it also serves to possibly alienate potential allies. State-level education leaders could be strong advocates for her push for K-12 federalism. This isn’t the first time DeVos’s comments have rankled those on the ground. Early in her tenure the secretary said teachers seemed to be “on receive mode;” and that “They’re waiting to be told what they have to do.” This charge of passivity frustrates essential players in America’s school system and can make others wonder why a decentralized approach to education would be wise.

The secretary deserves kudos for trying to redefine her office as one primarily focused on advocacy and the empowerment of others. Hopefully, in the future, her comments, while containing the “tough love” necessary, will build stronger relationships with and inspire more public confidence in those working in states and schools.

Saudi Crown Prince Muhammed bin Sultan is coming to America for a whirlwind tour. He's scheduled to meet DJT and other major players in Washington and then head to Boston, Silicon Valley and Houston to court investors. This is a different kind of Saudi up-and-comer.

Madame Bleachbit composes a lengthy Facebook attempt at "clarifying" her universally panned India-trip remarks about white women's voting patterns.  It winds up being a double-down.