22 years in prison for the Colorado election clerk. Justice moves swiftly for those without political power or money. When will justice be served to Trump?
How about more swiftly on this November’s presidential Election Day with a sound and decisive defeat at the ballot box … along with trouncing defeats of some - if not all of - the MAGA-related cult members vying for positions of trust like the one running for the governorship in North Carolina, Mark Robinson and Royce White, candidate for the U.S. Senate in Minnesota … just to mention two!
Can't see White gaining much support with statements like that in Minnesota against Amy Klobuchar, who is enormously popular here. Our Lt Governor, hopefully new Governor, is also wonderful.
Yeah, those "true" Americans whose families came from somewhere else, European countries sent their "human trash" to the New World. That way the poor didn't negatively impact their "betters." Check out the book, White Trash: The 400 Year Old History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg.
Jenn, thanks for mentioning this book. America was regarded as some kind of giant workhouse. And of course, it was empty because Native Americans were regarded as a part of the fauna to be exploited and/or eliminated. They weren't Christians and they didn't have a government that was discernible to Europeans, hence, they were "savages".
The English settlers were tolerated by Native North Americans because they thought they would provide protection from the Spanish they considered worse (enslavers instead of traders). The French seemed accepted further north as traders, as it seems Dutch were also.
Back in 1619, an ancestor on my wife’s side of the family, Captain Henry Fleete had sailed on some of Lord Warwick’s ships, one of which was the White Lion that brought the first slaves (captured from a Portuguese ship) to an English settlement in Virginia in August 1619, and the Warwick.
“…He was interested in trading with the Patawomeke (Potomac) Indians who lived along the Potomac River near the present site of Washington, D.C. However, the Patawomeke's enemies, the Nacotchtank (Anacostan) Indians, raided the Patawomeke village in 1623. They killed both Virginians and Patawomekes and took the survivors captive. Fleet was among the survivors.
The Nacotchtanks kept him as their prisoner for five years. Finally, the Virginia government paid the Nacotchtanks a ransom to release Fleet. Fleet had carefully observed the Nacotchtanks while living with them, learning to speak their language. His decided to use his experiences with the Indians and skills as a sailor to earn his living…
…When the Maryland colonists arrived in Virginia in 1634, Fleet agreed to act as a guide for Governor Leonard Calvert. He translated the Indian language into English when the Governor first met with the Piscataways and Yoacomacos, natives of southern Maryland. Governor Calvert and the Werowance, or village chieftain, of the Yoacomacos agreed to exchange: the Yoacomacos gave a village to Governor Calvert. In return, Calvert promised to protect the Yoacomacos from their enemies. Captain Fleet helped make this exchange possible, so that the Calverts had land to build St. Mary's City, the first capital of Maryland.2
The Calverts gave Fleet the rights to trade with the Indians for beaver skins in Maryland territory. On one trading mission for Lord Baltimore, Fleet sailed a ship called Deborah that was loaded with a valuable cargo of goods…
…Captain Fleet's career demonstrates that traders were important as middlemen between the English and Native American populations…”
We had thought Henry Fleete must have been on the Warwick in late 1619 with additional captured Portuguese slaves on their way to Virginia when the Warwick was sunk during a hurricane in Castle Harbour, Bermuda, probably a participant in acquiring captured slaves, before his adventures trading with Native North Americans. The descendants are proud of his dealings with Native Americans, but totally oblivious to any possible connections to transporting slaves, apparently eventually sold as “indentured servants,” as the only slight disconnect from “slavery” as it is traditionally known as.
See An Ancient Window, The Wreck of the Warwick in Bermuda
[Latest new info learned today is that the Warwick probably had slaves intended for Bermuda, and another of Lord Warwick's ships, the Treasurer, was likely the second ship to land slaves in Virginia since it was with the White Lion when they captured Portuguese slaves, and arrived some weeks after the White Lion.]
Seems Native North Americans were more tolerant of English immigrants than they should have been, though it seemed like the better curse at the time. (The typo “curse” for "course" actually seems more appropriate.
Reminds me of the 8 years we lived in Hawaii and the Native Hawaiian's reminding us the Missionaries came to do good, and did very well (for themselves).
The very base of Colonial settlements around the world. Australia, even New Zealand, the African continent, and China still with it's quelling of minorities. One group thinking "we know better" subjugating another. Damn.
Essentially, it was the same in other nations which took ill advantage of the native populations. Other examples include Australia, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and Palestine. White European invader settlers, all with a "settler mindset" dictating to those who lived on their land for centuries.
I read in "City of Dreams".,The 400 year epic history of immigrant New York, ( Tyler Anbinder )that in the mid-1800's, Germany dumped many "undesirables" across the ocean. One has to wonder: how did Trump's ancestors end up in the USA.......Did they fund their journey or were they dumped? And, all those other racist "superior race" whites?
What it really smacks of is racism -- and how the GOP elite manage to use racism to perpetuate the inequality that keeps them at the top. I can't wait for their whole sick pyramid to come crashing down, with them at the bottom of the rubble.
Good point. Two former G.O.P. Representatives have co-founded Republicans for Harris*. Their premise? To get the Party they believe in back, the former President needs to get his head handed to him on a platter come November.
EDIT: * thank you, Art Kleiner for pointing out the mistake. Wow! The difference a word can make!
A landslide D victory in November is a real possibility that I hope will be realized, but it's important to remember that is only treating a symptom of the authoritarian impulse, and not curing the disease.
When people stop acting like Trump, and/or supporting figures like Trump, it will be because we cured the disease. And when we cure the disease, it will be because there is a sufficiently accurate and widely accepted understanding of its root cause. That must happen or we're just going to end up experiencing another symptom of the same disease. IMHO, the biggest obstacle in our way is an inaccurate but widely accepted pessimism about our ability to cure the disease.
We need a fair and balanced media to cure the ill they've brought us. Maga could not of done it by themselves but they had a good start with social media. How do you get balance without destroying democracy?
"There is no particular thing that you can do alone. The 'I' in it is very small, after all. We are all here to have a kind of living of our own and to be recognized for what we are." —Marian Anderson.
The question is not whether the 'I' in it is very small. It is regardless of whether the one thing many people are doing together is serving the greater good or serving a part at the expense of the whole.
The bad guys have a small short-term advantage and an enormous long-term disadvantage. The good guys have a small short-term disadvantage and an enormous long-term advantage.
How do you get balance without destroying democracy? Start by assume that we can, and then assume that we have to work together to figure out how.
Keep a lookout for "Project Liberty." My son (Braxton Woodham) has been working on this project under Frank McCourt, Jr. as well as with many others. You might be interested in Frank's book: Our Biggest Fight: Reclaiming Liberty, Humanity, and Dignity in the Digital Age.
When I first heard Kellyanne Conway refer to 'alternative facts' as a valid explanation for the bazaar comments coming out of Trump and his cronies' mouths, I understood. It's a method of gaslighting that is the language of the MAGA party doing their best to destroy the idea of the American Dream according to their selfish ideas bred by fear. That is not the founder's intention! I have great faith in our current leaders and the Constitution. I especially have faith in the majority of Americans who will vote for Harris/Walz in droves that override anything these selfish, fear-mongering, controlling, criminally greedy people have in mind. If you want to live the way of Project 2025 or The Trump Agenda, try living in Hungary. This is The United States of America, after all!
Let me guess what "Dispelling Wetiko" entails: we all must treat one another the way we would want to be treated if the shoe was on the other foot in word and in deed, and in literally every context. How'd I do?
Gaslighting is nothing more and nothing less than the perpetrator serving an exclusive interest that excludes the victim.
Thank you! I have been saying that those who think the MAGA agenda for America is a good one should move to Hungary. I appreciate others suggesting this as well. I told a family member to plan a move instead forcing the rest of us to live in Hungary right here in the US.
We have a population in this country that prefers ‘bumpersticker’ explanations. Immediate results. Understanding this disease and seeing the hard work to root it out isn’t easy, or comfortable. It will be a long haul, with many distractions. This disease didn’t start recently, and will not be revealed and reduced quickly. I believe the work is necessary, to save democracy , our county and our grandchildren’s lives.
No argument here. Your last sentence tells me you're keeping your eye on the prize. My only concern is for when people with good intent forget the "why" by getting lost in the "how."
Spot on. Trump is symptomatic of how far off the rails things have gotten. First, we treat the toxic expression of the underlying disease (trounce him in the ballot box), then we go to work on healing the body politic - which is a much harder task, but the one we need to address. There are signs everywhere of the underlying disease.
Correct. It is a much harder task. But in addition to being hard, it is also easy. The easy part is Step 1, the hard part is Step 2, and Step 1 is in my response to Gayle.
Articulate, as always, Sir James. 🤝A landslide would be great. One thing I try to keep in mind is that, while l greet Vice President Harris's enthusiasm with gratitude, I must remind me that her time in the White House will likely disappoint me. 🤫 Not because the Vice President will under-perform; she may very well have a fine presidency. ✌🏽No one can match my sky-high expectations. 😳
I keep things in the "I" when I am concerned that I may offend someone with 'you'. In this case, I sense that many people set themselves up for disappointment by thinking all or even many problems will go away once a preferred candidate assumes power.
EDIT: to re-work the original malapropism: I keep things in the eye "in the mirror" when . . . .
And that, I believe, is partly because we don't educate ourselves about how the government can work for the people - all the people - and what it takes to make sure that's what happens.
What would happen if the highest priority for every fifth-grade teacher was to ensure that every student ends the school year knowing that it is always possible and always mutually beneficial to adhere to the golden rule in word and deed, and in literally every context? I believe that vision of the future is possible. And I believe that the effect will be that sixth-grader will be adhering to the first principle of all the world’s great religions, democracy, science, and capitalism (the original Adam Smith version, and not Milton Friedman's fundamentalist ideology that most people now think of as capitalism). I think that's what it takes to make sure government works for all the people.
In this vision, I've named these future fifth-graders "the children of the revolution" based on a paraphrased T Rex lyric: "You can fool some people, but you won’t fool the children of the revolution."
Electing a Democratic Trifecta in 2024 will bring about the needed “medicine” to cure the disease: The Freedom To Vote Act; the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act; SCOTUS Reform w/a rollback of their insidious rulings that took away our freedoms; and reforming the way we elect a President: The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC); or states rolling back the “winner take all electoral votes” to provide true representation within each state - thank you Professor Richardson for bringing this up in your recent Politics Chat!)
All of the above will fortify our democracy and support we the people so our voices will be heard.
All the measures you describe are good and absolutely necessary, but insufficient until they achieve the ultimate goal of allowing everyone's voice to be heard. That's not something one side decides for the other.
Specifically, everyone needs a safe space that allows their voice to be heard ... even when their beliefs are otherwise harmful. As Derek Black & Matthew Stevenson can attest, it takes a lot of time, energy, and attention. Ref: On Being podcast, Befriending Radical Disagreement. But we have to keep reminding ourselves that because too many people with otherwise turn to con artists like Trump, it's much harder to deal with the consequences of not doing it. That said, I'm confident Harris and Walz understand this.
James: Curing the disease in this case would involve wholesale "deprogramming" of the sick. MAGA people are wholly acting out of emotion. Any rational explanation or approach does not work. I see the solution in revamping the educational system, teaching elementary school kids the skills of critical thinking.
"It happens like this always: when dictatorships fall, people look back and they say, 'Well, how didn’t we see that at the time? This is so obvious.'” —Vladimir Kara-Murza.
Expect a forthcoming manifestation of the "Kara-Murza effect" when the dictatorship now in control of the Republican party falls.
If you're saying elementary school can and should immunize children from the authoritarian impulse, I agree.
I think I read "Here, here!" Since the cheer is made after another's remark, I go with, "Hear, here!" As in listen to this *(wo)man here; really just splitting the difference. 😉
Oy vey. I am getting really bad in the faculties. I intended to say Republicans for Harris. Adam Kinzinger is hardly for the former President. Thank you for catching my mistake.
"Actually, I know a guy who can make that happen. For a price. No measly little nip on the ear." - Robert Phillips
Please consider removing your comment. In context, it is not funny. The assassination of Trump would be a disaster.
When Ned McDoodle spoke of "Trump having his head handed to him on a platter" it was a biblical reference used metaphorically. But you took it literally and took the conversation someplace else. And given the actual violence it implies, not to a good place.
I agree, Lin*. I've heard people say "He should be taken out" as far back as Nov 2016 -- including my dear wife -- and my reply is always "That would make T***p a martyr, far worse. Kill him politically by popular will."
And I absolutely agree that one should condemn every form of calling out for violence against political opponents (or anyone else), whether said in jest or not.
A natural death would be fine but murder would only strengthen the maga movement. We cannot go back to the 60's and assassinating people we don't like. A landslide of VP Harris is definitely the way to go!
The "God loving" Heritage foundation has threatened Liberals with violence if the speak out!!! A "Jesus code" to alllow the Proud Boys to get out their AR assault guns??? I love it.....Time to fight back agaist the the true Pedophile Party.
So what you’re saying is that when the MAGAts all claim divine intervention in preventing his death by bullet, it may indeed be true? Just not for the reasons they think. Lol! Wouldn’t that be a kicker?!?
Your are quite correct, there,💡Lin. That metaphor was popular in banking twenty-five years ago.😉There I go dating myself again; hell, no one else will.😉Lin, I agree that Mr Phillips withdraw the comment or, at the very least, the third statement about an attempted assassination. ⚖️
I do understand the use of metaphor, but thanks for your instruction on the matter just the same. Of course I wasn't literally advocating such an act. And I don't really know a guy.
I also recognize attempts at censorship when I read them.
A bad joke - maybe. I will consider removing the comment in my own good time.
Is there a way to submit any further comments to this forum in "draft" forum to get approval before posting? I will surely abide by the majority opinion.
Reread it to yourself. And you decide. It is your responsibility in the first place. Which is what this discussion is about FGS unless you haven't figured that out yet. Grow up
Really Bill K., you don't speak for everyone..."get that tone out your voice," as my dearly departed mom use to say. Just cause you don't like it does not mean he didn't have the right to state it. 1st Amendment, you trippin'!
Nerisa, you are not invoking the First Amendment but manipulating it. I have suffered difficult responses, adverse responses; far more so than this one by Bill. Often such adverse response can give me pause, but it never seems fitting to try to manipulate someone.
That bothers me about the DNC, so I always give to specific candidates. I understand they focus on candidates who are more likely to win, and that does make sense, but it leaves some truly terrible Republicans in office without a challenge.
Check out Flip The Vote. For my money, that is the best place to give. Their work on the ground in important swing states is amazing and wildly effective. Giving directly to candidates can be like burning money - see the last election of Marjorie Taylor Greene. SOOO much money went to her Dem opponent - and he got slaughtered nonetheless.
I noticed that not running a Democratic candidate in one district in North Carolina back in 2016, I think, meant the number of votes, even losing, that a Democrat could have gotten, seemed to have failed to bring the Popular votes for Democratic House member to any closer than a half percent less than the Republican candidate's Popular vote totals. Small consolation but it would have strengthened the absurdity of the Republicans taking 10 of 13 seats, 77% of the seats for slightly under 51% of the Popular votes.
Let me just remind everyone that almost 50% of the electorate wants Trump in charge. His numbers have not budged in spite of the steady stream of his distasteful statements as highlighted by Prof. Richardson. That, to me, is the most disturbing fact of all.
Maybe during the Democratic convention there will be fewer tv comments from Trump but it has seemed to me that his utterances, however short and insignificant, have been given airtime.
Who saw the recent political cartoon "there's alot of sheep out there" . Where the sheep herd is listening (with rapture) to the wolf at the podium saying, "when i am elected i will become vegetarian"
I have questions about how the DNC operates and who they choose to help. While I understand focusing on 'flippable seats and candidates' I just read where the target support has proven to be less successful in securing democratic positions, than the overall 50-State support approach.
Yes, if only they (the democratic party) would of had a 50 state strategy like Howard Dean was proposing but dems did not stick by him when the media drove me out over "the scream" which media produced.
We are all in this together and no one is coming to save us. This is the American people’s election to win. Thank god for the enormous grassroots, pro democracy movement in our country, including the amazing, intelligent g.r. Movement in Florida 🐿️
Donable Lector is the Orange suckybaby turd that Heritage is using to reach their 40plus year goal of eliminating democracy. A landslide must be a tidal wave.......how are we going to handle the electoral college bull shit??? The "election was rigged" calls will be pouring in from Q-Anon-trailerpark Magats...........it is high time we call true Pedophile Party for what they are.......fucking assholes!!!
Agreed. It is easy to condemn others with the relative impunity of the social media. Rex Page also crossed the line into violent rhetoric. We need to keep the eye on the ball: defeating the former President decisively to remove the source of a contagion of ill-will.
Yes and regrettably, I have used this language before and came to the conclusion that, if I am going to diminish my soul through hateful and heated language, it will be on someone a whole lot more substantial than the former President.
I wonder who came up with that "borrowed his jet" excuse. You believe that? OK. I've got a bridge to sell, buy a raffle ticket for it, it's in Key West.
I have seen a tweet that Donald Trump issued at the time of Epstein's arrest. He condemned child molestation in very strong terms. Whether the former president did that to cover his pizats is a judgement call.
Sorry Thomas. My remark was off kilter using the word "you". I was trying 'merely' to apply skepticism to that "borrowed" story. That's all. Maybe it'll get fact-checked, but in the big scheme of things, using Epsteins Jet is pretty-much low noise level. However.., hohoho, having spent a major time in my life in aircraft maintenance, if I were a "fact-checker", I'd start with: What's seems to be the "malfunction" with Mr Trumps airplane? Low tire pressure? AOA sensor error? huh? Again, sorry Thomas, this is all so bizarre (err ahh weird).
Cathy, yes, and some of the January 6th minions have faced years in prison (rightly), but the inciter-in-chief is still free and running for president again. That is just plain weird, unamerican too!
So far as I can tell the big ticket crime would be grotesque mishandling of state secrets, though $COTUS seems to argue that if the president does it it's not a crime.
Truly insane Supreme Court ruling! I never thought I would see a Court so absolutely corrupt that it would invent Immunity for a President when our country fought a revolution to free itself from a king!
We absolutely MUST make needed changes so we can overturn this entirely unconstitutional ruling!
My take on corruption is that it is abuse of entrusted power. The "GOP" judges are doing what they were selected to do by those who selected them, but the mission (It says right on the outside of the court building is "Equal Justice Under Law" and that's definitely NOT what they deliver.
For modern "Republicans" Lincoln's definitive phrase has been degraded to "government of you, by us, for us". That's what their "Small Government" really means.
"I am not so sure about that. Without this ruling, President Obama could be charged with the murder of Anwar Al-Awlaki, a very nasty U.S. citizen targeted and killed in a drone strike ten years after 9-11. Of course, as deeply as I questioned that extra-judicial execution, President Obama did what he thought was in the best interest of the American people.
"The dox case, however, is a different animal. The former President placed his personal interest -- taking classified materials deliberately with (as the R.C.s would say) the consent of his will ahead of the requirements of the law and clearly ahead of the national security interests of the American people.
"As cases start to wend and wind their ways through the courts, I suspect -- or at least that -- such actions taken as those in the documents case will automatically be deemed unofficial acts."
I am not so sure about that. Without this ruling, President Obama could be charged with the murder of Anwar Al-Awlaki, a very nasty U.S. citizen targeted and killed in a drone strike ten years after 9-11. Of course, as deeply as I questioned that extra-judicial execution, President Obama did what he thought was in the best interest of the American people.
The dox case, however, is a different animal. The former President placed his personal interest -- taking classified materials deliberately with (as the R.C.s would say) the consent of his will ahead of the requirements of the law and clearly ahead of the national security interests of the American people.
As cases start to wend and wind their ways through the courts, I suspect -- or at least that -- such actions taken as those in the documents case will automatically be deemed unofficial acts.
It just shows the acceptance by MAGAs and the white Christian Nationalists that billionaires should be treated differently from everyone else.
My wife has often said the opposite of justice is poverty. Look at the crimes committed by the various owners of professional sports teams (John Irsay & John Kraft for instance).
I appreciate the premise laid out succinctly in your first paragraph. That said, I think it’s hyperbole to compare their personal conduct (drug abuse of Jim Irsay and Robert Kraft paying for sexual acts, albeit potentially from trafficked individuals) with the systematic demonization of social welfare and infrastructure while enriching billionaires on the government teat.
Ironically, professional sports team ownership is one of the purest forms of state socialism. They are allowed to operate in a monopoly trust according to rules that share revenue and socialize costs.
It is virtually impossible to lose invested capital in a pro sports team and the return on capital can be astronomical. Stadiums and infrastructure are often funded in large part by government handouts. The accumulation of wealth is considered “unrealized” under the US tax system and only taxed in part when the assets are sold.
They also benefit from being marketed constantly by networks and media at no cost to the team ownership or the league. By virtue of their monopoly they can negotiate huge distribution rights.
Alas, these teams are so sacred the above is not often even discussed, never mind challenged. I have never heard a politician use pro sport success to suggest we should use the same model for other industries or social goals.
I would love to see owners like Jerry Jones and Kraft explain why such a model should not be extended to our collective benefit instead of private ownership. Or, why every franchise shouldn’t have state and local government having a participation in ownership.
Yes, and to be poor can mean you don’t have the time or means to find justice, unless you have the wherewithal to find a smart public defender who can give time and energy to your cause.
And the PDs do yeoman’s work defending their clients, but their caseloads are so freaking high it’s nearly impossible to give each case the time it deserves.
And this, of course, is a knock-on effect of understaffing, which in its turn is a result of under-taxing the extremely wealthy so that the PD offices can be fully staffed with excellent lawyers. No one goes into that work expecting or hoping for wealth, but they need to be paid enough to pay their law school loans, and whatever college loans are still outstanding.
Like I have never before felt so angry at my country for letting the corruption grind down our hope. 22 years in prison for any elected employee of the American public for stealing and lying and cheating with no apology or moral guilt. If we don’t tax these morons 90% we are the morons. Come on Americans who know the difference between right and wrong, get furious and vote them all out of office.
And do oneself a favor: get those books being thrown into dumpsters back and start reading!!!!!!!
All of the election interferers should spend at least a generation in prison, but their antics should be taught in schools so that they are out of sight, but their actions not forgotten. I truly believe German teaching about the Nazis and Holocaust, at least in the West, not so sure if that was taught in the East under the DDR, makes it possible for the people to go out and march when the AfD threatens to get too large. I would hope that the East is doing as good a job of teaching about Nazi times. We should be doing as good a job teaching about slavery and racism, the Chinese exclusion act, and immigration quotas, something the Republicans want to forbid. Knowing our history helps us to see that we are making progress. Putting those who break the laws on trial helps us to see democracy, even if both are works in progress.
The humiliation and degradation of being imprison is bad, but the legal fees to fight the charges and the loss of wages to feed your family have bankrupted many of these families.
And if you can't afford a lawyer, then you're really screwed.
They "THEY" did what they did 'knowingly', willfully. No mercy for them. Show compassion for their immediate family, should their behavior warrant it. But, that's it.
Probably in the middle of September, if we're lucky. Trump in my opinion won't go to jail. I am hoping Judge Merhcan will make Trump report to a parole officer or make him wear an ankle bracelet.
A common person can commit 1/1000th of the crimes that Trump has committed and will serve time in prison. No one should be above the law or escape equal punishment.
Cathy, you are sooo right. Unfortunately, money gets one freedom or a country club prison term, shorter than their crime deserves. That is wrong. Maybe if those rare rich guys who ever get sent to prison had to serve their time in a standard prison with the other sentenced criminals, conditions in those prisons would improve and they might not be so quick to want private for-profit corporations running prisons anywhere in this country. It's a thought!
I will be disappointed if he does end up serving time if it's a nice, easy prison. Since it's state and not federal, I am not sure what different options the state of NY offers. Even if it's in a lower-security prison, they can feed him a well-done steak with ketchup, McDonald's, or KFC, and I will still be relieved to know he has been removed from society for some time—hopefully not too short.
The state of NY offers up Sing Sing, Elmira Correctional Facility, Attica and other maximum security prisons that are most definitely not nice places to spend time! State prisons are not "Club Feds" as some in the federal system are named but there are certainly medium and minimum security facilities . . . . but probably not up to Mar-a-Lago standards :)
Kathy, you speak with the Schadenfreude most of us feel. But I think ultimately he'll end up under house arrest, because of security and Secret Service issues -- otherwise it's solitary confinement of one sort or another to keep him away from the general population of the prison. And I really don't care, so long as justice is meted out to him, and his name brings shame forever.
I'll take door #2 Blanket immunity is dangerous, and seriously undermines the legitimacy of due process and equal justice under law. I don't believe the power of pardon, or the the special considerations for office of president were ever intended to grant impunity to anyone. Wasn't the Declaration of Independence a list of grievances (an a letter of severance) with arbitrary, unaccountable governance?
In this context, a first time conviction - even 34 counts - does not earn a sentence of jail time. But usually the convicted felon displays some understanding of having been found guilty, some contrition or remorse. Trump of course does none of those, but insists it is the system that is 'criminal' for convicting him. That attitude might open the door to some jail time. But Judge Merchan has a lot to consider. He's been very considered so far.
Lin, however, he has wasted time looking at the SC Roberts ridiculous immunity decision which should have nothing whatsoever to do with New York convictions. I keep thinking in the judge's "reasonableness," he will push the sentencing off. That would be a miscarriage of justice, but that would just go along with the miscarriages of justice that have been perpetrated on behalf of Baby Donnie for years.
The orange man baby will NEVER admit to his MANY, MANY crimes. He deserves to be in a cell with no communication with the public. I think Gitmo would be a great place for him. He will never shut up willingly, think violated gag orders. He has been making public pronouncements about nearly everything since the 80's. I don't care what the orange menace thinks about anything. I wish to never see or hear from him or about him ever again.
When Trump starts reciting his 20 fav gripes against the dems, wouldn't it be refreshing if the MSM turned away saying,"Nothing new to see here, let's go." and walk away. That's what needs to be done. They need to cut the cord when he rants. He does not talk policy. If it's not news, I don't want to hear it. A campaign for the country's highest office is not an entertainment faux reality show. The MSM should treat it with the seriousness it demands.
We have grown up depending on the media , newspapers, tv news, news magazines to guide us when choosing elected officials, journalist ask the questions and present the information to the public. These days, MSM spends more time contemplating whether Jen and Ben will get a divorce than what the facts are and the truly violent rhetoric the Republicans use toward their Democratic opponents. Royce White's comment? In a healthy society, he should be ostracized. Not here. They probably gave him a big round of applause. It's appalling!
Thanks - but no thanks. I don't want trump mowing my Grandma's lawn and having it end up looking like his hair, Or him building one of his tacky hotels on it.
...and public acknowledgment of his lies for which he was convicted. The community service — or fines — should be designed to help repair the damage created by the effect of his lies.
Recently in the news a man was sentenced to 9 (I believe) years in prison for stealing 1.5mm worth of chicken wings. Trump is now a convicted felon and committed election interference in Georgia, not to mention other cases and charges against him, including sexual assault. My guess is that he won't serve a day in prison. Too bad he didn't go for the wings. He's running for one reason: to pardon himself if he wins.
Cathy Wampler -- I suspect that given the fact that Trump, regardless of subsequent facts and behavior, did serve four years as POTUS, could be (or will be, hope hope) put under house arrest with clear stipulations. None of us know yet.
I have to go with 1000 hours of community service to be performed in the parks in NYC or along the highways in NY state. Move him around a bit. They do this in FL in the middle of the summer. Imagine picking up trash in the Hamptons.
He would be begging for state prison 5 minutes into his community service.
Gary, you are right because Trump has not worked, really worked in his life and wouldn't even know how to begin. Then there's his bone spurs, and his dementia, and his sociopathy which wouldn't let him interact effectively with the other prisoners on the clean-up gang without calling them names. I'd like to see it, though.
That accountability is so slow, that grifting and corruption’s costs are barely repaid we know..this gifted writer …a humble historian brings forth truth…Thank You Heather 🫶
What about conspiring with known felons? No more Orban visits or proud boy dinners ..the likes of which I assume are far longer than I know. If you’re on a ‘watch-list’ ought to be a great deal more strict, surveillance, recorded, emails, phone conversations, mail…no passport…suggestions long wondered about. I mean these up guys were on watch list yet smuggled a hoard of guns , bombs , into buildings, motels/hotels around the WH? WTF?
As a Colorado resident I look forward to the day she is welcomed to our penal system. Bravo to our fantastic SOS Griswold for not letting this horrible creature get away with her crimes.
I married into a Colorado family of republicans. My husband, an Aunt and a cousin are the only Dems in a very large family. We don’t attend many family events anymore because of their maga garbage - but the next event is in Sept and I’ll be happily smirking at all of them.
I hope that when Kamala Harris becomes President, she will appoint an Attorney General who is willing to investigate and prosecute corrupt government officials. Merrick Garland seems far too timid in this regard.
I don’t know that Garland is timid. His plate has been very full building cases against Trump and the Jan 6 insurrectionists. The first time a US president has been prosecuted. There is just so much big crime happening.
The clerk's efforts expose, in part, the attack on the integrity of the system where there is a peaceful process to determine who gets government power: one person, one vote majority rule. These folks, confounded and deceived by Republican oligarch propaganda, in many cases, don't know what they don't know. Or, as G.W. Bush stated at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on 3/31/2001: "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on." From my vantage point, it is easy to fool the Christian nationalists and the racists. We Democrats are almost always thought of as Socialists and Communists. We need more critical thinking classes in our schools, starting with the 6th grade. Check out Melanie Trecek-King's website: thinkingispower.com. https://thinkingispower.com/
Absolutely Richard. Let's get critical thinking started in kindergarten and build up. This is why Republicans want to defund education and school meals.
Critical thinking is not taught in public schools. Best bet is thru a program called Odyssey of the Mind or Destination Imagination which is often affiliated with the schools but not in their curriculum. Also 50% of American children are now obese. School lunches are not healthy or nutritious. Until these problems are fixed thinking the public schools are serving children well is ridiculous. The teachers Union is largely to blame in all this.
I beg to differ with you. As a retired public school teacher in CA, I taught critical thinking in all the different grades that I taught, 2 - 8. Critical thinking is imbedded in CA state curriculum. However, because it is taught, does not mean that certain students learn it. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. We do the best we can to entice and to make the water appetizing; however, some ______ just want to have fun...
I will have to say that the lunches at my children’s elementary school were nutritious with veggies and salad bar. A lot of effort was devoted by parents and the school district to make the lunches as nutritional as practical. Also, those lunches are sometimes on of the few meals that many children receive.
In two sentences and one question you nailed it. I have little sympathy for that Colorado election clerk but the pathetic creature like that pillow guy bought into the party of grift and greed to believe that there were true patriots fighting for democracy.
Reading various aspects of tonight's letter has filled me with sadness. When people here talk about corruption, it is always something that happens in other countries, undemocratic, backward, third-world countries, but the truth is that corruption happens everywhere where people who lack ideas fall back on money to gain power. Othering, creating fear, and then promoting that fear is apparently easier for some than working together to promote equality, dignity, and respect. The idea that the way to fight ignorance is by throwing books into a dumpster is horrific, less obvious to the world than burning books, perhaps, but still horrific. Needing to eliminate positive representations of difference shows an insecurity that must be pitied, but that is also very dangerous. Tomorrow, I'll read about Kamala and Tim and their plans for lifting up everyone in our country. It will help me regain my sense of joy, my sense of hope.
Betsy, when I read about, then saw the pics, of dumpsters filled with books, I only hoped that there are other veteran “dumpster divers” out there that snagged a good many of them!!!!
Barbara, in my school district, the most disadvantaged in PA, by Republican demand, a private charter school corporation came in and was going to fix everything. They went through our schools and threw out resources, probably worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Some teachers went in the evenings when the guys in charge were gone and collected as many of the tossed items as they could, but couldn't get all of it, even most of it. Two years later when the corporation left our district, we thought the state had paid those private charter folks for the new resources (which they had), but the corporation claimed they owned all of them and we had only leased them (OK, the resources were crappy). They were allowed to get away with that, so our schools had next to nothing for the following couple of years until more supplies and books could be purchased, a lot bought by the teachers and staff. I had developed a lot of centers and collected books on tape for teachers to use with struggling students. All of that was gone and I had bought it with my own money. I say, how dare those University guys throw away any books. They were the property of the state. It seems it does not matter what is right; Republicans will do whatever they want and do whatever they can to see that no one interferes. And they care nothing for the people who are harmed by their actions.
They do it because they can get away with it. When will American voters wake up and demand adherence to our constituent and the rule of law by our elected officials and corporations? When will the obscenely wealthy be held to account just as the rest of us are?
It’s *starts* with a BLUE SWEEP- house, senate, and presidency. Next are the complicit, the myriad in between and last ….the handlers. There is no solace , no vindication…only time permits restoring dignity, unraveling the insidious webs. And we have to do this consistently …codifying, supporting law and clarifying these principles so deviance is seen early . We have enough. This CAN.BE.DONE.
Checks and Balances need the heart and soul of every citizen , we CAN forgive, not rewrite to forget…for only fools fodder lies to the listener.
And be sure the Dems we are electing are who they say they are. Power (and $ it can generate) is so easily corrupting, so vigilance is needed, regardless of the party affiliation 💙.
Manchin and Sinema come to mind. Both vote against their constituents best interest and the rest of the country. What other surprises are we gonna get from the Federalists' long game? I don't think they saw trump coming, but they sure knew how to weaponize him. It ain't over til the fat lady sings...or orange lady.
When? Perhaps when living is not made so complicated. So that the average person can earn a living and educate himself/ herself and have time and energy to take an active part in democracy. Living has been made so complicated . Everyday tasks were so simple and if you got stuck, there was someone you could call or go to who would be able to help or direct you to someone who could help. Now??? Who do you call, how long will you be on hold only to be disconnected or referred to a website since “ everyone “ has access to technology and the skills to use it.
Many of the public schools in Philadelphia have no librarian, (no functioning library), and no art supplies. They get by with volunteer librarians and donated art supplies from “friends of” the school organizations. I dropped off a stash of art supplies this week at H. A. Brown School and was received by the lead teacher beaming with gratitude.
Jeff, thanks so much for contributing to the students at that Philly school. I am just down the road from you, and we too have no librarians, hardly a music program when this district used to have amazing music and art programs. Sports are big, though. How do we get people to see that our children are our most valuable resource and that we should treat that resource well, with love, care, and above all, respect. Children need high-quality programs PreK through college that are public and free, not just what is cheapest i programs and materials, and most expensive when it comes to college. We need to push Harris-Walz to make public education and our kids a priority, then dump the vouchers and other attempts to undermine public schools.
Golly Ruth. That is absolutely terrible. The Rethuglican drive to create an ignorant populace is to my mind the most vile of their policies because even if we can "clean up" the mess left behind when they are ousted, in the long term the destruction of our system of public education and state-established institutions of higher education will result in a more docile population without the know-how to question and analyze the sh*(t being handed to them as "information."
Betsy, they are definitively NOT fighting ignorance; they are trying to ensure ignorance. The most dangerous thing for Republican politicians is an intelligent electorate.
And an intelligent society must give more than lip service to the word VOTE…we outnumber them? is this true..the voting stats do not reflect this, what’s up, huh? …last night I heard said ‘conservatives vote,liberals don’t’ ..I know the Dems lose miserably in our state under Republican control…people feel like their vote doesn’t count, so they don’t. Citizens United , Electoral College, Republican Gerrymanding ( and the retort ‘well the Dems do it too’..) looking the other way, not codifying laws , boards and supervising factions to permit liars,cheats, and felons time after time to get away with murder ? oh unintentional? ….BS!
Lip service is free, free speech is protected and BTW! so are the lies ie liars too…it’s time to put action in gear…
Betsy, I was complaining to a friend who is a Republican and a CPA, about the despicable Harold Hamm and how he made his money off of the natural resources (oil and gas) and then lobbying to reduce the taxes on the oil to that state of Oklahoma. The teachers in the State of Ok are some of the lowest paid in the country because they the legislature has reduced the taxes on oil because of Harold Hamm's and the other oil baron's bribing of state officials and their PR campaigns.
Anyway, he said, "well you could have done the same thing and been a billionaire."
I replied, "lots of people could but they would never be able to live with themselves."
Why would anyone want to live in a world where they have all the riches and everyone around them is wondering whether they can feed their family until the next pay day?
Gary, I have posted here before the saying “make a living, not a killing”. When is “enough” enough??? Some sure do seem to want more more more…well beyond what they need/can use in their lifetimes. Never have understood it, try as I might. Then again, I’ve never experienced any kind of “silver spoon” existence, so perhaps there are things I don’t understand!
Such a great point Barbara. When is enough enough?
And are the uber rich even self-aware?
The founder of Godfather's pizza was Willie Theisen. He started making pizza's in the kitchenn of a storefront bar. His friend owned the bar and they made a deal to keep their businesses separate. Willlie ended up franchising and became very wealthy.
Years later when his daughter was competing in an aquestrian event she took first place in a particular event. When she came over to her family and friends with the trophy, she said, "I love beating those rich kids."
If you're born into that world, as you say, maybe you would understand.
Here in tiny Bar Harbor, Maine. On beautiful Mt Desert Island, near spectacular Acadia National Park - we have had totally corrupt elected town councilors and their selected town managers. For years they've tied themselves to the corrupt and polluting cruise ship industry. It got so bad that we collected signatures to get a citizens initiative on the ballot - to return disembarkations to an economically and environmentally balanced and sustainable 1,000 a day. (Down from sometimes 3-5,000 a day.) The councilors and manager overstepped their authority and campaigned against it. When it won overwhelmingly, they were supposed to enforce the new law. But instead connived with cruise ship tourism profiteers to obstruct enforcement. Ginning up a legal suit against the town. The town manager was caught on tape illegally telling the chief profiteer how to defeat the town lawyer's case. The council let him go with a platinum parachute (more than $60,000) and an NDA. The town officials were so corrupt that a Federalist Society federal judge decided they were not representing the town and allowed a citizen convener to participate in the court proceedings to protect voters' interests. The judge decided the case in favor of the voters. The case also lost on appeal. The chief profiteer recently publicly broke the law and publicly challenged the town to prosecute him. (More drain on town resources.) Meanwhile the councilors and new manager are floating schemes to overturn the law on their own say so or through phony 'voting' processes. They and the business group (APPL) have cost the town tens of thousands of dollars taken from funds for emergency and essential services. Worse the town officials have mounted disinformation and misinformation campaigns to mislead voters. Even worse the town officials have targeted the resident who has diligently represented the voters on a volunteer basis and largely his own money and crowd funding, blaming him for all the problems. One councilor used his official email account to curse out this resident and suddenly large stickers cursing this person by name and cancelling him (with a photo of him) appeared all over town. The official corruption has been going on for two years. Some councilors have left or been voted back in because their opponents were even worse. Bar Harbor used to be called Eden. The original Eden had one snake with a tempting apple. Bar Harbor has a
many snakes and a rotten APPL.
We are lucky to have retired investigative reporter and Hearst electronic media honcho Lincoln Millstein investigating and reporting on all this in his QuietSide Journal. He has personally paid for innumerable Freedom of Information Act requests and then sorted through all of this.
In addition to Millstein's reporting and editorials we have the amazing and remarkable NYTimes Best Seller author and journalist Carrie Jones and her Bar Harbor Story substack. Jones provides thorough and in depth reporting every day - all the facts without editorializing. The full range of facts and documents Jones provides are even more damning than editorializing might be.
Awful. Makes me think of all those European cities where people are fighting back against the invasion of tourists. Under family pressure, I took a Carnival trip to the Caribbean years ago and vowed never to again. I'm so sorry to hear that Maine is being invaded.
It's not the tourists - it's the deep pocket town profiteers and corrupt officials.
Bar Harbor has always been a tourist town - since steam boats. But over the past decades officials and profiteers have skewed things to cruise ship tourism. The economy had more year round diversity and did fine before the tilt to cruise ship tourism. It did fine without cruise ships during the pandemic.
Two favorite cruise ship tourist comments.
1. On a park bus: "I guess it's OK that we did this, but it's just one tree after another."
2. In town: "No, no. We won't eat in town. We'll eat on the ship.
Lin, how depressing! I feel bad that your town has been subject to the unthinking cruise ship industry. I have been on two cruises in 14 years and the places I liked visiting best were places where the town was near enough to the ship to visit and eat local food and buy local gifts. My favorites were St. Johns and Halifax , Nova Scotia, and San Juan Puerto Rico. The people in those places were wonderful and the food was great. I am so sorry the people are not interested in really being in and learning about your community, and than that you all have to put up with visitors who are so oblivious.
Progwoman, I’ve taken two cruises (2003 to the Caribbean and 2006 to Alaska); both were chartered cruises and we were encouraged to shop and eat “local”, especially on the Alaska cruise. On one of our “excursions”, we bussed to a Native Alaska cultural presentation; our bonus was that our bus driver’s son was one of the dancers, and she asked if he could ride back with us.
This 14 year old gave us an in-depth presentation on the intricacies of the dances and history behind them, and answered questions for about 20 extra minutes before he needed to go back to class.
In one of our first trips into town, my wife said (as we walked past jewelry shops and kitschy souvenir shops) “Why does this feel like the Caribbean?” Answer was “It’s what the people on cruises want”. That was the last cruise we took.
Very interesting , that y’all. I do not plan to cruise about. Being a homebody is years of hard work on the farm creating my own paradise, giving thanks to a partner who saw and worked the same dream.
A recent train trip by friends visiting the friends of years ago showed American beauty , the vast differences, and I do love the somebody else driving…that it is thousands of dollars needs addressed as Europe is far cheaper. I left Maine after near 40 years , the influx of what used to be tourists bought up the countryside I once farmed, raised the taxes with McMansions , and all the problems pollution, burdening school systems that a growing populations faces . We need to acknowledge the now near 8 billion on this planet and better accommodate with supports in place before they burden. We have that knowledge. Better oversight/building codes , smaller homes, designing houses to withstand the heat/winds/tornadoes/droughts. Recycling/all wastes cared for in a circular process not needing dumps, clean up our oceans, save our rivers. Having to address it after ‘man’ destroys it is the price greed costs. Prevention , preservation, protection are not dirty words ..procrastination IS.
It's hard to believe that corruption of that magnitude, and of such clumsiness, could flourish in one of the most affluent, well-educated communities in the country.
The overwhelming majority of Bar Harbor voters support the 1000 disembarkations a day cap. Which has been obstructed by a small faction and town officials.
Words fail me! I cannot even imagine how 1,000 cruise ships could visit in a day, let alone 3-5000. The harbor itself is so small they must be anchoring way out. What a mess! The crowds must be horrendous. The damage to the environment horrible. I lived outside Bucksport in the 70’s and in Orono in the 80’s. We went down to Bar Harbor and Acadia often and it was magical. I visited once in the 90’s and couldn’t handle how crowded it was then. The local corruption you cite is staggering. It’s hard to believe this is happening in Maine. Keep up the good fight!
One cruise ship can disembark 3000-5000 people. One company has a monopoly on the tenders and piers (which should be run by the town but the council gave it away.)
In Barcelona, the townspeople, armed with water pistols, have been squirting tourists. In Venice, tourists are charged five Euros for day visits. Unregulated tourism turns a wonderful destination into a place with no personality.
Betsy, ah, you have identified a major problem we are facing. Those who are corrupt often have the biggest mouths and are able to dig into their treasure chests to pay for silence related to their corruption or just make up all kinds of excuses as Menendez of New Jersey did (the corruption has been known about for years and had enough people cared, he would not have been permitted to run for Senate 6 years ago). Trump has been raking in the bucks from people who thought they were supporting his campaign. In a way they were supporting his campaign because those bucks let him pay lawyers who were able to make it look like he was not the criminal he actually is, letting those pathetic folks think they were helping an innocent, put-upon guy who didn't deserve what was being done to him. Republicans don't have a lock on corruption, but they are right now, the masters of it and they have had presidents who were right on board: Nixon, Reagan, Trump, and maybe the Bush's (although the Bush's didn't have to be corrupt themselves, they had wars to help with that and a whole lot of contractors to help with the corruption along the way. It really is disgusting, but how do we get people to care enough to do something about it? Maybe Harris and Walz can wield that spotlight and people will pay attention. It could happen!
Yes, Betsy. Sadness for Americans so easily fallen for cultism, vulgarity.
But let's look at another etiology for this, such large-scale human emptiness.
If one goes to school where one learns to reduce life to numbers, units, commodities, by that proportion of course one dehumanizes. Such then -- even the most apparently elite, "elevated" -- can assume the right to package all women, say, to medievalism – or arrogate the right to rule their favorite orange criminal as above, beyond, immune to the law. Such can presume predator profit as the only motive any might ever have. Like Clarence on his corrupt court, such can deign as mere “gratuities” the millions of dollars Long Dong has long taken from the billionaires rewarding him for his rulings always for the rich, only for the rich.
Schools? How often might teachers absent humanities from themselves, from their courses, whatever the levels, whatever their reasons for so neutering?
Of course, no one has ever sought to put any numbers to that question. As higher ed financialized for the banks and for high-paid admin, and as K-12 similarly let standardized testing float more billionaires, maybe we can take for granted rule by our living dead.
Thus we have no numbers for how many in American schools are ever without any humanities?
I love that! It could become viral—like "weird" to describe peculiar MAGA behavior and policies—Instead of the Democrat's usual overly-intellectualized, long-winded explanations that get no traction because they're opaque.
That gave me an idea: Trump's face on a pitcher of Kool-aid. I tried to use an AI image generator and got a red-orange devilish Trump's head on a glass pitcher, in front of an American flag. It would go great with a caption, "Come here kids, and drink my Kool-aid ". Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to add an image here.
I love that! It could become viral. A clear statement—like using "weird" to describe peculiar MAGA behavior and policies—instead of the Democrat's usual overly-intellectualized, long-winded explanations that get no traction because they're opaque.
I love that! It could become viral—like "weird" to describe peculiar MAGA behavior and policies—Instead of the usual overly-intellectualized, long-winded explanations that get no traction because they're opaque.
I love that! It could become viral—like "weird" to describe peculiar MAGA behavior and policies—Instead of the usual overly-intellectualized, long-winded explanations that get no traction because they're opaque.
I love that! It could become viral—like "weird" to describe peculiar MAGA behavior and policies—Instead of the Democrat's usual overly-intellectualized, long-winded explanations that get no traction because they're opaque.
I love that! It could become viral. Something easily understood—like characterizing MAGA behavior and policies "weird"—instead of the usual Democrat's intellectualized, long-winded explanations that get no traction for their opaqueness.
Regarding the comment that the 'whole role' of postmenopausal women is to take care of grandchildren. Question for JD: What is the 'whole role' of post-ejaculatory males?
I had no children or grandchildren. And I am not a cat person. I knit hats and scarves for charity. Let's all vote blue and write JD's Hillbilly Eulogy.
Oh Amanda, don't you know every male thinks he is "manly" until death! I know old men have fathered children, but I suspect just like the young ones, many of them do not see child-rearing as a prime task in life; getting money and power, particularly for Republican, christian-nationalist males is the thing, no matter who is hurt, then they pass their "virility" (toxic masculinity) and inhumanity on to their offspring. It's tradition!
Reminds me of the kerfuffle when Viagra was first released. I talked to many a woman in the office with her husband admonishing me "don't give that to the old goat". ED may be a male version of menopause, just more research and effort went into treatment than menopause, as usual.
Cameron, yes, I do remember friends making comments about the male "correction" drugs. If women had been able to control research, we would already have drugs to stop male war aggression, at least some domestic violence, and maybe even teen-age male temporary hormone-induced insanity. Maybe that's a direction Kamala and Tim should take the NIH into. Even men would be happier because fewer of them would be imprisoned for acts their anger and toxic masculinity engendered.
horhai, I can't imagine JD being on any couch to either help or be helped. He is so wrapped up in himself and his self-created perfection, he can't change more than his names over time, and that was because his family changed, not him.
We will forget about him soon enough, once the election is over he’ll be a footnote in the history books. He doesn’t’ deserve the time it takes to type his name whatever it is.
Not only are you correct on all charges Ruth, I suspect a bit more. For instance, that all the drama and hopeful hoopla inducement around tfg's veep selection was entirely a production. I believe jd was long ago pre-selected by the 'real bosses' for his similarities to the OiD.
D4N, I do believe you are right about Vance already having been picked by the donors, just as Pence was picked in 2016 when Trump may have been leaning toward Chris Christie. The Republican anti-American collective know what they want because if they can get those jerks into office, there is very little they can't do to steal and keep power. How any decent person could possibly vote for them is beyond comprehension. It's like voting for your own destruction.
And, those guys, Trump-Vance are so malleable it is insane!
Money and corruption, whether it relates to a private sector entity looking for, essentially, a massive payout in tax credits, obscure billionaires looking to stack the judicial system with sycophants who will ignore years of precedent to provide rulings benefitting wealth and corporations over people, planet, and most importantly, settled law, or a narcissist billionaire providing millions of dollars on a monthly basis to elect a corrupt/convicted felon -because he will shift greater tax liability from the wealthy to workers and families all prevent meaningful justice and democracy in America.
The policies implemented by Reagan -"trickle-down" fraud, the attacks on Labor Unions, the myth of "Big Government" to sell privatization, and shifting the cost of higher education to students and families, were all so deeply anti-democracy.
While any meaningful form of democracy requires an informed, educated, and engaged society, meaningful democracy cannot co-exist with the extreme concentration of wealth stemming from fraud like "trickle down." Even without the implementation of the deeply sinister Project 2025/Agenda 47 -the economics favoring billionaires and corporations over people accomplishes much of the same thing in terms of any balance of societal power versus highly organized and extreme wealth.
Mouthy (and “nasty”) women can (and prolly should) rule the world. One would have to be a charter member of the Glass Bellybutton Club to insult/take on that demographic. They remember and they VOTE.
The GOP-MAGA-Rush Limbaughesque pathological need to have an “Other” to use as a scapegoat is ingrained in modern conservatism. The Civil Rights era took some of the sting out of anti-Black racism, think Lee Atwater’s dying apologies. The fire was then redirected to homosexuals, but too many pols had relatives who were homosexual, so that wasn’t sufficiently toxic. Transsexuals became the target du jour. The easily hyped eeeeww factor, combined with their relatively infrequent occurrence in society made them the perfect target.
How many people know or have even met a transsexual? I’ve known two, the first was in 1975 when I was a new grad student. She had recently been formally ‘diagnosed’ by the Stanford University medical group working to identify it as a genuine expression of human sexual identity. The other was an undergrad student intern in my lab in the mid 2010s. Both described their experience in remarkably similar terms: A strong feeling from as early as they could remember that the universe had played a particularly cruel prank on them, of having been born into the wrong body.
I have quite a few patients who are trans. They’re mostly nice people trying to make it on a day by day basis just like the rest of us. So sad that they have been targeted by the right wing MAGA cult and don’t have a lot of people supporting them.
For those who don’t know who Lee Atwater was in the annals of branding opponents as “Other”, here’s some information from his Wikipedia page. Note his intentional use of coded language.
“ Harvey LeRoy "Lee" Atwater (February 27, 1951 – March 29, 1991) was an American political consultant and strategist for the Republican Party. He was an adviser to Republican U.S. presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush and chairman of the Republican National Committee. Atwater aroused controversy through his aggressive campaign tactics, especially the Southern strategy.”
“ Atwater: Y'all don't quote me on this. You start out in 1954 by saying, "Ni***r, n****r, n****r". By 1968, you can't say "n****r"—that hurts you. Backfires. So you say stuff like forced busing, states' rights and all that stuff. You're getting so abstract now [that] you're talking about cutting taxes, and all these things you're talking about are totally economic things and a byproduct of them is [that] blacks get hurt worse than whites. And subconsciously maybe that is part of it. I'm not saying that. But I'm saying that if it is getting that abstract, and that coded, that we are doing away with the racial problem one way or the other. You follow me—because obviously sitting around saying, "We want to cut this", is much more abstract than even the busing thing, and a hell of a lot more abstract than "N****r, n****r". So, any way you look at it, race is coming on the back-burner.[16]”
“You understand what I’m saying? We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin. And then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities,” Ehrlichman said. “We could arrest their leaders. raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.” - John Ehrlichman
As I recall, Atwater was more or less a contemporary of Newt Gingrich, who came up with the "Contract On America" idea. Sort of a warm up for Project 2025.
I recommend reading Seth Cotlar’s newsletter titled Rightlandia. His current deep dive regarding the 70+ year drift by the Republican party in Oregon toward extreme right wing thinking is illuminating and underscores Professor Richardson’s points in her newsletter tonight. Professor Cotlar teaches American History at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon.
I’m from Oregon. Our progressive patina has some serious blemishes. The original state constitution prohibited Blacks from living in the state, and there was one documented lynching, in 1902 if I recall correctly. Friends and relatives from the south coast say there was another.
We’ve had some good to excellent Republicans, as well as some real Neanderthals.
On the positive side, Governor and Senator Mark Hatfield was a voice of reason during the Vietnam War.
On the knuckle dragging end is Amon Bundy and his family of terrorists, who have fortunately decamped to Idaho.
The word Utopia literally means no-place and every populated part of the planet has a share of creeps, as so far as I can tell, some horrors in it's history but the overall state of civil behavior appears to be to some degree regional and cultural. Racism, for example, is more virulent in some regions than others, which obviously is not to say uniform for every individual within such regions. And institutions ans well as culture evinces change, even if varieties of expressions of human nature seem to historically persist. The Democrats were once the ones carrying the confederate flags, while Republicans fought for Abolition.
Maybe it's just me (and I don't mean any offense) but I tend to look askance at political figure who starts a sentence with "y'all." I know. I really need to work on my biases
It's all in the tone. And facial expressions help. I've had people say "Well, bless your heart" in a way that sends a chill down my spine.
I guess a synonym might be "down home and folksy."
And y'all can get some pretty decent cornpone down south - spread some butter on it, top it off with honey or maple syrup. Um! That's some good eatin.' I've got some kinfolk from down south - fine folks - very hospitable. I don't hear from them very often. They might all be dead for all I know. Bless their hearts. 😘
Ed, yes, trans persons are now the target, but the haters among Republicans and some independents are like Argus with his eyes always open looking. They have also focused on Drag performers because, I guess there are not enough trans persons. What Republican voters don't understand is that these people have respect for no one and if they think they can make points by targeting those Republican voters, small groups at a time, they will. They already despise rural people, farmers (they don't push that one too much because after all, they need food and they are not going to grow it for themselves), teachers, health care workers, and the list will go on forever until everyone is subjugated and afraid to do anything, just as in dictatorships around the world. We need to be working hard to put a stop to this insanity and get those mostly white men doing this targeting, out of power, find ways to discredit them and their actions. We will need better courts and legislators to do that. Those guys have a lot of weapons and are not afraid to use them against anyone. Don't forget the McCarthy hearings. He did not run those hearings alone and they destroyed a lot of lives. We don't need that crap again even though Little Mikey Johnson would like to get it going in the House. We need to get his constituents to realize they have voted for a jerk and need someone better, who represents them instead of his hateful, pseudo-christian self.
Trump is a one-trick phony. The Republicans "sold their souls to the devil" with their full on embrace of the old yet effective "Dark Art", "Divide et Impera", "Divide and Rule" "WE the People" not. I "other" the MAGA's here, but also recognize that most are being had, and even if freedom rings, and the kingpins jailed, or just publicly rejected, we have to craft a way for millions of citizens to enjoy their own rights and live together. Yet fascism must be stopped.
Well, I think the term "transsexual" is much too strong. There are some of us with kiddos who are biologically of one gender but identify as the other. They are just kids!!!!
I think in terms of transgender, not transsexual. The Right Wing is so obsessed with genitals and S E X it is ridiculous. Their minds live in the gutter.
Religion seems admirable insofar as it urges us to be kind to our neighbor, but the sex and gender thing, the denial of sexuality and or fundamental animal nature is pathological. I feel profound gratitude to be a sentient being, and for so many beneficent human capacities such as to enjoy the beauty and fragrance of flowers, the unique (as I type) warmth on my arm of gentle sunshine, of the unique warmth, excitement, and focused connection with the body of another human being. Or of brilliant art or poetry, or even (in moderation) some cheesy escapist video (my guilty pleasure is foreign murder "mysteries"). It seems to me some fine things have been set upon our table, but (often) we only want the ones that we can't get.
"Mind in the gutter" was a phrase I heard repeatedly from male youth "leaders" growing up in Ohio in the 1950-'60 if any kid said anything that hinted of awareness of sexuality.
" Life in Lubbock, Texas, taught me ... that sex is the most awful, filthy thing on earth and you should save it for someone you love." - Butch Hancock
Yeah. They run the gamut from objecting to supplying feminine hygiene products in schools, to wanting to tell post-menopausal women what to do with their time. And they seem particularly interesting in the period (no pun!) in between.
Ed, there is a difference between “transsexual”, “transgender” and “transvestite” as they are used in the common vernacular. The more common use today is “transgender” as it acknowledges a spectrum of expression beyond an “either male or female” expression and experience of gender presentation.
I have friends (three) who have kids who are transgender and have completed or are on the path to gender reassignment medical involvement. I have three adult friends who have completed gender reassignment. All are so much more centered and calm in their bodies.
Any reference to sex is a button-pusher for MAGAs; wink-wink, nudge, nudge for their own, and condemnation when referring to others, so that's part of messaging also. That does not mean the word should change. Openness and pride are disinfectant if the coup can be stopped.
I know a few TS individuals, all very different from one another. None have any quality of personality or character that would provoke people to “other” them - except that they acknowledge the bias imposed on them.
The history of corruption in America is the history of a failure of values. The war between being honest and honorable and being a liar and corrupt is the story of human history. But in creating a government based on self rule, the founding fathers created a nation that calls on our better angels to win the day. That contest could end if we had leaders who didn’t just propose laws aiming to stop bad behavior, but also created a spiritual revival in which the real religious values of “love thy neighbor” were celebrated in a way that pushed out the fake religious values championed by people like Ron DeSantis today. I would love it if the Democrats honored the legacy of Jimmy Carter by creating some kind of values based movement with him as the central example of how all Americans can live!
Something went wrong. I mean, yes, of course all those demented on the far right, always stewing, forefingers always needing to be erect at something.
But we could take better care that, when people use some personal literacy, they don't also clutter things up with any slogans or other code language such as "theory" was so full of. Those abstractions are just going to invite warriors perceiving in-group indulgences.
If we really do go to some personal literacy, with some humanities, we need instructors tuned to literacy freed of any tricky slogans, abstractions, and other group-affiliate trip wires.
When we get that, Israeli Jews can communicate as individuals with Palestinian Arab neighbors. People around the world withdrawn into grievance group identities can talk with "others" as people, rather than all the hoary old groups: Sunni-Shia; Hutu-Tutsi, Hungarian-Romanian; U.S. inner city black - rural white; Russian nationalist - Russian non-nationalist; Japanese - Chinese or Japanese - Korean).
Corruption is human. It takes discipline and publicly-sanctioned habits to avoid it. It’s like driving on a freeway. We see a lot of people speeding. We see occasional accidents. Mostly we see people staying in lane, driving safely. But the moment one person slips into taking advantage of the system — for instance, by driving on the shoulder — others immediately join in. We need laws, shame, nudges, AND an inner sense of fairness and morality to keep corruption at bay. The republicans normalized it for their core group, but they’re not the only ones.
I guess we will have to agree to disagree. I believe corruption is "learned behavior"... not something we are born with. This is why when we see corruption that goes unpunished certain people decide to follow in their example. By seeing they did not pay a price for being corrupt, we "learn" it's something we should consider doing too. But without such examples, we remain good people our entire lives... especially if we have good examples to follow that reinforce the feelings we are born with.
Christian nationalists have turned their religion into a dick they are trying to shove down everyone's throat. Christianity is losing more and more members. I didn't "lose" my faith; I outgrew religion just like I outgrew my belief in Santa Claus.
I was taught (at home) that you have one set of rules you live by, not one for in private and another for in public with outsiders. I have the same code in the virtual world as in the physical world.
I laugh about their cries of socialism. The pledge of allegiance was written by a Christian Socialist minister and modified by Congress.
It is not about morals or values. These are religious constructs. The driving internal principle is how much empathy the person possesses (ability) and their willingness to apply (willingness).
Love Heather's fourth paragraph on the Republican who'd root for Trump taking a dump on stage.
Most of the politics of the far right has for years been of this foul nature -- as Heather also cites Joe Conason's excellent "The Longest Con" to verify.
It's a hot house, an orgy of the foul -- similar to how Clarence Thomas took it upon himself back in the Anita Hill days to entertain women in his office with Long Dong tales from porn he loved.
Republicans since the days of "The Longest Con" have never had any humanities much more edifying than Clarence's Long Dong tales. But they live in a vacuum. And in proportion to their human emptiness, their need to package women, their ebullience at their orange felon posturing above the law, they stew in self-replicating suspicion, paranoia, hatreds, venom, vitriol.
I wonder how many come from bullying authoritarian families. I have read and heard very creepy stories about those who conflate violence (not all of it physical) with "tough love".
Agreed, and in order to deal, understand. Better understand anyway. Our survival as a species may depend on it. Understanding anything, from basic physics to existential sentient experience gives us our best collective shot at fulfilling lives. Socrates said that the unexamined life is not worth living, but strikes me as uncharitable, but does it not make sense that the unexamined life is less enriched, and might even miss the boat. Fortune favors the prepared mind.
Yes. Everyone needs to learn to identify their emotions. I am ______ because _______. Then grab a bucket of ice cubes, go outside, and through them against a wall. Gets rid of the emotional energy, there's no harm, no mess to clean up.
“You can fool all the people some of the time, and you can fool some of the people all of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.” A Lincoln.
Trump/Vance are fooling fewer and fewer less of the time.
"You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time." This is how the quote should appear … one of my pet peeves.
Yes spellcheck is worse than incompetent at this point. I watch it drop words that I have typed, or just change the word I typed to some other word after I have hit send. Thanks for the correction. Read what it means, not what it says.
Given the fact that there is some question as to whether or not he actually said it, when he said it, and by whom and under what circumstances it was remembered, peeve away.
“…stories of Republican corruption. And they’re doozies.”
Indeed they are, but the corruption of the United States Supreme Court, creating a solid majority of Republican political hacks, with lifetime appointments, should be at the top of the list.
Thank you for covering New College today. I am heartbroken that MAGA targeted what was an amazing educational experimental institution and specifically used the takeover to promote squashing of young adults working for and explorong diversity, equity and inclusion for todays world... A dumpster of books and closure of safe place for discusion of black history, women, sexual identity, religious beliefs, etc. to be replaced by volleybalI ..they are also demolishing a nature preserve for a sports field...I graduated from New College in 1971... Fifty some years later, I continue to be grateful for the start the college gave me to explore, learn, care, challenge and persevere. It was an amazing place. We studied under some and were introduced to some of the leading minds of today and yesterday... From history, chemistry, comparitive religions and governments, environmental concerns, art, music, psychology, chemistry, statistics, ... Buckmaster Fuller to Segovia. For a girl from the very rural Blue Ridge mountains it was a stretch the opened the world.
Trump and his mega Republican party are desperate. Trump and Vance can't handle the challenge of Harris and Walz. They can criticize Kamala and Tim with the rhetoric of lies until their blue in the face but the majority of us who believe in Democracy know better. If anything, this neurotic behavior by Trump and Vance will only lure more voters towards the Harris / Waltz campaign.
Well, you've gotta watch out for those "mouthy" women, that's for sure. 🤫 They might just take over this country and instill some common sense for a change.
And maybe if Royce White can raise enough money for Trump he will come through and fulfill White's public potty fantasy. Apparently the "stable genius" will do most anything for the right price.
Is this a surprise to anybody reading this newsletter. Harry Truman was quoted as saying "Socialism is the epithet that the6 have hurled at every advancement that the people have made in the last 20 years. Socialism is their name for almost anything that helps all the people.” Yep, except that now it’s more like 80 years and add commies to the socialist blather. They are a broken record. And a broken party. When will MSM notice?
When I was on FB and T, I often posted stats regarding the corruption of Dems and Repubs. The difference is Astounding. It listed only convictions and repubs were the runaway winners. Not too many like Menendez pretending to be Dems.
The unmitigated gall of every Repub is exposed by the way they flaunt the accusations hurled at Dems for their own egregious actions. That is Goebbels at his best. Accuse your opponent of that which you are guilty. The bullies need to be called out. Dems have been on the defensive for most of my adult life. Every accusation is a confession. Scream it from the rooftops. Some have no ears. Some do.
Remember, DJT is a malignant narcissist. Named for Narcissus, who fell in love with his own reflection. None could convince him it was not another man and he needed to leave. The result was - he died.
To begin with, there is too much money in politics, much too much money and not the least in American politics. It simply invites brainless treasure hunters into the 'trade', unfortunately.
Outside spending in 2024 federal election has been over $1 billion to date!
"Super PACs and other outside groups that can raise and spend unlimited sums of money have poured about $1.1 billion into 2024 federal elections as of August 15—nearly twice what similar groups spent over the same period in the 2020 presidential election cycle when independent expenditures hit an all-time record," OpenSecrets reports.
"Donald Trump’s main super PAC, MAGA Inc., is the biggest outside spender with $125.1 million pouring into the 2024 presidential election since the start of the cycle."
"United Democracy Project, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's super PAC, has spent more than $35 million on congressional races, most of it toward efforts to oust progressive lawmakers the group deems insufficiently supportive of Israel."
"AIPAC—which vowed to spend $100 million on 2024 elections—played a key role in defeating Democratic Reps. Jamaal Bowman (N.Y.) and Cori Bush (Mo.) in recent primaries. The group has come under fire for attacking Black and brown members of Congress and for supporting Republicans who took part in Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election results."
Gaaa, and I often wonder what could be accomplished if those resources could be diverted to affordable housing or free college or technical education. Just like money spent on war it seems such a waste. I make a contribution and feel like the money I contributed is used to harass me into giving more. There has to be a better way.
Jamal Bowman voiced support for Hamas immediately after they perpetrated the October 7 massacre. That was lack of support for basic humanitarian values. He certainly lost my support after that. A lot of people in his district felt the same way.
AOC has opposed the war in Gaza while also opposing Hamas’ atrocities. She has publicly refused to join the demonization of Jews that is all too prevalent on the left. (Yes, the bigots on the right are worse. That’s not my topic here.). AOC won her primary easily. Ilhan Omar won her primary in a heavily Jewish district.
My point is that the two Squad members who lost the right to represent their districts were not merely “insufficiently supportive of Israel”. They were actively supportive of a horrific attack on Israeli civilians.
22 years in prison for the Colorado election clerk. Justice moves swiftly for those without political power or money. When will justice be served to Trump?
How about more swiftly on this November’s presidential Election Day with a sound and decisive defeat at the ballot box … along with trouncing defeats of some - if not all of - the MAGA-related cult members vying for positions of trust like the one running for the governorship in North Carolina, Mark Robinson and Royce White, candidate for the U.S. Senate in Minnesota … just to mention two!
Can't see White gaining much support with statements like that in Minnesota against Amy Klobuchar, who is enormously popular here. Our Lt Governor, hopefully new Governor, is also wonderful.
I hope you're right! All that talk of protecting "true" Americans smacks of inequality.
Yeah, those "true" Americans whose families came from somewhere else, European countries sent their "human trash" to the New World. That way the poor didn't negatively impact their "betters." Check out the book, White Trash: The 400 Year Old History of Class in America by Nancy Isenberg.
Jenn, thanks for mentioning this book. America was regarded as some kind of giant workhouse. And of course, it was empty because Native Americans were regarded as a part of the fauna to be exploited and/or eliminated. They weren't Christians and they didn't have a government that was discernible to Europeans, hence, they were "savages".
Michele. It is a terrible legacy. Facing the truth would make us a better country. We must realize how much the elites control the message.
The English settlers were tolerated by Native North Americans because they thought they would provide protection from the Spanish they considered worse (enslavers instead of traders). The French seemed accepted further north as traders, as it seems Dutch were also.
Back in 1619, an ancestor on my wife’s side of the family, Captain Henry Fleete had sailed on some of Lord Warwick’s ships, one of which was the White Lion that brought the first slaves (captured from a Portuguese ship) to an English settlement in Virginia in August 1619, and the Warwick.
See https://mdroots.thinkport.org/library/henryfleet.asp
“…He was interested in trading with the Patawomeke (Potomac) Indians who lived along the Potomac River near the present site of Washington, D.C. However, the Patawomeke's enemies, the Nacotchtank (Anacostan) Indians, raided the Patawomeke village in 1623. They killed both Virginians and Patawomekes and took the survivors captive. Fleet was among the survivors.
The Nacotchtanks kept him as their prisoner for five years. Finally, the Virginia government paid the Nacotchtanks a ransom to release Fleet. Fleet had carefully observed the Nacotchtanks while living with them, learning to speak their language. His decided to use his experiences with the Indians and skills as a sailor to earn his living…
…When the Maryland colonists arrived in Virginia in 1634, Fleet agreed to act as a guide for Governor Leonard Calvert. He translated the Indian language into English when the Governor first met with the Piscataways and Yoacomacos, natives of southern Maryland. Governor Calvert and the Werowance, or village chieftain, of the Yoacomacos agreed to exchange: the Yoacomacos gave a village to Governor Calvert. In return, Calvert promised to protect the Yoacomacos from their enemies. Captain Fleet helped make this exchange possible, so that the Calverts had land to build St. Mary's City, the first capital of Maryland.2
The Calverts gave Fleet the rights to trade with the Indians for beaver skins in Maryland territory. On one trading mission for Lord Baltimore, Fleet sailed a ship called Deborah that was loaded with a valuable cargo of goods…
…Captain Fleet's career demonstrates that traders were important as middlemen between the English and Native American populations…”
We had thought Henry Fleete must have been on the Warwick in late 1619 with additional captured Portuguese slaves on their way to Virginia when the Warwick was sunk during a hurricane in Castle Harbour, Bermuda, probably a participant in acquiring captured slaves, before his adventures trading with Native North Americans. The descendants are proud of his dealings with Native Americans, but totally oblivious to any possible connections to transporting slaves, apparently eventually sold as “indentured servants,” as the only slight disconnect from “slavery” as it is traditionally known as.
See An Ancient Window, The Wreck of the Warwick in Bermuda
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lecpJGsYwY&t=176s
[Latest new info learned today is that the Warwick probably had slaves intended for Bermuda, and another of Lord Warwick's ships, the Treasurer, was likely the second ship to land slaves in Virginia since it was with the White Lion when they captured Portuguese slaves, and arrived some weeks after the White Lion.]
Seems Native North Americans were more tolerant of English immigrants than they should have been, though it seemed like the better curse at the time. (The typo “curse” for "course" actually seems more appropriate.
Reminds me of the 8 years we lived in Hawaii and the Native Hawaiian's reminding us the Missionaries came to do good, and did very well (for themselves).
The very base of Colonial settlements around the world. Australia, even New Zealand, the African continent, and China still with it's quelling of minorities. One group thinking "we know better" subjugating another. Damn.
Thank you for your insight.
Essentially, it was the same in other nations which took ill advantage of the native populations. Other examples include Australia, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and Palestine. White European invader settlers, all with a "settler mindset" dictating to those who lived on their land for centuries.
I just placed this book on hold at my library. I was surprised they had it, I live in an extremely red state.
From a retired librarian: That's what some good libraries try to do! They can borrow it for you if they don't own it.
Some states may well have the red atmosphere; libraries usually have the blue atmosphere so all may be well read.
Sounds like a book worth reading! Thanks for the suggestion!
I read in "City of Dreams".,The 400 year epic history of immigrant New York, ( Tyler Anbinder )that in the mid-1800's, Germany dumped many "undesirables" across the ocean. One has to wonder: how did Trump's ancestors end up in the USA.......Did they fund their journey or were they dumped? And, all those other racist "superior race" whites?
Just downloaded, thx for the suggestion
What it really smacks of is racism -- and how the GOP elite manage to use racism to perpetuate the inequality that keeps them at the top. I can't wait for their whole sick pyramid to come crashing down, with them at the bottom of the rubble.
Exactly so, only slightly veiled prejudice.
I hope you're right. I have high regard for Senator Klobuchar.
She had a great interview with Jon Stewart on his weekly show.
Happy to hear that.
This Minnesotan agrees with you, Cameron! I’m donating to Amy!
Good point. Two former G.O.P. Representatives have co-founded Republicans for Harris*. Their premise? To get the Party they believe in back, the former President needs to get his head handed to him on a platter come November.
EDIT: * thank you, Art Kleiner for pointing out the mistake. Wow! The difference a word can make!
A landslide D victory in November is a real possibility that I hope will be realized, but it's important to remember that is only treating a symptom of the authoritarian impulse, and not curing the disease.
When people stop acting like Trump, and/or supporting figures like Trump, it will be because we cured the disease. And when we cure the disease, it will be because there is a sufficiently accurate and widely accepted understanding of its root cause. That must happen or we're just going to end up experiencing another symptom of the same disease. IMHO, the biggest obstacle in our way is an inaccurate but widely accepted pessimism about our ability to cure the disease.
We need a fair and balanced media to cure the ill they've brought us. Maga could not of done it by themselves but they had a good start with social media. How do you get balance without destroying democracy?
"There is no particular thing that you can do alone. The 'I' in it is very small, after all. We are all here to have a kind of living of our own and to be recognized for what we are." —Marian Anderson.
The question is not whether the 'I' in it is very small. It is regardless of whether the one thing many people are doing together is serving the greater good or serving a part at the expense of the whole.
The bad guys have a small short-term advantage and an enormous long-term disadvantage. The good guys have a small short-term disadvantage and an enormous long-term advantage.
How do you get balance without destroying democracy? Start by assume that we can, and then assume that we have to work together to figure out how.
Keep a lookout for "Project Liberty." My son (Braxton Woodham) has been working on this project under Frank McCourt, Jr. as well as with many others. You might be interested in Frank's book: Our Biggest Fight: Reclaiming Liberty, Humanity, and Dignity in the Digital Age.
Indeed, it's a disease. Paul Levy's book Dispelling Wetiko explains it clearly. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13642726-dispelling-wetiko
When I first heard Kellyanne Conway refer to 'alternative facts' as a valid explanation for the bazaar comments coming out of Trump and his cronies' mouths, I understood. It's a method of gaslighting that is the language of the MAGA party doing their best to destroy the idea of the American Dream according to their selfish ideas bred by fear. That is not the founder's intention! I have great faith in our current leaders and the Constitution. I especially have faith in the majority of Americans who will vote for Harris/Walz in droves that override anything these selfish, fear-mongering, controlling, criminally greedy people have in mind. If you want to live the way of Project 2025 or The Trump Agenda, try living in Hungary. This is The United States of America, after all!
Let me guess what "Dispelling Wetiko" entails: we all must treat one another the way we would want to be treated if the shoe was on the other foot in word and in deed, and in literally every context. How'd I do?
Gaslighting is nothing more and nothing less than the perpetrator serving an exclusive interest that excludes the victim.
Thank you! I have been saying that those who think the MAGA agenda for America is a good one should move to Hungary. I appreciate others suggesting this as well. I told a family member to plan a move instead forcing the rest of us to live in Hungary right here in the US.
Perfectly said.
Responding to James R:
We have a population in this country that prefers ‘bumpersticker’ explanations. Immediate results. Understanding this disease and seeing the hard work to root it out isn’t easy, or comfortable. It will be a long haul, with many distractions. This disease didn’t start recently, and will not be revealed and reduced quickly. I believe the work is necessary, to save democracy , our county and our grandchildren’s lives.
No argument here. Your last sentence tells me you're keeping your eye on the prize. My only concern is for when people with good intent forget the "why" by getting lost in the "how."
I am not smart enough to figure out "how" to get the job done! And it won't be in my life time that I have remaining!
🎯
Spot on. Trump is symptomatic of how far off the rails things have gotten. First, we treat the toxic expression of the underlying disease (trounce him in the ballot box), then we go to work on healing the body politic - which is a much harder task, but the one we need to address. There are signs everywhere of the underlying disease.
Correct. It is a much harder task. But in addition to being hard, it is also easy. The easy part is Step 1, the hard part is Step 2, and Step 1 is in my response to Gayle.
And it isn't going away with the election. It has been there a long time and most of us were not aware of them....hiding in plain site!
Articulate, as always, Sir James. 🤝A landslide would be great. One thing I try to keep in mind is that, while l greet Vice President Harris's enthusiasm with gratitude, I must remind me that her time in the White House will likely disappoint me. 🤫 Not because the Vice President will under-perform; she may very well have a fine presidency. ✌🏽No one can match my sky-high expectations. 😳
interesting mea culpa, Ned ...
I keep things in the "I" when I am concerned that I may offend someone with 'you'. In this case, I sense that many people set themselves up for disappointment by thinking all or even many problems will go away once a preferred candidate assumes power.
EDIT: to re-work the original malapropism: I keep things in the eye "in the mirror" when . . . .
And that, I believe, is partly because we don't educate ourselves about how the government can work for the people - all the people - and what it takes to make sure that's what happens.
What would happen if the highest priority for every fifth-grade teacher was to ensure that every student ends the school year knowing that it is always possible and always mutually beneficial to adhere to the golden rule in word and deed, and in literally every context? I believe that vision of the future is possible. And I believe that the effect will be that sixth-grader will be adhering to the first principle of all the world’s great religions, democracy, science, and capitalism (the original Adam Smith version, and not Milton Friedman's fundamentalist ideology that most people now think of as capitalism). I think that's what it takes to make sure government works for all the people.
In this vision, I've named these future fifth-graders "the children of the revolution" based on a paraphrased T Rex lyric: "You can fool some people, but you won’t fool the children of the revolution."
Electing a Democratic Trifecta in 2024 will bring about the needed “medicine” to cure the disease: The Freedom To Vote Act; the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act; SCOTUS Reform w/a rollback of their insidious rulings that took away our freedoms; and reforming the way we elect a President: The National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC); or states rolling back the “winner take all electoral votes” to provide true representation within each state - thank you Professor Richardson for bringing this up in your recent Politics Chat!)
All of the above will fortify our democracy and support we the people so our voices will be heard.
https://www.commoncause.org/work/national-popular-vote/
All the measures you describe are good and absolutely necessary, but insufficient until they achieve the ultimate goal of allowing everyone's voice to be heard. That's not something one side decides for the other.
Specifically, everyone needs a safe space that allows their voice to be heard ... even when their beliefs are otherwise harmful. As Derek Black & Matthew Stevenson can attest, it takes a lot of time, energy, and attention. Ref: On Being podcast, Befriending Radical Disagreement. But we have to keep reminding ourselves that because too many people with otherwise turn to con artists like Trump, it's much harder to deal with the consequences of not doing it. That said, I'm confident Harris and Walz understand this.
There are too many individuals with the same mindset as tffg!
But they are still out there and apparently they have lots of money!
James: Curing the disease in this case would involve wholesale "deprogramming" of the sick. MAGA people are wholly acting out of emotion. Any rational explanation or approach does not work. I see the solution in revamping the educational system, teaching elementary school kids the skills of critical thinking.
"It happens like this always: when dictatorships fall, people look back and they say, 'Well, how didn’t we see that at the time? This is so obvious.'” —Vladimir Kara-Murza.
Expect a forthcoming manifestation of the "Kara-Murza effect" when the dictatorship now in control of the Republican party falls.
If you're saying elementary school can and should immunize children from the authoritarian impulse, I agree.
Here, Here … or should it be: Hear, Hear?
'ear, 'ear!
Shame on me for not thinking of that [‘ear, ‘ear] — so very apropos … even appropriately, very apropos!!!
'ar 'ar
Laughing
Argh!
smiling
I think I read "Here, here!" Since the cheer is made after another's remark, I go with, "Hear, here!" As in listen to this *(wo)man here; really just splitting the difference. 😉
How about "Here, Hear"........or "Hear, Here"?
Haha. I always have to stop and think as they both make sense to my brain. :)
Me, too, Cary. 🤫
“Republicans FOR Trump?”
Oy vey. I am getting really bad in the faculties. I intended to say Republicans for Harris. Adam Kinzinger is hardly for the former President. Thank you for catching my mistake.
Did he mean the "Republicans for Harris" group I've been hearing about?
Yeah, Kathy, that is what I intended. UGGG -- shrinking grey matter.
I hope they're willing to go further back than Reagan for inspiration...
"Actually, I know a guy who can make that happen. For a price. No measly little nip on the ear." - Robert Phillips
Please consider removing your comment. In context, it is not funny. The assassination of Trump would be a disaster.
When Ned McDoodle spoke of "Trump having his head handed to him on a platter" it was a biblical reference used metaphorically. But you took it literally and took the conversation someplace else. And given the actual violence it implies, not to a good place.
ThankYou for your consideration.
I agree, Lin*. I've heard people say "He should be taken out" as far back as Nov 2016 -- including my dear wife -- and my reply is always "That would make T***p a martyr, far worse. Kill him politically by popular will."
And I absolutely agree that one should condemn every form of calling out for violence against political opponents (or anyone else), whether said in jest or not.
A natural death would be fine but murder would only strengthen the maga movement. We cannot go back to the 60's and assassinating people we don't like. A landslide of VP Harris is definitely the way to go!
The "God loving" Heritage foundation has threatened Liberals with violence if the speak out!!! A "Jesus code" to alllow the Proud Boys to get out their AR assault guns??? I love it.....Time to fight back agaist the the true Pedophile Party.
So what you’re saying is that when the MAGAts all claim divine intervention in preventing his death by bullet, it may indeed be true? Just not for the reasons they think. Lol! Wouldn’t that be a kicker?!?
Trump's form on a cross would replace that of Jesus'.
We would then have a holy war. ....... NG!
Your are quite correct, there,💡Lin. That metaphor was popular in banking twenty-five years ago.😉There I go dating myself again; hell, no one else will.😉Lin, I agree that Mr Phillips withdraw the comment or, at the very least, the third statement about an attempted assassination. ⚖️
COME ON, Y'ALL...1ST AMENDMENT...STOP TRIPPIN'! BOTH LIN AND ROBERT ARE COVERED BY IT.
lin -- Thank you for speaking out!
I have deleted my comment.
Now apparently just the intolerant and possibly slanderous replies remain, which removes them from any context.
Please now delete your reply.
I do understand the use of metaphor, but thanks for your instruction on the matter just the same. Of course I wasn't literally advocating such an act. And I don't really know a guy.
I also recognize attempts at censorship when I read them.
A bad joke - maybe. I will consider removing the comment in my own good time.
Is there a way to submit any further comments to this forum in "draft" forum to get approval before posting? I will surely abide by the majority opinion.
Sure. Draft it.
Reread it to yourself. And you decide. It is your responsibility in the first place. Which is what this discussion is about FGS unless you haven't figured that out yet. Grow up
Your comments are not wanted here. It’s more befitting the MAGA crowd.
I have, against my better judgement, deleted my original post.
Now delete your reply., or I will report it.
I respect and thank you for your discussion with me. I must confess, however, that threatening to report Bill for his remark is coercive and unfair.
Really Bill K., you don't speak for everyone..."get that tone out your voice," as my dearly departed mom use to say. Just cause you don't like it does not mean he didn't have the right to state it. 1st Amendment, you trippin'!
Nerisa, you are not invoking the First Amendment but manipulating it. I have suffered difficult responses, adverse responses; far more so than this one by Bill. Often such adverse response can give me pause, but it never seems fitting to try to manipulate someone.
Sometimes I really wonder if the times have driven part of the HCR forum into a state of madness.
Marshall, its a state of infiltration
Thanks, Dave. I should have realized that. I was more dismayed by the bad puns which followed, but I see that they are all gone this morning.
Robert Phillips -- Please delete your extremely offensive comment.
I have deleted my "extremely offensive comment."
Now please delete your extremely intolerant comment.
Rick Scott and Matt Gaetz in Floriduh need to be voted out in no uncertain terms too. Will the dnc help? Not so far.
That bothers me about the DNC, so I always give to specific candidates. I understand they focus on candidates who are more likely to win, and that does make sense, but it leaves some truly terrible Republicans in office without a challenge.
Check out Flip The Vote. For my money, that is the best place to give. Their work on the ground in important swing states is amazing and wildly effective. Giving directly to candidates can be like burning money - see the last election of Marjorie Taylor Greene. SOOO much money went to her Dem opponent - and he got slaughtered nonetheless.
Well, i burn money then. I support and donate to the brave souls who run against these crazies.
I noticed that not running a Democratic candidate in one district in North Carolina back in 2016, I think, meant the number of votes, even losing, that a Democrat could have gotten, seemed to have failed to bring the Popular votes for Democratic House member to any closer than a half percent less than the Republican candidate's Popular vote totals. Small consolation but it would have strengthened the absurdity of the Republicans taking 10 of 13 seats, 77% of the seats for slightly under 51% of the Popular votes.
Let me just remind everyone that almost 50% of the electorate wants Trump in charge. His numbers have not budged in spite of the steady stream of his distasteful statements as highlighted by Prof. Richardson. That, to me, is the most disturbing fact of all.
Maybe during the Democratic convention there will be fewer tv comments from Trump but it has seemed to me that his utterances, however short and insignificant, have been given airtime.
Who saw the recent political cartoon "there's alot of sheep out there" . Where the sheep herd is listening (with rapture) to the wolf at the podium saying, "when i am elected i will become vegetarian"
I forget author but it is priceless
Yes, we need Rick Scott out of here. His nauseating ads are downright lies. And also, Matt Gaetz. He’s a waste.
I have questions about how the DNC operates and who they choose to help. While I understand focusing on 'flippable seats and candidates' I just read where the target support has proven to be less successful in securing democratic positions, than the overall 50-State support approach.
Yes, if only they (the democratic party) would of had a 50 state strategy like Howard Dean was proposing but dems did not stick by him when the media drove me out over "the scream" which media produced.
We are all in this together and no one is coming to save us. This is the American people’s election to win. Thank god for the enormous grassroots, pro democracy movement in our country, including the amazing, intelligent g.r. Movement in Florida 🐿️
Donable Lector is the Orange suckybaby turd that Heritage is using to reach their 40plus year goal of eliminating democracy. A landslide must be a tidal wave.......how are we going to handle the electoral college bull shit??? The "election was rigged" calls will be pouring in from Q-Anon-trailerpark Magats...........it is high time we call true Pedophile Party for what they are.......fucking assholes!!!
The upwards of 74 million Trump voters are worse than fucking assholes. They are creatures that the planet would be better off without.
Easy there WJB..., it's (R)ss-holes, fer crissssakes! JD is just another turd in their punchbowl down at Mar-ah-lahgo. UURRRRP..
Agreed. It is easy to condemn others with the relative impunity of the social media. Rex Page also crossed the line into violent rhetoric. We need to keep the eye on the ball: defeating the former President decisively to remove the source of a contagion of ill-will.
Yes and regrettably, I have used this language before and came to the conclusion that, if I am going to diminish my soul through hateful and heated language, it will be on someone a whole lot more substantial than the former President.
trump's ride in Epstein's former jet came to mind after reading your comment!
I wonder who came up with that "borrowed his jet" excuse. You believe that? OK. I've got a bridge to sell, buy a raffle ticket for it, it's in Key West.
I have seen a tweet that Donald Trump issued at the time of Epstein's arrest. He condemned child molestation in very strong terms. Whether the former president did that to cover his pizats is a judgement call.
It wasn't borrowed, it was sent by a jet rental service after trumps plane malfunction. You out for a troll?
Sorry Thomas. My remark was off kilter using the word "you". I was trying 'merely' to apply skepticism to that "borrowed" story. That's all. Maybe it'll get fact-checked, but in the big scheme of things, using Epsteins Jet is pretty-much low noise level. However.., hohoho, having spent a major time in my life in aircraft maintenance, if I were a "fact-checker", I'd start with: What's seems to be the "malfunction" with Mr Trumps airplane? Low tire pressure? AOA sensor error? huh? Again, sorry Thomas, this is all so bizarre (err ahh weird).
Royce White's comment that "women are too mouthy" is rich-no irony there!
For anyone interested, you can donate to Senator Amy Klobuchar's candidacy here: https://amyklobuchar.com/.
Done! 😉 Thanks for the link.
Cathy, yes, and some of the January 6th minions have faced years in prison (rightly), but the inciter-in-chief is still free and running for president again. That is just plain weird, unamerican too!
So far as I can tell the big ticket crime would be grotesque mishandling of state secrets, though $COTUS seems to argue that if the president does it it's not a crime.
He wasn't president when he moved those documents to Mara Lago .... And refused to return them when he wasn't president.
But he was still a Republican.
Truly insane Supreme Court ruling! I never thought I would see a Court so absolutely corrupt that it would invent Immunity for a President when our country fought a revolution to free itself from a king!
We absolutely MUST make needed changes so we can overturn this entirely unconstitutional ruling!
My take on corruption is that it is abuse of entrusted power. The "GOP" judges are doing what they were selected to do by those who selected them, but the mission (It says right on the outside of the court building is "Equal Justice Under Law" and that's definitely NOT what they deliver.
For modern "Republicans" Lincoln's definitive phrase has been degraded to "government of you, by us, for us". That's what their "Small Government" really means.
Every case needs to be reviewed when justices have been taking bribes
FROM A RESPONSE MADE ABOVE TO J.L. GRAHAM:
"I am not so sure about that. Without this ruling, President Obama could be charged with the murder of Anwar Al-Awlaki, a very nasty U.S. citizen targeted and killed in a drone strike ten years after 9-11. Of course, as deeply as I questioned that extra-judicial execution, President Obama did what he thought was in the best interest of the American people.
"The dox case, however, is a different animal. The former President placed his personal interest -- taking classified materials deliberately with (as the R.C.s would say) the consent of his will ahead of the requirements of the law and clearly ahead of the national security interests of the American people.
"As cases start to wend and wind their ways through the courts, I suspect -- or at least that -- such actions taken as those in the documents case will automatically be deemed unofficial acts."
$COTUS made that idea up . $COTU$ judges on the take.
$COTUS seems to argue.
I am not so sure about that. Without this ruling, President Obama could be charged with the murder of Anwar Al-Awlaki, a very nasty U.S. citizen targeted and killed in a drone strike ten years after 9-11. Of course, as deeply as I questioned that extra-judicial execution, President Obama did what he thought was in the best interest of the American people.
The dox case, however, is a different animal. The former President placed his personal interest -- taking classified materials deliberately with (as the R.C.s would say) the consent of his will ahead of the requirements of the law and clearly ahead of the national security interests of the American people.
As cases start to wend and wind their ways through the courts, I suspect -- or at least that -- such actions taken as those in the documents case will automatically be deemed unofficial acts.
It just shows the acceptance by MAGAs and the white Christian Nationalists that billionaires should be treated differently from everyone else.
My wife has often said the opposite of justice is poverty. Look at the crimes committed by the various owners of professional sports teams (John Irsay & John Kraft for instance).
I appreciate the premise laid out succinctly in your first paragraph. That said, I think it’s hyperbole to compare their personal conduct (drug abuse of Jim Irsay and Robert Kraft paying for sexual acts, albeit potentially from trafficked individuals) with the systematic demonization of social welfare and infrastructure while enriching billionaires on the government teat.
Ironically, professional sports team ownership is one of the purest forms of state socialism. They are allowed to operate in a monopoly trust according to rules that share revenue and socialize costs.
It is virtually impossible to lose invested capital in a pro sports team and the return on capital can be astronomical. Stadiums and infrastructure are often funded in large part by government handouts. The accumulation of wealth is considered “unrealized” under the US tax system and only taxed in part when the assets are sold.
They also benefit from being marketed constantly by networks and media at no cost to the team ownership or the league. By virtue of their monopoly they can negotiate huge distribution rights.
Alas, these teams are so sacred the above is not often even discussed, never mind challenged. I have never heard a politician use pro sport success to suggest we should use the same model for other industries or social goals.
I would love to see owners like Jerry Jones and Kraft explain why such a model should not be extended to our collective benefit instead of private ownership. Or, why every franchise shouldn’t have state and local government having a participation in ownership.
There is often a similar sense of warped priorities at Universities. It's about what $ells (are not there some things that should not be sold?).
Yes, and to be poor can mean you don’t have the time or means to find justice, unless you have the wherewithal to find a smart public defender who can give time and energy to your cause.
And the PDs do yeoman’s work defending their clients, but their caseloads are so freaking high it’s nearly impossible to give each case the time it deserves.
And this, of course, is a knock-on effect of understaffing, which in its turn is a result of under-taxing the extremely wealthy so that the PD offices can be fully staffed with excellent lawyers. No one goes into that work expecting or hoping for wealth, but they need to be paid enough to pay their law school loans, and whatever college loans are still outstanding.
This is why my wife says the opposite of justice is poverty.
Great and enlightening discussion, there, Gary, Paul, and J.L. Many thanks.
Doesn't this just gall you!
Marj,
Like I have never before felt so angry at my country for letting the corruption grind down our hope. 22 years in prison for any elected employee of the American public for stealing and lying and cheating with no apology or moral guilt. If we don’t tax these morons 90% we are the morons. Come on Americans who know the difference between right and wrong, get furious and vote them all out of office.
And do oneself a favor: get those books being thrown into dumpsters back and start reading!!!!!!!
All of the election interferers should spend at least a generation in prison, but their antics should be taught in schools so that they are out of sight, but their actions not forgotten. I truly believe German teaching about the Nazis and Holocaust, at least in the West, not so sure if that was taught in the East under the DDR, makes it possible for the people to go out and march when the AfD threatens to get too large. I would hope that the East is doing as good a job of teaching about Nazi times. We should be doing as good a job teaching about slavery and racism, the Chinese exclusion act, and immigration quotas, something the Republicans want to forbid. Knowing our history helps us to see that we are making progress. Putting those who break the laws on trial helps us to see democracy, even if both are works in progress.
The humiliation and degradation of being imprison is bad, but the legal fees to fight the charges and the loss of wages to feed your family have bankrupted many of these families.
And if you can't afford a lawyer, then you're really screwed.
No MAGA funds for their defense.
That must really gall them, but of course they can still hope for that promised pardon..
Not sure that is a problem because the former President will channel most or all of those funds into his own pocket.
They "THEY" did what they did 'knowingly', willfully. No mercy for them. Show compassion for their immediate family, should their behavior warrant it. But, that's it.
Probably in the middle of September, if we're lucky. Trump in my opinion won't go to jail. I am hoping Judge Merhcan will make Trump report to a parole officer or make him wear an ankle bracelet.
A common person can commit 1/1000th of the crimes that Trump has committed and will serve time in prison. No one should be above the law or escape equal punishment.
Cathy, you are sooo right. Unfortunately, money gets one freedom or a country club prison term, shorter than their crime deserves. That is wrong. Maybe if those rare rich guys who ever get sent to prison had to serve their time in a standard prison with the other sentenced criminals, conditions in those prisons would improve and they might not be so quick to want private for-profit corporations running prisons anywhere in this country. It's a thought!
I will be disappointed if he does end up serving time if it's a nice, easy prison. Since it's state and not federal, I am not sure what different options the state of NY offers. Even if it's in a lower-security prison, they can feed him a well-done steak with ketchup, McDonald's, or KFC, and I will still be relieved to know he has been removed from society for some time—hopefully not too short.
The state of NY offers up Sing Sing, Elmira Correctional Facility, Attica and other maximum security prisons that are most definitely not nice places to spend time! State prisons are not "Club Feds" as some in the federal system are named but there are certainly medium and minimum security facilities . . . . but probably not up to Mar-a-Lago standards :)
Didn't Allen Weisselberg go to Rikers?
Kathy, you speak with the Schadenfreude most of us feel. But I think ultimately he'll end up under house arrest, because of security and Secret Service issues -- otherwise it's solitary confinement of one sort or another to keep him away from the general population of the prison. And I really don't care, so long as justice is meted out to him, and his name brings shame forever.
I'll take door #2 Blanket immunity is dangerous, and seriously undermines the legitimacy of due process and equal justice under law. I don't believe the power of pardon, or the the special considerations for office of president were ever intended to grant impunity to anyone. Wasn't the Declaration of Independence a list of grievances (an a letter of severance) with arbitrary, unaccountable governance?
In this context, a first time conviction - even 34 counts - does not earn a sentence of jail time. But usually the convicted felon displays some understanding of having been found guilty, some contrition or remorse. Trump of course does none of those, but insists it is the system that is 'criminal' for convicting him. That attitude might open the door to some jail time. But Judge Merchan has a lot to consider. He's been very considered so far.
Lin, however, he has wasted time looking at the SC Roberts ridiculous immunity decision which should have nothing whatsoever to do with New York convictions. I keep thinking in the judge's "reasonableness," he will push the sentencing off. That would be a miscarriage of justice, but that would just go along with the miscarriages of justice that have been perpetrated on behalf of Baby Donnie for years.
I’d like to see him do community service — a public acknowledgement of some of his lies.
The orange man baby will NEVER admit to his MANY, MANY crimes. He deserves to be in a cell with no communication with the public. I think Gitmo would be a great place for him. He will never shut up willingly, think violated gag orders. He has been making public pronouncements about nearly everything since the 80's. I don't care what the orange menace thinks about anything. I wish to never see or hear from him or about him ever again.
JennSH,
When Trump starts reciting his 20 fav gripes against the dems, wouldn't it be refreshing if the MSM turned away saying,"Nothing new to see here, let's go." and walk away. That's what needs to be done. They need to cut the cord when he rants. He does not talk policy. If it's not news, I don't want to hear it. A campaign for the country's highest office is not an entertainment faux reality show. The MSM should treat it with the seriousness it demands.
We have grown up depending on the media , newspapers, tv news, news magazines to guide us when choosing elected officials, journalist ask the questions and present the information to the public. These days, MSM spends more time contemplating whether Jen and Ben will get a divorce than what the facts are and the truly violent rhetoric the Republicans use toward their Democratic opponents. Royce White's comment? In a healthy society, he should be ostracized. Not here. They probably gave him a big round of applause. It's appalling!
JennSH, From your mouth to my heart.♥️
Nope. He'd just weasel out of the community service. He needs to be put in a cell.
Thanks - but no thanks. I don't want trump mowing my Grandma's lawn and having it end up looking like his hair, Or him building one of his tacky hotels on it.
...and public acknowledgment of his lies for which he was convicted. The community service — or fines — should be designed to help repair the damage created by the effect of his lies.
That’s what I mean. And to show his followers that they are lies.
I'm sure. Thank you! I can be a little gilding the lilly OCD.
I'm picturing grounds keeper at some inner city community park.
Recently in the news a man was sentenced to 9 (I believe) years in prison for stealing 1.5mm worth of chicken wings. Trump is now a convicted felon and committed election interference in Georgia, not to mention other cases and charges against him, including sexual assault. My guess is that he won't serve a day in prison. Too bad he didn't go for the wings. He's running for one reason: to pardon himself if he wins.
And supreme court judges should not be corrupt.
But it’s okay if other are?
House arrest as in White House? Imagine. Serving time as President. Another first.
Cathy Wampler -- I suspect that given the fact that Trump, regardless of subsequent facts and behavior, did serve four years as POTUS, could be (or will be, hope hope) put under house arrest with clear stipulations. None of us know yet.
I have to go with 1000 hours of community service to be performed in the parks in NYC or along the highways in NY state. Move him around a bit. They do this in FL in the middle of the summer. Imagine picking up trash in the Hamptons.
He would be begging for state prison 5 minutes into his community service.
Gary, you are right because Trump has not worked, really worked in his life and wouldn't even know how to begin. Then there's his bone spurs, and his dementia, and his sociopathy which wouldn't let him interact effectively with the other prisoners on the clean-up gang without calling them names. I'd like to see it, though.
Gary, Of course in a bright orange jumpsuit…
I hope they let me know where he’s going to be picking up trash I’ll be glad to empty my waste baskets. 💥🙏
He thinks he doing community service(disservice) now…
That accountability is so slow, that grifting and corruption’s costs are barely repaid we know..this gifted writer …a humble historian brings forth truth…Thank You Heather 🫶
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💙💙VOTE BLUE 🇺🇸STAY TRUE🇺🇸END.THIS.COUP.💙💙
September 18 🤞🤞🤞🤞🤞
👍👍💥🙏
What about conspiring with known felons? No more Orban visits or proud boy dinners ..the likes of which I assume are far longer than I know. If you’re on a ‘watch-list’ ought to be a great deal more strict, surveillance, recorded, emails, phone conversations, mail…no passport…suggestions long wondered about. I mean these up guys were on watch list yet smuggled a hoard of guns , bombs , into buildings, motels/hotels around the WH? WTF?
I vote for the bracelet. Can’t you just hear him crying about it.
As a Colorado resident I look forward to the day she is welcomed to our penal system. Bravo to our fantastic SOS Griswold for not letting this horrible creature get away with her crimes.
I married into a Colorado family of republicans. My husband, an Aunt and a cousin are the only Dems in a very large family. We don’t attend many family events anymore because of their maga garbage - but the next event is in Sept and I’ll be happily smirking at all of them.
I hope that when Kamala Harris becomes President, she will appoint an Attorney General who is willing to investigate and prosecute corrupt government officials. Merrick Garland seems far too timid in this regard.
I don’t know that Garland is timid. His plate has been very full building cases against Trump and the Jan 6 insurrectionists. The first time a US president has been prosecuted. There is just so much big crime happening.
The clerk's efforts expose, in part, the attack on the integrity of the system where there is a peaceful process to determine who gets government power: one person, one vote majority rule. These folks, confounded and deceived by Republican oligarch propaganda, in many cases, don't know what they don't know. Or, as G.W. Bush stated at the White House Correspondents' Dinner on 3/31/2001: "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on." From my vantage point, it is easy to fool the Christian nationalists and the racists. We Democrats are almost always thought of as Socialists and Communists. We need more critical thinking classes in our schools, starting with the 6th grade. Check out Melanie Trecek-King's website: thinkingispower.com. https://thinkingispower.com/
Absolutely Richard. Let's get critical thinking started in kindergarten and build up. This is why Republicans want to defund education and school meals.
Critical thinking is not taught in public schools. Best bet is thru a program called Odyssey of the Mind or Destination Imagination which is often affiliated with the schools but not in their curriculum. Also 50% of American children are now obese. School lunches are not healthy or nutritious. Until these problems are fixed thinking the public schools are serving children well is ridiculous. The teachers Union is largely to blame in all this.
I beg to differ with you. As a retired public school teacher in CA, I taught critical thinking in all the different grades that I taught, 2 - 8. Critical thinking is imbedded in CA state curriculum. However, because it is taught, does not mean that certain students learn it. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. We do the best we can to entice and to make the water appetizing; however, some ______ just want to have fun...
How is NEA responsible for school lunches?
I will have to say that the lunches at my children’s elementary school were nutritious with veggies and salad bar. A lot of effort was devoted by parents and the school district to make the lunches as nutritional as practical. Also, those lunches are sometimes on of the few meals that many children receive.
And note that Tina Peters was found guilty in Mesa County, Colorado, a republican dominated area.
When will Trumps dupes wake up to the fact that they are left holding the bag while he skips away untouched?
12th of Never.
Amen. No equal justice.
Justice delayed is justice denied.
Beats me. Very frustrating.
There’s a big difference in accountability. The powerful need to be made accountable.
Why aren’t we talking about it?
My thoughts exactly. All these dummy doing their bidding and paying for it. It's just unbelievable.
In two sentences and one question you nailed it. I have little sympathy for that Colorado election clerk but the pathetic creature like that pillow guy bought into the party of grift and greed to believe that there were true patriots fighting for democracy.
He's certainly been all too happy to push everyone else overboard, hasn't he.
Reading various aspects of tonight's letter has filled me with sadness. When people here talk about corruption, it is always something that happens in other countries, undemocratic, backward, third-world countries, but the truth is that corruption happens everywhere where people who lack ideas fall back on money to gain power. Othering, creating fear, and then promoting that fear is apparently easier for some than working together to promote equality, dignity, and respect. The idea that the way to fight ignorance is by throwing books into a dumpster is horrific, less obvious to the world than burning books, perhaps, but still horrific. Needing to eliminate positive representations of difference shows an insecurity that must be pitied, but that is also very dangerous. Tomorrow, I'll read about Kamala and Tim and their plans for lifting up everyone in our country. It will help me regain my sense of joy, my sense of hope.
Betsy, when I read about, then saw the pics, of dumpsters filled with books, I only hoped that there are other veteran “dumpster divers” out there that snagged a good many of them!!!!
Barbara, in my school district, the most disadvantaged in PA, by Republican demand, a private charter school corporation came in and was going to fix everything. They went through our schools and threw out resources, probably worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Some teachers went in the evenings when the guys in charge were gone and collected as many of the tossed items as they could, but couldn't get all of it, even most of it. Two years later when the corporation left our district, we thought the state had paid those private charter folks for the new resources (which they had), but the corporation claimed they owned all of them and we had only leased them (OK, the resources were crappy). They were allowed to get away with that, so our schools had next to nothing for the following couple of years until more supplies and books could be purchased, a lot bought by the teachers and staff. I had developed a lot of centers and collected books on tape for teachers to use with struggling students. All of that was gone and I had bought it with my own money. I say, how dare those University guys throw away any books. They were the property of the state. It seems it does not matter what is right; Republicans will do whatever they want and do whatever they can to see that no one interferes. And they care nothing for the people who are harmed by their actions.
They do it because they can get away with it. When will American voters wake up and demand adherence to our constituent and the rule of law by our elected officials and corporations? When will the obscenely wealthy be held to account just as the rest of us are?
It’s *starts* with a BLUE SWEEP- house, senate, and presidency. Next are the complicit, the myriad in between and last ….the handlers. There is no solace , no vindication…only time permits restoring dignity, unraveling the insidious webs. And we have to do this consistently …codifying, supporting law and clarifying these principles so deviance is seen early . We have enough. This CAN.BE.DONE.
Checks and Balances need the heart and soul of every citizen , we CAN forgive, not rewrite to forget…for only fools fodder lies to the listener.
💙💙VOTE BLUE🇺🇸STAY TRUE🇺🇸END THIS COUP💙💙
And be sure the Dems we are electing are who they say they are. Power (and $ it can generate) is so easily corrupting, so vigilance is needed, regardless of the party affiliation 💙.
Manchin and Sinema come to mind. Both vote against their constituents best interest and the rest of the country. What other surprises are we gonna get from the Federalists' long game? I don't think they saw trump coming, but they sure knew how to weaponize him. It ain't over til the fat lady sings...or orange lady.
When? Perhaps when living is not made so complicated. So that the average person can earn a living and educate himself/ herself and have time and energy to take an active part in democracy. Living has been made so complicated . Everyday tasks were so simple and if you got stuck, there was someone you could call or go to who would be able to help or direct you to someone who could help. Now??? Who do you call, how long will you be on hold only to be disconnected or referred to a website since “ everyone “ has access to technology and the skills to use it.
When? How about November!
Many of the public schools in Philadelphia have no librarian, (no functioning library), and no art supplies. They get by with volunteer librarians and donated art supplies from “friends of” the school organizations. I dropped off a stash of art supplies this week at H. A. Brown School and was received by the lead teacher beaming with gratitude.
Jeff, thanks so much for contributing to the students at that Philly school. I am just down the road from you, and we too have no librarians, hardly a music program when this district used to have amazing music and art programs. Sports are big, though. How do we get people to see that our children are our most valuable resource and that we should treat that resource well, with love, care, and above all, respect. Children need high-quality programs PreK through college that are public and free, not just what is cheapest i programs and materials, and most expensive when it comes to college. We need to push Harris-Walz to make public education and our kids a priority, then dump the vouchers and other attempts to undermine public schools.
Golly Ruth. That is absolutely terrible. The Rethuglican drive to create an ignorant populace is to my mind the most vile of their policies because even if we can "clean up" the mess left behind when they are ousted, in the long term the destruction of our system of public education and state-established institutions of higher education will result in a more docile population without the know-how to question and analyze the sh*(t being handed to them as "information."
Wow. Even I'm shocked. Thank you for sharing this. "Zealots for ignorance!"
Ah Ben Sasse. Wasn’t he one of the “good Republicans “ ?
Such an enraging story! Sorry!!!
Everyone needs to know this!
Unfortunately, they didn't because the crime was committed before students return for classes so the campus is essentially empty.
The bright light that was New College is being snuffed out and replaced by ....
Betsy, they are definitively NOT fighting ignorance; they are trying to ensure ignorance. The most dangerous thing for Republican politicians is an intelligent electorate.
An uneducated populace is easier to rule. Republicans have been working on this for years by starving the public schools.
And an intelligent society must give more than lip service to the word VOTE…we outnumber them? is this true..the voting stats do not reflect this, what’s up, huh? …last night I heard said ‘conservatives vote,liberals don’t’ ..I know the Dems lose miserably in our state under Republican control…people feel like their vote doesn’t count, so they don’t. Citizens United , Electoral College, Republican Gerrymanding ( and the retort ‘well the Dems do it too’..) looking the other way, not codifying laws , boards and supervising factions to permit liars,cheats, and felons time after time to get away with murder ? oh unintentional? ….BS!
Lip service is free, free speech is protected and BTW! so are the lies ie liars too…it’s time to put action in gear…
💙💙VOTE BLUE. STOP THIS COUP. IT UP TO 🫵.💙💙
Ignorance is Strength (for despots).
A touch of 1984...
Betsy, I was complaining to a friend who is a Republican and a CPA, about the despicable Harold Hamm and how he made his money off of the natural resources (oil and gas) and then lobbying to reduce the taxes on the oil to that state of Oklahoma. The teachers in the State of Ok are some of the lowest paid in the country because they the legislature has reduced the taxes on oil because of Harold Hamm's and the other oil baron's bribing of state officials and their PR campaigns.
Anyway, he said, "well you could have done the same thing and been a billionaire."
I replied, "lots of people could but they would never be able to live with themselves."
Why would anyone want to live in a world where they have all the riches and everyone around them is wondering whether they can feed their family until the next pay day?
Gary, I have posted here before the saying “make a living, not a killing”. When is “enough” enough??? Some sure do seem to want more more more…well beyond what they need/can use in their lifetimes. Never have understood it, try as I might. Then again, I’ve never experienced any kind of “silver spoon” existence, so perhaps there are things I don’t understand!
Such a great point Barbara. When is enough enough?
And are the uber rich even self-aware?
The founder of Godfather's pizza was Willie Theisen. He started making pizza's in the kitchenn of a storefront bar. His friend owned the bar and they made a deal to keep their businesses separate. Willlie ended up franchising and became very wealthy.
Years later when his daughter was competing in an aquestrian event she took first place in a particular event. When she came over to her family and friends with the trophy, she said, "I love beating those rich kids."
If you're born into that world, as you say, maybe you would understand.
Re: political corruption. It's local too.
Here in tiny Bar Harbor, Maine. On beautiful Mt Desert Island, near spectacular Acadia National Park - we have had totally corrupt elected town councilors and their selected town managers. For years they've tied themselves to the corrupt and polluting cruise ship industry. It got so bad that we collected signatures to get a citizens initiative on the ballot - to return disembarkations to an economically and environmentally balanced and sustainable 1,000 a day. (Down from sometimes 3-5,000 a day.) The councilors and manager overstepped their authority and campaigned against it. When it won overwhelmingly, they were supposed to enforce the new law. But instead connived with cruise ship tourism profiteers to obstruct enforcement. Ginning up a legal suit against the town. The town manager was caught on tape illegally telling the chief profiteer how to defeat the town lawyer's case. The council let him go with a platinum parachute (more than $60,000) and an NDA. The town officials were so corrupt that a Federalist Society federal judge decided they were not representing the town and allowed a citizen convener to participate in the court proceedings to protect voters' interests. The judge decided the case in favor of the voters. The case also lost on appeal. The chief profiteer recently publicly broke the law and publicly challenged the town to prosecute him. (More drain on town resources.) Meanwhile the councilors and new manager are floating schemes to overturn the law on their own say so or through phony 'voting' processes. They and the business group (APPL) have cost the town tens of thousands of dollars taken from funds for emergency and essential services. Worse the town officials have mounted disinformation and misinformation campaigns to mislead voters. Even worse the town officials have targeted the resident who has diligently represented the voters on a volunteer basis and largely his own money and crowd funding, blaming him for all the problems. One councilor used his official email account to curse out this resident and suddenly large stickers cursing this person by name and cancelling him (with a photo of him) appeared all over town. The official corruption has been going on for two years. Some councilors have left or been voted back in because their opponents were even worse. Bar Harbor used to be called Eden. The original Eden had one snake with a tempting apple. Bar Harbor has a
many snakes and a rotten APPL.
We are lucky to have retired investigative reporter and Hearst electronic media honcho Lincoln Millstein investigating and reporting on all this in his QuietSide Journal. He has personally paid for innumerable Freedom of Information Act requests and then sorted through all of this.
In addition to Millstein's reporting and editorials we have the amazing and remarkable NYTimes Best Seller author and journalist Carrie Jones and her Bar Harbor Story substack. Jones provides thorough and in depth reporting every day - all the facts without editorializing. The full range of facts and documents Jones provides are even more damning than editorializing might be.
Some recent samples.
QSJ
https://theqsjournal.substack.com/p/special-report-bar-harbors-false
https://theqsjournal.substack.com/p/new-cruise-ship-management-plan-only
https://theqsjournal.substack.com/p/town-council-resorts-to-sloganeering
https://theqsjournal.substack.com/p/new-cruise-ship-plan-is-reprise-of
https://theqsjournal.substack.com/p/breaking-news-appll-suffers-another
https://theqsjournal.substack.com/p/vulgarity-mars-final-days-of-bar
BHS
https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/chapter-50-unveiled-and-ready-for
https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/looking-for-another-way-bar-harbor
https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/in-bar-harbor-council-unveils-potential
https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/cruise-ship-notice-of-violation-issued
https://barharborstory.substack.com/p/cruise-ship-injunction-fails-at-lower
Awful. Makes me think of all those European cities where people are fighting back against the invasion of tourists. Under family pressure, I took a Carnival trip to the Caribbean years ago and vowed never to again. I'm so sorry to hear that Maine is being invaded.
ThankYou. Yes.
It's not the tourists - it's the deep pocket town profiteers and corrupt officials.
Bar Harbor has always been a tourist town - since steam boats. But over the past decades officials and profiteers have skewed things to cruise ship tourism. The economy had more year round diversity and did fine before the tilt to cruise ship tourism. It did fine without cruise ships during the pandemic.
Two favorite cruise ship tourist comments.
1. On a park bus: "I guess it's OK that we did this, but it's just one tree after another."
2. In town: "No, no. We won't eat in town. We'll eat on the ship.
Lin, how depressing! I feel bad that your town has been subject to the unthinking cruise ship industry. I have been on two cruises in 14 years and the places I liked visiting best were places where the town was near enough to the ship to visit and eat local food and buy local gifts. My favorites were St. Johns and Halifax , Nova Scotia, and San Juan Puerto Rico. The people in those places were wonderful and the food was great. I am so sorry the people are not interested in really being in and learning about your community, and than that you all have to put up with visitors who are so oblivious.
Progwoman, I’ve taken two cruises (2003 to the Caribbean and 2006 to Alaska); both were chartered cruises and we were encouraged to shop and eat “local”, especially on the Alaska cruise. On one of our “excursions”, we bussed to a Native Alaska cultural presentation; our bonus was that our bus driver’s son was one of the dancers, and she asked if he could ride back with us.
This 14 year old gave us an in-depth presentation on the intricacies of the dances and history behind them, and answered questions for about 20 extra minutes before he needed to go back to class.
In one of our first trips into town, my wife said (as we walked past jewelry shops and kitschy souvenir shops) “Why does this feel like the Caribbean?” Answer was “It’s what the people on cruises want”. That was the last cruise we took.
Very interesting , that y’all. I do not plan to cruise about. Being a homebody is years of hard work on the farm creating my own paradise, giving thanks to a partner who saw and worked the same dream.
A recent train trip by friends visiting the friends of years ago showed American beauty , the vast differences, and I do love the somebody else driving…that it is thousands of dollars needs addressed as Europe is far cheaper. I left Maine after near 40 years , the influx of what used to be tourists bought up the countryside I once farmed, raised the taxes with McMansions , and all the problems pollution, burdening school systems that a growing populations faces . We need to acknowledge the now near 8 billion on this planet and better accommodate with supports in place before they burden. We have that knowledge. Better oversight/building codes , smaller homes, designing houses to withstand the heat/winds/tornadoes/droughts. Recycling/all wastes cared for in a circular process not needing dumps, clean up our oceans, save our rivers. Having to address it after ‘man’ destroys it is the price greed costs. Prevention , preservation, protection are not dirty words ..procrastination IS.
🫵💙💙VOTE BLUE.END THE COUP.💙💙
Then …hold their feet to the fire….
It's hard to believe that corruption of that magnitude, and of such clumsiness, could flourish in one of the most affluent, well-educated communities in the country.
The overwhelming majority of Bar Harbor voters support the 1000 disembarkations a day cap. Which has been obstructed by a small faction and town officials.
Promote the story to 60 min news program.
Don’t trust them either! 60 minutes distorts information and favors billionaires in reporting
Words fail me! I cannot even imagine how 1,000 cruise ships could visit in a day, let alone 3-5000. The harbor itself is so small they must be anchoring way out. What a mess! The crowds must be horrendous. The damage to the environment horrible. I lived outside Bucksport in the 70’s and in Orono in the 80’s. We went down to Bar Harbor and Acadia often and it was magical. I visited once in the 90’s and couldn’t handle how crowded it was then. The local corruption you cite is staggering. It’s hard to believe this is happening in Maine. Keep up the good fight!
1000 disembarkations. That means 1000 people.
One cruise ship can disembark 3000-5000 people. One company has a monopoly on the tenders and piers (which should be run by the town but the council gave it away.)
Wow! Such vigilance always needed. Hope this gets better for BH!
In Barcelona, the townspeople, armed with water pistols, have been squirting tourists. In Venice, tourists are charged five Euros for day visits. Unregulated tourism turns a wonderful destination into a place with no personality.
Betsy, ah, you have identified a major problem we are facing. Those who are corrupt often have the biggest mouths and are able to dig into their treasure chests to pay for silence related to their corruption or just make up all kinds of excuses as Menendez of New Jersey did (the corruption has been known about for years and had enough people cared, he would not have been permitted to run for Senate 6 years ago). Trump has been raking in the bucks from people who thought they were supporting his campaign. In a way they were supporting his campaign because those bucks let him pay lawyers who were able to make it look like he was not the criminal he actually is, letting those pathetic folks think they were helping an innocent, put-upon guy who didn't deserve what was being done to him. Republicans don't have a lock on corruption, but they are right now, the masters of it and they have had presidents who were right on board: Nixon, Reagan, Trump, and maybe the Bush's (although the Bush's didn't have to be corrupt themselves, they had wars to help with that and a whole lot of contractors to help with the corruption along the way. It really is disgusting, but how do we get people to care enough to do something about it? Maybe Harris and Walz can wield that spotlight and people will pay attention. It could happen!
Yes, Betsy. Sadness for Americans so easily fallen for cultism, vulgarity.
But let's look at another etiology for this, such large-scale human emptiness.
If one goes to school where one learns to reduce life to numbers, units, commodities, by that proportion of course one dehumanizes. Such then -- even the most apparently elite, "elevated" -- can assume the right to package all women, say, to medievalism – or arrogate the right to rule their favorite orange criminal as above, beyond, immune to the law. Such can presume predator profit as the only motive any might ever have. Like Clarence on his corrupt court, such can deign as mere “gratuities” the millions of dollars Long Dong has long taken from the billionaires rewarding him for his rulings always for the rich, only for the rich.
Schools? How often might teachers absent humanities from themselves, from their courses, whatever the levels, whatever their reasons for so neutering?
Of course, no one has ever sought to put any numbers to that question. As higher ed financialized for the banks and for high-paid admin, and as K-12 similarly let standardized testing float more billionaires, maybe we can take for granted rule by our living dead.
Thus we have no numbers for how many in American schools are ever without any humanities?
New College lowering the standards to admittance? A degree from there will be worthless.
*It’s just an idea* My husband said he wants to buy a box of Kool - Aid packets and toss them into yards of people w Trump signs.
I like the idea! On Amazon is 36.5 cents a bag if bulk purchase of 192 in box. May I suggest tossing the Orange Flavor?
Hey Panthers, great idea. Most of the Trumpers and Trumpettes are older folks who will have heard of Jonestown. They'll get it!
EXACTLY!
I love that! It could become viral—like "weird" to describe peculiar MAGA behavior and policies—Instead of the Democrat's usual overly-intellectualized, long-winded explanations that get no traction because they're opaque.
...and copies of Time Magazine with Kamala's porait on it.
Was it Kamala? I thought Donnie said it was Melania. . .
That's mean.
Grape, Jane.
Properly to honor the hundreds who drank theirs for Jim Jones, the flavor ought to be grape.
Phil, grape would work, but orange would be funnier!
Yes, Ruth -- I see many respond well to that, as by 100Panthers, above.
Another reason orange may prevail -- we're getting closer, closer to Halloween.
Love it!!
That gave me an idea: Trump's face on a pitcher of Kool-aid. I tried to use an AI image generator and got a red-orange devilish Trump's head on a glass pitcher, in front of an American flag. It would go great with a caption, "Come here kids, and drink my Kool-aid ". Unfortunately, I can't figure out how to add an image here.
Don’t touch private property. Stick to the swale which is owned by the city in most cities.
Agree.
They won’t get the point.
Fun Kool-Aid fantasy. The money and time would be better spent on electing Harris and Walz.
I’m suddenly tempted to buy koolaid and tape them to the fpotus signs…
I love that! It could become viral. A clear statement—like using "weird" to describe peculiar MAGA behavior and policies—instead of the Democrat's usual overly-intellectualized, long-winded explanations that get no traction because they're opaque.
And maybe marshmallows to the MSM?
With a sticker on it saying "A "Thank You" gift from the Donald trump campaign. Thank you for all your donations!"
I love that! It could become viral—like "weird" to describe peculiar MAGA behavior and policies—Instead of the usual overly-intellectualized, long-winded explanations that get no traction because they're opaque.
I love that! It could become viral—like "weird" to describe peculiar MAGA behavior and policies—Instead of the usual overly-intellectualized, long-winded explanations that get no traction because they're opaque.
I love that! It could become viral—like "weird" to describe peculiar MAGA behavior and policies—Instead of the Democrat's usual overly-intellectualized, long-winded explanations that get no traction because they're opaque.
I love that! It could become viral. Something easily understood—like characterizing MAGA behavior and policies "weird"—instead of the usual Democrat's intellectualized, long-winded explanations that get no traction for their opaqueness.
Russell - did you get the hiccups?!!
Quintuplets!
Regarding the comment that the 'whole role' of postmenopausal women is to take care of grandchildren. Question for JD: What is the 'whole role' of post-ejaculatory males?
I had no children or grandchildren. And I am not a cat person. I knit hats and scarves for charity. Let's all vote blue and write JD's Hillbilly Eulogy.
Oh Amanda, don't you know every male thinks he is "manly" until death! I know old men have fathered children, but I suspect just like the young ones, many of them do not see child-rearing as a prime task in life; getting money and power, particularly for Republican, christian-nationalist males is the thing, no matter who is hurt, then they pass their "virility" (toxic masculinity) and inhumanity on to their offspring. It's tradition!
Reminds me of the kerfuffle when Viagra was first released. I talked to many a woman in the office with her husband admonishing me "don't give that to the old goat". ED may be a male version of menopause, just more research and effort went into treatment than menopause, as usual.
Cameron, yes, I do remember friends making comments about the male "correction" drugs. If women had been able to control research, we would already have drugs to stop male war aggression, at least some domestic violence, and maybe even teen-age male temporary hormone-induced insanity. Maybe that's a direction Kamala and Tim should take the NIH into. Even men would be happier because fewer of them would be imprisoned for acts their anger and toxic masculinity engendered.
Viagra was an accidental discovery. It was originally a blood pressure med with low effectiveness and interesting side effects.
Interesting The “blue pill” is ok.
Wait! What? Is that another thing I have to give up now that I am of a certain age?
Ha!!!
Sounds like JD needs some more time on the couch.
horhai, I can't imagine JD being on any couch to either help or be helped. He is so wrapped up in himself and his self-created perfection, he can't change more than his names over time, and that was because his family changed, not him.
We will forget about him soon enough, once the election is over he’ll be a footnote in the history books. He doesn’t’ deserve the time it takes to type his name whatever it is.
Not only are you correct on all charges Ruth, I suspect a bit more. For instance, that all the drama and hopeful hoopla inducement around tfg's veep selection was entirely a production. I believe jd was long ago pre-selected by the 'real bosses' for his similarities to the OiD.
D4N, I do believe you are right about Vance already having been picked by the donors, just as Pence was picked in 2016 when Trump may have been leaning toward Chris Christie. The Republican anti-American collective know what they want because if they can get those jerks into office, there is very little they can't do to steal and keep power. How any decent person could possibly vote for them is beyond comprehension. It's like voting for your own destruction.
And, those guys, Trump-Vance are so malleable it is insane!
Brava, Amanda!
To mourn about the state of the nation. 😉
Thank you Professor Richardson.
Money and corruption, whether it relates to a private sector entity looking for, essentially, a massive payout in tax credits, obscure billionaires looking to stack the judicial system with sycophants who will ignore years of precedent to provide rulings benefitting wealth and corporations over people, planet, and most importantly, settled law, or a narcissist billionaire providing millions of dollars on a monthly basis to elect a corrupt/convicted felon -because he will shift greater tax liability from the wealthy to workers and families all prevent meaningful justice and democracy in America.
The policies implemented by Reagan -"trickle-down" fraud, the attacks on Labor Unions, the myth of "Big Government" to sell privatization, and shifting the cost of higher education to students and families, were all so deeply anti-democracy.
While any meaningful form of democracy requires an informed, educated, and engaged society, meaningful democracy cannot co-exist with the extreme concentration of wealth stemming from fraud like "trickle down." Even without the implementation of the deeply sinister Project 2025/Agenda 47 -the economics favoring billionaires and corporations over people accomplishes much of the same thing in terms of any balance of societal power versus highly organized and extreme wealth.
DJT only pretends to be a billionaire. His liabilities exceed the value of his assets. There are those of us who understand double-entry bookkeeping.
He’s about to get a nice windfall from media platform fraud.
Truth suffers when we blindly worship money. There are no innocent bystanders in our prosperity.
Big government, small government, as much as it takes. Remind me again who government is supposed to be by and for?
May I be the first to offer a toast to all "mouthy women" ?
Indeed. Cheers!!
Hear! Hear!
I'll get the next round!
Mouthy (and “nasty”) women can (and prolly should) rule the world. One would have to be a charter member of the Glass Bellybutton Club to insult/take on that demographic. They remember and they VOTE.
Thank you very much.
The GOP-MAGA-Rush Limbaughesque pathological need to have an “Other” to use as a scapegoat is ingrained in modern conservatism. The Civil Rights era took some of the sting out of anti-Black racism, think Lee Atwater’s dying apologies. The fire was then redirected to homosexuals, but too many pols had relatives who were homosexual, so that wasn’t sufficiently toxic. Transsexuals became the target du jour. The easily hyped eeeeww factor, combined with their relatively infrequent occurrence in society made them the perfect target.
How many people know or have even met a transsexual? I’ve known two, the first was in 1975 when I was a new grad student. She had recently been formally ‘diagnosed’ by the Stanford University medical group working to identify it as a genuine expression of human sexual identity. The other was an undergrad student intern in my lab in the mid 2010s. Both described their experience in remarkably similar terms: A strong feeling from as early as they could remember that the universe had played a particularly cruel prank on them, of having been born into the wrong body.
I have quite a few patients who are trans. They’re mostly nice people trying to make it on a day by day basis just like the rest of us. So sad that they have been targeted by the right wing MAGA cult and don’t have a lot of people supporting them.
For those who don’t know who Lee Atwater was in the annals of branding opponents as “Other”, here’s some information from his Wikipedia page. Note his intentional use of coded language.
“ Harvey LeRoy "Lee" Atwater (February 27, 1951 – March 29, 1991) was an American political consultant and strategist for the Republican Party. He was an adviser to Republican U.S. presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush and chairman of the Republican National Committee. Atwater aroused controversy through his aggressive campaign tactics, especially the Southern strategy.”
“ Atwater: Y'all don't quote me on this. You start out in 1954 by saying, "Ni***r, n****r, n****r". By 1968, you can't say "n****r"—that hurts you. Backfires. So you say stuff like forced busing, states' rights and all that stuff. You're getting so abstract now [that] you're talking about cutting taxes, and all these things you're talking about are totally economic things and a byproduct of them is [that] blacks get hurt worse than whites. And subconsciously maybe that is part of it. I'm not saying that. But I'm saying that if it is getting that abstract, and that coded, that we are doing away with the racial problem one way or the other. You follow me—because obviously sitting around saying, "We want to cut this", is much more abstract than even the busing thing, and a hell of a lot more abstract than "N****r, n****r". So, any way you look at it, race is coming on the back-burner.[16]”
“You understand what I’m saying? We knew we couldn’t make it illegal to be either against the war or black, but by getting the public to associate the hippies with marijuana and blacks with heroin. And then criminalizing both heavily, we could disrupt those communities,” Ehrlichman said. “We could arrest their leaders. raid their homes, break up their meetings, and vilify them night after night on the evening news. Did we know we were lying about the drugs? Of course we did.” - John Ehrlichman
We hippies knew they were lying - they still are.
Indeed
Another wow! Outrageous
As I recall, Atwater was more or less a contemporary of Newt Gingrich, who came up with the "Contract On America" idea. Sort of a warm up for Project 2025.
Even Newt's friends said he (Newt) was an amoral sociopath.
Not really a “like”…more of a 🤮! I’d recalled the name, but had forgotten the specifics…no wonder!
Point taken. Feedback feelings are limited in this format.
Atwater: Dirty Tricks, LLC
Painting roses in hell with Hitler 👺
I recommend reading Seth Cotlar’s newsletter titled Rightlandia. His current deep dive regarding the 70+ year drift by the Republican party in Oregon toward extreme right wing thinking is illuminating and underscores Professor Richardson’s points in her newsletter tonight. Professor Cotlar teaches American History at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon.
I’m from Oregon. Our progressive patina has some serious blemishes. The original state constitution prohibited Blacks from living in the state, and there was one documented lynching, in 1902 if I recall correctly. Friends and relatives from the south coast say there was another.
We’ve had some good to excellent Republicans, as well as some real Neanderthals.
On the positive side, Governor and Senator Mark Hatfield was a voice of reason during the Vietnam War.
On the knuckle dragging end is Amon Bundy and his family of terrorists, who have fortunately decamped to Idaho.
I’m from Oregon, and concur completely with Ed.
The word Utopia literally means no-place and every populated part of the planet has a share of creeps, as so far as I can tell, some horrors in it's history but the overall state of civil behavior appears to be to some degree regional and cultural. Racism, for example, is more virulent in some regions than others, which obviously is not to say uniform for every individual within such regions. And institutions ans well as culture evinces change, even if varieties of expressions of human nature seem to historically persist. The Democrats were once the ones carrying the confederate flags, while Republicans fought for Abolition.
And Frank Lunz picked up the torch
Maybe it's just me (and I don't mean any offense) but I tend to look askance at political figure who starts a sentence with "y'all." I know. I really need to work on my biases
- still . . . .
But rest assured, many for whom “y’all” is a regular part of their vocabulary would sincerely say “Bless your heart.”
Cornpone seems a bit judgmental in an anti-South sort of way. For some, in some situations, “Bless your heart” is roughly synonymous with “F**k you”
How does a "religious" party affiliation get to the point where "Bless your heart" (which I often use to small children) becomes "F**k you!"?
Because it’s a more polite way to say it.
It's all in the tone. And facial expressions help. I've had people say "Well, bless your heart" in a way that sends a chill down my spine.
I guess a synonym might be "down home and folksy."
And y'all can get some pretty decent cornpone down south - spread some butter on it, top it off with honey or maple syrup. Um! That's some good eatin.' I've got some kinfolk from down south - fine folks - very hospitable. I don't hear from them very often. They might all be dead for all I know. Bless their hearts. 😘
And that's about the point in the conversation when my allergy to cornpone starts to act up.
Wow
Ed, yes, trans persons are now the target, but the haters among Republicans and some independents are like Argus with his eyes always open looking. They have also focused on Drag performers because, I guess there are not enough trans persons. What Republican voters don't understand is that these people have respect for no one and if they think they can make points by targeting those Republican voters, small groups at a time, they will. They already despise rural people, farmers (they don't push that one too much because after all, they need food and they are not going to grow it for themselves), teachers, health care workers, and the list will go on forever until everyone is subjugated and afraid to do anything, just as in dictatorships around the world. We need to be working hard to put a stop to this insanity and get those mostly white men doing this targeting, out of power, find ways to discredit them and their actions. We will need better courts and legislators to do that. Those guys have a lot of weapons and are not afraid to use them against anyone. Don't forget the McCarthy hearings. He did not run those hearings alone and they destroyed a lot of lives. We don't need that crap again even though Little Mikey Johnson would like to get it going in the House. We need to get his constituents to realize they have voted for a jerk and need someone better, who represents them instead of his hateful, pseudo-christian self.
Trump is a one-trick phony. The Republicans "sold their souls to the devil" with their full on embrace of the old yet effective "Dark Art", "Divide et Impera", "Divide and Rule" "WE the People" not. I "other" the MAGA's here, but also recognize that most are being had, and even if freedom rings, and the kingpins jailed, or just publicly rejected, we have to craft a way for millions of citizens to enjoy their own rights and live together. Yet fascism must be stopped.
Well, I think the term "transsexual" is much too strong. There are some of us with kiddos who are biologically of one gender but identify as the other. They are just kids!!!!
Transgender?
Just to say, I agree that the term transgender is more appropriate….
It is.
The nomenclature sounds technical.
I think in terms of transgender, not transsexual. The Right Wing is so obsessed with genitals and S E X it is ridiculous. Their minds live in the gutter.
Religion seems admirable insofar as it urges us to be kind to our neighbor, but the sex and gender thing, the denial of sexuality and or fundamental animal nature is pathological. I feel profound gratitude to be a sentient being, and for so many beneficent human capacities such as to enjoy the beauty and fragrance of flowers, the unique (as I type) warmth on my arm of gentle sunshine, of the unique warmth, excitement, and focused connection with the body of another human being. Or of brilliant art or poetry, or even (in moderation) some cheesy escapist video (my guilty pleasure is foreign murder "mysteries"). It seems to me some fine things have been set upon our table, but (often) we only want the ones that we can't get.
"Mind in the gutter" was a phrase I heard repeatedly from male youth "leaders" growing up in Ohio in the 1950-'60 if any kid said anything that hinted of awareness of sexuality.
" Life in Lubbock, Texas, taught me ... that sex is the most awful, filthy thing on earth and you should save it for someone you love." - Butch Hancock
I grew up in PGH.
?
Yeah. They run the gamut from objecting to supplying feminine hygiene products in schools, to wanting to tell post-menopausal women what to do with their time. And they seem particularly interesting in the period (no pun!) in between.
Ed, there is a difference between “transsexual”, “transgender” and “transvestite” as they are used in the common vernacular. The more common use today is “transgender” as it acknowledges a spectrum of expression beyond an “either male or female” expression and experience of gender presentation.
I have friends (three) who have kids who are transgender and have completed or are on the path to gender reassignment medical involvement. I have three adult friends who have completed gender reassignment. All are so much more centered and calm in their bodies.
Any reference to sex is a button-pusher for MAGAs; wink-wink, nudge, nudge for their own, and condemnation when referring to others, so that's part of messaging also. That does not mean the word should change. Openness and pride are disinfectant if the coup can be stopped.
I know a few TS individuals, all very different from one another. None have any quality of personality or character that would provoke people to “other” them - except that they acknowledge the bias imposed on them.
The history of corruption in America is the history of a failure of values. The war between being honest and honorable and being a liar and corrupt is the story of human history. But in creating a government based on self rule, the founding fathers created a nation that calls on our better angels to win the day. That contest could end if we had leaders who didn’t just propose laws aiming to stop bad behavior, but also created a spiritual revival in which the real religious values of “love thy neighbor” were celebrated in a way that pushed out the fake religious values championed by people like Ron DeSantis today. I would love it if the Democrats honored the legacy of Jimmy Carter by creating some kind of values based movement with him as the central example of how all Americans can live!
Get politicians, bureaucrats, and standardized testers out of schools.
And hire the best teachers, put them at the center, teaching personal literacy with some humanities.
Thats what New College did in 1965...
Thanks for this info, S.
Something went wrong. I mean, yes, of course all those demented on the far right, always stewing, forefingers always needing to be erect at something.
But we could take better care that, when people use some personal literacy, they don't also clutter things up with any slogans or other code language such as "theory" was so full of. Those abstractions are just going to invite warriors perceiving in-group indulgences.
If we really do go to some personal literacy, with some humanities, we need instructors tuned to literacy freed of any tricky slogans, abstractions, and other group-affiliate trip wires.
When we get that, Israeli Jews can communicate as individuals with Palestinian Arab neighbors. People around the world withdrawn into grievance group identities can talk with "others" as people, rather than all the hoary old groups: Sunni-Shia; Hutu-Tutsi, Hungarian-Romanian; U.S. inner city black - rural white; Russian nationalist - Russian non-nationalist; Japanese - Chinese or Japanese - Korean).
Corruption is human. It takes discipline and publicly-sanctioned habits to avoid it. It’s like driving on a freeway. We see a lot of people speeding. We see occasional accidents. Mostly we see people staying in lane, driving safely. But the moment one person slips into taking advantage of the system — for instance, by driving on the shoulder — others immediately join in. We need laws, shame, nudges, AND an inner sense of fairness and morality to keep corruption at bay. The republicans normalized it for their core group, but they’re not the only ones.
I guess we will have to agree to disagree. I believe corruption is "learned behavior"... not something we are born with. This is why when we see corruption that goes unpunished certain people decide to follow in their example. By seeing they did not pay a price for being corrupt, we "learn" it's something we should consider doing too. But without such examples, we remain good people our entire lives... especially if we have good examples to follow that reinforce the feelings we are born with.
Christian nationalists have turned their religion into a dick they are trying to shove down everyone's throat. Christianity is losing more and more members. I didn't "lose" my faith; I outgrew religion just like I outgrew my belief in Santa Claus.
The preponderance of the public have to resolve to negotiate in good faith or "Liberty and Justice for All" is just window dressing.
Now that my friend is a thing that I could get behind wholeheartedly Steve; Your last sentence that is.
I was taught (at home) that you have one set of rules you live by, not one for in private and another for in public with outsiders. I have the same code in the virtual world as in the physical world.
I laugh about their cries of socialism. The pledge of allegiance was written by a Christian Socialist minister and modified by Congress.
It is not about morals or values. These are religious constructs. The driving internal principle is how much empathy the person possesses (ability) and their willingness to apply (willingness).
Love Heather's fourth paragraph on the Republican who'd root for Trump taking a dump on stage.
Most of the politics of the far right has for years been of this foul nature -- as Heather also cites Joe Conason's excellent "The Longest Con" to verify.
It's a hot house, an orgy of the foul -- similar to how Clarence Thomas took it upon himself back in the Anita Hill days to entertain women in his office with Long Dong tales from porn he loved.
Republicans since the days of "The Longest Con" have never had any humanities much more edifying than Clarence's Long Dong tales. But they live in a vacuum. And in proportion to their human emptiness, their need to package women, their ebullience at their orange felon posturing above the law, they stew in self-replicating suspicion, paranoia, hatreds, venom, vitriol.
This, the America most want?
Answer coming November 5?
Origin: arrested development.
Policy: arrested development.
Some stopped before potty training.
Some live a lifetime lording it over the schoolyard. They learned to bully, that spared them the need to learn anything else.
I wonder how many come from bullying authoritarian families. I have read and heard very creepy stories about those who conflate violence (not all of it physical) with "tough love".
If men dealt with their emotions instead of acting out on them the world would be a civilized place.
Agreed, and in order to deal, understand. Better understand anyway. Our survival as a species may depend on it. Understanding anything, from basic physics to existential sentient experience gives us our best collective shot at fulfilling lives. Socrates said that the unexamined life is not worth living, but strikes me as uncharitable, but does it not make sense that the unexamined life is less enriched, and might even miss the boat. Fortune favors the prepared mind.
Yes. Everyone needs to learn to identify their emotions. I am ______ because _______. Then grab a bucket of ice cubes, go outside, and through them against a wall. Gets rid of the emotional energy, there's no harm, no mess to clean up.
Regarding humanities, an all-too-typical postscriptum.
Go to today's Guardian. Article entitled 'It could disappear forever.' Anger over sale of George Orwell archive.
Barbarism. Nihilistic vandalism and the deliberate destruction of thought.
“You can fool all the people some of the time, and you can fool some of the people all of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.” A Lincoln.
Trump/Vance are fooling fewer and fewer less of the time.
"You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time." This is how the quote should appear … one of my pet peeves.
Yes spellcheck is worse than incompetent at this point. I watch it drop words that I have typed, or just change the word I typed to some other word after I have hit send. Thanks for the correction. Read what it means, not what it says.
Given the fact that there is some question as to whether or not he actually said it, when he said it, and by whom and under what circumstances it was remembered, peeve away.
“…stories of Republican corruption. And they’re doozies.”
Indeed they are, but the corruption of the United States Supreme Court, creating a solid majority of Republican political hacks, with lifetime appointments, should be at the top of the list.
Mission accomplished, Mitch McConnell.
Thank you for covering New College today. I am heartbroken that MAGA targeted what was an amazing educational experimental institution and specifically used the takeover to promote squashing of young adults working for and explorong diversity, equity and inclusion for todays world... A dumpster of books and closure of safe place for discusion of black history, women, sexual identity, religious beliefs, etc. to be replaced by volleybalI ..they are also demolishing a nature preserve for a sports field...I graduated from New College in 1971... Fifty some years later, I continue to be grateful for the start the college gave me to explore, learn, care, challenge and persevere. It was an amazing place. We studied under some and were introduced to some of the leading minds of today and yesterday... From history, chemistry, comparitive religions and governments, environmental concerns, art, music, psychology, chemistry, statistics, ... Buckmaster Fuller to Segovia. For a girl from the very rural Blue Ridge mountains it was a stretch the opened the world.
Prewar Germany comes to mind, as institutions fall
I'm sorry for a true loss of ideals and a bit of future-self
Trump and his mega Republican party are desperate. Trump and Vance can't handle the challenge of Harris and Walz. They can criticize Kamala and Tim with the rhetoric of lies until their blue in the face but the majority of us who believe in Democracy know better. If anything, this neurotic behavior by Trump and Vance will only lure more voters towards the Harris / Waltz campaign.
Well, you've gotta watch out for those "mouthy" women, that's for sure. 🤫 They might just take over this country and instill some common sense for a change.
And maybe if Royce White can raise enough money for Trump he will come through and fulfill White's public potty fantasy. Apparently the "stable genius" will do most anything for the right price.
Is this a surprise to anybody reading this newsletter. Harry Truman was quoted as saying "Socialism is the epithet that the6 have hurled at every advancement that the people have made in the last 20 years. Socialism is their name for almost anything that helps all the people.” Yep, except that now it’s more like 80 years and add commies to the socialist blather. They are a broken record. And a broken party. When will MSM notice?
When I was on FB and T, I often posted stats regarding the corruption of Dems and Repubs. The difference is Astounding. It listed only convictions and repubs were the runaway winners. Not too many like Menendez pretending to be Dems.
The unmitigated gall of every Repub is exposed by the way they flaunt the accusations hurled at Dems for their own egregious actions. That is Goebbels at his best. Accuse your opponent of that which you are guilty. The bullies need to be called out. Dems have been on the defensive for most of my adult life. Every accusation is a confession. Scream it from the rooftops. Some have no ears. Some do.
Remember, DJT is a malignant narcissist. Named for Narcissus, who fell in love with his own reflection. None could convince him it was not another man and he needed to leave. The result was - he died.
He is the perfect symbol for repubs these days. From Lincoln to chump. Time for their current actions to define them.
To begin with, there is too much money in politics, much too much money and not the least in American politics. It simply invites brainless treasure hunters into the 'trade', unfortunately.
Outside spending in 2024 federal election has been over $1 billion to date!
"Super PACs and other outside groups that can raise and spend unlimited sums of money have poured about $1.1 billion into 2024 federal elections as of August 15—nearly twice what similar groups spent over the same period in the 2020 presidential election cycle when independent expenditures hit an all-time record," OpenSecrets reports.
"Donald Trump’s main super PAC, MAGA Inc., is the biggest outside spender with $125.1 million pouring into the 2024 presidential election since the start of the cycle."
"United Democracy Project, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's super PAC, has spent more than $35 million on congressional races, most of it toward efforts to oust progressive lawmakers the group deems insufficiently supportive of Israel."
"AIPAC—which vowed to spend $100 million on 2024 elections—played a key role in defeating Democratic Reps. Jamaal Bowman (N.Y.) and Cori Bush (Mo.) in recent primaries. The group has come under fire for attacking Black and brown members of Congress and for supporting Republicans who took part in Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election results."
https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2024/08/outside-spending-in-2024-federal-election-tops-1-billion
https://www.commondreams.org/news/dark-money-spending?utm_source=Common+Dreams&utm_campaign=59c508b375-Top+News%3A+Fri.+8%2F15%2F24&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-3b949b3e19-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D
Gaaa, and I often wonder what could be accomplished if those resources could be diverted to affordable housing or free college or technical education. Just like money spent on war it seems such a waste. I make a contribution and feel like the money I contributed is used to harass me into giving more. There has to be a better way.
Jamal Bowman voiced support for Hamas immediately after they perpetrated the October 7 massacre. That was lack of support for basic humanitarian values. He certainly lost my support after that. A lot of people in his district felt the same way.
AOC has opposed the war in Gaza while also opposing Hamas’ atrocities. She has publicly refused to join the demonization of Jews that is all too prevalent on the left. (Yes, the bigots on the right are worse. That’s not my topic here.). AOC won her primary easily. Ilhan Omar won her primary in a heavily Jewish district.
My point is that the two Squad members who lost the right to represent their districts were not merely “insufficiently supportive of Israel”. They were actively supportive of a horrific attack on Israeli civilians.
Amén!