628 Comments

President Biden, the best president in my 66 years, is still doing whatever he can to promote democracy, despite the chaos and cruelty we all know is to come. I cannot thank him enough.

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Years from now Joe Biden's name will shine like a beacon to those who value democracy and wise leadership as well as statesmanship. God Bless him.

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I voted for Joe Biden (and Kamala Harris), but Biden's hemming and hawing about a second term (enter Trump 47) will result in horrific changes (and attempted changes, which could be worse) here and abroad. It's unfortunate that President Obama didn't favor Joe Biden as president when he favored Secretary Clinton instead. (I voted for President Obama twice. Secretary Clinton, too.) We could have had a younger, more assertive Joe Biden in The White House earlier and no Trump 45 (or 47.)

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Ah Greg, coulda woulda shoulda! Biden was tarred and feathered for nearly 4 years by msm which needs ‘hatred and fear mongering’ to sell online clicks!

Joe’s policies created millions of skilled jobs; lifted millions out of poverty; brought inflation below 3% AND REUNIFIED our European nation partners in the fight against Putin the war criminal!

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Louis: 💯What could’ve been had Hillary won! We need to look ahead to clean up this mess now…

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Janan. Ahh. But you are correct. None of this chaos would be happening if Hillary had won. And she should have. That one presidential election in November 2016 has been, and will be, resonating for years to come.

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Hillary had been a target of republicans for over 10 years and should not of been annointed. Bernie Sanders should been up against Trump who was trying to play like Bernie. Bernie would of beat Trump.

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MSM is much more analytics-driven today than an outcome of vitriol spewed (Fox, et al.) or countered (MSNBC, et al.) The vitriol is for show IMHO. My experiences in major cities these past 4 years do not reflect people (or neighborhoods) lifted out of poverty. I wish this was not my experience. Kudos for kicking NATO up a level, but we allowed Ukraine to take MUCH more pain and suffering than was preventable. Those who ignore history ... No chance of repeating The Biden Years on the horizon. Trump and his cabal are setting up for decades of their punitive measures (mostly towards people who will never post on Substack.) This has been several decades in the planning and seeding stage and now come to fruition.

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I’d love to know where you people are getting your information. The science fiction almanac?

You’re looking at a different inflation number than people even understand. People understand how much a dozen eggs cost. They understand how much gas cost and they understand when they have to pay 7% for their mortgages instead of 3% for their mortgages. Inflation was 1.9% when Trump left office and Biden managed to get that all the way down to only 9% ( sarcasm in case you missed it) at one point during his presidency. Lolol

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You whine about inflation and seem to imply Biden’s policies are to blame. If Biden is to “blame”, America should thank him, because many more countries have much greater inflation rates than we do than have lower inflation rates.

https://gfmag.com/data/economic-data/worlds-highest-lowest-inflation-rates/

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Greg Tutunjian -- I echo Louis Giglio's comment! "Coulda woulda shoulda" never has a place in serious discussion. For instance: "The many millions of American adults never shoulda supported Adolph Hitler in the 1930s when they easily coulda seen through his intentions before 6 million Jews were slaughtered."

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"Coulda woulda shoulda" never has a place in serious discussion" - So, we should ignore history when planning for the future?

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Your argument is nonsensical.

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Rupert is your villain. blame the one who made propaganda the go to for MSM

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The vagaries of "might have been" Greg....

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Obama didn't favor Clinton over Biden. Beau Biden had just died of brain cancer, and Biden didn't want to run. Four years later, Biden was favored (by the DNC) over a large assortment of contenders which included Harris.

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Yes. The reading I’ve done revealed President Obama ignored (the word used to describe how The Bidens felt) Joe Biden’s many-years interest in the presidency. I believe both conditions are true but there’s no denying your point.

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I thought President Biden didn't want to run because his son Beau had passed away and he "wasn't up to it." (?)

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Perhaps.

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Those who worked to force Biden out will be remembered badly.

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He would not have won.

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I don’t understand this comment. Joe was a good president, but his time had passed when he stepped down. Everyone knew that ha didn’t stand a chance in the upcoming election.

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The "handlers" who let him go out on stage for that debate, in that condition, should find a new profession (that requires no common sense). Yes, after that he didn't stand a chance.

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From your keyboard to God's eyes

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President Biden also understands that dominoes can roll BOTH ways.

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Understands is the key word, Ned.

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Right now, Biden doesn’t understand whether he’s standing or sitting. For those that want to better understand him there are Biden speech decoder rings available

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WRONG. President Biden's downfall was trying to take on the fire-hose of scheiße in the manner of a debater. MISCALCULATION. He should simply have taken Trump's lies and turned them into jokes to laugh him off of the stage in a "Friday night scheiße-fry".

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Ned, you know Rick is a bot, right?

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No. Thank you for the tip. I figured he was a nattering nabob of narcissism always seeking attention.

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Ned, that, too.

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More likely just a troll.

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Is he a bot? How do you know?

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My tip-off is that anyone with the surname of “McDoodle” is suspect! 🧐😀

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I, too, suspect "bot" but if not that, it's a troll. Please don't engage with it.

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Yeah, that would’ve worked? Yikes. Maybe Trump should take Bidens lives and do the same? Why do you only thing from one side of your head? Joe Biden just lied to the public again and again he lied about the border being secure he lied about bionomics was working lied about Kline was down he lied about inflation was transitory and he lied about Hunter. He lied that he wasn’t going to pardon him, and then he did

And when he did, he slipped up big time he pardoned him back to 2014, which was the day and time that Hunter first started working for Burisma and started slush finding the money to the Biden family. The problem with that was he lied again when he kept saying, I don’t know anything about my son’s dealings. I don’t know anything about his business. I’ve never spoken to him about his business and yeah, he happened to pardon him from the day he took a “job” at Burisma , and the world knows it. Oooops.

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Rick Rick Rick.

Are you braindead when it comes to trumps lies. 30000 +in four years. And now he’s saying grocery prices won’t come down….. when he campaigned about how they would come down the instant he becomes president. Now we’ll not so sure. Trump can’t speak…. And he can’t speak without lying.

Can’t wait till you get your butt handed to you by your dear leader.

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PLEASE do not respond to the troll.

It's most likely a bot, and if not, is at least trying to disrupt this community. HCR's LFAA is very popular and it is quite likely this is the intention.

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Wow 30,000. That’s a lot of lies. Biden and his administration only have 29,800. lol. And his latest act trumps everything he’s done for four years, which is essentially nothing except allow prices to get out of control for the average citizen and open a border and have innocent women raped half 1 million children missing and illegal, immigrant gangs and infiltrating America with drugs

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That is Trump who is lying

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PLEASE do not engage with the troll! He litters the comment area.

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So you totally deny or refused what I wrote above even though it's factual, which is fine it's your call but it's all a fact

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So much AI, here, that's all.

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Hi, Rick. Prove you're not a bot. Tell us one thing you got for your last birthday.

We'll wait.

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PLEASE do not respond to the troll.

It's most likely a bot, and if not, is at least trying to disrupt this community. HCR's LFAA is very popular and it is quite likely this is the intention

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Good one! Got him, Lady!

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So I did, but I haven’t heard anything back hmmmm there are too many pessimist and conspiracy theorist on this trail

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I got another year… a beautiful life with more hope than ever now that Trump is back in the White House. Does that answer your question?

I pretty much have everything I want or need. The only thing I do now with my beautiful wife is Travel. I’ve been around the world, and in all 50 states and there was much yet to see.

and let me stay once again, so that everybody hears because a number of people, in fact, very famous people of said exactly what I’m about to say in the wrong words

You don’t have to like your president. One famous individual said exactly what I agree with. I don’t like my president, but I like every one of the policies he’s instituted that lifts the life of all Americans, including first and foremost minorities and the middle class.

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Mission accomplished. 🖖You have garnered your attention. 😴

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Ned, and that's too bad. I came here this am after reading Heather's letter hoping to find excellent commentary on our African policy and where Russia is now that Assad has fallen. But no, I find a pot stirrer troll.

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I don’t need to hear myself speak I’m just hoping others do because this particular sub stack is a one-sided affair. And I imagine a lot of people that are here have exited to go to blue sky, as former ex affiliates who I now refer to as cowards because they want to deny reality, they only want to hear people that agree with them. Very sad

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Turn the channel, friend.

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Rick, one day you will look in the mirror and it will crack.

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George, look carefully at the reply to you. It's a bot. Won't look in the mirror as it has no physical form.

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That will never come in your lifetime Nor mine. And speaking of mirrors, that’s what most liberals have to do is start looking at mirrors grow a conscience and realize what just happened and why it happened.

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🙄

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You are not welcome here. This Substack is for intelligent, informed individuals of good will.

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PLEASE do not respond to the troll.

It's most likely a bot, and if not, is at least trying to disrupt this community. HCR's LFAA is very popular and it is quite likely this is the intention

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So now you’re questioning my intelligence. ? Wow. What you should be questioning are the posts that I make versus the evidence that exists the backs up my evidence. I see a lot of people on this site, only looking at one side of the ledger. This site reminds me of people that go to court and only wanna hear the prosecution story send it directly to the jury without hearing the other side, and find out that the defendant was in the hospital at the time of whatever crime he supposedly committed

But don’t worry you’ll come around after the country begins to recover from the disaster of Joe Biden, and his administration. Not Pedro Biden was ever in control of this administration. Add despite your protestations to the contrary if not for Covid, Donald Trump would be leaving office right now not just going back in

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Many on here are on their umpteenth booster, the vaccines are likely causing clotting in their brains and their continued mask wearing is affecting their oxygen levels. They can not be trusted to formulate rational thoughts at this point. Remember these people are driving on our roads in addition to voting. Beware!

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Rick

You elected a Russian asset to lead our country when trumpster dumpster takes the office of president. He fucked up everything he touched last time. It will be worse this time. We are doomed.

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No, Pat, we're not, because we mustn't roll over. It will be worse, and I'm worried, but we're not powerless.

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I guess you didn’t see one of my post earlier that unfortunately for people that already have TDS they are now growing a like organism in their head. It’s called TRDS. Trump Russia derangement syndrome

Want to keep living, ethics, conspiracy, and believing in this nonsense you’re on your own. Those of us that love America, we look at proof of success and America first. Not Ukraine first not Africa first. And certainly not Burisma first

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🙄

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Ah Rick, a pathetic comment!

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He certainly does.

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I' with you Susan with your sentiment. He's the best president in my 67 years!

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In what country do you live?

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Unfortunately, Susan, no one can predict the future and your pessimism is unnecessary. World is waking up to a new presidency and the sun is shining. Please join us in the sunshine get out of the rain.

I can buy to be so great when there’s still people in North Carolina that are living in tents and 150 volunteers brought their own mobile homes so that people could have someplace to live and stay warm and survive. I’m homeless by the hundreds of thousands we have poverty everywhere we have veterans who gave their life for this country in And we’re worried about what’s gonna happen in Africa in 25 years

Ask yourself, what impact Africa is that on this country in the past 25 years

Let’s take care of America for Shelby

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We’ll Rick, let us see what the Trump group does for y’all. Let us know. Best of luck with that!

Meanwhile, yes Africa matters to what happens to you. Hard to believe, but that is why geopolitics and helping our friends concern us here.

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Deidre, Africa does not matter to rick because he is a bot. Conversing with him will yield nothing.

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No Africa matters to me probably number 15 on the list

Where America is first. You go ahead and list the rest.

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Don’t feed the bot

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Well, here’s something that probably none of you on this paper, trail or substack Trail have ever dared to do Google this : Trump administration, accomplishments. Do you wanna be fair minded? Do that!

Because of what Trump has gone through in his ascension back to the presidency, he is going to be named one of the 4 or 5 best presidents in American history 25 years from now or more. Change your channel and see what else is out there Get out of your bubble go visit flyover country where neighbors help each other and care for each other like the volunteers that brought 150 mobile homes to North Carolina so that people would have a place to stay warm waiting for Fmm FEMA to do anything.

And ask yourself why Biden is now on The sidelines

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What garbage! FEMA is still on the ground and hard at work for those in my hometown. If there is anyone still in a tent it is by their own choice. Trailers are in place with more coming. https://x.com/AvlWatchdog/status/1866141408110813432

Check this out.

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PLEASE do not respond to the troll.

It's most likely a bot, and if not, is at least trying to disrupt this community. HCR's LFAA is very popular and it is quite likely this is the intention

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Have you seen the video of the hundred or so local volunteers who towed a trailer to the victims offering them a place to stay? If you haven't seen that, I would say you haven't done enough searching.

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I don't care what this video shows. I'm telling you that just yesterday there was a number of couples that were still living intense and they were on air representing the other hundred and so people that were still living intense and it showed a caravan a privately owned trucks pulling Campers to provide these people with shelter I was also in Hawaii not too long after the fires then you should've heard that complaints about FEMA then not only did it take him a month almost to respond, but they would not let Outer Islands bring food in by boat to feed people that were hungry.

And many people who lost their homes FEMA pat them on the back and gave them a $750 check I'm going back next year to see them again and if you'd like, I'll get you their true stories, but it was sickening to hear

It reminded me of the days when George Bush said they were doing a good job and it was just a lie

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I wish I remembered the name of the town they were posting from, but you might've seen the line of trucks and trailers coming to help and they weren't from FEMA

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Wrong. Been there done that. Not much happening for the people.

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Seek help …..why is the country is trouble CLIMATE CHANGE BABY

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So I guess you don’t wanna talk about the climate change hoax

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Do you see climate change as an as exist existential threat to humanity and the planet?

Almost every prediction about climate change has been incorrect since 1960 and or about.

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Waiting for an answer.

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🙄

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🙄

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Why don't you go stick your head back up your worthless ass where you normally keep it, you fuckwit. You're dumb enough, someone must be telling you breathe in, breathe out. Losing you and the rest of the inbred white descendants of the Confederate traitors will really make America Great Again

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My sentiments exactly. Save your breath, TC. "Rick" is a Russian bot. Conversing with it will only feed it information, making it easier for it to hide the fact that it is a bot. If nothing else, the sheer number of words it can generate in a very short time is a tip-off.

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Steve, you could be the poster child for paranoia. Sad

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Calm down TC. He'll get bored and go away, if we ignore him.

Kind of pathetic attention seeking by yet another trumpanzee.

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I agree, but he/it is like a pesky fly. He/it keeps posting replies to people and they get annoyed enough to answer.

PLEASE PEOPLE!! If you enjoy the forum here, DO NOT REPLY TO HIM/IT!!

Just don't, ignore the urge!

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Miselle, I just commented about his grammar and word choices. See "intense" written twice above, when the correct words should have been "in tents."

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Nancy , I have persisted in telling you I voice text and I don’t look back because Content is much more important than Form and I think the people here are plenty intelligent enough to figure it out

If you’d like to correct my ninth grade English, please proceed, but I I can assure you that my syntax, grammar punctuation and vocabulary are more than extremely sound when I need to be

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RIC Bot

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He is a bot.

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Wow nice A very poignant and erudite comment I must say. Did you go to school in a public bathroom or what?

It’s terrible when people put their heads on someone else’s shoulders, or seem to imagine what the person on the other side of this post might be, or look like, or their origins, or their faith or their beliefs. In your case, when hate takes over, everything is predictable.

And by the way, I have tried to believe everything you’re saying, but indeed, I haven’t been able to fit my head up that far up my ass.

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How many African countries did you travel and work in last 3 decades?

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PLEASE DO NOT RESPOND TO THE TROLL/BOT

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Thank you. I mean it.

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Answer would be none. I’d sure like to know why you ask that question Believe I know where you’re leading, but I don’t want to assume anything

And to me, I don’t have to travel to African countries or work there to understand that America is more important than Africa to Americans unless you don’t love America.

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🙄

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🙄

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"Ask yourself, what impact Africa is that on this country in the past 25 years." - We're heavily invested (troops, drones, infrastructure, intelligence gathering) in East Africa to counter groups prone to launch attacks against Western Countries (including this one.) Many of these assets are used in and around The Middle East in addition to Africa and are not attention-getting. I won't claim this commitment is without issue or occasional fault (or loss of life), but it is strategic and one of many efforts to keep Americans safe at home.

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America can keep American safe at home by increasing our defense status. We can help Americans more by getting the poor and homeless off the streets. We can help Americans more by stopping this drug infested trafficking of both drugs and people and children

Sorry, Africa will have to wait.

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Let me ask the question again. What impact has Africa had on this country try that question

Maybe these are same $90 billion worth of assets that Biden left in Afghanistan ?

We live in America we take care of our citizens first like every country does. We have so many problems of this country that could use the 200 billion were spending in Ukraine or the 150 billion were spending on housing and feeding and protect protecting illegal immigrants.

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Hi there. Did i miss something? Who is Shelby?

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Rick's reply is interesting. Why wouldn't he pick up on that, unless he's an AI bot. . .

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Shelby is a city in NC, 45 miles west of Charlotte, the county seat of Cleveland county.

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It’s probably the town in North Carolina that’s up the road from me, about a 30-to-40 minute drive west. People in western North Carolina have suffered a great deal of loss because of the recent hurricane. Whole communities have been literally wiped off the map. Some people in my town lost everything (we were lucky), but west of us things are still rough for a lot of people.

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A bit of revisionist History going on here, especially with regard to US intent in Africa and our support of right-wing governments there. The failure to mention that the United States had also named the armed opposition as "terrorists" is a significant bias of omission. Disappointed in this letter. The long-term role of apologist for Biden is evident. Biden has done more for the middle class than any president, including Roosevelt, but his role in Gaza makes him complicit in genocide, which also makes all of us complicit in genocide. I am horrified.

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Sorry Frances my bad. Didn’t pick up on that it should’ve said Shall we?!

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A few more mistakes like that and your programmers might delete you.

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PLEASE don't respond to the troll/bot.

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Even a troll/bot has entertainment value.

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Yes you did. Shelby is a small NC town west of Charlotte.

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You should be upset then about your GOP representatives putting poison pills in their most recent bill to strip power away from the new governor than they do about supporting more aid for your community. You should also be concerned about the GOP that wants to cut VA benefits.

If you aren't worried about Africa or other nations, you are living in a bubble. The more we can do to build resilient economies across the world, the less of a need there will be for people to immigrate here out of fear that they have no opportunities at home. Also, as the leading Democracy in the world, building alliances with our partners can help from a foreign policy, trade and general ability to solve big problems. The reason why veterans or even normal people in America aren't doing better isn't because we sent $1B to Africa.... What a low info take.

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🙄

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Rick, I’m a 72-year old white male, one-time Reagan Republican originally from Shelby, myself. NC has been purple for many years and is poised to learn a huge lesson from a second dose of Donald Trump.

You saw where Donnie recently acknowledged in his Time magazine interview that he won’t be able to bring prices down. So essentially, he’s admitted to lying directly during his campaign to the MAGA base. Surprised? I’m certainly not. He’s demonstrating that he cannot “bring home the bacon” that he so fervently complained about the price of…

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Actually, that’s not what he said. He said it would be hard and of course it will be. But here’s another option. You might want to check out the house. We call it now the “meet the depressed” interview with Kristen Welker and see how he not only answered questions immediately but specifically. If you want to get your information, you should seek out other sources when possible or viable. And as I say the many people here, and I don’t know why this is with liberals there’s so many liberals here that are negative in advance, fatalistic, and pessimistic not to mention unsupportive. Why don’t we wait to judge the actual facts versus using crystal bowls and Ouija boards to predict what will happen

And lastly, I would point you to a comment by I believe she’s a CNN or MSNBC commentator Stephanie Ruhle, who said Democrat should stop the histrionics because as we’ve learned 80% of what we think is gonna happen never happens. In other words, don’t prejudge.

.

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AI syntax needs to reprogrammed!

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Why are there so many AI conspiracy theorists here? I’m not a bot my post have nothing to do with AI. Nothing join the real world will you please

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Sorry, how can Biden be so great.

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Because he continues to work not only for the people in this country but also for people in Africa and other parts of the world that are going to continue to need the help of the US.

He’s going turn all the work he’s done for the American people and for the people around the world, his accomplishments, and his progresses over to Donald Trump.

Let’s see how it works out.

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Jeff it would be great to help the world, but we have major problems here that are much more pressing in America right here at home that I have mentioned above. Every country I know of takes care of itself before it takes care of its neighbors by necessity, or it dies.

We are $36 trillion in debt and can’t even pay our own bills. We can Ella Ford to spend $1 billion in Africa right now. It’s an insult to poor Americans it’s an insult to sick Americans it’s an insult to veterans who laid down their life for this country.

There may indeed come a day when we can again reach out and help the world like we did in World War II but the Geo political landscape is not the same as it was then so we have to first solve the issues here get our own house in order and then we can reach out.

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My goodness, Rick, you really need to do something about your autocorrect - it turns your comments into gibberish.

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Rick is a bot. There is no autocorrect involved here.

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Carolyn, it might be a ‘talk to text’ issue. Ella Ford? ‘Ill afford’ I assume, sounds more like a pronunciation issue

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PLEASE do not respond to the troll.

It's most likely a bot, and if not, is at least trying to disrupt this community. HCR's LFAA is very popular and it is quite likely this is the intention.

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Carolyn, I always welcome the first person that draws attention to that. I really relish that first post. I have every reason to believe that you have been able to understand my gibberish! I voice text everything and have a firm belief that the people here are intelligent enough to figure out the essence.

In other words, I’m a huge proponent of CONTENT over form. I hope that helps. If you need something explained just let me know. But I will be voice texting that as well no promises 😀. Sorry

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Rick, UNC just signed a contract worth $10M for a football coach. How can the State afford it when they have so many homeless people? Something wrong with your state government?

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I don’t live in Carolina. I was there visiting. When I said, I’m homeless, I have three friends that got their homes washed away and they’re still waiting for help and we’re turned down by their insurance companies on top of that. I’m not sure who’s paying $10 million for the coach but perhaps you’re not really up to speed on how these contracts are paid

Most of them get paid by donors and sponsors and wealthy supporters and what they call Boosters Who have something to gain by the success of the team . And even upon occasion, they raise bonds to pay for stadiums and teams like this. Hope that answers your obviously negative question.

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I would personally like to pinch him. It was a selfish act. His ego is sorely bruised so he goes abroad to play Presidential. The timing could not be worse.

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Gosh, it’s almost like we have a president who sees the big picture of foreign policy. And now we are going to get one who can’t see beyond himself in the mirror.

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wow - it’s amazing if that in the next 25 years, Africa will have such a HUGE strong workforce-age-of-young-people?

Dr Cox Richard do we feel that we are seeing the health results from ‘The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s health investment has tilted Africa’s population generation of a strong workforce of young people to expand Africa”s demographic…

…”For fertility rates to decline and the age structure to change, working-age individuals need high quality education and decent and productive jobs. Countries must invest in the education and health of the workforce, particularly where the demographic window of opportunity is still more than a decade away…”

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No, we are seeing the results of irresponsible reproduction, womens' rights violations and lack of reproductive freedom in African continent. Yes, in every corner of that continent. I can write volumes about how many women are forced to spread their legs (sorry for being vulgar) every single day in every African nation. Yes, we have traveled, still do, in that continent extensively. From Algeria to Namibia, from Sao Tome to Iritria. Nowhere to be seen any initiatives of the Gates Foundation. Yes, reports look great but on the ground realities are very different.

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Biden is leaving office and giving the incoming Trump administration a silver platter full of amazingly valuable gifts. A strong economy that is the envy of the world. Situations in Ukraine and the Middle East that put US allies in stronger positions and adversaries in weakened positions. He hands the country back in far better shape that he received it. The burden shifts to Trump, and it will be his actions and inactions that will the measure of the state of the nation and the world when (if!) he leaves office in Jaunuary, 2029...

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Wow. The worst thing we’ve ever done in recent history is involve ourselves in Ukraine. Fully, you were around long enough to remember Vietnam. Ukraine is exactly that the only difference is it 60,000 of Ukrainian troops and 100,000 of Russian troops that have died and cities destroyed and lives destroyed for decades and for what Biden there is no end in sight and if you can’t admit that then you’ve got a problem. People come in and work out a deal between the two countries, and it’s already been spoken up between the two countries as a matter of fact. And now we have another conspiracy theory is that thing Trump’s not gonna leave the White House in 2029. There’s a scarier thought for you.

Trump could resign the presidency three years in and turn it over to JD Vance and if things are doing well 12 more years of Republican in the White House.

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Europe and NATO are in danger if Ukraine falls. Defending Ukraine is one of the best investments the U.S, has made lately in foreign policy.

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Donna, unfortunately you have a lot to learn. And I'm guessing you're fairly young and don't remember Vietnam. This is nothing more than another Vietnam with no end in sight. We've already spent $200 billion that could've been used to help the poor the homeless the needy in this country.

Att was there specifically to protect Europe and its allies

You should be thanking your lucky stars that when Trump was president, he forced in shame the leaders of Europe to keep up with their promise of 2% of their GDP to their defense

But Little, do you know why it is possible right now for Putin to have done this?

Back in the mid 90s Bill Clinton made a very bad strategic error you should look that up and see

Before Biden took office Trump was starving. Russia and Biden put billions of dollars back in Russia's pocket for selling natural gas and other fuel base commodities. Russia is not going anywhere anytime soon.

Nate was there and would've stopped it and if they hadn't, then America get involved not before if you want more information let me know

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And while I should apologize to you for suggesting you have a lot to learn what I was talking about, was exactly the case. Russia and Clinton met multiple times and through the proliferation of nuclear weapons prevented Europe from continuing to protect itself in that manner.

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I would imagine that Hillary Clinton would have been representing the administration rather than her own position about Crimea. I would think Secretaries of State are guided by the President. But obviously, Russia caught the Ukrainians and us off guard. I would have to go back and refresh my memory about the details of that debacle.

But I am not sure you and I would see the current situation tonight. I apologize, but I am tired and need to get some sleep. Hope you rest well tonight.

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I was born in 1947. I remember Vietnam.

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I'm two years younger than you and I was drafted and I saw firsthand what Vietnam was like you have no idea how the people of Ukraine are suffering needlessly and hopefully Trump is going to stop this as quickly as you can. They'll have to be some sacrifices on both sides, but it's better that saving lives and saving the destruction that is happening there thank you so much for caring enough to talk with me about it.

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We are 60,000 good men in Vietnam for nothing Ukraine has lost exactly that many they've lost 100,000 Russian lives and they destroyed cities for nothing. Russia is going nowhere. Are you watching see Donna? I'm telling you Russia doesn't have the strength of the manpower in Europe can fight back adequately to defer them. I'd rather spend the money here first helping the most vulnerable.

Under the current circumstances, there would be no end to that war just like Vietnam

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And when DJT does look in the mirror, he doesn’t realize he is looking at his own worst enemy: himself.

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Trump who infamously remarked "sh*t hole countries" in Africa.... that's what's coming. That said, the incoming Magas are going to want to look for every way possible to diversify the geography of minerals critical to modern technologies from China as much as possible, something i believe the Chinese themselves have been taking measures on. Successful international trade is likely the best promoter for a peaceable world. Not sure all concerned are headed in the right direction.

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What a dangerous world we live in, and it will be so much more dangerous on January 21st and after.

We must continue our resistance to the Orangeworld.

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The potential for harm posed by a Trump-Musk regime – a kakistocracy governed by the outrageous whims of two unstable egomaniacs – is almost beyond comprehension. The New Yorker's always insightful Evan Osnos put it in perspective when he wrote, "Whatever role Musk wants to play in the years to come, we’ve never had an oligarchic arrangement like this. Not only his wealth but also a social-media machine at his disposal, and now, it seems, a direct line to the world’s most powerful military. The mind reels." Indeed it does.

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Musk and Trump are clueless about the causes of homelessness, and their economic policies are designed to create more homeless people as they encourage the GQP to take a meat axe to programs that help people survive. Besides, Musk has some serious conflicts of interest here, as he is a government contractor and has an interest in seeing more government funding for himself. Musk and Ramaswamy have no clue as to how government works, that government is not a business, and is supposed to serve the public as a whole, not a narrow subset of them.

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Musk also has conflicts of interest in that he stands to do away with agencies that regulate and hold to account his companies and businesses that commit egregious environmental violations.

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Exactly. Memphis is heartbreaking.

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His impact on congress is already undeniable - investing in primary challengers to congress members not towing the line on frumps grossly inappropriate nominees is appalling. What kind of country do we want to live in? Kiss it goodbye. 👋

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Potential? He has the potential to make America great, so why don’t you get behind him. How about that for a real American idea

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Because he is an ignorant misogynist racist sexual predator whose speech quality is about 5th grade level. If you choose to ignore that, that's your choice but don't expect anyone intelligent to actually agree with you. If you too are that ignorant, all I can express is pity.

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The last time he tried to "make America great" he so mangled the response to the biggest domestic health crisis in many years (covid) that it is estimated 300,000+ Americans died unnecessarily.

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About a million died.

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About 700,000 probably would have died anyway. It was a terrible pandemic. But it is estimated that 300,000 died who didn't have to because of the government's failures in the first six months of 2020. Those are the deaths i attribute directly to Trump.

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PLEASE DON'T respond to the troll.

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👍

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Still running the same misguided line, huh? John, I am the American dream been more successful in both personal and business life than I could’ve ever imagined. Started with nothing absolutely nothing.. A widowed mother with a one and a half year-old and a six year old in essentially hud housing and a mother that didn’t speak with English that worked for her entire life pretty much for minimum wage. You should try it

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For every you, there are a few hundred thousands who are successful today because of NON Republican policies. Reading history helps.

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Don’t buy his Horatio Alger story. RS is an all talk no substance troll. Or as the Texas saying goes, all hat no horse.

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What do you consider non-Republican policies? What do you consider Democrat policies? There are no Democrat policies or Republican policies there are correct or incorrect policies, based upon a number of factors… and as I said, I’m in independence, so I don’t know what you’re talking about. I love Bill Clinton’s policies, for example. He was a despicable man in his personal life, but so what what he did for America was good.. but if Trump does the exact same thing, he is a fascist he’s Hitler he’s this he’s that? It’s laughable. That’s why I sometimes say, I think liberals live in the same high-rise on the corner of hypocrisy and double standard.

But wait, did you just try to tell me that the Democrat policies are 100 thousand times better than others like mine whatever they are… actually, you said a few hundred thousand times better. Wow. Then, why would we ever elect a Republican? Hmmmm.

That’s what you seem to indicate here.

Can you tell me what the main overriding difference between republicans and Democrats are? That would be interesting to hear

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Nope, not going back to patriarchy and hierarchy

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Why oh why is everybody on this sub stack blog negative, pessimistic and morose?

For G-d , sakes, put away your crystal balls, and your Ouija boards, and wait for something to happen before you start breaking out the Kleenex. Sad

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Forgive me, friends, for feeding this troll, but Rick, we have read Project 2025. We are not breaking out the Kleenex. We are preparing for a regime that has professed loudly its contempt for democracy.

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Doesn't anyone see that he's hijacking this page?

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I know. I’ve stopped reading the comments this morning.

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Unfortunately, that’s the point.

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I was tempted to stop, but will not, now that I see the more carefully thought out out responses that his nonsense, attempted provocations bring forth. I just wish there was a way to collapse just his comments but not the responses. Perhaps just shortening the length of the comments so that we would have to actively chose to read more than the first three or so lines, letting us ignore the rest and get to the responses we'd rather read.

Thoughtful contributors will easily have many more readers choosing to read their full comments, as we do already on truncated long comments.

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that is EXACTLY the intention!

For at least a week or so now, I've been begging people to NOT ANSWER him. HE/it is just annoying enough that some just can't help themselves. PLEASE DON'T DO IT.

There are signs that "Rick" is AI, and everyone reading here should consider who/why "they" want to disrupt the normal conversations and respectful debates we have here.

JUST DON'T RESPOND. PLEASE>

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I do see some better focus, though, after the initial angry responses give way to clearer expressions of what Democracy is at its best.

Perhaps there is some value in sharpening our responses to sophisticated sounding nonsense.

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So you can read wonderful. What does that have to do with the tea in China?

I am assuming you have read the Bible or at least portions of the Bible?

Do you agree with everything in it? Do you question any of it? just curious Trump didn’t author project 25 Any continually disavowed following it guidance. There are things in project 25 that are basic American values, such as a strong military, such as citizens voting. So if you’re gonna base someone’s presidency on what’s in someone else’s writings, that’s sad

I have a better idea for you. Why don’t you see what’s happening right now around the world liberals are now coming to Trump to support him. The Zuckerberg’s of the world theme, the Bezos of the world, Eric Adams of the world, the Pritzkers of the world, the Trudeaus, The leaders of Mexico and Argentina and El Salvador, and France . Even the European Union is now going to start buying America’s natural gas exports instead of buying them from Russia

When Trump was in Europe, every leader was trying to get Trump’s attention because they know what his leader ship will do for the world.

Then, here’s even a better idea. Why don’t you wait to see what happens before you pull out your crystal balls and your Ouija boards.

America is now rallying around Trump. They’re not rallying around The Man. They are rallying around his policies and what they can do for America’s future.PERIOD.

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Absolutely NOT agree with everything in bible!

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And that’s exactly my point. The liberals are freaking out over a project 25 the Trump had nothing to do with, but like some of its premises, but they are pinning it on him, like a badge of dishonor with many of the premises and precepts of that particular work include things like a strong military, and only citizen voting, for example. He doesn’t agree with much of it, but that doesn’t matter to the liberals they just wanna throw the heap on top of them like he buys the whole thing in its entirety

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“Trump is appointing people linked to Project 2025 despite transition team co-chair Howard Lutnick vowing ahead of the election to “blacklist” anyone involved with the project from serving in the administration.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/alisondurkee/2024/12/12/trump-defends-nominating-people-with-project-2025-ties-heres-the-full-list/

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You really are a chump.

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So do you do you pride yourself on name-calling or is that just a habit?

It doesn’t get you anywhere, Jon. If you have something to say say it?

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I said it. Please crawl back into your hole. You won't be getting any response from me hereafter.

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You're defending a rapist, racist, faux-billionaire felon who is sliding into dementia. Don't expect people to get behind you.

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This ridiculous man above there doesn't have the capacity it seems to see reality as it is. He is reinterpreting heavily from a damaged brain apparently.

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Robin, yeah, the OCD posting is kind of unreal. I'm thinking AI-generated. Prompt: "Write me a stream of delusional MAGA rants."

No one with any kind of a life posts like this.

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For some reason, the Elvis song "Return to Sender" comes to mind. ... :-)

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For at least a week or so now, I've been begging people to NOT ANSWER him. HE/it is just annoying enough that some just can't help themselves. PLEASE DON'T DO IT.

There are signs that "Rick" is AI, and everyone reading here should consider who/why "they" want to disrupt the normal conversations and respectful debates we have here.

JUST DON'T RESPOND. PLEASE>

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I was tempted but then I thought of the Occupy movement and "The People's Microphone," any one was allowed to speak for 3 minutes unless the crowd allowed them extra time before they had to go back to the end of the line.

Since the authorities in Riverside California and so many other places banned megaphones, and the speakers had to depend only upon their voices, and those close enough to the hear speaker, the speaker would pause often as those close enough to hear would as a group repeat the speaker's words so those next further away could hear what was said. Each next further group would repeat it until all could hear it (a n eat feature was that the crowd was great at repeating what they liked loudly, but if they thought less of it it was weakly repeated and sometimes didn't reach the outer limits, to me rather effective feedback).

In substacks, I wouldn't mind something like three lines being displayed before you have to actively select "Expand to Full Comment" (and a way to choose to return an expanded comment back to 3 or fewer lines).

I suspect I would most often NOT be expanding the known nonsense contributor(s)' but still have access to some of the gems in the responses.

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Jim, that is an excellent suggestion!

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Hey Alexandra, guess what none of those IST words or ISM words worked for you very well in this election, nor did the basket of deplorable’s. And trust me if you keep using them, it will only get worse for you. You’ll never win another election.

And one other thing, Alexandra, you need to do a little bit more research before you start blaming one side of the aisle, without identifying the exact same actions of the other side of the aisle. He’s not a rapist, nor has ever been a rapist he,s not a racist, nor has ever been a racist. you call him a faux billionaire, yeah before he ever ran for president, he owns hotels and golf courses all over the world with his name on them and has 22,000 employees, and a social media platform worth over $10 billion.

And by the way, he’s been President of the United States. And one more piece of research you should do. No one is a convicted felon until they are sentenced and that’ll never happen.

Whatever you do, don’t bring up Bill Clinton and his proclivities. Nor Hunter Biden, nor Joes ten year pardon, which somehow coincides with the day that Hunter started working for Burisma , even though joe never spoke to him about it, and had no idea about Hunter‘s business dealings. Yikes

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For at least a week or so now, I've been begging people to NOT ANSWER him. HE/it is just annoying enough that some just can't help themselves. PLEASE DON'T DO IT.

There are signs that "Rick" is AI, and everyone reading here should consider who/why "they" want to disrupt the normal conversations and respectful debates we have here.

JUST DON'T RESPOND. PLEASE>

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No, you are not considered a convicted felon until you have been sentenced by a judge after being found guilty of a Felony.

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Some justices appointed by him to do bad things like delay sentencing

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Oh, patti, we have much to learn. Not actually a convicted felon until you’re sentenced, and that will never happen. Not only that, if, in fact it did occur, it has been very highly indicated at this case will be over, turned in a flash, on several legal levels due to many not only procedural differences, but biases by the judge and the prosecutor. But no need to worry he’s your president now. And he’ll do a good job for you, even though you don’t like him.

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Sorry Rick, convicted is convicted, sentencing is what happens AFTER you’re convicted.

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Try another website

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You’re in denial

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For at least a week or so now, I've been begging people to NOT ANSWER him. HE/it is just annoying enough that some just can't help themselves. PLEASE DON'T DO IT.

There are signs that "Rick" is AI, and everyone reading here should consider who/why "they" want to disrupt the normal conversations and respectful debates we have here.

JUST DON'T RESPOND. PLEASE>

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I am in denial about what? That the charges that Trump faced in New York were nothing but BS. Even Mr. Federman today said exactly that and he didn’t mince words they were BS they were political BS.

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I think we are in the midst of seeing things happening as we read about the proposed Cabinet and other positions to be manned by the largest group of unqualified and frightening candidates. So take your rhetoric elsewhere.

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Matt Gaetz was an inexperienced attorney and a sex pest. Even Meghan McCain’s husband Ben Domenech condemned him, and Domenech is a conservative who helped to create “The Federalist.” Tulsi is an apologist for Putin and Assad and would give our secrets to Putin along with Trump. Hegseth has no experience with senior command, and is also a drunk and sex pest. Trump is picking a terrible cabinet and even his fellow Republicans are not likely to go along with his selections.

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lol. Well, then, please share with us, and this audience your vast Experience and knowledge, picking a presidential cabinet and evaluating the candidates thereof I’m sure I’d love to hear it. I’m guessing you approve of everyone of Obamas and Bidens cabinet members, right? Omg.

That’s your opinion, and you are certainly entitled to it. In the meantime, it looks like every single one of the cabinet picks is going to be chosen, including many Democrats, who agree. So spare us your lack of wisdom/experience in such dealings. Instead of predicting, what will happen which is almost always wrong why don’t you wait for something to happen and then evaluate it how’s that?

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For at least a week or so now, I've been begging people to NOT ANSWER him. HE/it is just annoying enough that some just can't help themselves. PLEASE DON'T DO IT.

There are signs that "Rick" is AI, and everyone reading here should consider who/why "they" want to disrupt the normal conversations and respectful debates we have here.

JUST DON'T RESPOND. PLEASE>

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Wait a minute did you say the associated presslololol. It looks about 98% right now that all the cabinet pics will be passed by the Senate

With only one or two, perhaps in doubt. And one of the things I kept hearing about was always going to do all these recess appointments. All these recessed appointments at people on the liberal side panicking.

Well, every president has done recess appointments Bill Clinton did the second most of all time. Obama did almost the fewest. But now, when it comes down to it, he might have to do one or two that jury is still out

But I think Reagan did 230 Clinton did almost 200 posted 180 or so and now we’re down to two potential recession appointments that probably won’t need to happen.

Every president gets to pick his cabinet. Period. I have to go through the process but he gets to pick them. And now the massager this in charge has chosen a woman to be the most powerful and first ever chief of staff, and the second most important position in the cabinet is indeed also a woman. And amazingly Joe Biden invited Hitler to the White House… just ask the AP.

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We also lived through four years of his pathetic attempts at governance which culminated in the mismanagement of the Covid crisis and an attempted insurrection after the election in 2020 which he clearly lost. No need to "wait for something to happen". This is not new. It will be a repeat of 2017-2020 only worse.

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You’ve been reported. Comments are always welcome but not when that person is argumentative, verbally abusive and obnoxious. Either be civil or every comment of yours shall be reported.

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Reporting takes weeks if it works at all. The best thing to do, which has worked for trolls in the past is to NOT RESPOND. AT ALL.

As others have pointed out, and I agree, I highly suspect that "Rick" is AI generated. PLEASE don't respond to it.

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They haven’t been any of those things. I’ve been told to fuck off and stick my head up my ass. Did you report him? I’ve never said anything like that

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Because by then too late

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Rick, as my Republican father of America’s greatest generation would quip: “use your head for something besides a MAGA hat rack”. How did Trump’s first administration turn out? I expect the upcoming one to be far worse. And once the economy and policy starts going sideways, his back-pedaling will become fierce. Why? Because he’s all consumed with “optics”. Meanwhile, “Rome burns”.

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Hey, I responded to you before, but of course, when you can’t defend anything, you remain silent. Unfortunately, we don’t live in Rome we live in America and perhaps you might watch the army navy game as I posted to a few other people here

It was incredibly awesome to see the interviews before the game from each team, talking about how they wanted to beat the other team and win. BUT THE BEST PART CAME NEXT. WHEN THEY ALL SAID THE SAME THING FROM BOTH ARMY AND NAVY PLAYERS.

THEY SAID BUT…..AFTER THE GAME WE ARE “ALL’ ON THE SAME TEAM

WITH ALL OUR BRITHERS AND SISTERS SUPPORTING AMERICA AS ONE TEAM.

might be a message they are you could learn from? It also wouldn’t hurt you to become a little bit more introspective when seeing the results of this election.

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White American voters, pretty much on their own, chose a few weeks ago a profoundly ignorant man to negotiate a world well described as a geopolitical minefield. To make it worse, the VP elected with him is, unfortunately, more malicious, and the mob-boss wannabe is surrounding himself with assistants who are, difficult as it is to imagine, even worse than he is. It’s a trifecta of venemous creatures in control of the most destructive forces in history. Hard to see how it can lead anywhere good, or even tolerable for that matter.

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Pardon me, Rnexer, but I think your left of the left Coast. Please tell the other Post was here to wait for something to happen before they call the apocalypse.

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I get it. You are the one voice of common sense on site of people who don’t appreciate the new world Donald Trump is bringing in. Unfortunately we saw him last time and a million people died unnecessarily and the Capitol was literally trashed with shit.

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For at least a week or so now, I've been begging people to NOT ANSWER him. HE/it is just annoying enough that some just can't help themselves. PLEASE DON'T DO IT.

There are signs that "Rick" is AI, and everyone reading here should consider who/why "they" want to disrupt the normal conversations and respectful debates we have here.

JUST DON'T RESPOND. PLEASE

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Michelle, I get where you’re going but that’s simply denial and simply ignoring information but many people on this log could use

You could choose to refute it you could choose to have a back-and-forth dialogue about his contact, but running away, is like the people that are going from X to blue sky just people don’t wanna see the truth

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That’s probably all AOK for the troll

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See what I mean Janess it’s people like you that don’t do your research before you post things like this. I’ll make a couple of remarks one is this!

A once, in a lifetime, global pandemic. You’d like to add all the knowledge and expertise, you have in order to solve that mystery. Of course I’m being facetious, but I’m not being facetious about a once in a lifetime new virus

And what I mean by people like you that don’t do your research before you post

Joseph Biden had the same number of people die on his watch as Trump dead on his and he had a year and a half Headstart and the vaccines were already out. That’s right over 1 million people died on Joe Biden’s watch from Covid

However, I’d like to say one more thing that’s very important here if you look it up and do your research, it is now been more or less attested that at least 75% of the people that died from Covid actually died from a secondary disease such as COPD, A pre-existing, heart condition, etc. feel free to look it up.

Bottom line, no one was prepared for this epidemic/pandemic. And this is not the time, but it would be more than happy to provide you with what Trump was able to accomplish in record time to help save not only hundreds of thousands of lives, but hundreds of thousands of businesses and over a couple million jobs during the crisis

Oh, and by the way, more suspicion is even brought to light today by the fact that there were 26 FBI agents included in the crowd that the FBI lied about

Just came out in the document today in Congress by the IG. Not to mention, there’s a video of Nancy Pelosi taking blame for not providing more coverage, 10,000 troops were requested …and for the mayor of DC refusing to assist in what they knew was coming

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You keep telliing us to do our research. (I do plenty.) I'd like to know what sources you get your "facts" from. I have a pretty good idea.

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Steve, Rick is a Russian bot. Please stop engaging with it.

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Well, I sent you my answer, but I got no reply. Which is fine with me, but I don’t get a reply. I just would think at what I sent. You were absolutely correct.

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Mostly Google. Which by the way, leans way left and I'll give you an example if you like.

The other day during the election results and all the controversy I just typed in my browser, bush Gore

I had to go 16 pages and 206 links in to get to the first conservative link which happened to be Oan i believe

But it was 10 links later that I first got to a Fox News link Fox News is now the number one primetime rated show and the highest rated cable network show doubling MSNBC and tripling CNN in primetime viewing and yet it took me that long to find it.

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Don’t know much about how viruses work, do you, Rick. Look up exponential growth. It possibly could have been caught in the beginning. Trump had months with the virus, when it was still vulnerable. Biden had years, starting behind the curve, as it was exploding.

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For at least a week or so now, I've been begging people to NOT ANSWER him. HE/it is just annoying enough that some just can't help themselves. PLEASE DON'T DO IT.

There are signs that "Rick" is AI, and everyone reading here should consider who/why "they" want to disrupt the normal conversations and respectful debates we have here.

JUST DON'T RESPOND. PLEASE>

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Patty I totally agree with you!! .

But people always point the finger at Trump for 1 million deaths when they don't know that Biden had as many.

And obviously, at the beginning of any once a lifetime new virus pandemic there's going to be a lot that is unknown and takes time to be known.

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Neither Biden nor Trump caused Covid. Trump's sin was that he lied to the American people about it for weeks after being informed of the danger.

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What is your source?

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You can’t even spell my name. The level of ignorance and incompetence oozes all over your attempts to trash our comments.

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I’m not trying to track your comments I’m pointing out that many of them are beyond the shadow of a doubt…wrong.

Edit the risk of quoting a Republican Ronald Reagan, once made the following remarks, more or less. Democrats are not ignorant. They are just so certain of things that are just untrue.

I have been an independent voter for over 40 years, and I like to make my choices based on information I get from many sources and then make up my own mind rather than be a lemming and listen to the same commiserating lies that I see on here and that’s evident

You’re obviously new to my post because I voice text everything and I fervently believe the Content is more important than Form. I do apologize for misspelling your name it’s auto correct and I’m too busy to go back and spend hours in dealing with minutia like spelling corrections when you’re intelligent enough to understand what I’m trying to say.

And you may not have noticed, but I have praised a number of the posters here and supported them. In fact a day before yesterday I received about 50 or 60 likes for my posts. Mostly having to do with Social Security. If the left wants to win, elections down the road, you’ll have to stop using the IST words you’ll have to stop using the ISM phrases. You’ll have to stop calling people names referring to them as Hitler and fascist, etc.. you’ll have to tell the government to stop using its DOJ to shut down political opponents as they do in Russia and China, etc.

That only emboldened your opposition.

And if you’d like to have a rational discussion about any topic, please feel free.

In the meantime, the current president continues to sabotage the incoming administration by fueling the war in Ukraine, giving Ukraine permission to send rockets into Russia, and by selling off our auctioning off the last remaining parts of the unbilled wall when Trump is going to start building it immediately as soon as he gets an office.

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Let us know what waiting for all the greatness brings to your life. Maybe you have been waiting a lifetime to break out your secret bigotry, misogyny and hate. Now you have a felon-elect who has given you permission! Therein lies his “greatness.”

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For at least a week or so now, I've been begging people to NOT ANSWER him. HE/it is just annoying enough that some just can't help themselves. PLEASE DON'T DO IT.

There are signs that "Rick" is AI, and everyone reading here should consider who/why "they" want to disrupt the normal conversations and respectful debates we have here.

JUST DON'T RESPOND. PLEASE>

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Concise summary of a complex web of events. Diplomacy, like democracy, is slower than violent aggression, but longer lasting.

This essay pinpoints the peril in which a second Trump presidency places the entire world.

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It takes years to build what you can bomb in moments.

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JL, reading your comment just now the thought “Bannon bombs” sprung into my mind. Yeah, the burn it all down guy. Wondered if he liked to play with matches as a kid…..

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It is true things are much easier to break than to make, but relationships can endure a conflict that a bomb never will.

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We are retired to Cape Town SA right now- on a retirement visa, as US citizens. I cannot begin to tell you the perception and attitude we encounter here against and for the US and Trump ( many many diehard fans here😵‍💫) Support for Putin is rife. So is so many mis-conceptions and conspiracy theories. Folks .. I cannot state enough how much Heather’s Letter last night gave us, living on the African Continent - in South Africa- Light and Hope. Although the size of that Mustard seed - which is for sure enough to keep us going!! 💙🇺🇸

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Hi Christel,

Lived in Zambia 14 years, best years of my life, even though, at the same time, it became a long stretch of deep sadness that grew in my heart as I saw how the US, point after point, relinquished our many African relationships to China's investments. We saved millions of lives; kept upwards of 6 nations from total socioeconomic collapse during the last pandemic. In just one small country we knew thousands of local and national leaders by name, some of whom we shed tears with and loved.

Bit by bit we (USA) abandoned the continent and came home. In 2014 when my superannuated diplomatic passport was finally out of page-insert capacity, & bereft of family the prior 5 years and now official role as well, I quite impulsively sought to remain via a residence visa at the Zambian Ministry of Home Affairs and Internal Security. In that colonial era building, I was seated across a large desk for the interview, and waited a long time. The desk had two flags. One flag was Zambian, the other Chinese. Finally, a young(er) man who I'd known schooled in China, entered, sat opposite, and did not smile, and I did not press my case.

Throughout Africa, we did GREAT work, but we failed to persist and rise to the mark, in our investing in people initiatives, time and money; the Chinese sent laborers to build highways, and dams, even underbidding local African contractors, reopening old mines with newer tech, extracting the beautiful mukwa wood from the virgin forests with the fastest rate of deforestation in the world, and various other raw resources for cold hard cash, and tech, which these nations' powerful craved.

I will always remember a ~6:30am morning meeting at the Ministry of Health in 2008, timed just so, that I was privileged to walk in and announce that the US had elected Barak Obama President. In the boardroom, a few early risers, dressed impeccably in formalwear, normally addressing each other in the British 'King's English' according to Robert's Rules of Order, spontaneously stood and cheered like people much younger, rejuvenated.

This was a different, full throated cheer, in contrast with the few uncertain yells that went up around the large screens about 4pm while I stood in line in Lusaka to pay my DSTV bill on Sept 11, 2001. Cheers that were quickly scolded into shame by others in the queue, with glances my direction.

We had a choice; we made the wrong one then.

We still have a choice, and it will be harder now.

But it remains the right choice.

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Thank you for a very helpful summary of the efforts of the Biden administration to promote peace in a critical region of the world.

It’s so sad that all of the adults in the U.S. side of the room are leaving office in roughly a month, to be replaced with criminals. Incompetents, and grifters.

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We're putting Russia on its ass, telling China how far they can go, and are in position to transform the Middle East and Africa.

All of which will be lost by the Traitor Trump, who's counting the days till he can surrender he United States to his controller, Putin, and hand us over to our enemies.

Trump and his collection of traitors, and the half of the American population to fucking stupid to tie their own shoelaces, all happy to throw over democracy and hand us to the losers.

Goddamn each and every one of the Trumpscum to hell.

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I love to read this, but it breaks my heart to know that on 1/21/05 this wisdom and magnanimity comes to an end. The Republicans will ruin all this good work and as usual we will have to clean up their mess. It’s been going on ever since I can remember. (I’m 68.) Will this ever end? I am hoping the mess they make this time will cause a massive shift but who knows? We all know that you can’t fix stupid.

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I agree.

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Yes so much avoidable suffering

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I agree completely but, minor point, think you meant 1/21/25 instead of 05

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What will the Boston Tea Party look like in today's terms

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Thank you, Dr. Richardson, for this excellent report. For all the leadership President Biden has performed trump will undo with a smear of his sharpie. We, Democrats, have to regroup and focus on salvaging the good that Biden has performed.

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Is Joe Biden have performed so greatly why is he not still in office? Why did 70% of the country think that this country was headed in the wrong direction? 70% even by all liberal posters wake up, the man came close to destroying this country and lying to us at the same time. Bidenomics is working … The border is secure. Inflation is transitory. Crime Is down? And I didn’t know anything about Hunter’s businesses

Trump is Hitler Trump is a fascist. Trump is a threat to democracy and then the Democrat party pulls a coup d’état in America and calls Trump a threat to democracy. coups are not supposed to happen in America. The majority of Plowman’s today are saying that liberals and Democrats need to look introspectively as to what just occurred in this election and figure out why they lost end of four or five reasons above are the reasons not because of skin color or race or misogyny. Happened because prices at the grocery store were at all time high at the gas station all time high mortgage rates out of control as well as homeownership. An open border. And a democrat party, and it’s lemming media lying to the public about the condition of Joe’s brain an health.

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Rick, please document some of your assertions. Biden is still in office. He was not reelected because no one would fact check the lies that were told in real time. People foolishly believed the serial liar.

Bidenomics IS working. The US economy is the best in the world, post-Covid. Crime IS down. Don’t be so pessimistic.

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For at least a week or so now, I've been begging people to NOT ANSWER him. HE/it is just annoying enough that some just can't help themselves. PLEASE DON'T DO IT.

There are signs that "Rick" is AI, and everyone reading here should consider who/why "they" want to disrupt the normal conversations and respectful debates we have here.

JUST DON'T RESPOND. PLEASE>

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Thank you, Miselle, for your efforts to clear this space of the AI annoyance. It will stop when people stop responding, as you say.

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Patti, I’m not your research assistant just google it 68% of the country even from CNN thought the country was headed in the wrong direction. Who is the serial liar? They call Trump every name in the book they questioned every answer he gave the shot them twice or attempted to…

White anonymous is a total failure. I don’t know where the heck you’re getting your information from. The price of gas when Biden took over, was about two dollars and change Country wide it doubled overnight when Biden took over. In California gas prices were over 750 a gallon.

Eggs went from three dollars a dozen to seven dollars a dozen as the butter

You are confusing the word economy with the word reality.

The average citizen doesn’t understand the word economy were they understand the word inflation even though when Trump took over inflation was 1.9% and went to over 9% under Biden and if you consider that working I have overestimated you. Mortgage rates went from 3% to over 7% at home prices sky rocketed. A war broke out in Ukraine and Israel, and they were no wars during trumps administration in fact, he had the gall to move. Israel’s capital were every president since Cater, had failed.

Crime was not low and you need to re-check your stats. The FBI was not given all the data and they had to print out a second set of data, and in fact, Prime was up anywhere from 20 to 24% nationwide, especially violent crime.

And here’s the worst part illegal immigrants killed and raped children and adults. And I hope I don’t have to tell you whose fault that was.

And lastly, Biden wasn’t reelected because he could no longer put together a coherent sentence. They lied and covered that up as well over three years and George Clooney lost his respect and reputation because of it as well as did Obama and Pelosi. It was sickening.

Joe, Biden hasn’t been an office for over a year unless you refer to a statue is being an office. World knows that he hasn’t been making any of these decisions which have been wrong as well

Spending $200 billion in Ukraine for What just another Vietnam especially when Americans, poor and homeless or suffering.

I could give you more information for decades, but you need to start doing some research on your own out of both sides of your head not the defensive side. Sorry for the run-on

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Ah, yes. The “Google it yourself, do your own research” gambit. Tell us that you don’t know how algorithms work without telling us that you don’t know how algorithms work.

https://amp.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/02/joe-biden-economy-analysis

https://www.forbes.com/sites/arthurkellermann/2024/10/24/us-violent-crime-is-down-many-voters-refuse-to-believe-it/

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By the way, that report came out October 2024

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Someone else just texted me something from another place that I post and that not only had that information but much more detail about the crime data. The original FBI report which came out in 2023 showed a 2.1% decrease in violent between 2022 and 2021 Over a year later, the FBI came out with a report in October 2024 showing a 6.6% difference from a 2.1% decreased to a 4.5% increase And there are more details if Want them describing each type of crime. as I stated to you earlier, the title of the report was FBI quietly puts out new crime data. Revised

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Which showed and 80,000 violent crime increase between 22 and 21. I’m done on that topic

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Exactly what do you want to know from me that you can find out from yourself if you care to. “FBI quietly updates, crime data to show big, jump in violent crime under Biden Harris administration shocking. A 2.1% drop in violent crimes in 2022 has now been revised to show a 4.5 increase per FBI data”

I’m not your research assistant, but I just did pick that out from Googling One site

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It's people like you, Rick who screwed our Country. Biden is not President because people find sports and entertainment more interesting than their own government. The so-called mainstream media (owned by too wealthy Businessmen - not publishers or even journalists.) were told to support trump no matter what he said. And way more than half of America are so poorly educated (thanks to their State Governments commitment to keep them in ignorance - not because they are less intelligent) they are unable to research or analyze what they are being told. They believe the garbage spewed on reality TV is REAL.

Joe Biden did more to boost productivity, job and income for the 70% of Americans than any president since Franklin Roosevelt. But his own party turned on him because some of them weren't getting the benefits from the wealthy they were used to receiving.

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Another Reason is the MSM focused on Joe Biden's occasional Verbal Gaffes... The MSM portrayed Joe Biden as Old & Infirm... They let DJT's constant Lying, and Gish-Galloping pass... Remember Legal Haitian Immigrants 'Eating Cats, and Dogs'? Lawrence O'Donnell had a segment on that on MSNBC tonight... If You Listen to DJT Talk, and watch him Move, DJT is deteriorating Rapidly... DJT is slowing down in both Spheres noticeably now....People Speculate that DJT has Middle-Stage Dementia at this point...

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Friend Rick here also relies on the Gish gallop.

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I wonder if F.R. speaks Real Fast like Dan Shapiro, or Vivek Ramaswamy? Maybe F.R. should upgrade his A.I. Buddy!!!

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For at least a week or so now, I've been begging people to NOT ANSWER him. HE/it is just annoying enough that some just can't help themselves. PLEASE DON'T DO IT.

There are signs that "Rick" is AI, and everyone reading here should consider who/why "they" want to disrupt the normal conversations and respectful debates we have here.

JUST DON'T RESPOND. PLEASE>

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Well, that’s a very interesting opinion. I’m not sure how I screwed the country

But then how did Biden get elected? Weren’t those the same people that voted? Hmmm

Well nice delusion but every major Legacy net work, including MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN, and MS NBC supported Kamala Harris and Joe Biden the entire time and have been in the pocket of liberals for at least two decades.

I don’t know where you’re getting your information but maybe you should Google each station and see which way the public thinks they lean wow.

By the way, they are no longer the mainstream media. They killed themselves by supporting her and touting their lies. They kept saying the border is secure. Trump is a racist. Trump is a Hitler Trump is a fascist. Trump is a misogynist. Inflation is transitory crime is down. I don’t know what channels you’re watching. There is only one strong, conservative channel, and a secondary one that has a little concern in the main stream.

Fox News is essentially the only conservative news service in the country on main stream television.

Even your newspapers such as the LA Times, the New York Times, the Washington post are all liberals, and in fact, and I think you’ll love this stat go look up the registered party of the writers on the New York Times and the registry party of all journalists. It’s over 90% liberal in both cases.

And I just love when people like you step all over yourself and your own argument. When you say that half the people in this country are ignorant. Once again, weren’t those the same ignorant people that voted for Joe Biden. Ooooops.

You have an extremely unique and upside down take on why Biden wasn’t reelected.

He lied, Kamala lied, the legacy media lied they told us the border was secure they told us the prices were not high in the supermarkets. They told us that gas prices were coming down

And yet with the public went to the grocery stores, they couldn’t afford it.

And they didn’t buy the lies about the border. By the way, upon which we’ve spent over $150 billion to house feed and care for them and in fact, moving citizens out of buildings in order to house them any New York actually haven’t given them debit cards to use for purchases that I’ve now been canceled.

You need to be a little bit more introspective. Biden did nothing for America other than increase the cost of daily living, make the country and the world less secure less safe increase the price of gas and mortgages and home affordability and crime in the streets everywhere and homelessness growing everywhere.

The funny thing about all this two things. Actually if the liberals had let Trump build a wall for about $10 billion we would’ve saved ourselves about 300 billion in the end and they’ll be less fentanyl and there be less rapes and murders by illegals. And we wouldn’t have to spend the money deporting them

Biden should’ve just sat behind a desk for four years smoking a cigar and let Trump‘s policies work and he still be an office on January 20.

I have a lot more to say on the subject, but I’ll let this sink in first feel free to comment back

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Yes, the Assad fall was "a tectonic event."

But is the totality of U.S. efforts toward the 3rd world all only commerce and business infrastructure?

What about using the Peace Corps or the Fulbright for essay writing programs in upper-level schools?

Couldn't students learn to introduce themselves -- first in home classrooms to each other, then in groups of "others" in other countries, other cultures?

The introductions could center on the styles students like as they evolve with their own tastes in food, clothing, and shelter (this last including interior design, outside landscape choices, and travel choices, too). We all start out having inherited choices, from our families and communities.

The essays could expand, to include references to each student's choices in one's larger culture, especially for novels, memoirs, and other books that sympathetically show others wrestling with difficult choices in each culture.

Yes, I know, the U.S. competes with nasty brutes internationally, as people like Putin seek to grow their dictator and thug alliances.

But neglect schools and humanities totally? Neglect the arts of seeing individuals apart from ruling stereotypes?

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"An enemy is someone whose story we have not yet heard."

- Gene Knudson Hoffman

Not universally applicable, but I find it more helpful than harmful to keep trying to apply this lens.

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Some people seem to be dedicated predators, but I think most people are more alike than different when is comes down to the core.

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Super good, Eric.

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Instead, I would suggest a lens of optimism. Abraham Lincoln said it best people are as happy as a make up their minds to be

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I read this and wonder what how these initiatives could have taken form if K Harris had won. And what if JFK/RFK/MLK had lived. Still.

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"PGII is the answer to China’s Belt and Road Initiative, which has invested billions in infrastructure in developing African countries but brings with it the risk of debt traps for the governments that borrow from it"

I am sure the Chinese would not mind having additional cash coming their way, but the debt is just the hook, a honey pot. They want influence to the point of control, as do the Russians (but through very different means, clearly). PGII is looking for the same influence while, hopefully, promoting solid ways forwards for Africans that they, themselves, get to forge. Let's hope, further, that PGII is not too late, as the Belt and Road Initiative began in 2013.

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It’s so ironic that Trump‘s new champion is from a S-hole country, by Trump‘s own definition South Africa is just that.

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We have some of the very rich here in SA as part of family - “ we do not believe Trump actually said that .. when did he? “ This is what we are encountering here.. cringing to say the least.

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People take exurbs of a speech, and make it the essence of the man truly sickening, and for those of you were here, get away from here for a while, listening to all this negativities house to bring you into the depths of sadness

You’re about to have a new renaissance hitch your wagon to America and be happy

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A global union - imagine that -

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At least a lot more understanding between cultures.

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I have no doubt the completion of the Lobito Corridor will be a boon to the efficient removal of raw materials out of central Africa. Whether or not its rosy promise of progress and prosperity for the people of central Africa will be fulfilled, at best, remains to be seen. Modern African history does not inspire optimism.

The Biden Administration’s efforts throughout the world have been practical and forward thinking. However, on Jan. 20, 2025, the US becomes a willing client state of Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Again, history not inspire optimism.

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True. As I understand it the mining of the Congo threatens, behind the Amazon rainforest, the second largest regenerative ecosystem in the world.

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Thank you for responding to my comment.

The mining will happen in any event. The question is whether any of the local population gets any of the benefits.

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