Thank you, Heather, for helping us make sense of the mess, and for grounding our reality in the matrix of history. You’ve united us, connected us; and as a collective we’ll march on, together, in support of democracy and the American dream.
Heather's ability to clarify complexities and connect us through the lens of history is invaluable. Her work unites and inspires us to move forward together, standing strong for democracy and the ideals of the American dream. Thank you, HCR!
The weather (or fires) they could not control. This disaster we’re in, we can control. And with the Republicans (unthinking) help, we will. We KNOW they’re in the wrong and truth always prevails. Always.
Trump and his minions are losers (what more proof could anyone need!) so all that’s required of us is to stand strong, not let the bastards get us down and do the hard (but satisfying) work.
Be optimistic. They give us dozens of reasons to every day.
Susan, are you sure you are not wearing rose colored glasses, think of all of those who have succumbed to various genocides? Or how many species have needlessly gone extinct because of humans inhumanity, Evil always wins unless enough people ban together to have enough power to make those engaging in evil accountable, and how often has that just. not happened?
Six millions Jews and scads of other people in Nazi Germany beg to differ. Many other examples, too. I don't see how it's helpful to pretend that evil never wins.
My only suggestion here, although I do agree with your comment, is that it isn't evil. Using the word evil let's human beings off the hook as if there is some other worldly power. Evil also smacks of religion, Those horrendous acts were committed by human beings. Those acts reveal the awful side of humanity, where so many can follow unconscionable orders. And still we tolerate what is mostly male aggression. We glorify war. Call soldiers heroes. We celebrate aggression in an array of forms. But what we don't do well, is raise boys to be men with integrity and true honor, who reject violence and aggression. And until we do this much better than we've been doing, we will have war and the many other ways people, mostly men, commit acts of brutality.
I agree with your general premise about failing to do enough to suppress/re-channel aggression, not to mention violence, but it appears that we differ on our thoughts about calling something evil. To me, identifying something as evil doesn't at all mean palming off responsibility on another human being or anyone's beliefs (or lack thereof) in a higher power. Atheists and agnostics are perfectly capable of evil acts.
While there are numerous ways that each person's choices are shaped--with at least a chapter on nature vs. nurture in there--I believe that we all have, to some extent, and inborn understanding of right and wrong. Calling it a conscience may sound too religion-oriented for you, but we all know what it means in a secular world. We know right from wrong. While we (society as a whole, no just you and me in particular) may disagree on certain aspects, isn't there a minimum baseline?
Deliberately hurting someone, be it physical, emotional, or psychological, is wrong. Taking something that doesn't belong to you without the owner's permission is wrong. Preventing another person from accessing safe food or potable water is wrong. Separating children from adults because you don't like what they do is wrong, *especially* when you have the means to fix the broken system but refuse to do so. Most religions and life philosophies adhere to one form or another of "do unto to others as you would have them do unto you." [I actually got into a brief discussion of this with some customer service guy in India a couple of months ago. Sorry, can't recall the context, but I end up in off-topic if not downright off-the-wall conversations with customer service and tech support people on a regular basis.]
There are some disagreements/gray areas about this, but taking the life of another human being is wrong. In theory, I'd say it's okay in self-defense or in defense of the life of another, but I'm not sure I could make myself do that. Circumstances and the means I had to make it happen would be a big factor. I don't think it's okay morally to kill someone stealing your TV, much less simply knocking on your door or driving up your driveway. I believe the death penalty is wrong. Won't get into the question of war here, because that's a whole different conversation, and as much as we can know it's a terrible thing, we don't live in an ideal world.
Evil is a choice, or, in some cases, sitting back and not making a choice. See: not caring enough to vote when you know that one of the candidates has every intention of doing hurtful and greedy things, not least upending both national and international security if it makes him richer. See: police officers who stood around and did nothing while Derek Chauvin had his knee on George Floyd's neck.
Good vs. evil is a choice. One can taint the the White House for four years and have to be dragged away, kicking, screaming, lying, stealing documents, inciting an insurrection, etc., etc., etc., or one can leave the WH after four years and spend the next 40 years doing good around the world and at home.
I agree with almost all of your comment. However, there are some of us who are born sociopathic, and who wouldn't agree, and there are many who are turned into sociopaths due to their early life experiences. Those are the ones who cause the most damage and suffering in our world. Their behavior is often celebrated instead of understood to be a danger to our society, i.e.. the incoming resident of the WH. If we call that behavior evil, it becomes a convenient way of distancing ourselves from the truth- that it's human behavior at it's worst and those who are capable of it are among us - even in our families. Perhaps even ourselves. You never know.
Yes, sociopaths do exist. It sounds a bit as if you are excusing the sack of dirt about to taint the WH again with his presence, though, by blaming it on what others did to him. I won't say that's impossible, but do you believe the man has NO control over every awful decision he makes? He's definitely devoid of empathy, but then, that's a given for a sociopath.
Resilience is to keep going even when evil does win, and continues to win, and keeps pounding. To do what’s required anyway, unattached to success or failure. If not for oneself, then for those who follow.
Your erudite writing provided me with knowledge that was new and hope that I cling to. Starts my day off every morning. Your steadfastness is remarkable and appreciated.
Red skies at night, sailor's delight; red skies in the morning, sailor's warning. Whether omen or fire, it’s all about perspective...Some see progress, others see a challenge to old habits.
I didn't read it the way you did- I just saw it as a fairly poetic description of trump 1.0- grim stuff to live through. And a warning that we have to keep paying attention, because 2.0 is the better funded, steroided version.
Fyi, Rick is a troll, possibly a bot. Likely paid per response. You’ll note that others are ignoring. If you review, you’ll see it is baiting HCR’s readers.
If I were you, I would just enjoy the ride. Actually, one of a very strong willed liberal pundit on MSNBC suggested this to people that were having difficulty excepting the results of this election. And the portrayal of the nightmare ahead, lol which will not happen
Stephanie ruhle suggested this
The left needs to stop it histrionics because everybody realizes that 80% of what you think is gonna happen never happens.
Trump was already president and if not for Covid would be probably leaving office now rather than just going back in
Low food prices, low gas prices, low mortgage rates, more affordable homes, no wars around the world and a safer America
Bill, I don’t wanna even be in that quasi-socialist sub stack but some people that post here are posting from there and when I reply I end up there by mistake. Sometimes it lets me post sometimes it says subscribe which I will not.
Iwas tossed out of what’s his name, attorney from California when e had a dispute about Ukraine in which I assert this was was unnecessary and that we and the west made casual assurances of no expanding NATO east. Finally he returned my
payment and banned me. And I’m sure I was correct we didn’t need to withhold assurances to Putin over NATO offer. Ukraine was no ready to be admitted. Look at all the destruction a death. Just plainly unnecessary. An imperfect arrangement but better than the alternative.
No Rick has a right to express himself. May I add that our collective inability to listen to other points of view is our mistake. I don’t agree with much of what he says. Some but not a lot. Let’s try to be a bit more friendly here.
What Rick lacks is observing Trump and his behavior what I have done for almost 40 years and I know he is an empty head. He believes in nothing except self aggrandizement and ripping off from any sources and now it’s our government. Before it was just contractors and selling rubbish. He is nothing and will suffer the consequences of electing him. My guess is that we have about one month of decent financial asset growth before the markets dive only to be driven up and at that point later in the year, we enter an extended bear market and maybe recession and Trump will most certainly be blamed for it.
Thank you for taking the time to make this comment. Having monitored Senders postings for some time now, he is the one who started the swearing and cursing first. The initial pushback against Sender, at least toned down the Trumpian hatespeak.........how ironic is it that now their own are eating themselves alive with the vial rhetoric...........
The wolf often comes in sheeps clothing......The shephards job is to guard the flock. You and I are veterns and experienced and ready for the next 4 years.
This us a positive transaction of ideas. MTN will be coming under attack come February......what are your thoughts about that.
These days are similar to the time it takes to build up supplies. equipment and plan before battle.........often times the battle will take place in an hour or ever into a day.......or more. We have a 4 year battle on our hands........
The word is out on the streets about Sender..........street justice will take care of the problem.....Blessed Be
I’m sticking with the fishermen (I’ve spent much time w/them & their intuition & ancient wisdom)! We are now READY to put OUT any fires approaching —we are beyond DONE!
No sir, I am not. I subscribe to Heather's as initial interest but probably by the time I get back from my cruise I will probably sign off here as well. I'm gonna wait maybe a couple three weeks into Trump's administration to see if he's able to follow through on his initial promises and then I'll just go on and live my life hopefully with the same optimism as I've lived it till now.
Heard it 100 times and being Jewish it means something to me. But the message to me it's different that it's obviously received or taken by you and here's what I mean
I AM DOING SOMETHING I AM SPEAKING OUT AND SUPPORTING OUR INCOMING PRESIDENT.
BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT IS WORKING ON OUR BEHALF NOT AGAINST US
One more thing in being here just recently I’ve noticed that most of you know each other and most of you post multiple times back-and-forth commentary, agreeing, and patting each other on the back and offering books and other information for their friends to read and I think that’s wonderful that your chummy like that But as soon as somebody comes here that has a difference of opinion he’s now a troll. Which is fine, but I find it pretty ironic.
And suffering from TRDS as well. Russia didn't work for a schiff . Russia didn't work for Hillary. Russia didn't work for the 51 so-called experts that are going to be investigated now not sure I would proceed because it actually failed you in this election as well.
And we’ve got Putin’s number now—his harboring of Assad is finally his demise! That’s YUGE! Then we get rid of Netanyahu & trump & Co. & we move FORWARD, TOGETHER!
Just an observation and not meant to ridicule. If you were around during the 1960s and fifties, Superman had a motto which was in the comic books at the time. It was “Truth, Justice, and the American Way.”
Things were pretty simple back then, till we hit the Viet Nam war era. Many of us discovered we did not care for the "American Way" when it resulted in our being transported thousands of miles away. The clarity of what happened to many of us was obscured by the media and lacking in truth.
I am afraid it will take more than Dr. Heather's clarity to get us back on the path to some degree of truth and justice. There are masses of people buying into the Trump lies and the Musk threats. There has to be a will amongst us all to push back on these forces. I believe we are at a pivotal point, a crossroads where we as a nation has to decide where our nation is going and what it will it be in the future.
Best of luck in the New Year of 2025. We will all need such going forward.
Bill since you follow HCR I recommend you also follow Marc Elias of Democracy Docket a lawyer actively working non stop and very successful in fighting the war on voting rights as well as Michael Popok also a lawyer with a channel and videos on MTN called Legal AF where he breaks a lot of what is going on down and focus on legal paths that remain to keep this fight on. They both keep me feeling more positive. I just refuse to give in to this madness. Power and Greed always go together but don’t mix well and destroy one another in their quest to be the most powerful and wealthiest. I am not so Pollyanna that I think we can turn this around quickly, but I feel we can turn it around by pushing back on everything. I have taken to emailing my US reps and senators daily to let them know what I expect of them and they know this is what their constituents want in this fight. I will begin calling their Washington offices this week as well to keep the pressure on. I recommend this to everyone as it provides a degree of comfort and calming in this mess we find ourselves in.
I agree, Chris, as many of Heather’s followers, like myself, have been activists since the ‘60s & protested Vietnam (to the point of being killed at Kent State) & marched for Civil Rights/Justice! We’ve talked about Climate Change for DECADES! The build up to this total MAGA insanity has been decades long as well! Nixon’s Luis Powell Doctrine, giving corporations free reign; Carter’s horrific demise by the Reagan trickle-down, pushed by the vitriol of jerks like Rush Limbaugh; the Clinton’s pretense of Democracy & then Obama pretending he was Bernie (Michelle Obama is the one making sense )! I taught (& learned) for 40+ years in the inner city & we were slammed by things like NCLB (money from textbook & testing companies pushed that!) & our education system was destroyed! We’ve been a nation of sheep for far too long! When George Floyd was murdered by our militant policing system FINALLY, the BLM movement gave us the freedom to say NO MAS!! It’s been a horrendous 10+ years, with trump’s ignorance & downright stupidity handling Covid, millions have died & been misplaced & the top 1% thinks they’re in charge again. But, as the Beatles sang, “You say you want a revolution…”, it’s HAPPENING! These younger generations of progressives are starting to take us back to the true meat of the ‘60s & peace & love don’t look like such BAD things anymore ! We ARE finally getting involved—calling out Congress, forming coalitions that will help people become involved citizens (& VOTE) & truly changing “this rotten system”! We cannot be pessimistic & give in at this point (I’m certainly not)—ONWARD TOGETHER!! It is NOW OUR TIME!
If you must thank someone, thank Paul Placzek who was a Boy Scout like I was. We both went to different high schools. We were friends. He was as blonde in hair coloring as I was dark and almost black. He tripped a mine booby-trap and came home in pieces.
I was going to go to his home and give condolences to his dad and mom. I did not because I saw his father raging on TV. I knew he would ask why it was not me instead of Paul.
I met Tim Gilson in Boot Camp at San Diego. we became friends there. I still have his grave site number and a picture of the stone marking his grave. After I was discharged, I looked for him. I knew he had lived south of Chicago. I could never find him. I did not want to look at the Wall. On a high school trip, my son when to The Wall. I told him the names to look for and he found Tim as well as others. He brought the etching home.
The sixties and early seventies were not kind to us. I finally found Tim and his grave where I did not want to find him avoiding the search.
Bobbie O'Million lived above us in Chicago on the second floor. He was older than I. He moved to Highland Park, IL. My parents would live me there for a weekend. He went into the Army. His SFC took him and 4 others deer hunting. On the way back to his base, their van was hit head on by a drunk, He and 4 of the others including his Sergeant were killed.
Thanking myself and others who cringe at being thanked is not meant to be discourteous. I made it back, have a family of my own, enjoy the sunsets at 76 years of age, and sometimes think of what might have been.
When thanked for being in the USMC and leaving as a Sergeant, I usually give them a shorter recital. These were my friends who never got a chance to have a family. They sacrificed far more than I did. And that is why I pivot the conversation to them. Many years have passed . . .
I get it. My hubby served USN. Had a very dear friend who died of Agent Orange exposure. His buddy never would talk about his experience on the river boats in Vietnam. Vets back then we’re not treated well upon return home through no fault of there own. But hey, you served your country which is more than our next Pres can ever claim nor his muskrat buddy. They know only self aggrandizing. Nice to have met you here.
For two years and months, I was stationed at Camp Lejeune minus two tours of 4.5 moths I did in Cuba. This was well into my enlistment. Cuba was good duty. I had a squad of men as a Corporal and made a Sergent after my last tour. My time at Lejeune was well over a year.
It was south of NYC so I was able to make the swoop up to the city to see my soon to be wife afterwards. I left after the Corps multiple promises of this and that. It was time to go.
Nine years later (1980-spmething), my platelets disappeared. The hospital took me in ang kept me for weeks dosing me with steroids. They did not know what caused it and had little to treat it. This occurred two more times. The last time in 2020. Rixtuxan seems to work for now.
I showered and drank the water at Camp Lejeune. This was one of the results of doing so. The military finally admits the water was tainted decades later. I applied for disability since this is a Presumptive result.
The upside to all of this? I have multiple degrees, certifications, and a vast international experience in Supply Chain. I have been everywhere globally. Three children and a wife of fifty-something years. We have a young German Shepherd by the name of Minnie too. Life goes on . . .
Kim, how do you make sense of a country being led by a fraudster, an adjudicated sexual harasser, a documented liar, and an insurrectionist now holding the position of President-elect of the United States, a country that is divided with approximately 48% of voting citizens accepting this individual and billionaires traveling to Mar-a-Lago and funding his inauguration?
How do you make sense of proposed nominees for posts as foreign officers/ambassadors who were pardoned after the following as described by two media sources cited here as follows? “Kushner pleaded guilty in 2005 to 16 counts of tax evasion, one count of retaliating against a federal witness and another count of lying to the Federal Election Commission. He was sentenced to two years in prison.”
I, like many, have read Professor Heather Cox-Richardson just about every single day. Yet, as we move in to 2025 it seems to me to be difficult to comprehend the lies, denial of science, the injustice this pardon not to mention the potential of pardons the president-elect says he will offer to people who attacked and threatened elected leaders including his former vice-President?
How do you make sense of this and so much more that are now matters of history and suggest a future governance offering what many have or might describe as propaganda?
How, in fact, do I relate to family and community members who embrace this president-elect and his claims that 91 indictments were nothing more than a witch hunt? How is it that we interact with these folks when they hold him to be above the law and ignore the realities of his regularly reported as having lied or misrepresented facts?
America has been caught by a network of malevolent tricksters. They have entrapped the weaker minds, and the situation is extremely grave. Stay calm, stay very alert, and know who you can trust. Don't waste words on the others. There are some very good people on this board.
Quote Investigator alerts us to an essay - Freedom and Government - that Russell contributed to a collection complied by Ruth Nanda Anshen. It was titled Freedom: Its Meaning and published in 1942.
There Russell wrote:
The first step in a fascist movement is the combination under an energetic leader of a number of men who possess more than the average share of leisure, brutality, and stupidity. The next step is to fascinate fools and muzzle the intelligent, by emotional excitement on the one hand and terrorism on the other.
This technique is as old as the hills; it was practised in almost every Greek city, and the moderns have only enlarged its scale.
So Russell didn't say that, but he did write something very like it.
Thank you! I loved your post and had to search Bertrand Russell because I didn’t know anything about him (and unfortunately I lack a four-year college degree). I think the full quote is spot on and frighteningly accurate 🫣
Good one JJC. "Fasc....(ism)..., Fasc...(inate)..! How well they go-together, and I don't even have my thesaurus handy. But, surely, the...se, are times that try mens souls.
Thank you, Bill. Like I said January 14 I'll be on the water in Southeast Asia get back to 28th and then I will delve into it.
I'll tell you in advance I never mind people making fun of themselves or people making fun of something in a non-offensive way because I really do love humor. I am very self deprecating myself. And if you want to laugh, it's actually one of my more salient qualities. Lol
Heather has done the heavy lifting to show us all the "history repeats itself"
( I listen to the old spoken versions of her work often)....Now it is up to US to learn and take positive action to break that rule!!!
Sun Tzu would call President Biden the Sage Commander......he has wisdom, skill, effective and resourcefull, in tune with the larger picture. He did all this in the face of contention and conflict.
He has been very smart......by NOT being aggressive he is controlling the bull by putting him into a large pasture.........(giving us all a chance to sit back and watch the infighting)
Well, I'm not gonna judge for myself, but I'll tell you everyone who knows me feels how's that?
I've been called Highly intelligent ( IQ)articulate, compassionate, loving, and care , more for my country than 95% of the other people I know
I'm a first generation American even though I'm 75 years old, my mother came here at the age of 13 with her 15-year-old brother and 11 year-old sister without knowing any English and only had a fifth grade education in America and had her husband, my father die when I was six and my sister was one and a half
Came from nothing to be an incredibly successful businessman, board chairman to one of the largest business boards in the world having created probably 1000 millionaires and 50,000 jobs or more and have given lots to charity and have supported many charities that have provided me with awards and plaques letters and thank yous
I will not pat myself on the back other than I've been a good human being to others around me have traveled the world seen 113 countries and all 50 states and Cruise two or three times a year with anywhere from 15th to 20 friends
Oh, and I'm an independent voter for the last 40 years
You are not going to suck me in dude......you are an energy vampire. 75 years??? .........the last paragraph....the longest run on sentence......"never seen a sentence that long in the history of the world".........LOL LOL.......
That tells me all I need to know about you..........
First of all, I voice text....content over form which you obviously can't comprehend
OK but wait a minute Oh my God, I'll call you right back. The feds are at my door. I think I think I'm gonna be arrested right now for a run-on sentence.
In other news, Jack Smith just indicted Trump for removing the mattress and pillow tags From his mattress and pillows
I do want to thank you because I bet a neighbor $1000 that you wouldn't respond initially to telling me about you. So I have to thank you.
And you think I lied about my age ? Hah. Lmao
See once you can't respond I'm done here . You're not worth my time.
Stay calm and carry on by staying in touch and putting a lot of pressure on our legislators and leaders. The only disagreement I have with you Anne-Louise is that you used the world "same" good people when in fact we are a lot....😁
Rick, the Trump machine figured out how to captivate the younger white males who live online. That is how he won. It was brilliant. These guys who voted for Trump don’t know diddley squat. And need I remind you most people don’t vote with their reasoning ability the vote emotionally. You know, a revenge vote. That’s how Trump won. Trump is the ultimate narcissist I know this has been over used but it’s true. Trump has scammed everyone who ever did business with him and now he will scam the government. Read my book.
Oh Bill, you were doing so well to not take the bait. This troll has been baiting you for pages of comments. Don’t feed the trolls and the bots! Report, block!
Bill I'm not sure that's the case although I understand he did capture more young people and that's a major win. But he had a greater share of black vote and Hispanic vote and Asian vote and Indian vote than ever
I don't know of any president who isn't a narcissist to be honest with you they all are in fact, the only one I think it was not was probably Jimmy Carter.
But I pointed out to a number of people here some of the world's best business people some of the world's best leaders have all been narcissists, but people here seem to think you can only be a narcissist in a negative way or a negative sense which is obviously not true I don't have the list in front of me now, but to one of your posters, I named, probably a dozen very famous narcissists, who did a lot of good in the world
In fact,
A few of them who used to be big narcissists were Oprah Winfrey. Steve Jobs Bill and Hillary Clinton Muhammad Ali
You don’t get it. One and no one can reasonably make an argument in favor of a Trump administration. I could spend the rest of time refuting this but you want to believe go ahead believe. Understand I’m not a liberal partisan hack. But Trump belongs in the toilet bowl. He has no value whatsoever.
Well, Bill, we agreed to disagree but further, I'm gonna ask you a question that nobody seems to wanna answer
The same electorate that voted for Donald Trump to be president, The first time is the same Electorate that voted for Joe Biden to be elected afterwards and also the same electorate that just elected Donald Trump again.
Why do you think that is?
Why do you imagine that 48 of the 50 states became REDDER than before? 48 our of 50. And the group here just won't accept that message.
I am just baffled by the negative in advance feelings here instead of waiting to see how things go.
Tell me how you'll feel if Trump successfully ends the Ukraine Russia conflict
Tell me how you feel if Trump destroys Hamas for not returning the hostages as he's demanded
How will you feel if Trump once again reunite Saudi Arabia with Israel into a peace agreement
How will you feel if Trump arrests illegal criminals that have committed crime in the United States?
The feeling I get here is that Trump could end poverty tomorrow and people will give someone else credit or not acknowledge what he did and that's really sad
Just my opinion, but that's me reading the tea leaves here
Yea.....and Musk told 77 million losers to all to get "Fc#ked in the face".....77 stupid retards that watched Friends all day not worth giving jobs too.........and Sender you ARE 1 of those losers.......get out a Kleenex and wipe off your face dude.
Boy, you just don't get it. We are all happy while you are miserable. Do you get that?
And as I said, but nobody seems to wanna understand it the same electorate that elected Trump the first time elected Biden, the second time and elected Trump again the same very electorate hmmm
You know basket of deplorable didn't work very well for Hillary and that kind of rhetoric won't work very well for you liberals either it only invigorates the right to be more resolute so keep it up
And in case you didn’t know it by now, living online is poisonous to the brain. I clearly do not live on social media. Well I suppose you could call this social media but I have clearly subscribed to intelligent folks like Heather.
Well, the good news for you is that people are not watching TV news as much because of all the lies. They’ve told you the last four years, including propping up a semi cadaver and keeping them hidden.
Unfortunately, though the Internet is the new news source. And as people become more independent more freed up with their time, they can take their laptops iPhones and iPads with them wherever they go, and Google stuff.
And I’m not sure that will stop it. In fact, it will probably get worse when AI hits full blast.
And there above is proof of what I was saying to you about doesn’t matter what he would do. I don’t have a dog in this fight. I live a good life I’m very happy have a big circle of friends and love to travel
Heather is incredibly intelligent articulate is a hard worker who's earned exactly what she's achieved no question
But I could say the same about a few people on the on the right who have done the same thing
Heather views are extremely biased In my opinion but it's her sub stack and they're her views so that's fine but many people here just don't see it like that
And frankly few people here and thank goodness you're one of them and they've been a few others that actually see that nothing here none of the posts The rhetoric none of the discussion includes the possibility of opposing views being correct.
This country, despite moving way too far left this past four years is basically fiscally conservative and socially liberal in general unfortunately many people on both sides of the aisle or single item voters and they miss the big picture almost entirely
But the best administration in my recollection has was Bill Clinton as president and Newt Gingrich as his accomplice from the other side of the aisle and they met in the middle and so solved many of America's issues and problems
There are far too many extremist out there today and most of the people I see here are that they just don't realize it in my opinion
Yes, it’s confounding. But know this. A large percentage of that 48% is about to be let down HARD. Trump and his minions can’t deliver — we know that.
And we also know Trump is not wise or else he’d take a wildly different tact. He’d not hire those wholly unqualified for their positions. It just won’t work.
He did not do well in his first term (altho the situation was almost perfect for him to do so); he’s not president yet and already making a mess of his second. Many of his wishful-thinking followers are about to realize this.
Consider, he cannot get the price of eggs down, indeed any prices down. Drill baby drill is a completely losing proposition, as are tariffs. Deportations have so many built in failures it’s overwhelming.
Ask yourself this: What plans does he have that make any sense? There are one or two but the mass are total losers, something Trump has perfected for decades. He shows absolutely no sign of figuring that out.
He’s a built-in winner for us. Stand strong and watch his followers peal off, slowly at first but as the pain is felt, the drop offs will grow like lemmings over the cliff. It’s just a matter of time and times on our side now.
The dog just caught the passing car’s tire. Now what!? Stay tuned.
Note: The federal Republican legislature is about to get an eyeful of reality and realize their position is worse than tenuous.
I basically agree with you. Trump only cares about one thing: Trump. He can't keep straight which visa is which. The price of eggs and the size of the cracker boxes won't change. Yes, time is on our side. I worry more about Elon, but I think Trump will tire of him because Tromp wants the lime light. This election was all about keeping himself out of jail. I mostly worry about our environment but that has always been my soap box issue. How much damage will his Department of Interior do? That is the billion dollar question.
Here in Tucson eggs just went from $2.58 to over $8 a dozen because of bird flu. The MAGA brain is as scrambled as these very expensive eggs I made this morning.
Yes I just paid $7 for a dozen eggs two hours north of Tucson in Gold Canyon. Grocery prices have not relented and as long as corporate greed is given free reign they will worsen. Biden was making progress….will miss Joe.
Still under $3 in Ohio but the bird flu problem hasn't hit here yet. Egg prices have little to do with government but are perceived as a government problem.
Silver lining? We would all be healthier if we ate an organic whole food plant based diet, Check out the Lifestyle Clinic under Dr Esselstyn at Cleveland Clinic, or read books by Dr. Michael Greger, or check out his web sight nutrition facts.org, and then check out The environmental working groups site at ewg.org. Maybe paying higher prices for highly processed and factory farmed unhealthy food is the kick we need to learn the truth behind healthy food , food as medicine so to speak. Just a thought,
I guess you all don't remember what the price of eggs and the price of gas was when Biden took office versus what they are now. It's always harder to bring prices down than it is to let them rise as the Current administration did.
When Biden took office, everyone was in their homes not going out which is why gas was so low. Your mind can’t understand basic things like that and the vicious pandemic created the most chaotic economic environment and Biden steered us into recovery. But you just can’t comprehend these basics and this tells me something about you.
Actually, Bill wanted to take a look for myself I just looked at annual gas prices from Forbes. And Trump’s first year in office gas prices were 241 a gallon. And as you said because of Covid, Trump’s prices were lower, but never went above 280 his last year was 226 when covid hit and Biden’s first year was 310 6 months later with Covid still around and prices went up almost a dollar immediately.
All four years of Biden were over three dollars with the High at 4:06 nationwide and during that year was over seven dollars in California .
I’m sorry. You have a knee jerk mentality. You will obscure everything else good that was accomplished and allow your mind to be fixated on an issue that is conditioned by many factors outside the per view of one man. You allow your thinking to be twisted by false talking points. That’s your problem. You are unable to see the bigger picture.
Bill I don’t know what Looking Glass you’re looking through, but I’m just the opposite of that… I’m looking at the big picture and everybody here is pointing out these tiny little flaws or what they’ll call fatal flaws which are meaningless in the big picture. Things people did 20 years ago 10 years ago five years ago that they didn’t like so bullshit…. Long before they had a NATIONWIDE impact.
The only thing the American citizens should consider, is what the president does from the day he takes office till the day he leaves office, and how that helps or hurts American citizens and what he does for the greater good. THAT, MY FRIEND IS THE BIG PICTURE.
certainly not all the other minutia people are trying to point out here
There is but one man that should not even be alive the one who has ripped off everyone he has ever done business with. The one who has made an art out of constantly lying. The one who has no interest in anyone else but himself. A failure in the business world. A probable rapist. A traitor like giving away or selling American secrets. Hello, are you normal? Here is a little secret. Did you know that regulations help people leave a healthy lifestyle? You are hopeless. And btw, I’m part conservative. Even long time republicans have warned us against him. Could you guess who that is?
A failure in the business world? Come on Bill even you know better than that. Do you like a list for example of all the people who have gone bankrupt and become not only multi millionaires, but famous at the same time such as Henry Ford PT, Barnum, Steve Jobs, Michael Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, and such. I don’t call someone who has hotels all around the world and golf courses and has 22,000 employees and has hey social media platform worth 10 billion or more a business failure.
Really you are one hardheaded man and you tell me I lack perspective?
I sent you my last post, which included what you and all citizens should be looking for or looking at as your president.
What you should be most concerned about is what the president does during his time in office.
The left is all about giving people second chances like Hunter for example and forgiving him. Wiping the slate clean so to speak for the most heinous criminals, and giving them a commutation Biden just did
And you keep talking about ancient history. What am I gonna do with you? Lol.
If the Republicans stay cohesive, as they seldom do, we will see a resurgence in American greatness, despite all the protest stations to the contrary, by the left.
Let’s say that your rationale is correct why was it still high for three years? Bidens executive orders are the answer his sky blue green deal existential threat from climate change is the reason.
I understand all the basics Bill. But what you can’t think through for just a second based on what Trump‘s policies had done before Covid so you’ll have to take a look at that if Joe Biden had sat behind his desk for four years and smoked a cigar, Joe Biden would be elected president even in his semi cadaver condition right now
The MAGAts are about to get what they voted for when 45’s actions land on them like a ton of bricks. But the cult members didn’t believe they had Covid as they were dying and people took horse medicine too. Remember Jim Jones? People still drank the Kool-aid. There ain’t no dumbass vaccine.
Jenn, thanks for saying that. I've said "there is no cure for intentional ignorance". I think "There ain't no dumbass vaccine" is far, far more applicable.
I HOPE you are right. I fear, that as a nation, we have sane washed and normalized this behavior...and we will continue to do so. The hardest part about November 5, was realizing what our nation has become...and I live in Texas, I've seen the movements that should have kicked TC to the curb....yet didn't. Apparently, my view of Americans was that of GKs school teacher. How wrong were both were.
Dirk, it's not enough just to watch his followers peal off, we have to demand from our leaders and legislators to stay alert 24/7 and open their mouth with a megaphone if needed to point out every lie, upkeep promise, policies that are detrimental to we the people and beneficial to the billionaire class and every cruel effect of implementing Proyect 2025. Realy,time is not on our side. Other than that, I loved your comment 👌
An excellent summary of what is happening today. I keep reminding myself and others that we are basically a new nations, still growing up - way too fast. There are the experiences of the past, and hopefully we will move the pendulum back from 180 degrees to around 90, at least. Patience, grass works politics, and determination will help us through the next four. We cannot let Vance take over in four years.
Vance can take over anytime Trump wants him to. In fact, there may be plans of foot to let him take over in three years. Do a good job for a year and then get elected for the next eight. Uh oh
I'd have them read Michael Lewis's "The Fifth Risk" about how awful his transition team performance was in 2016/17, then ask each one of them to try to explain how this one is not so much worse. To me, the ignoring of science, the information being gathered , and even trying to destroy what had already been gathered, was made so much worse by trying to eliminate so many competent and critically needed honest agent interpreters of what was learned already (or could be learned).
How would they rate the massive increase in risk from the suppression of critical observations and actions that reduced the risks so well in the past?
Dirk!!!... did you get more popcorn? Geeezzzussss... we sure don't wanna run out of it. This is a real blockbuster. My generator is hooked up and gassed up, in case they try to pull the plug.
And you should pick up a copy of his book out of the deal to understand a little bit more about tariffs
Not to mention that Biden kept almost all of Trump's tariffs so there's that plus he used the Trump tariffs on Mexico in Canada, not to actually install them, but as a negotiating tool, and it worked as his negotiations usually do Canada has now allocated $1 billion to border security in Mexico has put some pressure on the cartels to stop the fentanyl and has committed to stopping the caravans So there won't be any tariffs
Trump has no plans other than staying out of jail. He's admitted as much. His priority is himself and those in his immediate orbit. Everyone else gets the grifter scammer liar cheater that he is.
I don't know what the percentage is but it wasn't followers that got him elected. It was people who vote for what they perceive as their own best interest and this time it was people worried about their personal economic situation and he spoke to them like he cared and could do something directly for them.
Democrats didn't talk to people where they are. They didn't defend themselves against all the accusations Trump and company hurled at them, like the whole trans issue. Democrats ceded that and immigration to the GOP by speaking in generalities while Republicans made precise surgical cuts with lies, innuendo and accusations that went unchallenged.
The Democrats who did win in districts and states Trump won prevailed because they talked a better game than their challengers and they were rewarded. Harris didn't. She did a lot in 107 days but she never gave voters a reason to vote for her because they wanted something different from Biden (because they didn't understand all the good he did) and split their ticket at the top for Trump and Democrats down ballot who spoke directly to them.
Trump was never going to jail and as you can see every single case about him has either collapsed or will very shortly. LAWFARE as it was called by the right has actually worked to invigorate voters to vote for Trump. And you're probably not aware, but when one of the first charges was. Leveled at him and went public. The next day he received about $25 million of donations to his coffers
It certainly doesn't pale to what Carmelo raised in just 107 days, but it was certainly an indicator.
It’s a tough one Mr cooper. I struggle daily with how to maintain relations with family and friends who support the president elect. To me it is unconscionable. But they are strong in their convictions and remain wholly reliant upon fox entertainment for their news. I feel like we have slipped into a Dr who type of time warp.
"All you want but as I just googled it for fun Fox now has about 73% of cable news viewership and MSNBC and CNN has had their viewership cut in half. Anybody here wonder why
Ditto - I have chosen to stay connected to most of my maga side of the family but that means we stay at the superficial level. As the adage goes you can choose your friends but not your family, so I will be cordial, have grown tired of the arguments and will let the sh** hit the fan - which it will because autocrats can’t help themselves. A few family I will not talk to - their words were just too bigoted to let slide. I think we are all in uncharted waters, sail on but mind the shoals.
Steve, you are a better person than me. When, after posting a statement made by DJT to “come to D.C.,” my sibling post “I believe Trump 100%, she (Harris) does lies all the time.” That was enough for me to concluded there is no “value added” in having “cordial conversations” and ignoring the truth. Whether I am wrong or she is wrong, there is no merit to playing on that turf.
I hear you, Julie. It isn't just Faux, although that is the primary source. It is all the garbage they sup up like kittens lap up milk from the on-line fringe sources that feed their collective amygdale with the hate and anger that makes them feel good. I broke a vow not to engage after JD admitted he had lied about the Haitian immigrants eating peoples pets. I asked one of them if that it mattered to him it was a lie. His reply was roughly "But it could have been true".
Well, Ally, my Mother described people, like the one you referred to, as "common" or "ordinary". Those two words have always stuck with me in my assessments of individuals or groups behavior. A refection of their upbringing.., perhaps? Upbringing? Yes, I think so. Nothing new there. They didn't come out of the womb that way.
John... Yes. It is tempting to despair, turn away, and give up. But we persist.... in words, in action, and we attempt to set the example.... even in our relationships to family and community. The setting of today’s world in historical context offers, I think, a forward path.... and hope.... dismal as it appears day after day. Some of us of a certain age (old) thought that we had done enough marching, calling, working for change... But it is not so....
Oh Deirdre, how much I needed to read these words today! I went to a New Year's Eve party last night looking for camaraderie and found resignation and ennui. SO depressing! And these were my progressive cohorts. We must never give up hope, even at our age, especially at our age. Yes, the brunt of the work will fall to the younger generations, but they look to us for grounding and purpose. I, for one, will never stop fighting against the current corruption and policies that are so morally and politically cruel for so many in this country. Thank you for posting - you were the tonic I needed this morning for 2025...Happy New Year!
Maybe we were more successful than we realized! If we weren't a threat to the morbidly rich, they would be off playing on their private islands instead of meddling in our government. They had to back a demented old man and a corrupt bunch of politicians to get what they want.
I just finished a book, THE GIRL WHO DARED TO DEFY:Jane Street and the Rebel Maids of Denver, by Jane Little Botkin. Around 1913 Jane Street started organizing the women servants in Denver, Colorado. She was so successful that some of the male members of the Industrial Workers of the World sabotaged her work. On the surface, it would seem like her mission failed. Her name isn't a household name. But the wealthy women were intimated enough that the domestic workers were able to negotiate shorter work days, better wages and working conditions.
This is the time to stand firm and defend our Civil and Human Rights! As scared as we are right now, the forces of evil are worried too. They haven't won yet. And they have tried for over 40 years of trickle down economics.
Perhaps interaction with people who support a person you wouldn't leave in a room with your kids - who in fact is the antithesis of what we have always taught our kids - perhaps even acknowledging their existence once those values have been tossed to the wind... Perhaps withholding contact is essential to withholding approval.
There is value in shunning. It sends a simple message. If you approve of the Orange Menace, who he surrounds himself with, his treason, his treachery. his selfishness, his anger, his desire for vengeance, his embrace of incompetence, his willingness to put an anti-vaxxer in charge of our healthcare system...need I go on. OK, a pedophile to be Attorney General?
Perhaps the people you thought you knew - you don't really know at all. I don't need such vile beings in my life. No one does. Send a message. Shun. If they ask why, tell them their values are in the toilet.
I get the desire to shun, have felt it myself, but I don't think it's the helpful path, for me or for the cause. I think a goal of "loving detachment" is better all around. It's better for my mental health, which is the number one concern. It leaves the door open for others to change.
I can't lovingly detach without a support group, like this group and other like-minded friends, and a practice of meditation.
With my friends and family who are in the cult, I am careful to control the amount of time I am in their presence. I will make up excuses if I have to. I don't argue. "Don't argue with a fool" is my motto. I smile and shrug my shoulders, the other person feels awkward and the subject often changes. There are many ways to avoid an argument.
And I make sure I keep up with self-care. All this has come from age, my own dismal mistakes, trial and error, following the spiritual masters and reading about courageous people. I don't think MAGA has staying power.
I find it so difficult to begin a conversation with people who support Trump. I have high school friends from 65 years ago who on a FB thread compare and contrast MAGA vis Democracy. Usually it’s the ‘rights’ vs the ‘lefts’ and we get nowhere. Such a shame, since these were my friends - good friends in the 60s.
The more you know of U.S. history, the easier it is to understand. It does seem to be especially hard for middle-class-and-up white people to grasp, but it is possible. Study Black and Native and Chinese American history and you'll begin to get it.
Thankfully there are serious people working to gain the agency that's now up for grabs in the post neoliberal economy that began with Reagan and ended in 2016.
The C-word that can save Democrats
We find ourselves in a unique position, a time where a lot of voters are up for grabs. We saw what happened in 2024 where millions of Democrats crossed over out of economic frustrations & not enough new voters took their places.
How to attract voters who are adrift in a sea of economic worries but see no way out of the downward spiral they are living day to day?
That article is not for voters to wade through. It's a primer for Democrats to get their collective shit together and stop being subservient to the lobby/donor classes and reconnect with the working middle class who has felt abandoned by the party. It's a template for politicians who really want to make a break from all the problems of the past.
This is the perfect time to do it as the other side is in even worse shape even though they won. One reason they won is people are turned off by the wonky news media, they only have attention to soundbites of what's happened in the past 24 hours. Felicia Wong is on the vanguard of the change that needs to come that has been demonstrated by the Democrats she spoke of who won in districts and states that Trump carried.
Half or more voters are like nomads wandering in the desert looking for an oasis. Trump gave them one, or at least the illusion of one, and that's what got so many Democrats and first time voters to take a chance. It's how Carter won in 80 and Clinton, Obama and Biden did later as a reaction to Republican's inability to govern.
Like it or not winners today are the most effective communicators to the working/middle classes where most of the votes are. Democrats just want to continue to keep folks around who don't adapt with the times and feel seniority is all that matters. It's why Congress has become Heaven's waiting room.
I can’t answer for Ms Nelson, but as one who has taught our history for over 40 years (although certainly not at the level or with the expertise of Dr. Richardson), I can make some assumptions. Forgive me if I seem repetitious (I’ve posted something like this here before).
We are still so new at this grand experiment (Novus Ordo Seclorum). I’m 80, so I could have talked to a man who fought in the Civil War. And a man who fought in tha war could have talked to a man who fought in the Revolution and was there at the Founding.
Consider that it took over four millennia of what we call civilization for anyone to try democracy on any scale much larger then a village, and another two millennia for a group of bewigged colonial elites to design a nation from the get go as a Republic.
And given that our Constitution was a first attempt at doing so, it has proven to be an excellent start. It was flawed, as it was inevitable it would be. Nobody could have gotten such an extraordinary design right the first time out, even if the circumstances of the time have been not been radically altered in the time since. The most serious flaw was allowing slavery to continue (even given that it would never have been ratified had that terrible compromise not been made), and we are still paying for that one. Yet the promise of American exceptionalism was there even though it has never come to anything like a solid fruition (regardless of all the claims to the contrary)
That promise has been sorely tested - primarily between 1861 and 1865 but also in less powerful ways several times before and since. But we have yet to face the test of Trump. Our presidential record is hardly spectacular even given that our descent into the morass of an ossified binary political party system has made evaluating the first 46 of them in any generally accepted way difficult if not impossible. But we’ve never had as president a man so devoid of understanding of, respect for, or intent to abide within the experiment we’ve been engaged in since 1789 as Donald Trump.
His second term, then, is a test we’ve not faced yet, and so we have no experience of what it might be like or how to deal with it to any successful degree. The pundits can pontificate as they will, but they haven’t got that experience either, and attempts to compare Trumpism with what has happened in other nations without our unique history are at best problematic.
So we have to ride this one out. The journey will not be made easier by any assumption that all Americans have at least a generally shared opinion about who we were designed to be - such does not and never has existed. Yet the test itself must be faced because it is in the nature of democracy to do so. Our experiment is of necessity open-ended. There is not nor can there be any final conclusion reached. This experiment is what Abraham Lincoln knew it to be; a test to see "whether this nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure”.
And so we have to understand that what happens now is not up to Trump or his court collection of sycophants, election deniers, crackpots, billionaire dilettantes, misogynists, and other assorted nut cases, but to us. To us not as Republicans or Democrats or conservatives or liberals or socialists or any other of the many categories into which we insist on dividing ourselves, but as Americans only. As Ken Burns, the noted historian and filmmaker reminded his audience at the Brandeis University graduation exercises this past June,”There is only US”.
If we can but remember that elemental fact over the next four years, we will have done our part in maintaining this grand experiment. If not, well, history will not be kind.
But if you'd like to see the list of politicians, federal politicians state politicians who have been convicted of crimes, just check out Wikipedia there's a list by presidency and they're there from both side sides of the aisle. Although I would say the Republicans seem to involve more widespread or profound crimes in my opinion. But the list is extensive. Including Congress, people judges. Governors and you should see some of the charges, mostly fraud, but some sexual assaults obstruction of justice. Etc all of these either serve time or find.
Some of the funniest ones are people that were convicted of crimes serve time in prison and then we're reelected three more times after that.
IMO we need to be honest with our families and friends about both DT’s well documented lies and complete disregard for our Constitution and laws. We also ought to discuss with them how completely beyond our norms was the amount of money Musk and Tech CEO’s contributed to DT’s election. At the same time, we need to admit the US had been moving right during the year and Democrat strategy didn’t prepare for that. Biden had not spoken strongly as our President to explain the inequities of Grocery Stores and prices in different areas. He had not directly addressed the concerns of drug overdoses in cities and distressed small communities. Rather he did arrest a cartel leader but people wanted direct action in their communities. There were signs voters were looking for a strong, charismatic candidate. Many voters who don’t read and had forgotten the chaos of DT’s first term behaved as though they were pushing a button in a video game.
Pretty simple John.., we don't pull the levers, soda-speak, but we are the air he breathes, and it is more than just foul. He will choke. Watch. As we will.
Thank you Heather for keeping me sane and thanks to Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for a remarkable run. You did us proud but tffg threw the monkey wrench in starting with the birther lies and never let up. May he burn in hell.
Since I was born in 1942 and have lived more than 60 years in MA, I remember Ted K. and many other politicians. Kamala’s concerts got people together to enjoy music as well as her pitch. Unfortunately we didn’t have a Primary and get out around the US to see it was turning Right. Elon’s blatant offer to out of touch techies of possibly winning $1million plus Tech CEO’s directly paying DT millions to loosen restrictions and back their desires for AI is in a different stratosphere.
I think this beautiful red skies & fisherman’s good omen is true! We are NOW, with the help of of people like Heather (her Historical perspective certainly helped ground us in reality) are DONE w/the last decade of pure insanity & will continue to move FORWARD, with future generations leading the way!
Don't know much about you but most people would wish they were in my shoes
But perhaps you'd like to explain to me about the mess since we're talking about the current four years aka the present , not the ones that will change that in 20 days.
Why is it that few of you can wait to see what happens instead of quoting from books quoting from history trying to project the future Which she will never be able to do
Heather, our support is for you, and this project, and each other, and our democracy. How lucky for us that we're all in this together! We will make it a happy new year!!!
It has been great learning from you and gaining a different perspective on many issues. Understanding facts, current and historical, has helped to appreciate the current world in which we live. Thanks for this last year and all the best as we look forward into the next. Peace.
Take it from an old veteran sailor: sometimes the red skies signal fair weather … but sometimes they signal significant warfare. I’m praying for the former, but I fully expect the latter.
Heather you are exactly why we are all in on this. You are the leader of the pack. So happy that 2024 is nearly over (I'm in California and we have 1 hour and 33 minutes). We have a rocky road to climb and many of us are old and feeble, but we have no choice. Let's face tomorrow light with on headlight on. Thanks for all you do to light the way.
Wishing you and your entire family a healthy and happy or better, a joyful New Year. Thank you for all I’ve learned an been able to refresh of my formal education so many years ago. You are a treasure!
I so appreciate your thoughtful writing. I have learned so much from your writing and wish I could be in one of your classes! Your insights will be so important as we adjust to the DT administration.
Thank you, Heather, for helping us make sense of the mess, and for grounding our reality in the matrix of history. You’ve united us, connected us; and as a collective we’ll march on, together, in support of democracy and the American dream.
Heather's ability to clarify complexities and connect us through the lens of history is invaluable. Her work unites and inspires us to move forward together, standing strong for democracy and the ideals of the American dream. Thank you, HCR!
Some old time sailers would call red skies a good omen while others would exclaim that fires were approaching..
The weather (or fires) they could not control. This disaster we’re in, we can control. And with the Republicans (unthinking) help, we will. We KNOW they’re in the wrong and truth always prevails. Always.
Trump and his minions are losers (what more proof could anyone need!) so all that’s required of us is to stand strong, not let the bastards get us down and do the hard (but satisfying) work.
Be optimistic. They give us dozens of reasons to every day.
Keep calm and carry on.
"Keep calm and carry on."
Thank you for your post. It is exactly what I needed to begin the new year, standing strong.
And, 🎶 Keep on Rockin' in the Free World🎶
Bangor, Maine News today on 1/1/2025:
Author, Stephen King did close WCIT-FM at the end of 2024.
But, wait ...
2 Mainers bought the station just-in-time to create
'ROCK LOBSTER RADIO"
Keep Rockin' in Maine & stay calm & carry on.
Great motto for 2025. Thanks for the reminder. The British have many words of wisdom.
Truth always prevails and evil never wins. Never.
Susan, are you sure you are not wearing rose colored glasses, think of all of those who have succumbed to various genocides? Or how many species have needlessly gone extinct because of humans inhumanity, Evil always wins unless enough people ban together to have enough power to make those engaging in evil accountable, and how often has that just. not happened?
Six millions Jews and scads of other people in Nazi Germany beg to differ. Many other examples, too. I don't see how it's helpful to pretend that evil never wins.
My only suggestion here, although I do agree with your comment, is that it isn't evil. Using the word evil let's human beings off the hook as if there is some other worldly power. Evil also smacks of religion, Those horrendous acts were committed by human beings. Those acts reveal the awful side of humanity, where so many can follow unconscionable orders. And still we tolerate what is mostly male aggression. We glorify war. Call soldiers heroes. We celebrate aggression in an array of forms. But what we don't do well, is raise boys to be men with integrity and true honor, who reject violence and aggression. And until we do this much better than we've been doing, we will have war and the many other ways people, mostly men, commit acts of brutality.
I agree with your general premise about failing to do enough to suppress/re-channel aggression, not to mention violence, but it appears that we differ on our thoughts about calling something evil. To me, identifying something as evil doesn't at all mean palming off responsibility on another human being or anyone's beliefs (or lack thereof) in a higher power. Atheists and agnostics are perfectly capable of evil acts.
While there are numerous ways that each person's choices are shaped--with at least a chapter on nature vs. nurture in there--I believe that we all have, to some extent, and inborn understanding of right and wrong. Calling it a conscience may sound too religion-oriented for you, but we all know what it means in a secular world. We know right from wrong. While we (society as a whole, no just you and me in particular) may disagree on certain aspects, isn't there a minimum baseline?
Deliberately hurting someone, be it physical, emotional, or psychological, is wrong. Taking something that doesn't belong to you without the owner's permission is wrong. Preventing another person from accessing safe food or potable water is wrong. Separating children from adults because you don't like what they do is wrong, *especially* when you have the means to fix the broken system but refuse to do so. Most religions and life philosophies adhere to one form or another of "do unto to others as you would have them do unto you." [I actually got into a brief discussion of this with some customer service guy in India a couple of months ago. Sorry, can't recall the context, but I end up in off-topic if not downright off-the-wall conversations with customer service and tech support people on a regular basis.]
There are some disagreements/gray areas about this, but taking the life of another human being is wrong. In theory, I'd say it's okay in self-defense or in defense of the life of another, but I'm not sure I could make myself do that. Circumstances and the means I had to make it happen would be a big factor. I don't think it's okay morally to kill someone stealing your TV, much less simply knocking on your door or driving up your driveway. I believe the death penalty is wrong. Won't get into the question of war here, because that's a whole different conversation, and as much as we can know it's a terrible thing, we don't live in an ideal world.
Evil is a choice, or, in some cases, sitting back and not making a choice. See: not caring enough to vote when you know that one of the candidates has every intention of doing hurtful and greedy things, not least upending both national and international security if it makes him richer. See: police officers who stood around and did nothing while Derek Chauvin had his knee on George Floyd's neck.
Good vs. evil is a choice. One can taint the the White House for four years and have to be dragged away, kicking, screaming, lying, stealing documents, inciting an insurrection, etc., etc., etc., or one can leave the WH after four years and spend the next 40 years doing good around the world and at home.
I agree with almost all of your comment. However, there are some of us who are born sociopathic, and who wouldn't agree, and there are many who are turned into sociopaths due to their early life experiences. Those are the ones who cause the most damage and suffering in our world. Their behavior is often celebrated instead of understood to be a danger to our society, i.e.. the incoming resident of the WH. If we call that behavior evil, it becomes a convenient way of distancing ourselves from the truth- that it's human behavior at it's worst and those who are capable of it are among us - even in our families. Perhaps even ourselves. You never know.
"Us?"
Yes, sociopaths do exist. It sounds a bit as if you are excusing the sack of dirt about to taint the WH again with his presence, though, by blaming it on what others did to him. I won't say that's impossible, but do you believe the man has NO control over every awful decision he makes? He's definitely devoid of empathy, but then, that's a given for a sociopath.
Evil is always there. It's important not to feed it, but to rudicukevit instead. It wants respect: it iis fearsome, but not respectable
Read and listen to my song. I shalt be so arrogant but I do dress this very point in last verse.
Resilience is to keep going even when evil does win, and continues to win, and keeps pounding. To do what’s required anyway, unattached to success or failure. If not for oneself, then for those who follow.
And proof positive is Trump just won
The full song: Broken Roads and Broken Trails: Inauguration Day”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf7KHm3nLzA
Nothing more to say.
Wrong from the first day.
Wrong ‘till the last day you know the tale.
Broken roads and broken trails.
———
He was ushered out.
Left behind only doubt.
Blinds up, the White House disinfected through and through.
Sun up, and skies are blue.
———
So you walk, past trees, by the reflecting pool.
Listen to the echos of gangs and fools.
Wrong till the last day you know the tale.
Broken roads and broken trails.
———
And ye shall know the truth.
And the truth will set you free.
They told that to me once back in school.
——-
Wrong till the last day you know the tale.
Broken roads and broken trails.
——-
Bill speaking of ushered out I thought you were a Biden fan
He was ushered out by his own party
Red skies at night; sailors’ delight.
Red skies in the morning; sailors take warning.
Surely the sailors wouldn’t steer us wrong!
This Sailor agrees with you and wouldn't steer you wrong. Aloha ...
Thank you Sailor!
In any case, happy to be part of Heather 's extended family 😁
Happy New Year everybody!!!!!
Ricardo, I second your sentiment. So grateful for Heather and most of the posters here.
Your erudite writing provided me with knowledge that was new and hope that I cling to. Starts my day off every morning. Your steadfastness is remarkable and appreciated.
This sailor is going with good omen! With deepest appreciation Heather. Happy New Year!
Red skies at night, sailor's delight; red skies in the morning, sailor's warning. Whether omen or fire, it’s all about perspective...Some see progress, others see a challenge to old habits.
"Red skies in the morning sailors take warning; red skies at night, sailors' delight ." Let us hope so....
Wishing a happy and safe 2025 to all of us and to those we hold dear.
Bill, you continually seem to impress me as a man whose glass is half empty versus half full. Be happy man good days ahead.
I didn't read it the way you did- I just saw it as a fairly poetic description of trump 1.0- grim stuff to live through. And a warning that we have to keep paying attention, because 2.0 is the better funded, steroided version.
Fyi, Rick is a troll, possibly a bot. Likely paid per response. You’ll note that others are ignoring. If you review, you’ll see it is baiting HCR’s readers.
By the way, it's no coincidence that your parents gave you your name. Pessimism is a killer. Hope Springs eternal.
If I were you, I would just enjoy the ride. Actually, one of a very strong willed liberal pundit on MSNBC suggested this to people that were having difficulty excepting the results of this election. And the portrayal of the nightmare ahead, lol which will not happen
Stephanie ruhle suggested this
The left needs to stop it histrionics because everybody realizes that 80% of what you think is gonna happen never happens.
Trump was already president and if not for Covid would be probably leaving office now rather than just going back in
Low food prices, low gas prices, low mortgage rates, more affordable homes, no wars around the world and a safer America
Smile and enjoy the ride
Accepting not accepting I voice text everything so sometimes AutoCorrect takes over sorry
Are you a suscriber on my blog?
Bill:
Mr. Sender has been tossed out of Reich's substack numerous times.
Bill, I don’t wanna even be in that quasi-socialist sub stack but some people that post here are posting from there and when I reply I end up there by mistake. Sometimes it lets me post sometimes it says subscribe which I will not.
Iwas tossed out of what’s his name, attorney from California when e had a dispute about Ukraine in which I assert this was was unnecessary and that we and the west made casual assurances of no expanding NATO east. Finally he returned my
payment and banned me. And I’m sure I was correct we didn’t need to withhold assurances to Putin over NATO offer. Ukraine was no ready to be admitted. Look at all the destruction a death. Just plainly unnecessary. An imperfect arrangement but better than the alternative.
Return to Sender!!! ......Just a sub par troll that was tossed out of Russian troll academy
No Rick has a right to express himself. May I add that our collective inability to listen to other points of view is our mistake. I don’t agree with much of what he says. Some but not a lot. Let’s try to be a bit more friendly here.
What Rick lacks is observing Trump and his behavior what I have done for almost 40 years and I know he is an empty head. He believes in nothing except self aggrandizement and ripping off from any sources and now it’s our government. Before it was just contractors and selling rubbish. He is nothing and will suffer the consequences of electing him. My guess is that we have about one month of decent financial asset growth before the markets dive only to be driven up and at that point later in the year, we enter an extended bear market and maybe recession and Trump will most certainly be blamed for it.
Thank you for taking the time to make this comment. Having monitored Senders postings for some time now, he is the one who started the swearing and cursing first. The initial pushback against Sender, at least toned down the Trumpian hatespeak.........how ironic is it that now their own are eating themselves alive with the vial rhetoric...........
The wolf often comes in sheeps clothing......The shephards job is to guard the flock. You and I are veterns and experienced and ready for the next 4 years.
This us a positive transaction of ideas. MTN will be coming under attack come February......what are your thoughts about that.
These days are similar to the time it takes to build up supplies. equipment and plan before battle.........often times the battle will take place in an hour or ever into a day.......or more. We have a 4 year battle on our hands........
The word is out on the streets about Sender..........street justice will take care of the problem.....Blessed Be
We’ve BEEN on fire 🔥! The fires approaching will be burning—but we are READY! They’ll be out in 2025–to the demise of Project 2025!! FORWARD!
I’m sticking with the fishermen (I’ve spent much time w/them & their intuition & ancient wisdom)! We are now READY to put OUT any fires approaching —we are beyond DONE!
Ugh
No sir, I am not. I subscribe to Heather's as initial interest but probably by the time I get back from my cruise I will probably sign off here as well. I'm gonna wait maybe a couple three weeks into Trump's administration to see if he's able to follow through on his initial promises and then I'll just go on and live my life hopefully with the same optimism as I've lived it till now.
“ First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me”. Pastor Martin Niemöller
You know you can be complicit by doing nothing. Just some things to think about. What would you want someone to do for you?
Heard it 100 times and being Jewish it means something to me. But the message to me it's different that it's obviously received or taken by you and here's what I mean
I AM DOING SOMETHING I AM SPEAKING OUT AND SUPPORTING OUR INCOMING PRESIDENT.
BECAUSE THE PRESIDENT IS WORKING ON OUR BEHALF NOT AGAINST US
Troll Alert!!! Return to Sender.....postmark Moscow
One more thing in being here just recently I’ve noticed that most of you know each other and most of you post multiple times back-and-forth commentary, agreeing, and patting each other on the back and offering books and other information for their friends to read and I think that’s wonderful that your chummy like that But as soon as somebody comes here that has a difference of opinion he’s now a troll. Which is fine, but I find it pretty ironic.
And suffering from TRDS as well. Russia didn't work for a schiff . Russia didn't work for Hillary. Russia didn't work for the 51 so-called experts that are going to be investigated now not sure I would proceed because it actually failed you in this election as well.
And we’ve got Putin’s number now—his harboring of Assad is finally his demise! That’s YUGE! Then we get rid of Netanyahu & trump & Co. & we move FORWARD, TOGETHER!
What you just got Putin‘s number now? A little slow aren’t we?
And this is how antisemitism rears its ugly head from people like you.
If Not for Trump but moreover for Netanyahu there wouldn’t be a Jew left alive on the planet.
Michael:
Just an observation and not meant to ridicule. If you were around during the 1960s and fifties, Superman had a motto which was in the comic books at the time. It was “Truth, Justice, and the American Way.”
Things were pretty simple back then, till we hit the Viet Nam war era. Many of us discovered we did not care for the "American Way" when it resulted in our being transported thousands of miles away. The clarity of what happened to many of us was obscured by the media and lacking in truth.
I am afraid it will take more than Dr. Heather's clarity to get us back on the path to some degree of truth and justice. There are masses of people buying into the Trump lies and the Musk threats. There has to be a will amongst us all to push back on these forces. I believe we are at a pivotal point, a crossroads where we as a nation has to decide where our nation is going and what it will it be in the future.
Best of luck in the New Year of 2025. We will all need such going forward.
Bill since you follow HCR I recommend you also follow Marc Elias of Democracy Docket a lawyer actively working non stop and very successful in fighting the war on voting rights as well as Michael Popok also a lawyer with a channel and videos on MTN called Legal AF where he breaks a lot of what is going on down and focus on legal paths that remain to keep this fight on. They both keep me feeling more positive. I just refuse to give in to this madness. Power and Greed always go together but don’t mix well and destroy one another in their quest to be the most powerful and wealthiest. I am not so Pollyanna that I think we can turn this around quickly, but I feel we can turn it around by pushing back on everything. I have taken to emailing my US reps and senators daily to let them know what I expect of them and they know this is what their constituents want in this fight. I will begin calling their Washington offices this week as well to keep the pressure on. I recommend this to everyone as it provides a degree of comfort and calming in this mess we find ourselves in.
I agree, Chris, as many of Heather’s followers, like myself, have been activists since the ‘60s & protested Vietnam (to the point of being killed at Kent State) & marched for Civil Rights/Justice! We’ve talked about Climate Change for DECADES! The build up to this total MAGA insanity has been decades long as well! Nixon’s Luis Powell Doctrine, giving corporations free reign; Carter’s horrific demise by the Reagan trickle-down, pushed by the vitriol of jerks like Rush Limbaugh; the Clinton’s pretense of Democracy & then Obama pretending he was Bernie (Michelle Obama is the one making sense )! I taught (& learned) for 40+ years in the inner city & we were slammed by things like NCLB (money from textbook & testing companies pushed that!) & our education system was destroyed! We’ve been a nation of sheep for far too long! When George Floyd was murdered by our militant policing system FINALLY, the BLM movement gave us the freedom to say NO MAS!! It’s been a horrendous 10+ years, with trump’s ignorance & downright stupidity handling Covid, millions have died & been misplaced & the top 1% thinks they’re in charge again. But, as the Beatles sang, “You say you want a revolution…”, it’s HAPPENING! These younger generations of progressives are starting to take us back to the true meat of the ‘60s & peace & love don’t look like such BAD things anymore ! We ARE finally getting involved—calling out Congress, forming coalitions that will help people become involved citizens (& VOTE) & truly changing “this rotten system”! We cannot be pessimistic & give in at this point (I’m certainly not)—ONWARD TOGETHER!! It is NOW OUR TIME!
I write for Angry Bear.
Great. Keep it up. And thank you for your service.
Chris:
If you must thank someone, thank Paul Placzek who was a Boy Scout like I was. We both went to different high schools. We were friends. He was as blonde in hair coloring as I was dark and almost black. He tripped a mine booby-trap and came home in pieces.
I was going to go to his home and give condolences to his dad and mom. I did not because I saw his father raging on TV. I knew he would ask why it was not me instead of Paul.
I met Tim Gilson in Boot Camp at San Diego. we became friends there. I still have his grave site number and a picture of the stone marking his grave. After I was discharged, I looked for him. I knew he had lived south of Chicago. I could never find him. I did not want to look at the Wall. On a high school trip, my son when to The Wall. I told him the names to look for and he found Tim as well as others. He brought the etching home.
The sixties and early seventies were not kind to us. I finally found Tim and his grave where I did not want to find him avoiding the search.
Bobbie O'Million lived above us in Chicago on the second floor. He was older than I. He moved to Highland Park, IL. My parents would live me there for a weekend. He went into the Army. His SFC took him and 4 others deer hunting. On the way back to his base, their van was hit head on by a drunk, He and 4 of the others including his Sergeant were killed.
Thanking myself and others who cringe at being thanked is not meant to be discourteous. I made it back, have a family of my own, enjoy the sunsets at 76 years of age, and sometimes think of what might have been.
When thanked for being in the USMC and leaving as a Sergeant, I usually give them a shorter recital. These were my friends who never got a chance to have a family. They sacrificed far more than I did. And that is why I pivot the conversation to them. Many years have passed . . .
I get it. My hubby served USN. Had a very dear friend who died of Agent Orange exposure. His buddy never would talk about his experience on the river boats in Vietnam. Vets back then we’re not treated well upon return home through no fault of there own. But hey, you served your country which is more than our next Pres can ever claim nor his muskrat buddy. They know only self aggrandizing. Nice to have met you here.
Chris:
For two years and months, I was stationed at Camp Lejeune minus two tours of 4.5 moths I did in Cuba. This was well into my enlistment. Cuba was good duty. I had a squad of men as a Corporal and made a Sergent after my last tour. My time at Lejeune was well over a year.
It was south of NYC so I was able to make the swoop up to the city to see my soon to be wife afterwards. I left after the Corps multiple promises of this and that. It was time to go.
Nine years later (1980-spmething), my platelets disappeared. The hospital took me in ang kept me for weeks dosing me with steroids. They did not know what caused it and had little to treat it. This occurred two more times. The last time in 2020. Rixtuxan seems to work for now.
I showered and drank the water at Camp Lejeune. This was one of the results of doing so. The military finally admits the water was tainted decades later. I applied for disability since this is a Presumptive result.
The upside to all of this? I have multiple degrees, certifications, and a vast international experience in Supply Chain. I have been everywhere globally. Three children and a wife of fifty-something years. We have a young German Shepherd by the name of Minnie too. Life goes on . . .
Kim, how do you make sense of a country being led by a fraudster, an adjudicated sexual harasser, a documented liar, and an insurrectionist now holding the position of President-elect of the United States, a country that is divided with approximately 48% of voting citizens accepting this individual and billionaires traveling to Mar-a-Lago and funding his inauguration?
How do you make sense of proposed nominees for posts as foreign officers/ambassadors who were pardoned after the following as described by two media sources cited here as follows? “Kushner pleaded guilty in 2005 to 16 counts of tax evasion, one count of retaliating against a federal witness and another count of lying to the Federal Election Commission. He was sentenced to two years in prison.”
See the following two sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/30/politics/charles-kushner-france-ambassador-trump?cid=ios_app
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/nov/30/charles-kushner-nominated-france-ambassador
I, like many, have read Professor Heather Cox-Richardson just about every single day. Yet, as we move in to 2025 it seems to me to be difficult to comprehend the lies, denial of science, the injustice this pardon not to mention the potential of pardons the president-elect says he will offer to people who attacked and threatened elected leaders including his former vice-President?
How do you make sense of this and so much more that are now matters of history and suggest a future governance offering what many have or might describe as propaganda?
How, in fact, do I relate to family and community members who embrace this president-elect and his claims that 91 indictments were nothing more than a witch hunt? How is it that we interact with these folks when they hold him to be above the law and ignore the realities of his regularly reported as having lied or misrepresented facts?
America has been caught by a network of malevolent tricksters. They have entrapped the weaker minds, and the situation is extremely grave. Stay calm, stay very alert, and know who you can trust. Don't waste words on the others. There are some very good people on this board.
To quote Bertrand Russell on how fascism begins: First, they fascinate the fools, then they muzzle the intelligent.
Ooooofff…. Hmmmmm. ‘Red sky….’ Heather….. “Her readers”…
‘Gonna be a bumpy ride’…. ALWAYS has been…. Fewer ‘bumps’……. sometimes.. (I am that 88 yr old who votes! And will NOT surrender!)
Gail, you lead by example 👏 Keep going strong girl!!!!
Quote Investigator alerts us to an essay - Freedom and Government - that Russell contributed to a collection complied by Ruth Nanda Anshen. It was titled Freedom: Its Meaning and published in 1942.
There Russell wrote:
The first step in a fascist movement is the combination under an energetic leader of a number of men who possess more than the average share of leisure, brutality, and stupidity. The next step is to fascinate fools and muzzle the intelligent, by emotional excitement on the one hand and terrorism on the other.
This technique is as old as the hills; it was practised in almost every Greek city, and the moderns have only enlarged its scale.
So Russell didn't say that, but he did write something very like it.
Thank you for the full context of the quote.
Thank you! I loved your post and had to search Bertrand Russell because I didn’t know anything about him (and unfortunately I lack a four-year college degree). I think the full quote is spot on and frighteningly accurate 🫣
Good one JJC. "Fasc....(ism)..., Fasc...(inate)..! How well they go-together, and I don't even have my thesaurus handy. But, surely, the...se, are times that try mens souls.
I never imagined there were so many weaker minds 😳
Hey Ricardo, it's the same minds that voted for Biden that voted for Trump. Keep that in mind please
Nope ,I don't have a weak mind, neither any of the people, neighbors, colleagues or patients I talked to.
Can't say the same about most of those that voted against their own interests.
Ricardo, that's the point that you don't get people that voted voted for their own interests. They just don't agree with yours
I respect you for buying my book.i hope you read it and see past the silly parts.
Thank you, Bill. Like I said January 14 I'll be on the water in Southeast Asia get back to 28th and then I will delve into it.
I'll tell you in advance I never mind people making fun of themselves or people making fun of something in a non-offensive way because I really do love humor. I am very self deprecating myself. And if you want to laugh, it's actually one of my more salient qualities. Lol
PS and a lot of of you guys like to put words and other people's mouths. I never said you had a weak mind.
What I said was the same people and minds that voted for Trump and then Biden are the same people that voted for Trump again.
That's stunning.
Oh my; I really like that.
Heather has done the heavy lifting to show us all the "history repeats itself"
( I listen to the old spoken versions of her work often)....Now it is up to US to learn and take positive action to break that rule!!!
Sun Tzu would call President Biden the Sage Commander......he has wisdom, skill, effective and resourcefull, in tune with the larger picture. He did all this in the face of contention and conflict.
He has been very smart......by NOT being aggressive he is controlling the bull by putting him into a large pasture.........(giving us all a chance to sit back and watch the infighting)
Loved your comment WJB 😉
History repeated itself Trump got reelected. How about that history repeating itself does that count?
What to you see when you look in the mirror, Sender????
Well, I'm not gonna judge for myself, but I'll tell you everyone who knows me feels how's that?
I've been called Highly intelligent ( IQ)articulate, compassionate, loving, and care , more for my country than 95% of the other people I know
I'm a first generation American even though I'm 75 years old, my mother came here at the age of 13 with her 15-year-old brother and 11 year-old sister without knowing any English and only had a fifth grade education in America and had her husband, my father die when I was six and my sister was one and a half
Came from nothing to be an incredibly successful businessman, board chairman to one of the largest business boards in the world having created probably 1000 millionaires and 50,000 jobs or more and have given lots to charity and have supported many charities that have provided me with awards and plaques letters and thank yous
I will not pat myself on the back other than I've been a good human being to others around me have traveled the world seen 113 countries and all 50 states and Cruise two or three times a year with anywhere from 15th to 20 friends
Oh, and I'm an independent voter for the last 40 years
.
Now it's your turn
You are not going to suck me in dude......you are an energy vampire. 75 years??? .........the last paragraph....the longest run on sentence......"never seen a sentence that long in the history of the world".........LOL LOL.......
That tells me all I need to know about you..........
First of all, I voice text....content over form which you obviously can't comprehend
OK but wait a minute Oh my God, I'll call you right back. The feds are at my door. I think I think I'm gonna be arrested right now for a run-on sentence.
In other news, Jack Smith just indicted Trump for removing the mattress and pillow tags From his mattress and pillows
I do want to thank you because I bet a neighbor $1000 that you wouldn't respond initially to telling me about you. So I have to thank you.
And you think I lied about my age ? Hah. Lmao
See once you can't respond I'm done here . You're not worth my time.
Stay calm and carry on by staying in touch and putting a lot of pressure on our legislators and leaders. The only disagreement I have with you Anne-Louise is that you used the world "same" good people when in fact we are a lot....😁
I said "same"??? (Checks) No, I said "some", meaning "a lot" but putting it understatedly. Another British characteristic...
It's the same exact minds that voted for Biden you guys don't get it to you.
Rick, the Trump machine figured out how to captivate the younger white males who live online. That is how he won. It was brilliant. These guys who voted for Trump don’t know diddley squat. And need I remind you most people don’t vote with their reasoning ability the vote emotionally. You know, a revenge vote. That’s how Trump won. Trump is the ultimate narcissist I know this has been over used but it’s true. Trump has scammed everyone who ever did business with him and now he will scam the government. Read my book.
Oh Bill, you were doing so well to not take the bait. This troll has been baiting you for pages of comments. Don’t feed the trolls and the bots! Report, block!
Bill I'm not sure that's the case although I understand he did capture more young people and that's a major win. But he had a greater share of black vote and Hispanic vote and Asian vote and Indian vote than ever
I don't know of any president who isn't a narcissist to be honest with you they all are in fact, the only one I think it was not was probably Jimmy Carter.
But I pointed out to a number of people here some of the world's best business people some of the world's best leaders have all been narcissists, but people here seem to think you can only be a narcissist in a negative way or a negative sense which is obviously not true I don't have the list in front of me now, but to one of your posters, I named, probably a dozen very famous narcissists, who did a lot of good in the world
In fact,
A few of them who used to be big narcissists were Oprah Winfrey. Steve Jobs Bill and Hillary Clinton Muhammad Ali
Tom Cruise is also suggested Tiger Woods
You don’t get it. One and no one can reasonably make an argument in favor of a Trump administration. I could spend the rest of time refuting this but you want to believe go ahead believe. Understand I’m not a liberal partisan hack. But Trump belongs in the toilet bowl. He has no value whatsoever.
Well, Bill, we agreed to disagree but further, I'm gonna ask you a question that nobody seems to wanna answer
The same electorate that voted for Donald Trump to be president, The first time is the same Electorate that voted for Joe Biden to be elected afterwards and also the same electorate that just elected Donald Trump again.
Why do you think that is?
Why do you imagine that 48 of the 50 states became REDDER than before? 48 our of 50. And the group here just won't accept that message.
I am just baffled by the negative in advance feelings here instead of waiting to see how things go.
Tell me how you'll feel if Trump successfully ends the Ukraine Russia conflict
Tell me how you feel if Trump destroys Hamas for not returning the hostages as he's demanded
How will you feel if Trump once again reunite Saudi Arabia with Israel into a peace agreement
How will you feel if Trump arrests illegal criminals that have committed crime in the United States?
The feeling I get here is that Trump could end poverty tomorrow and people will give someone else credit or not acknowledge what he did and that's really sad
Just my opinion, but that's me reading the tea leaves here
Oh, and further 77 million voters made that argument
Yea.....and Musk told 77 million losers to all to get "Fc#ked in the face".....77 stupid retards that watched Friends all day not worth giving jobs too.........and Sender you ARE 1 of those losers.......get out a Kleenex and wipe off your face dude.
Boy, you just don't get it. We are all happy while you are miserable. Do you get that?
And as I said, but nobody seems to wanna understand it the same electorate that elected Trump the first time elected Biden, the second time and elected Trump again the same very electorate hmmm
You know basket of deplorable didn't work very well for Hillary and that kind of rhetoric won't work very well for you liberals either it only invigorates the right to be more resolute so keep it up
OK now it's your turn to tell me about you when you what do you see in the mirror?
I could probably wait till eternity to get an answer
And in case you didn’t know it by now, living online is poisonous to the brain. I clearly do not live on social media. Well I suppose you could call this social media but I have clearly subscribed to intelligent folks like Heather.
Well, the good news for you is that people are not watching TV news as much because of all the lies. They’ve told you the last four years, including propping up a semi cadaver and keeping them hidden.
Unfortunately, though the Internet is the new news source. And as people become more independent more freed up with their time, they can take their laptops iPhones and iPads with them wherever they go, and Google stuff.
And I’m not sure that will stop it. In fact, it will probably get worse when AI hits full blast.
And there above is proof of what I was saying to you about doesn’t matter what he would do. I don’t have a dog in this fight. I live a good life I’m very happy have a big circle of friends and love to travel
Heather is incredibly intelligent articulate is a hard worker who's earned exactly what she's achieved no question
But I could say the same about a few people on the on the right who have done the same thing
Heather views are extremely biased In my opinion but it's her sub stack and they're her views so that's fine but many people here just don't see it like that
And frankly few people here and thank goodness you're one of them and they've been a few others that actually see that nothing here none of the posts The rhetoric none of the discussion includes the possibility of opposing views being correct.
This country, despite moving way too far left this past four years is basically fiscally conservative and socially liberal in general unfortunately many people on both sides of the aisle or single item voters and they miss the big picture almost entirely
But the best administration in my recollection has was Bill Clinton as president and Newt Gingrich as his accomplice from the other side of the aisle and they met in the middle and so solved many of America's issues and problems
There are far too many extremist out there today and most of the people I see here are that they just don't realize it in my opinion
Very sorry for my misspelled world 😞.
Hopefully it won't create confusion regarding your message.
Yes, it’s confounding. But know this. A large percentage of that 48% is about to be let down HARD. Trump and his minions can’t deliver — we know that.
And we also know Trump is not wise or else he’d take a wildly different tact. He’d not hire those wholly unqualified for their positions. It just won’t work.
He did not do well in his first term (altho the situation was almost perfect for him to do so); he’s not president yet and already making a mess of his second. Many of his wishful-thinking followers are about to realize this.
Consider, he cannot get the price of eggs down, indeed any prices down. Drill baby drill is a completely losing proposition, as are tariffs. Deportations have so many built in failures it’s overwhelming.
Ask yourself this: What plans does he have that make any sense? There are one or two but the mass are total losers, something Trump has perfected for decades. He shows absolutely no sign of figuring that out.
He’s a built-in winner for us. Stand strong and watch his followers peal off, slowly at first but as the pain is felt, the drop offs will grow like lemmings over the cliff. It’s just a matter of time and times on our side now.
The dog just caught the passing car’s tire. Now what!? Stay tuned.
Note: The federal Republican legislature is about to get an eyeful of reality and realize their position is worse than tenuous.
I basically agree with you. Trump only cares about one thing: Trump. He can't keep straight which visa is which. The price of eggs and the size of the cracker boxes won't change. Yes, time is on our side. I worry more about Elon, but I think Trump will tire of him because Tromp wants the lime light. This election was all about keeping himself out of jail. I mostly worry about our environment but that has always been my soap box issue. How much damage will his Department of Interior do? That is the billion dollar question.
Here in Tucson eggs just went from $2.58 to over $8 a dozen because of bird flu. The MAGA brain is as scrambled as these very expensive eggs I made this morning.
Yes I just paid $7 for a dozen eggs two hours north of Tucson in Gold Canyon. Grocery prices have not relented and as long as corporate greed is given free reign they will worsen. Biden was making progress….will miss Joe.
Still under $3 in Ohio but the bird flu problem hasn't hit here yet. Egg prices have little to do with government but are perceived as a government problem.
Silver lining? We would all be healthier if we ate an organic whole food plant based diet, Check out the Lifestyle Clinic under Dr Esselstyn at Cleveland Clinic, or read books by Dr. Michael Greger, or check out his web sight nutrition facts.org, and then check out The environmental working groups site at ewg.org. Maybe paying higher prices for highly processed and factory farmed unhealthy food is the kick we need to learn the truth behind healthy food , food as medicine so to speak. Just a thought,
I guess you all don't remember what the price of eggs and the price of gas was when Biden took office versus what they are now. It's always harder to bring prices down than it is to let them rise as the Current administration did.
When Biden took office, everyone was in their homes not going out which is why gas was so low. Your mind can’t understand basic things like that and the vicious pandemic created the most chaotic economic environment and Biden steered us into recovery. But you just can’t comprehend these basics and this tells me something about you.
Actually, Bill wanted to take a look for myself I just looked at annual gas prices from Forbes. And Trump’s first year in office gas prices were 241 a gallon. And as you said because of Covid, Trump’s prices were lower, but never went above 280 his last year was 226 when covid hit and Biden’s first year was 310 6 months later with Covid still around and prices went up almost a dollar immediately.
All four years of Biden were over three dollars with the High at 4:06 nationwide and during that year was over seven dollars in California .
I’m sorry. You have a knee jerk mentality. You will obscure everything else good that was accomplished and allow your mind to be fixated on an issue that is conditioned by many factors outside the per view of one man. You allow your thinking to be twisted by false talking points. That’s your problem. You are unable to see the bigger picture.
Bill I don’t know what Looking Glass you’re looking through, but I’m just the opposite of that… I’m looking at the big picture and everybody here is pointing out these tiny little flaws or what they’ll call fatal flaws which are meaningless in the big picture. Things people did 20 years ago 10 years ago five years ago that they didn’t like so bullshit…. Long before they had a NATIONWIDE impact.
The only thing the American citizens should consider, is what the president does from the day he takes office till the day he leaves office, and how that helps or hurts American citizens and what he does for the greater good. THAT, MY FRIEND IS THE BIG PICTURE.
certainly not all the other minutia people are trying to point out here
There is but one man that should not even be alive the one who has ripped off everyone he has ever done business with. The one who has made an art out of constantly lying. The one who has no interest in anyone else but himself. A failure in the business world. A probable rapist. A traitor like giving away or selling American secrets. Hello, are you normal? Here is a little secret. Did you know that regulations help people leave a healthy lifestyle? You are hopeless. And btw, I’m part conservative. Even long time republicans have warned us against him. Could you guess who that is?
A failure in the business world? Come on Bill even you know better than that. Do you like a list for example of all the people who have gone bankrupt and become not only multi millionaires, but famous at the same time such as Henry Ford PT, Barnum, Steve Jobs, Michael Jackson, Abraham Lincoln, and such. I don’t call someone who has hotels all around the world and golf courses and has 22,000 employees and has hey social media platform worth 10 billion or more a business failure.
Really you are one hardheaded man and you tell me I lack perspective?
I sent you my last post, which included what you and all citizens should be looking for or looking at as your president.
What you should be most concerned about is what the president does during his time in office.
The left is all about giving people second chances like Hunter for example and forgiving him. Wiping the slate clean so to speak for the most heinous criminals, and giving them a commutation Biden just did
And you keep talking about ancient history. What am I gonna do with you? Lol.
If the Republicans stay cohesive, as they seldom do, we will see a resurgence in American greatness, despite all the protest stations to the contrary, by the left.
So there is the basics that I can’t understand.
Let’s say that your rationale is correct why was it still high for three years? Bidens executive orders are the answer his sky blue green deal existential threat from climate change is the reason.
I understand all the basics Bill. But what you can’t think through for just a second based on what Trump‘s policies had done before Covid so you’ll have to take a look at that if Joe Biden had sat behind his desk for four years and smoked a cigar, Joe Biden would be elected president even in his semi cadaver condition right now
The MAGAts are about to get what they voted for when 45’s actions land on them like a ton of bricks. But the cult members didn’t believe they had Covid as they were dying and people took horse medicine too. Remember Jim Jones? People still drank the Kool-aid. There ain’t no dumbass vaccine.
Jenn, thanks for saying that. I've said "there is no cure for intentional ignorance". I think "There ain't no dumbass vaccine" is far, far more applicable.
Do you actually think this is about eggs? Wow.
I HOPE you are right. I fear, that as a nation, we have sane washed and normalized this behavior...and we will continue to do so. The hardest part about November 5, was realizing what our nation has become...and I live in Texas, I've seen the movements that should have kicked TC to the curb....yet didn't. Apparently, my view of Americans was that of GKs school teacher. How wrong were both were.
Thank you for this nice big helping of hope.
Dirk, it's not enough just to watch his followers peal off, we have to demand from our leaders and legislators to stay alert 24/7 and open their mouth with a megaphone if needed to point out every lie, upkeep promise, policies that are detrimental to we the people and beneficial to the billionaire class and every cruel effect of implementing Proyect 2025. Realy,time is not on our side. Other than that, I loved your comment 👌
Peel off?
An excellent summary of what is happening today. I keep reminding myself and others that we are basically a new nations, still growing up - way too fast. There are the experiences of the past, and hopefully we will move the pendulum back from 180 degrees to around 90, at least. Patience, grass works politics, and determination will help us through the next four. We cannot let Vance take over in four years.
Or sooner.
Vance can take over anytime Trump wants him to. In fact, there may be plans of foot to let him take over in three years. Do a good job for a year and then get elected for the next eight. Uh oh
Indeed!!
I'd have them read Michael Lewis's "The Fifth Risk" about how awful his transition team performance was in 2016/17, then ask each one of them to try to explain how this one is not so much worse. To me, the ignoring of science, the information being gathered , and even trying to destroy what had already been gathered, was made so much worse by trying to eliminate so many competent and critically needed honest agent interpreters of what was learned already (or could be learned).
How would they rate the massive increase in risk from the suppression of critical observations and actions that reduced the risks so well in the past?
Dirk, thank you for this optimistic post. On eggs, our usual store has seen a dearth of them and I wondering if it's bird flu.
Dirk!!!... did you get more popcorn? Geeezzzussss... we sure don't wanna run out of it. This is a real blockbuster. My generator is hooked up and gassed up, in case they try to pull the plug.
GET OUT THE POPCORN & WATCH THE CLOWN SHOW COMING UP!!
Well, lotta crystal balls, and Ouija boards here.
And you should pick up a copy of his book out of the deal to understand a little bit more about tariffs
Not to mention that Biden kept almost all of Trump's tariffs so there's that plus he used the Trump tariffs on Mexico in Canada, not to actually install them, but as a negotiating tool, and it worked as his negotiations usually do Canada has now allocated $1 billion to border security in Mexico has put some pressure on the cartels to stop the fentanyl and has committed to stopping the caravans So there won't be any tariffs
Trump has no plans other than staying out of jail. He's admitted as much. His priority is himself and those in his immediate orbit. Everyone else gets the grifter scammer liar cheater that he is.
I don't know what the percentage is but it wasn't followers that got him elected. It was people who vote for what they perceive as their own best interest and this time it was people worried about their personal economic situation and he spoke to them like he cared and could do something directly for them.
Democrats didn't talk to people where they are. They didn't defend themselves against all the accusations Trump and company hurled at them, like the whole trans issue. Democrats ceded that and immigration to the GOP by speaking in generalities while Republicans made precise surgical cuts with lies, innuendo and accusations that went unchallenged.
The Democrats who did win in districts and states Trump won prevailed because they talked a better game than their challengers and they were rewarded. Harris didn't. She did a lot in 107 days but she never gave voters a reason to vote for her because they wanted something different from Biden (because they didn't understand all the good he did) and split their ticket at the top for Trump and Democrats down ballot who spoke directly to them.
Trump was never going to jail and as you can see every single case about him has either collapsed or will very shortly. LAWFARE as it was called by the right has actually worked to invigorate voters to vote for Trump. And you're probably not aware, but when one of the first charges was. Leveled at him and went public. The next day he received about $25 million of donations to his coffers
It certainly doesn't pale to what Carmelo raised in just 107 days, but it was certainly an indicator.
It’s a tough one Mr cooper. I struggle daily with how to maintain relations with family and friends who support the president elect. To me it is unconscionable. But they are strong in their convictions and remain wholly reliant upon fox entertainment for their news. I feel like we have slipped into a Dr who type of time warp.
Fox is brazen self assurance, how many just do it for the $$$ ?
GK has frank words for Fox:
https://open.substack.com/pub/garrisonkeillor/p/texas-is-a-real-education?r=apy04&utm_medium=ios
I miss his show. This was a good read from a great story teller. Thanks.
"All you want but as I just googled it for fun Fox now has about 73% of cable news viewership and MSNBC and CNN has had their viewership cut in half. Anybody here wonder why
And surprisingly, even to the people on the right Fox has just surpassed ABC as the most watched primetime TV.
Ditto - I have chosen to stay connected to most of my maga side of the family but that means we stay at the superficial level. As the adage goes you can choose your friends but not your family, so I will be cordial, have grown tired of the arguments and will let the sh** hit the fan - which it will because autocrats can’t help themselves. A few family I will not talk to - their words were just too bigoted to let slide. I think we are all in uncharted waters, sail on but mind the shoals.
Steve, you are a better person than me. When, after posting a statement made by DJT to “come to D.C.,” my sibling post “I believe Trump 100%, she (Harris) does lies all the time.” That was enough for me to concluded there is no “value added” in having “cordial conversations” and ignoring the truth. Whether I am wrong or she is wrong, there is no merit to playing on that turf.
Well, she did say the border was secure. Did she not?
She also said Bidenomics was working.
I do remember being a stubborn child, me, pushing on with some stupid activities that were not going to end well.
When I asked my mother why she didn't advise me to stop being an idiot, her reply was, "You wouldn't have listened back then."
She was a strong believer in what she said was Mark Twin's advice that, "Experience is the best teacher, but only a fool needs it."
I like the older quote attributed to Benjamin Franklin, "Experience is the best teacher, but a fool will learn from no other."
I hear you, Julie. It isn't just Faux, although that is the primary source. It is all the garbage they sup up like kittens lap up milk from the on-line fringe sources that feed their collective amygdale with the hate and anger that makes them feel good. I broke a vow not to engage after JD admitted he had lied about the Haitian immigrants eating peoples pets. I asked one of them if that it mattered to him it was a lie. His reply was roughly "But it could have been true".
Well, Ally, my Mother described people, like the one you referred to, as "common" or "ordinary". Those two words have always stuck with me in my assessments of individuals or groups behavior. A refection of their upbringing.., perhaps? Upbringing? Yes, I think so. Nothing new there. They didn't come out of the womb that way.
Has nothing to do with Fox entertainment has only to do with policies. Doesn't even have anything to do with Trump.
John... Yes. It is tempting to despair, turn away, and give up. But we persist.... in words, in action, and we attempt to set the example.... even in our relationships to family and community. The setting of today’s world in historical context offers, I think, a forward path.... and hope.... dismal as it appears day after day. Some of us of a certain age (old) thought that we had done enough marching, calling, working for change... But it is not so....
Oh Deirdre, how much I needed to read these words today! I went to a New Year's Eve party last night looking for camaraderie and found resignation and ennui. SO depressing! And these were my progressive cohorts. We must never give up hope, even at our age, especially at our age. Yes, the brunt of the work will fall to the younger generations, but they look to us for grounding and purpose. I, for one, will never stop fighting against the current corruption and policies that are so morally and politically cruel for so many in this country. Thank you for posting - you were the tonic I needed this morning for 2025...Happy New Year!
Maybe we were more successful than we realized! If we weren't a threat to the morbidly rich, they would be off playing on their private islands instead of meddling in our government. They had to back a demented old man and a corrupt bunch of politicians to get what they want.
I just finished a book, THE GIRL WHO DARED TO DEFY:Jane Street and the Rebel Maids of Denver, by Jane Little Botkin. Around 1913 Jane Street started organizing the women servants in Denver, Colorado. She was so successful that some of the male members of the Industrial Workers of the World sabotaged her work. On the surface, it would seem like her mission failed. Her name isn't a household name. But the wealthy women were intimated enough that the domestic workers were able to negotiate shorter work days, better wages and working conditions.
This is the time to stand firm and defend our Civil and Human Rights! As scared as we are right now, the forces of evil are worried too. They haven't won yet. And they have tried for over 40 years of trickle down economics.
Well, about 150 billionaires donated to Biden Harris this last cycle.
Perhaps interaction with people who support a person you wouldn't leave in a room with your kids - who in fact is the antithesis of what we have always taught our kids - perhaps even acknowledging their existence once those values have been tossed to the wind... Perhaps withholding contact is essential to withholding approval.
There is value in shunning. It sends a simple message. If you approve of the Orange Menace, who he surrounds himself with, his treason, his treachery. his selfishness, his anger, his desire for vengeance, his embrace of incompetence, his willingness to put an anti-vaxxer in charge of our healthcare system...need I go on. OK, a pedophile to be Attorney General?
Perhaps the people you thought you knew - you don't really know at all. I don't need such vile beings in my life. No one does. Send a message. Shun. If they ask why, tell them their values are in the toilet.
I get the desire to shun, have felt it myself, but I don't think it's the helpful path, for me or for the cause. I think a goal of "loving detachment" is better all around. It's better for my mental health, which is the number one concern. It leaves the door open for others to change.
I can't lovingly detach without a support group, like this group and other like-minded friends, and a practice of meditation.
With my friends and family who are in the cult, I am careful to control the amount of time I am in their presence. I will make up excuses if I have to. I don't argue. "Don't argue with a fool" is my motto. I smile and shrug my shoulders, the other person feels awkward and the subject often changes. There are many ways to avoid an argument.
And I make sure I keep up with self-care. All this has come from age, my own dismal mistakes, trial and error, following the spiritual masters and reading about courageous people. I don't think MAGA has staying power.
I find it so difficult to begin a conversation with people who support Trump. I have high school friends from 65 years ago who on a FB thread compare and contrast MAGA vis Democracy. Usually it’s the ‘rights’ vs the ‘lefts’ and we get nowhere. Such a shame, since these were my friends - good friends in the 60s.
Do most of you realize that the electorate that first elected Trump and then elected Biden and then elected Trump again are one in the same. ?
The more you know of U.S. history, the easier it is to understand. It does seem to be especially hard for middle-class-and-up white people to grasp, but it is possible. Study Black and Native and Chinese American history and you'll begin to get it.
Im sure you are not alone in this struggle....
Thankfully there are serious people working to gain the agency that's now up for grabs in the post neoliberal economy that began with Reagan and ended in 2016.
The C-word that can save Democrats
We find ourselves in a unique position, a time where a lot of voters are up for grabs. We saw what happened in 2024 where millions of Democrats crossed over out of economic frustrations & not enough new voters took their places.
How to attract voters who are adrift in a sea of economic worries but see no way out of the downward spiral they are living day to day?
Enter Roosevelt Society...
https://the.ink/p/winning-the-class-war-interview-felicia-wong-roosevelt-institute?r=9kpps&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=false
Do you think most voters could wade through all that, BlueRoots?
That article is not for voters to wade through. It's a primer for Democrats to get their collective shit together and stop being subservient to the lobby/donor classes and reconnect with the working middle class who has felt abandoned by the party. It's a template for politicians who really want to make a break from all the problems of the past.
This is the perfect time to do it as the other side is in even worse shape even though they won. One reason they won is people are turned off by the wonky news media, they only have attention to soundbites of what's happened in the past 24 hours. Felicia Wong is on the vanguard of the change that needs to come that has been demonstrated by the Democrats she spoke of who won in districts and states that Trump carried.
Half or more voters are like nomads wandering in the desert looking for an oasis. Trump gave them one, or at least the illusion of one, and that's what got so many Democrats and first time voters to take a chance. It's how Carter won in 80 and Clinton, Obama and Biden did later as a reaction to Republican's inability to govern.
Like it or not winners today are the most effective communicators to the working/middle classes where most of the votes are. Democrats just want to continue to keep folks around who don't adapt with the times and feel seniority is all that matters. It's why Congress has become Heaven's waiting room.
You read HCR, Joyce Vance, Josh Marshall, Jess Piper et al and remain sane, resolute, and remember our past democracy.
I can’t answer for Ms Nelson, but as one who has taught our history for over 40 years (although certainly not at the level or with the expertise of Dr. Richardson), I can make some assumptions. Forgive me if I seem repetitious (I’ve posted something like this here before).
We are still so new at this grand experiment (Novus Ordo Seclorum). I’m 80, so I could have talked to a man who fought in the Civil War. And a man who fought in tha war could have talked to a man who fought in the Revolution and was there at the Founding.
Consider that it took over four millennia of what we call civilization for anyone to try democracy on any scale much larger then a village, and another two millennia for a group of bewigged colonial elites to design a nation from the get go as a Republic.
And given that our Constitution was a first attempt at doing so, it has proven to be an excellent start. It was flawed, as it was inevitable it would be. Nobody could have gotten such an extraordinary design right the first time out, even if the circumstances of the time have been not been radically altered in the time since. The most serious flaw was allowing slavery to continue (even given that it would never have been ratified had that terrible compromise not been made), and we are still paying for that one. Yet the promise of American exceptionalism was there even though it has never come to anything like a solid fruition (regardless of all the claims to the contrary)
That promise has been sorely tested - primarily between 1861 and 1865 but also in less powerful ways several times before and since. But we have yet to face the test of Trump. Our presidential record is hardly spectacular even given that our descent into the morass of an ossified binary political party system has made evaluating the first 46 of them in any generally accepted way difficult if not impossible. But we’ve never had as president a man so devoid of understanding of, respect for, or intent to abide within the experiment we’ve been engaged in since 1789 as Donald Trump.
His second term, then, is a test we’ve not faced yet, and so we have no experience of what it might be like or how to deal with it to any successful degree. The pundits can pontificate as they will, but they haven’t got that experience either, and attempts to compare Trumpism with what has happened in other nations without our unique history are at best problematic.
So we have to ride this one out. The journey will not be made easier by any assumption that all Americans have at least a generally shared opinion about who we were designed to be - such does not and never has existed. Yet the test itself must be faced because it is in the nature of democracy to do so. Our experiment is of necessity open-ended. There is not nor can there be any final conclusion reached. This experiment is what Abraham Lincoln knew it to be; a test to see "whether this nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated can long endure”.
And so we have to understand that what happens now is not up to Trump or his court collection of sycophants, election deniers, crackpots, billionaire dilettantes, misogynists, and other assorted nut cases, but to us. To us not as Republicans or Democrats or conservatives or liberals or socialists or any other of the many categories into which we insist on dividing ourselves, but as Americans only. As Ken Burns, the noted historian and filmmaker reminded his audience at the Brandeis University graduation exercises this past June,”There is only US”.
If we can but remember that elemental fact over the next four years, we will have done our part in maintaining this grand experiment. If not, well, history will not be kind.
I figure you cannot fix stupid.
Hand in glove with willful ignorance, I think.
Maybe you're too young to remember Ted Kennedy
But if you'd like to see the list of politicians, federal politicians state politicians who have been convicted of crimes, just check out Wikipedia there's a list by presidency and they're there from both side sides of the aisle. Although I would say the Republicans seem to involve more widespread or profound crimes in my opinion. But the list is extensive. Including Congress, people judges. Governors and you should see some of the charges, mostly fraud, but some sexual assaults obstruction of justice. Etc all of these either serve time or find.
Some of the funniest ones are people that were convicted of crimes serve time in prison and then we're reelected three more times after that.
John D Cooper, I ask myself these questions every day.
IMO we need to be honest with our families and friends about both DT’s well documented lies and complete disregard for our Constitution and laws. We also ought to discuss with them how completely beyond our norms was the amount of money Musk and Tech CEO’s contributed to DT’s election. At the same time, we need to admit the US had been moving right during the year and Democrat strategy didn’t prepare for that. Biden had not spoken strongly as our President to explain the inequities of Grocery Stores and prices in different areas. He had not directly addressed the concerns of drug overdoses in cities and distressed small communities. Rather he did arrest a cartel leader but people wanted direct action in their communities. There were signs voters were looking for a strong, charismatic candidate. Many voters who don’t read and had forgotten the chaos of DT’s first term behaved as though they were pushing a button in a video game.
And yet Kamala raised three times what Trump raised. And spent it all in 100 days. 2 billion and still lost
Well said, Mr. Cooper. I appreciate your questions and I look forward to our shipmates’ responses.
abc
Pretty simple John.., we don't pull the levers, soda-speak, but we are the air he breathes, and it is more than just foul. He will choke. Watch. As we will.
Thank you Heather for keeping me sane and thanks to Kamala Harris and Tim Walz for a remarkable run. You did us proud but tffg threw the monkey wrench in starting with the birther lies and never let up. May he burn in hell.
Well said. Love the red skies at night photo. One day at a time, we march forward into the unknown with arms and hearts linked.
Yes...only....one day at a time.
Love this Lanette- thank you!
Yes Lanette, staying present is the key to being grounded. We will need that. And Heather’s photo is a keeper.
Stunning.
This could not have been said better.
The intertwining of current events with historical context is so uniquely HCR.
A must read daily. My continuing education in the golden years. 🥳
Well said, Kim Nelson.
Thank you Heather, for putting it all in context for us. Happy New Year!
Since I was born in 1942 and have lived more than 60 years in MA, I remember Ted K. and many other politicians. Kamala’s concerts got people together to enjoy music as well as her pitch. Unfortunately we didn’t have a Primary and get out around the US to see it was turning Right. Elon’s blatant offer to out of touch techies of possibly winning $1million plus Tech CEO’s directly paying DT millions to loosen restrictions and back their desires for AI is in a different stratosphere.
TOUCHÉ, Kim ! ONWARD, Together….
I think this beautiful red skies & fisherman’s good omen is true! We are NOW, with the help of of people like Heather (her Historical perspective certainly helped ground us in reality) are DONE w/the last decade of pure insanity & will continue to move FORWARD, with future generations leading the way!
"Helping us make sense of the mess, and for grounding our reality in the matrix of history.' Brilliant statement!
Amen!
There's no mess
Senders brain is a total mess
Don't know much about you but most people would wish they were in my shoes
But perhaps you'd like to explain to me about the mess since we're talking about the current four years aka the present , not the ones that will change that in 20 days.
Why is it that few of you can wait to see what happens instead of quoting from books quoting from history trying to project the future Which she will never be able to do
Can't you just live in the present?
Heather, our support is for you, and this project, and each other, and our democracy. How lucky for us that we're all in this together! We will make it a happy new year!!!
We're in this together! Joyce Vance
It has been great learning from you and gaining a different perspective on many issues. Understanding facts, current and historical, has helped to appreciate the current world in which we live. Thanks for this last year and all the best as we look forward into the next. Peace.
"Red skies at night, sailor's delight."
I hope they are right, too.
Thank you for your work, professor.
It was "shepherds' delight" when I learnt it - but sailor's
fits very nicely with the Maine coast.
my husband is British and he learned that version too!
... red skies in the morning, sai.ors take warning
Oh, well, we just said "shepherd's de-warning", to make it scan with "shepherd's delight". English humour. Humor.
Lovely!!
Ms. Bronson,
Take it from an old veteran sailor: sometimes the red skies signal fair weather … but sometimes they signal significant warfare. I’m praying for the former, but I fully expect the latter.
Happy New Year Everyone.
Thank You Dr. Richardson for your work.
Thank you, Heather Cox Richardson.and Happy New Year to you and everyone else. It’s been a year. On to 2025…we have hope
Heather you are exactly why we are all in on this. You are the leader of the pack. So happy that 2024 is nearly over (I'm in California and we have 1 hour and 33 minutes). We have a rocky road to climb and many of us are old and feeble, but we have no choice. Let's face tomorrow light with on headlight on. Thanks for all you do to light the way.
A better New Year for us is my hope! Thank you HCR!
Happy new year! Buckle up!
Wishing you and your entire family a healthy and happy or better, a joyful New Year. Thank you for all I’ve learned an been able to refresh of my formal education so many years ago. You are a treasure!
Happy New Year and thanks for your service Heather. But as for 2025, well to quote Stormy Daniels, "Here we go . . . UGH!"
Stormy Daniels knows what she's talking about.
Oh I think many of us do my friend, many of us . . . just not enough to save our aged republic.
As to the Republic, I believe "We can keep It", H/t Ben.
Wow you’ve got some fantastic sky messages! I’m going to rest
well in tonight’s brilliant red in your photo ~ thsnk you for sharing 💥😉✨
I so appreciate your thoughtful writing. I have learned so much from your writing and wish I could be in one of your classes! Your insights will be so important as we adjust to the DT administration.
We are all in one of the best online courses I've ever taken, right here, every day💕
Agreed!! And the comments section is going out after class with the other students!
I hoist an imaginary beer to that, Ally! Happy New Year to you and your wife!
You stun me on a daily basis. Thank you for the example of your insatiable patriotic goodness and love for our country.
I’m riding with you! I’m going to simply follow and enjoy the ride, and your history that you provide so well.
Red sky at night, sailors delight! Happy Mew Year!