A legal filing today in the case of Dominion Voting Systems against the Fox News Corporation provides a window into the role of disinformation and money in the movement to deny that President Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election.
Billions of words and a handful of typos. You are safe,Professor. ❤️ Please take the whole weekend off while we pass this very important and well written column around to our mag-nut friends and relatives and news media of all shapes and sizes. Let’s Roll!!
We adore you and are constantly amazed at your ability to synthesize our nation’s traumatic history (really want to connect on that; we do a series on Historical Trauma in America and you could so help us raise awareness of the relationship between history and trauma and how trauma is fueling mass shootings. Report on mass shooters said yesterday childhood trauma is prevalent in 42% of mass shooters! Please help us shine light on collective and historical trauma as root cause of our most intractable problems? Poverty, racism, inequity, massive environmental traumas (Ohio train fire! Michigan water! Mississippi water!) are based in “our needs take priority over your well-being, lives!). And this keeps being passed down as racism, classism, White Supremacy as it is baked into our SYSTEMs. We’re working to prevent and heal trauma; build healthier more compassionate people, families, communities; use science and history -- truth -- to disrupt systemic oppression and institutional racism. Help us! Carey Sipp, director of strategic partnerships and loyal fan, PACEsConnection.com. Our series on Historical Trauma in America goes into its third year this summer and I help lead the discussion on Historical Trauma in the South, with our CEO Ingrid Cockhren, for the third time. I’ve referenced “How the South Won the Civil War” (along with other great books) each time. Series has a good following. We have more than 58,000 members in our community of practice: educators, judges, physicians, people with lived experience, social workers, foster children and parents, Native Americans working for tribal rights, advocates, more. 440+ cross sector geographic communities and 40+ special-interest communities including medical, nursing, social work, educators and higher education communities. We would so love for you to join us!
Fern and I have spoken about this. csipp@pacesconnection.com (for positive and adverse childhood experiences) and 404-408-9566. We are a movement to prevent and heal trauma. Free to join. We love you (have cross-posted several columns!) and would love to have you join us!
Help us shine the light on how historical trauma perpetuates trauma. “To understand history, you have to know trauma; to underhand trauma, you have to know history,” was one of the messages from Dr. Bruce Perry, who wrote about historical trauma and much more in his book with Oprah Winfrey, and did a beautiful interview on this with us, to a webinar audience of thousands, in 2022.
Impact on maternal and infant mortality and morbidity...stress in the historical DNA, if not actual life experience. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)...attention must be paid to help and heal a society living out past and present injustice. See Resmaa Menakem's MY GRANDMOTHER'S HANDS. Hear that, Ron DeSantis and others of you denying the impact of racism and banning books telling stories we all need to hear. Reading is fundamental. Attention must be paid to the dark side as well as the light, and young Americans must study ways ignorance of true history has and will continue to have long-term consequences for all.
As an ACE child, who at 88 has said “free at last,”
while recognizing that no one is ever quite free of adverse childhood experiences, and never having had a grandmother, thanking you for the book reference.
How can we know the light if we do not have the contrast of the darkness?
Logged in with two different accounts; joined with my work personal emails. Call me a super fan. Also, please take a look at PACEs science 101 at PACEs Connection.com.
Toxic stress — the kind that is sustained and creates relentless production of cortisol and adrenaline — damages the function and structure of the developing brain. There is much evidence of the connection between high incidence of adverse childhood experiences (6+) and many physical and behavioral issues: heart disease, cancer, being a victim or perpetrator of a violent crime, incarceration, addictions, premature death, risky behaviors, teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, broken bones, broken marriages and relationships, inability to maintain a job, and on and on and on and on.
Great news? There are also seven positive childhood experiences that if they are experienced lessen the likelihood of adult mental illness! This is terrific news we was reported on the Journal of American Pediatrics by my esteemed friend Christina Bethell, PhD, MBA, etc. of Johns Hopkins University.
What thrills me most about that study is they FOUR of the SEVEN
Positive childhood experiences happen IN COMMUNITY! And we can teach all seven of them easily.
We can help them happen in community. But we must be mindful of whatever efforts, that they be community led and culturally appropriate.
This science is expanding constantly.
Take a look at our Reference Center, a for-real library-grade resource center, at PACEsConnection.com and read the PACEs Science 101 post referenced there. It is by our founder and publisher, Jane Stevens, who lays it all out in understandable language and has written about this topic for about 15 years. She is an authority and a brilliant science journalist.
I'm a retired psychiatrist and psychotherapist and a survivor of prolonged and severe pre, peri, and postnatal stress. I don't think ACE (Adverse Childhood Events as determined by a Kaiser Health Study) even comes close to encompassing the amount of trauma in which we are saturated.
Indeed. The ongoing and escalating systemic racism in this nation created by the cold-blooded murder of millions of indigenous peoples in North and South America, the thrum of guilt some of us feel over the kidnapping and enslavement of Africans to be exploited on these shores for the next 404 years, our being so enamored of the fake concepts regarding race and class, the collective trauma of the loss of more than a million souls due to Covid — knowing so many grieve the loss, including thousands of children who lost parents, the Climate Crisis and watching the earth fight to recover from assaults by Big Oil, our Racial Reckoning with the death of George Floyd making jt impossible for (most) people to ignore that murder, January 6th and how close we came to losing our Democracy, the continued threats to Democracy, the more than 70 mass shootings already this year, the plutocracy plotting and winning the stacked and corrupt SCOTUS by totally having gaslit Barack Obama’s Merrick Garland nomination but then cramming Kavanaugh and Coney Barrett down our throats, the terror of having Roe overturned, the control of right-wing election deniers.
Thanks for your comments. Agreed. I get why Girls on the Brink, by Donna Jackson Nakazawa, is doing so well. Trauma is in in our faces as girls report rape and other atrocious male behaviors.
Heather, most of your subscribers need psychiatric intervention after the ordeal we've suffered in the last six-plus years. Your two typos, after all of your missives, typed in the wee hours of the morning, count for nothing. Take two aspirin (or glasses of wine) and check in with us in the morning. We couldn't have weathered this storm without you.
Worse is the comma in the COTUS that modern SCOTUS justices have chosen to disregard. (The 2nd Amendment became moot when the national National Guard was formed in 1903.)
Mist And I don’t believe that any troops have been quartered in non-military residences for quite some time. [3rd Amendment] On my God! Are you and I suggesting that the constitutional ‘originalists’ are full of Bullshitsy?
2A protects the individual right to keep and bear arms for any lawful purpose, including but not limited to service in an armed government militia. The Dick Act of 1903, which created the organized militia (the National Guard) and the informal militia (the rest of us) did not moot 2A. If it had, more than one state--California and New York come to mind--would have certainly tried to ban and confiscate all firearms from civilian hands. They have not even tried.
Confiscation has never been an issue so I don't know why you bring it up. In 1903 most civilian guns were used for hunting and, maybe, for home protection and very few people owned them. Which is to say that civilian gun ownership just wasn't an issue. It become an issue when the SCOTUS persistently ignored the reason gun ownership couldn't be infringed and opened the floodgates to an outrageous situation where people walk around in public with high-powered firearms and we can't have sensible gun regulations like every other civilized nation on Earth.
I brought up confiscation because if the Militia Act made 2A moot, as you suggested, then more than one state would have tried to ban and confiscate their residents' firearms in the past 100 years. Not even California has tried that, so clearly, even the most gun-unfriendly states believe 2A protects an individual's right to own and operate weapons regardless of Militia status.
Civilian gun ownership is not "an issue." Why? Because Americans collectively own 400 million guns, but only 0.003 percent of them are used to murder someone any given year. The other 99.997 percent just sit there doing nothing. (20,000 annual gun murders vs. 400 million guns owned.) If "civilian gun ownership" was the issue, we would all be dead.
Since data prove Americans overwhelming own and handle guns safely and responsibility, I suggest we concentrate on reducing criminal and suicidal *use* of guns, not how many guns we own. The former is smart. The latter is a waste of time and money.
Keith, as no doubt are aware the Library of Congress has the draft & the original Constitution in elegant cursive of the 18th century. It has been many years since I viewed both; it was long before Kaypro.
It’s ok. I have a question today: why aren’t these liars in jail? Can the suit bring about that necessary deterrent to them and their like? Americans have dealt with this Goebbels-like propaganda (think Proud Boys, already “predicted” by Walter Matthau and a fellow comedian in a late ‘90’s film) far too long. Not even Rachel Maddow’s podcast about the Nazis in America during WWII can deal with the current spread of propaganda. It’s a never ending flood.
They are not in jail because lying isn’t a crime. FNC is a morally bankrupt organization full of morally bankrupt people, but their behavior is not the problem we face. The problem we face is 74 million American voters (well… Bannon says 71 million… guess he figures a few million of the 74 million are rational) who want to believe lies and will change channels if FNC fails to deliver the lies they want to hear.
Exactly right ... lying isn't a crime. Propaganda is legal. Falsely accusing Dominion of corruption is what this is about. That may be illegal. (Not an attorney)
I thought I saw another typo, but I'm not gonna' mention it, nor go back into it. I, and we know what you meant. *edit in - D4N does not write a Substack column. It was a fat finger error that amused me, and perhaps confound and confuse some trolls that follow me about, so I've left that be for a while.
Your typo brings up a question I have.Do you ever sleep?I am in California and need to turn the lights off before you . Seriously you have sent no photos in last two weeks. Nonstop “letters”(which I so look forward to) please take some self care with a photo this weekend.
Christine I have the same question about Heather, our Energizer Bunny. I have pulled ‘nearly all nighters’ with some frequency during my diverse professional endeavors. However, I have never gone at such a nonstop pace as Heather, who speculated, back in 2020, that she might cease LFAA once President Biden took office.
Heather has Joan of Arc’s spirit—and, I profoundly hope, not Joan’s fate. Perhaps an eternal Miss Liberty?
I will add this to my list of names for him. He is despicable....and always muted should he be on whatever news story we are watching. What I find really reprehensible about him is that he ignored what was going on when he was a coach at Ohio State.
The Gym Jordan Committee on Whatever cannot ever get beyond waving the label of The Church Committee as the whole endeavor of the 118th Congress is "in the appearance of whatever title they choose," not "in the spirit of or standards the title may require." As in, who cares, as long as we pretend before the cameras that we are as righteous and use words the Church Committee might have used. Remember, this is Reality Television, an oxymoron from the get go. Or, Looney Tunes on a Saturday Morning for an audience of adults in diapers. Not sure if the chair is Bugs Bunny or Elmer Fudd.
Fred As a Foreign Service Officer who resigned while in Chile (1969) I contributed data to the Church Committee. I was stunned by the CIA (and NSA) ‘dirty tricks’ revealed—including dozens of assassination plots against Fidel Castro.
I was impressed by the professionalism and bipartisanship of the Church Committee. It dug into the Augean stables and then included their findings in a series of detailed publications.
By contrast, the Jordan ‘weaponizers’ are simply blowing smoke up their own asses. There is lots that a bipartisan committee could investigate—overwhelmingly related to Trump, financial shenanigans with Arabs, bromances with Putin and others, and, oh yes, ludicrous claims about a fraudulent 2020 presidential election.
Instead, expect a rerun of the ludicrous Benghazi hearings. And perhaps an effort to torpedo the Mueller Hearings, after Barr and John Dunham failed in this superIous endeavor.
Absolutely right, Keith---this committee will be nothing "but her emails!" and "BENGHAZIIIIII!" for two years. The 9-11 Commission and the Church Committee illustrate how to do investigations right. Team Jordan is an embarrassing and maddening waste of taxpayer time and money.
Keith, it's good to hear from someone who new and experience professionalism in oversight. I will continue to remind others that oversight functions are the tool of choice to keep the branches functional and turned north toward truth and protecting democracy from its institutions. Jordan had his si gulag performance with the Bengazi hearings and it is the playbook he goes back to. One Trick Gym, for sure. Maybe he will add a black scarf worn on his pate as he swings into his orations for the camera.
Excellent analysis Thanks for keeping all of America 🇺🇸 aware of what's really happening 👍 😀 wonderful news that the rest of the GOP is finally standing up to Gym Jordan holding his feet to the fire 🔥 now they just need to find a way to put a leash on the obnoxious girls Marge and Lauren!! Perhaps with Jack Smith getting underway with proceedings they're starting to realize 🤔 how dangerous insurrectionists are, not only to their party but all of America!!
Kathy After rigorous proofreading of galleys for my first book (1960), when I received it and opened it—a typo! I was, at age 26, devastated. At age 89, I relish the opportunity to correct typos on my 3am LFAA commentaries. I now accept the adage: TOUJOURS GAI AND WHAT THE HELL.
Kathy Heather’s LFAA led me into ‘unprofessional’ typology. Quite often I must arise in the middle of the night (why? Go figure), read Heather, spontaneously riff on what she’s said, and blog from the heart for 15-20 minutes. I NEVER check references during this stream of unconscience flow. I glance briefly at my spew, then back to bed. Later I may find that I misspelled a name or muddied context and belatedly edit.
My rule is that 95% right immediately is better than 99% after reflection and the poignant moment has passed.
Hell, FDR said that batting 70% on New Deal initiatives was amend good. If he had gotten 95%, he would have jumped up from his wheel chair.
FOX should be closed down for seditious conduct. Their activity is clearly and totally destructive to our national security. if they had killed or severely injured a person with careless disregard, at the very least, they would be found guilty of manslaughter or dangerous and reckless behaviour. Dominion is not the only injured party. The US has been damaged. FOX fed the US Capitol attack, gave us a year and counting of right wing conspiracy theories, has interfered with the continuing conduct of our nation's business, has contributed to hate, fear and violence.
Also think of how many Americans were "killed" by Fox and Trump's mischaracterization of COVID as a "hoax created by the Democrats," as well as the political drive to not wear masks, to not stay home during lock down, and to get vaccinated "only if you want to."
Don't pollute the air and water, unless you want to. Don't break any number of laws, unless you want to, don't unnecessarily spread a dangerous and deadly disease, unless you want to. The #1 rule of Republicans is that Republicans get to do whatever they want, but others certainly don't; because Republicans are special.
That's not a just democratic republic. It's just what bullies do.
Republicans operate by the rules of business. In business, the only thing that matters is winning over the competition. Lying up to the edge of fraud is legitimate in business. Opacity is the rule. Not enforcing laws against your friends is expected. Accountability is "catch me if you can." Compromise in business is not only for losers; it can be seen as anti-competition collusion. Laws are just temporary obstacles that a better law firm (and a more friendly administration) can take care of. "Public policy" is meaningless. Regulators are to be captured. Winning on stuff that affects business is what Republican politicians, lawyers and lobbyists get paid to do. It's not ideological, in the political sense. It's not bizarre, from their point of view. Liberals, by comparison, are dreamers. The Democrats play flag football. The Republicans play tackle football.
Yes, it seems obvious that the bigger the corporation the greater the sense of entitlement and the potential for abuse of power that comes with it. If that is what floats your boat it IS political and ideological. When you play by the rule of law you are not weak at all but you must be on the lookout for sly and manipulative metaphors. Language is, and always has been, a deadly technology.
It’s amazing how your words fill my gathering sense of the depravity of the Fox News principals in playing to their ratings rather than responsibly reporting the News.
Worse to me the reactions of the Fox audiences abandoning their news source rather than accept the actual news. It makes obvious my personal prejudice against the bottom feeding Fox intelligentsia that absorbs propaganda and actively rejects facts.
But sadly it does leave nearly half a nation foundering about and voting with the wits not much more vigorous than a rock.
Good thoughts Art. Unfettered capitalism at work inside Fox - ratings and income and power trumps all. Including reporting truth. Instead lies - lies that they know are lies as opposed to lies that they believe are true. How can this be OK in the eyes of our DOJ? Why must we wait for a defamation lawsuit from a big company, a lawsuit they may not win and even if they do will not be enough punishment?
The Republican Party is of the same mindset. Win at all costs, including cheating and abandoning the concept of truth.
If there is evil in this world, a large part of it is entities trying to change reality in the eyes and minds of those who rely on those entities for guidance and understanding.
It goes beyond refusing reality. Fox, et al actually try to frame reality in such a manner to force outcomes to meet their dreary expectations. Murdock and their legions broadcast false and terrible conspiracies rather than develop decent outcomes.
In Dr. Heather's political chat Wednesday evening 2-15-23, she explained how over the decades capitalism became linked with democracy, as if capitalism IS democracy. Therefore, the Republicans insisted, if communist countries change to a capitalistic economic system, then democracy is their government system. NO. Without a democratic government's rules, refs and guard rails, AUTOCRACY becomes their government system. And when guard rails are removed from a democratic government system (e.g. "Citizens United" which should read "Corporations United Against Citizens") the government is sold to the highest bidders (Koch brothers, Rupert...). Capitalism isn't inherently bad, neither is communism. What we have now in the USA is very bad.
From: U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs
THE PILLARS OF DEMOCRACY
Sovereignty of the people.
Government based upon consent of the governed.
Majority rule.
Minority rights.
Guarantee of basic human rights.
Free and fair elections.
Equality before the law.
Due process of law.
Constitutional limits on government.
Social, economic, and political pluralism.
Values of tolerance, pragmatism, cooperation, and compromise.
Government of the People
'Democracy may be a word familiar to most, but it is a concept still misunderstood and misused in a time when totalitarian regimes and military dictatorships alike have attempted to claim popular support by pinning democratic labels upon themselves. Yet the power of the democratic idea has also evoked some of history's most profound and moving expressions of human will and intellect: from Pericles in ancient Athens to Vaclav Havel in the modern Czech Republic, from Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence in 1776 to Andrei Sakharov's last speeches in 1989.' ( U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs.) See link below.
Democrats want everyone to follow the spirt of the law. Repubs want to use (and abuse) the law to gain advantage, and screw anyone who doesn't play along. Which club should lead?
Executive branch engaging us in wars... without consent of Congress... both parties abuse the Constitution. Isn't that abusing the law? Neither party is clean and clear.
Recently attended a performance of Fellow Travelers, an opera about the Lavender scare. In it one of Joe McCarthy's staffers gloats that it's all just a game and what counts is staying on top. Yes it's theater, not an actual quote, but the essence mirrors today's conservative extremism in government and the media.
Yes. So often people justify their nefarious business decisions and behavior by saying "it's just business" with a straight face, as if it's an acceptable argument. And there's no shame, which there should be. It's remarkable that so many can distance themselves from their humanity with this phrase and perhaps also sleep well at night. I assume that the activity of doing business or running a business began with the purpose of supporting the business owner and family, while also providing work for any employee they might have, so they too could live and support their own family. Now it's morphed into something monstrous with the only goal to be profit for the owners and shareholders. People involved as workers and owners seem usually to be engaged in conflict between those groups, when it would probably serve both parties better if they all could see the benefit of working together to make the business serve both sides.
I taught preschoolers many years ago. I've come to understand that many adults are just taller, older preschoolers, who are by nature egocentric. They are in the "me" stage of development. "Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional."
I agree with you. But the reality is that the choice or decision to "grow up" is not always black and white for people. Families can be cult-like or brainwash their children, and belonging to the family unit can be the single most important thing to a child. And some people, for whatever reason, don't think outside the box and stay stuck in the tribal mentality. I'm not trying to justify anyone's behavior but I do believe we need to understand behavior better if we are to get people to think for themselves and see what is the truth, what is real, what is factual, rather than sticking with the stories and doctrines they were raised with. Racism, abuse, misogyny, homophobia, anti-immigration, that runs in families—how does the chain get broken?
Yes, in particular, it is the behavior of a spoiled, pampered, easy life white, wealthy child raised in America with too much money, no hardship, no work, not much reading education ......
AND THEN affirmative action admission to, say, Harvard because "Daddy" went there (Legacy admission was 36% at Harvard in 2020), and having spent too much time drunk and partying.
George W. Bush is the classic example of this "child".
Because I come from WASPiness, I have seen a lot of this in person. I just want to add that a lot of who these people are results from their family experience. There are people raised in that world who are good, kind, and try to pay back for what they've been given. I mean, you can't help what family you were born into. BUT, there are families who just want to perpetuate the status quo; are ignorant about problems in this country regarding race, misogyny, etc.; and support the myths about government spending, justice, and business. The well to do WASP world is a tough one. It is often not a warm and fuzzy family environment, with a lot of coldness and things going on under the surface, not discussed. You're on your own, be tough, figure it out yourself, don't be a baby, high expectations, competition, etc. etc. That results in thoughtless at best, cruel at worst, adults. There are a lot of unhappy people in that world and they raise unhappy or unconfident children who hide behind a facade.
Sadly there are many examples of this crass outcome of a privileged upbringing. I am reading Doris Kearns Goodwin's "Leadership in Turbulent Times", and it is a delightful contrast learning of the effects of Teddy and Franklin Roosevelts early privileged, and responsible, years.
How does Ted Cruz fit into this? The only explanation I can come up with is that in Cuba he was a child of Batista’s dictatorship and is trying to graft that monstrosity onto TX and, by extension, the rest of US.
Once, as a substitute teacher (I had taught French only to university students), I spent a couple of days with 3-5 year olds in an “elite” private school. It was surprising to realize that I “knew” their mothers almost immediately.
It should be remembered that Democrats tried to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine in 1987 and Reagan vetoed it. Quote taken from the link below. Biden should move to reinstate it but, updated to include cable and not just broadcast licenses. Even if it wouldn't pass the House it would re-engage the public as Europe is doing.
"A Democrat-controlled Congress passed a bill to re-instate the Fairness Doctrine in 1987. Reagan vetoed the bill," it continued. "Fox News followed in the 1990s. America is now more polarized and misinformed than ever."
I would like to remind folks who ask to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, that climate change “news” was relentlessly treated as a two-sided argument; those that agreed the climate was changing and that the release of carbon from fossil fuels was the biggest contributor, and those who argued that the science was not yet clear that the climate was changing. That argument was specious as hell, from the beginning, but oil companies engaged in disinformation campaigns and used the Fairness Doctrine to push their lies.
We know what happened. Thirty six years after Reagan dropped the Fairness Doctrine, oil companies and their Congressional lackeys still lie about the climate crisis - and MAGAS are among the biggest climate deniers. Meanwhile, the climate is changing more rapidly than predicted. And we are all paying a huge price for not regulating carbon emissions.
Do we need content regulation for news organizations? Yes. Do we need content regulation for the internet? Yes. But let’s be careful not to further push the idea that there are two or more sides to every argument which was the basis of the original policy. There aren’t two sides to many problems including whether masks are effective in preventing the spread of a killer virus. Yet in the US, where freedom of speech is a foundational principle, we have literally come to blows about what facts are and who is an expert which is, in part, an artifact of the idea behind the Fairness Doctrine- that there are two sides in every argument.
Its damn complicated - and most current Republicans seem incapable of writing policy, let alone protecting Constitutional rights. I don’t know what the answers are but I’m leery as hell of creating something akin to another climate crisis or pandemic-spreading misinformation campaign because of the effects of dark money in our system.
Let’s dump Citizens United first. Get the dark money out. Then maybe we can get a word in edgewise on what constitutes news, and how to regulate content producers. And shut down Fox. Wouldn’t that be sweet!
So the EU is trying to tackle this misinformation/disinformation conundrum. Maybe it can come up with something that is hard to misuse. I have no faith that the USA will do anything of the kind itself. Not in a plutocracy such as ours. But maybe we get shamed into it one day. Meanwhile - we are reaping what we have sown - a nation consisting of about 50% poorly educated freedum lovers who cannot tell when they are being taken for a ride. And vote accordingly. Enthusiastically.
james, I have been watching what Europe is doing to regulate Meta. Somewhat hopeful that they will come up with a model that we can use to start the discussions again. But that won’t change the current generation’s magat problem. Freedum, indeed.
Given that the people they killed were their own viewers, the irony is delicious. Since we have plumb run out of sabretooth tigers to eat the morons, we have to make do with what comes available.
TC, the irony IS delicious and the self destruction continues. Its like a never ending Darwin Awards competition. But very sadly, its not that simple. There are two ripple effects. Its quite possible that the morons have some decent hearted relatives, friends and coworkers who will suffer their loss. Incomes are lost. Innocent families fall apart. Small businesses crumble.
And then there is the devastating impact on our struggling, understaffed, inefficient medical system that they clog. How many people couldnt obtain crucial and possibly life saving care because the morons wouldnt wear a mask or get a simple vaccination?
Their stupidity is more than preventable suicide. Its being an accessory to the suffering and death of others. And for that, FNC should have been shut down and the bozos quoted in this lawsuit incarcerated for homicide.
Delicious? This is real life, not an episode of a political thriller, and schadenfreude doesn’t seem an appropriate emotional response here. A million people, grandpas and young mothers, babies and young adults, lives cut short, lingering painful deaths. What exactly is ironic about that? What Fox News did by reporting lies about COVID, the vaccines, the elections, has caused incalculable harm. The number of people who died insisting that they didn’t have COVID is small. The total number of people who died, and the number who survived with permanent neurological damage is not small. Please remember what we are actually talking about here. Sorry to sound judgmental but your response really shocked me.
Meredith Russell, thank you for this difficult read. In addition to the lies pushed by FOX news. Christian houses of worshop have brainwashed their congregants with all sorts of weird info regarding reasons for not receiving COVID innoculations. Many of their children DID experience ''brain fog " after having COVID..
Another disturbing response by members of the Republican Party was spreading lies about Dr. Fauci and other brilliant and well informed medical professions .
People are so gullible and so easily lead into the great abyss! THINK!!!!PLEASE!!!!
Irony is when the ignorant COVID deniers died of COVID. Yes, they caused a lot of collateral damage that we all had to endure, but bottom line were the ignorant conspiracy theorists who had access to real information on the disease available but preferred to believe the lies instead.
At 76 I was at-risk of dying for the whole year of 2020 before vaccines were available, and I did wear a mask, wash hands & safe distanced as logical precautions dictated. And, I avoided contracting COVID - Influenza and all other Upper Respiratory infections to this day.
I use the Darwinian fact that those who did not take precautions succumbed to Natural Selection, Thinning the Herd of its Weakest Minds.
I too masked and continue to mask to this day. I have not caught COVID, and do what I can to avoid it. I get every vaccine that comes out. My office was 100 yards from the Emergency department, so I think I was less able to ignore the real human costs of the public confusion caused by Fox News. I finally couldn’t stand it and retired. None of the families I know who have lost a loved one to COVID are on the hard right conspiracy end of the political spectrum. Over-simplification of the causes and results of this socially driven catastrophe do not help to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
The only friend that I know of who died of COVID was Brad a young former co-worker who went to school and became a Medical Doctor. He caught it in the line of duty – a collateral victim of the mass of idiots that did not take precautions. I was a Nursing Assistant for years (our viral pandemic was HIV) and tho retired, have wondered if I would have remained in that line of work during this pandemic.
HEAR HEAR ! What a sobering thought. It hurts my soul to remember the aftermath of these behaviors against our people, to say nothing of the after effects of the issues that have followed for so many.
Thank you, Meredith. I was shocked too, but not surprised. At times some people on this forum demonstrate exactly the same traits they so disdain in people they disagree with. It makes me feel deeply sad, because that sort of thing simply perpetuates the divide, simply to let a few people feel above others. I appreciate how clearly you described the real outcomes of disinformation. We all have a responsibility to display compassion in the face of suffering. Most people are doing the best they can. To lump them in with people who deliberately exploit them is unfair and petty.
Fox created morons out of good, even smart, people, though, who believe that our government has "Cronkite Rules" that prohibit the broadcast of lies on TV news. So Fox CAN'T be Faux. One of my best childhood friend's fell for this news ruse, and she and her husband refused vaccines (as they were told by both Fox and their minister with his direct line to The God), and her wonderful husband died a year later of COVID. My friend's father had been a U.S. Army guard at the Nuremberg Trials after helping to release Jews imprisoned in the Nazi extermination camps. Sadly he died of old age before he could warn her about propaganda. Rupert should be hung like the murderous traitor he is.
My mom watches the trifecta of hate on Fox every night (Carlson, Hannity, Ingraham) and it is painful to hear her spew the outright lies she hears. It is difficult to talk to her now, because she seems caught up in all the hatred and misinformation. She was once the smartest person I knew, with two Masters degrees in her area of expertise, and a long and successful career. She (and my father) were radicalized after 9/11, sadly, and never regained sanity.
Heartbreaking. Another HCR reader, Dr. Beverly Falls, recommended the following for talking about disagreements - but I suspect there are some (many) folks, especially those being continually fed faux lies, who are impermeable to good sense.
Those unvaccinated, unmasked Fox viewers spread the virus far and wide, taking with them overworked healthcare workers, elderly, and other vulnerable people. It decimated our healthcare system that still hasn’t recovered.
Absolutely true. All of my friends that perished from COVID were fully vaccinated and boosted. Always masked and careful. They literally fell prey to the uncaring and unwilling to be educated.
At a Board Meeting last evening, several of us were talking about the number of people we have known who have gotten COVID, but survived and the combined number is staggering. Every Board member, excluding myself have gotten COVID atleast once. These are educated, careful folks.
It was heartbreaking to read emails from my doctor spreading misinformation and conspiracies, hearing from many clients who believe the vaccine causes death and disability, including teachers who are so important in fighting ignorance. I am just honest with everyone that I am fully vaccinated because spreading the virus and doing long term harm or possibly killing someone is just not a risk I will take.
yep, he ignored experts, knew it was dangerous, admitted it to Woodward, then took over television and pushed misinformation. Downplayed the risk, continues to purposefully misdate the 1918 pandemic (WHO DOES THAT???!), supposedly put Pence in charge (who, with Adams had mishandled an HIV epidemic as Governor and not learned from his mistakes) then Kushner (yeah, right). Not to wish harm on anyone, but what a service to the public if he had succumbed to his own bout of Covid instead of having a team of a dozen specialists (!!!) and EVERY potential treatment option available.
Hundreds of thousands of Americans died ALONE in ICUs on ventilators, and it did not have to be that way.
Agree. Let's not limit the blame to FOX and the deplorables. Trump is at least as responsible as anyone. He had the attention and adoration of a large portion of the US population, and chose to misinform them. Many of them died as a result. He could have at an early time cleared up the lies being propagated by Fox and others, but didn't. Pence too. He just sat there with his tail between his legs.
That particular atrocity always gets me. Nearly as much as the school shootings. So many innocent people dying! Children orphaned, seniors dead, and many even otherwise healthy people of all ages dead because of what? Lies, lies, LIES!!!
Cathy W. Family relationships were were also "killed" as some members relied on Fox News as their only source of information. They were so whipped up by the false narrative they couldn't even consider another point of view. Their rabid support of conspiracies lead to estrangement.
Here here!!! The rabid and irresponsible covid response by Fox and Trump and antivaxxers is exhibit "A" on how far right wing freedum hurts and kills. I hope the long arm of the law somehow brings Trump and Fox to justice on this one too. Not holding my breath.
Good add, Cathy. There really is no end to the death and damages that FOX is responsible for. They are as guilty for unmitigated climate change as Exon.
This is an untrue generalization. Many of the older people who died, and a large percentage of the people who died were older, died through no fault of their own. Some were in nursing homes, some lived with people on the front lines, some were unfortunate to have contracted the virus before vaccines were available. Nowhere have I read any data that says that COVID discriminated. If you have been lucky enough not to contract COVID at this point, then good for you. But only some of that is attributed to your careful behavior. The rest is just luck. To imply that COVID only killed the weakest minds is not true and incredibly callous.
Nature is incredibly callous. I’ve watched movies of a lithe & beautiful Cheetah take down an equally lithe & beautiful Gazelle and sink its teeth into the neck and hold it until it stopped kicking. Is it callous to record that bit of nature. My generalization may have been an exaggeration, so change “most” to “many” and it becomes more true. And yes, I realize with all my precautions, luck may have played a part in me not contracting the virus. I even prepared for that event, changing my Advance Directives for family and my primary care doctor that I would not be intubated and put on a respirator, just palliative care.
There should be laws against the media and politicians blatantly lying. There should be no protection under the "freedom of speech." There needs to be financial damages claimed, and criminal charges where it is applicable.
I don't know why the Jan 6 insurrectionists, who are facing criminal charges based on the misinformation presented by Fox and Trump that the election was "rigged/stolen," as well as the relatives of Fox viewers who died as a result of receiving misinformation about COVID, have not yet filed a class action lawsuits against Fox and Trump.
There has to be accountability. Let Fox and Trump pay, then see if the Fox business model continues to be worth it. Let Fox go bankrupt and extinct.
Remember that comedian turned senator's book, "Lies and the Lying Liars Who tell them"? If Franken were around, he would never have needed to step down. At least he had something to of value to say - lots of value...
Al Franken was on MSNBC recently with Sheldon Whitehouse. Two hear those two together was a breath of fresh air. Roger Stone, responsible for stoking Kristen Gillibrand to pull a “#metoo” on Al Franken, should have been jailed after Nixon. Pardoned by Trump, will he ever pay for the havoc he has wrought?
Cathy, I heard last night (and have not had time to verify this) that the Proud Boys on trial have subpoenaed fpotus in their insurrection/sedition trials. Now there's a thought....
True, but trial subpoenas for witness testimony are sometimes hotly contested by the target and the parties & subject to a Judge's substantial authority to control an on-going trial. I once had a party issue a trial testimony subpoena for a witness in Uzbekistan (for disruption & delay). The Judge acepted our certified copy of the Witness' deposition testimony instead of a 2 month trial delay.
I read that development as things at Trial are not going well for the desparate, Not-So-Proud-Boys. Regardless, tfg does not know how to hold a Bible much less swear an oath to be truthful. Likely ruling: DENIED.
I agree that the NS Proud Boys are not happy with how their trial(s) are progressing, and are grasping at straws in their shameful attempts to excuse their seditious conduct.
I was mostly amused by the attempted subpoena of fpotus. It reminds this street cop of the person being interviewed regarding some degree of misconduct (usually minor, but occasionally more serious) who invokes the "well, <person X> told me to do it/ said it was OK" excuse for their nefarious conduct. I remember saying to one gentleman "Dude, you know that it is against the law to steal things AND for someone under 21 to have possession of an alcoholic beverage. These are both crimes and violations. Why would you engage in criminal conduct because someone told you to?"
The way Republicans defend the Jan. 6 seditious rioters is galling, to say the least. They peddle the narrative that they were concerned citizens exercising their right to peaceful protest. This narrative is both insulting and dangerous. And, like you. I wish such lies and idiocy could be somehow limited. Once upon a time, it seems long ago, more people did recognize truth, and tried to respect it. Sure not everyone, but the standard was stronger.
Not really. History at all levels is full of examples of people in the past just ignoring the truth because it was more convenient, or to avoid facing the consequences. That's why we're here, Carmen: to try to learn from the mistakes of the past and their impact on the present. Maybe if we really work at it, we can get better at it.
At the minimum, it has to be 'the poster child' for what legally constitutes 'not news' , and the formation of laws, not just loosey goosey 'regulations' (as some see regulations). The 24/7 news cycles of today's world realities and with the internet, demands standards and laws to enforce those standards. jmho
D4N: first of all those who produce information or push legislation have to actually care for others....not seek to use others for their brief existence and dominion.
I'm not in favor of shutting down news networks but I think they should be held accountable. In the case of FOX, I think they should be required to broadcast a lengthy and complete debunking of all their lies. A week or two of three-hour, prime-time specials revealing the facts that refute their BS would be a good start. Thereafter, they should be under threat of financial penalty for any further peddling of BS.
I'm under no illusions that a judgment against Fox would likely break the spell they have on their viewers. They would probably say the Democrats or the "Deep State" were responsible for trying to kill Fox. They will never admit that they have been lied to all these years, though if it were me, I would be upset that I had believed the lies.
Jeanne Stevens, are you takling about "Fox heroes" or money loving cowards who care nothing for the poor fools who absorb their destructive propaganda daily. We need to review our basic values !
Heroes to their followers but You and I know them as the money loving cowards who care nothing for the poor fools who absorb their destructive propaganda daily. Thank you for expanding on that.
G Mark Vogel.....I am all for freedom, but there are occasions when "in the case of Fox" (and others) shutting them down and working to prevent their appearing in another form should be done for the safety of our country. Freedom is not allowing brainwashing! There is a difference. We cannot turn our back on this problem.
This problem will not be solved until those guilty of knowingly spreading misinformation are punished. Civil litigation will not accomplsh that. The defeated former president pardoned many of those whose lies and acts resulted in criminal convictions. The worst that could happen to the likes of Sidney Powell is that she might be disbarred. Even Steve Bannon is still on the loose, spewing lies. Orange suits may be the only real solution when criminal acts are successfully prosecuted. As the supporters of the defeated former president shouted at his rallies, 'Lock them up!'
Sad. I wonder what is at the root of people believing and seeking conspiracy theories? Psychologically compromised? Psychologically trapped in a cult?
How could anyone listen to Trump for 5 minutes and not conclude that he was ignorant, lying, instigating violence, and psychologically unfit for office? The emperor without clothes. The mentality of humans baffles me.
'Tucker Carlson Fears That Leaked Texts of Him Telling Truth Will Kill His Brand'
'WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Newly surfaced texts showing Tucker Carlson telling the truth threaten to damage his brand irrevocably, the Fox News host fears'
'After publication of the texts, which indicate that Carlson knew Donald J. Trump’s claims of widespread election fraud were false, the anchor, concerned that his reputation for mendacity had been permanently tainted, spiraled into despondency.
“Tucker is in a very dark place right now,” a Fox News colleague said. “To be unmasked as an honest person is literally his worst nightmare.”
'In an emotional appearance on Fox, Carlson begged his viewers not to “rush to judgment” based on a few “ill-advised texts that give off the unfortunate appearance of accuracy.”
“A couple of years ago, in a moment of weakness, I slipped and told the truth,” Carlson, choking back tears, said. “I plead with you not to judge me by this shameful episode but by my entire body of work.” (Satire, NewYorker)
Excellent summary of the damage Fox has wrought. I wish the damages Fox will be forced to pay take into account much more than the harm to Dominion. That won’t happen. How about Rupert Murdoch having to write a $1 billion check and sign it in a public setting and apologize.
Yes, let's get to those sponsors. Carlson complained about the stock market value of Fox going down after not supporting Trump. I wonder who owns stock in Fox?
Cathy I just found that trueUSA site this morning, and I don't know very much about what information they have. You might check their site. That would be great to get after stockholders too. I have a sick dog or I would take care of it myself.
Thank you. I just checked it out. It has naughty/nice lists of companies that advertise/don't advertise on Fox. As far as letter-writing campaigns, this would be the most valuable.
Our discussion group went over a lot of the filing last night. Educated speculation was that actual damages could be in 10 figures; punitive damages could bring it to 11 figures. Dominion won't back down without an admission of wrongdoing, and Fox itself has had a taste of what happens if someone tells the truth about an election. Very much a rock/hard place situation for Fox, which might not be in a position to pay off the fines.
I agree that FNC is harmful to the nation and guilty of all the things you mention. The thing I found second-most interesting is that FNC, Carlson, Hannity and the others refer to their position in the company as media. Those editorialists refer to themselves as media, while positioning themselves, delivering broadcasts and running advertising to the public as providing news. Until the law requires the editorial arm of Faux, and any other news service, to opine based on substantiated facts, this problem persists. The item I found MOST interesting in HCR's post was that Faux News has fact checkers. Fact checkers? At FNC?! Who knew?
Remember black people are being killed by police in traffic stops, accidents, in their own front yards and apartments for just being black, while FOX gets away with murder, literally and metaphorically.
Thank you for including the Church Committee staff letter. I fear it won’t get much attention and it’s really a remarkable letter. I hope they felt proud as they signed it.
Frank Church was a personal friend of my parents, who had worked on all his campaigns.
I campaigned for him - before social media, that meant a lot of door-knocking - in 1968, '74 and when he lost during a Republican wave in 1980.
He'd visit campaign HQ a lot - a dusty little storefront in downtown Boise shared with other Democratic candidates, including Cecil Andrus. Frank and Cece loved chatting with campaign volunteers. It was a gentler time.
Somewhere I still have my Church for President memorabilia.
In short, I knew him pretty well.
Every time I hear Jordan trying to claim the Senator's good name, I feel ill.
And every time I hear the name of GWBush, I think of the debacle of the so-called unreadable chads, chits and butterfly bullets that might well have been a set-up for Gore's loss in Florida. Gore apparently lost by little over 500 votes.
Gore is a smart man; one who would not have led the US and the world into the horrific war that cost so many lives and managed to ultimately bring General Colin Powell's reputation into down to the ground. I would much rather have had an environmentalist be our president than what we got with the chits and butterfly bullets. It may be water under the bridge, but the nastiness of the clogged mess still lingers under that same bridge.
Gore's daughter was a friend of mine at Union Theological Seminary. I got to know a bit about the family back then. I simply cannot understand why the United States lets unworthy vultures into its nest. Naive I may be, but one can dream. I would rather that Gore won the presidency as the Nobel Prize. As it is now, I'll get by with seeing Trump in jail.
Environmental sanity was quashed with the election of Reagan. Nixon bean the EPA, and Reagan did his best to destroy it. Carter symbolically installed solar collectors on the White House, and Reagan ripped them down. I don't think the effort to protect our living conditions has ever regained the societal momentum it was building before the "Reagan Revolution". And now we're in a real fix. Newspapers dug dirt on Nixon but ate out of Reagan's hand. The more Republicans got away with, the worse they have become. And meanwhile Antarctica is currently unraveling.
JL, can you even imagine how much further along the road to some actual energy independence we'd be, if Carter's forward thinking along those lines weren't quashed ? (!)
Carter's loss to Reagan is arguably the most costly political mistake the American public has made in almost everyone's lifetimes. People don't think of it that way because it was popular sentiment at the time, but if you think of the trail of collateral damage that could have been averted, on everything from the environment to the economy to just the general psyche of the nation... Yikes!
What's so sad about Carter's loss is how thoroughly and non-critically media at the time soaked up and elevated Reagan's image as a statesman or political genius.
He was never much more than a B-movie actor, and sadly reduced the Presidency to that status as well.
Reagan was a vacuous fool. His single talent was the ability to memorize a script written for him by unscrupulous "handlers" who sought to disguise Reagan's gargantuan lack of intellectual curiosity and complete unfitness for any office (including that of president of the Screen Actor's Guild--which he abused).
Ronnie was literally a Soap Salesman, specifically Boraxo soap pitched by Ronnie's faux westerner act on TV and Ronnie was also a spokesman for General Electric on the Chicken & Mashed Potato lunch circuit before becoming the California Governor where he set about attacking the University of California, firing Clark Kerr & dramatically raising tuition in my time at UCLA.
I did come face-to-face with him as I left a Regent's Meeting that was declared an illegal asssembly to clear the room as students outside were chanting their displeasure at Ronnie's appearance & literally shaking the campus building & three (3) drama students were on top of the building in witch costumes attempting banish the evil spirit inside. Yup, during the Vietnam War.
I have two Reagan stories. In the late '40s, my dad, a publicist at Warner Bros., ran into Reagan at some studio press gathering. Ronnie was in his cowboy outfit, in a corner constantly and ostentatiously twirling his toy pistol. When asked why he was so focused on that, he admitted, "That trick is the only way I can get people to pay attention to me." (He had nothing substantive to say.) Some years later, my dad took teenage me to the Academy Awards. As we mingled with attendees in the Pantages Theater foyer, we ran into Ronnie and big-eyed Nancy. It was the year Wm. Holden was favored and did win the best actor award for Stalag 17. Reagan, who somewhat resembled Holden in height and looks, said he had a plan to rush the stage and grab the Oscar when Holden's name was called, pretending to be the actor. I remember his words: "That's probably the only award I'll ever be able to get."
I remember reading some political column at the time of Reagan's election that "future generations" would appreciate what a great President Carter was. Guess that's us, now.
Carter asked us to act like a community. To make tiny sacrifices for the good of the whole country. The voters found that irritating and inconvenient. Their idea of "we" was the crew that showed up for the Super Bowl party.
Reagan, as he strutted around in his phony cowboy image proclaimed that "we" could be just "me". When he removed the solar panels from the WH, he flipped a middle finger at the planet. He was a charmer on TV. But Ronnie was the devil himself. Perhaps the most destructive, stupid pawn of the oligarchs to have ever sat in the Oval Office. But then...there was "W"....
Bill. Carter had an elevated program for mental health, complete with facilities and halfway houses. When Reagan was elected, he kicked that program out and it never saw the light of day. Reagan opened up the mental institutions and let the Patients out. One such released person was the father of a friend of mine. He showed up regularly at their house with a gun threatening them. Carter was a humanitarian and a forward thinker. We really lost out there not Reelecting him.
How? The governor of Texas, GW Bush, had sent a list of names of prison inmates that had been released in Texas to his brother in Florida. Those names were then entered into the Florida voting system so that those people were not allowed to vote in Florida.
But, the names were mostly black men names. So, for example, James Glover was blocked from voting in Florida upon arrival to the polls because a James Glover in TX was released from prison. Now, James Glover in Florida had never been in prison, ever. BUT, he was blocked from voting. So, thousands and thousands of black men were turned away at the polls who were perfectly eligible to vote. This was a scheme to suppress black votes and it totally worked. Apparently, the two white men involved in this criminal enterprise, Jeb Bush and "W" can do anything they want in America. Including invading two countries for no reason based on lies.
It is widely viewed that Florida was a "close" election in 2000. BUT, the reason it was close was because so many eligible black men's names were blocked from voting by Jeb Bush in Florida in collusion with George W Bush in Texas. Without that voter suppression? Gore would have won and should have won.
All of these shenanigans, when done by dumb, but rich, white men, are legal apparently, in these United States, and the Supreme Court then stepped in and further corrupted the entire election and handed the election to LONG time loser, George W. Bush.
Florida shenanigans... such a banal name for actions fraught with deceit, betrayal, lies, and corruption...shaking my head...it never stops....among the GOP there is no shame.
Not only that, but Roger stone’s shenanigans with the “Brooks Brothers riot” led by gop staffers at a meeting of election canvassers in Miami-Dade on Nov 22, 2000, during a recount of votes made during that infamous election, “with the goal of shutting down the recount. After the demonstrations and acts of violence, local officials shut down the recount early. This had the effect of insuring the Dec 12 Safe-Harbor deadline set by Title 3 of the US Code could NOT BE MET, guaranteeing W Bush would win.” ( from wikipedia)
Mike S, I don't see any mention of the list of felons from Texas in your link to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights report. Do you have another source you can give us, please?
Rosalind, long before chads, butterfly ballots & Brooksbrothers' riots & SCOTUS' Gore v Bush help ("you cannot cite this case") voter elgibility names were purged including infamously a Voting Official's ability to vote with the common last name of 'Johnson'. Now we have overt racist gerrymandering except in Michigan now & other states who fairly draw districts. We are stll far short of one person one vote.
Powell's "reputation" was "go along to get along." The first Mylai Massacre report, which was a whitewash that exonerated everyone, was signed by Major Colin Powell, his first named entry into the history books, and perfect training for his UN appearance.
Sometimes bright people are used for dishonorable political purposes and sometimes bright people are simply dishonorable. Powell was made the fool on the weapons of mass destruction fiction in Iraq. JFK sent Adlai Stevenson to the UN to falsely declare that the US had nothing to do with the Bay of Pigs invasion. If I were in a room with Stevenson and Powell, I would ask them what they would have done differently if given a Mulligan. To the best of my knowledge, neither Stevenson nor Powell knew that what they were broadcasting was false at the time they broadcast it. They had been lied to. By contrast, and for the rest of their lives, the FNC personalities will go to bed every night knowing that they knew better, but chose to lie anyway. Money and celebrity were more important to them than the truth. Their legacy to their children. Forever.
I've read that one in seven humans is a sociopath, and of course that's a sliding scale, but "tendencies" will do. Sociopaths are generally above average in intelligence and charisma as I understand it. Seems that politics provides ample feeding ground for these people.
Having worked in politics as one of the guys who got those people re-elected (until I couldn't) I can assure you that you are even more right than you think you are.
The Intercept is wrong (as usual). What else can one expect, given its founder? As a person of the left, I have called it "lefty claptrap" from day one and have found no reason to change my mind. I personally know a person who I strongly respect for his commitment to truth, who can prove they fucked up on this. Have you noticed that most of the people who creatively type away at that place are idiots?
'Powell played an intercept of a conversation between Iraqi army officers about the UN inspections. However, when he translated what they were saying, he knowingly embellished it, turning it from evidence Iraq was complying with U.N. resolutions to evidence Iraq was violating them. This appears in Bob Woodward’s book Plan of Attack:
'[Powell] had decided to add his personal interpretation of the intercepts to the rehearsed script, taking them substantially further and casting them in the most negative light…Concerning the intercept about inspecting for the possibility of “forbidden ammo,” Powell took the interpretation further: “Clean out all of the areas… Make sure there is nothing there.” None of this was in the intercept.'
You're right about Stevenson and Powell. I have a good friend who was professionally and personally in a position to know just how angry Powell was over the UN, and he believed a core part of the anger was Powell's realization that his desire to "go along to get along" had gotten him a second time. And since this person was at Powell's right hand through the entire UN thing, the Intercept (again!) proves itself to be as worthless as its founder is.
I remember seeing a picture of Powell working on his Volvo and, being a Volvo aficionado at the time, thought well of him. But that was before the Iraq business, which was a great disappointment. I did not think he believed what he was telling the UN. He could not have been that stupidly naive.
Powell's problem was that he came of age in a time when a person of his background could only advance by "going along to get along." I know for a fact that the second time it happened that he did that from that deep "habit" he deeply regretted it and was mad as hell. Which was why he soon left. I point out the My Lai story to people who think he walked on water, which he would have been the first to say he couldn't. Over the years, as an historian, I have come to realize that Joe E. Brown's line at the end of "Some Like It Hot" is very true: "Nobody's perfect!"
My first awareness of Colin arose out of a devastating "Friendly Fire" incident in Vietnam -- deadly fire on US Servicemen later made into Movie that I recall staring Carol Burnett as the dead soldier's Mother. LOOKED IT UP: 1979 movie titled "Friendly Fire" with Carol as the soldier mother from IOWA, Peg Ryan
Just think of the progress the country would have made if the past two Democratic presidential candidates, who won the popular vote but not the electoral college, would have become president: Al Gore making progress on global warming, instead of Bush Jr making war and destabilizing the Middle East and letting ISIS loose. Hillary Clinton checking Russia, instead of Trump kissing up to Russia ... and all of the other horrible stuff TFG let loose on the US.
Journalists much later established that Gore did have more Florida votes than Bush— if the ballots which were both punched for Gore and also had his name written in, were counted. The Supreme Court basically had said that recounting all the votes would be unfair to Bush and would undermine his legitimacy as president.
Gore did not win his own state of Tennessee in 2000, most likely because his views on guns were held against him there. This fact was used to weaken support for recounts. And Republicans came up with the slogan Sore/Loserman.
The NORC-sponsored Florida Ballot Project recount is discussed in the Wikipedia article on post-election studies of the Florida 2000 recount. It concluded that if all the rejected ballots statewide had been counted, Gore won.
The Republicans had Roger Stone and James Baker III fighting for Bush. The Democratic side wanted to avoid being seen as sore losers. There is a 2008 film called Recount.
Gore DID win the Florida election. Roger Stone successfully distracted the count to the point it landed in the laps of The Federalist Society lawyers conveniently placed on site for recount by Leonard Leo, including, oh, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Bryant, until they delayed it enough to send to the, oh, Supreme Court to decide.
I'd bet there's more than one of TDPR's Letters readers who may have known him. Entirely possible my parents knew Bryce, too as my Mom worked as a volunteer in Frank's Boise office. Good to connect, thanks Mary.
Look, I was homeschooled. (Bear with me, I promise this connects.) I was already reading whole books in Kindergarten, and by the time I evened out near middle school, I was diagnosed with terrible scoliosis which required a plastic back brace, 22 hours a day. My parents keeping me home was essentially an act of mercy (The brace worked, for the record). The number of total strangers who saw fit to question my Mom in public and ask her how I was getting any socialization would knock y'all flat. Joke was on them, because I actually got way more friends through all the groups I joined, with less drama, than I ever would have at "normal school."
But... yeah. Homeschoolers are ALL kinds of kinds. There were the "gifted" (me, I guess), the rich kids with tutors, the kids of hippies, and so, so many Christian evangelicals. Oh, the anecdotes I could tell (And I WILL tell 'em!).
Anyway, my bestie for a while was Marcus. We once took a debate class together. This was in '08. Obviously one day the election got brought up. His family literally had a giant photo of "Dubya" in their kitchen (Which I thought was creepy, considering they didn't know him.) I thought it would be hilarious to ask him if my Mom was right in still voting for Hillary, even though my Dad liked Obama better. If I could communicate the combination abject horror frothing anger that set over poor Marcus's face I would. Poor guy was still in junior high but had already been put through the anti-Hillary indoctrination.
He started shouting about how much she was a liar. I asked about what exactly? (Mumbling word salad.) Yeah, ok, but didn't Bush lie about all those WMDs? (Absolute crickets.) Dude, where are you getting your info from?
Fox, of course! Because - and please read this in your head with the right amount of defensiveness, which would be ALL OF IT - "They're the only conservative news channel!"
I remember it because, despite the fact my family shied away from politics, despite the fact I didn't care too much about the news, despite the fact this was my best friend, I immediately knew everything about that reason was wrong. Why, I asked him, would you WANT to watch that? Isn't the news not supposed to be liberal or conservative, just facts? Crickets again. So much for the debate and logic class.
Point being, the folks who watch this garbage are not, and have never been, simply getting duped by it. They don't just stumble across it and fall under some sort of hypnotism. They *actively seek it out* because, in a scary modern world, they have found an oasis that reaffirms all their prejudices and tells them exactly what they want to hear, that the people they already hate deserve to be hated, and harder and in more ways than you have even thought to. Remember when the slogan was "Fair and Balanced?" Liberals laughed, but to their audience, it is. It is balancing out all the pesky facts on the other channels, and it is only fair they have *someplace* to turn when all of reality is against them!
The villains in today's letter are nefarious, yes. They are hawking a product they know is faulty and causes harm, yes. But just like the "toasted" tobacco of old, they do this because there is money to be made doing so, and there is money to be made doing so because there are people who absolutely love this product and want it every day. And they want it PURE, man.
That's the bigger problem here. "No thinking person would take this seriously." Right. Again, that's the problem.
I am always astonished by the devotion so many have to FNC. I try to be open minded on just about everything, but the minute I learn that a person watches Fox, the door slams shut. I'm embarrassed to admit that.
The thing that is so etched in my mind is that sometime during the darkest days of COvid, I was in the city, and I walked past the Fox headquarters on 6th Avenue. On the door was a large sign that read , 'No one will be allowed entry without a mask', and that my friends, is the story...
It seems we've reached a time where it's getting harder to "Love thy Neighbor" when we learn of their political views. I'm currently struggling with that. It never used to be an issue with my friends and family but it is now in the forefront. And try as I might, there seems to be no "understanding" where their logic lies. There is no logic, just parroting Fox news. Frustration comes over me almost immediately and I have lost my patience with their chosen ignorance. I pray we can get through this but I've lost respect for people I was once very close to and it's hard to "turn the other cheek". I try to focus on their good qualities but I'm having a hard time overall. I am a very open-minded person but am learning that a lot of people I know are not. This really sucks!
Just had a conversation with my neighbor over some planned construction. All the while staring at his Trump/DeSantis 2024 t-shirt. These folks are not engaged in reality, and what DeSantis is doing in Florida, channeling Orban, is shocking.
I feel what you feel. But I try to step back, to find a way to engage. Facts are not the key. First, find common ground, more common ground and see if engagement is there. Once there, you can gently move alongside and work to explain your position
You're right... I did take that approach for a long time... but I guess I just got worn out by what seemed to be a form of insanity. Especially as the covid deaths kept ticking up ; (
"They don't just stumble across it and fall under some sort of hypnotism. They *actively seek it out* because, in a scary modern world, they have found an oasis that reaffirms all their prejudices "
Will from Cal: A brilliantly written sentence that absolutely captures the truth about Fox News watchers.
It is not that they have been duped. It is that they have found the drug of their choice, after searching for it, and are now addicted.
As for home schooling? Think about all the fist fights you missed!!! :-)
It is true I never got in a fight. But that was mostly because the back brace served as body armor, so it would not really have been fair to the other guy.
Gotta say, my favorite among the ever-recurring nosy questions was "But how will he learn to deal with bullies?" Which 1) is messed up because it sounds like you think a kid *should* be bullied (and are willing to say it in right in front of him), but also 2) is dumb, because you think there weren't bullies among the homeschooled kids? Oh, ye of little faith!
Hallelujah and Amen. My bestie in the 90’s had a hubby who needed Fox like his next breath. And he ruled, dictated voting and demanded “Fox” on tv 24-7, literally. I used to ask “where did you hear that.” No more, Fox has clones, many can’t be distinguished from MSM, sad to say. Last sentence the scariest, Reagan brought in Rupert to revamp our communication structure (Walter’s just the facts ma’am) didn’t have even one of Goebbels propaganda tactics. Rupert introduced them all.
BTW, when working at public high school, my experience with home schooling was so different. Kudos to your parents, i fear they were/are the exception.
Jeri, mind if you share some of those encounters? I'm just so curious. My experience has been that how healthy a choice it is really comes down to the goal of the parents (obviously). I would say that almost every homeschooler I knew ended up very well-adjusted socially. But knowledge-wise, it really did run the gamut from scholarship-to-Ivy-league to the-Bible-says-beware-of-other-books. Way more the former than the latter, but like I said, I've got some stories.
An old Mike Royko quote: "It's much harder to be a liberal than a conservative. Why? Because it's easier to give someone the finger than a helping hand."
Will from Cal. This comment is so well expressed. Thank you. I watched a doc on Netflix called “The Family” and it talks about cult like behavior and the most gripping observance I had was the clarity of how humans “long to belong”. Religious dogma demands a “submit-the -self-and-don’t-ask-questions” model of salvation. Rupert found a cash-cow way of leveraging that in the most gargantuan way. It’s very hard to counter, because logic and reason and facts entrench the thinking. “Submitting” brings with it an inoculation to new information which their mind perceives as a killer virus.
That's what my husband says so often... 'they are brainwashed'. Makes me wonder what will happen if FOX is ripped out rom under them...or scrubbed clean... the lemmings, the lemmings... where will they go!?!?!
Will, I have been in motels, surgical centers, doctors offices, and have witnessed Fox News on all the TV in the lobby. I’ve often wondered if these institutions are being paid in someway to broadcast this news. And how we are citizens could go about changing that. I once asked at the desk of a motel if they could change the Fox News channel in the breakfast room. I was told they couldn’t the manager had the last say. Why can’t MSNBC be on all of these TV stations. How do we protest this?
Oh, Bonnie, if only I knew! Honestly, it would just be better if no news was on in waiting rooms, period. It always struck me as inappropriate; what masochist wants to hear about the latest disaster while waiting for a blood test?
I used to go to a barber shop in my quaint downtown that did reliable walk-ins for a cheap price. But everyone there was clearly an immigrant, and I grew concerned they were being treated properly, especially after one very hot day when an open door was all the AC that was alotted. Pretty soon after, I was taken aback when the TV was set not to the latest football, but, you guessed it, FNC. Then I actually looked around and saw Cheeto memorabilia at the owners work station. Left immediately and Never. Went. Back. Found a better shop one block away, with nice hardwood floors and pawn shop shows on TV. Shoulda switched sooner, and shoulda wrote a letter.
I always enjoy the rigor and robust thoroughness in your comments, Will. Now, I understand you even a bit more. Fist-bumping you through the Interwebs. Signed, homeschool mom of two gifted kids. “We hang our hats on critical thinking skills and being good humans”.
If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say they watched Fox because it's "conservative news", I'd be retired on my own island. You hit it on the head; news is supposed to inform with facts, not hew to an already established way of thinking.
"The Church Committee staffers warned Jordan that if he wanted to claim the mantle of that committee, he would need to move forward with the 'same spirit of cooperation and bipartisanship.' "
HA! Jim Jordan will follow that advice just after giant orange monkeys fly out of Donald Trump's fundamental orifice.
Good to see the heat mounting on Fox, however.
Thank you so much, Dr. Richardson. Great letter tonight!
In a few days, a lawless Trump-appointed judge in Texas is expected to issue a ruling in a lawsuit that will effectively ban access to the abortion medication Mifepristone nationwide.
Today, I took to the Senate floor to call on the FDA to ignore the ruling and keep this life-saving drug on the market.”
Wow! This is a whole new, and justifiable, take on civil disobedience. Thank you Ron!
Jean-Pierre, this is such important and disturbing news. Hope it doesn’t fall under the radar. A pill. Or a medical procedure. Women must be able to choose. The fascists who want to control women, their bodies and their futures, have The Supreme Court and repubs to Thank. The underground abortion solutions are risky, health-wise and in many states are illegal to the provider and to the woman. Imagine paying fines or going to jail or having to travel thousands of miles for a legal abortion. Or dying from a non medical procedure or if the mother’s in danger, there is a miscarriage or the pregnancy is from a rape or or incest, a child. The list goes on. The provider might be jailed. It’s unbelievable that so many states and courts are legally taking us back to the dark ages.
Hoping that the dark ages do not descend on us, I cast a light from the past right across from Washington Square Park: "It all started in 1957. Howard Moody had been Judson’s minister for a year when a woman from Florida knocked on his door seeking his help to end a pregnancy. She said someone had given her Moody’s name."
Rosalind, thank you for the true story about Abortion, clergy and the risks taken in the name of love and sanity. “...those cases, the woman would arrive at a designated midpoint and be brought blindfolded to have the surgery performed...” imagine how back to the dark ages we are now in 2023.
I still remember some images from before Roe vs. Wade, including one horrific photograph of a woman lying naked and bleeding after attempting a self-induced abortion. It killed her. That picture said it all about the need for access to safe, legal abortions.
I was astonished a while back to learn why so many of these right-wing wish list cases seem to arise from Texas -- their federal court rules actually permit "judge shopping" by the Texas state government. They deliberately funnel their cases to pet Republican judges, with national consequences. How it works is detailed in the following article:
Great HCR newsletter !! While it's definitely taking time to happen, it seems that FNC and its news "personalities" are finally being exposed as the rats they are, and have been, for the last several years. Nothing like a huge $$ civil lawsuit and a thorough grand jury to do the trick. But you know.... it's not they themselves that worry me the most, it's all the millions of people who consider these people as viable sources for our daily news. Yikes !!
Some lies can be legitimate targets of legal action, but any provable lies by people in a position of authority should be condemned in the court of public opinion. Hurtful, harmful lies pollute our society, even kill.
We should not be surprised that Fox “News” or politicians lied. About Dominion Voting Machines and Fox “News” Lies, Today’s letter: “The filing today shows that those same personalities didn’t believe what they were telling their viewers, and suggests that they made those groundless accusations because they worried their viewers were abandoning them to go to channels that told them what they wanted to hear: that Trump had won the election. “
Crooks and Liars follow the Corruption playbook, a worldwide strategy. Hannah Arendt: “It is this fragility that makes deception so very easy up to a point, and so tempting. It never comes into a conflict with reason, because things could indeed have been as the liar maintains they were. Lies are often much more plausible, more appealing to reason, than reality, since the liar has the great advantage of knowing beforehand what the audience wishes or expects to hear. He has prepared his story for public consumption with a careful eye to making it credible, whereas reality has the disconcerting habit of confronting us with the unexpected, for which we were not prepared.”https://www.themarginalian.org/2016/06/15/lying-in-politics-hannah-arendt/
I am old enough to remember when the world was not so crazy, when elections did not cause massive stress and trauma and when even people like William Buckley could engage in political discourse without demonizing the other side in his show "Firing Line." There is no discourse today. The Church Committee sending Jordan a letter about how he should conduct the committee is like telling you kids not to drink when they go to college...goes in one ear and out the other. Thanks Heather!
I am of that age as well. Not that it was all the "good old days" by any means, but I think we have allowed our democratic process to go seriously awry, and can't let it do so any further without disaster. Nixon's very serious abuses of power are dwarfed by much that has happened since. Follow the money.
Let's be honest. Is there any doubt that Joe Kennedy stole Jack's elections? Election shenanigans have been around throughout our history, with Blacks taking the brunt.
Honestly, Joe Kennedy did not steal JFK’s election but his election certainly unearthed a lot of twisted, hateful people some of whom are still with us today. How could “blacks” take the brunt of any election shenanigans ? Their voting rights have been curtailed for decades !
I have an old Mike Royko column in which he disputes her view that stronger sexual harassment laws should be rejected because women who were sexually harrassed brought it on themselves, according to her testimony before a Congressional subcommittee. His takedown is ROTFL hilarious.
I recall “None Dare Call It Treason” was the title of a book authored by Barry Goldwater and published just before the 1964 presidential election that Goldwater lost in a landslide to Lyndon Johnson.
No- the book was written by John Anthony Stormer in 1964 during Goldwater's run for president. I have no clue how Schlafly fits in-never heard her name attached to the book or the phrase. Agree she was a nut case.
"None Dare Call It Treason", author John Anthony Stormer (February 9, 1928 – July 10, 2018). It was published in 1964 during Barry Goldwater's run for president, and quickly picked up by right wingers. Stormer wrote several books, each of which focused on one of the standard themes of conservative thought during Goldwater's time.
Frank Church and, excuse the written guffaw, Jim Jordan, should never, ever be compared on their integrity and competence as committe chairs. One exemplified the tenets of a government based on bipartisan dialogue and discovery; the other, only seeks to settle personaol scores with a searing animus toward truth or comprosise. One (the former, if I need to identify of whom I speak) has left a lasting legacy of good governing and the other a minefield of malice toward truth. The letter from those veterans of the Church Committee to the, excuse me again, the nascent one, is a sober and reasonable attempt to suggest a meaningful course. I am skeptical of its impact on a jacketless, former wrestling coach from Ohio.
Thank you for this splendid review of current court cases and legislative investigations. Unfortunately I can't see that loud mouthed lying Jim Jordan following a single item of the Church Committee's report. His mind (if he has one) has been made up, before he was even elected to the House of Representatives. He will only allow the bogus committee to spout the MAGGOT line of questioning and report their preconceived notions. They might as well not even hold hearings we know what they will find.
Caught two typos before bed: I keep putting the 2020 election in 2022, and the Jordan hearing was FEBRUARY 9, not November. Ugh. Sorry about that.
We took a vote. Two typos notwithstanding, you're a keeper!
Billions of words and a handful of typos. You are safe,Professor. ❤️ Please take the whole weekend off while we pass this very important and well written column around to our mag-nut friends and relatives and news media of all shapes and sizes. Let’s Roll!!
What's a typo or two from our favorite prof. And I have already posted the Letter to Facebook this am.
But we’ll miss the organizing effect you have on our disorganized lives.
We adore you and are constantly amazed at your ability to synthesize our nation’s traumatic history (really want to connect on that; we do a series on Historical Trauma in America and you could so help us raise awareness of the relationship between history and trauma and how trauma is fueling mass shootings. Report on mass shooters said yesterday childhood trauma is prevalent in 42% of mass shooters! Please help us shine light on collective and historical trauma as root cause of our most intractable problems? Poverty, racism, inequity, massive environmental traumas (Ohio train fire! Michigan water! Mississippi water!) are based in “our needs take priority over your well-being, lives!). And this keeps being passed down as racism, classism, White Supremacy as it is baked into our SYSTEMs. We’re working to prevent and heal trauma; build healthier more compassionate people, families, communities; use science and history -- truth -- to disrupt systemic oppression and institutional racism. Help us! Carey Sipp, director of strategic partnerships and loyal fan, PACEsConnection.com. Our series on Historical Trauma in America goes into its third year this summer and I help lead the discussion on Historical Trauma in the South, with our CEO Ingrid Cockhren, for the third time. I’ve referenced “How the South Won the Civil War” (along with other great books) each time. Series has a good following. We have more than 58,000 members in our community of practice: educators, judges, physicians, people with lived experience, social workers, foster children and parents, Native Americans working for tribal rights, advocates, more. 440+ cross sector geographic communities and 40+ special-interest communities including medical, nursing, social work, educators and higher education communities. We would so love for you to join us!
Fern and I have spoken about this. csipp@pacesconnection.com (for positive and adverse childhood experiences) and 404-408-9566. We are a movement to prevent and heal trauma. Free to join. We love you (have cross-posted several columns!) and would love to have you join us!
Help us shine the light on how historical trauma perpetuates trauma. “To understand history, you have to know trauma; to underhand trauma, you have to know history,” was one of the messages from Dr. Bruce Perry, who wrote about historical trauma and much more in his book with Oprah Winfrey, and did a beautiful interview on this with us, to a webinar audience of thousands, in 2022.
Hope to hear from you.
csipp@pacesconnection.com.
Impact on maternal and infant mortality and morbidity...stress in the historical DNA, if not actual life experience. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)...attention must be paid to help and heal a society living out past and present injustice. See Resmaa Menakem's MY GRANDMOTHER'S HANDS. Hear that, Ron DeSantis and others of you denying the impact of racism and banning books telling stories we all need to hear. Reading is fundamental. Attention must be paid to the dark side as well as the light, and young Americans must study ways ignorance of true history has and will continue to have long-term consequences for all.
As an ACE child, who at 88 has said “free at last,”
while recognizing that no one is ever quite free of adverse childhood experiences, and never having had a grandmother, thanking you for the book reference.
How can we know the light if we do not have the contrast of the darkness?
In hear you! And am
Logged in with two different accounts; joined with my work personal emails. Call me a super fan. Also, please take a look at PACEs science 101 at PACEs Connection.com.
Toxic stress — the kind that is sustained and creates relentless production of cortisol and adrenaline — damages the function and structure of the developing brain. There is much evidence of the connection between high incidence of adverse childhood experiences (6+) and many physical and behavioral issues: heart disease, cancer, being a victim or perpetrator of a violent crime, incarceration, addictions, premature death, risky behaviors, teenage pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, broken bones, broken marriages and relationships, inability to maintain a job, and on and on and on and on.
Great news? There are also seven positive childhood experiences that if they are experienced lessen the likelihood of adult mental illness! This is terrific news we was reported on the Journal of American Pediatrics by my esteemed friend Christina Bethell, PhD, MBA, etc. of Johns Hopkins University.
What thrills me most about that study is they FOUR of the SEVEN
Positive childhood experiences happen IN COMMUNITY! And we can teach all seven of them easily.
We can help them happen in community. But we must be mindful of whatever efforts, that they be community led and culturally appropriate.
This science is expanding constantly.
Take a look at our Reference Center, a for-real library-grade resource center, at PACEsConnection.com and read the PACEs Science 101 post referenced there. It is by our founder and publisher, Jane Stevens, who lays it all out in understandable language and has written about this topic for about 15 years. She is an authority and a brilliant science journalist.
Great references.
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thank you so much for the backup on this! Please ask friends to “like” this comment so maybe we’ll build a groundswell. ❤️🦋❤️
We need to be wary about what is dark and what is light.
I'm a retired psychiatrist and psychotherapist and a survivor of prolonged and severe pre, peri, and postnatal stress. I don't think ACE (Adverse Childhood Events as determined by a Kaiser Health Study) even comes close to encompassing the amount of trauma in which we are saturated.
Indeed. The ongoing and escalating systemic racism in this nation created by the cold-blooded murder of millions of indigenous peoples in North and South America, the thrum of guilt some of us feel over the kidnapping and enslavement of Africans to be exploited on these shores for the next 404 years, our being so enamored of the fake concepts regarding race and class, the collective trauma of the loss of more than a million souls due to Covid — knowing so many grieve the loss, including thousands of children who lost parents, the Climate Crisis and watching the earth fight to recover from assaults by Big Oil, our Racial Reckoning with the death of George Floyd making jt impossible for (most) people to ignore that murder, January 6th and how close we came to losing our Democracy, the continued threats to Democracy, the more than 70 mass shootings already this year, the plutocracy plotting and winning the stacked and corrupt SCOTUS by totally having gaslit Barack Obama’s Merrick Garland nomination but then cramming Kavanaugh and Coney Barrett down our throats, the terror of having Roe overturned, the control of right-wing election deniers.
Thanks for your comments. Agreed. I get why Girls on the Brink, by Donna Jackson Nakazawa, is doing so well. Trauma is in in our faces as girls report rape and other atrocious male behaviors.
More to come on all of this tomorrow,, perhaps.
Please join PACEsConnection.com if you haven’t yet !
Heather, most of your subscribers need psychiatric intervention after the ordeal we've suffered in the last six-plus years. Your two typos, after all of your missives, typed in the wee hours of the morning, count for nothing. Take two aspirin (or glasses of wine) and check in with us in the morning. We couldn't have weathered this storm without you.
What comes of staying up waay too late.
Heather Not to worry. Were there a typo in the Constitution, it would still be our hallowed Constitution.
Worse is the comma in the COTUS that modern SCOTUS justices have chosen to disregard. (The 2nd Amendment became moot when the national National Guard was formed in 1903.)
Mist And I don’t believe that any troops have been quartered in non-military residences for quite some time. [3rd Amendment] On my God! Are you and I suggesting that the constitutional ‘originalists’ are full of Bullshitsy?
Yes, so-called "originalists" are very bullshitty.
2A protects the individual right to keep and bear arms for any lawful purpose, including but not limited to service in an armed government militia. The Dick Act of 1903, which created the organized militia (the National Guard) and the informal militia (the rest of us) did not moot 2A. If it had, more than one state--California and New York come to mind--would have certainly tried to ban and confiscate all firearms from civilian hands. They have not even tried.
Confiscation has never been an issue so I don't know why you bring it up. In 1903 most civilian guns were used for hunting and, maybe, for home protection and very few people owned them. Which is to say that civilian gun ownership just wasn't an issue. It become an issue when the SCOTUS persistently ignored the reason gun ownership couldn't be infringed and opened the floodgates to an outrageous situation where people walk around in public with high-powered firearms and we can't have sensible gun regulations like every other civilized nation on Earth.
I brought up confiscation because if the Militia Act made 2A moot, as you suggested, then more than one state would have tried to ban and confiscate their residents' firearms in the past 100 years. Not even California has tried that, so clearly, even the most gun-unfriendly states believe 2A protects an individual's right to own and operate weapons regardless of Militia status.
Civilian gun ownership is not "an issue." Why? Because Americans collectively own 400 million guns, but only 0.003 percent of them are used to murder someone any given year. The other 99.997 percent just sit there doing nothing. (20,000 annual gun murders vs. 400 million guns owned.) If "civilian gun ownership" was the issue, we would all be dead.
Since data prove Americans overwhelming own and handle guns safely and responsibility, I suggest we concentrate on reducing criminal and suicidal *use* of guns, not how many guns we own. The former is smart. The latter is a waste of time and money.
Keith, as no doubt are aware the Library of Congress has the draft & the original Constitution in elegant cursive of the 18th century. It has been many years since I viewed both; it was long before Kaypro.
Hey, there's an argument that the Declaration of Independence may have a comma or it may have a typo. Thomas Jefferson never owned up either way.
Remember, the arc at the bottom of the comma is a toe, and if you have multiple ones they are comma toes.
Lovely pun.
aw, thanks!
It’s ok. I have a question today: why aren’t these liars in jail? Can the suit bring about that necessary deterrent to them and their like? Americans have dealt with this Goebbels-like propaganda (think Proud Boys, already “predicted” by Walter Matthau and a fellow comedian in a late ‘90’s film) far too long. Not even Rachel Maddow’s podcast about the Nazis in America during WWII can deal with the current spread of propaganda. It’s a never ending flood.
They are not in jail because lying isn’t a crime. FNC is a morally bankrupt organization full of morally bankrupt people, but their behavior is not the problem we face. The problem we face is 74 million American voters (well… Bannon says 71 million… guess he figures a few million of the 74 million are rational) who want to believe lies and will change channels if FNC fails to deliver the lies they want to hear.
Exactly right ... lying isn't a crime. Propaganda is legal. Falsely accusing Dominion of corruption is what this is about. That may be illegal. (Not an attorney)
I thought I saw another typo, but I'm not gonna' mention it, nor go back into it. I, and we know what you meant. *edit in - D4N does not write a Substack column. It was a fat finger error that amused me, and perhaps confound and confuse some trolls that follow me about, so I've left that be for a while.
yes, i thought it was intentional too! ;-)
Your typo brings up a question I have.Do you ever sleep?I am in California and need to turn the lights off before you . Seriously you have sent no photos in last two weeks. Nonstop “letters”(which I so look forward to) please take some self care with a photo this weekend.
Great letter to Jordon if he reads.
Christine I have the same question about Heather, our Energizer Bunny. I have pulled ‘nearly all nighters’ with some frequency during my diverse professional endeavors. However, I have never gone at such a nonstop pace as Heather, who speculated, back in 2020, that she might cease LFAA once President Biden took office.
Heather has Joan of Arc’s spirit—and, I profoundly hope, not Joan’s fate. Perhaps an eternal Miss Liberty?
If, and a big one. As far as I can tell, he is blind to sexual abuse in sports and has done nothing but scream while in Congress.
Michele Jordan is a jackal and a jackass. Let’s just call him JJJ.
I will add this to my list of names for him. He is despicable....and always muted should he be on whatever news story we are watching. What I find really reprehensible about him is that he ignored what was going on when he was a coach at Ohio State.
Offer yourself some grace. It's paid for. You're a treasure!
The Gym Jordan Committee on Whatever cannot ever get beyond waving the label of The Church Committee as the whole endeavor of the 118th Congress is "in the appearance of whatever title they choose," not "in the spirit of or standards the title may require." As in, who cares, as long as we pretend before the cameras that we are as righteous and use words the Church Committee might have used. Remember, this is Reality Television, an oxymoron from the get go. Or, Looney Tunes on a Saturday Morning for an audience of adults in diapers. Not sure if the chair is Bugs Bunny or Elmer Fudd.
Fred As a Foreign Service Officer who resigned while in Chile (1969) I contributed data to the Church Committee. I was stunned by the CIA (and NSA) ‘dirty tricks’ revealed—including dozens of assassination plots against Fidel Castro.
I was impressed by the professionalism and bipartisanship of the Church Committee. It dug into the Augean stables and then included their findings in a series of detailed publications.
By contrast, the Jordan ‘weaponizers’ are simply blowing smoke up their own asses. There is lots that a bipartisan committee could investigate—overwhelmingly related to Trump, financial shenanigans with Arabs, bromances with Putin and others, and, oh yes, ludicrous claims about a fraudulent 2020 presidential election.
Instead, expect a rerun of the ludicrous Benghazi hearings. And perhaps an effort to torpedo the Mueller Hearings, after Barr and John Dunham failed in this superIous endeavor.
Absolutely right, Keith---this committee will be nothing "but her emails!" and "BENGHAZIIIIII!" for two years. The 9-11 Commission and the Church Committee illustrate how to do investigations right. Team Jordan is an embarrassing and maddening waste of taxpayer time and money.
Keith, it's good to hear from someone who new and experience professionalism in oversight. I will continue to remind others that oversight functions are the tool of choice to keep the branches functional and turned north toward truth and protecting democracy from its institutions. Jordan had his si gulag performance with the Bengazi hearings and it is the playbook he goes back to. One Trick Gym, for sure. Maybe he will add a black scarf worn on his pate as he swings into his orations for the camera.
lol
We all make mistakes, even you...very, very occasionally.
Excellent analysis Thanks for keeping all of America 🇺🇸 aware of what's really happening 👍 😀 wonderful news that the rest of the GOP is finally standing up to Gym Jordan holding his feet to the fire 🔥 now they just need to find a way to put a leash on the obnoxious girls Marge and Lauren!! Perhaps with Jack Smith getting underway with proceedings they're starting to realize 🤔 how dangerous insurrectionists are, not only to their party but all of America!!
I am too taxed and tired to travail over two typos.
Thanks for this. Temporary tempest in a teapot, trending terminated.
BJ As a youth I recall the slogan of the 1848 presidential election: Typocanoe & Tyler Too.
As a former research station editor, I'd like to share our running mantra: "There's always one more typo." Those things happen. Good catch!
Kathy After rigorous proofreading of galleys for my first book (1960), when I received it and opened it—a typo! I was, at age 26, devastated. At age 89, I relish the opportunity to correct typos on my 3am LFAA commentaries. I now accept the adage: TOUJOURS GAI AND WHAT THE HELL.
I adore that. Thank you.
Kathy Heather’s LFAA led me into ‘unprofessional’ typology. Quite often I must arise in the middle of the night (why? Go figure), read Heather, spontaneously riff on what she’s said, and blog from the heart for 15-20 minutes. I NEVER check references during this stream of unconscience flow. I glance briefly at my spew, then back to bed. Later I may find that I misspelled a name or muddied context and belatedly edit.
My rule is that 95% right immediately is better than 99% after reflection and the poignant moment has passed.
Hell, FDR said that batting 70% on New Deal initiatives was amend good. If he had gotten 95%, he would have jumped up from his wheel chair.
FOX should be closed down for seditious conduct. Their activity is clearly and totally destructive to our national security. if they had killed or severely injured a person with careless disregard, at the very least, they would be found guilty of manslaughter or dangerous and reckless behaviour. Dominion is not the only injured party. The US has been damaged. FOX fed the US Capitol attack, gave us a year and counting of right wing conspiracy theories, has interfered with the continuing conduct of our nation's business, has contributed to hate, fear and violence.
Also think of how many Americans were "killed" by Fox and Trump's mischaracterization of COVID as a "hoax created by the Democrats," as well as the political drive to not wear masks, to not stay home during lock down, and to get vaccinated "only if you want to."
Don't pollute the air and water, unless you want to. Don't break any number of laws, unless you want to, don't unnecessarily spread a dangerous and deadly disease, unless you want to. The #1 rule of Republicans is that Republicans get to do whatever they want, but others certainly don't; because Republicans are special.
That's not a just democratic republic. It's just what bullies do.
Republicans operate by the rules of business. In business, the only thing that matters is winning over the competition. Lying up to the edge of fraud is legitimate in business. Opacity is the rule. Not enforcing laws against your friends is expected. Accountability is "catch me if you can." Compromise in business is not only for losers; it can be seen as anti-competition collusion. Laws are just temporary obstacles that a better law firm (and a more friendly administration) can take care of. "Public policy" is meaningless. Regulators are to be captured. Winning on stuff that affects business is what Republican politicians, lawyers and lobbyists get paid to do. It's not ideological, in the political sense. It's not bizarre, from their point of view. Liberals, by comparison, are dreamers. The Democrats play flag football. The Republicans play tackle football.
Yes, it seems obvious that the bigger the corporation the greater the sense of entitlement and the potential for abuse of power that comes with it. If that is what floats your boat it IS political and ideological. When you play by the rule of law you are not weak at all but you must be on the lookout for sly and manipulative metaphors. Language is, and always has been, a deadly technology.
"Too big to fail." How dangerous is that.
RJ, Thanks for your breif and concentrated post. Powerful thinking afoot here troday.
And human beings, real people, don't matter. By the way, are you related to Kurt Vonnegut? Now there's mastery of language we can love and believe in.
It’s amazing how your words fill my gathering sense of the depravity of the Fox News principals in playing to their ratings rather than responsibly reporting the News.
Worse to me the reactions of the Fox audiences abandoning their news source rather than accept the actual news. It makes obvious my personal prejudice against the bottom feeding Fox intelligentsia that absorbs propaganda and actively rejects facts.
But sadly it does leave nearly half a nation foundering about and voting with the wits not much more vigorous than a rock.
Good thoughts Art. Unfettered capitalism at work inside Fox - ratings and income and power trumps all. Including reporting truth. Instead lies - lies that they know are lies as opposed to lies that they believe are true. How can this be OK in the eyes of our DOJ? Why must we wait for a defamation lawsuit from a big company, a lawsuit they may not win and even if they do will not be enough punishment?
The Republican Party is of the same mindset. Win at all costs, including cheating and abandoning the concept of truth.
If there is evil in this world, a large part of it is entities trying to change reality in the eyes and minds of those who rely on those entities for guidance and understanding.
It goes beyond refusing reality. Fox, et al actually try to frame reality in such a manner to force outcomes to meet their dreary expectations. Murdock and their legions broadcast false and terrible conspiracies rather than develop decent outcomes.
In Dr. Heather's political chat Wednesday evening 2-15-23, she explained how over the decades capitalism became linked with democracy, as if capitalism IS democracy. Therefore, the Republicans insisted, if communist countries change to a capitalistic economic system, then democracy is their government system. NO. Without a democratic government's rules, refs and guard rails, AUTOCRACY becomes their government system. And when guard rails are removed from a democratic government system (e.g. "Citizens United" which should read "Corporations United Against Citizens") the government is sold to the highest bidders (Koch brothers, Rupert...). Capitalism isn't inherently bad, neither is communism. What we have now in the USA is very bad.
From: U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs
THE PILLARS OF DEMOCRACY
Sovereignty of the people.
Government based upon consent of the governed.
Majority rule.
Minority rights.
Guarantee of basic human rights.
Free and fair elections.
Equality before the law.
Due process of law.
Constitutional limits on government.
Social, economic, and political pluralism.
Values of tolerance, pragmatism, cooperation, and compromise.
Government of the People
'Democracy may be a word familiar to most, but it is a concept still misunderstood and misused in a time when totalitarian regimes and military dictatorships alike have attempted to claim popular support by pinning democratic labels upon themselves. Yet the power of the democratic idea has also evoked some of history's most profound and moving expressions of human will and intellect: from Pericles in ancient Athens to Vaclav Havel in the modern Czech Republic, from Thomas Jefferson's Declaration of Independence in 1776 to Andrei Sakharov's last speeches in 1989.' ( U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs.) See link below.
https://web-archive-2017.ait.org.tw/infousa/zhtw/docs/whatsdem/whatdm2.htm
Excellent points, well put.
Life always goes back to Game Theory in their worldview. That’s why “Follow The Money” always works.
Nailed it Kerry. Well done.
Democrats want everyone to follow the spirt of the law. Repubs want to use (and abuse) the law to gain advantage, and screw anyone who doesn't play along. Which club should lead?
Executive branch engaging us in wars... without consent of Congress... both parties abuse the Constitution. Isn't that abusing the law? Neither party is clean and clear.
Recently attended a performance of Fellow Travelers, an opera about the Lavender scare. In it one of Joe McCarthy's staffers gloats that it's all just a game and what counts is staying on top. Yes it's theater, not an actual quote, but the essence mirrors today's conservative extremism in government and the media.
Yes. So often people justify their nefarious business decisions and behavior by saying "it's just business" with a straight face, as if it's an acceptable argument. And there's no shame, which there should be. It's remarkable that so many can distance themselves from their humanity with this phrase and perhaps also sleep well at night. I assume that the activity of doing business or running a business began with the purpose of supporting the business owner and family, while also providing work for any employee they might have, so they too could live and support their own family. Now it's morphed into something monstrous with the only goal to be profit for the owners and shareholders. People involved as workers and owners seem usually to be engaged in conflict between those groups, when it would probably serve both parties better if they all could see the benefit of working together to make the business serve both sides.
Tony Soprano; "Ya gotta unnerstand Paulie, I got nuttin' against Uncle Pussy. But he fucked up, y'know. It's just business." Bang. Splash.
"The #1 rule of Republicans is that Republicans get to do whatever they want, but others certainly don't;"
you forgot to say: "While crying and whining and gnashing their teeth about how unfair everyone is to them".
In other words, the very model of "privileged".
Yes, it's childish behaviour among grown men and women.
I taught preschoolers many years ago. I've come to understand that many adults are just taller, older preschoolers, who are by nature egocentric. They are in the "me" stage of development. "Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional."
I agree with you. But the reality is that the choice or decision to "grow up" is not always black and white for people. Families can be cult-like or brainwash their children, and belonging to the family unit can be the single most important thing to a child. And some people, for whatever reason, don't think outside the box and stay stuck in the tribal mentality. I'm not trying to justify anyone's behavior but I do believe we need to understand behavior better if we are to get people to think for themselves and see what is the truth, what is real, what is factual, rather than sticking with the stories and doctrines they were raised with. Racism, abuse, misogyny, homophobia, anti-immigration, that runs in families—how does the chain get broken?
Kerry,
Yes, in particular, it is the behavior of a spoiled, pampered, easy life white, wealthy child raised in America with too much money, no hardship, no work, not much reading education ......
AND THEN affirmative action admission to, say, Harvard because "Daddy" went there (Legacy admission was 36% at Harvard in 2020), and having spent too much time drunk and partying.
George W. Bush is the classic example of this "child".
Matt Gaetz is another perfect example.
Sadly, there are MANY more examples.
Because I come from WASPiness, I have seen a lot of this in person. I just want to add that a lot of who these people are results from their family experience. There are people raised in that world who are good, kind, and try to pay back for what they've been given. I mean, you can't help what family you were born into. BUT, there are families who just want to perpetuate the status quo; are ignorant about problems in this country regarding race, misogyny, etc.; and support the myths about government spending, justice, and business. The well to do WASP world is a tough one. It is often not a warm and fuzzy family environment, with a lot of coldness and things going on under the surface, not discussed. You're on your own, be tough, figure it out yourself, don't be a baby, high expectations, competition, etc. etc. That results in thoughtless at best, cruel at worst, adults. There are a lot of unhappy people in that world and they raise unhappy or unconfident children who hide behind a facade.
Jared Kushner
Sadly there are many examples of this crass outcome of a privileged upbringing. I am reading Doris Kearns Goodwin's "Leadership in Turbulent Times", and it is a delightful contrast learning of the effects of Teddy and Franklin Roosevelts early privileged, and responsible, years.
How does Ted Cruz fit into this? The only explanation I can come up with is that in Cuba he was a child of Batista’s dictatorship and is trying to graft that monstrosity onto TX and, by extension, the rest of US.
That entire coalition believes the end justifies any means.
They even say so, quite often.
The old saw, "If they tell you who they are, believe them."
It's also what wanabe royalty, the "special" people, does.
Otherwise known as crawling on your lips at the feet of rich men, mostly, to curry favor.
Otherwise known as "sucking up".
Otherwise known as Sean Hannity.
And Tucker Carlson
Some bullies have more status than others.
Chump the ultimate, but plenty others
In the Bully-tocracy
This is extreemly worriesome for the mental health of our citizenry.
Once, as a substitute teacher (I had taught French only to university students), I spent a couple of days with 3-5 year olds in an “elite” private school. It was surprising to realize that I “knew” their mothers almost immediately.
It should be remembered that Democrats tried to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine in 1987 and Reagan vetoed it. Quote taken from the link below. Biden should move to reinstate it but, updated to include cable and not just broadcast licenses. Even if it wouldn't pass the House it would re-engage the public as Europe is doing.
"A Democrat-controlled Congress passed a bill to re-instate the Fairness Doctrine in 1987. Reagan vetoed the bill," it continued. "Fox News followed in the 1990s. America is now more polarized and misinformed than ever."
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/11/28/fact-check-fairness-doctrine-applied-broadcast-licenses-not-cable/6439197002/
Europe is way ahead of us on these matters
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/techtank/2022/08/05/eu-code-of-practice-on-disinformation/
I would like to remind folks who ask to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine, that climate change “news” was relentlessly treated as a two-sided argument; those that agreed the climate was changing and that the release of carbon from fossil fuels was the biggest contributor, and those who argued that the science was not yet clear that the climate was changing. That argument was specious as hell, from the beginning, but oil companies engaged in disinformation campaigns and used the Fairness Doctrine to push their lies.
We know what happened. Thirty six years after Reagan dropped the Fairness Doctrine, oil companies and their Congressional lackeys still lie about the climate crisis - and MAGAS are among the biggest climate deniers. Meanwhile, the climate is changing more rapidly than predicted. And we are all paying a huge price for not regulating carbon emissions.
Do we need content regulation for news organizations? Yes. Do we need content regulation for the internet? Yes. But let’s be careful not to further push the idea that there are two or more sides to every argument which was the basis of the original policy. There aren’t two sides to many problems including whether masks are effective in preventing the spread of a killer virus. Yet in the US, where freedom of speech is a foundational principle, we have literally come to blows about what facts are and who is an expert which is, in part, an artifact of the idea behind the Fairness Doctrine- that there are two sides in every argument.
Its damn complicated - and most current Republicans seem incapable of writing policy, let alone protecting Constitutional rights. I don’t know what the answers are but I’m leery as hell of creating something akin to another climate crisis or pandemic-spreading misinformation campaign because of the effects of dark money in our system.
Let’s dump Citizens United first. Get the dark money out. Then maybe we can get a word in edgewise on what constitutes news, and how to regulate content producers. And shut down Fox. Wouldn’t that be sweet!
So the EU is trying to tackle this misinformation/disinformation conundrum. Maybe it can come up with something that is hard to misuse. I have no faith that the USA will do anything of the kind itself. Not in a plutocracy such as ours. But maybe we get shamed into it one day. Meanwhile - we are reaping what we have sown - a nation consisting of about 50% poorly educated freedum lovers who cannot tell when they are being taken for a ride. And vote accordingly. Enthusiastically.
james, I have been watching what Europe is doing to regulate Meta. Somewhat hopeful that they will come up with a model that we can use to start the discussions again. But that won’t change the current generation’s magat problem. Freedum, indeed.
Here! Here!!!
Now! NOW!!!
Hear, hear!I think is what you mean, Mary. ;-)
Given that the people they killed were their own viewers, the irony is delicious. Since we have plumb run out of sabretooth tigers to eat the morons, we have to make do with what comes available.
TC, the irony IS delicious and the self destruction continues. Its like a never ending Darwin Awards competition. But very sadly, its not that simple. There are two ripple effects. Its quite possible that the morons have some decent hearted relatives, friends and coworkers who will suffer their loss. Incomes are lost. Innocent families fall apart. Small businesses crumble.
And then there is the devastating impact on our struggling, understaffed, inefficient medical system that they clog. How many people couldnt obtain crucial and possibly life saving care because the morons wouldnt wear a mask or get a simple vaccination?
Their stupidity is more than preventable suicide. Its being an accessory to the suffering and death of others. And for that, FNC should have been shut down and the bozos quoted in this lawsuit incarcerated for homicide.
Too true, Bill ❗️ ❗️ ❗️
Yes, unfortunately one cannot avoid the "side effects." I still wish the idiots would die.
Tenacious, aren't you! :-)
Delicious? This is real life, not an episode of a political thriller, and schadenfreude doesn’t seem an appropriate emotional response here. A million people, grandpas and young mothers, babies and young adults, lives cut short, lingering painful deaths. What exactly is ironic about that? What Fox News did by reporting lies about COVID, the vaccines, the elections, has caused incalculable harm. The number of people who died insisting that they didn’t have COVID is small. The total number of people who died, and the number who survived with permanent neurological damage is not small. Please remember what we are actually talking about here. Sorry to sound judgmental but your response really shocked me.
Meredith Russell, thank you for this difficult read. In addition to the lies pushed by FOX news. Christian houses of worshop have brainwashed their congregants with all sorts of weird info regarding reasons for not receiving COVID innoculations. Many of their children DID experience ''brain fog " after having COVID..
Another disturbing response by members of the Republican Party was spreading lies about Dr. Fauci and other brilliant and well informed medical professions .
People are so gullible and so easily lead into the great abyss! THINK!!!!PLEASE!!!!
Irony is when the ignorant COVID deniers died of COVID. Yes, they caused a lot of collateral damage that we all had to endure, but bottom line were the ignorant conspiracy theorists who had access to real information on the disease available but preferred to believe the lies instead.
At 76 I was at-risk of dying for the whole year of 2020 before vaccines were available, and I did wear a mask, wash hands & safe distanced as logical precautions dictated. And, I avoided contracting COVID - Influenza and all other Upper Respiratory infections to this day.
I use the Darwinian fact that those who did not take precautions succumbed to Natural Selection, Thinning the Herd of its Weakest Minds.
I too masked and continue to mask to this day. I have not caught COVID, and do what I can to avoid it. I get every vaccine that comes out. My office was 100 yards from the Emergency department, so I think I was less able to ignore the real human costs of the public confusion caused by Fox News. I finally couldn’t stand it and retired. None of the families I know who have lost a loved one to COVID are on the hard right conspiracy end of the political spectrum. Over-simplification of the causes and results of this socially driven catastrophe do not help to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
The only friend that I know of who died of COVID was Brad a young former co-worker who went to school and became a Medical Doctor. He caught it in the line of duty – a collateral victim of the mass of idiots that did not take precautions. I was a Nursing Assistant for years (our viral pandemic was HIV) and tho retired, have wondered if I would have remained in that line of work during this pandemic.
HEAR HEAR ! What a sobering thought. It hurts my soul to remember the aftermath of these behaviors against our people, to say nothing of the after effects of the issues that have followed for so many.
I AGREE! , WAKE UP! Blow out Your EARS! & DESCALE! Your EYES!
Thank you, Meredith. I was shocked too, but not surprised. At times some people on this forum demonstrate exactly the same traits they so disdain in people they disagree with. It makes me feel deeply sad, because that sort of thing simply perpetuates the divide, simply to let a few people feel above others. I appreciate how clearly you described the real outcomes of disinformation. We all have a responsibility to display compassion in the face of suffering. Most people are doing the best they can. To lump them in with people who deliberately exploit them is unfair and petty.
Fox created morons out of good, even smart, people, though, who believe that our government has "Cronkite Rules" that prohibit the broadcast of lies on TV news. So Fox CAN'T be Faux. One of my best childhood friend's fell for this news ruse, and she and her husband refused vaccines (as they were told by both Fox and their minister with his direct line to The God), and her wonderful husband died a year later of COVID. My friend's father had been a U.S. Army guard at the Nuremberg Trials after helping to release Jews imprisoned in the Nazi extermination camps. Sadly he died of old age before he could warn her about propaganda. Rupert should be hung like the murderous traitor he is.
My mom watches the trifecta of hate on Fox every night (Carlson, Hannity, Ingraham) and it is painful to hear her spew the outright lies she hears. It is difficult to talk to her now, because she seems caught up in all the hatred and misinformation. She was once the smartest person I knew, with two Masters degrees in her area of expertise, and a long and successful career. She (and my father) were radicalized after 9/11, sadly, and never regained sanity.
Heartbreaking. Another HCR reader, Dr. Beverly Falls, recommended the following for talking about disagreements - but I suspect there are some (many) folks, especially those being continually fed faux lies, who are impermeable to good sense.
https://youtu.be/_WjUFuW2J0A
Thank you for linking this. It is excellent.
No "smart" person would listen to Fox News after 3 minutes. "Smart" people have the ability to differentiate between bs & truth. Easily.
TC not a completely accurate summation. I lost 12 friends to COVID. None of them were Republicans or the FOX watching MAGA cult.
They were casualties of COVID.
TC lives in his own bubble.
Those unvaccinated, unmasked Fox viewers spread the virus far and wide, taking with them overworked healthcare workers, elderly, and other vulnerable people. It decimated our healthcare system that still hasn’t recovered.
Absolutely true. All of my friends that perished from COVID were fully vaccinated and boosted. Always masked and careful. They literally fell prey to the uncaring and unwilling to be educated.
At a Board Meeting last evening, several of us were talking about the number of people we have known who have gotten COVID, but survived and the combined number is staggering. Every Board member, excluding myself have gotten COVID atleast once. These are educated, careful folks.
It was heartbreaking to read emails from my doctor spreading misinformation and conspiracies, hearing from many clients who believe the vaccine causes death and disability, including teachers who are so important in fighting ignorance. I am just honest with everyone that I am fully vaccinated because spreading the virus and doing long term harm or possibly killing someone is just not a risk I will take.
tRump intentionally set up the conditions for the deaths of a million Americans.
yep, he ignored experts, knew it was dangerous, admitted it to Woodward, then took over television and pushed misinformation. Downplayed the risk, continues to purposefully misdate the 1918 pandemic (WHO DOES THAT???!), supposedly put Pence in charge (who, with Adams had mishandled an HIV epidemic as Governor and not learned from his mistakes) then Kushner (yeah, right). Not to wish harm on anyone, but what a service to the public if he had succumbed to his own bout of Covid instead of having a team of a dozen specialists (!!!) and EVERY potential treatment option available.
Hundreds of thousands of Americans died ALONE in ICUs on ventilators, and it did not have to be that way.
It did NOT have to be that way. Thanks for the summation Beverly. I hope to be at the HH meeeting tomorrow. But I might be crying.
Agree. Let's not limit the blame to FOX and the deplorables. Trump is at least as responsible as anyone. He had the attention and adoration of a large portion of the US population, and chose to misinform them. Many of them died as a result. He could have at an early time cleared up the lies being propagated by Fox and others, but didn't. Pence too. He just sat there with his tail between his legs.
tragic
That particular atrocity always gets me. Nearly as much as the school shootings. So many innocent people dying! Children orphaned, seniors dead, and many even otherwise healthy people of all ages dead because of what? Lies, lies, LIES!!!
Hundreds of thousands.
Cathy W. Family relationships were were also "killed" as some members relied on Fox News as their only source of information. They were so whipped up by the false narrative they couldn't even consider another point of view. Their rabid support of conspiracies lead to estrangement.
Here here!!! The rabid and irresponsible covid response by Fox and Trump and antivaxxers is exhibit "A" on how far right wing freedum hurts and kills. I hope the long arm of the law somehow brings Trump and Fox to justice on this one too. Not holding my breath.
Good add, Cathy. There really is no end to the death and damages that FOX is responsible for. They are as guilty for unmitigated climate change as Exon.
Most of those deaths can be counted as Natural Selection, Thinning the Herd of its Weakest Minds.
This is an untrue generalization. Many of the older people who died, and a large percentage of the people who died were older, died through no fault of their own. Some were in nursing homes, some lived with people on the front lines, some were unfortunate to have contracted the virus before vaccines were available. Nowhere have I read any data that says that COVID discriminated. If you have been lucky enough not to contract COVID at this point, then good for you. But only some of that is attributed to your careful behavior. The rest is just luck. To imply that COVID only killed the weakest minds is not true and incredibly callous.
Nature is incredibly callous. I’ve watched movies of a lithe & beautiful Cheetah take down an equally lithe & beautiful Gazelle and sink its teeth into the neck and hold it until it stopped kicking. Is it callous to record that bit of nature. My generalization may have been an exaggeration, so change “most” to “many” and it becomes more true. And yes, I realize with all my precautions, luck may have played a part in me not contracting the virus. I even prepared for that event, changing my Advance Directives for family and my primary care doctor that I would not be intubated and put on a respirator, just palliative care.
I do, every day.
There should be laws against the media and politicians blatantly lying. There should be no protection under the "freedom of speech." There needs to be financial damages claimed, and criminal charges where it is applicable.
I don't know why the Jan 6 insurrectionists, who are facing criminal charges based on the misinformation presented by Fox and Trump that the election was "rigged/stolen," as well as the relatives of Fox viewers who died as a result of receiving misinformation about COVID, have not yet filed a class action lawsuits against Fox and Trump.
There has to be accountability. Let Fox and Trump pay, then see if the Fox business model continues to be worth it. Let Fox go bankrupt and extinct.
Any criminal activity in our government should have no pardons or executive privilege. Period. Raise the stakes on decency in our democracy.
Remember that comedian turned senator's book, "Lies and the Lying Liars Who tell them"? If Franken were around, he would never have needed to step down. At least he had something to of value to say - lots of value...
Al Franken was on MSNBC recently with Sheldon Whitehouse. Two hear those two together was a breath of fresh air. Roger Stone, responsible for stoking Kristen Gillibrand to pull a “#metoo” on Al Franken, should have been jailed after Nixon. Pardoned by Trump, will he ever pay for the havoc he has wrought?
FL 2000?
could not agree more
Cathy, I heard last night (and have not had time to verify this) that the Proud Boys on trial have subpoenaed fpotus in their insurrection/sedition trials. Now there's a thought....
True, but trial subpoenas for witness testimony are sometimes hotly contested by the target and the parties & subject to a Judge's substantial authority to control an on-going trial. I once had a party issue a trial testimony subpoena for a witness in Uzbekistan (for disruption & delay). The Judge acepted our certified copy of the Witness' deposition testimony instead of a 2 month trial delay.
I read that development as things at Trial are not going well for the desparate, Not-So-Proud-Boys. Regardless, tfg does not know how to hold a Bible much less swear an oath to be truthful. Likely ruling: DENIED.
I agree that the NS Proud Boys are not happy with how their trial(s) are progressing, and are grasping at straws in their shameful attempts to excuse their seditious conduct.
I was mostly amused by the attempted subpoena of fpotus. It reminds this street cop of the person being interviewed regarding some degree of misconduct (usually minor, but occasionally more serious) who invokes the "well, <person X> told me to do it/ said it was OK" excuse for their nefarious conduct. I remember saying to one gentleman "Dude, you know that it is against the law to steal things AND for someone under 21 to have possession of an alcoholic beverage. These are both crimes and violations. Why would you engage in criminal conduct because someone told you to?"
Well said Officer.
Thank you, Counselor
As my mother used to say, "And if he told you to jump off the roof of a building, would you do it?"
So, Flip Wilson wouldn't get a pass with "The Debil made me do it?" :)
🤣
The way Republicans defend the Jan. 6 seditious rioters is galling, to say the least. They peddle the narrative that they were concerned citizens exercising their right to peaceful protest. This narrative is both insulting and dangerous. And, like you. I wish such lies and idiocy could be somehow limited. Once upon a time, it seems long ago, more people did recognize truth, and tried to respect it. Sure not everyone, but the standard was stronger.
Not really. History at all levels is full of examples of people in the past just ignoring the truth because it was more convenient, or to avoid facing the consequences. That's why we're here, Carmen: to try to learn from the mistakes of the past and their impact on the present. Maybe if we really work at it, we can get better at it.
At the minimum, it has to be 'the poster child' for what legally constitutes 'not news' , and the formation of laws, not just loosey goosey 'regulations' (as some see regulations). The 24/7 news cycles of today's world realities and with the internet, demands standards and laws to enforce those standards. jmho
D4N: first of all those who produce information or push legislation have to actually care for others....not seek to use others for their brief existence and dominion.
Agreed!
Indeed! Well said.
The problem is just who sets the standards, not to mention how they will be enforced. We are talking about humans, with all their failings, here.
Cover their heads with honey and stake them down over a Mojave Desert red ant hill, then stir up the ants.
For starters...!
All while claiming, "no reasonable person would believe these stories."
I'm not in favor of shutting down news networks but I think they should be held accountable. In the case of FOX, I think they should be required to broadcast a lengthy and complete debunking of all their lies. A week or two of three-hour, prime-time specials revealing the facts that refute their BS would be a good start. Thereafter, they should be under threat of financial penalty for any further peddling of BS.
If "holding them accountable" bankrupts them and puts them out of business, I won't be shedding any tears.
Yes. I agree. The market rules. I would be perfectly happy to see FOX bankrupted and closed down as a result of court imposed financial penalties.
Yes, but I doubt that their followers would even believe it. They would say their Fox heroes were forced to say all of the debunking broadcasts.
I'm under no illusions that a judgment against Fox would likely break the spell they have on their viewers. They would probably say the Democrats or the "Deep State" were responsible for trying to kill Fox. They will never admit that they have been lied to all these years, though if it were me, I would be upset that I had believed the lies.
Fox needs to disappear.
Jeanne Stevens, are you takling about "Fox heroes" or money loving cowards who care nothing for the poor fools who absorb their destructive propaganda daily. We need to review our basic values !
Emily,
Heroes to their followers but You and I know them as the money loving cowards who care nothing for the poor fools who absorb their destructive propaganda daily. Thank you for expanding on that.
G Mark Vogel.....I am all for freedom, but there are occasions when "in the case of Fox" (and others) shutting them down and working to prevent their appearing in another form should be done for the safety of our country. Freedom is not allowing brainwashing! There is a difference. We cannot turn our back on this problem.
And while they're at it, go for Murdock.
The British did, why can’t we
Yes!
This problem will not be solved until those guilty of knowingly spreading misinformation are punished. Civil litigation will not accomplsh that. The defeated former president pardoned many of those whose lies and acts resulted in criminal convictions. The worst that could happen to the likes of Sidney Powell is that she might be disbarred. Even Steve Bannon is still on the loose, spewing lies. Orange suits may be the only real solution when criminal acts are successfully prosecuted. As the supporters of the defeated former president shouted at his rallies, 'Lock them up!'
David, if fox were gone, that audience that needs to be feed lies will find another source, i.e. Newmax.
Sad. I wonder what is at the root of people believing and seeking conspiracy theories? Psychologically compromised? Psychologically trapped in a cult?
How could anyone listen to Trump for 5 minutes and not conclude that he was ignorant, lying, instigating violence, and psychologically unfit for office? The emperor without clothes. The mentality of humans baffles me.
'Tucker Carlson Fears That Leaked Texts of Him Telling Truth Will Kill His Brand'
'WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Newly surfaced texts showing Tucker Carlson telling the truth threaten to damage his brand irrevocably, the Fox News host fears'
'After publication of the texts, which indicate that Carlson knew Donald J. Trump’s claims of widespread election fraud were false, the anchor, concerned that his reputation for mendacity had been permanently tainted, spiraled into despondency.
“Tucker is in a very dark place right now,” a Fox News colleague said. “To be unmasked as an honest person is literally his worst nightmare.”
'In an emotional appearance on Fox, Carlson begged his viewers not to “rush to judgment” based on a few “ill-advised texts that give off the unfortunate appearance of accuracy.”
“A couple of years ago, in a moment of weakness, I slipped and told the truth,” Carlson, choking back tears, said. “I plead with you not to judge me by this shameful episode but by my entire body of work.” (Satire, NewYorker)
Excellent summary of the damage Fox has wrought. I wish the damages Fox will be forced to pay take into account much more than the harm to Dominion. That won’t happen. How about Rupert Murdoch having to write a $1 billion check and sign it in a public setting and apologize.
trueusa.org is organizing boycotts of Fox sponsors sponsors.https://www.trueusa.org/
Yes, let's get to those sponsors. Carlson complained about the stock market value of Fox going down after not supporting Trump. I wonder who owns stock in Fox?
Cathy I just found that trueUSA site this morning, and I don't know very much about what information they have. You might check their site. That would be great to get after stockholders too. I have a sick dog or I would take care of it myself.
Thank you. I just checked it out. It has naughty/nice lists of companies that advertise/don't advertise on Fox. As far as letter-writing campaigns, this would be the most valuable.
Our discussion group went over a lot of the filing last night. Educated speculation was that actual damages could be in 10 figures; punitive damages could bring it to 11 figures. Dominion won't back down without an admission of wrongdoing, and Fox itself has had a taste of what happens if someone tells the truth about an election. Very much a rock/hard place situation for Fox, which might not be in a position to pay off the fines.
I agree that FNC is harmful to the nation and guilty of all the things you mention. The thing I found second-most interesting is that FNC, Carlson, Hannity and the others refer to their position in the company as media. Those editorialists refer to themselves as media, while positioning themselves, delivering broadcasts and running advertising to the public as providing news. Until the law requires the editorial arm of Faux, and any other news service, to opine based on substantiated facts, this problem persists. The item I found MOST interesting in HCR's post was that Faux News has fact checkers. Fact checkers? At FNC?! Who knew?
Remember black people are being killed by police in traffic stops, accidents, in their own front yards and apartments for just being black, while FOX gets away with murder, literally and metaphorically.
Doesn’t it feel like they are also responsible for “inciting” the riot that was Jan.6?
Thank you for including the Church Committee staff letter. I fear it won’t get much attention and it’s really a remarkable letter. I hope they felt proud as they signed it.
Frank Church was a personal friend of my parents, who had worked on all his campaigns.
I campaigned for him - before social media, that meant a lot of door-knocking - in 1968, '74 and when he lost during a Republican wave in 1980.
He'd visit campaign HQ a lot - a dusty little storefront in downtown Boise shared with other Democratic candidates, including Cecil Andrus. Frank and Cece loved chatting with campaign volunteers. It was a gentler time.
Somewhere I still have my Church for President memorabilia.
In short, I knew him pretty well.
Every time I hear Jordan trying to claim the Senator's good name, I feel ill.
And every time I hear the name of GWBush, I think of the debacle of the so-called unreadable chads, chits and butterfly bullets that might well have been a set-up for Gore's loss in Florida. Gore apparently lost by little over 500 votes.
Gore is a smart man; one who would not have led the US and the world into the horrific war that cost so many lives and managed to ultimately bring General Colin Powell's reputation into down to the ground. I would much rather have had an environmentalist be our president than what we got with the chits and butterfly bullets. It may be water under the bridge, but the nastiness of the clogged mess still lingers under that same bridge.
Gore's daughter was a friend of mine at Union Theological Seminary. I got to know a bit about the family back then. I simply cannot understand why the United States lets unworthy vultures into its nest. Naive I may be, but one can dream. I would rather that Gore won the presidency as the Nobel Prize. As it is now, I'll get by with seeing Trump in jail.
Environmental sanity was quashed with the election of Reagan. Nixon bean the EPA, and Reagan did his best to destroy it. Carter symbolically installed solar collectors on the White House, and Reagan ripped them down. I don't think the effort to protect our living conditions has ever regained the societal momentum it was building before the "Reagan Revolution". And now we're in a real fix. Newspapers dug dirt on Nixon but ate out of Reagan's hand. The more Republicans got away with, the worse they have become. And meanwhile Antarctica is currently unraveling.
JL, can you even imagine how much further along the road to some actual energy independence we'd be, if Carter's forward thinking along those lines weren't quashed ? (!)
Carter's loss to Reagan is arguably the most costly political mistake the American public has made in almost everyone's lifetimes. People don't think of it that way because it was popular sentiment at the time, but if you think of the trail of collateral damage that could have been averted, on everything from the environment to the economy to just the general psyche of the nation... Yikes!
What's so sad about Carter's loss is how thoroughly and non-critically media at the time soaked up and elevated Reagan's image as a statesman or political genius.
He was never much more than a B-movie actor, and sadly reduced the Presidency to that status as well.
Reagan was a vacuous fool. His single talent was the ability to memorize a script written for him by unscrupulous "handlers" who sought to disguise Reagan's gargantuan lack of intellectual curiosity and complete unfitness for any office (including that of president of the Screen Actor's Guild--which he abused).
Ronnie was literally a Soap Salesman, specifically Boraxo soap pitched by Ronnie's faux westerner act on TV and Ronnie was also a spokesman for General Electric on the Chicken & Mashed Potato lunch circuit before becoming the California Governor where he set about attacking the University of California, firing Clark Kerr & dramatically raising tuition in my time at UCLA.
I did come face-to-face with him as I left a Regent's Meeting that was declared an illegal asssembly to clear the room as students outside were chanting their displeasure at Ronnie's appearance & literally shaking the campus building & three (3) drama students were on top of the building in witch costumes attempting banish the evil spirit inside. Yup, during the Vietnam War.
I have two Reagan stories. In the late '40s, my dad, a publicist at Warner Bros., ran into Reagan at some studio press gathering. Ronnie was in his cowboy outfit, in a corner constantly and ostentatiously twirling his toy pistol. When asked why he was so focused on that, he admitted, "That trick is the only way I can get people to pay attention to me." (He had nothing substantive to say.) Some years later, my dad took teenage me to the Academy Awards. As we mingled with attendees in the Pantages Theater foyer, we ran into Ronnie and big-eyed Nancy. It was the year Wm. Holden was favored and did win the best actor award for Stalag 17. Reagan, who somewhat resembled Holden in height and looks, said he had a plan to rush the stage and grab the Oscar when Holden's name was called, pretending to be the actor. I remember his words: "That's probably the only award I'll ever be able to get."
I remember reading some political column at the time of Reagan's election that "future generations" would appreciate what a great President Carter was. Guess that's us, now.
https://youtu.be/KUnA9jb-NpE
I was going to say the same thing, but you beat me to it...
Carter asked us to act like a community. To make tiny sacrifices for the good of the whole country. The voters found that irritating and inconvenient. Their idea of "we" was the crew that showed up for the Super Bowl party.
Reagan, as he strutted around in his phony cowboy image proclaimed that "we" could be just "me". When he removed the solar panels from the WH, he flipped a middle finger at the planet. He was a charmer on TV. But Ronnie was the devil himself. Perhaps the most destructive, stupid pawn of the oligarchs to have ever sat in the Oval Office. But then...there was "W"....
Bill. Carter had an elevated program for mental health, complete with facilities and halfway houses. When Reagan was elected, he kicked that program out and it never saw the light of day. Reagan opened up the mental institutions and let the Patients out. One such released person was the father of a friend of mine. He showed up regularly at their house with a gun threatening them. Carter was a humanitarian and a forward thinker. We really lost out there not Reelecting him.
How fing true…
The more republicans got away with, the worse they have become. And I thought they had learned their lesson with Nixon, stupid me…
Rosalind,
Yes, the Florida election was stolen in 2000 as you sort of hint at.
https://www.usccr.gov/files/pubs/vote2000/report/exesum.htm
How? The governor of Texas, GW Bush, had sent a list of names of prison inmates that had been released in Texas to his brother in Florida. Those names were then entered into the Florida voting system so that those people were not allowed to vote in Florida.
But, the names were mostly black men names. So, for example, James Glover was blocked from voting in Florida upon arrival to the polls because a James Glover in TX was released from prison. Now, James Glover in Florida had never been in prison, ever. BUT, he was blocked from voting. So, thousands and thousands of black men were turned away at the polls who were perfectly eligible to vote. This was a scheme to suppress black votes and it totally worked. Apparently, the two white men involved in this criminal enterprise, Jeb Bush and "W" can do anything they want in America. Including invading two countries for no reason based on lies.
It is widely viewed that Florida was a "close" election in 2000. BUT, the reason it was close was because so many eligible black men's names were blocked from voting by Jeb Bush in Florida in collusion with George W Bush in Texas. Without that voter suppression? Gore would have won and should have won.
All of these shenanigans, when done by dumb, but rich, white men, are legal apparently, in these United States, and the Supreme Court then stepped in and further corrupted the entire election and handed the election to LONG time loser, George W. Bush.
https://www.usccr.gov/files/pubs/vote2000/report/exesum.htm
Florida shenanigans... such a banal name for actions fraught with deceit, betrayal, lies, and corruption...shaking my head...it never stops....among the GOP there is no shame.
Not only that, but Roger stone’s shenanigans with the “Brooks Brothers riot” led by gop staffers at a meeting of election canvassers in Miami-Dade on Nov 22, 2000, during a recount of votes made during that infamous election, “with the goal of shutting down the recount. After the demonstrations and acts of violence, local officials shut down the recount early. This had the effect of insuring the Dec 12 Safe-Harbor deadline set by Title 3 of the US Code could NOT BE MET, guaranteeing W Bush would win.” ( from wikipedia)
And Leonard Leo sent some of his Federalist Society lawyers to do the count, including, oh, Brett Cavanaugh anf Amy Coney Barrett.
Mike S, I don't see any mention of the list of felons from Texas in your link to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights report. Do you have another source you can give us, please?
An "executive summary" would be a poor place to list hundreds (thousands?) of names. The full report is here: https://www.usccr.gov/files/pubs/vote2000/report/main.htm
I assume the names themselves are in an appendix. Have fun!
Even with all the shenanigans, Gore won. SCOTUS went along with the Brooks Brothers insurrectionists and overruled the voters.
Rosalind, long before chads, butterfly ballots & Brooksbrothers' riots & SCOTUS' Gore v Bush help ("you cannot cite this case") voter elgibility names were purged including infamously a Voting Official's ability to vote with the common last name of 'Johnson'. Now we have overt racist gerrymandering except in Michigan now & other states who fairly draw districts. We are stll far short of one person one vote.
“One person, one vote” sounds like Socialism!
We did it in Michigan! And now have a Democratic Trifecta! Other states can, too!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Michigan_Proposal_2#:~:text=Michigan%20Proposal%2018%2D2%20was,legislature%20to%20an%20independent%20commission.
Powell's "reputation" was "go along to get along." The first Mylai Massacre report, which was a whitewash that exonerated everyone, was signed by Major Colin Powell, his first named entry into the history books, and perfect training for his UN appearance.
Sometimes bright people are used for dishonorable political purposes and sometimes bright people are simply dishonorable. Powell was made the fool on the weapons of mass destruction fiction in Iraq. JFK sent Adlai Stevenson to the UN to falsely declare that the US had nothing to do with the Bay of Pigs invasion. If I were in a room with Stevenson and Powell, I would ask them what they would have done differently if given a Mulligan. To the best of my knowledge, neither Stevenson nor Powell knew that what they were broadcasting was false at the time they broadcast it. They had been lied to. By contrast, and for the rest of their lives, the FNC personalities will go to bed every night knowing that they knew better, but chose to lie anyway. Money and celebrity were more important to them than the truth. Their legacy to their children. Forever.
I've read that one in seven humans is a sociopath, and of course that's a sliding scale, but "tendencies" will do. Sociopaths are generally above average in intelligence and charisma as I understand it. Seems that politics provides ample feeding ground for these people.
Having worked in politics as one of the guys who got those people re-elected (until I couldn't) I can assure you that you are even more right than you think you are.
Powell knew. It's been proven.
https://theintercept.com/2018/02/06/lie-after-lie-what-colin-powell-knew-about-iraq-fifteen-years-ago-and-what-he-told-the-un/
The Intercept is wrong (as usual). What else can one expect, given its founder? As a person of the left, I have called it "lefty claptrap" from day one and have found no reason to change my mind. I personally know a person who I strongly respect for his commitment to truth, who can prove they fucked up on this. Have you noticed that most of the people who creatively type away at that place are idiots?
How about Mother Jones?
'Powell played an intercept of a conversation between Iraqi army officers about the UN inspections. However, when he translated what they were saying, he knowingly embellished it, turning it from evidence Iraq was complying with U.N. resolutions to evidence Iraq was violating them. This appears in Bob Woodward’s book Plan of Attack:
'[Powell] had decided to add his personal interpretation of the intercepts to the rehearsed script, taking them substantially further and casting them in the most negative light…Concerning the intercept about inspecting for the possibility of “forbidden ammo,” Powell took the interpretation further: “Clean out all of the areas… Make sure there is nothing there.” None of this was in the intercept.'
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2008/02/un-deception-what-exactly-colin-powell-knew-five-years-ago-and-what-he-told-world/
Thank you for the link. In an integrity contest between the two, my vote goes to Adlai.
You're getting played by the Intercept. It's what they do, what they are. The Left version of Faux Snooze, giving you what you want to believe.
Republican politicians know they are telling lies; Republican voters gullibly believe what they hear from their favorite media sources.
You're right about Stevenson and Powell. I have a good friend who was professionally and personally in a position to know just how angry Powell was over the UN, and he believed a core part of the anger was Powell's realization that his desire to "go along to get along" had gotten him a second time. And since this person was at Powell's right hand through the entire UN thing, the Intercept (again!) proves itself to be as worthless as its founder is.
I remember seeing a picture of Powell working on his Volvo and, being a Volvo aficionado at the time, thought well of him. But that was before the Iraq business, which was a great disappointment. I did not think he believed what he was telling the UN. He could not have been that stupidly naive.
Powell's problem was that he came of age in a time when a person of his background could only advance by "going along to get along." I know for a fact that the second time it happened that he did that from that deep "habit" he deeply regretted it and was mad as hell. Which was why he soon left. I point out the My Lai story to people who think he walked on water, which he would have been the first to say he couldn't. Over the years, as an historian, I have come to realize that Joe E. Brown's line at the end of "Some Like It Hot" is very true: "Nobody's perfect!"
My first awareness of Colin arose out of a devastating "Friendly Fire" incident in Vietnam -- deadly fire on US Servicemen later made into Movie that I recall staring Carol Burnett as the dead soldier's Mother. LOOKED IT UP: 1979 movie titled "Friendly Fire" with Carol as the soldier mother from IOWA, Peg Ryan
I tried to believe him, but I didn’t…
Just think of the progress the country would have made if the past two Democratic presidential candidates, who won the popular vote but not the electoral college, would have become president: Al Gore making progress on global warming, instead of Bush Jr making war and destabilizing the Middle East and letting ISIS loose. Hillary Clinton checking Russia, instead of Trump kissing up to Russia ... and all of the other horrible stuff TFG let loose on the US.
Oh bless you, I haven’t gotten over the 2000 deliberate debacle. My heart sank, and has only been more broken with every republican dirty trick since…
Agree, on all points.
Journalists much later established that Gore did have more Florida votes than Bush— if the ballots which were both punched for Gore and also had his name written in, were counted. The Supreme Court basically had said that recounting all the votes would be unfair to Bush and would undermine his legitimacy as president.
Gore did not win his own state of Tennessee in 2000, most likely because his views on guns were held against him there. This fact was used to weaken support for recounts. And Republicans came up with the slogan Sore/Loserman.
I would love to see the supporting documentation on all that; I'd find it priceless.
The NORC-sponsored Florida Ballot Project recount is discussed in the Wikipedia article on post-election studies of the Florida 2000 recount. It concluded that if all the rejected ballots statewide had been counted, Gore won.
The Republicans had Roger Stone and James Baker III fighting for Bush. The Democratic side wanted to avoid being seen as sore losers. There is a 2008 film called Recount.
Gore DID win the Florida election. Roger Stone successfully distracted the count to the point it landed in the laps of The Federalist Society lawyers conveniently placed on site for recount by Leonard Leo, including, oh, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Bryant, until they delayed it enough to send to the, oh, Supreme Court to decide.
Rosalind, thanks for your post. BTW: your typos "bullets'"(instead of 'ballots') led me on a decidedly undesired education about 'butterfly bullets.' Be that as it may, I also came across this article about US Ballot Design from the site, DemocracyDocket.com, I believe worth sharing with this noble Community: https://www.democracydocket.com/analysis/how-ballot-design-impacts-election-results/
Steve, my late husband (Bryce Nelson, who grew up in Boise)) worked for Frank Church in DC in the mid-'60s after college. He revered him.
I'd bet there's more than one of TDPR's Letters readers who may have known him. Entirely possible my parents knew Bryce, too as my Mom worked as a volunteer in Frank's Boise office. Good to connect, thanks Mary.
Look, I was homeschooled. (Bear with me, I promise this connects.) I was already reading whole books in Kindergarten, and by the time I evened out near middle school, I was diagnosed with terrible scoliosis which required a plastic back brace, 22 hours a day. My parents keeping me home was essentially an act of mercy (The brace worked, for the record). The number of total strangers who saw fit to question my Mom in public and ask her how I was getting any socialization would knock y'all flat. Joke was on them, because I actually got way more friends through all the groups I joined, with less drama, than I ever would have at "normal school."
But... yeah. Homeschoolers are ALL kinds of kinds. There were the "gifted" (me, I guess), the rich kids with tutors, the kids of hippies, and so, so many Christian evangelicals. Oh, the anecdotes I could tell (And I WILL tell 'em!).
Anyway, my bestie for a while was Marcus. We once took a debate class together. This was in '08. Obviously one day the election got brought up. His family literally had a giant photo of "Dubya" in their kitchen (Which I thought was creepy, considering they didn't know him.) I thought it would be hilarious to ask him if my Mom was right in still voting for Hillary, even though my Dad liked Obama better. If I could communicate the combination abject horror frothing anger that set over poor Marcus's face I would. Poor guy was still in junior high but had already been put through the anti-Hillary indoctrination.
He started shouting about how much she was a liar. I asked about what exactly? (Mumbling word salad.) Yeah, ok, but didn't Bush lie about all those WMDs? (Absolute crickets.) Dude, where are you getting your info from?
Fox, of course! Because - and please read this in your head with the right amount of defensiveness, which would be ALL OF IT - "They're the only conservative news channel!"
I remember it because, despite the fact my family shied away from politics, despite the fact I didn't care too much about the news, despite the fact this was my best friend, I immediately knew everything about that reason was wrong. Why, I asked him, would you WANT to watch that? Isn't the news not supposed to be liberal or conservative, just facts? Crickets again. So much for the debate and logic class.
Point being, the folks who watch this garbage are not, and have never been, simply getting duped by it. They don't just stumble across it and fall under some sort of hypnotism. They *actively seek it out* because, in a scary modern world, they have found an oasis that reaffirms all their prejudices and tells them exactly what they want to hear, that the people they already hate deserve to be hated, and harder and in more ways than you have even thought to. Remember when the slogan was "Fair and Balanced?" Liberals laughed, but to their audience, it is. It is balancing out all the pesky facts on the other channels, and it is only fair they have *someplace* to turn when all of reality is against them!
The villains in today's letter are nefarious, yes. They are hawking a product they know is faulty and causes harm, yes. But just like the "toasted" tobacco of old, they do this because there is money to be made doing so, and there is money to be made doing so because there are people who absolutely love this product and want it every day. And they want it PURE, man.
That's the bigger problem here. "No thinking person would take this seriously." Right. Again, that's the problem.
I am always astonished by the devotion so many have to FNC. I try to be open minded on just about everything, but the minute I learn that a person watches Fox, the door slams shut. I'm embarrassed to admit that.
The thing that is so etched in my mind is that sometime during the darkest days of COvid, I was in the city, and I walked past the Fox headquarters on 6th Avenue. On the door was a large sign that read , 'No one will be allowed entry without a mask', and that my friends, is the story...
Yep,
Great example of hypocrisy.
While telling ignorant Americans masks don't work (they definitely did) Fox News personalities were all wearing them to stay alive.
And getting shots
It seems we've reached a time where it's getting harder to "Love thy Neighbor" when we learn of their political views. I'm currently struggling with that. It never used to be an issue with my friends and family but it is now in the forefront. And try as I might, there seems to be no "understanding" where their logic lies. There is no logic, just parroting Fox news. Frustration comes over me almost immediately and I have lost my patience with their chosen ignorance. I pray we can get through this but I've lost respect for people I was once very close to and it's hard to "turn the other cheek". I try to focus on their good qualities but I'm having a hard time overall. I am a very open-minded person but am learning that a lot of people I know are not. This really sucks!
Just had a conversation with my neighbor over some planned construction. All the while staring at his Trump/DeSantis 2024 t-shirt. These folks are not engaged in reality, and what DeSantis is doing in Florida, channeling Orban, is shocking.
Yes, I wonder if it was always this way, or if it just wasn't tested to this degree...
Cynthia...no need to be embarrassed. You are not alone. I don't shut the door, but my opinion of them is severely altered. I also feel sorry for them.
Yes....
I feel what you feel. But I try to step back, to find a way to engage. Facts are not the key. First, find common ground, more common ground and see if engagement is there. Once there, you can gently move alongside and work to explain your position
You're right... I did take that approach for a long time... but I guess I just got worn out by what seemed to be a form of insanity. Especially as the covid deaths kept ticking up ; (
Not always possible Mary
LOVE IT !!!!!!!
"They don't just stumble across it and fall under some sort of hypnotism. They *actively seek it out* because, in a scary modern world, they have found an oasis that reaffirms all their prejudices "
Will from Cal: A brilliantly written sentence that absolutely captures the truth about Fox News watchers.
It is not that they have been duped. It is that they have found the drug of their choice, after searching for it, and are now addicted.
As for home schooling? Think about all the fist fights you missed!!! :-)
It is true I never got in a fight. But that was mostly because the back brace served as body armor, so it would not really have been fair to the other guy.
Gotta say, my favorite among the ever-recurring nosy questions was "But how will he learn to deal with bullies?" Which 1) is messed up because it sounds like you think a kid *should* be bullied (and are willing to say it in right in front of him), but also 2) is dumb, because you think there weren't bullies among the homeschooled kids? Oh, ye of little faith!
Hallelujah and Amen. My bestie in the 90’s had a hubby who needed Fox like his next breath. And he ruled, dictated voting and demanded “Fox” on tv 24-7, literally. I used to ask “where did you hear that.” No more, Fox has clones, many can’t be distinguished from MSM, sad to say. Last sentence the scariest, Reagan brought in Rupert to revamp our communication structure (Walter’s just the facts ma’am) didn’t have even one of Goebbels propaganda tactics. Rupert introduced them all.
BTW, when working at public high school, my experience with home schooling was so different. Kudos to your parents, i fear they were/are the exception.
Jeri, mind if you share some of those encounters? I'm just so curious. My experience has been that how healthy a choice it is really comes down to the goal of the parents (obviously). I would say that almost every homeschooler I knew ended up very well-adjusted socially. But knowledge-wise, it really did run the gamut from scholarship-to-Ivy-league to the-Bible-says-beware-of-other-books. Way more the former than the latter, but like I said, I've got some stories.
Another masterpiece, Will, from Cal! Have you considered setting up your own Substack newsletter?
Confirmation bias. So much easier, and so much more fun, than doing the heavy lifting of solving problems.
An old Mike Royko quote: "It's much harder to be a liberal than a conservative. Why? Because it's easier to give someone the finger than a helping hand."
Long time Royko reader, wish he was with us today.
Will from Cal. This comment is so well expressed. Thank you. I watched a doc on Netflix called “The Family” and it talks about cult like behavior and the most gripping observance I had was the clarity of how humans “long to belong”. Religious dogma demands a “submit-the -self-and-don’t-ask-questions” model of salvation. Rupert found a cash-cow way of leveraging that in the most gargantuan way. It’s very hard to counter, because logic and reason and facts entrench the thinking. “Submitting” brings with it an inoculation to new information which their mind perceives as a killer virus.
Remember “ brainwashing”?
That's what my husband says so often... 'they are brainwashed'. Makes me wonder what will happen if FOX is ripped out rom under them...or scrubbed clean... the lemmings, the lemmings... where will they go!?!?!
Scrub-a-dub-dub.
Will, I have been in motels, surgical centers, doctors offices, and have witnessed Fox News on all the TV in the lobby. I’ve often wondered if these institutions are being paid in someway to broadcast this news. And how we are citizens could go about changing that. I once asked at the desk of a motel if they could change the Fox News channel in the breakfast room. I was told they couldn’t the manager had the last say. Why can’t MSNBC be on all of these TV stations. How do we protest this?
Oh, Bonnie, if only I knew! Honestly, it would just be better if no news was on in waiting rooms, period. It always struck me as inappropriate; what masochist wants to hear about the latest disaster while waiting for a blood test?
I used to go to a barber shop in my quaint downtown that did reliable walk-ins for a cheap price. But everyone there was clearly an immigrant, and I grew concerned they were being treated properly, especially after one very hot day when an open door was all the AC that was alotted. Pretty soon after, I was taken aback when the TV was set not to the latest football, but, you guessed it, FNC. Then I actually looked around and saw Cheeto memorabilia at the owners work station. Left immediately and Never. Went. Back. Found a better shop one block away, with nice hardwood floors and pawn shop shows on TV. Shoulda switched sooner, and shoulda wrote a letter.
I know... I HATE that!
I always enjoy the rigor and robust thoroughness in your comments, Will. Now, I understand you even a bit more. Fist-bumping you through the Interwebs. Signed, homeschool mom of two gifted kids. “We hang our hats on critical thinking skills and being good humans”.
**returning fist bump in solidarity**
If I had a dollar for every time I heard someone say they watched Fox because it's "conservative news", I'd be retired on my own island. You hit it on the head; news is supposed to inform with facts, not hew to an already established way of thinking.
"The Church Committee staffers warned Jordan that if he wanted to claim the mantle of that committee, he would need to move forward with the 'same spirit of cooperation and bipartisanship.' "
HA! Jim Jordan will follow that advice just after giant orange monkeys fly out of Donald Trump's fundamental orifice.
Good to see the heat mounting on Fox, however.
Thank you so much, Dr. Richardson. Great letter tonight!
LOL! I should have known where flying monkeys come from.
Only the orange ones, mind you....
Are you sure???
Interesting .
Of course , Jordan tweeted a lie about Joe Biden soon after.
He always does.
A lie a day , its the Republican way.
A lie a day, it’s the Republican way! Just love that, should be a meme or a bumper sticker!
Great idea!
That works from Jonah Goldberg in my newspaper. He wonders “how can I put down Biden this week?” He had more fun with a black president, though.
At this point, I would accept the offer of a lie a DAY.
What? I'm a pragmatist.
Thank you Heather.
Meanwhile from Oregon’s Sen. Ron Wyden…
“What I'm about to say I don't take lightly.
In a few days, a lawless Trump-appointed judge in Texas is expected to issue a ruling in a lawsuit that will effectively ban access to the abortion medication Mifepristone nationwide.
Today, I took to the Senate floor to call on the FDA to ignore the ruling and keep this life-saving drug on the market.”
Wow! This is a whole new, and justifiable, take on civil disobedience. Thank you Ron!
Jean-Pierre, this is such important and disturbing news. Hope it doesn’t fall under the radar. A pill. Or a medical procedure. Women must be able to choose. The fascists who want to control women, their bodies and their futures, have The Supreme Court and repubs to Thank. The underground abortion solutions are risky, health-wise and in many states are illegal to the provider and to the woman. Imagine paying fines or going to jail or having to travel thousands of miles for a legal abortion. Or dying from a non medical procedure or if the mother’s in danger, there is a miscarriage or the pregnancy is from a rape or or incest, a child. The list goes on. The provider might be jailed. It’s unbelievable that so many states and courts are legally taking us back to the dark ages.
Hoping that the dark ages do not descend on us, I cast a light from the past right across from Washington Square Park: "It all started in 1957. Howard Moody had been Judson’s minister for a year when a woman from Florida knocked on his door seeking his help to end a pregnancy. She said someone had given her Moody’s name."
Here's the article from Dec. 26, 2016: https://bedfordandbowery.com/2016/12/the-church-that-helped-women-get-illegal-abortions/
Yes, that's my church...
Rosalind, thank you for the true story about Abortion, clergy and the risks taken in the name of love and sanity. “...those cases, the woman would arrive at a designated midpoint and be brought blindfolded to have the surgery performed...” imagine how back to the dark ages we are now in 2023.
I still remember some images from before Roe vs. Wade, including one horrific photograph of a woman lying naked and bleeding after attempting a self-induced abortion. It killed her. That picture said it all about the need for access to safe, legal abortions.
Acts to get fake-Christian votes. Republicans can avoid the personal impact of the legislation.
I’m from Oregon. I have always thought highly of Ron Wyden.
My senator!!
I was astonished a while back to learn why so many of these right-wing wish list cases seem to arise from Texas -- their federal court rules actually permit "judge shopping" by the Texas state government. They deliberately funnel their cases to pet Republican judges, with national consequences. How it works is detailed in the following article:
https://www.nilc.org/2022/10/04/texas-judge-shopping-undermines-public-interest-and-the-future-of-public-policy-the-torch/
Great HCR newsletter !! While it's definitely taking time to happen, it seems that FNC and its news "personalities" are finally being exposed as the rats they are, and have been, for the last several years. Nothing like a huge $$ civil lawsuit and a thorough grand jury to do the trick. But you know.... it's not they themselves that worry me the most, it's all the millions of people who consider these people as viable sources for our daily news. Yikes !!
Some lies can be legitimate targets of legal action, but any provable lies by people in a position of authority should be condemned in the court of public opinion. Hurtful, harmful lies pollute our society, even kill.
Foxheads say, “pffft, lies are a legitimate means to an end; they work! I’m living proof”
There's now some hope they will be forced to vanish.
Is there any chance? What do you, any and all of you, think will happen now?
We've been disappointed so often....
Rupert refuses to die, and he has left spawns who are clones
We should not be surprised that Fox “News” or politicians lied. About Dominion Voting Machines and Fox “News” Lies, Today’s letter: “The filing today shows that those same personalities didn’t believe what they were telling their viewers, and suggests that they made those groundless accusations because they worried their viewers were abandoning them to go to channels that told them what they wanted to hear: that Trump had won the election. “
Crooks and Liars follow the Corruption playbook, a worldwide strategy. Hannah Arendt: “It is this fragility that makes deception so very easy up to a point, and so tempting. It never comes into a conflict with reason, because things could indeed have been as the liar maintains they were. Lies are often much more plausible, more appealing to reason, than reality, since the liar has the great advantage of knowing beforehand what the audience wishes or expects to hear. He has prepared his story for public consumption with a careful eye to making it credible, whereas reality has the disconcerting habit of confronting us with the unexpected, for which we were not prepared.”https://www.themarginalian.org/2016/06/15/lying-in-politics-hannah-arendt/
Adore Hannah Arendt..
She knew us well, warts and all…
Thank you so much for this link!!!
Great read!
Jordan is not worthy to be in charge of any committee.
The GOP is not interested in bipartisanship.
In fact, the current GOP is not interested in the Constitution, democracy, truth or people -
only power and keeping people ignorant.
I am old enough to remember when the world was not so crazy, when elections did not cause massive stress and trauma and when even people like William Buckley could engage in political discourse without demonizing the other side in his show "Firing Line." There is no discourse today. The Church Committee sending Jordan a letter about how he should conduct the committee is like telling you kids not to drink when they go to college...goes in one ear and out the other. Thanks Heather!
I am of that age as well. Not that it was all the "good old days" by any means, but I think we have allowed our democratic process to go seriously awry, and can't let it do so any further without disaster. Nixon's very serious abuses of power are dwarfed by much that has happened since. Follow the money.
Buckley didn’t demonize the other side??? He just did it with aplomb and a certain degree of haughtiness
Let's be honest. Is there any doubt that Joe Kennedy stole Jack's elections? Election shenanigans have been around throughout our history, with Blacks taking the brunt.
Honestly, Joe Kennedy did not steal JFK’s election but his election certainly unearthed a lot of twisted, hateful people some of whom are still with us today. How could “blacks” take the brunt of any election shenanigans ? Their voting rights have been curtailed for decades !
Maybe not so overtly crazy, but look back fifty years, Racism, antisemitism, add to the list, Vietnam. Nixon. Our foundation is shaky.
Fox News Channel knowingly undermined faith in a national election in order to prop up its stock price.
“None dare call it treason.” Barry Goldwater.
That was actually Phyllis Schlafly - her first public demonstration of her insanity.
Geezus, is there anyone in the last half century who has caused more harm that is less known to the greater public?
The bitchy witch of my young adulthood. “None dare call it reason” fits to a tee…
I have an old Mike Royko column in which he disputes her view that stronger sexual harassment laws should be rejected because women who were sexually harrassed brought it on themselves, according to her testimony before a Congressional subcommittee. His takedown is ROTFL hilarious.
I miss Royko! His humorous criticism was spot on, and entertaining!
Please share your Royko! It’s a refreshing reminder. Thanks
I recall “None Dare Call It Treason” was the title of a book authored by Barry Goldwater and published just before the 1964 presidential election that Goldwater lost in a landslide to Lyndon Johnson.
Did Goldwater take the phrase from Schlafly?
Schlafly wrote the book. One reviewer wrote, "None dare call it reason."
Thank you for pointing out my mistake.
Amazon has John A. Stormer as the author.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=dp_byline_sr_book_1?ie=UTF8&field-author=John+A.+Stormer&text=John+A.+Stormer&sort=relevancerank&search-alias=books
No- the book was written by John Anthony Stormer in 1964 during Goldwater's run for president. I have no clue how Schlafly fits in-never heard her name attached to the book or the phrase. Agree she was a nut case.
"None Dare Call It Treason", author John Anthony Stormer (February 9, 1928 – July 10, 2018). It was published in 1964 during Barry Goldwater's run for president, and quickly picked up by right wingers. Stormer wrote several books, each of which focused on one of the standard themes of conservative thought during Goldwater's time.
Frank Church and, excuse the written guffaw, Jim Jordan, should never, ever be compared on their integrity and competence as committe chairs. One exemplified the tenets of a government based on bipartisan dialogue and discovery; the other, only seeks to settle personaol scores with a searing animus toward truth or comprosise. One (the former, if I need to identify of whom I speak) has left a lasting legacy of good governing and the other a minefield of malice toward truth. The letter from those veterans of the Church Committee to the, excuse me again, the nascent one, is a sober and reasonable attempt to suggest a meaningful course. I am skeptical of its impact on a jacketless, former wrestling coach from Ohio.
Who got bounced on his head a time or two too many while covering up for his boss.
Thank you for this splendid review of current court cases and legislative investigations. Unfortunately I can't see that loud mouthed lying Jim Jordan following a single item of the Church Committee's report. His mind (if he has one) has been made up, before he was even elected to the House of Representatives. He will only allow the bogus committee to spout the MAGGOT line of questioning and report their preconceived notions. They might as well not even hold hearings we know what they will find.
7 a.m. your post is the top of my email inbox.
Can't wait to start the day.
Good morning, Susan!