Today the Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted along party lines to remove Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) from her seat on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Substack automatically populates the post with an image from the notes, and I was unhappy that it chose McCarthy's antisemitic tweet. I jumped to update it with the first neutral thing I could find on my phone: the brick wall Ernest Hemingway and his friends built around his home in Key West, Florida. Not exactly a reflection of the post, but not too far off, either, I guess.
I read your newsletter this morning, with anger and then fear rising, as I learned all that was happening in the House, followed by your detailing of "a window into a larger story,"....until I got to "it's not the first time." I read on with a growing sense of hope, "the American people turned against the Democrats (today's GOP)." They did it and we can too! We just need to keep making sure as many citizens as possible get the truth about what the GOP is doing....and show them an alternative. Yes, we can! (forgive a bit of nostalgia!)
It is hard with the people that watch Fox (entertainment) News and social media. I read information on what is happening in Indiana earlier...it is very scary. They are doing things in their bills to prevent (what they call socialism). They sure don't want that in Indiana. And they are so happy that Jim Banks has tfg's approval and large donations..... hummm. He appears young and evil to me!
I had the same reaction. When I saw that this had happened before and the adults in the room made it through I have hope now. I'm terrified by what's going on. Yes....yes we can
I have noticed that about Substack and wondered how/why which image got "chosen" showed up when sharing the Letter. I initially assumed it was automatically to the first note but that is not always the case. Thanks for making the change and being alert at 2am (although that is not atypical for HCR) or whenever the Letter was posted!
Understood. A photo of the “anti-gun” pin would have been the most appropriate. This post is the most terrifying yet. As MTG and Co. continue in power, it’s very discomfiting for most Americans. Autocracy creep.
The only good thing about MTG being back on committees is that it gives the voting public an even better chance to see how stupid she is. She asked an endless string of questions the other day about Covid PPP grants and loans that were so dim-witted that no one had a clue WTF she was talking about. They pretty much ignored her as she always answers her own questions.
What's even scarier is that the gun nuts have decided it's OK to carry guns in the House itself and committee rooms and that the mags are now GONE. I fear what may happen @ the State of the Union address...there's a real risk of assassination...Will they next forbid the presence of the Capitol Police?
This is beyond stupid. As the saying goes, "Stupidity kills, but not fast enough." I worry about how many innocent bystanders the stupid crowd will take with them. We can start with the statistics on mass shooting and work back from there.
“The Republicans who want to destroy the ‘socialist’ government, want to keep white people in charge, support Trump or someone similar, are fervently Christian, and openly court violence.”
ARE fervently Christian?
Fervently PROCLAIM THEMSELVES to be Christian, yet are openly anti-Christian, and don’t appear to have the least idea of what “Christian” means.
Nothing new about such gross misrepresentation, but this power-mad bunch of junkies have taken it about as far as it can be taken. Yet another demented sect like the Anabaptists of Munster…
So true, Peter! I still can’t erase from my mind that image of tfg clutching a Bible prop for a photo op at St. John’s Church! He, who probably has violated every single one of the 10 commandments! He, the Republican role model of Christian hypocrisy.
Agree. Throw in the word “Christian” whenever possible, to appease the evangelicals who are beginning to “see the light” shining through Trump’s facade. (Mixed metaphor, sorry!)
At least there is Faithful America, an ecumenical group that is fighting against White Supremacy and Christian Nationalism. It was refreshing for me to learn about them because I am culturally Christian, but can't stomach White Supremacy or Christian Nationalism. They are full of hate, violence and self righteousness it makes their claim to be representa tives of Christ completely untenable.
Jeeze. I am proudly Cretin avoiding the 300 million Christian takeoffs which sprout like mushrooms in dark places eating you know what and professing to do everyone else in. Whew, you have no idea what it’s like to have such a rare god-type. Very little god but lots of type. Type, type …
I wrote a long, detailed response to Dave Dalton's demand (scroll down to see it) that these people be called out for blasphemy. Typically, it vanished at the very moment when I was about to post it.
That said, most readers here are well able to think for themselves and, if you come to think about it, blasphemy will become understandable even to atheists as the endemic disease not only of the monotheist religions but of all who believe in the existence of One Truth.
Prime symptom: when the belief in "One Truth" skids into a belief that "I possess it". Even Stalin suffered from this...
*
Our old Nobodaddy Joe
watches us from down below.
At the seminary, he
grew jealous of the Deity;
plotted there to take His place,
liquidate the human race,
leaving only Party cadres,
indispensable cadavers
and of course His Privates, We.
*
Sorry, that's a distraction. But now... I wonder whether most of us don't fall into this trap at some time or another, for any and every belief or belief system is bound to entail pitfalls of delusion. Even what we take for axioms contain pitfalls... every time we think we know and understand something that we do not know.
And many things are quite beyond the confines of strait, infinitely narrow linear minds.
I suggest that it may be well worth thinking about delusion and what religious leaders call “blasphemy”... while liking to imagine that it is practiced only by others...
Nor dare we forget for one moment that everywhere, everywhere, on TV screens, at pulpits and at church doors, tricksters and misguiders stand or lie in wait for the unwary believer... As though we needed any added misguiding! As though we didn’t come into this world more than adequately equipped for getting everything wrong…
We need to wake up now and stay awake to how everything from concepts to lenses and telescreens conditions consciousness and distorts our view, especially when we take what we gain from such mediation for anything more than very relative realities. Yet our whole world constantly confuses images with the reality they depict, and scientific theories and models with what is.
Maybe that is what the biblical commandment against setting up graven images is really about—at least in our times—the cult of illusions.
Safety must surely call for a skeptical examination of all beliefs. Rational faith needs no fancy dress...
I was thinking this as well. I know lots of people who do not ID with any religion and yet they are the most decent people I know in addition to the one Christian who is the most grounded and practices what Jesus actually taught. We were joking with my LMT on Wednesday about the afterlife and we all agreed that we would be nowhere near any of these so-called Christians. He is taking his massage table!
Yes. Not to be confused with similarly spelled cretons cretans or cretens. Cretinism came to us one wintry day in St. Stephens, Wyoming when we were excommunicated from our normal Catholicism. According to mom we had been Catholic since before Mary Queen of Scots. I had almost convinced her that we were really closet Jews from Crete but she held fast to her Catholic upbringing. After being nearly beaten to death by her alcoholic husband (my sperm donor, as I was not quite born yet) she divorced. Twelve years later the Catholic police caught up and alas I had to give up my alter boy vestments. I patiently explained that we should take up Cretinism as it started with a C, too. Being the bastard child, my siblings with every conceivable opportunity introduced me as that red haired bastard child and the ensuing wars convinced mom to start calling us a bunch of cretins. We later moved and mom went back to being a good Catholic, but for my part I felt most comfortable staying a Cretin. At least I didn’t have to sneak into church. I hope this explains things well enough, but if not it’s one of those faith deals. Trust me.
Thank you, Pat, for posting this. Yes, it does explain things. I wasn't sure what the reference was. Love the idea of being a closet Jew from Crete. My own father was ranting away one time about Jews when his sister informed him that there was a rumor that some ancestor was part Jewish and he shut up. I am not sure where she got this, as I have the family tree way back and I don't see any Jews. But she did end the rant. As for Catholics, I was raised in a good Protestant household and heard all sorts of nonsense about Catholics. I also taught in a Catholic boys' school run by Irish priests while a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sierra Leone. My husband and I were married in Sierra Leone by our principals (both Catholic priests) in Freetown by special permission by the bishop of Sierra Leone (also Irish) as we were not Catholic. I am sorry you had to endure what you did growing up, but I love that you seem to have a sense of humor about it.
It’s very weird that “Christian” is held as the paradigm for kindness and good deeds when it has probably been responsible for more death, destruction, humiliation, torture, suppression, repression etc … than atheists or agnostics and many other religions put together.
Christianity, and any other mystical being belief, is basically an esoteric way for humans to justify shit and selfish behaviour, to blame that entity and absolve self responsibility.
Let’s face it - we all know what makes a safe and caring community - and that’s to respect others as you hope to be respected. Simple
Thanks. Peter. This was going to be my reply as well. The true Christians I know wouldn't have anything to do with of this. In fact, this type activity is exactly what turned my father against the Republican Party, and made him vote Democratic TWICE before he passed away. These people are about as far away from being "Christian" as I can imagine.
Yes, please do not call these people anything but CINO (Christian in Name Only). Their evangelism is about power, white supremacy, and control of other persons' thoughts and speech. It has nothing to do with "This I command you, that you love one another". The name of Christ is used by them as a get out of hell free card.
Spreading the Bad News, making hell, spreading their hell -- poor wretches, poor us, even the thought of such sick minds is nauseous. It hurts to think of them.
But if nothing can be done to free them of their hate, let us at least protect ourselves from joining them in their cesspool.
Loving one's enemies could hardly be more heroic, when one sees what they do.
I've been thinking about this a lot. As someone who does not identify as Christian but who admires those who put their Christian beliefs to work for good, it seems to me that those who hold Christian beliefs are in danger of losing their religious identification to the white supremacist power hungry evangelism. Does the humble nature of those beliefs preclude them from calling out those who would subvert those beliefs?
No, but frequently in history we see wars between believers who each believe that their set of beliefs is correct, and now we see people who give up going to church because there is too high a noise to signal ratio. Those conflicts that lead to war are often justified by the story of Jesus throwing the money changers out of the temple, but He got riled up because the money changers were shortchanging those people who came with their own currency but had to trade it for the official Temple currency as offerings could only be made in the correct currency. (I heard that in a Methodist sermon, so it must be correct, right?)
OMG. He got riled up but he certainly didn't come in with a weapon of mass destruction. That was then and this is now. We have got to do better and I would posit that the right wing are the money changers who now need to be ushered out.
There is a group called Faithful America that I learned about in one of these comment sections. It is an ecumenical group dedicated to calling out White Supremacy and Christian Nationalism for the unchristian groups they clearly are. They held a sunrise vigil in front of the White House on January 6. I listened to it and was really heartened. The press didn't pick it up they way it does the rest of the right wing junk and I wish they had. It's important for all of us to know that the right wing bullies don't own Christianity even if they think they do. It's equally important to know there are viable and vibrant alternatives that are doing good work.
I think there might be a difference between an American "Christian" and a "Follower of Christ's messages". Correct?
Because, one can define a "Christian" from, say, the Pulpit as: Republican, Fascist, Anti-Semitic, Violent, Anti-Democracy, etc. Correct? In the Baptist Church there is no barrier at all to defining a Christian in this way.
So, I have to side with Dr. Richardson on this one.
She did properly capture a VERY large number of people who refer to themselves as "Christian".
Note, those same people DO NOT refer to Christ's messages often or at all.
There is a difference. Christians can follow "Satan".
Followers of Christ bestow love and forgiveness and show acceptance (of all comers).
Who are the ultrarich who “$upport” all these Republicans in order to have less regulatory oversight and make more money? They are the people who endanger our government.
I wonder how many of them have actually read the first three Gospels and what Jesus asked of his followers. I do love the book What Jesus Meant by Garry Wills.
They are fervently Christian in exactly the same way Al Qaeda are fervently Islamic. They are a authoritarian organization using their religion as protective cover for a purely secular agenda that is not hesitant to use violence and terrorism in achieving their ends.
While, of course, simultaneously claiming that they are the "real victims."
Anybody want to guess what political party did that in Germany in the 1930s?
Christian Nationalists and White Christian Extremists, are behind everything the QOP and tfg says and does. They are also behind the dehumanizing of Blacks, Hispanics, Muslims, Asians, and LGBTQ people. In reality they are behind the dehumanizing of anyone they see as not a White Christian. The silence of Republicans is because they are, and support, Christian Extremists.
“If you’re not against us you’re for us”
—-
The following article is very much worth reading!
—-
How the Christian right helped foment insurrection
Christian-right activists inside and outside of government promoted the election fraud lie and claimed God told them to “let the church roar.”
“Christian-right activists inside and outside of government promoted the election fraud lie and claimed God told them to “let the church roar.”
—-
“Florida televangelist Paula White…..White called the election results into question, asking God to let the people “have the assurance of a fair and a just election.” Flanked by a row of American flags, White implored God to “let every adversary against democracy, against freedom, against life, against liberty, against justice, against peace, against righteousness be overturned right now in the name of Jesus.” “
——
After breaching the Senate chamber.
“In video captured by The New Yorker, men ransacked the room, rifling through senators’ binders and papers, searching for evidence of what they claimed was treason. Then, standing on the rostrum where the president of the Senate presides, the group paused to pray “in Christ’s holy name.”
“Men raised their arms in the air as millions of evangelical and charismatic parishioners do every Sunday and thanked God for allowing them “to send a message to all the tyrants, the communists and the globalists, that this is our nation, not theirs.” They thanked God “for allowing the United States of America to be reborn.”
(This starts at the 7:57 minute mark in the video)
“Alex Jones, the far-right conspiracist radio host and Trump booster, electrified the Jericho Marchers with his invocation of the Book of Revelation, thought to prophesy Christ’s return. “Christ’s crucifixion was not our defeat, it was our greatest victory,” he shouted. “The state has no jurisdiction over any of us. Our relationship with God is sacred and is eternal.” He vowed that Biden “will be removed, one way or another.”
——
“…two federal workers, Arina Grossu – who had previously worked for the Christian-right advocacy group Family Research Council – and Rob Weaver, formed a new Christian right group, the Jericho March. The new group’s goal, according to a news release announcing its launch, was to “prayerfully protest and call on government officials to cast light on voter fraud, corruption, and suppression of the will of the American people in this election.” In fact, the Jericho March would help lay the groundwork for the insurrection.”
—-
“…..the dehumanization of Blacks, Hispanics, Muslims, Asians, and LGBTQ people that animates discrimination against each of those groups. That dehumanization is part of the playbook of the GOP’s politics of division and hate.”
What would Jesus do? He was full of benevolent love and forgiveness and His arms were opened wide to everyone, without judgement. These people are NOT Christians. They’re hateful liars, bigots and call for violence. They’re doing the devils work.
I just got my tee shirt from Northern Sun that reads, "Every time a Christian defends Trump an angel looses its lunch." I think we should just expand that to MAGA period.
The division in the Republican Party today is between avowed fascists and spineless morons who enable the fascists. The four "principled Republicans" who announced they would not vote to remove Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Relations Committee grabbed a figleaf of "due process" that congressman Thomas Massie said "wasn't much of a figleaf" and voted to support the fascists. Which makes them all complicit in the fascism of the traitor wing of the party. Remember that over half of the Republicans in congress today voted to deny recognition of Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election.
"Committed moderate good-guy Republican" former governor Larry Hogan announced today that if Trump is the party's nominee in 2024, he will support him.
There are no "worthwhile Republicans." There are traitors and enablers of traitors. Harry Truman was right 75 years ago when he said "The only 'good Republicans' are pushing up daisies." That statement is only far more true 75 years later.
100% Janet. The entire foundation of Republican thinking is wrong. It rejects science in favor of religious faith, when they differ. It worships at the alter of unrestricted capitalism. And it is anti-democratic in that it believes that its world view is the only valid one, and it must be in power by any means possible including fixing the vote in a republic where voters have the power. It will be the death of us unless somehow we can eradicate it. There is plenty of breadth within the current Democratic party to create two parties at least, all of whom will have a world view based on reality.
"The entire foundation of Republican thinking is wrong. It rejects science in favor of religious faith, when they differ. "
I question how religion can possibly agree with science; faith-based (in theory) v. fact-based. Religion can choose not to dispute scientific findings but the two are orthogonal.
I was so torn this election. I said I would refuse to vote R ever again. When It came to our state senator though I caved. I actually voted all D first. When I realized I had not voted for our R state senator I actually went and got a fresh ballot so I could give state senator my vote. Why did I do this? My conscience would not allow me to take a vote away from a good man that has helped our community a lot. Then of course I felt guilty about this too. I twisted myself in a knot over this for weeks before and after election.
It’s good that you have the opportunity to grapple with voting for any State Senator. My previous state Senator called our Governor a witch and took a trip to DC to meet with Trump before the 2020 election. Fortunately my district shifted and now we have a relatively mainstream Republican Senator, I think. I am watching her closely to see how she does.
we're all in a serious state of realignment... not just in this country. what you did makes perfect sense to me, Marj. it's not just about partisanship even tho we all pretty much agree that Rs are mostly terrible for the country. YAY for YOU... distinguishing a decent person who happens to align himself with Rs for whatever reason. Kudos to YOU, Marj!!
That was when I first voted, too, Janet. I didn't like Reagan one bit, and I remember my grandmother criticized me for my (admittedly immature) comments when he was shot.
While I hate to put a group in a labeled box, and I mean I HATE to do that, I can do no other. TC, you are correct. There are NO decent Republicans. Not a one.
The last Republican I voted for was Tom Kean, of New Jersey, and that was a long time ago. He turned out to be a really good governor. The last Of his kind.
I am similar. I live in MA and voted for Charlie Baker twice. Local yokels of course refer to him as a RINO; but he managed our state (actually a Commonwealth!) well. He chose not to run for another term; his Republican replacement ran a decent campaign but lost to Democrat Maura Healey, former state AG; obviously female but also a Lesbian. Doesn’t fit the profile of anyone who considers Baker a “RINO”!!! Lots of guarded comments about Maura H.
Also live in MA - did not vote for Baker but he did a decent job and was kept in check by a democratic state legislature. I just don’t understand why politicians like him don’t stand up against the radical republicans. A lot more independents and democrats would support them with votes. The ridiculous amount of money spent on all campaigns is obscene and has irrevocably changed everything.
TC, While you might be right, I am not yet ready to abandon my initiative of reaching out, as a start, to most of the 18 House Republicans from Biden-won districts. I expect, with 60% of the people in this country living paycheck to paycheck and millions working for starvation wages, significant numbers of their constituents would favor a pro-worker agenda that focused on $15 hourly minimum wage, paid family and medical leave, extension of the child tax credit, affordable, quality childcare, universal healthcare, investments in housing, in eldercare, in a shift from fossil fuels to a clean energy economy, and more—all of which have received zero Republican support.
In a word, convincing evidence to the contrary, I still believe there are possibly a sufficient number of “persuadables” among the 18, who conceivably could reject the devastating concessions far-right extremists are intent on extracting from the rest of us.
It never hurts to try to have a conversation with the enemy. But I suggest keeping expectations low. And maybe get surprised on the upside.
And I do bemoan the fact that it is so easy to use the word "enemy" when referring to members of another political party. But that is exactly what they have become. Enemies of everything we hold dear as Americans.
Bill, While I am aware this piece of my activism is not likely to score many points on this platform, as I continue to try and galvanize constituents from Biden-won districts to join me in urging their representatives to reject an agenda that, in my view, has evolved into a slow-moving, so far non-violent version of January 6, I also will resist viewing this particular set of representatives as the enemy.
Unfortunately Fox and friends have been calling Democrats the enemy for 25 years. There's really nothing else to consider when voting. Your guy may be a lying crook, but he's not the enemy because "The enemy of my enemy is my friend".
But Barbara is right if she can begin to humanize people called "Democrat".
Yup. I guess when you have nothing positive or constructive...like helping fellow humans...all that is left is demonizing and fabricating hateful nonsense. It is pathetic.
Really? So far a measure has passed that officially rejects "socialism" along party lines. This is nazi - to make such declarations. Not to mention a waste of time, childish, and a transparent "gotcha" move. Omar has been removed from the foreign affairs committee, by a party line vote - a clearly racist misogynistic anti-Muslim move. And, by a party line vote, a measure failed which would disallow members of Congress to carry loaded firearms on the House floor. And those are only what I have heard recently. What else? We are witnessing a total sh_t show, and it is just getting started. The wingnut wing of the Republican party has a knife to the throat of the speaker - a cowardly corrupt weasel of a human being, who looks good compared to the people wielding the knife. You have hope? Tell you what - I thank my lucky stars and the black voters of Georgia that the Senate is a bulwark against the total crazy coming from the House. We have to make 2024 count - strengthen the Senate to 60+, get the House back from the crazies, and keep the White House.
James, To start, the notion that “[I] have hope” not once appears in my comment. That said, while your comment, indeed, is provocative, it also suggests, at least to me, why inaction is not an option in light of the seriousness of the radical mindset that already is holding the party hostage.
Quoting a Robert Reich Substack subscriber, “Standing aside is taking a side—the wrong one.”
To be clear, there are many other things that we need to be doing, but confronting the urgency of this moment has to be part, and, in my view, an important part, of what we do.
Thank you Barbara Jo Krieger, for the reminder to resist the group-think outrage game and concentrate on the job at hand of civil discourse, and reaching out to MOC. Citizenry, like governance is hard. That’s why fascism looks so appealing for many right now. This is the hardest WE, the current citizens, have had to work to hold onto democracy in a long, long while. Tumultuous change is afoot, and holding on to the ethos of “Freedom and Justice for All” feels like a promethean task. But is all starts local. It all starts with small actions everyday by all of us with open hearts and courage.
Ms Krieger: Have you done the math on the $15 minimum wage? Robert Reich wrote last year that if the minimum wage were $24 per hour it would be appropriate to inflation. By now it should likely be higher. I did the math: if you work five days a week for $15 per hour you can either eat and be homeless or have shelter and not eat. As climate change attacks crops, food inflation will increase, so even my calculations will quickly be incorrect. Add to that no money for medical care (if you can get it) and no paid time to get well. We are in a bad way and Republicans are working against US.
Ms.Witmer: I am well aware that a $15 minimum wage is not a livable wage anywhere in the country. Nonetheless, I imagine the 60% living precariously from paycheck to paycheck, wherein the family income, in many cases, is only sustained by more people working longer hours, and still they’re weighted down by mortgage debt, credit card debt, and the like, would relish a minimum wage that had more than doubled.
Moreover, I would note that the $15 was but one item within a long list of items framed around a larger argument, wherein the list was not my main point. Hence, I am left wondering why you chose to deliver a lecture that focused exclusively on the inadequacy of the proposed minimum wage increase.
This excerpt from cult expert Steven Hassan’s book “The Cult of Trump” is chilling: “In 1974 a survivor of the Italian holocaust, Primo Levi said, "fascism arises not just by military force or police intimidation but by denying and distorting information, by undermining systems of justice, by paralyzing the education system, and by spreading in myriad subtle ways nostalgia for a world where order reigned." It’s such a play book! Knowing that Hitler came to power democratically is of no comfort either. We toss “like Hitler” around a lot on both sides, I realize. The point I’m aware of now is that his “Path to Power” was by using the democratic system against itself. Americans have been whipped up to be in that same confused, impotent, chaotic, and outraged condition, mostly perhaps because we could not conceive of it ever “happening here”. And yet, the playbook is being followed and the trajectory is looking pretty much the same.
I believe that Hogan “says” (actually using Repub political theater) that he will support Trump because already lines are forming behind trump and desanazitis.
I commented on this forum yesterday that, in my opinion, oddly it will be trump who derails desanazitis.
As a governor, Hogan opposes the FL Governor.
Anyone saying they will support trump in ‘24 is actually sending a clear messsge to the splinter Ron who is trying to grab the far right MAGAt base. Who will never vote for anyone besides their hero.
According to The Hill, Hogan "walked back" his statement but it wasn't much. Hogan is pretty slick. He's ok on some issues but is totally big business and more than a little authoritarian.
Evan, As discouraged as I was by how these Republicans from Biden-won districts voted, their votes, in my view, are indicative of the extent to which a radical mindset already is holding the party hostage.
I agreed with so much of what you said (as I often do) until I got to your last line. Maybe if you had said All GOP politicians are scum....But If we really believe that all Republicans are scum, then why would we even try to reach them, one person at a time, some of them our relatives or neighbors, with our stories of what our candidates stand for and why they would want to vote for them? And even if we tried, they would be able to tell we think they're scum, and then why would they listen?
And yet, reaching enough of them, not the politicians but our relatives and neighbors, who make up nearly half of the residents of our country, is an important part of defending and growing our democracy. So I go back to Dr. King, "Hatred cannot drive out hatred; only love can do that." And I urge that we distinguish between condemning evil behaviors (and occasionally name-calling poiliticians) and labeling all republicans as evil or scum. It ain't easy.....but I think it is important enough to try. Blessings,
"Hatred cannot drive out hatred; only love can do that." That's valid up to a point. The Allies did not recapture Europe from the Nazis with love. At some point, you have to recognize that the person trying to kill you isn't interested in having a dialog. They just want you dead. This, sadly, is where we are with the far right in this country. They don't just hate the rest of us, they want us either dead or in prison. And they're not even trying to hide it any longer.
We need to decide how we're going to deal with that. Because POC in this country have been dealing with it for a couple of centuries now.
TC in LA: thanks for the Truman quote. Have been reminded lately that he was our last “basic middle class” president. No frills, no being captive of excessive wealth.
Sad but true, I'm afraid. Anyone with actual principles has either been blackballed from the party or frightened into submission. The rest are just hustlers who will do anything for power.
Romney is no hero. Glad she mentioned that self-righteous bastard Norquist. He was/is a prime mover of the insanity we have today. Moyers warned about him many years ago. Moyers was our hero, but Rupert’s Fox bull Schitt attracted evil like moths to a flame.
Norquist is one of the architects of Proposition 13 in California. Ruined California’s public schools, among other things. Our streets are full of potholes, libraries are understaffed or closing, inadequate firehouse staffing, the public university system is beyond the budget of many, many families, and anything else that needs to be funded has been crippled. Meanwhile, fossil fuel companies are paying property taxes set in 1976. Yay for the little guy!
Mitt Romney reminds me somewhat of Collins in that his votes change lanes unexpectedly. I think he is capable of better decisions although that seldom happens.
Hogan evidently walked that statement back a little according to The Hill. BTW, He's my former governor and "moderate" is only by comparison.
"But Hogan walked back that statement in a tweet later in the day, clarifying that he would not commit to supporting the twice-impeached former president. Instead, he said he fully expected to support the nominee, who he thinks will not be Trump.
“To be clear, my position on Trump hasn’t changed. Trump won’t commit to supporting the Republican nominee, and I won’t commit to supporting him,” Hogan tweeted."
It's bad no matter how one looks at it: given the emerging field and the state of the GOP, the nominee is highly likely to be horrible in every way. As a MA voter (and activist), I'm wondering about my state's Republican former governor, Charlie Baker. He's said publicly that in 2016 and 2020 he left the top of the ballot blank, IOW, he didn't vote for Trump but he didn't vote for Clinton or Biden either. The Dem candidates didn't need his vote, since MA goes reliably blue in presidential elections. (We do like our Republican governors, however -- Mitt Romney was one of them.)
The MA GOP has gone full MAGA, which doesn't play well here: Republicans were wiped out in last year's statewide elections, there are only 3 Republicans in the 40-member state senate and 26 Republicans in the 160-member state house of representatives. (Don't get too excited: some of the Democrats, including the house leadership, are nothing to write home about.) Will Baker pledge to support the 2024 GOP nominee sight unseen, even though we've seen most if not all of the GOP possibilities and WYSIWYG? Last fall, when still governor, he declined to condemn DeSantis for his stunt flying 50 migrants to Martha's Vineyard (where I live) under false pretenses.
I *want* to believe that some high-profile Republicans put country and small-d democracy over party, but apart from Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, and maybe Mitt Romney (who when MA governor presided over the creation of Commonwealth Care, a forerunner of the ACA), I'm not seeing much evidence of it.
And Liz Cheney is Dick Cheney's daughter. I don't have much trouble seeing them as two separate people. What point are you trying to make about Ronna and Mitt?
My point, I guess, is Trump did not want to be reminded of Mittt, so told Ronna to dump Romney. The independence to which I refer is Ronna’s from Trump.
Thanks. The threading makes it hard to see that my question was directed to Ellen Devens, who noted that McDaniel is Romney's niece without saying what her point was. Is she implying that Romney is unreliable because McDaniel is his niece?
Rather a low bar, don't you think? He hasn't ruled out supporting other GOP candidates, and at the moment I'm not seeing any "moderate" contenders in the GOP field. Baker refused to condemn FL governor Ron DeSantis for his IMO unforgivable stunt in tricking 50 mostly Venezuelan migrants into boarding planes for Martha's Vineyard, where I live and where *no one* was told of their impending arrival. All Baker did was make mealy-mouth criticisms of the immigration system in general.
I didn't know he'd failed to condemn DeSantis. I will be even more disappointed if he supports any insurrectionist or MAGA-leaning GOPers. The failure to condemn DeSantis is not good, but I still think he was a good governor. But he'd better not support DeSantis for pres, or even governor.
MA resident here, and *not* a Baker supporter. MA does like its GOP governors (Mitt Romney was one of them), but this has a fair amount to do with the heavily Democratic legislature, which is one of the least transparent and least accountable in the country. Many voters seem to think that having a GOP governor helps "balance out" the Democratic legislature. Trouble is, with a GOP governor, the Democratic legislative leadership has no incentive to shape up. Some constructive leadership from the "corner office" would help, and I hope Maura Healey (who just took office and was an excellent attorney general) will provide it.
Janet-He's NOT a moderate despite what he may say; I live in NH and he's been buddy-buddy with the ultra libertarians right wing group called the Free State Project, who hide as Republicans and are likely to NOT say they belong to that group. The "Republican" majority leader of the House is one of them. They went so far as to propose a secession bill last year and LOST big time: 323 against the bill and 13 for it. Apparently he's thinking of throwing his hat in the ring for POTUS. Let's not forget he went to the Cato Institute and gave a speech there & he also said "I'm a Trump guy through and through." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn5id3GQj3Y
The rhetoric just gets worse everyday. From Qevin and his bald-faced lies and M Three Names challenging AOC to a showdown debate, of which AOC would win by a landslide. Then the 5th Circuit Court denying women any protection from their attacker or abuser is complete insanity! Where do the these people get their orders from? Is it Putin? The Federalist Society chair, Leonard Leo? Wake me up from this diabolical nightmare, would you?
The Republicans will cause as much damage as they can in the name of personal freedom. The world they want would/will cause them more harm than they can imagine. A weakened US may fail to protect itself against rising autocratic challengers both foreign and domestic. They fool themselves if they believe they can hold that tiger by the tail.
The GOP is the proverbial "dog that caught the car". They have no idea what to do with it.
After over a decade of being taught to do nothing but oppose the Libs they have No ideas and those that might have them dare not utter them as there is more risk than reward. To suggest anything positive would enrage their own so, you get defund the IRS, cut SS & Medicare, remove good people from committees, Hunter's laptop, ban books, threaten debt ceiling, etc. All to "flood the zone" and deflect from the reality that they simply cannot govern, because that requires having an actual realistic position on something,.... and that they do not have.
Excellent analogy. So the question becomes what "pitch" to the American people will win in 2024? Will it be the one filled with anger and hate? Or will it be the one that legislates for the betterment of our citizens?
Hunter's laptop or terrific jobs in semiconductors?
Anti-science rhetoric or life saving medicines?
The Russian Connection or the fight for human rights and Western values?
Violence via daily gun slaughters or reasonable regulations?
Putting women "back in the kitchen" or Affordable Childcare?
Control over women's reproductive choices or true FREEDOM?
ER based healthcare or a system that costs half as much and prevents illness?
There is much more. But I just re-read this list and I can't believe I typed in the year 2023.
It will involve stoking the hate train. We all believe it’s Fox News and/or social media, but at this point, the message is being woven into church sermons. It’s bigger than I ever imagined.
Good lists and points on the media, Bill & Jane expanding the narrative.
Robert Hubbell whom many in here like and follow, also suggests that our path is the latter of your two choices Bill, that their motives are primarily to keep us outraged as it's clear they are not to govern. It keeps us sidelined.
I agree with this but, also think it's deeper and that they have, in fact blown thru any imaginary barriers they may have had and moved into true cult territory. Even without tfg who with not one moral or ethical bit of character took them to the precipice, under his tutelage they have now moved on without him.
It's one thing for a cult of 100 or even a thousand to do things they are taught to "believe" but that do them harm. But, when it is 30, 50 or more Million that are being indoctrinated that science, medicine, education, government, helping others (one's allies), any other color or religion (but theirs) are all Bad and that those that believe those things are good are all evil,....well, that may sound crazy like your list, Bill but that is what's happening and it's all being distributed openly 24/7 by their cult, state media center. We also know that they have infiltrated our local & state police depts and the military and have learned that "flooding the zone" works as trying to pick off and tackle these issues one by one is hard esp now witnessing the slow churn of justice.
The answers are above my pay grade but, seems to me it's time to enlist the very best academic (yes, the "elites") minds in psychology for direction.
So, sorry it sounds negative but, it feels to me like our best strategic thinkers need to figure out how to unify many or most of these issues into an overall counter-strategy. Similar to a military battle one has to know the foe, analyze their weak points then develop the strategy to defeat them like Washington did in the Revolution and Zelinsky is doing in Ukraine, against formidable odds.
BK, you hit upon something that a friend and I discussed about a year ago. We were talking about the TIkTok Ice challenge where people raised money for charity. Then there were all these dangerous challenges, like the tide pods.
We agreed, why can't there be a challenge for longest running Straight A's in school, but agreed it would take too long. We then thought, how about challenges for collecting the most trash off of streets? Be it by pound or cubic feet, probably the latter as the picture of mounds of trash would be more likely to go viral.
All of the items on left are base level emotional feedback/adrenaline/dominance postures -- requiring nothing but "join us" effort to feel the jolt. Items on the right require more effort and ability to slow down and reason for our reward of "joining a community". They've had 20+ years of subliminal drumbeats on radio, tv, social media to create their following that only knows reactive states. The AR-15 pins - the signaling in this - frightening.
They’ve been there before, most recently in 2011. But it really feels like they are driving the car off the cliff this time. They want a civil war and believe that if they can’t get it by gerrymandering enough of the votes, they’re going straight to violence.
Just remember that when you hear about the next mass-shooting, Republicans aren’t going to put out the “thoughts and prayers” BS anymore, especially if that shooting involves minority groups. They’re done with all that.
In some ways, I am a little hopeful that for all the fits of rage we will be subjected to, we will once again get nothing of substance from them. Some day, Americans will tire of all the theater, because they will be so unsuccessful. They will get nothing accomplished.
They want "personal freedom" by putting an authoritarian government into place. I don't think they understand what they are asking for and what they would be getting (and losing).
But this is not the sharpest lot. Need more funding for education and critical thinking.
How about common sense, which is anything but common. Drowned by the propaganda machine. It’s not just the MAGAts, it’s the spineless republicans with no semblance of a backbone. One and the same… deliberately
Jeri, that's absolutely true. It isn't just the handful of wing nuts that are destroying this Country. This is a very decided "us v them". They are winning.
The thing is, these people have degrees in all sorts of education and yet remain ignorant boneheaded “thinkers” with no commonsense, only common cruelty, meanness and a desire to brutally harm others.
The thing that a failed state teaches is that there is no freedom in a social sense without setting of boundaries and rights that apply to all. Modern Republicans claim privilege and impunity, not freedom, and freedom and bullying don't mix.
The whole world is watching. China and North Korea are planning accordingly. With the potential for another world war, we’re not in good hands with the gop in charge.
As far as I can tell that "personal freedom" that Republicans constantly tout is only for the affluent who make more than $15/hour, who don't drive a clunker car that they can't afford to repair or replace, who have a job with paid leave, and can afford decent, reliable daycare for their kids. Crunch some numbers and see if you can eat and live indoors at the same time on $15/hour.
“In its majestic equality, the law forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets and steal loaves of bread.” — Anatole France
And it's not even that equitable since the "rules" that Republicans now apply to themselves are starkly different than those they, with great drama and self-righteousness, impose on others, such as when a president is justified in appointing a SCOTUS justice or DeSantis' stance on "indoctrinating children".
This summation of today's Republican Party does two things. It reminds us all that the party of trump, de santis, mc carthy, greene, jordan, gaez, hawley, cruz, rubio, et al, is NOT the Republican party of Eisenhower, Rockefeller, McCain. It is following to a T the Fascist party of hitler and mussolini. If this is really what Americans want, I hope I die before it comes to fruition. Second, it bolsters what some of us have said repeatedly; the Leaders of the Democratic Party, Biden, Harris, Jeffries, Schumer, have to step up to the plate and use our own Constitution to fight them. Invoke Amendments 13 and 14. Invoke the details of Articles 1, 2, and 6. We can no longer cling to our dignity and hope the bad guys will disappear. Now is the time for action, not physical as the rethugs used 1/6/21 but verbal, legal and Constitutional. The Founding Fathers gave it to us, Dammit, use it.
"NOT the Republican party of Eisenhower, Rockefeller, McCain."
In the 1950s the then Republican Party called itself "The Party of Lincoln". That might have been a bit of a stretch even then, although back then the Confederate wannabees were part of the Democratic Party. Eisenhower tolerated Joe McCarthy for a while, but finally got sick of him. It now seems apropos to call the Trump-DeSantis, crew "The Party of McCarthy" (Joe, that is), if not just "Organized Crime".
BTW I hesitate to exaggerate without a humorous purpose, but think that Republicans truly have drifted into becoming "Organized Crime" in their relation to the law. Just one of many examples, this from Huffington Post:
"the recording obtained Thursday by The Associated Press. The audio centers on Andrew Iverson, who was the head of Trump’s campaign in the state.
'Here’s the deal: Comms is going to continue to fan the flame and get the word out about Democrats trying to steal this election. We’ll do whatever they need. Just be on standby if there’s any stunts we need to pull,' Iverson said."
Substack automatically populates the post with an image from the notes, and I was unhappy that it chose McCarthy's antisemitic tweet. I jumped to update it with the first neutral thing I could find on my phone: the brick wall Ernest Hemingway and his friends built around his home in Key West, Florida. Not exactly a reflection of the post, but not too far off, either, I guess.
I read your newsletter this morning, with anger and then fear rising, as I learned all that was happening in the House, followed by your detailing of "a window into a larger story,"....until I got to "it's not the first time." I read on with a growing sense of hope, "the American people turned against the Democrats (today's GOP)." They did it and we can too! We just need to keep making sure as many citizens as possible get the truth about what the GOP is doing....and show them an alternative. Yes, we can! (forgive a bit of nostalgia!)
It is hard with the people that watch Fox (entertainment) News and social media. I read information on what is happening in Indiana earlier...it is very scary. They are doing things in their bills to prevent (what they call socialism). They sure don't want that in Indiana. And they are so happy that Jim Banks has tfg's approval and large donations..... hummm. He appears young and evil to me!
Hope keeps us going and action makes it happen.
I, too, always breathe a sigh of relief when HCR aligns today's political news with times gone by. If we survived that, we can prevail once again.
I had the same reaction. When I saw that this had happened before and the adults in the room made it through I have hope now. I'm terrified by what's going on. Yes....yes we can
Si se puede!!!
I have noticed that about Substack and wondered how/why which image got "chosen" showed up when sharing the Letter. I initially assumed it was automatically to the first note but that is not always the case. Thanks for making the change and being alert at 2am (although that is not atypical for HCR) or whenever the Letter was posted!
No brick wall online, alas. Bu thank you for that and all your efforts.
The brick wall displayed when I shared to twitter.
Quick thinking! Thank you.
Understood. A photo of the “anti-gun” pin would have been the most appropriate. This post is the most terrifying yet. As MTG and Co. continue in power, it’s very discomfiting for most Americans. Autocracy creep.
The only good thing about MTG being back on committees is that it gives the voting public an even better chance to see how stupid she is. She asked an endless string of questions the other day about Covid PPP grants and loans that were so dim-witted that no one had a clue WTF she was talking about. They pretty much ignored her as she always answers her own questions.
I'm glad to hear this. It does my heart good.
I saw the gun pin yesterday and I thought not being subtle....what happened to the flags.
What's even scarier is that the gun nuts have decided it's OK to carry guns in the House itself and committee rooms and that the mags are now GONE. I fear what may happen @ the State of the Union address...there's a real risk of assassination...Will they next forbid the presence of the Capitol Police?
This is beyond stupid. As the saying goes, "Stupidity kills, but not fast enough." I worry about how many innocent bystanders the stupid crowd will take with them. We can start with the statistics on mass shooting and work back from there.
That’s the new gop emblem.
Sad day for America when elected officials are walking around wearing these pins with pride
I'm over being terrified by these dummies.
Masterpiece, regardless.
Bravo Dr.
Thank you, Dr. R for changing. Not too far off is right.
Yup, 'the media is the message,' as McLuhan said, and Substack is no exception.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gCtWxfrPIg
Yes, Katrina - this video spells it out. Thanks for sharing it.
The brick wall is what I am seeing. I couldn't figure out what it was.
“The Republicans who want to destroy the ‘socialist’ government, want to keep white people in charge, support Trump or someone similar, are fervently Christian, and openly court violence.”
ARE fervently Christian?
Fervently PROCLAIM THEMSELVES to be Christian, yet are openly anti-Christian, and don’t appear to have the least idea of what “Christian” means.
Nothing new about such gross misrepresentation, but this power-mad bunch of junkies have taken it about as far as it can be taken. Yet another demented sect like the Anabaptists of Munster…
So true, Peter! I still can’t erase from my mind that image of tfg clutching a Bible prop for a photo op at St. John’s Church! He, who probably has violated every single one of the 10 commandments! He, the Republican role model of Christian hypocrisy.
Agree. Throw in the word “Christian” whenever possible, to appease the evangelicals who are beginning to “see the light” shining through Trump’s facade. (Mixed metaphor, sorry!)
I’m thinking, correct the misrepresentation of Christianity with the descriptor “Extremist Evangelical Right” evety time you see it
At least there is Faithful America, an ecumenical group that is fighting against White Supremacy and Christian Nationalism. It was refreshing for me to learn about them because I am culturally Christian, but can't stomach White Supremacy or Christian Nationalism. They are full of hate, violence and self righteousness it makes their claim to be representa tives of Christ completely untenable.
I receive their emails regularly. Good information and a ray of sanity.
Jeeze. I am proudly Cretin avoiding the 300 million Christian takeoffs which sprout like mushrooms in dark places eating you know what and professing to do everyone else in. Whew, you have no idea what it’s like to have such a rare god-type. Very little god but lots of type. Type, type …
I wrote a long, detailed response to Dave Dalton's demand (scroll down to see it) that these people be called out for blasphemy. Typically, it vanished at the very moment when I was about to post it.
That said, most readers here are well able to think for themselves and, if you come to think about it, blasphemy will become understandable even to atheists as the endemic disease not only of the monotheist religions but of all who believe in the existence of One Truth.
Prime symptom: when the belief in "One Truth" skids into a belief that "I possess it". Even Stalin suffered from this...
*
Our old Nobodaddy Joe
watches us from down below.
At the seminary, he
grew jealous of the Deity;
plotted there to take His place,
liquidate the human race,
leaving only Party cadres,
indispensable cadavers
and of course His Privates, We.
*
Sorry, that's a distraction. But now... I wonder whether most of us don't fall into this trap at some time or another, for any and every belief or belief system is bound to entail pitfalls of delusion. Even what we take for axioms contain pitfalls... every time we think we know and understand something that we do not know.
And many things are quite beyond the confines of strait, infinitely narrow linear minds.
I suggest that it may be well worth thinking about delusion and what religious leaders call “blasphemy”... while liking to imagine that it is practiced only by others...
Nor dare we forget for one moment that everywhere, everywhere, on TV screens, at pulpits and at church doors, tricksters and misguiders stand or lie in wait for the unwary believer... As though we needed any added misguiding! As though we didn’t come into this world more than adequately equipped for getting everything wrong…
We need to wake up now and stay awake to how everything from concepts to lenses and telescreens conditions consciousness and distorts our view, especially when we take what we gain from such mediation for anything more than very relative realities. Yet our whole world constantly confuses images with the reality they depict, and scientific theories and models with what is.
Maybe that is what the biblical commandment against setting up graven images is really about—at least in our times—the cult of illusions.
Safety must surely call for a skeptical examination of all beliefs. Rational faith needs no fancy dress...
I am Jewish and I am more Christian than these folks.
Heck, I’m agnostic/atheist and I’M more Christian than they are.
Same here!
This pagan feminist was thinking along the same lines!
I was thinking this as well. I know lots of people who do not ID with any religion and yet they are the most decent people I know in addition to the one Christian who is the most grounded and practices what Jesus actually taught. We were joking with my LMT on Wednesday about the afterlife and we all agreed that we would be nowhere near any of these so-called Christians. He is taking his massage table!
Pagan feminists make really good Cretins. All gods or no gods accepted as need arises. We have only one commandment. You get to be who you are.
Cretins????
Yes. Not to be confused with similarly spelled cretons cretans or cretens. Cretinism came to us one wintry day in St. Stephens, Wyoming when we were excommunicated from our normal Catholicism. According to mom we had been Catholic since before Mary Queen of Scots. I had almost convinced her that we were really closet Jews from Crete but she held fast to her Catholic upbringing. After being nearly beaten to death by her alcoholic husband (my sperm donor, as I was not quite born yet) she divorced. Twelve years later the Catholic police caught up and alas I had to give up my alter boy vestments. I patiently explained that we should take up Cretinism as it started with a C, too. Being the bastard child, my siblings with every conceivable opportunity introduced me as that red haired bastard child and the ensuing wars convinced mom to start calling us a bunch of cretins. We later moved and mom went back to being a good Catholic, but for my part I felt most comfortable staying a Cretin. At least I didn’t have to sneak into church. I hope this explains things well enough, but if not it’s one of those faith deals. Trust me.
Thank you, Pat, for posting this. Yes, it does explain things. I wasn't sure what the reference was. Love the idea of being a closet Jew from Crete. My own father was ranting away one time about Jews when his sister informed him that there was a rumor that some ancestor was part Jewish and he shut up. I am not sure where she got this, as I have the family tree way back and I don't see any Jews. But she did end the rant. As for Catholics, I was raised in a good Protestant household and heard all sorts of nonsense about Catholics. I also taught in a Catholic boys' school run by Irish priests while a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sierra Leone. My husband and I were married in Sierra Leone by our principals (both Catholic priests) in Freetown by special permission by the bishop of Sierra Leone (also Irish) as we were not Catholic. I am sorry you had to endure what you did growing up, but I love that you seem to have a sense of humor about it.
Atheists are more Christian than the radical Christianists.
It’s very weird that “Christian” is held as the paradigm for kindness and good deeds when it has probably been responsible for more death, destruction, humiliation, torture, suppression, repression etc … than atheists or agnostics and many other religions put together.
Christianity, and any other mystical being belief, is basically an esoteric way for humans to justify shit and selfish behaviour, to blame that entity and absolve self responsibility.
Let’s face it - we all know what makes a safe and caring community - and that’s to respect others as you hope to be respected. Simple
Thanks. Peter. This was going to be my reply as well. The true Christians I know wouldn't have anything to do with of this. In fact, this type activity is exactly what turned my father against the Republican Party, and made him vote Democratic TWICE before he passed away. These people are about as far away from being "Christian" as I can imagine.
My dad did the same thing.
Yes, please do not call these people anything but CINO (Christian in Name Only). Their evangelism is about power, white supremacy, and control of other persons' thoughts and speech. It has nothing to do with "This I command you, that you love one another". The name of Christ is used by them as a get out of hell free card.
Spreading the Bad News, making hell, spreading their hell -- poor wretches, poor us, even the thought of such sick minds is nauseous. It hurts to think of them.
But if nothing can be done to free them of their hate, let us at least protect ourselves from joining them in their cesspool.
Loving one's enemies could hardly be more heroic, when one sees what they do.
I like the term CHINO. 😉
Christian Heretics In Name Only?
I've been thinking about this a lot. As someone who does not identify as Christian but who admires those who put their Christian beliefs to work for good, it seems to me that those who hold Christian beliefs are in danger of losing their religious identification to the white supremacist power hungry evangelism. Does the humble nature of those beliefs preclude them from calling out those who would subvert those beliefs?
No, it does NOT
Call them out for their blasphemy
Correct them every time by identifying them as “The Extremist Evangelical Right Wing Radicals”
No, but frequently in history we see wars between believers who each believe that their set of beliefs is correct, and now we see people who give up going to church because there is too high a noise to signal ratio. Those conflicts that lead to war are often justified by the story of Jesus throwing the money changers out of the temple, but He got riled up because the money changers were shortchanging those people who came with their own currency but had to trade it for the official Temple currency as offerings could only be made in the correct currency. (I heard that in a Methodist sermon, so it must be correct, right?)
OMG. He got riled up but he certainly didn't come in with a weapon of mass destruction. That was then and this is now. We have got to do better and I would posit that the right wing are the money changers who now need to be ushered out.
There is a group called Faithful America that I learned about in one of these comment sections. It is an ecumenical group dedicated to calling out White Supremacy and Christian Nationalism for the unchristian groups they clearly are. They held a sunrise vigil in front of the White House on January 6. I listened to it and was really heartened. The press didn't pick it up they way it does the rest of the right wing junk and I wish they had. It's important for all of us to know that the right wing bullies don't own Christianity even if they think they do. It's equally important to know there are viable and vibrant alternatives that are doing good work.
Jesus loved and helped the poor, not so these excuses for human beings...
awesome, I love a great new Acronym!
Triggering on Jim Jones anyone? 
Peter,
I think there might be a difference between an American "Christian" and a "Follower of Christ's messages". Correct?
Because, one can define a "Christian" from, say, the Pulpit as: Republican, Fascist, Anti-Semitic, Violent, Anti-Democracy, etc. Correct? In the Baptist Church there is no barrier at all to defining a Christian in this way.
So, I have to side with Dr. Richardson on this one.
She did properly capture a VERY large number of people who refer to themselves as "Christian".
Note, those same people DO NOT refer to Christ's messages often or at all.
There is a difference. Christians can follow "Satan".
Followers of Christ bestow love and forgiveness and show acceptance (of all comers).
Who are the ultrarich who “$upport” all these Republicans in order to have less regulatory oversight and make more money? They are the people who endanger our government.
Yes.
I wonder how many of them have actually read the first three Gospels and what Jesus asked of his followers. I do love the book What Jesus Meant by Garry Wills.
Not many.
Or just Matthew 25.
Yes.
Christians- my ass!
Absolutely 💯 % correct. These selfish bozos are fervently unchristian.
They are fervently Christian in exactly the same way Al Qaeda are fervently Islamic. They are a authoritarian organization using their religion as protective cover for a purely secular agenda that is not hesitant to use violence and terrorism in achieving their ends.
While, of course, simultaneously claiming that they are the "real victims."
Anybody want to guess what political party did that in Germany in the 1930s?
Christian Nationalists and White Christian Extremists, are behind everything the QOP and tfg says and does. They are also behind the dehumanizing of Blacks, Hispanics, Muslims, Asians, and LGBTQ people. In reality they are behind the dehumanizing of anyone they see as not a White Christian. The silence of Republicans is because they are, and support, Christian Extremists.
“If you’re not against us you’re for us”
—-
The following article is very much worth reading!
—-
How the Christian right helped foment insurrection
Christian-right activists inside and outside of government promoted the election fraud lie and claimed God told them to “let the church roar.”
https://revealnews.org/article/how-the-christian-right-helped-foment-insurrection/
Here are a few excerpts:
——
“Christian-right activists inside and outside of government promoted the election fraud lie and claimed God told them to “let the church roar.”
—-
“Florida televangelist Paula White…..White called the election results into question, asking God to let the people “have the assurance of a fair and a just election.” Flanked by a row of American flags, White implored God to “let every adversary against democracy, against freedom, against life, against liberty, against justice, against peace, against righteousness be overturned right now in the name of Jesus.” “
——
After breaching the Senate chamber.
“In video captured by The New Yorker, men ransacked the room, rifling through senators’ binders and papers, searching for evidence of what they claimed was treason. Then, standing on the rostrum where the president of the Senate presides, the group paused to pray “in Christ’s holy name.”
“Men raised their arms in the air as millions of evangelical and charismatic parishioners do every Sunday and thanked God for allowing them “to send a message to all the tyrants, the communists and the globalists, that this is our nation, not theirs.” They thanked God “for allowing the United States of America to be reborn.”
(This starts at the 7:57 minute mark in the video)
https://www.newyorker.com/news/video-dept/a-reporters-footage-from-inside-the-capitol-siege
——
“Alex Jones, the far-right conspiracist radio host and Trump booster, electrified the Jericho Marchers with his invocation of the Book of Revelation, thought to prophesy Christ’s return. “Christ’s crucifixion was not our defeat, it was our greatest victory,” he shouted. “The state has no jurisdiction over any of us. Our relationship with God is sacred and is eternal.” He vowed that Biden “will be removed, one way or another.”
——
“…two federal workers, Arina Grossu – who had previously worked for the Christian-right advocacy group Family Research Council – and Rob Weaver, formed a new Christian right group, the Jericho March. The new group’s goal, according to a news release announcing its launch, was to “prayerfully protest and call on government officials to cast light on voter fraud, corruption, and suppression of the will of the American people in this election.” In fact, the Jericho March would help lay the groundwork for the insurrection.”
—-
“…..the dehumanization of Blacks, Hispanics, Muslims, Asians, and LGBTQ people that animates discrimination against each of those groups. That dehumanization is part of the playbook of the GOP’s politics of division and hate.”
What would Jesus do? He was full of benevolent love and forgiveness and His arms were opened wide to everyone, without judgement. These people are NOT Christians. They’re hateful liars, bigots and call for violence. They’re doing the devils work.
I just got my tee shirt from Northern Sun that reads, "Every time a Christian defends Trump an angel looses its lunch." I think we should just expand that to MAGA period.
The division in the Republican Party today is between avowed fascists and spineless morons who enable the fascists. The four "principled Republicans" who announced they would not vote to remove Ilhan Omar from the Foreign Relations Committee grabbed a figleaf of "due process" that congressman Thomas Massie said "wasn't much of a figleaf" and voted to support the fascists. Which makes them all complicit in the fascism of the traitor wing of the party. Remember that over half of the Republicans in congress today voted to deny recognition of Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election.
"Committed moderate good-guy Republican" former governor Larry Hogan announced today that if Trump is the party's nominee in 2024, he will support him.
There are no "worthwhile Republicans." There are traitors and enablers of traitors. Harry Truman was right 75 years ago when he said "The only 'good Republicans' are pushing up daisies." That statement is only far more true 75 years later.
They. Are. All. Scum.
Never, ever vote for a Republican.
As the bumper sticker says. Friends don't let friends vote Republican.
100% Janet. The entire foundation of Republican thinking is wrong. It rejects science in favor of religious faith, when they differ. It worships at the alter of unrestricted capitalism. And it is anti-democratic in that it believes that its world view is the only valid one, and it must be in power by any means possible including fixing the vote in a republic where voters have the power. It will be the death of us unless somehow we can eradicate it. There is plenty of breadth within the current Democratic party to create two parties at least, all of whom will have a world view based on reality.
"The entire foundation of Republican thinking is wrong. It rejects science in favor of religious faith, when they differ. "
I question how religion can possibly agree with science; faith-based (in theory) v. fact-based. Religion can choose not to dispute scientific findings but the two are orthogonal.
i'm beginning to be able to find a place where they coincide... it does exist.
They see Republic as meaning State’s rights to not follow the Constitution.
huge problem for all of us... tho not always. this has been our challenge forever.
I was so torn this election. I said I would refuse to vote R ever again. When It came to our state senator though I caved. I actually voted all D first. When I realized I had not voted for our R state senator I actually went and got a fresh ballot so I could give state senator my vote. Why did I do this? My conscience would not allow me to take a vote away from a good man that has helped our community a lot. Then of course I felt guilty about this too. I twisted myself in a knot over this for weeks before and after election.
It’s good that you have the opportunity to grapple with voting for any State Senator. My previous state Senator called our Governor a witch and took a trip to DC to meet with Trump before the 2020 election. Fortunately my district shifted and now we have a relatively mainstream Republican Senator, I think. I am watching her closely to see how she does.
We escape some of the madness here in MA. My brother and sister live in FL. What a difference a state makes! Good luck!
we're all in a serious state of realignment... not just in this country. what you did makes perfect sense to me, Marj. it's not just about partisanship even tho we all pretty much agree that Rs are mostly terrible for the country. YAY for YOU... distinguishing a decent person who happens to align himself with Rs for whatever reason. Kudos to YOU, Marj!!
Never!
That was when I first voted, too, Janet. I didn't like Reagan one bit, and I remember my grandmother criticized me for my (admittedly immature) comments when he was shot.
Good judgement and good for you!
While I hate to put a group in a labeled box, and I mean I HATE to do that, I can do no other. TC, you are correct. There are NO decent Republicans. Not a one.
The last Republican I voted for was Tom Kean, of New Jersey, and that was a long time ago. He turned out to be a really good governor. The last Of his kind.
I am similar. I live in MA and voted for Charlie Baker twice. Local yokels of course refer to him as a RINO; but he managed our state (actually a Commonwealth!) well. He chose not to run for another term; his Republican replacement ran a decent campaign but lost to Democrat Maura Healey, former state AG; obviously female but also a Lesbian. Doesn’t fit the profile of anyone who considers Baker a “RINO”!!! Lots of guarded comments about Maura H.
I love Maura Healy.
Also live in MA - did not vote for Baker but he did a decent job and was kept in check by a democratic state legislature. I just don’t understand why politicians like him don’t stand up against the radical republicans. A lot more independents and democrats would support them with votes. The ridiculous amount of money spent on all campaigns is obscene and has irrevocably changed everything.
Certainly none who is consistent in this fight.
Except Adam and Liz!!!
not so sure about that. Look at their voting records.
TC, While you might be right, I am not yet ready to abandon my initiative of reaching out, as a start, to most of the 18 House Republicans from Biden-won districts. I expect, with 60% of the people in this country living paycheck to paycheck and millions working for starvation wages, significant numbers of their constituents would favor a pro-worker agenda that focused on $15 hourly minimum wage, paid family and medical leave, extension of the child tax credit, affordable, quality childcare, universal healthcare, investments in housing, in eldercare, in a shift from fossil fuels to a clean energy economy, and more—all of which have received zero Republican support.
In a word, convincing evidence to the contrary, I still believe there are possibly a sufficient number of “persuadables” among the 18, who conceivably could reject the devastating concessions far-right extremists are intent on extracting from the rest of us.
It never hurts to try to have a conversation with the enemy. But I suggest keeping expectations low. And maybe get surprised on the upside.
And I do bemoan the fact that it is so easy to use the word "enemy" when referring to members of another political party. But that is exactly what they have become. Enemies of everything we hold dear as Americans.
Bill, While I am aware this piece of my activism is not likely to score many points on this platform, as I continue to try and galvanize constituents from Biden-won districts to join me in urging their representatives to reject an agenda that, in my view, has evolved into a slow-moving, so far non-violent version of January 6, I also will resist viewing this particular set of representatives as the enemy.
Unfortunately Fox and friends have been calling Democrats the enemy for 25 years. There's really nothing else to consider when voting. Your guy may be a lying crook, but he's not the enemy because "The enemy of my enemy is my friend".
But Barbara is right if she can begin to humanize people called "Democrat".
Yup. I guess when you have nothing positive or constructive...like helping fellow humans...all that is left is demonizing and fabricating hateful nonsense. It is pathetic.
Enemy should be used when the word is accurate Bill. Yes.
Really? So far a measure has passed that officially rejects "socialism" along party lines. This is nazi - to make such declarations. Not to mention a waste of time, childish, and a transparent "gotcha" move. Omar has been removed from the foreign affairs committee, by a party line vote - a clearly racist misogynistic anti-Muslim move. And, by a party line vote, a measure failed which would disallow members of Congress to carry loaded firearms on the House floor. And those are only what I have heard recently. What else? We are witnessing a total sh_t show, and it is just getting started. The wingnut wing of the Republican party has a knife to the throat of the speaker - a cowardly corrupt weasel of a human being, who looks good compared to the people wielding the knife. You have hope? Tell you what - I thank my lucky stars and the black voters of Georgia that the Senate is a bulwark against the total crazy coming from the House. We have to make 2024 count - strengthen the Senate to 60+, get the House back from the crazies, and keep the White House.
James, To start, the notion that “[I] have hope” not once appears in my comment. That said, while your comment, indeed, is provocative, it also suggests, at least to me, why inaction is not an option in light of the seriousness of the radical mindset that already is holding the party hostage.
Quoting a Robert Reich Substack subscriber, “Standing aside is taking a side—the wrong one.”
To be clear, there are many other things that we need to be doing, but confronting the urgency of this moment has to be part, and, in my view, an important part, of what we do.
Thank you Barbara Jo Krieger, for the reminder to resist the group-think outrage game and concentrate on the job at hand of civil discourse, and reaching out to MOC. Citizenry, like governance is hard. That’s why fascism looks so appealing for many right now. This is the hardest WE, the current citizens, have had to work to hold onto democracy in a long, long while. Tumultuous change is afoot, and holding on to the ethos of “Freedom and Justice for All” feels like a promethean task. But is all starts local. It all starts with small actions everyday by all of us with open hearts and courage.
@MLRGRMI, I deeply appreciate your thoughtful, heartfelt reply. Thank you for writing.
Ms Krieger: Have you done the math on the $15 minimum wage? Robert Reich wrote last year that if the minimum wage were $24 per hour it would be appropriate to inflation. By now it should likely be higher. I did the math: if you work five days a week for $15 per hour you can either eat and be homeless or have shelter and not eat. As climate change attacks crops, food inflation will increase, so even my calculations will quickly be incorrect. Add to that no money for medical care (if you can get it) and no paid time to get well. We are in a bad way and Republicans are working against US.
So true. But Tom Rush explains it so well:
https://youtu.be/nOqAj_n7IN0
Ms.Witmer: I am well aware that a $15 minimum wage is not a livable wage anywhere in the country. Nonetheless, I imagine the 60% living precariously from paycheck to paycheck, wherein the family income, in many cases, is only sustained by more people working longer hours, and still they’re weighted down by mortgage debt, credit card debt, and the like, would relish a minimum wage that had more than doubled.
Moreover, I would note that the $15 was but one item within a long list of items framed around a larger argument, wherein the list was not my main point. Hence, I am left wondering why you chose to deliver a lecture that focused exclusively on the inadequacy of the proposed minimum wage increase.
That's a good idea - just don't have high hopes.
TC, I appreciate you validating my initiative. Thank you for writing and for the caveat.
This excerpt from cult expert Steven Hassan’s book “The Cult of Trump” is chilling: “In 1974 a survivor of the Italian holocaust, Primo Levi said, "fascism arises not just by military force or police intimidation but by denying and distorting information, by undermining systems of justice, by paralyzing the education system, and by spreading in myriad subtle ways nostalgia for a world where order reigned." It’s such a play book! Knowing that Hitler came to power democratically is of no comfort either. We toss “like Hitler” around a lot on both sides, I realize. The point I’m aware of now is that his “Path to Power” was by using the democratic system against itself. Americans have been whipped up to be in that same confused, impotent, chaotic, and outraged condition, mostly perhaps because we could not conceive of it ever “happening here”. And yet, the playbook is being followed and the trajectory is looking pretty much the same.
I believe that Hogan “says” (actually using Repub political theater) that he will support Trump because already lines are forming behind trump and desanazitis.
I commented on this forum yesterday that, in my opinion, oddly it will be trump who derails desanazitis.
As a governor, Hogan opposes the FL Governor.
Anyone saying they will support trump in ‘24 is actually sending a clear messsge to the splinter Ron who is trying to grab the far right MAGAt base. Who will never vote for anyone besides their hero.
Fight it out you cowards.
Salud, TC.
🗽
According to The Hill, Hogan "walked back" his statement but it wasn't much. Hogan is pretty slick. He's ok on some issues but is totally big business and more than a little authoritarian.
Governor Sununu just offered his support for tfg too! Right after saying he was crazy.
MaryLee- please read my post above. I know he's not trustworthy-I live in NH.
Correct. None of the Republicans from the 18 Biden Districts voted to keep Rep. Omar in her Committee. These two years will be very scary.
Evan, As discouraged as I was by how these Republicans from Biden-won districts voted, their votes, in my view, are indicative of the extent to which a radical mindset already is holding the party hostage.
Perhaps scary. Normal to be scared. Just do not be afraid.
Salud, Evan.
🗽
Thank you for reminding me of Harry’s assessment! It gave me a little glimmer of bitter laughter, but I do feel a bit better.
I agreed with so much of what you said (as I often do) until I got to your last line. Maybe if you had said All GOP politicians are scum....But If we really believe that all Republicans are scum, then why would we even try to reach them, one person at a time, some of them our relatives or neighbors, with our stories of what our candidates stand for and why they would want to vote for them? And even if we tried, they would be able to tell we think they're scum, and then why would they listen?
And yet, reaching enough of them, not the politicians but our relatives and neighbors, who make up nearly half of the residents of our country, is an important part of defending and growing our democracy. So I go back to Dr. King, "Hatred cannot drive out hatred; only love can do that." And I urge that we distinguish between condemning evil behaviors (and occasionally name-calling poiliticians) and labeling all republicans as evil or scum. It ain't easy.....but I think it is important enough to try. Blessings,
"Hatred cannot drive out hatred; only love can do that." That's valid up to a point. The Allies did not recapture Europe from the Nazis with love. At some point, you have to recognize that the person trying to kill you isn't interested in having a dialog. They just want you dead. This, sadly, is where we are with the far right in this country. They don't just hate the rest of us, they want us either dead or in prison. And they're not even trying to hide it any longer.
We need to decide how we're going to deal with that. Because POC in this country have been dealing with it for a couple of centuries now.
Stephen,
We did a pretty good job in Dresden in WW II
Fire bombing with hatred.
The Nazis were pretty thorough with London and Coventry leading up to that. What's your point?
If the politicians are scum, what does that say about the people who put them there, knowing they're scum?
TC in LA: thanks for the Truman quote. Have been reminded lately that he was our last “basic middle class” president. No frills, no being captive of excessive wealth.
Sad but true, I'm afraid. Anyone with actual principles has either been blackballed from the party or frightened into submission. The rest are just hustlers who will do anything for power.
I think I can guarantee former Mass Gov. Charlie Baker will not do as Hogan did. I'm disgusted with Hogan.
Hogan clarified:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3841185-hogan-clarifies-he-wont-commit-to-backing-trump-in-2024/amp/
He'll get in line.
Sure he will. All it will take is a few threats to either his power or his life.
I have a friend who went to grade school with Norquist. He was a little sh!t then.
I disgusted with Hogan. But I can guarantee former Mass governor Charlie Baker will not do the same thing.
Romney is no hero. Glad she mentioned that self-righteous bastard Norquist. He was/is a prime mover of the insanity we have today. Moyers warned about him many years ago. Moyers was our hero, but Rupert’s Fox bull Schitt attracted evil like moths to a flame.
Norquist is one of the architects of Proposition 13 in California. Ruined California’s public schools, among other things. Our streets are full of potholes, libraries are understaffed or closing, inadequate firehouse staffing, the public university system is beyond the budget of many, many families, and anything else that needs to be funded has been crippled. Meanwhile, fossil fuel companies are paying property taxes set in 1976. Yay for the little guy!
Wow ... that is truly awful.
Jeri, do you remember Romney’s factories in China? the 47% speech? You’re right. Romney is no hero.
Hogan’s sucking up to trump is disheartening.
Mitt Romney reminds me somewhat of Collins in that his votes change lanes unexpectedly. I think he is capable of better decisions although that seldom happens.
Romney made all his money using a hedge fund to destroy small American manufacturers I’ve a 20 year period. Evil he is.
Absolutely. Apparently no regrets. Private equity is as bad as can be.
Because no way he will suck up to desanazitis.
🗽
never say never
Hogan evidently walked that statement back a little according to The Hill. BTW, He's my former governor and "moderate" is only by comparison.
"But Hogan walked back that statement in a tweet later in the day, clarifying that he would not commit to supporting the twice-impeached former president. Instead, he said he fully expected to support the nominee, who he thinks will not be Trump.
“To be clear, my position on Trump hasn’t changed. Trump won’t commit to supporting the Republican nominee, and I won’t commit to supporting him,” Hogan tweeted."
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/3841185-hogan-clarifies-he-wont-commit-to-backing-trump-in-2024/
It's bad no matter how one looks at it: given the emerging field and the state of the GOP, the nominee is highly likely to be horrible in every way. As a MA voter (and activist), I'm wondering about my state's Republican former governor, Charlie Baker. He's said publicly that in 2016 and 2020 he left the top of the ballot blank, IOW, he didn't vote for Trump but he didn't vote for Clinton or Biden either. The Dem candidates didn't need his vote, since MA goes reliably blue in presidential elections. (We do like our Republican governors, however -- Mitt Romney was one of them.)
The MA GOP has gone full MAGA, which doesn't play well here: Republicans were wiped out in last year's statewide elections, there are only 3 Republicans in the 40-member state senate and 26 Republicans in the 160-member state house of representatives. (Don't get too excited: some of the Democrats, including the house leadership, are nothing to write home about.) Will Baker pledge to support the 2024 GOP nominee sight unseen, even though we've seen most if not all of the GOP possibilities and WYSIWYG? Last fall, when still governor, he declined to condemn DeSantis for his stunt flying 50 migrants to Martha's Vineyard (where I live) under false pretenses.
I *want* to believe that some high-profile Republicans put country and small-d democracy over party, but apart from Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, and maybe Mitt Romney (who when MA governor presided over the creation of Commonwealth Care, a forerunner of the ACA), I'm not seeing much evidence of it.
Not committing to supporting Trump, if he were the nominee, is not the same as committing not to support Trump. Very disappointing.
Yes I was going to mention that as well, Mary Lou, thx.
R McDaniel, head of RNC is Mitt Romneys niece.
She had gone by Ronna Romney McDaniel until tfg told her to drop her maiden name. That’s independence for ya!
And Liz Cheney is Dick Cheney's daughter. I don't have much trouble seeing them as two separate people. What point are you trying to make about Ronna and Mitt?
My point, I guess, is Trump did not want to be reminded of Mittt, so told Ronna to dump Romney. The independence to which I refer is Ronna’s from Trump.
Thanks. The threading makes it hard to see that my question was directed to Ellen Devens, who noted that McDaniel is Romney's niece without saying what her point was. Is she implying that Romney is unreliable because McDaniel is his niece?
I did not know that. Makes sense. Thanks, Ellen.
Yes.
Also former Mass Gov. Charlie Baker in the sane GOPers category--he's not going to support TFG.
Rather a low bar, don't you think? He hasn't ruled out supporting other GOP candidates, and at the moment I'm not seeing any "moderate" contenders in the GOP field. Baker refused to condemn FL governor Ron DeSantis for his IMO unforgivable stunt in tricking 50 mostly Venezuelan migrants into boarding planes for Martha's Vineyard, where I live and where *no one* was told of their impending arrival. All Baker did was make mealy-mouth criticisms of the immigration system in general.
I didn't know he'd failed to condemn DeSantis. I will be even more disappointed if he supports any insurrectionist or MAGA-leaning GOPers. The failure to condemn DeSantis is not good, but I still think he was a good governor. But he'd better not support DeSantis for pres, or even governor.
MA resident here, and *not* a Baker supporter. MA does like its GOP governors (Mitt Romney was one of them), but this has a fair amount to do with the heavily Democratic legislature, which is one of the least transparent and least accountable in the country. Many voters seem to think that having a GOP governor helps "balance out" the Democratic legislature. Trouble is, with a GOP governor, the Democratic legislative leadership has no incentive to shape up. Some constructive leadership from the "corner office" would help, and I hope Maura Healey (who just took office and was an excellent attorney general) will provide it.
I'd probably have voted for him had he run for another term.
Janet-He's NOT a moderate despite what he may say; I live in NH and he's been buddy-buddy with the ultra libertarians right wing group called the Free State Project, who hide as Republicans and are likely to NOT say they belong to that group. The "Republican" majority leader of the House is one of them. They went so far as to propose a secession bill last year and LOST big time: 323 against the bill and 13 for it. Apparently he's thinking of throwing his hat in the ring for POTUS. Let's not forget he went to the Cato Institute and gave a speech there & he also said "I'm a Trump guy through and through." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn5id3GQj3Y
It is indeed. Nonetheless, Sununu was no Charlie Baker.
The rhetoric just gets worse everyday. From Qevin and his bald-faced lies and M Three Names challenging AOC to a showdown debate, of which AOC would win by a landslide. Then the 5th Circuit Court denying women any protection from their attacker or abuser is complete insanity! Where do the these people get their orders from? Is it Putin? The Federalist Society chair, Leonard Leo? Wake me up from this diabolical nightmare, would you?
Qevin! Good one! 🤣
That's a phrase TCinLA uses.
The Republicans will cause as much damage as they can in the name of personal freedom. The world they want would/will cause them more harm than they can imagine. A weakened US may fail to protect itself against rising autocratic challengers both foreign and domestic. They fool themselves if they believe they can hold that tiger by the tail.
The GOP is the proverbial "dog that caught the car". They have no idea what to do with it.
After over a decade of being taught to do nothing but oppose the Libs they have No ideas and those that might have them dare not utter them as there is more risk than reward. To suggest anything positive would enrage their own so, you get defund the IRS, cut SS & Medicare, remove good people from committees, Hunter's laptop, ban books, threaten debt ceiling, etc. All to "flood the zone" and deflect from the reality that they simply cannot govern, because that requires having an actual realistic position on something,.... and that they do not have.
Excellent analogy. So the question becomes what "pitch" to the American people will win in 2024? Will it be the one filled with anger and hate? Or will it be the one that legislates for the betterment of our citizens?
Hunter's laptop or terrific jobs in semiconductors?
Anti-science rhetoric or life saving medicines?
The Russian Connection or the fight for human rights and Western values?
Violence via daily gun slaughters or reasonable regulations?
Putting women "back in the kitchen" or Affordable Childcare?
Control over women's reproductive choices or true FREEDOM?
ER based healthcare or a system that costs half as much and prevents illness?
There is much more. But I just re-read this list and I can't believe I typed in the year 2023.
It will involve stoking the hate train. We all believe it’s Fox News and/or social media, but at this point, the message is being woven into church sermons. It’s bigger than I ever imagined.
Good lists and points on the media, Bill & Jane expanding the narrative.
Robert Hubbell whom many in here like and follow, also suggests that our path is the latter of your two choices Bill, that their motives are primarily to keep us outraged as it's clear they are not to govern. It keeps us sidelined.
I agree with this but, also think it's deeper and that they have, in fact blown thru any imaginary barriers they may have had and moved into true cult territory. Even without tfg who with not one moral or ethical bit of character took them to the precipice, under his tutelage they have now moved on without him.
It's one thing for a cult of 100 or even a thousand to do things they are taught to "believe" but that do them harm. But, when it is 30, 50 or more Million that are being indoctrinated that science, medicine, education, government, helping others (one's allies), any other color or religion (but theirs) are all Bad and that those that believe those things are good are all evil,....well, that may sound crazy like your list, Bill but that is what's happening and it's all being distributed openly 24/7 by their cult, state media center. We also know that they have infiltrated our local & state police depts and the military and have learned that "flooding the zone" works as trying to pick off and tackle these issues one by one is hard esp now witnessing the slow churn of justice.
The answers are above my pay grade but, seems to me it's time to enlist the very best academic (yes, the "elites") minds in psychology for direction.
So, sorry it sounds negative but, it feels to me like our best strategic thinkers need to figure out how to unify many or most of these issues into an overall counter-strategy. Similar to a military battle one has to know the foe, analyze their weak points then develop the strategy to defeat them like Washington did in the Revolution and Zelinsky is doing in Ukraine, against formidable odds.
Just my two cents.
BK, you hit upon something that a friend and I discussed about a year ago. We were talking about the TIkTok Ice challenge where people raised money for charity. Then there were all these dangerous challenges, like the tide pods.
We agreed, why can't there be a challenge for longest running Straight A's in school, but agreed it would take too long. We then thought, how about challenges for collecting the most trash off of streets? Be it by pound or cubic feet, probably the latter as the picture of mounds of trash would be more likely to go viral.
Here's your answer. https://snyder.substack.com/p/the-trauma-of-2016-spy-scandal-part?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&fbclid=IwAR1VcXAhC9kfHchy2Lm2yoLpghU5zcf7FbX4hdPNX3e4rJuO7y3A2LdTVQ4
Eadie Sharron--a thousand thanks for the link. And then, a thousand more.
All of the items on left are base level emotional feedback/adrenaline/dominance postures -- requiring nothing but "join us" effort to feel the jolt. Items on the right require more effort and ability to slow down and reason for our reward of "joining a community". They've had 20+ years of subliminal drumbeats on radio, tv, social media to create their following that only knows reactive states. The AR-15 pins - the signaling in this - frightening.
Excellent summary list and a very depressing one.
They’ve been there before, most recently in 2011. But it really feels like they are driving the car off the cliff this time. They want a civil war and believe that if they can’t get it by gerrymandering enough of the votes, they’re going straight to violence.
Just remember that when you hear about the next mass-shooting, Republicans aren’t going to put out the “thoughts and prayers” BS anymore, especially if that shooting involves minority groups. They’re done with all that.
You are right & you make me cry tears of frustration & rage at the idiocy.
In some ways, I am a little hopeful that for all the fits of rage we will be subjected to, we will once again get nothing of substance from them. Some day, Americans will tire of all the theater, because they will be so unsuccessful. They will get nothing accomplished.
The theater parts so front and center now. I have to mute KM.
Hear Hear👏🙌
They want "personal freedom" by putting an authoritarian government into place. I don't think they understand what they are asking for and what they would be getting (and losing).
But this is not the sharpest lot. Need more funding for education and critical thinking.
How about common sense, which is anything but common. Drowned by the propaganda machine. It’s not just the MAGAts, it’s the spineless republicans with no semblance of a backbone. One and the same… deliberately
Jeri, that's absolutely true. It isn't just the handful of wing nuts that are destroying this Country. This is a very decided "us v them". They are winning.
https://snyder.substack.com/p/the-trauma-of-2016-spy-scandal-part?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&fbclid=IwAR1VcXAhC9kfHchy2Lm2yoLpghU5zcf7FbX4hdPNX3e4rJuO7y3A2LdTVQ4
Eadie Sharron--still thanking you a thousand times!
The thing is, these people have degrees in all sorts of education and yet remain ignorant boneheaded “thinkers” with no commonsense, only common cruelty, meanness and a desire to brutally harm others.
They are well schooled,, but not educated.. Prejudice taints their thinking.
Perhaps their degrees aren’t real.
We need to take back the word "FREEDOM". They are redefining it as control and interference in personal lives, as in "my religion must dominate".
They are no better than Nazis or Stalinists. Which would be an irony of epic proportions - but they won't get it.
We need to ask, "WHOSE personal freedom?"
The thing that a failed state teaches is that there is no freedom in a social sense without setting of boundaries and rights that apply to all. Modern Republicans claim privilege and impunity, not freedom, and freedom and bullying don't mix.
And consequences are what we need to reduce the impunity. Lack of consequences is coming with a very high price. 
William, consequences don't exist.
The fact that we have let this happen has been a learning experience.
It certainty needs to be.
Bravo on your comment here, J L Graham!
The most immediate challenge is from the domestic authoritarians in the formerly Republican Party. Foreign enemies will await the outcome.
The whole world is watching. China and North Korea are planning accordingly. With the potential for another world war, we’re not in good hands with the gop in charge.
https://snyder.substack.com/p/the-trauma-of-2016-spy-scandal-part?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email&fbclid=IwAR1VcXAhC9kfHchy2Lm2yoLpghU5zcf7FbX4hdPNX3e4rJuO7y3A2LdTVQ4
Thank you, Eadie, for these excellent references.
As far as I can tell that "personal freedom" that Republicans constantly tout is only for the affluent who make more than $15/hour, who don't drive a clunker car that they can't afford to repair or replace, who have a job with paid leave, and can afford decent, reliable daycare for their kids. Crunch some numbers and see if you can eat and live indoors at the same time on $15/hour.
“In its majestic equality, the law forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets and steal loaves of bread.” — Anatole France
And it's not even that equitable since the "rules" that Republicans now apply to themselves are starkly different than those they, with great drama and self-righteousness, impose on others, such as when a president is justified in appointing a SCOTUS justice or DeSantis' stance on "indoctrinating children".
Tyranny is the "elephant in the room".
True. Which may explain why so much of the right gets so much support from Putin and other members of Club Oligarch.
This summation of today's Republican Party does two things. It reminds us all that the party of trump, de santis, mc carthy, greene, jordan, gaez, hawley, cruz, rubio, et al, is NOT the Republican party of Eisenhower, Rockefeller, McCain. It is following to a T the Fascist party of hitler and mussolini. If this is really what Americans want, I hope I die before it comes to fruition. Second, it bolsters what some of us have said repeatedly; the Leaders of the Democratic Party, Biden, Harris, Jeffries, Schumer, have to step up to the plate and use our own Constitution to fight them. Invoke Amendments 13 and 14. Invoke the details of Articles 1, 2, and 6. We can no longer cling to our dignity and hope the bad guys will disappear. Now is the time for action, not physical as the rethugs used 1/6/21 but verbal, legal and Constitutional. The Founding Fathers gave it to us, Dammit, use it.
"NOT the Republican party of Eisenhower, Rockefeller, McCain."
In the 1950s the then Republican Party called itself "The Party of Lincoln". That might have been a bit of a stretch even then, although back then the Confederate wannabees were part of the Democratic Party. Eisenhower tolerated Joe McCarthy for a while, but finally got sick of him. It now seems apropos to call the Trump-DeSantis, crew "The Party of McCarthy" (Joe, that is), if not just "Organized Crime".
BTW I hesitate to exaggerate without a humorous purpose, but think that Republicans truly have drifted into becoming "Organized Crime" in their relation to the law. Just one of many examples, this from Huffington Post:
"the recording obtained Thursday by The Associated Press. The audio centers on Andrew Iverson, who was the head of Trump’s campaign in the state.
'Here’s the deal: Comms is going to continue to fan the flame and get the word out about Democrats trying to steal this election. We’ll do whatever they need. Just be on standby if there’s any stunts we need to pull,' Iverson said."
Good thinking, Whatever we call them they are definitely authoritarian, anti-Constitution, but especially anti-American