Make no mistake, making sure no nice things ever happen to anyone (at least, anyone not rich) is precisely what these Banana Republicans are there for, in every branch of government, and on every level. They are there to make every attempt to make any tiny improvement to the average citizen's well-being as lengthy a maze as possible, to …
Make no mistake, making sure no nice things ever happen to anyone (at least, anyone not rich) is precisely what these Banana Republicans are there for, in every branch of government, and on every level. They are there to make every attempt to make any tiny improvement to the average citizen's well-being as lengthy a maze as possible, to put as many dead-end sky-high brick walls in that maze as possible. As God is their witness, as few people will get as little help, in the fewest ways, for the shortest time, with the maximum strain, as possible.
And you know what? It really isn't all about the money. No, really. Don't get me wrong, they're stingy all right. Yet that isn't really the base issue here. The base issue here is that we have a swath of fellow citizens who operate under the overarching philosophy that helping people is actually *bad* for them. And they truly believe it. They truly believe that to offer help to someone makes them weaker, lazier, more reliant on future "handouts". The worst thing you can do is give someone a break, because granting mercy to them takes from them their millionth opportunity to learn to fight and claw for survival, which is a necessity in a merciless world. (The fact the world is merciless precisely because of this attitude is lost on them. They don't DO irony.) The mass internalization of this mentality perfectly explains the worship of unrestricted capitalism by those who are the least served by it: that system is the apotheosis of treating dog-eat-dog as a virtue, and being part of it a point of pride for many.
Every branch of the twisted vine that forms their philosophy is fed from the roots of denial - of both the self and others. In a world where help is hindrance, every man must be an island. Since every man is an island, the idea of any systemic injustice is a sham, every reason you could give for any failure to succeed is a self-pitying excuse, and to lend a sympathetic ear to what ails another is to indulge that self-regard. Buried under loans? Shouldn't have gone to college. Can't make ends meet? Get another job. Got pneumonia? Work anyway. Can't feed your kids? Shouldn't have had them. Couldn't access that abortion? Shouldn't have had sex. Actually, you were raped? Shouldn't have worn that dress. Wait, the kids just got shot while we were talking? Guess they didn't duck fast enough. Let this be a lesson to you.
Their outlook is one of severity, their constant urge is to punish, and in the idea of a kinder society they forsee nothing but the guaranteed dissolution of that society. Why, if we all took care of each other we might get soft and vulnerable to attack from those who haven't yet learned how not to claw and steal! Better to not make the switch.
And don't pretend religion plays no role. If this whole life is merely a test regarding refusal of temptation and conformity to The Word, what could be better for someone than to provide them as many tests as possible? It's not like being safe and happy during our time on Earth matters that much, like the heretics keep suggesting. We will have plenty of that when we reach the holy land!
Thank you Will, I agree in most part, with one glaring exception. Those making the biggest noise about poor people being lazy or they'd be rich - are the same lot who spend billions of dollars for lobbyists to get larger Government handouts for themselves. They refuse to admit that the recipients of the largest "welfare" in this Country is CORPORATE AMERICA. All their talk about the 'lazy, undeserving, poor'is just a distraction from how the bottom 90% are working their butts off, so those corporate hogs can live in the most luxury available.
Will is spot on about the origins of the MAGA hate. I would add that multiple generations of wife and child beating and raping - the same treatment applied to slaves - have embedded a brutal male dominated philosophy that Will so well describes. But they are just the tools.
The elephant in the room that YOU describe has been ignored for way too long. The government gets demonized as "the problem". Thank you, President RayGun. And to be fair, there are many inefficiencies and wasted dollars within our government. But all that is addressable. There should be more audits and reviews of how we spend.
What has not been addressed and the "Democratic Party" has failed to capitalize on (pun intended) is the monstrous robbery from our national treasure by the billionaire class. Bernie tries to ring the alarm. Warren constantly reminds us. But we are afraid to say it. The nation is literally run by a few uber rich people. They hire the lobbyists who actually write the laws. They feed Federalist Society puppets into the judicial system. They buy key elections by pouring unlimited amounts of money into PACs - making a sick joke of any election law restrictions.
We should be talking about a bloodless revolution that claws back and redistributes stolen wealth. There is enough money in the nation, the richest ever known to humans, to solve every financial shortcoming of every American - healthcare, education, child care, climate adaptation...we know the list. We are just afraid of losing campaign donations from the same billionaire class.
The November, 2022, '... report from researchers at UC Davis has found that Republicans who supported former president Donald Trump and agreed with the statement that the 2020 election was “stolen” were more likely to hold extreme and racist beliefs and endorse political violence. '
'The survey asked 7,000 people nationwide about their political views and how they affiliated. Classified as “MAGA Republicans” in the report, the survey showed that people who affiliated this way were most likely to hold extremist views about race and more likely to believe that a civil war would happen in the United States in the next few years.'
'“There appears to be a decline in the support for democracy as a form of government,” said Garen Wintemute, director of the UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program. “The threat is existential not to us as a nation, but potentially to us as a democracy.”
'He adds that he sees the report as a warning.'
'“Even abstract support for political violence creates a climate of acceptance for that, and that facilitates mobilization to actually committing violence, and that has in it the seed of the solution,” he said. “If the majority of us who don’t endorse political violence, the majority of Republicans who don’t endorse political violence will make that publicly clear, if leaders from all points on the spectrum will say this is not acceptable, that’s likely to reduce the amount of violence that occurs.”
'According to the study, 60% of “MAGA Republicans” who met the two key criteria felt political violence could be justified. This was compared to 30% of people who identified simply as “Republicans” and 25% for all other political affiliations.'
'The group of “MAGA Republicans” were also far more likely to agree with elements of the QAnon conspiracy that American-born white people are being replaced by immigrants. Seth Brysk, Regional Director for the Anti-Defamation League’s Northern California office noted that recent acts of anti-semitism around Sacramento and the attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul, all point to an alarming level of civil unrest from the far right.'
“Anti-semitism is the canary in the coal mine of civil society,” Brysk said. “In other words, when you see anti-semitism rearing its ugly head, this is an indication that society is sick.”
'Other experts see the new report as further evidence of a growing threat to democracy from far right extremists. Lindsay Schubiner is a program director at the Western States Center, an organization that started tracking far right extremist groups before the 2020 election. She feels the study is an extension of the growing evidence of far right groups threatening democracy. ' (UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program.)
Bill, are you referring to sources, which substantiated to quote you, 'I would add that multiple generations of wife and child beating and raping - the same treatment applied to slaves - have embedded a brutal male dominated philosophy that Will so well describes. But they are just the tools' ? Thank you.
No sources. Just an observation that may be flawed. I don't think we would see the same levels of abuse in a more educated "liberal tribe" of similar economic status. I could be wrong. It happens all the time. But I bet if we dropped into certain regions of certain states, we could witness women being treated as chattel. And I don't think the perpetrators would have "Biden 2024" signs in their front yards.
These forums can help generate anger and sweeping generalizations. Which I try to avoid, but can be drawn into.
Of course, MAGAs don't have an exclusive on this. It isn't unique. Abuse happens at all levels of society and income distribution. And if you are rich enough, you can bury it with lawyers.
There is definitely a MAGA personality type. It’s mostly made up of white men but also men of varied heritage. Their women support them 100%. Stand By Your Man and all that ~no matter if they pound on and belittle her and the kids. It’s hate, denigration of the other who thinks differently. It’s AR-15’s. They can be miserly. They keep the little woman poor to maintain control, their marriage sex is like rape. They never apologize or praise anyone. They hate anything you love if you are their wife or child. They are never wrong. They lie and lie and lie.
I am glad that you are thinking about your comment, Bill, which was not only unsourced, it was biased, and you know where stereotyping such as that leads. Amendments, corrections or labeled as a personal opinion would indicate reflection. All in favor, say aye...
Words. They are so deeply powerfully rooted in our National psyche. Take the word Socialism. This word has been murdered and the bloody terrifying corpse is hung for all to see. It’s a trigger word now. It’s lost it’s original nature. But still. Call it what you like. We need it NOW.
If by socialism you mean a society that offers everyone healthcare, education and equal opportunities for employment and a decent retirement, sign me up.
The means of production and the distribution of products and services I would leave to a highly regulated private sector.
I like the Nordic model. Taxes and happiness are high. And a thriving but carefully regulated capitalism offers jobs and prosperity.
Instead we profiteer off of illness, educate the affluent and guarantee recidivism in privately owned prisons (loaded with disproportionately people of color and those who committed victimless crimes).
Bill, Bravo, applause, Bic Lighters swaying side to side for an encore
Re “ We should be talking about a bloodless revolution that claws back and redistributes stolen wealth. There is enough money in the nation, the richest ever known to humans, to solve every financial shortcoming of every American - healthcare, education, child care, climate adaptation...we know the list. We are just afraid of losing campaign donations from the same billionaire class.”. BINGO. Root Cause, meet your Problem
Thank you, Bill. Beautifully written and to the sharpest point, if only we could get some credence from our decent elected politicians we'd have a much better Country
This is completely true, but I have come to realize that too many of my fellow liberals focus only on the class/inequality aspect of the dynamic, and that paints a picture of working class people who subscribe to the propaganda as being simply easily distracted. "Oh my poor busy, easily distracted neighbors, you would be so much better off with my ideas if only to stopped to think about it!" It's why so many working-class conservatives view liberals as condescending. They too see the inequality, but either they are okay with it because they have bought so completely into the conflation of capitalism and freedom, or they somehow see it as a liberal problem because they have bought so completely into the conflation of intellectualism/altruism and elitism. The bigwigs can so easily exploit so many people's value system because the upside-down value system in question lends itself easily to that particular brand of exploitation. I suppose that is what I was attempting to illustrate.
I follow a local to Fort Worth man, Chris Tackett, that first became outraged by the book ban in his daughter’s school. But now he is an all out amazing source of information. Yesterday he posted information about a new House Bill being proposed here in Texas. First you have to own a house because our only taxes are property taxes. If you’re married man and wife and have children after you’re married, you get tax cuts. It starts at with one child and bumps up again if you have four children. If you have ten children (!), you are exempt from taxes! It doesn’t include gay couples. It doesn’t include you if you’re divorced or had a child out of wedlock. It’s the most eye popping piece of legislation I’ve ever heard of! Straight up excludes anyone who doesn’t fit their religious narrative! And we’ve had way too many eye popping house bills!
Well hey, at least they're coming around to the idea of the expanded child tax credit. But the fact it's being deducted from property taxes is ludicrous. By ten kids, you are practically your own ZIP code.
Ah, "traditional values!" All hail natural supremacy for those who look like us!
Chris is getting there with the recognition status! He and his wife Mindi are well recognized for their work in exposing political corruption. Like the school district that bought a private plane and the administrator that now flies it. Chris and Mindi are recognized by Mothers Against Greg Abbott and the group I’m a part of the Tarrant Democratic Women’s Club. Very much a power couple!
I call the current "religious narrative" heresy. The truly "religious" people I know are all for helping anyone who needs help, regardless of their ideology, race, creed, color, gender, or what they identify as. They are using "religion" as another means to get what they want, not to help people.
Denise, you and Chris should share the news about SJR 25 in Texas! Filed by Senator Johnson, it will enable Statewide Citizen Ballot Initiatives and give Texans a more direct say in our democracy.
Texans should have the right to vote on whether or not abortion is available in Texas, if Medicaid should be expanded, if school vouchers should divert taxpayer funds from public education, and if the age to purchase assault weapons should be raised. Right now, it’s clear the views of most in our Legislature do not align with the views of most Texans, but with statewide citizen ballot measures we can put forth these initiatives ourselves!
Statewide citizen ballot measures are bipartisan and give equal voice to all Texans regardless of political affiliation. The majority of Texans agree on common sense solutions to many concerns. For example:
- Abortion access: 78% of Texans agree that abortion should be legal in some form, but Texas legislators ban it and place a bounty on anyway who facilitates this type of reproductive health care
- Medicaid expansion: supported by 67% of Texans, but denied by the Legislature even though we have the country’s highest rate of uninsured people
- School vouchers: an overwhelming 89% of Texas parents are satisfied with their child’s public education, but some in the Legislature are steadfast on taking funding away from public schools and giving it to private and faith-based schools
Gun safety: 70% support raising the age to buy an assault weapon from 18 to 21, yet it’s ignored by members of the Legislature who fear reprisal by the - NRA
Bottom line, Texans agree on a great deal -- our legislators, not so much.
CALL TO ACTION: On February 15, SJR 25 was referred to the Senate Committee for State Affairs, and is pending a hearing date. Texans must reach out to the chair of the State Affairs Committee, Sen. Hughes (512-463-0101) to voice support for statewide citizen ballot initiatives and request a hearing date be scheduled as soon as possible because SJR 25 deserves to be heard by the full chamber. And, contact your own state senator and representative and tell them to support SJR 25. All Texans deserve to have their voice heard and their vote counted!
What odds do you give that the Texas legislature will pass this bill or that the current Texas governor would sign it if, in some alternate reality, the legislature passes it?
No false illusions, it won't be easy, but that should not discourage us. If Republicans refuse to advance it - was does that say to their constituents, that they don't trust them - don't trust their vote? SJR 25 has great support from many grassroots organizations, the first hurdle is getting it passed out of committee, hence the need for calls to the Senate's State Affairs Committee now. As for the governor, that's the good news! He doesn't get to veto a joint resolution - if passed by both the Senate and the House , SJR 25 will go directly on the ballot for Texans to vote on. Lastly, municipalities across Texas already have the the right to enact citizen initiatives, consequently Texas cities can have laws that differ from state law - SJR 25 will enable citizens to speak with a unified voice statewide.
Will do! Twenty six states already enable statewide citizen ballot measures, hoping Texas will be #27! Please pass info on to anyone you know in Texas -- and others as well, because what happens in Texas affects the whole country!
Whether passed or not, if these items are put to the public who would know that their ¨representative¨ voted against, it would help the Democrat running against them. This is why it is so important to make every thing that the Biden administration is doing FOR all is talked of daily. The Banana Republicans are actually using it against the Democrats in Tweets. McCarthy´s ¨ we will de everything possible to keep your tax dollars from being given to the undeserving (Dreamers). McConnell's ¨ Democrats want Washington to dictate your childcare choices, your kitchen appliances, your small business decisions, and your local voting laws. But the one thing Congress shouldn't address is runaway violent crime in D.C. itself? Dems are just trying to duck a debate on crime.¨ This is where effective rebuttals must happen. They must be made impotent by giving truth.
Well written Will. The farther away from Jesus’ lessons we allow, the more warped and merciless policies get. Using religion to justify hateful practices needs to be called out which you have done beautifully. Thanks.
While my intellectual attachment to the separation of church and state would get in the way, part of me actually would not mind governing a society according to the Bible, PROVIDED that we ACTUALLY hewed as close to Jesus's intent as possible. I suspect it would look like a continent-wide Woodstock and be a lot of fun.
You’re right. “It really isn’t all about the money.. its about the overarching philosophy that helping people is actually *bad* for them.” Republicans frame everything from the perspective of a strong(man) father figure in the disciplinarian role while Democrats frame from the perspective of a nurturing parent role using kindness and empathy.
Everything you have described fits Republican framing. And Christianity is framed in the same disciplining father figure way.
George Lakoff has been explaining framing for years. The link below is from an article written in 2003. Change the names and it could have been written in 2023. Not a bad intro to framing for those who haven’t read Lakoff.
Whoa! GREAT article--very informative. Thank you for that link. Yes, Dems have an uphill slog to battle against the decades long established Repubbie "framing infrastructure".
A quick look at his website and this particular book ¨Ten years after writing the definitive, international bestselling book on political debate and messaging, George Lakoff returns with new strategies about how to frame today’s essential issues. Called the “father of framing” by The New York Times, Lakoff explains how framing is about ideas—ideas that come before policy, ideas that make sense of facts, ideas that are proactive not reactive, positive not negative, ideas that need to be communicated out loud every day in public. The ALL NEW Don’t Think of an Elephant! picks up where the original book left off—delving deeper into how framing works, how framing has evolved in the past decade, how to speak to people who harbor elements of both progressive and conservative worldviews, how to counter propaganda and slogans, and more. In this updated and expanded edition, Lakoff, urges progressives to go beyond the typical laundry list of facts, policies, and programs and present a clear moral vision to the country—one that is traditionally American and can become a guidepost for developing compassionate, effective policy that upholds citizens’ well-being and freedom, ¨ is something many of us need to learn.
Lakoff is one of the few truly bang-on insightful political minds of the last however-many decades. Why every left-of-center voter does not keep a copy of one of his books in their nightstand is beyond me.
Treasure of an article, Lena! Thank you! Been a Lakoff fan with a few of his books for a good while. Never saw this excellent article before. 2003... just as relevant today.
My sister is like this.. can’t bear the homeless, immigrants are dangerous, capitalism rules.. oh, unless someone in her circle needs disability or other free govt service.
Will from Cal - you hit the nail on the head. Often when doing my errands around town I'll listen to "Right Wing Radio" (we got scads of these stations here in northern Wisconsin) to see what they are saying. Our friend Mr. Hannity was on and talking about the fact that businesses can't fill open positions because too many Americans just want the government to send them another check. He and a guest rambled on and on about how people don't want to work and now O'Biden wants to give these people free childcare so they "can" work. They called bullshit on that idea too. They then discussed how even a single mother of 3 can work without daycare. She simply needs to either find a shift that she can work and have a friend or family member watch her children and if that doesn't work that mother of 3 can simply work from home and watch her 3 kids while working. Really - I thought. Their pathetic look into a simple issue like childcare made me just shake my head. -saw-
I would bet that the majority of teachers in the K-12 districts in the US are (or were) mothers. Just how do you "work from home" with small children?
And I believe that 3+3=6, which just might be against the laws regarding number of adults/number of children being cared for. Besides the fact that they are probably unlicensed day care??
"Just how do you "work from home" with small children?"
By being stressed and miserable and ineffective every moment of the day.
"And I believe that 3+3=6, which just might be against the laws regarding number of adults/number of children being cared for."
The only solution is to get rid of those laws. Just another example of big gummint strangling productivity. If she doesn't want to watch the kids, they can go to work themselves. They will learn the value of it early, and will be less likely to be corrupted by the liberal college they wont get into. It's so obvious!
This boils my blood! I awoke this morning (t's morning here in Europe) with my constant mantra regarding their ´right to life¨ bs. How many adopt from foster homes? How many become loving, caring, foster parents¨, How many support women who are struggling to raise children while working? How many? How many? How many? And, biggest question of all for these ¨religious¨ smarms is how many children of color will they adopt or support or feed or clothe or educate?
Hello Will. I agree with most of your comment. I am fuzzy on what % of Them actually are beating folks with the religious baton, I don't hear it often. I have had many discussions with the "by their bootstraps" argument, which triggers a response like a doorbell does to a dog. I jump in and ask whomever said it to take me through the process step by step, my point being that a person would have to go outside themselves to analyze their condition, recognise a better option, figure out how to implement it, make adjustments, and find new supporters in the process, since a lot of folks look in the mirror and see someone they know. I know how hard this is because I did it. So my question to Them is this: after prying 100 million citizens, Biden's number, off the government teat, what plans do They have next? Do these deprived people line up like those Chinese terra cotta soldiers and , and what? What about that Southern congressman who is sponsoring a bill to disallow Dems from voting in his state? I ask locals who complain as, for instance, why are we paying for JImmy Carter's health care, what the heck does it mattter to them? The immensity of that insult to the greatest humanitarian I have ever heard of is beyond the pale. Those lowlifes will come upon a fallen body and respond like the driver who runs over a dead cat, backs up and does it again, while his wife asks what is going on, the cat is already dead? The hubby replies, "you just can't trust them SOBs."
Many will argue against the Bible, and the Bible can be interpreted to fbolster any argument you wish, I realize this. However, to those who like to kick someone in need, I do like to mention the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Ed, I like your tactic of actually (politely, I am sure) interrogating the thought process when someone goes all in on verbalizing the extreme "bootstraps" mentality. I do so too whenever I encounter it; asking them to guide you through the thought process does not immediately lead to them realizing the dead-end nature of the philosophy as much as it provides me with useful detail as to how the thought process actually unfolds. You can't beat them if you don't understand them. The hardest part of the bootstraps aspect to challenge is actually that the impulse comes from the root of some healthy values - self-reliance, industriousness, grit - but applied in an unhealthy way to a whole society instead of as individual motivation.
Also, obviously not all of ther folks with a callous attitude are religious, and vice versa goes double. But in my experience there is a notable overlap, a residual Puritanism in the culture which has gone full social Darwin somewhere along the line.
I notice here a number of people cite being a Christian as following the 'Good Stuff'. I wonder how many haven´t a clue of the number of other religions and philosophies that came before that have the same 'Good Stuff' . Good Stuff needs no religion to join to practice.
Wow. Well done. I’ve always had a hard time wrapping my mind around the Republican way of thinking. How can their philosophy be so heartless and at the same time they call themselves (so many of them) “Christian”? It’s an angry, vengeful, Old Testament God that condones the current Republican Party, for sure. Thank you for this.
Will, While your provocative and astute analysis regrettably rings true regarding the radical right of the Republican Party, I have a different take with respect to “establishment” Republicans of the recent past. In my view, the latter perceived the government’s role not as undoing all harms, but as securing equal rights. In this regard, what one made of these rights, what status one obtained as a result of one’s efforts, was not a subject of public concern: it was entirely up to the individual.
To be clear, in my view, the notion that everyone ever had an equal chance to succeed and that success in the United States required no more than hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance was pure myth. Nonetheless, shielding oneself from institutionally oppressive forces that, then and now, hold substantial swaths of our population back from realizing their potential, undoubtedly, served to justify the conviction that concern for an individual does not translate into a public responsibility involving the government.
Thank you, Barbara. I appreciate your adding in some of the nuances to what seems to (again) have devolved into another 2 sided argument with no room for shades of grey, and no room for considering that solving one aspect of a problem does not mean the problem is no longer an issue. I guess we are going through another phase of abstraction. Thanks for bringing it back to real lives.
Barbara Jo, while I agree that the avoidance of unnecessary conflating of differing degrees of the "other side of the aisle" is essential, and while I also recognize the truth of your delineation on an intellectual level, I confess I do not see how even the "establishment" types fail to fit into the mindset I (colorfully) described. Yes, they may be better at couching it an intellectual rationalization around respecting free will, but it still boils down to the core belief that the best thing you can do for someone is refuse to assist them in any real way. They find "staying out of the way" a virtue and making life a little easier objectionable. Show me any proposal by any group of the current elected Repubs that involves expanding any aspect of the social safety net, rather than cutting it, and I will recant.
Will, To start, I would note I wrote “establishment Republicans of the recent past.” As an example, I would offer resistance from both Democrats and Republicans to George W. Bush’s proposal to privatize Social Security.
My point is that the Republican Party, particularly since 2008, has been radicalized and its original organizing principles, as I understand them, increasingly obliterated, and, in my view, we should be scared sh*tless.
"Their outlook is one of severity, their constant urge is to punish, and in the idea of a kinder society they forsee nothing but the guaranteed dissolution of that society. "
Well, if one were born white and wealthy, which, as a law of physics, couples with dumb and lazy, you would feel the same way.
Because, when one is born with a "Silver Foot in One's Mouth" then one really cannot speak with much intelligence now can one?
Mike As a broad generalization your “Silver Foot in One’s Mouth” has considerable validity. However, I would caution you about definitive generalizations. I have found, in my life, that the exceptions can be significant.
Trumpublicans make sweeping, definitive generalizations that I consider dangerously wrong.
And yet there was that Washington Post article pointing out that the majority of the January 6th participants -- or those who were arrested, anyway -- had a history of financial trouble, including bankruptcy. They probably blame the federal government.
That s interesting. People often blame others for their problems— heck, I do it. But “the gummint” has been a whipping boy for.. well, we listen to Dr Richardson. Goes back to monarchies. And certainly in the modern era St Ronnie.
Make no mistake, making sure no nice things ever happen to anyone (at least, anyone not rich) is precisely what these Banana Republicans are there for, in every branch of government, and on every level. They are there to make every attempt to make any tiny improvement to the average citizen's well-being as lengthy a maze as possible, to put as many dead-end sky-high brick walls in that maze as possible. As God is their witness, as few people will get as little help, in the fewest ways, for the shortest time, with the maximum strain, as possible.
And you know what? It really isn't all about the money. No, really. Don't get me wrong, they're stingy all right. Yet that isn't really the base issue here. The base issue here is that we have a swath of fellow citizens who operate under the overarching philosophy that helping people is actually *bad* for them. And they truly believe it. They truly believe that to offer help to someone makes them weaker, lazier, more reliant on future "handouts". The worst thing you can do is give someone a break, because granting mercy to them takes from them their millionth opportunity to learn to fight and claw for survival, which is a necessity in a merciless world. (The fact the world is merciless precisely because of this attitude is lost on them. They don't DO irony.) The mass internalization of this mentality perfectly explains the worship of unrestricted capitalism by those who are the least served by it: that system is the apotheosis of treating dog-eat-dog as a virtue, and being part of it a point of pride for many.
Every branch of the twisted vine that forms their philosophy is fed from the roots of denial - of both the self and others. In a world where help is hindrance, every man must be an island. Since every man is an island, the idea of any systemic injustice is a sham, every reason you could give for any failure to succeed is a self-pitying excuse, and to lend a sympathetic ear to what ails another is to indulge that self-regard. Buried under loans? Shouldn't have gone to college. Can't make ends meet? Get another job. Got pneumonia? Work anyway. Can't feed your kids? Shouldn't have had them. Couldn't access that abortion? Shouldn't have had sex. Actually, you were raped? Shouldn't have worn that dress. Wait, the kids just got shot while we were talking? Guess they didn't duck fast enough. Let this be a lesson to you.
Their outlook is one of severity, their constant urge is to punish, and in the idea of a kinder society they forsee nothing but the guaranteed dissolution of that society. Why, if we all took care of each other we might get soft and vulnerable to attack from those who haven't yet learned how not to claw and steal! Better to not make the switch.
And don't pretend religion plays no role. If this whole life is merely a test regarding refusal of temptation and conformity to The Word, what could be better for someone than to provide them as many tests as possible? It's not like being safe and happy during our time on Earth matters that much, like the heretics keep suggesting. We will have plenty of that when we reach the holy land!
Shhh! It's all for your own good.
Thank you Will, I agree in most part, with one glaring exception. Those making the biggest noise about poor people being lazy or they'd be rich - are the same lot who spend billions of dollars for lobbyists to get larger Government handouts for themselves. They refuse to admit that the recipients of the largest "welfare" in this Country is CORPORATE AMERICA. All their talk about the 'lazy, undeserving, poor'is just a distraction from how the bottom 90% are working their butts off, so those corporate hogs can live in the most luxury available.
Thank you Fay!
Will is spot on about the origins of the MAGA hate. I would add that multiple generations of wife and child beating and raping - the same treatment applied to slaves - have embedded a brutal male dominated philosophy that Will so well describes. But they are just the tools.
The elephant in the room that YOU describe has been ignored for way too long. The government gets demonized as "the problem". Thank you, President RayGun. And to be fair, there are many inefficiencies and wasted dollars within our government. But all that is addressable. There should be more audits and reviews of how we spend.
What has not been addressed and the "Democratic Party" has failed to capitalize on (pun intended) is the monstrous robbery from our national treasure by the billionaire class. Bernie tries to ring the alarm. Warren constantly reminds us. But we are afraid to say it. The nation is literally run by a few uber rich people. They hire the lobbyists who actually write the laws. They feed Federalist Society puppets into the judicial system. They buy key elections by pouring unlimited amounts of money into PACs - making a sick joke of any election law restrictions.
We should be talking about a bloodless revolution that claws back and redistributes stolen wealth. There is enough money in the nation, the richest ever known to humans, to solve every financial shortcoming of every American - healthcare, education, child care, climate adaptation...we know the list. We are just afraid of losing campaign donations from the same billionaire class.
The November, 2022, '... report from researchers at UC Davis has found that Republicans who supported former president Donald Trump and agreed with the statement that the 2020 election was “stolen” were more likely to hold extreme and racist beliefs and endorse political violence. '
'The survey asked 7,000 people nationwide about their political views and how they affiliated. Classified as “MAGA Republicans” in the report, the survey showed that people who affiliated this way were most likely to hold extremist views about race and more likely to believe that a civil war would happen in the United States in the next few years.'
'“There appears to be a decline in the support for democracy as a form of government,” said Garen Wintemute, director of the UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program. “The threat is existential not to us as a nation, but potentially to us as a democracy.”
'He adds that he sees the report as a warning.'
'“Even abstract support for political violence creates a climate of acceptance for that, and that facilitates mobilization to actually committing violence, and that has in it the seed of the solution,” he said. “If the majority of us who don’t endorse political violence, the majority of Republicans who don’t endorse political violence will make that publicly clear, if leaders from all points on the spectrum will say this is not acceptable, that’s likely to reduce the amount of violence that occurs.”
'According to the study, 60% of “MAGA Republicans” who met the two key criteria felt political violence could be justified. This was compared to 30% of people who identified simply as “Republicans” and 25% for all other political affiliations.'
'The group of “MAGA Republicans” were also far more likely to agree with elements of the QAnon conspiracy that American-born white people are being replaced by immigrants. Seth Brysk, Regional Director for the Anti-Defamation League’s Northern California office noted that recent acts of anti-semitism around Sacramento and the attack on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul, all point to an alarming level of civil unrest from the far right.'
“Anti-semitism is the canary in the coal mine of civil society,” Brysk said. “In other words, when you see anti-semitism rearing its ugly head, this is an indication that society is sick.”
'Other experts see the new report as further evidence of a growing threat to democracy from far right extremists. Lindsay Schubiner is a program director at the Western States Center, an organization that started tracking far right extremist groups before the 2020 election. She feels the study is an extension of the growing evidence of far right groups threatening democracy. ' (UC Davis Violence Prevention Research Program.)
Thank you Bill. We need to get angry.
Bill, are you referring to sources, which substantiated to quote you, 'I would add that multiple generations of wife and child beating and raping - the same treatment applied to slaves - have embedded a brutal male dominated philosophy that Will so well describes. But they are just the tools' ? Thank you.
No sources. Just an observation that may be flawed. I don't think we would see the same levels of abuse in a more educated "liberal tribe" of similar economic status. I could be wrong. It happens all the time. But I bet if we dropped into certain regions of certain states, we could witness women being treated as chattel. And I don't think the perpetrators would have "Biden 2024" signs in their front yards.
These forums can help generate anger and sweeping generalizations. Which I try to avoid, but can be drawn into.
Of course, MAGAs don't have an exclusive on this. It isn't unique. Abuse happens at all levels of society and income distribution. And if you are rich enough, you can bury it with lawyers.
There is definitely a MAGA personality type. It’s mostly made up of white men but also men of varied heritage. Their women support them 100%. Stand By Your Man and all that ~no matter if they pound on and belittle her and the kids. It’s hate, denigration of the other who thinks differently. It’s AR-15’s. They can be miserly. They keep the little woman poor to maintain control, their marriage sex is like rape. They never apologize or praise anyone. They hate anything you love if you are their wife or child. They are never wrong. They lie and lie and lie.
They may not all be MAGA, but these people are real. They exist. They vote. They are not democrats.
I am glad that you are thinking about your comment, Bill, which was not only unsourced, it was biased, and you know where stereotyping such as that leads. Amendments, corrections or labeled as a personal opinion would indicate reflection. All in favor, say aye...
Words. They are so deeply powerfully rooted in our National psyche. Take the word Socialism. This word has been murdered and the bloody terrifying corpse is hung for all to see. It’s a trigger word now. It’s lost it’s original nature. But still. Call it what you like. We need it NOW.
If by socialism you mean a society that offers everyone healthcare, education and equal opportunities for employment and a decent retirement, sign me up.
The means of production and the distribution of products and services I would leave to a highly regulated private sector.
I like the Nordic model. Taxes and happiness are high. And a thriving but carefully regulated capitalism offers jobs and prosperity.
Instead we profiteer off of illness, educate the affluent and guarantee recidivism in privately owned prisons (loaded with disproportionately people of color and those who committed victimless crimes).
It was the Nordic model I was introduced to.
Bill, Bravo, applause, Bic Lighters swaying side to side for an encore
Re “ We should be talking about a bloodless revolution that claws back and redistributes stolen wealth. There is enough money in the nation, the richest ever known to humans, to solve every financial shortcoming of every American - healthcare, education, child care, climate adaptation...we know the list. We are just afraid of losing campaign donations from the same billionaire class.”. BINGO. Root Cause, meet your Problem
Context, its all about context
Agree, Dave. Just read the paragraph aloud to hubs. You put it perfectly, Bill.
Thank you, Bill. Beautifully written and to the sharpest point, if only we could get some credence from our decent elected politicians we'd have a much better Country
Vanderbilt Beach, Naples Flirida
Thank you Fay for a concise statement of the problem of unfettered capitalism.
This is completely true, but I have come to realize that too many of my fellow liberals focus only on the class/inequality aspect of the dynamic, and that paints a picture of working class people who subscribe to the propaganda as being simply easily distracted. "Oh my poor busy, easily distracted neighbors, you would be so much better off with my ideas if only to stopped to think about it!" It's why so many working-class conservatives view liberals as condescending. They too see the inequality, but either they are okay with it because they have bought so completely into the conflation of capitalism and freedom, or they somehow see it as a liberal problem because they have bought so completely into the conflation of intellectualism/altruism and elitism. The bigwigs can so easily exploit so many people's value system because the upside-down value system in question lends itself easily to that particular brand of exploitation. I suppose that is what I was attempting to illustrate.
Well said. Thx.
Wow, Will from Cal, you nailed it. “The idea that some lives matter less is the root of all that is wrong with the world” Dr. Paul Farmer
Paul Farmer, one of my heroes, lost to us far too early. Imagine a 21-year-old delivering health care in the depths of Haiti. A life so well lived.
Paul Farmer, a true example for us all ❤️
I follow a local to Fort Worth man, Chris Tackett, that first became outraged by the book ban in his daughter’s school. But now he is an all out amazing source of information. Yesterday he posted information about a new House Bill being proposed here in Texas. First you have to own a house because our only taxes are property taxes. If you’re married man and wife and have children after you’re married, you get tax cuts. It starts at with one child and bumps up again if you have four children. If you have ten children (!), you are exempt from taxes! It doesn’t include gay couples. It doesn’t include you if you’re divorced or had a child out of wedlock. It’s the most eye popping piece of legislation I’ve ever heard of! Straight up excludes anyone who doesn’t fit their religious narrative! And we’ve had way too many eye popping house bills!
Well hey, at least they're coming around to the idea of the expanded child tax credit. But the fact it's being deducted from property taxes is ludicrous. By ten kids, you are practically your own ZIP code.
Ah, "traditional values!" All hail natural supremacy for those who look like us!
Wow!!! He needs to become a household name all across Texas.
Chris is getting there with the recognition status! He and his wife Mindi are well recognized for their work in exposing political corruption. Like the school district that bought a private plane and the administrator that now flies it. Chris and Mindi are recognized by Mothers Against Greg Abbott and the group I’m a part of the Tarrant Democratic Women’s Club. Very much a power couple!
I call the current "religious narrative" heresy. The truly "religious" people I know are all for helping anyone who needs help, regardless of their ideology, race, creed, color, gender, or what they identify as. They are using "religion" as another means to get what they want, not to help people.
SPOT ON !!
Denise, you and Chris should share the news about SJR 25 in Texas! Filed by Senator Johnson, it will enable Statewide Citizen Ballot Initiatives and give Texans a more direct say in our democracy.
Texans should have the right to vote on whether or not abortion is available in Texas, if Medicaid should be expanded, if school vouchers should divert taxpayer funds from public education, and if the age to purchase assault weapons should be raised. Right now, it’s clear the views of most in our Legislature do not align with the views of most Texans, but with statewide citizen ballot measures we can put forth these initiatives ourselves!
Statewide citizen ballot measures are bipartisan and give equal voice to all Texans regardless of political affiliation. The majority of Texans agree on common sense solutions to many concerns. For example:
- Abortion access: 78% of Texans agree that abortion should be legal in some form, but Texas legislators ban it and place a bounty on anyway who facilitates this type of reproductive health care
- Medicaid expansion: supported by 67% of Texans, but denied by the Legislature even though we have the country’s highest rate of uninsured people
- School vouchers: an overwhelming 89% of Texas parents are satisfied with their child’s public education, but some in the Legislature are steadfast on taking funding away from public schools and giving it to private and faith-based schools
Gun safety: 70% support raising the age to buy an assault weapon from 18 to 21, yet it’s ignored by members of the Legislature who fear reprisal by the - NRA
Bottom line, Texans agree on a great deal -- our legislators, not so much.
CALL TO ACTION: On February 15, SJR 25 was referred to the Senate Committee for State Affairs, and is pending a hearing date. Texans must reach out to the chair of the State Affairs Committee, Sen. Hughes (512-463-0101) to voice support for statewide citizen ballot initiatives and request a hearing date be scheduled as soon as possible because SJR 25 deserves to be heard by the full chamber. And, contact your own state senator and representative and tell them to support SJR 25. All Texans deserve to have their voice heard and their vote counted!
What odds do you give that the Texas legislature will pass this bill or that the current Texas governor would sign it if, in some alternate reality, the legislature passes it?
No false illusions, it won't be easy, but that should not discourage us. If Republicans refuse to advance it - was does that say to their constituents, that they don't trust them - don't trust their vote? SJR 25 has great support from many grassroots organizations, the first hurdle is getting it passed out of committee, hence the need for calls to the Senate's State Affairs Committee now. As for the governor, that's the good news! He doesn't get to veto a joint resolution - if passed by both the Senate and the House , SJR 25 will go directly on the ballot for Texans to vote on. Lastly, municipalities across Texas already have the the right to enact citizen initiatives, consequently Texas cities can have laws that differ from state law - SJR 25 will enable citizens to speak with a unified voice statewide.
Please keep us posted on progress of this bill.
Will do! Twenty six states already enable statewide citizen ballot measures, hoping Texas will be #27! Please pass info on to anyone you know in Texas -- and others as well, because what happens in Texas affects the whole country!
Whether passed or not, if these items are put to the public who would know that their ¨representative¨ voted against, it would help the Democrat running against them. This is why it is so important to make every thing that the Biden administration is doing FOR all is talked of daily. The Banana Republicans are actually using it against the Democrats in Tweets. McCarthy´s ¨ we will de everything possible to keep your tax dollars from being given to the undeserving (Dreamers). McConnell's ¨ Democrats want Washington to dictate your childcare choices, your kitchen appliances, your small business decisions, and your local voting laws. But the one thing Congress shouldn't address is runaway violent crime in D.C. itself? Dems are just trying to duck a debate on crime.¨ This is where effective rebuttals must happen. They must be made impotent by giving truth.
Excellent, thank you! Share away!
Check to be sure it's not being proposed only for white people. I wouldn't be surprised if Texas legislators would try to do that in some sneaky way.
That’s completely the intention!
😱🥵
Well written Will. The farther away from Jesus’ lessons we allow, the more warped and merciless policies get. Using religion to justify hateful practices needs to be called out which you have done beautifully. Thanks.
While my intellectual attachment to the separation of church and state would get in the way, part of me actually would not mind governing a society according to the Bible, PROVIDED that we ACTUALLY hewed as close to Jesus's intent as possible. I suspect it would look like a continent-wide Woodstock and be a lot of fun.
You’re right. “It really isn’t all about the money.. its about the overarching philosophy that helping people is actually *bad* for them.” Republicans frame everything from the perspective of a strong(man) father figure in the disciplinarian role while Democrats frame from the perspective of a nurturing parent role using kindness and empathy.
Everything you have described fits Republican framing. And Christianity is framed in the same disciplining father figure way.
George Lakoff has been explaining framing for years. The link below is from an article written in 2003. Change the names and it could have been written in 2023. Not a bad intro to framing for those who haven’t read Lakoff.
https://newsarchive.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/10/27_lakoff.shtml
Whoa! GREAT article--very informative. Thank you for that link. Yes, Dems have an uphill slog to battle against the decades long established Repubbie "framing infrastructure".
If you want a deeper dive, Lakoff’s book Moral Politics goes into more detail.
His website is: https://george-lakoff.com
Dip in!!!!
A quick look at his website and this particular book ¨Ten years after writing the definitive, international bestselling book on political debate and messaging, George Lakoff returns with new strategies about how to frame today’s essential issues. Called the “father of framing” by The New York Times, Lakoff explains how framing is about ideas—ideas that come before policy, ideas that make sense of facts, ideas that are proactive not reactive, positive not negative, ideas that need to be communicated out loud every day in public. The ALL NEW Don’t Think of an Elephant! picks up where the original book left off—delving deeper into how framing works, how framing has evolved in the past decade, how to speak to people who harbor elements of both progressive and conservative worldviews, how to counter propaganda and slogans, and more. In this updated and expanded edition, Lakoff, urges progressives to go beyond the typical laundry list of facts, policies, and programs and present a clear moral vision to the country—one that is traditionally American and can become a guidepost for developing compassionate, effective policy that upholds citizens’ well-being and freedom, ¨ is something many of us need to learn.
Wow--THANK YOU for that link!!!
Thanks for the article Lena. It makes a lot of sense.
Lakoff is one of the few truly bang-on insightful political minds of the last however-many decades. Why every left-of-center voter does not keep a copy of one of his books in their nightstand is beyond me.
AGREE, Will. Rumor has it that Lakoff tried to get the attention of Hillary's 2016 prez campaign. He wanted to offer tips. They blew him off!!!!
Treasure of an article, Lena! Thank you! Been a Lakoff fan with a few of his books for a good while. Never saw this excellent article before. 2003... just as relevant today.
My sister is like this.. can’t bear the homeless, immigrants are dangerous, capitalism rules.. oh, unless someone in her circle needs disability or other free govt service.
Daryl, I refer to this as the IGMFY response (I’ve Got Mine F*** You).
Will from Cal - you hit the nail on the head. Often when doing my errands around town I'll listen to "Right Wing Radio" (we got scads of these stations here in northern Wisconsin) to see what they are saying. Our friend Mr. Hannity was on and talking about the fact that businesses can't fill open positions because too many Americans just want the government to send them another check. He and a guest rambled on and on about how people don't want to work and now O'Biden wants to give these people free childcare so they "can" work. They called bullshit on that idea too. They then discussed how even a single mother of 3 can work without daycare. She simply needs to either find a shift that she can work and have a friend or family member watch her children and if that doesn't work that mother of 3 can simply work from home and watch her 3 kids while working. Really - I thought. Their pathetic look into a simple issue like childcare made me just shake my head. -saw-
OMG, seriously!
I would bet that the majority of teachers in the K-12 districts in the US are (or were) mothers. Just how do you "work from home" with small children?
And I believe that 3+3=6, which just might be against the laws regarding number of adults/number of children being cared for. Besides the fact that they are probably unlicensed day care??
Just wow.
"Just how do you "work from home" with small children?"
By being stressed and miserable and ineffective every moment of the day.
"And I believe that 3+3=6, which just might be against the laws regarding number of adults/number of children being cared for."
The only solution is to get rid of those laws. Just another example of big gummint strangling productivity. If she doesn't want to watch the kids, they can go to work themselves. They will learn the value of it early, and will be less likely to be corrupted by the liberal college they wont get into. It's so obvious!
but, of course!!
This boils my blood! I awoke this morning (t's morning here in Europe) with my constant mantra regarding their ´right to life¨ bs. How many adopt from foster homes? How many become loving, caring, foster parents¨, How many support women who are struggling to raise children while working? How many? How many? How many? And, biggest question of all for these ¨religious¨ smarms is how many children of color will they adopt or support or feed or clothe or educate?
Hello Will. I agree with most of your comment. I am fuzzy on what % of Them actually are beating folks with the religious baton, I don't hear it often. I have had many discussions with the "by their bootstraps" argument, which triggers a response like a doorbell does to a dog. I jump in and ask whomever said it to take me through the process step by step, my point being that a person would have to go outside themselves to analyze their condition, recognise a better option, figure out how to implement it, make adjustments, and find new supporters in the process, since a lot of folks look in the mirror and see someone they know. I know how hard this is because I did it. So my question to Them is this: after prying 100 million citizens, Biden's number, off the government teat, what plans do They have next? Do these deprived people line up like those Chinese terra cotta soldiers and , and what? What about that Southern congressman who is sponsoring a bill to disallow Dems from voting in his state? I ask locals who complain as, for instance, why are we paying for JImmy Carter's health care, what the heck does it mattter to them? The immensity of that insult to the greatest humanitarian I have ever heard of is beyond the pale. Those lowlifes will come upon a fallen body and respond like the driver who runs over a dead cat, backs up and does it again, while his wife asks what is going on, the cat is already dead? The hubby replies, "you just can't trust them SOBs."
Many will argue against the Bible, and the Bible can be interpreted to fbolster any argument you wish, I realize this. However, to those who like to kick someone in need, I do like to mention the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Ed, I like your tactic of actually (politely, I am sure) interrogating the thought process when someone goes all in on verbalizing the extreme "bootstraps" mentality. I do so too whenever I encounter it; asking them to guide you through the thought process does not immediately lead to them realizing the dead-end nature of the philosophy as much as it provides me with useful detail as to how the thought process actually unfolds. You can't beat them if you don't understand them. The hardest part of the bootstraps aspect to challenge is actually that the impulse comes from the root of some healthy values - self-reliance, industriousness, grit - but applied in an unhealthy way to a whole society instead of as individual motivation.
Also, obviously not all of ther folks with a callous attitude are religious, and vice versa goes double. But in my experience there is a notable overlap, a residual Puritanism in the culture which has gone full social Darwin somewhere along the line.
I notice here a number of people cite being a Christian as following the 'Good Stuff'. I wonder how many haven´t a clue of the number of other religions and philosophies that came before that have the same 'Good Stuff' . Good Stuff needs no religion to join to practice.
Wow. Well done. I’ve always had a hard time wrapping my mind around the Republican way of thinking. How can their philosophy be so heartless and at the same time they call themselves (so many of them) “Christian”? It’s an angry, vengeful, Old Testament God that condones the current Republican Party, for sure. Thank you for this.
I won’t pretend to know God’s mind, but any God in whom I might believe would never condone the Republican Party.
Will, While your provocative and astute analysis regrettably rings true regarding the radical right of the Republican Party, I have a different take with respect to “establishment” Republicans of the recent past. In my view, the latter perceived the government’s role not as undoing all harms, but as securing equal rights. In this regard, what one made of these rights, what status one obtained as a result of one’s efforts, was not a subject of public concern: it was entirely up to the individual.
To be clear, in my view, the notion that everyone ever had an equal chance to succeed and that success in the United States required no more than hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance was pure myth. Nonetheless, shielding oneself from institutionally oppressive forces that, then and now, hold substantial swaths of our population back from realizing their potential, undoubtedly, served to justify the conviction that concern for an individual does not translate into a public responsibility involving the government.
Thank you, Barbara. I appreciate your adding in some of the nuances to what seems to (again) have devolved into another 2 sided argument with no room for shades of grey, and no room for considering that solving one aspect of a problem does not mean the problem is no longer an issue. I guess we are going through another phase of abstraction. Thanks for bringing it back to real lives.
Barbara Jo, while I agree that the avoidance of unnecessary conflating of differing degrees of the "other side of the aisle" is essential, and while I also recognize the truth of your delineation on an intellectual level, I confess I do not see how even the "establishment" types fail to fit into the mindset I (colorfully) described. Yes, they may be better at couching it an intellectual rationalization around respecting free will, but it still boils down to the core belief that the best thing you can do for someone is refuse to assist them in any real way. They find "staying out of the way" a virtue and making life a little easier objectionable. Show me any proposal by any group of the current elected Repubs that involves expanding any aspect of the social safety net, rather than cutting it, and I will recant.
Will, To start, I would note I wrote “establishment Republicans of the recent past.” As an example, I would offer resistance from both Democrats and Republicans to George W. Bush’s proposal to privatize Social Security.
My point is that the Republican Party, particularly since 2008, has been radicalized and its original organizing principles, as I understand them, increasingly obliterated, and, in my view, we should be scared sh*tless.
Will, outstanding post and thank you.
"Their outlook is one of severity, their constant urge is to punish, and in the idea of a kinder society they forsee nothing but the guaranteed dissolution of that society. "
Well, if one were born white and wealthy, which, as a law of physics, couples with dumb and lazy, you would feel the same way.
Because, when one is born with a "Silver Foot in One's Mouth" then one really cannot speak with much intelligence now can one?
Mike As a broad generalization your “Silver Foot in One’s Mouth” has considerable validity. However, I would caution you about definitive generalizations. I have found, in my life, that the exceptions can be significant.
Trumpublicans make sweeping, definitive generalizations that I consider dangerously wrong.
Something to think about?
Thank you Will. Yes. Yes. Yes.
Hey Will!, re: the religious thing. We Puritans, Calvinists and Jansenists need to adopt this from an African Catechism.
Q. " Why did God make you?"
A. " Because He thought you might enjoy it."
Dang, putting my thoughts into cogent sentences in such an eloquent manner
Wayne’s World’s Wayne meeting Alice Cooper
Great analogy! :)
A truly thought provoking scene, huh
Genuine Genuflection
Lol, “Garth, do you play drums?
“A little bit”
Calvinism alive and well. And these “Christian’s “ love the the Old Testament god. Imo the Old Testament doesn’t belong in the Christian Bible.
TO MANY ! PHARISEES ! & SADDUCEES ! The Sadducees , are SAD ! because They DO NOT , Believe ! in THE RESURECTION ! of the DEAD !!
Please stop the shouting in all caps. It makes you look a little cray cray
IT is WRITTEN ! Gods People,,,, Will be DISPISED! The World ! WILL call Us CRAZY ! WE are. a PECULIAR People !! SORRY ! that you, are 0FFENDED !!
And yet there was that Washington Post article pointing out that the majority of the January 6th participants -- or those who were arrested, anyway -- had a history of financial trouble, including bankruptcy. They probably blame the federal government.
That s interesting. People often blame others for their problems— heck, I do it. But “the gummint” has been a whipping boy for.. well, we listen to Dr Richardson. Goes back to monarchies. And certainly in the modern era St Ronnie.