Today, in Vilnius, Lithuania, President Joe Biden spoke before a crowd at Vilnius University to champion democracy and the strengthening of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). “If I sound optimistic,” he told the crowd, “it’s because I am.”
Judith, you’ve put it so well! President Biden has blown my expectations for his presidency out of the water. He has accomplished so much for the “average Joe and Jane “.
As for his cussing in the White House, I’m reminded of the response of the man who opened the door of our neighborhood storm shelter to see the eye of an EF-3 tornado 80 feet above him. He cussed fluently. I’m sure that Biden often feels the same way.
"Tell me you've never been in a briefing without telling me."
That was kind of my reaction. Tell me you've never been in meeting where the future of the company is at stake at the same time you're bragging about your title.
If they went in unprepared, they were lucky all they heard was cursing.
HCR seems to be in a state of denial regarding the obscenity of the Biden administration's ongoing support of Ukraine's oppressive, undemocratic one-party right-wing thug regime.
EDIT: The NATO countries have voting domination at the genocidal International Monetary Fund. In 2014, the IMF demanded, as part of a loan deal, that Ukraine re-conquer the breakaway Donbass republics, because income from their heavy industry was needed to service the debt. The people of Ukraine have been turned into zombie soldiers, as the IMF continues to extract pounds and pounds of bloody flesh in exchange for ongoing special treatment and financial support from the NATO countries.
Have no fear, k (and other LFAA readers). “Schmeeckle” reappears (like his namesake Gollum) every once in awhile. He is merely trying to gain subscribers, living the American Dream, and makin’ a buck. “Schmeeckle” used to be disguised as Gandalf, but somehow lost his touch. I think Frodo and Samwise cleaned his clock “back in the day.”
Hi, Selina. Just so you know, I have engaged Mr. Schmeeckle numerous times over the past year - on various topics upon which we find disagreement. This person has had various other permutations of identity in the past and most recently he is appearing as John Schmeeckle who is “By accident, I became the leading expert on the meaning of the Declaration of Independence.” He has two followers on his Substack endeavor. In MY response, as you might notice, I was responding to “k” and others on this LFAA thread who reject Mr. Schmeeckle’s ascensions.
Selena Sweet, there a link to ten sources in my original post in this thread. Once again, the starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
I remember my brother saying when Scalia got into the Supremes - don’t worry he’s really smart and will likely change his very conservative point of view once he’s heard enough cases. The very intelligent Scalia never changed. Which suggests even the intelligent get captured and begin thinking they know it all. Intelligence doesn’t equal wisdom nor sound judgment.
Biden's speech was brilliant. It's spot on that HCR reproduced a large portion of that speech along with the report on inflation. So, inflation is at its lowest level in years? Normally, this would be great news for an incumbent president seeking re-election. But, not now. Times have changed. Issues that once made a difference don't now. Why? In part the reason is that among about fifty million or more voting Americans (Evangelicals, white supremacists and the ultra wealthy) facts don't matter. John Stuart Mill made this observation in his 1869 essay, "The Subjection of Women," - when beliefs are based on feelings, facts don't matter.
To get a better understanding of what is going on here, Timothy Egan's book, "A Fever in the Heartland," about the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in the Midwest in the 1920's is very instructive. D.C. Stephenson, head of the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana in the 1920's said: "I did not sell the Klan in Indiana on hatreds. I sold it on Americanism." How is this different from "Make America Great Again?" MAGA is KKK, 21st century version. Regaining political power and installing their version of "Americanism" is the only thing that really matters to them.
Richard Sutherland "So, inflation is at its lowest level in years? Normally, this would be great news for an incumbent president seeking re-election. But, not now. Times have changed. Issues that once made a difference don't now. Why?" I blame the media in large part for their distorted coverage of current events. Some ignore the Biden Administration's clear successes while other sources minimize, bury or present on the same level as the republican's craziness. That part of the media deliberately choses a path that presents a picture of a divided country with lots of controversy. Biden's calmer, less exciting approach to rebuilding our economy and status around the world just doesn't get readership, which is all most media cares about. Another reason why HCR's work is so important.
There are tens of millions of Americans who will never know that "inflation is at its lowest level in years." That's because their source of information is solely from Fox, OAN and Newsmax. They still believe that the election was stolen and that Kari Lake won in Arizona. They believe that all other information sources are fake news. These are "True Believers." They believe what they believe and facts, even if known, would make no difference.
The NYT, WaPo and many other "mainstream" sources are also a problem. Incomplete coverage, false equivalencies and bothsiderism are far too common in their reporting. It isn't just Fox and the rest of them. It takes effort to get a clear, accurate picture of complicated current events. Unfortunately most people just don't have the time.
News on the vomit front: Kari Lake is coming to Salem (OR) to speak to some meeting of wing nuts. Last year we had the Flynn dog and pony show in Keizer. Ain't we lucky???
Please go as an observer. I understand that she wants to be TFG's VP running mate. It'd be interesting to see how she works a crowd and what their responses are. Of course, the experience may cause you to go into a deep state of depression, so if your the least bit concerned, stay home.
I am not a Fox AON or News Max " believer". Hearing that inflation slowed is good news but let's not start patting our self on the back just yet. Inflation has been happening for a long time and until prices start heading back to what they were before covid there is not really much good news. Companies that dominate the market like Tyson Foods, Kellogg Foods... have created record profits lately because of thier ability to control pricing kak no competition have no incentive to lower prices to pre inflation levels. Someone doesn't have to be brainwashed or in an information bubble to be skeptical enough to not feel like celebrating news that inflation has just slowed.
A real false equivalency is saying that people in the lower incomes have mad the most gains on inflation. Someone going from $9 an hour to $18 ( 100% increase) had no buying power to start with and whos job is likely part time is having a harder time dealing with bills than someone with no raise that make $100,000 a year. But news is reporting lower incomes are rising as to meet inflation. Telling people they are doing better while they see themselfs struggling is bad politics and more a tactic of MAGA world employed on the brainwashed. Hold the champaign for real world results, then people will get on board. Propaganda is bad politics to an informed electorate..save the BS for Trumpito.
"[U]ntil prices start heading back to what they were before covid there is not really much good news." Oh, please. That is an absurd -- and DANGEROUS -- expectation. You're talking about 10%+ DEFLATION to get back to prices from 3 years ago. Do you not understand the dangers of deflation? Or are you a big-banker who alone would profit by it? How much fun was it for your grandparents from 1930 to '33? Looking forward to paying the interest on the $10K/person national debt in dollars worth more, and harder to come by, than they are now?"[U]ntil prices start heading back to what they were before covid there is not really much good news." Oh, please. That is an absurd -- and DANGEROUS -- expectation. You're talking about 10%+ DEFLATION. How much did your (great-?)grandparents enjoy that from 1930-33? Do you look forward to paying the interest on the $10K-per-person national debt in more valuable, harder-to-come-by dollars than when "we" borrowed them? You "real false equivalency" assertion looks like innumerate nonsense to me.
The answer is in Richard's first paragraph: "when beliefs are based on feelings, facts don't matter." So the media focuses on feelings. They've got bills to pay.
When I say tough, I mean really, really tough. Take Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., for example. He headed up the Human Genome Project. If anyone understands DNA, how all living things share the same DNA (plants, animals, insects) it's because it came from a single Super Great Grandmother 3.5 billion years ago. And that modern humans emerged only 300,000 years ago and that we share 98% of our DNA with chimpanzees. So, when did we get a soul? And, Francis Collins is a fundamentalist Christian. The takeaway? When beliefs are based on feelings, facts don't matter. John Stuart Mill was/is right.
See "Thinking Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman. We have two brains. One is fast to react and slow to learn, and the other is fast to learn and slow to react. The first one is sometimes called the lizard brain. It's where emotions are initiated. The lizard brain looks pretty much like the MAGA brain. Just sayin'.
Marycat2021, when you read "A Fever . . ." you'll see that the conclusion about MAGA being today's KKK is inescapable, right down to the white, Anglo Saxon Protestantism. DeSantis, a white Catholic, has sneaked into the group. Who could have ever imagined that such a shallow, empty, self-aggrandizing, serial lying congenital malignant narcissist such as Donald Trump could get even one vote, to say nothing about tens of millions. It is a great insult on the American populace and may point to the detrimental effects of religion on critical thinking abilities.
Richard, re: “It is a great insult on the American populace and may point to the detrimental effects of religion on critical thinking abilities.” I would add watching the short series on Prime, Happy Shining People, is a real eye opener for the far right evangelical movement that has and continues to be strong on the religious brainwashing of America.
I totally agree! This is an amazing book! However, you may have trouble sleeping after reading! There are things in this book that I would never have imagined in a million years. It is so sickening...and we are currently living in it with these MAGAs!
True, and the search for a new "D.C. Stephenson" by Rupert Murdoch is on-going. He is apparently dumping DeSantis. @Advocacy reports just now: Rupert Murdoch set to bail on Ron DeSantis, reportedly eyeing new puppet to fight Trump
The Fox News founder has reportedly soured on the real-life Disney villain's floundering presidential campaign and has privately told people his new campaign crush is Virginia Gov. Greg Youngkin. Different right-wing fearmonger, same book-banning, queer-shaming, race-baiting bullshit.
Yes, Richard, while I was reading A Fever in the Heartland, I constantly thought about what is happening today. All the so-called patriots hear this siren song loud and clear. And I noticed that D.C. Stephenson was a slime ball who reminded me of death star except that he wasn't born into wealth....a clever lying con man though to hide and made up his background. Rs continue to screech about MAGA, family values, the military, law and order, immigration, and government spending...monstrous hypocrites.
I get what Mill was saying, and we see it every day;but perhaps the concept of "feelings" beg a closer look. It occurred to me long ago, assigned Descartes' "Discourse on Method" in college, that "I feel, therefore I am", might go deeper than "I think therefore I am". In retrospect, I can't separate them. The precise parameters of my own experiential sense that "I am" seems a bit mysterious and elusive. My consciousness seems to involve a constant flow of micro-decisions about what is true AND what "matters". I have some grasp of the physics and physiology of sunshine on my shoulder, but less of the experiential sentience, for which I can compare notes with other humans, but not adequately describe. I can appreciate the chemistry and neurology of tasting a fresh strawberry (which my wife is currently gathering) but that animal experience is both "tangible" and hard to pin down. In any case I believe that "feelings" are core to who and what we are, and serve us best when reconciled the revelations of our own intelligence.
"Dispassionate inquiry" is misrepresented by Star Treks "Mr. Spock", as many scientists, including Einstein, have been quite passionate, but also mentally disciplined with respect to logic and evidence. The urge to discover and the recognition of a promising thread implies decisions of value.
Demagogues have subjugated humanity from time immemorial, by appealing to attractive lies and prejudices. Lies sabotage our liberty, justice, and socially healthy outcomes, and must be confronted with the most accurate observations and conclusions we can muster, but also with appeals to our values. The above collection of excerpts from Biden's speech is packed with them. Current Republicans ironically seem to offer only the "blue pill" and Democrats the "red", but Republicans arrogantly and disingenuously make such a show of defending "Values"; neglecting to mention that everyone has them. It is refreshing and essential that our responsible leaders make more of a "thing" of just and liberating, forward-thinking values and help us focus on our own.
What, in the end, matters most? And who gets "a voice" in that regard in a democratic republic?
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
Are you capable of actually considering my detailed point of view? My starting point is this 2019 quote from "The Nation":
"Five years ago, Ukraine’s Maidan uprising ousted President Viktor Yanukovych, to the cheers and support of the West. Politicians and analysts in the United States and Europe not only celebrated the uprising as a triumph of democracy, but denied reports of Maidan’s ultranationalism, smearing those who warned about the dark side of the uprising as Moscow puppets and useful idiots. Freedom was on the march in Ukraine.
"Today, increasing reports of far-right violence, ultranationalism, and erosion of basic freedoms are giving the lie to the West’s initial euphoria. There are neo-Nazi pogroms against the Roma, rampant attacks on feminists and LGBT groups, book bans, and state-sponsored glorification of Nazi collaborators.
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
"There are neo-Nazi pogroms against the Roma, rampant attacks on feminists and LGBT groups, book bans, and state-sponsored glorification of Nazi collaborators."
Sounds like Trump at Mara Lago to me John. Or maybe Fox and Friends.
The Establishment has decided to pull the plug on BOTH Trump (off to jail) and Biden (off to a nursing home), and DeSantis is their man. They are going to let the mounting evidence that the covid vaccines cause long-term health conditions hit the fan, and DeSantis will be praised to the Moon as a prophet who had the right idea, never mind his ineptitude on the campaign trail.
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
You know whereof you speak because it’s you with a personal fount of knowledge? Or you have references that you are using? If the latter, it sure helps us assess the credibility of what you purport. Maybe that doesn’t matter to you.
yes, I understand that, but I have tangled with him before, and wanted to make an announcement this time. Silence can be construed many ways which might miss my point. Thanks for pointing this out!
Guys, this person is a troll. He/She is here often with his/her Mission Impossible conspiracy theories. Try not to engage. He/She/They’re here once/twice a week.
I agree. I don't mind people I disagree with posting comments, but trolling is an obnoxious act meant to stop meaningful discussion in its tracks. Don't fall for this guy's rubbish. Really, who doesn't know that Ukraine was plagued with corruption before Zelenskyy was elected? And how hard his administration has worked to clean it up?
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
Your starting point for your assessment is over four years old. Produce some current analysis. Putin and his fascist oligarchs with nuclear missiles are the real threat now. Antonio Gramsci, "The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters."
John, let's say that you are right about Ukraine. It then comes down to the lesser of two evils. To permit Putin to gobble up Ukraine by adopting a policy of appeasement would only fuel his appetite for more, as happened in WWII with Germany invading Czechoslovakia. The West has decided that Putin must be stopped now. His atrocities inflicted on innocent Ukrainians is a war crime.
Richard Sutherland, I respectfully disagree with your assessment. We could go through the history of how Kyiv was the mother of Moscow, how in 1921 Novorossiya ("New Russia") was tacked onto little Ukraine by the new Soviet regime, how Zelensky capitulated to neo-Nazis and un-froze the civil war in the Donbass, how the US and NATO were threatening Russia with the possibility of a reverse Cuban Missile Crisis, how errant Ukrainian anti-missiles come down in random places and the explosions get blamed on Putin, etc.
John, respectfully, your analysis is off the mark. What matters presently is stopping a megalomaniac from expanding his reign of terror. It's a case of real politik. The Western nations do not want an authoritarian regime taking over countries on their borders. It's a case of self preservation combined with the impulse to stop someone who is commiting war crimes by killing innocent civilians intentionally.
I'll take the overwhelming evidence as seen and heard from the leader and people of Ukraine fighting for their freedom and the democracies of the world. As others have pointed out, we Americans have our own characters of corruption, fascist ideals, and moral failure. Witness the interrogation of Chris Wray, who took them down with dignity and reason. Hoping for a new morning in America. Hope, "a thing with feathers" as Emily Dickinson wrote, with the power to fly high and wide.
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
Quoting The Nation? The Nation is pro Russia. Putin is not an "autocrat". Sure.
Here's what Stephen Cohen wrote in The Nation in 2014:
In an article for The Nation, published in the March 3, 2014 issue, Cohen wrote that "media malpractice" had resulted in the "relentless demonization of Putin" who was not an "autocrat". He wrote that the American media's coverage of Russia was "less objective, less balanced, more conformist and scarcely less ideological" than it had been during the Cold War.[15] I
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
If you are looking for "Neo-Nazis" ... look no further than your backyard. In OUR military. In OUR police forces. Or in our House of Representatives. A constructive exercise for you might be to write an expose on that.
Sorry you missed the whole point of Biden's speech.
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
So, you're saying you support Putins naked land grab and war atrocities. I don't think that's a stand that looks good but seems to be one that some REPUBLICAN'TS are running on.
"Do you have any real interest in comparing our divergent points of view about what is really happening in Ukraine?"
Sure John, but, only if you are willing to move out of belief space and into provable reality space.
If you choose to reside in Belief Space, then, there is not much of a conversation to have because, well, you, like everyone, gets to believe whatever you want.
But, for those of us in reality space where data, facts and, well, reality are relevant, we cannot just sit in Belief space slinging out insults.
So , your position is that Putin is,a great guy just trying to hold onto ultimate power with cretins like the Wagner group to carry out slaughtering civilians and committing human war crimes. And you think thats a valid position. I think you've been listening to DJT and the folks that write his speeches for him.
John, Russia is sort of legendary for her war crimes, is she not? Do you think Ukrainian war crimes outweigh Russian war crimes? Russia has committed war crimes ever since invading Ukrainian borders. To Putin’s evident surprise, the Ukrainians have fought back. Not sure what ‘war crimes’ Ukrainians might be committing against aggressors on Ukrainian soil that would outweigh the initial aggression. Please explain.
Someone seems to have forgotten that our country received aid from nations when we fought for our own independence and nationhood and in defending freedom and democracy (shared interests) in other nations. Our alliances have been what elevated the US to the position we hold in the world today.
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
Cooperation is our species' superpower. Of course, the fascists say so too; but with coerced and bribed compliance, from the top of a pyramid down, while democratic nations ultimately combine individual power from aggregated collective will of the populace, up. The latter's harder to pull off, but hey...
I remember you. You seem to be in denial about humanity and the difference that leaderships make or try to make in the darkness going forward. Instead your modus is opposition, a drag, going nowhere. This makes you eligible for a title: nagging nabob of negativism, dragging up old shit. Did you read HCR above? I'll bet not, or your are perhaps a victim of your own projection.
PS- I just looked up the Agnew phrase which is correctly "nattering nabob of negativism" however I'll keep my "nagging" version.
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
You come here to oppose and must love the attention. That Nation article is from February 2019 and it cites old information. That's three and a half years ago. A lot has happened since but you keep nattering on regardless. You could have chosen to report on how Zelensky's administration was and is cleaning house vis a vis corruption (and Russian interference and aggression which a source of corruption). All the while Ukraine is fighting a tough war defense of their country. Ukraine has at least three separate agencies working on this problem, plus the EU. Key is replacing the corrupt with good motivated people. Ukrainians are motivated to prove worthy while struggling to win the war and join NATO and the EU. Your starting point is old but you found what you were looking for.
Buy the way The Nation was leading the cry for us to appease Russia when this war began.. for us to stay out.
I have been "repeating" by directly responding to various people's studied ignorance regarding rampant paramilitary bigotry in Ukraine. I responded to each person individually.
That Nation article was one of TEN sources in a link that I included in my original post. Here is the link again:
"The October 2021 polls delivered a shock to the presidential team. According to the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, Zelensky’s approval rating as president dropped from 33.3 percent in September to 24.7 percent in October, separated from Poroshenko’s approval rating by fewer than ten percentage points. The Razumkov Center’s poll demonstrates that Volodymyr Zelensky overtook Petro Poroshenko and now has the biggest “anti-rating” among Ukrainian politicians. What has happened to the once beloved leader?
"My answer: at the midpoint of his presidency, Zelensky himself has destroyed his image as an alternative politician. Here is what he did.
"First, Zelensky and his team started promoting the idea that he was “like any other businessperson in Ukraine.” This statement was repeated by everyone on the presidential team in response to the revelations of Zelensky’s offshore holdings, suddenly exposed in the Pandora Papers."
Regarding Zelensky making peace with so-called "neo Nazi's" these radicals were fighting off Russia in Eastern Ukraine... this now is unity Zelensky needed in fighting off Russian aggression. Russia is actually more Nazified than Ukraine, ironically. Putin used this term Nazi to plug into the history from WW2 when the Russians fought off the Nazi's ( after they colluded with them) and this made vulnerable Russians so proud that they are fighting Nazi's again... they were duped and are pathetic.
There has also been criticism of right-wing Ukrainian militia members who were fighting against the separatists in the east of Ukraine earlier this year — above all, the Azov Battalion. Umland said that although it was founded by a right-wing extremist group, it was integrated into forces of the Interior Ministry, the National Guard, in the fall of 2014.
After that, he said, there had been a separation of the movement and the regiment, with the latter still using the former's symbols but no longer being classified as part of the right-wing extremist scene. During military training courses, extremist soldiers had sometimes come to light, he said, but they had then "been revealed and named as a scandal." end quote
(translated from the German)
Schmeeckle your responses are so "off". What are you trying so hard to prove?
"Strange" since Agnew seemed such a clear example of what he was complaining of. TFG all the more so. Alas there is plenty that matters in the world that is worthy of condemnation, bit so too plenty of push against gravity; not to say that the outcome either way is certain.
Those preach that hope is for fools and resistance is futile are as delusional (or dishonest) as those who sit in the coffeehouse aflame, and declare "This is fine".
I find HCR's posts very positive, astonishingly so, always looking for the bright side and facing issues squarely morally wholly and with knowledge. Why such a negative person would continue to come here and be a drag is beyond me. But I keep learning about humanity. I always thought, and still do think that it feels better to be positive. That is not being in denial either.
It is interesting that Agnew's lasting contribution to our discourse was so much about what people do and at that while they themselves are so negative and immoral .. as today. It was a catchy phrase. The original remark was directed at the media
Anyone who describes themselves in their bio as a "The leading expert on the meaning of the Declaration of Independence" deserves not only derision but a trip to the psych ward. And your hyperbolic and breathless condemnation of countries being assaulted with unbelievable inhumanity in service of old imperial ego and avarice, as well as organizations that have provided more than a modicum of independence stability, and growth to places that would just be victims of the same kind of aggression otherwise makes you not only nuts but illiterate.
I thought exactly the same thing, but think your reference to the psych ward was a bit harsh - to those occupying it. Still, I believe he's a troll and best handled by ignoring him/her/it.
The former leading expert on the meaning of the Declaration of Independence was Michael Zuckert. I demolished his interpretation in my article, The Declaration of Independence without Locke," which is online here:
Michael Zuckert's dismissal of Burlamaqui and Hutcheson as inspiration for the Declaration of Independence is fatally flawed. Burlamaqui said exactly what Zuckert doubts that Burlamaqui could have said regarding the purpose of government (to secure rights). Zuckert's attempt to explain the "pursuit of happiness" in terms of Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding fails, because Zuckert's two chosen examples of parallel documents both echo Hutcheson and Burlamaqui (but not Locke) on obtaining happiness; and the 1776 congressional definition of happiness includes virtue, in common with the Ciceronian tradition of Hutcheson and Burlamaqui, in opposition to Locke. In this Ciceronian tradition, rights are derived from duties, and virtue is the "perfection" of human nature, with happiness as the result. This view is prominently expressed by Burlamaqui's student Vattel, whose "The Law of Nations" was carefully followed by the Continental Congress as it went through the procedure of establishing and then declaring independence.
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
I have the same problem with others' inability to spell (and pronounce) my name correctly. It's not that big a deal, and most people are pleased to stand corrected if I am polite about it.
Somebody else called me "the invisible man." I bring up issues (starting with Davison Budhoo's resignation letter from the International Monetary Fund) that Biden Democrats are inclined to reject without thinking.
The starting point for my assessment is this cited quotation from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
Bill Corgile, I don't know if you would be willing to explain your thought.
My assessment is that Biden is much worse than Trump. (When the Billy Bush recording came out during his campaign against Hillary, I knew that I could never vote for Trump.)
There are issues about Zalensky, running in the background that I don't care for. But I'd rather run Putin and Trump off the rails first and then deal with Zalensky. Putin, Trump, Orban, et al, are pushing for oligarchy worldwide and you know it !
Zelensky was the star of a Ukrainian tv show about someone who accidentally became President of his country and just kept muddling thru until it got a little better. Then Zelensky ran for President of his country, running on an anti-corruption platform and got elected. Then he had the opportunity to have the entire world watch as Trump tried to boondoggle him into participating in messing with the US election, and he resisted that, to Trump’s chagrin and the delight of many other people around the world. Then Trump lost the election, in no large part due to the organizing talents of Stacy Abrams in Georgia, as well as the political savvy of Georgia’s Secretary of State Raffensperger, who had the great good sense to record those phone calls with Trump. Putin probably thought he better do something before Zelensky developed any more political chops, and invaded Ukraine. Interestingly enough, the centuries of experience the Ukrainians have watching invaders roll across their fields kicked in, and Zelensky and that genius general of his embarrassed Putin, galvanized NATO, gave Biden an opportunity to do what he wanted to - namely, move the world toward democracy, disrupted the balance of power between Putin and his mercenary army, shook up Russia and China’s budding reapproachment, gave Africa a chance to consider other options, pushed Turkey back toward the west, and now here we are. Trump is facing indictments from all directions, Tucker Carlson got kicked off Fox for admitting on a hot mic that all the people at Fox understand Trump is a Cheeto, inflation is down to 3% and the longed-for (by Republicans and certain media outlets, like the Wall Street Journal) recession just isn’t happening. This week the staunchly Republican head of the FBI made fun of Jordan and his rabid cronies’ conspiracy theories on CSpann. Not sure what you are concerned about regarding Zelensky, but it sorta seems like he has turned his TV show into real life. I am a big dove, really , but it seems to me everyone should have given that general everything he was asking for early on, and let them turn Russia into a Satrapy of Ukraine. This would have solved so many problems, would it have not?
"The October 2021 polls delivered a shock to the presidential team. According to the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, Zelensky’s approval rating as president dropped from 33.3 percent in September to 24.7 percent in October, separated from Poroshenko’s approval rating by fewer than ten percentage points. The Razumkov Center’s poll demonstrates that Volodymyr Zelensky overtook Petro Poroshenko and now has the biggest “anti-rating” among Ukrainian politicians. What has happened to the once beloved leader?
"My answer: at the midpoint of his presidency, Zelensky himself has destroyed his image as an alternative politician. Here is what he did.
"First, Zelensky and his team started promoting the idea that he was “like any other businessperson in Ukraine.” This statement was repeated by everyone on the presidential team in response to the revelations of Zelensky’s offshore holdings, suddenly exposed in the Pandora Papers...."
What a speech by President Joe Biden, in Lithuania! Two bits stood out for me, that speak to what our country is currently enduring with the Rethugs still supporting a criminal subhuman and also attempting to block any progress towards a better future for this country:
"Every day, we have to make the choice. Every day, we must summon the strength to stand for what is right, to stand for what is true, to stand for freedom, to stand together.”
“When others do better, we do better as well—where we understand that the challenges we face today, from the existential threat of climate change to building a global economy where no one gets left behind, are too great for any one nation to solve on their own, and that to achieve our goals and meet the challenges of this age, we have to work together.”
Substitute "state" for "nation" and truer words were never spoken. There should be no "red" vs "blue" states, only 50 states and one country, united. We the People, are in this together. I hope to see this in my lifetime.
We were so impressed yesterday with Biden’s energy, enthusiasm, and powerful words. He certainly made ridiculous the the constant railing of the QOP that he is a doddering old man, not capable of governing or being on the world stage.
I too found similarities to his 2023 State of the Union Address, where he walked the Republicans into a shout out that they would not touch Social Security, etc. Loved that moment when Sleepy Joe completed negotiations live and McCarthy is head-bobbling as his caucus screams a pledge they would not make behind closed doors. Brilliant leadership, that getting the opposition to voice publicly their change from opposition to concession. Today, the message is similar, as it should be. Mr Biden was on the world stage impressing with his leadership of our country and the common bonds in values and prospects for international prosperity that derive from and for other people and nations from the US pursuits, nationally and internationally, goals for the common man among those nations. We do best when we lead not just by words but by actions successful to validate the true value of our aspirations so achieved.
Let's not hope for it. Let's get together and make it happen. Can't we all unite around the following:
"But there has been also the American dream, that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to his ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the . . . upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of a social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position." The Epic of America - James Truslow Adams
Thank you for making me aware of The Epic of America. I found this comment on JStor: "[Adams] put ["the American Dream", a term which he coined] more succinctly elsewhere in the book: a 'dream of a better, richer and happier life for all our citizens of every rank.' This contemporary review of Epic notes that Adams alluded to the idea in fifty or more passages in the book. The unnamed reviewer thought Adams believed the dream to be 'our greatest contribution to the thought of the world.'” https://daily.jstor.org/james-truslow-adams-dreaming-american-dream/. And he was probably right - we may never be able to live up to it in the future, as we have not lived up to it until now, but we must continue to have the dream of that life for all our citizens. Rather like MLK's dream, in fact.
Hi Lynn. I am quite confused and a bit disturbed. After I received this comment from you I got another that said “reported once again, please just go away”. What an I to make of these two comments?
Sorry, that was meant for Schmeekle. I think I corrected it after I realized. I really want that guy or bot or troll to stop clogging up the responses to the Letters.
I apologize for not paying attention closely enough.
HCR seems to be in a state of denial regarding the obscenity of the Biden administration's ongoing support of Ukraine's oppressive, undemocratic one-party right-wing thug regime.
EDIT: The NATO countries have voting domination at the genocidal International Monetary Fund. In 2014, the IMF demanded, as part of a loan deal, that Ukraine re-conquer the breakaway Donbass republics, because income from their heavy industry was needed to service the debt. The people of Ukraine have been turned into zombie soldiers, as the IMF continues to extract pounds and pounds of bloody flesh in exchange for ongoing special treatment and financial support from the NATO countries.
Will you please go back to Flyover Loserville - the place where the sky is green and the grass is blue - where the fact you are one of the dumbest fucking morons I have ever run across won't be so blindingly obvious?
As to your blathering about Ukraine, each and every "fact" you cite is a lie.
Just drop dead, you worthless piece of Trumpscum. Make America really great again with your permanent departure.
I totally agree with you. That troll is a loser that must love to write senseless things in here. Everything he says is made up and lies.. TUMPSCUM is a good name for him. He is a true to life TUMP troll. Lies like him, and projects like he does..
This "it" sounds like it's a robot hacking away . . . trawling for idiots.
Thank God for Joe Biden. And Thank God for WP's Jennifer Rubin:
“3% inflation. NATO growing and more solid than ever. huge investment in tech and infrastructure. And Rs? Screeching about Hunter Biden's laptop and defunding the FBI. Simply pathetic.”
I am old and not familiar with the ways in which bots and things like that work. Do you think that John Schmeeckle is actually a Russian posting these things?
Likely, yes. This Moscow-paid troll gets triggered into posting the exact same text 64 times everytime the words ‘Ukraine’ and ‘Zelensky’ appear in a text.
And I think you'll note that when neither of those words is in the Letter, the troll introduces them so he can post his previous comments. Predictable and boring, boring, boring.
Really?? The undemocratic thuggery was well in place long before Ukraine re-ignited the frozed civil war in the Donbass, precipitating the Russian invasion.
Richard Hofstadter described today's Republicans 70 years ago:
It can most accurately be called pseudo-conservative — I borrow the term from the study of The Authoritarian Personality published five years ago by Theodore W. Adorno and his associates — because its exponents, although they believe themselves to be conservatives and usually employ the rhetoric of conservatism, show signs of a serious and restless dissatisfaction with American life, traditions and institutions. They have little in common with the temperate and compromising spirit of true conservatism in the classical sense of the word, and they are far from pleased with the dominant practical conservatism of the moment as it is represented by the Eisenhower Administration. Their political reactions express rather a profound if largely unconscious hatred of our society and its ways — a hatred which one would hesitate to impute to them if one did not have suggestive clinical evidence.
From clinical interviews and thematic apperception tests, Adorno and his co-workers found that their pseudo-conservative subjects, although given to a form of political expression that combines a curious mixture of largely conservative with occasional radical notions, succeed in concealing from themselves impulsive tendencies that, if released in action, would be very far from conservative. The pseudo-conservative, Adorno writes, shows “conventionality and authoritarian submissiveness” in his conscious thinking and “violence, anarchic impulses, and chaotic destructiveness in the unconscious sphere. . . . The pseudo conservative is a man who, in the name of upholding traditional American values and institutions and defending them against more or less fictitious dangers, consciously or unconsciously aims at their abolition.”
As Adlai Stevenson observed in the 1952 campaign: “The strange alchemy of time has somehow converted the Democrats into the truly conservative party of this country — the party dedicated to conserving all that is best, and building solidly and safely on these foundations.”
I agree. I was 11 years old in '52 and didn't know the issues, but I had such a good feeling about Adlai. And such a bad feeling about Eisenhower's running mate.
I was also 11 and remember my mother’s strong support and admiration of Adlai. I still have a political button from his campaign (somewhere) and remember attending a rally during his Presidential run. There was great disappointment in our house when he lost.
Thank you very much for this quotation from Hofstadter! Having never read more than published quotations from his works, having never seen the one you quote, I am delighted to see that he understood Republicans of the time for what they have become.
Hofstadter has written three volumes of Great Issues in American History, which contain primary sources (speeches). He is also the author of Anti-Intellectualism in American Life, and The Paranoid Style in American Politics. These were my accompanying references to LFAA early on.
Why does TCinLA support Ukraine's corrupt, undemocratic one-party right-wing thug regime? Perhaps a hint of the answer can be found in this 2019 quote from "The Nation":
"Five years ago, Ukraine’s Maidan uprising ousted President Viktor Yanukovych, to the cheers and support of the West. Politicians and analysts in the United States and Europe not only celebrated the uprising as a triumph of democracy, but denied reports of Maidan’s ultranationalism, smearing those who warned about the dark side of the uprising as Moscow puppets and useful idiots. Freedom was on the march in Ukraine.
"Today, increasing reports of far-right violence, ultranationalism, and erosion of basic freedoms are giving the lie to the West’s initial euphoria. There are neo-Nazi pogroms against the Roma, rampant attacks on feminists and LGBT groups, book bans, and state-sponsored glorification of Nazi collaborators.
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
He needs attention. And we are giving it to him. I bit his bait. He would be more interesting if he didn't repeat the same stuff over and over. I don't think he understands that anyone who reads knows that there are really bad elements in Ukrainian society. Perhaps John can name a country that is pure of thought, pure of heart and 100% tolerant and democratic. We all could move there and be so happy.
Why is there an inability on this forum to deal with the following quote?
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
It isn't that you might not be pointing out some truths, John. No doubt, there are awful people in Ukraine - just like everywhere else.
If you really want to participate on this forum and get some positive attention...find some new subjects. Change it up. It's a big, big world with lots of stuff.
For instance, how do you feel about humanity and our approach to the Climate Crisis? It dwarfs every other subject on the planet...doesn't it?
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
For the people carping about Biden’age like my 32 year old son— having you highlight this inspirational speech is so valuable. Our 80 year old president is remarkable— who can fill his shoes at this inflection point?
I badly underestimated President Biden before he came to the fore in the SC primary. In a lot of ways. I’m only a few years his junior but lack his stamina. Being “on” every moment of every day isn’t easy at any time of life.
I do hope that 2028 brings a deep field of Gen X and Millennials to the fore. The Boomers have no difficulty communicating what it is that we want, but our children and grandchildren need someone they feel “gets it.” For 2024, I’ll be voting to keep the world in safe hands.
Richard, I daresay you were not the only person who underestimated 'Uncle Joe' as my family can attest that I've always called him. Many thought he was only the best of two bad choices, just like the election before when "it" was elected. His team assembly exceeded even my expectations to be honest. I am so grateful too.
We all did, didn't we? I only wish that he was 60 instead of 80. These are the times that try men's souls. Biden's age concerns me because it will be a major factor for many voters. And then we have the 3rd party movement by Liberals. We keep shooting ourselves in the foot.
Clint Eastwood is 92 and just made another movie. Age is irrelevant. Anyone can die at any age. His experience and heart are stronger than ever and he is as optimistic as I was at 20.
Being able to make a movie and being able to make that wonderful NATO speech (and it was fabulous) does not make one the best choice to be the leader of the free world.
Trust me. Biden wakes up every day in pain. He gets out of bed with some difficulty. And then he gets moving and things hurt a little less. He gets focused soon and makes great decisions (mostly). I am proud of him.
But someone who is in his/her 50s or 60s could get more done much faster. That's a fact. Does his "experience" outweigh his lack of youthful energy? Maybe. But it speaks volumes about our lack of faith in the hundreds of more capable younger Democrats who could do the the job. And who would inspire Gen Y and Z to vote.
I'll support Joe. Because he WILL be the candidate. I admire and respect him. But if we lose this election, it will be because thousands of young people might just stay home.
Um, the proof is in the pudding as they say. Biden, using his experience and relationships has had immediate impact in less than four years. Clinton, Bush(s), Obama combined did little in comparison. Obama tried to do much more but he wasn't able to permanently move the needle. If I recall correctly, Biden provided a great assist in getting the ACA pass and took a hit from Obama supporters for getting ahead of Obama for bringing lgbta+ rights into the forefront. Youth does not equal better. Ten of the 25 richest men in America are in their late 70s early 80s...Warren Buffett and Leonard Lauder in their 90s! I'm sure they all have aches and pains. However, FDR who was only in his early 50s when he was elected had it much worse physically and had poor health and served 3+ terms. If Biden gets four more years...get out of the way because he won't be resting on his laurels. If young people stay home over his age God help them .....climate change is real and no Republican has any ideas on what or how to even begin.
So many good, heartfelt comments in this thread. Biden probably wouldn't have entered the race in 2018 and won if not for the fact that he was the candidate who most clearly understood and expressed the stakes involved. We all wish, including Biden, I bet, that we would be as wise at a younger age, but so be it.
One note about Obama: One glaring reason he wasn't able to "permanently move the needle" is that his successor rode the wave of white backlash that occurs every single time Black Americans have surmounted a racist barrier. His successor spent the next four years actively dismantling or attempting to dismantle everything Obama accomplished.
Yes, Martha. We must keep reminding ourselves and others that climate change is VERY real and that Republicans refuse to recognize it. Bill Nye, “the science Guy,”’was on television yesterday saying that from now on no breaks in storms, fires, floods, etc. Has anyone else gotten their home insurance bill for next year? Mine doubled (in a condo in downtown Chicsgo) and we had tornado warnings all around us yesterday. Are we prepared to have (kill/off-or make serfs of poor survivors) Republicans running the country?
“But someone who is in his/her 50s or 60s could get more done much faster.”
Bill... I couldn’t disagree with you more! Stamina is as much (or more) a state of mind as it is physical ability. I’m almost 80 and from what I have observed, especially lately, President Biden has more stamina than any 10 80-year-olds I know put together. (I live in a Senior Living Community). And I don’t really understand your point that things need to get done faster. Thoughtful deliberate progress comes first in my mind. Also, think FDR. Biden is the person we needed/need for this point in history. I’m glad you will still vote for him.
Point out to them that for all his age, Joe Biden is living in THIS century and dealing with this century's issues. Using this century's reality as his starting point.
A lot of Republicans half his age can't say that.
You might also remind them that if they don't want to be boomers, they could start by avoiding our mistakes.
All the Eugene McCarthy folks who thought Humphrey was too old gave us Nixon, Watergate and four more years of Vietnam (and Cambodia.)
Well said on both counts. Biden continually surprises on the upside. He has my support and I will work to get people to vote for him.
There was a recent article in the Atlantic that expresses my feelings. As presidents go, Biden is wonderful. One of our best, ever. But someone younger should be our next President. 82 is NOT the new 62 or 72.
But I am whistling in the wind. Democrats think Joe is their best bet. It's a tradition. Support the guy in the office. So I will. I am loyal.
But it speaks volumes about our insecurity and lack of faith in the hundreds of fine younger people who could wake up each day and have twice the energy and stamina of someone this age. When you are actually old, you know that ageism is more than bigotry. The reality is that we don't have the same fuel in our tanks that younger people have. For the most important job in the world, that should be a driving factor.
Bill, I agree with most everything you expressed in this post. Being even older than our president, I am sure that his body creaks and groans before starting his day. I commend his courage and dedication to his principles. It is his many years of service in US government, his understanding of compromise and friendship and coalitions, that produces results such as admitting Sweden into NATO (despite opposition). He has learned how to turn minds to his view. His quiet persistence pays off. I am grateful for his many, many years of service - resulting in the leader we have today.
Yea! He has a terrific team of youngsters around him to do the foot work and research. He is being well served and advised. During the last "administration" all of that was lacking, plus we had a lazy ass president on top of his most unsavory character. We need his wisdom, know how, and heart. We can't afford a thin resume for president.
Mike. Totally agree. What if each "younger" (untried) candidate had a 'mentor' attached (so-to-speak) who could serve as a guide. If a great mind (and great person) like Jamie Raskin decided not to run for the presidency (due to lesser energy due to his recent health challenges) but was available to guide/mentor a promising younger person? If we knew the track record of the mentor, perhaps it would help us envision the trajectory of the newer unproven candidate?? (This idea just popped unto my head - totally unproven and unripe.) Thoughts?
Liz I am revolted by this carping about President Biden’s age with no mention that Bone-Spur Donnie is within years of Biden and physically is a bloated ‘white whale’ [Ahab, where are you when we. Need you?]
Were Donnie about to slip away from trials and/or jail to debate Biden for the presidency, Biden should appear in sporting attire, do a number of push ups and sit ups and then challenge Donnie to do likewise.
Have you noticed that the photos of Donnie are almost always of his orangy face? I do recall his taking his golf cart on to the putting green (which violates golfing regulations).
Keith, let's just ask our younger voters about how they would solve the problems of the world, space and the oceans -why ...and how to work with world leaders of ALL countries. What are the rules of political etiquette? Let's ask them how to negotiate with fellow Americans on the other side of an opinion, to change their vote for the betterment of our country rather than vote with monied small mined selfish constituents.... AND STILL REMAIN FRIENDS. Let's ask some of the younger persons how to negotiate with countries who call themselves "Christian" but are really just manipulative dictatorships and still find a way to resolve international problems. Let's ask these younger ones how to build a team of wise, experienced, self-less, brilliant persons who are willing to be battered for choosing freedom and a better world while receiving criticism and conflict with every decision.
Let's find some younger ones who can face destruction of our country from mighty floods, deaths of huge numbers of fellow Americans from disease ....and not stop and continue working to find solutions that are constantly ongoing....and NOT GIVE UP....AND KEEP SMILING...AND KEEP A HOPEFUL ATTITUDE!!!!
These are just a few questions I would have for the ones who only judge Joe Biden by his age.
I would also challenge the younger ones who really love our country and respect the ideal of freedom to study, to work for these ideals to become realities within as many venues as possible and in the here and now to support the ideal of freedom.
Keith, thank you for letting us non-golfers know that carts on the putting green “violate regulations,” as should LIV violate PGA regulations. As for any other comparisons between our president and the former (and continuing) horror, can we do childish tantrums versus experience and diplomacy? or love and honor versus ignorance and cupidity? And I never got in “mafia boss,” which if he were a bit less stupid and childish, I would have.
To have put climate change so prominently into his speech yesterday is the best proof of the quality of our president and his team!
Virginia As a non-golfer, I have heard from my golfer friends that driving a golf cart onto the putting green is akin to putting a turd in a drink at the 19th hole. They also tell me that Trump is #1 in cheating on the golf course. Perhaps Donnie could get an exemption for ‘turding’ on the putting green, if he provided the medical documentation that obtained for him a bone-spur exemption from the military.
🤣🤣🤣 Thank you. As we had our first in town tornado warning yesterday, the laugh is good. Hoping you don’t object to emojis. I don’t forget the W exemption either and saw the W-Putin photos on TV yesterday. Looking forward to Helsinki “reminiscences” today! Now to write more GOTV postcards to Ohio.
Keith, I learned irreverence over a lifetime and your mad life (let’s face it, neither of us has been stultified by etiquette), which very statement is bringing up more than one laugh. So glad you didn’t play golf - at least you won’t be tempted to hit the links with a cart and your two lethal canes - but have retained your brutally slashing sense of humor. The Greeks were right about the gods laughing. What else would a god do recognizing his/her,etc., helplessness.
As the floods get wilder I think of what the Founding Fathers believed (for most of them anyway the universe was set and kept turning) then of Shakespeare and the storms in the universe are reflected in the hearts of men (or was it Vice versa?).
And yes, laugh and the world laughs with you; weep and you weep alone. Do you know who said that? Learned it as a child.
Liz, I appreciate you mentioning your son because I believe he represents the views of much of his generation. I also not just believe but know that our generation cannot get Biden re-elected in 24 without a robust turnout by Millennials and Gen-Zs. Accordingly, I expect if we mostly continue merely to converse among ourselves as to how we perceive Biden’s accomplishments both at home and abroad, we do so at our peril.
I imagine it’s worth noting my mind lately repeatedly returning to 1968 and to Humphrey barely losing to Nixon for a host of reasons, one of them being that young eligible voters, many of whom had worked for Eugene McCarthy or Bobby Kennedy, largely had stayed home.
It really bothers me that so many people think that if their primary candidate isn't chosen they can't be bothered to vote. They act like it's a horse race. Their horse lost and they throw their ticket to the ground and go home. It is why the Republicans are successful in beating better, wiser opponents because they smear them as evil threats to Christianity (Hillary) or soft and suspect (Gore/Kerry). I would never have voted until Obama, if that had been my response (still sad about Bill Bradley, not so sad about Perot -LoL).
Martha, While I share your perspective, in my view, the stakes are too great not to do whatever it takes to give young voters, in particular, reason to want to cast their vote up and down the ballot.
I'm not sure what you mean. I was trying to say, if they think their vote in the primaries is important how can they reconcile not voting in the general? That is all. It's illogical. They act like they are at a race track, where if your horse loses it is probably best to call it quits and go home. Voting for president or presidential candidates is not a horse race.
Martha, While I don’t subscribe to the logic of one who would vote in a primary but not in the general if her or his candidate doesn’t win the nomination, my point was to say we must do everything possible to give everyone reason not to sit out the general.
Climate change effects us all. If Biden doesn't win the rest - women's rights, the economy, democracy won't matter. Republicans won't stop being stupid so let's not leave climate change to them to fix, it will be the pandemic all over again followed by a Jan 6 for survival....re that youthful Kennedy clown.
I'm not convinced that Republicans win because they go on to vote in the general election, certainly not at the national level. Republicans have won the popular vote, what, twice in the past nine presidential elections? That's why they're so focused on rolling back voting rights.
No one can fill Joe Biden's shoes. He is the person....the President for these days. He has the wisdom and experience and compassion that is so lacking in so many who have been given responsibilities for which they are incapable of fulfilling. And I know , it is not Joe alone but also the great team who work hard with him everyday for freedom and for the better goodness..... including those who protect him....thank you!!!!
A president’s legacy is defined by the people whom he chooses for his cabinet and advisers. Compare President Biden’s choices with tfg. The former guy’s cabinet were all chosen to destroy their departments. Hell, Rick Perry forgot there was a Department of Energy when he was running for president. So, naturally he was tfg’s choice to head it. Think of the people tfg chose to advise him - Stephen Miller, Bannon, Giuliani, Jared Kushner, Ivanka. All either despicable or grossly incompetent. President Biden’s adviser’s names are not in the news daily because they are actually doing their jobs and doing them well. I know Biden is old, but with age comes wisdom. I’ve voted for Joe since his first Senate race in 1972. He has learned and learned well.
Biden has surrounded himself with a competent cabinet of various ages. He is a leader who listens. It is a training ground for future leaders so in a sense he is a teacher .
When he chose Rick Perry I couldn't help but think, what a bunch of immature assholes. I could image they all thought they were funny and clever and saying, "we will show them hahaha" because they were all so damnably ignorant.
Wasn't always this way. Today's clickbait model is an outgrowth of the traditional media grappling with internet based media and while they are all suffering some kind of revenue problem.
That's why the good journalists (and historians, lawyers, humorists) are striking out on their own here. The good ones on Substack are now millionaires and it only makes their content better, not more salacious/snarky. The truth, hopefully mixed with a little humor and good will, will carry the day. The old models, just like the first 5 years of the internet, the blogging golden era of 2004-2009 and Twitter 2011-2021 are done. #longlivethenewsay
I do wonder how this new model of journalism, Substack and similar, can deal with funding travel for the journalists. Someone credible still has to buy a ticket, go to the scene of the action, and report what they see. For all that HCR is a fabulous source of aggregation and analysis, she's still not a primary source. At the moment, the only alternative I can see to media-corporation primary reporting is the decentralized -- and hard to verify -- crowdsourced "citizen reporter" model.
It takes a village. NYT, AP, WAPO, etc, have great reporters in the field - how their reporting is presented is where it gets sticky - and that's where HCR comes in, taking the time to sift through, authenticate, aggregate with a historical mind, then summarize in a way that makes some sense to readers.
Good points, however the spread of Substack content is still its infancy so we’re stuck with the clickbait model until they go bankrupt. What advertisers do next?
We have wall-to-wall Trump because the media thinks, probably correctly, unfortunately, that wall-to-wall Trump improves the bottom line of their financial report. In that way, it’s like trolling. Notice, for example, that a wacky troll plus responses occupied a huge space in today’s LfaA commentary. We all know better but sometimes give in to the urge to respond to crank comments.
After 2016 they admitted being culpable for giving rise to Trumpism and promised to be better. 2020 was better and January 21 was taken seriously and has not been completely forgotten . Today we see shows that refuse to air his live events or even show video clips, again a welcomed move.
While Biden's coverage is improving, there needs to be much more. The problem now is not too much Trump but rather not enough Biden. The balance of news should tip in favor of the incumbent , not the challenger(s). HCR gets it right .
I accept your assertion that Trump coverage has declined a little although I haven’t made that observation myself. Regardless, I think Trump gets way too much coverage. I agree that Biden doesn’t get enough coverage. What’s worse is that the headline writers misconstrue the content of the limited coverage of Biden. Often, the headline suggests something negative about Biden, and the article is almost entirely positive. My take is that WaPo’s headline writers are especially bad in this regard and that NYT editors are even worse than WaPo headline writers. The result is that Biden doesn’t get his due, even in the newspapers of record.
I agree and even though I subscribe to both, I've had to learn to ignore the headlines which are probably aimed at more conservative readers and just dive into the story. Still despite all their good content I look to other sources like Substack to find authoritative writers I can trust for the news that matters and why I come here first thing every morning to get my head on straight before I dive into the M$M cesspool.
I've dumped both papers more than once and dropped cable or a streaming service because the content on MSNBC or CNN was either over the top or way below the belt. It's been this way since the days of the pamphleteers. Heather and Joanne have talked about the media on the podcast pointing out despite changes in technology, there's a common thread running through journalism through the ages both bad and good. Bottomline, the 4th Estate has bailed up out when we really needed it and we'd be goners without it.
It appoears that we’ve been down same road. I dropped NYT for 20 years for a headline that said W would have won if Florida had counted correctly on a story that showed he would have lost. Dropped them again, a year or two, for something less egregious, but only for a few months. Pretty hard to beat their investigative reporting, or WaPo’s for that matter. Unfortunately, headlines matter when in comes to a story’s effect on public opinion, probably more than, say, the opinions written by the editorial staff, so doing them for the money is pretty close to unforgivable in my book. But I’m kind of a hard ass in that department. Might have made a good fire-and-brimstone preacher if notion of a sentient entity with supernatural power that takes an interest in individual Homo sapiens weren’t such obvious bullshit.
So accurate, and we've gotten so good at ignoring the "check engine" light (hard not to when it popped on after every fueling as my last patrol vehicle did until I would remove and then replace the fuel cap--ironic--to be sure).
What a great, great speech. Today I'm just going to amplify that across my platforms. Democrats need this shot of optimism— and proof that our president is fighting for what is right on the homefront and for the whole world.
I pray for Biden’s health often. That chump and his masses of asses are nipping at his heels makes me as terrified as I have been in my long life. Since prayer is used by all kind of cretins, I’ll just say, get up and roar. That means you too, MSM. Thank you, Jennifer Rubin
OK, Jeri, that is funny because it is so true: "masses of asses".
Plus, MSM, stop it with the assumption that every word uttered is to be balanced with an opposing word (or viewpoint) when one side is accurate and the other made up trash.
Stole that from a man named Ivan Nachman, worked at NASA in the 60's. Supposed to be the name of a book he was writing. Wish he had. It stuck with me somehow and fits the magats to a tee.
Thank you Dr. Richardson for giving us this great speech from President Biden. What a proud moment for all Americans to have a great President, an optimistic President. Joe Biden presents us to the world as a democracy, willing to stand with our neighbors to protect freedom and equality for all Homo sapiens anywhere and everywhere. Joe is not my second choice, he is first choice and the best choice for our time.
To me it shows that Wray is still all-in on Federalist Society worldview. So it’s interesting to see him grilled by the inheritors of the Federalist Society group-think.
Another pitch perfect speech from Team Joe. The question is how will it be played in the media--and IF it will even be played on the conservative outlets.
I remember listening to the news on broadcast TV as a teenager when the fairness norms were in play and TV was free once you had a set. I think democracy started to erode with the demise of free media and the introduction of our current crazy patchwork of pay for view channels.
You saw a less distorted picture--I remember the TV coverage of the civil rights marches on TV in particular showing the protesters and the police in confrontations in the 1960s . Thinking of that versus the highly bifurcated media coverage now. The unbiased media sources are getting less and less traction.
Absolutely Georgia; and the 'Fairness Doctrine' must be reinstated - written into law where it belongs. As well, free speech and any free press, must be responsible under law for disseminating truth and facts in evidence.
"Disseminating truth and facts in evidence" Which the current platforms like Twitter (under current ownership) and "truth social" don't seem to support.
Ally, you wrote "Reinstated and brought to the vast smorgasbord of information that is now available besides broadcast and print news." ... Ally, thanks for honestly stepping out and honestly expressing that desire. IMHO, although that broad brush certainly 'appears' to be a need / necessity in this day and age of the internet, cable news outlets, and the 24/7 news cycle, my gut tells me that's just a bridge too far. Limits on 'free speech' is problematic; and that's just one aspect of that very 'slippery slope.' This topic, being endlessly debatable is prime for our good Dr. to address. I encourage all to implore her learned input and that of sound, sober legal minds she might bring to bear on said topic. It is rightly of deep fundamental importance to not just all of us, but to our entire country and world writ largest, as it really is part and parcel of so much that's gone wrong in our country and world today. Restraining myself herein is something I try hard to do. In that spirit, I'll suffice to state that I believe there must exist legally enforceable responsibilities that are married to the exercise of free speech; most especially applicable to any broadcast business purporting to present actionable news. Broadcast news is a constitutionally 'protected', encouraged, and once vaunted / trusted essential endeavor for strong democracies. Given that weight, it must carry equal responsibilities that are legally enforceable; responsibilities and penalties should be commensurate with broadcast outreach capability - regardless of corporate or business model legalities. IMHO, the industry should carry the cost burden of policing itself, yet subject to legal oversight, again costs commensurate with broadcast potential outreach. Lest I go rambling on as I'd like to, I'll end on that note and defer to our good Dr. and her resources. Thanks again for your honesty Ally.
The issue with media and factual reporting (or lack thereof) is they are corporations in business to make money. Making money is what they are loyal to...not informing the citizenry of this country.
There was a time, though, even at the major networks when news was set aside from commercial competition. CBS was famous for that. Then ABC announced that news would have to pay its own way, and we were off.
Before it became entertainment with hosts who now have “celebrity” status. And are treated as if they are experts. I am sure some are but for the most part they are just a reflection of our societal obsession with the rich and
Growing up in the South in the fifties and sixties, I heard a lot of adults complaining about all the attention to civil rights issues given by the networks. Some people felt that if they were just ignored, they would go away and things would re-set. I wonder sometimes if the same ideas aren't at play today, especially with the protests over Black Lives Matter.
No need to wonder, progwoman. There is definitely a "ignore it and it will go away" component in both camps. BLM has touched a raw nerve with a lot of the MAGAt world (I still get people claiming that Jan 6 was a BLM false flag event.)
Thank you, Professor, for sharing President Biden’s strong and historic speech. It’s optimistic and critically important, emphasizing that working together globally and in our own country for Democracy is the future. You end with Jennifer Rubin’s statement that sums up the uphill battle to achieve our President’s and our Democracy’s goals while the repubs are blocking that achievement with their partisan obsession with laptops and I will add their continuing march towards fascism by anti-democratic
policies including critical issues and laws on women’s right to choose, medical care for Trans children, Climate Change, book bans and court packing. I hope for our children, grandchildren and the future of this planet we are up to our domestic battle and can meet those challenges.
I love this vision for the future of the world. As usual I can't help but wonder when "...liberty and dignity, equal justice under the law, human rights and fundamental freedoms which are the blessing and birthright of all of humanity.” is going to be extended to all of the other species, sentient as they are, with whom we share this planet. It wouldn't matter if we weren't systematically confining, and torturing, and exploiting them under the guise of food, fur, leather, down, milk, eggs, science and so on. But we are. Somethings gotta change and fast. Beware what you buy. Plant based, vegan lifestyle is fun and enriching in ways you cannot imagine. Align your values with what you put in and in your body and your home. You'll never regret it. It's a serious crisis. Over 80 billion land animals alone are slaughtered for food in the world every year. This doesn't account for The other uses I mentioned, or aquatic species, or the millions who die before ever leaving the factory farm for slaughter every year, or on transport trucks, or who are condemned after slaughter because they're too sick, meaning diseased with communicable diseases. This is serious folks. There's a whole huge climate change aspect too, not to mention public health risks just waiting to take hold, i.e., pandemic 2.0. So while we're rooting for democracy, let's not forget this massive, deliberately hidden from sight, horrible blight on the earth and humanity that is animal exploitation. We need to get serious or what the hell are we really doing? Democracy only for humans? As if none of the rest of the earth's creatures deserve the free will that is their birth right? Not cool. I'm sorry, I love this blog and this group and I depend on it. I'm just sick of the fact that our leaders keep ignoring this issue .... the human centric view, delusion, of separateness from nature is what has gotten us into the messes we're in. It's spiraling out of control very quickly. Methane from cows, chickens, and pigs are a major major major GHG emissions source. Methane is 85 times more potent than CO2. Do the math. Easier to drive less or eat less meat? 🤔
You are right, but many earthlings have no ears attached to their brains. Or there is too much static for the message to penetrate. Or if you are heard, the right-wing locusts will swoop down and swarm all over the land. Change is like molasses, slow and gooey
Jeri, I belive you are on the right anatomical track given the 25,000 or so nerve ending in the human Inner Ear. I suspect there is very serious "static" in the 8th cranial nerve, the auditory nerve. And, there is virtually no help at all from Rotor Rooter.
The (simply put) BEST way to impact global warming now is to stop supporting the rampant production of methane. That's the short game. The long game, also immediately necessary, is to make a quick u-turn on CO2 production. Turn out the lights early and, if you are so blessed, snuggle. And while you're at it, do some sequestration to keep plastic from going, as Donovan put it, way down, below the ocean.
Those are helpful but even the climate summit coincided a transiting to plant based living is necessary. I'm a former energy efficiency consultant by trade. Lights have impact, but nothing compared to refrigeration, ie AC. Cool Roofing is best to mitigate that, then windows, insulation, doors.
I don’t disagree with a lot of what you have addressed here, but if our species doesn’t survive, then nor will the animal kingdom. Striving for peace in the world will hopefully lead us to do good things for our planet.
Ah, there's the rub: earth will survive human extinction. To be clear, I am not advocating for human extinction, but there were millions of creatures on this planet before us, and there will me millions living after we're gone.
Yes, Sarah; I was thinking along the same lines as I read Biden’s speech… he’s got some great speechwriters, it’s all very inspirational, but, meanwhile, look at what his administration is not doing about climate change.
OFF TOPIC re SCOTUS: Via a newly assigned reporter at The Guardian, Wahinton DC office, The Guardian US is reporting cash payments from lawyers with cases before SCOTUS to an "aide" to Justice Thomas over a recent two (2) year period. This modus operandi took place during the Christmas Holiday Season.
Caution: Prosecutors may not know " ... if you have been good or bad " but, they can certainly investigate your conduct before a Grand Jury.
Under NATO’s Article 5, an attack in Europe or America is considered an attack against a NATO country and triggers a response from all NATO countries,
The only time this was invoked was after September 11th. Why it is so important today is that a number of NATO countries border Putin’s Russia. Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have been swallowed up by Russia on various occasions.
Today a Putin incursion into a Baltic state would be a direct Article 5 challenge. Including Finland in NATO reminds me of Stalin’s invasion of Finland in 1940. Including Sweden in NATO is a major move away from traditional Swedish neutrality.
Thanks to President Biden’s immediate and expansive response to Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, NATO, instead of being a Cold War relic, is a multi-nation bulwark against Putin’s Greater Russia megalomania.
"The only time this was invoked was after September 11th."
Yes, and that instance was an abuse of NATO since the USA invaded a country that had little to nothing to do with the destruction of the World Trade Center.
Not a single person on any plane flying that day was an Afghan Citizen. The entire plot had been hatched and planned in Germany.
The pilots had trained here. Most were Saudi Citizens.
Using NATO to invade a country like Afghanistan to attack an entity (Al-Qaeda) that the United States itself had created during the Soviet incursion into Afghanistan was a gross manipulation of bad judgement and, I think, evil by George W. Bush and Dick Cheney,
Another abuse of military power by the United States.
And we keep giving the Saudis a free pass. Just last night, I caught some of Senator Blumenthal's hearing on the merger of the PGA and the Saudi group, which was opposed by some within the PGA.
Thank you for including President Biden’s historic and optimistic remarks. He treads forever forward in the light.
Judith, you’ve put it so well! President Biden has blown my expectations for his presidency out of the water. He has accomplished so much for the “average Joe and Jane “.
As for his cussing in the White House, I’m reminded of the response of the man who opened the door of our neighborhood storm shelter to see the eye of an EF-3 tornado 80 feet above him. He cussed fluently. I’m sure that Biden often feels the same way.
That’s a good one. As I often imagine what the president and his crew are dealing with, thank you for the big storm image.
I like what Beau of the Fifth said.
"Tell me you've never been in a briefing without telling me."
That was kind of my reaction. Tell me you've never been in meeting where the future of the company is at stake at the same time you're bragging about your title.
If they went in unprepared, they were lucky all they heard was cursing.
HCR seems to be in a state of denial regarding the obscenity of the Biden administration's ongoing support of Ukraine's oppressive, undemocratic one-party right-wing thug regime.
I posted some sources for my assessment here:
https://substack.com/profile/85178460-john-schmeeckle/note/c-17693509
EDIT: The NATO countries have voting domination at the genocidal International Monetary Fund. In 2014, the IMF demanded, as part of a loan deal, that Ukraine re-conquer the breakaway Donbass republics, because income from their heavy industry was needed to service the debt. The people of Ukraine have been turned into zombie soldiers, as the IMF continues to extract pounds and pounds of bloody flesh in exchange for ongoing special treatment and financial support from the NATO countries.
For the IMF as the perpetrator of the most far-reaching genocide in history, see https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/january-15-2023/comment/11967315
meh, not your target audience here as this is a forum for people with intelligence
Have no fear, k (and other LFAA readers). “Schmeeckle” reappears (like his namesake Gollum) every once in awhile. He is merely trying to gain subscribers, living the American Dream, and makin’ a buck. “Schmeeckle” used to be disguised as Gandalf, but somehow lost his touch. I think Frodo and Samwise cleaned his clock “back in the day.”
LOL!
It’s important to you to disparage others personally rather than offer your own view bolstered by evidence that counters that view
Hi, Selina. Just so you know, I have engaged Mr. Schmeeckle numerous times over the past year - on various topics upon which we find disagreement. This person has had various other permutations of identity in the past and most recently he is appearing as John Schmeeckle who is “By accident, I became the leading expert on the meaning of the Declaration of Independence.” He has two followers on his Substack endeavor. In MY response, as you might notice, I was responding to “k” and others on this LFAA thread who reject Mr. Schmeeckle’s ascensions.
Paul in Palatine, you appear to be confusing me with someone else.
My demolition of the "scholarship" of the previous leading expert on the meaning of the Declaration of Independence is here:
https://www.academia.edu/29164747/The_Declaration_of_Independence_without_Locke_A_Rebuttal_of_Michael_Zuckerts_Natural_Rights_Republic_
He has certainly worn ME out!
Selina, if you're going to click on his links, make sure your antivirus/anti-malware is up to date.
Selena Sweet, there a link to ten sources in my original post in this thread. Once again, the starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/#aoh=16892411860434&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenation.com%2Farticle%2Fpolitics%2Fneo-nazis-far-right-ukraine%2F
HA,HA...
I remember my brother saying when Scalia got into the Supremes - don’t worry he’s really smart and will likely change his very conservative point of view once he’s heard enough cases. The very intelligent Scalia never changed. Which suggests even the intelligent get captured and begin thinking they know it all. Intelligence doesn’t equal wisdom nor sound judgment.
intelligence coupled with cynicism and ego being courted by billionaires with an agenda
Biden's speech was brilliant. It's spot on that HCR reproduced a large portion of that speech along with the report on inflation. So, inflation is at its lowest level in years? Normally, this would be great news for an incumbent president seeking re-election. But, not now. Times have changed. Issues that once made a difference don't now. Why? In part the reason is that among about fifty million or more voting Americans (Evangelicals, white supremacists and the ultra wealthy) facts don't matter. John Stuart Mill made this observation in his 1869 essay, "The Subjection of Women," - when beliefs are based on feelings, facts don't matter.
To get a better understanding of what is going on here, Timothy Egan's book, "A Fever in the Heartland," about the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in the Midwest in the 1920's is very instructive. D.C. Stephenson, head of the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana in the 1920's said: "I did not sell the Klan in Indiana on hatreds. I sold it on Americanism." How is this different from "Make America Great Again?" MAGA is KKK, 21st century version. Regaining political power and installing their version of "Americanism" is the only thing that really matters to them.
Richard Sutherland "So, inflation is at its lowest level in years? Normally, this would be great news for an incumbent president seeking re-election. But, not now. Times have changed. Issues that once made a difference don't now. Why?" I blame the media in large part for their distorted coverage of current events. Some ignore the Biden Administration's clear successes while other sources minimize, bury or present on the same level as the republican's craziness. That part of the media deliberately choses a path that presents a picture of a divided country with lots of controversy. Biden's calmer, less exciting approach to rebuilding our economy and status around the world just doesn't get readership, which is all most media cares about. Another reason why HCR's work is so important.
There are tens of millions of Americans who will never know that "inflation is at its lowest level in years." That's because their source of information is solely from Fox, OAN and Newsmax. They still believe that the election was stolen and that Kari Lake won in Arizona. They believe that all other information sources are fake news. These are "True Believers." They believe what they believe and facts, even if known, would make no difference.
The NYT, WaPo and many other "mainstream" sources are also a problem. Incomplete coverage, false equivalencies and bothsiderism are far too common in their reporting. It isn't just Fox and the rest of them. It takes effort to get a clear, accurate picture of complicated current events. Unfortunately most people just don't have the time.
News on the vomit front: Kari Lake is coming to Salem (OR) to speak to some meeting of wing nuts. Last year we had the Flynn dog and pony show in Keizer. Ain't we lucky???
Please go as an observer. I understand that she wants to be TFG's VP running mate. It'd be interesting to see how she works a crowd and what their responses are. Of course, the experience may cause you to go into a deep state of depression, so if your the least bit concerned, stay home.
Never give in to the Fox news zombies- you've got facts on your side. Keep fighting the good fight.
It's a real tough slog, Dave. Very tough. But, they can't simply be ignored.
I am not a Fox AON or News Max " believer". Hearing that inflation slowed is good news but let's not start patting our self on the back just yet. Inflation has been happening for a long time and until prices start heading back to what they were before covid there is not really much good news. Companies that dominate the market like Tyson Foods, Kellogg Foods... have created record profits lately because of thier ability to control pricing kak no competition have no incentive to lower prices to pre inflation levels. Someone doesn't have to be brainwashed or in an information bubble to be skeptical enough to not feel like celebrating news that inflation has just slowed.
A real false equivalency is saying that people in the lower incomes have mad the most gains on inflation. Someone going from $9 an hour to $18 ( 100% increase) had no buying power to start with and whos job is likely part time is having a harder time dealing with bills than someone with no raise that make $100,000 a year. But news is reporting lower incomes are rising as to meet inflation. Telling people they are doing better while they see themselfs struggling is bad politics and more a tactic of MAGA world employed on the brainwashed. Hold the champaign for real world results, then people will get on board. Propaganda is bad politics to an informed electorate..save the BS for Trumpito.
"[U]ntil prices start heading back to what they were before covid there is not really much good news." Oh, please. That is an absurd -- and DANGEROUS -- expectation. You're talking about 10%+ DEFLATION to get back to prices from 3 years ago. Do you not understand the dangers of deflation? Or are you a big-banker who alone would profit by it? How much fun was it for your grandparents from 1930 to '33? Looking forward to paying the interest on the $10K/person national debt in dollars worth more, and harder to come by, than they are now?"[U]ntil prices start heading back to what they were before covid there is not really much good news." Oh, please. That is an absurd -- and DANGEROUS -- expectation. You're talking about 10%+ DEFLATION. How much did your (great-?)grandparents enjoy that from 1930-33? Do you look forward to paying the interest on the $10K-per-person national debt in more valuable, harder-to-come-by dollars than when "we" borrowed them? You "real false equivalency" assertion looks like innumerate nonsense to me.
The answer is in Richard's first paragraph: "when beliefs are based on feelings, facts don't matter." So the media focuses on feelings. They've got bills to pay.
When I say tough, I mean really, really tough. Take Francis Collins, M.D., Ph.D., for example. He headed up the Human Genome Project. If anyone understands DNA, how all living things share the same DNA (plants, animals, insects) it's because it came from a single Super Great Grandmother 3.5 billion years ago. And that modern humans emerged only 300,000 years ago and that we share 98% of our DNA with chimpanzees. So, when did we get a soul? And, Francis Collins is a fundamentalist Christian. The takeaway? When beliefs are based on feelings, facts don't matter. John Stuart Mill was/is right.
See "Thinking Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman. We have two brains. One is fast to react and slow to learn, and the other is fast to learn and slow to react. The first one is sometimes called the lizard brain. It's where emotions are initiated. The lizard brain looks pretty much like the MAGA brain. Just sayin'.
Excellent. Thank you!
Thank you, Richard. Looks like I have some further reading to do.
And thank you for calling out MAGA for what it really is.
Marycat2021, when you read "A Fever . . ." you'll see that the conclusion about MAGA being today's KKK is inescapable, right down to the white, Anglo Saxon Protestantism. DeSantis, a white Catholic, has sneaked into the group. Who could have ever imagined that such a shallow, empty, self-aggrandizing, serial lying congenital malignant narcissist such as Donald Trump could get even one vote, to say nothing about tens of millions. It is a great insult on the American populace and may point to the detrimental effects of religion on critical thinking abilities.
Richard, re: “It is a great insult on the American populace and may point to the detrimental effects of religion on critical thinking abilities.” I would add watching the short series on Prime, Happy Shining People, is a real eye opener for the far right evangelical movement that has and continues to be strong on the religious brainwashing of America.
I will check into it, Chris. "Happy Shining People." Makes me think of "the Stepford Wives."
I totally agree! This is an amazing book! However, you may have trouble sleeping after reading! There are things in this book that I would never have imagined in a million years. It is so sickening...and we are currently living in it with these MAGAs!
True, and the search for a new "D.C. Stephenson" by Rupert Murdoch is on-going. He is apparently dumping DeSantis. @Advocacy reports just now: Rupert Murdoch set to bail on Ron DeSantis, reportedly eyeing new puppet to fight Trump
The Fox News founder has reportedly soured on the real-life Disney villain's floundering presidential campaign and has privately told people his new campaign crush is Virginia Gov. Greg Youngkin. Different right-wing fearmonger, same book-banning, queer-shaming, race-baiting bullshit.
Detrimental effects of worshipping false Gods like money and power. Trading one addiction for another to avoid brutal reality in a dog eat dog world
Yes, Richard, while I was reading A Fever in the Heartland, I constantly thought about what is happening today. All the so-called patriots hear this siren song loud and clear. And I noticed that D.C. Stephenson was a slime ball who reminded me of death star except that he wasn't born into wealth....a clever lying con man though to hide and made up his background. Rs continue to screech about MAGA, family values, the military, law and order, immigration, and government spending...monstrous hypocrites.
I get what Mill was saying, and we see it every day;but perhaps the concept of "feelings" beg a closer look. It occurred to me long ago, assigned Descartes' "Discourse on Method" in college, that "I feel, therefore I am", might go deeper than "I think therefore I am". In retrospect, I can't separate them. The precise parameters of my own experiential sense that "I am" seems a bit mysterious and elusive. My consciousness seems to involve a constant flow of micro-decisions about what is true AND what "matters". I have some grasp of the physics and physiology of sunshine on my shoulder, but less of the experiential sentience, for which I can compare notes with other humans, but not adequately describe. I can appreciate the chemistry and neurology of tasting a fresh strawberry (which my wife is currently gathering) but that animal experience is both "tangible" and hard to pin down. In any case I believe that "feelings" are core to who and what we are, and serve us best when reconciled the revelations of our own intelligence.
"Dispassionate inquiry" is misrepresented by Star Treks "Mr. Spock", as many scientists, including Einstein, have been quite passionate, but also mentally disciplined with respect to logic and evidence. The urge to discover and the recognition of a promising thread implies decisions of value.
Demagogues have subjugated humanity from time immemorial, by appealing to attractive lies and prejudices. Lies sabotage our liberty, justice, and socially healthy outcomes, and must be confronted with the most accurate observations and conclusions we can muster, but also with appeals to our values. The above collection of excerpts from Biden's speech is packed with them. Current Republicans ironically seem to offer only the "blue pill" and Democrats the "red", but Republicans arrogantly and disingenuously make such a show of defending "Values"; neglecting to mention that everyone has them. It is refreshing and essential that our responsible leaders make more of a "thing" of just and liberating, forward-thinking values and help us focus on our own.
What, in the end, matters most? And who gets "a voice" in that regard in a democratic republic?
Amen!
Are you on Putin’s payroll? Are you projecting your denial?
Seth, he’s Projecting I suspect. Putin has other worries
Dave Dalton,
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/#aoh=16892411860434&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenation.com%2Farticle%2Fpolitics%2Fneo-nazis-far-right-ukraine%2F
HA, HA...
I named him Sméagol and imagined he looks like him too
Nancy Kish,
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/#aoh=16892411860434&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenation.com%2Farticle%2Fpolitics%2Fneo-nazis-far-right-ukraine%2F
HA, HA..
Anti-semite?
@Seth:
Are you capable of actually considering my detailed point of view? My starting point is this 2019 quote from "The Nation":
"Five years ago, Ukraine’s Maidan uprising ousted President Viktor Yanukovych, to the cheers and support of the West. Politicians and analysts in the United States and Europe not only celebrated the uprising as a triumph of democracy, but denied reports of Maidan’s ultranationalism, smearing those who warned about the dark side of the uprising as Moscow puppets and useful idiots. Freedom was on the march in Ukraine.
"Today, increasing reports of far-right violence, ultranationalism, and erosion of basic freedoms are giving the lie to the West’s initial euphoria. There are neo-Nazi pogroms against the Roma, rampant attacks on feminists and LGBT groups, book bans, and state-sponsored glorification of Nazi collaborators.
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/#aoh=16892411860434&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenation.com%2Farticle%2Fpolitics%2Fneo-nazis-far-right-ukraine%2F
"There are neo-Nazi pogroms against the Roma, rampant attacks on feminists and LGBT groups, book bans, and state-sponsored glorification of Nazi collaborators."
Sounds like Trump at Mara Lago to me John. Or maybe Fox and Friends.
Not Ukraine.
And DeSantis. Pure, pure neo-fascism.
Use evil instead of pure, works better.
Nothing pure in neofascism, though I get your point.
I invented a conspiracy theory about DeSantis:
The Establishment has decided to pull the plug on BOTH Trump (off to jail) and Biden (off to a nursing home), and DeSantis is their man. They are going to let the mounting evidence that the covid vaccines cause long-term health conditions hit the fan, and DeSantis will be praised to the Moon as a prophet who had the right idea, never mind his ineptitude on the campaign trail.
But of course, that's just a conspiracy theory.
Mike S,
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/#aoh=16892411860434&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenation.com%2Farticle%2Fpolitics%2Fneo-nazis-far-right-ukraine%2F
HA, HA...
You know whereof you speak because it’s you with a personal fount of knowledge? Or you have references that you are using? If the latter, it sure helps us assess the credibility of what you purport. Maybe that doesn’t matter to you.
Selina Sutherland, my original post included a link with ten further links to sources backing my point of view. Maybe you didn't see that?
I choose not to respond to this commenter, waste of my brain time.
Or read anything after his first sentence.
Actually one only has to see his/her/their name and know to ignore the post.
Ed, it occurs to me that, paradoxically, you did comment! Silence might be your best course of action.
yes, I understand that, but I have tangled with him before, and wanted to make an announcement this time. Silence can be construed many ways which might miss my point. Thanks for pointing this out!
Jim Duffey,
Regarding Ed, I have to agree.
Yeah, he wrote some word salad to me. Refused to acknowledge. Ignore.
Is this a parody or perhaps you are angling for a vice-presidential spot on the Conspiracy Party ticket headed by RFK,Jr?
Guys, this person is a troll. He/She is here often with his/her Mission Impossible conspiracy theories. Try not to engage. He/She/They’re here once/twice a week.
I agree. I don't mind people I disagree with posting comments, but trolling is an obnoxious act meant to stop meaningful discussion in its tracks. Don't fall for this guy's rubbish. Really, who doesn't know that Ukraine was plagued with corruption before Zelenskyy was elected? And how hard his administration has worked to clean it up?
Karen Livolsi,
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/#aoh=16892411860434&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenation.com%2Farticle%2Fpolitics%2Fneo-nazis-far-right-ukraine%2F
Jerry Carbone,
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/#aoh=16892411860434&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenation.com%2Farticle%2Fpolitics%2Fneo-nazis-far-right-ukraine%2F
Your starting point for your assessment is over four years old. Produce some current analysis. Putin and his fascist oligarchs with nuclear missiles are the real threat now. Antonio Gramsci, "The old world is dying, and the new world struggles to be born: now is the time of monsters."
John, let's say that you are right about Ukraine. It then comes down to the lesser of two evils. To permit Putin to gobble up Ukraine by adopting a policy of appeasement would only fuel his appetite for more, as happened in WWII with Germany invading Czechoslovakia. The West has decided that Putin must be stopped now. His atrocities inflicted on innocent Ukrainians is a war crime.
Richard Sutherland, I respectfully disagree with your assessment. We could go through the history of how Kyiv was the mother of Moscow, how in 1921 Novorossiya ("New Russia") was tacked onto little Ukraine by the new Soviet regime, how Zelensky capitulated to neo-Nazis and un-froze the civil war in the Donbass, how the US and NATO were threatening Russia with the possibility of a reverse Cuban Missile Crisis, how errant Ukrainian anti-missiles come down in random places and the explosions get blamed on Putin, etc.
John, respectfully, your analysis is off the mark. What matters presently is stopping a megalomaniac from expanding his reign of terror. It's a case of real politik. The Western nations do not want an authoritarian regime taking over countries on their borders. It's a case of self preservation combined with the impulse to stop someone who is commiting war crimes by killing innocent civilians intentionally.
Correct.
and now they are the target of genocide by a far far worse regime.
k.paschal,
Are you just saying that, or do you have a developed point of view?
I'll take the overwhelming evidence as seen and heard from the leader and people of Ukraine fighting for their freedom and the democracies of the world. As others have pointed out, we Americans have our own characters of corruption, fascist ideals, and moral failure. Witness the interrogation of Chris Wray, who took them down with dignity and reason. Hoping for a new morning in America. Hope, "a thing with feathers" as Emily Dickinson wrote, with the power to fly high and wide.
Lasley Gober,
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/#aoh=16892411860434&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenation.com%2Farticle%2Fpolitics%2Fneo-nazis-far-right-ukraine%2F
Quoting The Nation? The Nation is pro Russia. Putin is not an "autocrat". Sure.
Here's what Stephen Cohen wrote in The Nation in 2014:
In an article for The Nation, published in the March 3, 2014 issue, Cohen wrote that "media malpractice" had resulted in the "relentless demonization of Putin" who was not an "autocrat". He wrote that the American media's coverage of Russia was "less objective, less balanced, more conformist and scarcely less ideological" than it had been during the Cold War.[15] I
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_F._Cohen
Kathleen,
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/#aoh=16892411860434&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenation.com%2Farticle%2Fpolitics%2Fneo-nazis-far-right-ukraine%2F
Awww, bless your heart.
If you are looking for "Neo-Nazis" ... look no further than your backyard. In OUR military. In OUR police forces. Or in our House of Representatives. A constructive exercise for you might be to write an expose on that.
Sorry you missed the whole point of Biden's speech.
Bill Alstrom,
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/#aoh=16892411860434&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenation.com%2Farticle%2Fpolitics%2Fneo-nazis-far-right-ukraine%2F
So, you're saying you support Putins naked land grab and war atrocities. I don't think that's a stand that looks good but seems to be one that some REPUBLICAN'TS are running on.
Not at all. Do you have any real interest in comparing our divergent points of view about what is really happening in Ukraine?
"Do you have any real interest in comparing our divergent points of view about what is really happening in Ukraine?"
Sure John, but, only if you are willing to move out of belief space and into provable reality space.
If you choose to reside in Belief Space, then, there is not much of a conversation to have because, well, you, like everyone, gets to believe whatever you want.
But, for those of us in reality space where data, facts and, well, reality are relevant, we cannot just sit in Belief space slinging out insults.
So , your position is that Putin is,a great guy just trying to hold onto ultimate power with cretins like the Wagner group to carry out slaughtering civilians and committing human war crimes. And you think thats a valid position. I think you've been listening to DJT and the folks that write his speeches for him.
Start making sense.
@William Whitman:
I have said nothing about Putin, but you appear to be having fantasy hallucinations.
Do you think that Russian war crimes outweigh Ukrainian war crimes?
Beyond that, I shared the starting point for my assessment of the Ukraine mess in a reply to Seth here:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/july-12-2023/comment/18514195
John, Russia is sort of legendary for her war crimes, is she not? Do you think Ukrainian war crimes outweigh Russian war crimes? Russia has committed war crimes ever since invading Ukrainian borders. To Putin’s evident surprise, the Ukrainians have fought back. Not sure what ‘war crimes’ Ukrainians might be committing against aggressors on Ukrainian soil that would outweigh the initial aggression. Please explain.
Someone seems to have forgotten that our country received aid from nations when we fought for our own independence and nationhood and in defending freedom and democracy (shared interests) in other nations. Our alliances have been what elevated the US to the position we hold in the world today.
Mark Hearny,
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/#aoh=16892411860434&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenation.com%2Farticle%2Fpolitics%2Fneo-nazis-far-right-ukraine%2F
Cooperation is our species' superpower. Of course, the fascists say so too; but with coerced and bribed compliance, from the top of a pyramid down, while democratic nations ultimately combine individual power from aggregated collective will of the populace, up. The latter's harder to pull off, but hey...
I will suggest that another "superpower," or rather our greatest natural resource, is the creative power of the human mind.
I remember you. You seem to be in denial about humanity and the difference that leaderships make or try to make in the darkness going forward. Instead your modus is opposition, a drag, going nowhere. This makes you eligible for a title: nagging nabob of negativism, dragging up old shit. Did you read HCR above? I'll bet not, or your are perhaps a victim of your own projection.
PS- I just looked up the Agnew phrase which is correctly "nattering nabob of negativism" however I'll keep my "nagging" version.
Potter,
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/#aoh=16892411860434&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenation.com%2Farticle%2Fpolitics%2Fneo-nazis-far-right-ukraine%2F
Select copy repeat, select copy repeat....
You come here to oppose and must love the attention. That Nation article is from February 2019 and it cites old information. That's three and a half years ago. A lot has happened since but you keep nattering on regardless. You could have chosen to report on how Zelensky's administration was and is cleaning house vis a vis corruption (and Russian interference and aggression which a source of corruption). All the while Ukraine is fighting a tough war defense of their country. Ukraine has at least three separate agencies working on this problem, plus the EU. Key is replacing the corrupt with good motivated people. Ukrainians are motivated to prove worthy while struggling to win the war and join NATO and the EU. Your starting point is old but you found what you were looking for.
Buy the way The Nation was leading the cry for us to appease Russia when this war began.. for us to stay out.
Potter,
I have been "repeating" by directly responding to various people's studied ignorance regarding rampant paramilitary bigotry in Ukraine. I responded to each person individually.
That Nation article was one of TEN sources in a link that I included in my original post. Here is the link again:
https://substack.com/profile/85178460-john-schmeeckle/note/c-17693509
After that article from The Nation, here is a good one to examine (with embedded links serving as footnotes):
"How Zelensky Made Peace with Neo-Nazis"
https://consortiumnews.com/2022/03/04/how-zelensky-made-peace-with-neo-nazis/
And here is a quote from a third article:
https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/just-all-others-end-zelensky-alternative
"The October 2021 polls delivered a shock to the presidential team. According to the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, Zelensky’s approval rating as president dropped from 33.3 percent in September to 24.7 percent in October, separated from Poroshenko’s approval rating by fewer than ten percentage points. The Razumkov Center’s poll demonstrates that Volodymyr Zelensky overtook Petro Poroshenko and now has the biggest “anti-rating” among Ukrainian politicians. What has happened to the once beloved leader?
"My answer: at the midpoint of his presidency, Zelensky himself has destroyed his image as an alternative politician. Here is what he did.
"First, Zelensky and his team started promoting the idea that he was “like any other businessperson in Ukraine.” This statement was repeated by everyone on the presidential team in response to the revelations of Zelensky’s offshore holdings, suddenly exposed in the Pandora Papers."
The third article quote from polls 2021 and before prior to the Russian invasion Feb 2022. Zelensky's support rose tremendously
Here it from the SAME author this year:
https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/constitutional-process-wartime-ukraine
---------------------
Regarding Zelensky making peace with so-called "neo Nazi's" these radicals were fighting off Russia in Eastern Ukraine... this now is unity Zelensky needed in fighting off Russian aggression. Russia is actually more Nazified than Ukraine, ironically. Putin used this term Nazi to plug into the history from WW2 when the Russians fought off the Nazi's ( after they colluded with them) and this made vulnerable Russians so proud that they are fighting Nazi's again... they were duped and are pathetic.
Read:
https://www.latrobe.edu.au/news/articles/2022/opinion/russias-long-history-of-neo-nazis
https://www.euronews.com/2023/04/13/when-russia-calls-others-nazis-it-should-be-taking-a-hard-look-at-itself
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neo-Nazism_in_Russia
****
From https://www.dw.com/en/fact-check-is-there-any-truth-to-russias-ukrainian-nazis-propaganda/a-63970461 :
"What about the Azov Battalion?
There has also been criticism of right-wing Ukrainian militia members who were fighting against the separatists in the east of Ukraine earlier this year — above all, the Azov Battalion. Umland said that although it was founded by a right-wing extremist group, it was integrated into forces of the Interior Ministry, the National Guard, in the fall of 2014.
After that, he said, there had been a separation of the movement and the regiment, with the latter still using the former's symbols but no longer being classified as part of the right-wing extremist scene. During military training courses, extremist soldiers had sometimes come to light, he said, but they had then "been revealed and named as a scandal." end quote
(translated from the German)
Schmeeckle your responses are so "off". What are you trying so hard to prove?
"Strange" since Agnew seemed such a clear example of what he was complaining of. TFG all the more so. Alas there is plenty that matters in the world that is worthy of condemnation, bit so too plenty of push against gravity; not to say that the outcome either way is certain.
Those preach that hope is for fools and resistance is futile are as delusional (or dishonest) as those who sit in the coffeehouse aflame, and declare "This is fine".
I find HCR's posts very positive, astonishingly so, always looking for the bright side and facing issues squarely morally wholly and with knowledge. Why such a negative person would continue to come here and be a drag is beyond me. But I keep learning about humanity. I always thought, and still do think that it feels better to be positive. That is not being in denial either.
It is interesting that Agnew's lasting contribution to our discourse was so much about what people do and at that while they themselves are so negative and immoral .. as today. It was a catchy phrase. The original remark was directed at the media
Anyone who describes themselves in their bio as a "The leading expert on the meaning of the Declaration of Independence" deserves not only derision but a trip to the psych ward. And your hyperbolic and breathless condemnation of countries being assaulted with unbelievable inhumanity in service of old imperial ego and avarice, as well as organizations that have provided more than a modicum of independence stability, and growth to places that would just be victims of the same kind of aggression otherwise makes you not only nuts but illiterate.
I thought exactly the same thing, but think your reference to the psych ward was a bit harsh - to those occupying it. Still, I believe he's a troll and best handled by ignoring him/her/it.
Nancy Fleming,
You may view my reply to James here:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/july-12-2023/comment/18542362
But why would she?
My thought exactly!
Miselle,
You may view my reply to James here:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/july-12-2023/comment/18542362
James,
The former leading expert on the meaning of the Declaration of Independence was Michael Zuckert. I demolished his interpretation in my article, The Declaration of Independence without Locke," which is online here:
https://www.academia.edu/29164747/The_Declaration_of_Independence_without_Locke_A_Rebuttal_of_Michael_Zuckerts_Natural_Rights_Republic_
Here is the synopsis of my article:
Michael Zuckert's dismissal of Burlamaqui and Hutcheson as inspiration for the Declaration of Independence is fatally flawed. Burlamaqui said exactly what Zuckert doubts that Burlamaqui could have said regarding the purpose of government (to secure rights). Zuckert's attempt to explain the "pursuit of happiness" in terms of Locke's Essay Concerning Human Understanding fails, because Zuckert's two chosen examples of parallel documents both echo Hutcheson and Burlamaqui (but not Locke) on obtaining happiness; and the 1776 congressional definition of happiness includes virtue, in common with the Ciceronian tradition of Hutcheson and Burlamaqui, in opposition to Locke. In this Ciceronian tradition, rights are derived from duties, and virtue is the "perfection" of human nature, with happiness as the result. This view is prominently expressed by Burlamaqui's student Vattel, whose "The Law of Nations" was carefully followed by the Continental Congress as it went through the procedure of establishing and then declaring independence.
How’s the weather in St.Petersburg? Perhaps the midnight sun has left you short of sleep and confused about which way is up.
Jon Margulis,
The starting point for my assessment is this quote from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/#aoh=16892411860434&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenation.com%2Farticle%2Fpolitics%2Fneo-nazis-far-right-ukraine%2F
If you can't spell my name right when it's right there in front of you, why should I pay attention to anything you have to say?
Jon Margolis,
I have the same problem with others' inability to spell (and pronounce) my name correctly. It's not that big a deal, and most people are pleased to stand corrected if I am polite about it.
Then there's the fact that I don't like trolls. Like you.
it appears you don't exist
Somebody else called me "the invisible man." I bring up issues (starting with Davison Budhoo's resignation letter from the International Monetary Fund) that Biden Democrats are inclined to reject without thinking.
Jonn, thanks for a sample of your screed! Not interested in your propaganda nor alternate reality! By the way John, nice picture of you!
Louis Giglio,
The starting point for my assessment is this cited quotation from "The Nation":
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/#aoh=16892411860434&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenation.com%2Farticle%2Fpolitics%2Fneo-nazis-far-right-ukraine%2F
Unfortunately, there are different degrees of awful. I'd rather Zalensky than Putin and Trump.
Bill Corgile, I don't know if you would be willing to explain your thought.
My assessment is that Biden is much worse than Trump. (When the Billy Bush recording came out during his campaign against Hillary, I knew that I could never vote for Trump.)
There are issues about Zalensky, running in the background that I don't care for. But I'd rather run Putin and Trump off the rails first and then deal with Zalensky. Putin, Trump, Orban, et al, are pushing for oligarchy worldwide and you know it !
Zelensky was the star of a Ukrainian tv show about someone who accidentally became President of his country and just kept muddling thru until it got a little better. Then Zelensky ran for President of his country, running on an anti-corruption platform and got elected. Then he had the opportunity to have the entire world watch as Trump tried to boondoggle him into participating in messing with the US election, and he resisted that, to Trump’s chagrin and the delight of many other people around the world. Then Trump lost the election, in no large part due to the organizing talents of Stacy Abrams in Georgia, as well as the political savvy of Georgia’s Secretary of State Raffensperger, who had the great good sense to record those phone calls with Trump. Putin probably thought he better do something before Zelensky developed any more political chops, and invaded Ukraine. Interestingly enough, the centuries of experience the Ukrainians have watching invaders roll across their fields kicked in, and Zelensky and that genius general of his embarrassed Putin, galvanized NATO, gave Biden an opportunity to do what he wanted to - namely, move the world toward democracy, disrupted the balance of power between Putin and his mercenary army, shook up Russia and China’s budding reapproachment, gave Africa a chance to consider other options, pushed Turkey back toward the west, and now here we are. Trump is facing indictments from all directions, Tucker Carlson got kicked off Fox for admitting on a hot mic that all the people at Fox understand Trump is a Cheeto, inflation is down to 3% and the longed-for (by Republicans and certain media outlets, like the Wall Street Journal) recession just isn’t happening. This week the staunchly Republican head of the FBI made fun of Jordan and his rabid cronies’ conspiracy theories on CSpann. Not sure what you are concerned about regarding Zelensky, but it sorta seems like he has turned his TV show into real life. I am a big dove, really , but it seems to me everyone should have given that general everything he was asking for early on, and let them turn Russia into a Satrapy of Ukraine. This would have solved so many problems, would it have not?
You're an amazing writer. Thanx M.R. !
Zelensky was, "Kolomoysky’s puppet," quoting President Poroshenko, as discussed in this article:
"How One Ukrainian Billionaire Funded Hunter Biden, President Volodymyr Zelensky, And Neo-Nazi Azov Battalion"
https://greatgameindia.com/hunter-biden-zelensky-neo-nazi/
Bill Corgile, perhaps we will later have an opportunity to revisit our differing assesments of the global situation.
plop
Please deposit your bile elsewhere.
https://www.wilsoncenter.org/blog-post/just-all-others-end-zelensky-alternative
"The October 2021 polls delivered a shock to the presidential team. According to the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, Zelensky’s approval rating as president dropped from 33.3 percent in September to 24.7 percent in October, separated from Poroshenko’s approval rating by fewer than ten percentage points. The Razumkov Center’s poll demonstrates that Volodymyr Zelensky overtook Petro Poroshenko and now has the biggest “anti-rating” among Ukrainian politicians. What has happened to the once beloved leader?
"My answer: at the midpoint of his presidency, Zelensky himself has destroyed his image as an alternative politician. Here is what he did.
"First, Zelensky and his team started promoting the idea that he was “like any other businessperson in Ukraine.” This statement was repeated by everyone on the presidential team in response to the revelations of Zelensky’s offshore holdings, suddenly exposed in the Pandora Papers...."
IMF and World Band has committed atrocities around the world for decades is the only thing I agree with John.
What a speech by President Joe Biden, in Lithuania! Two bits stood out for me, that speak to what our country is currently enduring with the Rethugs still supporting a criminal subhuman and also attempting to block any progress towards a better future for this country:
"Every day, we have to make the choice. Every day, we must summon the strength to stand for what is right, to stand for what is true, to stand for freedom, to stand together.”
“When others do better, we do better as well—where we understand that the challenges we face today, from the existential threat of climate change to building a global economy where no one gets left behind, are too great for any one nation to solve on their own, and that to achieve our goals and meet the challenges of this age, we have to work together.”
Substitute "state" for "nation" and truer words were never spoken. There should be no "red" vs "blue" states, only 50 states and one country, united. We the People, are in this together. I hope to see this in my lifetime.
We were so impressed yesterday with Biden’s energy, enthusiasm, and powerful words. He certainly made ridiculous the the constant railing of the QOP that he is a doddering old man, not capable of governing or being on the world stage.
I too found similarities to his 2023 State of the Union Address, where he walked the Republicans into a shout out that they would not touch Social Security, etc. Loved that moment when Sleepy Joe completed negotiations live and McCarthy is head-bobbling as his caucus screams a pledge they would not make behind closed doors. Brilliant leadership, that getting the opposition to voice publicly their change from opposition to concession. Today, the message is similar, as it should be. Mr Biden was on the world stage impressing with his leadership of our country and the common bonds in values and prospects for international prosperity that derive from and for other people and nations from the US pursuits, nationally and internationally, goals for the common man among those nations. We do best when we lead not just by words but by actions successful to validate the true value of our aspirations so achieved.
Let's not hope for it. Let's get together and make it happen. Can't we all unite around the following:
"But there has been also the American dream, that dream of a land in which life should be better and richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to his ability or achievement. It is a difficult dream for the . . . upper classes to interpret adequately, and too many of us ourselves have grown weary and mistrustful of it. It is not a dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of a social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position." The Epic of America - James Truslow Adams
Thank you for making me aware of The Epic of America. I found this comment on JStor: "[Adams] put ["the American Dream", a term which he coined] more succinctly elsewhere in the book: a 'dream of a better, richer and happier life for all our citizens of every rank.' This contemporary review of Epic notes that Adams alluded to the idea in fifty or more passages in the book. The unnamed reviewer thought Adams believed the dream to be 'our greatest contribution to the thought of the world.'” https://daily.jstor.org/james-truslow-adams-dreaming-american-dream/. And he was probably right - we may never be able to live up to it in the future, as we have not lived up to it until now, but we must continue to have the dream of that life for all our citizens. Rather like MLK's dream, in fact.
Hi Lynn. I am quite confused and a bit disturbed. After I received this comment from you I got another that said “reported once again, please just go away”. What an I to make of these two comments?
Sorry, that was meant for Schmeekle. I think I corrected it after I realized. I really want that guy or bot or troll to stop clogging up the responses to the Letters.
I apologize for not paying attention closely enough.
Beautiful, and thank you.
HCR seems to be in a state of denial regarding the obscenity of the Biden administration's ongoing support of Ukraine's oppressive, undemocratic one-party right-wing thug regime.
I posted some sources for my assessment here:
https://substack.com/profile/85178460-john-schmeeckle/note/c-17693509
EDIT: The NATO countries have voting domination at the genocidal International Monetary Fund. In 2014, the IMF demanded, as part of a loan deal, that Ukraine re-conquer the breakaway Donbass republics, because income from their heavy industry was needed to service the debt. The people of Ukraine have been turned into zombie soldiers, as the IMF continues to extract pounds and pounds of bloody flesh in exchange for ongoing special treatment and financial support from the NATO countries.
For the IMF as the perpetrator of the most far-reaching genocide in history, see https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/january-15-2023/comment/11967315
Will you please go back to Flyover Loserville - the place where the sky is green and the grass is blue - where the fact you are one of the dumbest fucking morons I have ever run across won't be so blindingly obvious?
As to your blathering about Ukraine, each and every "fact" you cite is a lie.
Just drop dead, you worthless piece of Trumpscum. Make America really great again with your permanent departure.
TC I am reminded of the advertising logo of a septic tank company in the Virgin Islands that is related to Johns: “We are #1 in #2.”
Brilliant! My fellow commenters a paying way too much attention to his screed! As should have been done to trump in campaign 2016, ignore him!
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/july-12-2023/comment/18514195
I totally agree with you. That troll is a loser that must love to write senseless things in here. Everything he says is made up and lies.. TUMPSCUM is a good name for him. He is a true to life TUMP troll. Lies like him, and projects like he does..
Report troll, devoid of content except insults
This "it" sounds like it's a robot hacking away . . . trawling for idiots.
Thank God for Joe Biden. And Thank God for WP's Jennifer Rubin:
“3% inflation. NATO growing and more solid than ever. huge investment in tech and infrastructure. And Rs? Screeching about Hunter Biden's laptop and defunding the FBI. Simply pathetic.”
"Simply Pathetic."
I am old and not familiar with the ways in which bots and things like that work. Do you think that John Schmeeckle is actually a Russian posting these things?
Entirely possible. The name is obviously fake.
INGORE...
The last paragraph in your comment was unnecessary.
Report troll, devoid of content except insults.
I am not and never have been a Trump supporter.
Maybe not Trump, but you cannot say “I am not and never have been a Putin supporter”.
You're certainly a Putin buttfucker, asswwipe.
TC, civility is more effective.
Get a hobby John.
Or a life.
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/july-12-2023/comment/18514195
Plan to post it again?
Likely, yes. This Moscow-paid troll gets triggered into posting the exact same text 64 times everytime the words ‘Ukraine’ and ‘Zelensky’ appear in a text.
And I think you'll note that when neither of those words is in the Letter, the troll introduces them so he can post his previous comments. Predictable and boring, boring, boring.
Report defamatory trolling
Go right ahead if you wish.
Craig. The Magic 8 Ball says, “ Yes, in all probability”
I've got something better in mind.
EDIT:
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/july-12-2023/comment/18514195
There's no crime in un Democratic thuggery as an act of justified self defense.
Really?? The undemocratic thuggery was well in place long before Ukraine re-ignited the frozed civil war in the Donbass, precipitating the Russian invasion.
See https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/
Go to Twitter and jerk off
Way to blame Ukraine and not Russia who started the invasion...
Richard Hofstadter described today's Republicans 70 years ago:
It can most accurately be called pseudo-conservative — I borrow the term from the study of The Authoritarian Personality published five years ago by Theodore W. Adorno and his associates — because its exponents, although they believe themselves to be conservatives and usually employ the rhetoric of conservatism, show signs of a serious and restless dissatisfaction with American life, traditions and institutions. They have little in common with the temperate and compromising spirit of true conservatism in the classical sense of the word, and they are far from pleased with the dominant practical conservatism of the moment as it is represented by the Eisenhower Administration. Their political reactions express rather a profound if largely unconscious hatred of our society and its ways — a hatred which one would hesitate to impute to them if one did not have suggestive clinical evidence.
From clinical interviews and thematic apperception tests, Adorno and his co-workers found that their pseudo-conservative subjects, although given to a form of political expression that combines a curious mixture of largely conservative with occasional radical notions, succeed in concealing from themselves impulsive tendencies that, if released in action, would be very far from conservative. The pseudo-conservative, Adorno writes, shows “conventionality and authoritarian submissiveness” in his conscious thinking and “violence, anarchic impulses, and chaotic destructiveness in the unconscious sphere. . . . The pseudo conservative is a man who, in the name of upholding traditional American values and institutions and defending them against more or less fictitious dangers, consciously or unconsciously aims at their abolition.”
As Adlai Stevenson observed in the 1952 campaign: “The strange alchemy of time has somehow converted the Democrats into the truly conservative party of this country — the party dedicated to conserving all that is best, and building solidly and safely on these foundations.”
Democrats want to build. Republicans want to destroy. That's it.
Wow TC ! As is usual for you, thank you for this contribution. These are the debates that have haunted my memory and present.
Thanks for the great quote from Mr. Stevenson.
I agree. I was 11 years old in '52 and didn't know the issues, but I had such a good feeling about Adlai. And such a bad feeling about Eisenhower's running mate.
I was also 11 and remember my mother’s strong support and admiration of Adlai. I still have a political button from his campaign (somewhere) and remember attending a rally during his Presidential run. There was great disappointment in our house when he lost.
TC finds the best sources,huh?
Brilliant! I’ve long argued that so called modern conservatism is not conservatism at all but rather self serving radicalism.
Thank you TC and hurrah President Biden. We take heart with your inclusion of RH's 70+ research by Adorno on The Authoritarian Personality.
By contrast, Biden's call to cohesive opportunitistic problem solving speaks to where the 🌎 's people are keening.
Thanks, TC! I wish I could copy your comment and send it to a few MAGAts I know. Apparently Substack doesn't permit that.
Strangely, Adlai Stevenson's quote has always been what I saw as central to conservatism and the tensions of the progressive movement.
Thank you very much for this quotation from Hofstadter! Having never read more than published quotations from his works, having never seen the one you quote, I am delighted to see that he understood Republicans of the time for what they have become.
Hofstadter has written three volumes of Great Issues in American History, which contain primary sources (speeches). He is also the author of Anti-Intellectualism in American Life, and The Paranoid Style in American Politics. These were my accompanying references to LFAA early on.
Why does TCinLA support Ukraine's corrupt, undemocratic one-party right-wing thug regime? Perhaps a hint of the answer can be found in this 2019 quote from "The Nation":
"Five years ago, Ukraine’s Maidan uprising ousted President Viktor Yanukovych, to the cheers and support of the West. Politicians and analysts in the United States and Europe not only celebrated the uprising as a triumph of democracy, but denied reports of Maidan’s ultranationalism, smearing those who warned about the dark side of the uprising as Moscow puppets and useful idiots. Freedom was on the march in Ukraine.
"Today, increasing reports of far-right violence, ultranationalism, and erosion of basic freedoms are giving the lie to the West’s initial euphoria. There are neo-Nazi pogroms against the Roma, rampant attacks on feminists and LGBT groups, book bans, and state-sponsored glorification of Nazi collaborators.
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/#aoh=16892411860434&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenation.com%2Farticle%2Fpolitics%2Fneo-nazis-far-right-ukraine%2F
Do you think repetition and reposting really work or are you just trying to take up space in this forum?
He needs attention. And we are giving it to him. I bit his bait. He would be more interesting if he didn't repeat the same stuff over and over. I don't think he understands that anyone who reads knows that there are really bad elements in Ukrainian society. Perhaps John can name a country that is pure of thought, pure of heart and 100% tolerant and democratic. We all could move there and be so happy.
Bill Alstrom,
Why is there an inability on this forum to deal with the following quote?
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/#aoh=16892411860434&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenation.com%2Farticle%2Fpolitics%2Fneo-nazis-far-right-ukraine%2F
It isn't that you might not be pointing out some truths, John. No doubt, there are awful people in Ukraine - just like everywhere else.
If you really want to participate on this forum and get some positive attention...find some new subjects. Change it up. It's a big, big world with lots of stuff.
For instance, how do you feel about humanity and our approach to the Climate Crisis? It dwarfs every other subject on the planet...doesn't it?
Bill, my following post (from 2017) gives my approach to living in harmony with the environment:
http://earthwarning.org/index.php/what-should-we-do/
Mimi, He repeats because “propaganda” requires it of him
Take your Putin propaganda between your thumb and forefinger, and on the count of 3, ram it up your ass, Putin buttfucker.
"These stories of Ukraine’s dark nationalism aren’t coming out of Moscow; they’re being filed by Western media, including US-funded Radio Free Europe (RFE); Jewish organizations such as the World Jewish Congress and the Simon Wiesenthal Center; and watchdogs like Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, and Freedom House, which issued a joint report warning that Kiev is losing the monopoly on the use of force in the country as far-right gangs operate with impunity."
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/neo-nazis-far-right-ukraine/#aoh=16892411860434&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&_tf=From%20%251%24s&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thenation.com%2Farticle%2Fpolitics%2Fneo-nazis-far-right-ukraine%2F
For the people carping about Biden’age like my 32 year old son— having you highlight this inspirational speech is so valuable. Our 80 year old president is remarkable— who can fill his shoes at this inflection point?
I badly underestimated President Biden before he came to the fore in the SC primary. In a lot of ways. I’m only a few years his junior but lack his stamina. Being “on” every moment of every day isn’t easy at any time of life.
I do hope that 2028 brings a deep field of Gen X and Millennials to the fore. The Boomers have no difficulty communicating what it is that we want, but our children and grandchildren need someone they feel “gets it.” For 2024, I’ll be voting to keep the world in safe hands.
Richard, I daresay you were not the only person who underestimated 'Uncle Joe' as my family can attest that I've always called him. Many thought he was only the best of two bad choices, just like the election before when "it" was elected. His team assembly exceeded even my expectations to be honest. I am so grateful too.
We all did, didn't we? I only wish that he was 60 instead of 80. These are the times that try men's souls. Biden's age concerns me because it will be a major factor for many voters. And then we have the 3rd party movement by Liberals. We keep shooting ourselves in the foot.
Ditto, D4N ... ditto!
Clint Eastwood is 92 and just made another movie. Age is irrelevant. Anyone can die at any age. His experience and heart are stronger than ever and he is as optimistic as I was at 20.
Being able to make a movie and being able to make that wonderful NATO speech (and it was fabulous) does not make one the best choice to be the leader of the free world.
Trust me. Biden wakes up every day in pain. He gets out of bed with some difficulty. And then he gets moving and things hurt a little less. He gets focused soon and makes great decisions (mostly). I am proud of him.
But someone who is in his/her 50s or 60s could get more done much faster. That's a fact. Does his "experience" outweigh his lack of youthful energy? Maybe. But it speaks volumes about our lack of faith in the hundreds of more capable younger Democrats who could do the the job. And who would inspire Gen Y and Z to vote.
I'll support Joe. Because he WILL be the candidate. I admire and respect him. But if we lose this election, it will be because thousands of young people might just stay home.
Um, the proof is in the pudding as they say. Biden, using his experience and relationships has had immediate impact in less than four years. Clinton, Bush(s), Obama combined did little in comparison. Obama tried to do much more but he wasn't able to permanently move the needle. If I recall correctly, Biden provided a great assist in getting the ACA pass and took a hit from Obama supporters for getting ahead of Obama for bringing lgbta+ rights into the forefront. Youth does not equal better. Ten of the 25 richest men in America are in their late 70s early 80s...Warren Buffett and Leonard Lauder in their 90s! I'm sure they all have aches and pains. However, FDR who was only in his early 50s when he was elected had it much worse physically and had poor health and served 3+ terms. If Biden gets four more years...get out of the way because he won't be resting on his laurels. If young people stay home over his age God help them .....climate change is real and no Republican has any ideas on what or how to even begin.
So many good, heartfelt comments in this thread. Biden probably wouldn't have entered the race in 2018 and won if not for the fact that he was the candidate who most clearly understood and expressed the stakes involved. We all wish, including Biden, I bet, that we would be as wise at a younger age, but so be it.
One note about Obama: One glaring reason he wasn't able to "permanently move the needle" is that his successor rode the wave of white backlash that occurs every single time Black Americans have surmounted a racist barrier. His successor spent the next four years actively dismantling or attempting to dismantle everything Obama accomplished.
Exactly. It was very sad to watch. And of course McConnell made it all possible by giving them wind at their backs over the supreme court nominee.
Yes, Martha. We must keep reminding ourselves and others that climate change is VERY real and that Republicans refuse to recognize it. Bill Nye, “the science Guy,”’was on television yesterday saying that from now on no breaks in storms, fires, floods, etc. Has anyone else gotten their home insurance bill for next year? Mine doubled (in a condo in downtown Chicsgo) and we had tornado warnings all around us yesterday. Are we prepared to have (kill/off-or make serfs of poor survivors) Republicans running the country?
We are of like minds.
“But someone who is in his/her 50s or 60s could get more done much faster.”
Bill... I couldn’t disagree with you more! Stamina is as much (or more) a state of mind as it is physical ability. I’m almost 80 and from what I have observed, especially lately, President Biden has more stamina than any 10 80-year-olds I know put together. (I live in a Senior Living Community). And I don’t really understand your point that things need to get done faster. Thoughtful deliberate progress comes first in my mind. Also, think FDR. Biden is the person we needed/need for this point in history. I’m glad you will still vote for him.
Your thinking is well reasoned and thoughtful. I stand by my thinking that it is long overdue for us boomers to pass the torch.
My biggest concern is with youth turnout. Turnup.org is a place where young people are making things happen. A good thing.
I'll vote blue, no matter who. The alternative is fascism.
And for inspiration, contrary to my premise, our Senator Markey (old guy) was re-elected after primarying young Joe Kennedy!
So I am looking forward to being very wrong!
Bill, I don't know that's true for everyone
Two of my aunts lived into their 80s and neither one of them complained about pain.
The one who was 84 went out every day and met with friends until covid -- then she learned how to use Zoom.
She walked everywhere and if it weren't for her lupus reacting with other medications, we'd still have her.
A friend's father was playing tennis three times a week in his mid 80s.
There are family members younger than me who do wake up in pain, who do suffer from ailments like arthritis.
Look at Jimmy Carter building houses in his 80s.
Sometimes it's the luck of the draw.
All good and fair points. My greatest concern is voter turnout. Young voter turnout.
Point out to them that for all his age, Joe Biden is living in THIS century and dealing with this century's issues. Using this century's reality as his starting point.
A lot of Republicans half his age can't say that.
You might also remind them that if they don't want to be boomers, they could start by avoiding our mistakes.
All the Eugene McCarthy folks who thought Humphrey was too old gave us Nixon, Watergate and four more years of Vietnam (and Cambodia.)
All the Stein voters in Wisconsin gave us Trump.
Well said on both counts. Biden continually surprises on the upside. He has my support and I will work to get people to vote for him.
There was a recent article in the Atlantic that expresses my feelings. As presidents go, Biden is wonderful. One of our best, ever. But someone younger should be our next President. 82 is NOT the new 62 or 72.
But I am whistling in the wind. Democrats think Joe is their best bet. It's a tradition. Support the guy in the office. So I will. I am loyal.
But it speaks volumes about our insecurity and lack of faith in the hundreds of fine younger people who could wake up each day and have twice the energy and stamina of someone this age. When you are actually old, you know that ageism is more than bigotry. The reality is that we don't have the same fuel in our tanks that younger people have. For the most important job in the world, that should be a driving factor.
But Biden/Harris 2024 will be on my bumper.
Bill, I agree with most everything you expressed in this post. Being even older than our president, I am sure that his body creaks and groans before starting his day. I commend his courage and dedication to his principles. It is his many years of service in US government, his understanding of compromise and friendship and coalitions, that produces results such as admitting Sweden into NATO (despite opposition). He has learned how to turn minds to his view. His quiet persistence pays off. I am grateful for his many, many years of service - resulting in the leader we have today.
Some of us are in better shape, physically, mentally, and emotionally than when we were in our 50s. Financially?? Not sure.
Yea! He has a terrific team of youngsters around him to do the foot work and research. He is being well served and advised. During the last "administration" all of that was lacking, plus we had a lazy ass president on top of his most unsavory character. We need his wisdom, know how, and heart. We can't afford a thin resume for president.
And as soon as the 2024 election is over (win or lose) the very transparent search for the next candidate should come to fore.
Mike. Totally agree. What if each "younger" (untried) candidate had a 'mentor' attached (so-to-speak) who could serve as a guide. If a great mind (and great person) like Jamie Raskin decided not to run for the presidency (due to lesser energy due to his recent health challenges) but was available to guide/mentor a promising younger person? If we knew the track record of the mentor, perhaps it would help us envision the trajectory of the newer unproven candidate?? (This idea just popped unto my head - totally unproven and unripe.) Thoughts?
Liz I am revolted by this carping about President Biden’s age with no mention that Bone-Spur Donnie is within years of Biden and physically is a bloated ‘white whale’ [Ahab, where are you when we. Need you?]
Were Donnie about to slip away from trials and/or jail to debate Biden for the presidency, Biden should appear in sporting attire, do a number of push ups and sit ups and then challenge Donnie to do likewise.
Have you noticed that the photos of Donnie are almost always of his orangy face? I do recall his taking his golf cart on to the putting green (which violates golfing regulations).
Keith, let's just ask our younger voters about how they would solve the problems of the world, space and the oceans -why ...and how to work with world leaders of ALL countries. What are the rules of political etiquette? Let's ask them how to negotiate with fellow Americans on the other side of an opinion, to change their vote for the betterment of our country rather than vote with monied small mined selfish constituents.... AND STILL REMAIN FRIENDS. Let's ask some of the younger persons how to negotiate with countries who call themselves "Christian" but are really just manipulative dictatorships and still find a way to resolve international problems. Let's ask these younger ones how to build a team of wise, experienced, self-less, brilliant persons who are willing to be battered for choosing freedom and a better world while receiving criticism and conflict with every decision.
Let's find some younger ones who can face destruction of our country from mighty floods, deaths of huge numbers of fellow Americans from disease ....and not stop and continue working to find solutions that are constantly ongoing....and NOT GIVE UP....AND KEEP SMILING...AND KEEP A HOPEFUL ATTITUDE!!!!
These are just a few questions I would have for the ones who only judge Joe Biden by his age.
I would also challenge the younger ones who really love our country and respect the ideal of freedom to study, to work for these ideals to become realities within as many venues as possible and in the here and now to support the ideal of freedom.
Absolute agreement & you said it so much better than me!!!!!
That was spectacularly well put.
Wonderfully expressed.
Harpoon the whale!
Keith, thank you for letting us non-golfers know that carts on the putting green “violate regulations,” as should LIV violate PGA regulations. As for any other comparisons between our president and the former (and continuing) horror, can we do childish tantrums versus experience and diplomacy? or love and honor versus ignorance and cupidity? And I never got in “mafia boss,” which if he were a bit less stupid and childish, I would have.
To have put climate change so prominently into his speech yesterday is the best proof of the quality of our president and his team!
Hoping you’re continuing well, sir.
Virginia As a non-golfer, I have heard from my golfer friends that driving a golf cart onto the putting green is akin to putting a turd in a drink at the 19th hole. They also tell me that Trump is #1 in cheating on the golf course. Perhaps Donnie could get an exemption for ‘turding’ on the putting green, if he provided the medical documentation that obtained for him a bone-spur exemption from the military.
🤣🤣🤣 Thank you. As we had our first in town tornado warning yesterday, the laugh is good. Hoping you don’t object to emojis. I don’t forget the W exemption either and saw the W-Putin photos on TV yesterday. Looking forward to Helsinki “reminiscences” today! Now to write more GOTV postcards to Ohio.
Virginia You bring great joy in my life as we both relish an irreverent sense of humor. Laugh and the good folks laugh with you.
Keith, I learned irreverence over a lifetime and your mad life (let’s face it, neither of us has been stultified by etiquette), which very statement is bringing up more than one laugh. So glad you didn’t play golf - at least you won’t be tempted to hit the links with a cart and your two lethal canes - but have retained your brutally slashing sense of humor. The Greeks were right about the gods laughing. What else would a god do recognizing his/her,etc., helplessness.
As the floods get wilder I think of what the Founding Fathers believed (for most of them anyway the universe was set and kept turning) then of Shakespeare and the storms in the universe are reflected in the hearts of men (or was it Vice versa?).
And yes, laugh and the world laughs with you; weep and you weep alone. Do you know who said that? Learned it as a child.
Liz, I appreciate you mentioning your son because I believe he represents the views of much of his generation. I also not just believe but know that our generation cannot get Biden re-elected in 24 without a robust turnout by Millennials and Gen-Zs. Accordingly, I expect if we mostly continue merely to converse among ourselves as to how we perceive Biden’s accomplishments both at home and abroad, we do so at our peril.
I imagine it’s worth noting my mind lately repeatedly returning to 1968 and to Humphrey barely losing to Nixon for a host of reasons, one of them being that young eligible voters, many of whom had worked for Eugene McCarthy or Bobby Kennedy, largely had stayed home.
It really bothers me that so many people think that if their primary candidate isn't chosen they can't be bothered to vote. They act like it's a horse race. Their horse lost and they throw their ticket to the ground and go home. It is why the Republicans are successful in beating better, wiser opponents because they smear them as evil threats to Christianity (Hillary) or soft and suspect (Gore/Kerry). I would never have voted until Obama, if that had been my response (still sad about Bill Bradley, not so sad about Perot -LoL).
Martha, While I share your perspective, in my view, the stakes are too great not to do whatever it takes to give young voters, in particular, reason to want to cast their vote up and down the ballot.
I'm not sure what you mean. I was trying to say, if they think their vote in the primaries is important how can they reconcile not voting in the general? That is all. It's illogical. They act like they are at a race track, where if your horse loses it is probably best to call it quits and go home. Voting for president or presidential candidates is not a horse race.
Martha, While I don’t subscribe to the logic of one who would vote in a primary but not in the general if her or his candidate doesn’t win the nomination, my point was to say we must do everything possible to give everyone reason not to sit out the general.
Climate change effects us all. If Biden doesn't win the rest - women's rights, the economy, democracy won't matter. Republicans won't stop being stupid so let's not leave climate change to them to fix, it will be the pandemic all over again followed by a Jan 6 for survival....re that youthful Kennedy clown.
I'm not convinced that Republicans win because they go on to vote in the general election, certainly not at the national level. Republicans have won the popular vote, what, twice in the past nine presidential elections? That's why they're so focused on rolling back voting rights.
No one can fill Joe Biden's shoes. He is the person....the President for these days. He has the wisdom and experience and compassion that is so lacking in so many who have been given responsibilities for which they are incapable of fulfilling. And I know , it is not Joe alone but also the great team who work hard with him everyday for freedom and for the better goodness..... including those who protect him....thank you!!!!
A president’s legacy is defined by the people whom he chooses for his cabinet and advisers. Compare President Biden’s choices with tfg. The former guy’s cabinet were all chosen to destroy their departments. Hell, Rick Perry forgot there was a Department of Energy when he was running for president. So, naturally he was tfg’s choice to head it. Think of the people tfg chose to advise him - Stephen Miller, Bannon, Giuliani, Jared Kushner, Ivanka. All either despicable or grossly incompetent. President Biden’s adviser’s names are not in the news daily because they are actually doing their jobs and doing them well. I know Biden is old, but with age comes wisdom. I’ve voted for Joe since his first Senate race in 1972. He has learned and learned well.
Biden has surrounded himself with a competent cabinet of various ages. He is a leader who listens. It is a training ground for future leaders so in a sense he is a teacher .
Exactly. He’s not doing this alone. He had the wisdom to choose the best people, most of whom are much younger and from minority cultures
Betsy, you made me smile! Well said and thank you. It cannot be often enough repeated that it’s not just Joe, it’s the team.
When he chose Rick Perry I couldn't help but think, what a bunch of immature assholes. I could image they all thought they were funny and clever and saying, "we will show them hahaha" because they were all so damnably ignorant.
They were “draining the swamp”.
The Biden Dynamic:
1. Make prophetic statements
2. Be ignored by the media and Republicans
3. Make #1 above come true
4. Still be ignored by the media while Republicans try to take credit for what he did.
When will the media realize we're sick of wall to wall Trump?
Love this observation, BlueRootsRadio!
Blue, the media business model requires dissension to create clicks and likes. Good news is boring to the confirmation bias crowd
Wasn't always this way. Today's clickbait model is an outgrowth of the traditional media grappling with internet based media and while they are all suffering some kind of revenue problem.
That's why the good journalists (and historians, lawyers, humorists) are striking out on their own here. The good ones on Substack are now millionaires and it only makes their content better, not more salacious/snarky. The truth, hopefully mixed with a little humor and good will, will carry the day. The old models, just like the first 5 years of the internet, the blogging golden era of 2004-2009 and Twitter 2011-2021 are done. #longlivethenewsay
I do wonder how this new model of journalism, Substack and similar, can deal with funding travel for the journalists. Someone credible still has to buy a ticket, go to the scene of the action, and report what they see. For all that HCR is a fabulous source of aggregation and analysis, she's still not a primary source. At the moment, the only alternative I can see to media-corporation primary reporting is the decentralized -- and hard to verify -- crowdsourced "citizen reporter" model.
It takes a village. NYT, AP, WAPO, etc, have great reporters in the field - how their reporting is presented is where it gets sticky - and that's where HCR comes in, taking the time to sift through, authenticate, aggregate with a historical mind, then summarize in a way that makes some sense to readers.
Out here in Colorado, a wonderful source of great on the ground journalism is The Colorado Sun.
Good points, however the spread of Substack content is still its infancy so we’re stuck with the clickbait model until they go bankrupt. What advertisers do next?
We have wall-to-wall Trump because the media thinks, probably correctly, unfortunately, that wall-to-wall Trump improves the bottom line of their financial report. In that way, it’s like trolling. Notice, for example, that a wacky troll plus responses occupied a huge space in today’s LfaA commentary. We all know better but sometimes give in to the urge to respond to crank comments.
After 2016 they admitted being culpable for giving rise to Trumpism and promised to be better. 2020 was better and January 21 was taken seriously and has not been completely forgotten . Today we see shows that refuse to air his live events or even show video clips, again a welcomed move.
While Biden's coverage is improving, there needs to be much more. The problem now is not too much Trump but rather not enough Biden. The balance of news should tip in favor of the incumbent , not the challenger(s). HCR gets it right .
I accept your assertion that Trump coverage has declined a little although I haven’t made that observation myself. Regardless, I think Trump gets way too much coverage. I agree that Biden doesn’t get enough coverage. What’s worse is that the headline writers misconstrue the content of the limited coverage of Biden. Often, the headline suggests something negative about Biden, and the article is almost entirely positive. My take is that WaPo’s headline writers are especially bad in this regard and that NYT editors are even worse than WaPo headline writers. The result is that Biden doesn’t get his due, even in the newspapers of record.
I agree and even though I subscribe to both, I've had to learn to ignore the headlines which are probably aimed at more conservative readers and just dive into the story. Still despite all their good content I look to other sources like Substack to find authoritative writers I can trust for the news that matters and why I come here first thing every morning to get my head on straight before I dive into the M$M cesspool.
I've dumped both papers more than once and dropped cable or a streaming service because the content on MSNBC or CNN was either over the top or way below the belt. It's been this way since the days of the pamphleteers. Heather and Joanne have talked about the media on the podcast pointing out despite changes in technology, there's a common thread running through journalism through the ages both bad and good. Bottomline, the 4th Estate has bailed up out when we really needed it and we'd be goners without it.
It appoears that we’ve been down same road. I dropped NYT for 20 years for a headline that said W would have won if Florida had counted correctly on a story that showed he would have lost. Dropped them again, a year or two, for something less egregious, but only for a few months. Pretty hard to beat their investigative reporting, or WaPo’s for that matter. Unfortunately, headlines matter when in comes to a story’s effect on public opinion, probably more than, say, the opinions written by the editorial staff, so doing them for the money is pretty close to unforgivable in my book. But I’m kind of a hard ass in that department. Might have made a good fire-and-brimstone preacher if notion of a sentient entity with supernatural power that takes an interest in individual Homo sapiens weren’t such obvious bullshit.
Speak of the devil....
The Pro-Corporate New York Times
Today on TAP: Its coverage is often biased and sloppy.
Sometimes the news and “interpretative” coverage of the supposedly liberal New York Times is astonishingly shabby and friendly to the corporate view.
https://prospect.org/blogs-and-newsletters/tap/2023-07-14-pro-corporate-new-york-times/
Thank you Heather.
Great speech by President Biden from top to bottom.
One constant he has in his speeches is unity.
Our lack there of is what keeps me up at night.
This Nation's "check engine" light has been on for far too long.
Be safe. Be well.
This Nation's "check engine" light has been on for far too long.
What a truly great phrase and very appropriate!
This comment belongs to Linda Bailey! I just thought it was perfect! I did not think it up.
Go Nittany Lions!
So accurate, and we've gotten so good at ignoring the "check engine" light (hard not to when it popped on after every fueling as my last patrol vehicle did until I would remove and then replace the fuel cap--ironic--to be sure).
What a great, great speech. Today I'm just going to amplify that across my platforms. Democrats need this shot of optimism— and proof that our president is fighting for what is right on the homefront and for the whole world.
I pray for Biden’s health often. That chump and his masses of asses are nipping at his heels makes me as terrified as I have been in my long life. Since prayer is used by all kind of cretins, I’ll just say, get up and roar. That means you too, MSM. Thank you, Jennifer Rubin
OK, Jeri, that is funny because it is so true: "masses of asses".
Plus, MSM, stop it with the assumption that every word uttered is to be balanced with an opposing word (or viewpoint) when one side is accurate and the other made up trash.
Tuba ‘Masses of Asses’ describes this asinine cult.
Nobody knows better than I do that one side is made up of trash.
"masses of asses" 🥰😂😂😂
Stole that from a man named Ivan Nachman, worked at NASA in the 60's. Supposed to be the name of a book he was writing. Wish he had. It stuck with me somehow and fits the magats to a tee.
Thank you Dr. Richardson for giving us this great speech from President Biden. What a proud moment for all Americans to have a great President, an optimistic President. Joe Biden presents us to the world as a democracy, willing to stand with our neighbors to protect freedom and equality for all Homo sapiens anywhere and everywhere. Joe is not my second choice, he is first choice and the best choice for our time.
Jordan et al... "somewhat insane"...
Somewhat?
“Freedom Carcass”
Hahahaha…good one! Will be my go-to phrase now.
Variation: "Freakshow Caucus".
But... there's nothing funny about turning the legislature of the most powerful State on Earth into a fifth-rate circus.
Least of all, doing it at a crucial juncture in human history. A make-or-break moment.
Men languish in GITMO for having been found in the wrong place at the wrong time. These clowns are making a career of it.
To me it shows that Wray is still all-in on Federalist Society worldview. So it’s interesting to see him grilled by the inheritors of the Federalist Society group-think.
I think those idiots have their noses so far up each other's butts that they didn't even know that Wray is a member. It was kind of horrifying.
And it shows Matt Gaetz to be the idiot that he is!
I found that curious as well.
Ah, the emphasis of ironic understatement!
Another pitch perfect speech from Team Joe. The question is how will it be played in the media--and IF it will even be played on the conservative outlets.
I remember listening to the news on broadcast TV as a teenager when the fairness norms were in play and TV was free once you had a set. I think democracy started to erode with the demise of free media and the introduction of our current crazy patchwork of pay for view channels.
You saw a less distorted picture--I remember the TV coverage of the civil rights marches on TV in particular showing the protesters and the police in confrontations in the 1960s . Thinking of that versus the highly bifurcated media coverage now. The unbiased media sources are getting less and less traction.
Absolutely Georgia; and the 'Fairness Doctrine' must be reinstated - written into law where it belongs. As well, free speech and any free press, must be responsible under law for disseminating truth and facts in evidence.
"Disseminating truth and facts in evidence" Which the current platforms like Twitter (under current ownership) and "truth social" don't seem to support.
Reinstated and brought to the vast smorgasbord of information that is now available besides broadcast and print news.
Ally, you wrote "Reinstated and brought to the vast smorgasbord of information that is now available besides broadcast and print news." ... Ally, thanks for honestly stepping out and honestly expressing that desire. IMHO, although that broad brush certainly 'appears' to be a need / necessity in this day and age of the internet, cable news outlets, and the 24/7 news cycle, my gut tells me that's just a bridge too far. Limits on 'free speech' is problematic; and that's just one aspect of that very 'slippery slope.' This topic, being endlessly debatable is prime for our good Dr. to address. I encourage all to implore her learned input and that of sound, sober legal minds she might bring to bear on said topic. It is rightly of deep fundamental importance to not just all of us, but to our entire country and world writ largest, as it really is part and parcel of so much that's gone wrong in our country and world today. Restraining myself herein is something I try hard to do. In that spirit, I'll suffice to state that I believe there must exist legally enforceable responsibilities that are married to the exercise of free speech; most especially applicable to any broadcast business purporting to present actionable news. Broadcast news is a constitutionally 'protected', encouraged, and once vaunted / trusted essential endeavor for strong democracies. Given that weight, it must carry equal responsibilities that are legally enforceable; responsibilities and penalties should be commensurate with broadcast outreach capability - regardless of corporate or business model legalities. IMHO, the industry should carry the cost burden of policing itself, yet subject to legal oversight, again costs commensurate with broadcast potential outreach. Lest I go rambling on as I'd like to, I'll end on that note and defer to our good Dr. and her resources. Thanks again for your honesty Ally.
Well said. There is a fine line between unfettered speech and control. You bring up some excellent concerns.
The issue with media and factual reporting (or lack thereof) is they are corporations in business to make money. Making money is what they are loyal to...not informing the citizenry of this country.
It all goes back to money...every time!
There was a time, though, even at the major networks when news was set aside from commercial competition. CBS was famous for that. Then ABC announced that news would have to pay its own way, and we were off.
Before it became entertainment with hosts who now have “celebrity” status. And are treated as if they are experts. I am sure some are but for the most part they are just a reflection of our societal obsession with the rich and
famous.
Growing up in the South in the fifties and sixties, I heard a lot of adults complaining about all the attention to civil rights issues given by the networks. Some people felt that if they were just ignored, they would go away and things would re-set. I wonder sometimes if the same ideas aren't at play today, especially with the protests over Black Lives Matter.
No need to wonder, progwoman. There is definitely a "ignore it and it will go away" component in both camps. BLM has touched a raw nerve with a lot of the MAGAt world (I still get people claiming that Jan 6 was a BLM false flag event.)
I just now comprehend that ignoring things we want to “go away” makes us ignorant.
Thank you, Professor, for sharing President Biden’s strong and historic speech. It’s optimistic and critically important, emphasizing that working together globally and in our own country for Democracy is the future. You end with Jennifer Rubin’s statement that sums up the uphill battle to achieve our President’s and our Democracy’s goals while the repubs are blocking that achievement with their partisan obsession with laptops and I will add their continuing march towards fascism by anti-democratic
policies including critical issues and laws on women’s right to choose, medical care for Trans children, Climate Change, book bans and court packing. I hope for our children, grandchildren and the future of this planet we are up to our domestic battle and can meet those challenges.
I love this vision for the future of the world. As usual I can't help but wonder when "...liberty and dignity, equal justice under the law, human rights and fundamental freedoms which are the blessing and birthright of all of humanity.” is going to be extended to all of the other species, sentient as they are, with whom we share this planet. It wouldn't matter if we weren't systematically confining, and torturing, and exploiting them under the guise of food, fur, leather, down, milk, eggs, science and so on. But we are. Somethings gotta change and fast. Beware what you buy. Plant based, vegan lifestyle is fun and enriching in ways you cannot imagine. Align your values with what you put in and in your body and your home. You'll never regret it. It's a serious crisis. Over 80 billion land animals alone are slaughtered for food in the world every year. This doesn't account for The other uses I mentioned, or aquatic species, or the millions who die before ever leaving the factory farm for slaughter every year, or on transport trucks, or who are condemned after slaughter because they're too sick, meaning diseased with communicable diseases. This is serious folks. There's a whole huge climate change aspect too, not to mention public health risks just waiting to take hold, i.e., pandemic 2.0. So while we're rooting for democracy, let's not forget this massive, deliberately hidden from sight, horrible blight on the earth and humanity that is animal exploitation. We need to get serious or what the hell are we really doing? Democracy only for humans? As if none of the rest of the earth's creatures deserve the free will that is their birth right? Not cool. I'm sorry, I love this blog and this group and I depend on it. I'm just sick of the fact that our leaders keep ignoring this issue .... the human centric view, delusion, of separateness from nature is what has gotten us into the messes we're in. It's spiraling out of control very quickly. Methane from cows, chickens, and pigs are a major major major GHG emissions source. Methane is 85 times more potent than CO2. Do the math. Easier to drive less or eat less meat? 🤔
You are right, but many earthlings have no ears attached to their brains. Or there is too much static for the message to penetrate. Or if you are heard, the right-wing locusts will swoop down and swarm all over the land. Change is like molasses, slow and gooey
Jeri, I belive you are on the right anatomical track given the 25,000 or so nerve ending in the human Inner Ear. I suspect there is very serious "static" in the 8th cranial nerve, the auditory nerve. And, there is virtually no help at all from Rotor Rooter.
Sad commentary, isn’t it. Seems we’re always too busy trying to keep the beast from the door.
The (simply put) BEST way to impact global warming now is to stop supporting the rampant production of methane. That's the short game. The long game, also immediately necessary, is to make a quick u-turn on CO2 production. Turn out the lights early and, if you are so blessed, snuggle. And while you're at it, do some sequestration to keep plastic from going, as Donovan put it, way down, below the ocean.
Those are helpful but even the climate summit coincided a transiting to plant based living is necessary. I'm a former energy efficiency consultant by trade. Lights have impact, but nothing compared to refrigeration, ie AC. Cool Roofing is best to mitigate that, then windows, insulation, doors.
Thanks Sarah! I'll try to remember that - roof, windows, insulation, doors RWID
I don’t disagree with a lot of what you have addressed here, but if our species doesn’t survive, then nor will the animal kingdom. Striving for peace in the world will hopefully lead us to do good things for our planet.
Ah, there's the rub: earth will survive human extinction. To be clear, I am not advocating for human extinction, but there were millions of creatures on this planet before us, and there will me millions living after we're gone.
Yes, Sarah; I was thinking along the same lines as I read Biden’s speech… he’s got some great speechwriters, it’s all very inspirational, but, meanwhile, look at what his administration is not doing about climate change.
Jeff? “Not doing”?
OFF TOPIC re SCOTUS: Via a newly assigned reporter at The Guardian, Wahinton DC office, The Guardian US is reporting cash payments from lawyers with cases before SCOTUS to an "aide" to Justice Thomas over a recent two (2) year period. This modus operandi took place during the Christmas Holiday Season.
Caution: Prosecutors may not know " ... if you have been good or bad " but, they can certainly investigate your conduct before a Grand Jury.
Wow. Thanks.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jul/12/clarence-thomas-aide-venmo-payments-lawyers-supreme-court#:~:text=The%20payments%20to%20Rajan%20Vasisht,Washington%20lawyers%20who%20argue%20cases
Subscribe to The Guardian. Honest reporting needs all the support it can get!
Under NATO’s Article 5, an attack in Europe or America is considered an attack against a NATO country and triggers a response from all NATO countries,
The only time this was invoked was after September 11th. Why it is so important today is that a number of NATO countries border Putin’s Russia. Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have been swallowed up by Russia on various occasions.
Today a Putin incursion into a Baltic state would be a direct Article 5 challenge. Including Finland in NATO reminds me of Stalin’s invasion of Finland in 1940. Including Sweden in NATO is a major move away from traditional Swedish neutrality.
Thanks to President Biden’s immediate and expansive response to Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, NATO, instead of being a Cold War relic, is a multi-nation bulwark against Putin’s Greater Russia megalomania.
"The only time this was invoked was after September 11th."
Yes, and that instance was an abuse of NATO since the USA invaded a country that had little to nothing to do with the destruction of the World Trade Center.
Not a single person on any plane flying that day was an Afghan Citizen. The entire plot had been hatched and planned in Germany.
The pilots had trained here. Most were Saudi Citizens.
Using NATO to invade a country like Afghanistan to attack an entity (Al-Qaeda) that the United States itself had created during the Soviet incursion into Afghanistan was a gross manipulation of bad judgement and, I think, evil by George W. Bush and Dick Cheney,
Another abuse of military power by the United States.
And we keep giving the Saudis a free pass. Just last night, I caught some of Senator Blumenthal's hearing on the merger of the PGA and the Saudi group, which was opposed by some within the PGA.
Prog I’m awaiting a Saudi offer to gild Miss Liberty in gold—perhaps with a streak of blood in honor of Kishoggi?
I have often wondered why on earth Kishoggi walked into a Saudi Embassy??
It's not like he was ignorant of Saudi capability and culture. Always will be a puzzle I guess.
I wonder about the woman he was with and how much she influenced him?
"the FBI is attacking Trump Republicans while giving Hunter Biden a free pass."
Republicans: Hunter Biden didn't pay his taxes.
Also Republicans: taxes are theft.
Republicans: Hunter Biden broke firearms regulations.
Also Republicans: all firearms regulations are unconstitutional.
Also Republicans: There's a Double Standard for Hunter Biden.
David,
Correct on all, and, kind of funny but truly sad as well.