There is only one way to derail Bidenomics and that is with a lengthy Government shut-down. Impeaching Biden is just there to throw mud to protect Trump in a "they all do it" false equivalency. This is not a strategy to elect a government. It is a strategy to create chaos so that authoritarianism can rise as the "salvation"--decision mak…
There is only one way to derail Bidenomics and that is with a lengthy Government shut-down. Impeaching Biden is just there to throw mud to protect Trump in a "they all do it" false equivalency. This is not a strategy to elect a government. It is a strategy to create chaos so that authoritarianism can rise as the "salvation"--decision making by fiat, without the need for debate and compromise, to get the basics running.
Georgia, Abbott, DeSatan and Arkansas are already “decision making by fiat, without the need for debate and compromise...” The list of what dump tried his best to shred is dizzying. The more I think I know about this whole piece of our recent history, the more gets uncovered. It is a wonderful thing to have Heather to explain and wade us through the morass of information and disinformation coming from all directions. I learn so much from everyone in this group and feel very lucky to read all your comments!
Elizabeth, it reminds me of grade school bullies-“why don’t you make me!” TFG showed his followers that established norms are only norms if everyone is invested in good governance.
Norms. Who thought much about them before 2016? Difficult to overstate their importance and now, sadly, perhaps too late, we're learning how fragile they are.
The founders assumed that men of good character would be the people elected to office. 1) Hoping, assuming that others will do what is right is a fragile foundation for a government. They did not write into law boundaries for the chief executive, the President, of the government. Trump has shown what happens to "norms and traditions." 2) "Assuming makes an ass of you and me."
I thoroughly agree! I also learn a lot from Professor Cox-Richardson and all the intelligent commentators. This is a scary time in our country. It helps to have sane, knowledgeable people I can turn to for the real story. Facts matter.
Elizabeth, I could not agree more! As I was reading yesterday’s comments and was contemplating a reply here or there, all I could really do was just pause in amazement at the intellectual and thoughtful level of the comments.
(What an example of a run on sentence!)
I realized that, unlike so many others, I had nothing to contribute that hadn’t already been out on the table.
Starting with the Professor this is an awesome, thought provoking forum!! Thank you all.
Officer House, Grammar Police "to correct and to serve" says that's not a run-on sentence. Regardless of what you think, you do offer a reasonable contribution to the conversation.
You do live in a happy place. You can make any place a happy place by how you go about your daily interactions. My goal every day is to try to "make" someone's day. You'd be surprised at what a surprise compliment to a stranger can do for not only the stranger but for you too!! So hate what's going on, absolutely!
But when you can offer a positive comment absolutely do that too!
So have a good day and I can just tell, "I love your outfit!"!!!
Yes indeed, and I remember any compliments from strangers that I have ever received. I do it all the time, and I thank everyone for coming to work today, bagging my groceries, letting me pass by first, letting me change lanes, etc.
Marj, it is not a “town” but an area in central PA actually located in a geographical valley. It is also the home of the PSU Nittany Lions 🦁 and perhaps a mind-set...
Christine, have no fear, we don’t worry about sentence structure here!
If we did, I would fail terribly with every post I write, every Substack I publish, even my talking to someone. I don’t judge someone by their English, or writing skills. I avoid judging people all together, but, there is the occasional ‘moron’ that just can’t be helped but be judged. Case in point, the ‘Orange Clown’, ‘Frumpy’, ‘Dictator Tweet’.
Your opinions always matter, no matter what others wrote. We welcome to read yours also.
The House Republicans want to shut down the government in order to makes corruption and bribery the way to run the country. That has always been Trump’s way. Now Trump is finally getting indicted for his misdeeds. It’s impossible to keep up with the charges. The members of the Crazy Caucus Cartel should be investigated also. How much Russian money are they receiving? Everything they do supports Putin’s goals.
I really do wonder what can be done about the Freedom Caucus. Do We thePeople really have to put up with this? It reminds me of having a houseful of unruly teenagers again. Not good.
One small “d” democratic way to derail the inappropriately named “Freedom Caucus” is to put an end to the gerrymander! Of course the problem with that is the current SCOTUS majority is in goose-step with them. As a consequence, I greatly fear for the future of our democracy!
As long as the mainstream republicans don't stand up to the Freedom Caucus and are afraid to speak out, then we will have this problem. This is a problem that they created and now they are in too deep. They are letting the most extremist wing of the party run the party now, and my only reasoning is that they are okay with the extremist wing of the party or don't believe they are as crazy as they pretend to be because they are still in denial.
I've heard commentators make the case for there being many more Gen-xers reaching voting age every month, and that they are much more politically active and more likely to vote progressively, while those who vote MAGA are dwindling in numbers. One can only hope.
From a recent Harvard Institute of Politics poll, this seems promising. Mind you statistically these 18-29 year olds are mainly down on Biden - this was done in the spring. "As evidence of generational replacement (a theory proposed by political scientists Paul R. Abramson and Ronald Inglehart), fewer than half (42%) of young Americans who grew up in conservative households call themselves Republicans today (36% independent, 21% Democrat); among those who grew up in liberal households, 60% are Democrats (31% independent, 9% Republican).
A plurality (44%) of young Americans identify as political moderates (30% identify as liberal, 24% conservative). Among those who grew up in what they consider a moderate household, 70% identify that way today; when it comes to political identification, 31% identify as a Democrat, 16% Republican with the remaining 53% independent or unaffiliated with a party.
We also found that a supermajority of liberal youth (86%) and a majority of their moderate (52%) and conservative (61%) peers report that most of their friends share their political ideology. Meanwhile, just 5% of liberals and 14% of conservatives socialize mostly with those of the opposite political ideology."
This is EXACTLY why we need to be on these ‘GEN-X’ crowd and get them registered now. Hey them motivated. Get them involved. We need them in future elections. We need to gain “Super-Majority” of the House of Representatives and Senate. Biden/Harris need to remain at the helm for one more term. Then let Harris take the reigns gif 8 years.
This is what we must do, if we plan on saving our country, our Democracy, our Constitution. I’m telling you, the Orange Clown, twice indicted, once convicted of Assault (Rape), and known Cult leader, has made it known that he intends to turn this into a Dictatorship. He has stated he will have all government agencies answering to him only, including all states. That’s a Dictator. That’s not Democracy.
If Frumpy is elected, our government will be abolished. Our elections system will be abolished. Our Constitution will be abolished, and our laws will be useless. We will be under his dictatorship, and speaking Chinese, or Russian as a first language.
I sure hope so. The thought of some of those people getting away with quite literally sedition makes me crazy. Gosar, MJT, others - off with their heads.
It’s my hope, prayer, dream, that all of them get stood up in front of their respective Chambers, handcuffed, and led out of there to be jailed for their participation in the planning, carrying out, assisting with, January 6th attempted Coup.
Just think, if that happens, McFarty will no longer be Speaker of the House. Blowbert, Margarine T. Cucumber will turn all shades of red! Josh Hardly American will be in his element. In special bracelets, handcuffs. “Oh look, I have in matching bracelets!”
I am completely fed up with this nonsense. None of this adds up to anything but chest thumping and gaslighting. If they don’t want to do the hard work of governing they should be shown the door.
Forget Russian money: look at Leo Leonard and Mugs “Buy the SUpreme COurt” what’s his name. The billionaire insurrectionists. They make me sick. Putin is a fly compared to them. He has his own troubles to contend with. I love your name, btw. Thanks for your comment. Crazy Caucus Cartel is priceless....have a great weekend.
It makes me shudder to think about how physically ugly rump's cabinet members were that simply reflected how ugly they were on the inside. I see the tide turning. What came out yesterday--a new Mar-a-Lago employee indicted along with transcripts of him attempting to delete security camera footage under the direction of "the boss" ala Nixon's Rose Mary Woods should stymie rump's defenders...or will it?
Reagan 's true target was clearly not "government" as such, which plainly Republicans by any mean aim to utterly dominate, but the great impediment to autocratic power that is "democracy".
Is this default story a remake of one that was written several years ago when trump wanted his wall? When some of the military had to get food at Food Share type places? Some people did not get paid but would do so after the default was "cured." A month with no pay is tough when you have a mortgage, groceries, and bills to pay. "I'm sorry I can't pay my rent this month. The government is bickering over some wall." "Too bad."
Certainly a sticky wicket this game playing, far above my head in what appears the complex game of chess like none other .
The truest depiction of classy leadership including diplomacy for solution after solution from our President and his staff. No pie throwing. No name calling. No cheap shots. In fact often shaking hands and focusing in on working together...no.where.near.matched.by ‘the other side’.
My sensibilities have diminished with age. I have a neuter the GOP sticker on my car. I do think his eyes are porcine and mouth like a sphincter. I am not offended.
Karen I have been associated with Eisenhower Fellowships since its creation in 1953.
A number of the trustees were rock-rib Ike supporters. I was odd man out on the Nixon White House Enemies List. [Was awkward to chat with Julie Nixon, who had married David Eisenhower.]
General Colin Powell was EF chair for over a decade. He supported Obama in 2008 as did, from an informal hand vote, a majority of trustees.
In a way, I consider myself a ‘modern’ Eisenhower Republican—but such doesn’t exist and I can’t remember when I last voted for any Republican.
Mike You’re dealing with a former Foreign Service Officer who once told an ambassador ‘You didn’t do a f++king thing.’ And who told a Southern Rhodesian mercenary “Do you think you can kill him [a Congolese] before I kill you?”
As someone who has been "curvy, full figured or plus size" my entire life (since age 7) and who has battled an eating disorder for most of that time, I have a request. If you are going to call names, (not sure how that helps our cause) please focus on his behaviors rather than his size.
Think of it this way. If he were in a wheelchair while committing all these bad acts, would you be ok calling him crippled or lame-brained? Thank you.
Chaplain As someone with a walker, I appreciate your concern. How might you suggest that we highlight the physical differences between a lean and healthy Biden and Trump—apart from mentality and integrity?
Thank you for asking that, Keith. I think your phrase "lean and healthy" still carries with it the notion that anyone not lean therefore is not healthy. Truth is there are plenty of very thin young women who are not healthy because of what they do to stay thin.
There's plenty of research (finally!) showing the error of deciding on a person's health baed solely on BMI. Adolphe Quetelet, a Belgian astronomer, mathematician, statistician, and sociologist, devised the basis of the BMI between 1830 and 1850 and never intended it to determine any one individuals health. Even the CDC states that on their website.
I’m sure that’s what they think. My money’s on President Biden. The last time the Republicans underestimated Joe Biden was when Puppet Speaker Kevin McCarthy insisted on negotiating the debt ceiling bill one on one. Joe was kind enough to let Kevin keep his pants. Took the rest.
I really hope so... But I see no way that the default can be averted without cooperation of at least a few Republicans. How do you think that Biden can work around this?
Mind you, if Joe manages to play Quivering McQarthy and the MAGAts and make them laughing stocks, that's all they deserve. Maybe even _more_ than they deserve...
I would be working on those whose districts are where Biden won and are swing districts. We have one in the 5th district here in Oregon. I hope she is feeling the pressure.
Biden is a extremely experienced negotiator. He’s had over 55 years experience with these morons on Capitol Hill. McFarty is a piece of cake. Biden will give him a little bit and make it look like a lot. It will pass the house before it sinks in they got screwed, again, by the professor!
Completely agree. Thought the same and that the Biden Impeachment Op is likely also to being used to help appease vengeful Trump and *buy* his silence, favor, and cooperation on some matters.
I Agree Georgia. Indictment is now the new impeachment. The majority of America will see right through a Biden impeachment as being political. An impeachment that results in the removal of a president is the new bar to reach. If Trump gets in office, that will be a constitutional change he will first work on to prevent it from happening to him.
Bad Congressman Bob Good allegedly “represents” tens of thousands of Federal employees. So when they are shut out of their jobs as Bad Bob Good celebrates, we have to triple down our financial support for nonpartisan voter registration and turnout. The 18 to 29s will be our “Democracy Leaders” and you can make it happen: please open www.turnup.us ?
These brilliant Harvard students are effective with amazing technology to get the job done--our job is to help them save Democracy for all of us!
Thank you so much; they are doing a great job at very low cost using their fabulous technology. I am now starting to look for good folks like you to “adopt” a Community College or a High School in one of only 50 critically important Congressional District (CD) for donations specifically directed to hire young activists to register classmates online! Woukd you be interested? Other folks reading this?
Ruth, as we obviously know, this election’s major issue will be whether abortion rights will be protected or destroyed by a nationwide ban. That changes an important issue from a policy choice to a personal protection of great consequences. Young women and men 18 to 29 care deeply from a personal perspective about this. Gun safety and climate climate are also very important to younger voters. 32Million GenZ came of age to vote in the last 6 yrs. So this brilliant group of Harvard students and I have been hard at work registering 18 to 29s by the tens of thousands on a nonpartisan message about these issues and their opportunity to make very meaningful choices in 24. See please www.turnup.us/ We have identified 50 very competitive congressional districts (CD) which will decide key races on the basis of abortion, gun safety and climate. We are looking for volunteers who adopt a CD and raise funds to pay for a sophisticated effort to register 18 to 29s etc in thst CD. If you and others are interested, please email me at iralechner@yahoo.com This is a very cost effective and exciting pinpointed effort only in truly competitive CDs! Many thanks
What you say is spot on. What we're dealing with, at least in part, IMO, is rank racism, on the one hand, and on the other hand ?? Well, on the other hand, it is still rank racism that trumps even democracy in their minds.
The MAGA faction gets all the headlines, but they are the tail wagging the dog. The blame for a lengthy government shutdown, if it happens, would be laid at the feet of the House Republicans and hurt many of them when run for re-election in 2024. So I think we'll see a repeat of the drama over raising the debt ceiling earlier this year, with the appropriations bills, without all of the toxic riders, passed at the last minute after the recess. One way to improve the odds of this outcome is to contact your Representative during the recess to express your views!
While so-called Bidenomics is designed to rebuild the middle class? WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? Name a single Biden initiative design to help the middle class?
Tax Cuts? NO
Inflationary deficit spending? NO
Weakened Banking System? NO
500% Higher Interest Rates? NO
Core Inflation? NO
Why should we take economic analysis from someone who doesn't know a DAMN thing about economics? Especially from a MARXIST academic. This is propaganda, its not serious scholarship.
If you think Heather Cox Richardson is a Marxist, you have utterly no freaking idea what Marxism is.
And if you think she's ignorant of economics, you know one of her academic specialties is the whole late 19th century debates over the gold standard. Funny that someone who knows nothing about economics would be interested enough in that topic to read on it and write about it.
James, I believe general consensus from FOMC is we might be on the track to reaching the goal of 2% inflation and thus could consider lowering interest in a year or so without a recession. GDP looks good. unemployment is low. No new bank closures. DOW is fine. Still have an inverted yield curve though and M2 is troublesome. All in all the economy is stable. Biden has invested well for the middle class with some initiatives in the past 2 years. Roads and bridges, for example, are helping the construction sector. Consumer spending might be a bit too high right now and retail jobs are falling which is an indication that might change. If the GOP doesn't shut the government down the US might be okay until the election. What economic news would you care to share. I love a good econ discussion.
As long as the major funding for interventionist tactics across the globe is voted by both parties, the skills and successes abroad (see Brian Berletic's reports on the tactics) will be available here. It's easy. Create chaos, outspend the democratic process on one country after the other with leaders who owe allegiance to international (stateless) business and convince the public to use false labels like "defense" spending, and you've got a game as easy to push at home as abroad.
Thank you for the link Jerry; very interesting. Just skimmed it, but will dip back in for a more thorough read. My initial impression is that nothing is what it seems to be.
Brian Berletic maintains a significant flow of insights and analyses on not only the tragedy of Ukraine, but also background on influences plied across the world. That link introduces Brian's starting motivations. For the latest, his project bears the name The New Atlas and is available via Youtube and other platforms.
Jerry, I checked him out as well. Looks like he had a taste of how Okinawa likes Marines based on how some of the younger ones debased some young Japanese ladies at a minimum. They don't care for Marines it is true and wish they would just leave. Perhaps he took it personal. He has a point of view regarding soft influence by NED and perhaps NGOs in general. Fair enough. Other countries see these orgs, in general, as an arm of the State Dept and/or CIA. Perhaps some are and some mean well. Other countries are suspicious of even food aid and other humanitarian aid as well. Suspicion is high. I appreciate his perspective but after another 20-30 years he might be more valuable as a source.
Having traveled to Central America and Mexico mainly with Witness for Peace delegations, meeting there with journalists and community leaders, then following up with US embassy visits in country and with Congress back home, my point of view includes concern over influence of NED and related projects. 30 years of advocacy for basic human rights and self determination in these neighboring countries helps me appreciate Berletic's independent minded analysis informed also by his years living in Thailand.
Jerry, I am more concerned with private orgs but one never knows who is planted in and among the most well-meaning orgs. It is best to keep a sharp eye as you say.
The struggles involved are not impossible to sort out. Watching how oligarchs here in this country or in comfortable digs abroad are funding the most corrosive groups and legislative mischief imaginable, in Congress and state legislatures, can help illuminate the need to press for responsible policies.
The more I listen to Brian the more I would like to know where his allegiances might be. He is a smart fellow for sure. I take in a lot of information every day. He has some sort of bias. Not sure what it is yet. So far, he has a slightly anti-American view on foreign policy via devious ways. This is not uncommon in foreign countries, to be sure. If you know, where does his funding come from? He leans to China. Did you miss that or is that the purpose? I like the free info exchange for sure but Brians location and purpose escapes me at the moment. Ya know, I am an old guy who was born in DC and am suspicious of people on their face when they speak about US intentions in foreign countries. Mind you, I am not connected to anything other than my own curiosity, but Brian raises some healthy background questions for me at the minimum. Got anything else for me to see?
While Brian Berletic is unusual, he's not unique. You may know of Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler, the only soldier ever to have been twice awarded the Medal of Honor. After he retired he spoke publicly and wrote a short book titled, "War Is a Racket." The details he laid out about who benefited from his invading and occupying targeted countries are fascinating. Brian's analysis may not be modeled after Butler, but the same ethic is to be found in both veterans' post-military analysis. Glad this came up. I just reread Butler's Wikipedia entry!
While Brian Berletic is unusual, he's not unique. You may know of Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler, the only soldier ever to have been twice awarded the Medal of Honor. After he retired he spoke publicly and wrote a short book titled, "War Is a Racket." The details he laid out about who benefited from his invading and occupying targeted countries are fascinating. Brian's analysis may not be modeled after Butler, but the same ethic is to be found in both veterans' post-military analysis. Glad this came up. I just reread Butler's Wikipedia entry!
While Brian Berletic is unusual, he's not unique. You may know of Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler, the only soldier ever to have been twice awarded the Medal of Honor. After he retired he spoke publicly and wrote a short book titled, "War Is a Racket." The details he laid out about who benefited from his invading and occupying targeted countries are fascinating. Brian's analysis may not be modeled after Butler, but the same ethic is to be found in both veterans' post-military analysis. Glad this came up. I just reread Butler's Wikipedia entry!
There is only one way to derail Bidenomics and that is with a lengthy Government shut-down. Impeaching Biden is just there to throw mud to protect Trump in a "they all do it" false equivalency. This is not a strategy to elect a government. It is a strategy to create chaos so that authoritarianism can rise as the "salvation"--decision making by fiat, without the need for debate and compromise, to get the basics running.
Georgia, Abbott, DeSatan and Arkansas are already “decision making by fiat, without the need for debate and compromise...” The list of what dump tried his best to shred is dizzying. The more I think I know about this whole piece of our recent history, the more gets uncovered. It is a wonderful thing to have Heather to explain and wade us through the morass of information and disinformation coming from all directions. I learn so much from everyone in this group and feel very lucky to read all your comments!
Elizabeth, it reminds me of grade school bullies-“why don’t you make me!” TFG showed his followers that established norms are only norms if everyone is invested in good governance.
Norms. Who thought much about them before 2016? Difficult to overstate their importance and now, sadly, perhaps too late, we're learning how fragile they are.
The founders assumed that men of good character would be the people elected to office. 1) Hoping, assuming that others will do what is right is a fragile foundation for a government. They did not write into law boundaries for the chief executive, the President, of the government. Trump has shown what happens to "norms and traditions." 2) "Assuming makes an ass of you and me."
I thoroughly agree! I also learn a lot from Professor Cox-Richardson and all the intelligent commentators. This is a scary time in our country. It helps to have sane, knowledgeable people I can turn to for the real story. Facts matter.
Exactly!!
Facts that are interpreted correctly are what matters.
Yes, that is what matters.
Elizabeth, I could not agree more! As I was reading yesterday’s comments and was contemplating a reply here or there, all I could really do was just pause in amazement at the intellectual and thoughtful level of the comments.
(What an example of a run on sentence!)
I realized that, unlike so many others, I had nothing to contribute that hadn’t already been out on the table.
Starting with the Professor this is an awesome, thought provoking forum!! Thank you all.
Officer House, Grammar Police "to correct and to serve" says that's not a run-on sentence. Regardless of what you think, you do offer a reasonable contribution to the conversation.
Ditto, Christine. I am amazed at Heather and the many knowledgable posters here with a plethora of life experiences as well.
There really is a town named Happy Valley?! I wish I lived in a happy valley!
Hi Marj.
You do live in a happy place. You can make any place a happy place by how you go about your daily interactions. My goal every day is to try to "make" someone's day. You'd be surprised at what a surprise compliment to a stranger can do for not only the stranger but for you too!! So hate what's going on, absolutely!
But when you can offer a positive comment absolutely do that too!
So have a good day and I can just tell, "I love your outfit!"!!!
Yes indeed, and I remember any compliments from strangers that I have ever received. I do it all the time, and I thank everyone for coming to work today, bagging my groceries, letting me pass by first, letting me change lanes, etc.
Marj, it is not a “town” but an area in central PA actually located in a geographical valley. It is also the home of the PSU Nittany Lions 🦁 and perhaps a mind-set...
One here in Oregon as well; east of Portland.
Christine,
Just because a sentence is long doesn't mean it is a run-on sentence. Yours is long-ish but not run-on.
Exactly. It was a good sentence with content and thoughtfulness.
Christine, have no fear, we don’t worry about sentence structure here!
If we did, I would fail terribly with every post I write, every Substack I publish, even my talking to someone. I don’t judge someone by their English, or writing skills. I avoid judging people all together, but, there is the occasional ‘moron’ that just can’t be helped but be judged. Case in point, the ‘Orange Clown’, ‘Frumpy’, ‘Dictator Tweet’.
Your opinions always matter, no matter what others wrote. We welcome to read yours also.
😊
The House Republicans want to shut down the government in order to makes corruption and bribery the way to run the country. That has always been Trump’s way. Now Trump is finally getting indicted for his misdeeds. It’s impossible to keep up with the charges. The members of the Crazy Caucus Cartel should be investigated also. How much Russian money are they receiving? Everything they do supports Putin’s goals.
I really do wonder what can be done about the Freedom Caucus. Do We thePeople really have to put up with this? It reminds me of having a houseful of unruly teenagers again. Not good.
One small “d” democratic way to derail the inappropriately named “Freedom Caucus” is to put an end to the gerrymander! Of course the problem with that is the current SCOTUS majority is in goose-step with them. As a consequence, I greatly fear for the future of our democracy!
As long as the mainstream republicans don't stand up to the Freedom Caucus and are afraid to speak out, then we will have this problem. This is a problem that they created and now they are in too deep. They are letting the most extremist wing of the party run the party now, and my only reasoning is that they are okay with the extremist wing of the party or don't believe they are as crazy as they pretend to be because they are still in denial.
Sadly as long as there is an electorate willing to vote them in.... call it voter alienation or just pure prejudice, US government remains in a bind.
I've heard commentators make the case for there being many more Gen-xers reaching voting age every month, and that they are much more politically active and more likely to vote progressively, while those who vote MAGA are dwindling in numbers. One can only hope.
From a recent Harvard Institute of Politics poll, this seems promising. Mind you statistically these 18-29 year olds are mainly down on Biden - this was done in the spring. "As evidence of generational replacement (a theory proposed by political scientists Paul R. Abramson and Ronald Inglehart), fewer than half (42%) of young Americans who grew up in conservative households call themselves Republicans today (36% independent, 21% Democrat); among those who grew up in liberal households, 60% are Democrats (31% independent, 9% Republican).
A plurality (44%) of young Americans identify as political moderates (30% identify as liberal, 24% conservative). Among those who grew up in what they consider a moderate household, 70% identify that way today; when it comes to political identification, 31% identify as a Democrat, 16% Republican with the remaining 53% independent or unaffiliated with a party.
We also found that a supermajority of liberal youth (86%) and a majority of their moderate (52%) and conservative (61%) peers report that most of their friends share their political ideology. Meanwhile, just 5% of liberals and 14% of conservatives socialize mostly with those of the opposite political ideology."
This is EXACTLY why we need to be on these ‘GEN-X’ crowd and get them registered now. Hey them motivated. Get them involved. We need them in future elections. We need to gain “Super-Majority” of the House of Representatives and Senate. Biden/Harris need to remain at the helm for one more term. Then let Harris take the reigns gif 8 years.
This is what we must do, if we plan on saving our country, our Democracy, our Constitution. I’m telling you, the Orange Clown, twice indicted, once convicted of Assault (Rape), and known Cult leader, has made it known that he intends to turn this into a Dictatorship. He has stated he will have all government agencies answering to him only, including all states. That’s a Dictator. That’s not Democracy.
If Frumpy is elected, our government will be abolished. Our elections system will be abolished. Our Constitution will be abolished, and our laws will be useless. We will be under his dictatorship, and speaking Chinese, or Russian as a first language.
And THAT, everyone can take to the bank!
A house full of teenagers running around with AK-47s.
Hopefully, some of them are on the list for January 6th for aiding and abetting.
I sure hope so. The thought of some of those people getting away with quite literally sedition makes me crazy. Gosar, MJT, others - off with their heads.
It’s my hope, prayer, dream, that all of them get stood up in front of their respective Chambers, handcuffed, and led out of there to be jailed for their participation in the planning, carrying out, assisting with, January 6th attempted Coup.
Just think, if that happens, McFarty will no longer be Speaker of the House. Blowbert, Margarine T. Cucumber will turn all shades of red! Josh Hardly American will be in his element. In special bracelets, handcuffs. “Oh look, I have in matching bracelets!”
He would have to put both fists up before he starts to run.
AGREE, could read: Krazy Kaucus Kartel KKK
I am completely fed up with this nonsense. None of this adds up to anything but chest thumping and gaslighting. If they don’t want to do the hard work of governing they should be shown the door.
Forget Russian money: look at Leo Leonard and Mugs “Buy the SUpreme COurt” what’s his name. The billionaire insurrectionists. They make me sick. Putin is a fly compared to them. He has his own troubles to contend with. I love your name, btw. Thanks for your comment. Crazy Caucus Cartel is priceless....have a great weekend.
Yes! Is DT still dreaming of Trump Tower Moscow?
It makes me shudder to think about how physically ugly rump's cabinet members were that simply reflected how ugly they were on the inside. I see the tide turning. What came out yesterday--a new Mar-a-Lago employee indicted along with transcripts of him attempting to delete security camera footage under the direction of "the boss" ala Nixon's Rose Mary Woods should stymie rump's defenders...or will it?
Nope! sadly.
Yes I agree. It's been a wonderful learning experience for me as well.
Reagan 's true target was clearly not "government" as such, which plainly Republicans by any mean aim to utterly dominate, but the great impediment to autocratic power that is "democracy".
Well said!
Right you are, Georgia. Causing America to go into default is the trump card (pardon the pun) the Republicans _will_ play to destroy Biden’s success.
Is this default story a remake of one that was written several years ago when trump wanted his wall? When some of the military had to get food at Food Share type places? Some people did not get paid but would do so after the default was "cured." A month with no pay is tough when you have a mortgage, groceries, and bills to pay. "I'm sorry I can't pay my rent this month. The government is bickering over some wall." "Too bad."
Certainly a sticky wicket this game playing, far above my head in what appears the complex game of chess like none other .
The truest depiction of classy leadership including diplomacy for solution after solution from our President and his staff. No pie throwing. No name calling. No cheap shots. In fact often shaking hands and focusing in on working together...no.where.near.matched.by ‘the other side’.
Is America noting this?
Let it BE noted then.
💙💙AT THE BALLOT BOX💙💙
The name calling really gets me. The last time I experienced name calling was in grammar school.
Karen. I do like ‘Tubby Trump.’ Or, perhaps, ‘Big Butt Donald.’ His bodiless photos of his orangy face I find misleading.
Keith,
Not to offend your, likely, substantially well developed sensibilities, but, for those of us from East Texas, we would say:
Fat Ass Trump with a hoot at the end.
My sensibilities have diminished with age. I have a neuter the GOP sticker on my car. I do think his eyes are porcine and mouth like a sphincter. I am not offended.
Karen I have been associated with Eisenhower Fellowships since its creation in 1953.
A number of the trustees were rock-rib Ike supporters. I was odd man out on the Nixon White House Enemies List. [Was awkward to chat with Julie Nixon, who had married David Eisenhower.]
General Colin Powell was EF chair for over a decade. He supported Obama in 2008 as did, from an informal hand vote, a majority of trustees.
In a way, I consider myself a ‘modern’ Eisenhower Republican—but such doesn’t exist and I can’t remember when I last voted for any Republican.
Now expletives and Republican are synonymous.
Mike You’ll have to try much harder to offend my sensitivities. In fact your phrase strikes me as tepid Texas BBQ.
:-) I guess my genteel background just gets in the way of true inflammation Keith. I will work harder to fit into modern Amurca!
Mike You’re dealing with a former Foreign Service Officer who once told an ambassador ‘You didn’t do a f++king thing.’ And who told a Southern Rhodesian mercenary “Do you think you can kill him [a Congolese] before I kill you?”
I ain’t no shrinking violet.
OOOH!
Mike S, agreement from another East Texan, now happily a former Texan!
As someone who has been "curvy, full figured or plus size" my entire life (since age 7) and who has battled an eating disorder for most of that time, I have a request. If you are going to call names, (not sure how that helps our cause) please focus on his behaviors rather than his size.
Think of it this way. If he were in a wheelchair while committing all these bad acts, would you be ok calling him crippled or lame-brained? Thank you.
Chaplain As someone with a walker, I appreciate your concern. How might you suggest that we highlight the physical differences between a lean and healthy Biden and Trump—apart from mentality and integrity?
Obama is quite dapper in a suit. trump not so much in his penguin suit with his meeting with the Queen. It was a fashion faux pas.
Thank you for asking that, Keith. I think your phrase "lean and healthy" still carries with it the notion that anyone not lean therefore is not healthy. Truth is there are plenty of very thin young women who are not healthy because of what they do to stay thin.
There's plenty of research (finally!) showing the error of deciding on a person's health baed solely on BMI. Adolphe Quetelet, a Belgian astronomer, mathematician, statistician, and sociologist, devised the basis of the BMI between 1830 and 1850 and never intended it to determine any one individuals health. Even the CDC states that on their website.
So to answer your question, "The ADA places restrictions on employers when it comes to asking job applicants to answer medical questions, take a medical exam, or identify a disability." (https://www.eeoc.gov/pre-employment-inquiries-and-medical-questions-examinations#:~:text=The%20ADA%20places%20restrictions%20on,nature%20of%20an%20obvious%20disability).) So let's focus on ability to do the job and actual behaviors that we know about. E,g, let's brag that Pres. Biden rides a bike and ask if Trump could do that!
Accurate level the mentality of the perps Karen, it’s bullies modus Aux pere …end I 😉
excuse my french🫶
Kids are very good at this and some of them love it.
GO OUT !!, DEMS ! .....
&. get That. VOTE !
IN the BOX !
Your LIFE !, ....WILL !
Depend!, On. IT !
I loved Simon’s message yesterday …we’re doing great just keep on sending encouragement and Biden’s successes everywhere you can!
🙌☮️Yahoo!!!
We'll see how this plays out. To me, it seems the MAGA Republicans have Biden by the balls...
I’m sure that’s what they think. My money’s on President Biden. The last time the Republicans underestimated Joe Biden was when Puppet Speaker Kevin McCarthy insisted on negotiating the debt ceiling bill one on one. Joe was kind enough to let Kevin keep his pants. Took the rest.
I really hope so... But I see no way that the default can be averted without cooperation of at least a few Republicans. How do you think that Biden can work around this?
Mind you, if Joe manages to play Quivering McQarthy and the MAGAts and make them laughing stocks, that's all they deserve. Maybe even _more_ than they deserve...
I would be working on those whose districts are where Biden won and are swing districts. We have one in the 5th district here in Oregon. I hope she is feeling the pressure.
Biden is a extremely experienced negotiator. He’s had over 55 years experience with these morons on Capitol Hill. McFarty is a piece of cake. Biden will give him a little bit and make it look like a lot. It will pass the house before it sinks in they got screwed, again, by the professor!
Dutch, The MAGAS may think that, but their audacity is in plain site. Biden’s been at this a long time
Bingo! Nailed it.
Completely agree. Thought the same and that the Biden Impeachment Op is likely also to being used to help appease vengeful Trump and *buy* his silence, favor, and cooperation on some matters.
I Agree Georgia. Indictment is now the new impeachment. The majority of America will see right through a Biden impeachment as being political. An impeachment that results in the removal of a president is the new bar to reach. If Trump gets in office, that will be a constitutional change he will first work on to prevent it from happening to him.
Bad Congressman Bob Good allegedly “represents” tens of thousands of Federal employees. So when they are shut out of their jobs as Bad Bob Good celebrates, we have to triple down our financial support for nonpartisan voter registration and turnout. The 18 to 29s will be our “Democracy Leaders” and you can make it happen: please open www.turnup.us ?
These brilliant Harvard students are effective with amazing technology to get the job done--our job is to help them save Democracy for all of us!
Thanks to your beating the TurnUp drum, we’re now monthly donors.
Thank you so much; they are doing a great job at very low cost using their fabulous technology. I am now starting to look for good folks like you to “adopt” a Community College or a High School in one of only 50 critically important Congressional District (CD) for donations specifically directed to hire young activists to register classmates online! Woukd you be interested? Other folks reading this?
Ira, can you provide more information?
Ruth, as we obviously know, this election’s major issue will be whether abortion rights will be protected or destroyed by a nationwide ban. That changes an important issue from a policy choice to a personal protection of great consequences. Young women and men 18 to 29 care deeply from a personal perspective about this. Gun safety and climate climate are also very important to younger voters. 32Million GenZ came of age to vote in the last 6 yrs. So this brilliant group of Harvard students and I have been hard at work registering 18 to 29s by the tens of thousands on a nonpartisan message about these issues and their opportunity to make very meaningful choices in 24. See please www.turnup.us/ We have identified 50 very competitive congressional districts (CD) which will decide key races on the basis of abortion, gun safety and climate. We are looking for volunteers who adopt a CD and raise funds to pay for a sophisticated effort to register 18 to 29s etc in thst CD. If you and others are interested, please email me at iralechner@yahoo.com This is a very cost effective and exciting pinpointed effort only in truly competitive CDs! Many thanks
I am sorry to say, you are probably correct. I just hope it will not come to that
What you say is spot on. What we're dealing with, at least in part, IMO, is rank racism, on the one hand, and on the other hand ?? Well, on the other hand, it is still rank racism that trumps even democracy in their minds.
You nailed it. House Republicans are continuing the work of the Trump administration (as directed by Putin?): blow up the federal government.
The MAGA faction gets all the headlines, but they are the tail wagging the dog. The blame for a lengthy government shutdown, if it happens, would be laid at the feet of the House Republicans and hurt many of them when run for re-election in 2024. So I think we'll see a repeat of the drama over raising the debt ceiling earlier this year, with the appropriations bills, without all of the toxic riders, passed at the last minute after the recess. One way to improve the odds of this outcome is to contact your Representative during the recess to express your views!
Senior citizens can't afford another government shutdown.
You're absolutely right.
While so-called Bidenomics is designed to rebuild the middle class? WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? Name a single Biden initiative design to help the middle class?
Tax Cuts? NO
Inflationary deficit spending? NO
Weakened Banking System? NO
500% Higher Interest Rates? NO
Core Inflation? NO
Why should we take economic analysis from someone who doesn't know a DAMN thing about economics? Especially from a MARXIST academic. This is propaganda, its not serious scholarship.
If you think Heather Cox Richardson is a Marxist, you have utterly no freaking idea what Marxism is.
And if you think she's ignorant of economics, you know one of her academic specialties is the whole late 19th century debates over the gold standard. Funny that someone who knows nothing about economics would be interested enough in that topic to read on it and write about it.
YOU are the faux intellectual, not Heather.
DON ! ..HE, ...is A TROLLER !
( HE!, .....is Going to NEED
a BIGGER. BOAT !)
SO RIGHT!, About PROF
HCR !
Bigger boat--hahaha!
James, I believe general consensus from FOMC is we might be on the track to reaching the goal of 2% inflation and thus could consider lowering interest in a year or so without a recession. GDP looks good. unemployment is low. No new bank closures. DOW is fine. Still have an inverted yield curve though and M2 is troublesome. All in all the economy is stable. Biden has invested well for the middle class with some initiatives in the past 2 years. Roads and bridges, for example, are helping the construction sector. Consumer spending might be a bit too high right now and retail jobs are falling which is an indication that might change. If the GOP doesn't shut the government down the US might be okay until the election. What economic news would you care to share. I love a good econ discussion.
Precisely
As long as the major funding for interventionist tactics across the globe is voted by both parties, the skills and successes abroad (see Brian Berletic's reports on the tactics) will be available here. It's easy. Create chaos, outspend the democratic process on one country after the other with leaders who owe allegiance to international (stateless) business and convince the public to use false labels like "defense" spending, and you've got a game as easy to push at home as abroad.
Chaos appears to work at home as well as abroad, for distracting from basic needs.
Pitting people against each other over abortion riddles like when life begins, grabbing headlines and distracting from escalating climate destabilization, allows fossil fuel profits to buy and own Congress. Political and military analyst Brian Berletic's analysis is discussed at https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-11-29/Ex-Marine-exposes-U-S-govt-s-secret-political-interference-in-Asia-15z8CfeCUEw/index.html
Thank you for the link Jerry; very interesting. Just skimmed it, but will dip back in for a more thorough read. My initial impression is that nothing is what it seems to be.
Glad you checked in on it, Barbara.
Brian Berletic maintains a significant flow of insights and analyses on not only the tragedy of Ukraine, but also background on influences plied across the world. That link introduces Brian's starting motivations. For the latest, his project bears the name The New Atlas and is available via Youtube and other platforms.
Jerry, I checked him out as well. Looks like he had a taste of how Okinawa likes Marines based on how some of the younger ones debased some young Japanese ladies at a minimum. They don't care for Marines it is true and wish they would just leave. Perhaps he took it personal. He has a point of view regarding soft influence by NED and perhaps NGOs in general. Fair enough. Other countries see these orgs, in general, as an arm of the State Dept and/or CIA. Perhaps some are and some mean well. Other countries are suspicious of even food aid and other humanitarian aid as well. Suspicion is high. I appreciate his perspective but after another 20-30 years he might be more valuable as a source.
Greetings and thanks for the feedback on Brian Berletic's point of view.
You and our fellow fans of Heather's may find useful a recent discussion of influence by NED and NGOs in Hong Kong.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPzOqkrwhI0
Having traveled to Central America and Mexico mainly with Witness for Peace delegations, meeting there with journalists and community leaders, then following up with US embassy visits in country and with Congress back home, my point of view includes concern over influence of NED and related projects. 30 years of advocacy for basic human rights and self determination in these neighboring countries helps me appreciate Berletic's independent minded analysis informed also by his years living in Thailand.
Jerry, I am more concerned with private orgs but one never knows who is planted in and among the most well-meaning orgs. It is best to keep a sharp eye as you say.
The struggles involved are not impossible to sort out. Watching how oligarchs here in this country or in comfortable digs abroad are funding the most corrosive groups and legislative mischief imaginable, in Congress and state legislatures, can help illuminate the need to press for responsible policies.
The more I listen to Brian the more I would like to know where his allegiances might be. He is a smart fellow for sure. I take in a lot of information every day. He has some sort of bias. Not sure what it is yet. So far, he has a slightly anti-American view on foreign policy via devious ways. This is not uncommon in foreign countries, to be sure. If you know, where does his funding come from? He leans to China. Did you miss that or is that the purpose? I like the free info exchange for sure but Brians location and purpose escapes me at the moment. Ya know, I am an old guy who was born in DC and am suspicious of people on their face when they speak about US intentions in foreign countries. Mind you, I am not connected to anything other than my own curiosity, but Brian raises some healthy background questions for me at the minimum. Got anything else for me to see?
APOLOGIES to everyone... my balky computer didn't seem to have posted my response, but it embarrassingly showed up three times.
While Brian Berletic is unusual, he's not unique. You may know of Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler, the only soldier ever to have been twice awarded the Medal of Honor. After he retired he spoke publicly and wrote a short book titled, "War Is a Racket." The details he laid out about who benefited from his invading and occupying targeted countries are fascinating. Brian's analysis may not be modeled after Butler, but the same ethic is to be found in both veterans' post-military analysis. Glad this came up. I just reread Butler's Wikipedia entry!
While Brian Berletic is unusual, he's not unique. You may know of Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler, the only soldier ever to have been twice awarded the Medal of Honor. After he retired he spoke publicly and wrote a short book titled, "War Is a Racket." The details he laid out about who benefited from his invading and occupying targeted countries are fascinating. Brian's analysis may not be modeled after Butler, but the same ethic is to be found in both veterans' post-military analysis. Glad this came up. I just reread Butler's Wikipedia entry!
While Brian Berletic is unusual, he's not unique. You may know of Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler, the only soldier ever to have been twice awarded the Medal of Honor. After he retired he spoke publicly and wrote a short book titled, "War Is a Racket." The details he laid out about who benefited from his invading and occupying targeted countries are fascinating. Brian's analysis may not be modeled after Butler, but the same ethic is to be found in both veterans' post-military analysis. Glad this came up. I just reread Butler's Wikipedia entry!
I like that description of international business as "stateless."