Justin Rosario points out that a comparison of the public White House visitors logs with the public schedule of President Biden shows he wasn’t even in the country for some of those visits by the neurologist, something the NYT and WaPo should and could have fact checked before writing about this.
Justin Rosario points out that a comparison of the public White House visitors logs with the public schedule of President Biden shows he wasn’t even in the country for some of those visits by the neurologist, something the NYT and WaPo should and could have fact checked before writing about this.
But then, if the despicable droids at the NYT and WaPo actually fact-checked ANYTHING, they might be accused of committing journalism which seems to terrify these cowardly scumwads.
Deplorable Linda, you do just what they do. The name calling no better. This is a harmful indulgence of us versus them and dumb. But you apparently enjoy it. It is not helpful nor smart. Sorry i have to say that. I thought you were worth responding to but i see not.
Here is journalist Philip Bump's critical analysis of how the Parkinson story got ahead of the facts. Published in the Washington Post.
"Cannard’s visits were not exceptional given the number of known visits he made during the Obama administration. Visitor records maintained by the National Archives show 64 visits from 2012 through 2016, including a White House tour and Cannard’s attendance at a holiday party. There are no public records from the Trump administration." [The
Before Project 2025, Ginni Thomas was going to the Trump White House with lists of who should be hired and fired by the executive branch.
"A central focus for Ms. Hair and Ms. Thomas was administration appointments that they wanted made and that they accused the president’s aides of blocking."
"A group led by Ginni Thomas has targeted officials in the administration, and lobbied for its own preferred choices. As the president’s distrust in those serving him has grown, so has its sway."
"A well-connected network of conservative activists with close ties to Trump and top administration officials is quietly helping develop these "Never Trump"/pro-Trump lists, and some sent memos to Trump to shape his views, per sources with direct knowledge.
Members of this network include Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and Republican Senate staffer Barbara Ledeen."
The Parkinson's story is not relevant. The disastrous debate is the issue. It is time for Letters to state the obvious. Time for Biden to retire from the campaign.
No, Beth. Looking at the Parkinson's story exposes the way Biden is being unfairly characterized by those who want to downplay policy issues, his record, and his values. The madness of Trump ought to be the story being told. Except it's not a "story"; it is horrifying potential reality.
The hitch is that there *is* something up with Biden. It's apparent. He still gets my vote. Where the public can see changes that seem to be happening quickly, and the official response is simply 'he's old and there's nothing to see here', it leaves room for all this wild speculation. We don't even know how much our foreign adversaries are pumping in here, but the gap has been left and they continue to fill it with expanding foam. Meanwhile, everything alarming about Trump, as HCR notes here, is getting covered up.
If Biden were to get to a point where he cannot function as leader, Harris would just take over. That's pretty much the worst that would happen, especially since Dems wouldn't be afraid to use Article 25 the way R's seem to be. Contrast that with what will very likely happen if Trump is elected.
Have you listened to his speeches? Every time he talks to people, calls them on the phone, does interviews he shows great strength. He's my president and he has my vote.
"This isn't about Trump. Its about whether an 81 year with Dementia should be the Commander in Chief."
Of course this is about Trump - and the entire right wing apparatus repurposing our Democratic republic as a corporate-clerical fascist state. Through corruption of the Supreme Court. Misdirection of Congressional authority. And through Project 2025, establishing an imperial executive.
Biden is diminished. That is an undeniable observation, it is not a medical diagnosis. This is a significant political problem. With a political solution. Or resolution.
The more significant, perhaps fatal, problem is the American electorate. Those who are disaffected and disengaged and will not vote. Those who will enthusiastically vote for authoritarianism in the person of Trump. Those who mistake voting as an individual exercise in personal expression and will help elect Trump by voting for Stein, RKFJR et al.
That leaves the rest of us. To dedicate ourselves from now to November in Getting Out The Vote for whomever is the Democratic candidate.
Ageist Russian Bot! Mouthpiece for Putin. Trump should be in a prison for the criminally insane, not the White House. Biden does not have dementia. So you lie. At least what I am saying is true. Trump is a criminal and he is insane. My paternal great-grandmother lived on her own until the age of 109. Then she died. My maternal grandmother lived to be 99.5. My mom is now 90 and is living independently in a senior community, where I have been to dinner in their dinning room with men in their mid-90s who are lively and interesting. I am in Germany in an art group with a woman who is 92. She is vivacious, still drives, also takes public or her bike, does interesting art work, and has interesting things to say about art, and politics and other topics. She is lively and a incisive. She lives on her own in her home for many, many years. Wisdom is needed for this job, that is why Biden gets it done. Biden does not have any signs on dementia. This does not come on overnight. If he does have it he will make room for his great vice president. If not, she gets more practice to take over.
James A, I am not going to accuse you of trolling but you look half my age (and the President's three years younger than I am).
But I do just hope for your sake that, when you're approaching our age you'll be treated with far more respect than you've shown.
I wish you a long life, good health and none of the tragedies that have struck Joe Biden and his family; yet to remember these words when you too begin (excuse me, Leonard Cohen) to ache in the places where you used to play...
I'm a foreigner, a Brit -- with plenty of Irish forebears, like Biden -- but if there's one thing that stinks about people's behavior in both countries, it is the way in which so many dare quite gratuitously to pass judgment on fellow human beings -- on THEM, not even their actions. All this, on the basis of gross ignorance, prejudices and the most superficial appearances.
With all due respect, what do you know about the political, social and economic record of this president who has been too damned busy with the tough job of governing the country to find time to entertain you? A job made all the tougher by having at every stage to cross political minefields, all too often under fire from freebooting snipers.
Most American presidents have been mediocrities... or worse. This one has signal achievements to his name, laboring to serve the people, not the 0.01% and their miraculous money siphon. That's why so many occult movers and shakers are working so hard to destroy him and all his work and to replace him and the Republic by a harsh dictatorship:
Government of Mammon, by Mammon, exclusively, for Mammon.
You don't know that he has dementia. You are out on a limb. By your reasoning Trump should be in a straight jacket in an asylum, not running for president as an oath breaking insurrectionist ongoing.
The debate. Seeing is believing. The middle who is necessary to win will not support Joe Biden. I'm sorry. I love Joe. I'll vote for whoever the Democrats put up. George Clooney And Nancy Pelosi have now publicly come out for Joe to step aside. The dam is starting to break. Check out Clooney's excellent opinion piece.
Given the symptoms, very similar to Parkinson's, there was concern, actually alarm. Biden's campaign and viability for the next 4 years has him as the ONLY ONE standing between us and Trump.
I credit you with being pro-democracy, but your desire for Biden to retire from the campaign misconstrues our chances for success. Biden is fine, and is our strongest possible candidate to win this election.
I watched his speech at the 75th Anniversary of NATO. He knows the heads of countries that are members personally, and they know they can trust him.
Do not be fooled by a poor debate performance! Debating is not a part of Presidential duties.
President Biden's debate performance overall was not horrible, the first 20 mins were awful I agree, Trump however continued to lie for another 70 mins.
Trump was himself, Biden was not. Don’t try to downplay it as a bad day. that doesnt happen to my 84 year old dad. I am a doctor that spends a lot of time with old folks, something is up.
Why, oh why is the Lincoln Project and Progress Radio the only ones on the offensive? Nothing gets to Trump more than challenging his lies or anything personal about him.
The Biden campaign needs to ask Trump to step down for lying 602 times during the CNN so called debate. And they need to call out CNN for being AWFUL at their jobs.
Plus they need to call out the RNC platform that is Project 2025 lite,
Tell Trump we don't want anymore HARRM done--
NO HATE
NO ANGER
NO REVENGE
NO RESENTMENT
NO MISINFORMATION
And start showing Trump's fat ass as he shuffles off stage. He is a dotard as Kim Jon Un called it.
and media has not made relevant all the lies told that evening and at his rally or speaking in public and forgotten names and countries and........................................................................
Asking Biden to step aside is asking him to step aside so that Trump can be the only candidate because there is no one else. No other dem can win this late in the game because they never have. One, they will not have any money because Biden's immense war chest which is growing does not legally transfer, and two, because his delegates pledged to him don't either. So, why? Because of the debate or over his performance on the job. He is gifted at politics and is the best president of my lifetime. Are you bigoted against stutterers or an agist? Neither is appealing and I cannot support you or people who think like you in that. You are being manipulated by media who is supporting a fascist to get clicks.
You look at one 90-minute debate and are ready to throw the president under the bus? You've not been reading Professor Richardson's letters explaining how changing the candidate for president 100 days before the election would throw the Democratic party into complete chaos. You've fallen for the right leaning media who can only address that and not every word out of tfg's mouth which was a lie. He didn't answer one question. Pathetic that the news refuses to cover that. Biden's age is the ONLY issue retrumplicans have to claim to make Joe look bad. He is the best president our country has had since FDR in my view and I've been around for quiet a few of them.
Look, I have the greatest respect for Heather Richardson. But like anyone else in life, I believe she is wrong on this point (that the democratic party will devolve into chaos if we choose someone other than Biden). One of the things I love about this stack is that we are open to disagree.
The simple facts are that there are only 6-7 states in play for this election and Biden is clearly going to lose almost all of them if he stays in the race. And that means Trump will win.
Almost any Democrat who has some stature could run instead of Biden and do better. Could they beat Trump? I don't know for sure, but I suspect several of them could. My personal favorite ticket is Harris/Whitmer but others could be considered. There is plenty of time, we aren't even to the GOP convention let alone the Democratic convention yet.
Biden's age IS the only issue. You can try to explain it away all you want, but it is what it is. He has lost several steps both physically and mentally in the past 3-1/2 years and age is not an "illness" which you can get better from. It is inevitable. He isn't going to "get better".
And you can say that isn't fair, and I AGREE with you, its horribly UNFAIR, but when you choose to get into politics, you have to take the game as it is played. Shouting "unfair" isn't going to get those people in the purple states who are undecided to vote for Biden.
Thanks for the honesty. That seems to be a rare quality here.
This problem is COMPLETELY at the feet of the Biden Campaign, the media, and DNC. They have been hiding Biden's condition for years.
Did they think they could hide it for another campaign season? They've been lying and they got caught. This was a ticking time bomb and they CHOSE to ignore it.
That's what's unfair. America doesn't to know if the commander in chief is up to the job.
Is this far more organized than what I imagine a Quizling list looked like?
Trump appointees were frightening enough, more frightening is the list of people who prefer to operate in the shadows instead of as elected or appointed officials more exposed to public view.
The hidden level of effort they are putting into it may stun the public into reconsidering some careless choices.
I also notice Sabastian Gorka seemed to want Republicans to not mention too much about Project 2025 (I assume because of the backlash that would be generated as the public learns more details), while I believe Steve Bannon suggests that Project 2025 is just a shadow of what’s coming after the power grab, and considers Trump a moderate (I believe hinting that even Trump will be removed when the hidden backers take over).
"...Project 2025 is the Trump movement’s vehicle for enacting Bannon’s vision of retaliation, which goes far beyond what’s in the Mandate for Leadership.
“On the spectrum of MAGA,” he recently told NBC News, “I would say President Trump is a moderate in our movement. And I think the MAGA movement is shifting day by day to the right.”
Under a second Trump presidency, not only would the administration likely draw on the Project 2025 framework, but it would also be under pressure from Bannon and his supporters to go significantly further..."
But why isn’t everyone more concerned about the dishwashers! we should focus on the substance of this congressional legislation! they are hard at work.....
I’m intending to hard copy a letter to the Times castigating them for journalistic incompetence and submitting my termination of subscription. On the other hand, I only pay $4 per month special rate. It would have no effect on them.
Busy as things move along during this hot miserable summer of ‘24,’ I’m reminded that you plan a beautiful garden of vegetable and flower plants. Watering and enriching the soil and the plants are growing nicety. But leave it to a democrat to muck things up. We’ve been mucking things up in our metaphorical garden for a quarter century or more. And the question begs to be asked, “When will we stop mucking things up?” Answer: Probably never because after all, we are democrats. And democrats just have a nack of mucking things up.
I would rather be a member of a party that debates and dedicates itself to free speech than to one where you must be loyal to a king/czar/dictator or pay the consequences.
The vast majority of Democrats will vote for whoever the nominee for president is. Biden or someone else. In the meantime we will squabble like a big family. But in the end the food is great and we hug each other before heading home.
I see freedom of expression and vigorous debate within a party as a strength and something to be proud of. The other guys? A bunch of cowering cowards who started out trashing Trump and now bend over to kiss his ring.
There is nothing to be admired in the mindless, lockstep unity of the MAGANAZIS. But what we should be emulating is their long term planning for governing dominance. We have been asleep at the switch while Leonard Leo and Co. have stolen the judiciary. That is the big "muckup".
Good analogy, Bill. It is almost as if we have organic gardeners, flower gardeners, native plant gardeners, grow the biggest tomato gardeners, orchid gardeners, competitive lawn grower gardeners, all trying to coalesce into one garden party...
Bill -- There's power in numbers. Many of us have dropped The NY Times over the past couple of years. And it's the advertising dollars that speak volumes to the Publisher.
As I comment elsewhere here, subscriptions to cable TV are dropping like a rock. The first quarter of 2024 saw the largest loss of subscribers in a single quarter -- EVER. Only about 53 million households now have cable compared to over 100 million at the peak.
I tried to quit Spectrum several months ago and they actually pay me, $10/month not to cancel by not charging for cable and reducing my Internet charge by $10/month.
My point is -- Who is pay attention to what is going on out there at this point in the election cycle? I know we all are and we get our information from HCR.
And you expect that from the businesses that are major donors to the tRump campaign?
They are BUSINESSES. Their news divisions were transferred to their entertainment divisions in the later 1980s after Ronnie Raygun's cabal unplugged the Fairness Doctrine.
Excellent point about the Fairness Doctrine. That, combined with Citizens United and gutting of the Voting Rights Act, are the Holy Trinity of the decades long attempt to cement the influence and power of wealth and supplant representative government as serving the greater good. Immunity for a dictator is the coup de grace.
One would expect the Murdoch owned media to give the public the Mushroom Treatment (feed us shit and keep us in the dark) but we are seeing the NYT and Washington Post constantly print news and analysis that is form over substance.
The people need to see through the disinformation and let both common sense and determination to save our country from authoritarianism get out the vote and defeat corrupt power at the ballot box.
I cancelled my subscriptions to both the NYT and WP recently because I noticed just how biased they have become. Lots of negative reporting about Biden but little about Trump. Shameful.
A headline alleging that Republicans have "softened their abortion stance" is flat out BS! The venerable NYT has turned into the New York Post, a ridiculous tabloid.
The WP doggedly outed Nixon's crimes. The plutocrats learned their lesson from that; and unlike in the Vietnam War, we were largely restricted to "in-bedded journalism" in W's Folly. Plutocrats don't want talk of elephants in the room.
What tRump is has no effect on his support. Biden's questionable age-related decline has a great impact on his supporters. The Dems will vote for anyone, it is the uninformed fence sitting head in the sand, struggling Americans who decide elections. And they are constantly overwhelmed by RW propaganda.
What most white Americans see and desparately want to preserve are the enormous economic, legal, and social advantages that they hold over the rest of the population. Most white Ameicans vote for Republicans (and have done so in nearly every election since 1968) primarily to preserve their systemic advantages. They are not victims of disinformation. They know what they are doing. They do it with purpose. In Trump, they have found a leader who openly advocates their top political priority, namely the preservation of their systemic advantages.
All too true in many ways. I find it ironic that ignorant/racist individuals attacking DEI, for example, never want to talk about how people of color dominate so many fields that are based on a true meritocracy and not legacy.
That said, we elected Obama twice. I believe we outnumber the racists but they certainly feel free to wear their racism as a badge.
Rex-Thanks so much for making it plain. Why else would someone vote for a failed businessman, cheater, liar, convicted fraudster, convicted rapist, cruel and disgusting person who tried to steal an election?
Think about it. If Trump and the Rs didn’t have racism as a tool do you think all of these people would be wearing red hats and giving him so much money?
For those who don’t see the racism involved just imagine if Obama did any of the things Trump has done.
So sad that the Dems are sabotaging themselves. They’re panicking because they know that White Americans are more inclined to support Trump who will build on white supremacy.
Meanwhile, the lives of “others” will be seriously jeopardized. For anyone who knows our history of violence it’s terrifying that the majority of White voters are supporting an outright dictator wannabe.
Racism of course, add to that economic challenge. My own community and many others I have traveled through in the past several years are just out of business . The transition to the big box stores and the shut down during the pandemic just enhanced the decline in the faith and hope in rural communities. There is also another very important issue at play. The Iraq War. Many people believe that the standard operating procedure of either of our political parties cannot be trusted and are willing to to just chuck it all and elect any dumb charismatic charlatan that comes along. The new Maga knows this and is willing to shill these lies all the way to power.
Make that "corrupt and canny charismatic charlatan Christian Confederate" and mountebank, to boot!
OK. Enough fun. You are dead right about the failure of trust. Nothing much works without at least a plausible base of trust.
I would like to see the Democrats hold a real convention, including actual debates on important issues and open nominations, right out there in front of God and everybody. Isn't that the way to earn trust? The alleged concerns about inviting "chaos" are exaggerated. Let's trust the process.
Stop lumping white people with the deplorable who support trump! Most of my friends, family & acquaintances support President Biden and the fight to save our Democracy, and we are all White !!!
40% of white Americans are decent human beings. That’s a lot of people. I take you for your word that your friends and family are among the 40%. But 60% of white Americans are not decent human beings. That’s a lot more people. Nothing I said in any of my comments lumps all white people into the deplorable category. Just most of them.
Rex, you are referring to white Republican voters, who though money driven propaganda get those white blue-collar voters to support the preserving of their systemic advantage. How? Fear and hatred sells.
An addict is not a victim of disinformation. Addicts know what they are doing. They do it with purpose. But they are also harming anyone who is influenced by their actions. And they know on some level they are harming themselves in the long term. It's just that they're careful to keep that level below the level of conscious awareness.
Addiction is the compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli despite adverse consequences. The rewarding stimulus doesn't have to be a substance. Recovering addicts have made the "I am not in charge" acknowledgement, which is necessarily Step 1 of the 12-step program.
Translation: The Republican Party, the SCOTUS majority, and most (not all) of the MSM have yet to arrive at Step 1. They'll be a lot closer when they wake up to their November 6 intervention (aka Democrats winning all three branches of government).
In 2020, 58% of white Americans voted for Trump. But white voters made up only two-thirds of the voters. The other third voted overwhelmingly for Biden.
Paul, if common sense rules we would not be anywhere near where we are today. The vast voting public is driven by fear and hate. Issues and policies are obviously irrelevant.
I have. I came away impressed with the seriousness the jury appeared to bring to their civic obligation. Despite the judge putting his hand on the scale, they weighed the evidence and unanimously came to a verdict that was rational. I was impressed.
There’s always bias and disinformation to overcome.
In this election, one candidate has concentrated on utilizing fear and hate. The other is promoting the common good. Maybe I am naive in my old age but I think the latter wins.
Business is what we call our formal arrangements of exchange. It is how we create civilizations. Cheating is optional, and in a civilized society, discouraged. Teddy Roosevelt talked about the Square Deal, which I take to be one that is win-win on both ends of the exchange. I grow apples and you make baskets, so we try to work out a deal that is satisfactory to both. Contrary to "Reaganomics" a genuine free market or free society is kept free of bullies; those who create monopolies of ownership or political power. Monopoly sucked in the Gilded Age and it sucks now, but in between we sought more sanity. "We the People" are losing purchase on our own society. It does not have to be that way.
I glad she at least raises the issue. The legitimacy of Trump-selected judges bending law to support Trump is an epic scandal in and of itself. If democracy survives all this, future students will wonder what the hell were we thinking?
Would like to share what someone just shared with me. You can complain about the Heritage Foundation to the IRS. This is from Mastadon. There is also a suggested narrative to fill out for a reason. Please download, fill it out, mail it in, and share with friends.
Seen on Mastodon. At this link you can download a PDF form to file a complaint to the IRS, requesting that they revoke the Heritage Foundation‘s non-profit status. Fill out the form and mail it to: eoclass@irs.gov
This is what is suggested on the sample form to fill in:
Based on the statements of Kevin Roberst, the Heritage Foundation’s president, on June 11 and July 2, the foundation’s mission is no longer solely “research and education,” but now includes preparing for a possibly bloody revolution.
Specifically, in an interview on “The War Room” on July 2, Roberts stated that the Heritage Foundation has developed a prominent series of policy plans (Project 2025) to overhaul the federal government under a Republican president, and that the country was “in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be”
Sure sounds like Roberts and the other authors of Project 2025 are planning to start a bloody war as part of the Heritage Foundation’s mission.
“…The Lost Pirate Kingdom is a 2021 docuseries created for Netflix. This historical drama portrays the rise and fall of the eponymous early-18th century pirate republic based in Nassau, Bahamas. The series begins in 1715, shortly after the close of the War of the Spanish Succession, which pitted England against Spain. England had waged the war on the cheap, resorting to the use of privateers rather than incurring the expense of fully funding the Royal Navy. It was released on March 15, 2021…”
Long story short, my view has been that the Spanish stole the gold from the indigenous people (making them seem the greater enemy of them). The English were originally more accepted by the indigenous people as a protective ally against the Spanish. Then the English unleashed the Privateers to steal what the Spanish stole, at least until there was no more need for them as allies, which left them unsanctioned (without franchise), so many modified their “tradecraft” into piracy, stealing as much treasure for themselves as they could. Hmmm, a society with no stable rules, just some rather vague ideas of how to not cannibalize fellow pirate gangs that would provide a bit more protection from the more “civilized” and orderly powers.
Makes me wonder who really hates us for our Freedoms as some told us during the GWOT, or the Heritage Foundation, “Con”-Federalist types who’s affinity and seeming support for Project 2025. Are they the modern Pirates actually stealing our treasured Freedoms?
Freedoms and treasure. The shift in total national wealth upward is documentation. Brush away the muddled sales pitch and "Reaganomics" was a prescription for neo-feudalism.
I'm not disagreeing with J L Graham, I'm just going to be a little more specific.
Practicing wisdom is what we call the way we resolve the inevitable dilemmas that emerge in a large and complex social system. Business is one of those practices until it isn't. More specifically, business is one of those practices when it adheres to what Adam Smith referred to as The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759), aka treat others as you would want them to treat you. If a business is wise, then it is not cheating because it is only hurting itself in the long term by damaging trust, which is the glue, and the only glue, holding civilization together.
As it is for business, so it is for journalism. If there are actual journalists in the Whitehouse press corps, and I'm sure there are, they must be a very small minority within that group.
From a strictly sociopathic perspective, cheat all you like, because you are all that matters; but such thinking in inimical to a just and satisfying society. From a social perspective. we cannot successfully live together without accepting certain responsibilities, and there both an individual and a social aspect to human personalities. Mutualistic integration of both needs seems to me to be the wisest choice, in pursuit of "enlightened self-interest" happiness.
The way I put it is to say that it's "me first" until I discover that my behavior is harmful to someone, probably because they told me, and then its "us first" until we discover that our behavior is harmful to others, and so on. If we all do that, we're all winners in a healthy social system. Those that don't are taking advantage of those that do in the same way that a cancer cell takes advantage of its neighbors, but it's a short lived advantage (pun intended).
Ideologically this started with the '1971 Powell Memorandum'... It was furthered with the ruminations of Milton Friedman which places Corporate Profits over any Social Responsibility... The foundation of the Heritage Foundation, and other Right-Wing Organizations, date from the 'Greed Is Good' Reagan Reign... The Far-Right never really goes away, it just retreats temporarily... As I said before, there is Deep-Anger in the Land, and the Oligarchy uses Social Issues, and Wealth Disparity to further their Maximalist Agenda...
Thanks for that. I'd never heard of the Powell Memo. Don't forget William F. Buckley's God and Man at Yale (1951). It's theme is the idea that a few people are important and everyone else is an opportunity to be exploited, or a threat to be neutralized, and otherwise irrelevant, aka neoconservatism.
"They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds." —Mexican Proverb
The urge to prey on other humans, or to eliminate them, runs even deeper, and has been salient in extreme right, left, racial supremacist, and theocratic hellscapes.
It has been Speculated that Humans have derived from Chimpanzees, and Bonobos... Chimpanzees are very Tribal, Territorial, and make War on each other... Bonobos are Pacifistic, and Communal... Didn't Jane Goodall at Davos say that DJT reminded her of an Alpha Chimp?
Trusting Trump is like Putin "trusting" Prigozhin. The shelf life of such trust is very short when push comes to shove, and his usefulness declines too far.
It does when the Supreme court has set things up for our business world to get away with being totally unethical as the Republican members of SCOTUS are themselves.
They are Putin mouthpieces, tanking our democracy for their current bottom line. Trump will of course throw a lot of journalists in jail and worse just like Strongmen rulers before him.
I don't know that fascists leaders can always differentiate. They tend to be moody too. Journalists should look at what has happened to Jamal Khashoggi, and Evan Gershkovich and ask how they can avoid that. They can flee if they make a plan now. People have walked across the Americans to get to the United States with nothing but some some cash, water and food. Most journalists have more resources than that. What I do know is that just being an oligarch does not protect one under fascism. As Prof. Ruth Ben-Ghiat points out in her book Strongmen, Putin and Trump place wealthy elites in power, so that means that their methods of controlling them are not going to be financial, but with Kompromat. On the other hand, greedy oligarchs never tire of making more money, and ensuring everyone else has less. It is an ego thing. Almost a fear of being obscure if they cannot. Also, I am sure those Top Secret files include plenty of Kompromat on the members of the Republican party, which is why they are kept in line.
Unfortunately, Linda, your analysis is very astute.
With the sudden flood tide of Virtual Reality in the early 1990s, America (and later, the world) dug a deep, deep hole in a pre-existing pit of psychotic delusions... and half the population fell into it.
Worse, the sane survivors have struggled to get the measure of what was happening to them and to the whole world. We remain completely ignorant of some of the techniques, new and old, being used against us.
I'm afraid that current victories against would-be far-right dictators, even a Democratic triumph gaining the presidency and both houses of Congress, will amount only to buying time in which to adjust to new worldwide realities.
But that tenuous foothold is essential.
The aim of our struggle: to save our children and theirs from the worst of what we are bequeathing them, arming future generations to help themselves in a world devastated not so much by the power of money as by the gravely diseased abuse of that great power.
I agree we do not even understand all that is being used against us. I have some idea of what the DDR government used to use in Germany because Germany has so many films that are set in the DDR. Putin was part of their Stasi just as he was part of the KGB. He learned his trade there, and now has people using these same mind control techniques with modern tech. They are spying on us, I am pretty sure Trump gave him Kompromat on lots of people. For all we know the Democrats who are coming out against Biden have dirt on them that makes them victim to pressure. Although with our lying press, we see that they name 4 democrats as Jeff Tiedrich pointed out as being against Biden staying in the race, and then it turns out one name was wrong. They traded one Asian democrat for another. So, where is the fact checking? https://substack.com/home/post/p-146399983
We do need to save this planet for ourselves and our children. We have to have the children be more savvy about the ways in which they are being manipulated too.
Sadly, Biden was at the debate. Or his body was there. That is the issue. The debate was beyond a disaster and showed every symptom of Parkinson's. From his gait, and not being able to communicate, not being able to listen, or not able to write notes are symptoms. Unless it is a prepared speech he could read from paper or a teleprompter, there is something seriously wrong with him and those in the middle are not going to vote for an ill candidate.
Ms. Dery. Are you a physician or other medically trained person qualified to make a diagnosis? Are you a neurologist? Have you personally conducted a medical examination and testing of President Biden (or anyone else)? Unless you are so qualified, I am disinclined to heed or respect your comment.
I saw the debate. I've known people with Parkinson's. I suggest you read George Clooney's opinion piece published today. Nancy Pelosi has also suggested Joe retire from the campaign. The undecided will elect the next President. Most of those that saw the debate won't vote for Biden. Although no one should vote for Trump.
The debate did NOT show symptoms of Parkinsons! Have you watched anything besides the debate? Do not believe something is seriously wrong with him just because some people are freaking out.Energy would be far better spent campaigning against Trump!
Are you aware that every time a Party has switched out a candidate, it has lost that election?
I've watched Biden's gait. And the debate is all that counts. No candidate has ever had such a disappointing and shocking performance. Regarding switching candidates, 1968 does not compare. After LBJ said he would not run the end of March, Robert Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey ran in spirited primary's. Kennedy won California and with that the nomination. He was assassinated that night. Vietnam was raging. A riot filled convention in August in Chicago turned off many voters. Yet by election day, Humphrey barely loss. Read George Clooney's column that came out today. Nancy Pelosi also said Biden should consider giving up his candidacy. The dam is breaking. Maybe Biden should consider resigning from the Presidency and Harris would be sworn in. We are in a difficult situation with a Trump presidency as a real possibility.
I agree that the debate was more debacle than debate…..however, I am not a specialist on Parkinson’s, but I do have a great deal of knowledge of feeling intimidated and bullied…..the anxiety and fear it instills in me causes me to behave in much the same way Biden did. Perhaps that ought to be considered …..just sayin
Exactly! It is absolutely terrifying to see these democrats doing the same thing as the republicans have been doing: denying reality and blaming the truth tellers of lying
What you think you saw and what was actually said by Biden are very different. President Biden answered the questions and talked about policy and his record as President.
Convicted felon trump ignored the questions and told lies in between gibberish.
When a member of Joe Biden’s inner circle claims that he “functions capably” between the daytime hours of 10 and 4, it becomes hard to claim that the President is being ringingly endorsed by those who see him most often and closely.
There has been a mountain of commentary from medical authorities and political veterans in the last two weeks. At best Biden is damned with faint praise. More often there is a shuddering fear of his chances to be in a second term that engaged, brilliant and compassionate President we have been so proud of in the first term.
Whether people like it or not, the torrent of criticism that has exploded in the last two weeks did not come from the ether. President Biden imploded on the debate stage against an opponent whose performance was a master class in mendacity. There was no discussion afterwards of who won the debate. The alarm bells were sounding too loudly.
One way or another Biden is finished. He will pull out at the last possible moment when he throws a fresh log on a burning pyre with another unscripted moment of verbal wandering the fog. Or he will be decimated by Trump in November and America’s long era of flawed but energetic democracy will come to an end.
Biden may feel it’s hugely unfair. He is undoubtedly sensing that leaving the Presidency will be akin to falling off the edge of the world. He no doubt feels that he is the best suited to do the job and all the rest is noise.
All of this leaves me infuriated. Millions of people live through the humiliation of forced retirement when they still feel capable but others see otherwise. This is a hard part of life and I have empathy for Biden. It happened to me.
But the fate of the free world did not rest on my enforced retirement. Biden’s is virtually that significant. He is not going to win the Presidency a second time and the Republicans are going to freely dismantle the country thereafter.
I turn away from this car wreck now. The tsunami of accusations and counter accusations no longer interests me. This White House, which did such great work for four years, has gone rogue in its attempts to circle the wagons around a frail octogenarian. I have no interest in further spectacle, and like the condemned prisoner, merely await execution.
No, Beth is probably not a physician or she would be waving that status around like a flag but she is talking about her own eyes. As on January 6, 2021, when I sat in front of my TV for hours and, even then, did not know even 1/2 of what was going going on I saw the debate in it’s entirety. That was not the President I expected. Who cares what a probable exact diagnosis was or is ? The poor man appeared greatly diminished and we have 4 long, hard years ahead of us. I am a native NYC person and I would never vote for Trump , never, never but I don’t go around making excuses for a bare fact.
Not their point however. The point is to push the clamor, prey upon convenient assimilation and convince the unsuspecting sheep , it’s been done over and over.
I was hoping the mental decline story would have declined by now. Now I'm hoping it will be one of the big stories of this election cycle.
I've experienced mental decline firsthand. An elderly person you've known and respected for years asks you a question and you give them what would previously have been a perfectly sufficient answer, and then they keep asking the same question repetitively, each time as if for the first time.
I'm particularly concerned with an industry-specific and early-onset manifestation of that condition within the Whitehouse press corps. I know the Whitehouse neurologist is only responsible for the thousands of people who serve at the Whitehouse, but maybe Karine Jean-Pierre can sneak them in for a checkup.
Because a free press is one of the cornerstones of egalitarian democracy, mental decline within the WH press corps should and must be a national interest story.
Today, the Times has a front page story about how populism can defeat people who have power and expertise, the coup de gras for chump. Rupert’s slimey effort to redefine our media has succeeded beyond all expectations. They have decided for us. Or think that they have.
The influencers on one side are out for blood and money . The others are genuinely concerned for the health, progress, and integrity of Democracy. The first is excitement, drama, wealth. The second is Ho Hum , boring, principle. It’s sadly just another lesson many miss -forest through the trees.
In today’s Opinionated Ogre Substack:
https://justinrosario.substack.com/p/the-new-york-fucking-times-hits-a
Justin Rosario points out that a comparison of the public White House visitors logs with the public schedule of President Biden shows he wasn’t even in the country for some of those visits by the neurologist, something the NYT and WaPo should and could have fact checked before writing about this.
But then, if the despicable droids at the NYT and WaPo actually fact-checked ANYTHING, they might be accused of committing journalism which seems to terrify these cowardly scumwads.
The NYT is like a Russian bot account at this point.
LInda, this is not helpful.
Potter you are not helpful. There are better forums for MAGAs.
Deplorable Linda, you do just what they do. The name calling no better. This is a harmful indulgence of us versus them and dumb. But you apparently enjoy it. It is not helpful nor smart. Sorry i have to say that. I thought you were worth responding to but i see not.
If it bothers you Potter, why do you not stop. It seems as if you are getting paid to do this, or is it Bot compulsion.
Here is journalist Philip Bump's critical analysis of how the Parkinson story got ahead of the facts. Published in the Washington Post.
"Cannard’s visits were not exceptional given the number of known visits he made during the Obama administration. Visitor records maintained by the National Archives show 64 visits from 2012 through 2016, including a White House tour and Cannard’s attendance at a holiday party. There are no public records from the Trump administration." [The
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/07/09/biden-debate-physical-issues/
"Breaking with the practice of President Donald Trump’s predecessor, the White House is keeping secret the lists of visitors to the building."
https://apnews.com/united-states-government-9ed190feb84c4d6081b27f0775260f43
Before Project 2025, Ginni Thomas was going to the Trump White House with lists of who should be hired and fired by the executive branch.
"A central focus for Ms. Hair and Ms. Thomas was administration appointments that they wanted made and that they accused the president’s aides of blocking."
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/26/us/politics/trump-ginni-thomas-meeting.html
"A group led by Ginni Thomas has targeted officials in the administration, and lobbied for its own preferred choices. As the president’s distrust in those serving him has grown, so has its sway."
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/24/us/politics/trump-purge-ginni-thomas.html
"A well-connected network of conservative activists with close ties to Trump and top administration officials is quietly helping develop these "Never Trump"/pro-Trump lists, and some sent memos to Trump to shape his views, per sources with direct knowledge.
Members of this network include Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and Republican Senate staffer Barbara Ledeen."
https://www.axios.com/2020/02/23/trump-memos-deep-state-white-house
The Parkinson's story is not relevant. The disastrous debate is the issue. It is time for Letters to state the obvious. Time for Biden to retire from the campaign.
No, Beth. Looking at the Parkinson's story exposes the way Biden is being unfairly characterized by those who want to downplay policy issues, his record, and his values. The madness of Trump ought to be the story being told. Except it's not a "story"; it is horrifying potential reality.
The hitch is that there *is* something up with Biden. It's apparent. He still gets my vote. Where the public can see changes that seem to be happening quickly, and the official response is simply 'he's old and there's nothing to see here', it leaves room for all this wild speculation. We don't even know how much our foreign adversaries are pumping in here, but the gap has been left and they continue to fill it with expanding foam. Meanwhile, everything alarming about Trump, as HCR notes here, is getting covered up.
If Biden were to get to a point where he cannot function as leader, Harris would just take over. That's pretty much the worst that would happen, especially since Dems wouldn't be afraid to use Article 25 the way R's seem to be. Contrast that with what will very likely happen if Trump is elected.
Have you listened to his speeches? Every time he talks to people, calls them on the phone, does interviews he shows great strength. He's my president and he has my vote.
What in the hell are you talking about? Biden shouldn't be president, he should be in the Delaware Senior Citizens Home.
The media covered up and lied about it for years. This isn't about Trump. Its about whether an 81 year with Dementia should be the Commander in Chief.
You sir, are a troll. Thank goodness I can block trolls. Good day to you.
"This isn't about Trump. Its about whether an 81 year with Dementia should be the Commander in Chief."
Of course this is about Trump - and the entire right wing apparatus repurposing our Democratic republic as a corporate-clerical fascist state. Through corruption of the Supreme Court. Misdirection of Congressional authority. And through Project 2025, establishing an imperial executive.
Biden is diminished. That is an undeniable observation, it is not a medical diagnosis. This is a significant political problem. With a political solution. Or resolution.
The more significant, perhaps fatal, problem is the American electorate. Those who are disaffected and disengaged and will not vote. Those who will enthusiastically vote for authoritarianism in the person of Trump. Those who mistake voting as an individual exercise in personal expression and will help elect Trump by voting for Stein, RKFJR et al.
That leaves the rest of us. To dedicate ourselves from now to November in Getting Out The Vote for whomever is the Democratic candidate.
Ageist Russian Bot! Mouthpiece for Putin. Trump should be in a prison for the criminally insane, not the White House. Biden does not have dementia. So you lie. At least what I am saying is true. Trump is a criminal and he is insane. My paternal great-grandmother lived on her own until the age of 109. Then she died. My maternal grandmother lived to be 99.5. My mom is now 90 and is living independently in a senior community, where I have been to dinner in their dinning room with men in their mid-90s who are lively and interesting. I am in Germany in an art group with a woman who is 92. She is vivacious, still drives, also takes public or her bike, does interesting art work, and has interesting things to say about art, and politics and other topics. She is lively and a incisive. She lives on her own in her home for many, many years. Wisdom is needed for this job, that is why Biden gets it done. Biden does not have any signs on dementia. This does not come on overnight. If he does have it he will make room for his great vice president. If not, she gets more practice to take over.
James A, I am not going to accuse you of trolling but you look half my age (and the President's three years younger than I am).
But I do just hope for your sake that, when you're approaching our age you'll be treated with far more respect than you've shown.
I wish you a long life, good health and none of the tragedies that have struck Joe Biden and his family; yet to remember these words when you too begin (excuse me, Leonard Cohen) to ache in the places where you used to play...
I'm a foreigner, a Brit -- with plenty of Irish forebears, like Biden -- but if there's one thing that stinks about people's behavior in both countries, it is the way in which so many dare quite gratuitously to pass judgment on fellow human beings -- on THEM, not even their actions. All this, on the basis of gross ignorance, prejudices and the most superficial appearances.
With all due respect, what do you know about the political, social and economic record of this president who has been too damned busy with the tough job of governing the country to find time to entertain you? A job made all the tougher by having at every stage to cross political minefields, all too often under fire from freebooting snipers.
Most American presidents have been mediocrities... or worse. This one has signal achievements to his name, laboring to serve the people, not the 0.01% and their miraculous money siphon. That's why so many occult movers and shakers are working so hard to destroy him and all his work and to replace him and the Republic by a harsh dictatorship:
Government of Mammon, by Mammon, exclusively, for Mammon.
You don't know that he has dementia. You are out on a limb. By your reasoning Trump should be in a straight jacket in an asylum, not running for president as an oath breaking insurrectionist ongoing.
The debate. Seeing is believing. The middle who is necessary to win will not support Joe Biden. I'm sorry. I love Joe. I'll vote for whoever the Democrats put up. George Clooney And Nancy Pelosi have now publicly come out for Joe to step aside. The dam is starting to break. Check out Clooney's excellent opinion piece.
Given the symptoms, very similar to Parkinson's, there was concern, actually alarm. Biden's campaign and viability for the next 4 years has him as the ONLY ONE standing between us and Trump.
I credit you with being pro-democracy, but your desire for Biden to retire from the campaign misconstrues our chances for success. Biden is fine, and is our strongest possible candidate to win this election.
I watched his speech at the 75th Anniversary of NATO. He knows the heads of countries that are members personally, and they know they can trust him.
Do not be fooled by a poor debate performance! Debating is not a part of Presidential duties.
President Biden's debate performance overall was not horrible, the first 20 mins were awful I agree, Trump however continued to lie for another 70 mins.
Trump was himself, Biden was not. Don’t try to downplay it as a bad day. that doesnt happen to my 84 year old dad. I am a doctor that spends a lot of time with old folks, something is up.
Debate was not horrible? What were you watching?
By the way name 1 lie?
Biden lied blatantly about being endorsed by the Border Patrol Union. During the debate the Union tweeded "We have never endorsed Joe and never will"
It takes a lot stones to lie like that.
Why, oh why is the Lincoln Project and Progress Radio the only ones on the offensive? Nothing gets to Trump more than challenging his lies or anything personal about him.
The Biden campaign needs to ask Trump to step down for lying 602 times during the CNN so called debate. And they need to call out CNN for being AWFUL at their jobs.
Plus they need to call out the RNC platform that is Project 2025 lite,
Tell Trump we don't want anymore HARRM done--
NO HATE
NO ANGER
NO REVENGE
NO RESENTMENT
NO MISINFORMATION
And start showing Trump's fat ass as he shuffles off stage. He is a dotard as Kim Jon Un called it.
Name One LIE?
and media has not made relevant all the lies told that evening and at his rally or speaking in public and forgotten names and countries and........................................................................
Asking Biden to step aside is asking him to step aside so that Trump can be the only candidate because there is no one else. No other dem can win this late in the game because they never have. One, they will not have any money because Biden's immense war chest which is growing does not legally transfer, and two, because his delegates pledged to him don't either. So, why? Because of the debate or over his performance on the job. He is gifted at politics and is the best president of my lifetime. Are you bigoted against stutterers or an agist? Neither is appealing and I cannot support you or people who think like you in that. You are being manipulated by media who is supporting a fascist to get clicks.
You look at one 90-minute debate and are ready to throw the president under the bus? You've not been reading Professor Richardson's letters explaining how changing the candidate for president 100 days before the election would throw the Democratic party into complete chaos. You've fallen for the right leaning media who can only address that and not every word out of tfg's mouth which was a lie. He didn't answer one question. Pathetic that the news refuses to cover that. Biden's age is the ONLY issue retrumplicans have to claim to make Joe look bad. He is the best president our country has had since FDR in my view and I've been around for quiet a few of them.
Look, I have the greatest respect for Heather Richardson. But like anyone else in life, I believe she is wrong on this point (that the democratic party will devolve into chaos if we choose someone other than Biden). One of the things I love about this stack is that we are open to disagree.
The simple facts are that there are only 6-7 states in play for this election and Biden is clearly going to lose almost all of them if he stays in the race. And that means Trump will win.
Almost any Democrat who has some stature could run instead of Biden and do better. Could they beat Trump? I don't know for sure, but I suspect several of them could. My personal favorite ticket is Harris/Whitmer but others could be considered. There is plenty of time, we aren't even to the GOP convention let alone the Democratic convention yet.
Biden's age IS the only issue. You can try to explain it away all you want, but it is what it is. He has lost several steps both physically and mentally in the past 3-1/2 years and age is not an "illness" which you can get better from. It is inevitable. He isn't going to "get better".
And you can say that isn't fair, and I AGREE with you, its horribly UNFAIR, but when you choose to get into politics, you have to take the game as it is played. Shouting "unfair" isn't going to get those people in the purple states who are undecided to vote for Biden.
I wish it weren't so, but it is.
Thanks for the honesty. That seems to be a rare quality here.
This problem is COMPLETELY at the feet of the Biden Campaign, the media, and DNC. They have been hiding Biden's condition for years.
Did they think they could hide it for another campaign season? They've been lying and they got caught. This was a ticking time bomb and they CHOSE to ignore it.
That's what's unfair. America doesn't to know if the commander in chief is up to the job.
No, it’s Time for subscribers to cancel Nyt
Cancellation is the LEFTIST way. Anyone who puts out news you don't like
has suffered the same fate for the last four years
No!
NO
Is this far more organized than what I imagine a Quizling list looked like?
Trump appointees were frightening enough, more frightening is the list of people who prefer to operate in the shadows instead of as elected or appointed officials more exposed to public view.
The hidden level of effort they are putting into it may stun the public into reconsidering some careless choices.
I also notice Sabastian Gorka seemed to want Republicans to not mention too much about Project 2025 (I assume because of the backlash that would be generated as the public learns more details), while I believe Steve Bannon suggests that Project 2025 is just a shadow of what’s coming after the power grab, and considers Trump a moderate (I believe hinting that even Trump will be removed when the hidden backers take over).
I couldn't find Bannon's exact words, but see the following at https://www.mediamatters.org/steve-bannon/where-steve-bannon-leaves-us
"...Project 2025 is the Trump movement’s vehicle for enacting Bannon’s vision of retaliation, which goes far beyond what’s in the Mandate for Leadership.
“On the spectrum of MAGA,” he recently told NBC News, “I would say President Trump is a moderate in our movement. And I think the MAGA movement is shifting day by day to the right.”
Under a second Trump presidency, not only would the administration likely draw on the Project 2025 framework, but it would also be under pressure from Bannon and his supporters to go significantly further..."
But why isn’t everyone more concerned about the dishwashers! we should focus on the substance of this congressional legislation! they are hard at work.....
I liked it better when they called it the HOOHA bill . .
I’m intending to hard copy a letter to the Times castigating them for journalistic incompetence and submitting my termination of subscription. On the other hand, I only pay $4 per month special rate. It would have no effect on them.
Busy as things move along during this hot miserable summer of ‘24,’ I’m reminded that you plan a beautiful garden of vegetable and flower plants. Watering and enriching the soil and the plants are growing nicety. But leave it to a democrat to muck things up. We’ve been mucking things up in our metaphorical garden for a quarter century or more. And the question begs to be asked, “When will we stop mucking things up?” Answer: Probably never because after all, we are democrats. And democrats just have a nack of mucking things up.
No really.
I would rather be a member of a party that debates and dedicates itself to free speech than to one where you must be loyal to a king/czar/dictator or pay the consequences.
The vast majority of Democrats will vote for whoever the nominee for president is. Biden or someone else. In the meantime we will squabble like a big family. But in the end the food is great and we hug each other before heading home.
I see freedom of expression and vigorous debate within a party as a strength and something to be proud of. The other guys? A bunch of cowering cowards who started out trashing Trump and now bend over to kiss his ring.
There is nothing to be admired in the mindless, lockstep unity of the MAGANAZIS. But what we should be emulating is their long term planning for governing dominance. We have been asleep at the switch while Leonard Leo and Co. have stolen the judiciary. That is the big "muckup".
Good analogy, Bill. It is almost as if we have organic gardeners, flower gardeners, native plant gardeners, grow the biggest tomato gardeners, orchid gardeners, competitive lawn grower gardeners, all trying to coalesce into one garden party...
Ohhhhh…. I thought you were never going to interact.
Well I went to a garden party
To reminisce with my almost 100 year old friends
A chance to share old memories
And play our songs again
But it’s all right now
I learned my lesson well
You see, you can’t please everyone
So you got to please yourself
Oh great, now I have that Ricky Nelson song stuck in my head. :)
https://youtu.be/8BdG28kWf30
Now I do to because of you. I didn’t much like it when it came out but you know time passes. I like it.
Wasn't my stuff at the time either. But my sister was ga ga for him.
Now? Not so bad. Reminds of simpler times.
Agree Bill. As the famous Will Rogers said, "I don't belong to any organized political party. I'm a Democrat."
Unfortunately true-we don't have the maturity to stay focused on the prize. We all need to support Biden and win this damn election or we're toast!
Bill -- There's power in numbers. Many of us have dropped The NY Times over the past couple of years. And it's the advertising dollars that speak volumes to the Publisher.
As I comment elsewhere here, subscriptions to cable TV are dropping like a rock. The first quarter of 2024 saw the largest loss of subscribers in a single quarter -- EVER. Only about 53 million households now have cable compared to over 100 million at the peak.
I tried to quit Spectrum several months ago and they actually pay me, $10/month not to cancel by not charging for cable and reducing my Internet charge by $10/month.
My point is -- Who is pay attention to what is going on out there at this point in the election cycle? I know we all are and we get our information from HCR.
George, THANK YOU... you nailed it! :)
This is not helpful or correct... just bad mouthing.
And you expect that from the businesses that are major donors to the tRump campaign?
They are BUSINESSES. Their news divisions were transferred to their entertainment divisions in the later 1980s after Ronnie Raygun's cabal unplugged the Fairness Doctrine.
Excellent point about the Fairness Doctrine. That, combined with Citizens United and gutting of the Voting Rights Act, are the Holy Trinity of the decades long attempt to cement the influence and power of wealth and supplant representative government as serving the greater good. Immunity for a dictator is the coup de grace.
One would expect the Murdoch owned media to give the public the Mushroom Treatment (feed us shit and keep us in the dark) but we are seeing the NYT and Washington Post constantly print news and analysis that is form over substance.
The people need to see through the disinformation and let both common sense and determination to save our country from authoritarianism get out the vote and defeat corrupt power at the ballot box.
I cancelled my subscriptions to both the NYT and WP recently because I noticed just how biased they have become. Lots of negative reporting about Biden but little about Trump. Shameful.
A headline alleging that Republicans have "softened their abortion stance" is flat out BS! The venerable NYT has turned into the New York Post, a ridiculous tabloid.
Rupert always wanted to buy the Times, now he can just relax and save his money because they have turned into the Post
The WP doggedly outed Nixon's crimes. The plutocrats learned their lesson from that; and unlike in the Vietnam War, we were largely restricted to "in-bedded journalism" in W's Folly. Plutocrats don't want talk of elephants in the room.
What tRump is has no effect on his support. Biden's questionable age-related decline has a great impact on his supporters. The Dems will vote for anyone, it is the uninformed fence sitting head in the sand, struggling Americans who decide elections. And they are constantly overwhelmed by RW propaganda.
me too.
What most white Americans see and desparately want to preserve are the enormous economic, legal, and social advantages that they hold over the rest of the population. Most white Ameicans vote for Republicans (and have done so in nearly every election since 1968) primarily to preserve their systemic advantages. They are not victims of disinformation. They know what they are doing. They do it with purpose. In Trump, they have found a leader who openly advocates their top political priority, namely the preservation of their systemic advantages.
Valid point.
All too true in many ways. I find it ironic that ignorant/racist individuals attacking DEI, for example, never want to talk about how people of color dominate so many fields that are based on a true meritocracy and not legacy.
That said, we elected Obama twice. I believe we outnumber the racists but they certainly feel free to wear their racism as a badge.
Paul-I’m hoping and praying that you’re right about outnumbering the racists. I think for many it’s unconscious.
Kamala is being called the “DEI” VP and the fact that she’s next in line for the presidency motivates many to oppose Biden-even some Dems.
It may be possible that Biden is forced out by the hysteria. I doubt Kamala will be.
Certainly some are cynical manipulators, and some seem dupes. The most impoverished states tend to be the deepest MAGA.
We elected Obama but most white voters voted against him.
huh?
Rex-Thanks so much for making it plain. Why else would someone vote for a failed businessman, cheater, liar, convicted fraudster, convicted rapist, cruel and disgusting person who tried to steal an election?
Think about it. If Trump and the Rs didn’t have racism as a tool do you think all of these people would be wearing red hats and giving him so much money?
For those who don’t see the racism involved just imagine if Obama did any of the things Trump has done.
So sad that the Dems are sabotaging themselves. They’re panicking because they know that White Americans are more inclined to support Trump who will build on white supremacy.
Meanwhile, the lives of “others” will be seriously jeopardized. For anyone who knows our history of violence it’s terrifying that the majority of White voters are supporting an outright dictator wannabe.
Racism of course, add to that economic challenge. My own community and many others I have traveled through in the past several years are just out of business . The transition to the big box stores and the shut down during the pandemic just enhanced the decline in the faith and hope in rural communities. There is also another very important issue at play. The Iraq War. Many people believe that the standard operating procedure of either of our political parties cannot be trusted and are willing to to just chuck it all and elect any dumb charismatic charlatan that comes along. The new Maga knows this and is willing to shill these lies all the way to power.
Scott:
Make that "corrupt and canny charismatic charlatan Christian Confederate" and mountebank, to boot!
OK. Enough fun. You are dead right about the failure of trust. Nothing much works without at least a plausible base of trust.
I would like to see the Democrats hold a real convention, including actual debates on important issues and open nominations, right out there in front of God and everybody. Isn't that the way to earn trust? The alleged concerns about inviting "chaos" are exaggerated. Let's trust the process.
\Vince S
Stop lumping white people with the deplorable who support trump! Most of my friends, family & acquaintances support President Biden and the fight to save our Democracy, and we are all White !!!
40% of white Americans are decent human beings. That’s a lot of people. I take you for your word that your friends and family are among the 40%. But 60% of white Americans are not decent human beings. That’s a lot more people. Nothing I said in any of my comments lumps all white people into the deplorable category. Just most of them.
Rex, you are referring to white Republican voters, who though money driven propaganda get those white blue-collar voters to support the preserving of their systemic advantage. How? Fear and hatred sells.
An addict is not a victim of disinformation. Addicts know what they are doing. They do it with purpose. But they are also harming anyone who is influenced by their actions. And they know on some level they are harming themselves in the long term. It's just that they're careful to keep that level below the level of conscious awareness.
Addiction is the compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli despite adverse consequences. The rewarding stimulus doesn't have to be a substance. Recovering addicts have made the "I am not in charge" acknowledgement, which is necessarily Step 1 of the 12-step program.
Translation: The Republican Party, the SCOTUS majority, and most (not all) of the MSM have yet to arrive at Step 1. They'll be a lot closer when they wake up to their November 6 intervention (aka Democrats winning all three branches of government).
Most white americans? That is just not true or Biden would not of won in 2020
In 2020, 58% of white Americans voted for Trump. But white voters made up only two-thirds of the voters. The other third voted overwhelmingly for Biden.
You failed to mention President Clinton gutting "Glass Segal" bill launching a take over by the big banks. Why hasn't anything been done about that.
Pretty bad when the few largest media sources are owned by Repubs.
Paul, if common sense rules we would not be anywhere near where we are today. The vast voting public is driven by fear and hate. Issues and policies are obviously irrelevant.
Have you ever sat through a long jury trial?
I have. I came away impressed with the seriousness the jury appeared to bring to their civic obligation. Despite the judge putting his hand on the scale, they weighed the evidence and unanimously came to a verdict that was rational. I was impressed.
There’s always bias and disinformation to overcome.
In this election, one candidate has concentrated on utilizing fear and hate. The other is promoting the common good. Maybe I am naive in my old age but I think the latter wins.
Paul:
I'm willing to be accused of naivité, as well.
I say that your experience as a juryman teaches that it is also possible to overcome bias and disinformation.
\Vince S
I’m not disagreeing with you but being a business doesn’t preclude ethics, or it shouldn’t.
Business is what we call our formal arrangements of exchange. It is how we create civilizations. Cheating is optional, and in a civilized society, discouraged. Teddy Roosevelt talked about the Square Deal, which I take to be one that is win-win on both ends of the exchange. I grow apples and you make baskets, so we try to work out a deal that is satisfactory to both. Contrary to "Reaganomics" a genuine free market or free society is kept free of bullies; those who create monopolies of ownership or political power. Monopoly sucked in the Gilded Age and it sucks now, but in between we sought more sanity. "We the People" are losing purchase on our own society. It does not have to be that way.
Back AOC in taking on Supreme Court for Impeachment.
I glad she at least raises the issue. The legitimacy of Trump-selected judges bending law to support Trump is an epic scandal in and of itself. If democracy survives all this, future students will wonder what the hell were we thinking?
Would like to share what someone just shared with me. You can complain about the Heritage Foundation to the IRS. This is from Mastadon. There is also a suggested narrative to fill out for a reason. Please download, fill it out, mail it in, and share with friends.
IRS complaint
https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/irs-complaint-process-tax-exempt-organizations
Seen on Mastodon. At this link you can download a PDF form to file a complaint to the IRS, requesting that they revoke the Heritage Foundation‘s non-profit status. Fill out the form and mail it to: eoclass@irs.gov
This is what is suggested on the sample form to fill in:
Based on the statements of Kevin Roberst, the Heritage Foundation’s president, on June 11 and July 2, the foundation’s mission is no longer solely “research and education,” but now includes preparing for a possibly bloody revolution.
Specifically, in an interview on “The War Room” on July 2, Roberts stated that the Heritage Foundation has developed a prominent series of policy plans (Project 2025) to overhaul the federal government under a Republican president, and that the country was “in the process of the second American Revolution, which will remain bloodless if the left allows it to be”
Sure sounds like Roberts and the other authors of Project 2025 are planning to start a bloody war as part of the Heritage Foundation’s mission.
See NYTimes reporting of this incident on July 3rd: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/03/us/politics/heritage-foundation-2025-policy-america.html
105%!
Perhaps a bit oddly, the mention of TPM reminded me of their take on Netflick's "Lost Pirate Kingdom" at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/cafe/what-netflixs-lost-pirate-kingdom-got-right-and-wrong-about-the-golden-age-pirate-gang
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:
“…The Lost Pirate Kingdom is a 2021 docuseries created for Netflix. This historical drama portrays the rise and fall of the eponymous early-18th century pirate republic based in Nassau, Bahamas. The series begins in 1715, shortly after the close of the War of the Spanish Succession, which pitted England against Spain. England had waged the war on the cheap, resorting to the use of privateers rather than incurring the expense of fully funding the Royal Navy. It was released on March 15, 2021…”
Long story short, my view has been that the Spanish stole the gold from the indigenous people (making them seem the greater enemy of them). The English were originally more accepted by the indigenous people as a protective ally against the Spanish. Then the English unleashed the Privateers to steal what the Spanish stole, at least until there was no more need for them as allies, which left them unsanctioned (without franchise), so many modified their “tradecraft” into piracy, stealing as much treasure for themselves as they could. Hmmm, a society with no stable rules, just some rather vague ideas of how to not cannibalize fellow pirate gangs that would provide a bit more protection from the more “civilized” and orderly powers.
Makes me wonder who really hates us for our Freedoms as some told us during the GWOT, or the Heritage Foundation, “Con”-Federalist types who’s affinity and seeming support for Project 2025. Are they the modern Pirates actually stealing our treasured Freedoms?
Freedoms and treasure. The shift in total national wealth upward is documentation. Brush away the muddled sales pitch and "Reaganomics" was a prescription for neo-feudalism.
I'm not disagreeing with J L Graham, I'm just going to be a little more specific.
Practicing wisdom is what we call the way we resolve the inevitable dilemmas that emerge in a large and complex social system. Business is one of those practices until it isn't. More specifically, business is one of those practices when it adheres to what Adam Smith referred to as The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759), aka treat others as you would want them to treat you. If a business is wise, then it is not cheating because it is only hurting itself in the long term by damaging trust, which is the glue, and the only glue, holding civilization together.
As it is for business, so it is for journalism. If there are actual journalists in the Whitehouse press corps, and I'm sure there are, they must be a very small minority within that group.
From a strictly sociopathic perspective, cheat all you like, because you are all that matters; but such thinking in inimical to a just and satisfying society. From a social perspective. we cannot successfully live together without accepting certain responsibilities, and there both an individual and a social aspect to human personalities. Mutualistic integration of both needs seems to me to be the wisest choice, in pursuit of "enlightened self-interest" happiness.
I agree.
The way I put it is to say that it's "me first" until I discover that my behavior is harmful to someone, probably because they told me, and then its "us first" until we discover that our behavior is harmful to others, and so on. If we all do that, we're all winners in a healthy social system. Those that don't are taking advantage of those that do in the same way that a cancer cell takes advantage of its neighbors, but it's a short lived advantage (pun intended).
Ideologically this started with the '1971 Powell Memorandum'... It was furthered with the ruminations of Milton Friedman which places Corporate Profits over any Social Responsibility... The foundation of the Heritage Foundation, and other Right-Wing Organizations, date from the 'Greed Is Good' Reagan Reign... The Far-Right never really goes away, it just retreats temporarily... As I said before, there is Deep-Anger in the Land, and the Oligarchy uses Social Issues, and Wealth Disparity to further their Maximalist Agenda...
Thanks for that. I'd never heard of the Powell Memo. Don't forget William F. Buckley's God and Man at Yale (1951). It's theme is the idea that a few people are important and everyone else is an opportunity to be exploited, or a threat to be neutralized, and otherwise irrelevant, aka neoconservatism.
"They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds." —Mexican Proverb
The urge to prey on other humans, or to eliminate them, runs even deeper, and has been salient in extreme right, left, racial supremacist, and theocratic hellscapes.
It has been Speculated that Humans have derived from Chimpanzees, and Bonobos... Chimpanzees are very Tribal, Territorial, and make War on each other... Bonobos are Pacifistic, and Communal... Didn't Jane Goodall at Davos say that DJT reminded her of an Alpha Chimp?
Trusting Trump is like Putin "trusting" Prigozhin. The shelf life of such trust is very short when push comes to shove, and his usefulness declines too far.
Trust Trump to be viciously self-serving.
It does when the Supreme court has set things up for our business world to get away with being totally unethical as the Republican members of SCOTUS are themselves.
Apparently it does preclude ethics if they support Trump.
Trump is ethics anti-matter.
It shouldn’t but when the fox guards the henhouse….
They are Putin mouthpieces, tanking our democracy for their current bottom line. Trump will of course throw a lot of journalists in jail and worse just like Strongmen rulers before him.
Therè will be the MAGA version of the Voelkischer Beobachter, and Fox News, perhaps, for a while...
Real journalists will flee the country. If they can.
I don't know that fascists leaders can always differentiate. They tend to be moody too. Journalists should look at what has happened to Jamal Khashoggi, and Evan Gershkovich and ask how they can avoid that. They can flee if they make a plan now. People have walked across the Americans to get to the United States with nothing but some some cash, water and food. Most journalists have more resources than that. What I do know is that just being an oligarch does not protect one under fascism. As Prof. Ruth Ben-Ghiat points out in her book Strongmen, Putin and Trump place wealthy elites in power, so that means that their methods of controlling them are not going to be financial, but with Kompromat. On the other hand, greedy oligarchs never tire of making more money, and ensuring everyone else has less. It is an ego thing. Almost a fear of being obscure if they cannot. Also, I am sure those Top Secret files include plenty of Kompromat on the members of the Republican party, which is why they are kept in line.
Unfortunately, Linda, your analysis is very astute.
With the sudden flood tide of Virtual Reality in the early 1990s, America (and later, the world) dug a deep, deep hole in a pre-existing pit of psychotic delusions... and half the population fell into it.
Worse, the sane survivors have struggled to get the measure of what was happening to them and to the whole world. We remain completely ignorant of some of the techniques, new and old, being used against us.
I'm afraid that current victories against would-be far-right dictators, even a Democratic triumph gaining the presidency and both houses of Congress, will amount only to buying time in which to adjust to new worldwide realities.
But that tenuous foothold is essential.
The aim of our struggle: to save our children and theirs from the worst of what we are bequeathing them, arming future generations to help themselves in a world devastated not so much by the power of money as by the gravely diseased abuse of that great power.
I agree we do not even understand all that is being used against us. I have some idea of what the DDR government used to use in Germany because Germany has so many films that are set in the DDR. Putin was part of their Stasi just as he was part of the KGB. He learned his trade there, and now has people using these same mind control techniques with modern tech. They are spying on us, I am pretty sure Trump gave him Kompromat on lots of people. For all we know the Democrats who are coming out against Biden have dirt on them that makes them victim to pressure. Although with our lying press, we see that they name 4 democrats as Jeff Tiedrich pointed out as being against Biden staying in the race, and then it turns out one name was wrong. They traded one Asian democrat for another. So, where is the fact checking? https://substack.com/home/post/p-146399983
We do need to save this planet for ourselves and our children. We have to have the children be more savvy about the ways in which they are being manipulated too.
And that, the crux of our problem
Sadly, Biden was at the debate. Or his body was there. That is the issue. The debate was beyond a disaster and showed every symptom of Parkinson's. From his gait, and not being able to communicate, not being able to listen, or not able to write notes are symptoms. Unless it is a prepared speech he could read from paper or a teleprompter, there is something seriously wrong with him and those in the middle are not going to vote for an ill candidate.
Ms. Dery. Are you a physician or other medically trained person qualified to make a diagnosis? Are you a neurologist? Have you personally conducted a medical examination and testing of President Biden (or anyone else)? Unless you are so qualified, I am disinclined to heed or respect your comment.
I saw the debate. I've known people with Parkinson's. I suggest you read George Clooney's opinion piece published today. Nancy Pelosi has also suggested Joe retire from the campaign. The undecided will elect the next President. Most of those that saw the debate won't vote for Biden. Although no one should vote for Trump.
Knowing people with Parkinson's does not grant you a license to diagnose it.
His actual doctor says he does not have it. That should end any further discussion.
The debate did NOT show symptoms of Parkinsons! Have you watched anything besides the debate? Do not believe something is seriously wrong with him just because some people are freaking out.Energy would be far better spent campaigning against Trump!
Are you aware that every time a Party has switched out a candidate, it has lost that election?
I've watched Biden's gait. And the debate is all that counts. No candidate has ever had such a disappointing and shocking performance. Regarding switching candidates, 1968 does not compare. After LBJ said he would not run the end of March, Robert Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey ran in spirited primary's. Kennedy won California and with that the nomination. He was assassinated that night. Vietnam was raging. A riot filled convention in August in Chicago turned off many voters. Yet by election day, Humphrey barely loss. Read George Clooney's column that came out today. Nancy Pelosi also said Biden should consider giving up his candidacy. The dam is breaking. Maybe Biden should consider resigning from the Presidency and Harris would be sworn in. We are in a difficult situation with a Trump presidency as a real possibility.
I agree that the debate was more debacle than debate…..however, I am not a specialist on Parkinson’s, but I do have a great deal of knowledge of feeling intimidated and bullied…..the anxiety and fear it instills in me causes me to behave in much the same way Biden did. Perhaps that ought to be considered …..just sayin
Exactly! It is absolutely terrifying to see these democrats doing the same thing as the republicans have been doing: denying reality and blaming the truth tellers of lying
Troller 👿
Read the transcript.
What you think you saw and what was actually said by Biden are very different. President Biden answered the questions and talked about policy and his record as President.
Convicted felon trump ignored the questions and told lies in between gibberish.
Are you a nurse or a doctor with experience working with Parkinson’s patients? Because you are wrong!!!
When a member of Joe Biden’s inner circle claims that he “functions capably” between the daytime hours of 10 and 4, it becomes hard to claim that the President is being ringingly endorsed by those who see him most often and closely.
There has been a mountain of commentary from medical authorities and political veterans in the last two weeks. At best Biden is damned with faint praise. More often there is a shuddering fear of his chances to be in a second term that engaged, brilliant and compassionate President we have been so proud of in the first term.
Whether people like it or not, the torrent of criticism that has exploded in the last two weeks did not come from the ether. President Biden imploded on the debate stage against an opponent whose performance was a master class in mendacity. There was no discussion afterwards of who won the debate. The alarm bells were sounding too loudly.
One way or another Biden is finished. He will pull out at the last possible moment when he throws a fresh log on a burning pyre with another unscripted moment of verbal wandering the fog. Or he will be decimated by Trump in November and America’s long era of flawed but energetic democracy will come to an end.
Biden may feel it’s hugely unfair. He is undoubtedly sensing that leaving the Presidency will be akin to falling off the edge of the world. He no doubt feels that he is the best suited to do the job and all the rest is noise.
All of this leaves me infuriated. Millions of people live through the humiliation of forced retirement when they still feel capable but others see otherwise. This is a hard part of life and I have empathy for Biden. It happened to me.
But the fate of the free world did not rest on my enforced retirement. Biden’s is virtually that significant. He is not going to win the Presidency a second time and the Republicans are going to freely dismantle the country thereafter.
I turn away from this car wreck now. The tsunami of accusations and counter accusations no longer interests me. This White House, which did such great work for four years, has gone rogue in its attempts to circle the wagons around a frail octogenarian. I have no interest in further spectacle, and like the condemned prisoner, merely await execution.
Beautifully written. I completely agree.
So women, Black, Hispanic, LBGTQ people and me are going to vote for 45 because President Joe Biden is old???
You mean, Trump?
No, Beth is probably not a physician or she would be waving that status around like a flag but she is talking about her own eyes. As on January 6, 2021, when I sat in front of my TV for hours and, even then, did not know even 1/2 of what was going going on I saw the debate in it’s entirety. That was not the President I expected. Who cares what a probable exact diagnosis was or is ? The poor man appeared greatly diminished and we have 4 long, hard years ahead of us. I am a native NYC person and I would never vote for Trump , never, never but I don’t go around making excuses for a bare fact.
Fact check? NYT and WaPo in the same sentence as "fact check"? Perish the thought!!
<sarcasm font>
Not their point however. The point is to push the clamor, prey upon convenient assimilation and convince the unsuspecting sheep , it’s been done over and over.
And…..is happening again!
Thanks for this information! I haven't seen that post.
"Fact check"? What is this 'fact check' you speak of? That would be responsible journalism, a practice that no longer applies to the legacy media.
Thank you, interesting link. Reading
I was hoping the mental decline story would have declined by now. Now I'm hoping it will be one of the big stories of this election cycle.
I've experienced mental decline firsthand. An elderly person you've known and respected for years asks you a question and you give them what would previously have been a perfectly sufficient answer, and then they keep asking the same question repetitively, each time as if for the first time.
I'm particularly concerned with an industry-specific and early-onset manifestation of that condition within the Whitehouse press corps. I know the Whitehouse neurologist is only responsible for the thousands of people who serve at the Whitehouse, but maybe Karine Jean-Pierre can sneak them in for a checkup.
Because a free press is one of the cornerstones of egalitarian democracy, mental decline within the WH press corps should and must be a national interest story.
Today, the Times has a front page story about how populism can defeat people who have power and expertise, the coup de gras for chump. Rupert’s slimey effort to redefine our media has succeeded beyond all expectations. They have decided for us. Or think that they have.
It’s up to us , the Heathers,Joyces…
The influencers on one side are out for blood and money . The others are genuinely concerned for the health, progress, and integrity of Democracy. The first is excitement, drama, wealth. The second is Ho Hum , boring, principle. It’s sadly just another lesson many miss -forest through the trees.
Thanks Systematic …good post.