This President is addressing a family, the family of Americans looking for guidance - quarrelsome, ignorant, frightened, misled, and those who grasp and support the concept of ideals - talking as a teacher, as a loving father. He's leading by example, showing that it's not necessary to inflict pain and distress to negotiate difficulties.…
This President is addressing a family, the family of Americans looking for guidance - quarrelsome, ignorant, frightened, misled, and those who grasp and support the concept of ideals - talking as a teacher, as a loving father. He's leading by example, showing that it's not necessary to inflict pain and distress to negotiate difficulties. He's describing these negotiations as if that's what took place - not thanks to him, but from a concerted effort - which as HCR says isn't entirely exact, but how can the enemy contradict it? How can they say that's not the way it should be?
I am currently watching a docu-series on the History Channel entitled FDR. I find it fascinating, and am learning so much. After the first episode I had the thought that FDR and Biden are a lot alike, to the betterment of all Americans.
A-L At age 11 FDR had been my only president. He was winning WW II. And we were unaware that, even as he ran for a fourth term, he was dying—which he did at age 63 (the same as Lincoln?)
Cathy There is an excellent four-hour American Presidents (PBS) documentary on FDR. Allen Lichtman has a marvelous GREAT COURSES two-hour lecture on FDR. My personal favorite is Rosenman’s FDR segment of FOUR GIANTS AND A PIGMY. (The pigmy was Warren Harding.)
I bet that you have already read "No Ordinary Time" by Doris Kearns Goodwin!
What a book! (For the LFAA Bookclub that seems to be forming here, LOL, if you haven't read it, you should, but it's not a "beach read"! Save it for a chilly autumn day with a mug of hot drink at your side)
Alexandra Doris Kearns was a unusual White House intern under LBJ. Then she was invited down to his ranch to research and write a book about him. Her first book—and sparked her focus on presidents, including FDR and Lincoln. She married Richard Goodwin who later was in government on Latin American affairs. I was never personally taken by him.
One of Doris’s most recent books is on presidential leadership after major personal setbacks. I rank this among her best.
Yes, we want a leader, we want a grown-up to show us they way through difficulties. Personally, I never realized Biden had this in him. But more and more, helooks like the man for the hour.
I call him Qevin, the ROYAL ASS-KISSER. Did you see how elated he was after negotiations ended? Like a little kid who had argued with his teacher to get a better grade and won...a little. He didn’t know he was being played! :)
Biden is not given credit for the brilliant strategist he is. He could have dropped the hammer on the 14th amendment. Instead he let the Repubs save face by giving a little. Sets a precedent for bipartisanism for the next time they have to negotiate. "We have a history of working together to solve hard problems..." Repubs will look like total anarchists if they try another end run. Marlene, agree! He totally played them.
I don't mind how old he is for this reason - he really does have an ingrained sense of the game after all these years. Although I do think there was a Dark Brandon moment we all missed because of this compromise - the trillion dollar coin. It would have been almost Austin Powers worthy!
Yes yes yes. The man for this time! 80+ years of experience and he pours all of that love and caring of time into this beautiful thing called democracy working to continue its legacy of “We the people” and not “me myself and I”
Seriously. Most of the 80 year olds I see in the office marvel at how he keeps going, and leading the free world at that! I give him tremendous credit, and when they play that montage of his life tragedies and resilience, it really shows that he is in this for something greater than himself. It's like he carries the expectations of his first wife and son Beau, and wants to meet them at the finish line having done as much as he could to make them proud, and to fully use the time he was given, and that was unfairly taken from them...
And I’m sincere about that. If we step back and consider him not as a politician but as a human being, his story is so compelling. Obama’s was so compelling. We all go through tragedy and disappointment and disillusionment- but lefty heroes emerge with a heroic resolve to double down on hope, compassion, and a sense of purpose to help others in that eternal quest to make this a better place.
Yeah. It's nice that Dad came home for a visit, sober and medicated. Lately he's been out with the local militia ranting against the government. He joined the AR-47 club, and has been off the rails fuming about whatever he thinks "woke" means. It scares me and Mom. He's been hanging out with criminals, cheating on our taxes, and dumping motor oil on the front lawn. Mom tried to get a restraining order on him because he's been threatening violence. The judge only gave him a warning. I sure hope Dad stays home this time, but he's already mumbling dark immigrant fantasies, and some really disturbing stuff about Disney and my bookshelf.
Wow, Ryan! You have a problem on your hands. I wish you and your mom the best in dealing with your dad. He is endangering both of you, as well as himself.
Sounds like time to call in the FBI and the DOJ, & while you’re at it, best to call the CIA, because I heard he’s selling security secrets to Saudis and Russians
I think that it is safe to say, without fear of contradiction, that white nationalism has morphed into outright Fascism and the fear of "being replaced" by those with a darker skin color has been used by Trump, DeSantis and others to press forward with an authoritarian agenda. One wonders how so many Americans can still support Trump when he tried so ineptly to overthrow our constitutional government. What we must recognize is that a very large segment of our population favors Fascism. This segment hates minorities, non-Christians, advancement of women's rights, gays and immigrants. Our own propaganda needs to expose to these people how they are being manipulated so that the wealthy can continue to siphon trillions out of the U.S. economy at their expense.
Richard, while heartily agreeing with your analysis, I suspect the majority of those voting for tfg are voting for a feeling of anger so thoroughly and frequently expressed but without recognizing the degree to which that feeling ends up in fascism nor recognizing the perilous journey on which fascism leads a country. I really don't believe all in "this segment hates minorities, non-Christians, advancement of women's rights, gays and immigrants" to the degree those manipulating them magnify that hatred. I think that's what Biden's message and actions portray.
I base my assessment on the levels and reasons for hate principally on the study conducted by two Univ. of Kansas professors, David Smith and Eric Hanley, entitled "The Anger Games, Who Voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 Election, and Why?" published in Feb. 2018 in the peer-reviewed journal, "Critical Sociology." You can google it. And, of course, my own experiences. I might add that I think many of these MAGA Republicans are clueless about their thinking, i.e., they don't know what they don't know. John Stuart Mill made the point in 1869 in his essay, "The Subjection of Women," i.e., when beliefs are based on feelings, facts don't matter.
I agree with your assessment but we also feel that these people (even some of the more educated ones) are really not critical thinkers. Our fear is that without critical thinking we are all at risk. I believe we have tried to teach this skill in the past but, now some of the people in power are trying to ban anything that may cause people to question their view of the world. Non-critical thinkers are easier to manipulate.
I agree with your assessment 100%. I have highly educated friends (Ph.D., M.D., BA's and more) who fit in one way or another the prejudices that Smith and Hanley describe in "The Anger Games." It doesn't take long in a conversation to learn what their particular issue(s) is. Many object to the "line cutters" as discussed by Smith and Hanley. To preserve our democracy, I think that one step must be the creation and introduction of critical thinking courses, starting as early as junior high. Of course, many of the religious among us will object to this.
I don’t disagree but I think that fear and anger have overwhelmed whatever cognitive abilities they may have - a normal neurological response to serious, prolonged stress coupled with powerlessness to resolve the source. The stress comes from so many sources and has been reinforced daily/hourly by FOX. “Conservatives” appear to have differences in their brains that make them more susceptible to emotions (fear/anger) overwhelming their executive function (cognitive skills such as memory, planning, etc.).
It’s as if some folks had a weakness in their legs and the environment (including FOX) kept kicking them in the kneecaps. <not a brilliant metaphor, but I haven’t had my coffee yet).
I agree and I would say those feelings have existed in the this country for a very long time, well, from day one in the European view of Native Americans and then expanded by slavery. I have mentioned this before, but the author of God: An Anatomy has a chapter where she traces the idea of white supremacy from the viewing of black as evil to the present day. (And somewhere in Utah they have banned the Bible for younger students). I grew up in Elkhart, Indiana, in the 1950s where I heard plenty of racist remarks and sort of whispered remarks about queer people. And the West was all cowboys and Indians. We went on a trip out to CA and back and while in CA, my father didn't like it and said we could give it back to the Indians. The only independent women I knew were spinster school teachers paid next to nothing. Fast forward to now and the gains that certain groups have made and the Rs are trying to turn back, and we see the fear of white people and white men in particular made manifest in the body politic thanks to death star who openly is awful and his cult now does the same.
Michele, I grew up in Georgia in the 50s. I hear you, loud and clear. Also, I remember my first trip to Indiana, to visit one of my husband’s buddies from their Navy days. Very soon into the visit, I thought to myself, “Holy sh*t! These yankees are rednecks!” It was an eye opener.
Thanks for the cite, and I'm glad that I'm still in school and can access it. I find it interesting that they use data from the American National Election Studies, a collaboration between Stanford and U of Michigan, with funding from the National Science Foundation, which is one of those "deep state" agencies that the Right is always complaining about, like NOAA and USGS.
I think it important to realize that the bad actors driving the Right aren't just afraid of government regulation, no matter how useful for society. They are even more afraid of the government's unique position to gather information, the prerequisite for good regulation. "They" don't want us to know anything that may contradict their desires.
I think many people that vote have no idea what they are voting for except the party and maybe and issue that they hear or care about such: as guns, abortion, race, immigrants, income tax....
I have noted a major change in the discussion about Fascism over the last 3 or 4 years. If 4 or even 3 years ago you would comment about trump as Fascism you would get shouted down with replies. Heaven forbid you should compare anything to Hitler's German. Now so many more folks see the danger especially with all of the hate being expressed and rights of women and minorities under attack.
Playing on the less-well-off...asserting their real "enemies" are white collar"elites," foreign-born or somehow un-American in their "socialist" politics, has been in the past an essential aspect of fascism, and here it is again today.
Yeah, it's dangerous to assume others want to bend the moral arc of the universe towards justice... many simply don't. They prefer others don't play with their toys, and are ready to kill for that.
The rants of Trump and his lot are the sounds of a beast in its last throes. As ugly as their beliefs, and as powerful as they are still, they will not prevail. Similarly, in other parts of the world where fascism prevails...a certain country at war right now, for example, will not last either.
Hope, hello again! It is wise to regard beasts in their last throes as the most dangerous and unpredictable, because they are being trapped, they have less to lose, and will take more and more chances. Now that That Person is encircled, I will wager he wishes he had another dozen boxes of documents to negotiate with, or worse, to distribute to his idol dictators simply to cause as much damage as possible before his political demise. If he really wants to catastrophically destroy our democracy, as it seems is his plan, that would be one avenue. I refuse to acknowledge any other.
One other aspect of DJT's removal from political influence that occurs to me is that when he defines himself as a martyr, he will anoint a segment of his followers as martyrs also, those who fought for him.
I propose a combat medal for those followers who finally found purpose in wearing clothes with his picture, in his nfg cards, in rallying and spewing his version of hate and denigration. Like a Purple Heart, but Jet Black, not pinned to the breast, maybe tattooed on the forehead. Oh my!
Happy afternoon, Ed. As his sister, Mary Trump said, the only thing that matters to tfg is himself. Whenever he stirs up his troops, it's because he wants praise, money or advantage. Usually all of the above. He has no intention of giving anything unless it feathers his nest. He's loyal to nothing. Every deal is transactional or zero sum.
Yes, I thought of that. I was thinking about a legacy involving a mob who would carry out his wishes. I studied mobs while writing a paper on the Rev War. Mobs carried out much of the dirty work. Thanks for your responxe.
Sadly, I think fascism will reappear, again and again, at future moments when a tipping point of anger exists. And when those in power take advantage of the anger to expand their own power and wealth.
DeSantis is a perfect example. Lil’ Hitler has imposed strangulation of all things decent in his state. He wants to be center stage with his proposed evilness. I cringe every time he speaks. But then I do that when BoPeep, Gosar, Santos. MGT, and Gaetz mouth words, also.
Indeed. I am reminded of a "peacenik" slogan: "Imagine they gave a war and nobody came." Or, ignore a bully because they can't stand not commanding an audience. I know I am being simplistic, but fascists exists because there are willing lemmings. If only we could disrupt their following. Consider how impotent some recent right wing rallies have been, lately. People just didn't turn up to watch or be indoctrinated.
I think you will ultimately be correct. As long as the planet doesn't kick us off... if mass migration and climate chaos happen faster than we can engineer a way out, then strong men with tribal instincts will still draw legions.
It seems that when children are shamed for their inherent humanity, (the very core of any human) that the human brain, as it increasingly is required to function in an adult world, will look to shed that intolerable, toxic shame, onto others.
A child growing up in chaos, will limbically need chaos to feel “whole”.
If you match the counties in our country with the highest rates of addiction, alcoholism, or shaming religions, I suspect you will find counties that have a limbic need for authoritarianism.
This is why countries with the strongest social programs that support families of young children are the happiest and healthiest in our world.
It’s not rocket science.
We keep giving power to the wrong people.
"I want to let you know that as your president, I will first and foremost be a
No one to date was more qualified, more prepared, to be POTUS than Hillary Rodham Clinton. James Comey will not be treated well by future historians, that is, if they are permitted to write history.
It is kind of like the shock I felt after I saw pictures of USA citizens celebrating Nazi's Hitler in NYC when I was not yet born or shortly after. I did not see that in my History books. The sad thing is we never got that far in the book before school was out for the year! We should have started with that war and worked our way back....I think that might have been a wake up call to what is happening today! At 15 the 1940's seemed like old days gone by! It is funny the perception of time when we are sliding into 80 very fast. 100 years is not that far removed now! My young mother, if she were alive today, would be 103 today.
This afternoon two young men stopped by my door to give me literature on an upcoming Board of Supervisors election coming up next week. One of the boys was 15 and the other around 22-23. What impressed me was their dedication to voting at such young ages. As a liberal Democrat I gave them some information they had not heard of…. Namely, Trump boasting before the 2016 election that he could walk down 5th Avenue and shoot someone and nothing would be done about it……I also informed that he had his first wife Ivana buried at one of his golf courses so he could claim a reduction in taxes for the property now classified as a cemetery. These two young men were amazed and thanked me for filling them in. The hope of our nation lies with the youth!
This President is addressing a family, the family of Americans looking for guidance - quarrelsome, ignorant, frightened, misled, and those who grasp and support the concept of ideals - talking as a teacher, as a loving father. He's leading by example, showing that it's not necessary to inflict pain and distress to negotiate difficulties. He's describing these negotiations as if that's what took place - not thanks to him, but from a concerted effort - which as HCR says isn't entirely exact, but how can the enemy contradict it? How can they say that's not the way it should be?
Anne-Louise Last night President Biden reminded me of how, as a young boy, I felt so comforted by FDR’s Fireside Chats.
I am currently watching a docu-series on the History Channel entitled FDR. I find it fascinating, and am learning so much. After the first episode I had the thought that FDR and Biden are a lot alike, to the betterment of all Americans.
"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith."
Prepared for April 13, 1945
FDR
And never delivered...
I remember the shock and sorrow in our household.
A-L At age 11 FDR had been my only president. He was winning WW II. And we were unaware that, even as he ran for a fourth term, he was dying—which he did at age 63 (the same as Lincoln?)
We must cherish our doubts.
Well I had to Google that one! Now I understand that doubts are the door/pathway to knowledge. 👍
Cathy There is an excellent four-hour American Presidents (PBS) documentary on FDR. Allen Lichtman has a marvelous GREAT COURSES two-hour lecture on FDR. My personal favorite is Rosenman’s FDR segment of FOUR GIANTS AND A PIGMY. (The pigmy was Warren Harding.)
Good morning, Keith!
I bet that you have already read "No Ordinary Time" by Doris Kearns Goodwin!
What a book! (For the LFAA Bookclub that seems to be forming here, LOL, if you haven't read it, you should, but it's not a "beach read"! Save it for a chilly autumn day with a mug of hot drink at your side)
An LFAA Bookclub!!! Where do I sign? Downloading "No Ordinary Time" immediately. I loved Doris Kearns Goodman's "Team of Rivals." What a writer!
Alexandra Doris Kearns was a unusual White House intern under LBJ. Then she was invited down to his ranch to research and write a book about him. Her first book—and sparked her focus on presidents, including FDR and Lincoln. She married Richard Goodwin who later was in government on Latin American affairs. I was never personally taken by him.
One of Doris’s most recent books is on presidential leadership after major personal setbacks. I rank this among her best.
Lucky us...
Yes, we want a leader, we want a grown-up to show us they way through difficulties. Personally, I never realized Biden had this in him. But more and more, helooks like the man for the hour.
Mary My headline for the recent debt/budget brouhaha is THE PRESIDENT AND THE PIPSQUEAK.
I call him Qevin, the ROYAL ASS-KISSER. Did you see how elated he was after negotiations ended? Like a little kid who had argued with his teacher to get a better grade and won...a little. He didn’t know he was being played! :)
Biden is not given credit for the brilliant strategist he is. He could have dropped the hammer on the 14th amendment. Instead he let the Repubs save face by giving a little. Sets a precedent for bipartisanism for the next time they have to negotiate. "We have a history of working together to solve hard problems..." Repubs will look like total anarchists if they try another end run. Marlene, agree! He totally played them.
I don't mind how old he is for this reason - he really does have an ingrained sense of the game after all these years. Although I do think there was a Dark Brandon moment we all missed because of this compromise - the trillion dollar coin. It would have been almost Austin Powers worthy!
The only thing is Dems really didn’t win either but we have until 2024 to pull something great together.
Pipsqueak is kinda perfect for ol' Kevin, I do have to say.
hee hee
Yes yes yes. The man for this time! 80+ years of experience and he pours all of that love and caring of time into this beautiful thing called democracy working to continue its legacy of “We the people” and not “me myself and I”
Seriously. Most of the 80 year olds I see in the office marvel at how he keeps going, and leading the free world at that! I give him tremendous credit, and when they play that montage of his life tragedies and resilience, it really shows that he is in this for something greater than himself. It's like he carries the expectations of his first wife and son Beau, and wants to meet them at the finish line having done as much as he could to make them proud, and to fully use the time he was given, and that was unfairly taken from them...
Beautifully said, Ryan. Made me tear up.
And I’m sincere about that. If we step back and consider him not as a politician but as a human being, his story is so compelling. Obama’s was so compelling. We all go through tragedy and disappointment and disillusionment- but lefty heroes emerge with a heroic resolve to double down on hope, compassion, and a sense of purpose to help others in that eternal quest to make this a better place.
MARY ! in My opinion, ....
He Looks Like, the
MAN !....FOR the NATION !!
Yes.
Keith, I think that was the idea. Go Biden and crew!
well said.
From the heart.
Yeah. It's nice that Dad came home for a visit, sober and medicated. Lately he's been out with the local militia ranting against the government. He joined the AR-47 club, and has been off the rails fuming about whatever he thinks "woke" means. It scares me and Mom. He's been hanging out with criminals, cheating on our taxes, and dumping motor oil on the front lawn. Mom tried to get a restraining order on him because he's been threatening violence. The judge only gave him a warning. I sure hope Dad stays home this time, but he's already mumbling dark immigrant fantasies, and some really disturbing stuff about Disney and my bookshelf.
Wow, Ryan! You have a problem on your hands. I wish you and your mom the best in dealing with your dad. He is endangering both of you, as well as himself.
Sounds like time to call in the FBI and the DOJ, & while you’re at it, best to call the CIA, because I heard he’s selling security secrets to Saudis and Russians
May the best dad stay home and take care of the brood. We need a caring one.
Easily, they can spew their hateful, disgusting lying bull Schitt with nary an iota of shame. Wait for it…
I think that it is safe to say, without fear of contradiction, that white nationalism has morphed into outright Fascism and the fear of "being replaced" by those with a darker skin color has been used by Trump, DeSantis and others to press forward with an authoritarian agenda. One wonders how so many Americans can still support Trump when he tried so ineptly to overthrow our constitutional government. What we must recognize is that a very large segment of our population favors Fascism. This segment hates minorities, non-Christians, advancement of women's rights, gays and immigrants. Our own propaganda needs to expose to these people how they are being manipulated so that the wealthy can continue to siphon trillions out of the U.S. economy at their expense.
Richard, while heartily agreeing with your analysis, I suspect the majority of those voting for tfg are voting for a feeling of anger so thoroughly and frequently expressed but without recognizing the degree to which that feeling ends up in fascism nor recognizing the perilous journey on which fascism leads a country. I really don't believe all in "this segment hates minorities, non-Christians, advancement of women's rights, gays and immigrants" to the degree those manipulating them magnify that hatred. I think that's what Biden's message and actions portray.
I base my assessment on the levels and reasons for hate principally on the study conducted by two Univ. of Kansas professors, David Smith and Eric Hanley, entitled "The Anger Games, Who Voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 Election, and Why?" published in Feb. 2018 in the peer-reviewed journal, "Critical Sociology." You can google it. And, of course, my own experiences. I might add that I think many of these MAGA Republicans are clueless about their thinking, i.e., they don't know what they don't know. John Stuart Mill made the point in 1869 in his essay, "The Subjection of Women," i.e., when beliefs are based on feelings, facts don't matter.
I agree with your assessment but we also feel that these people (even some of the more educated ones) are really not critical thinkers. Our fear is that without critical thinking we are all at risk. I believe we have tried to teach this skill in the past but, now some of the people in power are trying to ban anything that may cause people to question their view of the world. Non-critical thinkers are easier to manipulate.
I agree with your assessment 100%. I have highly educated friends (Ph.D., M.D., BA's and more) who fit in one way or another the prejudices that Smith and Hanley describe in "The Anger Games." It doesn't take long in a conversation to learn what their particular issue(s) is. Many object to the "line cutters" as discussed by Smith and Hanley. To preserve our democracy, I think that one step must be the creation and introduction of critical thinking courses, starting as early as junior high. Of course, many of the religious among us will object to this.
I don’t disagree but I think that fear and anger have overwhelmed whatever cognitive abilities they may have - a normal neurological response to serious, prolonged stress coupled with powerlessness to resolve the source. The stress comes from so many sources and has been reinforced daily/hourly by FOX. “Conservatives” appear to have differences in their brains that make them more susceptible to emotions (fear/anger) overwhelming their executive function (cognitive skills such as memory, planning, etc.).
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5793824/
It’s as if some folks had a weakness in their legs and the environment (including FOX) kept kicking them in the kneecaps. <not a brilliant metaphor, but I haven’t had my coffee yet).
I agree and I would say those feelings have existed in the this country for a very long time, well, from day one in the European view of Native Americans and then expanded by slavery. I have mentioned this before, but the author of God: An Anatomy has a chapter where she traces the idea of white supremacy from the viewing of black as evil to the present day. (And somewhere in Utah they have banned the Bible for younger students). I grew up in Elkhart, Indiana, in the 1950s where I heard plenty of racist remarks and sort of whispered remarks about queer people. And the West was all cowboys and Indians. We went on a trip out to CA and back and while in CA, my father didn't like it and said we could give it back to the Indians. The only independent women I knew were spinster school teachers paid next to nothing. Fast forward to now and the gains that certain groups have made and the Rs are trying to turn back, and we see the fear of white people and white men in particular made manifest in the body politic thanks to death star who openly is awful and his cult now does the same.
Michele, I grew up in Georgia in the 50s. I hear you, loud and clear. Also, I remember my first trip to Indiana, to visit one of my husband’s buddies from their Navy days. Very soon into the visit, I thought to myself, “Holy sh*t! These yankees are rednecks!” It was an eye opener.
Thanks for the cite, and I'm glad that I'm still in school and can access it. I find it interesting that they use data from the American National Election Studies, a collaboration between Stanford and U of Michigan, with funding from the National Science Foundation, which is one of those "deep state" agencies that the Right is always complaining about, like NOAA and USGS.
I think it important to realize that the bad actors driving the Right aren't just afraid of government regulation, no matter how useful for society. They are even more afraid of the government's unique position to gather information, the prerequisite for good regulation. "They" don't want us to know anything that may contradict their desires.
'When beliefs are based on feelings, facts dont matter".!!!! yes
Kathy As Senator Daniel Monyhan expressed it “You are entitled to your own personal opinions, but you are not entitled to your own facts.”
Richard Great Comments about MAGA. Thank you.
I think many people that vote have no idea what they are voting for except the party and maybe and issue that they hear or care about such: as guns, abortion, race, immigrants, income tax....
I hope you are correct
I have noted a major change in the discussion about Fascism over the last 3 or 4 years. If 4 or even 3 years ago you would comment about trump as Fascism you would get shouted down with replies. Heaven forbid you should compare anything to Hitler's German. Now so many more folks see the danger especially with all of the hate being expressed and rights of women and minorities under attack.
Playing on the less-well-off...asserting their real "enemies" are white collar"elites," foreign-born or somehow un-American in their "socialist" politics, has been in the past an essential aspect of fascism, and here it is again today.
Dave, my fear is that 3-4 years ago, people would get angry and say he wasn't. Now my fear is they shrug and say "so what?" or even worse, applaud it.
That is the terror I see as well. Facisim OK. Socialism Not OK. Sad.
Yeah, it's dangerous to assume others want to bend the moral arc of the universe towards justice... many simply don't. They prefer others don't play with their toys, and are ready to kill for that.
Exactly! I think the SCOTUS was/is a big hammer that is finally shedding light on the subject🤯🥵.
The rants of Trump and his lot are the sounds of a beast in its last throes. As ugly as their beliefs, and as powerful as they are still, they will not prevail. Similarly, in other parts of the world where fascism prevails...a certain country at war right now, for example, will not last either.
We fervently hope that it is "a beast in its last throes," but we can't rest now.
Hope, hello again! It is wise to regard beasts in their last throes as the most dangerous and unpredictable, because they are being trapped, they have less to lose, and will take more and more chances. Now that That Person is encircled, I will wager he wishes he had another dozen boxes of documents to negotiate with, or worse, to distribute to his idol dictators simply to cause as much damage as possible before his political demise. If he really wants to catastrophically destroy our democracy, as it seems is his plan, that would be one avenue. I refuse to acknowledge any other.
One other aspect of DJT's removal from political influence that occurs to me is that when he defines himself as a martyr, he will anoint a segment of his followers as martyrs also, those who fought for him.
I propose a combat medal for those followers who finally found purpose in wearing clothes with his picture, in his nfg cards, in rallying and spewing his version of hate and denigration. Like a Purple Heart, but Jet Black, not pinned to the breast, maybe tattooed on the forehead. Oh my!
Happy afternoon, Ed. As his sister, Mary Trump said, the only thing that matters to tfg is himself. Whenever he stirs up his troops, it's because he wants praise, money or advantage. Usually all of the above. He has no intention of giving anything unless it feathers his nest. He's loyal to nothing. Every deal is transactional or zero sum.
Yes, I thought of that. I was thinking about a legacy involving a mob who would carry out his wishes. I studied mobs while writing a paper on the Rev War. Mobs carried out much of the dirty work. Thanks for your responxe.
Sadly, I think fascism will reappear, again and again, at future moments when a tipping point of anger exists. And when those in power take advantage of the anger to expand their own power and wealth.
DeSantis is a perfect example. Lil’ Hitler has imposed strangulation of all things decent in his state. He wants to be center stage with his proposed evilness. I cringe every time he speaks. But then I do that when BoPeep, Gosar, Santos. MGT, and Gaetz mouth words, also.
They certainly are repulsive!
Indeed. I am reminded of a "peacenik" slogan: "Imagine they gave a war and nobody came." Or, ignore a bully because they can't stand not commanding an audience. I know I am being simplistic, but fascists exists because there are willing lemmings. If only we could disrupt their following. Consider how impotent some recent right wing rallies have been, lately. People just didn't turn up to watch or be indoctrinated.
I think you will ultimately be correct. As long as the planet doesn't kick us off... if mass migration and climate chaos happen faster than we can engineer a way out, then strong men with tribal instincts will still draw legions.
It seems that when children are shamed for their inherent humanity, (the very core of any human) that the human brain, as it increasingly is required to function in an adult world, will look to shed that intolerable, toxic shame, onto others.
A child growing up in chaos, will limbically need chaos to feel “whole”.
If you match the counties in our country with the highest rates of addiction, alcoholism, or shaming religions, I suspect you will find counties that have a limbic need for authoritarianism.
This is why countries with the strongest social programs that support families of young children are the happiest and healthiest in our world.
It’s not rocket science.
We keep giving power to the wrong people.
"I want to let you know that as your president, I will first and foremost be a
champion for our children."-Hillary Clinton
No one to date was more qualified, more prepared, to be POTUS than Hillary Rodham Clinton. James Comey will not be treated well by future historians, that is, if they are permitted to write history.
It is kind of like the shock I felt after I saw pictures of USA citizens celebrating Nazi's Hitler in NYC when I was not yet born or shortly after. I did not see that in my History books. The sad thing is we never got that far in the book before school was out for the year! We should have started with that war and worked our way back....I think that might have been a wake up call to what is happening today! At 15 the 1940's seemed like old days gone by! It is funny the perception of time when we are sliding into 80 very fast. 100 years is not that far removed now! My young mother, if she were alive today, would be 103 today.
This afternoon two young men stopped by my door to give me literature on an upcoming Board of Supervisors election coming up next week. One of the boys was 15 and the other around 22-23. What impressed me was their dedication to voting at such young ages. As a liberal Democrat I gave them some information they had not heard of…. Namely, Trump boasting before the 2016 election that he could walk down 5th Avenue and shoot someone and nothing would be done about it……I also informed that he had his first wife Ivana buried at one of his golf courses so he could claim a reduction in taxes for the property now classified as a cemetery. These two young men were amazed and thanked me for filling them in. The hope of our nation lies with the youth!
I use Bravo Sierra in lieu of BS.
lol 😂. Love it