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KathyF's avatar

"Trust in Trump" also known as TNT, widely used in the manufacture of demolition explosives. Nobody in their right mind would Trust in Trump!

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J L Graham's avatar

Much less worship.

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Kathy Hughes's avatar

I never trusted Trump when he started running, why should I start now? IтАЩm a Midwesterner, but was well aware of TrumpтАЩs lack of success in business and his various scams and lies. Why would I support someone like that?

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Bill Katz's avatar

I didnтАЩt like him in the late 1980s.

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Nancy Fleming's avatar

Bill, I knew that he was sub-human in the early 70's, when he was evicting the elderly and racial minorities in his father's properties. At that point, he presented himself as a Democrat, since he had to please the Democrats in power in New York. He has always been a grifter, and we have only learned that he's also stupid since he has been on the world stage (unless you knew about his multiple bankruptcies once he was rubbing elbows with the mob while running his casinos into the ground).

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ronbo97's avatar

He also stiffed the hard-working blue collar contractors that worked to build his casinos. When they asked for payment, he said he wasn't paying them because they did shoddy work. They knew that taking on the Trump organization was a passport to bankruptcy, since the legal fees would crush the business. So they just walked away, unpaid.

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Nancy Fleming's avatar

His reputation for that sort of thing is legendary. He did that in his real estate dealings, so the casino contractors should have been forewarned. Of course, anyone old enough to have been familiar with Trump prior to The Apprentice or "Art of the Deal" would never have voted for him for his first term, let alone this time. I hate paying for the stupidity of others.

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Maggie's avatar

Really! How incompetent does someone have to be for them to have how many bankruptcies - SIX? And CASINOS? Seriously - and he claims to be a "businessman"!

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J L Graham's avatar

The person who ghostwrote "The Art of the Deal" is regretful for participating in a fraud. He told anyone who would listen not to trust Trump well ahead of the election.

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Nancy Fleming's avatar

JL, another example of money motivating what should have been a flat "no, thanks" right out of the box. Surely, the ghost writer knew exactly what he was getting into. He contributed to the arsenal of those who insisted that Trump was a genius and great businessman. If he'd thought of more than the cash he'd make, perhaps we wouldn't be dealing with the present disaster.

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J L Graham's avatar

Look up the real story behind Trump's media triumph "restoring" Central Park's Wollman Skating Rink. That's when I first heard of him in a media blitz.

We have waaay neglected the growing subversion of money over equal justice under law. Using his vast wealth Musk pushed out the creators of Tesla and used his "unlimited capital to build the brand". He attacked the originators.

++++

"Soon enough, Eberhard was out, and Musk was in. тАЬIt felt like a brick on the side of my head,тАЭ Eberhard said. 'ItтАЩs totally unexpected.'

Eberhard sued Musk for libel, defamation, breach of contract, infliction of emotional distress, and failure to pay his wages, among other things. And while the two eventually settled, Eberhard accuses Musk of violating their non-disparagement clause тАФ a fact he claims heтАЩs powerless to prevent. (Musk still occasionally tweets about Eberhard to this day.)

'Although heтАЩs been flagrantly violating that agreement over and over and over again, heтАЩs also the richest man in the world,' he said. 'And if he decides to crush me with lawsuits, I canтАЩt survive it.' тАЭ https://www.theverge.com/23815634/tesla-elon-musk-origin-founder-twitter-land-of-the-giants

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Barbara Keating's avatar

ЁЯдмThat alone should have shut him down with middle class voters. I know that fact, among all this other dastardly deeds, appalled me when I read about it years ago.

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Maggie's avatar

Same here - plus I worked for a contractor for almost 30 years - we took care of our subs & they took care of us! I already couldnt stand this twit, but reading about his "business" actions? Just solidified my feelings.

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J L Graham's avatar

He has had the best publicity money can buy.

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Yodagirl's avatar

Perfect summation, Nancy. I wasn't aware of the Mafia connection until a few months ago when another reader spent a LOT of time sending me info and links on that era of trumps.

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Nancy Fleming's avatar

Yodagirl, I was almost finished with a response to your comment when it disappeared. I've read many references to his mob connections, but nothing that proves that theory. His employing Kellyann Conway is somewhat telling, since she is the granddaughter of Jimmy "the Brute" DiNatale, a reputed Philadelphia mob associate. He is also alleged to have been a Russian agent for years. All of this could be just false rumors, but I'm sure he thinks that these allegations polish his resume as a strongman and someone to be feared. If true, he wouldn't understand that he's simply a useful idiot to various puppeteers but thinks he's on top of the heap.

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Cindy Gailey's avatar

I have always wondered what hole Kellyann slithered out of!. Sick person.

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Nancy Fleming's avatar

Cindy, they could be twins, separated at birth. She has no class, no conscience, wouldn't know the truth if she tripped on it. He is like fly tape, attracting the nasty insects from all corners. She is probably brighter than the orange menace, but only marginally.

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J L Graham's avatar

Like Musk was a environmental champion while building his EV brand.

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Nancy Fleming's avatar

JL, we both know that Elon has never been motivated by anything remotely connected to betterment of the planet - only his grandiose self-interest. At some point, I expect him to crash and burn - like his Teslas frequently do.

Except that this entire spectacle is so stress-inducing, I'm hoping to see him and tfg do battle. There's not enough oxygen anywhere to sustain both of them.

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Bryan Sean McKown's avatar

Goes all the way back to Daddy's Queens' home before Wharton.

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MLMinET's avatar

CuriousтАФcould you elaborate?

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Yodagirl's avatar

He's referring to where trump grew up in Queens NY, a borough in NYC. His "daddy", Fred Trump was an emotionally abusive monster and killed his 1st born then started on donald, giving us the crisis we have today. I hope Fred is rotting in hell.

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William Moore's avatar

No hope here, I KNOW Fred T. is rotting in Hell. One thing I love about Substack is that there are no censors lurking over the comments section!

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Yodagirl's avatar

Ain't THAT the truth WM-Yahoo is a joke when it comes to comments.

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Bill Katz's avatar

The blogger can ban us. I foolishly said something on Paul KlugmanтАЩsblog about each Trump wife pushing the other down the stairs. I apologized to him but it was too late. IтАЩm banned for life or until I get a new computer.

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Yodagirl's avatar

Can you clear our cookies?

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Bill Katz's avatar

I would need to use a different computer, different email which I have for throw away stuff. Or use a VPN which I just donтАЩt want to take the time l

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Martha's avatar

I think Trump's mother sent him to military school because he was so disruptive she couldn't deal with him. Looks like his mother rejected him

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J L Graham's avatar

I get the sense that Trump's parent's were malignant narcissists and the acorn fell not far from the tree. They let you be a self-absorbed total creep when you are rich.

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Yodagirl's avatar

That's true Martha-it was in Dr. Mary's book about her uncle.

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Phyllis D's avatar

I was born in Queens, as well. But my family moved to Nassau County, Long Island. I spent most of my adult life watching his garbage. I canтАЩt believe people actually believe his lies. I guess we can thank Fox lies for this, and people who donтАЩt research what they read and hear. Thank God for Heather.

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Kathy Hughes's avatar

He didnтАЩt impress me too much then, but I didnтАЩt see him as a political figure, just a show off rich guy who loved having his name in the tabloid headlines. I didnтАЩt start to really detest him until he rode down his golden escalator in Trump Tower, surrounded by paid actors applauding his decision to run for president. That is when he started his unfiltered nastiness run wild. By then, I was aware of his manifold business failures, stiffing his contractors, and scams; and I believed then as I do now that he would be just as unsuccessful as president as he was in business.

I believe one thing many people bought into was the character he played on the тАЬreality showтАЭ тАЬThe Apprentice.тАЭ There isnтАЩt very much reality in тАЬreality shows,тАЭ and тАЬThe ApprenticeтАЭ allowed Trump to curate his appearance so that he would look like the successful businessman he has never been. The image making in тАЬThe ApprenticeтАЭ allowed people to buy into the false idea that Trump would be successful in business and political endeavors, and it has been a total scam.

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Michael Corthell's avatar

Many have bought into the lie that all progressives and liberals are communists.

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progwoman's avatar

Or "sympathizers," the term McCarthy used. Put them in charge, and there goes the nation, as they would say. But look what has happened under Trump: there are "methods" to allowing a third term, and the advocates don't look so progressive to me.

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Carol H's avatar

My first thought on hearing this is that he's throwing out a bright-shiny to grab media attention away from the current actions of his people.

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Richard Sutherland's avatar

The "method" would be for JD Vance to run for president and Trump as VP. Once in office Vance would resign and Trump would then be president.

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becky estill's avatar

He learned from the MedvedevтАУPutin tandemocracy

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Elizabeth Wallace's avatar

Makes sense!!! God help us !!! May he die soon and maybe his stupid cult will move on.

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Michele's avatar

Elizabeth Wallace, I just hope I last long enough to enjoy a wee dram of single malt neat in celebration.

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Gary Pudup's avatar

I understand the thinking but IF we followed the Constitution, Trump would still be ineligible. The line of succession would have it that the Speaker of the House would become president. But let's not put it past im to try. Also, considering Vance's lack of principles why would give it up? Et tu Brutus?

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Tim Slager's avatar

Many Democrats didn't help in that score: https://yadontknow.blogspot.com/2023/11/be-it-resolved.html

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L B Rose's avatar

My sister refers to us as "libtards". We don't talk any more.

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Ellen's avatar

Better to be a "libtard" than a Nazi!

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Barbara Keating's avatar

Ellen, maybe we could reframe тАЬlibtardтАЭ as, um, fully functional yoga & gym wear. And I donтАЩt think the word leotard is any diss on those born in the July-August months!!!ЁЯжБ

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Ellen's avatar

Ha! I'm a yoga practitioner, too, so I don't mind wearing a "libtard"! ЁЯШД

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Ryan Collay's avatar

You could point out just how childish this soundsтАжliberal retard is middle school at best! So anyone using this is mentally about 11 years old and angry because of the тАШsmart kids.тАЩ They always do better, look better, work harder, and are just happier! Really, there are a lot of sad femi-nazis out thereтАжthey love their Orange encrusted lard-god Donny. Ah the well named Rush!

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J L Graham's avatar

I still have a troublesome childish side (and hopefully retain some positive "childlike" qualities), but Trump, Musk, et al take the cake for emotional immaturity. I indulge name-calling here, something I would never do in the context of a professional capacity.

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Phyllis D's avatar

Sadly, my relationship with my brother is strained because of the same, LB. He actually asked me, a retired Special Educator, if closing the Department of Education was really a problem. IтАЩm sure my explanation fell on deaf ears.

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L B Rose's avatar

I totally get it. My dear sister has been sucked into the MAGA cult. We were not raised that way and it only happened during Regime I. Before that, she had open eyes. Really heart-breaking.

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J L Graham's avatar

I hear way too much of that. Democracy dies for lack of good faith conversation. A bright, pleasant, distant relative went into totally hostile MAGA mode.

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Michele's avatar

Michael, they have no idea of what a communist, a socialist, or Marxist is. I have had many an encounter on other threads, one of the last warning me that i should never come to battle without being armed. Nice huh??!!

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J L Graham's avatar

Or liberty, or a republic, or a genuine free market, just for starters. Or at least, they are hoping you don't know and won't find out.

"They had things, levels of voting that if youтАЩd ever agreed to it, youтАЩd never have a Republican elected in this country again,тАЭ

- DJT

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Michele's avatar

Kathy, our cleaner lived in Brooklyn for a while and did work for some the rich. She has nothing good to say about death star. She is also originally from Chile, but has a middle eastern background and has lived in Lebanon. She is moving to Florida because her daughter got a job there. I just hope she does not get snatched off the streets. I am also a midwesterner now living in Oregon and I have never voted for any national R. I see death star as a monstrous festering cancer. I think a lot of the work is done by a cabal around him with people like Stephen Miller.

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Bill Katz's avatar

A Fireside Chat (From the book.)

President Franklin Delano Roosevelt began a series of informal radio chats to the American public during a turbulent time in the 1930s. The radio back then was to communicating as Twitter is today. Here is an excerpt:

тАЬMy fellow Americans, it is whispered by some that only by abandoning our freedom, our ideals, our way of life, can we rebuild our defenses adequately, can we match the strength of the aggressors. тАжI do not share these fears.тАЭ

Trump demands a quaint, televised, fireside chat to compete with FDR. Here is a sneak preview:

тАЬMy friends, Hillary Clinton will never see the inside of the White House again as long as I live.

тАЬYou people love me so much that I know you want to keep me as your president for life. The Constitution now allows this extended appointment of the executive branch. Our blessed homeland needs me to lead it. I have authorized The Enabling Act, borrowed from German Chancellor Adolf HitlerтАЩs proposal to restrict powers of the Reichstag in 1933. His SS troops made legislators give up their civil liberties and transfer state powers to the Reich government. IтАЩm pleased to tell you that the Democrats will sign away their legislative powers while my ICE agents surround the House of Representatives. I have the power to dissolve Congress and allow my Cabinet to pass much needed laws to Make America Great Again. And I pledge to you that all fake impeachment activity to convict me has ended.

тАЬI also pledge to you that we will root out the communists, Marxists, fascists, and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country. And we will remove all undocumented immigrants that are poisoning the blood of our country. And we will remove the portrait of African-born Barack Hussein Obama from the White House wall.

тАЬMy first act tomorrow will be to have House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Shiftless Adam Schiff picked up for questioning to ascertain their patriotism for the United States.

тАЬI know IтАЩve been accused of a quid pro quo with Ukraine. There is nothing wrong with finding the truth about liars and cheats like Slow Joe Biden. And thereтАЩs nothing wrong asking a nation to help with uncovering wrongdoing by a corrupt man. As your President for Life, I will always tell you the truth. When I make a promise to you, I keep it.

тАЬThis concludes the first of my fireside chats. I canтАЩt wait to tell you what I have in store for other scum Trump haters.тАЭ

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Joan Lederman's avatar

.... from "the" book -- what book?

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Bill Katz's avatar

Mine тАЬ DonaldтАЩs Vanity Tantrums.тАЭ

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MadRussian12A's avatar

Bill, please.., go take shit will ya.

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Bill Katz's avatar

Well darn it, I took several today and I thought I saw your face looking up from the bowl.

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MadRussian12A's avatar

Good recovery there, Bill. :))

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Stephanie Banks's avatar

It will be a highly psychological lift to say you're wrong about Trump. There's a kind of cognitive dissonance to say you've been lied to. A dark triad: ignorance, stupidity, and lack of moral and intellectual code...

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Marcus Debon's avatar

Especially in a society where no one ever simply says тАЬI was wrong.тАЭ тАЬI didnтАЩt know.тАЭ Or heaven forbid, тАЬIтАЩM SORRYтАЭ with sincerity. Now a days, we get, тАЬIтАЩm sorry if you felt that wayтАЭ - the onus being on the injured party, not on the perpetrator of pretty much anything.

Maybe itтАЩs our litigious society where every single thing becomes a lawsuit (both sides are actually guilty of that) so no one will simply admit a screw up or maybe we have been so disconnected from morals or truth, we rationalize every move. Either way, I donтАЩt see any MAGA everyday person from backing off their team colors anytime soon.

I think the best we can hope for is MAGA will fracture itself and hopefully, the winners will be less crazy than the losers.

Right now, they have supported the fringe to punish any person who has a sane idea in the GOP. And now we have a government funded billionaire threatening to bankroll it. Which is actually a reflection on us, more than him. That we are so easily swayed away from truth and democracy for a one time payout of a hundred bucksтАж.literally three trips to chipotle or Chick-FIL-A. ThatтАЩs how moral we have become. Instead of simply reading up on a candidate, going to the polls and voting for all the freedoms we take for granted.

If we continue on this path in these special elections, we will strengthen either a resistance to autocracy or a rubber stamp for expanding it. And that means every single person in these places understand CLEARLY and crazily in a fun, entertaining way that they need to get their bitts off the couch and vote this down.

Sternghtneong people who wish to suppress our voices will lead to straightening them to suppress our ability at the ballot box to change course.

And it will not happen until boys hear from their fathers, instead of a stranger on a podcast, why they should switch course. Not until the protests voter starts admitting they screwed up and the y thing they single voted on is now worse and make amends. Not until womens realize some trans kid theyтАЩll never meet isnтАЩt a danger to their daughter, itтАЩs the administration aiding and abetting the Tate brothers and taking their jobs from them to hand to a white guy whom isnтАЩt nearly as qualified. WhatтАЩs more important, a soccer game or feeding and keeping a roof over your family? How about the Latin and Black men who supposedly switched to Trump. Do they think things will go well for them when they are disappeared off the street by masked men and THEN have the same people either admit their mistake or тАЬfind тАЬ charges against them. If anything really came to light in the last few decades. It was how Black and Brown people typically are not afforded the same тАЬinnocent til proven guiltyтАЭ as white men.

And maybe good lawyers will think twice against offending some random ebpberyday black person if they feel they will be targeted by the local DA.

The only think that trickles down, proven, is crap. It certainly has not been the economy. PROVEN. But bad acts usually do. We saw men stand by silently while womenтАЩs rights were taken away. Now we see immigrants rights taken away. On the chopping block is voting rights and unions. Does the average American male think they will be immune to a richer, better connected white make to take their rights? Ask the head of Paul Weiss or the heads of all the government agencies and universities. All much more powerful than the men in my neighborhood who supported trumo and they have self shackled themselves in the face of this debacle. I doubt, Tim, the union electrician. Up the street will fair better standing up LATER.

And Democrats DID get the fact that Americans want to be part of the in crowdтАж.its what they kept telling voters that their vote was private and they could tell their husband or buddy they voted one way and pulled the lever the other.

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Michele's avatar

Marcus, excellent post. You had me at the very beginning. I know so many people who have very infrequently said those words. When they do, it is for something minor, never for anything truly hurtful, dangerous, or just plain awful. A lot of this is average America white male resentment with foolish women going along with them.

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Roxanna Springer's avatar

They could say they were cheated -- he cheated, he lied to us -- not that they were stupid and were duped but that he cheated them. He's the bad guy. Just like any thief. Don't fall for being put down as a victim. Get mad at the criminal. He claims to be deporting criminals -- he and his ilk are the criminals.

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becky estill's avatar

тАЬFor DECADES we have been ripped off and abused by every nation in the World, both friend and foe. Now it is finally time for the Good OlтАЩ USA to get some of that MONEY and RESPECT, BACK. GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!тАЭ

We are a country of emotionally immature narcissists. Capitalist culture leads to intense focus on the self which is in competition with all the other "selves" out there. And if you're not on top, you've been "ripped off and abused", not that meritocracy has passed you over.

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Cindy Gailey's avatar

Respect is EARNED Mr. Mango Head, not demanded.

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Ryan Collay's avatar

No one really wants to go into drug treatment, they just finally realize that they have so completely fucked up that itтАЩs timeтАж.lost their family, their job, their home. And we need national drug treatment, or maybe itтАЩs more exorcismтАж

What would Jesus actually do? Even the Pope is sick of these тАЬleast of these!тАЭ

I love him calling out JD! Not тАШCrustaceanтАЩ! Jesus!

Of course I love the fact that these guys worship TolkienтАжthey just forget that they are the thralls of тАШIn the darkness bind themтАЩ, they are the тАШring wraiths!тАЩ Those kings..JD, Musky, Peter, ErikтАжin the darkness. XтАЩs

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Kathy Hughes's avatar

Being unable to admit fault and to apologize are two characteristics of sociopaths. They never see themselves as guilty, itтАЩs always the other personтАЩs fault. One of the big problems with American business is that while sociopaths are a relatively small percentage of the population, they seem to predominate in corporate suites all over the country.

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Peaceful Protester's avatar

Maybe its TIT which is probably useful fodder

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Doug G's avatar

Nancy, wasn't gonna go there, but you did. Do we now say the economy is "tits up"?

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Ryan Collay's avatar

So English! And Donny is actually Pear-shaped! DonтАЩt say tits or theyтАЩll go all Homo Erectus on usтАжif they havenтАЩt deleted this too as DEI

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MadRussian12A's avatar

Tits-a-Plenty at 1601 Pornhub these days.The "Dog-Slayer" (ICE-girl) standing in front of the Venus-wayland jail has em right up front with those flowing hair-extensions and botox treatments.., in case ya'll missed it. "Tits up" ? Looks like Doug G, nailed that one alright. Stormy weather is here, and FEMA has been put to bed. Puns for fun.. "Tears for fears"..., and Mrs Wiles really has her hands full. We need Alley Oop (1960' Hollywood Argyles). Go read the lyrics to that one, if yer bored with me.

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FeralAF's avatar

As in, get billionaires off of it?

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