The stench of desperation covers MAGA right now. That's a big big heap on top of the stench of ignorance. I'm starting to think the American people are not as dumb as the Republicans counted on. I can't wait until Trump's name calling, wicked behavior ends.
Megyn Kelly is leading the way with an absurd defence of Jeffery Epstein on the basis that he wasn't a paedophile but an ephebophile i.e. that he was "into the barely legal types" as she so charmingly put it. I assume this was an oblique method of exonerating Trump as the evidence continues to mount against him. There are seemingly no depths....
“Without him, we have nothing” is a confession of a hollow Self: the movement fused its identity to one ego and lost shared purpose.
By labeling him an “imperfect vessel of divine providence”this turns strategy into destiny, so doubt becomes heresy and accountability feels like betrayal.
The antidote: restore agency, diversify leadership, and measure loyalty by outcomes for families, not devotion to a madman. www.xplisset.com
These quotes by Bannon that you note from the HCR article (quite eloquently BTW) are the flailings of an idiot and traitor that is trying to hang onto ratings for his disinformation podcast that makes him large sums of money ... while at the same time, trying to justify himself, and excuse himself, for traitorous past rantings ... just in case shit hits the fan. This POS has already spent time in jail ... I bet he doesn't want that AGAIN, so he is now rhetorically kicking and screaming in order to try and save his own skin ... as most of the followers of the PDFile will eventually start to do. He's trying to play to the ignorant MAGA base. Anyone with a brain (like you sir ... and me and many, many more) can see exactly what the charlatan Bannon is trying to do. I will lose no sleep when he is eventually staring the devil in the crotch ... and hearing the words, while feeling a hand on the back of his head ... "suck Satan's c*ck"
Professor Richardson, thank you for the clarity and depth you bring to these discussions. Your ability to weave historical context into today’s challenges not only informs but empowers readers to think critically about our civic responsibilities. The way you engage with comments — patiently, insightfully, and with respect for differing perspectives — sets a rare but high standard for public discourse. I deeply appreciate the consistency of your work and the moral compass you provide in these times.
A few days ago Heather interviewed Diane Butler Bass, Ph.D. Duke in religious studies, author of eleven books, media religious commentator, popular speaker, preacher and author of: “A People’s History of Christianity”. They had a very educational discussion in which Dr. Bass affirmed that the “Christianity” of most MAGA evangelicals is heretical to mainstream Christianity among other things.
If this is a topic that interests you, Heather mentioned a book by Tim Alberta, award winning journalist and author, staff writer for The Atlantic, and practicing Christian: “The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism”.
And another best selling book by Russell Moore, editor-in-chief of Christianity Today, media religious commentator and former Southern Baptist pastor: “Losing Our Religion - An Alter Call for Evangelical America”. Alberta and Moore agree with Dr. Bass.
Since the science of sociology tells us that religion is one of the socializing forces in society, it is consistent with the authoritarian’s playbook to co-opt it to increase their power and influence over the population. For example, Putin co-opted the Russian Orthodox Church. The Roman Empire co-opted Christianity/the Catholic Church. Viktor Orban co-opted Christianity as “political Christianity”. Trump co-opted “Evangelical Christians”. But authoritarians don’t follow the teachings of the founders of the religions they co-opt. They follow the playbook of authoritarianism not for example the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament.
Agreed. I think it's secondary to just taking from a weaker country. I remember in his first campaign where multiple times he said when we went into Iraq we should take the oil.
I doubt that either James Madison or James Monroe envisioned murder on the high seas as an enforcement tool for keeping America's backyard safe from the Europeans or international drug smugglers. I doubt that FDR did either. However, it seems to be Trump's modus operandi. The president who promises peace brings much war.
OMG the delusional fealty to drumpf is astounding! We need an audit of Treasury funds, because I am convinced that drumpf has been stealing from it all along. But, of course, his first move was to fire all the Auditor Generals! Then he does not like the REAL stats of unemployment etc, so he fires the person in charge. So it is understandable that no reliable stats are available. Unfortunately those stats are used by investors who buy US debt in form of bonds. The US dollar is losing confidence in the world, and that is not a good thing…it matters little drumpf’s blustering attempts to change the narrative.
I was of two minds concerning the so-called traitor democrats who crossed their floor to vote with Republicans for the re-opening of the government. Now I think they did exactly the right thing. The swearing-in of Grivalja and the current "6 day maturing" of the bill to release the Epstein files is causing such major damage to Trump in splitting MAGA in half that I agree it looks finally like the end is coming.
The stench of desperation covers MAGA right now. That's a big big heap on top of the stench of ignorance. I'm starting to think the American people are not as dumb as the Republicans counted on. I can't wait until Trump's name calling, wicked behavior ends.
Megyn Kelly is leading the way with an absurd defence of Jeffery Epstein on the basis that he wasn't a paedophile but an ephebophile i.e. that he was "into the barely legal types" as she so charmingly put it. I assume this was an oblique method of exonerating Trump as the evidence continues to mount against him. There are seemingly no depths....
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7bS92zIxwg
“Without him, we have nothing” is a confession of a hollow Self: the movement fused its identity to one ego and lost shared purpose.
By labeling him an “imperfect vessel of divine providence”this turns strategy into destiny, so doubt becomes heresy and accountability feels like betrayal.
The antidote: restore agency, diversify leadership, and measure loyalty by outcomes for families, not devotion to a madman. www.xplisset.com
These quotes by Bannon that you note from the HCR article (quite eloquently BTW) are the flailings of an idiot and traitor that is trying to hang onto ratings for his disinformation podcast that makes him large sums of money ... while at the same time, trying to justify himself, and excuse himself, for traitorous past rantings ... just in case shit hits the fan. This POS has already spent time in jail ... I bet he doesn't want that AGAIN, so he is now rhetorically kicking and screaming in order to try and save his own skin ... as most of the followers of the PDFile will eventually start to do. He's trying to play to the ignorant MAGA base. Anyone with a brain (like you sir ... and me and many, many more) can see exactly what the charlatan Bannon is trying to do. I will lose no sleep when he is eventually staring the devil in the crotch ... and hearing the words, while feeling a hand on the back of his head ... "suck Satan's c*ck"
You just expressed this quiet part aloud 10x better than I could’ve. Thank you for this.
My pleasure.
How are the murderous attacks on Venezuelan boats about anything OTHER than projecting a pretext to steal the country's oil?
Professor Richardson, thank you for the clarity and depth you bring to these discussions. Your ability to weave historical context into today’s challenges not only informs but empowers readers to think critically about our civic responsibilities. The way you engage with comments — patiently, insightfully, and with respect for differing perspectives — sets a rare but high standard for public discourse. I deeply appreciate the consistency of your work and the moral compass you provide in these times.
If Trump is so concerned about drugs in America, why did he pardon Ross Ulbricht?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tylerroush/2025/01/22/who-is-ross-ulbricht-what-to-know-about-silk-road-drug-marketplace-founder-pardoned-by-trump/
A few days ago Heather interviewed Diane Butler Bass, Ph.D. Duke in religious studies, author of eleven books, media religious commentator, popular speaker, preacher and author of: “A People’s History of Christianity”. They had a very educational discussion in which Dr. Bass affirmed that the “Christianity” of most MAGA evangelicals is heretical to mainstream Christianity among other things.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtEhw-UJhUo
If this is a topic that interests you, Heather mentioned a book by Tim Alberta, award winning journalist and author, staff writer for The Atlantic, and practicing Christian: “The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory: American Evangelicals in an Age of Extremism”.
And another best selling book by Russell Moore, editor-in-chief of Christianity Today, media religious commentator and former Southern Baptist pastor: “Losing Our Religion - An Alter Call for Evangelical America”. Alberta and Moore agree with Dr. Bass.
Since the science of sociology tells us that religion is one of the socializing forces in society, it is consistent with the authoritarian’s playbook to co-opt it to increase their power and influence over the population. For example, Putin co-opted the Russian Orthodox Church. The Roman Empire co-opted Christianity/the Catholic Church. Viktor Orban co-opted Christianity as “political Christianity”. Trump co-opted “Evangelical Christians”. But authoritarians don’t follow the teachings of the founders of the religions they co-opt. They follow the playbook of authoritarianism not for example the teachings of Jesus in the New Testament.
Maybe Trump is attacking Venezuela for geopolitics rather than a wag the dog scenario.
To disrupt the supply of oil/petroleum products to Cuba, maybe?
Agreed. I think it's secondary to just taking from a weaker country. I remember in his first campaign where multiple times he said when we went into Iraq we should take the oil.
Megyn Kelly is an extremely poor excuse for a human being!
I doubt that either James Madison or James Monroe envisioned murder on the high seas as an enforcement tool for keeping America's backyard safe from the Europeans or international drug smugglers. I doubt that FDR did either. However, it seems to be Trump's modus operandi. The president who promises peace brings much war.
Cocaine and heroin are addictions of choice. Far less deadly than cigarettes and sugar.
They come from South America.
Fentanyl is a poison.
A bait and switch form of murder.
The gun is not loaded they lead one to believe before the roulette begins.
It comes out of Mexico.
Why are we not bombing Mexico?
I know that was well-intentioned but wouldn't it be better not bombing anyone?
I was being rhetorically facetious.
I agree we don’t need to bomb anyone.
Isn’t it an interesting that as the Epstein files heat up so does the military?
Reminds me, of when, after the bombing of the troops in Lebanon killed 200, Reagan withdrew and somehow found a reason to invade Grenada.
Well they could that again. It would be a lot easier now that the Cubans have gone.
Because the Chinese supply the component substances to manufacture Fentanyl to Mexico and we share a border with Mexico?
China has rare earth mineral deposits we need. He’s treading lightly, for now. Countries are spoils for the victors
OMG the delusional fealty to drumpf is astounding! We need an audit of Treasury funds, because I am convinced that drumpf has been stealing from it all along. But, of course, his first move was to fire all the Auditor Generals! Then he does not like the REAL stats of unemployment etc, so he fires the person in charge. So it is understandable that no reliable stats are available. Unfortunately those stats are used by investors who buy US debt in form of bonds. The US dollar is losing confidence in the world, and that is not a good thing…it matters little drumpf’s blustering attempts to change the narrative.
This whole thing sickens me...GOD HELP US ALL!!
I was of two minds concerning the so-called traitor democrats who crossed their floor to vote with Republicans for the re-opening of the government. Now I think they did exactly the right thing. The swearing-in of Grivalja and the current "6 day maturing" of the bill to release the Epstein files is causing such major damage to Trump in splitting MAGA in half that I agree it looks finally like the end is coming.
Thank you.
Thank you, Heather & Michael❣️