If DJT is Putin's Puppet... Then Putin is succeeding Brilliantly in Damaging the U.S., and Europe... DJT will not always be with Us, but the Damage that DJT has done will persist...
trump lies. He changes his mind more often than a baby has his diaper changed. Republican then democrat then republican. Was for abortion (even late term) now he avoids the issue by assigning it to the states. How many people has he "don't really know him"? he says he is a great advocator for the environment then destroys it with his Wall and golf courses. Trivial but how many wives and dalliances?
"Campaigning to destroy NATO; opposing aid to Ukraine; demolishing the free worldтАЩs confidence in AmericaтАЩs ability to keep top secret information confidential; utterly destroying our seniormost intelligence and military agencies; installing Trojan horses to lead them: TrumpтАЩs goal appears to be, to paraphrase Ron DeSantis, to тАЬMake America Russia.тАЭ
They want to gut the country, create chaos similar to YeltsinтАЩs time in Russia, and steal the country blind, plus takeover companies and industries at their pleasure. Forget the unelected bureaucrats. What about Elon and Vivek? Who elected them to make decisions.?!
In one election the undoing of the USA. Thanks to all you who voted for this mess. You will have successed in, among othe issues, keeping a trans from using the bathroom of their choice. Good going Americans, I hope you are happy now.
I've seen allegations of Putin's techies having hacked pro-orange felon votes at the top of ballots which Musk provided to them -- with no down-ballot voting on them at all.
Have also seen allegations of some millions of Dem inner city (black) votes having been suppressed as illegitimate, set aside as provisional, then unceremoniously dumped.
That is entirely believable. Why the silence about the obvious potential for enormous election fraud from the Democrats ? The only reason that seems acceptable is that the Intelligence services reports argued that the potential loss of life and US state cohesion from a bloody uncontrollable insurgent civil war breaking out when Trump lost was thought to be a greater threat than the slow burn loss of life and US state cohesion when he was returned. I am hoping that this is what is called a Golden Bridge event. Allowing your mortal enemies an acceptable retreat via a seeming gain. If not, than Kruschev and his loyalists have indeed played a blinder that will go down in history as one of the greatest and most successful Intelligence operations in modern history. The political capture of the USA without a shot being fired.
Stephen Spoonamore, cyber security expert explains it all...It does seem plausible. I hope I'm not so desperate that I'm buying into a conspiracy theory.
I have been following him too. Heard his interview with Thom Hartmann and then went to his SubStack You know, he blames the huge number of bullet ballots in the swing states as being invalid. And as a statistition, he has proved it. But the problem is, only Kamala Harris can ask for a recount of those states! SheтАЩs hard to get in ahold of right now, sadly. I believe that today is the last day he met. The man can be made.
No need to get this complicated. This is the effect of voter suppression laws that passed in Georgia and Alabama in the wake of Trump's 2020 loss and the voter roll purge in Pennsylvania this fall, as well as a bunch of last minute rule changes that did not go into effect but created confusion nonetheless. The entire question of "what did the Harris campaign/Democrats/Biden do wrong?" is predicated on the counter factual that this was a free and fair election; it was not.
Phil, I'm sure when you say "allegations" you are using the term to avoid being castrated in court for defamation or false accusation, even tho you actually watched the driver, whom we all know ram his car into the crowd. So, I would rather state the source. I just hate it when credibility of "allegations" surfaces disclosing a legitimate technicality that would arouse DOUBT as to the accusation..., thus making it appear 'trumped up' and subsequently resulting "it" being dismissed. I hate it when that happens. Newsroom love it because it gives them something to publish, promising "facts at eleven.., stay tuned". No? So, show me the gotttdammmned ballots! AND>>> please, not photo-shoped versions. The frustration-level I'm implying, surely doesn't just rest with me. Just the facts maam.., please. (Dragnet - Joe Friday, Det)
The trouble with this, other than its extreme unlikelihood, is that it is a case of fighting the last war. We need to figure out how to fight the next battle. Thinking about mistakes we made in the last battle will be useful. Grasping at straws to say that those mistakes did not make a difference won't.
If you read that "Duty to Warn" letter, it reports that there is enough of an anomaly in one key area (votes on 600,000 ballots in key swing states that push the margin of victory past the recount threshold; these votes list only a vote for Trump; no other candidate, office, measure, etc.)
I would call that "compelling evidence" that any of tfg's cries of fraud lacked.
Ally, why did Kamala folod like a cheap card table? Did she know something the rest of us didn't?
I notice a number of trolls and bots on here defending the count, which is expected. The fact that "the ballot counting machines were not connected to the internet is not necessarily true. There was lots of time between 2020 and 2024 to change as Musk said one line of code.
As others have noted, the race was about race. That seems to be all that most Trump voters cared about, enough so, to win him a plurality, and the election, with the help of the rural, depopulated, and small state bias inherent in the Electoral College system provided for by the Constitution. It wasnтАЩt about the economy. It wasnтАЩt about Project 2025. It was not even about Leadership in any positive sense. There is no question but that the Democratic Party and its candidates focus their appeal, or at least are seen to, on Americas increasingly urban multiethnic, tolerant, contented and homogenous society. Like Dillinger said, тАШItтАЩs where the voters areтАЩ. Trump played on this and focused his appeal on the opposite. And he won, with Pennsylvania being the most glaring example of strategic failure for Kamala Harris. As Kremlin experts understand, racism is alive and well in America. There is no reason not to expect it to be. It is an enduring aspect of human social behavior. What Trump has done, with the help of the likes of Ron DeSantos, is to legitimize racism once again. It is ok for American society once again to think and act in these terms. Why ? Because everyoneтАЩs neighbor is doing it, but no one can be stopped from doing it, because laws and rules have been passed declaring it dead. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris went to north Philadelphia to hold a rally that attracted thousands from the neighborhood, and Trump went to Hersey where few gathered to listen to him. And then proceeded to insult Philadelphia, and New York, and Bridgeport, and Newark, and Baltimore, and urban America generally, at Madison Square Garden, that architectural travesty and disgrace to the Nation that should be torn down. But I digress.
1992, black journalist Joseph Boyce, " at one time the last thing anyone wanted to be called was a racist, whether you were or not. It was a mark to be avoided. And today I don't think people really care that much, some of them, you know. They'll say, ' yeah, I'm a racist, so what, so what are you going to do about it?'"
I think this reductionist view misses the point. Lots of data out there to disprove that latent racism moved the election to the orange side. There is more to it, for one we need to figure out how to message to people who are not interested in politics.
And IтАЩm criticized for being angry because after all, it was our side that didnтАЩt rise to the occasion and prevent this monster from destroy everything good in America. And when I suggest that the last chance to save America is to encourage or hope the good generals who still obey the constitution temporarily suspends it and declare a military coup in order to preserve the original concept of the constitution. And IтАЩm criticized for being an asshole. Go ahead, call me an asshole. You are about to be put in your place.
(From "Donald's Vanity Tantrums")
Welcome to The New Snazzy Nazi States of America
(Introducing The Goose-Step, Two-Step March)
A new dance craze is sweeping the nation called, The Goose-Step, Two-step March. This invigorating new exercise is easy to learn! First, link arms on the dance floor. As you move backward in line, turn your head to the right and lift your left leg straight up as high as it will go. Then step forward as you turn your head to the left and lift your right leg straight up in the air.
It's very similar to square dancing or line dancing. Soon the dance floor will be filled with goose-steppers. Forward, backward, round and round. If you step out of line, you are tagged, the caller detains you, interrogates you, strip searches you, and sends you off to detainment camps for disloyalty.
This new dance craze is not to be confused with serious charges of criminal activity. By the time the youngins reach the age of reason, they will be quick to form into lines upon request for impromptu Goose-Step, Two-Step Marches and other forms of family entertainment
I guess we could ask them, "Since you, like Trump, tried to deny his connection to Project 2025, so you know it is bad, and since you now know Project 2025 is in play, what will you do to help us stop it?"
As a retired federal employee- HUGE understatement. If they do all the Project 2025 plans we will have a depression in 6 - 8 months. Not a recession- a depression, 1929 style.
And they will blame it on the aftermath of BidenтАЩs failed policies and tell us to wait for TrumpтАЩs policies to take effect and cure things. And the fools will believe them.
I believe we should be watchful of our finances and begin to go into defensive mode. The irony is that anyone who has any degree of wealth should be allright since this whole revolution is really a money grab.
Another government imposed Shock Doctrine (see The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein). It will cause massive poverty, political violence, suicides, and decimate the middle class further, increasing our already sky-high inequality. All to benefit the already rich. It's dystopia.
Except they donтАЩt keep their money lying around in cash and 99% of their wealth is on paper; stocks and options. When things go south if they donтАЩt cash that in before the millions of little people like us sell their values sinks, their companies struggle.
We had a neighbor who bragged constantly about how much wealth they had in stock and real estate. Suddenly a dot come bust wiped out all the stock they were too complacent to sell, options were worthless because they were higher than the current stock price and then shortly afterward afterward a massive real estate bust making their properties under water. We watched them sink into despair as they lost almost everything.
Trump is a pauper, he lives on borrowed money and current stock values that he canтАЩt pull out. He has massive bank loans coming due. This is why being POTUS is so important to him.
TrumpтАЩs (less than) half of America has trouble with cause and effect. I guess it has to be right in their face for them to notice. And then they will shift the blame elsewhere probably, just like that cult leader, who is DARVO - all the way down.
Sadly, that is the goal of Musk. He thinks destroying our economy will allow him to reshape our society to his will. He'll teach us to live within our means.
The unprofessional journalists and news agencies who allowed the Republicans to keep Project 2025 a secret for 12 months leading up to the Nov 5th election is to blame. Project 2025 is a regime change that crushes our democracy to bits, and allowed the GOP to camouflage this as a zealot Christian National program, plus allowed Trump to avoid being transparent with disclosure is a major backstab from MSM to all of America. The angry public should threaten civil protest and force Biden and Harris to support us.
I always felt that If Trump managed to get into office again, there would be general strikes all over the country. I don't see the appetite, sadly.
Joe Biden welcomed Trump into the Oval Office with a smile. (That was devastating to me, a lifelong Dem - I mean, I don't want Dems to obstruct the transfer of power, but did he HAVE to do it with a big smile? Knowing the contempt Trump has for him? )
I keep thinking of the Tolerance Paradox: the more one extends tolerance to the intolerant, the more the tolerant are treated poorly until they're eventually overcome.
You're talking about an American public, of which 40% cannot read and comprehend the instructions on a bottle of aspirin, and a total population of 60% reads at a 6th grade level or less, 80% of whom have no idea how the government works. Do you think any of these Gammas know what a "general strike" is?
We have been in this fight since 1954, when Brown v Board began the dismantling of Jim Crow, a dismantling that produced the festering White Resentment that has now given us the Groper-in-Chief.
Technically speaking all kinds of people have been in this fight since the beginning when those prejudiced Pilgrims first spied the Native Americans.
In keeping with the topic of this election I was referring to the time period of 2016 to now. At this moment the data points of how this madman is still around are numerous. But. It is the biggest lie ever that this election was not about hatred of the other. That hatred begins with people of color and spirals outward to anyone not white, rich and male.
Yes Barbara, worn out, worried and other responses too. I can't say anyone else will enjoy this video of John Oliver's response as much as I did but I offer it as an example of robust creativity and looking squarely at so much that few of us want to deal with. I was lit up smiling as I watched the post-election episode of "Last Week Tonight", https://youtu.be/LU2atCWyAos?si=efwuHpvErBjh-6Cs .
Joan Lederman -- Regretfully I am not able to watch this because of restrictions from Canada (where I live). I'm going to continue try to find a back door. But, do you have the actual date of this episode? You only said "post-election". Anything else?
Will see how worn out they are after he starts interning his perceived enemies! Who else will fill the privatized prisons/interment camps after the demonized and vilified immigrants are deported!?
Louis it has been 16 days since the election that will have such catastrophic results. We are stunned and numb as the takeover is flashing before our computer eyes. People will rouse. Even the people I trust to know the most about the world we find ourselves in such as Dr. Richardson and Simon Rosenberg are openly expressing how exhausted they are.
Yes, the Tolerance Paradox sums it up perfectly. I completely agree. Of all the thing that have been so alarming since the election, Joe Biden smiling and welcoming 45 was absolutely crushing. I don't understand why we continue to pretend this is just another election.
I wrote a piece on the White House visit. You can click on it on the name "Trilogy" besides my name. Not trying to drum up business but that is where my thoughts are. I was devasted as well at President Biden's poor play of the White House visit.
I agree - they should be shouting WTAF from the roof tops. I felt the same way when Hakeem Jeffries was saying how he would 'reach across the asile' They should be shouting about the sexual predators nominated for top positions - it's like the Dems are deer caught in headlights and frozen in place.
Absolutely. We need now to be Obstructionists not accommodationists. There is an election in 2 years. It should be a no brainer to win back both houses. But then maybe there wonтАЩt be any more elections.
Hopefully, Hakeem and other Democratic Party leaders are huddling with their staffs & consultants, preparing to launch a counter-offensive, as soon as all of us тАЬtired & worn-outтАЭ troops have had a chance to do some post-election rejuvenating.
Hopefully a battle plan more serious than the one engineered by Bluto (John Belushi) in Animal House.
I attended a recent online National meeting of тАЬIndivisible,тАЭ which has a 30 page guidebook for resistance at the local level, which they believe, unlike 2016, is where people like us can fight the battles that will have meaning, impact, and a cumulative effect.
More specifically, Indivisible points out battles need to be fought at the state, county, and town levels; putting pressure on those locally elected officials if you happen to live in a red state or red county. If you live in a blue state or county, your form of political engagement might be more along the lines of supporting (rather than battling) local officials.
For more info, including formation of a local Indivisible group or joining an existing group, here is the link.
For those of us who are тАЬtired & worn out,тАЭ we might find such a group to be energizing.
IтАЩm not naiive to how bleak the current picture is, especially in the context of what others in this wonderful community of HCRтАЩs have said about the literacy rates in this country, and their susceptibility to Big Lies, which are nonstop, the latest being the so-called тАЬmandate.тАЭ
The only тАЬman-datesтАЭ I see are of тАЬBrosтАЭ like Trump, Musk, Vance, Gaetz, etcтАжcelebrating, planning their work, and working their plan, with powerful tools of тАЬnewsтАЭ domination in their control.
I think Dany Carvy his Biden down perfectly. I never liked Biden. One lasting thing he could do is to pardon Leonard Peltier, Native activist falsely accused of aiding and abetting in the deaths of two FBI agents. And who is now dying in a Florida Federal prison after 50 years of confinement.
Biden's toddling into the Amazon forest after his little speech was a stark revelation to me that he is, in fact, in cognitive decline. A fully competent leader would have anticipated the poor optics and never agreed to that choreography. Biden's handlers are failing him at the end of his presidency, and he is not aware enough to override their blunders.
It makes me physically nauseous to think of the current administration turning over power to people they know will attempt everything to destroy our democracy.
I donтАЩt entirely agree. P2025 wasnтАЩt a secret; it was talked about although perhaps not by what we used to call the main stream media. They let us down in innumerable ways. Two plus weeks after the election, I see articles about how people are тАЬshockedтАЭ at tfgтАЩs plans, including some health industry consultants in DC. (Aside: one wonders how useful consultants who are тАЬshockedтАЭ that tfg is going to do what he said are to clients.) my point is that info about P2025 was available and some writers went to great length to explain what it meant. Like other of tfgтАЩs plans, people ignored or were ignorant. Because, you know, eggs.
Agreed. Eggs. And all the rest of life...beating them down.
For those of us who pay attention, Project 2025 was discussed endlessly. But too many people don't take an interest in "politics". Over 90 million people checked out of the system and didn't vote.
They are completely clueless. We might as well have been discussing "string theory". We Democrats didn't connect with them at the level where they live. Long, grueling stressful days.
My Mother in Law (97 and at home) has a very nice young woman who helps her - it keeps her out of an institution - "Mom" is happier and the government saves a lot of money.
She asked the young woman (who has four kids) if she voted. "No, I didn't have time."
Millions and millions of us don't read Substack, the NYTimes or...anything. They just grind through each day, trying to make ends meet, trying to care for their kids with lousy housing and bills, bills, bills.
If we are to get enough of the working class back - to resume some form of democracy and decency, Democrats have to create a whole new strategy. We need to be the party of POPULISM. We need to channel the frustration and rage of well over 90 million people who see life as awful and don't see a change in their futures. We need to offer some hope with some concrete policies - they need MONEY.
In the richest nation to have ever existed, anyone who works a full time job should have decent housing, clean water, adequate food, healthcare and education. Full stop, no exceptions. NO excuses.
There are trillions of dollars in the hands of a few (mostly white guys). As Tom Rush sang: "The problem with America is that the poor have too much money and the rich don't have enough". /s
Have you seen Mark Zuckerberg's yacht(s)? Google it. Read about it. Then look at Brin and Gates "vessels". Our oligarchs are hoarding the national treasure while the people who hold our lives together are trying to decide whether to buy 6 or 12 eggs this week.
You have hit the nail on the head! The working poor are overwhelmed just trying to stay alive. Minimum wage at $7:50 in some states means you cannot pay rent and eat well and pay all your bills. The stress must be unimaginable to those of us doing well. These are the people the dems should be helping and bringing into the fold. But how to reach them?
When I ran my small manufacturing business in Brooklyn, I gave my employees Metro cards, I paid 75% of their health insurance, bought them turkeys (or veg alternate) at Thanksgiving, and many other small untaxable perks. Their low, but above minimum wages ,were taxed higher than corporate leaders.
But, by giving the extras wherever I could it made a difference. They didn't quit the minute they were eligible for Unemployment. They stayed and we became a community for several decades.
The taxes on the working classes are too high. We need good public schools, public transportation, decent afordable housing.
Are we even going to have the opportunity to pursue a "whole new strategy"??
Much as I'm trying to focus on the here and now, I woke up last night completely stressed about what's going to happen. The retirement funds that we have worked so hard for... the health care insurance we're going to need... friends and family who will be threatened. Meanwhile, the cabinet of the new administration is just a sh*t show. All those people who are happy that they now "own the libs" -- and for WHAT?!
Or believed it was just Trump being Trump! 'He's just angry and trying to scare us'... And many believed that the 'rule of laws ', would put him in a place where he could not hurt us. I sure did. Not impeach him for insurrection failed my criteria to adhere to rules of law. And the documents crimes that are so blatantly true.
Agree. It was all over You Tube beginning last year or the first of this year. I know IтАЩve known about it for months and got the word out as often as possible along with links to the explanations. The corporate media though didnтАЩt do nearly what it could have early on however. ThereтАЩs a lot of has to answer for though.
Unfortunately the media (WaPo in particular) has bent over backwards to normalize Trump. Many of my friends, and I have canceled our subscriptions. Now I can ad Delta to my do not fly list.
However SS and Medicare do need attention. They are unsustainable as they are. Perhaps some of their inevitable shortfalls could be reversed if for every $150000 someone made in retirement, their SS payments would decline by 33% and their Medicare premiums would double. These numbers have no basis in facts. Just an idea.
Secondly the major welfare program, FEMA has to go. States should self insure for the natural disasters that they know are coming. Unfortunately that will mean state income taxes will be needed to fund these recovery plans.
Similarly , farm welfare has to end.
Instead these grifters want to cut food stamps and support for the bottom of our economy. They donтАЩt seem to want to acknowledge that half our population is below average intellectually and/ or physically. Unfortunately many cannot follow basic instructions.
Is there abuse of our current welfare system? Of course. Medicare fraud is rampant too. Maybe big oil welfare can finally go away?
There are plenty of complicated opportunities for our тАЬentrepreneurs тАЬ. Hopefully they wonтАЩt choose to pick on those who are already underserved.
I disagree with FEMA being abolished and states covering disaster management, especially after seeing the impact of hurricanes this year. It takes collaboration across state lines and multiple agencies to manage a disaster. A single state can't manage that alone.
Yes it can if it is prepared. These storms are not a surprise. The problem is they will have to tax their residents and, of course, they sell their low/no taxes as an incentive. Maybe FEMA could become a lending agency to help out when a storm is as crazy as they were this year. But, the bad news is that the storms will get more frequent and much worse as they ignore global warming (you can't say those words in FL). I aim not talking about just the SE. I am talking about all 50 states.
I am in support of changes that have to be made. What I am suggesting would directly affect me. We all know that one knee replacement will use up the meager amount paid into Medicare. Social Security needs to support those who did not make much when they worked. Not people making $150,000 or more. The average SS payment is around $1500. Anyone at that level certainly didn't have discretionary cash for a 401k or IRA, if these were even available to them.There should probably be a minimum payment of $2500 which should be subsidized by high income recipients. Certainly today's workers will need to see higher deductions as their retirement costs will be much higher. Additionally, SS deductions should go all the way up like Medicare does. As for Elon and Don, they just want to screw the poorest among us so they can have more. Pathetic.
FEMA has to go ?! Are you kidding?! Many states that get hit hardest are among the poorest. AND natural disasters don't care about state boundaries. Divvying up responses to disasters by state would seriously complicate response times and capabilities. You need to rethink this!
Planning is the essence of their response. Unfortunately, those "poorest" states will have to have really high income taxes. Every state should be self insured. No natural disasters are a "surprise". We know they are coming. CA has fires and floods, MN has tornadoes and floods, FL has hurricanes. The list goes on and on.
Mike, you have taxation reversed. If taxes were equitable, we would have sufficient funds to operate all our social programs with the benefit of having a more equal society. When taxes shouldтАЩve been raised on the ultra rich Bush had Trump gave them tax breaks. Everyone should pay their fair share.
I agree. Take Reagan, Bush, Trump tax cuts away and we probably have a balanced budget. But subsidizing states is not the way to a "fair share". States like LA, FL, NC, SC, GA get far more from the feds than they pay in. In some cases almost 3:1. FEMA is just another welfare program for them. They need to create income through a state income tax or high property taxes to cover the costs for disaster recovery.
They stop money influx, thus giving working people and businesses a tax cuts, while they keep those on the program currently until the fund runs dry, then too bad, we told you it was a bad program.
They keep their promise to not take away at first from those on the programs, and they give tax cuts to everyone else.
Mike, FEMA was created to fill a gap in capabilities that states couldn't fill when responding to natural disasters. It has helped communities recover from disasters and become more resilient. Its job is complex and evolving as science and society gain a better understanding of the severe risks that we face in different geographic and different climate conditions. FEMA is expensive, but it has helped tens of millions of people stay in middle class after experiencing disasters that have taken 100% of what they owned due to floods, winds and fires. Most of these disasters span two or more states. Most disasters are not foreseen by states because states' focus is necessarily local and not regional. Would you have those millions of disaster victims languish in poverty and rheteby reduce our national GDP enough, to the point of your wallet feeling it?
To me, it's obvious you don't know the limits of your knowledge.
Assuming that states don't foresee disasters is ridiculous. Of course FL knows they will have hurricanes every year. They may not attribute the increased frequency and intensity to global warming but they know things won't get better. CA knows they will have fires and mud slides and floods. Again, they know these occurrences will not get better in the future. MN has tornadoes and floods, same thing; it won't get better.
Sure FEMA has been an effective welfare program where states refuse to tax their residents sufficiently to cover these events. I am sorry for people who buy a trailer in an area that is a flood plain or a target for hurricanes or tornadoes.
Maybe FEMA could be a lending agency for those who are needy?
I have saved the multiple warnings from 98% and others of how it could/will beтАжI understand fear tactics have been used to tire, confuse, and throw us a tizzy, but I moved years to remote/self sufficient as possible тАжplan B ya know. *LetтАЩs hope it works. * Well тАжit may be about to come full circle and reality ..trust gone, reality replaced with lies proven with little to no consequences but plenty of delay.
I will likely by then have closed all accounts FB, donations, subscriptions.
People with too much unaccountable power tend to become bullies (corrupt). Any precedents in history (yup)? Democratic power attempts to make power accountable. That's what regulation is. There can be bad regulation, even malicious regulation (think of "Jim Crow" laws) but law keeps society civilized.
Those (in every society) who want to dominate and exploit people, to impose their own will if they can, fight boundaries and accountability tooth and nail. It the foreign films I like to watch are any guide, bullies emerge in childhood worldwide, and some people admire that. Successful liberators are often subject to attack and assassination. Some seem to live to subjugate others if they can. It's a reoccurring theme throughout history with a very ugly wake of victims.
"As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is not democracy."
My bully theory about the election is this: Trump is a thug, living by thug rules; loyalty is a must, never admit to being wrong or wrongdoing, kindness is weakness, lying is fine as long as it keeps you in power, revenge is key, and snitches get stitches. Many Americans follow these rules, hoping that it gets them money and power, possibly because some of them have had to live under thug rules in their own communities. Some of these people run large corporations, where profit is more important than anything else. Maybe keeping this in mind will help us figure a way out of this mess. Of course, not all in MAGA , or whoever voted for Trump are thugs, many are just drastically misguided and misinformed. So, how do we reinstate democracy, rule of law, ethics, civil rights, common sense, facts, truth rather than bias in journalism, a system of checks and balances that works, separation of church and state? How can we take care of those unable to earn a wage; our children, some of our disabled, our elderly? How can we save the planet? What is our playbook, our strategy? I don't have answers, but I do believe we can fix what's broken. I have come to know that boycotting can be a powerful tool. We can continue to teach that kindness is a gentle strength, and teach critical thinking skills. We can stand up for what moves us toward equality. We can expose corruption. What else do we have? Ideas, anyone?
Here is an idea. Find the people who don't believe that the Democratic Party is there for them and offer them something. Not political philosophies. Offer them money so they can survive and then thrive, pay taxes, raise families. Restore the "American Dream".
Here's a campaign slogan:
"If you work full time, "you" are entitled to decent housing, clean water, adequate food, healthcare and education. Then "you" take it from there. A baseline of a reasonable existence - with a level playing field. The cream will rise to the top as the education kicks in. Or not. At the very least we, as the "People's Party", need to alleviate the suffering.
Bill, you just spoke the words of Frances Perkins, the architect of the New Deal: тАЬThe people are what matter to government, and a government should aim to provide the means by which all the people under its jurisdiction can access the best possible life.тАЭ Some call it pragmatic capitalism.
I would suggest we take our letter writing abilities to those we elected to stand up for our values and organize in groups and communities to reverse the impact of the decisions of the uninformed and the likes of the Scrambled Egg and his cohort to use the laws we still have against corruption.
For at least 50 years our country has had a declining middle class & growing population who are working poor. Blockbuster films & celebrity worship are our bread & circuses. All attempts to change the direction will help. So good to see positive ideas!
Republicans did an excellent job of gutting unions which were the backbone of the middle class. Once unions were busted, white collar compensation also cratered.
Trump told us he would bring down our governmentтАФthe тАЬdeep state.тАЭ America either didnтАЩt believe him or didnтАЩt care. His first step in the process is to appoint crackpots in charge of our institutions. His second step will be to destroy our safety net. There are already plans afoot to destroy Medicaid. Surely, Obama Care is next. If the government can survive for two more years, we may have a chance to begin reconstruction.
"This was digital demotivation, something that I have seen and studied in other settings. I was supposed to be driven towards indifference, towards not doing anything, towards not voting. I was being nudged by a phantom....This time the oligarch was Elon Musk, and this time the demotivational messages were deceptive to an even higher degree: they were presented as Harris campaign ads."
So here we are. Watch Simon Rosenberg's excellent discussions with 3 other titans of American politics Rick Wilson, Joe Trippe and Stuart Stevens. They are discussing what happened, seem to be scratching their heads on what's next and are determined to do what they can to counteract this incoming Administration.
The number of core MAGA voters could not have won this election. Something else not seen before happened. There was massive propaganda.
Why haven't the pundits addressed Russian interference? Trump spread the big lie. His Jan 6 message was "stop the steal" This time, he apparently, with Musk's and Russkie help, performed a steal. Musk said it would be easy.
If voters were wary of the "other" it was because Russia and a complying media and Republican proaganda targeted visceral voters. To me the "other" is Russia.
The FBI said in a statement it was aware of the threats, many of which originated from Russian email domains, but the agency also downplayed their risk. тАЬNone of the threats have been determined to be credible thus far,тАЭ the statement said.
Hartmann elsewhere cited and interviewed Stephen Spoonamore, who was CEO or CTO at seven high technology firms including two that specialized in hacking and counter-hacking operations. He wrote a memo alleging that to "a near certainty" the results have been changed at a scale which reversed the election. He recommends a hand recount to most likely require reversal. He cites to a letter from 7 experts in computer science who go into detail. https://freespeechforpeople.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/letter-to-vp-harris-111324.pdf
I don't think Spoonamore knows jack about law. Many of the acts alleged may be crimes -- either state and/or federal.
Every other state has similar provisions. AZ and NV apparently aberrant...that may be enough. But note that Greg Palast also says 2.7 million votes are missing.
The requirements for TROs are usually iminent and imediate threats..
We had Consitutional crises before...Bush v Gore. A civil war.
I read the piece that was linked to. Here's my problem. I need to see examples. It's all very well to talk about that there were videos produced that were negative about Harris but they were produced as though they were part of the Harris campaign. But I need to see an example. Or two. It's not that I don't believe it but I just Need to see an example. Or two.
Yes, Patricia, we cannot fall prey to GiulianiтАЩs contention that they тАЬjust knowтАЭ there was fraud in the 2020 election, giving Biden/Harris the win. Need verifiable proof, tho any that can be documented will likely come after the inauguration & who knows what actual impact that would have.
Of course, Barbara, they're "scratching their heads."
Dems long ago lost any ability they might have had to cite the humanities that could have kept them in touch with our vast working classes all betrayed by the (other) elites who off-shored their jobs by the tens of millions.
But Dems liked their status quo where they could remain totally out of touch from the betrayed working classes.
Honestly Phil I doubt a whole lot of people who worked extremely hard to elect the Harris/Walz ticket are open to Democratic Party critiques right now.
Let people rest. To continue to relitigate the Biden Administration at this time appears inelegant.
Quite true. But what did we offer the struggling average hard working families who have checked out of the system? Why couldn't we motivate 10 or 20 million of the 90 plus million who did not vote?
Because we spent a lot of time on political philosophies and social justice (I'm a big fan of that) but very little time offering concrete help - that means MONEY for those millions who are desperately trying to just get by.
Bill, I agree with your premise, but not your conclusion. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I will say (write) again, we can blame disaffected voters on gerrymandering and the Electoral College. If one believes one's vote doesn't count, one is not motivated to stand in line and vote.
I'm not a news nerd, but I paid considerable attention to the election. Harris/Walz devoted 99%-plus of their attention to the "battleground states," so named because they were the only states that mattered with respect to Electoral College votes. Other states' precincts are so severely gerrymandered, they are deemed "red" or "blue" before the first vote is ever cast. Why speak when your voice is being silenced by the System?
Everything is too bad now. We have a president who is a pig and his piglets are hungry to transform our democracy into whatever the want without guardrails. They were IтАЩll destroy more guardrails as quickly as possible. The carnage is coming soon and I can hardly stand to watch.
More than Fox. Fox + social media, or soc media +??? I think Fox got wise. Just watch what is trending on social and run the entertainment тАШnewsтАЩ of what is trending highest, even if itтАЩs mostly bots.
I donтАЩt know that Fox Propaganda Network got wise so much as that they were fined three quarters of a billion dollars for lying about Dominion voting machines. That sort of hit stings, and calls for more subtle subterfuge.
I agree, social media and Russian skulduggery have serious negative impacts on American democracy. Not to mention gerrymandering, voter suppression and so on.
Constantly bombarded by ads based on LIES about VP Harris!
At one rally trump ranted that тАШwomen locked themselves in the house at night, because immigrant rapists allegedly freed by Harris roamed their streetsтАЩ!!
This coming from a creature who is a convicted sexual predator himself! Yet they voted for him!
You wrote тАЬ At one rally trump ranted that тАШwomen locked themselves in the house at night, because immigrant rapists allegedly freed by Harris roamed their streetsтАЩ!!
This coming from a creature who is a convicted sexual predator himself! Yet they voted for him!тАЭ
One small but meaningful speck of silver lining on the enormous black storm cloud over America that is the coming Trump presidency, is that Matt Gaetz will NOT become the Attorney General.
And mot of them couldn't red and comprehend anything about it if you gave it to them. Just make sure the Stupor Bowl is played in January and they have March Madness in the spring, and they'll be happy.
тАЬStupor BowlтАЭтАж.love it! As I have posted before, the 2006 movieтАФnow a cult classicтАФIdiocracy, should be played on rotation on the TeeVee for the next 4 years (at least). Who knew it would be so prescient!
So now itтАЩs a big shoulda woulda coulda for the people who didnтАЩt bother voting or even the ones who voted for himтАФ just wait until they see what his handpicked team will do and we donтАЩt have long to waitтАФ for those of us who are grieving this lossтАФ if your health is good be grateful, enjoy nature when you can stay loving with your family and batten down the hatches!
Can you say right-wing propaganda? Half the country fell for the misinformation directed against Biden and Harris. ThereтАЩs little doubt that, sooner or later, public outrage over what these so-called "geniuses" have in store will become loud and clear. However, if these fascists get their way, we may not even have future elections to correct the disastrous choices made by an uninformed and misled electorate.
The maga cult didnтАЩt care, it was getting their vote! The 9 million democratic voters who sat out this electionтАж..were led by their racism and misogyny!
The next challenge is тАШwill anybodyтАЩ stop him from occupying the WH for life!!??
I remember learning about Project 2025 in April. (the short Wikipedia article, now long gone. I sent the link to every left wing news person possible. Rachael, Heather, all my left wing friends to send to their left wing friends. Here a number of times. Finally it started to catch on. It really pays not to have a TV since I was 19. I read real news. In print that I can study. TV news is there and then gone. (I guess) Not stressed in time for the election. I made sure all knew that News Max was started by a cousin to see how gullible people were (the paper addition) He is long dead now.
I fear that millions of Americans have already quit caring. I'm hoping that the next 4 years will be painful enough to wake up a few million and we can get back on a better track, but I just don't know. I'm not quitting though.
I didnтАЩt see one political blurb that said that chump was a major supporter of P2025. Nobody disputed Fox, some said Democracy was at risk, but nobody said your SS and Medicare will be at risk. ThatтАЩs a bit more personal to most. Messaging was mostly about abortion.
It's too bad American voters didn't dislike Project 2025 enough or care to protect their government services enough to vote for Harris/Walz.
Understatement, Angela.
They were lied to, Angela.
They were not informed. Rather disinformed.
"forgive them for they know not what they do".
This could turn out to be the greatest fifth column operation in history. They work from St Petersburg.
If DJT is Putin's Puppet... Then Putin is succeeding Brilliantly in Damaging the U.S., and Europe... DJT will not always be with Us, but the Damage that DJT has done will persist...
Divide and conquer. Putin wins. He needent have invaded Ukraine to take it over, he just need to get tRump elected.
You said it well.
Trump told us that he had nothing to do with Project 2025. So he has no mandate to carry it out!
Trump lied. Again.
trump lies. He changes his mind more often than a baby has his diaper changed. Republican then democrat then republican. Was for abortion (even late term) now he avoids the issue by assigning it to the states. How many people has he "don't really know him"? he says he is a great advocator for the environment then destroys it with his Wall and golf courses. Trivial but how many wives and dalliances?
https://open.substack.com/pub/thomhartmann/p/are-trumps-appointees-the-trojan-b16?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=7ygy0
"Campaigning to destroy NATO; opposing aid to Ukraine; demolishing the free worldтАЩs confidence in AmericaтАЩs ability to keep top secret information confidential; utterly destroying our seniormost intelligence and military agencies; installing Trojan horses to lead them: TrumpтАЩs goal appears to be, to paraphrase Ron DeSantis, to тАЬMake America Russia.тАЭ
They want to gut the country, create chaos similar to YeltsinтАЩs time in Russia, and steal the country blind, plus takeover companies and industries at their pleasure. Forget the unelected bureaucrats. What about Elon and Vivek? Who elected them to make decisions.?!
In one election the undoing of the USA. Thanks to all you who voted for this mess. You will have successed in, among othe issues, keeping a trans from using the bathroom of their choice. Good going Americans, I hope you are happy now.
Make Russia Great Again
It made me sick reading this!
My thoughts exactly.
Remind me never to fly Delta again (not that I'll have the money to take a plane trip anytime soon).
The goal of Putin and Trump and the Heritage Foundation which is filled with Christian Nationalists, is to destroy the USA. If you want to understand more about the CNs, I recommend you read Andra Watkins' Substack. https://substack.com/@andrawatkins?r=f0qfn&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-page
I've seen allegations of Putin's techies having hacked pro-orange felon votes at the top of ballots which Musk provided to them -- with no down-ballot voting on them at all.
Have also seen allegations of some millions of Dem inner city (black) votes having been suppressed as illegitimate, set aside as provisional, then unceremoniously dumped.
That is entirely believable. Why the silence about the obvious potential for enormous election fraud from the Democrats ? The only reason that seems acceptable is that the Intelligence services reports argued that the potential loss of life and US state cohesion from a bloody uncontrollable insurgent civil war breaking out when Trump lost was thought to be a greater threat than the slow burn loss of life and US state cohesion when he was returned. I am hoping that this is what is called a Golden Bridge event. Allowing your mortal enemies an acceptable retreat via a seeming gain. If not, than Kruschev and his loyalists have indeed played a blinder that will go down in history as one of the greatest and most successful Intelligence operations in modern history. The political capture of the USA without a shot being fired.
Stephen Spoonamore, cyber security expert explains it all...It does seem plausible. I hope I'm not so desperate that I'm buying into a conspiracy theory.
You are buying into nonsense.
I have been following him too. Heard his interview with Thom Hartmann and then went to his SubStack You know, he blames the huge number of bullet ballots in the swing states as being invalid. And as a statistition, he has proved it. But the problem is, only Kamala Harris can ask for a recount of those states! SheтАЩs hard to get in ahold of right now, sadly. I believe that today is the last day he met. The man can be made.
Yeah, well Russia did help elect a traitor to the presidency. Let that thought marinate.
Acquiescence
Phil, might you be referring to Spoonamore's "Duty To Warn" letter? https://substack.com/inbox/post/151721941?r=1nic41&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true
Yes, JohnM.
We know the there has been a lot of voter suppression. The question to what degree did it make a difference???
Sure, but weтАЩll never know because the DOJ has failed us again.
So Trump is correct in wanting to abolish it unless he hsa total control?
No need to get this complicated. This is the effect of voter suppression laws that passed in Georgia and Alabama in the wake of Trump's 2020 loss and the voter roll purge in Pennsylvania this fall, as well as a bunch of last minute rule changes that did not go into effect but created confusion nonetheless. The entire question of "what did the Harris campaign/Democrats/Biden do wrong?" is predicated on the counter factual that this was a free and fair election; it was not.
Phil, I'm sure when you say "allegations" you are using the term to avoid being castrated in court for defamation or false accusation, even tho you actually watched the driver, whom we all know ram his car into the crowd. So, I would rather state the source. I just hate it when credibility of "allegations" surfaces disclosing a legitimate technicality that would arouse DOUBT as to the accusation..., thus making it appear 'trumped up' and subsequently resulting "it" being dismissed. I hate it when that happens. Newsroom love it because it gives them something to publish, promising "facts at eleven.., stay tuned". No? So, show me the gotttdammmned ballots! AND>>> please, not photo-shoped versions. The frustration-level I'm implying, surely doesn't just rest with me. Just the facts maam.., please. (Dragnet - Joe Friday, Det)
The trouble with this, other than its extreme unlikelihood, is that it is a case of fighting the last war. We need to figure out how to fight the next battle. Thinking about mistakes we made in the last battle will be useful. Grasping at straws to say that those mistakes did not make a difference won't.
WhyтАФother than that you find it pleasingтАФwould you believe such charges any more that you believed TrumpтАЩs allegations of vote-rigging?
If you read that "Duty to Warn" letter, it reports that there is enough of an anomaly in one key area (votes on 600,000 ballots in key swing states that push the margin of victory past the recount threshold; these votes list only a vote for Trump; no other candidate, office, measure, etc.)
I would call that "compelling evidence" that any of tfg's cries of fraud lacked.
Read Robert Hubbell on Today's Edition (Substack) for an effective rebuttal.
Ally, why did Kamala folod like a cheap card table? Did she know something the rest of us didn't?
I notice a number of trolls and bots on here defending the count, which is expected. The fact that "the ballot counting machines were not connected to the internet is not necessarily true. There was lots of time between 2020 and 2024 to change as Musk said one line of code.
Call it what ever want it. I'll call it bullshit.
As others have noted, the race was about race. That seems to be all that most Trump voters cared about, enough so, to win him a plurality, and the election, with the help of the rural, depopulated, and small state bias inherent in the Electoral College system provided for by the Constitution. It wasnтАЩt about the economy. It wasnтАЩt about Project 2025. It was not even about Leadership in any positive sense. There is no question but that the Democratic Party and its candidates focus their appeal, or at least are seen to, on Americas increasingly urban multiethnic, tolerant, contented and homogenous society. Like Dillinger said, тАШItтАЩs where the voters areтАЩ. Trump played on this and focused his appeal on the opposite. And he won, with Pennsylvania being the most glaring example of strategic failure for Kamala Harris. As Kremlin experts understand, racism is alive and well in America. There is no reason not to expect it to be. It is an enduring aspect of human social behavior. What Trump has done, with the help of the likes of Ron DeSantos, is to legitimize racism once again. It is ok for American society once again to think and act in these terms. Why ? Because everyoneтАЩs neighbor is doing it, but no one can be stopped from doing it, because laws and rules have been passed declaring it dead. Meanwhile, Kamala Harris went to north Philadelphia to hold a rally that attracted thousands from the neighborhood, and Trump went to Hersey where few gathered to listen to him. And then proceeded to insult Philadelphia, and New York, and Bridgeport, and Newark, and Baltimore, and urban America generally, at Madison Square Garden, that architectural travesty and disgrace to the Nation that should be torn down. But I digress.
1992, black journalist Joseph Boyce, " at one time the last thing anyone wanted to be called was a racist, whether you were or not. It was a mark to be avoided. And today I don't think people really care that much, some of them, you know. They'll say, ' yeah, I'm a racist, so what, so what are you going to do about it?'"
I think this reductionist view misses the point. Lots of data out there to disprove that latent racism moved the election to the orange side. There is more to it, for one we need to figure out how to message to people who are not interested in politics.
Trump apparently did that.
And IтАЩm criticized for being angry because after all, it was our side that didnтАЩt rise to the occasion and prevent this monster from destroy everything good in America. And when I suggest that the last chance to save America is to encourage or hope the good generals who still obey the constitution temporarily suspends it and declare a military coup in order to preserve the original concept of the constitution. And IтАЩm criticized for being an asshole. Go ahead, call me an asshole. You are about to be put in your place.
(From "Donald's Vanity Tantrums")
Welcome to The New Snazzy Nazi States of America
(Introducing The Goose-Step, Two-Step March)
A new dance craze is sweeping the nation called, The Goose-Step, Two-step March. This invigorating new exercise is easy to learn! First, link arms on the dance floor. As you move backward in line, turn your head to the right and lift your left leg straight up as high as it will go. Then step forward as you turn your head to the left and lift your right leg straight up in the air.
It's very similar to square dancing or line dancing. Soon the dance floor will be filled with goose-steppers. Forward, backward, round and round. If you step out of line, you are tagged, the caller detains you, interrogates you, strip searches you, and sends you off to detainment camps for disloyalty.
This new dance craze is not to be confused with serious charges of criminal activity. By the time the youngins reach the age of reason, they will be quick to form into lines upon request for impromptu Goose-Step, Two-Step Marches and other forms of family entertainment
General Milley, Where Are You?
We need Ike, sad to say
Thank you. It could be done although a radical thought. I would so easily put my faith in them then what we are about to experience.
This is what I call serious humor.
WellтАж it comes out of my head that way. IтАЩve just begun Part II on the crazy appointments being made.
Kudos to you. Frankly, I think you're talented.
Bill Katz, I share your anger, your frustration, and your dread.
Not criticizing.
It was easy to see through the lies, though. But most couldn't be bothered to take a few moments to check.
How can we engage those people??
I guess we could ask them, "Since you, like Trump, tried to deny his connection to Project 2025, so you know it is bad, and since you now know Project 2025 is in play, what will you do to help us stop it?"
more like from the boardrooms of some if not many corporations and right wing think tanks.
But they were dumb enough to believe the lies.
How about "do not forgive them, for they either know what they do or choose to not know what they do".
Nope.....not forgiven. I attempted with 2 relatives. They didn't want to know. Enforced ignorance doesn't give anyone, even relatives, a pass.
I can forgive small things but not the big things. Damage is damage no matter what the reason and people must suffer through it.
Trump lied that he didnтАЩt know anything about it
As a retired federal employee- HUGE understatement. If they do all the Project 2025 plans we will have a depression in 6 - 8 months. Not a recession- a depression, 1929 style.
It will be VERY painful for everyone. If Project 2025 is even partially implemented, I suspect the depression of the 1930's will seem tame.
Musk and his vicious sidekick have declared that there will be a period of "pain - but then we will be safer." Safer from what?
We need to be safe from them.
If consumers canтАЩt afford products, then yes, we tip into a depression.
"you will own nothing and be happy.."
Those 2 are safe. They have nothing to worry about given their wealth. But everyone else has to tighten their beltsтАж.
And they will blame it on the aftermath of BidenтАЩs failed policies and tell us to wait for TrumpтАЩs policies to take effect and cure things. And the fools will believe them.
I believe we should be watchful of our finances and begin to go into defensive mode. The irony is that anyone who has any degree of wealth should be allright since this whole revolution is really a money grab.
Bill, a lot of people are already very worried about their finances. And yes, only the very wealthy will be safe.
Which is the plan.
Another government imposed Shock Doctrine (see The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein). It will cause massive poverty, political violence, suicides, and decimate the middle class further, increasing our already sky-high inequality. All to benefit the already rich. It's dystopia.
A depression won't affect DonOLD and his billionaires cabinet..
Except they donтАЩt keep their money lying around in cash and 99% of their wealth is on paper; stocks and options. When things go south if they donтАЩt cash that in before the millions of little people like us sell their values sinks, their companies struggle.
We had a neighbor who bragged constantly about how much wealth they had in stock and real estate. Suddenly a dot come bust wiped out all the stock they were too complacent to sell, options were worthless because they were higher than the current stock price and then shortly afterward afterward a massive real estate bust making their properties under water. We watched them sink into despair as they lost almost everything.
Trump is a pauper, he lives on borrowed money and current stock values that he canтАЩt pull out. He has massive bank loans coming due. This is why being POTUS is so important to him.
I've been reading about Warren Buffett selling loads of his stocks and he's sitting on $300B in cash...he's probably preparing for a depression
Yes, IтАЩve been following his moves. I often wonder why he isnтАЩt richer that Musk.
TrumpтАЩs (less than) half of America has trouble with cause and effect. I guess it has to be right in their face for them to notice. And then they will shift the blame elsewhere probably, just like that cult leader, who is DARVO - all the way down.
Sadly, that is the goal of Musk. He thinks destroying our economy will allow him to reshape our society to his will. He'll teach us to live within our means.
Remember Musk said тАЬitтАЩs going to hurt for a while at fistтАЭ
Ditto, Judy.
The unprofessional journalists and news agencies who allowed the Republicans to keep Project 2025 a secret for 12 months leading up to the Nov 5th election is to blame. Project 2025 is a regime change that crushes our democracy to bits, and allowed the GOP to camouflage this as a zealot Christian National program, plus allowed Trump to avoid being transparent with disclosure is a major backstab from MSM to all of America. The angry public should threaten civil protest and force Biden and Harris to support us.
I always felt that If Trump managed to get into office again, there would be general strikes all over the country. I don't see the appetite, sadly.
Joe Biden welcomed Trump into the Oval Office with a smile. (That was devastating to me, a lifelong Dem - I mean, I don't want Dems to obstruct the transfer of power, but did he HAVE to do it with a big smile? Knowing the contempt Trump has for him? )
I keep thinking of the Tolerance Paradox: the more one extends tolerance to the intolerant, the more the tolerant are treated poorly until they're eventually overcome.
You're talking about an American public, of which 40% cannot read and comprehend the instructions on a bottle of aspirin, and a total population of 60% reads at a 6th grade level or less, 80% of whom have no idea how the government works. Do you think any of these Gammas know what a "general strike" is?
People who did vote for Harris are beyond stunned. And worried. We have been in this fight since 2016. People are just plain worn out.
And yet, Barbara, we somehow summon our resolve to resist and persist!ЁЯЧ╜
We have to.
"We have been in this fight since 2016"
We have been in this fight since 1954, when Brown v Board began the dismantling of Jim Crow, a dismantling that produced the festering White Resentment that has now given us the Groper-in-Chief.
Technically speaking all kinds of people have been in this fight since the beginning when those prejudiced Pilgrims first spied the Native Americans.
In keeping with the topic of this election I was referring to the time period of 2016 to now. At this moment the data points of how this madman is still around are numerous. But. It is the biggest lie ever that this election was not about hatred of the other. That hatred begins with people of color and spirals outward to anyone not white, rich and male.
Yes Barbara, worn out, worried and other responses too. I can't say anyone else will enjoy this video of John Oliver's response as much as I did but I offer it as an example of robust creativity and looking squarely at so much that few of us want to deal with. I was lit up smiling as I watched the post-election episode of "Last Week Tonight", https://youtu.be/LU2atCWyAos?si=efwuHpvErBjh-6Cs .
Thanks for this Joan.
Thanks, I was a bit afraid to even watch John Oliver last week, although I love him. But this was what I needed this morning.
Joan Lederman -- Regretfully I am not able to watch this because of restrictions from Canada (where I live). I'm going to continue try to find a back door. But, do you have the actual date of this episode? You only said "post-election". Anything else?
Will see how worn out they are after he starts interning his perceived enemies! Who else will fill the privatized prisons/interment camps after the demonized and vilified immigrants are deported!?
Louis it has been 16 days since the election that will have such catastrophic results. We are stunned and numb as the takeover is flashing before our computer eyes. People will rouse. Even the people I trust to know the most about the world we find ourselves in such as Dr. Richardson and Simon Rosenberg are openly expressing how exhausted they are.
yes, it's all about education.
No critical thinking or basic logic - maximum gullibility
Please provide the source of the percentages you use.
Also, would you define what you mean when calling someone a Gamma and how that relates to ignorance about what a "general strike" is.
Gammas - read "Brave New World."
Yes, the Tolerance Paradox sums it up perfectly. I completely agree. Of all the thing that have been so alarming since the election, Joe Biden smiling and welcoming 45 was absolutely crushing. I don't understand why we continue to pretend this is just another election.
I wrote a piece on the White House visit. You can click on it on the name "Trilogy" besides my name. Not trying to drum up business but that is where my thoughts are. I was devasted as well at President Biden's poor play of the White House visit.
Thank you Barbara. Your piece is extremely thoughtful and I couldn't have articulated it better.
I agree - they should be shouting WTAF from the roof tops. I felt the same way when Hakeem Jeffries was saying how he would 'reach across the asile' They should be shouting about the sexual predators nominated for top positions - it's like the Dems are deer caught in headlights and frozen in place.
Absolutely. We need now to be Obstructionists not accommodationists. There is an election in 2 years. It should be a no brainer to win back both houses. But then maybe there wonтАЩt be any more elections.
Hopefully, Hakeem and other Democratic Party leaders are huddling with their staffs & consultants, preparing to launch a counter-offensive, as soon as all of us тАЬtired & worn-outтАЭ troops have had a chance to do some post-election rejuvenating.
Hopefully a battle plan more serious than the one engineered by Bluto (John Belushi) in Animal House.
I attended a recent online National meeting of тАЬIndivisible,тАЭ which has a 30 page guidebook for resistance at the local level, which they believe, unlike 2016, is where people like us can fight the battles that will have meaning, impact, and a cumulative effect.
More specifically, Indivisible points out battles need to be fought at the state, county, and town levels; putting pressure on those locally elected officials if you happen to live in a red state or red county. If you live in a blue state or county, your form of political engagement might be more along the lines of supporting (rather than battling) local officials.
For more info, including formation of a local Indivisible group or joining an existing group, here is the link.
https://indivisible.org/
For those of us who are тАЬtired & worn out,тАЭ we might find such a group to be energizing.
IтАЩm not naiive to how bleak the current picture is, especially in the context of what others in this wonderful community of HCRтАЩs have said about the literacy rates in this country, and their susceptibility to Big Lies, which are nonstop, the latest being the so-called тАЬmandate.тАЭ
The only тАЬman-datesтАЭ I see are of тАЬBrosтАЭ like Trump, Musk, Vance, Gaetz, etcтАжcelebrating, planning their work, and working their plan, with powerful tools of тАЬnewsтАЭ domination in their control.
SNL still making a chaciture out of President Biden, sad, cheap shot and pathetic!
I think Dany Carvy his Biden down perfectly. I never liked Biden. One lasting thing he could do is to pardon Leonard Peltier, Native activist falsely accused of aiding and abetting in the deaths of two FBI agents. And who is now dying in a Florida Federal prison after 50 years of confinement.
Biden did it to himself. He promised us in 2020 that he would be a transition president, and in 2024 he betrayed us.
STOP
Why Monroe is right.
Biden's toddling into the Amazon forest after his little speech was a stark revelation to me that he is, in fact, in cognitive decline. A fully competent leader would have anticipated the poor optics and never agreed to that choreography. Biden's handlers are failing him at the end of his presidency, and he is not aware enough to override their blunders.
It makes me physically nauseous to think of the current administration turning over power to people they know will attempt everything to destroy our democracy.
Adolf Hitler.
True last statement
I donтАЩt entirely agree. P2025 wasnтАЩt a secret; it was talked about although perhaps not by what we used to call the main stream media. They let us down in innumerable ways. Two plus weeks after the election, I see articles about how people are тАЬshockedтАЭ at tfgтАЩs plans, including some health industry consultants in DC. (Aside: one wonders how useful consultants who are тАЬshockedтАЭ that tfg is going to do what he said are to clients.) my point is that info about P2025 was available and some writers went to great length to explain what it meant. Like other of tfgтАЩs plans, people ignored or were ignorant. Because, you know, eggs.
Agreed. Eggs. And all the rest of life...beating them down.
For those of us who pay attention, Project 2025 was discussed endlessly. But too many people don't take an interest in "politics". Over 90 million people checked out of the system and didn't vote.
They are completely clueless. We might as well have been discussing "string theory". We Democrats didn't connect with them at the level where they live. Long, grueling stressful days.
My Mother in Law (97 and at home) has a very nice young woman who helps her - it keeps her out of an institution - "Mom" is happier and the government saves a lot of money.
She asked the young woman (who has four kids) if she voted. "No, I didn't have time."
Millions and millions of us don't read Substack, the NYTimes or...anything. They just grind through each day, trying to make ends meet, trying to care for their kids with lousy housing and bills, bills, bills.
If we are to get enough of the working class back - to resume some form of democracy and decency, Democrats have to create a whole new strategy. We need to be the party of POPULISM. We need to channel the frustration and rage of well over 90 million people who see life as awful and don't see a change in their futures. We need to offer some hope with some concrete policies - they need MONEY.
In the richest nation to have ever existed, anyone who works a full time job should have decent housing, clean water, adequate food, healthcare and education. Full stop, no exceptions. NO excuses.
There are trillions of dollars in the hands of a few (mostly white guys). As Tom Rush sang: "The problem with America is that the poor have too much money and the rich don't have enough". /s
Have you seen Mark Zuckerberg's yacht(s)? Google it. Read about it. Then look at Brin and Gates "vessels". Our oligarchs are hoarding the national treasure while the people who hold our lives together are trying to decide whether to buy 6 or 12 eggs this week.
You have hit the nail on the head! The working poor are overwhelmed just trying to stay alive. Minimum wage at $7:50 in some states means you cannot pay rent and eat well and pay all your bills. The stress must be unimaginable to those of us doing well. These are the people the dems should be helping and bringing into the fold. But how to reach them?
When I ran my small manufacturing business in Brooklyn, I gave my employees Metro cards, I paid 75% of their health insurance, bought them turkeys (or veg alternate) at Thanksgiving, and many other small untaxable perks. Their low, but above minimum wages ,were taxed higher than corporate leaders.
But, by giving the extras wherever I could it made a difference. They didn't quit the minute they were eligible for Unemployment. They stayed and we became a community for several decades.
The taxes on the working classes are too high. We need good public schools, public transportation, decent afordable housing.
Yes, yes, yes! Good for you for taking good care of your employees!
Are we even going to have the opportunity to pursue a "whole new strategy"??
Much as I'm trying to focus on the here and now, I woke up last night completely stressed about what's going to happen. The retirement funds that we have worked so hard for... the health care insurance we're going to need... friends and family who will be threatened. Meanwhile, the cabinet of the new administration is just a sh*t show. All those people who are happy that they now "own the libs" -- and for WHAT?!
Well said, Bill.
Or believed it was just Trump being Trump! 'He's just angry and trying to scare us'... And many believed that the 'rule of laws ', would put him in a place where he could not hurt us. I sure did. Not impeach him for insurrection failed my criteria to adhere to rules of law. And the documents crimes that are so blatantly true.
But MLMinET........
They said it wasn't them.
So, let's go with eggs.
Basically, the website was a recruitment portal. They have been recruiting and training for years - well funded. How many thousands only they know.
And bacon, don't forget bacon. A strange food combination- one cancels out the other.
Agree. It was all over You Tube beginning last year or the first of this year. I know IтАЩve known about it for months and got the word out as often as possible along with links to the explanations. The corporate media though didnтАЩt do nearly what it could have early on however. ThereтАЩs a lot of has to answer for though.
Project 3025 was no secrete. Neither was Kevin Robert's ultimatum.
Unfortunately the media (WaPo in particular) has bent over backwards to normalize Trump. Many of my friends, and I have canceled our subscriptions. Now I can ad Delta to my do not fly list.
However SS and Medicare do need attention. They are unsustainable as they are. Perhaps some of their inevitable shortfalls could be reversed if for every $150000 someone made in retirement, their SS payments would decline by 33% and their Medicare premiums would double. These numbers have no basis in facts. Just an idea.
Secondly the major welfare program, FEMA has to go. States should self insure for the natural disasters that they know are coming. Unfortunately that will mean state income taxes will be needed to fund these recovery plans.
Similarly , farm welfare has to end.
Instead these grifters want to cut food stamps and support for the bottom of our economy. They donтАЩt seem to want to acknowledge that half our population is below average intellectually and/ or physically. Unfortunately many cannot follow basic instructions.
Is there abuse of our current welfare system? Of course. Medicare fraud is rampant too. Maybe big oil welfare can finally go away?
There are plenty of complicated opportunities for our тАЬentrepreneurs тАЬ. Hopefully they wonтАЩt choose to pick on those who are already underserved.
I disagree with FEMA being abolished and states covering disaster management, especially after seeing the impact of hurricanes this year. It takes collaboration across state lines and multiple agencies to manage a disaster. A single state can't manage that alone.
Yes it can if it is prepared. These storms are not a surprise. The problem is they will have to tax their residents and, of course, they sell their low/no taxes as an incentive. Maybe FEMA could become a lending agency to help out when a storm is as crazy as they were this year. But, the bad news is that the storms will get more frequent and much worse as they ignore global warming (you can't say those words in FL). I aim not talking about just the SE. I am talking about all 50 states.
Natural disasters are going to get worse. Every state will be affected in some way or another by them. I'm in favor of keeping FEMA.
Medicare premiums are already income-based. https://www.medicare.gov/basics/costs/medicare-costs
And the percentage increase to Social security payments are frequently erased by the increases in payments to Medicare basic premiums.
And I am paying for them.
Sort of but still way too low for high earners. They use more health care options than low income sets.
Seems like youтАЩre posting a resume for a job with Musk the space Nazi who is in line to find $2 trillion dollars to cut!!
I am in support of changes that have to be made. What I am suggesting would directly affect me. We all know that one knee replacement will use up the meager amount paid into Medicare. Social Security needs to support those who did not make much when they worked. Not people making $150,000 or more. The average SS payment is around $1500. Anyone at that level certainly didn't have discretionary cash for a 401k or IRA, if these were even available to them.There should probably be a minimum payment of $2500 which should be subsidized by high income recipients. Certainly today's workers will need to see higher deductions as their retirement costs will be much higher. Additionally, SS deductions should go all the way up like Medicare does. As for Elon and Don, they just want to screw the poorest among us so they can have more. Pathetic.
FEMA has to go ?! Are you kidding?! Many states that get hit hardest are among the poorest. AND natural disasters don't care about state boundaries. Divvying up responses to disasters by state would seriously complicate response times and capabilities. You need to rethink this!
Planning is the essence of their response. Unfortunately, those "poorest" states will have to have really high income taxes. Every state should be self insured. No natural disasters are a "surprise". We know they are coming. CA has fires and floods, MN has tornadoes and floods, FL has hurricanes. The list goes on and on.
Mike, you have taxation reversed. If taxes were equitable, we would have sufficient funds to operate all our social programs with the benefit of having a more equal society. When taxes shouldтАЩve been raised on the ultra rich Bush had Trump gave them tax breaks. Everyone should pay their fair share.
I agree. Take Reagan, Bush, Trump tax cuts away and we probably have a balanced budget. But subsidizing states is not the way to a "fair share". States like LA, FL, NC, SC, GA get far more from the feds than they pay in. In some cases almost 3:1. FEMA is just another welfare program for them. They need to create income through a state income tax or high property taxes to cover the costs for disaster recovery.
SS & Medicare
Here is what I see:
They stop money influx, thus giving working people and businesses a tax cuts, while they keep those on the program currently until the fund runs dry, then too bad, we told you it was a bad program.
They keep their promise to not take away at first from those on the programs, and they give tax cuts to everyone else.
Mike, FEMA was created to fill a gap in capabilities that states couldn't fill when responding to natural disasters. It has helped communities recover from disasters and become more resilient. Its job is complex and evolving as science and society gain a better understanding of the severe risks that we face in different geographic and different climate conditions. FEMA is expensive, but it has helped tens of millions of people stay in middle class after experiencing disasters that have taken 100% of what they owned due to floods, winds and fires. Most of these disasters span two or more states. Most disasters are not foreseen by states because states' focus is necessarily local and not regional. Would you have those millions of disaster victims languish in poverty and rheteby reduce our national GDP enough, to the point of your wallet feeling it?
To me, it's obvious you don't know the limits of your knowledge.
Assuming that states don't foresee disasters is ridiculous. Of course FL knows they will have hurricanes every year. They may not attribute the increased frequency and intensity to global warming but they know things won't get better. CA knows they will have fires and mud slides and floods. Again, they know these occurrences will not get better in the future. MN has tornadoes and floods, same thing; it won't get better.
Sure FEMA has been an effective welfare program where states refuse to tax their residents sufficiently to cover these events. I am sorry for people who buy a trailer in an area that is a flood plain or a target for hurricanes or tornadoes.
Maybe FEMA could be a lending agency for those who are needy?
Sadly, the ones who can least tolerate the devastation about to be hoisted on this country тАФ the elderly тАФ will be the hardest hit. Of course.
I have saved the multiple warnings from 98% and others of how it could/will beтАжI understand fear tactics have been used to tire, confuse, and throw us a tizzy, but I moved years to remote/self sufficient as possible тАжplan B ya know. *LetтАЩs hope it works. * Well тАжit may be about to come full circle and reality ..trust gone, reality replaced with lies proven with little to no consequences but plenty of delay.
I will likely by then have closed all accounts FB, donations, subscriptions.
Best of luck.
The dems are either impotent or complicit...either one or both are very disheartening and scary.
Sadly, those protest are exactly what they want so they can use the military to establish rule.
Unfortunately, Joe is not home.
How to force anything at this pointтАж
тАЬMen, it has been well said, think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, one by one.тАЭ
тАХ Charles MacKay, Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds
Hard to accomplish-persuade-say anything until suffering makes the blinders come off. -\o/-
People with too much unaccountable power tend to become bullies (corrupt). Any precedents in history (yup)? Democratic power attempts to make power accountable. That's what regulation is. There can be bad regulation, even malicious regulation (think of "Jim Crow" laws) but law keeps society civilized.
Those (in every society) who want to dominate and exploit people, to impose their own will if they can, fight boundaries and accountability tooth and nail. It the foreign films I like to watch are any guide, bullies emerge in childhood worldwide, and some people admire that. Successful liberators are often subject to attack and assassination. Some seem to live to subjugate others if they can. It's a reoccurring theme throughout history with a very ugly wake of victims.
"As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is not democracy."
My bully theory about the election is this: Trump is a thug, living by thug rules; loyalty is a must, never admit to being wrong or wrongdoing, kindness is weakness, lying is fine as long as it keeps you in power, revenge is key, and snitches get stitches. Many Americans follow these rules, hoping that it gets them money and power, possibly because some of them have had to live under thug rules in their own communities. Some of these people run large corporations, where profit is more important than anything else. Maybe keeping this in mind will help us figure a way out of this mess. Of course, not all in MAGA , or whoever voted for Trump are thugs, many are just drastically misguided and misinformed. So, how do we reinstate democracy, rule of law, ethics, civil rights, common sense, facts, truth rather than bias in journalism, a system of checks and balances that works, separation of church and state? How can we take care of those unable to earn a wage; our children, some of our disabled, our elderly? How can we save the planet? What is our playbook, our strategy? I don't have answers, but I do believe we can fix what's broken. I have come to know that boycotting can be a powerful tool. We can continue to teach that kindness is a gentle strength, and teach critical thinking skills. We can stand up for what moves us toward equality. We can expose corruption. What else do we have? Ideas, anyone?
Here is an idea. Find the people who don't believe that the Democratic Party is there for them and offer them something. Not political philosophies. Offer them money so they can survive and then thrive, pay taxes, raise families. Restore the "American Dream".
Here's a campaign slogan:
"If you work full time, "you" are entitled to decent housing, clean water, adequate food, healthcare and education. Then "you" take it from there. A baseline of a reasonable existence - with a level playing field. The cream will rise to the top as the education kicks in. Or not. At the very least we, as the "People's Party", need to alleviate the suffering.
Bill, you just spoke the words of Frances Perkins, the architect of the New Deal: тАЬThe people are what matter to government, and a government should aim to provide the means by which all the people under its jurisdiction can access the best possible life.тАЭ Some call it pragmatic capitalism.
I would suggest we take our letter writing abilities to those we elected to stand up for our values and organize in groups and communities to reverse the impact of the decisions of the uninformed and the likes of the Scrambled Egg and his cohort to use the laws we still have against corruption.
Essay writing programs where students learn to listen to others and quote them.
Also cite humanities in connection with good personal issues uncovered in others.
Look up Project 2029....a response some people are working on to counteract P2025
When the Trump Depression comes, boycotting won't be necessary as no one will be able to afford anything besides the basics (if that).
For at least 50 years our country has had a declining middle class & growing population who are working poor. Blockbuster films & celebrity worship are our bread & circuses. All attempts to change the direction will help. So good to see positive ideas!
Republicans did an excellent job of gutting unions which were the backbone of the middle class. Once unions were busted, white collar compensation also cratered.
ItтАЩs seemed like unions were having a revival in the recent past
J L, I absolutely agree with your comment, but I think there is a typo in the first line, which should read "...with too much unaccountable power..."
Thanks. I tend to be typo prone..
Trump told us he would bring down our governmentтАФthe тАЬdeep state.тАЭ America either didnтАЩt believe him or didnтАЩt care. His first step in the process is to appoint crackpots in charge of our institutions. His second step will be to destroy our safety net. There are already plans afoot to destroy Medicaid. Surely, Obama Care is next. If the government can survive for two more years, we may have a chance to begin reconstruction.
What is really too bad is that the American voters had no idea who or what they were voting for. The massive disinformation and rage media smothered the truth. Timothy Snyder writes of the "digital campaign in his Substack https://substack.com/home/post/p-151786690#:~:text=THINKING%20ABOUT...-,The%20Phantom%20Campaign,-Digital%20Oligarchy%20vs.
"This was digital demotivation, something that I have seen and studied in other settings. I was supposed to be driven towards indifference, towards not doing anything, towards not voting. I was being nudged by a phantom....This time the oligarch was Elon Musk, and this time the demotivational messages were deceptive to an even higher degree: they were presented as Harris campaign ads."
So here we are. Watch Simon Rosenberg's excellent discussions with 3 other titans of American politics Rick Wilson, Joe Trippe and Stuart Stevens. They are discussing what happened, seem to be scratching their heads on what's next and are determined to do what they can to counteract this incoming Administration.
The number of core MAGA voters could not have won this election. Something else not seen before happened. There was massive propaganda.
More likely it was the result of a Russian psyop operation. Yesterday Thom Hartmann outlined it. https://hartmannreport.com/p/are-trumps-appointees-the-trojan-b16?utm_campaign=email-half-post&r=zc69i&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Why haven't the pundits addressed Russian interference? Trump spread the big lie. His Jan 6 message was "stop the steal" This time, he apparently, with Musk's and Russkie help, performed a steal. Musk said it would be easy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cV58O0USCaY
If voters were wary of the "other" it was because Russia and a complying media and Republican proaganda targeted visceral voters. To me the "other" is Russia.
The FBI said in a statement it was aware of the threats, many of which originated from Russian email domains, but the agency also downplayed their risk. тАЬNone of the threats have been determined to be credible thus far,тАЭ the statement said.
Hartmann elsewhere cited and interviewed Stephen Spoonamore, who was CEO or CTO at seven high technology firms including two that specialized in hacking and counter-hacking operations. He wrote a memo alleging that to "a near certainty" the results have been changed at a scale which reversed the election. He recommends a hand recount to most likely require reversal. He cites to a letter from 7 experts in computer science who go into detail. https://freespeechforpeople.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/letter-to-vp-harris-111324.pdf
I don't think Spoonamore knows jack about law. Many of the acts alleged may be crimes -- either state and/or federal.
Proof of crime might trigger it, depending on the facts and statute. Feds: https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/election-crimes-and-security
Pa. https://govt.westlaw.com/pac/Document/NE9692E70343011DA8A989F4EECDB8638?originationContext=document&transitionType=StatuteNavigator&needToInjectTerms=False&viewType=FullText&ppcid=4373140374c44d6283d5fa30147210e8&contextData=%28sc.Default%29
https://whyy.org/articles/lancaster-county-voter-registration-fraud-investigation-elections-2024/
Every other state has similar provisions. AZ and NV apparently aberrant...that may be enough. But note that Greg Palast also says 2.7 million votes are missing.
The requirements for TROs are usually iminent and imediate threats..
We had Consitutional crises before...Bush v Gore. A civil war.
I read the piece that was linked to. Here's my problem. I need to see examples. It's all very well to talk about that there were videos produced that were negative about Harris but they were produced as though they were part of the Harris campaign. But I need to see an example. Or two. It's not that I don't believe it but I just Need to see an example. Or two.
Yes, Patricia, we cannot fall prey to GiulianiтАЩs contention that they тАЬjust knowтАЭ there was fraud in the 2020 election, giving Biden/Harris the win. Need verifiable proof, tho any that can be documented will likely come after the inauguration & who knows what actual impact that would have.
And speaker Mike JohnsonтАЩs allegation they тАШjust knowтАЩ huge number of тАЬillegal immigrantsтАЭ are voting though they donтАЩt have evidence.
Brava Patricia, I read both cited writers! They posit their hypothesis because they need to sell books!
I would ask Mr. Snyder. You are correct though. I would like to see what those ads looked like too.
And when you report fake ads, show some examples so we can recognize them and see who posts them.
Of course, Barbara, they're "scratching their heads."
Dems long ago lost any ability they might have had to cite the humanities that could have kept them in touch with our vast working classes all betrayed by the (other) elites who off-shored their jobs by the tens of millions.
But Dems liked their status quo where they could remain totally out of touch from the betrayed working classes.
Honestly Phil I doubt a whole lot of people who worked extremely hard to elect the Harris/Walz ticket are open to Democratic Party critiques right now.
Let people rest. To continue to relitigate the Biden Administration at this time appears inelegant.
Sacred space. Sacred pause.
What was the margin again? 256,000 votes short in a few swing states. Erghhh
In 2020 over 81 million voted for President Biden!!
Less than 72 million voted for VP Harris !!
ThatтАЩs a 9,000,000 vote LOSS!
Racism and misogyny won out over preserving our Democratic Republic form of government!
Quite true. But what did we offer the struggling average hard working families who have checked out of the system? Why couldn't we motivate 10 or 20 million of the 90 plus million who did not vote?
Because we spent a lot of time on political philosophies and social justice (I'm a big fan of that) but very little time offering concrete help - that means MONEY for those millions who are desperately trying to just get by.
Bill, I agree with your premise, but not your conclusion. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I will say (write) again, we can blame disaffected voters on gerrymandering and the Electoral College. If one believes one's vote doesn't count, one is not motivated to stand in line and vote.
I'm not a news nerd, but I paid considerable attention to the election. Harris/Walz devoted 99%-plus of their attention to the "battleground states," so named because they were the only states that mattered with respect to Electoral College votes. Other states' precincts are so severely gerrymandered, they are deemed "red" or "blue" before the first vote is ever cast. Why speak when your voice is being silenced by the System?
Exactly!!! Biden was a white male and Harris was a black female. That says it all.
Everything is too bad now. We have a president who is a pig and his piglets are hungry to transform our democracy into whatever the want without guardrails. They were IтАЩll destroy more guardrails as quickly as possible. The carnage is coming soon and I can hardly stand to watch.
We should not generalize because the average voter was not educated on this massive blueprint to dismantle our Constitution and Government structure.
Not educated, or actively misled by the Fox Propaganda Network and their fellow travelers on the right?
More than Fox. Fox + social media, or soc media +??? I think Fox got wise. Just watch what is trending on social and run the entertainment тАШnewsтАЩ of what is trending highest, even if itтАЩs mostly bots.
I donтАЩt know that Fox Propaganda Network got wise so much as that they were fined three quarters of a billion dollars for lying about Dominion voting machines. That sort of hit stings, and calls for more subtle subterfuge.
I agree, social media and Russian skulduggery have serious negative impacts on American democracy. Not to mention gerrymandering, voter suppression and so on.
Both. The misinformation and disinformation channels augmented an alternative narrative.
Constantly bombarded by ads based on LIES about VP Harris!
At one rally trump ranted that тАШwomen locked themselves in the house at night, because immigrant rapists allegedly freed by Harris roamed their streetsтАЩ!!
This coming from a creature who is a convicted sexual predator himself! Yet they voted for him!
You wrote тАЬ At one rally trump ranted that тАШwomen locked themselves in the house at night, because immigrant rapists allegedly freed by Harris roamed their streetsтАЩ!!
This coming from a creature who is a convicted sexual predator himself! Yet they voted for him!тАЭ
One small but meaningful speck of silver lining on the enormous black storm cloud over America that is the coming Trump presidency, is that Matt Gaetz will NOT become the Attorney General.
And mot of them couldn't red and comprehend anything about it if you gave it to them. Just make sure the Stupor Bowl is played in January and they have March Madness in the spring, and they'll be happy.
тАЬStupor BowlтАЭтАж.love it! As I have posted before, the 2006 movieтАФnow a cult classicтАФIdiocracy, should be played on rotation on the TeeVee for the next 4 years (at least). Who knew it would be so prescient!
IтАЩve been calling it the тАЬStupor BowlтАЭ for years. Good to see that it is a shared perception.
The Stupefying of America brought to you byтАжтАж..
So now itтАЩs a big shoulda woulda coulda for the people who didnтАЩt bother voting or even the ones who voted for himтАФ just wait until they see what his handpicked team will do and we donтАЩt have long to waitтАФ for those of us who are grieving this lossтАФ if your health is good be grateful, enjoy nature when you can stay loving with your family and batten down the hatches!
Can you say right-wing propaganda? Half the country fell for the misinformation directed against Biden and Harris. ThereтАЩs little doubt that, sooner or later, public outrage over what these so-called "geniuses" have in store will become loud and clear. However, if these fascists get their way, we may not even have future elections to correct the disastrous choices made by an uninformed and misled electorate.
Harvey, I don't think it was Misinformation, I think it was DISinformation, deliberate and laser focused.
The Groper-in-Chief's voters chose Project 2025 rather than a black female. We will see how well they like the reward for their bigotry.
The maga cult didnтАЩt care, it was getting their vote! The 9 million democratic voters who sat out this electionтАж..were led by their racism and misogyny!
The next challenge is тАШwill anybodyтАЩ stop him from occupying the WH for life!!??
I remember learning about Project 2025 in April. (the short Wikipedia article, now long gone. I sent the link to every left wing news person possible. Rachael, Heather, all my left wing friends to send to their left wing friends. Here a number of times. Finally it started to catch on. It really pays not to have a TV since I was 19. I read real news. In print that I can study. TV news is there and then gone. (I guess) Not stressed in time for the election. I made sure all knew that News Max was started by a cousin to see how gullible people were (the paper addition) He is long dead now.
I fear that millions of Americans have already quit caring. I'm hoping that the next 4 years will be painful enough to wake up a few million and we can get back on a better track, but I just don't know. I'm not quitting though.
Rupert kept telling them that chump didnтАЩt like P2025. Who disputes Rupert, absolutely no oneтАж
Boy, did I hear that in spades from my MAGAt "friends".
I didnтАЩt see one political blurb that said that chump was a major supporter of P2025. Nobody disputed Fox, some said Democracy was at risk, but nobody said your SS and Medicare will be at risk. ThatтАЩs a bit more personal to most. Messaging was mostly about abortion.