Thanks as usual for all your work Professor Richardson! One correction to the above: "Alex Pfeiffer told Will Steakin of ABC News that discussions of Gaetz’s payments 'are meant to undermine the mandate from the people to reform the Justice Department.'" I think what Mr. Pfeiffer meant was "meant to undermine the mandate from the people …
Thanks as usual for all your work Professor Richardson! One correction to the above: "Alex Pfeiffer told Will Steakin of ABC News that discussions of Gaetz’s payments 'are meant to undermine the mandate from the people to reform the Justice Department.'" I think what Mr. Pfeiffer meant was "meant to undermine the mandate from the people to corrupt the Justice Department." I'm sure Mr. Pfeiffer regrets the error . . . .
On a more serious note, Putin now has everything he wants. In addition to the likely implosion of the American system NATO may well become a dead letter, leaving Europe to deal with an emboldened Russia. It is check mate for the US. Not that we won’t come back from it, barring nuclear catastrophe, but coming back from it is off my clock.
As I have written before, it’s no longer what Trump but what the American people did to themselves. I will not excuse them for some lack of moral agency. They could see what this monster was and he told them over and over. The electorate decided consciously that it wants the US to fail at a time when, unlike the distressed Germans of Weimar, they have relative prosperity and stability.
This was a display of spectacularly irresponsible civic insouciance and malice. They saw. They applauded. They laughed. They clicked. They scrolled. They voted.
Well said! Not only is NATO dead, but most European countries are already looking for the exits. No one trusts America. After Trump betrayed the Kurds and The Afghani’s, no one expects Trump to adhere to any previous trade, or defense agreements in the future.
Some may blame Biden for the withdrawal, but Trump’s “Surrender Agreement, I mean DOHA Agreement left Afghanistan in disrepair. Eighty percent of the country was in Taliban hands before Biden was inaugurated. And Trump had closed all our military bases in Afghanistan except one; Bagram; reducing our military footprint and troop levels from 22,500, to 2,500 by December 2020; well before Biden was inaugurated.
Bottom line: America first, is America alone. Our allies are abandoning us, and with cause. Not to mention, Europe has their own right wing parties that have been gaining momentum over the years. Where America goes, Europe usually follows. This could mean a total realignment of western democracies and values over the next decade, and it may not be pretty for democracies around the globe.
Media focused constantly on President Biden's handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan without including the information that is in your second paragraph.
Agree the MSM shares responsibility. Telling half truths have the same consequences as telling lies. For example, Gaetz has many enemies in DC (can you say Kevin McCarthy). Yet the media’s portrayal of Gaetz withdrawing his name from consideration fails to mention that. All the MSM are focused on is the sex scandals ~ again a half truth. I’m pondering if Gaetz’s withdrawal is a sign the infighting of the Republican Party is alive and well. I pray this infighting will somehow contain Trump and his administration Project 2025 path of destruction.
Biden was set up for failure from the beginning. One base to extract tens of thousands of people, and few resources to do the job. And with one base, the chances of a successful terror attack rises exponentially; it’s harder to defend.
and the terrorist group that caused the deaths weren't even Taliban. I got the feeling they just showed up out of nowhere to take advantage of the chaos.
there's that group again MEDIA! The withdrawl from Afghanistan pales in comparison of Trump's corrupt incompetence in fighting the war on the silent killer Covid 19! 1,000,000 Americans died!!! was this incompetence ever hammered out from the Media outlets! a resounding NO!
Absolutely he lied. As you rightly point out, he lies about everything that would pointedly put the screws to him. And of course, Gaetz also lied when he denied any sexual misconduct or sleeping with two 17-year-olds. It stands to reason why Trump would want Gaetz on board in his administration: birds of a feather flock together. There is no better example of that saying than what is right before us in the Trump world of politics.
Exactly. But it’s hindsight. We can’t change it now, can’t change the past. Therefore my question is what if anything can we do now? Commiserating of our pains of the past can help soothe our hearts but the future is what may save them.
There is not enough time. If by some miracle some genius has a plan, it will have to be descreetly underground and very focused to overcome the venomous rot that has proliferated over the past four decades.
I'm wondering about what has been done in the past to survive during war. Like--what to do when there are outbreaks of contageous diseases (because we wont have vaccines anymore). And how will we get food and water once the supply chains have ceased to exist?
Im not so much thinking about ways of trying to get our country back, but more--how will we physically survive day to day with no jobs or money or supplies.
I am hoping that things start to tank before the next midterms. The gas is still high, tariffs had increased prices, deporting undocumented workers affecting the agricultural supplies and construction work. Perhaps a lot of republican women will need to have abortions and can't get them. perhaps when people see what they voted for, they will not vote republican.
Not only is the media to blame, but also the administration for not explaining the situation and defending itself! Typical Democratic incompetence at messaging.
There has been too much delay. Why haven't more judges been appointed? Why wait to charge trump with all of his crimes? Merchan totally disappointed me with his delays. I guess some BS about making it seem political. That didn't matter because trumpers still called it a political witch hunt against trump I also don't like the way the Gaza and Ukraine situations have been handled. have limitations been put on the American weapons given to Israel like they were for Ukraine?
Yes. Especially as that event has turned into a rallying point for the MAGAts. "13 soldiers died! Biden killed them!" Uh, no. That entire fiasco was set up by tfg and left Biden holding the short straw from under the manure.
just some plain bad luck, Jon, any idea how hard it is to stop a determined suicide bomber who looks just like all the others? American military intel missed the speed with which the existing gov imploded, though i can only wonder why. Since Trump's deal with the Taliban, what could you expect? Make deals with the Taliban!
Ann, I too was struck by those facts. That contradicts the account in the press. The fact that 13 troops died is tragic, but this is a direct result of 20 years of war in which many thousands died. And the country was left destroyed. The movie Charlie Wilson's War ends with the US Congress unwilling to make an effort to solve problems and preserve what gains had been made. I came of age with Vietnam. US foreign policy has never made sense to me.
trump takes credit for other people's work (like Obama's economy) and will take credit for the way Biden left the US economy. trump is like a cat that brings home a dead bird that someone else has already caught and gets credit for it. Another analogy would be that he is the cat that pushed over the fish bowl, left, and the dog, who wasn't even in the room gets the blame.
Thank you Robert for summing up the outlook of our foreign affairs and reminding us that it was DJT who told the Taliban that Afghanistan is theirs. Biden was left with a collapsed country.
Thank you. Not to mention, he released close 5,800 hardcore Taliban and Al Qaeda with American blood on their hands for a commitment not to attack US personnel. So much for that!…:)
For sure, i also wonder if the Americans found it was out and out impossible to reform the warlord based regime they had backed for so long. Trump just cut the proverbial "gordian knot" maybe?
His little stunt with Syria and abandoning the Kurds. The Kurds were the ones who were guarding the terrorists. trump had little empathy for them because they didn't fight in WWII. Geesh, they have no physical country, but members did fight but perhaps not in the European theater. A soldier was interviewed as the troops left Syria. The people were throwing things at them. The soldier commented that this was the first time he was ashamed to be an American.
Afghanistan was a failed adventure from the start. Bush was a Moron just like Donnie. I see a recession and foreign wars on the near horizon. Like Putin’s playbook, when domestic support wains, … start a war to rile up the Nationalism.
I see a recession but I'm not sure about the wars. I see trump aligning with foreign dictators and pressuring other countries, none of which will have the strength to stand up to that alliance.
Actually I recommend a book, The Mortal Republic, on how the Roman Republic became the Roman Empire for starters. Laws intended to help the commons became a means to gain power and undermine their intent. Enter, Caesar.
Imperial rule, or its equivalent, was the name of the game in the ancient world when it came to large state building. "democracy" was mostly equated with "mob rule". The rise of modern democracies met the same aghast sentiments, elites should be in charge, whatever the stripe. And, once modern political parties realized how to manipulated huge masses of the population, both modern democracies and authoritarian regimes have thrived.
I am very cynical I am afraid. Always there was/is an elite ruling while most of the time ordinary people have suffered. Modern democracies are somewhat of a miracle, often hard won and gradually more democratic. I am thinking of both the US and the UK here. Progress is slow and often undermined because, for some, they want what they want, right now and so adapt views and policies that will certainly allow regressive forces to win and remove such policies.
Isn't Putin looking at Poland (?) or one of the countries in which we have missiles as being aggressive and would be eligible for destruction to protect Russia? In other words start bombing NATO countries.
Steve said it perfectly. We placed the ropes around our own necks and pulled the lever— the wrong voting lever. We have been an ignorant collection of misfits from the beginning. In 1978 when I lived for a time in Florence, Italy, I attended a party one evening and I heard two women talking nearby and one said to the other, “Those Americans are stupid.” They were likely referring to the recently ended Vietnam American War. I turned around and the speaker immediately apologized to me but my response was, “No, you are right we are stupid.” And guess what folks, we remain stupid. Any time I had reflected and critized the politics of those closest to me; you democrats (I’m an independent who most always votes for democratic candidates) beat up on me and in my mind, it’s too, symptomatic of narrow mindedness. Our tent was never so large. Our abilities to accept self criticism has lacked. We ridicule anyone who dares step outside the accepted thinking structures. We have placed the hanging ropes around our own gullets. Now we will sway in the wind.
Europe will fight for Ukraine without us if it comes to that. Allies are not abandoning us, the next admin is threatening to abandoning them. NATO even without the US has enough DM soldiers, weapons, tanks, air power, and missiles to easily defeat the depleted, drained, and demoralized Russian Army.
But, even if Trump doesn’t abandon Ukraine, the leadership he is considering for defense and intelligence is so unqualified that the result will be same or similar.
I agree! They aren’t abandoning us, as much as they are being pushed away. Either way, the result is the same.
And Europe will continue to fight with Ukraine, but Trump could make life difficult for Zelenskyy and will. He’ll push for a bad ceasefire agreement and if successful, it’s only a matter of time before the Russian disinformation campaigns do to Europe, what they have done to the US.
Bottom line: Putin will be emboldened and free to escalate its nefarious agenda.
Trump will make life difficult for everyone, this will also result in making life difficult for him too. Undisciplined inexperienced ignorant people consistently make mistakes. Big ones. I think we need to give Ukraine and European leaders more credit. It’s not going to be easy by any means, but we haven’t yet even come close to utilizing any of NATO’s real military power. If we had set clearer goals in Ukraine, and used just a tenth or so of NATO, the Russian Army would have been completely destroyed in Ukraine. I think that had been a strategic failure on Biden’s Administration. ( I still support him, voted for him). I’ve been a fan of General Ben Hodges. He lives in Germany, former NATO commander and other wars. Hodges has the experience and know how to defeat the Russians in Ukraine.
I think Trump was pushing for a territorial capitulation in Ukraine when he was in office, before the 2022 invasion. Whatever we make of things, the Russian effort to take over Ukraine is not far from really being a civil war, an attempt to claw back something of what had been the Russian Empire, but with heavy nationalist overtones. Russians kind of ruled much of the roost in Ukraine before the breakup in 91.
easy on the revisionist history regarding Eastern Europe!! ukraine existed centuries before the enity know as Moscow became Russia. Check with Tim Snyder's writings for the history of who controlled what!
Not yet. Are we really ready to declare game over? These people haven't even been sworn in. There are Democrats in the Federal Government. There are Democrats all throughout State Governments. Do we know for sure anything that is happening? One thing is for certain. There are a lot of fireworks, fear and uncertainty.
How about we sit tight, not freak out and do what we can.
Trump will fire anyone who is not loyal to him and replace them with his flunkies. Thae USA will become a Russian colony, our natural resources will be plundered... unless there is a massive uprising, and it's winter now. Sitting tight will make it easy for the dictatorship. Someone has to storm the oilygarchy. You may not like my choice of words, but you probably get my meaning. If Donalds mob isn't stopped now, it will take a long time to mop up the mess.
I consistently remarked to anyone who would listen that Biden was essentially set up, by Trump, to have a rough withdrawal from Afghanistan. That families of service members who died were essentially filled with so much grief and ready to blame the current leadership or were ill advised and poorly read individuals who didn't have a clue as to what Trump had done to their families in the Doha negotiations and agreement, they all but lost all sense of reality in the wake of their grief. Never mind that Trump figuratively threw all the American allies and especially the Afghan government under the bus. That the Taliban agreed but *also betrayed that agreement* came as no surprise when I read the agreement. The Taliban could not be trusted. Unfortunately for the families of the fallen, they obviously did not have the wherewithal to understand how devious the Taliban were or how critically unqualified Trump and his negotiators were when the agreement was made.
For clarification, when I said that Biden was "set up", I did not mean that Trump automatically knew that Biden would be president at the time of the Doha agreement. The truth is whoever succeeded Trump would have had the same result as Biden had; ISIS in Afghanistan would have plotted the same vile act. The Taliban would not have relented their attacks on the American military, as they were withdrawing, regardless of who became president. Even Trump, had he won reelection, nothing would have changed. But of course, in the Trump world of doing things, Trump would have denied this result as being his own. The orange god (small "g" on purpose) would have always believed his results are perfect. This is who we are now dealing with. Sheesh....🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
Trump will blame Biden for everything Trump mishandled, and take credit for everything Biden did well. I second Heather’s advice to keep score cards in the next 4 years. If a lie, often repeated, will be entrenched, so will the truth.
And much of it is based around liberal immigration and migration. No nation in human history wants massive migratory policies without an ugly pushback. Ask the Moors from 16th century Europe what happened to them.
True, which is why you change the law. We haven’t upgraded our immigration policies in close to forty years. Republicans use it as a wedge issue, never really wanting to solve the issue, and democrats uphold the law.
Most asylum seekers walk up to a legal US checkpoint and ask for asylum legally. Drugs and human trafficking mostly occur by US seaports or are trucked in at US border crossings.
Bill, the Moors had been in the Iberian Peninsula for a very long time and with a few different outcomes in key battles, could have overrun Europe. It was Ferdinand and Isabella who were finally able to defeat them in Spain and push them and the Jews out. I have trouble calling them immigrants.
Ah the Moors, a favorite 'bogeyman' for the writers in western europe!
Architecture, mosaic art, silk fabric and mathematics all thrived during the so called dark ages in the western world!
In Sicily, the Muslim conquerors let the local administration in tact, unlike little bush and Cheney who purged all the Bathists from Iraqi civil governments. Guess who formented the civil war in Syria but failed to out dictator Asad.....the bathists!
Moors as part of an immigration argument? Part of the back and forth from the original muslim expansion. The Spanish regime that arose was immediately anti-Jewish, hardly immigrants come lately, amping up the Inquisition against the Conversos as shadow Jews / Muslims, which was soon full time promoting a savage conquest of indigenous across the Americas, not to mention the slave trade. Come on!
Trying to take on the Taliban, backed by and part of Afghanistan's by far largest ethnic group, straddling both that and Pakistan, was an enormous mistake. The war lord governments the US (NATO, sure) cobbled together as another venue of "shock and awe" never could stand on their own two feet militarily, and likely societally, overall. Trump simply negotiated with the Taliban around the government the US supposedly supported. Implosion came next, the suicide debacle was the excuse a lot of Americans needed to dump on Biden, and from which he never recovered, mostly thanks to inflation and "the border"...
I agree in part, but Russian psy ops is responsible. 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.
Mueller convicted national security advisor Michael Flynn and the chair of the Trump presidential campaign, Paul Manafort. The investigation resulted in charges against 34 individuals and 3 companies, 8 guilty pleas, and a conviction at trial.
Mueller did not reach a conclusion about possible obstruction of justice by Trump, citing a Justice Department guideline that prohibits the federal indictment of a sitting president. That pisses me off. It's uo to a jury to determine whether there was complicity. I thought that Mueller was farblonget and Weissman, who MSNBC has elevated to expert, should, at least have preserved Trump's testimony,
In reality, Russia should nor be a major power. Trump has been elevating their status.
There is also some question whether the count was fixed. I think the circumstantial evidence is compelling. Lots of uncounted provisional ballots. Right to recount varies by state.
We should never forget Biden's welcoming of Trump to the White House, confirming the outcome of the election. The two of them sitting for their photo-op was one more betrayal by Biden.
Oh my goodness…. I rather think President Biden met with his adversary because that is what American Presidents do when their side loses. That civilized tradition signals to us that a peaceful transition is occurring and President Biden carried out his duty with distinction.
President Obama and other past Presidents have done the same thing with the famous exception of Trump himself. PBS reminded us how it went four years ago, “… it was a very different story: Trump filed scores of lawsuits falsely claiming widespread voter fraud, refused to actively participate in transition work, denied the election results and helped incite a mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol, trying to stop the certification of Biden's victory.”
A stark contrast, is it not? I admire Biden’s courage and self-control in carrying out what I’m sure he saw as his duty.
I also fumed seeing them together, because 45-47 internally wants to have the old man lined up against a wall and publicly shot by firing squad. Those of us in his crosshairs are terrified, and feel like America did not stand up for the rights of us all, just yielded to their privilege, racism and misogyny.
Biden also had a duty to fulfill his 2020 promise to be a transition president. He managed to ignore that duty. If he had lived up to that promise, he might have been welcoming a Democrat into the White House in 2024, instead of the Groper-in-Chief.
Sadly you are wrong about President Biden. He simply showed that he is the grown up in the room. You may remember that there was a very real concern about the possibility of civil war had Trump supporters thought the election was rigged. My belief is that Americans have come to believe that every desire should be met within the timeframe of a delivery from Amazon. Biden’s policies will take years to have their designed effects. As the saying goes: “Anything worthwhile is worth waiting for.”
And Trump is just salivating for the opportunity to wipe out as many of these policies - because well, he has to "get even" - a spoiled child's reaction, as always.
Biden was the best president for Americans since FDR and Ike. But his foreign policies were terrible.
Jake Sullivan might as well been on Putin's payroll as far asa Ukraine was concerned. Biden lied, blaming the Afghans for their defeat by the Taliban saying their American trained and equipoped 300,000 army just folded. There never were 300,000. Maybe 150,000 max, the rest were on papaer and the money stolen. The CIA and warlords were hated in rural Aghanistan as they were so corrupt, the Taliban provided better local governance. When Trump announced that American troops would be withdrawn and no longer supplying air cover, the Afghan army joined the Taliban as fast as they could for their own survival. America never really controlled anything outside of Kabul and maybe Herat.
Now we have the American Taliban hell bent on inflicting Christian Sharia Law on the world. Only Robert Hubble can be positive under these circumstances. My wife and I may never get to go home to our little town in Ukraine
I have been asking that question. Harris folded like a cheap card table. Did she know something we do not? Was her family credibly threatened? The ballot counting machines were "not connected to the internet". There was lots of time between 2020 and 2024 when they may well have been. As musk said there was only one line of code needed changing.
If anything about the Ukraian war has shown that the Russian army is less than second rate. They do not want a direct conflict with the West. So much of their "advanced" weaponry is stolen from the West. It is much like the cold war again when we were lead to believe by Reagan that we were dangerously behind the communists. He then proceeded to lead to the biggest military build up since WWII and used America's credit card to do so by relieving the wealthy from paying taxes. putin knows that a direct conflict with NATO would spell doom for his govt.
They had a brain drain. Their economy is not as big as California -- maybe the same size as Tejas.
But through chicanery, they control Trump. Whether he is an agent or just a willing idiot, they are the "other."
Dems are currently in circular firing squad formation -- blaming themselves for crimes committed by Russians and their allies and idiots - MSM and the so called Republican Party.
These are certainly head spinning moments; there is no adult supervision in his pending administration; no sober, decent, mature individual who will be in charge of major departments - I note a chilling fear among many of us.
Stephanie, we are living in a nightmare. Remember how grateful we are when we wake up and realize it was only a nightmare and not real?
I haven't been able to wake up yet.
We come out of a nightmare often sweating, sometimes crying or screaming, shaking, and as you say, with our heads spinning.
I am surrounded by those who made this nightmare possible. I quit my position as pianist at a Baptist Church because they were all Trump supporters. I couldn't reconcile the hypocrisy of hearing sermons and singing hymns of peace, love, goodness, kindness, and striving to be Christ- like. I'm alone in my nightmare, but what gives me hope of waking up to better times are the people like Heather, the Meidas Touch Network, Tim Miller, Tennessee Brando, and others who have seen the truth about Trump and are trying to keep us all afloat. I definitely would be drowning in my disbelieve and despair had it not been for those posts.
May we one day have pleasant dreams and not nightmares.
To my deep regret, I once was a Republican....I once supported The Heritage Foundation. I am a Christian who once attended worship but I will not worship Trump. As soon as he was placed on the Republican ticket to be President of the USA, ...I changed parties.....I no longer attend formal worship. My faith has not changed but I will not be a part of supporting a criminal, a man who looks at women as useful objects for him to use freely as he chooses with NO PUNISHMENT!!!! He is using any citizen of the USA who will bow to him in hopes of receiving power and money and control!!! Trump is a man who envies and wants to be like men such as Putin. He is no Putin!!!
Trump did not gain his position suddenly. He was chosen as a useful tool by such as members of The Heritage Foundation and many other groups who have been working and planning for years and years for this very time. Many of us have been "losers!" Too many of us believed the lies!!! It is NOT too late to wake up....but NOW is the time!!!!
Which political party has been serving ALL of the American people .... for the betterment of our nation and the world....for air to breath ...for the education of our children (not brainwashing!!! our population!)....for opportunity to have a home of their own. Which party has been working and will continue working to create jobs for Americans and fight to improve wages and benefits!!! It is the party of the Democrats!!! Which party has been working for a more peaceful world, for freedom for all people? My answer, at this time in our history is the Democratic Party. We have and I pray will continue being and BECOMING!! the UNITED States of America....NOT THE BRAINWASHED IMPLODING STATES OF AMERICA!!!
We would be blind if we were not aware of the increasing rise of dictators throughout the world. Netanyahu has played us as fools! Where are the October 7th hostages?
Why was this problem not taken care of before we sent troops?...before our bombs were allow to dismember and decapitate babies, women, young children...before OUR bombs were used to destroy homes and gardens and animals that were a part of everyday life for innocent people???? Do we love war and its weapons of destruction so much???
Now we have the build up of hatred and revenge. We have worked for this...we have given more to this than to the care of humanity!!!! We are going to pay a price for our chosen actions!!! Netanyahu and his minions are in control ...not us.....not even those making money off this war.....are in control now!!!
Bring home the hostages!!!!
Peace, cooperation, love for one another will bring success for everyone....of course NOT perfection!!! but a better, safer more productive world for everyone. Can we imagine the loss of education opportunities??? We are contributing to the poverty of our fellow human beings!!! Peace will build up families, gardens, kindness to our elderly and poor who are helpless.
Will the hostages be found alive? Will the hostages be released? Families have been waiting!!!!
Emily, that's a long statement to have no mention of the cowardly HAMAS using their civilians as shields. Both sides are murdering warmongers. Wishing President Biden didn't have to involve us/NATO at all in that shit show! The world would be better without their constant waring. I was hoping they would kill each other off and the world would breathe easier knowing there's one less war we have to side with. Ukraine on the other hand, deserves our helping hand as they understand and has been about the business of securing it's peoples rights and freedoms. We could learn from them on how to differentiate a dictator from a president; one that's about his peoples business, not oligarchs. At least the Ukrainians are trying to save their piece of the rock instead of selling it to the low and high bidders in the shark pool.
Ally, yes, I'm the "Talk of the Town" that I would dare question the beliefs of people who claim that the tenets of Christianity lead their behaviors and opinions. I have shocked people in the church for daring to question. and distance myself, from what should be the "way to live." I'm sorry to lose friends who can't understand my stance. It's not like we're disagreeing over the color of the church carpet. It comes down to the fundamentals of good versus bad, of right versus wrong, of decency versus indecency.
You are not alone! I left my church because they are so anti birthcontrol and anti abortion. But is anyone questioning the morality of Catholics owning guns that aren't used for hunting???
We will now see Donald's administration pork barreling: "The term pork barrel means politicians using government money to spend on the place they represent, giving it to their supporters and their local area. The word comes from American English. Slave owners in America used to give salted pork in a barrel to their slaves."
"But the term was also used figuratively to mean "a supply of money" or "one's livelihood" (a farmer, after all, could readily turn pork into cash). When 20th-century legislators doled out appropriations that benefited their home districts, someone apparently made an association between the profit a farmer got from a barrel of pork and the benefits derived from certain state and federal projects. By 1909, during Taft's presidency, pork barrel was being used as a noun for such government appropriations, and today the term is usually used attributively in constructions such as "pork barrel spending" or "a pork barrel project."
(Samuel Pepys Diary describes it well. His job required him to meet many people to dispense money and make contracts. )
Taft, in life weighing 330 pounds, and was over six feet tall, died of obesity, and is haunted by the rumor that he had to be buried in a piano box (which isn't true, but hard to forget).Oct 20, 2023"
Steve, as an American, I would change “…their shame” to “…our shame.” But where does that get us? We still face an existential crisis (yes, an overused term, but appropriate here). With Hegseth at the helm, how could we respond if Taiwan were attacked? Imagine the U.S. without any capable leaders at the top. Great tools and staff are of little value without good decisions on if/when/how to use them. Once Trump is inaugurated, how long will it take before Biden’s team is gone? And how much longer before Trump’s team has fired key skilled subordinates? Could we respond to anything of international, national, or regional consequence?
Steve, in essence the Security of the Free World can no longer trust that the American voters value Democracy or will honor our commitments to address Authoritarian Governments every four years
Share critical security intelligence with Trump? That’s a big Eff You
Steve this is absolutely spot on. And we are now going to get the chance to witness what a completely emboldened Tsar Vlad is going to do to Eastern Europe. I predict that Ukraine will cease to exist by the summer, and that one by one, the former Soviet Republics from Estonia (maybe even Finland, which was beset and semi-controlled by the USSR) to the Black Sea will be invaded--including all the NATO countries to the east of Germany and Scandinavia. He already has Hungary, Moldova, and the southern flank of "allies" in his pocket as a buffer. I also predict that, come summer, the West Bank and Gaza will no longer be autonomous Palestinian regions and the Palestinian people will be forced into a diaspora that will, ironically, resemble that imposed on the Hebrews by the Babylonians back in the day. We are indeed going to be seeing a "new world order" that apparently more than half of Americans (because I include people who did not vote AND those who voted for Jill Stein as basically Trump supporters by default: they just want whining rights) would like to see. Moreover, the outright fascist and christofascist organizations in Europe will feel similarly emboldened, and within a couple of years we will probably see far-right takeovers of a lot of formerly centrist "liberal" democracies in the EU. But I also want to lay some blame on Biden's DoJ, which sat on their hands and slow-walked every damn investigation and, once the election "season" began, stopped pursuing anything at all. Biden did some wonderful things and his long-thought-about plans for making this country functional again were terrific, but he signally failed to deliver the kids of messaging--and the hard dope slaps--necessary to re-educate the yutzes and booby-hatches who ultimately rejected him while refusing to acknowledge that they are better off now than in 2019. To say I am completely disgusted with everyone is an understatement. I am thankful that I have a terminal illness and I am actually hoping I don't make it through the entire 4 years of hell I am anticipating.
Thank you, Linda. I agree with you and want to second all the missed opportunities the DEMS had--especially the Biden administration--to avert this tragedy. They did not do what needed to be done. It was one mishandling after another, from Garland's failure, to the disgustingly poor judgment Willis used, to not adding more Supreme Court judges earlier in the term, to inadequate messaging. The list goes on. Grassroots worked their tails off trying to get Harris elected, canvassing, phone banking, writing postcards, driving people places, etc. I wrote 300 postcards and received 5 in the mail from others writing postcards. It was not enough. Now we are being told not to give up, keep fighting, stay vigilant. What the hell are we supposed to do? March on Washington? Write letters to the editor? I just read something about how we should talk to Republicans. Reach out. Maybe we should reach out to Trump and his cabinet of clowns? Trump doesn't care what the voters who voted for him think, let alone the ones who didn't.
We did our part trying to get Harris elected, but our "leaders" did not do theirs. Now, it is up to Congress to do what they can to stop him, on both sides of the aisle. There is nothing citizens can do at this point but help our local communities to be safe, much like the resistance did all over Europe before and during WWII. If we get to midterms, maybe there will be an opportunity to gain control of one or both houses. A big if. Grassroots can lay some groundwork for that, but without the DEM party doing what it needs to, citizens can only do so much.
As Bill said, we are now going to sway in the wind. The way this world currently operates is not sustainable. We all know this. Major changes are needed (an understatement) for the world's resources and ecosystems to serve all 8 billion of us in a way that is socially just, kind, and comfortable for all people. Perhaps we are on the cusp of watching the walls come tumbling down, a change that must take place--but it will be an upheaval and one I am afraid of.
Antia, I'm thinking that Democrats "played by the rules" as the RepubliKKKans were operating on a completely different plane. My first thought was "brought a knife to a gunfight", but it is more complex than a simple choice of weaponry.
I think you are probably right. I always admired Michele's comment: "They go low, we go high." Perhaps we needed to put on different gloves--and it could have been done respectfully.
Right now, I am at a loss of what we are to do--but I have a close friend who is absolutely infuriated with me, because I have asked to not be on the receiving end of inflammatory texts and forwarded articles about the upcoming doom. I, too, wrote and donated and talked, and it wasn't enough to win. While this is going on, I am getting texts and emails from other friends; one just lost her brother to cancer after months of being his caregiver. I expect a text today announcing the death of a husband of another friend who entered hospice two days ago. Another friend is hospitalized battling a brain tumor and is horribly infected with C Dif. Those three people--the state of our country is not foremost in their minds. I'm not sure what my angry friend wants me to do, but without going into their content, they are the equivalent of a air raid signal, no joke.
I know there are others like me, people in which health and constant rage cannot coexist. I'm not giving up--I just can't sustain this constant battle. I did, however, meet with a very long time friend who voted for Trump. This is a very intelligent woman who is much more traditional GOP than MAGA. It was good to hear her talk about why she voted for him, even though she has some concerns. I have doubt that trying to convince the brainwashed will work, but if indeed the horrendous stuff that is predicted comes to pass, I think we'll have much more success in winning if we keep the lines of communication open with people like my friend who are open to reason from people who converse reasonably. (She did make reference to liberals who treat all Trump voters with distain as being stupid. Whether you might agree or not, don't forget Clinton's "deplorables" comment didn't go well, and I believe I read somewhere that in this election "coastal elitists banging on midwestern doors" didn't work very well either.)
The southern, western and midwestern doors don't seem to mind opening to accept their unearned and unforeseen block grants that represent multiples of their tax contributions. Those are the product of more successful blue states and cities, who receive substantially less of their own tax revenues in return, and must deal with gerrymandering, the Electoral College and clearing out of voting rolls as repayment.
So one aspect of rightwing gaslighting is reveling in acts of ridicule, fantasy violence, and threats but when it is done to them, they scream and whine and holler about how unfair it all is (see the person below who is trying to shame me for using a very common technique to settle down my rage). I think that the Dems ARE arrogant and stupidly so. I think that the Christofascists are ALSO arrogant in their complacency, sense of superiority, bigotry, and deliberate ignorance. I would also like to say that while I think it is wonderful you had a good conversation with your right-wing friend, it sounds like her criterion for voting for the Felon-in-Chief is her dislike of the "tone" of Dem messaging. If I were to take offense at every condescending, mansplaining, dismissive, arrogant thing that every person who disses me because I have a vagina and not a penis has said to me over the decades, I would be a sorry-ass maniac (or in jail for actually committing acts of violence). In my profession (academia), you have to suck up a whole lotta poison a whole lotta the time. So when someone sniffs at me that my attitude sucks, my response is usually Physician, heal thyself. As the kiddos say now, I have no more f**ks to give.
Linda, it was more than her dislike of the Democratic tone. She has a disabled sister a few years younger. When her brother in law died (of COVID, no less) she became the person who supports her. Both the sister and b.i.l. were on disability and never had much money. My friend is frustrated at navigating her sister's Medicaid and care services, and so she welcomes someone looking at Medicare/Medicaid and in general, cutting through the bureaucracy of the federal government (she suspects there are many paper pushers not accomplishing much among the civil service workers.) She's upset that nothing was done to fix these programs in the last four years. (her sentiments, not mine). She has gay friends, is not anti-abortion, and thinks Musk is an idiot, and she never married, is childless, and was a very successful businesswoman.
When I could, I countered her opinions with facts, but I can't argue with some of her frustration, as I am trying to figure out my own Medicare plans for the upcoming year. It should never be this complicated. I don't trust Oz as far as I could throw him, but I get where my friend is coming from.
I agree with you. Ridicule never helps and kindness needs to be how we treat others at all levels. If Republicans, Independents, etc. feel elitism and classism coming from Democrats and it influenced their vote (as many experts claim), that needs to be understood and somehow eradicated. Your friend referenced it, so it must be out there. To what extent I do not know. I have read so many articles and some books about how we got to this point--this division. But few of them offer a substantial way forward. This "divide" has been politically exploited by the right for decades, and now it has culminated in the MAGATS and Project 2025. We needed strong leadership to get out of this quagmire. I do not see it coming anytime soon.
LInda, I am hoping that the end of your journey here can be as peaceful as possible, even in these troubling times. I'd love it if a "parting gift" to you could be the overturn of the MAGAt movement. Holding you in my heart.
Thanks AH: my "parting gift" involves fantasies of pushing people down long staircases . . . I will go down fighting, as always (Greek gurl in full Medea mode).
Steve, I think you're giving those who voted for DonOLD far too much credit. We know the MAGATS don't think, that's a given but obviously no thinking was involved by the tiny margin of others that voted for him. He lost the popular vote for the third time. They keep using "mandate" but that won't last. I think he'll be inaugurated with an acting cabinet as nominee after nominee is rejected. I hear George Santos is available, possibly Secretary of Sexual Promiscuity.
You’re absolutely right. Trump’s voters, almost without exception, didn’t necessarily like him but supported him because of what he opposed. That opposition was fueled by a steady stream of right-wing propaganda targeting anything and everything—name an issue, and it was demonized. One overlooked factor is how the right-wing echo chamber amplified extreme liberal rhetoric and weaponized it, while also undermining trust in institutions, including mainstream media, by branding them as liberally biased. Trump supporters were united by what they were against but remain largely ignorant of the consequences of what they voted for. They will come to regret their support for someone they knew was unfit.
Funny, that first paragraph, Steve. Golly, I am not sure Barbie would fit in to the Cabinet. Timothy Snyder is right, just as President Lincoln was one hundred, eighty-seven years ago.
Steve, you have nailed the verdict on the American people regarding the election of a convicted felon to the office of the president. After reading this morning’s letter, I feel more urgency to either leave the country or, at the very least, move to a solidly blue state. I have little hope for our country’s survival during the upcoming administration. The felon-elect has plans to systematically dismantle these United States. There will be no overarching federal or congressional watchdog over the rights and liberties afforded by our constitution once al
l departments are dismantled and sent back to the states. We have a spineless Congress, of which most of the GOP members are trumpists. Each state will do as they please and if their state legislatures are extreme maggots (approximately 22+ states currently) then the citizens of those states will likely not have the same freedoms as their neighboring states.
I will not excuse them for some lack of moral agency.
Wasn’t the proposition of moral agency a basis for the Nuremberg Trials? One does not get a pass for just following orders or just stumbling into a voting booth and blindly casting a vote for one’s Fearless Leader.
Steve, I must disagree with you, to a certain point. Sadly. It seems that a lot of the people who voted for tffg simply were too lazy/busy/tied in knots by what life was already dealing them, to pay attention. Now, they (well, quite a few) are sorry. It reminds me of Brexit; buyer beware, and all that.
Steve, Excellent post. I would also add many did not vote for whatever reason. Yes they did it to all of us and once again I am glad to be as old as I am because younger people will bear the brunt of the suffering. One can only hope that the Senate decides to protect its prerogatives.
I agree, Steve, the results of this past election are owing principally to two phenomena: ignorance and stupidity. They (Trump voters) were stupid to remain ignorant.
I love your last paragraph. We are a “ reality “tv nation. I get so frustrated when people including the legacy media and politicians treat this as politics as usual and after four years we can vote in the Democrats to clean up the mess. We overlook that the Democrats have bought into this new normal. And will there be any legitimate elections in our future.
Thanks as usual for all your work Professor Richardson! One correction to the above: "Alex Pfeiffer told Will Steakin of ABC News that discussions of Gaetz’s payments 'are meant to undermine the mandate from the people to reform the Justice Department.'" I think what Mr. Pfeiffer meant was "meant to undermine the mandate from the people to corrupt the Justice Department." I'm sure Mr. Pfeiffer regrets the error . . . .
On a more serious note, Putin now has everything he wants. In addition to the likely implosion of the American system NATO may well become a dead letter, leaving Europe to deal with an emboldened Russia. It is check mate for the US. Not that we won’t come back from it, barring nuclear catastrophe, but coming back from it is off my clock.
As I have written before, it’s no longer what Trump but what the American people did to themselves. I will not excuse them for some lack of moral agency. They could see what this monster was and he told them over and over. The electorate decided consciously that it wants the US to fail at a time when, unlike the distressed Germans of Weimar, they have relative prosperity and stability.
This was a display of spectacularly irresponsible civic insouciance and malice. They saw. They applauded. They laughed. They clicked. They scrolled. They voted.
To their shame.
Well said! Not only is NATO dead, but most European countries are already looking for the exits. No one trusts America. After Trump betrayed the Kurds and The Afghani’s, no one expects Trump to adhere to any previous trade, or defense agreements in the future.
Some may blame Biden for the withdrawal, but Trump’s “Surrender Agreement, I mean DOHA Agreement left Afghanistan in disrepair. Eighty percent of the country was in Taliban hands before Biden was inaugurated. And Trump had closed all our military bases in Afghanistan except one; Bagram; reducing our military footprint and troop levels from 22,500, to 2,500 by December 2020; well before Biden was inaugurated.
Bottom line: America first, is America alone. Our allies are abandoning us, and with cause. Not to mention, Europe has their own right wing parties that have been gaining momentum over the years. Where America goes, Europe usually follows. This could mean a total realignment of western democracies and values over the next decade, and it may not be pretty for democracies around the globe.
Media focused constantly on President Biden's handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan without including the information that is in your second paragraph.
Agree the MSM shares responsibility. Telling half truths have the same consequences as telling lies. For example, Gaetz has many enemies in DC (can you say Kevin McCarthy). Yet the media’s portrayal of Gaetz withdrawing his name from consideration fails to mention that. All the MSM are focused on is the sex scandals ~ again a half truth. I’m pondering if Gaetz’s withdrawal is a sign the infighting of the Republican Party is alive and well. I pray this infighting will somehow contain Trump and his administration Project 2025 path of destruction.
From your keyboard to G*d’s screen, Maureen
Yes, Trump capitulated indeed! Let's see what follows with the remainder of the incoming decapitation nominees.
I hope you are reading the signs accurately
Biden was set up for failure from the beginning. One base to extract tens of thousands of people, and few resources to do the job. And with one base, the chances of a successful terror attack rises exponentially; it’s harder to defend.
and the terrorist group that caused the deaths weren't even Taliban. I got the feeling they just showed up out of nowhere to take advantage of the chaos.
there's that group again MEDIA! The withdrawl from Afghanistan pales in comparison of Trump's corrupt incompetence in fighting the war on the silent killer Covid 19! 1,000,000 Americans died!!! was this incompetence ever hammered out from the Media outlets! a resounding NO!
Ann: just what I was going to say! And of course tffg lied about it, as he does about everything.
Absolutely he lied. As you rightly point out, he lies about everything that would pointedly put the screws to him. And of course, Gaetz also lied when he denied any sexual misconduct or sleeping with two 17-year-olds. It stands to reason why Trump would want Gaetz on board in his administration: birds of a feather flock together. There is no better example of that saying than what is right before us in the Trump world of politics.
Exactly. But it’s hindsight. We can’t change it now, can’t change the past. Therefore my question is what if anything can we do now? Commiserating of our pains of the past can help soothe our hearts but the future is what may save them.
We need concrete plans of action and soon!
There is not enough time. If by some miracle some genius has a plan, it will have to be descreetly underground and very focused to overcome the venomous rot that has proliferated over the past four decades.
I'm wondering about what has been done in the past to survive during war. Like--what to do when there are outbreaks of contageous diseases (because we wont have vaccines anymore). And how will we get food and water once the supply chains have ceased to exist?
Im not so much thinking about ways of trying to get our country back, but more--how will we physically survive day to day with no jobs or money or supplies.
I am hoping that things start to tank before the next midterms. The gas is still high, tariffs had increased prices, deporting undocumented workers affecting the agricultural supplies and construction work. Perhaps a lot of republican women will need to have abortions and can't get them. perhaps when people see what they voted for, they will not vote republican.
I agree. Well put!
Not only is the media to blame, but also the administration for not explaining the situation and defending itself! Typical Democratic incompetence at messaging.
The mecia is just the Public Relations arm of the oilygarchy.
There has been too much delay. Why haven't more judges been appointed? Why wait to charge trump with all of his crimes? Merchan totally disappointed me with his delays. I guess some BS about making it seem political. That didn't matter because trumpers still called it a political witch hunt against trump I also don't like the way the Gaza and Ukraine situations have been handled. have limitations been put on the American weapons given to Israel like they were for Ukraine?
A more measured analysis wold conclude that the evacuation of Kabul was America’s Dunkirk, but with worse press.
Yes. Especially as that event has turned into a rallying point for the MAGAts. "13 soldiers died! Biden killed them!" Uh, no. That entire fiasco was set up by tfg and left Biden holding the short straw from under the manure.
Exactly!!
And the Kabul Government was not even at the DOHA 2 sided Talks Trump & the Long Black Birds only.
65 soldiers died during trump's term. MAGAs don't mention that.
just some plain bad luck, Jon, any idea how hard it is to stop a determined suicide bomber who looks just like all the others? American military intel missed the speed with which the existing gov imploded, though i can only wonder why. Since Trump's deal with the Taliban, what could you expect? Make deals with the Taliban!
just saying The truth timeline would prevent this.
Ann, I too was struck by those facts. That contradicts the account in the press. The fact that 13 troops died is tragic, but this is a direct result of 20 years of war in which many thousands died. And the country was left destroyed. The movie Charlie Wilson's War ends with the US Congress unwilling to make an effort to solve problems and preserve what gains had been made. I came of age with Vietnam. US foreign policy has never made sense to me.
trump takes credit for other people's work (like Obama's economy) and will take credit for the way Biden left the US economy. trump is like a cat that brings home a dead bird that someone else has already caught and gets credit for it. Another analogy would be that he is the cat that pushed over the fish bowl, left, and the dog, who wasn't even in the room gets the blame.
Thank you Robert for summing up the outlook of our foreign affairs and reminding us that it was DJT who told the Taliban that Afghanistan is theirs. Biden was left with a collapsed country.
Thank you. Not to mention, he released close 5,800 hardcore Taliban and Al Qaeda with American blood on their hands for a commitment not to attack US personnel. So much for that!…:)
For sure, i also wonder if the Americans found it was out and out impossible to reform the warlord based regime they had backed for so long. Trump just cut the proverbial "gordian knot" maybe?
His little stunt with Syria and abandoning the Kurds. The Kurds were the ones who were guarding the terrorists. trump had little empathy for them because they didn't fight in WWII. Geesh, they have no physical country, but members did fight but perhaps not in the European theater. A soldier was interviewed as the troops left Syria. The people were throwing things at them. The soldier commented that this was the first time he was ashamed to be an American.
Afghanistan was a failed adventure from the start. Bush was a Moron just like Donnie. I see a recession and foreign wars on the near horizon. Like Putin’s playbook, when domestic support wains, … start a war to rile up the Nationalism.
I see a recession but I'm not sure about the wars. I see trump aligning with foreign dictators and pressuring other countries, none of which will have the strength to stand up to that alliance.
Spot on assessment. Add the increase in Putin-dominated aggression with (at least)Korean cooperation and there will be WW lll scenarios happening …
I think I will read The Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire again. 😉
Actually I recommend a book, The Mortal Republic, on how the Roman Republic became the Roman Empire for starters. Laws intended to help the commons became a means to gain power and undermine their intent. Enter, Caesar.
Imperial rule, or its equivalent, was the name of the game in the ancient world when it came to large state building. "democracy" was mostly equated with "mob rule". The rise of modern democracies met the same aghast sentiments, elites should be in charge, whatever the stripe. And, once modern political parties realized how to manipulated huge masses of the population, both modern democracies and authoritarian regimes have thrived.
Also i would never view any state in the ancient world as a democracy in the modern sense.
I am very cynical I am afraid. Always there was/is an elite ruling while most of the time ordinary people have suffered. Modern democracies are somewhat of a miracle, often hard won and gradually more democratic. I am thinking of both the US and the UK here. Progress is slow and often undermined because, for some, they want what they want, right now and so adapt views and policies that will certainly allow regressive forces to win and remove such policies.
Thanks,Michele🫶
The Rise and Fall of theThird Reich
Isn't Putin looking at Poland (?) or one of the countries in which we have missiles as being aggressive and would be eligible for destruction to protect Russia? In other words start bombing NATO countries.
Steve said it perfectly. We placed the ropes around our own necks and pulled the lever— the wrong voting lever. We have been an ignorant collection of misfits from the beginning. In 1978 when I lived for a time in Florence, Italy, I attended a party one evening and I heard two women talking nearby and one said to the other, “Those Americans are stupid.” They were likely referring to the recently ended Vietnam American War. I turned around and the speaker immediately apologized to me but my response was, “No, you are right we are stupid.” And guess what folks, we remain stupid. Any time I had reflected and critized the politics of those closest to me; you democrats (I’m an independent who most always votes for democratic candidates) beat up on me and in my mind, it’s too, symptomatic of narrow mindedness. Our tent was never so large. Our abilities to accept self criticism has lacked. We ridicule anyone who dares step outside the accepted thinking structures. We have placed the hanging ropes around our own gullets. Now we will sway in the wind.
Who is the "WE" you are talking about? It certainly is not ME or close to 50% of the voters.
Direct your ire at the "willfully ignorant" members of the Trump cult.
sounds like a bit of a soapbox rant there, Bill.
And a bummer for sure.
lol barbara
Truth hurts.
Truth hurts.
Well it's not looking too damn good at the moment. That's for sure.
Europe will fight for Ukraine without us if it comes to that. Allies are not abandoning us, the next admin is threatening to abandoning them. NATO even without the US has enough DM soldiers, weapons, tanks, air power, and missiles to easily defeat the depleted, drained, and demoralized Russian Army.
But, even if Trump doesn’t abandon Ukraine, the leadership he is considering for defense and intelligence is so unqualified that the result will be same or similar.
I agree! They aren’t abandoning us, as much as they are being pushed away. Either way, the result is the same.
And Europe will continue to fight with Ukraine, but Trump could make life difficult for Zelenskyy and will. He’ll push for a bad ceasefire agreement and if successful, it’s only a matter of time before the Russian disinformation campaigns do to Europe, what they have done to the US.
Bottom line: Putin will be emboldened and free to escalate its nefarious agenda.
Trump will make life difficult for everyone, this will also result in making life difficult for him too. Undisciplined inexperienced ignorant people consistently make mistakes. Big ones. I think we need to give Ukraine and European leaders more credit. It’s not going to be easy by any means, but we haven’t yet even come close to utilizing any of NATO’s real military power. If we had set clearer goals in Ukraine, and used just a tenth or so of NATO, the Russian Army would have been completely destroyed in Ukraine. I think that had been a strategic failure on Biden’s Administration. ( I still support him, voted for him). I’ve been a fan of General Ben Hodges. He lives in Germany, former NATO commander and other wars. Hodges has the experience and know how to defeat the Russians in Ukraine.
Agreed! I’m glad Europe is fighting back and not giving in. Let’s hope this lasts.
Ukraine is going to need some help in terms of fighters if this keeps on.
Thanks for the pointer on Ben Hodges, Ted. I believe i've watched a few of his before.
I think Trump was pushing for a territorial capitulation in Ukraine when he was in office, before the 2022 invasion. Whatever we make of things, the Russian effort to take over Ukraine is not far from really being a civil war, an attempt to claw back something of what had been the Russian Empire, but with heavy nationalist overtones. Russians kind of ruled much of the roost in Ukraine before the breakup in 91.
easy on the revisionist history regarding Eastern Europe!! ukraine existed centuries before the enity know as Moscow became Russia. Check with Tim Snyder's writings for the history of who controlled what!
tragic!
Not yet. Are we really ready to declare game over? These people haven't even been sworn in. There are Democrats in the Federal Government. There are Democrats all throughout State Governments. Do we know for sure anything that is happening? One thing is for certain. There are a lot of fireworks, fear and uncertainty.
How about we sit tight, not freak out and do what we can.
Trump will fire anyone who is not loyal to him and replace them with his flunkies. Thae USA will become a Russian colony, our natural resources will be plundered... unless there is a massive uprising, and it's winter now. Sitting tight will make it easy for the dictatorship. Someone has to storm the oilygarchy. You may not like my choice of words, but you probably get my meaning. If Donalds mob isn't stopped now, it will take a long time to mop up the mess.
What do we do? How do we do storm the oligarchy?
I don't pick at people's words Susan. We are all in this together trying to find our way. I always appreciate people's feedback that is polite.
I consistently remarked to anyone who would listen that Biden was essentially set up, by Trump, to have a rough withdrawal from Afghanistan. That families of service members who died were essentially filled with so much grief and ready to blame the current leadership or were ill advised and poorly read individuals who didn't have a clue as to what Trump had done to their families in the Doha negotiations and agreement, they all but lost all sense of reality in the wake of their grief. Never mind that Trump figuratively threw all the American allies and especially the Afghan government under the bus. That the Taliban agreed but *also betrayed that agreement* came as no surprise when I read the agreement. The Taliban could not be trusted. Unfortunately for the families of the fallen, they obviously did not have the wherewithal to understand how devious the Taliban were or how critically unqualified Trump and his negotiators were when the agreement was made.
For clarification, when I said that Biden was "set up", I did not mean that Trump automatically knew that Biden would be president at the time of the Doha agreement. The truth is whoever succeeded Trump would have had the same result as Biden had; ISIS in Afghanistan would have plotted the same vile act. The Taliban would not have relented their attacks on the American military, as they were withdrawing, regardless of who became president. Even Trump, had he won reelection, nothing would have changed. But of course, in the Trump world of doing things, Trump would have denied this result as being his own. The orange god (small "g" on purpose) would have always believed his results are perfect. This is who we are now dealing with. Sheesh....🤦♂️🤦♂️🤦♂️
Robert, it will not be pretty for ordinary people anywhere or the planet as we will continue to destroy its ability to support us and other species.
Trump will blame Biden for everything Trump mishandled, and take credit for everything Biden did well. I second Heather’s advice to keep score cards in the next 4 years. If a lie, often repeated, will be entrenched, so will the truth.
And much of it is based around liberal immigration and migration. No nation in human history wants massive migratory policies without an ugly pushback. Ask the Moors from 16th century Europe what happened to them.
True, which is why you change the law. We haven’t upgraded our immigration policies in close to forty years. Republicans use it as a wedge issue, never really wanting to solve the issue, and democrats uphold the law.
Most asylum seekers walk up to a legal US checkpoint and ask for asylum legally. Drugs and human trafficking mostly occur by US seaports or are trucked in at US border crossings.
I agree with you, but this is for more complex…:)
Bill, the Moors had been in the Iberian Peninsula for a very long time and with a few different outcomes in key battles, could have overrun Europe. It was Ferdinand and Isabella who were finally able to defeat them in Spain and push them and the Jews out. I have trouble calling them immigrants.
Ah the Moors, a favorite 'bogeyman' for the writers in western europe!
Architecture, mosaic art, silk fabric and mathematics all thrived during the so called dark ages in the western world!
In Sicily, the Muslim conquerors let the local administration in tact, unlike little bush and Cheney who purged all the Bathists from Iraqi civil governments. Guess who formented the civil war in Syria but failed to out dictator Asad.....the bathists!
Yeah, just wrote my note to Bill, Michele, lol.
Whateva… the border issue crushed us. That’s the only issue.
Moors as part of an immigration argument? Part of the back and forth from the original muslim expansion. The Spanish regime that arose was immediately anti-Jewish, hardly immigrants come lately, amping up the Inquisition against the Conversos as shadow Jews / Muslims, which was soon full time promoting a savage conquest of indigenous across the Americas, not to mention the slave trade. Come on!
When the so called civilized Spanish Aragon dynasty ruled Sicily not only the Jews but anyone who did not convert to Catholicism were also persecuted!
Frank, thanks for including the Inquisition, Converses, and the conquest in the Americas in the history of their "Most Christian Majesties".
Bill, I have seen what you refer to on this forum and put in the world. Someone has a different view from others and gets verbally slaughtered.
I do not call correcting the facts of what happened in Spain under Ferdinand and Isabella verbal slaughter. Moors there were not "immigrants".
tragic!
Trying to take on the Taliban, backed by and part of Afghanistan's by far largest ethnic group, straddling both that and Pakistan, was an enormous mistake. The war lord governments the US (NATO, sure) cobbled together as another venue of "shock and awe" never could stand on their own two feet militarily, and likely societally, overall. Trump simply negotiated with the Taliban around the government the US supposedly supported. Implosion came next, the suicide debacle was the excuse a lot of Americans needed to dump on Biden, and from which he never recovered, mostly thanks to inflation and "the border"...
The trump slogan should be a ME rica first.
I agree in part, but Russian psy ops is responsible. 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.
Mueller convicted national security advisor Michael Flynn and the chair of the Trump presidential campaign, Paul Manafort. The investigation resulted in charges against 34 individuals and 3 companies, 8 guilty pleas, and a conviction at trial.
Mueller did not reach a conclusion about possible obstruction of justice by Trump, citing a Justice Department guideline that prohibits the federal indictment of a sitting president. That pisses me off. It's uo to a jury to determine whether there was complicity. I thought that Mueller was farblonget and Weissman, who MSNBC has elevated to expert, should, at least have preserved Trump's testimony,
DOJ identified the Russians early on. On September 4, 2024, the United States publicly accused Russia of interfering in the 2024 election and announced several steps to combat Russian influence including sanctions, indictments, and seizing of Doppelganger-linked web domains used to spread propaganda and disinformation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_interference_in_the_2024_United_States_elections#:~:text=On%20September%204%2C%202024%2C%20the%20United%20States%20publicly%20accused%20Russia,to%20spread%20propaganda%20and%20disinformation.
In reality, Russia should nor be a major power. Trump has been elevating their status.
There is also some question whether the count was fixed. I think the circumstantial evidence is compelling. Lots of uncounted provisional ballots. Right to recount varies by state.
We need a recount now
We definitely do! But how can we make it happen when there is nothing but silence from Harris, the DNC, etc.?
We should never forget Biden's welcoming of Trump to the White House, confirming the outcome of the election. The two of them sitting for their photo-op was one more betrayal by Biden.
Oh my goodness…. I rather think President Biden met with his adversary because that is what American Presidents do when their side loses. That civilized tradition signals to us that a peaceful transition is occurring and President Biden carried out his duty with distinction.
President Obama and other past Presidents have done the same thing with the famous exception of Trump himself. PBS reminded us how it went four years ago, “… it was a very different story: Trump filed scores of lawsuits falsely claiming widespread voter fraud, refused to actively participate in transition work, denied the election results and helped incite a mob that attacked the U.S. Capitol, trying to stop the certification of Biden's victory.”
A stark contrast, is it not? I admire Biden’s courage and self-control in carrying out what I’m sure he saw as his duty.
I agree with your assessment.
I also fumed seeing them together, because 45-47 internally wants to have the old man lined up against a wall and publicly shot by firing squad. Those of us in his crosshairs are terrified, and feel like America did not stand up for the rights of us all, just yielded to their privilege, racism and misogyny.
"he saw as his duty"
Biden also had a duty to fulfill his 2020 promise to be a transition president. He managed to ignore that duty. If he had lived up to that promise, he might have been welcoming a Democrat into the White House in 2024, instead of the Groper-in-Chief.
We do need to do some specific recounts however, with good cause.
Sadly you are wrong about President Biden. He simply showed that he is the grown up in the room. You may remember that there was a very real concern about the possibility of civil war had Trump supporters thought the election was rigged. My belief is that Americans have come to believe that every desire should be met within the timeframe of a delivery from Amazon. Biden’s policies will take years to have their designed effects. As the saying goes: “Anything worthwhile is worth waiting for.”
And Trump is just salivating for the opportunity to wipe out as many of these policies - because well, he has to "get even" - a spoiled child's reaction, as always.
Biden was the best president for Americans since FDR and Ike. But his foreign policies were terrible.
Jake Sullivan might as well been on Putin's payroll as far asa Ukraine was concerned. Biden lied, blaming the Afghans for their defeat by the Taliban saying their American trained and equipoped 300,000 army just folded. There never were 300,000. Maybe 150,000 max, the rest were on papaer and the money stolen. The CIA and warlords were hated in rural Aghanistan as they were so corrupt, the Taliban provided better local governance. When Trump announced that American troops would be withdrawn and no longer supplying air cover, the Afghan army joined the Taliban as fast as they could for their own survival. America never really controlled anything outside of Kabul and maybe Herat.
Now we have the American Taliban hell bent on inflicting Christian Sharia Law on the world. Only Robert Hubble can be positive under these circumstances. My wife and I may never get to go home to our little town in Ukraine
Me too. I was angry Biden normalized tfg. Yes, he had to sit with him. He did not have to play act.
I have been asking that question. Harris folded like a cheap card table. Did she know something we do not? Was her family credibly threatened? The ballot counting machines were "not connected to the internet". There was lots of time between 2020 and 2024 when they may well have been. As musk said there was only one line of code needed changing.
If anything about the Ukraian war has shown that the Russian army is less than second rate. They do not want a direct conflict with the West. So much of their "advanced" weaponry is stolen from the West. It is much like the cold war again when we were lead to believe by Reagan that we were dangerously behind the communists. He then proceeded to lead to the biggest military build up since WWII and used America's credit card to do so by relieving the wealthy from paying taxes. putin knows that a direct conflict with NATO would spell doom for his govt.
They had a brain drain. Their economy is not as big as California -- maybe the same size as Tejas.
But through chicanery, they control Trump. Whether he is an agent or just a willing idiot, they are the "other."
Dems are currently in circular firing squad formation -- blaming themselves for crimes committed by Russians and their allies and idiots - MSM and the so called Republican Party.
I assume you mean Main Stream Media by MSM. It has other meanings.
These are certainly head spinning moments; there is no adult supervision in his pending administration; no sober, decent, mature individual who will be in charge of major departments - I note a chilling fear among many of us.
Stephanie, we are living in a nightmare. Remember how grateful we are when we wake up and realize it was only a nightmare and not real?
I haven't been able to wake up yet.
We come out of a nightmare often sweating, sometimes crying or screaming, shaking, and as you say, with our heads spinning.
I am surrounded by those who made this nightmare possible. I quit my position as pianist at a Baptist Church because they were all Trump supporters. I couldn't reconcile the hypocrisy of hearing sermons and singing hymns of peace, love, goodness, kindness, and striving to be Christ- like. I'm alone in my nightmare, but what gives me hope of waking up to better times are the people like Heather, the Meidas Touch Network, Tim Miller, Tennessee Brando, and others who have seen the truth about Trump and are trying to keep us all afloat. I definitely would be drowning in my disbelieve and despair had it not been for those posts.
May we one day have pleasant dreams and not nightmares.
Pam Taylor, Stephanie Banks and others....
Your experience is similar to mine.
To my deep regret, I once was a Republican....I once supported The Heritage Foundation. I am a Christian who once attended worship but I will not worship Trump. As soon as he was placed on the Republican ticket to be President of the USA, ...I changed parties.....I no longer attend formal worship. My faith has not changed but I will not be a part of supporting a criminal, a man who looks at women as useful objects for him to use freely as he chooses with NO PUNISHMENT!!!! He is using any citizen of the USA who will bow to him in hopes of receiving power and money and control!!! Trump is a man who envies and wants to be like men such as Putin. He is no Putin!!!
Trump did not gain his position suddenly. He was chosen as a useful tool by such as members of The Heritage Foundation and many other groups who have been working and planning for years and years for this very time. Many of us have been "losers!" Too many of us believed the lies!!! It is NOT too late to wake up....but NOW is the time!!!!
Which political party has been serving ALL of the American people .... for the betterment of our nation and the world....for air to breath ...for the education of our children (not brainwashing!!! our population!)....for opportunity to have a home of their own. Which party has been working and will continue working to create jobs for Americans and fight to improve wages and benefits!!! It is the party of the Democrats!!! Which party has been working for a more peaceful world, for freedom for all people? My answer, at this time in our history is the Democratic Party. We have and I pray will continue being and BECOMING!! the UNITED States of America....NOT THE BRAINWASHED IMPLODING STATES OF AMERICA!!!
We would be blind if we were not aware of the increasing rise of dictators throughout the world. Netanyahu has played us as fools! Where are the October 7th hostages?
Why was this problem not taken care of before we sent troops?...before our bombs were allow to dismember and decapitate babies, women, young children...before OUR bombs were used to destroy homes and gardens and animals that were a part of everyday life for innocent people???? Do we love war and its weapons of destruction so much???
Now we have the build up of hatred and revenge. We have worked for this...we have given more to this than to the care of humanity!!!! We are going to pay a price for our chosen actions!!! Netanyahu and his minions are in control ...not us.....not even those making money off this war.....are in control now!!!
Bring home the hostages!!!!
Peace, cooperation, love for one another will bring success for everyone....of course NOT perfection!!! but a better, safer more productive world for everyone. Can we imagine the loss of education opportunities??? We are contributing to the poverty of our fellow human beings!!! Peace will build up families, gardens, kindness to our elderly and poor who are helpless.
Will the hostages be found alive? Will the hostages be released? Families have been waiting!!!!
Emily, that's a long statement to have no mention of the cowardly HAMAS using their civilians as shields. Both sides are murdering warmongers. Wishing President Biden didn't have to involve us/NATO at all in that shit show! The world would be better without their constant waring. I was hoping they would kill each other off and the world would breathe easier knowing there's one less war we have to side with. Ukraine on the other hand, deserves our helping hand as they understand and has been about the business of securing it's peoples rights and freedoms. We could learn from them on how to differentiate a dictator from a president; one that's about his peoples business, not oligarchs. At least the Ukrainians are trying to save their piece of the rock instead of selling it to the low and high bidders in the shark pool.
Emily, your heart-felt comments are appreciated and certainly agreed with!
I'm sorry you had to leave your church. The hypocrisy must have been horrible to experience.
Ally, yes, I'm the "Talk of the Town" that I would dare question the beliefs of people who claim that the tenets of Christianity lead their behaviors and opinions. I have shocked people in the church for daring to question. and distance myself, from what should be the "way to live." I'm sorry to lose friends who can't understand my stance. It's not like we're disagreeing over the color of the church carpet. It comes down to the fundamentals of good versus bad, of right versus wrong, of decency versus indecency.
I chose decency and truth over vileness and lies.
But that's just me.
You are not alone! I left my church because they are so anti birthcontrol and anti abortion. But is anyone questioning the morality of Catholics owning guns that aren't used for hunting???
You are not alone.
We will now see Donald's administration pork barreling: "The term pork barrel means politicians using government money to spend on the place they represent, giving it to their supporters and their local area. The word comes from American English. Slave owners in America used to give salted pork in a barrel to their slaves."
"But the term was also used figuratively to mean "a supply of money" or "one's livelihood" (a farmer, after all, could readily turn pork into cash). When 20th-century legislators doled out appropriations that benefited their home districts, someone apparently made an association between the profit a farmer got from a barrel of pork and the benefits derived from certain state and federal projects. By 1909, during Taft's presidency, pork barrel was being used as a noun for such government appropriations, and today the term is usually used attributively in constructions such as "pork barrel spending" or "a pork barrel project."
(Samuel Pepys Diary describes it well. His job required him to meet many people to dispense money and make contracts. )
Taft, in life weighing 330 pounds, and was over six feet tall, died of obesity, and is haunted by the rumor that he had to be buried in a piano box (which isn't true, but hard to forget).Oct 20, 2023"
Steve, as an American, I would change “…their shame” to “…our shame.” But where does that get us? We still face an existential crisis (yes, an overused term, but appropriate here). With Hegseth at the helm, how could we respond if Taiwan were attacked? Imagine the U.S. without any capable leaders at the top. Great tools and staff are of little value without good decisions on if/when/how to use them. Once Trump is inaugurated, how long will it take before Biden’s team is gone? And how much longer before Trump’s team has fired key skilled subordinates? Could we respond to anything of international, national, or regional consequence?
Steve, in essence the Security of the Free World can no longer trust that the American voters value Democracy or will honor our commitments to address Authoritarian Governments every four years
Share critical security intelligence with Trump? That’s a big Eff You
Steve this is absolutely spot on. And we are now going to get the chance to witness what a completely emboldened Tsar Vlad is going to do to Eastern Europe. I predict that Ukraine will cease to exist by the summer, and that one by one, the former Soviet Republics from Estonia (maybe even Finland, which was beset and semi-controlled by the USSR) to the Black Sea will be invaded--including all the NATO countries to the east of Germany and Scandinavia. He already has Hungary, Moldova, and the southern flank of "allies" in his pocket as a buffer. I also predict that, come summer, the West Bank and Gaza will no longer be autonomous Palestinian regions and the Palestinian people will be forced into a diaspora that will, ironically, resemble that imposed on the Hebrews by the Babylonians back in the day. We are indeed going to be seeing a "new world order" that apparently more than half of Americans (because I include people who did not vote AND those who voted for Jill Stein as basically Trump supporters by default: they just want whining rights) would like to see. Moreover, the outright fascist and christofascist organizations in Europe will feel similarly emboldened, and within a couple of years we will probably see far-right takeovers of a lot of formerly centrist "liberal" democracies in the EU. But I also want to lay some blame on Biden's DoJ, which sat on their hands and slow-walked every damn investigation and, once the election "season" began, stopped pursuing anything at all. Biden did some wonderful things and his long-thought-about plans for making this country functional again were terrific, but he signally failed to deliver the kids of messaging--and the hard dope slaps--necessary to re-educate the yutzes and booby-hatches who ultimately rejected him while refusing to acknowledge that they are better off now than in 2019. To say I am completely disgusted with everyone is an understatement. I am thankful that I have a terminal illness and I am actually hoping I don't make it through the entire 4 years of hell I am anticipating.
I hate hearing of your illness and I hope by some miracle you get a better outcome than you anticipate. It does happen.
I completely agree with your view.
Thank you, Linda. I agree with you and want to second all the missed opportunities the DEMS had--especially the Biden administration--to avert this tragedy. They did not do what needed to be done. It was one mishandling after another, from Garland's failure, to the disgustingly poor judgment Willis used, to not adding more Supreme Court judges earlier in the term, to inadequate messaging. The list goes on. Grassroots worked their tails off trying to get Harris elected, canvassing, phone banking, writing postcards, driving people places, etc. I wrote 300 postcards and received 5 in the mail from others writing postcards. It was not enough. Now we are being told not to give up, keep fighting, stay vigilant. What the hell are we supposed to do? March on Washington? Write letters to the editor? I just read something about how we should talk to Republicans. Reach out. Maybe we should reach out to Trump and his cabinet of clowns? Trump doesn't care what the voters who voted for him think, let alone the ones who didn't.
We did our part trying to get Harris elected, but our "leaders" did not do theirs. Now, it is up to Congress to do what they can to stop him, on both sides of the aisle. There is nothing citizens can do at this point but help our local communities to be safe, much like the resistance did all over Europe before and during WWII. If we get to midterms, maybe there will be an opportunity to gain control of one or both houses. A big if. Grassroots can lay some groundwork for that, but without the DEM party doing what it needs to, citizens can only do so much.
As Bill said, we are now going to sway in the wind. The way this world currently operates is not sustainable. We all know this. Major changes are needed (an understatement) for the world's resources and ecosystems to serve all 8 billion of us in a way that is socially just, kind, and comfortable for all people. Perhaps we are on the cusp of watching the walls come tumbling down, a change that must take place--but it will be an upheaval and one I am afraid of.
Linda, take good care of you.
Antia, I'm thinking that Democrats "played by the rules" as the RepubliKKKans were operating on a completely different plane. My first thought was "brought a knife to a gunfight", but it is more complex than a simple choice of weaponry.
I think you are probably right. I always admired Michele's comment: "They go low, we go high." Perhaps we needed to put on different gloves--and it could have been done respectfully.
Right now, I am at a loss of what we are to do--but I have a close friend who is absolutely infuriated with me, because I have asked to not be on the receiving end of inflammatory texts and forwarded articles about the upcoming doom. I, too, wrote and donated and talked, and it wasn't enough to win. While this is going on, I am getting texts and emails from other friends; one just lost her brother to cancer after months of being his caregiver. I expect a text today announcing the death of a husband of another friend who entered hospice two days ago. Another friend is hospitalized battling a brain tumor and is horribly infected with C Dif. Those three people--the state of our country is not foremost in their minds. I'm not sure what my angry friend wants me to do, but without going into their content, they are the equivalent of a air raid signal, no joke.
I know there are others like me, people in which health and constant rage cannot coexist. I'm not giving up--I just can't sustain this constant battle. I did, however, meet with a very long time friend who voted for Trump. This is a very intelligent woman who is much more traditional GOP than MAGA. It was good to hear her talk about why she voted for him, even though she has some concerns. I have doubt that trying to convince the brainwashed will work, but if indeed the horrendous stuff that is predicted comes to pass, I think we'll have much more success in winning if we keep the lines of communication open with people like my friend who are open to reason from people who converse reasonably. (She did make reference to liberals who treat all Trump voters with distain as being stupid. Whether you might agree or not, don't forget Clinton's "deplorables" comment didn't go well, and I believe I read somewhere that in this election "coastal elitists banging on midwestern doors" didn't work very well either.)
The southern, western and midwestern doors don't seem to mind opening to accept their unearned and unforeseen block grants that represent multiples of their tax contributions. Those are the product of more successful blue states and cities, who receive substantially less of their own tax revenues in return, and must deal with gerrymandering, the Electoral College and clearing out of voting rolls as repayment.
So one aspect of rightwing gaslighting is reveling in acts of ridicule, fantasy violence, and threats but when it is done to them, they scream and whine and holler about how unfair it all is (see the person below who is trying to shame me for using a very common technique to settle down my rage). I think that the Dems ARE arrogant and stupidly so. I think that the Christofascists are ALSO arrogant in their complacency, sense of superiority, bigotry, and deliberate ignorance. I would also like to say that while I think it is wonderful you had a good conversation with your right-wing friend, it sounds like her criterion for voting for the Felon-in-Chief is her dislike of the "tone" of Dem messaging. If I were to take offense at every condescending, mansplaining, dismissive, arrogant thing that every person who disses me because I have a vagina and not a penis has said to me over the decades, I would be a sorry-ass maniac (or in jail for actually committing acts of violence). In my profession (academia), you have to suck up a whole lotta poison a whole lotta the time. So when someone sniffs at me that my attitude sucks, my response is usually Physician, heal thyself. As the kiddos say now, I have no more f**ks to give.
Linda, it was more than her dislike of the Democratic tone. She has a disabled sister a few years younger. When her brother in law died (of COVID, no less) she became the person who supports her. Both the sister and b.i.l. were on disability and never had much money. My friend is frustrated at navigating her sister's Medicaid and care services, and so she welcomes someone looking at Medicare/Medicaid and in general, cutting through the bureaucracy of the federal government (she suspects there are many paper pushers not accomplishing much among the civil service workers.) She's upset that nothing was done to fix these programs in the last four years. (her sentiments, not mine). She has gay friends, is not anti-abortion, and thinks Musk is an idiot, and she never married, is childless, and was a very successful businesswoman.
When I could, I countered her opinions with facts, but I can't argue with some of her frustration, as I am trying to figure out my own Medicare plans for the upcoming year. It should never be this complicated. I don't trust Oz as far as I could throw him, but I get where my friend is coming from.
I agree with you. Ridicule never helps and kindness needs to be how we treat others at all levels. If Republicans, Independents, etc. feel elitism and classism coming from Democrats and it influenced their vote (as many experts claim), that needs to be understood and somehow eradicated. Your friend referenced it, so it must be out there. To what extent I do not know. I have read so many articles and some books about how we got to this point--this division. But few of them offer a substantial way forward. This "divide" has been politically exploited by the right for decades, and now it has culminated in the MAGATS and Project 2025. We needed strong leadership to get out of this quagmire. I do not see it coming anytime soon.
LInda, I am hoping that the end of your journey here can be as peaceful as possible, even in these troubling times. I'd love it if a "parting gift" to you could be the overturn of the MAGAt movement. Holding you in my heart.
Thanks AH: my "parting gift" involves fantasies of pushing people down long staircases . . . I will go down fighting, as always (Greek gurl in full Medea mode).
You really need to seek professional help. Healthy people don’t have those types of fantasies.
Uh, she’s dying. Therefore not healthy. She’s reveling in the ability to act without consequences. There is a difference.
No, wishing harm upon anyone EVER is wrong, period, no excuses. Shame on both of you. Stop defending bad behavior.
Steve, I think you're giving those who voted for DonOLD far too much credit. We know the MAGATS don't think, that's a given but obviously no thinking was involved by the tiny margin of others that voted for him. He lost the popular vote for the third time. They keep using "mandate" but that won't last. I think he'll be inaugurated with an acting cabinet as nominee after nominee is rejected. I hear George Santos is available, possibly Secretary of Sexual Promiscuity.
I believe he won thanks to the gerrymandering of the Southern states. Do I hear history repeating itself? 🤔
I agree this is the only reason he won. That and some old fashioned cheating. Musk seems to have bought a lot of votes.
I agree, except, that whole "mandate" thing might last, because the maga-ots keep lying about it, which means people will believe.
You’re absolutely right. Trump’s voters, almost without exception, didn’t necessarily like him but supported him because of what he opposed. That opposition was fueled by a steady stream of right-wing propaganda targeting anything and everything—name an issue, and it was demonized. One overlooked factor is how the right-wing echo chamber amplified extreme liberal rhetoric and weaponized it, while also undermining trust in institutions, including mainstream media, by branding them as liberally biased. Trump supporters were united by what they were against but remain largely ignorant of the consequences of what they voted for. They will come to regret their support for someone they knew was unfit.
And they watched Fox, Newsmax, Breitbart, and "Truth Social" while the mainstream media mostly ignored Trump's constant lies and incoherence.
Funny, that first paragraph, Steve. Golly, I am not sure Barbie would fit in to the Cabinet. Timothy Snyder is right, just as President Lincoln was one hundred, eighty-seven years ago.
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7259852498906025984?commentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Acomment%3A%28activity%3A7259852498906025984%2C7259857671875391488%29&dashCommentUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afsd_comment%3A%287259857671875391488%2Curn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7259852498906025984%29
Steve, you have nailed the verdict on the American people regarding the election of a convicted felon to the office of the president. After reading this morning’s letter, I feel more urgency to either leave the country or, at the very least, move to a solidly blue state. I have little hope for our country’s survival during the upcoming administration. The felon-elect has plans to systematically dismantle these United States. There will be no overarching federal or congressional watchdog over the rights and liberties afforded by our constitution once al
l departments are dismantled and sent back to the states. We have a spineless Congress, of which most of the GOP members are trumpists. Each state will do as they please and if their state legislatures are extreme maggots (approximately 22+ states currently) then the citizens of those states will likely not have the same freedoms as their neighboring states.
I will not excuse them for some lack of moral agency.
Wasn’t the proposition of moral agency a basis for the Nuremberg Trials? One does not get a pass for just following orders or just stumbling into a voting booth and blindly casting a vote for one’s Fearless Leader.
Steve, I must disagree with you, to a certain point. Sadly. It seems that a lot of the people who voted for tffg simply were too lazy/busy/tied in knots by what life was already dealing them, to pay attention. Now, they (well, quite a few) are sorry. It reminds me of Brexit; buyer beware, and all that.
Steve, Excellent post. I would also add many did not vote for whatever reason. Yes they did it to all of us and once again I am glad to be as old as I am because younger people will bear the brunt of the suffering. One can only hope that the Senate decides to protect its prerogatives.
I agree, Steve, the results of this past election are owing principally to two phenomena: ignorance and stupidity. They (Trump voters) were stupid to remain ignorant.
I love your last paragraph. We are a “ reality “tv nation. I get so frustrated when people including the legacy media and politicians treat this as politics as usual and after four years we can vote in the Democrats to clean up the mess. We overlook that the Democrats have bought into this new normal. And will there be any legitimate elections in our future.