Me too, at age 74, I never thought the nightmare that Germany experienced, would happen here. We are on the same path and the final outcome is uncertain. The DOJ MAY or may not successfully prosecute TFG. The final defenders of democracy are the voters and it is clear that many of them have already abandoned free and fair elections. Each day I vacillate between hope and despair.
I'm also 74. Regarding the nightmare that Germany experienced. It DID happen here, and Hitler got his ideas from American history! Please read the "banned" book: The 1619 Project. Find out what you never knew. Well worth the read.
I will read it. There is no question about the racism that runs deep in American and world history. As a kid in high school I thought that the Civil Rights act set us on a new path and of course I was wrong. Racism was driven from plain view for a while, that is as far as it went. The past 5 years have been revealing and horrifying.
I have not read the book, if it points out that southern democrats tried to keep slavery the law of the land it makes perfect sense that Hitler received an education indeed. Now that we realize President Grant made a grave error in not stamping out the confederacy totally and completely, if democracy survives, letтАЩs not make the same mistake again.
I think we have already begun to make the same mistakes, there is still time to bring accountability, but the window of opportunity will not last long. We canтАЩt let violence and threats of violence cause us to back off in the false notion that being forgiving , will keep the future safe.
Hello Evelyn, IтАЩm 65 and most of my life I believed we had laws in place that fascism, although here in pockets of militias, would be put down. Our government would protect us from it flourishing. Then when TFG was handed our country, we were no longer the United States of America. I knew he had cheated. All those that support him did, too. Kellyanne took her accolades as a genius for getting him elected (Russia) his campaign manager Reince Prebus (Russia) every member of his cabinet (Russia). His side show of operatives, lies and espionage has intentionally damaged all of us, destroyed the Republicans party with their blessing and continues as crazy cult leader. ThatтАЩs where weтАЩre at for now. Roevember will be here not a second too soon.
I have to say that, as a retired history teacher, now 74, I have quietly thought (without mapping out how) that the US was a country that COULD repeat "Germany, 1932-33." The current "not my father's GOP" has done the mapping for me, quite clearly and quite ominously. Let us hope that all their incompetencies, beginning with TFG, have given us the knowledge and space to put more than a thumb in the dike that's holding back disaster.
As a retired history teacher, you must "know" American history. Do you really? Regarding the nightmare that Germany experienced. It DID happen here, and Hitler got his ideas from American history! Please read the "banned" book: The 1619 Project. Find out what I (and maybe you?) never knew. Well worth the read.
Just this morning I was thinking about a friend who died at 63 of a brain tumor this month 6 years ago. He missed this s*#tstorm of Repub politics. Lucky him. I miss him.
I am 79 and still going. I have thought this often of the people who have passed and who I miss, but am thankful that they are not around to experience this. I thought my old age would be, well, not golden, but relatively peaceful. Not now..
Is this what you do? Obviously you don't spend any time following all that President Biden has achieved. In just two years he has done more than any other president in our history. Get a life.
I applaud the fact that you have a subscription to LFAA. You might also check out Robert Hubbell, Joyce Vance, Eugene Robinson to name a few. My experience as a former Republican has taught me that research and an open mind forced me to come to terms with change in the party. They no longer stand for decency, courage, morality, integrity. Many of my friends want things to go back to the past, when things were so much better. Better for whom? White people, white women? So my answer is yes to your тАЬokie DokieтАЭ comment. At least he, and the Democrats are trying to take on the injustices in our country, to confront our problems and propose solutions. I see no proposals coming from the RepublicansтАж.only lies, deception, and a complete lack of courage to speak out about trumpтАЩs despicable behavior. How refreshing it would be if the Republicans could come up with a platform with their own set of solutions then site down and both sides work out concrete legislation to benefit the country as a whole! To look to the future, instead of the past. To compromise instead of criticize. To honor and respect integrity, honesty, goodwill, and an open mind.
Tommy Hollenbeck, "okie dokie" such a technical term to describe the current state of affairs in this country! Not only HCR, but also the comments posted here, shed light and share information to make everyone better informed and active citizens. Please keep reading.
ThatтАЩs a waste of energy. Working on the undecided voter or one that doesnтАЩt vote regularly. In Texas about seven million people didnтАЩt vote in the last governor election. ThatтАЩs who weтАЩre after!
I hear you, Denise! The Civics Center is a great initiative to get new voters registered, primarily those in the 18-20 age range. HereтАЩs to our future!ЁЯТЩ
Forget the Trumpers. ItтАЩs much easier to encourage one college student to register and vote wherever they are eligible but especially in a swing state. Encourage him or her to recruit 1 friend. Now you have two votes. And so on. Call or email your local Dem office or group mobilizing voters. Volunteer at least one session. Our efforts and votes matter!!
Completely agree, Last Presidential election I hand-wrote personal letters to undecided voters, as did others I know. Told them a little about my own situation as a 70 yr old. Reaching out like that was definitely empowering and, it appears, effective.
There is a group - Vote forward - Vote Forward volunteers send heartfelt handwritten letters to unregistered and low-propensity voters encouraging them to participate in our democracy.
I concentrate on sharing with those who aren't interested in politics reasons why they need to be. But, I do save from others and post on the Twitters of the lying right the examples of all Biden is doing and all the Repubs are not. Unfortunately, I can't upload those here. For instance, there is an amazing video now regarding K McCarthy. By posting these on their own twitters, hopefully someone with no interest or someone who believes the lies might have a new thought.
i used to "comfort" myself with that thought (that they are mindless) but many of these people have been to the best schools, well educated. Cruz, de Santis etc etc. Just like Bolsonaro, they sing the siren's song and lure so many who ARE mindless. My son, when he was younger said once, They are the Slytherings and the Deatheaters ( he had read Harry Potter) and he totally nailed it. The selfish greed...one of the 7 deadly "sins"...accent on DEADLY
So it seems self-governance is DIY. We hire agents to carry out our collective wisdom, but ultimately the buck stops here. So far the infrastructure of rule of law is straining yet still holding. But the battle continues.
Sorry J L Graham, IтАЩm feeling cynical this morning and cannot seem to roll smoothly over your statement: тАЬ So far the infrastructure of rule of law is straining yet still holding.тАЭ After the tsunami wave of judicial appointments that were slammed into US Courts in the last administration, and the capture of SCOTUS, the discovery of the percentage of far-right extremists / sympathizers in law enforcement and the military, and the gamification of trials, I believe the jig is already up, and we are just recognizing that, to the chagrin of the Right. The evangelicalтАЩs Deal-with-the-Devil to support trump was the judges. Those judges will hold the court hostage for a generation and secure their тАЬWhite-Might Makes RightтАЭ authoritarianism. If Democracy couldnтАЩt stop a grifter like trump in 2015, or 2016, or 2017, or 2018, or 2019, or 2020, or 2021, what more examples do we need to know the infrastructure was a house of cards? We are fighting now to rebuild a rule of law infrastructure. And itтАЩs pretty damn hard in an evolving authoritarian regime. But I will continue to try, and I know many others here are doing the same.
I am genuinely fearful, but if ever there was a time to to focus on the realities of our circumstances and wisely use our collective influence, this is it. "It" (meaning fascism) definitely can happen here, and GOP rhetoric is straight out of Orwell. There is also decency and resistance afoot. The "Force" is very intense in both directions, and I think perhaps until recently Democrats have been too shy about shining the spotlight on growing corruption and and offering a more appealing and compelling vision of alternatives. We let the crooks control the news cycle to the point that "war is peace" for far too many of our peers.
I also note according to the US Census, voting is consistently less common in the age range of 18 to 29. Yet they are the ones with the most to lose by standing by when poor political choices are made, and climate change is just the start of how they have been and will be impacted. I think this has yet to be effectively emphasized, especially by the DNC.
White-Might Makes Right? In America, it ALWAYS has! Regarding the nightmare that Germany experienced, it DID happen here, and Hitler got HIS ideas from OUR American history! Please read the "banned" book: The 1619 Project. Find out what I (maybe you?) never knew and exactly why Dems and Repubs are SO different! Well worth the read. It should be required reading by all Americans!
Yes it has. And тАЬprogress be damnedтАЭ we are being hauled back to a version of it circa 1900. And yes, the 1619 project is a great read and nonsense that it is not taught in schools , or that it is controversial.
The right wing coup d'etat of the Supreme Court is a huge problem and the abandonment of "equal justice under law" (which is engraved into the building) must be highlighted and used to blunt the legitimacy of the current majority. I believe that Lincoln was correct when he said:
тАЬIn this age, in this country, public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can fail; against it, nothing can succeed. Whoever molds public sentiment goes deeper than he who enacts statutes, or pronounces judicial decisions.тАЭ
Frankly since Reagan, plutocratic Republicans (and Dems) seem to have understood that better than the advocates of public empowerment. I think this dynamic holds both when tyranny rises and when tyranny falls. I think the chief weapon of forces of reform are clarity and focus, and a smart plan to be heard and seen.
And it didn't happen by itself. Regarding the nightmare that Germany experienced. It DID happen here, and Hitler got his ideas from American history! Please read the "banned" book: The 1619 Project. Find out what you never knew. Well worth the read.
I hope when I wake up tomorrow morning I will be in the United States and the rule of law will be in place and this was just a nightmare.
What times we live in. At 70, I could not have predicted life since 2015.
Me too, at age 74, I never thought the nightmare that Germany experienced, would happen here. We are on the same path and the final outcome is uncertain. The DOJ MAY or may not successfully prosecute TFG. The final defenders of democracy are the voters and it is clear that many of them have already abandoned free and fair elections. Each day I vacillate between hope and despair.
I'm also 74. Regarding the nightmare that Germany experienced. It DID happen here, and Hitler got his ideas from American history! Please read the "banned" book: The 1619 Project. Find out what you never knew. Well worth the read.
I will read it. There is no question about the racism that runs deep in American and world history. As a kid in high school I thought that the Civil Rights act set us on a new path and of course I was wrong. Racism was driven from plain view for a while, that is as far as it went. The past 5 years have been revealing and horrifying.
I have not read the book, if it points out that southern democrats tried to keep slavery the law of the land it makes perfect sense that Hitler received an education indeed. Now that we realize President Grant made a grave error in not stamping out the confederacy totally and completely, if democracy survives, letтАЩs not make the same mistake again.
I think we have already begun to make the same mistakes, there is still time to bring accountability, but the window of opportunity will not last long. We canтАЩt let violence and threats of violence cause us to back off in the false notion that being forgiving , will keep the future safe.
Hello Evelyn, IтАЩm 65 and most of my life I believed we had laws in place that fascism, although here in pockets of militias, would be put down. Our government would protect us from it flourishing. Then when TFG was handed our country, we were no longer the United States of America. I knew he had cheated. All those that support him did, too. Kellyanne took her accolades as a genius for getting him elected (Russia) his campaign manager Reince Prebus (Russia) every member of his cabinet (Russia). His side show of operatives, lies and espionage has intentionally damaged all of us, destroyed the Republicans party with their blessing and continues as crazy cult leader. ThatтАЩs where weтАЩre at for now. Roevember will be here not a second too soon.
I have to say that, as a retired history teacher, now 74, I have quietly thought (without mapping out how) that the US was a country that COULD repeat "Germany, 1932-33." The current "not my father's GOP" has done the mapping for me, quite clearly and quite ominously. Let us hope that all their incompetencies, beginning with TFG, have given us the knowledge and space to put more than a thumb in the dike that's holding back disaster.
My like button is fickle! So many times it wonтАЩt let me like a post.
As a retired history teacher, you must "know" American history. Do you really? Regarding the nightmare that Germany experienced. It DID happen here, and Hitler got his ideas from American history! Please read the "banned" book: The 1619 Project. Find out what I (and maybe you?) never knew. Well worth the read.
IтАЩm reading lots of things that make it clear that what I was taught in school was either wrong or at least not the whole story.
Just this morning I was thinking about a friend who died at 63 of a brain tumor this month 6 years ago. He missed this s*#tstorm of Repub politics. Lucky him. I miss him.
I am 79 and still going. I have thought this often of the people who have passed and who I miss, but am thankful that they are not around to experience this. I thought my old age would be, well, not golden, but relatively peaceful. Not now..
Me too.
It doesn't just happen by itself.
Exactly. Everyone here on this newsletter has a responsibility to take an action.
To quote Michael Moore... " we each need to get 5 new Democrats to vote"
Minimally, we can all write letters encouraging potential Democrats who don't normally vote to vote. See Vote Forward for information.
So u think everything is okie Dokie under iden?
Is this what you do? Obviously you don't spend any time following all that President Biden has achieved. In just two years he has done more than any other president in our history. Get a life.
I applaud the fact that you have a subscription to LFAA. You might also check out Robert Hubbell, Joyce Vance, Eugene Robinson to name a few. My experience as a former Republican has taught me that research and an open mind forced me to come to terms with change in the party. They no longer stand for decency, courage, morality, integrity. Many of my friends want things to go back to the past, when things were so much better. Better for whom? White people, white women? So my answer is yes to your тАЬokie DokieтАЭ comment. At least he, and the Democrats are trying to take on the injustices in our country, to confront our problems and propose solutions. I see no proposals coming from the RepublicansтАж.only lies, deception, and a complete lack of courage to speak out about trumpтАЩs despicable behavior. How refreshing it would be if the Republicans could come up with a platform with their own set of solutions then site down and both sides work out concrete legislation to benefit the country as a whole! To look to the future, instead of the past. To compromise instead of criticize. To honor and respect integrity, honesty, goodwill, and an open mind.
And when would you suggest was the time that everything was okie dokie? 1950тАЩs? 1920тАЩs?
Your simple attempt at correlation has failed you
Say hello to David C
Tommy Hollenbeck, "okie dokie" such a technical term to describe the current state of affairs in this country! Not only HCR, but also the comments posted here, shed light and share information to make everyone better informed and active citizens. Please keep reading.
Tommy Hollenbeck - "So u think everything is okie Dokie under iden? (sic)"
You don't? Please elaborate.
? What?
Have you been able to change the mind of 1 Trumper? If so, what dod you do or say?
ThatтАЩs a waste of energy. Working on the undecided voter or one that doesnтАЩt vote regularly. In Texas about seven million people didnтАЩt vote in the last governor election. ThatтАЩs who weтАЩre after!
I hear you, Denise! The Civics Center is a great initiative to get new voters registered, primarily those in the 18-20 age range. HereтАЩs to our future!ЁЯТЩ
Yes I just have to ferret those out
Forget the Trumpers. ItтАЩs much easier to encourage one college student to register and vote wherever they are eligible but especially in a swing state. Encourage him or her to recruit 1 friend. Now you have two votes. And so on. Call or email your local Dem office or group mobilizing voters. Volunteer at least one session. Our efforts and votes matter!!
Completely agree, Last Presidential election I hand-wrote personal letters to undecided voters, as did others I know. Told them a little about my own situation as a 70 yr old. Reaching out like that was definitely empowering and, it appears, effective.
Brava!
There is a group - Vote forward - Vote Forward volunteers send heartfelt handwritten letters to unregistered and low-propensity voters encouraging them to participate in our democracy.
Yes, Bonnie!
HereтАЩs one great option:
https://thecivicscenter.org/
Thx. Great example of resources for mobilizing young voters!!
I concentrate on sharing with those who aren't interested in politics reasons why they need to be. But, I do save from others and post on the Twitters of the lying right the examples of all Biden is doing and all the Repubs are not. Unfortunately, I can't upload those here. For instance, there is an amazing video now regarding K McCarthy. By posting these on their own twitters, hopefully someone with no interest or someone who believes the lies might have a new thought.
Mind, did you say mind. They have his number of brain cells, zip
Jeri
i used to "comfort" myself with that thought (that they are mindless) but many of these people have been to the best schools, well educated. Cruz, de Santis etc etc. Just like Bolsonaro, they sing the siren's song and lure so many who ARE mindless. My son, when he was younger said once, They are the Slytherings and the Deatheaters ( he had read Harry Potter) and he totally nailed it. The selfish greed...one of the 7 deadly "sins"...accent on DEADLY
So it seems self-governance is DIY. We hire agents to carry out our collective wisdom, but ultimately the buck stops here. So far the infrastructure of rule of law is straining yet still holding. But the battle continues.
Sorry J L Graham, IтАЩm feeling cynical this morning and cannot seem to roll smoothly over your statement: тАЬ So far the infrastructure of rule of law is straining yet still holding.тАЭ After the tsunami wave of judicial appointments that were slammed into US Courts in the last administration, and the capture of SCOTUS, the discovery of the percentage of far-right extremists / sympathizers in law enforcement and the military, and the gamification of trials, I believe the jig is already up, and we are just recognizing that, to the chagrin of the Right. The evangelicalтАЩs Deal-with-the-Devil to support trump was the judges. Those judges will hold the court hostage for a generation and secure their тАЬWhite-Might Makes RightтАЭ authoritarianism. If Democracy couldnтАЩt stop a grifter like trump in 2015, or 2016, or 2017, or 2018, or 2019, or 2020, or 2021, what more examples do we need to know the infrastructure was a house of cards? We are fighting now to rebuild a rule of law infrastructure. And itтАЩs pretty damn hard in an evolving authoritarian regime. But I will continue to try, and I know many others here are doing the same.
I am genuinely fearful, but if ever there was a time to to focus on the realities of our circumstances and wisely use our collective influence, this is it. "It" (meaning fascism) definitely can happen here, and GOP rhetoric is straight out of Orwell. There is also decency and resistance afoot. The "Force" is very intense in both directions, and I think perhaps until recently Democrats have been too shy about shining the spotlight on growing corruption and and offering a more appealing and compelling vision of alternatives. We let the crooks control the news cycle to the point that "war is peace" for far too many of our peers.
I also note according to the US Census, voting is consistently less common in the age range of 18 to 29. Yet they are the ones with the most to lose by standing by when poor political choices are made, and climate change is just the start of how they have been and will be impacted. I think this has yet to be effectively emphasized, especially by the DNC.
"Yet they are the ones with the most to lose..." I completely agree with this statement. We've got to get young people to vote!
Ty for simply expressing what so many of us are feeling.
White-Might Makes Right? In America, it ALWAYS has! Regarding the nightmare that Germany experienced, it DID happen here, and Hitler got HIS ideas from OUR American history! Please read the "banned" book: The 1619 Project. Find out what I (maybe you?) never knew and exactly why Dems and Repubs are SO different! Well worth the read. It should be required reading by all Americans!
Yes it has. And тАЬprogress be damnedтАЭ we are being hauled back to a version of it circa 1900. And yes, the 1619 project is a great read and nonsense that it is not taught in schools , or that it is controversial.
The "supreme" court seems a sham to this citizen.
The right wing coup d'etat of the Supreme Court is a huge problem and the abandonment of "equal justice under law" (which is engraved into the building) must be highlighted and used to blunt the legitimacy of the current majority. I believe that Lincoln was correct when he said:
тАЬIn this age, in this country, public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can fail; against it, nothing can succeed. Whoever molds public sentiment goes deeper than he who enacts statutes, or pronounces judicial decisions.тАЭ
Frankly since Reagan, plutocratic Republicans (and Dems) seem to have understood that better than the advocates of public empowerment. I think this dynamic holds both when tyranny rises and when tyranny falls. I think the chief weapon of forces of reform are clarity and focus, and a smart plan to be heard and seen.
And it didn't happen by itself. Regarding the nightmare that Germany experienced. It DID happen here, and Hitler got his ideas from American history! Please read the "banned" book: The 1619 Project. Find out what you never knew. Well worth the read.