By midnight last night, four of former president Donald Trump’s closest allies were required to turn over documents to the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol.
"Meanwhile, Bannon told his podcast audience that he will have 20,000 'shock troops' ready to take over the country. 'We control this country,' he said. 'We have to start acting like it.'"
Why isn't Bannon behind bars this evening? Surely his words are damning enough to warrant an arrest!
If Bannon looked like a Middle Eastern man, he would have been charged with treason and terrorist activities hours ago. But white, home grown terrorists are given carte blanche to roam the streets and clog the airwaves!
This is "white privilege". The white supremacy that ran unleashed through the Jim Crow period of more than 100 years demonstrates the lawlessness that white privilege grants to white men involved in terrorism.
Is Brannon going to rent Russian shock troops? Aside from the United States Military, I’m not aware of any shock troops in this country. Brannon wouldn’t know the difference between shock troops and militia posers. Perhaps he is getting them from the pillow guy, or the cyber guy.....?
Honestly, Gus, I wonder about the overall mental acuity of Bannon, Flynn and other members of Trump's gang of thugs. Both Banning and Flynn have outright threatened violence. Surely Flynn, a retired officer of the US Army, knows better. Bannon throws words around like a 12 year old bully on the playground. The fact that these two men, and others, like Lin Wood, have been able to get away with advocating violence against the US government on air/online should be of grave concern to every person on US soil, regardless of party.
It reminds me of Brett Kavanaugh’s Senate hearing. It looked like he might be voted down for lying, drunkenness, sexual bullying, financial irresponsibility, etc. On advice from good ol’ donnie, Brett asserted his white male privilege by getting angry. Senators fell into line and gave him the job.
Joan, you are right. It's a parallel I mentioned yesterday to some of my colleagues. One that I would hope I never had to use to describe a current event. I thought we were better than this, yet here we are.
I have a neighbor, former police officer/detective and voted for Trump. When I commented that Kavanaugh was too angry ( as in lying and not believable) my neighbor actually agreed.
No, they don’t have absolute power. Wanting your ‘Base ‘ to think you do and actually having it are not the same ideology .I do believe we have some prisons , private and state sitting empty. There is no “3 strikes ‘ available to them. Hope they Think !
Trump sitting in the WH doing as he pleased, was an eye-epener for his minions. They were and are on board with evil. Read Adventurers of a Bystander, by Peter Drucker, pages 163-164 if my memory serves. Made my blood run cold years ago and 4 years ago.
Yes Daria! Bullies on a playground is a perfect description. It’s obvious that most people have never had to deal with bullies to this degree before. So naturally, Texas drops all gun control to attract them. 🤯🤮
They want a Civil War, blood on the streets. Then they will say it is blood on Biden’s hands. But you can be sure of one thing. It won’t be none of the Mouth Pieces. Hope the “ Base “ doesn’t take the ‘ Bait ‘,
I’m sure trump can garner 20,000 MAGAts in a flash, one post I read (sorry I don’t remember where) was by a man who had killed a beloved dog to see if he could kill a stranger for his leader. These types have been waiting for their Messiah since Obama was elected. I live amongst them. How I wish they were a vague threat. They are not.
Thank You for Warnock and Ossoff giving us a majority. Many of us across the nation volunteered to get them elected - but Georgians got the job done. We know it's not all red hat racists and godly gun crazies down there.
I’m in Georgia and we did turn out to elect both of them, Warnock is the stronger of the two and is up for re-election next year, it will be a key race that we should be able to win if the legislature can be prevented from stealing the election. Our survival as a nation is going to depend upon passing the voting rights legislation.
Then there’s the man charged with murdering his brother, his sister-in-law, and an 83 year old woman who happened to be with them, because his pharmacist brother was distributing the covid vaccine. Insane, yes. Unreal, no.
Just watching videos of the folks protesting masks and vaccinations, there is such fomented rage erupting from them as if they have been infected with rabies and are foaming at the mouth. It is difficult to wrap my brain around, even though I study it to understand it.
It's faux news. My ex best friend is an avid watcher. When I went back to MI in 2016 to help her recover from surgery, I got six weeks of faux hell.
She had all their talking points down pat, especially about Obama being half white who could have brought this country together but instead tore the country apart.
This woman who says she is a Christian is always angry, always mad at someone or something and never ever sees the good side of anything.
I ended the relationship after she starting tee heeing about her son marrying a Mexican woman and having little brown babies. My son's grandma was born and raised in Puerto Rico.
Also, when I told her my nephew and his wife (who has CP) finally had a healthy baby girl after a miscarriage. She asked what they named her and I said Bianca, she went on a rant about what a stupid name that was.
Had to get all that hate and anger because it was impacting my husband.
"A lot of why the right doesn’t “understand” climate change is that climate change tells us everything is connected, everything we do has far-reaching repercussions, and we’re responsible for the whole, a message at odds with their idealization of a version of freedom that smells a lot like disconnection and irresponsibility."
Solnit, making a crucial point.
A pity she weakens it with "smells a lot like".
Too many people's "Liberty" fetish has to do with chains and prisons of the mind, not liberation.
Am I free from this? Are you? A question we must all ask ourselves.
No one has a monopoly of delusions or of any other disease, But there's so much mass psychosis abroad, deliberately spread by DT, his henchmen and henchwomen, along with Covid, that sane people are hard pressed to protect their sanity...
Here, I'll just mention the inspired words that came one morning, on awakening, to a very wise woman I am privileged to know:
I CHOOSE NOT TO HATE.
After all, hate blinds those who need to keep their eyes wide open, it is the virus of Trumpista madness.
We must defend ourselves at all costs from this evil, but not at the cost of self-betrayal. We shall need warrior's virtues, determination, courage, self-discipline, willingness to do what it takes.
Those virtues do not include hatred.
True, it is bound to happen when faced with horror... Bannon's "shock troops". Reminiscent of Hitler's SA and SS.
Fern I honestly don’t believe that everyone that showed up on 1/6 had anything more on their mind than showing up. Then there were those who got caught up in it. As they ( planners )knew they would. But with that said there were ‘ Leaders who knew damn well what the Op was all about. Those caught are singing like Canaries . Hence, the Plea Deals. Time Reveals All .Pelosi had Lt Gen. Russell Honore’ in the mix of things since Jan. 15 th. Remember him from going in La after Hurricane Katrina ? He don’t play ! Is highly respected . He’s Retired but won’t hesitate to come out and on again.
Marcia, yes, there is a distinction between those who marched to the Capitol from the Trump rally and those who did not. Those who marched to the Capitol, breached the Capitol perimeter and stormed the building clearly went to the rally that morning primed for trouble and violence. That the Capitol and those inside were inadequately protected was no mistake. The most important thing now is that those who engineered the day and are affiliated with law enforcement, the military, the government and the administration – including donors such as Clarence Thomas's wife – are held accountable.
Whatever you believe, Marcia, 'Five people died either shortly before, during, or following the event: one was shot by Capitol Police, another died of a drug overdose, and three succumbed to natural causes. Many people were injured, including 138 police officers. Four officers who responded to the riot died by suicide within seven months.' (Wikipedia). Have you seen any footage covering the attack?
“There has been a major realignment of militia movements in the US from anti-federal government writ large to mostly supporting one candidate, thereby generally positioning the militia movement alongside a political party. This has resulted in the further entrenchment of a connection between these groups’ identities and politics under the Trump administration, with the intention of preserving and promoting a limited and warped understanding of US history and culture.
These armed groups engage in hybrid tactics. They train for urban and rural combat while also mixing public relations, propaganda works, and ‘security operations’ via both online and physical social platforms to engage those outside of the militia sphere. There is an increasing narrative and trend that groups are organizing to ‘supplement’ the work of law enforcement or to place themselves in a narrowly defined ‘public protection’ role in parallel with police departments of a given locale.”
This link, as does the above link, provides information updated on 7 October, 2021. The data sets presented include information in re various protests and activities, including para military activities.
Blackwater is defunct these last 7 or 8 years after merging with other security firms then finally being sold to Apollo Global Management.
"In 2016, Apollo acquired Constellis for $1 billion. Constellis is a private military contractor that was created as a result of a merger between rival contractors Triple Canopy and Academi in 2014. Academi, founded by Erik Prince and formerly known as Blackwater USA, is best known for its role in the Nisour Square massacre, where Blackwater guards killed 17 Iraqi civilians and injured"
A comprehensive list of Apollo is holdings can be found here.
I think shock troops are the fringe of society. They hide in their little groups like civil war reenactment groups. Texas and Oklahoma have compounds of the dredges of uneducated being manipulated just like Jim Jones did. They thrive on fear-mongering. Many are police and ex-military.
One thing I learned in the military is that many are there because they require someone to tell them what to do 24/7. They are there because they refuse to think for themselves. Let me be clear, it’s not all of them.
Many of these shock troops are just people incapable of rational thought. Fox News just hit 25 years on the air. Look at what they’ve been doing to contribute to the mindset of the poorly educated. Our churches are failing us in teaching love and goodness towards others. Instead they teach judgement and hate.
Religion in which God is present everywhere but within us and among us leaves our house empty and undefended for the Adversary to come in and squat.
Writing this, I didn’t have the January 6th invasion of the Capitol in mind, but maybe it fits the bill there too. Quite early on I thought of DT as the Apprentice Antichrist… Bannon seems to see himself as His Master’s Mephistopheles…
I agree. I left the church when I was around 30 after teaching Sunday school for many years to know what my daughter was learning. As she progressed in age I taught the class she was in. It worked out well for me. I remember great Sunday school teachers as a child and wanted these kids to have that experience.
It didn’t help that as an adult I came more and more to see what a racist and bigot my father was who attended every Sunday and pretended he was a good Christian. My mother was the best Christian I knew.
Instead I went out in the world and did all the work the church preached about but never actually did. I gave my spare time to homeless shelters, veterans and abused women.
When criticized by my father for not going to church I told him God was everywhere and it was better for me to be doing the work instead of going weekly to listen to a sermon and prayers and do nothing. He never asked again.
We spent too much of Covid complaining about churches shutting their doors as if God was being taken away from them instead of providing understanding of the power within.
Btw, I’m married to an atheist and he is a far better man than the hypocrites screaming about religion.
Bannon's iteration of shock troops as presented at a gathering at the Capitol Hill Club on September 29, 2021:
"We’re going to have a sweeping victory in 2022, and that’s just the preamble to a sweeping victory in 2024, and this time we’re going to be ready — and have a MAGA perspective, MAGA policies, not the standard Republican policies," he said, referring to Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan and describing a 2024 electoral victory as a "second term."
Thank you but this does not answer where he will get the people he will train to be shock troops. I was trying to answer where they would come from. I will refrain from such descriptions.
According to Bannon, they are a select group of people who will be trained and positioned to step into various government positions once Trump is re-elected.
His hubris has been a constant shock to me since he hit the public scene. I keep wondering how man who served w Flynn and Bannon are holding onto personal stories that might point to the shaping of their twisted allegiances from the military and ensuing years.
Bannon and Breittbart were, and maybe still are, funded by Robert and Rebekeh Mercer. Just another one one of their conspiracy nutbags like Kellyanne of the Alt. Universe (also funded by the Mercer's dark money.
This was my reaction (question) too - why is it illegal to yell fire in a theater but not announce something like this in a podcast? Free speech my ass.
Laurie you can yell Fire in a Movie Theater——if there is one. What He is saying they are going to burn a Theatre down. In my opinion that is right up there with Bomb threats. He’s threatening my life. I’m taking this personal. There’s no difference if Putin, Xi or NK just threaten my life.
If Bannon were capable of organizing 20,000 troops for battle, they would surely include several dozen inside informants who would keep law enforcement and probably the US military, too, well informed of their activities and plans.
Exactly. That is his plan. Out of the 20,000 “trained” troops the “best” recruits will be the ones to fill the posts. Bannon’s plan is to have ready those who will be ready to infiltrate, without having to be elected; you know, that pesky democratic process. He’s not behind bars because he got pardoned. Ugh, just keep getting worse before it gets better.
It seems to me that my comment must have communicated to you the opposite of what I intended to say. I intended to say that any operation of 20,000 insurgents would be monitored from the inside by operatives reporting to the FBI or some other law enforcement agency. There was some of this in the Jan 6 insurrection, which produced evidence against some of the organizers. Not enough of it, but some, and the Jan 6 insurrection was an operation less than a quarter the size of the one Bannon is bragging about for the future. Most American law enforcement professionals at the top levels know their Constitutional duty and try to carry it out. Not so for most of the rank and file (and local sheriffs, for that matter), the ones who watch Fox exclusively and commit offenses against decency every day, especially against people with non-European ancestors. Same goes for the American military: pretty solid citizens at the top levels but a lot of Fox watchers and conspiracy believers in the rank and file. I think the best among our national law enforcement professionals will have our back against Bannon's 20,000 shock troops, on the off-chance that he has the ability to organize such an insurrection, which I doubt. He's good at obnoxious rabble rousing, but I doubt if he's much good at organizing an effective paramilitary force. Not that a disorganized mob of 20,000 can't do a lot of damage. For sure, they can, but I think they'll find themselves up against some better organized and better equipped response troops led by people who know their Constitutional duty.
Bannon is a Leninist. He was a tRump whisperer in the first campaign. One of the organizers. He is not using the term ‘troops’ literal military sense, but rather implying the ‘shock’ training for administrative posts. Those are appointed, not nominated, and Bannon is suggesting that rather than have to wait a year or two to get the newly assigned staff up to speed, train them now. And bragging about it, as you say. Remember, this is the mouthpiece who called for Dr. Fauci’s head on a spike. Creepy is as creepy does.
Yeah, there doesn't seem to be a way to spin Bannon's words as protected speech. His words seem to be clearly illegal and extremely dangerous. They were also public and recorded. I don't understand either why he has not been arrested and charged. And, while, yes, a Middle Eastern person would not have lasted five minutes broadcasting these words on a podcast, I don't believe it's because Bannon is white that he's being allowed to walk free.
I'd really like anyone with experience in the area to explain.
The former issued a legit pardon to Bannon that cannot be rescinded by Pres Biden. That protection to Bannon, I believe, stands in the way of prosecuting him for crimes even committed when the former was in office.
Correct. But that is the veil that former and Bannon push for people to think that he is due executive privilege. “I the great do forgive you Bannon……” And so his crowd believes forever.
Yes, but that pardon doesn't extend to all activities undertaken by Bannon during the Trump presidency, in other words, he did not receive a blanket pardon. This is what Bannon pardon covers – note that Bannon was never tried and convicted for the fraud perpetrated:
"Former President Donald Trump in January pardoned Mr. Bannon, who had been charged in August—but not convicted—in connection with an alleged scheme to siphon hundreds of thousands of dollars from a crowdfunding campaign to build a wall along the southern U.S. border—one of Mr. Trump’s signature promises. " WSJ via MSN
There are exceptions to free speech, one of which is incitement; "The Supreme Court has held that "advocacy of the use of force" is unprotected when it is "directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action" and is "likely to incite or produce such action".
Additional limits on free speech in the US as well as references can be found here:
Don’t know why people don’t know this, I learned it early, no one has the right to incite violence. Sorry Bill Maher and free speech nuts. Also, there is the Q on IQ test about yelling fire in a crowded theater. Yes, there are limits on free speech. Bannon should be toast.
Not a reason to forego upholding the law. What good are any laws, then, if a bully/terrorist flaunts them. This permissiveness and tolerance has gone on way too long.
Jeri, I agree. I remember learning about the exceptions to free speech by the 6th grade. Apparently, some folks didn't pay attention in Civics & Government classes.
If I posted that right this minute my home would be swarming with FL Dept of Law Enforcement. As the saying goes “ You might beat the wrap but not the ride “.
Tik Tok has definitely allowed the envelope to be pushed over the edge. The recent video of the Louisiana student beating the wheelchair bound teacher was horrific. You are right to be concerned, I think. Many adults are unable to make reasoned decisions, minors less so.
I'm hoping the 18 year old female student who assaulted the Louisiana teacher is charged and tried appropriately.
These guys won’t stop until they’ve had all their money lost in court battles. Their rhetoric has already cost lives and millions of public dollars. Class action?
Yes, it is reported on Twitter this morning that “Margarine Traitor Greene” is spouting that the Second amendment should be used against the people giving the Covid vaccine. Yet Twitter leaves her account up and she continues to be a member of Congress.
I wish Nancy Pelosi would put forth something to remove her based on this statement alone. Do a roll call vote and publish every Republicans name that refuses to oust her. She does this continuously and it gets worse the more she’s allowed to. She should never have been allowed to compare masking to the genocide of 6 million Jews but her “apology” was accepted and she never stopped her words or behaviors.
thank you, Rowshan, exactly my question. who in their right mind actually speaks like this? threatening insurrection and treason. white privilege and a trumpian stooge at their worst. I can only hope that this guy is in the crosshairs of the Department of Homeland Security. somebody in government will prevent him from realizing his autocratic dreams. I hope.
He has, or was—haven’t heard much lately—stirring up trouble in the Catholic Church. I think he tried to buy a monastery in Italy. Making common cause with all the right-wing Catholics, some of whom are very rich. Even aligning himself with a crazy American cardinal who thinks the vaccine include microchips. Even Pope Francis dislikes this cardinal.
Bannon was pardoned for the crime of fraud associated with raising funds for the border wall. As I understand it, it covers no other crimes he may have committed during the Trump administration, (not a blanket pardon). It certainly does not pardon crimes committed after the Trump administration (future crimes).
It's way more dangerous than a group of violent Brown Shirts (and that's not the context of his statement), Bannon knows exactly how to destroy the government from within and he's hellbent on doing so.
Tell us how you really feel!! I feel your anger. That said I personally know a number of Democrats who are racist elitists but hide it under a cloak of indignation. Stay strong my friend.
Racism is color blind. Think about that. Look in the mirror. Study hair. Holly Ovenden draws book covers. Imagination on speed.
Tribal = exclusion. Humans are tribal. Anger? Not really. Try SET THEORY and IF P, then Q truth tables: this math will get you there.
What will you discover?
Ask HCR. She’s buried. Tired. Aging out. Tried and failed. None better as Substack. Idiot savant stuff in Civil War and KKK and facts around racism and the South. But void of feeling. Almost. In exquisite denial, buried in facts that matter, not the savagery of slavery and today’s racism, taking a knee, defying the trustee, the board, white trash, her neighbors, her peer, her racist church campus; Imagination and integrity struggling with an anal neurotic devotion to absurd cleanliness, neat and tidy, whiteness, the obsessive whites fear of the different, color, kinky hair, pseudo religious, act as if, it’s all there in plain view. In hiding. Cannot emote. That’s who we are. She epitomizes us.
The question that I continue to come back to is - Where is our Justice Department? I understand the reluctance to initIate investigations, file criminal indictments, and try those threatening yet further violent insurrection that Trumpists may perceive as political prosecutions. However, failure to take these threats seriously only implies permission for them.
Dear AG Garland, please take these threats seriously and take the appropriate actions necessary to protect our democracy.
I think Garland is waiting to see what the trump four will do. It is perhaps a matter of not stepping on anyone else's toes/turf until the appropriate time. The small fry are making their way through the court systems and while I had hoped to see harsher sentences they are not the ultimate catch.
Listening to Maddow yesterday interview a writer at the NYTimes, I heard that the DOJ doesn’t appear interested in reviewing the clear attempt by the former guys’ DOJ to overturn the election results. So I am wondering the very same thing as you. Why??
Bruce, Having witnessed endless abuses and threats from Trump and his enablers, most of us are shocked by how stymied our system is in protecting the country and dealing with the traitors. I don't think that DOJ is reluctant to initiate investigations and file criminal indictments, if the Department believes it has the goods and the law behind it. I believe Garland takes these threats as deeply serious. We don't know how they are addressing the dangers, beyond public view, or how long it takes to be prepared.
I've attached a link below. It is to a long and fascinating piece by Ezra Klein about why the Democratic Party's odds of holding the Senate are poor and is generally in a weak position. I'd like to continue our exchange about the most realistic ways of achieving free and fair democratic elections in the country. If you are also interested it, please let know after you have read the piece linked below.
I presently help to coordinate the activism of a local group of over 500 advocates in support of a variety of progressive causes and our alliance with other advocacy groups. I am also helping several local Democratic candidates with their campaigns.
I feel strongly about the importance of spending time, energy, and effort on local and state initiatives that I feel Democrats have often ignored in their obsession with nationalizing campaigns. If we can't mobilize and win locally, we will not win nationally. Also the margins in local and state elections are often narrower than many realize and those holding these offices have significant influence and power over issues important to our day-to-day lives.
We may find it easier to communicate via email. You can find my email through Heather’s Herd where I believe you are also a member.
Bruce, you’re absolutely correct that Democrats have long neglected local politics. Not only has this given Republicans a disproportionate advantage in states and counties, but, it’s also starved the pipeline for rising Democrat candidates.
And simultaneously we have a very limited opportunity to advance our priorities in Congress. If we loose the Senate and perhaps the House, forces will be set into motion that we may never recover from. Securing voting rights nationally is imperative. Climate change is roaring down on us bringing enormous disruptions including food shortages in our own country. Time is simply running out.
d017, Please let BruceC know of your interest, and I suggest that you read the article that is at the end of my comment to him above. Glad that you want to be involved.
BruceC, I couldn't agree with you more about the great need to work locally. The Democrats need groups of trained reps in red, purple and blue states (districts heavily populated by Republicans). Does Ellie have your email? If so, please tell her of our the request. Thanks
Liberal Women of Chesterfield County (and beyond) LWCC was started in 2016 as a reaction to the election results in 2016 and I joined as soon as I could. This group has been a wonder and I feel it is why Virginia is almost blue now. They worked on local politics and getting the message out that there are options to the lifelong republicans in local offices. Check it out: https://www.liberalwomenofchesterfieldcounty.com
Paula, Please continue to tell us about the organization. I believe there are subscribers who live in Virginia. You may want to post info about LWCC several times in the coming months as its work may offer models that other organizations can learn from. Thank you.
Sure - I know LWCC also provides information on how to create this type of group in other states. I will look for some of the articles that have been written in the past. I also know this group also supported and helped Virginia pass the ERA - even though it was late! Ha.
Paula, Do you mind if I copy your link and post to subscriber's using your name as a contact? Pressing the link, of course, is one their options, too, because it is easier than looking for you on the forum. They may use your name when they contact LWCC.
Amen and Thank You. Can I like your comment as many times as we need voters to register and get to the polls? Thank You for your good work. At every level.
Fern, I didn't want to read this, but I did. Ezra often takes a more negative side, which is why I don't follow him. But in this opinion piece, he goes straight down the middle, and while I DON'T like what Schor is saying, it is important to pay attention and get outside of that comfortable echo chamber. Thanks for sharing. See you on HH.
As Ezra Klein learned, both sides of the discussion about how the Democratic could improve its odds made good points. The Party must wake up and smarten up. Good to see you, Ellen. A small group of us will work together on this to share with activists the among us. Hopefully in the next few weeks.
Apologies for my messed up reply to you. I'm only now slightly amused by the jumble. When I read it after posting, the look on my face had be another mess. I definitely have to stop reading a writing for the day. Salud!
Shor has been spot on historically. Given the rigging and packing and cracking going on, cold toast will be the dems unless voting laws are passed. Given the lack of performance to date, 'tis challenging to think their capacity to act will improve. Even with all our cards, letters, calls, and emails...
I never voted for Bernie, but his expression of frustration resonates.
Bruce I can appreciate your feelings towards DOJ after Barr acted as the president’s private counsel there.I consider Garland a professional with integrity and a more measured step. (She THE CHICKEN SHIT CLUB for a discouraging look at justice not served). What would you expect DOJ to initiate? I believe that local Federal attorneys are on the front line in dealing with ‘insurrectionists.’ Were subpoenaed individuals to refuse to testimony and/or handover documents, then I believe that the DOJ would be involved in the process of adjudicating the dispute. Except for being followed by gum shoes and threatened with jail in Egypt, so far I have escaped the jaws of criminal justice and, thus, am only an observer of criminal law.
Fern THE CHICKEN SHIT CLUB is a 2017 book about why the NY Southern District Federal Attorney’s office seldom prosecuted white collar crimes. The title comes from James Comey, who was the Federal attorney there earlier in his career. He called the attorneys together and asked how many of them had a perfect record of trial convictions. My recollection (my book copy is up in my office and I don’t wish to disturb my dachshund on my lap) is that all the attorneys raised their hands. Comey immediately labeled them ‘chicken shit’ for not risking their shooting-fish-in-a-barrel record by initiating more complex prosecutions of top bankers and other financial finaglers. The book describes how these money manipulators work the system, including DOJ, to avoid the legal sullying of their names. I wish the attorneys would pick up the hammer and send some of these slimy shenaniganers (an invented word) to the slammer.
I agree. Also, AG Garland and the rest of the Justice Department need to remember what Pogo told us many years ago: "WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY, AND HE IS US."
The Texas "Heartless" Law was reinstated by the Fifth Court of Appeals late this evening. Isn't it interesting that it took them just two days? I'm sure they read every word of Judge Pitman's 131 page superb ruling. Let's see -- late Friday evening, five page unsigned ruling by the Shadow Docket... oh, yes, the Supreme Court wouldn't touch the "Heartless" Law. All these midnight shenanigans means Roe v. Wade is on the chopping block. It is time for a Women's Revolution! The last one a hundred years ago was to get the right to vote. A hundred years later, that still hasn't given women equal standing in the courts or any place else. The hypocracy of individual freedom meaning you don't have to wear a mask vs. imposing no such freedom on a woman is infuriating. So, let's get out the vote for pro women candidates, let's boycott the donors of the authors and sponsors of this draconian law, let's strike frequently. I'm ready to fight. Governor Abbott promised to eliminate rape in Texas... as his top priority. Let's hold him to it! Let's all get behind the Women's Health Protection Act that the US House passed. We've got to get the Senate to pass it. And, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote act. Stop gerrymandering and dark money so we can get these horrible incumbents out of office in 2022. Reform the Supreme Court. We need a movement to get this done! It's time for the People to unite against all this tyranny of the oligarchic kleptocracy. We the People, All of Us this time!
I absolutely agree, Ellie. My local chapter has amped up. Last meeting was packed with members of both parties and gentlemen also. Party politics not discussed. Women’s rights and voting rights and common good of public education.
Amen! You spoke for me! Any time men can impose their control over women, they do not hesitate for a minute. It is infuriating that right wingers think they’re right!
The hypocracy that they are pro-life by giving the mother a few diapers when the baby is born. No childcare, no school lunches, no child tax credit, no pre-school, no college. It takes a community to raise a child but right wingers are only pro-me.
NikkiFried.com welcomes your help to defeat Ron DeSantis. Her primary opponent, Charlie Crist, was a one-term Republican Gov who switched parties to get elected to the House. He's on record of being "pro-life" (and a host of other Republican positions) which, no doubt, he's had a "change of heart" about. Nikki, a former public defender, needs all the help she can get. Whether donations or phone banking or whatever. I invite you, regardless of what state you live in, to support her!
I still want Crist to run on the ticket with her as Lt Governor. And, you are right. He is famous for change of heart. He spoke at our local March on October 2nd. He will bring a lot of votes to the Dem ticket. I do not believe that Fried can win without the ticket that will bring the most support.
My point simply. Fried and Crist together must be opponents of DeSantis, not each other. Time for some creative strategizing. I don’t really give a flying fig for “primary standards”. There are ways for the Dems to use the very tools of campaigns and primaries to open a can of whoop ass on the Republican candidates. Especially to grab the NPA vote. More than one NPA registered voter has said. “I think Fried and Crist together have an actual chance of defeating DeSantis.” Whose numbers, by the way, are slipping on his smarmy greasy slope.
It is interesting to me how similar the Chili flag and Texas flag are so similar -- one lone star on dark blue panel and a red panel and a white panel.
Like a brief National walk-out, with longer ones promised? I think that would be do-able. Workers walk out, unemployed and retired could March or demonstrate
Morning, all!! Morning, Dr. R!! So on the heels of Dr. R's birthday, this Monday will see President Biden becoming the first President to commemorate Indigenous Peoples' Day:
Lynell, A subscriber, Paula, perhaps to the forum, expressed high enthusiasm for the relatively new grassroots organization she belongs to. With her agreement, I copied the link. It sounds great. You may want to check it out.
I wish I had some confidence that the former president or any of the perpetrators of these crimes against our Democracy were going to be held accountable.
I very much disagree about how "serious" they take this. They are very systematically working to build the solid cases needed to arrest and convict. This stuff takes time. Watergate wasn't over in 3 months.
Mike, I think the difference between then and now is Nixon was not advocating the violent overthrow of the government.
The engineers of the assault on January 6 have not been dealt with vigorously or with a sense of urgency. Some of them are routinely advocating violence on line, on podcasts and in interviews. The very fact that those actions are not being addressed aggressively by the DOJ is of serious concern.
Certainly, building a solid case is of the utmost importance, however, letting calls for violent insurrection go unaddressed is foolhardy and very dangerous.
I believe over 600 participants have been arrested. The "engineers" are the ones who need to be dealt with most strongly and the "dealing" must stick to be effective. Much of this current talk of violence you reference dances around "free speech" and what is really dangerous and what is hot air. J6 is an "historic" event that is being dealt with. The hearings of the ring leaders are coming. POTUS just made significant documents available. Let's see where we are in 2 weeks. The big protest that was supposed to happen in DC a few weeks ago, basically evaporated when they understood it wasn't going to be "fun" for them.
Agree! We don’t know what’s happening behind the scenes, and the people who should be made aware of the dire consequences are not reading the Letters from Heather or watching CNN or MSNBC. We need to know that action is being taken and this should be made clear on all news channels.
Barb I did video work for candidates and party organizations for awhile in the 80's & early 90's and I can tell you that the public is unaware of 80% of what REALLY goes on behind the scenes...and that most news reports are at best 80% accurate with the facts. From the standpoint of these proceedings about J6, much of the lack of public info is tactical and strategic...you don't want the "enemy" to see your hand....and some of it is the fact they are constantly developing the case and it evolves.
But MSM blathers about nonsense, pretty much non stop. Oct. 5, 1996 was the day Rupert Murdoch launched Fox, as a conservative “counterpoint” to liberal CNN. What crap. It was another day that should live in infamy. It was lies from day one. Then Bill Clinton gave Rupert the smut he needed to pull in the “righteous right.” Rupert has ruled with propaganda ever since. Who will stand up for truth…
The news Ch at 6:30 P.M. need to get it right.They didn’t mention that DOJ were all going to walk. They said TFG changed his mind.At the time Bill Barr had already resigned. The meeting with DOJ was 3 days before 1/6.
I agree, Daria. Each day I get more and more worried that another Jan 6 is just around the corner. Seems like those who spout/advocate violence need to be silenced before the violence erupts.
The folks who did J6 don't have all of the "inside advantages" they had then. They don't have a sitting President and his minions in Govt positions pulling strings for them. They were "granted access" to a place they should never have been able to breach. As to spouting/advocating violence, "silencing" them becomes censorship. We have to counter their stories with fact and light, which happens here. Spread it out.
Why? How "swift" is "swift"? Legal cases can take years...certainly months to develop, to even get on a docket. Civil Rights laws took 100 years...but we got them.
Thanks, Mike. You are 100% right. If you are a proponent of the Rule of Law, you need to park your patience until the time is right. If violence is imminent it will not be handled by lawmakers and lawyers, but by our law enforcement. I think they are on alert since J6, and not just the Capitol Police.
If you really believe that about the “democrats in charge”, Diana, then their party does not deserve a capital “D”.
If there is one thing that is understood, it is the seriousness of the attempted coup d’etat. Once attempted and failed, it is likely to happen again in some form.
I agree, Ms Barnes. The scales of justice are tipped by money and power and I don't have enough money, and I sure as hell don't have the power to influence the scales of justice.
Prior to joining the Trump administration, Bannon had amassed enough money, moved to Rome, Italy and engaged in a scheme to oust Pope Francis and arrest the “globalism” of the Catholic Church. In August of 2020, Steve “we build the wall” Bannon was criminally charged in a Federal Court with defrauding his financial supporters of millions of dollars and wire fraud. After the November 2020 election, President Trump summarily pardoned Bannon. The charge against Bannon was that he collected millions thru wired donations and then converted the collected funds to his own personal use. In 2016-17, Bannon was an inside advisor to Trump, but was dismissed because “Sloppy Steve’s delusions” were too far-fetched for President Trump. After his dismissal, Bannon returned to Breitbart News and was appointed executive director by the Mercer family. During his short tenure at Breitbart, Bannon questioned Trump’s “mental fitness” and was summarily dismissed by Rebekah Mercer. Now Bannon is defying a federal subpoena to produce documents and testify before a Congressional Committee. He claims he has “shock troops” ready to take over the USA. Should Bannon not appear and testify and/or produce the requested documents, the House Committee can only hold him in contempt. Then, the contempt citation must be approved by a majority vote of the House. Once and if approved, the contempt citation is turned over to the US Attorney’s office for the District of Columbia. As this process unfolds, it will be stage time for Bannon and the Trumpsters hurling more baseless claims and engaging in theatrics. Somehow the Committee needs to figure out how to have Bannon arrested and jailed assuming the House by a majority vote finds him in contempt. Needless to say, Bannon will be appealing all the way, but let him do it from behind bars.
At least the italians had tge common sense to shut Bannon down.
From The Guardian, March 2021:
"Steve Bannon, the former adviser to Donald Trump, has lost a legal battle to set up a rightwing Catholic political academy in an abbey in Italy.
The Council of State on Monday ruled against the Dignitatis Humanae Institute (DHI), which Bannon backs, and which wanted to start the school in an 800-year-old monastery south of Rome."
“Those Who Tell The Stories Rule The World” stated today’s email update from the Cameo Cinema of St. Helena, CA.
“To change the world, change the metaphor” stated Joseph Campbell.
Through these two comments, I'm reminded that the predominant conversation in the country becomes the predominant conversation in the country. When the left and liberals learns this, we will leave the zeitgeist of the fascistic conservatism of this society.
But as long as we focus on their narrative (trump, non-masking, abortion, etc), we will be living in their reality - NOT our own reality.
I have changed my own choice of words regarding the hard and soft infrastructure “bills”. At a recent LWV meeting I referred to them several times as “excellent investment measures….investments both in people and the economy.” That’s healthy spending. So let’s be clear in our messaging.”
“The Moral center of liberalism is ‘Liberty and Justice for All', and this means ....
the economy is skewed toward the wealthy; and
Democracy is the equalizer and
You and your family must be the beneficiary of Democracy, not the corporation”
“The American family ....”
“The Human family .... “
“Everyone is included in the American family ...”
“Economic Democracy ....” - last suggested by David Brooks on “PBS News Hour”
“Democratic Capitalism ....”
“Liberty and Justice for All ....”
“One Person, One Vote ....”
against conservatism =>
“Low taxation means low quality of life” cite WVA, ALA, MISS, SC, etc
“free market - nothing is free, especially for Nature and poor people ...”
“Socialsim for the rich and capitalism for the rest of us ...”
“NO ONE is an island, we are ALL RELATED at Americans, and rugged individualism feds to rugged poverty ....”
The FRAME created a context for further languaing - ALL tied into the frame. Make everything, women’s freedom, the Earth, Indigenous rights, etc, and etc, etc come back to the Human Family, Democratic Capitalism, the American family,
PRACTICE THIS TOMORROW, for Prof Richardson’s Letter.
You are right on, whoever controls the narrative controls the conversation, for way too long they have been able to control the narrative, the media is guilty of this, even the media more aligned with our points of view. MSNBC is as guilty as any of the others, they may be criticizing the clown but they are always showing heroic still images of him shot from below making him look grandiose, I’m sick of it, the only time I ever want to see his face again is when they are putting a noose around his neck, then I want to see the look in the coward’s eyes 👀. Say what you want about the assassin Saddam Hussein, he died a courageous man, no one will ever be able to say that about the imbecilic clown that we had for president. Sorry I wandered off topic 🤷♂️
Some days, if you mute MSNBC they look like a pro TFG channel! I just look away, or listen on my speaker box in the kitchen. If I look at the reverent clips and poses, I get so upset I miss the news. Feel much better watching only one hour a day.
I time shift everything so I can ff through the offensive parts and the insipid commercials telling over and over to “ask my Doctor” for a med I will never need.
I like to listen to the guests especially on MJ, when Joe gets out of the way and off of his rants, they are informed and most helpful in understanding our dilemma, from economics to the virus and everything in between they generally have really brilliant people on who do inform if you listen to them. The News Hour pales in comparison with them, it’s almost like the anchor’s aren’t listening to their guests because their follow up questions are so off point.
Very interesting, Frederick! Donnie Deutsch could help us with the metaphor. Do you have any suggestions? We need something brilliant and believable. And true....
Donnie was on MJ last week and suggested that the administration refer to the big infrastructure bill as “the for the children act” because it starts with helping our children and it’s almost impossible to argue against helping children. That would be a classic example of seizing the narrative and controlling the conversation. I thought he was brilliant.
Over on my Substack blog the other day, I recommended people not read histories about the fall of the Roman Republic. I'll re[peat that advice here. History may not repeat, but it rhymes, and there is a lot of rhyming going on.
My son, a grad school classics major, is lamenting the fact that he has to read about the fall of the Roman Republic at precisely this time because that rhyming thing is very unsettling.
Here's a link to Amazon for Jared Diamond's "Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed." Please find an alternative book seller for purchase, but you can find Diamond's Prologue excerpt on Amazon, including his outline of the book:
"I don’t know of any case in which a society’s collapse can be attributed solely to environmental damage: there are always other contributing factors. When I began to plan this book, I didn’t appreciate those complications, and I naïvely thought that the book would just be about environmental damage. Eventually, I arrived at a five-point framework of possible contributing factors that I now consider in trying to understand any putative environmental collapse. Four of those sets of factors—environmental damage, climate change, hostile neighbors, and friendly trade partners—may or may not prove significant for a particular society. The fifth set of factors—the society’s responses to its environmental problems—always proves significant."
Bannon is a self proclaimed terrorist. Not sure whether he is domestic or international because he promotes terrorism against the US and other nations from every country that gives him support.
The FBI or CIA should take him into custody and hold him in Guantanamo. Finally, we have a real use for that prison. After 20 years, someone can decide if he should be brought to trial. Or maybe he should just disappear there. No doubt Bannon expects Trump or a Trumpet to become President and pardon him.
Bannon's podcast mention of 20,000 shock troops would seem to fall within the protection of his First Amendment rights, and not qualify as treasonable because the SCOTUS has held that conspiring to levy war was distinct from actually levying war. Right now, the best way of deterring this progressing beyond conspiring to actual treasonable actions would be to incarcerate as many as possible of those already convicted, and who might soon be convicted, of various crimes in connection with the January 6 Capitol insurrection, a possible precursor to the insurrection which Bannon's words suggest. Lengthy prison sentences in tough penal instittuions for them might deter those, like him, who contemplate acts of treason.
I say facetiously that Mercury is retrograde. Personally, I've experienced a considerable lack of progress and thwarted efforts lately. Fingers crossed for Joe that things move forward soon.
For a group of brilliant, well educated people, we sure are stupid. Bannon may or may not have "shock troops", McConnell may or may not blink over the debt ceiling, critical race theory, the 1776 project, "witch hunts" etc etc, are just ways to hijack the narrative to Republicans advantage. It seems to be working. Are we talking about the failed policies of 45? No. Are we talking about ways to secure and expand the Democratic base? No - even though Stacie Abrams has shown us a way to do that. Are we talking about a strategy that will enable Democrats to keep the House and Senate in 2022? No, even though it seems highly unlikely that they will.
Instead, we write about a weird political operative who likely is suffering from mid-stage alcoholism. We all but miss the Texas Superior Court decision reinstating the "heart(less) beat law" there (thank-you Cathy L!). I get we need a place to bond and complain, but it can't be all we do. It poisons our attitudes and shrinks our thinking to the point it can't even recognize, much less address, the issues at hand.
Okay, Steve, but on most days there are many posts about sending postcards, examples of letters going out and info for Heather's Herders and activists in general. Today's Letter addressed the fab 4, who were subpoenaed, a natural lead in to 'shock troops' and the charm of Steve Bannon. A few subscribers got caught up with it, but that doesn't spell today's Forum. Moving On!
On September 29th Bannon spoke at the Capitol Hill Club "at the invitation of a new organization called the Association of Republican Presidential Appointees, which was formed to create a resource for future GOP officials tapped to fill federal jobs."
NBC reported Bannon using the words "shock troops" on October 2nd following an interview with him. In the NBC interview Bannon said, "If you’re going to take over the administrative state and deconstruct it, then you have to have shock troops prepared to take it over immediately". Since then, Bannon has repeated his shock troop statement..
We are just now discussing this new threat when it's been out there for several days. These people mean business, they are.mobilizing. Their threats need to be taken seriously before it's too late.
Not several days, several years. The cult MAGAts are not the majority but they are deadly serious. Bannon has also been selling his evil overseas, he has support from rich Nazi types all over. He is a clear and present danger and is counting on trump triumphant, by whatever means.
Nope ! This will never be “ One for All and All for one . They will climb over dead bodies to get to the top. He’s laying some Poo Poo on the young and dumb.
Sooo is this a Spin off from ‘ W ‘ without the Awe ? No Awe ! So ‘Troops ‘ just means suits and ties ? Hey Stevie ! You got 20,000 cowards ! So 19,600 of them will be the Grunts bowing below the belt. How Stupid are they ??? Now I see why No Awe. Pucker up butter cups !
Marcia, I'm not sure I understand your comment. Shock and awe is the ability to quickly overwhelm and dominate an adversary. Branding them cowards is shortsighted. We may disagree with and detest their goal but they are willing to mobilize and unquestioningly act on "orders given". Too, the use of Shock and Awe doesn't necessarily require military action when it's used in the overtaking an organization (think government) by placing individuals in key leadership rolls. Note that at the new organization's meeting on the September 29th Bannon said:
"We’re going to have a sweeping victory in 2022, and that’s just the preamble to a sweeping victory in 2024, and this time we’re going to be ready — and have a MAGA perspective, MAGA policies, not the standard Republican policies," he said, referring to Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan and describing a 2024 electoral victory as a "second term."*
We know enough about MAGA perspectives and MAGA policies that if Bannon's so called shock troops are activated, they will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. It would also be a mistake to believe the shock troops would function in a solely administrative capacity. Bannon, Flynn and a host of other MAGA supporters have made it clear that they are not opposed to violence. If shock troop members in positions of power in the DOJ ordered a round up of "enemies" do you believe that would happen peacefully? Never underestimate the power of those clothed in "just suits and ties" – when last I checked those are the people who pretty much run the world.
*please see my above comment for the NBC news link.
I get what you’re thinking is. I think Bannon is looking for big Donors. Rebrand it, put it out there on a new bigger, shinier tray. He’s full of BS and most of the smart ones know it. They drool over tough talk, that is true. In my honest opinion not a man or woman in that group respects him much less trust’s him.But when you have people looking on line for ‘ Secret clues and/or messages ‘ and they are not right in the head that’s pretty scary stuff. Have some faith that not all people of wealth have a need to or want to take over the world. They were somewhere having a meeting also. Dem’s and Independents have wealth and power and collectively there is more of them. But if he was calling people in Suits and Ties “ Shock Troopers ! “. Nope, nothing to see here folks. My hope is they can get him in on 1/6. The rumor I heard was it was Ivanka that wanted him out of the WH ? Who knows .
The Letter began with 'By midnight last night...', I happened to be awake, and saw these headlines, 'What do we do about Facebook?', 'Kyrsten Sinema Is Said to Want $100 Billion Cut From Climate Plans', 'School shootings are increasing — and changing. Easily accessible guns are to blame', 'These Texas teens stayed silent about racism. Then their Black principal was suspended.'
Eugene Robinson, Opinion Columnist in the Washington Post, writes: 'Read the headlines and try not to weep: 'How dumb can a nation get and still survive?'; 'America is sleepwalking towards fascism'; 'Follow the money: Understanding the deep roots of Donald Trump's coup attempt'; 'Will Republicans really try to impeach Biden? Sure — he's wounded, and they smell blood'; 'Tucker Carlson prepares white nationalists for war: Don't ignore the power of his rhetoric'.
Okay, just to let you know, I have read most of the articles under these headlines. One read just a day ago brought absolute dread.
'The Battle of January 6th Has Just Begun'
The following are excerpts from Susan Glasser's article:
'I understand and sympathize with the impulse to believe that Trump is done and over with, even if he has refused to go off into the largely silent retirement from public life embraced by his predecessors. Time marches on; he’s already seventy-five years old. He’s talking about running again, but maybe—probably, hopefully—he won’t.'
'When a new Pew Research Center poll, released this week, showed that forty-four per cent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents wanted Trump to run for President again in 2024, the Republican former representative Barbara Comstock, a rare Never Trump holdout, tweeted, “Most Rs realize Trump is a once and future Sore Loser. Stop fearing this dangerous and delusional man.” If only that were the case.'
'Trump is, per Pew and other recent polls, both the overwhelming favorite among Republicans for 2024 and their continuing spiritual leader. (Two-thirds of the Republicans and Republican-leaning independents that Pew surveyed wanted Trump to continue to be a major national figure, a total that’s gone up by ten points since January. Yes, that’s not a typo—it’s gone up.) Just as important, he has succeeded in selling his party on his Big Lie about the 2020 election, on January 6th revisionism, and on taking a series of specific actions—from changing how states certify elections to purging state Republican officials who did not go along with his 2020 coup attempt—that will affect American democracy for years to come, whether or not Trump runs again.'
'Consider one metric I’ve been obsessed with: the increase in the percentage of Republicans who believe Trump’s falsehoods about the election. In January, a CNN poll found that seventy-five per cent of Republicans said that Biden was not legitimately elected President. In April, that number declined to seventy per cent, but now, according to the most recent CNN survey, it has risen to seventy-eight per cent. Yes, more Republicans believe that the 2020 election was stolen now than did when the pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol.'
“Republicans initially started down the road to a post-Trump party, as opposed to a Trump party . . . and they backed up in record time,” Larry Sabato, the director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, told me, on Thursday. “They have missed the historic opportunity to put Trump in the past.” The result is that the political crisis today is worse than it was, not better. The unacceptable has been accepted by a shockingly large part of the population and its political leadership.'
'What strikes me most, however, about the latest iteration of our endless what-to-do-about-Trump debates is how much the country’s political divisions have worsened since we began having them. Sabato’s center put out an extraordinary survey last week, in conjunction with a group called Project Home Fire, that documented this crisis in ways I haven’t seen before. The survey, which is worth reading in its entirety, shows that this is not a problem of ideology or policy or the other markers of conventional American politics. It is something much deeper and more intractable: two parties whose members now hate one another with a fierce, anti-democratic, Constitution-threatening passion. Eighty-four per cent of Trump voters said that Democratic officials are a “clear and present danger” to society; seventy-eight per cent of Trump voters also said that Americans who strongly support Democrats are a “clear and present danger.” This level of antipathy is fully reciprocated by Democrats; eighty per cent of Biden voters surveyed said that Republican officials represent a “clear and present danger,” and seventy-five per cent of them said the same about Americans who strongly support Republicans. Things are so bad that fifty-two per cent of Trump voters and forty-one per cent of Biden voters said that they would favor seceding from America.' (New Yorker) See link below:
When I read a piece, which suggests believable ways to address this terrifying American condition, I'll bring it directly to you. Until then, the color of leaves are beginning to turn and scary jack-o-lanterns will soon light the night.
re: Finding "believable ways to address this terrifying American condition."
People can *believe* anything. Instead, we have reasonable and empirically proven ways, electoral ways in specific, to address the 'American condition.'
Misinformation on the Right goes back to the defeated Confederacy and the concerted effort to rewrite history to justify the slave scheme. Add right wing religious extremism amplified by the American madrassas which sprung up after 1960s civil rights legislation...and you get today's GOP. And however terrifying it is remediable. Racists in black robes instead of white sheets got the upper hand through electoral politics. But the Student NonViolent Coordinating Committee and BLM have made a difference - keep your eye on that also.
Like, Eugene Robinson - and Heather Cox Richardson - we keep well informed *and * keep fighting the good fight. In this case, to overcome GOP voter suppression, we register as many voters as possible and get out the vote for Democratic candidates in every contest at every level.
Despair, paralysis, is an insidious form of voter suppression which serves GOP dominance. In 2016, even with a candidate like Trump in a race the 'smart money' said he couldn't win, Republicans united, rolled up their sleeves, and got the job done. There is a lesson here. We seem to have learned it in 2020 - it will be tougher in 2022 and 2024.
The problem at the core of America's racial divide will not be resolved by necessary electoral changes. I don't think you were correct when you stated '...we have reasonable and empirically proven ways, electoral ways in specific, to address the 'American condition.' The American Condition of white supremacy and racism, haven't been resolved in 245 years. What to you think is behind Trump's tight hold on the base and the Republican Party's submission to it? What accounts for the dangerous antipathy between the Republicans and Democrats as mentioned in my comment? Other factors in this war are small bore in comparison. You seemed to toss this off rather brusquely.
I really appreciate your slew of posted references, I too read WaPo. It just seemed by the end of your comment the load of info seemed to weigh too heavily - more burdensome than enlightening. As though the selected news painted an image of an bramble thicket in which we were inextricably entangled. It seemed to me not the entire picture - of what is happening and/or what we can do. I had hoped more cheering on than lecturing.
Your first reply read as a unwarranted lecture. As for this review of yours (a p penchant, perhaps?) with the wish not to be rude, you write your comments in your style, and I do the same. If in the future, you have information to add or an error in the facts I've laid out, I'm sure you will not hesitate.
"Meanwhile, Bannon told his podcast audience that he will have 20,000 'shock troops' ready to take over the country. 'We control this country,' he said. 'We have to start acting like it.'"
Why isn't Bannon behind bars this evening? Surely his words are damning enough to warrant an arrest!
If Bannon looked like a Middle Eastern man, he would have been charged with treason and terrorist activities hours ago. But white, home grown terrorists are given carte blanche to roam the streets and clog the airwaves!
This is "white privilege". The white supremacy that ran unleashed through the Jim Crow period of more than 100 years demonstrates the lawlessness that white privilege grants to white men involved in terrorism.
Unfortunately, Rowshan, you are right. When will we stop giving white men a free ride?
... or just killed ...
Flynn and Bannon and Stone …comments most visible….continued apparent non response most definitely shocking.
Bingo!
Rowshan, 20k (!?) "shock troops"? How delusional is this guy? You are absolutely spot on. Why isn't Bannon behind bars?
Is Brannon going to rent Russian shock troops? Aside from the United States Military, I’m not aware of any shock troops in this country. Brannon wouldn’t know the difference between shock troops and militia posers. Perhaps he is getting them from the pillow guy, or the cyber guy.....?
Honestly, Gus, I wonder about the overall mental acuity of Bannon, Flynn and other members of Trump's gang of thugs. Both Banning and Flynn have outright threatened violence. Surely Flynn, a retired officer of the US Army, knows better. Bannon throws words around like a 12 year old bully on the playground. The fact that these two men, and others, like Lin Wood, have been able to get away with advocating violence against the US government on air/online should be of grave concern to every person on US soil, regardless of party.
It reminds me of Brett Kavanaugh’s Senate hearing. It looked like he might be voted down for lying, drunkenness, sexual bullying, financial irresponsibility, etc. On advice from good ol’ donnie, Brett asserted his white male privilege by getting angry. Senators fell into line and gave him the job.
Joan, you are right. It's a parallel I mentioned yesterday to some of my colleagues. One that I would hope I never had to use to describe a current event. I thought we were better than this, yet here we are.
Joan, yes, it feels very much the same.
I have a neighbor, former police officer/detective and voted for Trump. When I commented that Kavanaugh was too angry ( as in lying and not believable) my neighbor actually agreed.
They have tasted absolute power and are drunk on it. They will stop at nothing, how much more proof do we need??
No, they don’t have absolute power. Wanting your ‘Base ‘ to think you do and actually having it are not the same ideology .I do believe we have some prisons , private and state sitting empty. There is no “3 strikes ‘ available to them. Hope they Think !
Trump sitting in the WH doing as he pleased, was an eye-epener for his minions. They were and are on board with evil. Read Adventurers of a Bystander, by Peter Drucker, pages 163-164 if my memory serves. Made my blood run cold years ago and 4 years ago.
Yes Daria! Bullies on a playground is a perfect description. It’s obvious that most people have never had to deal with bullies to this degree before. So naturally, Texas drops all gun control to attract them. 🤯🤮
They want a Civil War, blood on the streets. Then they will say it is blood on Biden’s hands. But you can be sure of one thing. It won’t be none of the Mouth Pieces. Hope the “ Base “ doesn’t take the ‘ Bait ‘,
I’m sure trump can garner 20,000 MAGAts in a flash, one post I read (sorry I don’t remember where) was by a man who had killed a beloved dog to see if he could kill a stranger for his leader. These types have been waiting for their Messiah since Obama was elected. I live amongst them. How I wish they were a vague threat. They are not.
Thank You for Warnock and Ossoff giving us a majority. Many of us across the nation volunteered to get them elected - but Georgians got the job done. We know it's not all red hat racists and godly gun crazies down there.
I’m in Georgia and we did turn out to elect both of them, Warnock is the stronger of the two and is up for re-election next year, it will be a key race that we should be able to win if the legislature can be prevented from stealing the election. Our survival as a nation is going to depend upon passing the voting rights legislation.
This is truth
Then there’s the man charged with murdering his brother, his sister-in-law, and an 83 year old woman who happened to be with them, because his pharmacist brother was distributing the covid vaccine. Insane, yes. Unreal, no.
Just watching videos of the folks protesting masks and vaccinations, there is such fomented rage erupting from them as if they have been infected with rabies and are foaming at the mouth. It is difficult to wrap my brain around, even though I study it to understand it.
It's faux news. My ex best friend is an avid watcher. When I went back to MI in 2016 to help her recover from surgery, I got six weeks of faux hell.
She had all their talking points down pat, especially about Obama being half white who could have brought this country together but instead tore the country apart.
This woman who says she is a Christian is always angry, always mad at someone or something and never ever sees the good side of anything.
I ended the relationship after she starting tee heeing about her son marrying a Mexican woman and having little brown babies. My son's grandma was born and raised in Puerto Rico.
Also, when I told her my nephew and his wife (who has CP) finally had a healthy baby girl after a miscarriage. She asked what they named her and I said Bianca, she went on a rant about what a stupid name that was.
Had to get all that hate and anger because it was impacting my husband.
Cults don’t deprogram themselves, Ike knew that
Holy Schitt, the cult should be called what they are, i read this, and agree https://lithub.com/rebecca-solnit-on-not-meeting-Nazis-halfway/
"A lot of why the right doesn’t “understand” climate change is that climate change tells us everything is connected, everything we do has far-reaching repercussions, and we’re responsible for the whole, a message at odds with their idealization of a version of freedom that smells a lot like disconnection and irresponsibility."
Solnit, making a crucial point.
A pity she weakens it with "smells a lot like".
Too many people's "Liberty" fetish has to do with chains and prisons of the mind, not liberation.
Am I free from this? Are you? A question we must all ask ourselves.
No one has a monopoly of delusions or of any other disease, But there's so much mass psychosis abroad, deliberately spread by DT, his henchmen and henchwomen, along with Covid, that sane people are hard pressed to protect their sanity...
Here, I'll just mention the inspired words that came one morning, on awakening, to a very wise woman I am privileged to know:
I CHOOSE NOT TO HATE.
After all, hate blinds those who need to keep their eyes wide open, it is the virus of Trumpista madness.
We must defend ourselves at all costs from this evil, but not at the cost of self-betrayal. We shall need warrior's virtues, determination, courage, self-discipline, willingness to do what it takes.
Those virtues do not include hatred.
True, it is bound to happen when faced with horror... Bannon's "shock troops". Reminiscent of Hitler's SA and SS.
The only time the cowards wore Masks was at the Capital. But then so does Terrorist all over the world.
Shock troops? Really? More like “Middle aged Meal team Six”
Clever, Ted, but I remember 1/6 and hold my breath.
Fern I honestly don’t believe that everyone that showed up on 1/6 had anything more on their mind than showing up. Then there were those who got caught up in it. As they ( planners )knew they would. But with that said there were ‘ Leaders who knew damn well what the Op was all about. Those caught are singing like Canaries . Hence, the Plea Deals. Time Reveals All .Pelosi had Lt Gen. Russell Honore’ in the mix of things since Jan. 15 th. Remember him from going in La after Hurricane Katrina ? He don’t play ! Is highly respected . He’s Retired but won’t hesitate to come out and on again.
Marcia, yes, there is a distinction between those who marched to the Capitol from the Trump rally and those who did not. Those who marched to the Capitol, breached the Capitol perimeter and stormed the building clearly went to the rally that morning primed for trouble and violence. That the Capitol and those inside were inadequately protected was no mistake. The most important thing now is that those who engineered the day and are affiliated with law enforcement, the military, the government and the administration – including donors such as Clarence Thomas's wife – are held accountable.
Whatever you believe, Marcia, 'Five people died either shortly before, during, or following the event: one was shot by Capitol Police, another died of a drug overdose, and three succumbed to natural causes. Many people were injured, including 138 police officers. Four officers who responded to the riot died by suicide within seven months.' (Wikipedia). Have you seen any footage covering the attack?
Brilliant.
Truly.
😂
Very nice, Ted. Gave me a Sat. morn chuckle.
Here they are: https://acleddata.com/2020/10/21/standing-by-militias-election/
Quoted from above link:
“There has been a major realignment of militia movements in the US from anti-federal government writ large to mostly supporting one candidate, thereby generally positioning the militia movement alongside a political party. This has resulted in the further entrenchment of a connection between these groups’ identities and politics under the Trump administration, with the intention of preserving and promoting a limited and warped understanding of US history and culture.
These armed groups engage in hybrid tactics. They train for urban and rural combat while also mixing public relations, propaganda works, and ‘security operations’ via both online and physical social platforms to engage those outside of the militia sphere. There is an increasing narrative and trend that groups are organizing to ‘supplement’ the work of law enforcement or to place themselves in a narrowly defined ‘public protection’ role in parallel with police departments of a given locale.”
And some are running for local offices, which should scare everyone
A good number have won!
This information is from 1 year ago.
It’s still correct.
This link, as does the above link, provides information updated on 7 October, 2021. The data sets presented include information in re various protests and activities, including para military activities.
https://acleddata.com/2021/10/07/regional-overview-united-states25-september-1-october-2021/
Barbara, do you think it has lessened or grown in intensity?
Texas is growing its own citizen militia with his novel approach to banning abortion.
...or more likely form Erik Prince. Can Bannon afford to hire Blackwater?
Blackwater is defunct these last 7 or 8 years after merging with other security firms then finally being sold to Apollo Global Management.
"In 2016, Apollo acquired Constellis for $1 billion. Constellis is a private military contractor that was created as a result of a merger between rival contractors Triple Canopy and Academi in 2014. Academi, founded by Erik Prince and formerly known as Blackwater USA, is best known for its role in the Nisour Square massacre, where Blackwater guards killed 17 Iraqi civilians and injured"
A comprehensive list of Apollo is holdings can be found here.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollo_Global_Management
with Mercer's help, plenty of money behind him
Seems that Thiel (sp) guy might be involved. Wouldn't doubt it.
Lots of big money being thrown around.
Look at Abbots border wall fund and one big donor has given most of the money.
We truly need to change so many laws that help the rich hide their money.
‘ Shock troops’, what exactly are they ??
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shock_troops
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shock_and_awe
I think shock troops are the fringe of society. They hide in their little groups like civil war reenactment groups. Texas and Oklahoma have compounds of the dredges of uneducated being manipulated just like Jim Jones did. They thrive on fear-mongering. Many are police and ex-military.
One thing I learned in the military is that many are there because they require someone to tell them what to do 24/7. They are there because they refuse to think for themselves. Let me be clear, it’s not all of them.
Many of these shock troops are just people incapable of rational thought. Fox News just hit 25 years on the air. Look at what they’ve been doing to contribute to the mindset of the poorly educated. Our churches are failing us in teaching love and goodness towards others. Instead they teach judgement and hate.
Churches failing...
Religion in which God is present everywhere but within us and among us leaves our house empty and undefended for the Adversary to come in and squat.
Writing this, I didn’t have the January 6th invasion of the Capitol in mind, but maybe it fits the bill there too. Quite early on I thought of DT as the Apprentice Antichrist… Bannon seems to see himself as His Master’s Mephistopheles…
I agree. I left the church when I was around 30 after teaching Sunday school for many years to know what my daughter was learning. As she progressed in age I taught the class she was in. It worked out well for me. I remember great Sunday school teachers as a child and wanted these kids to have that experience.
It didn’t help that as an adult I came more and more to see what a racist and bigot my father was who attended every Sunday and pretended he was a good Christian. My mother was the best Christian I knew.
Instead I went out in the world and did all the work the church preached about but never actually did. I gave my spare time to homeless shelters, veterans and abused women.
When criticized by my father for not going to church I told him God was everywhere and it was better for me to be doing the work instead of going weekly to listen to a sermon and prayers and do nothing. He never asked again.
We spent too much of Covid complaining about churches shutting their doors as if God was being taken away from them instead of providing understanding of the power within.
Btw, I’m married to an atheist and he is a far better man than the hypocrites screaming about religion.
Sorry, that was my Sunday morning rant.
The literal definition of shock troops:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shock_troops
The.literal meaning if Shock and Awe:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shock_and_awe
Bannon's iteration of shock troops as presented at a gathering at the Capitol Hill Club on September 29, 2021:
"We’re going to have a sweeping victory in 2022, and that’s just the preamble to a sweeping victory in 2024, and this time we’re going to be ready — and have a MAGA perspective, MAGA policies, not the standard Republican policies," he said, referring to Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan and describing a 2024 electoral victory as a "second term."
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/bannon-fires-shock-troops-next-gop-white-house-n1280591
It is very important that we don't speculate about the definition of words or phrases or who/what those words/phrases pertain to.
Thank you but this does not answer where he will get the people he will train to be shock troops. I was trying to answer where they would come from. I will refrain from such descriptions.
According to Bannon, they are a select group of people who will be trained and positioned to step into various government positions once Trump is re-elected.
Reminiscent of the role of the SS in the Nazi takeover of Germany.
Magats
Bannon was in the Navy for 7 years, that is hardly a career. Everything else you've stated is spot in.
His hubris has been a constant shock to me since he hit the public scene. I keep wondering how man who served w Flynn and Bannon are holding onto personal stories that might point to the shaping of their twisted allegiances from the military and ensuing years.
Bannon and Breittbart were, and maybe still are, funded by Robert and Rebekeh Mercer. Just another one one of their conspiracy nutbags like Kellyanne of the Alt. Universe (also funded by the Mercer's dark money.
He’s a high paid ‘ Pied Piper ‘. He could care less about who’s life he ruins. Probably in hiding .
This was my reaction (question) too - why is it illegal to yell fire in a theater but not announce something like this in a podcast? Free speech my ass.
Laurie you can yell Fire in a Movie Theater——if there is one. What He is saying they are going to burn a Theatre down. In my opinion that is right up there with Bomb threats. He’s threatening my life. I’m taking this personal. There’s no difference if Putin, Xi or NK just threaten my life.
If Bannon were capable of organizing 20,000 troops for battle, they would surely include several dozen inside informants who would keep law enforcement and probably the US military, too, well informed of their activities and plans.
Exactly. That is his plan. Out of the 20,000 “trained” troops the “best” recruits will be the ones to fill the posts. Bannon’s plan is to have ready those who will be ready to infiltrate, without having to be elected; you know, that pesky democratic process. He’s not behind bars because he got pardoned. Ugh, just keep getting worse before it gets better.
It seems to me that my comment must have communicated to you the opposite of what I intended to say. I intended to say that any operation of 20,000 insurgents would be monitored from the inside by operatives reporting to the FBI or some other law enforcement agency. There was some of this in the Jan 6 insurrection, which produced evidence against some of the organizers. Not enough of it, but some, and the Jan 6 insurrection was an operation less than a quarter the size of the one Bannon is bragging about for the future. Most American law enforcement professionals at the top levels know their Constitutional duty and try to carry it out. Not so for most of the rank and file (and local sheriffs, for that matter), the ones who watch Fox exclusively and commit offenses against decency every day, especially against people with non-European ancestors. Same goes for the American military: pretty solid citizens at the top levels but a lot of Fox watchers and conspiracy believers in the rank and file. I think the best among our national law enforcement professionals will have our back against Bannon's 20,000 shock troops, on the off-chance that he has the ability to organize such an insurrection, which I doubt. He's good at obnoxious rabble rousing, but I doubt if he's much good at organizing an effective paramilitary force. Not that a disorganized mob of 20,000 can't do a lot of damage. For sure, they can, but I think they'll find themselves up against some better organized and better equipped response troops led by people who know their Constitutional duty.
Bannon is a Leninist. He was a tRump whisperer in the first campaign. One of the organizers. He is not using the term ‘troops’ literal military sense, but rather implying the ‘shock’ training for administrative posts. Those are appointed, not nominated, and Bannon is suggesting that rather than have to wait a year or two to get the newly assigned staff up to speed, train them now. And bragging about it, as you say. Remember, this is the mouthpiece who called for Dr. Fauci’s head on a spike. Creepy is as creepy does.
Thanks for the explanation. Didn’t know he was talking about staff after getting control.
You are welcome. Very troubling he still has a podcast and walking around free. https://www.businessinsider.com/steve-bannon-shock-troops-take-over-state-2021-10
Rex. Spot on. Remember that this is years in the making and these incels are at the ready. I am anticipating January 6th × 100 any day.
One would hope ?
Yeah, there doesn't seem to be a way to spin Bannon's words as protected speech. His words seem to be clearly illegal and extremely dangerous. They were also public and recorded. I don't understand either why he has not been arrested and charged. And, while, yes, a Middle Eastern person would not have lasted five minutes broadcasting these words on a podcast, I don't believe it's because Bannon is white that he's being allowed to walk free.
I'd really like anyone with experience in the area to explain.
The former issued a legit pardon to Bannon that cannot be rescinded by Pres Biden. That protection to Bannon, I believe, stands in the way of prosecuting him for crimes even committed when the former was in office.
But the pardon would not cover any activities after it was issued.
Correct
Correct. But that is the veil that former and Bannon push for people to think that he is due executive privilege. “I the great do forgive you Bannon……” And so his crowd believes forever.
Yes, but that pardon doesn't extend to all activities undertaken by Bannon during the Trump presidency, in other words, he did not receive a blanket pardon. This is what Bannon pardon covers – note that Bannon was never tried and convicted for the fraud perpetrated:
"Former President Donald Trump in January pardoned Mr. Bannon, who had been charged in August—but not convicted—in connection with an alleged scheme to siphon hundreds of thousands of dollars from a crowdfunding campaign to build a wall along the southern U.S. border—one of Mr. Trump’s signature promises. " WSJ via MSN
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/companies/steve-bannon-federal-prosecutors-spar-over-pardon/ar-BB1eavDq
Well he’s NOT in Office now ! Utt Oh !
Bannon is white and rich. The % of prison inmates who are white and rich = zero.
There are exceptions to free speech, one of which is incitement; "The Supreme Court has held that "advocacy of the use of force" is unprotected when it is "directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action" and is "likely to incite or produce such action".
Additional limits on free speech in the US as well as references can be found here:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_free_speech_exceptions
Don’t know why people don’t know this, I learned it early, no one has the right to incite violence. Sorry Bill Maher and free speech nuts. Also, there is the Q on IQ test about yelling fire in a crowded theater. Yes, there are limits on free speech. Bannon should be toast.
I agree with you. It occurs to me, though, that arresting Bannon might just set off the violence we’re talking about.
Rather stop it now or later? It is not becoming less dangerous, only more.
And so the law is only employable in as much as it does not risk a hot reaction?
Not a reason to forego upholding the law. What good are any laws, then, if a bully/terrorist flaunts them. This permissiveness and tolerance has gone on way too long.
Jeri, I agree. I remember learning about the exceptions to free speech by the 6th grade. Apparently, some folks didn't pay attention in Civics & Government classes.
Bet he was when he posted it 😂
Not helpful to mock someone who is incorrect about something. Hard to learn something when you're being ridiculed.
Thank You Daria.
If I posted that right this minute my home would be swarming with FL Dept of Law Enforcement. As the saying goes “ You might beat the wrap but not the ride “.
Yes.
Tik Tok has definitely allowed the envelope to be pushed over the edge. The recent video of the Louisiana student beating the wheelchair bound teacher was horrific. You are right to be concerned, I think. Many adults are unable to make reasoned decisions, minors less so.
I'm hoping the 18 year old female student who assaulted the Louisiana teacher is charged and tried appropriately.
Or lead to faithful young brownshirts in the tRump Hitler movement. TikTok should be closed down.
These guys won’t stop until they’ve had all their money lost in court battles. Their rhetoric has already cost lives and millions of public dollars. Class action?
Had all their MAGA hatter's money lost in court.
Bottomless pit of "campaign" dollars.
Yes, it is reported on Twitter this morning that “Margarine Traitor Greene” is spouting that the Second amendment should be used against the people giving the Covid vaccine. Yet Twitter leaves her account up and she continues to be a member of Congress.
I wish Nancy Pelosi would put forth something to remove her based on this statement alone. Do a roll call vote and publish every Republicans name that refuses to oust her. She does this continuously and it gets worse the more she’s allowed to. She should never have been allowed to compare masking to the genocide of 6 million Jews but her “apology” was accepted and she never stopped her words or behaviors.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2021/08/marjorie-taylor-greene-second-amendment
GREENE MUST BE SILENCED.
thank you, Rowshan, exactly my question. who in their right mind actually speaks like this? threatening insurrection and treason. white privilege and a trumpian stooge at their worst. I can only hope that this guy is in the crosshairs of the Department of Homeland Security. somebody in government will prevent him from realizing his autocratic dreams. I hope.
Been waiting, Bannon has been vocal for years, made my blood run cold in 2017
He has, or was—haven’t heard much lately—stirring up trouble in the Catholic Church. I think he tried to buy a monastery in Italy. Making common cause with all the right-wing Catholics, some of whom are very rich. Even aligning himself with a crazy American cardinal who thinks the vaccine include microchips. Even Pope Francis dislikes this cardinal.
If that isn’t a Plea Of Guilt what is ?
Even though Bannon was pardoned, shouldn't this be considered a new treasonous act, a new call/threat for a coup?
Bannon was pardoned for the crime of fraud associated with raising funds for the border wall. As I understand it, it covers no other crimes he may have committed during the Trump administration, (not a blanket pardon). It certainly does not pardon crimes committed after the Trump administration (future crimes).
It's way more dangerous than a group of violent Brown Shirts (and that's not the context of his statement), Bannon knows exactly how to destroy the government from within and he's hellbent on doing so.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/ncna1280591?__twitter_impression=true
What are shock troops?
Fantasy characters emanating Bannon's alcohol-fueled delusions, slurped up by his weapons-kinked audience.
Something on the order of the Nazi Storm Troopers: infantry version of Seals.
Oh nice.
Well isn’t that special?
And The Church Lady lives on. 😅
But yes, I agree with the sentiment.
He should have been long ago
Tell us how you really feel!! I feel your anger. That said I personally know a number of Democrats who are racist elitists but hide it under a cloak of indignation. Stay strong my friend.
Racism is color blind. Think about that. Look in the mirror. Study hair. Holly Ovenden draws book covers. Imagination on speed.
Tribal = exclusion. Humans are tribal. Anger? Not really. Try SET THEORY and IF P, then Q truth tables: this math will get you there.
What will you discover?
Ask HCR. She’s buried. Tired. Aging out. Tried and failed. None better as Substack. Idiot savant stuff in Civil War and KKK and facts around racism and the South. But void of feeling. Almost. In exquisite denial, buried in facts that matter, not the savagery of slavery and today’s racism, taking a knee, defying the trustee, the board, white trash, her neighbors, her peer, her racist church campus; Imagination and integrity struggling with an anal neurotic devotion to absurd cleanliness, neat and tidy, whiteness, the obsessive whites fear of the different, color, kinky hair, pseudo religious, act as if, it’s all there in plain view. In hiding. Cannot emote. That’s who we are. She epitomizes us.
I’d say you’ve got some judgment around people yourself there.
The question that I continue to come back to is - Where is our Justice Department? I understand the reluctance to initIate investigations, file criminal indictments, and try those threatening yet further violent insurrection that Trumpists may perceive as political prosecutions. However, failure to take these threats seriously only implies permission for them.
Dear AG Garland, please take these threats seriously and take the appropriate actions necessary to protect our democracy.
I think Garland is waiting to see what the trump four will do. It is perhaps a matter of not stepping on anyone else's toes/turf until the appropriate time. The small fry are making their way through the court systems and while I had hoped to see harsher sentences they are not the ultimate catch.
Do you mean, "Give them enough rope and they'll hang themselves"? If so, that would be a very good solution to the Trump pests.
Listening to Maddow yesterday interview a writer at the NYTimes, I heard that the DOJ doesn’t appear interested in reviewing the clear attempt by the former guys’ DOJ to overturn the election results. So I am wondering the very same thing as you. Why??
Bruce, Having witnessed endless abuses and threats from Trump and his enablers, most of us are shocked by how stymied our system is in protecting the country and dealing with the traitors. I don't think that DOJ is reluctant to initiate investigations and file criminal indictments, if the Department believes it has the goods and the law behind it. I believe Garland takes these threats as deeply serious. We don't know how they are addressing the dangers, beyond public view, or how long it takes to be prepared.
I've attached a link below. It is to a long and fascinating piece by Ezra Klein about why the Democratic Party's odds of holding the Senate are poor and is generally in a weak position. I'd like to continue our exchange about the most realistic ways of achieving free and fair democratic elections in the country. If you are also interested it, please let know after you have read the piece linked below.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/08/opinion/democrats-david-shor-education-polarization.html
Fern,
Happy to continue the discussion.
I presently help to coordinate the activism of a local group of over 500 advocates in support of a variety of progressive causes and our alliance with other advocacy groups. I am also helping several local Democratic candidates with their campaigns.
I feel strongly about the importance of spending time, energy, and effort on local and state initiatives that I feel Democrats have often ignored in their obsession with nationalizing campaigns. If we can't mobilize and win locally, we will not win nationally. Also the margins in local and state elections are often narrower than many realize and those holding these offices have significant influence and power over issues important to our day-to-day lives.
We may find it easier to communicate via email. You can find my email through Heather’s Herd where I believe you are also a member.
Bruce, you’re absolutely correct that Democrats have long neglected local politics. Not only has this given Republicans a disproportionate advantage in states and counties, but, it’s also starved the pipeline for rising Democrat candidates.
And simultaneously we have a very limited opportunity to advance our priorities in Congress. If we loose the Senate and perhaps the House, forces will be set into motion that we may never recover from. Securing voting rights nationally is imperative. Climate change is roaring down on us bringing enormous disruptions including food shortages in our own country. Time is simply running out.
I am also happy to continue the discussion. My email in Heather's Herd.
Kathy, If you're interested, I suggest that you read the article that I linked to BruceC.
Read it.
We'll try to work out an initial plan next week. What did you think of the article?
Thank you
I want to get involved
How do I get involved?
d017, Please let BruceC know of your interest, and I suggest that you read the article that is at the end of my comment to him above. Glad that you want to be involved.
May I please have more information about Heather’s Herds?
Ellie, has been on the forum. Slowly, look through the forum to find her name. When you find it, post her about your interest. Cheers!
BruceC, I couldn't agree with you more about the great need to work locally. The Democrats need groups of trained reps in red, purple and blue states (districts heavily populated by Republicans). Does Ellie have your email? If so, please tell her of our the request. Thanks
Liberal Women of Chesterfield County (and beyond) LWCC was started in 2016 as a reaction to the election results in 2016 and I joined as soon as I could. This group has been a wonder and I feel it is why Virginia is almost blue now. They worked on local politics and getting the message out that there are options to the lifelong republicans in local offices. Check it out: https://www.liberalwomenofchesterfieldcounty.com
Paula, Please continue to tell us about the organization. I believe there are subscribers who live in Virginia. You may want to post info about LWCC several times in the coming months as its work may offer models that other organizations can learn from. Thank you.
Sure - I know LWCC also provides information on how to create this type of group in other states. I will look for some of the articles that have been written in the past. I also know this group also supported and helped Virginia pass the ERA - even though it was late! Ha.
Paula, Do you mind if I copy your link and post to subscriber's using your name as a contact? Pressing the link, of course, is one their options, too, because it is easier than looking for you on the forum. They may use your name when they contact LWCC.
Yes. I think the link in the message will get them where they need to go. This is a very dynamic group and very responsive. I am happy to assist!
Amen and Thank You. Can I like your comment as many times as we need voters to register and get to the polls? Thank You for your good work. At every level.
Fern, I didn't want to read this, but I did. Ezra often takes a more negative side, which is why I don't follow him. But in this opinion piece, he goes straight down the middle, and while I DON'T like what Schor is saying, it is important to pay attention and get outside of that comfortable echo chamber. Thanks for sharing. See you on HH.
As Ezra Klein learned, both sides of the discussion about how the Democratic could improve its odds made good points. The Party must wake up and smarten up. Good to see you, Ellen. A small group of us will work together on this to share with activists the among us. Hopefully in the next few weeks.
I was heartened to read that Schor was known to the WH, but to be safe, I tweeted this to the following: Pelosi, Schumer, Biden, MSNBC.
Apologies for my messed up reply to you. I'm only now slightly amused by the jumble. When I read it after posting, the look on my face had be another mess. I definitely have to stop reading a writing for the day. Salud!
Shor has been spot on historically. Given the rigging and packing and cracking going on, cold toast will be the dems unless voting laws are passed. Given the lack of performance to date, 'tis challenging to think their capacity to act will improve. Even with all our cards, letters, calls, and emails...
I never voted for Bernie, but his expression of frustration resonates.
I read the article yesterday Oct 8. It will raise chill bumps.
Thanks for sharing the article Fern. Terrifying.
Bruce I can appreciate your feelings towards DOJ after Barr acted as the president’s private counsel there.I consider Garland a professional with integrity and a more measured step. (She THE CHICKEN SHIT CLUB for a discouraging look at justice not served). What would you expect DOJ to initiate? I believe that local Federal attorneys are on the front line in dealing with ‘insurrectionists.’ Were subpoenaed individuals to refuse to testimony and/or handover documents, then I believe that the DOJ would be involved in the process of adjudicating the dispute. Except for being followed by gum shoes and threatened with jail in Egypt, so far I have escaped the jaws of criminal justice and, thus, am only an observer of criminal law.
Who else could turn a truly dangerous situation into a Black comedy? For that, on the forum, Keith, you are our Headliner!
Fern THE CHICKEN SHIT CLUB is a 2017 book about why the NY Southern District Federal Attorney’s office seldom prosecuted white collar crimes. The title comes from James Comey, who was the Federal attorney there earlier in his career. He called the attorneys together and asked how many of them had a perfect record of trial convictions. My recollection (my book copy is up in my office and I don’t wish to disturb my dachshund on my lap) is that all the attorneys raised their hands. Comey immediately labeled them ‘chicken shit’ for not risking their shooting-fish-in-a-barrel record by initiating more complex prosecutions of top bankers and other financial finaglers. The book describes how these money manipulators work the system, including DOJ, to avoid the legal sullying of their names. I wish the attorneys would pick up the hammer and send some of these slimy shenaniganers (an invented word) to the slammer.
Keith, You just brightened my afternoon and quotient of 'fancy' new words.
I agree. Also, AG Garland and the rest of the Justice Department need to remember what Pogo told us many years ago: "WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY, AND HE IS US."
SO TRUE
Hear here! Thanks Bruce.
They are busy ad have indited over 600. I know it takes time and patience, but the DOJ is on it.
The Texas "Heartless" Law was reinstated by the Fifth Court of Appeals late this evening. Isn't it interesting that it took them just two days? I'm sure they read every word of Judge Pitman's 131 page superb ruling. Let's see -- late Friday evening, five page unsigned ruling by the Shadow Docket... oh, yes, the Supreme Court wouldn't touch the "Heartless" Law. All these midnight shenanigans means Roe v. Wade is on the chopping block. It is time for a Women's Revolution! The last one a hundred years ago was to get the right to vote. A hundred years later, that still hasn't given women equal standing in the courts or any place else. The hypocracy of individual freedom meaning you don't have to wear a mask vs. imposing no such freedom on a woman is infuriating. So, let's get out the vote for pro women candidates, let's boycott the donors of the authors and sponsors of this draconian law, let's strike frequently. I'm ready to fight. Governor Abbott promised to eliminate rape in Texas... as his top priority. Let's hold him to it! Let's all get behind the Women's Health Protection Act that the US House passed. We've got to get the Senate to pass it. And, the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote act. Stop gerrymandering and dark money so we can get these horrible incumbents out of office in 2022. Reform the Supreme Court. We need a movement to get this done! It's time for the People to unite against all this tyranny of the oligarchic kleptocracy. We the People, All of Us this time!
¡El pueblo unido jamás será vencido!
The people united shall not be defeated!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7F_9FEx7ymg
So how can we support the John Lewis Voting Rights Act and the Freedom to Vote Act? League of Women Voters, you say? Men, too?
https://www.lwv.org/take-action?https://www.lwv.org/take-action?_gl=1*159sfv6*_ga*NzEyNzU1ODk3LjE2MjY1NTkxNzg.*_ga_DDCEP0D6KM*MTYzMzcwNDQ3OS4yOS4xLjE2MzM3MDYxMjcuMA..&_ga=2.8331958.542050445.1633704237-712755897.1626559178
I absolutely agree, Ellie. My local chapter has amped up. Last meeting was packed with members of both parties and gentlemen also. Party politics not discussed. Women’s rights and voting rights and common good of public education.
Name of the game.
I vote for League of Women Voters, for men, too.
Amen! You spoke for me! Any time men can impose their control over women, they do not hesitate for a minute. It is infuriating that right wingers think they’re right!
The hypocracy that they are pro-life by giving the mother a few diapers when the baby is born. No childcare, no school lunches, no child tax credit, no pre-school, no college. It takes a community to raise a child but right wingers are only pro-me.
NikkiFried.com welcomes your help to defeat Ron DeSantis. Her primary opponent, Charlie Crist, was a one-term Republican Gov who switched parties to get elected to the House. He's on record of being "pro-life" (and a host of other Republican positions) which, no doubt, he's had a "change of heart" about. Nikki, a former public defender, needs all the help she can get. Whether donations or phone banking or whatever. I invite you, regardless of what state you live in, to support her!
I still want Crist to run on the ticket with her as Lt Governor. And, you are right. He is famous for change of heart. He spoke at our local March on October 2nd. He will bring a lot of votes to the Dem ticket. I do not believe that Fried can win without the ticket that will bring the most support.
My point simply. Fried and Crist together must be opponents of DeSantis, not each other. Time for some creative strategizing. I don’t really give a flying fig for “primary standards”. There are ways for the Dems to use the very tools of campaigns and primaries to open a can of whoop ass on the Republican candidates. Especially to grab the NPA vote. More than one NPA registered voter has said. “I think Fried and Crist together have an actual chance of defeating DeSantis.” Whose numbers, by the way, are slipping on his smarmy greasy slope.
Done
Yes, Cathy. All of it.
https://youtu.be/rd6clK9s7mY
My fave version of this inspiring call to a united people.
And the translation. So one knows the beauty of the lyrics en español.
The United People Will Never Be Defeated
The united people will never be defeated,
the united people will never be defeated...
On foot, singing
because we are going triumph.
Advance now,
flags of unity.
And you will come
marching together with me,
and in that way you will see
your song and your flag flourish.
The light
of a red dawn
now announces
the life which will come.
On foot, fighting,
the people will triumph.
It will be better,
the life which will come
to enamor
our happiness
and in a protest,
a thousand voices of combat will revolt,
they will demontrate
the song of liberty,
with courage
the fatherland will be victorious.
And now the people
rises up in the fight
with the voice of a giant,
shouting: forward!
The united people will never be defeated,
the united people will never be defeated...
The fatherland is
forging the unity.
From north to south
people will mobilise,
from the salt flat
hot and mineral
to the southern forest,
united in the fight and the work,
they will go,
they will cover the fatherland.
Now its way
announces the future.
On foot, singing,
the people will triumph.
Now millions
impose the truth,
steely are
the ardent battalions,
their hands are walking,
carrying the justice and the reasoning.
Woman,
with fire and with courage,
now you are here
together with the working man.
And now the people
rises up in the fight
with the voice of a giant,
shouting: forward!
The united people will never be defeated,
the united people will never be defeated...
That was beautiful, thanks, Christine.
It is interesting to me how similar the Chili flag and Texas flag are so similar -- one lone star on dark blue panel and a red panel and a white panel.
Like a brief National walk-out, with longer ones promised? I think that would be do-able. Workers walk out, unemployed and retired could March or demonstrate
Yes, and more. We have to make this a movement! Which means we need followers!
How to start a movement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fW8amMCVAJQ
The two Trojan horses are in the way
Morning, all!! Morning, Dr. R!! So on the heels of Dr. R's birthday, this Monday will see President Biden becoming the first President to commemorate Indigenous Peoples' Day:
https://wapo.st/3iI9xuY
Progress. 🙏
Lynell, A subscriber, Paula, perhaps to the forum, expressed high enthusiasm for the relatively new grassroots organization she belongs to. With her agreement, I copied the link. It sounds great. You may want to check it out.
https://www.liberalwomenofchesterfieldcounty.com
Thanks, Fern. I'll check it out.
I wish I had some confidence that the former president or any of the perpetrators of these crimes against our Democracy were going to be held accountable.
I don't think the democrats in charge understand how serious this is. January 6 was just a dress rehearsal for them. They intend to try again.
I very much disagree about how "serious" they take this. They are very systematically working to build the solid cases needed to arrest and convict. This stuff takes time. Watergate wasn't over in 3 months.
Mike, I think the difference between then and now is Nixon was not advocating the violent overthrow of the government.
The engineers of the assault on January 6 have not been dealt with vigorously or with a sense of urgency. Some of them are routinely advocating violence on line, on podcasts and in interviews. The very fact that those actions are not being addressed aggressively by the DOJ is of serious concern.
Certainly, building a solid case is of the utmost importance, however, letting calls for violent insurrection go unaddressed is foolhardy and very dangerous.
I believe over 600 participants have been arrested. The "engineers" are the ones who need to be dealt with most strongly and the "dealing" must stick to be effective. Much of this current talk of violence you reference dances around "free speech" and what is really dangerous and what is hot air. J6 is an "historic" event that is being dealt with. The hearings of the ring leaders are coming. POTUS just made significant documents available. Let's see where we are in 2 weeks. The big protest that was supposed to happen in DC a few weeks ago, basically evaporated when they understood it wasn't going to be "fun" for them.
Sold it, brilliant writer, certainly offers no solutions.
Agree! We don’t know what’s happening behind the scenes, and the people who should be made aware of the dire consequences are not reading the Letters from Heather or watching CNN or MSNBC. We need to know that action is being taken and this should be made clear on all news channels.
Barb I did video work for candidates and party organizations for awhile in the 80's & early 90's and I can tell you that the public is unaware of 80% of what REALLY goes on behind the scenes...and that most news reports are at best 80% accurate with the facts. From the standpoint of these proceedings about J6, much of the lack of public info is tactical and strategic...you don't want the "enemy" to see your hand....and some of it is the fact they are constantly developing the case and it evolves.
You bring up a valid point with regards to showing one's hand.
But MSM blathers about nonsense, pretty much non stop. Oct. 5, 1996 was the day Rupert Murdoch launched Fox, as a conservative “counterpoint” to liberal CNN. What crap. It was another day that should live in infamy. It was lies from day one. Then Bill Clinton gave Rupert the smut he needed to pull in the “righteous right.” Rupert has ruled with propaganda ever since. Who will stand up for truth…
The news Ch at 6:30 P.M. need to get it right.They didn’t mention that DOJ were all going to walk. They said TFG changed his mind.At the time Bill Barr had already resigned. The meeting with DOJ was 3 days before 1/6.
I agree, Daria. Each day I get more and more worried that another Jan 6 is just around the corner. Seems like those who spout/advocate violence need to be silenced before the violence erupts.
The folks who did J6 don't have all of the "inside advantages" they had then. They don't have a sitting President and his minions in Govt positions pulling strings for them. They were "granted access" to a place they should never have been able to breach. As to spouting/advocating violence, "silencing" them becomes censorship. We have to counter their stories with fact and light, which happens here. Spread it out.
Accountability must be swift to be effective.
Why? How "swift" is "swift"? Legal cases can take years...certainly months to develop, to even get on a docket. Civil Rights laws took 100 years...but we got them.
Thanks, Mike. You are 100% right. If you are a proponent of the Rule of Law, you need to park your patience until the time is right. If violence is imminent it will not be handled by lawmakers and lawyers, but by our law enforcement. I think they are on alert since J6, and not just the Capitol Police.
Accountability following current laws.
Absolutely.
I agree Mike. Solid cases.
If you really believe that about the “democrats in charge”, Diana, then their party does not deserve a capital “D”.
If there is one thing that is understood, it is the seriousness of the attempted coup d’etat. Once attempted and failed, it is likely to happen again in some form.
I agree, Ms Barnes. The scales of justice are tipped by money and power and I don't have enough money, and I sure as hell don't have the power to influence the scales of justice.
But the Democrats seem to believe the right nuts PR that Soros is giving me money. The inane emails are as depressing as republicans some times
Unf**kingbelievable, slap a teacher, damage school property. Felonies, I think.
Prior to joining the Trump administration, Bannon had amassed enough money, moved to Rome, Italy and engaged in a scheme to oust Pope Francis and arrest the “globalism” of the Catholic Church. In August of 2020, Steve “we build the wall” Bannon was criminally charged in a Federal Court with defrauding his financial supporters of millions of dollars and wire fraud. After the November 2020 election, President Trump summarily pardoned Bannon. The charge against Bannon was that he collected millions thru wired donations and then converted the collected funds to his own personal use. In 2016-17, Bannon was an inside advisor to Trump, but was dismissed because “Sloppy Steve’s delusions” were too far-fetched for President Trump. After his dismissal, Bannon returned to Breitbart News and was appointed executive director by the Mercer family. During his short tenure at Breitbart, Bannon questioned Trump’s “mental fitness” and was summarily dismissed by Rebekah Mercer. Now Bannon is defying a federal subpoena to produce documents and testify before a Congressional Committee. He claims he has “shock troops” ready to take over the USA. Should Bannon not appear and testify and/or produce the requested documents, the House Committee can only hold him in contempt. Then, the contempt citation must be approved by a majority vote of the House. Once and if approved, the contempt citation is turned over to the US Attorney’s office for the District of Columbia. As this process unfolds, it will be stage time for Bannon and the Trumpsters hurling more baseless claims and engaging in theatrics. Somehow the Committee needs to figure out how to have Bannon arrested and jailed assuming the House by a majority vote finds him in contempt. Needless to say, Bannon will be appealing all the way, but let him do it from behind bars.
At least the italians had tge common sense to shut Bannon down.
From The Guardian, March 2021:
"Steve Bannon, the former adviser to Donald Trump, has lost a legal battle to set up a rightwing Catholic political academy in an abbey in Italy.
The Council of State on Monday ruled against the Dignitatis Humanae Institute (DHI), which Bannon backs, and which wanted to start the school in an 800-year-old monastery south of Rome."
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/mar/15/steve-bannon-italy-rightwing-political-academy-dignitatis-humanae-institute
Gratitude, Daria, for that research!
“Those Who Tell The Stories Rule The World” stated today’s email update from the Cameo Cinema of St. Helena, CA.
“To change the world, change the metaphor” stated Joseph Campbell.
Through these two comments, I'm reminded that the predominant conversation in the country becomes the predominant conversation in the country. When the left and liberals learns this, we will leave the zeitgeist of the fascistic conservatism of this society.
But as long as we focus on their narrative (trump, non-masking, abortion, etc), we will be living in their reality - NOT our own reality.
Help us out. What predominant conversation prompts for our own reality do you offer?
I have changed my own choice of words regarding the hard and soft infrastructure “bills”. At a recent LWV meeting I referred to them several times as “excellent investment measures….investments both in people and the economy.” That’s healthy spending. So let’s be clear in our messaging.”
Love it--thank you!
“The Moral center of liberalism is ‘Liberty and Justice for All', and this means ....
the economy is skewed toward the wealthy; and
Democracy is the equalizer and
You and your family must be the beneficiary of Democracy, not the corporation”
“The American family ....”
“The Human family .... “
“Everyone is included in the American family ...”
“Economic Democracy ....” - last suggested by David Brooks on “PBS News Hour”
“Democratic Capitalism ....”
“Liberty and Justice for All ....”
“One Person, One Vote ....”
against conservatism =>
“Low taxation means low quality of life” cite WVA, ALA, MISS, SC, etc
“free market - nothing is free, especially for Nature and poor people ...”
“Socialsim for the rich and capitalism for the rest of us ...”
“NO ONE is an island, we are ALL RELATED at Americans, and rugged individualism feds to rugged poverty ....”
The FRAME created a context for further languaing - ALL tied into the frame. Make everything, women’s freedom, the Earth, Indigenous rights, etc, and etc, etc come back to the Human Family, Democratic Capitalism, the American family,
PRACTICE THIS TOMORROW, for Prof Richardson’s Letter.
You are right on, whoever controls the narrative controls the conversation, for way too long they have been able to control the narrative, the media is guilty of this, even the media more aligned with our points of view. MSNBC is as guilty as any of the others, they may be criticizing the clown but they are always showing heroic still images of him shot from below making him look grandiose, I’m sick of it, the only time I ever want to see his face again is when they are putting a noose around his neck, then I want to see the look in the coward’s eyes 👀. Say what you want about the assassin Saddam Hussein, he died a courageous man, no one will ever be able to say that about the imbecilic clown that we had for president. Sorry I wandered off topic 🤷♂️
I only want to hear about Fake 45’s obituary.
My first laugh of the morning, Marlene. You mix the macabre with the marvelous. Brava!
Some days, if you mute MSNBC they look like a pro TFG channel! I just look away, or listen on my speaker box in the kitchen. If I look at the reverent clips and poses, I get so upset I miss the news. Feel much better watching only one hour a day.
I time shift everything so I can ff through the offensive parts and the insipid commercials telling over and over to “ask my Doctor” for a med I will never need.
I like to listen to the guests especially on MJ, when Joe gets out of the way and off of his rants, they are informed and most helpful in understanding our dilemma, from economics to the virus and everything in between they generally have really brilliant people on who do inform if you listen to them. The News Hour pales in comparison with them, it’s almost like the anchor’s aren’t listening to their guests because their follow up questions are so off point.
Very interesting, Frederick! Donnie Deutsch could help us with the metaphor. Do you have any suggestions? We need something brilliant and believable. And true....
Donnie was on MJ last week and suggested that the administration refer to the big infrastructure bill as “the for the children act” because it starts with helping our children and it’s almost impossible to argue against helping children. That would be a classic example of seizing the narrative and controlling the conversation. I thought he was brilliant.
Check with Frank Luntz, he has been in charge of republican messaging for decades. Great at making Schitt smell like roses
Mitch plans to rewrite history and is pretty far down that path.
Over on my Substack blog the other day, I recommended people not read histories about the fall of the Roman Republic. I'll re[peat that advice here. History may not repeat, but it rhymes, and there is a lot of rhyming going on.
My son, a grad school classics major, is lamenting the fact that he has to read about the fall of the Roman Republic at precisely this time because that rhyming thing is very unsettling.
Read "Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed" by Jared Diamond
Here's a link to Amazon for Jared Diamond's "Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed." Please find an alternative book seller for purchase, but you can find Diamond's Prologue excerpt on Amazon, including his outline of the book:
"I don’t know of any case in which a society’s collapse can be attributed solely to environmental damage: there are always other contributing factors. When I began to plan this book, I didn’t appreciate those complications, and I naïvely thought that the book would just be about environmental damage. Eventually, I arrived at a five-point framework of possible contributing factors that I now consider in trying to understand any putative environmental collapse. Four of those sets of factors—environmental damage, climate change, hostile neighbors, and friendly trade partners—may or may not prove significant for a particular society. The fifth set of factors—the society’s responses to its environmental problems—always proves significant."
https://www.amazon.com/Collapse-Societies-Choose-Succeed-Revised/dp/0143117009
BTW Diamond also references the Roman Republic's collapse.
Bannon is a self proclaimed terrorist. Not sure whether he is domestic or international because he promotes terrorism against the US and other nations from every country that gives him support.
The FBI or CIA should take him into custody and hold him in Guantanamo. Finally, we have a real use for that prison. After 20 years, someone can decide if he should be brought to trial. Or maybe he should just disappear there. No doubt Bannon expects Trump or a Trumpet to become President and pardon him.
Bannon's podcast mention of 20,000 shock troops would seem to fall within the protection of his First Amendment rights, and not qualify as treasonable because the SCOTUS has held that conspiring to levy war was distinct from actually levying war. Right now, the best way of deterring this progressing beyond conspiring to actual treasonable actions would be to incarcerate as many as possible of those already convicted, and who might soon be convicted, of various crimes in connection with the January 6 Capitol insurrection, a possible precursor to the insurrection which Bannon's words suggest. Lengthy prison sentences in tough penal instittuions for them might deter those, like him, who contemplate acts of treason.
So what's keeping the House from "swiftly" (as promised) referring these bozos for criminal contempt?
I say facetiously that Mercury is retrograde. Personally, I've experienced a considerable lack of progress and thwarted efforts lately. Fingers crossed for Joe that things move forward soon.
Fingers crossed for all of us that things move forward soon.
Moving forward part of cycle is imminent. It’s been a rough end of summer. Timing is everything and nature knows it.
For a group of brilliant, well educated people, we sure are stupid. Bannon may or may not have "shock troops", McConnell may or may not blink over the debt ceiling, critical race theory, the 1776 project, "witch hunts" etc etc, are just ways to hijack the narrative to Republicans advantage. It seems to be working. Are we talking about the failed policies of 45? No. Are we talking about ways to secure and expand the Democratic base? No - even though Stacie Abrams has shown us a way to do that. Are we talking about a strategy that will enable Democrats to keep the House and Senate in 2022? No, even though it seems highly unlikely that they will.
Instead, we write about a weird political operative who likely is suffering from mid-stage alcoholism. We all but miss the Texas Superior Court decision reinstating the "heart(less) beat law" there (thank-you Cathy L!). I get we need a place to bond and complain, but it can't be all we do. It poisons our attitudes and shrinks our thinking to the point it can't even recognize, much less address, the issues at hand.
Many of the people who post here are actively participating in various democratic activities.
Yes, Bannon sure knows how to distract. But we can maintain an awareness of our surroundings without taking our eyes off the need for fair elections.
Okay, Steve, but on most days there are many posts about sending postcards, examples of letters going out and info for Heather's Herders and activists in general. Today's Letter addressed the fab 4, who were subpoenaed, a natural lead in to 'shock troops' and the charm of Steve Bannon. A few subscribers got caught up with it, but that doesn't spell today's Forum. Moving On!
Happy birthday, Dr. R!
https://www.smashups.com/display/v1/3452529/n515/m9
Absolutely delightful, Mary! Hope Heather gets this precious birthday gift.
Mary, just wonderful. Let's hope Heather sees it.
Amazing! I’m downloading app!
Mary that's adorable.
That is Adorable ! Happy D-day Dr R.
On September 29th Bannon spoke at the Capitol Hill Club "at the invitation of a new organization called the Association of Republican Presidential Appointees, which was formed to create a resource for future GOP officials tapped to fill federal jobs."
NBC reported Bannon using the words "shock troops" on October 2nd following an interview with him. In the NBC interview Bannon said, "If you’re going to take over the administrative state and deconstruct it, then you have to have shock troops prepared to take it over immediately". Since then, Bannon has repeated his shock troop statement..
We are just now discussing this new threat when it's been out there for several days. These people mean business, they are.mobilizing. Their threats need to be taken seriously before it's too late.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/bannon-fires-shock-troops-next-gop-white-house-n1280591
Not several days, several years. The cult MAGAts are not the majority but they are deadly serious. Bannon has also been selling his evil overseas, he has support from rich Nazi types all over. He is a clear and present danger and is counting on trump triumphant, by whatever means.
I agree and understand that they have been selling their poison for several years.
I'm sorry I wasn't clear in my above comment that I was referring specifically to this round of Bannon insanity.
Terrifying because it is brilliant, and as doable as it is diabolical: "take over the administrative state."
Nope ! This will never be “ One for All and All for one . They will climb over dead bodies to get to the top. He’s laying some Poo Poo on the young and dumb.
Sooo is this a Spin off from ‘ W ‘ without the Awe ? No Awe ! So ‘Troops ‘ just means suits and ties ? Hey Stevie ! You got 20,000 cowards ! So 19,600 of them will be the Grunts bowing below the belt. How Stupid are they ??? Now I see why No Awe. Pucker up butter cups !
Marcia, I'm not sure I understand your comment. Shock and awe is the ability to quickly overwhelm and dominate an adversary. Branding them cowards is shortsighted. We may disagree with and detest their goal but they are willing to mobilize and unquestioningly act on "orders given". Too, the use of Shock and Awe doesn't necessarily require military action when it's used in the overtaking an organization (think government) by placing individuals in key leadership rolls. Note that at the new organization's meeting on the September 29th Bannon said:
"We’re going to have a sweeping victory in 2022, and that’s just the preamble to a sweeping victory in 2024, and this time we’re going to be ready — and have a MAGA perspective, MAGA policies, not the standard Republican policies," he said, referring to Trump's "Make America Great Again" slogan and describing a 2024 electoral victory as a "second term."*
We know enough about MAGA perspectives and MAGA policies that if Bannon's so called shock troops are activated, they will stop at nothing to achieve their goals. It would also be a mistake to believe the shock troops would function in a solely administrative capacity. Bannon, Flynn and a host of other MAGA supporters have made it clear that they are not opposed to violence. If shock troop members in positions of power in the DOJ ordered a round up of "enemies" do you believe that would happen peacefully? Never underestimate the power of those clothed in "just suits and ties" – when last I checked those are the people who pretty much run the world.
*please see my above comment for the NBC news link.
I get what you’re thinking is. I think Bannon is looking for big Donors. Rebrand it, put it out there on a new bigger, shinier tray. He’s full of BS and most of the smart ones know it. They drool over tough talk, that is true. In my honest opinion not a man or woman in that group respects him much less trust’s him.But when you have people looking on line for ‘ Secret clues and/or messages ‘ and they are not right in the head that’s pretty scary stuff. Have some faith that not all people of wealth have a need to or want to take over the world. They were somewhere having a meeting also. Dem’s and Independents have wealth and power and collectively there is more of them. But if he was calling people in Suits and Ties “ Shock Troopers ! “. Nope, nothing to see here folks. My hope is they can get him in on 1/6. The rumor I heard was it was Ivanka that wanted him out of the WH ? Who knows .
I hope they nail him on 1/6 as well.
And now we’ll hope-hope-hope that the DOJ will show some serious enforcement teeth regarding anyone who disregards a Congressional subpoena.
Happy birthday, Heather! I'm glad you slid your letter in relatively early! Surely a good night's sleep is a lovely present to yourself.
The Letter began with 'By midnight last night...', I happened to be awake, and saw these headlines, 'What do we do about Facebook?', 'Kyrsten Sinema Is Said to Want $100 Billion Cut From Climate Plans', 'School shootings are increasing — and changing. Easily accessible guns are to blame', 'These Texas teens stayed silent about racism. Then their Black principal was suspended.'
Eugene Robinson, Opinion Columnist in the Washington Post, writes: 'Read the headlines and try not to weep: 'How dumb can a nation get and still survive?'; 'America is sleepwalking towards fascism'; 'Follow the money: Understanding the deep roots of Donald Trump's coup attempt'; 'Will Republicans really try to impeach Biden? Sure — he's wounded, and they smell blood'; 'Tucker Carlson prepares white nationalists for war: Don't ignore the power of his rhetoric'.
Okay, just to let you know, I have read most of the articles under these headlines. One read just a day ago brought absolute dread.
'The Battle of January 6th Has Just Begun'
The following are excerpts from Susan Glasser's article:
'I understand and sympathize with the impulse to believe that Trump is done and over with, even if he has refused to go off into the largely silent retirement from public life embraced by his predecessors. Time marches on; he’s already seventy-five years old. He’s talking about running again, but maybe—probably, hopefully—he won’t.'
'When a new Pew Research Center poll, released this week, showed that forty-four per cent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents wanted Trump to run for President again in 2024, the Republican former representative Barbara Comstock, a rare Never Trump holdout, tweeted, “Most Rs realize Trump is a once and future Sore Loser. Stop fearing this dangerous and delusional man.” If only that were the case.'
'Trump is, per Pew and other recent polls, both the overwhelming favorite among Republicans for 2024 and their continuing spiritual leader. (Two-thirds of the Republicans and Republican-leaning independents that Pew surveyed wanted Trump to continue to be a major national figure, a total that’s gone up by ten points since January. Yes, that’s not a typo—it’s gone up.) Just as important, he has succeeded in selling his party on his Big Lie about the 2020 election, on January 6th revisionism, and on taking a series of specific actions—from changing how states certify elections to purging state Republican officials who did not go along with his 2020 coup attempt—that will affect American democracy for years to come, whether or not Trump runs again.'
'Consider one metric I’ve been obsessed with: the increase in the percentage of Republicans who believe Trump’s falsehoods about the election. In January, a CNN poll found that seventy-five per cent of Republicans said that Biden was not legitimately elected President. In April, that number declined to seventy per cent, but now, according to the most recent CNN survey, it has risen to seventy-eight per cent. Yes, more Republicans believe that the 2020 election was stolen now than did when the pro-Trump mob stormed the Capitol.'
“Republicans initially started down the road to a post-Trump party, as opposed to a Trump party . . . and they backed up in record time,” Larry Sabato, the director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, told me, on Thursday. “They have missed the historic opportunity to put Trump in the past.” The result is that the political crisis today is worse than it was, not better. The unacceptable has been accepted by a shockingly large part of the population and its political leadership.'
'What strikes me most, however, about the latest iteration of our endless what-to-do-about-Trump debates is how much the country’s political divisions have worsened since we began having them. Sabato’s center put out an extraordinary survey last week, in conjunction with a group called Project Home Fire, that documented this crisis in ways I haven’t seen before. The survey, which is worth reading in its entirety, shows that this is not a problem of ideology or policy or the other markers of conventional American politics. It is something much deeper and more intractable: two parties whose members now hate one another with a fierce, anti-democratic, Constitution-threatening passion. Eighty-four per cent of Trump voters said that Democratic officials are a “clear and present danger” to society; seventy-eight per cent of Trump voters also said that Americans who strongly support Democrats are a “clear and present danger.” This level of antipathy is fully reciprocated by Democrats; eighty per cent of Biden voters surveyed said that Republican officials represent a “clear and present danger,” and seventy-five per cent of them said the same about Americans who strongly support Republicans. Things are so bad that fifty-two per cent of Trump voters and forty-one per cent of Biden voters said that they would favor seceding from America.' (New Yorker) See link below:
https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-bidens-washington/the-battle-of-january-6th-has-just-begun
When I read a piece, which suggests believable ways to address this terrifying American condition, I'll bring it directly to you. Until then, the color of leaves are beginning to turn and scary jack-o-lanterns will soon light the night.
re: Finding "believable ways to address this terrifying American condition."
People can *believe* anything. Instead, we have reasonable and empirically proven ways, electoral ways in specific, to address the 'American condition.'
Misinformation on the Right goes back to the defeated Confederacy and the concerted effort to rewrite history to justify the slave scheme. Add right wing religious extremism amplified by the American madrassas which sprung up after 1960s civil rights legislation...and you get today's GOP. And however terrifying it is remediable. Racists in black robes instead of white sheets got the upper hand through electoral politics. But the Student NonViolent Coordinating Committee and BLM have made a difference - keep your eye on that also.
Like, Eugene Robinson - and Heather Cox Richardson - we keep well informed *and * keep fighting the good fight. In this case, to overcome GOP voter suppression, we register as many voters as possible and get out the vote for Democratic candidates in every contest at every level.
Despair, paralysis, is an insidious form of voter suppression which serves GOP dominance. In 2016, even with a candidate like Trump in a race the 'smart money' said he couldn't win, Republicans united, rolled up their sleeves, and got the job done. There is a lesson here. We seem to have learned it in 2020 - it will be tougher in 2022 and 2024.
The problem at the core of America's racial divide will not be resolved by necessary electoral changes. I don't think you were correct when you stated '...we have reasonable and empirically proven ways, electoral ways in specific, to address the 'American condition.' The American Condition of white supremacy and racism, haven't been resolved in 245 years. What to you think is behind Trump's tight hold on the base and the Republican Party's submission to it? What accounts for the dangerous antipathy between the Republicans and Democrats as mentioned in my comment? Other factors in this war are small bore in comparison. You seemed to toss this off rather brusquely.
Were you lecturing me?
I really appreciate your slew of posted references, I too read WaPo. It just seemed by the end of your comment the load of info seemed to weigh too heavily - more burdensome than enlightening. As though the selected news painted an image of an bramble thicket in which we were inextricably entangled. It seemed to me not the entire picture - of what is happening and/or what we can do. I had hoped more cheering on than lecturing.
Your first reply read as a unwarranted lecture. As for this review of yours (a p penchant, perhaps?) with the wish not to be rude, you write your comments in your style, and I do the same. If in the future, you have information to add or an error in the facts I've laid out, I'm sure you will not hesitate.
Knuckles duly rapped Marm.
Yup. Incorrigible.
Glad to have your blessings.
lin, Please use my name when referring to me. Thank you.
Very well written and shared Fern. Try not to worry too much though. Not healthy.
Thank you, farmer Mike. Have a good harvest.