Am really hoping North Carolina sends RFK Jr a bill for reprinting all the ballots and some overseas voter who couldn't vote because of the delay sues the North Carolina Supreme Court for their political decision.
According to Marc Elias of Democracy Docket, North Carolina runs a high risk of missing the Military and Overseas Voters Empowerment Act which requires all absentee ballots to be mailed out 45 days before the election to give military and overseas voters time to receive, fill out, and return the ballots. What North Carolina will have to do is go to the Department of Defense and ask for a waiver which according to Marc, they are very stingy in giving out waivers and North Carolina could run afoul of the Department of Justice and face a lawsuit potentially if a wavier is not granted.
It is apparent that the NC Supreme Court has just prepared the ground for a monumental legal challenge to the election, regardless of outcome. In this way, its members are helping. But there is more to it. Trump himself and his team are counting on racial prejudice to tip the scales.
One of the activists groups asking for donations instead of donating, I offered advice which my cynical side says was not heeded. Perhaps Heather might give it some space.
In many of the red states, restrictive laws have been passed governing the actual voting. Indeed, in urban areas, polling districts have been reduced causing long lines. Then, restrictions such as passing out water or even going to the bathroom and returning loses your place. So I suggested that all voters be advised to:
1. Take Imodium the night before voting.
2. Bring a small folding lawn chair.
3. Bring water.
4. Bring energy bars.
Believe it there are such laws forbidding the passing out of water. I hope voters are being well advised. But I would not and many will leave long lines and just go home which is what the these MAGA Republican criminals want.
Oh my God. I love it. ❤️ it.North Carolina is screwed. The Defense Department isn’t going to give a waiver and the DOJ will definitely take action. And the fall-out will increase support for Kamala Harris.
Now, I’ve reached out but have found no takers. I want to volunteer to drive to eastern PA to work on Election Day and I found no takers. I know one person doesn’t make a difference but 10,000 extra volunteers do. If anyone knows anyone, as the elephant says, “I’m all ears.” I don’t want to send my email to headquarters because I’m already being hit multiple times day with donation requests. I need a phone connect.
Call the Democratic Party Chairs in the counties where you want to help, and volunteer as a poll worker or clerk. Clerks need to attend training in advance. Find out about training, get signed up and attend.
I am volunteering with the Democratic party to serve as a LBJ--essentially monitoring the polling district to ensure those who WANT to vote can do so safely and efficiently. It doesn't appear difficult, but it is vitally important and I take this responsibility seriously.
Thanks. It sounds as if I’m making excuses. I am not familiar with PA counties at all. I really was hoping someone from that area was on substack. I think I just formulated a plan. Of course. I’ll drive to Washington on Election Day and the day before and sell (donate — Parks Service forbids profit-making on the Avenue) my book on Lafayette Square in front of the White House. It will most certainly be the final day for any sales of my scathing book on the worst person to ever reside in the White House. Thanks for twiking my bird brain.
I’m live in SWPA and travel throughout the state. I have been a poll worker in Allegheny county, my sister is the poll judge and I’m usually the minority clerk. What information are you seeking?
Sorry with all my haalabalu I decided to camp out for 3 days leading to Election Day in front of the White House doing my thing. My absentee ballot will be counted unlike those in North Carolina.
Sounds like you did not call into the PA FT6 call yesterday. I also donate to 31st St SL that has a "mission" to Pa. from DC. Concentrate on Lancaster. https://swingleft.org/group/31st-st-swing-left
This is good. Democrats have their shit together. I keep seeing this happening in Substack comments section. Someone says they want to help the Democratic Party but there's some sort of problem. Boom - someone provides a solution. If it's happening here, it's happening all over. Democrats are going to win because so many people are stepping up because they know they must. That colour blue is getting deeper and stronger every day. Wow! Hope is contagious.
That 31st doesn’t help at all. First, I live in CT. Also, I do not want to leave my email to group anymore because they only want donations. So this is the dilemma I face. It’s not that important. I’ll look again at PA FT6.
When Hillary ran, the Charleston massacre happened "Obama singing Amazing Grace." Hillary was there the day before. Through my tears, I wanted to see what she had to say so I went to her WebSite. Seems I wasn't allowed on the WebSite unless I gave my e-mail address so I never learned what she had to see and have never been to her Website since. I voted for her.
Driving people to the polls might be a very important contribution. Especially in Lancaster where Amish might be interested in voting. Of course, I don't know which party, if any, the Amish/Mennonite leans towards anymore
You could call the office of Patty Kim. She is running for state senator in Harrisburg. The Dems only need to flip 3 seats to control the senate. If you help people down ballot it will help people vote for the rest of the party:
If you have Gmail, find those three little dots to the side, one says to Block. I only get a request once because once is too many. Then they are blocked. I hear the ding on my computer and know I've blocked an incoming e-mail. Once ActBlue pulled that dirty trick of putting in teeny tiny print "make your contribution weekly" with the box already checked, I e-mailed them telling them they had lost me. The Red team tried that first.
Quite. ActBlue pissed me off with that too, but I assume they got lots of complaints, because the "make it monthly" button is right next to a button that says "skip it."
My new song has just been completed and will be debuted at a local festival tomorrow and videotaped and will be on YouTube forthwith. “They’re Eating Cats and Dogs Says JD Vance.”
You need to complete the training in the state before you can work election day. Each county has specific training. I'm not even sure if out of state people are allowed to work the polls in PA.
I'd think Republicans are shooting themselves in the foot because they believe that Trump would have a strong advantage in the votes of military personnel. Except African Americans. But maybe given Trump's appeasement of Putin in Ukraine, military personnel -- the ones that are informed -- are not as likely to support him this year.
Actually, when I read this today I shared this with my regional head of Democrats Abroad Germany. He said, this means that the ballots, which were supposed to go out 5 days early, will go out 4 days late, but that means that there will still be enough time, if people fill them out right away and get them back. I felt this was intentional. I agree with Gerald who said, Kennedy should have to pay for this. It did seem like he and the Trump team planned this to delay, delay, delay. He also has suits in several other states. I hope those courts do not cave to him. I see this as trying to suppress Votes from Abroad which other than the military, are majority Democratic. Realizing that the Democrats Abroad brought the vote in for both Georgia and Arizona in the 2020 election, the party is doing a lot to curry our vote. We are doing all we can to get new voters signed up and to support those who are signed up in how they vote. One of the papers in Northern Germany is doing a story on American voters who live there, and has been asking background information like how we can vote. I am glad, because there are people here born to American parents who have never voted before who have the right to vote in a US election. What is hard about finding Americans in Germany to sign up, is that due to German privacy laws we cannot get lists of people to target. So, we basically go to venues where they might be, festivals, and keep an ear out for someone speaking American English, or do tabling where we ask people. Now we are going to do a big blitz of advertising at grocery stores, like on posters when people walk in, so that we can get the word out before the final days for voters abroad to register to vote.
I hope the USA eviscerates NC. This is not a game people. There are laws. NC has run afoul of them and why? What was the rationale for the N.C. Supreme Court to rule this way? Gee let me think. Could it be……Satan?
I totally agree, especially since, per The Hill - "He filed paperwork on Sept. 6 to put himself on the Nov. 5 ballot [in Mississippi] even as he works to get it removed in other states. Mississippi is required to publish its sample ballot by Sept. 11."
Boss Berger has ‘fish hooks in his pocket’ when it comes to fully funding public education! Now he gleefully sits back while the election boards collectively must spend million of $$$$ to reprint he ballots.
Please recall, several red controlled states are suing to not count mail in ballots receiver After the Election Day ! Looney rfk jr filed what 4 four days After the deadline and the right wing magats did cartwheels in order to push through his appeal! Pathetic losers!
Pennsylvania does not count ballots received after election day. In fact, if the ballot was received on time but the voter missed writing the 'send' date (or wrote the wrong date) on the outer envelope, there were STILL lawsuits to have those declared invalid. (The latest court decision is to the effect that the ballot was received on time, regardless of the date on the outer envelope, and should be counted.)
(The date field is a hold-over from when ballots COULD be counted if received after election day, but that hasn't been true for a long time. It serves no purpose.)
I'm delighted that I can vote remote online in New Mexico, where I was last registered to vote before leaving the U.S. Even if one's permanent U.S. address is in another state, mail in's are to and from the last state where one was registered to vote. I looked it up on vote.org to be sure.
... And now the state Supreme Court has overruled THAT decision. Even if arriving by Election Day, ballots with missing or incorrect dates will be considered invalid. Unlocked link:
DJT doesn't need to Win the Election... DJT, and the Evil Siths just need to get close enough to Steal it... They have been preparing for Chaos for over 4-Years... Remember the 'October Surprise'?.... JD is controlled by the Evil Siths... If DJT Steals the Election, and later goes completely Bonkers, then JD becomes President... FEAR THAT!!!
Then you have a logistis tail issue with the MAGA run USPS.
Which, obviously, was n intentionally coordinated assault on the Constitutionally mandated Postal Service metastructure. Which will be a limiting factor ( though the PMG obfusticates the strategy.)
Why didn't Biden remove DeJoy when he had the chance. He had open seats on the board he could have filled with people with integrity. This is the kind of missed opportunity that costs us elections.
It turns out that the president doesn't get to remove the head of the PO. Biden DID work on filling seats with peeps with integrity. I don't remember exactly why, right now, but the process is more complicated than I had thought before I read up on it. :-(
I believe Biden appointed two Democratic members to the Board of Governors, one fairly recently. I have no idea why they haven't been able to get enough votes to remove DeJoy[less].
According to HCR the Postal Board must have an equal number of members from each party. So if 8 members there would be 4 Dems and 4 Repubs. When Trump was president 2 of the Dem seats expired and Trump filled them with Dems, as required, but he placed people who were basically DINO's in those seats. Also, it is the postal Board who votes to eject the Postmaster General. With 2 Dino's and 4 Repubs on the Board there is no chance of dumping DeJoy. Now, I believe there are 2 seats available and Biden has been trying to get the confirmations approved in the Senate. But due to the filibuster the names are not being put forward. I may have one or more sections of this not entirely accurate, but this is the gist of why we can't get rid of DeJoy.
Can I get an "oy!?" Let's hope Kamala runs the table in NC, and the election board extends the return date for mail in ballots to allow for the printing delay.
Yes, Gerald, but, the North Carolina Republicans are smart. As De. Richardson points out the Americans living abroad either as civilians or in the military tend to skew Democratic and suing after the fact may be of no value if trumpscum wins.
When RFK Jr. pulled out of the race and threw his hat in with trump, my first thought was he guaranteed to F*ck up the printed ballots and insure chaos.
How 'bout North Carolina sends the bill to the DNC so they can pay for their Voter Suppression. Remember all of the DNC's anti-democratic actions: suing Jill Stein to keep her off the ballot, suing Cornell West to keep him off her ballot, suing RFK Jr to keep him off the ballot. The DNC is all about voter suppression. They are terrified of what might happen if their base had choices. The DNC is deeply anti-democratic. The DNC is terrified of letting their own base have choices. Let that sink in. (this is from a lifelong Democrat, a "Vote Blue No Matter Who" Democrat. And then I said: Enough.) Let's bill the DNC for the cost of voter suppression.
Constant reminders of 1930s Germany & it makes you wonder did half the country learn any history in school or heard a single story from their grandparents or parents? Critical thinking is a lost skill. In all this, I’m grateful for a talented intelligent woman and her clear sighted fans.
I stay pissed at those who know of my cousin, 19 years old when he was killed in WW2. And they still support our current Nazi cretins. Propaganda says that chump is saving America while he is actively following Hitler’s playbook. Pushback has been non-existent from our MSM. Why is that?
Cause they think the convicted felon adjudicated rapist will lower their taxes. And they think if they kiss his a$$ now he won’t shut them down later - total fools.
Plus, racism, misogyny, and narcissism are rampantly fed by propaganda in America. As Heather's book states, we never really won the Civil War. Trump's answer to his racism against Kamala was so embarrassingly feeble in the debate. We all know his birtherism lies about Obama is spawned by his fear of a very successful and darker-pigmented person who demonstrates being more intelligent, educated, erudite, capable of speaking coherently without a prompter, loved by his family and the world at large, and drawing HUGE audiences was a direct hit to his fallacy as a superior, white dominant male.
As if any Magat could admit a darker-pigmented person could be intelligent, educated, competent, etc., Pensa! Someone somewhere said the dog whistle has turned into a tuba. Chump is merely blowing farts that trigger his bigot fans... may they all spontaneously combust.
Total, unless you are rich, then he has your back. For the less affluent, it’s likely the racism, misogyny, and religious insanity, and insanity it is. I know enough to know that he’s a religious phony, a phony patriot, a phony excuse for a man, and has the empathy of Hannibal Lector.
JD, he is a a bag of monstrous festering cancerous air without one redeeming human quality. All he does is whine and tell lies. I did love the debate because she dominated him. I noticed the camera had some shots of him from the side which made him look like this hulk who just fell out of a cave. I can't remember any similar shots of her, but I may be wrong. She did speak directly to the TV audience which was an asset.
And various writers have noted that he wouldn't look at her. And of course that her handshake left him flusters [it must be early - I meant "flustered" of course. Which it should not have, of course. I guess he does not understand common politeness. (Duh)
Terry ….AND Trump won’t bust monopolies but he will bust unions. He will let corporations run amok - no government regulations to prevent grift and pollution. He’s their guy. However, I did note some corporate support for Kamala AFTER she announced that her plan to raise corporate taxes was much softer than Joe’s. Coincidence?
I don't care what the corp tax rate is as long as it is similar to the rest of us, and we can get the corps to pay the taxes they owe each year. Same with rich people and the Trumps of the world who work hard to evade paying any taxes with all their schemes.
For that, I think we'll need a major revision of the tax code, and a change in policy from enthusiastically preferring capital over labor to one more favorable to labor - more socialist, may I say? I'd be all for it, but it will require years of work and litigation and pushing back on lobbyists. So, HARRIS/WALZ 2024 - 2040!
There are 'tremendous' , life changing monetary threats / promises being tossed around on gQp networks. Upcoming election is a 'must win' for all the conspirators to avoid jail time and preserve their financial lives. >> https://www.axios.com/2024/09/12/leonard-leo-conservative-groups-funding
I share your disgust. This morning on NHPR an analysis of the debate included questioning whether Harris's expressive facial reactions to tfg were actually practiced for Tik Tok memes??? AND such claims by tfg that " you can send Billy to school..." and he'll get gender transformation surgery and that "dogs and cats are being eaten in Ohio" constituted "hard debate points" just leaves me stunned and pretty upset!! DEBATE POINTS??? THESE ARE INSANE POINTS!!! This stuff is out of the world crazy and some in the media are STILL "sanesplaining". What in heavens is wrong with these people?? Perhaps they should find work elsewhere...like advertising???!!!
Unfortunately, the MSM has "conservative," extremely wealthy nut cases at the helm, a la Murdochs, Musk, and Bezos. Seriously. What astounds (and sometimes scares me) is how the right-wing thinks that so many ridiculous people will be the wave of the future.
TV rots our powers of concentration and our society. To what extent is American culture a product of corporate media? The technology is not to blame, but rather how it largely applied as a sales tool. The person who invented the first practical television system said that he had "created a monster" after seeing what it became. He would not let his kids watch it saying it did not want it to be part of their "intellectual diet". That might sound snooty, but Mr. Farnsworth grew up on a remote farm. He likened how one plows a field to the lines one used to see on analog TV screens that converted serial information into a 2D image.
In the 1960s and '70s there was salient public anxiety about commercial media becoming too socially influential. Now we mostly accept it as a fact of life.
Doesn't it remind you of what computer tech designers say? They feel the same about computers, which are way more dangerous than tvs in controlling minds. They collect our personal data and algorithmically control us as consumers and influence thinking and brainwashing politically.—on a massive scale. How many times have you had an offline conversation and afterward, your phone and computer sent you ads for exactly what you had just discussed? It is petrifying. It is also petrifying how many people are addicted to social media and how negative it is for those for all ages to handle so many made-up comparisons with others or the new, vacuous careers as "influencers."
I know how impacted my own mind has been for eight years of trying to fight this wannabe dictator and his bizarre minions. I have not been able to focus well or read books because I know enough history and studied cult leaders and how they form. I was petrified the first time I heard Convict 34+ speak at one of his rallies in 2016. That dominant male persona Immediately reminded me of a baby Hitler in the way he used repetitive brainwashing tactics. I was put in YT jail for stating that online.
Yesterday, I deliciously finished a thick Barbara Kingsolver book and realized how much I enjoy reading FOR FUN, and the craft of a great writer. I owe my returned focus to Joe Biden for agreeing to step down and support Kamala for the next POTUS. We will continue to be in capable hands with her at the helm. At the same time, we need to keep educating ignorance by increasing massive critical thinking skills across this land at home, in schools, and online.
My children were born on the cusp of the 70s. I have never owned a TV. They watched it for two hours at their friends' places after school until I got home from work. Books, ballet, sport, theatre, and we went to the cinema. And music - theirs and mine.
Very similar to our approach in the 70s and 80s: we owned only a small portable tv that we kept in a closet. We put a tv guide with it, and allowed each child to schedule up to four hours of tv per week. Our three children often forgot to watch their scheduled tv for the week. It was very low priority. Of course they occasionally saw tv at friends' houses, but most kids played outside after school and on weekends.
We didn't have a TV in our home in the 50's when I was a kid. By design. We also listened to a wide range of music from Latin records my mom collected to musical theater albums to jazz to classical. I also got classes in ballet, modern dance, drawing, painting, and acting. We also went to kid concerts and theater.
When we did finally get a TV my younger sister and I could only watch while Mom was at work or when she slept in weekend mornings. I read books. I'd like to believe it all made me a critical thinker rather than a mere consumer of advertising-disguised-as-entertainment.
I was born in the late 40’s. My Father didn’t allow a tv in our home. I watched it on occasion while late babysitting.
We had piano, flute, dance lessons, books books books and hiking and conversation with and about nature. Then off to college to become a teacher.
We once rented a tv during the morbid and emotional trauma caused by Kennedy’s assassination.
I chose not to have children, but know that I would not have allowed any screens ( cell phones) in their lives today. That is where I see the saddest development of young and old.
Yes, Jean(Muriel), but do you own a cat? Apparently that's the defining characteristic of women who don't reproduce, whether by choice or by happenstance.
I have two!! Meow meow. Several of my cats over the years lived to be 23 years old. I have been , since a small child, in love with cats. My father loved them too. I love horses too!🐈⬛🐈🐴🦄🎶👏🏻🥰🤣😂
I had more fun building a TV in an electronics course than watching it. Though there were periods of watching a lot with parents, we had several gaps in even having a tv in the house. After the one I built had the flyback transformer fail, we didn't get another until we got a small portable to watch the 1st Space Shuttle Launch. I watched the Apollo 11 moon landing on an even tinier portable at the gas station across he street from my parent's house.
J L, we not only accept the influence of commercial media as a fact of life, but we carry our televisions in our pockets so that we can view the latest “news” from the moment we awake until we go to sleep.
Yes tv rots our brain but I think social media and the internet have done even more damage to society. Practically no one can focus or concentrate for very long, critical thinking is gone, the division and hatred has exploded in the last 10 years or so due to the convicted felon adjudicated rapist using it to spew his hatred everywhere and stir up hatred esp of of minorities and women. Not to mention all the mis and dis information flooding the internet.
Right. In another time, a TV in the living room always turned on in the evening. We thought of nothing else but watching that new media having replaced the radio and FDR Fireside Chats. Screens do inform but too much atrophy’s the brain. Parents made the horrible mistake giving their children cell devises and psychological studies now find the negative effects of this. And worse, social media has damaged young minds for two generations.
I suppose one might call this site social media, but the likes of Facebook seems to me to exploits people at least as much as empower them. I avoid sites that push things at you. Push media makes us passive spectators. There is a place for that, but it can't sustain democracy. Bowing to Mr. "Only I Can Fix It." is exactly what democracy is not. The truth is only we can fix it.
I have used a computer since 1990 for college and then work, Terry. I signed up for social media when it became popular, but I never developed a taste for it; conversations like these are as close as I come. I don't own a TV, but when I did I used it to watch streaming movies. I listen to podcasts or watch them on YouTube. That's how one can sidestep the mis and dis info, algorithmic pandering, etc. Computers don't kill thought, poor education does.
The Internet is much the same phenomenon with new wrinkles. Again, not the technology itself, but how it is dominated. I naively thought that the decentralized architecture of the Internet was inherently democratic, and while I has that capability, as demonstrated here, i was wrong to believe it would resist plutocratic domination. The Internet was created with the public's money by the Department of Defense. For years it was a cooperative DIY environment of monochrome monitors and text only. When Internet multimedia was enabled by Tim Berners-Lee at the CERN particle physics laboratory, the World Wide Web exploded, as, content -wise, a DYI phenomenon. Now commercialization and political propaganda dominates the medium. I should have known that the outcomes of ANY technology depends on who is using it and for what purpose.
TVs are best for entertainment. Ours is black all day long. One hour of news, maybe. Then later, a movie, perhaps. Unless I turn on the ROKU fish tank screensaver. I like how the eel slides in and out of his cave. I am tempted to name him you know what...but perhaps not. I respect eels too much.
Bill, we just cut Comcast cable and now have an antenna which picks up the local stations we want as we do watch an hour of news and sometimes Masterpiece on PBS. We also have a couple options for TV sports because Comcast can't reach an agreement with the Big Ten where Oregon now resides. Other than that, we stream and enjoy productions that, by and large, are not filmed here. We both read voraciously.
Unfortunately a lot of people's (especially the young's) time is predominantly the computer, ipad or phone. Questions don't have to be asked or remembered - "How many yards in a mile? Strike if you looked it up. No need for formal "knowledge any more - or thinking. Google will tell you all. You don't even have to think. . . or question. It's all really easy
What's wrong with looking up an answer to something you're curious about, Lady Emsworth? I absolutely agree that it's great to have relevant data stored in one's natural memory (vs. RAM), but as a nearly 77-year old, I can assure you that memory fades, and it's wonderful to be able to refresh it by online search.
Of course, one of the problems about posting comments, is that it's not a conversation - who has the time?
I look stuff up all the time - no problem with that. But at my stage of life,nobody is asking me to spend precious brain hours learning things off by heart, that are only learned for the sake of passing an exam. And that I will never, ever use again.
For instance - sines, cosines, logarithms.
Though I will say, I have used Pythagoras' theorem quite a bit. . .
I think that information in natural memory tends to become better integrated into one's overall map of reality than freshly "looked up", even if a look-up was its original point of contact. I find that stews are always better the second or third day, more flavors fortuitously come foreground, yet mingled, integrated into the whole. Stuff "cooks" in the mind as well.
That said, at 77 and never the worlds most precise person anyway, I regularly use the Internet to sharpen a memory, or to supplement it. It is a boon to obtain information so widely and easily.
And I dearly love being able to refresh my memory of old legal cases (holdings, usually), synopses of books I read a long time ago and have since donated, definitions of words so my speech and writing is as precise as I want it to be, etc. I have PLENTY of information available for daily use stored in "the little grey cells", but it's information I use regularly. I don't think I ever knew how many yards were in a mile (when would that ever be useful? - I'm asking seriously), but conversions from degrees Celsius to Fahrenheit, or centimeters to inches, etc., I have on hand.
If I may, I think it's a grave error to assume younger people don't think or question simply because information is readily available. There have always been butterflies flitting around from topic to topic after the equivalent of nectar, and there have always been ants, working to store information - in my opinion, it's a mistake to generalize and thereby disparage all young people.
I live in a metric country, Lynn. That's the only reason I have 1760 yards to a mile embedded in my brain. How else am I going to estimate what she's talking about when google maps tells me to turn left in 300 meters? This is only to inform you how many yards are in mile. It falls into your category of "information used regularly" for me, but is probably superfluous to most. My gray cells are preoccupied with bilinguality. I didn't make any comment about young people in my post about online references. I think you're referring to Lady Emsworth's post to which I replied.
Young people are young people, as were we, and our duty is to embrace and empower them. I think we always need to be aware of what we are teaching them, directly and indirectly; by instruction and by example. Will they (and how many) copy puerile and self-centered behavior we see in society today, or endearingly reject it? Do we let them see enough of the caring, responsible behavior we are capable of as well?
In my experience, parents try to prepare kids for an idealized world, then drop the pretense once they are "of age". Ideals are a good thing, but they require consistency to be realized and persevere. The rules we teach kids in the classroom and playground seem to go out the window when we turn to the ways we actually practice politics, and too often in the workplace as well. It's really hard not to take the devil's bargain without sufficient cultural support.
Good post JL Graham. Like the wheel, fire,, gunpowder, and many other inventions of mankind and womankind, television has ability to do great harm, as well as benefit humanity. The late author, renowned scholar, Neil Postman discussed the issue of television madness in his book, Amusing Ourselves To Death. Also potent and valuable reading, his "Crazy Talk, Stupid Talk" worthy of a look. When we can find it, calm is the balm we need going forward. Time hurries on, going forward. Always forward!
Calm is the balm! What I loved, in the "debate", was K Harris's spontaneous and frank laughter whenever Trump said something truly ridiculous. Her eyes sparkled with fun.
A focused, centered adult projects competence in levity, and even in anger. Trump is just a bully. It is something of a mystery to me why anyone would look to the latter for leadership.
I LOVED Amusing Ourselves to Death when I read it 30-some years ago! I amuse myself now by painting, designing furniture, and cooking. I do research online about herbal benefits so I can include plant-based remedies/preventatives in my cooking. Does anyone know how to get turmeric stains off of clothing and cookware?
That reminds me of an article by the late and very great Katharine Whitehorn back in swinging London - How to choose a carpet for your bedsit: same colour as your favourite wine. (What a wordsmith: in an article on preparing Christmas dinner: "staring into the turkey's gaping maw". ) P.S. I now have a marble cooktop, and just apply undiluted dishwashing liquid vigorously with an abrasive sponge and the turmeric disappears. You have to be quick.
I have not dealt with turmeric stains per se, but we have a nice holiday tablecloth that showed more stains every time it was washed. I soaked it overnight in with some of an "oxy" laundry soak and was amazed by the result. It removed all the old stains with no evident damage to the cloth or print. None were of turmeric though.
Mr Farnsworth was actually a relative. The Farnsworth parents, or grandparents, really, didn't watch television. The ones that now watch FOX are now Trumpers.
Cool. As an nearly lifelong electronics enthusiast (it kind of started before I was 5) I am pleased to make your "acquaintance". I also applaud his victory against rapacious RCA.
True. And most of us do not know how to protect our online identity from hacking.. now carried out by artificial intelligence (AI). Be Aware. And stay Strong… nonetheless!
Just read The Oppermanns by Lion Feuchtwanger, a best selling German novelist and playwright at the time. He wrote it while in exile in 1933 originally as an anti-Nazi screenplay that the British PM offered to bankroll. When the conservatives in that government killed it out of reluctance to antagonize Hitler, Feuchtwanger turned it into a novel. Per the intro, "it sold an estimated quarter-million copies across the globe...yet it did nothing to alter the appeasement policies" of, well, everyone. It's a great and revealing read. Highly recommend.
Here’s an attempt to define “critical thinking”. I’ll start by defining what critical thinking is not.
An idea pops into tRumps head, and he doesn’t stop to think about it. He just uses it like when an alpha male chimpanzee comes across a tree branch lying on the ground and decides to swing it every which way in a dominance display.
A critical thinker reflects about who is being served versus who is paying the price before responding.
We live in a social system, and the way we respond changes the system for better or for worse. If our response is adaptive, then things are likely to get better. If our response is maladaptive, then things are certain to get worse.
Sometimes we don’t know what to do, but we need to do something. No response is a maladaptive response in that the system is changing regardless of whether we are adapting to the change. So, we often need to learn with experiments whilst hopefully keeping the blast area as small as possible. But ultimately, our response will not be adaptive until our understanding of the system's current state is sufficiently accurate. And that is challenging.
The easy part is knowing that we are serving the system at our short-term expense, and then benefitting in the long term from the system’s strength, or we are benefiting in the short term at the system’s expense, and then suffering in the long term from the system’s weakness.
James, I believe critical thinking starts with gathering data and moves on to analyze said data using logic. One must put aside bias confirmation, as best one can, and eliminate fallacious "data." What remains is factual, and from facts one can determine actions and attitudes.
I like to distinguish between what I think (opinions), what I believe (values), and what I know (proven facts).
The other important attribute of critical thought is that one changes opinions, values, and accepted facts when new information is discovered. This is especially important in the arena of science, where new research findings often contradict previously held conclusions. The hallmark of poor thinking is to cling to one's original stance regardless of new info. Such individuals often expend more mental energy defending their position than on vetting new info for validity.
Validation and logic are also beneficial in politics. I entertained the idea of RFK Jr. until he publicly discussed bio-engineered Covid virus that would target certain ethnicities. Since ethnicities are not genetically different, such a thing is impossible, plus there was significant evidence that the target groups had succumbed to Covid at the same rate as others. I concluded that Bobby Jr. was either an idiot if he believed this putative research group's theory, or irresponsible if he didn't believe it but gave it a public platform all the same. Either way I deemed him unfit to be our chief executive.
Scientific facts are never entirely settled, which furthers science though constant re-examination, but many conclusions appear to merit a very high degree of confidence. "Clean" logic and evidence provide the confidence. Duplicated experiments should produce the same results, or region of results. Science is always updating. I think an archetypal exchange was evident in a NYT story from 2004:
Dr. Shenker said it would be great to find out that string theory was right.
From the audience Dr. Greene piped up, "Wouldn't it be great either way?"
"Are you kidding me, Brian?" Dr. Shenker responded. "How many years have you sweated on this?"
But if string theory is wrong, Dr. Greene argued, wouldn't it be good to know so physics could move on? "Don't you want to know?" he asked.
The notion that "dispassionate" research is performed by passionless people (eg, "Mr. Spock" isn't it at all, but rather the "kiss the joy as it flies" willingness to honor reality (so far as we can best determine) rather than one's druthers, as the authority; and as you indicate. Some people won't learn because they are too attached to an idea.
RFKjr seems like a very lazy thinker, with unearned influence. I believe that the possibility of race specific viral agents has been discussed speculatively by some geneticists, but no such thing appears to currently exist. There are genetic differences related to race, but they are trivial; not at all the proof of superiority or inferiority self-aggrandizing supremacists are yearning to see. RFKjr's understanding of what vaccination actually does to forewarn the human immune system in truly appalling.
This from Prof. Carlos Frenk, Dept. of Physics, Director of the Institute of Computational Cosmology, Durham University: "If it turns out to be that the universe is not made up of cold dark matter, I will be rather depressed. Given that I’ve worked all my life on cold dark matter, I would be disappointed, but not for very long, because that’s the way that science is. You have to accept the evidence. If it turns out that I’ve wasted my life working on the wrong hypothesis, so be it. What I really want to know is, what is the universe made of? Let it be cold. Let it be warm. I just want to know what it is."
I'm not very scientifically minded, JL. I got to my appreciation for science's
temporality when an anti-vaxxer I know wanted a public apology from Fauci for incorrect statements he had made early in the pandemic. I said that I doubted he lied or intentionally deceived, he was just wrong. He changed his position when he learned more. She couldn't hear it; she was caught up in villainizing Fauci rather than in considering how information changes one's views, if one is intellectually honest.
She also kept pushing the notion that more study on vaxx alternatives is needed. I thought about how science works and told her that overwhelming evidence from many many disparate studies had demonstrated that vaccines are effective and safe for the vast majority of people. In a time of pandemic, public policy needed to be set from the most conclusive data available in the moment. Those who track a more effective Covid therapy than the current vaccines will undoubtedly publish their findings when and if there ever are any. Meanwhile we have to rely on the best and most prevalent data. She accused me of being a sheeple and ranted about how Fauci and the CDC were preventing &/or hiding alt research in collusion with corrupt big money pharma. I told her I didn't think we could discuss this topic because we approach it from such different philosophies. We are no longer friends.
Saying to me that the hallmark of poor thinking is to cling to one's original stance regardless of new info, and that such individuals often expend more mental energy defending their position than on vetting new info for validity, is preaching to the choir.
Does critical thinking involve gathering and analyzing data using logic? Absolutely. And where confirmation bias is an issue due to excluded or fallacious data, then it needs to be effectively addressed. But that’s not where critical thinking begins.
Hypothetically, two parties are interacting in a familiar context, and their interactions are mutually beneficial, but then a novel context emerges, and their interactions are now unilaterally beneficial. Fortunately, both parties are skilled critical thinkers, and they agree to use that skill to resolve the conflict. The first question is, what is the objective? Specifically, what interest is being served, in what time frame, and at whose expense?
A mutually agreeable objective is a prerequisite to a mutually agreeable conflict resolution. The latter is the analysis part, and the former is the synthesis part.
The odds that two parties will resolve their between-party conflicts even if they both use perfect logic and the same data, but they don’t start by establishing a mutually agreeable objective, is virtually zero. That’s the point I was trying to make in my previous comment.
I see two objectives, James. One is peaceable conflict resolution, the other is determination of facts in order to formulate actions and values. The former requires mutual agreement, as you say; the latter doesn't. You and I may agree on facts, even if they're only provisional, and still decide on different courses of action. For instance we may both want to see Trump defeated and agree that he's a dangerous lunatic. I may prioritize his misogyny and you may feel more strongly about national security; even though both of us agree that each other's reasons for disliking him are true and valid, we're still different people, and because of our different histories will find one trait more loathsome than the other. You may be content with him losing the election, while I may want to see him incarcerated. We don't have to agree on values or outcomes to agree on what is true.
We share the intent of defeating a dangerous lunatic. But why? Because our interpretation of the facts is sufficiently accurate in that regard. That does not mean that when we start with the same facts, we must both end with the same interpretation. The question is whether conflict is the effect of our different determinations, and whether we then have a mutual intent to resolve the conflict.
In other words, there's a tolerance range. Do your own thing and it's none of my damn business. But "I'll mind my own damn business" was the opposite of what Tim Walz was thinking as a teacher when he learned that LGBTQ students were being treated with distain by their fellow students.
So, yes, at some point the determination of facts in order to formulate actions and values does require mutual agreement. What's the alternative? The alternative is some version of "I'm right, you're wrong, and this conversation is over." That is the only message Donald Trump has ever known how to communicate. And practice makes perfect.
I agree, but the question is not whether Trump can control his thoughts and emotions. The question is why otherwise perfectly rational people are thinking of voting for him. And the answer is that they don't practice critical thinking. If they drove the way they think, there'd be so many car accidents it wouldn't be safe to drive.
There were a ton of Americans who openly supported the Nazis and Hitler before WWII. Those types of Americans are still out there and there are millions of them.
Thank you Professor Richardson for reminding everyone that JD Vance, a man with very little political experience could be the acting president if Trump is elected. This is a truly frightening thought as he lacks even basic experience to do so.
While Trump has tried to distance himself from Project 2025, everyone needs to remember that Vance also has close ties to it. He wrote the forward to a book written by Heritage Foundation president Kevin D Roberts titled Dawns Early Light, which was supposed to be published in September and has been delayed until after the election as the campaign tries to distance itself from Project 2025 after people started paying attention. I’ve read all of it and the damage it would do is extreme. It’s seems likely to me that Vance will use it as a playbook if Trump continues to deteriorate and somehow finds himself in office. And this leaves out the expectation that it was written as Trump’s playbook all along.
The consequences of this election cannot be overstated. The good professor continues to do a great American service in the daily presentation of issues in a factual manner with steady tone and rational discussion. Vance is a VERY scary politician. The risks for American democracy with a Trump/Vance election are difficult to come to terms with. I continue to believe that it is the women of America who will save Democracy in this election. I am not a fan of Taylor Swift’s music but I am a huge fan of her philanthropy and her willingness to provide voting guidance to her fan base. Now if she could persuade Travis to join her that would be even more powerful.
I totally agree, Gary. I wish someone could persuade Dolly Parton to endorse Kamala. She is such a wonderful person and philanthropist, it would be a real coup.
We'll just have to do with Taylor Swift. I believe Parton is too conscientious to break with her publicly apolitical custom. Chump's odiousness may disrupt Dolly's custom, as it did the Cheneys, and if it did, so much the better. I, for one, won't be disappointed if Parton stands strong on her public persona
Peter Thiel bankrolled Vance’s campaign to the tune of $25 million and allegedly offered substantial donations to trump if he picked Vance for VP. It’s the oligarchs buying our government- and they are no longer shy about it.
Of course. 2025. Maybe that's what Bannon meant when he said, "He can't not win". 2025 also emphasises "Day One". No longer than that. I wonder who the Harris think-tank is - there are some very good minds there. The Vance/Walz debate is of the utmost importance.
"If the Republican candidate dies or is incapacitated after the convention and before Election Day, the Republican National Committee (RNC) will meet to select a presidential candidate and/or vice-presidential candidate under Rule 9 of party rules."
Thanks, Ally. Interesting thought - Party Rules. Are they the same for both parties? So far the RNC appears to be re-writing the rules faster than the eye can see.
Good to know. Although isn’t Lara Trump the RNC co-chair? Junior Trump favored Vance, didn’t he? If they need a new candidate or two, we will see who really has the power in the RNC.
I have absolutely no fear that the awkward weirdo would or could defeat Kamala, if the GOP were idiotic enough to nominate him. If not Vance, then who? Mike Johnson? Chris Sununu? Larry Hogan? I'd be more worried about any of them than JD.
His writing the forward to "Dawns Early Light" seems to show he's not the politician he thought he was. I wonder if it will ever be published now that it seems it was to have been part of the plan, now seemingly too bad too bad to release before the election.
I suspect if they get their clocks cleaned in the election it will reveal so much more that the public will reject for long after, perhaps enough to have them bury it deep in the political junk pile (which Vance may want done if he wants any future at all in politics).
I know. Ryan (his opponent) ran a less than stellar campaign, and Peter Thiel bought himself a senator. I can’t stand Vance, and I’m concerned about losing Sherrod Brown, because he really is a good and effective senator. I don’t care for car dealer Bernie Moreno.
What did make me laugh is that our Secretary of State, Frank LaRose, is trying to find a new job as he’s term limited out of office this year. He tried running for senator in Ohio’s Federal primary race and came in third. Trump endorsed the primary winner Bernie Moreno. LaRose is busily writing a dishonest ballot summary for our initiative to take redistricting away from the Republicans in the General Assembly. LaRose tried and failed to wreck our ability to pass initiatives as we always had, and was soundly defeated in Issue 1 in 2022. He wrote a dishonest ballot summary for that also and people saw through it.
Ryan didn't win in '22 because the Democratic Party didn't spend a dime to support his race. They wrote off Ohio completely. And now we have Vance (ugh).
I worry about Sherrod, too, Kathy. He's a really good guy, which usually shines through all the opposition's bs. He's got name recognition and his storied man of the people/ on the side of workers rep. I hope that's enough to keep him in the senate. He's only 2 points up over Bernie, but maybe (hopefully) Chump's atrocious performance Tues. will deflate the value of his support for Moreno.
Putting him a heartbeat away from the oval if Chump should win is my nightmare, Colette. I'm not terribly concerned about the party nominating him for the top slot if the felon withdraws, which he won't. They may be crazy, but they're not stupid.
I wonder if those on the "other" side, when Biden was the candidate, feared if something happened to Biden while in office then Harris would become president. So now their fears may come to pass, largely due to their candidate showing his addled colors.
He does that on everything. I had an Australian man on another social media site claim that Trump had distanced himself from Project 2025. I had to remind him that Trump is a liar, admitted to loathing Trump, and you can’t trust his lies.
Some of the headlines of late don't quite seem that way, but you are certainly right that according to the Aussie media as of a few months ago Trump was the most favoured Republican candidate since forever. Seems Trump doesn't just have Foxy American voters under his sway. Things aren't quite so Trumpy in the UK or New Zealand, or Canada for that matter.
Vance is making our job easier in Florida.GOTV !!!
In the 2018 general election, turnout among voters with Haitian ancestry was 73%, 9 percentage points higher than the state’s overall turnout rate, according to two researchers at the University of Florida in 2020. A similarly high turnout was observed in 2016 as well.
“These numbers allow you to understand that Haitians vote at higher levels, that there is a large Haitian population in Florida, that there are a number of Haitians who have ran for office and won office, and that as a political group, they really have arrived,” one of the researchers told The Haitian Times.
No worries, Vance will have plenty of folks ready to “advise.” He may even have a gold-plated copy of Project 2025, to replace our Constitution and Bill of Rights…
As I said here a couple of days ago, this is the plan; through foul means, get the Trump-Vance ticket into the White House, then Trump does a Putin-esque defenestration and poof! the hero of Project 2025 is now the commander-in-chief.
I suspect that, like Trump, Vance is not a mental giant. But he is smart enough to have written a book. Once in charge, I don't believe we will be shaking our heads at the genuinely buffoonish things Trump said and did (bleach and ivermectin, anyone?). No, Vance will goose-step his way straight to the brown shirts, "Sieg Heil" salutes, and gulags.
In Vance, the Heritage Foundation will have their Christian zealot: someone who embodies the very best of demagoguery in order to end democracy.
Very thoughtful response for what is going on. I con't give a rat's ass if you like TV or had or have a TV. This is about the future of our nation. Let's focus on what's at stake here.Do any of you know folks in swing states? If so, write them. Call them. I'm writing, calling, and donating to Wisconsin. How about Michigan? As Gary A. says, "...the consequences of this election cannot be overstated."
Vance is indeed a scary option. He is young enough to do a lot of damage for a very long time. Let’s hope there are enough sane people to say NO F-ing way on 5 Nov.
The remarks by JD Vance at the RNC convention are very interesting. The “real Americans” are the Southern Bourbons who have been around and influential for 200 years. Of course, the Northern Yankees have also been around at least as long. The “hillbillies” Vance refers to, using a term of disrespect, apparently are the low-information voters in the other parts of the country.
Bloodless if the left allows....one of Vance's biggest backers said this. I want to be optimistic, but that statement coupled with what Vance says here, we should be scared as ever. Dr. Ben-Ghiat wrote about a month ago that "What if Harris wins, will she be allowed to serve?". She has been on target with her knowledge of dictators and how they rise to power. This movement no longer hides out of sight, they openly say what they are going to do and act without fear which is scary. Grover Norquist said in the late 90s, I think, that they did not need a president that believed in the conservative fascistic libertarian ideas, just a compliant person who would sign whatever the Republicans Congress sent to their desk. GW Bush just signed over stuff, then came 45 who they saw as the prefect idiot who was happy to just stay out on the golf course. We are in a serious situation.
Sorry to throw water on the optimism, but we can never let up. These folks used to hide their ideas, now they are ready to act. Be aware and prepare.
I relish the imagery of a Black woman, before a public of over 60 million, reducing a supremely confident Trump into the blithering idiot that has been his hallmark.
At 90 I found it difficult to realize that I was watching a presidential debate.
One candidate was well prepared, articulate, and with a personal style that oozed confidence. The other was unprepared and spewing forth inanities from his collection of non-factual nonsense. I was reminded of how this angry old man, when he felt frustrated, would throw ketchup on the wall of his dining room.
It is difficult to select my favorite zingers, as Kamala roasted Donnie over her barbecue. The comment about folks being bored and leaving Trump gatherings while he was still pontificating sent him bananas.
The statement that Putin (his bromance partner) would ‘eat him for lunch’ fit neatly into Trump’s bizarre reference to Orban, Hungary’s authoritarian prime minister.
Only Trump could inject into a presidential debate that Haitians in Springfield were eating cats and dogs.
What I found overpowering was the sharp contrast between Kamala’s positive impact, as she gave Trump a master class in being presidential, while a haggard old man got angrier and nastier.
What I find incomprehensible is that there is massive focus on how the November 5th presidential election could be a cliffhanger.
How could anyone who watched Kamala and Donnie conclude that they both are presidential?
I would not call Trump supremely confident at all. It's his cover. And we just saw it get ripped off. The point is he is supremely unconfident always has been just putting on a bluster costume. And it is so obvious so incredibly obvious but sometimes the truth is hard to swallow or at least not blink at.
Great post, Keith. And I agree, how could the race appear to be so close (based on the polls, at least)?? Maybe that will drive more Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents to vote. I hope.
Keith, thank you. I've been jousting with the MAGAts who obvioulsy did not watch the same debate as I did. From pearl earbuds to "a prosecutor with a weak case" to the unfair fact checking, they saw that fpotus won and was wonderful. These used to be relatively intelligent people.
Tuba Why not send them my commentary with a note that I voted for Ike in 1956 and was on the Nixon White House Enemies List in 1972? Also, using Trump’s terminology, in government service I was a ‘sucker’ and almost a ‘loser.’
Keith, Trump can no longer be “prepared” to make sense. He cannot control his emotions or his thoughts. That’s why he only makes sense when he’s reading a teleprompter- and he will likely be unable to do that for much longer. This is what happens in dementia. Imagine people voting for a cognitively deteriorating brain. Imagine him running the government. It will be Vance, the oligarchs and Putin in charge!
Keith I’ll be turning 78 in a week or so and if I’m blessed to live as long as you, I can only hope that my brain works half as good as yours. To my mind you are a roll model of a life well lived, you had a career actually helping America be great, and in retirement you have continued to speak with a loud voice to anyone smart enough to listen, using the wisdom that your years have blessed you with. While we will probably never meet, I have to tell you that I would be so pleased to shake your hand. 🙏
Dick Thanks for your kind comment. I am simply a human being with a mixed record in life who has worked hard and would not be embarrassed, were any of my professional conduct to appear in newspapers.
I am proud to be American and have worked relentlessly to improve my country. I fervently hope that my grandchildren inherit my values and the soul of the country that I love..
Bravo! As your fellow “ancient,”‘I appreciate both your sense of your own history and your continuing work for the country. We absorbed democracy during World War II, a formidable time and teacher. Our understanding of what the history of this country means in the history of the world is inescapable and your service, particularly as a teacher, was a wonderful gift to your students and the country. For us who read you frequently, however, it’s you in your youth with gun in the Congo that challenges imagination.
As a fellow nonagenarian, Keith, I echo your observations. I'll add one more. As a fifty-year student of the nuclear age (my library of 9,000 titles was donated to the New Mexico State Historical Library a few years ago) I of course became familiar with the "football" -- the nuclear launch button in a small portable case that goes everywhere the President goes. I could not help thinking about the most consequential button in the history of civilization being accessible to Donald John Trump 24/7. Should that become our reality once more I urge all of us to devise and share secrets for how to sleep ever again. Unless, of course, the need is rendered academic.
Thank you yet again Keith. I particularly appreciated HCR's reference to psychiatrist, RICHARD A. FREEMAN's article in today's The Atlantic titled "Trump's Repetetive Speech is a Bad Sign". Dr. Freeman goes on to cite "verbal incoherence, tangential thinking" & strings of words sometimes that are not coherently related as symptoms of mental degradation. No subscription required.
I will bring Dr. Freeman's article to the attention of the forensic psychiatrists gathering on Dr, Bandy X Lee's Friday ZOOM at noon Eastern ... now.
Bryan I find The Atlantic’s daily articles illuminating, from Frum and Freeman to Applebaum. Some weeks ago I wrote a commentary illustrating how Donald is bonkers. I await confirmation from forensic psychiatrists.
Mary Trump’s latest book is very illuminating about Trump. My take is simple: reading about the broken porcelain plates and the catsup on the White House dining room wall, the tantrum-prone child is all I could see (always envisioning a high chair which a few of you may remember).
Seems Cheetolini is going to double-down on the crazy and the evil attacks. The dufus bragged about how well he did in the separate to his tiny crowd in Tucson (Harris’ crowd was MUCH LARGER 😁).
He and Vance should called out for inciting domestic terrorism with their racist lies about Haitian people. Bomb threats were received today in Springfield Ohio.
Hopefully the large and actively voting Haitian community in Florida is listening to the hate coming from the GQP and votes accordingly.
It was in the Linda Ronstadt arena. Ronstadt came out with a statement endorsing Harris, and within it shared that she has two adoptive ( now adult) children, is unmarried, and has a cat. “Call me what you want, but this cat lady will be voting proudly in November for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.”
This, from your LFAA and news is chilling: "Today, Republicans in North Carolina sued to overturn the decision of the state election board that students and employees of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill can use state-approved digital IDs as identification for voting."
The GOP knows the Heritage/GOP Project 2025 plan is deeply unpopular. Anyone capable of basic thought understands it is a daylight assault on democracy, justice, and equality in the United States. Their only path to victory is in suppressing vast numbers of voters, especially in competitive swing states. While Project 2025 is theoretical -democracy is under siege now. These attacks on legitimate voters in the courts, in GOP-controlled State legislatures, and by insinuating MAGA/cultists into Election boards are a coordinated and unabated continuation of January 6, 2021.
It's not surprising that the criminal Trump can already read the handwriting on the wall that was not paid for by Mexico. He's continuing his fine tradition of Trump University, Trump Steaks, Trump Casinos, and Trump shoes with a crypto platform. I'm sure it will do as well as all his other ventures like "Truth" Social.
I don’t think the man is capable of running anything that isn’t a scam or grift of some kind. He’s no gifted businessman. The Apprentice simply made him into an illusion of one.
Yes, he learned on reality tv that it is all about optics. Just like the Wizard of Oz behind the curtain. That is why he has a camera person to film him waving (to no one) when he arrives somewhere. He is a sad and vacuous bloviator.
Yes. It will be interesting to see if he coordinates a “dead cat bounce” in order to scam small MAGA investors one last time before they file for bankruptcy protection.
worth abt 30 cents on the dollar i hear. Any attempt to cash in will trigger another plummet in value. When can DT attempt to cash in? Oct 1st i vaguely recall.
The Presidential candidate debate went well for Democrats, though I doubt it will discourage many delusional MAGA Republicans. What I hope makes more impact will be when the stark contrast between Walz and Vance is revealed on October first.
One Facebook friend reposted a MAGA-nut's false scenario describing how his average sized 401K will be taxed at 25% even if he doesn't sell anything. Part of that lie is that assertion that whatever taxes Dems impose on the rich will eventually spread to the middle class. It's a false but clever argument that ignores inflation and Congressional inaction. The weave of Republican is clever, sowing financial fears.
I was telling a friend months ago that I suspected Republicans continue to cluster around Trump despite clear signs of his decline, because real 'powers-that-be', people like Leonard Leo, Harlan Crow, Peter Thiel, and so on, *want* someone who is a dithering idiot that they believe they can control. This is why Thiel positioned Vance, his pick, as VP. I wondered at the time if they really understood how difficult that might be, given Trump's nature.
It still stuns me Republicans got away with painting Biden as the one in serious cognitive decline, to the eternal shame of our mealy-mouthed media. But it positively delights me that the decision to attack Biden backfired so spectacularly on them.
Can you imagine the cigar chomping Harlan Crow, hanging out with Clarence Thomas, Thiel and Vance--a bunch of sour old men muttering about that damn uppity minority woman? <sarcasm>
Systematic Curiosity, nevertheless she persisted! Seems fitting, the criticism McConnell gave Senator Elizabeth Warren for daring to continue to speak truth and justice when he, a untruthful, unjust man told her to stop, even though she had the right to speak. Nevertheless she persisted.
the current Maga/Gop running things are fearful for an existential breakup should they stop backing Trump. This might be about to happen come November. I worry, but hope. the Dems NEED more political capital in Congress to pull real change off.
As the for repetition of his "they're eating people's pets," he loves it. Remember, he killed the border bill because above all else he wanted to up the sensationalism, fixated on the border. In every way he lies about the extent of the problem, but the truth doesn't matter -- the fear and loathing, hatred and paranoia, and latent violence froth and spew above all else.
Ditto with the ridiculous claims of kids coming home from school having had their genders changed. The truth doesn't matter. Him being drama queen does -- his main role in American life.
Same with his supposedly dropping third debate. Sure, he said it. But again, truth doesn't matter. He wants the issue to simmer, so he can stir that pot periodically, too.
Love Heather's paying attention to Trump's vulgar sidekick on the ticket, the "Hillbilly Elegy" guy who now claims, writes Heather, that the hillbillies are going to triumph finally. And they'll do so by siding with "monarchy" -- Bourbon monarchy. This, the trailer trash denominator to American life, as if all the abysmally educated and easily algorithmed want a vulgar demagogue over them -- perfect complement to the Clarence court's inveigling into the Constitution having a dictator immune to law who can protect the billionaire classes who float the corrupt (all Clarence's buds).
They were talking about a key condition of democracy -- that people trust each other. With its corollary, that a discussion, conversation, constantly go on. No "othering," no disrespecting others but, instead, openness to all the complications and pain in others that inevitably accompany search for truth.
Easier, of course, if we don't search. Then, no need for truth (as both Trump and Vance make pathetically clear). Just floods of information. Bullies of the tech world, beholden only to profit, can set algorithms so those craving info in particular hate and racism "formations" can get loads and loads of it. Again, no truth, just comfort to rely on bullies to deliver the hate we desire in those "formations" algorithms -- presto -- fix for us.
To be civilized instead? Isn't that the real Q on which Americans vote by Nov. 5?
You know him well. I agree. He loves the spotlight. Anything to stay in the spotlight. Stirring his witch’s brew of insanity. Expect even more grotesque blather.
Eating peoples' pets! What a disgusting statement....But the reality is this – Didn’t the French eat their pets during their Revolution to avoid starvation? That could be justified on some level but it so hard to understand that some will believe Trump’s lies.
They may get away with the pet eating double-down because it’s so deeply racist, and Republicans love racists, but they’re not going to get away with disparaging comments about Taylor Swift. Unfortunately for Republicans, their chosen candidates just can’t help disparaging her, regardless of consequences.
I just love the idea that Trump cannot win the election if he loses North Carolina. That just does something to my gizzard. Based on what I saw at Kamala's rally there yesterday, she will have a hard time losing it. How intoxicating. ::))
I hope so too, but Republicans are trying every which way to keep Democrats from casting votes: “Today, Republicans in North Carolina sued to overturn the decision of the state election board that students and employees of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill can use state-approved digital IDs as identification for voting.” But hunting licenses without photos are fine, right? Republicans are truly shameless.
I think Pete Buttigieg in his interview yesterday with CNN nailed it on his analysis of why Trump pushes such outrageous ideas as the immigrants in Springfield IN eating people’s pets. It’s clearly a distraction mechanism to keep people from talking about the failures of his Presidency and his inferior self-serving policies.
About those Bourbons. Pretty sure the county in Kentucky was named for the French Royal Dynasty which governed France from 1589 to 1793 creating an absolute monarchy that reached its zenith under Louis XIV A monarchy which was instrumental in the US becoming the US. So naturally they would name a county in Kentucky after them.....and subsequently the liquor.
Am really hoping North Carolina sends RFK Jr a bill for reprinting all the ballots and some overseas voter who couldn't vote because of the delay sues the North Carolina Supreme Court for their political decision.
According to Marc Elias of Democracy Docket, North Carolina runs a high risk of missing the Military and Overseas Voters Empowerment Act which requires all absentee ballots to be mailed out 45 days before the election to give military and overseas voters time to receive, fill out, and return the ballots. What North Carolina will have to do is go to the Department of Defense and ask for a waiver which according to Marc, they are very stingy in giving out waivers and North Carolina could run afoul of the Department of Justice and face a lawsuit potentially if a wavier is not granted.
Here’s a full video of Marc explaining the situation: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=C6CcU_ys-tk
MAGA’s strategy is to create chaos in the election process. North Carolina is part of that strategy.
It is apparent that the NC Supreme Court has just prepared the ground for a monumental legal challenge to the election, regardless of outcome. In this way, its members are helping. But there is more to it. Trump himself and his team are counting on racial prejudice to tip the scales.
[sigh]
One of the activists groups asking for donations instead of donating, I offered advice which my cynical side says was not heeded. Perhaps Heather might give it some space.
In many of the red states, restrictive laws have been passed governing the actual voting. Indeed, in urban areas, polling districts have been reduced causing long lines. Then, restrictions such as passing out water or even going to the bathroom and returning loses your place. So I suggested that all voters be advised to:
1. Take Imodium the night before voting.
2. Bring a small folding lawn chair.
3. Bring water.
4. Bring energy bars.
Believe it there are such laws forbidding the passing out of water. I hope voters are being well advised. But I would not and many will leave long lines and just go home which is what the these MAGA Republican criminals want.
OMG!!!!!!
That appears to be their Hail Mary game plan right now.
That would be the third campaign being run by them, and the most dangerous.
Thanks Captain, we ALL need to be reminded of this critical observation DAILY!
Oh my God. I love it. ❤️ it.North Carolina is screwed. The Defense Department isn’t going to give a waiver and the DOJ will definitely take action. And the fall-out will increase support for Kamala Harris.
Now, I’ve reached out but have found no takers. I want to volunteer to drive to eastern PA to work on Election Day and I found no takers. I know one person doesn’t make a difference but 10,000 extra volunteers do. If anyone knows anyone, as the elephant says, “I’m all ears.” I don’t want to send my email to headquarters because I’m already being hit multiple times day with donation requests. I need a phone connect.
Call the Democratic Party Chairs in the counties where you want to help, and volunteer as a poll worker or clerk. Clerks need to attend training in advance. Find out about training, get signed up and attend.
I am volunteering with the Democratic party to serve as a LBJ--essentially monitoring the polling district to ensure those who WANT to vote can do so safely and efficiently. It doesn't appear difficult, but it is vitally important and I take this responsibility seriously.
Thanks. It sounds as if I’m making excuses. I am not familiar with PA counties at all. I really was hoping someone from that area was on substack. I think I just formulated a plan. Of course. I’ll drive to Washington on Election Day and the day before and sell (donate — Parks Service forbids profit-making on the Avenue) my book on Lafayette Square in front of the White House. It will most certainly be the final day for any sales of my scathing book on the worst person to ever reside in the White House. Thanks for twiking my bird brain.
I’m live in SWPA and travel throughout the state. I have been a poll worker in Allegheny county, my sister is the poll judge and I’m usually the minority clerk. What information are you seeking?
Sorry with all my haalabalu I decided to camp out for 3 days leading to Election Day in front of the White House doing my thing. My absentee ballot will be counted unlike those in North Carolina.
Sounds like you did not call into the PA FT6 call yesterday. I also donate to 31st St SL that has a "mission" to Pa. from DC. Concentrate on Lancaster. https://swingleft.org/group/31st-st-swing-left
This is good. Democrats have their shit together. I keep seeing this happening in Substack comments section. Someone says they want to help the Democratic Party but there's some sort of problem. Boom - someone provides a solution. If it's happening here, it's happening all over. Democrats are going to win because so many people are stepping up because they know they must. That colour blue is getting deeper and stronger every day. Wow! Hope is contagious.
It's almost "all about" turnout! Dems more than Maga, mind you. Not much sense saying "Republican" or GOP anymore.
Frank, I do believe that you've hit the nail on the head regarding party labels. Of course, there's always the GQP label. :)
I have a friend who lives in Costa Rica; she's phone banking to ex pats all over the world about how to vote remote. GOTV worldwide!
I filled out a form to volunteer in Hernando County Florida. I am a registered Democrat and was a poll watcher. I never heard anything from them.
I keep checking my registration , and took pictures of my current registration. I vote by mail, but bring it to polling place to mail it.
That 31st doesn’t help at all. First, I live in CT. Also, I do not want to leave my email to group anymore because they only want donations. So this is the dilemma I face. It’s not that important. I’ll look again at PA FT6.
https://www.mobilize.us/ft6/event/581992/
Super helpful, thank you! Haven't felt this connected and energized since the Woman's March against Trump in 2017.
When Hillary ran, the Charleston massacre happened "Obama singing Amazing Grace." Hillary was there the day before. Through my tears, I wanted to see what she had to say so I went to her WebSite. Seems I wasn't allowed on the WebSite unless I gave my e-mail address so I never learned what she had to see and have never been to her Website since. I voted for her.
Seems leaving your mail should be a choice "Please hit "Yes"' if you wish to leave your address.
No problem, just unsubscribe with the first donation request.
Driving people to the polls might be a very important contribution. Especially in Lancaster where Amish might be interested in voting. Of course, I don't know which party, if any, the Amish/Mennonite leans towards anymore
MAGA bigly. We visited Amish Country PA a few months ago and I looked up the 2020 results in various counties. Shockingly red.
Here's a list of PA counties: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_counties_in_Pennsylvania
I'd go to [county name].gov to find out how to volunteer.
You could call the office of Patty Kim. She is running for state senator in Harrisburg. The Dems only need to flip 3 seats to control the senate. If you help people down ballot it will help people vote for the rest of the party:
717-783-9342. Tell them OAITW sent you.
If you have Gmail, find those three little dots to the side, one says to Block. I only get a request once because once is too many. Then they are blocked. I hear the ding on my computer and know I've blocked an incoming e-mail. Once ActBlue pulled that dirty trick of putting in teeny tiny print "make your contribution weekly" with the box already checked, I e-mailed them telling them they had lost me. The Red team tried that first.
Quite. ActBlue pissed me off with that too, but I assume they got lots of complaints, because the "make it monthly" button is right next to a button that says "skip it."
They did me too when they wanted half my donation.
Please explain - they wanted "half" your donation?
Subscribe from your iPhone and use the “Hide my email” feature.
One person can make a difference. Keep fighting.
My new song has just been completed and will be debuted at a local festival tomorrow and videotaped and will be on YouTube forthwith. “They’re Eating Cats and Dogs Says JD Vance.”
Please post a link. Otherwise I won't remember. Thanks!
Oh when I get a cut of it in concert, you will see it ad nausium
You need to complete the training in the state before you can work election day. Each county has specific training. I'm not even sure if out of state people are allowed to work the polls in PA.
I may have one - will get back to you
worth a listen, thanks for posting.
I'd think Republicans are shooting themselves in the foot because they believe that Trump would have a strong advantage in the votes of military personnel. Except African Americans. But maybe given Trump's appeasement of Putin in Ukraine, military personnel -- the ones that are informed -- are not as likely to support him this year.
Actually, when I read this today I shared this with my regional head of Democrats Abroad Germany. He said, this means that the ballots, which were supposed to go out 5 days early, will go out 4 days late, but that means that there will still be enough time, if people fill them out right away and get them back. I felt this was intentional. I agree with Gerald who said, Kennedy should have to pay for this. It did seem like he and the Trump team planned this to delay, delay, delay. He also has suits in several other states. I hope those courts do not cave to him. I see this as trying to suppress Votes from Abroad which other than the military, are majority Democratic. Realizing that the Democrats Abroad brought the vote in for both Georgia and Arizona in the 2020 election, the party is doing a lot to curry our vote. We are doing all we can to get new voters signed up and to support those who are signed up in how they vote. One of the papers in Northern Germany is doing a story on American voters who live there, and has been asking background information like how we can vote. I am glad, because there are people here born to American parents who have never voted before who have the right to vote in a US election. What is hard about finding Americans in Germany to sign up, is that due to German privacy laws we cannot get lists of people to target. So, we basically go to venues where they might be, festivals, and keep an ear out for someone speaking American English, or do tabling where we ask people. Now we are going to do a big blitz of advertising at grocery stores, like on posters when people walk in, so that we can get the word out before the final days for voters abroad to register to vote.
This is good stuff Linda, happy to hear it! And thank you!
Thank you for your commitment Linda!
I hope the USA eviscerates NC. This is not a game people. There are laws. NC has run afoul of them and why? What was the rationale for the N.C. Supreme Court to rule this way? Gee let me think. Could it be……Satan?
Could this snafu,somehow, delay the final count and certification and throw the entire election in question??
This was a MAGA kiss for the RNC. It could easily have been written by Thomas / Alito. And that's where it'll wind up if there's an appeal.
I totally agree, especially since, per The Hill - "He filed paperwork on Sept. 6 to put himself on the Nov. 5 ballot [in Mississippi] even as he works to get it removed in other states. Mississippi is required to publish its sample ballot by Sept. 11."
Boss Berger has ‘fish hooks in his pocket’ when it comes to fully funding public education! Now he gleefully sits back while the election boards collectively must spend million of $$$$ to reprint he ballots.
Please recall, several red controlled states are suing to not count mail in ballots receiver After the Election Day ! Looney rfk jr filed what 4 four days After the deadline and the right wing magats did cartwheels in order to push through his appeal! Pathetic losers!
Pennsylvania does not count ballots received after election day. In fact, if the ballot was received on time but the voter missed writing the 'send' date (or wrote the wrong date) on the outer envelope, there were STILL lawsuits to have those declared invalid. (The latest court decision is to the effect that the ballot was received on time, regardless of the date on the outer envelope, and should be counted.)
(The date field is a hold-over from when ballots COULD be counted if received after election day, but that hasn't been true for a long time. It serves no purpose.)
https://penncapital-star.com/campaigns-elections/throwing-out-mail-in-ballots-over-missing-dates-violates-the-pa-constitution-voting-groups-argue/
I'm delighted that I can vote remote online in New Mexico, where I was last registered to vote before leaving the U.S. Even if one's permanent U.S. address is in another state, mail in's are to and from the last state where one was registered to vote. I looked it up on vote.org to be sure.
... And now the state Supreme Court has overruled THAT decision. Even if arriving by Election Day, ballots with missing or incorrect dates will be considered invalid. Unlocked link:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/13/us/pennsylvania-ballots-ruling.html?unlocked_article_code=1.KU4.56-J.sp-OZq975AL4&smid=url-share
Suppress the Vote much, Junior?
And I really hope RFK jr, —the environmentalist —is arranging to have those destroyed ballots recycled.
DJT doesn't need to Win the Election... DJT, and the Evil Siths just need to get close enough to Steal it... They have been preparing for Chaos for over 4-Years... Remember the 'October Surprise'?.... JD is controlled by the Evil Siths... If DJT Steals the Election, and later goes completely Bonkers, then JD becomes President... FEAR THAT!!!
Then you have a logistis tail issue with the MAGA run USPS.
Which, obviously, was n intentionally coordinated assault on the Constitutionally mandated Postal Service metastructure. Which will be a limiting factor ( though the PMG obfusticates the strategy.)
Why didn't Biden remove DeJoy when he had the chance. He had open seats on the board he could have filled with people with integrity. This is the kind of missed opportunity that costs us elections.
It turns out that the president doesn't get to remove the head of the PO. Biden DID work on filling seats with peeps with integrity. I don't remember exactly why, right now, but the process is more complicated than I had thought before I read up on it. :-(
I believe Biden appointed two Democratic members to the Board of Governors, one fairly recently. I have no idea why they haven't been able to get enough votes to remove DeJoy[less].
According to HCR the Postal Board must have an equal number of members from each party. So if 8 members there would be 4 Dems and 4 Repubs. When Trump was president 2 of the Dem seats expired and Trump filled them with Dems, as required, but he placed people who were basically DINO's in those seats. Also, it is the postal Board who votes to eject the Postmaster General. With 2 Dino's and 4 Repubs on the Board there is no chance of dumping DeJoy. Now, I believe there are 2 seats available and Biden has been trying to get the confirmations approved in the Senate. But due to the filibuster the names are not being put forward. I may have one or more sections of this not entirely accurate, but this is the gist of why we can't get rid of DeJoy.
Thanks Cathleen; I do hope your explanation is accurate. Is it just me, or does this appear (postal service logjams) to be another of those "booby traps" set up by the 'chessmasters' of the Leo cult ? >> https://www.axios.com/2024/09/12/leonard-leo-conservative-groups-funding
>> https://news.yahoo.com/news/republican-megadonor-leonard-leo-tells-190744612.html
Thanks for clarifying! I couldn't remember the details of 4 & 4.
Uh. The Dems and Repubs were equally smiltten by the Real Estate windfall of the dismantalment of prime real estate prepandemic and ZOOM.
Sad commentary on money's role in elected office.
Lack of Vision in action.
Can I get an "oy!?" Let's hope Kamala runs the table in NC, and the election board extends the return date for mail in ballots to allow for the printing delay.
Yes, Gerald, but, the North Carolina Republicans are smart. As De. Richardson points out the Americans living abroad either as civilians or in the military tend to skew Democratic and suing after the fact may be of no value if trumpscum wins.
When RFK Jr. pulled out of the race and threw his hat in with trump, my first thought was he guaranteed to F*ck up the printed ballots and insure chaos.
How 'bout North Carolina sends the bill to the DNC so they can pay for their Voter Suppression. Remember all of the DNC's anti-democratic actions: suing Jill Stein to keep her off the ballot, suing Cornell West to keep him off her ballot, suing RFK Jr to keep him off the ballot. The DNC is all about voter suppression. They are terrified of what might happen if their base had choices. The DNC is deeply anti-democratic. The DNC is terrified of letting their own base have choices. Let that sink in. (this is from a lifelong Democrat, a "Vote Blue No Matter Who" Democrat. And then I said: Enough.) Let's bill the DNC for the cost of voter suppression.
¡Great idea, Gerald!
¿Any chance for injunction -- highly unlikely -- from the Supreme Court?
Constant reminders of 1930s Germany & it makes you wonder did half the country learn any history in school or heard a single story from their grandparents or parents? Critical thinking is a lost skill. In all this, I’m grateful for a talented intelligent woman and her clear sighted fans.
I stay pissed at those who know of my cousin, 19 years old when he was killed in WW2. And they still support our current Nazi cretins. Propaganda says that chump is saving America while he is actively following Hitler’s playbook. Pushback has been non-existent from our MSM. Why is that?
Cause they think the convicted felon adjudicated rapist will lower their taxes. And they think if they kiss his a$$ now he won’t shut them down later - total fools.
Plus, racism, misogyny, and narcissism are rampantly fed by propaganda in America. As Heather's book states, we never really won the Civil War. Trump's answer to his racism against Kamala was so embarrassingly feeble in the debate. We all know his birtherism lies about Obama is spawned by his fear of a very successful and darker-pigmented person who demonstrates being more intelligent, educated, erudite, capable of speaking coherently without a prompter, loved by his family and the world at large, and drawing HUGE audiences was a direct hit to his fallacy as a superior, white dominant male.
Yes racism and hatred of women are still alive and destroying democracy right now, absolutely!
The hatred reflects fear of POC and women. Underneath it all lies an ocean of feelings of inadequacy and no insight, thus the spewing and vitriol.
Yes you are correct. Hatred implies fear, contempt and their fear of not being able to compete…that’s why they are so desperate for domination.
Big bluster with no core.
As if any Magat could admit a darker-pigmented person could be intelligent, educated, competent, etc., Pensa! Someone somewhere said the dog whistle has turned into a tuba. Chump is merely blowing farts that trigger his bigot fans... may they all spontaneously combust.
No dog whistle, no mo. They are loud and proud.
Well said, Pensa!
Total, unless you are rich, then he has your back. For the less affluent, it’s likely the racism, misogyny, and religious insanity, and insanity it is. I know enough to know that he’s a religious phony, a phony patriot, a phony excuse for a man, and has the empathy of Hannibal Lector.
JD, he is a a bag of monstrous festering cancerous air without one redeeming human quality. All he does is whine and tell lies. I did love the debate because she dominated him. I noticed the camera had some shots of him from the side which made him look like this hulk who just fell out of a cave. I can't remember any similar shots of her, but I may be wrong. She did speak directly to the TV audience which was an asset.
And various writers have noted that he wouldn't look at her. And of course that her handshake left him flusters [it must be early - I meant "flustered" of course. Which it should not have, of course. I guess he does not understand common politeness. (Duh)
I think he also is afraid of female assertiveness. She took the lead and as man who fears women it shook him.
No argument on any point. In fact, double down
Hasn't he just promised to erase ALL taxes????
Terry ….AND Trump won’t bust monopolies but he will bust unions. He will let corporations run amok - no government regulations to prevent grift and pollution. He’s their guy. However, I did note some corporate support for Kamala AFTER she announced that her plan to raise corporate taxes was much softer than Joe’s. Coincidence?
If we vote in a more progressive House and Senate, I am CERTAIN Harris will happily accept a higher corporate tax rate, don't you?
I don't care what the corp tax rate is as long as it is similar to the rest of us, and we can get the corps to pay the taxes they owe each year. Same with rich people and the Trumps of the world who work hard to evade paying any taxes with all their schemes.
For that, I think we'll need a major revision of the tax code, and a change in policy from enthusiastically preferring capital over labor to one more favorable to labor - more socialist, may I say? I'd be all for it, but it will require years of work and litigation and pushing back on lobbyists. So, HARRIS/WALZ 2024 - 2040!
There are 'tremendous' , life changing monetary threats / promises being tossed around on gQp networks. Upcoming election is a 'must win' for all the conspirators to avoid jail time and preserve their financial lives. >> https://www.axios.com/2024/09/12/leonard-leo-conservative-groups-funding
>> https://news.yahoo.com/news/republican-megadonor-leonard-leo-tells-190744612.html
I share your disgust. This morning on NHPR an analysis of the debate included questioning whether Harris's expressive facial reactions to tfg were actually practiced for Tik Tok memes??? AND such claims by tfg that " you can send Billy to school..." and he'll get gender transformation surgery and that "dogs and cats are being eaten in Ohio" constituted "hard debate points" just leaves me stunned and pretty upset!! DEBATE POINTS??? THESE ARE INSANE POINTS!!! This stuff is out of the world crazy and some in the media are STILL "sanesplaining". What in heavens is wrong with these people?? Perhaps they should find work elsewhere...like advertising???!!!
I think they are already. Advertising is as inane as political crap, but not as dangerous
Exactly.
Political advertising has really turned me off. The Lincoln Project does a bang up job. Dems need to learn a lesson from them
Unfortunately, the MSM has "conservative," extremely wealthy nut cases at the helm, a la Murdochs, Musk, and Bezos. Seriously. What astounds (and sometimes scares me) is how the right-wing thinks that so many ridiculous people will be the wave of the future.
And therein lies our problem
Ignorance. They truly don't get it JD.
What Terry said, JD, plus chump supporters/surrogates are ignorant fools
Sadly, some are people I once respected, especially firemen. Have some in family that I thought were “solid.”
TV rots our powers of concentration and our society. To what extent is American culture a product of corporate media? The technology is not to blame, but rather how it largely applied as a sales tool. The person who invented the first practical television system said that he had "created a monster" after seeing what it became. He would not let his kids watch it saying it did not want it to be part of their "intellectual diet". That might sound snooty, but Mr. Farnsworth grew up on a remote farm. He likened how one plows a field to the lines one used to see on analog TV screens that converted serial information into a 2D image.
In the 1960s and '70s there was salient public anxiety about commercial media becoming too socially influential. Now we mostly accept it as a fact of life.
Doesn't it remind you of what computer tech designers say? They feel the same about computers, which are way more dangerous than tvs in controlling minds. They collect our personal data and algorithmically control us as consumers and influence thinking and brainwashing politically.—on a massive scale. How many times have you had an offline conversation and afterward, your phone and computer sent you ads for exactly what you had just discussed? It is petrifying. It is also petrifying how many people are addicted to social media and how negative it is for those for all ages to handle so many made-up comparisons with others or the new, vacuous careers as "influencers."
I know how impacted my own mind has been for eight years of trying to fight this wannabe dictator and his bizarre minions. I have not been able to focus well or read books because I know enough history and studied cult leaders and how they form. I was petrified the first time I heard Convict 34+ speak at one of his rallies in 2016. That dominant male persona Immediately reminded me of a baby Hitler in the way he used repetitive brainwashing tactics. I was put in YT jail for stating that online.
Yesterday, I deliciously finished a thick Barbara Kingsolver book and realized how much I enjoy reading FOR FUN, and the craft of a great writer. I owe my returned focus to Joe Biden for agreeing to step down and support Kamala for the next POTUS. We will continue to be in capable hands with her at the helm. At the same time, we need to keep educating ignorance by increasing massive critical thinking skills across this land at home, in schools, and online.
Computers are more damaging than TV. They’re small enough to carry them with you wherever you go, AND we do!
Hey, dear friend, nice to see you here! Did you see Heather's interview with Brian Tyler Cohen? Worth seeing!
I just watched it. Everyone should watch this interview. Interesting thoughts about controlling the money, and more.
I am going to watch it tonight! Thank you!
Keep
Writing here
Please!
My children were born on the cusp of the 70s. I have never owned a TV. They watched it for two hours at their friends' places after school until I got home from work. Books, ballet, sport, theatre, and we went to the cinema. And music - theirs and mine.
Very similar to our approach in the 70s and 80s: we owned only a small portable tv that we kept in a closet. We put a tv guide with it, and allowed each child to schedule up to four hours of tv per week. Our three children often forgot to watch their scheduled tv for the week. It was very low priority. Of course they occasionally saw tv at friends' houses, but most kids played outside after school and on weekends.
We didn't have a TV in our home in the 50's when I was a kid. By design. We also listened to a wide range of music from Latin records my mom collected to musical theater albums to jazz to classical. I also got classes in ballet, modern dance, drawing, painting, and acting. We also went to kid concerts and theater.
When we did finally get a TV my younger sister and I could only watch while Mom was at work or when she slept in weekend mornings. I read books. I'd like to believe it all made me a critical thinker rather than a mere consumer of advertising-disguised-as-entertainment.
Ms. Luccarini,
I was born in the late 40’s. My Father didn’t allow a tv in our home. I watched it on occasion while late babysitting.
We had piano, flute, dance lessons, books books books and hiking and conversation with and about nature. Then off to college to become a teacher.
We once rented a tv during the morbid and emotional trauma caused by Kennedy’s assassination.
I chose not to have children, but know that I would not have allowed any screens ( cell phones) in their lives today. That is where I see the saddest development of young and old.
Or better said “ non-developed “ young and old.
Yes, Jean(Muriel), but do you own a cat? Apparently that's the defining characteristic of women who don't reproduce, whether by choice or by happenstance.
I have two!! Meow meow. Several of my cats over the years lived to be 23 years old. I have been , since a small child, in love with cats. My father loved them too. I love horses too!🐈⬛🐈🐴🦄🎶👏🏻🥰🤣😂
I had more fun building a TV in an electronics course than watching it. Though there were periods of watching a lot with parents, we had several gaps in even having a tv in the house. After the one I built had the flyback transformer fail, we didn't get another until we got a small portable to watch the 1st Space Shuttle Launch. I watched the Apollo 11 moon landing on an even tinier portable at the gas station across he street from my parent's house.
J L, we not only accept the influence of commercial media as a fact of life, but we carry our televisions in our pockets so that we can view the latest “news” from the moment we awake until we go to sleep.
Yup. And ‘the “news” is caught up in the web of “messengers”… (🫣) keep your sense of humor… and your cautious social skills sharp !
Yes tv rots our brain but I think social media and the internet have done even more damage to society. Practically no one can focus or concentrate for very long, critical thinking is gone, the division and hatred has exploded in the last 10 years or so due to the convicted felon adjudicated rapist using it to spew his hatred everywhere and stir up hatred esp of of minorities and women. Not to mention all the mis and dis information flooding the internet.
Right. In another time, a TV in the living room always turned on in the evening. We thought of nothing else but watching that new media having replaced the radio and FDR Fireside Chats. Screens do inform but too much atrophy’s the brain. Parents made the horrible mistake giving their children cell devises and psychological studies now find the negative effects of this. And worse, social media has damaged young minds for two generations.
I suppose one might call this site social media, but the likes of Facebook seems to me to exploits people at least as much as empower them. I avoid sites that push things at you. Push media makes us passive spectators. There is a place for that, but it can't sustain democracy. Bowing to Mr. "Only I Can Fix It." is exactly what democracy is not. The truth is only we can fix it.
I have used a computer since 1990 for college and then work, Terry. I signed up for social media when it became popular, but I never developed a taste for it; conversations like these are as close as I come. I don't own a TV, but when I did I used it to watch streaming movies. I listen to podcasts or watch them on YouTube. That's how one can sidestep the mis and dis info, algorithmic pandering, etc. Computers don't kill thought, poor education does.
The Internet is much the same phenomenon with new wrinkles. Again, not the technology itself, but how it is dominated. I naively thought that the decentralized architecture of the Internet was inherently democratic, and while I has that capability, as demonstrated here, i was wrong to believe it would resist plutocratic domination. The Internet was created with the public's money by the Department of Defense. For years it was a cooperative DIY environment of monochrome monitors and text only. When Internet multimedia was enabled by Tim Berners-Lee at the CERN particle physics laboratory, the World Wide Web exploded, as, content -wise, a DYI phenomenon. Now commercialization and political propaganda dominates the medium. I should have known that the outcomes of ANY technology depends on who is using it and for what purpose.
I have two tvs and rarely watch them. My screen time is predominately iPad or computer time.
Same here.
TVs are best for entertainment. Ours is black all day long. One hour of news, maybe. Then later, a movie, perhaps. Unless I turn on the ROKU fish tank screensaver. I like how the eel slides in and out of his cave. I am tempted to name him you know what...but perhaps not. I respect eels too much.
Bill, we just cut Comcast cable and now have an antenna which picks up the local stations we want as we do watch an hour of news and sometimes Masterpiece on PBS. We also have a couple options for TV sports because Comcast can't reach an agreement with the Big Ten where Oregon now resides. Other than that, we stream and enjoy productions that, by and large, are not filmed here. We both read voraciously.
I stream stuff too. I stopped watching commercial TV years ago when all the news was a cheering squad for W's invasion of Iraq.
You could call him "Slick Willy," the Bill Clinton social media handle.
Unfortunately a lot of people's (especially the young's) time is predominantly the computer, ipad or phone. Questions don't have to be asked or remembered - "How many yards in a mile? Strike if you looked it up. No need for formal "knowledge any more - or thinking. Google will tell you all. You don't even have to think. . . or question. It's all really easy
What's wrong with looking up an answer to something you're curious about, Lady Emsworth? I absolutely agree that it's great to have relevant data stored in one's natural memory (vs. RAM), but as a nearly 77-year old, I can assure you that memory fades, and it's wonderful to be able to refresh it by online search.
It's also pleasing to have remembered enough to know where to search.
Of course, one of the problems about posting comments, is that it's not a conversation - who has the time?
I look stuff up all the time - no problem with that. But at my stage of life,nobody is asking me to spend precious brain hours learning things off by heart, that are only learned for the sake of passing an exam. And that I will never, ever use again.
For instance - sines, cosines, logarithms.
Though I will say, I have used Pythagoras' theorem quite a bit. . .
I think that information in natural memory tends to become better integrated into one's overall map of reality than freshly "looked up", even if a look-up was its original point of contact. I find that stews are always better the second or third day, more flavors fortuitously come foreground, yet mingled, integrated into the whole. Stuff "cooks" in the mind as well.
That said, at 77 and never the worlds most precise person anyway, I regularly use the Internet to sharpen a memory, or to supplement it. It is a boon to obtain information so widely and easily.
Plus Wikipedia is now being so widely corrected by experts who can quote sources that it's getting more and more quotable.
And I dearly love being able to refresh my memory of old legal cases (holdings, usually), synopses of books I read a long time ago and have since donated, definitions of words so my speech and writing is as precise as I want it to be, etc. I have PLENTY of information available for daily use stored in "the little grey cells", but it's information I use regularly. I don't think I ever knew how many yards were in a mile (when would that ever be useful? - I'm asking seriously), but conversions from degrees Celsius to Fahrenheit, or centimeters to inches, etc., I have on hand.
If I may, I think it's a grave error to assume younger people don't think or question simply because information is readily available. There have always been butterflies flitting around from topic to topic after the equivalent of nectar, and there have always been ants, working to store information - in my opinion, it's a mistake to generalize and thereby disparage all young people.
I'm not complaining they "don't think" - I'm complaining they're not TAUGHT to think. For every ant. you are getting more and more grasshoppers.
I live in a metric country, Lynn. That's the only reason I have 1760 yards to a mile embedded in my brain. How else am I going to estimate what she's talking about when google maps tells me to turn left in 300 meters? This is only to inform you how many yards are in mile. It falls into your category of "information used regularly" for me, but is probably superfluous to most. My gray cells are preoccupied with bilinguality. I didn't make any comment about young people in my post about online references. I think you're referring to Lady Emsworth's post to which I replied.
Young people are young people, as were we, and our duty is to embrace and empower them. I think we always need to be aware of what we are teaching them, directly and indirectly; by instruction and by example. Will they (and how many) copy puerile and self-centered behavior we see in society today, or endearingly reject it? Do we let them see enough of the caring, responsible behavior we are capable of as well?
In my experience, parents try to prepare kids for an idealized world, then drop the pretense once they are "of age". Ideals are a good thing, but they require consistency to be realized and persevere. The rules we teach kids in the classroom and playground seem to go out the window when we turn to the ways we actually practice politics, and too often in the workplace as well. It's really hard not to take the devil's bargain without sufficient cultural support.
Good post JL Graham. Like the wheel, fire,, gunpowder, and many other inventions of mankind and womankind, television has ability to do great harm, as well as benefit humanity. The late author, renowned scholar, Neil Postman discussed the issue of television madness in his book, Amusing Ourselves To Death. Also potent and valuable reading, his "Crazy Talk, Stupid Talk" worthy of a look. When we can find it, calm is the balm we need going forward. Time hurries on, going forward. Always forward!
Calm is the balm! What I loved, in the "debate", was K Harris's spontaneous and frank laughter whenever Trump said something truly ridiculous. Her eyes sparkled with fun.
A focused, centered adult projects competence in levity, and even in anger. Trump is just a bully. It is something of a mystery to me why anyone would look to the latter for leadership.
I LOVED Amusing Ourselves to Death when I read it 30-some years ago! I amuse myself now by painting, designing furniture, and cooking. I do research online about herbal benefits so I can include plant-based remedies/preventatives in my cooking. Does anyone know how to get turmeric stains off of clothing and cookware?
Dye the garment turmeric color. Ignore it on cookware and plates, etc. Sorry. It's as bad as lily pollen.
That reminds me of an article by the late and very great Katharine Whitehorn back in swinging London - How to choose a carpet for your bedsit: same colour as your favourite wine. (What a wordsmith: in an article on preparing Christmas dinner: "staring into the turkey's gaping maw". ) P.S. I now have a marble cooktop, and just apply undiluted dishwashing liquid vigorously with an abrasive sponge and the turmeric disappears. You have to be quick.
I have not dealt with turmeric stains per se, but we have a nice holiday tablecloth that showed more stains every time it was washed. I soaked it overnight in with some of an "oxy" laundry soak and was amazed by the result. It removed all the old stains with no evident damage to the cloth or print. None were of turmeric though.
Mr Farnsworth was actually a relative. The Farnsworth parents, or grandparents, really, didn't watch television. The ones that now watch FOX are now Trumpers.
Cool. As an nearly lifelong electronics enthusiast (it kind of started before I was 5) I am pleased to make your "acquaintance". I also applaud his victory against rapacious RCA.
True. And most of us do not know how to protect our online identity from hacking.. now carried out by artificial intelligence (AI). Be Aware. And stay Strong… nonetheless!
Your final sentence cannot be repeated enough!
That could be either Kamala Harris or Taylor Swift. Isn't that exciting? Can't stop grinning for joy.
Just read The Oppermanns by Lion Feuchtwanger, a best selling German novelist and playwright at the time. He wrote it while in exile in 1933 originally as an anti-Nazi screenplay that the British PM offered to bankroll. When the conservatives in that government killed it out of reluctance to antagonize Hitler, Feuchtwanger turned it into a novel. Per the intro, "it sold an estimated quarter-million copies across the globe...yet it did nothing to alter the appeasement policies" of, well, everyone. It's a great and revealing read. Highly recommend.
Here’s an attempt to define “critical thinking”. I’ll start by defining what critical thinking is not.
An idea pops into tRumps head, and he doesn’t stop to think about it. He just uses it like when an alpha male chimpanzee comes across a tree branch lying on the ground and decides to swing it every which way in a dominance display.
A critical thinker reflects about who is being served versus who is paying the price before responding.
We live in a social system, and the way we respond changes the system for better or for worse. If our response is adaptive, then things are likely to get better. If our response is maladaptive, then things are certain to get worse.
Sometimes we don’t know what to do, but we need to do something. No response is a maladaptive response in that the system is changing regardless of whether we are adapting to the change. So, we often need to learn with experiments whilst hopefully keeping the blast area as small as possible. But ultimately, our response will not be adaptive until our understanding of the system's current state is sufficiently accurate. And that is challenging.
The easy part is knowing that we are serving the system at our short-term expense, and then benefitting in the long term from the system’s strength, or we are benefiting in the short term at the system’s expense, and then suffering in the long term from the system’s weakness.
James, I believe critical thinking starts with gathering data and moves on to analyze said data using logic. One must put aside bias confirmation, as best one can, and eliminate fallacious "data." What remains is factual, and from facts one can determine actions and attitudes.
I like to distinguish between what I think (opinions), what I believe (values), and what I know (proven facts).
The other important attribute of critical thought is that one changes opinions, values, and accepted facts when new information is discovered. This is especially important in the arena of science, where new research findings often contradict previously held conclusions. The hallmark of poor thinking is to cling to one's original stance regardless of new info. Such individuals often expend more mental energy defending their position than on vetting new info for validity.
Validation and logic are also beneficial in politics. I entertained the idea of RFK Jr. until he publicly discussed bio-engineered Covid virus that would target certain ethnicities. Since ethnicities are not genetically different, such a thing is impossible, plus there was significant evidence that the target groups had succumbed to Covid at the same rate as others. I concluded that Bobby Jr. was either an idiot if he believed this putative research group's theory, or irresponsible if he didn't believe it but gave it a public platform all the same. Either way I deemed him unfit to be our chief executive.
Scientific facts are never entirely settled, which furthers science though constant re-examination, but many conclusions appear to merit a very high degree of confidence. "Clean" logic and evidence provide the confidence. Duplicated experiments should produce the same results, or region of results. Science is always updating. I think an archetypal exchange was evident in a NYT story from 2004:
Dr. Shenker said it would be great to find out that string theory was right.
From the audience Dr. Greene piped up, "Wouldn't it be great either way?"
"Are you kidding me, Brian?" Dr. Shenker responded. "How many years have you sweated on this?"
But if string theory is wrong, Dr. Greene argued, wouldn't it be good to know so physics could move on? "Don't you want to know?" he asked.
The notion that "dispassionate" research is performed by passionless people (eg, "Mr. Spock" isn't it at all, but rather the "kiss the joy as it flies" willingness to honor reality (so far as we can best determine) rather than one's druthers, as the authority; and as you indicate. Some people won't learn because they are too attached to an idea.
RFKjr seems like a very lazy thinker, with unearned influence. I believe that the possibility of race specific viral agents has been discussed speculatively by some geneticists, but no such thing appears to currently exist. There are genetic differences related to race, but they are trivial; not at all the proof of superiority or inferiority self-aggrandizing supremacists are yearning to see. RFKjr's understanding of what vaccination actually does to forewarn the human immune system in truly appalling.
This from Prof. Carlos Frenk, Dept. of Physics, Director of the Institute of Computational Cosmology, Durham University: "If it turns out to be that the universe is not made up of cold dark matter, I will be rather depressed. Given that I’ve worked all my life on cold dark matter, I would be disappointed, but not for very long, because that’s the way that science is. You have to accept the evidence. If it turns out that I’ve wasted my life working on the wrong hypothesis, so be it. What I really want to know is, what is the universe made of? Let it be cold. Let it be warm. I just want to know what it is."
Thank God some people understand science.
I'm not very scientifically minded, JL. I got to my appreciation for science's
temporality when an anti-vaxxer I know wanted a public apology from Fauci for incorrect statements he had made early in the pandemic. I said that I doubted he lied or intentionally deceived, he was just wrong. He changed his position when he learned more. She couldn't hear it; she was caught up in villainizing Fauci rather than in considering how information changes one's views, if one is intellectually honest.
She also kept pushing the notion that more study on vaxx alternatives is needed. I thought about how science works and told her that overwhelming evidence from many many disparate studies had demonstrated that vaccines are effective and safe for the vast majority of people. In a time of pandemic, public policy needed to be set from the most conclusive data available in the moment. Those who track a more effective Covid therapy than the current vaccines will undoubtedly publish their findings when and if there ever are any. Meanwhile we have to rely on the best and most prevalent data. She accused me of being a sheeple and ranted about how Fauci and the CDC were preventing &/or hiding alt research in collusion with corrupt big money pharma. I told her I didn't think we could discuss this topic because we approach it from such different philosophies. We are no longer friends.
Thanks, JL. ("Regular Reader").
Saying to me that the hallmark of poor thinking is to cling to one's original stance regardless of new info, and that such individuals often expend more mental energy defending their position than on vetting new info for validity, is preaching to the choir.
Does critical thinking involve gathering and analyzing data using logic? Absolutely. And where confirmation bias is an issue due to excluded or fallacious data, then it needs to be effectively addressed. But that’s not where critical thinking begins.
Hypothetically, two parties are interacting in a familiar context, and their interactions are mutually beneficial, but then a novel context emerges, and their interactions are now unilaterally beneficial. Fortunately, both parties are skilled critical thinkers, and they agree to use that skill to resolve the conflict. The first question is, what is the objective? Specifically, what interest is being served, in what time frame, and at whose expense?
A mutually agreeable objective is a prerequisite to a mutually agreeable conflict resolution. The latter is the analysis part, and the former is the synthesis part.
The odds that two parties will resolve their between-party conflicts even if they both use perfect logic and the same data, but they don’t start by establishing a mutually agreeable objective, is virtually zero. That’s the point I was trying to make in my previous comment.
I see two objectives, James. One is peaceable conflict resolution, the other is determination of facts in order to formulate actions and values. The former requires mutual agreement, as you say; the latter doesn't. You and I may agree on facts, even if they're only provisional, and still decide on different courses of action. For instance we may both want to see Trump defeated and agree that he's a dangerous lunatic. I may prioritize his misogyny and you may feel more strongly about national security; even though both of us agree that each other's reasons for disliking him are true and valid, we're still different people, and because of our different histories will find one trait more loathsome than the other. You may be content with him losing the election, while I may want to see him incarcerated. We don't have to agree on values or outcomes to agree on what is true.
We share the intent of defeating a dangerous lunatic. But why? Because our interpretation of the facts is sufficiently accurate in that regard. That does not mean that when we start with the same facts, we must both end with the same interpretation. The question is whether conflict is the effect of our different determinations, and whether we then have a mutual intent to resolve the conflict.
In other words, there's a tolerance range. Do your own thing and it's none of my damn business. But "I'll mind my own damn business" was the opposite of what Tim Walz was thinking as a teacher when he learned that LGBTQ students were being treated with distain by their fellow students.
So, yes, at some point the determination of facts in order to formulate actions and values does require mutual agreement. What's the alternative? The alternative is some version of "I'm right, you're wrong, and this conversation is over." That is the only message Donald Trump has ever known how to communicate. And practice makes perfect.
James, Trump can no longer control his thoughts or emotions. It’s a major symptom of cognitive dysfunction. In his case, dementia.
I agree, but the question is not whether Trump can control his thoughts and emotions. The question is why otherwise perfectly rational people are thinking of voting for him. And the answer is that they don't practice critical thinking. If they drove the way they think, there'd be so many car accidents it wouldn't be safe to drive.
There were a ton of Americans who openly supported the Nazis and Hitler before WWII. Those types of Americans are still out there and there are millions of them.
Thank you Professor Richardson for reminding everyone that JD Vance, a man with very little political experience could be the acting president if Trump is elected. This is a truly frightening thought as he lacks even basic experience to do so.
While Trump has tried to distance himself from Project 2025, everyone needs to remember that Vance also has close ties to it. He wrote the forward to a book written by Heritage Foundation president Kevin D Roberts titled Dawns Early Light, which was supposed to be published in September and has been delayed until after the election as the campaign tries to distance itself from Project 2025 after people started paying attention. I’ve read all of it and the damage it would do is extreme. It’s seems likely to me that Vance will use it as a playbook if Trump continues to deteriorate and somehow finds himself in office. And this leaves out the expectation that it was written as Trump’s playbook all along.
The consequences of this election cannot be overstated. The good professor continues to do a great American service in the daily presentation of issues in a factual manner with steady tone and rational discussion. Vance is a VERY scary politician. The risks for American democracy with a Trump/Vance election are difficult to come to terms with. I continue to believe that it is the women of America who will save Democracy in this election. I am not a fan of Taylor Swift’s music but I am a huge fan of her philanthropy and her willingness to provide voting guidance to her fan base. Now if she could persuade Travis to join her that would be even more powerful.
I totally agree, Gary. I wish someone could persuade Dolly Parton to endorse Kamala. She is such a wonderful person and philanthropist, it would be a real coup.
We'll just have to do with Taylor Swift. I believe Parton is too conscientious to break with her publicly apolitical custom. Chump's odiousness may disrupt Dolly's custom, as it did the Cheneys, and if it did, so much the better. I, for one, won't be disappointed if Parton stands strong on her public persona
Even scarier, Vance is not a politician.
Vance is a Nazi.
Scarier yet, if something "happens" to DJT before the election, guess who'd become the GOP candidate for the Presidential election?
They couldn't let it happen. He's only there because of a Trump whim. It wasn't a party decision. Was it?
Peter Thiel bankrolled Vance’s campaign to the tune of $25 million and allegedly offered substantial donations to trump if he picked Vance for VP. It’s the oligarchs buying our government- and they are no longer shy about it.
I bet it was a Heritage Foundation choice, like the SCOTUS picks are the Federalist Society’s choice.
Of course. 2025. Maybe that's what Bannon meant when he said, "He can't not win". 2025 also emphasises "Day One". No longer than that. I wonder who the Harris think-tank is - there are some very good minds there. The Vance/Walz debate is of the utmost importance.
Google tells me, via the Brookings Institute:
"If the Republican candidate dies or is incapacitated after the convention and before Election Day, the Republican National Committee (RNC) will meet to select a presidential candidate and/or vice-presidential candidate under Rule 9 of party rules."
Thanks, Ally. Interesting thought - Party Rules. Are they the same for both parties? So far the RNC appears to be re-writing the rules faster than the eye can see.
Just let it not be a Trump.
Good to know. Although isn’t Lara Trump the RNC co-chair? Junior Trump favored Vance, didn’t he? If they need a new candidate or two, we will see who really has the power in the RNC.
I have absolutely no fear that the awkward weirdo would or could defeat Kamala, if the GOP were idiotic enough to nominate him. If not Vance, then who? Mike Johnson? Chris Sununu? Larry Hogan? I'd be more worried about any of them than JD.
His writing the forward to "Dawns Early Light" seems to show he's not the politician he thought he was. I wonder if it will ever be published now that it seems it was to have been part of the plan, now seemingly too bad too bad to release before the election.
I suspect if they get their clocks cleaned in the election it will reveal so much more that the public will reject for long after, perhaps enough to have them bury it deep in the political junk pile (which Vance may want done if he wants any future at all in politics).
Thank you for this ‘plan’ …
This alarming book was originally titled Dawn's Early Light: Burning Down Washington to Save America.
And here I thought it was Burning Down Washington to Serve Plutocrats.
That surely would have been a more accurate title, don’t you think?
I wonder if the contents would provided some material that could lead to criminal prosecutions.
I have been saying we should be fearing that Vance could step into that role for awhile. I hope people start noticing how horrible that would be!
I know. Ryan (his opponent) ran a less than stellar campaign, and Peter Thiel bought himself a senator. I can’t stand Vance, and I’m concerned about losing Sherrod Brown, because he really is a good and effective senator. I don’t care for car dealer Bernie Moreno.
What did make me laugh is that our Secretary of State, Frank LaRose, is trying to find a new job as he’s term limited out of office this year. He tried running for senator in Ohio’s Federal primary race and came in third. Trump endorsed the primary winner Bernie Moreno. LaRose is busily writing a dishonest ballot summary for our initiative to take redistricting away from the Republicans in the General Assembly. LaRose tried and failed to wreck our ability to pass initiatives as we always had, and was soundly defeated in Issue 1 in 2022. He wrote a dishonest ballot summary for that also and people saw through it.
Hoping, like you, Sherrod Brown can win. (He might carry Springfield??)
Springfield is pretty red.
Ryan didn't win in '22 because the Democratic Party didn't spend a dime to support his race. They wrote off Ohio completely. And now we have Vance (ugh).
According to 538 Sherrod Brown is consistently ahead of Moreno, albeit often within the margin of error.
I worry about Sherrod, too, Kathy. He's a really good guy, which usually shines through all the opposition's bs. He's got name recognition and his storied man of the people/ on the side of workers rep. I hope that's enough to keep him in the senate. He's only 2 points up over Bernie, but maybe (hopefully) Chump's atrocious performance Tues. will deflate the value of his support for Moreno.
Sounds (reads!) like there are active voters in your state !
Putting him a heartbeat away from the oval if Chump should win is my nightmare, Colette. I'm not terribly concerned about the party nominating him for the top slot if the felon withdraws, which he won't. They may be crazy, but they're not stupid.
I wonder if those on the "other" side, when Biden was the candidate, feared if something happened to Biden while in office then Harris would become president. So now their fears may come to pass, largely due to their candidate showing his addled colors.
Trump talks out of both sides of his mouth on Project 2025.
He does that on everything. I had an Australian man on another social media site claim that Trump had distanced himself from Project 2025. I had to remind him that Trump is a liar, admitted to loathing Trump, and you can’t trust his lies.
Sounds to me as though your correspondent hasn't spotted that all the Australian news sources are pro Trump. Right up to and including the present.
Some of the headlines of late don't quite seem that way, but you are certainly right that according to the Aussie media as of a few months ago Trump was the most favoured Republican candidate since forever. Seems Trump doesn't just have Foxy American voters under his sway. Things aren't quite so Trumpy in the UK or New Zealand, or Canada for that matter.
…and everything else
Some of it is muffled by Depends.
likewise female reproductive rights
Vance is making our job easier in Florida.GOTV !!!
In the 2018 general election, turnout among voters with Haitian ancestry was 73%, 9 percentage points higher than the state’s overall turnout rate, according to two researchers at the University of Florida in 2020. A similarly high turnout was observed in 2016 as well.
“These numbers allow you to understand that Haitians vote at higher levels, that there is a large Haitian population in Florida, that there are a number of Haitians who have ran for office and won office, and that as a political group, they really have arrived,” one of the researchers told The Haitian Times.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/9/11/2269235/-JD-Vance-s-anti-Haitian-bigotry-could-cost-Republicans-the-Senate
📲💲🏃🏻♀️✍️👕🛒
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+do+Haitian+Americans+vote&gs_ivs=1
No worries, Vance will have plenty of folks ready to “advise.” He may even have a gold-plated copy of Project 2025, to replace our Constitution and Bill of Rights…
There’s still time to get active on phone banks and enlighten your voters!
Got post cards, can do that
As I said here a couple of days ago, this is the plan; through foul means, get the Trump-Vance ticket into the White House, then Trump does a Putin-esque defenestration and poof! the hero of Project 2025 is now the commander-in-chief.
I suspect that, like Trump, Vance is not a mental giant. But he is smart enough to have written a book. Once in charge, I don't believe we will be shaking our heads at the genuinely buffoonish things Trump said and did (bleach and ivermectin, anyone?). No, Vance will goose-step his way straight to the brown shirts, "Sieg Heil" salutes, and gulags.
In Vance, the Heritage Foundation will have their Christian zealot: someone who embodies the very best of demagoguery in order to end democracy.
Yes, because while Trump is a loose cannon, Vance will take his marching orders from HF.
…As Trump Contunues to Deteriorate…
A vote for TRUMP is a VOTE for J.D. VANCE. Who is wide Awake & ready to move w Heritage & Project 25.
Very thoughtful response for what is going on. I con't give a rat's ass if you like TV or had or have a TV. This is about the future of our nation. Let's focus on what's at stake here.Do any of you know folks in swing states? If so, write them. Call them. I'm writing, calling, and donating to Wisconsin. How about Michigan? As Gary A. says, "...the consequences of this election cannot be overstated."
Yes, we all noticed.
Vance is indeed a scary option. He is young enough to do a lot of damage for a very long time. Let’s hope there are enough sane people to say NO F-ing way on 5 Nov.
The remarks by JD Vance at the RNC convention are very interesting. The “real Americans” are the Southern Bourbons who have been around and influential for 200 years. Of course, the Northern Yankees have also been around at least as long. The “hillbillies” Vance refers to, using a term of disrespect, apparently are the low-information voters in the other parts of the country.
Bloodless if the left allows....one of Vance's biggest backers said this. I want to be optimistic, but that statement coupled with what Vance says here, we should be scared as ever. Dr. Ben-Ghiat wrote about a month ago that "What if Harris wins, will she be allowed to serve?". She has been on target with her knowledge of dictators and how they rise to power. This movement no longer hides out of sight, they openly say what they are going to do and act without fear which is scary. Grover Norquist said in the late 90s, I think, that they did not need a president that believed in the conservative fascistic libertarian ideas, just a compliant person who would sign whatever the Republicans Congress sent to their desk. GW Bush just signed over stuff, then came 45 who they saw as the prefect idiot who was happy to just stay out on the golf course. We are in a serious situation.
Sorry to throw water on the optimism, but we can never let up. These folks used to hide their ideas, now they are ready to act. Be aware and prepare.
Democracy can never let up, ever. Danger is always there, though now in extreme.
Thanks for the reminder. They are already saying out loud that the election is not the end of the fight.
Happily he spoke the praises of Orban…
And as Dr Richardson has pointed this has been going on since this country was established...
Bedtime here. Keep up the good educating here.
I relish the imagery of a Black woman, before a public of over 60 million, reducing a supremely confident Trump into the blithering idiot that has been his hallmark.
At 90 I found it difficult to realize that I was watching a presidential debate.
One candidate was well prepared, articulate, and with a personal style that oozed confidence. The other was unprepared and spewing forth inanities from his collection of non-factual nonsense. I was reminded of how this angry old man, when he felt frustrated, would throw ketchup on the wall of his dining room.
It is difficult to select my favorite zingers, as Kamala roasted Donnie over her barbecue. The comment about folks being bored and leaving Trump gatherings while he was still pontificating sent him bananas.
The statement that Putin (his bromance partner) would ‘eat him for lunch’ fit neatly into Trump’s bizarre reference to Orban, Hungary’s authoritarian prime minister.
Only Trump could inject into a presidential debate that Haitians in Springfield were eating cats and dogs.
What I found overpowering was the sharp contrast between Kamala’s positive impact, as she gave Trump a master class in being presidential, while a haggard old man got angrier and nastier.
What I find incomprehensible is that there is massive focus on how the November 5th presidential election could be a cliffhanger.
How could anyone who watched Kamala and Donnie conclude that they both are presidential?
I would not call Trump supremely confident at all. It's his cover. And we just saw it get ripped off. The point is he is supremely unconfident always has been just putting on a bluster costume. And it is so obvious so incredibly obvious but sometimes the truth is hard to swallow or at least not blink at.
Robin I agree. Trump is a self-inflated blimp—and Kamala had a sharp needle.
Propaganda and money, poured over stupidity
Great post, Keith. And I agree, how could the race appear to be so close (based on the polls, at least)?? Maybe that will drive more Democrats and Democrat-leaning independents to vote. I hope.
I dont trust any polls given Putin and his bots and the inability of Trump’s MAGA community to recognize or admit to truth.
Keith, thank you. I've been jousting with the MAGAts who obvioulsy did not watch the same debate as I did. From pearl earbuds to "a prosecutor with a weak case" to the unfair fact checking, they saw that fpotus won and was wonderful. These used to be relatively intelligent people.
Tuba Why not send them my commentary with a note that I voted for Ike in 1956 and was on the Nixon White House Enemies List in 1972? Also, using Trump’s terminology, in government service I was a ‘sucker’ and almost a ‘loser.’
Pearl earbuds? Who was supposedly feeding her the info?
Obviously Hunter.
Keith, Trump can no longer be “prepared” to make sense. He cannot control his emotions or his thoughts. That’s why he only makes sense when he’s reading a teleprompter- and he will likely be unable to do that for much longer. This is what happens in dementia. Imagine people voting for a cognitively deteriorating brain. Imagine him running the government. It will be Vance, the oligarchs and Putin in charge!
Keith I’ll be turning 78 in a week or so and if I’m blessed to live as long as you, I can only hope that my brain works half as good as yours. To my mind you are a roll model of a life well lived, you had a career actually helping America be great, and in retirement you have continued to speak with a loud voice to anyone smart enough to listen, using the wisdom that your years have blessed you with. While we will probably never meet, I have to tell you that I would be so pleased to shake your hand. 🙏
Dick Thanks for your kind comment. I am simply a human being with a mixed record in life who has worked hard and would not be embarrassed, were any of my professional conduct to appear in newspapers.
I am proud to be American and have worked relentlessly to improve my country. I fervently hope that my grandchildren inherit my values and the soul of the country that I love..
Bravo! As your fellow “ancient,”‘I appreciate both your sense of your own history and your continuing work for the country. We absorbed democracy during World War II, a formidable time and teacher. Our understanding of what the history of this country means in the history of the world is inescapable and your service, particularly as a teacher, was a wonderful gift to your students and the country. For us who read you frequently, however, it’s you in your youth with gun in the Congo that challenges imagination.
As a fellow nonagenarian, Keith, I echo your observations. I'll add one more. As a fifty-year student of the nuclear age (my library of 9,000 titles was donated to the New Mexico State Historical Library a few years ago) I of course became familiar with the "football" -- the nuclear launch button in a small portable case that goes everywhere the President goes. I could not help thinking about the most consequential button in the history of civilization being accessible to Donald John Trump 24/7. Should that become our reality once more I urge all of us to devise and share secrets for how to sleep ever again. Unless, of course, the need is rendered academic.
Thank you yet again Keith. I particularly appreciated HCR's reference to psychiatrist, RICHARD A. FREEMAN's article in today's The Atlantic titled "Trump's Repetetive Speech is a Bad Sign". Dr. Freeman goes on to cite "verbal incoherence, tangential thinking" & strings of words sometimes that are not coherently related as symptoms of mental degradation. No subscription required.
I will bring Dr. Freeman's article to the attention of the forensic psychiatrists gathering on Dr, Bandy X Lee's Friday ZOOM at noon Eastern ... now.
Bryan I find The Atlantic’s daily articles illuminating, from Frum and Freeman to Applebaum. Some weeks ago I wrote a commentary illustrating how Donald is bonkers. I await confirmation from forensic psychiatrists.
Answers to any questions on September 27, at the National Press Club.
Mary Trump’s latest book is very illuminating about Trump. My take is simple: reading about the broken porcelain plates and the catsup on the White House dining room wall, the tantrum-prone child is all I could see (always envisioning a high chair which a few of you may remember).
Virginia Given a choice between reading Mary Trump’s new book and Malania’s (due out October 8th) I’ll choose the catsup saga.
But of course you will! Whoever would think otherwise? “What are you going to be when you grow up.”
If I grow up.
Thank you.
Seems Cheetolini is going to double-down on the crazy and the evil attacks. The dufus bragged about how well he did in the separate to his tiny crowd in Tucson (Harris’ crowd was MUCH LARGER 😁).
He and Vance should called out for inciting domestic terrorism with their racist lies about Haitian people. Bomb threats were received today in Springfield Ohio.
Hopefully the large and actively voting Haitian community in Florida is listening to the hate coming from the GQP and votes accordingly.
His tiny crowd in Tucson was the biggest crowd in the history of history.
It was in the Linda Ronstadt arena. Ronstadt came out with a statement endorsing Harris, and within it shared that she has two adoptive ( now adult) children, is unmarried, and has a cat. “Call me what you want, but this cat lady will be voting proudly in November for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz.”
(Prolonged laughter). Hey, you're getting a bit personal there...
"in the history of history"
Good one!!!!!
Shouldn't it be "in the concept of the history of history"?
Dunno much about history. Dunno much 'bout economy. Dunno much about a science book. Only know how to be a crook...
Woke me up
Love reading you two 💕
Likewise!
Oh dear!
Talk about “Inflation”
Thank you Professor Richardson.
This, from your LFAA and news is chilling: "Today, Republicans in North Carolina sued to overturn the decision of the state election board that students and employees of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill can use state-approved digital IDs as identification for voting."
The GOP knows the Heritage/GOP Project 2025 plan is deeply unpopular. Anyone capable of basic thought understands it is a daylight assault on democracy, justice, and equality in the United States. Their only path to victory is in suppressing vast numbers of voters, especially in competitive swing states. While Project 2025 is theoretical -democracy is under siege now. These attacks on legitimate voters in the courts, in GOP-controlled State legislatures, and by insinuating MAGA/cultists into Election boards are a coordinated and unabated continuation of January 6, 2021.
It's not surprising that the criminal Trump can already read the handwriting on the wall that was not paid for by Mexico. He's continuing his fine tradition of Trump University, Trump Steaks, Trump Casinos, and Trump shoes with a crypto platform. I'm sure it will do as well as all his other ventures like "Truth" Social.
I don’t think the man is capable of running anything that isn’t a scam or grift of some kind. He’s no gifted businessman. The Apprentice simply made him into an illusion of one.
Yes, he learned on reality tv that it is all about optics. Just like the Wizard of Oz behind the curtain. That is why he has a camera person to film him waving (to no one) when he arrives somewhere. He is a sad and vacuous bloviator.
I stopped watching it when he fired a group leader for taking responsibility for what the group did.
Pleased to see DJT (the ticker symbol) down again today. Its market capitalization has dropped by ~$10 billion since the high six months ago.
Yes. It will be interesting to see if he coordinates a “dead cat bounce” in order to scam small MAGA investors one last time before they file for bankruptcy protection.
worth abt 30 cents on the dollar i hear. Any attempt to cash in will trigger another plummet in value. When can DT attempt to cash in? Oct 1st i vaguely recall.
I’m hoping it drops to 12, triggering another wait period! I’m a little obsessed watching the fall. Closed just above 16 yesterday.
DJT shares soar as Trump says 'I'm not selling' stake
https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2024/09/13/trump-media-djt-not-selling-stock-pops.html
I hope the students rise in protest, joined by the alumna! A party afraid of the vote is not a party that should be empowered in this country.
I believe the issue is that the MAGAts recognize that in an unfettered voting environment they lose!
Bingo.
A L L T R U E , keep talking writing , educating
The Presidential candidate debate went well for Democrats, though I doubt it will discourage many delusional MAGA Republicans. What I hope makes more impact will be when the stark contrast between Walz and Vance is revealed on October first.
October 1st. President Carter's 100th birthday.
October first. Yep.
We still have the Electoral College hurdle to overcome as well.
Groan. Voter suppression, electoral college. The will of the people!
Erghh… first thing to be forgotten… THIS YEAR WE MUST FIX electoral college!
One Facebook friend reposted a MAGA-nut's false scenario describing how his average sized 401K will be taxed at 25% even if he doesn't sell anything. Part of that lie is that assertion that whatever taxes Dems impose on the rich will eventually spread to the middle class. It's a false but clever argument that ignores inflation and Congressional inaction. The weave of Republican is clever, sowing financial fears.
Ah another opportunity to show up and run commentary after!
Yes, we do have that follow up debate!
I was telling a friend months ago that I suspected Republicans continue to cluster around Trump despite clear signs of his decline, because real 'powers-that-be', people like Leonard Leo, Harlan Crow, Peter Thiel, and so on, *want* someone who is a dithering idiot that they believe they can control. This is why Thiel positioned Vance, his pick, as VP. I wondered at the time if they really understood how difficult that might be, given Trump's nature.
It still stuns me Republicans got away with painting Biden as the one in serious cognitive decline, to the eternal shame of our mealy-mouthed media. But it positively delights me that the decision to attack Biden backfired so spectacularly on them.
Can you imagine the cigar chomping Harlan Crow, hanging out with Clarence Thomas, Thiel and Vance--a bunch of sour old men muttering about that damn uppity minority woman? <sarcasm>
Systematic Curiosity, nevertheless she persisted! Seems fitting, the criticism McConnell gave Senator Elizabeth Warren for daring to continue to speak truth and justice when he, a untruthful, unjust man told her to stop, even though she had the right to speak. Nevertheless she persisted.
Peter Thiel owns PayPal. Remember that the next time you make a purchase online. I personally wouldn't use PayPal with a gun to my head!
Thiel sold out to eBay in 2002. Thiel stepped down as CEO after the sale. He used his windfall to start Clarion Capital Management.
Nailed them, the rich old arses that also grumbled about Soros.
Manchurian Candidate.
the current Maga/Gop running things are fearful for an existential breakup should they stop backing Trump. This might be about to happen come November. I worry, but hope. the Dems NEED more political capital in Congress to pull real change off.
Don’t forget that Putin will also be running the government!
Not so sure of Trump's decline.
As the for repetition of his "they're eating people's pets," he loves it. Remember, he killed the border bill because above all else he wanted to up the sensationalism, fixated on the border. In every way he lies about the extent of the problem, but the truth doesn't matter -- the fear and loathing, hatred and paranoia, and latent violence froth and spew above all else.
Ditto with the ridiculous claims of kids coming home from school having had their genders changed. The truth doesn't matter. Him being drama queen does -- his main role in American life.
Same with his supposedly dropping third debate. Sure, he said it. But again, truth doesn't matter. He wants the issue to simmer, so he can stir that pot periodically, too.
Love Heather's paying attention to Trump's vulgar sidekick on the ticket, the "Hillbilly Elegy" guy who now claims, writes Heather, that the hillbillies are going to triumph finally. And they'll do so by siding with "monarchy" -- Bourbon monarchy. This, the trailer trash denominator to American life, as if all the abysmally educated and easily algorithmed want a vulgar demagogue over them -- perfect complement to the Clarence court's inveigling into the Constitution having a dictator immune to law who can protect the billionaire classes who float the corrupt (all Clarence's buds).
Don't forget "othering" - it seems to be a big driver.
Saw a video today, Hugh, of Ari Melber with Yuval Noah Harari:
https://www.msnbc.com/the-beat-with-ari/watch/maga-propaganda-decoded-obama-s-fave-historian-shreds-trump-tricks-with-groundbreaking-scholarship-219252293558
They were talking about a key condition of democracy -- that people trust each other. With its corollary, that a discussion, conversation, constantly go on. No "othering," no disrespecting others but, instead, openness to all the complications and pain in others that inevitably accompany search for truth.
Easier, of course, if we don't search. Then, no need for truth (as both Trump and Vance make pathetically clear). Just floods of information. Bullies of the tech world, beholden only to profit, can set algorithms so those craving info in particular hate and racism "formations" can get loads and loads of it. Again, no truth, just comfort to rely on bullies to deliver the hate we desire in those "formations" algorithms -- presto -- fix for us.
To be civilized instead? Isn't that the real Q on which Americans vote by Nov. 5?
You know him well. I agree. He loves the spotlight. Anything to stay in the spotlight. Stirring his witch’s brew of insanity. Expect even more grotesque blather.
Eating peoples' pets! What a disgusting statement....But the reality is this – Didn’t the French eat their pets during their Revolution to avoid starvation? That could be justified on some level but it so hard to understand that some will believe Trump’s lies.
They may get away with the pet eating double-down because it’s so deeply racist, and Republicans love racists, but they’re not going to get away with disparaging comments about Taylor Swift. Unfortunately for Republicans, their chosen candidates just can’t help disparaging her, regardless of consequences.
They did during the Siege of Paris in the 19th century.
Time for Jonathan Swift???
It's a modest proposal, after all.
Haha hahahaha
Ugh. Don't.
I just love the idea that Trump cannot win the election if he loses North Carolina. That just does something to my gizzard. Based on what I saw at Kamala's rally there yesterday, she will have a hard time losing it. How intoxicating. ::))
I hope so too, but Republicans are trying every which way to keep Democrats from casting votes: “Today, Republicans in North Carolina sued to overturn the decision of the state election board that students and employees of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill can use state-approved digital IDs as identification for voting.” But hunting licenses without photos are fine, right? Republicans are truly shameless.
I think Pete Buttigieg in his interview yesterday with CNN nailed it on his analysis of why Trump pushes such outrageous ideas as the immigrants in Springfield IN eating people’s pets. It’s clearly a distraction mechanism to keep people from talking about the failures of his Presidency and his inferior self-serving policies.
It's actually Springfield, Ohio. (Fun fact: Did you know there is a town called Springfield in every state?)
How can we just stand by talking while immigrant cats are eating Haitians in Ohio?…uh, wait just a minute…uh…never mind.
🤣
😂
My head hurts as I read this. Focus on getting out the vote. GET OUT THE VOTE
About those Bourbons. Pretty sure the county in Kentucky was named for the French Royal Dynasty which governed France from 1589 to 1793 creating an absolute monarchy that reached its zenith under Louis XIV A monarchy which was instrumental in the US becoming the US. So naturally they would name a county in Kentucky after them.....and subsequently the liquor.
That is true, it was named after the House of Bourbon. Louis XVI helped us immensely.
Trivia. Bourbon County was originally part of Virginia until Kentucky became a State on June 1, 1792.
I wonder if Loomer is angling to be the next Mrs. Trump?
He deserves her.
And she him.
Trump has the mean woman blues. Loomer vs. MTG. Plus... the materialistic and dispassionate foreign wife.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kWZZ71yzas
Daniel, immigrant wife!
She's certainly had enough plastic surgery to be in the running.