It feels like Trump and MAGA-World have entered a kind of insanity doom-loop. Kamala Harris replaces Biden as candidate, polls shift a little in Harris’s direction, and crazy statements about her race ensue from Trump/MAGA-World. Then, Trump has a bad debate, polls shift a little more in Harris’s direction, and even more bizarre statements are spouted from MAGA-World, turning off more voters. Then, Trump deploys the heavy artillery of MAGA-crazy by palling around with Laura Loomer, and even more bizarre statements issue forth, thus turning off a few more voters, and shifting the polls a little more in Harris’s direction. And the loop continues.
But there is also collateral damage, for example, to the people (particularly the Haitian immigrants) of Springfield, Ohio. Trump and MAGA-World, of course, could care less about that, and it is times like these that remind me of a quote attributed to Mark Twain:
“The problem I have with God is not that he put so many damned fools on this Earth, it’s that the distribution of lightning isn’t right.”
The lies about those Haitians really pisses me off. But, in The U.S. of A., it's protected criminal hate speech. I am sure the citizens of Springfield are doing everything they can to make the Haitians feel welcome. As if those Haitians WANTED to have to leave their country. I am sure most lost everything. ....I HATE WHITE SUPREMACISTS!
I've been seeing posts of the residents of Springfield packing the Haitian's businesses, showing their support of them. The entire city is livid with this. Also saw a long piece by John Legend who says he grew up in Springfield. He's another celebrity coming out against tfg and Vance's hate speech.
People have short memories, but most people can remember how the price of a used car skyrocketed because of supply chain disruption in new cars. parts were unavailable, building materials were hard to get, food supply chains were impacted....
All of thee things triggered an aggressive increase in prices, across the board. Then, as a further catalyst, the government injected massive amounts of money (while TRUMP was president) in order to SAVE THE ECONOMY FROM COLLAPSE. Every day, I listen to the narratives form both parties. Trump and Vance relentlessly attacked Biden/Harris for inflation, without any mention of Covid. (and why would they?) And the Democrats have DROPPED THE BALL, by failing to remind voters of the cause/effect of the pandemic, the effects of supply chain disruption and the measures taken by the government in the form of capital injection.
Why would harris' team prefer to play defense on the economy, instead of reminding the American Public of the HOW THE ECONOMY WORKS.
Biden's administration has done a pretty decent job of juggling the immediate impact of Covid on supply chains and prices, while fighting the resulting inflation. No one wants to see people struggling to buy groceries, and perhaps Biden/Harris could have done more to help middle and low income families deal with their daily living expenses (temporary tax breaks) while the economic cycle settled into equilibrium. But, they are NOT responsible for inflation, and the Democratic leadership should do a much better job to educating (or "re-educating") voters, so that they can better understand how we got here.
I agree with you, but the problem is, as Ted has pointed out, that voters in American today cannot absorb explanations to complex problems. I’m old school, so maybe I’m biased, but a lot of people seem to rely completely on sound bites and social media memes now. A 10-second TikTok video is much more accessible to them than a 2-minute reasoned explanation of how the economy works. Trump clearly does not understand how tariffs work, but push back on this never seems to get anywhere.
I've been told this by many....Hard for me to admit that our country has been "dumbed down" so much so that even a short reminder of basic supply/demand concepts is difficult...sad...
It is sad. I have family members and friends who have no interest in trying to understand the basics of many of the issues we discuss. It's not that they lack intelligence, as most are college educated- it's (in my opinion) that they just don't care enough to make the effort. I blame it on our national lack of critical thinking skills in education today, and the fact many would rather one just tell them how to think. I encourage everyone concerned to check my hypothesis themselves.
I think you answered your own questions. Education is sub par in our counrty. Most folks consumer their news via social networks and not from Newspapers ( reading over watching videos). Folks lack the understanding cable news is entertainment and has far lower standards than networks with journalistic standards. Add smart phones and the barage of information overloads our senses, affecting our memories. The challenges are many, but there remains only one choice for democracy to endure. Harris/Walz 2024.
Having lived through Eisenhower, JFK, etc. I am appalled that there were enough vulnerable citizens to fall for his routine which, as he deals with medical issues he surely tries to hide, his fear is rooted in reality. Loomer is an ideal way to deny his weakness and future years. But as he is a psychopath and losing will mean falling completely off his manufactured throne and losing his house of cards, he is unable to stop this juggernaut of fear-fed fury. As a nation, his punishment is essential to our survival as a “united” union and any leadership on the world stage. The stakes have never in history been this treacherously high.
Would it not be appropriate and fitting if the Springfield, OH managers would sue Trump/Vance in Civil Court for reckless endangerment. They are candidates so are not immune to such actions, AND any First Amendment claim they make would have to go through the court system, to which they would lose - in my humble opinion. They have caused the city and the State of Ohio a lot of damage and disruption, and should be called out on it in court - not just the 6:00 news.
Forget the Party of Lincoln. Republicans have become a horror show of hatred and threats. Are there enough decent people of a range of political views to save this country? No easy answers.
I have long wondered when the lies, cruelty and hate of MAGA would lose their luster. I have hoped for a “have you no decency” moment, like that in the McCarthy era, but there doesn’t seem to be anything that crosses the line now.
You read my mind, Mr Gerber. Thought about your quote just last night.trump / jd epitomize those who wantonly scream " FIRE " in a packed theater while they hold the keys to the locked exit doors. They simply don' t care what happens to others ....no " Jimminy Cricket on their corrupt shoulders...
I wanted to send this to her campaign before the debate but it should still be effective.
Four questions:
Mr. Trump when the Covid Pandemic started your complete incompetence led to hundreds of thousands of American deaths.
When you sent your mob to invade the Capital, an illegal act, five people died. In many jurisdictions when someone dies during an illegal act they can be charged with First Degree Murder and anyone involved in any way can also be charged with First Degree Murder.
You requested the names of Agents working for our government in Europe who started to disappear.
How many more deaths are you willing to cause because of your incompetence and lust for power?
Is there a way politicians spreading this lie, thereby doubtless costing Springfield many thousands of dollars, can be sued for financial damages, and perhaps also for counseling costs for those terrorized by the bomb threats?
Has anyone considered the question of who benefits from the kind of chaos that a second Trump presidency would likely cause? The US's international competitors and rivals would seem to be the beneficiaries of a nation that can't agree on basic directions and policies. Russia and China stand to gain status and influence, in part by filling in the aid and assistance the US now provides to third world countries and international aid associations. If a Trump administration takes a strong isolationist stand, without a counterbalancing economic strategy to isolated the Russian and Chinese economies, the Western economies are likely to be the losers. Economic dependency by current third world countries will lead them to parrot the anti-US/Western line emanating from Moscow and Beijing. All and all, it's more likely that a second term is more likely to Make America Second Rate.
I also want to read Letters From an American, and I have a paid subscription. I only receive the audio. I have gone to the FAQs and the Help site, and I still don’t know how to receive printed texts via email. Any suggestions, please?
Hi Patti, Go to the circle, like the one next to your name in this post, in the upper right corner of this page. It has a small down-arrow on it. Click on that and it will bring up a drop-down menu that has Manage Subscription as one of the choices. Click on that and it will bring up a page with slider buttons you can turn ON and OFF to get e-mails on the written version and audio version. I’m using an iPad and Safari browser to get to Substack, not the app, so things may look a little different to you depending upon your device and method of access.
I think someone should investigate the circumstances of Melania Trump's coming to the US. Wikipedia reports she entered NYC illegally as a model (with Trump's loose knowledge) and took several modeling jobs before receiving her green card and ultimate citizenship in 2006. I've observed that Trump frequently projects his own nefarious behavior onto others. It would be ironic if his wife was an illegal immigrant who took American jobs. But of course she is not Black.
If you don't really understand how His Heinous -- doubling down all the increasing Heinousness -- still has so much support, remember that Donald Trump's party is the "alchemist of hate."
Our reptile brains are reactive and scared about existential crisis. We are terrified of death, as all beings are. But the death denial is killing us even more than death itself.
The news media "bleed and lead" keeps us stuck in this. it's sucking our reptile/amygdala brains, which hold more cranial desire for survival than our executive functions.
This is the key to Republican power, folks. This Dis-Ease leads us to drugs, guns, insanity. It's a 4/1 battle, folks, 4 being the insane survivalist nationalist shit vs. the alternative.
So in the end, it turns out that Republican/authoritarian views are lobotomizing all of us. This dinosaur brain -- a Tyrannosaurus -- fears death, and it works to curl unthinking brains into themselves. Violence works on more peaceful brains, especially if they have not been exposed to a wider universe.
And it is no wonder that Republicans -- like all authoritarians -- are very interested not only in fomenting fear, but also want to shut down critical thinking, beginning with shutting down public education.
It feels like Trump and MAGA-World have entered a kind of insanity doom-loop. Kamala Harris replaces Biden as candidate, polls shift a little in Harris’s direction, and crazy statements about her race ensue from Trump/MAGA-World. Then, Trump has a bad debate, polls shift a little more in Harris’s direction, and even more bizarre statements are spouted from MAGA-World, turning off more voters. Then, Trump deploys the heavy artillery of MAGA-crazy by palling around with Laura Loomer, and even more bizarre statements issue forth, thus turning off a few more voters, and shifting the polls a little more in Harris’s direction. And the loop continues.
But there is also collateral damage, for example, to the people (particularly the Haitian immigrants) of Springfield, Ohio. Trump and MAGA-World, of course, could care less about that, and it is times like these that remind me of a quote attributed to Mark Twain:
“The problem I have with God is not that he put so many damned fools on this Earth, it’s that the distribution of lightning isn’t right.”
The lies about those Haitians really pisses me off. But, in The U.S. of A., it's protected criminal hate speech. I am sure the citizens of Springfield are doing everything they can to make the Haitians feel welcome. As if those Haitians WANTED to have to leave their country. I am sure most lost everything. ....I HATE WHITE SUPREMACISTS!
I've been seeing posts of the residents of Springfield packing the Haitian's businesses, showing their support of them. The entire city is livid with this. Also saw a long piece by John Legend who says he grew up in Springfield. He's another celebrity coming out against tfg and Vance's hate speech.
And “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled”
People have short memories, but most people can remember how the price of a used car skyrocketed because of supply chain disruption in new cars. parts were unavailable, building materials were hard to get, food supply chains were impacted....
All of thee things triggered an aggressive increase in prices, across the board. Then, as a further catalyst, the government injected massive amounts of money (while TRUMP was president) in order to SAVE THE ECONOMY FROM COLLAPSE. Every day, I listen to the narratives form both parties. Trump and Vance relentlessly attacked Biden/Harris for inflation, without any mention of Covid. (and why would they?) And the Democrats have DROPPED THE BALL, by failing to remind voters of the cause/effect of the pandemic, the effects of supply chain disruption and the measures taken by the government in the form of capital injection.
Why would harris' team prefer to play defense on the economy, instead of reminding the American Public of the HOW THE ECONOMY WORKS.
Biden's administration has done a pretty decent job of juggling the immediate impact of Covid on supply chains and prices, while fighting the resulting inflation. No one wants to see people struggling to buy groceries, and perhaps Biden/Harris could have done more to help middle and low income families deal with their daily living expenses (temporary tax breaks) while the economic cycle settled into equilibrium. But, they are NOT responsible for inflation, and the Democratic leadership should do a much better job to educating (or "re-educating") voters, so that they can better understand how we got here.
I agree with you, but the problem is, as Ted has pointed out, that voters in American today cannot absorb explanations to complex problems. I’m old school, so maybe I’m biased, but a lot of people seem to rely completely on sound bites and social media memes now. A 10-second TikTok video is much more accessible to them than a 2-minute reasoned explanation of how the economy works. Trump clearly does not understand how tariffs work, but push back on this never seems to get anywhere.
I've been told this by many....Hard for me to admit that our country has been "dumbed down" so much so that even a short reminder of basic supply/demand concepts is difficult...sad...
It is sad. I have family members and friends who have no interest in trying to understand the basics of many of the issues we discuss. It's not that they lack intelligence, as most are college educated- it's (in my opinion) that they just don't care enough to make the effort. I blame it on our national lack of critical thinking skills in education today, and the fact many would rather one just tell them how to think. I encourage everyone concerned to check my hypothesis themselves.
I think you answered your own questions. Education is sub par in our counrty. Most folks consumer their news via social networks and not from Newspapers ( reading over watching videos). Folks lack the understanding cable news is entertainment and has far lower standards than networks with journalistic standards. Add smart phones and the barage of information overloads our senses, affecting our memories. The challenges are many, but there remains only one choice for democracy to endure. Harris/Walz 2024.
Having lived through Eisenhower, JFK, etc. I am appalled that there were enough vulnerable citizens to fall for his routine which, as he deals with medical issues he surely tries to hide, his fear is rooted in reality. Loomer is an ideal way to deny his weakness and future years. But as he is a psychopath and losing will mean falling completely off his manufactured throne and losing his house of cards, he is unable to stop this juggernaut of fear-fed fury. As a nation, his punishment is essential to our survival as a “united” union and any leadership on the world stage. The stakes have never in history been this treacherously high.
Would it not be appropriate and fitting if the Springfield, OH managers would sue Trump/Vance in Civil Court for reckless endangerment. They are candidates so are not immune to such actions, AND any First Amendment claim they make would have to go through the court system, to which they would lose - in my humble opinion. They have caused the city and the State of Ohio a lot of damage and disruption, and should be called out on it in court - not just the 6:00 news.
Forget the Party of Lincoln. Republicans have become a horror show of hatred and threats. Are there enough decent people of a range of political views to save this country? No easy answers.
I have long wondered when the lies, cruelty and hate of MAGA would lose their luster. I have hoped for a “have you no decency” moment, like that in the McCarthy era, but there doesn’t seem to be anything that crosses the line now.
So sad for our country. The culture of Grievances is alive and well. We could lose it all, everything we have all worked so hard to build.
You read my mind, Mr Gerber. Thought about your quote just last night.trump / jd epitomize those who wantonly scream " FIRE " in a packed theater while they hold the keys to the locked exit doors. They simply don' t care what happens to others ....no " Jimminy Cricket on their corrupt shoulders...
" Have you no shame, sir? Have you no shame?".
I wanted to send this to her campaign before the debate but it should still be effective.
Four questions:
Mr. Trump when the Covid Pandemic started your complete incompetence led to hundreds of thousands of American deaths.
When you sent your mob to invade the Capital, an illegal act, five people died. In many jurisdictions when someone dies during an illegal act they can be charged with First Degree Murder and anyone involved in any way can also be charged with First Degree Murder.
You requested the names of Agents working for our government in Europe who started to disappear.
How many more deaths are you willing to cause because of your incompetence and lust for power?
"As many as it takes." ~Donald J Trump
Takes to do what? Get the population down to a level that is easier to control?
Is there a way politicians spreading this lie, thereby doubtless costing Springfield many thousands of dollars, can be sued for financial damages, and perhaps also for counseling costs for those terrorized by the bomb threats?
Without a “permanent injury,” a personal injury complaint would not be filed. I pray that doesn’t occur.
Maga murders women. period!
History trek: from Kristallnacht, “Night of the Broken Glass” to day of the broken glass ceiling?
Hopefully
Martin Luther King, Jr once said in a speech: “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Let’s hope so.
Has anyone considered the question of who benefits from the kind of chaos that a second Trump presidency would likely cause? The US's international competitors and rivals would seem to be the beneficiaries of a nation that can't agree on basic directions and policies. Russia and China stand to gain status and influence, in part by filling in the aid and assistance the US now provides to third world countries and international aid associations. If a Trump administration takes a strong isolationist stand, without a counterbalancing economic strategy to isolated the Russian and Chinese economies, the Western economies are likely to be the losers. Economic dependency by current third world countries will lead them to parrot the anti-US/Western line emanating from Moscow and Beijing. All and all, it's more likely that a second term is more likely to Make America Second Rate.
I also want to read Letters From an American, and I have a paid subscription. I only receive the audio. I have gone to the FAQs and the Help site, and I still don’t know how to receive printed texts via email. Any suggestions, please?
Hi Patti, Go to the circle, like the one next to your name in this post, in the upper right corner of this page. It has a small down-arrow on it. Click on that and it will bring up a drop-down menu that has Manage Subscription as one of the choices. Click on that and it will bring up a page with slider buttons you can turn ON and OFF to get e-mails on the written version and audio version. I’m using an iPad and Safari browser to get to Substack, not the app, so things may look a little different to you depending upon your device and method of access.
One can also click on the Transcript button below the audio to get the print version - then mute the audio.
They come to my email .plus the audio. there are more comments on the written letters.
I want read your letters. How do I do that?
click the transcript button to the right of the like button. Or go to her substack homepage. sign up to recieve the written letters.
I think someone should investigate the circumstances of Melania Trump's coming to the US. Wikipedia reports she entered NYC illegally as a model (with Trump's loose knowledge) and took several modeling jobs before receiving her green card and ultimate citizenship in 2006. I've observed that Trump frequently projects his own nefarious behavior onto others. It would be ironic if his wife was an illegal immigrant who took American jobs. But of course she is not Black.
Heather, and all here: please look at this from one of the greatest social scientists alive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AkpU97Mdms
If you don't really understand how His Heinous -- doubling down all the increasing Heinousness -- still has so much support, remember that Donald Trump's party is the "alchemist of hate."
Our reptile brains are reactive and scared about existential crisis. We are terrified of death, as all beings are. But the death denial is killing us even more than death itself.
The news media "bleed and lead" keeps us stuck in this. it's sucking our reptile/amygdala brains, which hold more cranial desire for survival than our executive functions.
This is the key to Republican power, folks. This Dis-Ease leads us to drugs, guns, insanity. It's a 4/1 battle, folks, 4 being the insane survivalist nationalist shit vs. the alternative.
So in the end, it turns out that Republican/authoritarian views are lobotomizing all of us. This dinosaur brain -- a Tyrannosaurus -- fears death, and it works to curl unthinking brains into themselves. Violence works on more peaceful brains, especially if they have not been exposed to a wider universe.
And it is no wonder that Republicans -- like all authoritarians -- are very interested not only in fomenting fear, but also want to shut down critical thinking, beginning with shutting down public education.
Maybe the best celebrity endorsement for Harris yet, but then I'm a fan.
https://x.com/SteveEarle/status/1836408315913351645
Maybe the best celebrity endorsement for Harris yet, but then I'm a fan.
https://x.com/SteveEarle/status/1836408315913351645