This is just one of the myriad times, over the past 6 years, that I sit in utter disbelief over the absolute chaos the Republican Party has created - all in the service of that narcissistic sociopath in Florida who wants to destroy our democracy because he lost the 2020 election.
The narcissistic sociopath in Florida is not the force driving the Republican Party. He is a very useful front man for the billionaire autocrats that fund the Heritage Foundation and Federalist Society. They are the ones who since Regan have engineered policies that have driven the increase in wealth disparity in this country and are behind trickle down economics and the drive for less government regulation of business.
When Mitt Romney said that the Republican Senators laughed after Trump left the room they could do that only because they saw him as a front man and were secure in their campaign funding from their big money donors.
It's time to lift the curtain and point to the real puppeteers of the disfunction.
"Reaganomics" was about replacing democracy with plutocracy from the get go, which has been on quote a roll for the four decades since.
Said yesterday's Guardian:
" Humanity has 'opened the gates to hell' by allowing the climate crisis to worsen, the secretary general of the United Nations has warned at a climate summit of leaders that saw angry denunciations of the fossil fuel industry but was undercut by the absence of many of the biggest carbon-emitting countries."
That's just one of modern existential threats greatly exacerbated by the deliberate sabotage by big money to block any concerted, rational response. For what? For whom?
I wonder if these people with all that money they like to throw around to get what they want realize that climate change doesn't care, at all, about their money. These fools will suffer the effects of climate change along with us poor people. Money won't help.
Well, their money will help insulate them from the weather extremes--for a while and only to a point.
But those who depend on this money to save them are classic "focus-on-the-short-term" thinkers who think only in terms of quarterly reports. Not in terms of the survival of the current ecosystems and of humanity itself.
You have in one T L. They think their money will save them, but in the end, coming sooner than they expect, it will not save them. Tornadoes, floods, wildfires, and hurricanes do not care how much money people have. It's just sad that our beautiful natural world will go to hell as well. As I grow older, I become more and more a misanthrope.
35 years ago we had snow on the ground (and lots of it) in northern Michigan from November 15th to April 15th. Ski! Sled! Skate! Shovel! (My favorite sport). Today's winter weather forecast? "Ground may be bare in spots again in January and February..."
Already climate change has cost us far more than remediation efforts, in case you haven't noticed. Maybe a climate corps will not make much of a difference. But maybe it will. It's certainly worth the effort. ANY remediation efforts are worth trying.
And our debt rating was downgraded because of Republican brinksmanship.
"If banks really believe the sea was going to rise at catastrophic rates, why WOULD they ever lend to anyone that lived on the coast?"
It's just a matter of time before they refuse to loan to anyone buying property under X feet above sea level (my own threshold is 100, for what it's worth; 150 would be better).
Already, property insurers are pulling out of Florida, in case you haven't been paying attention.
Yes, but they will be “right” for the time being, and that is what matters most to them. Like the slaves they perceive us to be, they will so own us. Money buys insanity for some.
BC , As " It Is Written ! " The WORLD < will END, in FIRE ! IF ! , MANKIND ! Does NOT, WAKE UP ! , It WILL BE, ,,,,, SOONER, Than LATER! ( The OVEN ! ,,,, is Getting PRE warmed ! )
Did you ever see the movie "Don't Look Up?" The US government is warned of a planet destroying asteroid which will crash into the earth. There is time to do something, but the president and her puppet advisors do nothing until it is too late. Just before the crash, it seems that they have made space ships to evacuate the politicians and rich people. This sounds like something that could happen here.
I have not seen that movie, but from your description, it sounds plausible for today. MAGAs follow trump, a man who would only save himself and (maybe) people who pledge their undying loyalty to him. I find this horrifying.
but don't you think that trump could protect his palace with his ever present Sharpie? Surely, all he would have to do is draw a completely new line the hurricane could take and being as powerful and god-like as he is the hurricane would obey, it would keep in mind the threat of its being nuked if it did not comply!
Their money buys a lot of insulating from climate repercussions/ justice repercussions/ social repercussions. They are betting that they can continue that trajectory for them and their friends. And so far they have been able to do that. Multi millionaires and billionaires live in a different, insulated world from “us”. They really see no use for us. The sooner we die and get out of the way and off their “conscience”, the better. They view regular people - the 99%- as cogs, serfs, playthings, or useless, depending on who we are. They believe they are “The Chosen”. And that they deserve dominion over the world. I always ask: Can we have a sane world AND billionaires? I guess not.
J L Graham, Thom Hartmann has a great piece on the application of the Two Santa Clause method that Reagan proved worked to perfection. ie, run up the deficit when the House is controlled by the GOP and then bash the Dems for it.
He's a troll. That's what trolls do - make stuff up. The only part he got right is that millions of stupid people worship Saint Ronald of Reagan. His second term of office was marred by his wife and close associates' efforts to conceal his rapidly advancing dementia.
Georgia, you are correct IMO - the wealthy keep engineering the process for their own financial benefit, and it has paid huge dividends. That $32 trillion that is now the national debt went principally into the coffers of the ultra wealthy, the funders and backers of the Heritage Foundation, Federalist Society and other such groups, such as Mason University. Thomas Frank writes about this in "What's the Matter with Kansas?" For a time these manipulators used wedge issues such as abortion, gay marriage and school prayer to persuade average Americans (social conservatives) to vote against their own best economic interests. After the elections, nothing happened for them. But, but then the "Old South" and the "Old Ku Klux Klan" raised their ugly heads, the catalyst in part being the election of a Black President. So, the billionaire autocrats were handed a gift - Donald John Trump ,who gave the racists just what they wanted, a vicious leader who would punish the "line-cutters," those getting what they don't deserve, hatred of foreigners, Blacks, Muslims and immigrants. It is all in the study, "The Anger Games: Who Voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 Election, and Why?" Google it. The billionaires are slapping their thighs in glee.
On target. Jane Mayer wrote Dark Money. Kochland takes us through the dark world of the Koch brothers and the stealth infiltration of the libertarian ideas into the republican party. Thom Hartmann documents a lot of this in his hidden history series
Good questions. How about; what is the end results of our/your beliefs and who would benefit the most? Who would suffer more or gain more if what you wanted came to fruition? Just asking.
Those are questions that have never occurred to the wealthy elite who manipulate the gullible, nor the gullible to want to crush the "undesirables." The one thing that no one ever has enough of is money. The idea that MAGA/KKK Republicans are Christians (Matthew 25:34-46) is an exercise in make believe. and then: Matthew 7: 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
So I ask this question and I think we all should take a step back and truly ask these questions of ourselves. And in all honesty, let's remove our personal bias -- and look at our country with this fresh lens.
let's ask ourselves, are we, the citizens, under a propaganda attack, by our country, on all fronts:
That’s the history we were taught. But “Carnegie Endowment,” Carnegie Hall, and libraries ring loud. There is also the Rockefeller Foundation. But we object as a country to having government fund the arts and sciences as many countries do not. Our medical system could be vastly improved by national oversight and our regional orchestras could flourish if all the money were not at the top. We have to work very hard to keep our democracy and improve it. All of US.
Thank you Georgia. And Heather too, the force of truth is apparent. It’s up to the voters now : for those not registered to register and for the majority force *Democrats* to show up on day 1 of voting ‘24;,’26,; ‘28 and from then on .
Put this circus out-of-business.
It will take several times to the ballot box to complete the eradication of such people -J.Jordan, Gaetz , Conner, Paxton, MTG,Boebart , fill in the list thoroughly my fellow Americans - it.needs.done.
We The People are competent and well aware/convinced (as are many Republicans) what has happened for quite some time. We have a bunch of issues come to light over this period of our own muddled pies and the need to address laws/ practices long swept under the carpet.
It’s a stiff climb out of the debacle no doubt. A lot of serious money is solidly entrenched in fists too tight, too entitled and many serious issues to work towards solving.
Patricia Davis, right on! There are many of us in Virginia who know with great certainty that turnout in the upcoming election and those that follow are of the utmost importance. Starting at the level of the local school board it will take time and effort to effect change. Many of us are funding candidates running in jurisdictions beyond our own.
Truth. Leonard Leo and Rupert Murdock and their cohort are the Wizard behind the curtain, pulling the strings of weak, ridiculous, self-important nincompoops.
We know who the puppeteers are. They hide behind groups like the two supposedly legitiamate ones you mention, and the G.O.P. label which they have bought. One of the problems is that the defeated former president doesn't know he is just the front man for today's version of the same treasonous puppeteers that were called Tories in 1776 and Secessionists in 1861. He's like an actor who has so bought into a script that he has lost his real identity, if he ever had any.
Exactly, Georgia. Trump is too ignorant to have engineered this chaos without explicit direction from people who knew exactly how to orchestrate it. Between our oligarchs and puppeteers and foreign agents, we are currently in an apocalyptical battle.
Marycat, and he's just one of many. Leonard Leo played him like a piano for SCOTUS, and we all know that there are foreign influences as well. When the Repugnants refer to the Democratic "deep state" the irony is immense.
Bannon was one of the first dirtbags Trump was associated with in 2016, which is why he popped into my mind. There are others, of course, such as Vladimir Putin.
Yes. These actions are being purchased with money from rich folks behind the scenes. Someone needs to follow the money going to politicians and make bribery illegal. This is RICO at the National level.
Exactly, Georgia! Now, how do we raise the curtain so the tRumpers will see and hear this truth? I have very intelligent relatives and friends who cannot see or hear beyond Faux news and their holy faux ministers.
I would “like” Georgia’s comment a hundred times. Trump followers are uninformed, intentional duhhh-niers. The brash lies fit their National inquirer diet.
The elite use their propaganda to manipulate the MAGA/KKK Republicans to vote against their own best economic and social interests. G.W. Bush was correct in his speech at the 2001 White House Correspondents' Dinner: "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on." Spoken by a narcissist, but a pure amateur when compared to DJT.
He would weep (and fume) for the betrayal of government of the people, by the people, for the people, but disown the party that only pays lip service to him. These genuine RINOs even switched sides on the Civil War.
"The legitimate object of government, is to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do, at all, or can not, so well do, for themselves -- in their separate, and individual capacities." - Lincoln
"The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help." - Reagan
The "GOP" gleefully sold its soul for domineering power, perhaps the thing Lincoln hated most.
"As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is no democracy." - Lincoln
I genuinely do not understand. HOW can Matt Goetz of Florida and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama have so much influence over the whole of the government? (Anyone ?) How does on small group’s “no” determine the course of our nation?
What mechanisms are in place to prevent the small group from destroying the country at their whim?
I am no expert in government, but I believe that the rules that have evolved in the House and Senate have largely created this situation where a single person or very small group can hold up the entire government. For example, the filibuster is not a law. It is simply a rule made by the Senate, and it can be undone by the Senate. I believe there are many such rules, and BOTH HOUSES need to revisit a lot if them@
Yes! Please! Democracy is about majority rule...no? If a couple of idiots can use antique rules to block the normal functioning of our government, change the damn rules!
When Ben Franklin advised Democracy would only work if you can keep it relied on his instinct of human weakness. Representative Government relies on trust and good intentions to govern in the Public or Common good.
In this Century the Republicans have turned trust on its head and have learned to use the normal tools of Parliamentary Procedures as tools of propaganda. With near criminal news and media enterprises willing to spread their poison we are at the threshold of permanent chaos.
While we are at it, we should update the metrics of Congressional Apportionment so every state and district gets the accurate representation. Also statehood for DC and PR!!!
Schumer finally did an end around Tuberville yesterday and is moving three high level military nominations through. About time Schumer stood up to Tuberville’s treasonous BS.
Dirty pool politics, nothing more. Roger Stone and a few others, then Newt Gingrich decided to start using such tactics in earnest back in the 90s, not that things were lily white beforehand. But this was the beginning to GOP push on underhanded behavior. Oh, and of course, "stolen elections"... what a farce, but look what it's done!
Trump and DeSantis represent their desire to punish the gays, immigrants, Jews, Muslims, Blacks and more. They prefer a domineering leader who will crush those people. The idea of not voting in a Presidential Election sounds like more propaganda from the billionaires.
I do not agree he "wants to destroy our democracy." I do not believe he cares enough to want to destroy it. He doesn't have a clue!!! His focus is only on his own ego, not its implications.
TFG demonstrated to the Republicans how to successfully use the politics of big lies, victimhood and retaliation and they learned fast. Some of them are like teenagers who jumped on the alligator for a thrill and now don’t dare let go while others love the thrashing that destroys all vegetation in the area.
We must take note of the big liners and work to get them out of office in ‘24.
Thank you Heather. All who are dedicated to the concept of freedom the importance of democracy must rise up and commit in our mind, heart, and actions as AG Garland stated about the DOJ: “We will not back down from defending our democracy.” Together we must bend the moral arc of the universe back toward justice.
Tired of the criticism of Garland. Too many people, even on this Substack, have been whining about Garland's speed to indict Trump. The unprecedented process of indicting a former US President is very, very complex and to suggest that Garland should have gone quicker only shows the lack of understanding by those who criticize.
This is just one of the myriad times, over the past 6 years, that I sit in utter disbelief over the absolute chaos the Republican Party has created - all in the service of that narcissistic sociopath in Florida who wants to destroy our democracy because he lost the 2020 election.
The narcissistic sociopath in Florida is not the force driving the Republican Party. He is a very useful front man for the billionaire autocrats that fund the Heritage Foundation and Federalist Society. They are the ones who since Regan have engineered policies that have driven the increase in wealth disparity in this country and are behind trickle down economics and the drive for less government regulation of business.
When Mitt Romney said that the Republican Senators laughed after Trump left the room they could do that only because they saw him as a front man and were secure in their campaign funding from their big money donors.
It's time to lift the curtain and point to the real puppeteers of the disfunction.
"Reaganomics" was about replacing democracy with plutocracy from the get go, which has been on quote a roll for the four decades since.
Said yesterday's Guardian:
" Humanity has 'opened the gates to hell' by allowing the climate crisis to worsen, the secretary general of the United Nations has warned at a climate summit of leaders that saw angry denunciations of the fossil fuel industry but was undercut by the absence of many of the biggest carbon-emitting countries."
That's just one of modern existential threats greatly exacerbated by the deliberate sabotage by big money to block any concerted, rational response. For what? For whom?
I wonder if these people with all that money they like to throw around to get what they want realize that climate change doesn't care, at all, about their money. These fools will suffer the effects of climate change along with us poor people. Money won't help.
Well, their money will help insulate them from the weather extremes--for a while and only to a point.
But those who depend on this money to save them are classic "focus-on-the-short-term" thinkers who think only in terms of quarterly reports. Not in terms of the survival of the current ecosystems and of humanity itself.
Humanity does not exist in their world view. Only wealth and privilege.
I find that abhorrent. They shall get what they give in the end.
What delusional world do you live in? CLiches?
Which party represents the middle class in America?
Answer? Republicans
They carry all the small towns, blue collar, and industrial areas.
Their constituents are rural, church goers, high school educated, middle class, military, police, and middle income
What is the party of the elite, educated, and rich?
Answer? Democrats.
Their constituents are wealthy NY, SF, DC, LA, et cetera, inner city,
elites, college educated, lawyers, et cetera.
The demographics are clear.
Get your facts straight before you embarrass yourself again
You have in one T L. They think their money will save them, but in the end, coming sooner than they expect, it will not save them. Tornadoes, floods, wildfires, and hurricanes do not care how much money people have. It's just sad that our beautiful natural world will go to hell as well. As I grow older, I become more and more a misanthrope.
35 years ago we had snow on the ground (and lots of it) in northern Michigan from November 15th to April 15th. Ski! Sled! Skate! Shovel! (My favorite sport). Today's winter weather forecast? "Ground may be bare in spots again in January and February..."
As the hedge fund managers say before they collapse the economy, "Who cares, IBGYBG" (I'll be gone, you'll be gone").
Wall Street gives most of its money to Democrats. They continue to offer Wall Street special tax breaks. Its all inside and circular.
Really? Pouring billions into climate corp is going to cool the planet?
Explain exactly how that is going to happen? I'm all ears.
Lets be honest it will create another government boon daggle that waste billions and produce nothing other wealth for all of their friends.
We have a 33Trillion deficit, our national debt was downgraded by Moody's, and all of this government spending is inflationary.
Some adult has to stand up and say enough is enough.
Already climate change has cost us far more than remediation efforts, in case you haven't noticed. Maybe a climate corps will not make much of a difference. But maybe it will. It's certainly worth the effort. ANY remediation efforts are worth trying.
And our debt rating was downgraded because of Republican brinksmanship.
Weather Extremes? According to who? And compared to what?
Do you have an idea what you are talking about?
If climate warming is so "catastrophic" why do so many rich "climate dooms dayers"
fly around in private jets and live enormous carbon generating lives.
There was weather variable before 1990? The warms and cools.
How much change in the weather is made made? 10% 20% 80% Exactly?
Since India and China emit 80% of the CO2 released in the atmosphere, why exactly
are importing our oil from Venezuela and Russia instead of producing our own oil?
And why are we wrecking our economy?
Why blame any American when they such an enormously small piece of the problem?
BTW
If banks really believe the sea was going to rise at catastrophic rates, why WOULD
they ever lend to anyone that lived on the coast?
"If banks really believe the sea was going to rise at catastrophic rates, why WOULD they ever lend to anyone that lived on the coast?"
It's just a matter of time before they refuse to loan to anyone buying property under X feet above sea level (my own threshold is 100, for what it's worth; 150 would be better).
Already, property insurers are pulling out of Florida, in case you haven't been paying attention.
Yes, but they will be “right” for the time being, and that is what matters most to them. Like the slaves they perceive us to be, they will so own us. Money buys insanity for some.
Yes, I suppose it does buy crazy. Sad.
A group of billionaires is having a lunch of greenbacks. One asks:”Where’s the catsup?” I’ll repeat that until doomsday or a new tax code.
they believe that their wealth will protect them
For a while. Money can do a lot, but can't buy the weather. Their money is what will destroy them and everyone else. Greedy people.
DITTO ! , BC ! " MAMMONITES !!"
BC , As " It Is Written ! " The WORLD < will END, in FIRE ! IF ! , MANKIND ! Does NOT, WAKE UP ! , It WILL BE, ,,,,, SOONER, Than LATER! ( The OVEN ! ,,,, is Getting PRE warmed ! )
Did you ever see the movie "Don't Look Up?" The US government is warned of a planet destroying asteroid which will crash into the earth. There is time to do something, but the president and her puppet advisors do nothing until it is too late. Just before the crash, it seems that they have made space ships to evacuate the politicians and rich people. This sounds like something that could happen here.
I have not seen that movie, but from your description, it sounds plausible for today. MAGAs follow trump, a man who would only save himself and (maybe) people who pledge their undying loyalty to him. I find this horrifying.
An Atlantic hurricane could wipe Mar-a-Lago off the map. Wouldn't that be poetic justice?
but don't you think that trump could protect his palace with his ever present Sharpie? Surely, all he would have to do is draw a completely new line the hurricane could take and being as powerful and god-like as he is the hurricane would obey, it would keep in mind the threat of its being nuked if it did not comply!
Their money buys a lot of insulating from climate repercussions/ justice repercussions/ social repercussions. They are betting that they can continue that trajectory for them and their friends. And so far they have been able to do that. Multi millionaires and billionaires live in a different, insulated world from “us”. They really see no use for us. The sooner we die and get out of the way and off their “conscience”, the better. They view regular people - the 99%- as cogs, serfs, playthings, or useless, depending on who we are. They believe they are “The Chosen”. And that they deserve dominion over the world. I always ask: Can we have a sane world AND billionaires? I guess not.
that ideation was well represented on the television show Succession
J L Graham, Thom Hartmann has a great piece on the application of the Two Santa Clause method that Reagan proved worked to perfection. ie, run up the deficit when the House is controlled by the GOP and then bash the Dems for it.
Here we go again with the "REAGAN" lie.
Unfortunately there are facts and history. Here they are AGAIN:
-20 Million new jobs created
- Inflation dropped from 13.5% to 4.1%
- Unemployment fell from 7.6% to 5.5%
- GDP average 3.6%
- Net Worth of Families between $20,000 to $50,000 rose by 27%
- Won the Cold war
- NO WARS
Reagan won reelection carrying 49 out of 50 states.
Popularity of 63% post presidency - highest in modern era
https://soapboxie.com/us-politics/21reasonsReaganwasaterriblepresident
Yeah, what a guy.
Thank you for the reference Marycat. JamesA doesn't do citations. Apparently, he just makes stuff up.
He's a troll. That's what trolls do - make stuff up. The only part he got right is that millions of stupid people worship Saint Ronald of Reagan. His second term of office was marred by his wife and close associates' efforts to conceal his rapidly advancing dementia.
Maybe James A doesn't know how to link citations? It looks as if he has a newsletter of his own though, so he ought to have that skill
Or simply parrots what right wing media tell him. These people never fact check anything.
What a stupid reply. My evidence was fact based. Numbers don't like.
Especially when you win reelection with 49 out of 50 states. Bring inflation
down, create 20MM new jobs, and grow wealth for every income level.
Its time to leave your leftist NEO Marxist bubble. Your article is sad reminder
of the famous Pauline Kael quote about Nixon when he won 49 out of 50 states
"I don't understand how Nixon won, all my friends voted for McGovern."
Yours article is the kind of delusional reply you make when you are deaf to history and facts, and only driven by your agenda and ideology.
Actual job creation numbers. Oops: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jobs_created_during_U.S._presidential_terms#/media/File:Job_Growth_by_U.S._President_-_v1.png
Inflation has expanded almost every year *regardless of POTUS* except for the two worst years of COVID-19. If you want TFG to take credit for the pandemic, go ahead: https://www.investopedia.com/inflation-rate-by-year-7253832
"grow wealth for every income level": exactly the opposite of reality https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/01/09/trends-in-income-and-wealth-inequality/
I could go on but, really, what would be the point? If it doesn't suit you incoherent ideology it can't be true.
P.S. Light most RWNJs you keep throwing the word "Marxist" around even though you clearly don't know what it actually means.
James, please share links to your sources.
Georgia, you are correct IMO - the wealthy keep engineering the process for their own financial benefit, and it has paid huge dividends. That $32 trillion that is now the national debt went principally into the coffers of the ultra wealthy, the funders and backers of the Heritage Foundation, Federalist Society and other such groups, such as Mason University. Thomas Frank writes about this in "What's the Matter with Kansas?" For a time these manipulators used wedge issues such as abortion, gay marriage and school prayer to persuade average Americans (social conservatives) to vote against their own best economic interests. After the elections, nothing happened for them. But, but then the "Old South" and the "Old Ku Klux Klan" raised their ugly heads, the catalyst in part being the election of a Black President. So, the billionaire autocrats were handed a gift - Donald John Trump ,who gave the racists just what they wanted, a vicious leader who would punish the "line-cutters," those getting what they don't deserve, hatred of foreigners, Blacks, Muslims and immigrants. It is all in the study, "The Anger Games: Who Voted for Donald Trump in the 2016 Election, and Why?" Google it. The billionaires are slapping their thighs in glee.
On target. Jane Mayer wrote Dark Money. Kochland takes us through the dark world of the Koch brothers and the stealth infiltration of the libertarian ideas into the republican party. Thom Hartmann documents a lot of this in his hidden history series
I hesitate to say this, but it is what comes to my mind: the Trumpsters, i.e., KKK, are useful idiots. If only they could be put to this test:
Think of something that you believe is true . . . .
1. How SURE are you that it's true? (0-100%)
2. What is the SOURCE of the belief?
3. What are your REASONS for believing it's true?
4. How could you FIGURE OUT if it's true?
5. How would you FEEL if you were WRONG?
6. What facts would CHANGE YOUR MIND?
Rational approach, but these people are not rational
5. “How would you FEEL if you were WRONG?”
Hopefully many have already discovered they are wrong but can’t publicly admit it. The ballot box is the way to save face.
Good questions. How about; what is the end results of our/your beliefs and who would benefit the most? Who would suffer more or gain more if what you wanted came to fruition? Just asking.
Those are questions that have never occurred to the wealthy elite who manipulate the gullible, nor the gullible to want to crush the "undesirables." The one thing that no one ever has enough of is money. The idea that MAGA/KKK Republicans are Christians (Matthew 25:34-46) is an exercise in make believe. and then: Matthew 7: 15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
So I ask this question and I think we all should take a step back and truly ask these questions of ourselves. And in all honesty, let's remove our personal bias -- and look at our country with this fresh lens.
let's ask ourselves, are we, the citizens, under a propaganda attack, by our country, on all fronts:
https://unorthodoxy.substack.com/p/september-11th-and-menticide#details
What are Readers supposed to be.curious about about your Barker's Pitch" under a propaganda attack": & click off the LFAA platform! No ads please.
Dark Money was the most informative book I ever read.
It definitely was a compelling investigation and analysis.
That’s the history we were taught. But “Carnegie Endowment,” Carnegie Hall, and libraries ring loud. There is also the Rockefeller Foundation. But we object as a country to having government fund the arts and sciences as many countries do not. Our medical system could be vastly improved by national oversight and our regional orchestras could flourish if all the money were not at the top. We have to work very hard to keep our democracy and improve it. All of US.
Billionaires have been shaping US affairs for quite some time now. Since the very 1st billionaire in JD Rockefeller and Andrew Carnegie
https://unorthodoxy.substack.com/p/donating-to-a-good-cause-how-billionaires
Thank you Georgia. And Heather too, the force of truth is apparent. It’s up to the voters now : for those not registered to register and for the majority force *Democrats* to show up on day 1 of voting ‘24;,’26,; ‘28 and from then on .
Put this circus out-of-business.
It will take several times to the ballot box to complete the eradication of such people -J.Jordan, Gaetz , Conner, Paxton, MTG,Boebart , fill in the list thoroughly my fellow Americans - it.needs.done.
We The People are competent and well aware/convinced (as are many Republicans) what has happened for quite some time. We have a bunch of issues come to light over this period of our own muddled pies and the need to address laws/ practices long swept under the carpet.
It’s a stiff climb out of the debacle no doubt. A lot of serious money is solidly entrenched in fists too tight, too entitled and many serious issues to work towards solving.
But...
Togetherness .Will. Work.
💙💙VOTE EVERY TIME💙💙
Patricia Davis, right on! There are many of us in Virginia who know with great certainty that turnout in the upcoming election and those that follow are of the utmost importance. Starting at the level of the local school board it will take time and effort to effect change. Many of us are funding candidates running in jurisdictions beyond our own.
Excellent , me too. I’m on a fixed income but a $5 bill goes a long way when thousands ‘pitch in’! Right now it’s Virginia!
Truth. Leonard Leo and Rupert Murdock and their cohort are the Wizard behind the curtain, pulling the strings of weak, ridiculous, self-important nincompoops.
I believe Senator Whitehouse is doing his job to make this known to the public....if only the public would listen or be interested.
We know who the puppeteers are. They hide behind groups like the two supposedly legitiamate ones you mention, and the G.O.P. label which they have bought. One of the problems is that the defeated former president doesn't know he is just the front man for today's version of the same treasonous puppeteers that were called Tories in 1776 and Secessionists in 1861. He's like an actor who has so bought into a script that he has lost his real identity, if he ever had any.
Exactly, Georgia. Trump is too ignorant to have engineered this chaos without explicit direction from people who knew exactly how to orchestrate it. Between our oligarchs and puppeteers and foreign agents, we are currently in an apocalyptical battle.
Steve Bannon is still manipulating Trump.
Marycat, and he's just one of many. Leonard Leo played him like a piano for SCOTUS, and we all know that there are foreign influences as well. When the Repugnants refer to the Democratic "deep state" the irony is immense.
Bannon was one of the first dirtbags Trump was associated with in 2016, which is why he popped into my mind. There are others, of course, such as Vladimir Putin.
There is an entire choir, and Putin's right up there as the choir master, Marycat, and the majority of Republicans are absolutely blind to all of it.
What you said Georgia.
Yes. These actions are being purchased with money from rich folks behind the scenes. Someone needs to follow the money going to politicians and make bribery illegal. This is RICO at the National level.
Exactly, Georgia! Now, how do we raise the curtain so the tRumpers will see and hear this truth? I have very intelligent relatives and friends who cannot see or hear beyond Faux news and their holy faux ministers.
I would “like” Georgia’s comment a hundred times. Trump followers are uninformed, intentional duhhh-niers. The brash lies fit their National inquirer diet.
Agreed, Georgia.
You've got that right, from my perspective!
The former "Party of Lincoln" has become a cult of malignant narcissism, powered by the obsessive love of money.
Not money, power.
Both money and power are inextricably intertwined.
The elite use their propaganda to manipulate the MAGA/KKK Republicans to vote against their own best economic and social interests. G.W. Bush was correct in his speech at the 2001 White House Correspondents' Dinner: "You can fool some of the people all of the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on." Spoken by a narcissist, but a pure amateur when compared to DJT.
One is the other. Practically speaking.
Both money and power. And keeping superstition alive.
Wow-thank you. Perfectly stated. And their money buys them power.
Northern Sun has a wonderful pin with Lincoln on it that reads”It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to”.
He would weep (and fume) for the betrayal of government of the people, by the people, for the people, but disown the party that only pays lip service to him. These genuine RINOs even switched sides on the Civil War.
"The legitimate object of government, is to do for a community of people, whatever they need to have done, but can not do, at all, or can not, so well do, for themselves -- in their separate, and individual capacities." - Lincoln
"The most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the government and I'm here to help." - Reagan
The "GOP" gleefully sold its soul for domineering power, perhaps the thing Lincoln hated most.
"As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy. Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is no democracy." - Lincoln
Now it's Donald's turn to cry, and boy, is he having a tantrum. He just cannot bear to hear the word "NO".
I genuinely do not understand. HOW can Matt Goetz of Florida and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama have so much influence over the whole of the government? (Anyone ?) How does on small group’s “no” determine the course of our nation?
What mechanisms are in place to prevent the small group from destroying the country at their whim?
I don’t understand the math.
I am no expert in government, but I believe that the rules that have evolved in the House and Senate have largely created this situation where a single person or very small group can hold up the entire government. For example, the filibuster is not a law. It is simply a rule made by the Senate, and it can be undone by the Senate. I believe there are many such rules, and BOTH HOUSES need to revisit a lot if them@
Yes! Please! Democracy is about majority rule...no? If a couple of idiots can use antique rules to block the normal functioning of our government, change the damn rules!
When Ben Franklin advised Democracy would only work if you can keep it relied on his instinct of human weakness. Representative Government relies on trust and good intentions to govern in the Public or Common good.
In this Century the Republicans have turned trust on its head and have learned to use the normal tools of Parliamentary Procedures as tools of propaganda. With near criminal news and media enterprises willing to spread their poison we are at the threshold of permanent chaos.
While we are at it, we should update the metrics of Congressional Apportionment so every state and district gets the accurate representation. Also statehood for DC and PR!!!
Sounds good to me!👍
Gaetz is able to do so because Kevin has no spine. Tuberville is able to because of senate rules.
Schumer finally did an end around Tuberville yesterday and is moving three high level military nominations through. About time Schumer stood up to Tuberville’s treasonous BS.
About two months too late.
Shuck, meet Jive.
Flunkies doin' they flunkin'.
No one expected such treason in a young America. Hanging or death by firing squad was the fate of traitors.
Obviously, not much.
Just as he lost the 2016 one (ignoring the Electoral College fiasco).
Dirty pool politics, nothing more. Roger Stone and a few others, then Newt Gingrich decided to start using such tactics in earnest back in the 90s, not that things were lily white beforehand. But this was the beginning to GOP push on underhanded behavior. Oh, and of course, "stolen elections"... what a farce, but look what it's done!
Trump and DeSantis represent their desire to punish the gays, immigrants, Jews, Muslims, Blacks and more. They prefer a domineering leader who will crush those people. The idea of not voting in a Presidential Election sounds like more propaganda from the billionaires.
I do not agree he "wants to destroy our democracy." I do not believe he cares enough to want to destroy it. He doesn't have a clue!!! His focus is only on his own ego, not its implications.
It's crazy because there are a lot of morons who still believe that Trump won.
TFG demonstrated to the Republicans how to successfully use the politics of big lies, victimhood and retaliation and they learned fast. Some of them are like teenagers who jumped on the alligator for a thrill and now don’t dare let go while others love the thrashing that destroys all vegetation in the area.
We must take note of the big liners and work to get them out of office in ‘24.
Love your comment, T Resnick : Short, sharp, astute, shocking.
Thank you Heather. All who are dedicated to the concept of freedom the importance of democracy must rise up and commit in our mind, heart, and actions as AG Garland stated about the DOJ: “We will not back down from defending our democracy.” Together we must bend the moral arc of the universe back toward justice.
Glad Merrick Garland found his voice. Wish he had done so sooner.
Tired of the criticism of Garland. Too many people, even on this Substack, have been whining about Garland's speed to indict Trump. The unprecedented process of indicting a former US President is very, very complex and to suggest that Garland should have gone quicker only shows the lack of understanding by those who criticize.