Russian president Vladimir Putin announced today that he is mobilizing the Russian population to fight Ukraine. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu put that number at 300,000 soldiers. At the same time, the legislature abruptly changed the laws to inflict harsh penalties on those who don’t report to military duty, who surrender, or who refuse to fight. Reports suggest that 20–40% of the soldiers from some units have quit.
The difference between Putin's Army and Stalin's Army is Putin's Army doesn't have a battalion of NKVD secret police troops behind every frontline unit, charged with summary execution of anyone who tried to retreat or who didn't advance fast enough. Units that were unsuccessful were taken out of the line and the officers and leading NCOs were then shot and the troops sent to penal battalions where they performed such duties as minefield clearance in the next attack - by running across the field ahead of the advance and "clearing" the mines. It was "perform or die" 77 years ago.
As to today's 11th Circuit decision, Joyce Vance observed at her Substack that "whoever wrote this decision enjoyed their work."
In the study of battles, it's commonly observed that in each battle, there comes a time - despite whatever hard effort remains - where one side cannot lose and the other side cannot stop losing. I think maybe, perhaps, possibly, today is that day in our war with Trump. As Napoleon observed at the Battle of Austerlitz, "Never interrupt an enemy who is defeating himself."
Please accept usual “sizzlin” as well as additional praise of brilliant.
It’s has been so valuable to me to have military historian insight into the many battles being waged. And then add Professor Richardson’s uncanny ability to link historical relevance to present day.
Both insights giving a window to solutions.
Grateful every day for Substack authors. And the forums created.
Yeah, the two best armies Russia ever put in the field was 1812 and World War 2. Overall the best was 1812, which had good leadership as was shown in the fights from then to Waterloo.
Wonderful book, full of real people, not invented characters. But then, many of them are based on members of Tolstoy's family. Boris' wedding proposal, unveiling the painting before Moscow, Kutuzov reviewing the prisoners -- classic scenes!
Hmmm - please elaborate! One thing is for sure - there has been no reporting what so ever as to exactly why he took these documents. If I know Trump, it was for nefarious reasons.
(no negative intended personally): can we stop using the term "conspiracy theory"? These are not theories.
In everyday use, the word "theory" often means an untested hunch, or a guess without supporting evidence. But for scientists, a theory has nearly the opposite meaning. A theory is a well-substantiated explanation of an aspect of the natural world that can incorporate laws, hypotheses and facts.
So can we call them "conspiracy hunches" or "conspiracy guesses", or best of all "fictionalized bullshit"?
Let's stick with the scientific definition of the word.
As in little old ladies yacking over the fence as they hang the days laundry out to dry in the sweet fresh air you could actually enjoy breathing on the newest retractable clothesline of the 1950's!
I agree that the scientific sense of "theory" and it's standard of evidence supporting confidence rather than case-closed certainty, needs way more public exposure and understanding. That said, I think the word "theory" as speculation is OK so long as as we don't let speculation does not get ahead of itself. I have zero evidence of what Trump may have been up to except echoing James Wheaton above, he has proven abundantly that he is irresponsible as hell, and tends to press his own selfish interests over that of the common weal; which is pretty much the modern orientation of his whole party. That's my theory.
😳 that thought crossed my mind when it happened! Did they do an autopsy? Or do you suppose that’s why she was buried on a golf course so exhuming the body would be more difficult ? Yikes!
Well he wouldn’t want actual truths to be revealed would he?! tfg has just been one nightmare after another! I long for the day we no longer hear his name or hear his idiotic versions of the “truth”. 🙏
Great insight today and brilliant quote about Austerlitz.
But from the beginning of this latest Russian fiasco I have marveled at Putin’s demonstrations of the brilliance of Sun Tzu’s “Art of War.”
The Dictator has missed every requirement for victory of the ancient advice. The summoning of Ill prepared troops is the frosting on the cake.
But Putin obviously used poor Intelligence to plan the invasion, devised terrible supply chokepoints, created animus in the Ukrainians by destructive artillery / rocket attacks, had superannuated battlefield tactics and insufficient armaments all of which point to continuing self destruction.
I’m sure Clausewitz’ warnings can add layers of derision on this war but for all the destructiveness of the war the Trump wannabe certainly provides a mountain of rich material for the students of war.
Putin's war against Ukraine now and his efforts to get Russian men to fight as detailed by historian Timothy Snyder.
'Putin knows that most Russians do not really care about Ukraine, except in the sense of enjoying a war on television. But the war is going so badly that the television version is getting hard to sustain. Putin needs some Russians to get up from the couch and fight, and has announced a “partial mobilization.” To convince Russian men to fight, and families not to rebel, he has altered his characterization of the war. It was once a “special military operation” that was to destroy Ukraine in three days. Now it is a grand struggle to defend civilization, etc. But a defensive war must be fought on Russian territory.'
'Ergo, Putin must present Ukrainian territory that the Ukrainians are taking back as Russian territory; and ergo, he must have a media exercise to pretend that “referendums” have taken place, and that people in Ukrainian regions want to join Russia. Presto-chango-russo: a tyrant’s wish, a few lines of script on Russian television, a few lines of code on Russian media websites, and territories become Russian! This quavering postmodern improvisation will convince no one beyond Russia, and it might not even convince Russians. But now that Putin has decided, the media exercise to support his magical thinking must go forward.'
'At a certain moment, Russian media will just declare that (something like) 97% of the people of Donetsk region want to join Russia, 96% in Luhansk, 86% in Zaporizhia, 80% in Kherson. These numbers will be invented, made up. They are already in a file somewhere. There will be no more reason to report those numbers in a sentence with the word "referendum" or “vote” in it than there would be to report my claim, made here, that 97% of the inhabitants of Brooklyn wish to join Mississippi.'
'It is beside the point to say that such numbers are implausible, because they will just be invented. When we already know that something is made up, we don’t usually stop to think whether we might have believed it anyway. But yes, the fictions provided in the media exercise will be implausible. And deliberately so. The way Russian electoral propaganda works is to tell a lie that everyone knows is a lie, and then to show by force that there is no alternative to living as though the lie were true. So we will get North Korean numbers, because that is how the system works.
So this Russian media exercise is ludicrous. But it is not funny. It is obscene.'
'What about the dead? What about the more than 100,000 Ukrainian the Russians killed in Mariupol? How should we think about their “votes”? What about the more than three million Ukrainian citizens whom Russia has forcibly deported, many of whom are now in camps? In the regions where the media exercise will be applied, Russia has destroyed city after city. Everywhere Russia occupied territory, it leaves behind mass graves. When I was in Ukraine a couple of weeks ago, I visited one of them, as well as the homes of people who had lost family members. While I was in Ukraine, the Ukrainian army liberated much of Kharkiv region, and now we know of more mass graves, for example in Izyum.'
'That is the world in which the media exercise is undertaken. When Russia claims that huge majorities of Ukrainians want to join Russia, they are claiming that Ukrainians like death pits, that Ukrainians like torture, that Ukrainians like deportation, that Ukrainians like to have their homes destroyed and their cities obliterated.'
'The ongoing Russian media exercise ("referendums") is an obscenity. When Russian media announces the invented “results,” Moscow will be claiming that Ukrainians wish to celebrate their own ongoing genocide by joining the country that is perpetrating it. Such an attempt at public humiliation is despicable. The Russian media exercise is nothing more and nothing less than an element of ongoing Russian war crimes.' (TimothySnyder, Thinking about...)
Ironically, Napoleon apparently forgot that advice when he invaded Russia.
That said, the closer Putin and Trump come to destruction, the more dangerous they become. Putin is calculating and Trump is just off the rails, but they're both narcissistic sociopaths who clearly care for nothing aside from their narrow self interest and nobody other than themselves. They're both capable of destroying everything around them in a final petty act of revenge.
Yes, old Napoleon ended up proving his own aphorism.
And yes, there's a well-known story about Putin's "Yard Punk" childhood where he chased a rat in the apartment complex and cornered it, and then it bared its teeth, leaped out and chased him. He says it was the most important learning experience he ever had.
Trump is not interested in winning what is obviously the inevitable predictability of his well-deserved trouncing’s of all his various court battles, (envision him hanging from a tree in the middle of oblivion, his mushy belly jiggling upon the adipose flap of his “muffin-top”, his eyes just beginning to pop out as the noose of rough oversized rope he has been knitting for his last seventy years nearly comes to his inevitable castigated betekenis, popping, snapping, squeaking…Oh! Wait…that painfully vented cacophony actually might have been his last pronouncement most generously bequeathed unto us in the form of a series of disgusting off-tune staccato-like flatulent exclamations), he just wants to prolong his farce judicialnesses until the repugnacious “Calvary” saves his big fat lily white bigoterd ass this November
Thank you for saving me trouble of recounting Stalin’s efforts to stiffen the Red Army, which were aided by the fact that the German invaders were foreign, and incredibly (in the true sense) brutal.
Poor rump and putin, the laws of physics are catching up to them. Permanently etched in my mind in the early reign of rump was the spectacle of both of them strutting together like swollen cocks, drenched in their glory, backed by their positions of power. Ironically, both chumps are presently experiencing the law of nature as it pertains to the slowly boiling frog. If thrown in a pot of boiling water the frog instinctively jumps out. However, if the frog is placed in cold water and the heat is slowly but continuously turned up, the frog will ignore the increasing heat and boil to death. What's happening to both of them is truly biblical....
A common problem with criminals of all types is that if they manage to get away with their crimes for long enough, they start to think of themselves as invulnerable. At which point they get sloppy and the slope starts to get slippery.
Putin still has his finger on the largest nuclear arsenal in the world....and just what was tfg doing with all those highly classified nuclear documents???
Well, yes, those are the nightmare scenarios I mentioned in another comment. A narcissistic sociopath is at their most dangerous when they see the ground is collapsing underneath them.
Putin's army does not have NKVD backstop units -- yet -- but it should be noted that there are some reports that on the Kherson front rear units are taking positions on the left bank of the Dnipro to keep Russian units trapped in Kherson from retreating across the river. So, no NKVD troops yet, but I suspect they will be resurrected soon.
I don't believe Putin is as clueless as Trump, but they do seem to share a strong tendency to double down on a weak hand. It is truly discouraging to realize how much our lives depend on the moods and whims of such scoundrels.
TRUMP – PUTIN: HOW ARE THEY DOING? SNAPSHOTS OF EACH TAKEN FROM THE FRONT PAGES OF THE NEW YORK TIME AND THE WASHINGTON POST
- The American public’s views of former President Donald J. Trump have remained remarkably stable across a number of different measures in recent months, even as he faces multiple investigations and as he remains a central figure in the midterm elections, according to the most recent New York Times/Siena College poll.
- Overall, 44 percent of voters viewed Mr. Trump favorably, and 53 percent viewed him unfavorably. The recent poll was fielded early this month, after news of the Justice Department’s inquiry into Mr. Trump’s handling of confidential documents but before the New York attorney general announced she was suing Mr. Trump and his family business.
- That level of Trump support has effectively been unchanged since the last Times/Siena poll, which was fielded in July amid televised hearings by the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol. It was also fundamentally similar to levels of support Times/Siena polls and other surveys found in recent years. (NYTimes,Sept. 22, 2022)
Washington Post, September 21, 2022 at 5:59 p.m. EDT,
- Over 1,000 Russian Protesters Arrested After Putin Mobilizes More Troops
- Putin drafts up to 300,000 reservists, backs annexation amid war losses
- Putin’s decision to order the partial mobilization, to call up as many as 300,000 reservists, reflected his diminishing options in trying to reverse some awful defeats on the battlefield, including a lightning Ukrainian offensive that forced Russian troops to retreat from the northeast Kharkiv region.
- While Putin stopped short of declaring a full mobilization, which would entail a national draft, the partial mobilization immediately began upending the lives of reservists.
- Within hours of President Vladimir Putin’s speech declaring a partial military mobilization on Wednesday, men all over Russia — including some who had tried for months to ignore the messy war in Ukraine — suddenly found their lives thrown into chaos as they were summoned to duty. The men, mostly reservists under 35 who served in the army and have junior military ranks, were handed written notices in their offices or at their homes. In some cases, they had their identity documents checked on the street and were told to appear for a health check. Others got orders by telephone.
- Anxious relatives, meanwhile, began searching for ways to flee the country or otherwise avoid their loved ones being called for service. Flights to the few cities abroad still offering direct service to Russia — most destinations have been cut off by sanctions — were suddenly sold out.
- In response to Putin’s decree, criticism of the war, which had been rising internationally and at home despite a severe Kremlin crackdown on dissent, suddenly burst into the open.
- Relatively contained but significant protests erupted not only in the big cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg, but also in Novosibirsk in remote Siberia. By Wednesday evening, more than 1,000 people had been arrested across the country, according to OVD-Info, an independent group monitoring protest activity in Russia — a remarkable number given that criticism of the war is potentially punishable by long prison sentences.
- In the capital, hundreds chanted “Let our children live!” and “Send Putin to the trenches!” as they walked along Arbat Street. Videos on social media showed police officers arresting demonstrators and loading them onto police vans and buses, including a man shouting “No to war
- In St. Petersburg, police officers were seen beating protesters with batons and harshly breaking up crowds. At the small protest in Novosibirsk, a man was detained as he shouted at police officers, “I don’t want to die for Putin and you!”
- An online petition against mobilization, initiated last spring, suddenly spiked to more than 292,000 signatures.
Are they movable? Will the devastating details of the NY Attorney General's sweeping lawsuit that accused Donald J. Trump, his family business and three of his children of lying to lenders and insurers by fraudulently overvaluing his assets by billions of dollars have any influence on Trump's loyal following? What if Trump's base remains as is? We imagine it lessening, what if it grows?
To what extent is Putin's position threatened by discord within Russia from top to bottom?
According to Swedish Radio the Russians have made a pun of Russian for 'mobilization'; with a slight change it means 'burialization' - The image of 'partial mobilization' would then be a man putting his head in the sand!
Hi Olof, I had a terrible reply to you and deleted it as unsuitable given the misery of the reservists and the rest of the Russian people. Putin's a world class monster. We've got a collection of our own.
Fighting men aren't Putin's only worry about his war against Ukraine. As I know that your head is not in the sand, Olof, I think you may be interested in the following
— from CNN
'Vladimir Putin can call up all the troops he wants, but Russia has no way of getting those new troops the training and weapons they need to fight in Ukraine any time soon.'
'With his invasion of Ukraine faltering badly, the Russian President on Wednesday announced the immediate “partial mobilization” of Russian citizens. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Russian television that the country will call up 300,000 reservists.'
'If they end up facing Ukrainian guns on the front lines, they are likely to become the newest casualties in the invasion Putin started more than seven months ago and that has seen the Russian military fail at almost every aspect of modern war.'
“The Russian military is not currently equipped to rapidly and effectively deploy 300,000 reservists,” said Alex Lord, Europe and Eurasia specialist at the Sibylline strategic analysis firm in London.'
“Russia is already struggling to effectively equip its professional forces in Ukraine, following significant equipment losses during the war,” Lord said.'
'The recent Ukrainian offensive, which has seen Kyiv recapture thousands of square meters of territory, has taken a significant toll.'
'The Institute for the Study of War earlier this week said analysis from Western experts and Ukrainian intelligence found Russia had lost 50% to 90% of its strength in some units due to that offensive, and vast amounts of armor.'
'Russia's military divided as Putin struggles to deal with Ukraine's counteroffensive, US sources say.
And that comes on top of staggering equipment losses over the course of the war.'
'The open source intelligence website Oryx, using only losses confirmed by photographic or video evidence, has found Russian forces have lost more than 6,300 vehicles, including 1,168 tanks, since the fighting began.'
“In practice, they don’t have enough modern equipment … for that many new troops,” said Jakub Janovsky, a military analyst who contributes to the Oryx blog.'
'JT Crump, CEO of Sibylline and a veteran of 20 years in the British military, said Russia is beginning to suffer ammunition shortages in some calibers and is looking for sources of key components so it can repair or build replacements for weapons lost on the battlefield.'
'It’s not just tanks and armored personnel carriers that have been lost.'
I saw the cost of plane tickets out of Russia....incredible. Maybe this is what will push the Russian public past the breaking point. As for death star's cult, we can't move those true believers. What I observe is dead silence in terms of post from my ex-classmate in Indiana about January 6th and all the investigations. Before she was busy finding ways to defend all the nonsense. Political ads here have become nasty. I do like the one the shows the R candidate in our new Congressional district had his girlfriend have an abortion, dropped her off there and paid for it. Mostly what we see from Rs is pictures of tents, protests, noise about D's defunding police. The latest from our D candidate in our district tells how she voted for much additional money for the state police. I do think the races will be close. I hope Ds prevail.
Bertrand Russell said that the challenge for human beings is to deal with being both the most important thing in the universe while being the least significant at the same time.
I have thought that for some time....every time I see either of those two monsters on TV, I think with only these two, so much destruction. Then add a few others and we have a very small number of people causing problems the world over.
Yes, it is the malignant narcissists who create most of the havoc in the world. That so many people can't see what is so clear in the former guy, suggests that they are either also so troubled or have many, mostly men in their lives who are the same. Women, in particular will literally not allow themselves to see this disturbance in men, so as to protect their fragile egos. It is astounding how many of these guys bubble to the top.
I have noticed this and as a woman, I have heard many times about being careful around frail male egos. And I have heard many times strong women who have stood up being called a certain name.
The most dangerous time in a woman's life is when she leaves a male partner. Women's lives absolutely depend upon appeasing narcissistic men. Ukraine, like a strong woman, stood up to Russia and is now paying the price. Godspeed.
Yes. So often these kinds of men are actually trying to compensate for fragile egos and we all pay a price for that. People who are narcissistically disturbed can't stand facing their own frailties and flaws. It is experienced as just too humiliating. We saw the evidence clearly with Putin, shirtless, astride a horse. If they weren't so dangerous I would just feel embarrassed for them as they display their sense of inadequacy so blatantly.
If Putin were declared a terrorist in spite of being a head of state, could he not be taken out like Osama bin Laden? It makes no sense that one man can be responsible for killing so many. Our laws make no sense in this matter. And evidently the UN's rules don't have an answer either -- he still has veto power. Can't they get around or change the rule if one member goes rogue?
Listened to Trump interview on Fox Noise linked by Heather. He is scared and soiling his panties! If this is his defense, which he can only make by taking the witness stand, that he had no 'intent' to commit a 'specific intent' crime related to Classified documents because he misunderstood the law (see quote below), he is cooked! First, what a wonderful sight it would be seeing him on the witness stand forced to answer questions under cross examination. (Think how poorly it turned out recently for Alex Jones, LMAO!) Second, we know DOJ has a list of people who told The Orange Clown there was a process to declassify and that he was violating the law by taking the documents and not returning them when asked. Perhaps the 'Litigation Dam' is breaking and he will be flooded with indictments? Heather wrote: "Trump said: 'I declassified the documents when they left the White House…. There doesn’t have to be a process as I understand it. You’re the president of the United States, you can declassify…even by thinking about it.'”
The NY lawsuit is civil and won't put anyone behind bars. But it has this great virtue: it can't be stopped by Dumpie's judges, since it's in state court. State judges won't be impressed by Dumpie's teams of bargain-basement lawyers or their slavish arguments.
Which brings up another point: When his lawyers in Florida refused to say in court that Dumpie had declassified documents, why was that? Because it's one thing to lie to the press, quite another to repeat that lie before a judge. His lawyers believe he's been lying to them.
I also believe the civil suit’s virtue is that it will cost him financially. Money is his god, so forcing him to pay and to limit his future financial options is a real slap to him, in my humble opinion.
Don’t dismiss crowd funding. His acolytes will pay his fine as a Seig Heil demonstration of loyalty, and so they can get the little MAGA hat lapel pin and a certificate of appreciate signed with a facsimile of Der Donnie’s signiture
From the number of times DONATE appears on his communications, it would appear that he himself doesn't dismiss crowd funding. It may be slacking off; he's now wearing a Q badge and campaigning for QAnon. (Now that really is presidential!)
trump’s defense says: “But that’s how real estate is done!” It reminded me of the “Boys will be boys” defense from the Access Hollywood video. And it will work with his supporters. His supporters like an organized-crime-flavor to their leader.
Anyone with a scrap of common sense knows he has been lying about everything. The current lawyers aren’t willing to risk their licenses to further the lies.
And THIS invaded the White House. And the Capitol. The Lincoln Memorial. A step by step desecration of the noblest symbols of America's aims. Not the church - that was just a prop for the photographs, that and a Bible that wasn't his anyway.
I think the NY civil suit is just the tip of the iceberg. The Big Turkey has openly committed multiple felonies, and I think Garland will make a point of getting him indicted for every one of them. A bit slowly, perhaps, but carefully and memorably. The Jan. 6th hearings have just been a pretty good warm-up act, kind of like the Monkees for Jimi Hendrix. I mean, Are You Experienced?
The best thing about the NY lawsuit is, if he loses, that will be the end of Trump Org. and therefore Trump. I don't think the lawyers representing him in the Mar-a-Lago classified papers case will be representing him in the NY state case. Hmm, maybe we should call it Deflategate? Also, Michael Cohen is claiming that he could be on the hook for 2-3 times the 250 million that is headlined.
Yesterday's headlines all felt wonderful but we are still in for a long legal slog. Also, I think he has ramped up the donation appeals and gotten the distraction mill revved up.
I picture Johnny Carson in his Freat Swamy outfit when I think of tfg declassifying docs by “thinking” of it. I wonder if he hurt himself - after all that brain work.
If he can’t “think” the docs unclassified all at once, it would indeed require brain work to “declassify” each one of hundreds. He was speaking to the most ignorant of his supporters when he claimed there was not a process for declassification.
What a crock, giving that moral midget the keys to the kingdom was the biggest mistake this country has ever made (and covers a lot of territory). Worse than chump are Rupert and the army of moral midgets who buy his bull Schitt.
Given what we knew about him prior to the ‘16 election, I will continue to have difficulty forgiving those tens of millions who voted for him. One really big mistake.
Christine, what I heard most consistently was that “he’s a wealthy, successful businessman.” It wasn’t true, but it was good enough for the Republican base. They stopped listening to anything else.
Republicans would line up to vote for a tree stump, as long as it had an "R" beside it on the ballot. Before Trump, that is. Now only 74 million of them do.
And, from what I read in this and other comments sections, they'll do so again or stay home unless they "approve" of the Democratic candidate. Democracy is on the line, but that's not near as important as keeping a Bernie-type out of the WH!
Yes, and that Anyone in the media should still continue to present that TFG, this failed life form remains a credible candidate for Anything in 2024 should be given the same charges Leticia James just handed down,... not being able to work in that business anymore. New Yorkers have always known he was nothing but a charlatan so gave him little attention. His insistence, though on elevating his scam life, which his (then) friend Howard Stern always said would be his undoing, in the end only exposed him for what NY knew and now the world knows,... his entire existence has always been one of deception, a house-of-cards and one that sadly, his offspring chose to emulate. Not one of them has ever given the world anything of value. They have only taken from it.
So, now as we watch the E=mc2 of the universe attempt to rebalance the order of things and the bottom row of cards vibrate there is less joy but comfort that judges are among the first in the reestablishment of such order. Our response can only be as they themselves wrote,...... "we agree".
His reputation in NY and NJ has always been as a scam artist! He lies, never does what he says he will, treats people terribly and doesn’t give a rat’s ass about anything except his own pocketbook. He is a man without morals and has no remorse for anything. Cheers to NY’s AG!
I am just stunned at the success of the "media" at getting reasonable people to believe the garbage they put out. I have lost a cadre of friends who buy into the faux noise et.al. sources of what the "truth" is. My most recent battle (concerning the grandstanding of Florida's governor flying asylum seekers in Texas to Martha's Vineyard has demonstrated this to me.
We owe it all to the Americans who didn't vote and said "all politicians are bad. My vote doesn't mean a thing..."
And most of all, we owe it all those who closed their eyes, held their noses, covered their ears and voted for a con man, sexual assaulter, bigot and bully - for either a tax break or a chance to place radical judges in place to Make America Evangelical.
The greatest damnation of organized religion is their support of a demonstrably EVIL human who would rip away the rights of women.
Bill - you have poked the elephant in the room. You are absolutely right about organized evangelical Christian leadership. It's been reported it is facing extinction in our country (I don't see it here in TN). If so, the sooner the better. It's support of Trump (and continued support far as I can tell) was quite literally a deal with the devil, obvious from the start. That, and even worse, it's refusal to address real world issues (climate change being by far the most serious) - they are a clear and present danger to human society.
Working on a 'pep talk' brochure for new/reluctant voters. Tried the questions out on a 13 year-old while her mom registered and she aced it. ie, If a candidate tells you what they plan to do, how can you check up on them? Does your candidate try to win your vote with fear and anger, or hope and optimism? and so on.
Regarding your second sentence, listen to the Fresh Air interview of Geoffrey Berman from yesterday. Near the end Terry Gross asks him point blank two or three times about why he voted for Trump in light of all the information out there. Worth a listen. He said since Trump was a Democrat turned Republican that he would be transactional, that he would reach across the aisle and make deals and get stuff done. He does acknowledge that he was wrong in the book and on the air. But good grief, talk about having blinders on....
Yes, and this disease has been metastasizing among the "Christian" right for my entire life (I'm now 74). Their religion is now nothing but a bulging diaper covering a great steaming pile of racist, xenophobic resentment.
Why blame Clinton, Sanders and Stein? Blame the media who made a fortune out of airing the mango mob boss's theatrics and never brought up the serious issues that his candidacy raised...blame the brainwashed cultists who donate and uphold the mango mob boss...blame the equally culpable Republicans who continue to signal their tacit approval of mango's criminal antics by their silence.
Hillary was never going to get the votes of the "Deplorables". In light of what has happened since, I'd say she was too polite. Her biggest mistake was not bolstering her support in those states she took for granted.
Morning, Bill. Her biggest mistake was waiting for the moderator to halt Trump stalking her on stage. I implored to her silently with everything within me to turn on him with the ferocious response necessary in that moment. It was a staged, narcissistic, uncivilized stint on his part and in reality? Hilary, in that moment, needed to vanquish him.
I can only surmise she thinks back to it as it might have played out differently. That moment ended the “norm” of civilized, contentious campaigning.
A miserable campaigner, who won the popular vote as the first woman candidate for one of the major parties, in spite of Russian interference, Comey, and a media frenzy over her emails. It was definitely all her fault /s
Yes and let’s not forget her biggest mistake, being born a girl and becoming a smart and ambitious woman in a country that can’t get beyond its misogyny.
Thank you, KR, for your astute analysis. The idea that anyone could have chosen the Orange Menace over the candidate with a proven track record speaks to much more than whatever criticism could legitimately be leveled at her. Your only omission is that she won 3,000,000 votes more than OM did.
Hillary's "deplorable" comment was brilliant, and prescient. She was only wrong about one thing - it's a lot more than 47% of Republican voters who are deplorable.
"And Clinton was a miserable campaigner highlighted by her “deplorable “ comment." A popular trope among the self-annointed media "experts" who did such a find job enabling Trumpism in 2016. And who continue to do so now. It was bollocks then and it's bollocks now. Another reason not to get one's information from television and social media.
More like Facebook and Cambridge Analytica. And Hillary DID WIN the popular vote by no accident. Love-to-hate-her if you want, but she was the skilled statesman we needed.
Easy to blame Hillary, Bernie, and Jill But you are forgetting that trump’s election was foreshadowed by the Brexit vote, which stunned even those who voted for it! It was a season of overturning The Man, with results now regretted on both sides of the Atlantic.
Surely you jest or are just Trolling the audience. The country suffered thru over a decade of Bushes who could neither speak Or lead much less understand or care about decorum and diplomacy. They were literal puppets to their GOP masters that led us into endless wars based on greed and arrogance but, you wish to cite women and men that stood on principle (their own) and had the experience (their own) to back it up as reasons the US fell to a used car salesman?
Karl Rove saw intelligence in a woman over 3 decades ago and decided then to lay the groundwork to destroy her character in the public's eye, and he did. She lived with that and despite all of it went on to a distinguished and respected career of service at the highest levels, not to mention having (Real) "family values" the GOP Never had and stayed with her husband through the most agonizing public humiliation (think Ken Starr) imaginable.
So, if you don't like pant suits or the tone of someone's voice maybe next election look beyond that and into the depths of their beliefs and what they've ever done in life to back them up.
I agree with every word you said! The ability to manage public opinion with innuendo and snide comments rather than facts is frightening, and like you, I saw the campaign to discredit her while she was still First Lady.
BK - I often think about fate. In this instance, what if the 2016 election had gone just a bit differently (it would not have taken much at all) and HRC got the win. Now she would not have had a Senate in her pocket - it's true. But she'd have had Pelosi and the House. She had (has) the creds and the character and the nerve to be one of the best presidents this country has ever seen. She'd no doubt have been re-elected in 2020, and very possibly a big change in Senate power, and she would be president today, all the way until 2024. Our country would be light years ahead of what it is now (a pretty low bar I realize). But no - we got Trump. The biggest political disaster we have seen since Andrew Johnson.
James, Your intuition is spot on. With her credentials as First Lady, state senator and US Sec of State there was/is no question as to how qualified she was. Add to that having been on the receiving end of the GOP's relentless attacks of evil (vince foster death, pedophile ring in a pizza parlor, when she had pneumonia, Benghazi and of course "her emails") and weathered them all she would have known first hand how to deal with their campaigns of propaganda, lies and corruption. . So,...yeah, "we agree". She would have been great.
But, that said I will one-up you and add another to your list. Had Al Gore refused to accept the GOP's illigitimate back-door maneuver and been POTUS in 2000 as He deserved (another Dem win of the popular vote) just begin to imagine how much of a head start we'd have had on climate change, electric vehicles and the transition to sustainable power over fossil fuels? He was and remains the politician that knew more science and what was coming than anyone. There was nobody remotely close.
Time and time again the GOP has stolen elections, supreme court nominations, judgeships, etc, etc and time and time again the Dems have stepped aside doing what they believed was the "right thing" (for the country) only to discover it was always Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown.
Thanks for reminding us the Hillary would have been an excellent POTUS!
What? HRC or Bernie would have made great presidents. If you think another would have been alot better, then blame the DNC for not doing more to promote that candidate. But they, like the RNC, went with the candidate they felt had the best chance of winning. We owe it all to the Republican party and Russia, and social media who did nothing to manage the astounding dis-information campaign. And, to a large segment of the US voting populace who willfully latched onto an obviously corrupt and disturbed leader because they liked the message (think on that for a bit) and believed the nonsense.
Actually, no, we don't. But if that makes you feel good, go ahead and keep telling yourself that. It doesn't matter much at this point unless you decide to commit political suicide and just not vote in November.
I blame the main stream media for giving the monster all that free air time! They repeated every work that came out if his mouth. Even the BAD and crude things he said that were televised were good for him as it was free advertising! They are why he was elected. And Comey of course with his last minute investigation!
In all fairness, he also waved his stubby fingers and muttered Mystical Incantations cribbed from old copies of "Dr. Strange" at the time. "By the hoary hosts of Hoggoth, I declare these documents declassified!!"
If wishes were horses than tFG would ride away from all his self make troubles. This imaginary horse has been serving him well but is faltering now and will soon vanish and he will settle on the dusty road to walk to justice.
What nonsense the orange idjit blithers when he is clearly on the ropes! In what universe would ANY country allow declassification of secret documents by the political leader merely "thinking about it"???? The mango mob boss of Mar-A-Lardo has lost his grip on reality.
My apologies, I was referring to 100panthers comment, specifically his last line about Trump's thinking. Joe Biden is a very coherent thinker and his presidency is improving by leaps and bounds, despite all the horrific shit thrown his way by Trump and Putin, to name only two. If we survive the next few months, we will remember Biden as heroic.
He cannot even put together a coherent sentence! Never finishes a full sentence or thought…just rambles. That he was ever elected president is beyond my comprehension.
Yes indeed! Sorry about my lack of clarity. Replies to comments sometimes end up pretty far away from the original comment (by 100panthers, in this case). Our current president is both thoughtful and coherent.
We call all former Presidents "President" for life. We currently have President Carter, President Bush, President Obama, President Trump, and President Biden.
When one becomes a CONVICTED felon, Hale. Then all should be removed from tfg. His pension, his secret service. Of course, he’ll have lots of guards in jail….
"You’re the president of the United States, you can declassify…even by thinking about it.'” And the saddest realization coming from this is the large number of people who have and will contine to buy into it.
John In The Music Man Harold Hill stated that kids could learn to play an instrument by thinking about it. The music that this produced could have been appropriate music forTrump’s false facts follies—meaningless dissonance.
DeSantis must be jumping up and down as the control of the Republican Party and 2024 nomination so gradually slides toward him. Wonder, just, will DeSantis campaign get Mar a Lago as well? Appraisal dropped to $75 million. A steal at $50.
100Panthers It seems that Trump is so ‘scared and soiling his panties’ that currently he is ignoring his once flaming bromance with Putin. A true captain would go down with his s==t.
If TFG had not run for president, I believe that his property tax and bank fraud would have never seen the light of day. It’s scary to think how many other real estate moguls are still getting away with it.
That said, I’d love to read the full statement by the appeals court that delivered a strong rebuke of Judge Cannon. Between that and Judge Dearing’s statements, she must feel that she’s back in school getting a failing grade on an exam. It’s so nice to see the rule of law prevail over political and business corruption.
I said, as tfg’s legal problems started to snowball, wouldn’t it be the ultimate karma if he brought this all on himself by running for president? I think he did. I read the 11th Circuit’s opinion. It used words like “abused her discretion.” I hope Judge Cannon gets it.
If all she cares about is Leonard, you’re right. If she cares about her former classmates, professors and other lawyers (and fellow judges), she’s finding that (as the book title says) “Everything Trump Touches Dies”.
Her incoherent nonsensical word salad rulings indicate that a third party either suggested text (or it was written for her) as she cares not about peer review, but rather has bought into the Authoritarian MAGA ideological cult of personality which forms her fealty to trumpism
I used to be a commercial appraiser, for Cushman, no less. To my knowledge, this is absolutely not normal behavior. Nudging appraisers to get certain values, yes, but this degree of fraud? No. Cushman documents stuff, and I’d be very surprised if there weren’t contemporaneous notes of every phone call. Whether they’re still in the files is another question. But people were on those calls, and can testify. Cushman won’t go down for him.
And still moreover, it is one thing to expose trump real estate fraud (which by extension should lead to investigation of all NYC real estate practices), and actually following through and holding them accountable. That last part seems to always be missing.
I thought the same thing Mary - if T had never run for president, probably none of this would have been exposed. He's his own worst enemy and just can't keep his mouth shut. A very sick man.
There's a link in this Washington Post article to a downloadable pdf of the 11th District's ruling. Search on '29-page opinion' https://wapo.st/3Lzfw2a
Meanwhile anti-war protests are happening in Russia. Public anti-governmemt protests in Putin's Russia! That fact alone is an indication of Putin's waning grip on power. The courage of those Russian protestors matches the courage of Ukrainians defending their country against Putin's invasion.
This could be the beginning of a sea change in global politics. A serious pro-democracy movement could get started in Russia emerging from an anti-war movement. Western democracies must do all they can to encourage and nurture such a movement. Viktor Orban in Hungary is likely watching events in Ukraine and Russia very closely. Hungary could be next.
You're afraid Putin might be replaced by another Putin? I'm sure there are severl scheming that possibility this very minute. And it could also turn out that the Russian people are the ones who apply the pressure for democratic reforms.
I think the Russian people are the toughest people on Earth. Over the last hundred years they have endured more than most of us could have survived. And they will survive Putin.
The long wait is over. TFG, President Trump, will be fully investigated, charged, tried, convicted and sentenced. His sentence for federal and state crimes will by law involve Secret Service agents. Thus, the circumstances of incarceration will be unique. Think of the vicious King of Belgium incarcerated in his castle like home in southern France after his crimes in harvesting rubber in The Congo. Mark Twain reported those facts. Think of Napoleon’s incarceration on an island. Trump will be incarcerated... for years. Multiple crimes will be investigated and prosecuted.
The long wait is over. No one is above the law. Trump’s co conspirators will be charged, convicted and sentenced.
Judge John Sirica sentenced President Nixon. TIME put him on the cover.
Who will TIME honor this time? Justice was made likely by two Americans that met in a hearing. One was elected to congress and is serving. The other served time.
How about AOC and Michael Dean Cohen? Each can do time on the cover of TIME.
Justice and politics makes for strange bed fellows.
Let’s hear it for TIME, serving time for justice, and two honest Americans in dialogue.
Socrates would love this opportunity. As would Mark Twain.
As do I. I love AOC and I love Michael Dean Cohen and his honest daughter. Our children want to be proud of themselves and their parents.
It’s time. Let’s make our children proud.
To Justice. To truth. To Q and A.
To love and to children of all colors and ages everywhere.
"You're the President of the United States, you can declassify... even by thinking about it".
So, it's an insanity plea he is setting up for?
Holy shit.
Loren Michaels, this is your opening monolog on a silver platter.
I do hope that the civil lawsuit brought forth by NY AG James has the teeth necessary to open doors needed to the IRS. That path could possibly stop this Trump train on its tracks.
And funding for the IRS was increased to re-fill long open positions and bring their systems into this millennium. Whose advantage was it to keep them understaffed and working with antiquated equipment?
Ohio Republican candidate J. D. Vance is running on the fact that opponent Tim Ryan voted for the increase in IRS funding, that it will punish the little guy with scads of IES audits. Sigh.
McConnell and dark money have poured millions into his campaign. His puppets want win. Tim Ryan is tough. All sane people support his platform. Predict win for Ryan.
Vance is just too vacuous. Many of his supporters are embarrassed being told to support him.
He's also harping on some sort of "tax increase" that Ryan voted for. For the life of me, I can't figure out what tax increase was passed recently. Unless they are considering the Infrastructure Bill a tax increase?
The recent Inflation Reduction Act which includes taxing taxpayers who earn (I hope net) $400,000 or more. Not a lot of us peons out here who come even close to that amount.
Sadly, there isn't much joy in seeing rational minds prevail over the craven imperial fever dreams of His Narcissistic Orangeness. Likewise there isn't much joy in hearing of a Ukranian rout of Russion troops out of a sizable swath of occupied territory. The fact remains, these stories still represent a horrible stain on the rule of law, both national and international, that won't be washed clean ever. Russia still controls a world-annihilating arsenal of nuclear weapons. Personally, I don't believe that Putin will hesitate to use a few of them if he thinks it's in his best interest, and the only real concerns he has are his own party members and perhaps the Russian military, if the generals think he's taking them over a cliff. I don't think he's constrained in the least by Europe or the US. These latest news items on the domestic front make me sigh in relief; "Finally, voices of reason are making themselves heard", but no real celebration is forthcoming. I'll know the western nations are really serious when Germany sends some Leapord tanks, the US sends some F-16s, the French send some of their latest Mirage fighters and a few thousand cruise missiles, attack drones are immediately transported from the entire NATO block into Ukraine. Why not seize Russian ships on the open seas, stop their oil exports cold? Why not lock down Kalingrad from all sides until the Donbas and Crimea are returned to Kyiv? Russia made it's intentions quite clear when tanks rolled across the Ukranian border from 3 sides. When will the Western Block makes it's intentions bluntly clear?
I guess I'm not so evolved as all that. I am taking -- well, not joy, exactly, but relief so profound as to be a kind of joy. Trump has been like something stuck in the toilet drain. We are finally seeing that clot move through.
Good analogy Joseph. And it does seem that the walls are increasingly closing in. Now, for the Jan 6 committee to drop some more bombshells next week. However I am not counting my chickens before they hatch. Trump is like a healthy fly that has a magical ability to avoid the swatter. How's that for analogies?
Escalation begets escalation. I am with you emotionally. But you suggest a dangerous path. Putin doesn't care if the winds carry nuclear dust all over his nation - killing millions. He is immune to such emotions.
I really believe that Putin will be removed from office. The conscription of 300,000, the 80,000 Russians already killed, the crippled economy are riling up people.
Oligarchs don't like failure or the confiscation of funds. They really like to bring their yachts into groovy vacation spots....part of the deal with Putin was having an international playground - not being pariahs among the jet setters. Don't underestimate the power of being shunned and shamed.
And as thousands of Russians flee conscription, they will be exposed to the truth about Putin's war from the perspective of the West and innocent Ukrainians. They will be calling home...
"they will be exposed to the truth" - and we know, from their friends in Ukraine, that they've only been exposed to propaganda. Having all their menfolk sent off to be killed isn't what they'd been led to expect. If Putin has studied Russia's history as carefully as we are told, he'll know what happened in Leningrad, his birthplace, from 1941 to 1944, facts and horrifying figures. And although he was a babe in arms when Stalin died, he'll also know those statistics as well. So who's his hero model? Ivan the Terrible?
There is an awfully lot of them falling out of windows. I can’t remember where I read about the elite Chechyen group living in comparative luxury in Moscow to provide assassin services for Putrid.
Vlad is counting on a Repub take over in Nov just as chump is. I remember Helsinki. I’d bet what’s left of my life that Vlad expected chump to “win” and support his evil. He should not have counted his chickens before they hatched.
Helsinki was about four months before the huge centenary of WWI observance in Paris, when TFG's bizarre sulk raised many eyebrows. The thunderclouds lifted for a instant, as he sat in the front row of VIPs, and he saw Putin coming. His face lit up and shone, they shook hands, and he subsided again as Putin kept going to his allocated seat. I won't go into the rest of his behaviour, which has been well documented, but it may be wondered just what he did during the second day when on the excuse of bad weather he skipped the major visit to American war graves and didn't stir from his lodging. He left Paris on the third day.
I’m praying the Dems hold the Senate and the House but those chickens may not hatch either. If the GOP gets control we are in a world of 💩. Ukraine also if they take away US support. So many things are on the line November 8th. 🙏🏻
If you say there is no joy in "hearing of a Ukrainian rout of Russian troops out of a sizeable swath of occupied territory", you have not been following these people's stories on media like Twitter and seen the hugs and tears of joy as mothers, fathers, and children separated by six months of war and often great distances are reunited. I can think of few greater joys. A "stain on the rule of law"? I don't think so.
We can agree to differ in our views on this. I haven’t completely missed others’ experiences of joy, although I don’t tweet, tick OR tick, nor do I instagram. These joyful reunions are occurring in a wasteland of war, amongst the graves, mass graves and blown up bits of human beings too shattered to bury. They will rebuild and a different set of graves will remain as a reminder of what happened. I have seen the military cemetaries of WW1 in the Alsaise; they brought tears to my eyes at the sheer magnitude of sorrow that hovers over those fields, impeccably groomed. War is a definition of breakdown in civil society, where people decide to stop respecting others’ right to live in peace. The stain lives on decades and even centuries after the guns go silent.
When dealing with a madman who has the power to end life on earth as we know it, playing Chicken at 120 mph, is perhaps a bridge too far
Diplomacy and pressure are having an effect. Careful strategy is resulting in the uprising of his own people. None of them care to die for Putin’s crazed ego either
Will he kill all of them? Or will his Capo’s flinch and take him out themselves?
My bet is on the Inner Circle tightening the noose around his neck
I’m not generally a betting woman, but I’d bet the American military is taking Putin’s nuke threats seriously enough to be in position to counter them quickly and harshly. And that Putin knows it.
As per Putin and nuclear weapons. Studies have shown that as few as 10 could annihilate humanity. Only a madman would engage in such nonsense. At the end of the day, with assumably billions stashed in foreign accounts, I would think that Putin disappears. That being said, he would leave behind a cadre of other hard liners who have enabled him.
Nathan, I do believe you've hit upon a great acronym for Rump: "His Narcissistic Orangeness", or HNO for short. "TFG" was so .... flattering, and "HNOFDASOB" might be unwieldy. Can we all agree on "HNO"? It's brilliant :-)
So, no more money to pay Wagner. 300,000 conscripts forced to the front? On pain of....? Are they going to do it? The devil at their backs, the deep blue sea straight ahead.
NO ONE who has ever dealt with the federal government would believe there was NO pricedure written down for something so important as declassifying top secret information. As usual, the GOP thinks the American public is still living in a pre-computer non-global world. No one would buy this, nit even Qanoners.
No formal process? How did the documents get classified in the first place?
Ordinary citizens have seen so many examples of complex processes- income tax returns, social security benefits, FEMA benefits, HIPPA rules, COBRA even immigration rules.
As to Trump Family Fraud, thank you Professor Richardson for NOT referring to DT Jr, IT & ET as the "kids". Thank you AG, Letitia James for your focused perseverance to detail the "astounding" scope of the systemic fraud against New York, banks, insurance companies, the IRS & each one of us taxpayers. Good to see convicted AW & co-conspirator JM as named Defendants in this Civil suit. Thank you Michael Cohen for serving your time & naming names in this tightly controlled corporation run by tfg, the Wreck.
"Putin also said that 'Russia will use all the instruments at its disposal to counter a threat against its territorial integrity—this is not a bluff.' " Use of tactical nukes is a really a frightening thought, especially as it could easily trigger the use of the big strategic stuff. Most of the world (except possibly China) seems united in opposition to Putin's aggression. Tolerance to Hitler's early moves is a grim reminder of what can happen when someone like Putin is left unchecked. Still, a general nuclear war is almost beyond comprehension. Let's all hope that Putin is toppled from within before this spins out of control.
A cornered Putin, like a cornered chump, is the most dangerous animal. I have long said that he will stop at nothing, I hope I am wrong. Applies to both
Morning, all!! Morning, Dr. R!! Great stuff in tonight's Letter, as with all the newsletters I am reading!
Today, Thursday, the Senate R's will filibuster the Disclose Act, a bill that would "require corporations, trade associations and nonprofit organizations that engage in electioneering to publicly disclose donors who contribute more than $10,000 over two years."
I forgot to remember how we're supposed to know there's a filibuster going on down on the floor, since no one has to actually filibuster to keep a bill from even being considered for a vote.
Why bother to even try, you ask? Simply put, "...supporters say the vote will bring public focus to the issue, as voters become inundated with political messaging heading into the fall midterm elections."
Also, let's not forget to remember how effective R's are at maintaining their successful minority sticking to the issues they deem important for as long as it takes. I cite Roe v Wade as a perfect example. We should take heed.
While it sounds as if Ms Letitia James' Civil Law suit will finally hit tfg and his crooked family members, the developments in Russia and the renewed nuclear threat are very disconcerting. So is the sad fact that most GOP still don't see what an incredible imbecile was president of this once beautiful country after his latest interview with Fox... Are there really that many uneducated people in the USA who don't realize that 'just thinking about declassifying highly sensitive documents pertaining to the NATIONAL Security of the country (which includes even Republicans!)' might not do the trick?
Now THAT'S a great question! I have delightful, imaginative dreams of seeing Rupert Murdoch having his U.S. citizenship ripped from him and tossed out of the country on his greed-ridden, wrinkled arse. In reality I know it won't happen, but it is still a beguiling dream.
The difference between Putin's Army and Stalin's Army is Putin's Army doesn't have a battalion of NKVD secret police troops behind every frontline unit, charged with summary execution of anyone who tried to retreat or who didn't advance fast enough. Units that were unsuccessful were taken out of the line and the officers and leading NCOs were then shot and the troops sent to penal battalions where they performed such duties as minefield clearance in the next attack - by running across the field ahead of the advance and "clearing" the mines. It was "perform or die" 77 years ago.
As to today's 11th Circuit decision, Joyce Vance observed at her Substack that "whoever wrote this decision enjoyed their work."
In the study of battles, it's commonly observed that in each battle, there comes a time - despite whatever hard effort remains - where one side cannot lose and the other side cannot stop losing. I think maybe, perhaps, possibly, today is that day in our war with Trump. As Napoleon observed at the Battle of Austerlitz, "Never interrupt an enemy who is defeating himself."
Morning TC.
Please accept usual “sizzlin” as well as additional praise of brilliant.
It’s has been so valuable to me to have military historian insight into the many battles being waged. And then add Professor Richardson’s uncanny ability to link historical relevance to present day.
Both insights giving a window to solutions.
Grateful every day for Substack authors. And the forums created.
Unita. 🗽
And that's what Mikhail Kutuzof must have been thinking as Napoleon's army rolled merrily into Moscow.
Yeah, the two best armies Russia ever put in the field was 1812 and World War 2. Overall the best was 1812, which had good leadership as was shown in the fights from then to Waterloo.
According to Tolstoy, the Russian army did best when it _didn't_ fight, but just watched the French army disintegrate.
Am reading War & Peace right now - about 300 pages in.
Ah, I have not read this in a while. This is an appropriate time to pick it up again! Thanks for the reminder.
Wonderful book, full of real people, not invented characters. But then, many of them are based on members of Tolstoy's family. Boris' wedding proposal, unveiling the painting before Moscow, Kutuzov reviewing the prisoners -- classic scenes!
I am loving it but afraid to read the comments - I'm only 300 pages in.
“Umm, Pardon’ General, when do we get to eat?”
Am reading Peter the Great right now. About 225 pages in. So much in common with what's going on today.
See Edward Tufte's poster "Napoleon's March" https://www.edwardtufte.com/tufte/posters
It tells the story of the War of 1812 in one page.
A book I must read!
TC,
If Trump sold what I think he did to Saudi Arabia, he has WAY more to worry about than the DOJ.
And, I think he already received his heads up........his ex wife.
: -) How is that for good Conspiracy Theory?
Hmmm - please elaborate! One thing is for sure - there has been no reporting what so ever as to exactly why he took these documents. If I know Trump, it was for nefarious reasons.
James,
In the NY Times, at one point, they raised the possiblity that (other countries) Nuclear Capability had been pilfered by Trump.
As soon as I read about that I thought about the $2 Billion that Jared, a never even tried it before "investment manager" received from the Saudis.
Saudi Arabia has long sought details of Israel's nuclear capability all of which came from the US.
IF Trump sold out Israel, then, based on Israel's history, Trump won't last long.
His ex wife was already found at the bottom of a long stairwell in apartment she had lived in for many years with no incident.
ALL of this is conspiracy theory based on a one time NY Times speculative article.
Interesting speculation.
(no negative intended personally): can we stop using the term "conspiracy theory"? These are not theories.
In everyday use, the word "theory" often means an untested hunch, or a guess without supporting evidence. But for scientists, a theory has nearly the opposite meaning. A theory is a well-substantiated explanation of an aspect of the natural world that can incorporate laws, hypotheses and facts.
So can we call them "conspiracy hunches" or "conspiracy guesses", or best of all "fictionalized bullshit"?
Let's stick with the scientific definition of the word.
I vote for “fictionalized bullshit.” The term “conspiracy theory” is a gross (in every sense) glorification of its intended meaning.
TCinLA
GOSSIP
As in little old ladies yacking over the fence as they hang the days laundry out to dry in the sweet fresh air you could actually enjoy breathing on the newest retractable clothesline of the 1950's!
https://www.grainger.com/product/15V286?gucid=N:N:PS:Paid:GGL:CSM-2295:4P7A1P:20501231&gclid=Cj0KCQjwj7CZBhDHARIsAPPWv3eOf8IhJaAcRCpSf7jA4wKBGbLX8HQTMMMFqQtJdNjj0h9Zrf_jDOQaAvXuEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
"Conspiracy narrative" is probably more accurate, IMO.
I agree that the scientific sense of "theory" and it's standard of evidence supporting confidence rather than case-closed certainty, needs way more public exposure and understanding. That said, I think the word "theory" as speculation is OK so long as as we don't let speculation does not get ahead of itself. I have zero evidence of what Trump may have been up to except echoing James Wheaton above, he has proven abundantly that he is irresponsible as hell, and tends to press his own selfish interests over that of the common weal; which is pretty much the modern orientation of his whole party. That's my theory.
That would be good, yes. The anti-science crowd loves to misuse the word "theory" for their own ends.
james wheaton (Jay)
FOLLOW THE MONEY, Eh!?
Yes - especially with Trump.
Always!
😱 I’ve been wondering who pushed her!
😳 that thought crossed my mind when it happened! Did they do an autopsy? Or do you suppose that’s why she was buried on a golf course so exhuming the body would be more difficult ? Yikes!
And not just any golf course, but his golf course.
Cecile Thomson
Replacing a really big divot may get ugly, Eh!?
I'm curious as to what you mean when you refer to the above . . . he’s received his heads up …. his ex wife?
Yes. Exactly. A little heads up of what is in store for him.
There are several ways to “read” this - hopefully Justice will prevail!
Well he wouldn’t want actual truths to be revealed would he?! tfg has just been one nightmare after another! I long for the day we no longer hear his name or hear his idiotic versions of the “truth”. 🙏
Debbie Danks
Or show photos/videos...YIKES!!!!
Great insight today and brilliant quote about Austerlitz.
But from the beginning of this latest Russian fiasco I have marveled at Putin’s demonstrations of the brilliance of Sun Tzu’s “Art of War.”
The Dictator has missed every requirement for victory of the ancient advice. The summoning of Ill prepared troops is the frosting on the cake.
But Putin obviously used poor Intelligence to plan the invasion, devised terrible supply chokepoints, created animus in the Ukrainians by destructive artillery / rocket attacks, had superannuated battlefield tactics and insufficient armaments all of which point to continuing self destruction.
I’m sure Clausewitz’ warnings can add layers of derision on this war but for all the destructiveness of the war the Trump wannabe certainly provides a mountain of rich material for the students of war.
Putin's war against Ukraine now and his efforts to get Russian men to fight as detailed by historian Timothy Snyder.
'Putin knows that most Russians do not really care about Ukraine, except in the sense of enjoying a war on television. But the war is going so badly that the television version is getting hard to sustain. Putin needs some Russians to get up from the couch and fight, and has announced a “partial mobilization.” To convince Russian men to fight, and families not to rebel, he has altered his characterization of the war. It was once a “special military operation” that was to destroy Ukraine in three days. Now it is a grand struggle to defend civilization, etc. But a defensive war must be fought on Russian territory.'
'Ergo, Putin must present Ukrainian territory that the Ukrainians are taking back as Russian territory; and ergo, he must have a media exercise to pretend that “referendums” have taken place, and that people in Ukrainian regions want to join Russia. Presto-chango-russo: a tyrant’s wish, a few lines of script on Russian television, a few lines of code on Russian media websites, and territories become Russian! This quavering postmodern improvisation will convince no one beyond Russia, and it might not even convince Russians. But now that Putin has decided, the media exercise to support his magical thinking must go forward.'
'At a certain moment, Russian media will just declare that (something like) 97% of the people of Donetsk region want to join Russia, 96% in Luhansk, 86% in Zaporizhia, 80% in Kherson. These numbers will be invented, made up. They are already in a file somewhere. There will be no more reason to report those numbers in a sentence with the word "referendum" or “vote” in it than there would be to report my claim, made here, that 97% of the inhabitants of Brooklyn wish to join Mississippi.'
'It is beside the point to say that such numbers are implausible, because they will just be invented. When we already know that something is made up, we don’t usually stop to think whether we might have believed it anyway. But yes, the fictions provided in the media exercise will be implausible. And deliberately so. The way Russian electoral propaganda works is to tell a lie that everyone knows is a lie, and then to show by force that there is no alternative to living as though the lie were true. So we will get North Korean numbers, because that is how the system works.
So this Russian media exercise is ludicrous. But it is not funny. It is obscene.'
'What about the dead? What about the more than 100,000 Ukrainian the Russians killed in Mariupol? How should we think about their “votes”? What about the more than three million Ukrainian citizens whom Russia has forcibly deported, many of whom are now in camps? In the regions where the media exercise will be applied, Russia has destroyed city after city. Everywhere Russia occupied territory, it leaves behind mass graves. When I was in Ukraine a couple of weeks ago, I visited one of them, as well as the homes of people who had lost family members. While I was in Ukraine, the Ukrainian army liberated much of Kharkiv region, and now we know of more mass graves, for example in Izyum.'
'That is the world in which the media exercise is undertaken. When Russia claims that huge majorities of Ukrainians want to join Russia, they are claiming that Ukrainians like death pits, that Ukrainians like torture, that Ukrainians like deportation, that Ukrainians like to have their homes destroyed and their cities obliterated.'
'The ongoing Russian media exercise ("referendums") is an obscenity. When Russian media announces the invented “results,” Moscow will be claiming that Ukrainians wish to celebrate their own ongoing genocide by joining the country that is perpetrating it. Such an attempt at public humiliation is despicable. The Russian media exercise is nothing more and nothing less than an element of ongoing Russian war crimes.' (TimothySnyder, Thinking about...)
Oh!
Fern!
You win!
Congratulation for the longest and most unoriginal comment today...why not just post the link that you copied from, Eh!?
Your presumption that we do not read almost seems you may be projecting a message upon us?
Your mouth to God's ears in respect of the failed insurrectionist.
Ah, Nappy Darling, “food for my horses, mud and snow for my men”
Another difference worth noting is that Ukrainian forces are a little gentler with Russian POWs than the Nazis were with the Soviets.
Ironically, Napoleon apparently forgot that advice when he invaded Russia.
That said, the closer Putin and Trump come to destruction, the more dangerous they become. Putin is calculating and Trump is just off the rails, but they're both narcissistic sociopaths who clearly care for nothing aside from their narrow self interest and nobody other than themselves. They're both capable of destroying everything around them in a final petty act of revenge.
Like President Clark in "Babylon 5": scorched earth. https://youtu.be/6k-d7-l5v3A
Yes, old Napoleon ended up proving his own aphorism.
And yes, there's a well-known story about Putin's "Yard Punk" childhood where he chased a rat in the apartment complex and cornered it, and then it bared its teeth, leaped out and chased him. He says it was the most important learning experience he ever had.
Apparently Vlad forgot his lesson as well. He put Ukrainians in the same position as that cornered rat. And then was unprepared to be bitten.
TCinLA
A Napoleonic augmentation observation...
Trump is not interested in winning what is obviously the inevitable predictability of his well-deserved trouncing’s of all his various court battles, (envision him hanging from a tree in the middle of oblivion, his mushy belly jiggling upon the adipose flap of his “muffin-top”, his eyes just beginning to pop out as the noose of rough oversized rope he has been knitting for his last seventy years nearly comes to his inevitable castigated betekenis, popping, snapping, squeaking…Oh! Wait…that painfully vented cacophony actually might have been his last pronouncement most generously bequeathed unto us in the form of a series of disgusting off-tune staccato-like flatulent exclamations), he just wants to prolong his farce judicialnesses until the repugnacious “Calvary” saves his big fat lily white bigoterd ass this November
George,
Umm.....well written for sure. No doubt. But,...... just a bit too grisly for me.
And, I am a long time Steven King reader.
:-)
BWAHAHAHA!😂😂😂
Thank you for saving me trouble of recounting Stalin’s efforts to stiffen the Red Army, which were aided by the fact that the German invaders were foreign, and incredibly (in the true sense) brutal.
The economics term Escalation of Commitment / sunk cost fallacy / over commitment comes to mind.
Poor rump and putin, the laws of physics are catching up to them. Permanently etched in my mind in the early reign of rump was the spectacle of both of them strutting together like swollen cocks, drenched in their glory, backed by their positions of power. Ironically, both chumps are presently experiencing the law of nature as it pertains to the slowly boiling frog. If thrown in a pot of boiling water the frog instinctively jumps out. However, if the frog is placed in cold water and the heat is slowly but continuously turned up, the frog will ignore the increasing heat and boil to death. What's happening to both of them is truly biblical....
A common problem with criminals of all types is that if they manage to get away with their crimes for long enough, they start to think of themselves as invulnerable. At which point they get sloppy and the slope starts to get slippery.
Putin still has his finger on the largest nuclear arsenal in the world....and just what was tfg doing with all those highly classified nuclear documents???
Well, yes, those are the nightmare scenarios I mentioned in another comment. A narcissistic sociopath is at their most dangerous when they see the ground is collapsing underneath them.
that may yet happen
Yikes. Thanks for this. So much to learn in the world. So much under the radar
Putin's army does not have NKVD backstop units -- yet -- but it should be noted that there are some reports that on the Kherson front rear units are taking positions on the left bank of the Dnipro to keep Russian units trapped in Kherson from retreating across the river. So, no NKVD troops yet, but I suspect they will be resurrected soon.
I don't believe Putin is as clueless as Trump, but they do seem to share a strong tendency to double down on a weak hand. It is truly discouraging to realize how much our lives depend on the moods and whims of such scoundrels.
TRUMP – PUTIN: HOW ARE THEY DOING? SNAPSHOTS OF EACH TAKEN FROM THE FRONT PAGES OF THE NEW YORK TIME AND THE WASHINGTON POST
- The American public’s views of former President Donald J. Trump have remained remarkably stable across a number of different measures in recent months, even as he faces multiple investigations and as he remains a central figure in the midterm elections, according to the most recent New York Times/Siena College poll.
- Overall, 44 percent of voters viewed Mr. Trump favorably, and 53 percent viewed him unfavorably. The recent poll was fielded early this month, after news of the Justice Department’s inquiry into Mr. Trump’s handling of confidential documents but before the New York attorney general announced she was suing Mr. Trump and his family business.
- That level of Trump support has effectively been unchanged since the last Times/Siena poll, which was fielded in July amid televised hearings by the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol. It was also fundamentally similar to levels of support Times/Siena polls and other surveys found in recent years. (NYTimes,Sept. 22, 2022)
Washington Post, September 21, 2022 at 5:59 p.m. EDT,
- Over 1,000 Russian Protesters Arrested After Putin Mobilizes More Troops
- Putin drafts up to 300,000 reservists, backs annexation amid war losses
- Putin’s decision to order the partial mobilization, to call up as many as 300,000 reservists, reflected his diminishing options in trying to reverse some awful defeats on the battlefield, including a lightning Ukrainian offensive that forced Russian troops to retreat from the northeast Kharkiv region.
- While Putin stopped short of declaring a full mobilization, which would entail a national draft, the partial mobilization immediately began upending the lives of reservists.
- Within hours of President Vladimir Putin’s speech declaring a partial military mobilization on Wednesday, men all over Russia — including some who had tried for months to ignore the messy war in Ukraine — suddenly found their lives thrown into chaos as they were summoned to duty. The men, mostly reservists under 35 who served in the army and have junior military ranks, were handed written notices in their offices or at their homes. In some cases, they had their identity documents checked on the street and were told to appear for a health check. Others got orders by telephone.
- Anxious relatives, meanwhile, began searching for ways to flee the country or otherwise avoid their loved ones being called for service. Flights to the few cities abroad still offering direct service to Russia — most destinations have been cut off by sanctions — were suddenly sold out.
- In response to Putin’s decree, criticism of the war, which had been rising internationally and at home despite a severe Kremlin crackdown on dissent, suddenly burst into the open.
- Relatively contained but significant protests erupted not only in the big cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg, but also in Novosibirsk in remote Siberia. By Wednesday evening, more than 1,000 people had been arrested across the country, according to OVD-Info, an independent group monitoring protest activity in Russia — a remarkable number given that criticism of the war is potentially punishable by long prison sentences.
- In the capital, hundreds chanted “Let our children live!” and “Send Putin to the trenches!” as they walked along Arbat Street. Videos on social media showed police officers arresting demonstrators and loading them onto police vans and buses, including a man shouting “No to war
- In St. Petersburg, police officers were seen beating protesters with batons and harshly breaking up crowds. At the small protest in Novosibirsk, a man was detained as he shouted at police officers, “I don’t want to die for Putin and you!”
- An online petition against mobilization, initiated last spring, suddenly spiked to more than 292,000 signatures.
Are they movable? Will the devastating details of the NY Attorney General's sweeping lawsuit that accused Donald J. Trump, his family business and three of his children of lying to lenders and insurers by fraudulently overvaluing his assets by billions of dollars have any influence on Trump's loyal following? What if Trump's base remains as is? We imagine it lessening, what if it grows?
To what extent is Putin's position threatened by discord within Russia from top to bottom?
According to Swedish Radio the Russians have made a pun of Russian for 'mobilization'; with a slight change it means 'burialization' - The image of 'partial mobilization' would then be a man putting his head in the sand!
Hi Olof, I had a terrible reply to you and deleted it as unsuitable given the misery of the reservists and the rest of the Russian people. Putin's a world class monster. We've got a collection of our own.
See you later!
Fighting men aren't Putin's only worry about his war against Ukraine. As I know that your head is not in the sand, Olof, I think you may be interested in the following
— from CNN
'Vladimir Putin can call up all the troops he wants, but Russia has no way of getting those new troops the training and weapons they need to fight in Ukraine any time soon.'
'With his invasion of Ukraine faltering badly, the Russian President on Wednesday announced the immediate “partial mobilization” of Russian citizens. Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Russian television that the country will call up 300,000 reservists.'
'If they end up facing Ukrainian guns on the front lines, they are likely to become the newest casualties in the invasion Putin started more than seven months ago and that has seen the Russian military fail at almost every aspect of modern war.'
“The Russian military is not currently equipped to rapidly and effectively deploy 300,000 reservists,” said Alex Lord, Europe and Eurasia specialist at the Sibylline strategic analysis firm in London.'
“Russia is already struggling to effectively equip its professional forces in Ukraine, following significant equipment losses during the war,” Lord said.'
'The recent Ukrainian offensive, which has seen Kyiv recapture thousands of square meters of territory, has taken a significant toll.'
'The Institute for the Study of War earlier this week said analysis from Western experts and Ukrainian intelligence found Russia had lost 50% to 90% of its strength in some units due to that offensive, and vast amounts of armor.'
'Russia's military divided as Putin struggles to deal with Ukraine's counteroffensive, US sources say.
And that comes on top of staggering equipment losses over the course of the war.'
'The open source intelligence website Oryx, using only losses confirmed by photographic or video evidence, has found Russian forces have lost more than 6,300 vehicles, including 1,168 tanks, since the fighting began.'
“In practice, they don’t have enough modern equipment … for that many new troops,” said Jakub Janovsky, a military analyst who contributes to the Oryx blog.'
'JT Crump, CEO of Sibylline and a veteran of 20 years in the British military, said Russia is beginning to suffer ammunition shortages in some calibers and is looking for sources of key components so it can repair or build replacements for weapons lost on the battlefield.'
'It’s not just tanks and armored personnel carriers that have been lost.'
Fern, you know you ROCK!
Kim, I have thought about you and missed you. You will hear from me -- you know where tomorrow . Later.
I saw the cost of plane tickets out of Russia....incredible. Maybe this is what will push the Russian public past the breaking point. As for death star's cult, we can't move those true believers. What I observe is dead silence in terms of post from my ex-classmate in Indiana about January 6th and all the investigations. Before she was busy finding ways to defend all the nonsense. Political ads here have become nasty. I do like the one the shows the R candidate in our new Congressional district had his girlfriend have an abortion, dropped her off there and paid for it. Mostly what we see from Rs is pictures of tents, protests, noise about D's defunding police. The latest from our D candidate in our district tells how she voted for much additional money for the state police. I do think the races will be close. I hope Ds prevail.
Thank you for your reporting, Michele.
You are welcome. I just saw on another site a reference to someone dying in Russia of "tall building syndrome."
Thank You Fern!
Frightening . Thanks for this info Fern
A strong ego resists reason.
Truth. Perception is reality to a closed, narcissistic, self-absorbed mind.
As demonstrated repeatedly by tfg.
More like a sick ego than a strong one.
Yes, this isn't about a strong ego at all. It's about a frail ego, trying to compensate, no matter the consequence.
I am a Buddhist. It’s about relinquishment of ego, frail, strong or otherwise.
Bertrand Russell said that the challenge for human beings is to deal with being both the most important thing in the universe while being the least significant at the same time.
I have thought that for some time....every time I see either of those two monsters on TV, I think with only these two, so much destruction. Then add a few others and we have a very small number of people causing problems the world over.
Yes, it is the malignant narcissists who create most of the havoc in the world. That so many people can't see what is so clear in the former guy, suggests that they are either also so troubled or have many, mostly men in their lives who are the same. Women, in particular will literally not allow themselves to see this disturbance in men, so as to protect their fragile egos. It is astounding how many of these guys bubble to the top.
I have noticed this and as a woman, I have heard many times about being careful around frail male egos. And I have heard many times strong women who have stood up being called a certain name.
Yep. The whole culture contrives to protect fragile male egos.
The most dangerous time in a woman's life is when she leaves a male partner. Women's lives absolutely depend upon appeasing narcissistic men. Ukraine, like a strong woman, stood up to Russia and is now paying the price. Godspeed.
Yes. So often these kinds of men are actually trying to compensate for fragile egos and we all pay a price for that. People who are narcissistically disturbed can't stand facing their own frailties and flaws. It is experienced as just too humiliating. We saw the evidence clearly with Putin, shirtless, astride a horse. If they weren't so dangerous I would just feel embarrassed for them as they display their sense of inadequacy so blatantly.
If Putin were declared a terrorist in spite of being a head of state, could he not be taken out like Osama bin Laden? It makes no sense that one man can be responsible for killing so many. Our laws make no sense in this matter. And evidently the UN's rules don't have an answer either -- he still has veto power. Can't they get around or change the rule if one member goes rogue?
Doubling down on a weak hand is the stupid solution common to looser, Eh!?
Yes, the good players usually don't fall for it.
Listened to Trump interview on Fox Noise linked by Heather. He is scared and soiling his panties! If this is his defense, which he can only make by taking the witness stand, that he had no 'intent' to commit a 'specific intent' crime related to Classified documents because he misunderstood the law (see quote below), he is cooked! First, what a wonderful sight it would be seeing him on the witness stand forced to answer questions under cross examination. (Think how poorly it turned out recently for Alex Jones, LMAO!) Second, we know DOJ has a list of people who told The Orange Clown there was a process to declassify and that he was violating the law by taking the documents and not returning them when asked. Perhaps the 'Litigation Dam' is breaking and he will be flooded with indictments? Heather wrote: "Trump said: 'I declassified the documents when they left the White House…. There doesn’t have to be a process as I understand it. You’re the president of the United States, you can declassify…even by thinking about it.'”
Trump, behind bars by Thanksgiving.
The NY lawsuit is civil and won't put anyone behind bars. But it has this great virtue: it can't be stopped by Dumpie's judges, since it's in state court. State judges won't be impressed by Dumpie's teams of bargain-basement lawyers or their slavish arguments.
Which brings up another point: When his lawyers in Florida refused to say in court that Dumpie had declassified documents, why was that? Because it's one thing to lie to the press, quite another to repeat that lie before a judge. His lawyers believe he's been lying to them.
I also believe the civil suit’s virtue is that it will cost him financially. Money is his god, so forcing him to pay and to limit his future financial options is a real slap to him, in my humble opinion.
In fact it looks as if the cost largely outweighs his means. This in itself would be an exposure of his lifelong fraud.
Don’t dismiss crowd funding. His acolytes will pay his fine as a Seig Heil demonstration of loyalty, and so they can get the little MAGA hat lapel pin and a certificate of appreciate signed with a facsimile of Der Donnie’s signiture
From the number of times DONATE appears on his communications, it would appear that he himself doesn't dismiss crowd funding. It may be slacking off; he's now wearing a Q badge and campaigning for QAnon. (Now that really is presidential!)
How beautiful would that be??????
trump’s defense says: “But that’s how real estate is done!” It reminded me of the “Boys will be boys” defense from the Access Hollywood video. And it will work with his supporters. His supporters like an organized-crime-flavor to their leader.
Something I read in a financial commentary about the "that's how real estate is done" mantra: pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered.
Seemed totally apropos
Yet they believe they'll get paid?
One of his new lawyers was paid up front.
Yes, $3 million. Didn't help Trump yesterday.
Seriously? He not only paid but did so up front? Dang. He really is soiling his pants!
Because they could be prosecuted for perjury.
Anyone with a scrap of common sense knows he has been lying about everything. The current lawyers aren’t willing to risk their licenses to further the lies.
And THIS invaded the White House. And the Capitol. The Lincoln Memorial. A step by step desecration of the noblest symbols of America's aims. Not the church - that was just a prop for the photographs, that and a Bible that wasn't his anyway.
Trump didn't do it without lots of help; lots of enablers. That's what's most sad
Yes, every time I saw him doing this, I wanted to vomit. And giving a medal to Rush. Tarnishes everything he touches and leaves it to fester.
Of course they know he's lying. They won't perjure themselves.
Any lawyer with an ounce of integrity drops a client who lies to them, for those very reasons.
Hard to drop him when he's paid $3M up front.
I think the NY civil suit is just the tip of the iceberg. The Big Turkey has openly committed multiple felonies, and I think Garland will make a point of getting him indicted for every one of them. A bit slowly, perhaps, but carefully and memorably. The Jan. 6th hearings have just been a pretty good warm-up act, kind of like the Monkees for Jimi Hendrix. I mean, Are You Experienced?
The best thing about the NY lawsuit is, if he loses, that will be the end of Trump Org. and therefore Trump. I don't think the lawyers representing him in the Mar-a-Lago classified papers case will be representing him in the NY state case. Hmm, maybe we should call it Deflategate? Also, Michael Cohen is claiming that he could be on the hook for 2-3 times the 250 million that is headlined.
Yesterday's headlines all felt wonderful but we are still in for a long legal slog. Also, I think he has ramped up the donation appeals and gotten the distraction mill revved up.
“Wheels of justice grind slow but grind fine”― Sun Tzu. Thanksgiving 2024 more realistic...but I like your thinking.
Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving indeed, if.... And no pardoning of the big orange turkey.
Gobble, gobble...
🤣
No pardon for *you*! (said in Seinfel S. N. voice.)
I picture Johnny Carson in his Freat Swamy outfit when I think of tfg declassifying docs by “thinking” of it. I wonder if he hurt himself - after all that brain work.
If he can’t “think” the docs unclassified all at once, it would indeed require brain work to “declassify” each one of hundreds. He was speaking to the most ignorant of his supporters when he claimed there was not a process for declassification.
Yup.
I will carry this image with me all day....bless you!
good image
😅
Hands clapping emoji on that image. LOL
From your mouth to The Great Spirit's Ears
Please, yes!
That's something to be thankful about!
What a crock, giving that moral midget the keys to the kingdom was the biggest mistake this country has ever made (and covers a lot of territory). Worse than chump are Rupert and the army of moral midgets who buy his bull Schitt.
Given what we knew about him prior to the ‘16 election, I will continue to have difficulty forgiving those tens of millions who voted for him. One really big mistake.
I have never understood how TFG got elected. Never!
Christine, what I heard most consistently was that “he’s a wealthy, successful businessman.” It wasn’t true, but it was good enough for the Republican base. They stopped listening to anything else.
Republicans would line up to vote for a tree stump, as long as it had an "R" beside it on the ballot. Before Trump, that is. Now only 74 million of them do.
And, from what I read in this and other comments sections, they'll do so again or stay home unless they "approve" of the Democratic candidate. Democracy is on the line, but that's not near as important as keeping a Bernie-type out of the WH!
Yes, and that Anyone in the media should still continue to present that TFG, this failed life form remains a credible candidate for Anything in 2024 should be given the same charges Leticia James just handed down,... not being able to work in that business anymore. New Yorkers have always known he was nothing but a charlatan so gave him little attention. His insistence, though on elevating his scam life, which his (then) friend Howard Stern always said would be his undoing, in the end only exposed him for what NY knew and now the world knows,... his entire existence has always been one of deception, a house-of-cards and one that sadly, his offspring chose to emulate. Not one of them has ever given the world anything of value. They have only taken from it.
So, now as we watch the E=mc2 of the universe attempt to rebalance the order of things and the bottom row of cards vibrate there is less joy but comfort that judges are among the first in the reestablishment of such order. Our response can only be as they themselves wrote,...... "we agree".
His reputation in NY and NJ has always been as a scam artist! He lies, never does what he says he will, treats people terribly and doesn’t give a rat’s ass about anything except his own pocketbook. He is a man without morals and has no remorse for anything. Cheers to NY’s AG!
I'm originally from Boston, and I knew in the '70s that he was a criminal. There's no excuse for his disastrous rise.
I am just stunned at the success of the "media" at getting reasonable people to believe the garbage they put out. I have lost a cadre of friends who buy into the faux noise et.al. sources of what the "truth" is. My most recent battle (concerning the grandstanding of Florida's governor flying asylum seekers in Texas to Martha's Vineyard has demonstrated this to me.
And we owe it all to Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Jill Stein.
We owe it all to the Americans who didn't vote and said "all politicians are bad. My vote doesn't mean a thing..."
And most of all, we owe it all those who closed their eyes, held their noses, covered their ears and voted for a con man, sexual assaulter, bigot and bully - for either a tax break or a chance to place radical judges in place to Make America Evangelical.
The greatest damnation of organized religion is their support of a demonstrably EVIL human who would rip away the rights of women.
Bill - you have poked the elephant in the room. You are absolutely right about organized evangelical Christian leadership. It's been reported it is facing extinction in our country (I don't see it here in TN). If so, the sooner the better. It's support of Trump (and continued support far as I can tell) was quite literally a deal with the devil, obvious from the start. That, and even worse, it's refusal to address real world issues (climate change being by far the most serious) - they are a clear and present danger to human society.
Working on a 'pep talk' brochure for new/reluctant voters. Tried the questions out on a 13 year-old while her mom registered and she aced it. ie, If a candidate tells you what they plan to do, how can you check up on them? Does your candidate try to win your vote with fear and anger, or hope and optimism? and so on.
Regarding your second sentence, listen to the Fresh Air interview of Geoffrey Berman from yesterday. Near the end Terry Gross asks him point blank two or three times about why he voted for Trump in light of all the information out there. Worth a listen. He said since Trump was a Democrat turned Republican that he would be transactional, that he would reach across the aisle and make deals and get stuff done. He does acknowledge that he was wrong in the book and on the air. But good grief, talk about having blinders on....
Deal with a devil.....
Trying to "heart" your comment, but it won't take. Hearts anyway!
Yes, and this disease has been metastasizing among the "Christian" right for my entire life (I'm now 74). Their religion is now nothing but a bulging diaper covering a great steaming pile of racist, xenophobic resentment.
Thank you, Bill.
🗽
Yes, it won't allow more hearts for your comment! Heart!
Why blame Clinton, Sanders and Stein? Blame the media who made a fortune out of airing the mango mob boss's theatrics and never brought up the serious issues that his candidacy raised...blame the brainwashed cultists who donate and uphold the mango mob boss...blame the equally culpable Republicans who continue to signal their tacit approval of mango's criminal antics by their silence.
👍🏼
👍
And the Bots stayed at home over their disgust with Clinton or went third party in protest.
And Clinton was a miserable campaigner highlighted by her “deplorable “ comment.
Hillary was never going to get the votes of the "Deplorables". In light of what has happened since, I'd say she was too polite. Her biggest mistake was not bolstering her support in those states she took for granted.
Morning, Bill. Her biggest mistake was waiting for the moderator to halt Trump stalking her on stage. I implored to her silently with everything within me to turn on him with the ferocious response necessary in that moment. It was a staged, narcissistic, uncivilized stint on his part and in reality? Hilary, in that moment, needed to vanquish him.
I can only surmise she thinks back to it as it might have played out differently. That moment ended the “norm” of civilized, contentious campaigning.
🗽
A miserable campaigner, who won the popular vote as the first woman candidate for one of the major parties, in spite of Russian interference, Comey, and a media frenzy over her emails. It was definitely all her fault /s
Yes and let’s not forget her biggest mistake, being born a girl and becoming a smart and ambitious woman in a country that can’t get beyond its misogyny.
Thank you, KR, for your astute analysis. The idea that anyone could have chosen the Orange Menace over the candidate with a proven track record speaks to much more than whatever criticism could legitimately be leveled at her. Your only omission is that she won 3,000,000 votes more than OM did.
Hillary's "deplorable" comment was brilliant, and prescient. She was only wrong about one thing - it's a lot more than 47% of Republican voters who are deplorable.
So, her "deplorables" comment was worse than anything that Trump said? Did he run a good campaign? Think that Putin helped?
"And Clinton was a miserable campaigner highlighted by her “deplorable “ comment." A popular trope among the self-annointed media "experts" who did such a find job enabling Trumpism in 2016. And who continue to do so now. It was bollocks then and it's bollocks now. Another reason not to get one's information from television and social media.
attempted like
More like Facebook and Cambridge Analytica. And Hillary DID WIN the popular vote by no accident. Love-to-hate-her if you want, but she was the skilled statesman we needed.
And everything Clinton warned us about. She was right about!
Easy to blame Hillary, Bernie, and Jill But you are forgetting that trump’s election was foreshadowed by the Brexit vote, which stunned even those who voted for it! It was a season of overturning The Man, with results now regretted on both sides of the Atlantic.
Surely you jest or are just Trolling the audience. The country suffered thru over a decade of Bushes who could neither speak Or lead much less understand or care about decorum and diplomacy. They were literal puppets to their GOP masters that led us into endless wars based on greed and arrogance but, you wish to cite women and men that stood on principle (their own) and had the experience (their own) to back it up as reasons the US fell to a used car salesman?
Karl Rove saw intelligence in a woman over 3 decades ago and decided then to lay the groundwork to destroy her character in the public's eye, and he did. She lived with that and despite all of it went on to a distinguished and respected career of service at the highest levels, not to mention having (Real) "family values" the GOP Never had and stayed with her husband through the most agonizing public humiliation (think Ken Starr) imaginable.
So, if you don't like pant suits or the tone of someone's voice maybe next election look beyond that and into the depths of their beliefs and what they've ever done in life to back them up.
I agree with every word you said! The ability to manage public opinion with innuendo and snide comments rather than facts is frightening, and like you, I saw the campaign to discredit her while she was still First Lady.
BK - I often think about fate. In this instance, what if the 2016 election had gone just a bit differently (it would not have taken much at all) and HRC got the win. Now she would not have had a Senate in her pocket - it's true. But she'd have had Pelosi and the House. She had (has) the creds and the character and the nerve to be one of the best presidents this country has ever seen. She'd no doubt have been re-elected in 2020, and very possibly a big change in Senate power, and she would be president today, all the way until 2024. Our country would be light years ahead of what it is now (a pretty low bar I realize). But no - we got Trump. The biggest political disaster we have seen since Andrew Johnson.
James, Your intuition is spot on. With her credentials as First Lady, state senator and US Sec of State there was/is no question as to how qualified she was. Add to that having been on the receiving end of the GOP's relentless attacks of evil (vince foster death, pedophile ring in a pizza parlor, when she had pneumonia, Benghazi and of course "her emails") and weathered them all she would have known first hand how to deal with their campaigns of propaganda, lies and corruption. . So,...yeah, "we agree". She would have been great.
But, that said I will one-up you and add another to your list. Had Al Gore refused to accept the GOP's illigitimate back-door maneuver and been POTUS in 2000 as He deserved (another Dem win of the popular vote) just begin to imagine how much of a head start we'd have had on climate change, electric vehicles and the transition to sustainable power over fossil fuels? He was and remains the politician that knew more science and what was coming than anyone. There was nobody remotely close.
Time and time again the GOP has stolen elections, supreme court nominations, judgeships, etc, etc and time and time again the Dems have stepped aside doing what they believed was the "right thing" (for the country) only to discover it was always Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown.
Thanks for reminding us the Hillary would have been an excellent POTUS!
He surpasses Andrew Johnson.
I vote for trolling.
What? HRC or Bernie would have made great presidents. If you think another would have been alot better, then blame the DNC for not doing more to promote that candidate. But they, like the RNC, went with the candidate they felt had the best chance of winning. We owe it all to the Republican party and Russia, and social media who did nothing to manage the astounding dis-information campaign. And, to a large segment of the US voting populace who willfully latched onto an obviously corrupt and disturbed leader because they liked the message (think on that for a bit) and believed the nonsense.
Actually, no, we don't. But if that makes you feel good, go ahead and keep telling yourself that. It doesn't matter much at this point unless you decide to commit political suicide and just not vote in November.
I blame the main stream media for giving the monster all that free air time! They repeated every work that came out if his mouth. Even the BAD and crude things he said that were televised were good for him as it was free advertising! They are why he was elected. And Comey of course with his last minute investigation!
“you can declassify …even by thinking about it.'” Magical thinking for sure. I think his mental faculties are quickly sinking.
In all fairness, he also waved his stubby fingers and muttered Mystical Incantations cribbed from old copies of "Dr. Strange" at the time. "By the hoary hosts of Hoggoth, I declare these documents declassified!!"
If wishes were horses than tFG would ride away from all his self make troubles. This imaginary horse has been serving him well but is faltering now and will soon vanish and he will settle on the dusty road to walk to justice.
What nonsense the orange idjit blithers when he is clearly on the ropes! In what universe would ANY country allow declassification of secret documents by the political leader merely "thinking about it"???? The mango mob boss of Mar-A-Lardo has lost his grip on reality.
This assumes the president is actually capable of coherent thought.
Do you mean TFG? Our current president is quite capable of coherent thought.
My apologies, I was referring to 100panthers comment, specifically his last line about Trump's thinking. Joe Biden is a very coherent thinker and his presidency is improving by leaps and bounds, despite all the horrific shit thrown his way by Trump and Putin, to name only two. If we survive the next few months, we will remember Biden as heroic.
He reads dollar signs, so some of it will be comprehended.
This dabbling in social engineering won’t work with this audience. Who are you and why would you even try this here?
He cannot even put together a coherent sentence! Never finishes a full sentence or thought…just rambles. That he was ever elected president is beyond my comprehension.
Surely you are referring to the former president, correct?
Yes indeed! Sorry about my lack of clarity. Replies to comments sometimes end up pretty far away from the original comment (by 100panthers, in this case). Our current president is both thoughtful and coherent.
David, that's a relief. I have seldom referred to TFG as "president," since I found it impossible to think of him as such! 🤢
He is not the President.
We call all former Presidents "President" for life. We currently have President Carter, President Bush, President Obama, President Trump, and President Biden.
It's America's peerage
Hopefully that changes when one becomes a Felon!
When one becomes a CONVICTED felon, Hale. Then all should be removed from tfg. His pension, his secret service. Of course, he’ll have lots of guards in jail….
Trump: Just by thinking about it -- with my very good brain.
My 6 year old came up with better excuses.
"You’re the president of the United States, you can declassify…even by thinking about it.'” And the saddest realization coming from this is the large number of people who have and will contine to buy into it.
John In The Music Man Harold Hill stated that kids could learn to play an instrument by thinking about it. The music that this produced could have been appropriate music forTrump’s false facts follies—meaningless dissonance.
Wonderful! Harold Hill and Trump, two hucksters trying to make it by selling people on what they want to hear.
DeSantis must be jumping up and down as the control of the Republican Party and 2024 nomination so gradually slides toward him. Wonder, just, will DeSantis campaign get Mar a Lago as well? Appraisal dropped to $75 million. A steal at $50.
100Panthers It seems that Trump is so ‘scared and soiling his panties’ that currently he is ignoring his once flaming bromance with Putin. A true captain would go down with his s==t.
Not sure tRump has ever had a "thought" in his empty head, so declassifying is out of the question.
Ty Heather. The mad dogs putin and pal chump backed into their own corners.
Meanwhile, most of our republican congress critters vote to NOT protect our democracy.
Again, ty so much for your letters.
If TFG had not run for president, I believe that his property tax and bank fraud would have never seen the light of day. It’s scary to think how many other real estate moguls are still getting away with it.
That said, I’d love to read the full statement by the appeals court that delivered a strong rebuke of Judge Cannon. Between that and Judge Dearing’s statements, she must feel that she’s back in school getting a failing grade on an exam. It’s so nice to see the rule of law prevail over political and business corruption.
I said, as tfg’s legal problems started to snowball, wouldn’t it be the ultimate karma if he brought this all on himself by running for president? I think he did. I read the 11th Circuit’s opinion. It used words like “abused her discretion.” I hope Judge Cannon gets it.
That’s my point—he (and his kids) may lose more than they gained.
That's my hope -- that when all is said and done, becoming President costs Trump far more than he ever imagined it could.
And it's about time. I would've loved to see their faces while NY AG made her announcement yesterday.
I hope her face was red reading that. In the olden days, she would've resigned in disgrace; but there is no longer any shame or disgrace.
Cannon is not getting a failing grade. She passed the loyalty test with flying colors
Leonard Leo is grading the test. That’s the thing that matters to her. Her membership is now Life Long
If all she cares about is Leonard, you’re right. If she cares about her former classmates, professors and other lawyers (and fellow judges), she’s finding that (as the book title says) “Everything Trump Touches Dies”.
Her incoherent nonsensical word salad rulings indicate that a third party either suggested text (or it was written for her) as she cares not about peer review, but rather has bought into the Authoritarian MAGA ideological cult of personality which forms her fealty to trumpism
I used to be a commercial appraiser, for Cushman, no less. To my knowledge, this is absolutely not normal behavior. Nudging appraisers to get certain values, yes, but this degree of fraud? No. Cushman documents stuff, and I’d be very surprised if there weren’t contemporaneous notes of every phone call. Whether they’re still in the files is another question. But people were on those calls, and can testify. Cushman won’t go down for him.
And still moreover, it is one thing to expose trump real estate fraud (which by extension should lead to investigation of all NYC real estate practices), and actually following through and holding them accountable. That last part seems to always be missing.
Can hope that this is changing.
This one is an example. Crazy stuff. https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2022/08/los-angeles-billionaire-real-estate
I thought the same thing Mary - if T had never run for president, probably none of this would have been exposed. He's his own worst enemy and just can't keep his mouth shut. A very sick man.
Go to Emptywheel blog — Marcy has a link to a pdf of the CA11 opinion, if that’s what you mean by the court’s statement.
https://www.emptywheel.net/2022/09/22/granting-stay-11th-circuit-scolds-aileen-cannon-for-ignoring-executive-assertions-on-national-security-issues/
It’s also in Heather’s Notes (the 11 Cir US Court of Appeals opinion); it’s the politico link w numbers & letters after it.
https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000183-625b-da48-a3e3-e2ff83050000&fbclid=IwAR3YRk-VO5EYcH14Q4r9HWNsmAuRxSFQYabO3LkzgThJ0md2HxIDWIY19D4
There's also a link in this WaPo article. Search on "29-page opinion". This link is good for non-subscribers: https://wapo.st/3Lzfw2a
There's a link in this Washington Post article to a downloadable pdf of the 11th District's ruling. Search on '29-page opinion' https://wapo.st/3Lzfw2a
Thanks, Judith!
Meanwhile anti-war protests are happening in Russia. Public anti-governmemt protests in Putin's Russia! That fact alone is an indication of Putin's waning grip on power. The courage of those Russian protestors matches the courage of Ukrainians defending their country against Putin's invasion.
This could be the beginning of a sea change in global politics. A serious pro-democracy movement could get started in Russia emerging from an anti-war movement. Western democracies must do all they can to encourage and nurture such a movement. Viktor Orban in Hungary is likely watching events in Ukraine and Russia very closely. Hungary could be next.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/sep/22/russia-protests-more-than-1300-arrested-at-anti-war-demonstrations-ukraine
Let’s not forget the brave men and women of Iran even though their movement is in its infancy.
My dream
You're afraid Putin might be replaced by another Putin? I'm sure there are severl scheming that possibility this very minute. And it could also turn out that the Russian people are the ones who apply the pressure for democratic reforms.
I think the Russian people are the toughest people on Earth. Over the last hundred years they have endured more than most of us could have survived. And they will survive Putin.
Make that "several". Proofread!
The long wait is over. TFG, President Trump, will be fully investigated, charged, tried, convicted and sentenced. His sentence for federal and state crimes will by law involve Secret Service agents. Thus, the circumstances of incarceration will be unique. Think of the vicious King of Belgium incarcerated in his castle like home in southern France after his crimes in harvesting rubber in The Congo. Mark Twain reported those facts. Think of Napoleon’s incarceration on an island. Trump will be incarcerated... for years. Multiple crimes will be investigated and prosecuted.
The long wait is over. No one is above the law. Trump’s co conspirators will be charged, convicted and sentenced.
Judge John Sirica sentenced President Nixon. TIME put him on the cover.
Who will TIME honor this time? Justice was made likely by two Americans that met in a hearing. One was elected to congress and is serving. The other served time.
How about AOC and Michael Dean Cohen? Each can do time on the cover of TIME.
Justice and politics makes for strange bed fellows.
Let’s hear it for TIME, serving time for justice, and two honest Americans in dialogue.
Socrates would love this opportunity. As would Mark Twain.
As do I. I love AOC and I love Michael Dean Cohen and his honest daughter. Our children want to be proud of themselves and their parents.
It’s time. Let’s make our children proud.
To Justice. To truth. To Q and A.
To love and to children of all colors and ages everywhere.
It’s time.
To conscience. Let your conscience be your guide.
Thank you Heather.
"You're the President of the United States, you can declassify... even by thinking about it".
So, it's an insanity plea he is setting up for?
Holy shit.
Loren Michaels, this is your opening monolog on a silver platter.
I do hope that the civil lawsuit brought forth by NY AG James has the teeth necessary to open doors needed to the IRS. That path could possibly stop this Trump train on its tracks.
Fingers crossed.
Be safe. Be well.
And funding for the IRS was increased to re-fill long open positions and bring their systems into this millennium. Whose advantage was it to keep them understaffed and working with antiquated equipment?
Ohio Republican candidate J. D. Vance is running on the fact that opponent Tim Ryan voted for the increase in IRS funding, that it will punish the little guy with scads of IES audits. Sigh.
JD Vance does not have an original thought in his head. Everything he says is scripted by who is pulling his strings.
🗽
Last I saw he was in a dead heat with Ryan. Why ?
McConnell and dark money have poured millions into his campaign. His puppets want win. Tim Ryan is tough. All sane people support his platform. Predict win for Ryan.
Vance is just too vacuous. Many of his supporters are embarrassed being told to support him.
Cheers, friend. We are on it, aren’t we?! 🗽🥂🇺🇸
Wish I knew. Ryan is head and shoulders above Vance. And, unlike Vance, he didn't just move here from California.
He's also harping on some sort of "tax increase" that Ryan voted for. For the life of me, I can't figure out what tax increase was passed recently. Unless they are considering the Infrastructure Bill a tax increase?
The recent Inflation Reduction Act which includes taxing taxpayers who earn (I hope net) $400,000 or more. Not a lot of us peons out here who come even close to that amount.
Time for tRump to be Al Caponed.
From your keyboard to God's eyes
"[NY Attorney General] James also filed a criminal referral to federal prosecutors and a tax fraud referral to the IRS." !!!
We do realize, that if Desantis or his ilk get elected prez in 2024, he will pardon TFG from ALL charges against him, don’t we?
Without question. I would also expect they would toss every member of the J6 Committee in jail.
Can't do it with state charges.
I'm not so sure about that. I'd think DeSantis would be more than happy to ensure that TFG is removed from the stage.
It has always been an insanity plea, right from the start. Our society is slow to recognize it.
And toes.
Be safe as well, Fab.
🗽
What an informative letter this one is. Thank you for untangling the hot messes and clarifying some very puzzling events.
Sadly, there isn't much joy in seeing rational minds prevail over the craven imperial fever dreams of His Narcissistic Orangeness. Likewise there isn't much joy in hearing of a Ukranian rout of Russion troops out of a sizable swath of occupied territory. The fact remains, these stories still represent a horrible stain on the rule of law, both national and international, that won't be washed clean ever. Russia still controls a world-annihilating arsenal of nuclear weapons. Personally, I don't believe that Putin will hesitate to use a few of them if he thinks it's in his best interest, and the only real concerns he has are his own party members and perhaps the Russian military, if the generals think he's taking them over a cliff. I don't think he's constrained in the least by Europe or the US. These latest news items on the domestic front make me sigh in relief; "Finally, voices of reason are making themselves heard", but no real celebration is forthcoming. I'll know the western nations are really serious when Germany sends some Leapord tanks, the US sends some F-16s, the French send some of their latest Mirage fighters and a few thousand cruise missiles, attack drones are immediately transported from the entire NATO block into Ukraine. Why not seize Russian ships on the open seas, stop their oil exports cold? Why not lock down Kalingrad from all sides until the Donbas and Crimea are returned to Kyiv? Russia made it's intentions quite clear when tanks rolled across the Ukranian border from 3 sides. When will the Western Block makes it's intentions bluntly clear?
I guess I'm not so evolved as all that. I am taking -- well, not joy, exactly, but relief so profound as to be a kind of joy. Trump has been like something stuck in the toilet drain. We are finally seeing that clot move through.
Great analogy JN!
Good analogy Joseph. And it does seem that the walls are increasingly closing in. Now, for the Jan 6 committee to drop some more bombshells next week. However I am not counting my chickens before they hatch. Trump is like a healthy fly that has a magical ability to avoid the swatter. How's that for analogies?
Excellent analogy!
Escalation begets escalation. I am with you emotionally. But you suggest a dangerous path. Putin doesn't care if the winds carry nuclear dust all over his nation - killing millions. He is immune to such emotions.
I really believe that Putin will be removed from office. The conscription of 300,000, the 80,000 Russians already killed, the crippled economy are riling up people.
Oligarchs don't like failure or the confiscation of funds. They really like to bring their yachts into groovy vacation spots....part of the deal with Putin was having an international playground - not being pariahs among the jet setters. Don't underestimate the power of being shunned and shamed.
And as thousands of Russians flee conscription, they will be exposed to the truth about Putin's war from the perspective of the West and innocent Ukrainians. They will be calling home...
"they will be exposed to the truth" - and we know, from their friends in Ukraine, that they've only been exposed to propaganda. Having all their menfolk sent off to be killed isn't what they'd been led to expect. If Putin has studied Russia's history as carefully as we are told, he'll know what happened in Leningrad, his birthplace, from 1941 to 1944, facts and horrifying figures. And although he was a babe in arms when Stalin died, he'll also know those statistics as well. So who's his hero model? Ivan the Terrible?
There is an awfully lot of them falling out of windows. I can’t remember where I read about the elite Chechyen group living in comparative luxury in Moscow to provide assassin services for Putrid.
Vlad is counting on a Repub take over in Nov just as chump is. I remember Helsinki. I’d bet what’s left of my life that Vlad expected chump to “win” and support his evil. He should not have counted his chickens before they hatched.
Helsinki was about four months before the huge centenary of WWI observance in Paris, when TFG's bizarre sulk raised many eyebrows. The thunderclouds lifted for a instant, as he sat in the front row of VIPs, and he saw Putin coming. His face lit up and shone, they shook hands, and he subsided again as Putin kept going to his allocated seat. I won't go into the rest of his behaviour, which has been well documented, but it may be wondered just what he did during the second day when on the excuse of bad weather he skipped the major visit to American war graves and didn't stir from his lodging. He left Paris on the third day.
I’m praying the Dems hold the Senate and the House but those chickens may not hatch either. If the GOP gets control we are in a world of 💩. Ukraine also if they take away US support. So many things are on the line November 8th. 🙏🏻
If you say there is no joy in "hearing of a Ukrainian rout of Russian troops out of a sizeable swath of occupied territory", you have not been following these people's stories on media like Twitter and seen the hugs and tears of joy as mothers, fathers, and children separated by six months of war and often great distances are reunited. I can think of few greater joys. A "stain on the rule of law"? I don't think so.
We can agree to differ in our views on this. I haven’t completely missed others’ experiences of joy, although I don’t tweet, tick OR tick, nor do I instagram. These joyful reunions are occurring in a wasteland of war, amongst the graves, mass graves and blown up bits of human beings too shattered to bury. They will rebuild and a different set of graves will remain as a reminder of what happened. I have seen the military cemetaries of WW1 in the Alsaise; they brought tears to my eyes at the sheer magnitude of sorrow that hovers over those fields, impeccably groomed. War is a definition of breakdown in civil society, where people decide to stop respecting others’ right to live in peace. The stain lives on decades and even centuries after the guns go silent.
When dealing with a madman who has the power to end life on earth as we know it, playing Chicken at 120 mph, is perhaps a bridge too far
Diplomacy and pressure are having an effect. Careful strategy is resulting in the uprising of his own people. None of them care to die for Putin’s crazed ego either
Will he kill all of them? Or will his Capo’s flinch and take him out themselves?
My bet is on the Inner Circle tightening the noose around his neck
One can hope…
I’m not generally a betting woman, but I’d bet the American military is taking Putin’s nuke threats seriously enough to be in position to counter them quickly and harshly. And that Putin knows it.
As per Putin and nuclear weapons. Studies have shown that as few as 10 could annihilate humanity. Only a madman would engage in such nonsense. At the end of the day, with assumably billions stashed in foreign accounts, I would think that Putin disappears. That being said, he would leave behind a cadre of other hard liners who have enabled him.
that is my concern as well, Jeff.
I believe there will be a political resolution to the war waged by Russia on Ukraine. It just won't involve Putin.
You sound like the Delphic oracle. My mind is running on apace...
Nathan, I do believe you've hit upon a great acronym for Rump: "His Narcissistic Orangeness", or HNO for short. "TFG" was so .... flattering, and "HNOFDASOB" might be unwieldy. Can we all agree on "HNO"? It's brilliant :-)
So, no more money to pay Wagner. 300,000 conscripts forced to the front? On pain of....? Are they going to do it? The devil at their backs, the deep blue sea straight ahead.
Let's presume NATO is talking about those tactics in the back room now.
"Never interrupt an enemy who is defeating himself." as you could read in the beginning of this thread.
The magic words:
AS I UNDERSTAND IT
NO ONE who has ever dealt with the federal government would believe there was NO pricedure written down for something so important as declassifying top secret information. As usual, the GOP thinks the American public is still living in a pre-computer non-global world. No one would buy this, nit even Qanoners.
A Qanoner might not, but a good Dumpster can believe not just six but TWELVE impossible things before breakfast!
There is no bottom for Q nuts
Spot on!
Those Q believers will believe ANYTHING they are told to, the more outrageous the better.
Officer, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, the speed limit is just the suggested speed.
No formal process? How did the documents get classified in the first place?
Ordinary citizens have seen so many examples of complex processes- income tax returns, social security benefits, FEMA benefits, HIPPA rules, COBRA even immigration rules.
Just wait, MTG will come out with another of her amazing summaries of yesterday’s actions against her hero.
There sure seem to be a lot of radical left people in the US, at least by trump’s count. Really hoping a lot of them vote this November.
As to Trump Family Fraud, thank you Professor Richardson for NOT referring to DT Jr, IT & ET as the "kids". Thank you AG, Letitia James for your focused perseverance to detail the "astounding" scope of the systemic fraud against New York, banks, insurance companies, the IRS & each one of us taxpayers. Good to see convicted AW & co-conspirator JM as named Defendants in this Civil suit. Thank you Michael Cohen for serving your time & naming names in this tightly controlled corporation run by tfg, the Wreck.
"Putin also said that 'Russia will use all the instruments at its disposal to counter a threat against its territorial integrity—this is not a bluff.' " Use of tactical nukes is a really a frightening thought, especially as it could easily trigger the use of the big strategic stuff. Most of the world (except possibly China) seems united in opposition to Putin's aggression. Tolerance to Hitler's early moves is a grim reminder of what can happen when someone like Putin is left unchecked. Still, a general nuclear war is almost beyond comprehension. Let's all hope that Putin is toppled from within before this spins out of control.
"When they sow the wind, they shall reap the whirlwind[.]" Hosea 8:7
A cornered Putin, like a cornered chump, is the most dangerous animal. I have long said that he will stop at nothing, I hope I am wrong. Applies to both
Morning, all!! Morning, Dr. R!! Great stuff in tonight's Letter, as with all the newsletters I am reading!
Today, Thursday, the Senate R's will filibuster the Disclose Act, a bill that would "require corporations, trade associations and nonprofit organizations that engage in electioneering to publicly disclose donors who contribute more than $10,000 over two years."
I forgot to remember how we're supposed to know there's a filibuster going on down on the floor, since no one has to actually filibuster to keep a bill from even being considered for a vote.
Why bother to even try, you ask? Simply put, "...supporters say the vote will bring public focus to the issue, as voters become inundated with political messaging heading into the fall midterm elections."
Also, let's not forget to remember how effective R's are at maintaining their successful minority sticking to the issues they deem important for as long as it takes. I cite Roe v Wade as a perfect example. We should take heed.
https://rollcall.com/2022/09/21/senators-to-seek-action-on-democratic-political-disclosure-bill/
Morning, Lynell! Thanks for the link!
While it sounds as if Ms Letitia James' Civil Law suit will finally hit tfg and his crooked family members, the developments in Russia and the renewed nuclear threat are very disconcerting. So is the sad fact that most GOP still don't see what an incredible imbecile was president of this once beautiful country after his latest interview with Fox... Are there really that many uneducated people in the USA who don't realize that 'just thinking about declassifying highly sensitive documents pertaining to the NATIONAL Security of the country (which includes even Republicans!)' might not do the trick?
The question is, when will Rupert turn on the chump, so that the “uneducated” will be told to think that he is what he has been proved to be.
My question is when Rupert will get what's coming to him!
Now THAT'S a great question! I have delightful, imaginative dreams of seeing Rupert Murdoch having his U.S. citizenship ripped from him and tossed out of the country on his greed-ridden, wrinkled arse. In reality I know it won't happen, but it is still a beguiling dream.
Yup.
There are sadly even educated people who should know better that believe that anything fpotus does is "legal".