Tonight, The Atlantic published a story by Jeffrey Goldberg detailing Trump’s contempt for military service and the self-sacrifice of those killed in the line of duty.
As a disabled Gulf War vet I receive my medical at a local VA clinic (which is run very well, and FYI the medical care I receive is far far more personal, thorough and responsive to any that I've ever received on private insurance in the "outside" medical establishment)...and when you go in to check in at the desk there is a picture of that lying, rapist traitor hanging on the wall in pride of place. And every time I've gone in I give it "the bird" (middle finger)...& everyone around me and at the desk laughs and nods their head. We DESPISE him.
You aren’t alone. Polls are showing that the majority of active duty military members are supporting Biden. When was the last time service members supported a Democrat? They see him for what he is.
Several months ago, I found two wartime letters my father had sent to his parents in the 40s. His handwriting was difficult to decipher so I put them aside until today. Here is the first; when I can wipe away the tears and compose myself, I will transcribe and post the second letter.
--------
Germany
January 14, 1945
Dear Mother,
In your letter of June 5 you abhorred the needless waste of mankind in war. On this I agree. War and everything associated with it is a waste. Then you asked why you should get excited over my volunteering to risk life and limb to come home to a place where democracy was both born and slain? Well it’s this.
I am just the idealist who has yet that little or that much faith in the few or many fair minded Americans and in myself to think that through our combined efforts there can be an Easter for the slain democracy. I think that any possible resurrection would be eliminated and lost forever if some passionate few didn’t make any attempt to revive democracy. I don’t get any real glory from being in this unit, but I get so much satisfaction in knowing how much I am continually contributing to the good causes of my race by merely being here among those whites in nearly every case an equal being, and in some cases by exhibiting superior greatness.
Believe me we are making real progress here. Were you here you could see it daily. From here I know that any danger I was exposed to or shall be exposed to was not in vain, and if it were I would feel better having made a supreme attempt.
I would much rather die trying, and may yet, than to live complacently in our pseudo democracy. I feel that perhaps when I have grandchildren I will not have to tell them they cannot enter a certain theater, or that there is a difference in color.
I hope that a more harmonious associations of races will eliminate most suggestions of differences.
And if not, I can tell them what I have tried to do.
Cheryl, THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing this amazing letter from your father. I started crying after the first paragraph. He stated so eloquently what true patriotism is. ❤️❤️❤️
Cheryl, I have read about other people like your father. A true hero in every sense. Would you mind if I copied your above-reply to share? I look forward to his second letter.
Thank you for the kind words. Yes, please do share. If you wish, send me your e-mail address and I will email you a copy of the booklet I did for his memorial service. He was an incredible person, father, activist, patriot. I am glad he is no longer her to witness tRump's atrocities.
I would also like to share, but am not sure of how to send you my e-mail address other than to post it, which wouldn't be my first choice. And I would rather not copy and paste his words without attribution.
Cheryl, thank you for sharing this inspirational letter from your father. I wish we could have lived up to his ideals by now but we have a long way to go - we just have to keep trying. We can’t let Trump and his enablers wear us down so that we give up. Thank you again.
Cheryl, I immediately posted this to my Facebook page. Thank you so much for your sharing and let me know if I overstepped and you want me to pull it down.
I’m imagining water damage from your father’s mother’s tears as she read your father’s letter.
Thinking of ways to amplify this...
If you don’t mind, I will look for the next opportunity to get this on HCR’s radar, probably the next time she posts a Question #, regardless of the topic.
I put in a friend request to Katya Partan, who has emerged as HCR’s go-to editor for the first 10-15 minutes of the Letter post on Facebook for corrections prior to posting here on Substack. She appears to have a private message connection to HCR.
Are you a member of the Facebook UNOFFICIAL Heather Cox Richardson Resource and Discussion Room?
My heart goes out to you, and I hope you do post again your father’s first letter, as well as whatever you can retrieve of this second letter.
BTW, what I meant about the next Question # is catching it when she first posts it and reads/likes the responses posted within about the first hour. Posting your father’s letter should come from you. I just want to help it catch her attention, and a bigger audience from there.
It's terribly kind of you to express such interest in his letter. I have been surprised by the reception here and on my Face Book page, including from people I don't know. Several folks have suggested that I send the original to a museum. I will look into the National Museum of African American History; I think there's also a WWII museum, but I'm not sure. I do recall seeing information on the 69th unit, but I don't recall where.
FYI, the other letter is to his father, Ronald E. Strange. It has a completely different tone (throughout his lifetime he had a strained relationship with his mother and an extremely close one with his adoring father). In this letter, he disagrees with his dad about his lack of diplomacy in discussing of racism. There is one key sentence I can't complete. I will try to enlarge it to see if that helps.
I considered sending the letter and a copy of the memorial booklet I created to Dr. Richardson but never did. That booklet has more info on his military service as well as my personal tribute.
I'm not a member of the Unofficial page, but I will join. I would also like to send you a FB friend request.
You might be able to IM Dr. Richarson directly - might be worth a try. If you see an opportunity to send the letter to her, please do so with my blessing.
I read the Goldberg's article when it published yesterday and immediately knew it would dominate the Letter. It was fascinating watching it explode on Twitter as Trump & WH tried to deny the allegations and seemingly everyone else tweeted back examples of HIS OWN WORDS in response (the internet NEVER forgets). When AP and others began backing the account I knew this was going to be a significant setback for 45.
I am, however, ready for some of these anonymous sources to step up and go on record by name. It's too easy for T to dismiss anonymous sources as fake news. It's a harder sell when he has to resort to personal attacks on respected former members of his administration.
Andrew, you're right, of course, but I couldn't help think how ironic that Trump, who never quotes provable sources, is dismissing any report that uses anonymous sources.
Oh my gosh. You are so right. I’m already in a Facebook war of words after I posted that article. People are telling me I’m believing lies without sources. Last night Rachel Maddow also broke the story and then interviewed a Marine who is also a reporter for another magazine. He said when he heard the story and didn’t believe it at first and then did his own research within his contacts and they verified it. But, yes, people are already disparaging the “unknown” sources.
I am replying to my own comment because I am so damn frustrated at these people who are really brainwashed and don't even want to consider the truth in these "mainstream" news stories. I mentioned FB. Let me try to copy an exchange with some of these people. I tried to be reasonable and thoughtful, but it simply doesn't work: Here is what I said: Normally when a post goes back and forth too many times I just stop the argument. But in this case I need to reply. Let’s take your first statement. I do NOT condone violence, looting, arson or destruction. Anyone who makes that broad statement is categorically wrong. I do support peaceful protest for a just cause and I deplore anyone -on the left or right- who hijack these protests and turn them violent. There are many theories on both sides as to those who deliberately do this, but I won’t go there. It’s wrong, plain and simple.
Now, your second point about sources. Last night there was an interview on TV with a former Marine who is also a reporter for a different publication. He said when he first read the story he didn’t believe it either. Then he started using his connections to check it out. He said he spoke to other, independent people, who confirmed it. Do I wish the author had been able to name the sources? Yes. Do I wish these people had the courage to speak out and confirm them? Yes. But the fact that the article author and the Marine reporter both confirmed the article tells me there is truth there, especially when we have recordings of Trump disparaging John McCain. What makes me weary and sad is the fact that my friends won’t have even a small opening to reflect on these things.
Now here is his mindless response: My point really is your (sic) completely one sided and not doing what your preach.
Sorry for the length of this post but I just don't know what to do anymore. Help!!
Annette, I would just say, "Come to this page" how many ever times a day you need to in order to "bathe" in like-minded opinions. FB can be a nightmare. Fortunately for me, my friends there are all pretty much like-minded, with a couple of exceptions, but even they don't tangle with me on my page, nor do I on theirs. I've blocked a couple and I'm sure a few have blocked me, but I really don't care. I'm not out to win a popularity contest. I do tend to just walk away from arguments with idiots. I live in one of the most pro-Trump areas of the country, so me and my fellow centrists/liberals all tend to huddle together to prop each other up in the face of boundless insanity. Go where you can breathe easily and relax. Or, step away periodically like I do. Listen to music. Find woods and walk in nature. Play with a dog or cat. Do whatever saves wear & tear on your emotions and sensibilities. Hang in there. We're here for you and for each other!
I limited my Facebook feed to close friends and family, removing most all of the news feeds with the notable exception of HCR. The level of ignorance and hate in any political discussion on FB was simply too much. I also blocked or unfriended any "friend" with a propensity to share obviously faked memes without at least offering a legitimate source to back the allegation.
I found Twitter much easier to configure for news. It doesn't take too much to vet the credibility of any person there. I get a few angry replies, but not nearly so much as FB. That's probably due to my limited Twitter following, but that's OK.
I like this forum for discussing HCRs letters; it really makes me think.
I like to use a couple of replies. 1. What if you're wrong? And that is more rhetorical than looking for an answer. 2. If everyone is out of step but my Johnny, maybe your perception is off.
The second comment is based on a story my 5th grade teacher told of a mother watching her son March in a parade. She exclaimed, "look, everyone is out of step but my Johnny!" I don't remember why the nun was telling the class this story, but it's something I've remembered for going on 60 years.
Annette, a friend of mine in the mental health field told me early in the Trump administration, the only way to protect yourself in dealing with a narcissist is to walk away. Do not engage. I've learned that this advice applies to trying to deal with his followers as well.
It's not worth the mental anguish. As the old saying goes, on why you should never try to teach a pig to sing: It ticks you off and it annoys the pig.
My voice teacher a copy of this quote taped to the large mirror we used in her studio...but it said, "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Basically the same sentiment!
What if it’s your children. I feel it is my responsibility to instruct them on how to discern the truth or falsities in a story. I have given up on my mother and her Trumper second husband. I live in Alabama and my 20 year old boy has drunk Trump’s Koolaid. I won’t give up but don’t want to lose my relationship with him. I feel it is important to speak out. It’s like the openin reply of the letter from what sounds like a Buffalo Soldier. I’ll paraphrase: Better to speak out than say nothing! This is one of those times. I believe ihistory may prove this moment to be as pivot as that of our joining in the fight against Hitler.
What's frustrating too is I have posted fact-checked articles to back up my comments, but met with "Your sources are biased." Then I get a link to either a Breitbart column or a FoxNews video.
In early March, my father in law told me I was lying about the coronavirus despite the fact the article I was referencing was in the Wall Street Journal sitting right in front of him on the breakfast table open to the article. you simply cannot win with some people.
Yep. I started reading Epoch Times, hoping to get a conservative opinion so I could understand "the other side's" view. They say their reporting is objective. I discovered quickly that it is not. CCP virus is how they refer to COVID-19. That started soon after #45 started calling it the Chinese virus. I also reached out to folks to help me understand why they feel about #45 the way they do. I seriously wanted to see if I was missing something. It all started out friendly enough, but then when I would ask, "Well, what about this," or that, I was met with a tirade of hate speech. You're right, you simply can't win with some people.
Three things staggered me more than any other during Trump's initial run for president: his mocking of a disabled reporter, his remarks about John McCain being a loser, and his contempt and callous disrespect of the Khans, the Gold Star parents who spoke at the DNC. I thought, at the time, that these acts would be enough to open the eyes of the undecided and repel those already on board the Trump train. Especially active and retired military. They weren't.
I didn't expect his predatory and aggressive attitudes toward women to be a game changer for those already supporting him, they don't care about women and women's rights. I also didn't expect any of his followers to be put off of by his mocking of a physically disabled journalist. But I truly thought that the military community would stand against him, en masse, once he'd shown how he truly felt about their sacrifices.
I hope that this specific letter, the Atlantic piece and his total disregard for human life, as evidenced by his handling of the pandemic, are powerful enough catalysts to change the the hearts and minds of those voters still sitting on the fence.
If this story can achieve wide circulation and generate follow-ons it will be very useful to the Biden campaign to further reduce Trump's support to his absolute core or "rump". It will not be a miracle but it is already destabalizing Trump severely and will give even more reason to his GOP coat-tails to distance themselves as much as their little courage will permit in an attempt to avoid being part of a rout. Obviously it will not do more than that....but decency remains a a factor common to all current Americans heritage as is respect for service to the nation .....be it patriotic and heroic or just everyday care for the proverbial other. Those non-rabid foxes amonsgt us will know where our "duty" lies.
As a response watch out for the next horror from Trump to try to recapture the headlines and once again divert attention.
Both of my grandfathers served in WWI. My father and my uncle served in WWII - fighting both the Germans and racism within the Army. He was an infantryman, engineer, cartographer, photographer and interpreter - fluent in German, French and Portuguese - with the rank of sergeant. Included in a booklet I did for his memorial service was the following excerpt from an 1988 newspaper article:
"As casualties climbed on the ground, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower asked for black volunteers to fight in the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. More than 4,500 blacks responded. Almost half were selected, trained and sent into battle.
There was a catch: Volunteers who were officers in other units were busted down to privates -- so they wouldn't outrank white soldiers.
Wilfred Strange of Washington, D.C., an Army sergeant in an all-black engineering regiment in France, took the demotion.
"They said that black people couldn't fight and didn't have any courage," Strange, 76, said. "I had a point to make."
Strange joined a platoon of 70 black soldiers attached to the 69th Division which later crossed the Rhine and met the Russians in Torgau -- a campaign that helped end the war, he said.
"During combat, quite often the black platoon would be in front," said Strange, who was featured in Love and War by Robert and Jane Easton. "About a dozen of us were killed. They saw by our heroism how well we performed."
When the war ended, most black volunteers returned to their old segregated units. Their ranks were never restored.
Last July, five survivors of the Battle of the Bulge received the bronze star for their bravery -- a commendation awarded in 1949 to white infantrymen who served in combat.
But Strange has refused to accept his medal. "Justice reserved is justice denied," he said."
What would it take to have a Bill passed in Congress to require a mental fitness exam before any person runs for POTUS? There must be a battery of tests that are available to take a clear inventory of a person's character. Let's ask for A.) mental fitness, B.) character assessment and C.) IQ, plus D.) Emotional intelligence. If they cannot manage this battery of tests in an above average way, then they cannot run. (IMHO). I'm so sick of this bottom feeding cretin.
Well then I would not be here if that were the case. My grandfather came here from Italy. He was a skilled machinist, but he would not have been able to understand English well enough to pass those tests. I feel certain that trump would not be able to pass the current tests for citizenship.
Paula didn't mean require the test for immigrants to enter the country. She said that anyone running for president has to pass the same test that immigrants must pass to become citizens, in public to make cheating harder. I think it's a great idea.
There is a certain irony that the Electoral College, established so that educated men could assure that the elected leader would be sufficiently educated and equipped for the Presidency, is the sole reason that this man of questionable mental faculty occupies the White House instead of the highly educated person who dedicated her life to service of country.
Yes, ppl forget that the whole “Undemocratic” structure was to prevent the ignorant unwashed masses from putting an idiot in the White House. I naively wrote to electors pleading with them to uphold that part of the Electoral College – but they were all Partisan Repugnants. We need to get rid of that destructive institution.
Practical note: to get rid of the Electoral College would take a constitutional convention, where delegates from red states would have clear majority. A better path would be to repeal the 1920s law capping the size of the House of Representatives, which was passed precisely for the sake of a rural white majority in Congress and the EC. Once the House is proportional to population, the impact of the Senate on the EC will be much less.
It was also to permit the "sensible" , property owning elite to keep an unwashed, uncouth idiot in place against the wishes of the "wrong thinking masses" should they wish it! That's what Koch etc are certainly hoping that their mega$s will do this time.
Sadly, so very true, Andrew. I had to take "Miller's Analogies" as an entrance exam to my graduate program. That is a good one to separate the wheat from the chaff. (I'm a tour guide in a 1747 grist mill.)
Several mental health professionals like myself have been discussing these sorts of things in a group for most of the length of his presidency. Dr. Bandy Lee, forensic psychiatrist out of Yale, has been trying to get the word out to the media and has been thwarted time and again cause media people can’t imagine what the repercussions are from what POTUS does and can’t imagine the downstream effects of his irrational antics. The group has been around for a few years now and is called “Dangerous Case— World Mental Health Coalition” and I’m sure many members would be interested in getting their concerns and possible answers out there!
The problem is always in the coverage and structure of the tests. Who set's the rules, what do you measure and how? Then you have the problem of interpreting the results. Who set's the decision criteria? Quantum physics is bringing us to understand that the "researcher" always influences the results of his research by the very reason that it is he/her rather than another doing the measuring. So the political battle is then to control the evaluation process and we haven't progressed very far in reality.
Elimination of "poor" candidates is best left up to the voter and their perception over time of the candidates performance. It's better sometimes to aggregate millions of personal decisions rather than allow one "side" to pre-censure the choice available to the "unwashed masses" .
I hear what you are saying, Stuart. But, why not use standardized tests? They exist. They are proven measurements used by colleges and universities for entrance exams. Use what we have. Proctor it so that you know a donald trump wannabe doesn't cheat, too!
Having ran an important part of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator world for a while i know the difficulties of detecting the persona rather than the true personality. Every test that you would care to mention has its detractors and supporters...neither being able to finally end the dispute. Over and above that, the difficulty with many existing tests, like IQ etc, nobody has definitively been able both to clearly define exactly hat they really measure and whether that is what is important. The test obviously help but only truly in the context of a reltionship with a psychology professional.
I have long since abandoned any hope that Trump's die-hard followers will be disaffected by anything reprehensible they learn about him. Just like himself, they have shown their true colors. Our challenge now is not to transform them into us, but rather to become ever more fully who we are in a passionate effort to drive Trump out of office. Unfortunately, all too many of "us" are down in the dumps after years of revulsion, and I fear this battering may translate to a suppression of our work between now and November 3. I've just posted a recipe to preclude that tragic possibility, if you're interested, read it here: https://eliotdaley.com/well-of-course-youre-depressed-why-wouldnt-you-be/
After perusing everybody's responses to HCR's letter and links, my usual head-scratching moment tends to end with: "WHAT. WILL. IT. TAKE???" I know that in this community on here we most frequently end up "preaching to the choir", but I like to think that maybe there are a few Republicans lurking on here who are fed up with Trump and still feel some reticence to publicly berate him. I daresay they agree with some of what we say on here, but I hope they also realise the importance of decent-minded people who love this country to step forward and fight against this menace in our midst. Trump IS an insult to almost anyone's definition of decency, and that should cut across any and all party lines. We're in a situation--ruled by an insane President* who is bereft of any reason, ethics, or morality--we have never (correct me if I'm wrong, HCR) been in in the 244-year history of this republic. We don't seem to know what to do. I suppose it is to our credit, and to the credit of how our government operates, that we've gone this long relatively unscathed. We've not had the misfortune to have our country ruled by a miscreant. Nixon came close, but Trump takes us into a whole other realm. I keep waiting for Trump to finally put the nail in his own coffin, and maybe we are close. But, with the long list of other outrages over the past 4 years that would have easily destroyed anybody else, he manages to endure. I do still wish the Democrats would "grow a pair" and attack him relentlessly. God knows, he's given us plenty of ammunition. The Lincoln Group of disaffected Republicans are showing how it's done. They just could use a lot more high-profile airplay. Democrats' responses so far, IMO, have been pretty lame. C'mon! We've got 2 more months and piles of $$ to sink this would-be tyrant!
I find it heartening that so many groups are coming out in favor of a Democrat win. And I have seen some Occupy Democrats ads that I think speak to what you are saying. However, I am not convinced that anything the Democrats could say or do will change the minds of those who are rooted in their opinion, and will vote for DJT no matter what. I am counting on a Biden victory because of the many who will come out to vote for him.
P.S. I always look for your comments on these Letters, Bruce!
No, impeachment is not at all viable right now (and Trump and the Republicans know it...). And, Trump's wacko-base will vote for him regardless. However, I do not believe that his most ardent base alone constitutes nearly enough votes for any kind of a victory. They're a loud minority, but I don't think their numbers back up their decibel level. BUT, there exists, I'm sure, a great pool of voters out there who could very easily swing away from Trump if he gets too toxic for them--maybe not by coming out and voting for Biden, but certainly they could become disgruntled enough that they might put somebody else at the head of their ballot, especially if they do want to show up for down ballot races...or they may stay home. I think that great middle portion of swing voters, if they get aggravated enough at Trump and his antics, will NOT vote for him this go around. Of course, we know all too well ANYTHING can happen in this race and nothing is a guarantee--I still wonder if, for some of these polls, people are not admitting to pollsters that they're voting for Trump, either out of shame, or that they hope to skew the polls so far in Biden's favour that Dems won't show up at the polls because they assume he'll win. It's hard to know WHAT to think anymore...
It bothers and boggles me why the Democrats are not being more emphatic about the disasters the Creature has caused to our republic, to our people and to our planet. What happened to Bloomberg and his promised money? There is so much ammunition. Why isn't it being forcefully used? Something like this masterful speech from "Network" would work.
Thanks for that link, Catherine. That's good to know. However, this is of concern: "But Bloomberg has not yet announced whether he will spend more money on television and digital ads to help Biden, or whether he will repeat his $20 million 2018 effort to help Democrats take the U.S. Senate." If the Democrats don't take back the Senate (and oust McConnell), we'll be in the same situation as Obama faced, with the Senate blocking everything Biden proposes.
It's a lot easier to understand once you understand that the Democratic Party doesn't stand for much more than going back to the Obama years. And if that's fine with people, then that's what they'll get. I'd rather do better. Much better.
In the year 2020 with all that we've seen, that is little more than propaganda. Neither party has offered a serious solution to anything. Look at who they invited to the convention, look at the platform, and then try to say that with a straight face.
Would you outline what the "better" is you would expect to get? I don't want to go backward no matter what. We have too many challenges facing us in this time that have to be addressed. What is your list of how we move forward? Thank you.
OK. Yes, I can understand how that starts your list. So, my next question if you'll indulge me, is do you see someone that is a visionary of the future you'd like from within the younger generations (guess I'll say under 50). I feel there is so much that is broken, so much that is changing like technology (AI) and climate, social change like the movement for Black Lives Matter, to a new form of economics that I'm trying to find that visionary of the future and I believe it has to come from the younger generations. Basically, it is time for the old white men to move aside.... Your thoughts? Thank you again.
Speaking as having officially achieved old man status this year (50 on the nose), I resemble that remark. But yes, I think the people running our government are too old, too stuck in their ways, and in general our whole government needs to become much younger.
On the other hand, I thought Obama would bring a whole new perspective on the Presidency and what we got, from my perspective, was Clintonism from a different person.
I see elements of people in Congress right now that seem to envision a more ambitious agenda and I hope that some day, one of them might be President and that then once they get there, they still have that same ambitious agenda and don't end up becoming another puppet of the wealthy. But the overwhelming message I got from this last election cycle is that the people with money and power are very happy with the system they've got and they will go to any lengths to make sure it does not change. The only weapon we have to defeat them (short of a violent revolution that I'm sure no one wants) is with our vote. And our representatives, senators, and president need to feel like if they don't serve our needs, they will be replaced. Right now, money in politics, the inertia of incumbency, and the apathy of the voters are all obstacles to change. My hope is that the youth will become engaged and start using their vote to change a system that is not working for most of them at the moment (Nor is it working for me specifically).
In terms of economics, it's funny that you mention that because that was my major in college and I have been recently looking into Modern Monetary Theory. I started with a sample book written by an economist named Stephanie Kelton, which has now led me to this book, which is available in PDF format on the internet (she references the author in her book). It is rather encouraging and it explains a lot of some the recent large spending initiatives and why we seem to be able to find unlimited amounts of money to spend on the military and investors, but not for regular people.
We've had other pretty bad presidents. Trump probably wins the narcisstic category hands down. Plus he is the most quoted president in the history of our nation due to his abuse of his Twitter account and how the media is centered around everything he does and says.
My concern is what we do after Trump is gone. Do we become complacent and forget all the things that still need fixing, or is going back to October 2016 all anybody wants? I don't want to go backwards at all.
Well, your moniker on here and your little logo next to it pretty much shows where you're coming from, so I'll be brief. (You're either a disgruntled Bernie Bot or even a Russian bot--whatever...) Yes, we MUST do better after Trump is gone, but the big step toward even getting the process started is getting rid of his sorry orange ass FIRST. I'm by no means a rabid Biden supporter (Warren was my candidate...), but we HAVE to take our country back from these criminals. And FYI, we are most decidedly NOT sitting around yearning for the former palmy days of the Obama administration. That's where you reveal your true colours right there. You don't know us very well, and it shows. We've moved on. You obviously haven't. Stay tuned...
There was this little kurfuffle too, which clearly shows how he treats and regards vets... "The case is tied to a televised fundraiser for veterans held by Trump in Iowa when he was running for president in January 2016. Trump had said the funds raised would be distributed to charities. But according to court documents, the Trump Foundation improperly used $2.82 million it received from that fundraiser, for his campaign." He was fined, and had to pay charities who had come in on the fundraiser- https://www.npr.org/2019/11/07/777287610/judge-says-trump-must-pay-2-million-over-misuse-of-foundation-funds
My nephew committed suicide after Afghanistan and his younger brother is not the same after his stint. Cousins, my father all served in armed services. This is so disgusting! I can’t imagine this doesn’t do dumpty in. All the veterans and families affected! Why would any of them vote for this coward? We have to keep reminding voters of the evil while he presents his distracting smoke screens.
I hope the story catches fire. My husband served served 4 years voluntary service as a young man and he deeply resents Trump. As stepmother to a career soldier who served in the initial incursion into Iraq after 911 and who served in that region twice as well as three other overseas assignments, I deeply resent this President's treatment of our troops. He still has not condemned Russian bounties. He took money away from projects for military families to build his ridiculous wall. I have zero respect for this draft dodger. My son has permanent disabilities from his service. Trump said his disabilities were temporary.
What, he healed as soon as the Viet Nam conflict was over?
It's mind boggling that he'd think his denials would stand up in the face of video, audio, and photographic evidence to the contrary. But, like QAnon, we've seen way to many people accept that the ENTIRE WORLD could fashion and coordinate a conspiracy against them or Trump, yet somehow they've yet to present any credible and timely counterpoint beyond their statements of said conspiracies.
As a disabled Gulf War vet I receive my medical at a local VA clinic (which is run very well, and FYI the medical care I receive is far far more personal, thorough and responsive to any that I've ever received on private insurance in the "outside" medical establishment)...and when you go in to check in at the desk there is a picture of that lying, rapist traitor hanging on the wall in pride of place. And every time I've gone in I give it "the bird" (middle finger)...& everyone around me and at the desk laughs and nods their head. We DESPISE him.
You aren’t alone. Polls are showing that the majority of active duty military members are supporting Biden. When was the last time service members supported a Democrat? They see him for what he is.
Jennifer,. Thank you for your service. I am so happy to hear that the VA is taking good care of you.
Jennifer, you just made my day. Thank you. And - at the risk of sounding cliché, "Thank you for your service."
Several months ago, I found two wartime letters my father had sent to his parents in the 40s. His handwriting was difficult to decipher so I put them aside until today. Here is the first; when I can wipe away the tears and compose myself, I will transcribe and post the second letter.
--------
Germany
January 14, 1945
Dear Mother,
In your letter of June 5 you abhorred the needless waste of mankind in war. On this I agree. War and everything associated with it is a waste. Then you asked why you should get excited over my volunteering to risk life and limb to come home to a place where democracy was both born and slain? Well it’s this.
I am just the idealist who has yet that little or that much faith in the few or many fair minded Americans and in myself to think that through our combined efforts there can be an Easter for the slain democracy. I think that any possible resurrection would be eliminated and lost forever if some passionate few didn’t make any attempt to revive democracy. I don’t get any real glory from being in this unit, but I get so much satisfaction in knowing how much I am continually contributing to the good causes of my race by merely being here among those whites in nearly every case an equal being, and in some cases by exhibiting superior greatness.
Believe me we are making real progress here. Were you here you could see it daily. From here I know that any danger I was exposed to or shall be exposed to was not in vain, and if it were I would feel better having made a supreme attempt.
I would much rather die trying, and may yet, than to live complacently in our pseudo democracy. I feel that perhaps when I have grandchildren I will not have to tell them they cannot enter a certain theater, or that there is a difference in color.
I hope that a more harmonious associations of races will eliminate most suggestions of differences.
And if not, I can tell them what I have tried to do.
Your son, Wilfred.
What a treasure your father’s letters are, and what a wonderful legacy he left you. Thank you for sharing. He is a great hero and inspiration.
Thank you for liking my comment, even though I can't find it here.
Yes, this connection is a mystery!
Hi Ellie, well I did see this comment!! LOL!
Cheryl, THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing this amazing letter from your father. I started crying after the first paragraph. He stated so eloquently what true patriotism is. ❤️❤️❤️
Tears... Me, too.
"I would much rather die trying, and may yet, than to live complacently in our pseudo democracy"
Powerful words. I wish more people felt the same way. I feel we'd have a much better government then.
So touching. Thanks for sharing this letter. He sounds like a brave and inspiring man.
Cheryl, I have read about other people like your father. A true hero in every sense. Would you mind if I copied your above-reply to share? I look forward to his second letter.
Thank you for the kind words. Yes, please do share. If you wish, send me your e-mail address and I will email you a copy of the booklet I did for his memorial service. He was an incredible person, father, activist, patriot. I am glad he is no longer her to witness tRump's atrocities.
I would also like to share, but am not sure of how to send you my e-mail address other than to post it, which wouldn't be my first choice. And I would rather not copy and paste his words without attribution.
Email me at CAndersonS@aol.com
Cheryl, Have you read this book? Grim.
Taps for a Jim Crow Army: Letters from Black Soldiers in World War II
Phillip McGuire
https://books.google.co.jp/books?id=0hYHxFsP58gC&printsec=frontcover&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=penis&f=false
Not yet. Thank you.
Cheryl, thank you for sharing this inspirational letter from your father. I wish we could have lived up to his ideals by now but we have a long way to go - we just have to keep trying. We can’t let Trump and his enablers wear us down so that we give up. Thank you again.
Cheryl, I immediately posted this to my Facebook page. Thank you so much for your sharing and let me know if I overstepped and you want me to pull it down.
I am pleased that you shared his letter. Thank you.
Cheryl, were you able to see your way through your tears to transcribe your father’s second letter?
I hope you able to post it early on the fresh September 4 Letter comments. Tonight’s Letter is more on trump’s disparaging remarks about soldiers.
As such a precious and tender primary source, HCR would surely have even more appreciation with its coming from you as one of her readers.
❤️
The second letter has water damage in key areas and the penmanship is worse. I’m still working on it.
I’m imagining water damage from your father’s mother’s tears as she read your father’s letter.
Thinking of ways to amplify this...
If you don’t mind, I will look for the next opportunity to get this on HCR’s radar, probably the next time she posts a Question #, regardless of the topic.
I put in a friend request to Katya Partan, who has emerged as HCR’s go-to editor for the first 10-15 minutes of the Letter post on Facebook for corrections prior to posting here on Substack. She appears to have a private message connection to HCR.
Are you a member of the Facebook UNOFFICIAL Heather Cox Richardson Resource and Discussion Room?
My heart goes out to you, and I hope you do post again your father’s first letter, as well as whatever you can retrieve of this second letter.
❤️
BTW, what I meant about the next Question # is catching it when she first posts it and reads/likes the responses posted within about the first hour. Posting your father’s letter should come from you. I just want to help it catch her attention, and a bigger audience from there.
It's terribly kind of you to express such interest in his letter. I have been surprised by the reception here and on my Face Book page, including from people I don't know. Several folks have suggested that I send the original to a museum. I will look into the National Museum of African American History; I think there's also a WWII museum, but I'm not sure. I do recall seeing information on the 69th unit, but I don't recall where.
FYI, the other letter is to his father, Ronald E. Strange. It has a completely different tone (throughout his lifetime he had a strained relationship with his mother and an extremely close one with his adoring father). In this letter, he disagrees with his dad about his lack of diplomacy in discussing of racism. There is one key sentence I can't complete. I will try to enlarge it to see if that helps.
I considered sending the letter and a copy of the memorial booklet I created to Dr. Richardson but never did. That booklet has more info on his military service as well as my personal tribute.
I'm not a member of the Unofficial page, but I will join. I would also like to send you a FB friend request.
What a great idea to send your father’s letters to a museum!
So maybe the water damage was from your father’s father’s tears!
I welcome your FB.
You might be able to IM Dr. Richarson directly - might be worth a try. If you see an opportunity to send the letter to her, please do so with my blessing.
I read the Goldberg's article when it published yesterday and immediately knew it would dominate the Letter. It was fascinating watching it explode on Twitter as Trump & WH tried to deny the allegations and seemingly everyone else tweeted back examples of HIS OWN WORDS in response (the internet NEVER forgets). When AP and others began backing the account I knew this was going to be a significant setback for 45.
I am, however, ready for some of these anonymous sources to step up and go on record by name. It's too easy for T to dismiss anonymous sources as fake news. It's a harder sell when he has to resort to personal attacks on respected former members of his administration.
Andrew, you're right, of course, but I couldn't help think how ironic that Trump, who never quotes provable sources, is dismissing any report that uses anonymous sources.
Oh my gosh. You are so right. I’m already in a Facebook war of words after I posted that article. People are telling me I’m believing lies without sources. Last night Rachel Maddow also broke the story and then interviewed a Marine who is also a reporter for another magazine. He said when he heard the story and didn’t believe it at first and then did his own research within his contacts and they verified it. But, yes, people are already disparaging the “unknown” sources.
I am replying to my own comment because I am so damn frustrated at these people who are really brainwashed and don't even want to consider the truth in these "mainstream" news stories. I mentioned FB. Let me try to copy an exchange with some of these people. I tried to be reasonable and thoughtful, but it simply doesn't work: Here is what I said: Normally when a post goes back and forth too many times I just stop the argument. But in this case I need to reply. Let’s take your first statement. I do NOT condone violence, looting, arson or destruction. Anyone who makes that broad statement is categorically wrong. I do support peaceful protest for a just cause and I deplore anyone -on the left or right- who hijack these protests and turn them violent. There are many theories on both sides as to those who deliberately do this, but I won’t go there. It’s wrong, plain and simple.
Now, your second point about sources. Last night there was an interview on TV with a former Marine who is also a reporter for a different publication. He said when he first read the story he didn’t believe it either. Then he started using his connections to check it out. He said he spoke to other, independent people, who confirmed it. Do I wish the author had been able to name the sources? Yes. Do I wish these people had the courage to speak out and confirm them? Yes. But the fact that the article author and the Marine reporter both confirmed the article tells me there is truth there, especially when we have recordings of Trump disparaging John McCain. What makes me weary and sad is the fact that my friends won’t have even a small opening to reflect on these things.
Now here is his mindless response: My point really is your (sic) completely one sided and not doing what your preach.
Sorry for the length of this post but I just don't know what to do anymore. Help!!
Annette, I would just say, "Come to this page" how many ever times a day you need to in order to "bathe" in like-minded opinions. FB can be a nightmare. Fortunately for me, my friends there are all pretty much like-minded, with a couple of exceptions, but even they don't tangle with me on my page, nor do I on theirs. I've blocked a couple and I'm sure a few have blocked me, but I really don't care. I'm not out to win a popularity contest. I do tend to just walk away from arguments with idiots. I live in one of the most pro-Trump areas of the country, so me and my fellow centrists/liberals all tend to huddle together to prop each other up in the face of boundless insanity. Go where you can breathe easily and relax. Or, step away periodically like I do. Listen to music. Find woods and walk in nature. Play with a dog or cat. Do whatever saves wear & tear on your emotions and sensibilities. Hang in there. We're here for you and for each other!
Thank you!
I limited my Facebook feed to close friends and family, removing most all of the news feeds with the notable exception of HCR. The level of ignorance and hate in any political discussion on FB was simply too much. I also blocked or unfriended any "friend" with a propensity to share obviously faked memes without at least offering a legitimate source to back the allegation.
I found Twitter much easier to configure for news. It doesn't take too much to vet the credibility of any person there. I get a few angry replies, but not nearly so much as FB. That's probably due to my limited Twitter following, but that's OK.
I like this forum for discussing HCRs letters; it really makes me think.
I like to use a couple of replies. 1. What if you're wrong? And that is more rhetorical than looking for an answer. 2. If everyone is out of step but my Johnny, maybe your perception is off.
The second comment is based on a story my 5th grade teacher told of a mother watching her son March in a parade. She exclaimed, "look, everyone is out of step but my Johnny!" I don't remember why the nun was telling the class this story, but it's something I've remembered for going on 60 years.
Excellent!
Annette, a friend of mine in the mental health field told me early in the Trump administration, the only way to protect yourself in dealing with a narcissist is to walk away. Do not engage. I've learned that this advice applies to trying to deal with his followers as well.
It's not worth the mental anguish. As the old saying goes, on why you should never try to teach a pig to sing: It ticks you off and it annoys the pig.
Opps - correction: It 'frustrates' you and annoys the pig".
My voice teacher a copy of this quote taped to the large mirror we used in her studio...but it said, "Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig." Basically the same sentiment!
Thanks, Bruce. I was relying on my ever diminishing memory there.
Insert *had* after "voice teacher"...
What if it’s your children. I feel it is my responsibility to instruct them on how to discern the truth or falsities in a story. I have given up on my mother and her Trumper second husband. I live in Alabama and my 20 year old boy has drunk Trump’s Koolaid. I won’t give up but don’t want to lose my relationship with him. I feel it is important to speak out. It’s like the openin reply of the letter from what sounds like a Buffalo Soldier. I’ll paraphrase: Better to speak out than say nothing! This is one of those times. I believe ihistory may prove this moment to be as pivot as that of our joining in the fight against Hitler.
What's frustrating too is I have posted fact-checked articles to back up my comments, but met with "Your sources are biased." Then I get a link to either a Breitbart column or a FoxNews video.
In early March, my father in law told me I was lying about the coronavirus despite the fact the article I was referencing was in the Wall Street Journal sitting right in front of him on the breakfast table open to the article. you simply cannot win with some people.
Yep. I started reading Epoch Times, hoping to get a conservative opinion so I could understand "the other side's" view. They say their reporting is objective. I discovered quickly that it is not. CCP virus is how they refer to COVID-19. That started soon after #45 started calling it the Chinese virus. I also reached out to folks to help me understand why they feel about #45 the way they do. I seriously wanted to see if I was missing something. It all started out friendly enough, but then when I would ask, "Well, what about this," or that, I was met with a tirade of hate speech. You're right, you simply can't win with some people.
I live in a trumper area. he, in their eyes could NEVER do anything wrong- EVER. It is truly frightening.
Three things staggered me more than any other during Trump's initial run for president: his mocking of a disabled reporter, his remarks about John McCain being a loser, and his contempt and callous disrespect of the Khans, the Gold Star parents who spoke at the DNC. I thought, at the time, that these acts would be enough to open the eyes of the undecided and repel those already on board the Trump train. Especially active and retired military. They weren't.
I didn't expect his predatory and aggressive attitudes toward women to be a game changer for those already supporting him, they don't care about women and women's rights. I also didn't expect any of his followers to be put off of by his mocking of a physically disabled journalist. But I truly thought that the military community would stand against him, en masse, once he'd shown how he truly felt about their sacrifices.
I hope that this specific letter, the Atlantic piece and his total disregard for human life, as evidenced by his handling of the pandemic, are powerful enough catalysts to change the the hearts and minds of those voters still sitting on the fence.
Plus, 45 has now been silent after Russian soldiers rammed a truck into our soliders in Syria, causing injuries. Whose side is he on?
Absolutely spot on.
If this story can achieve wide circulation and generate follow-ons it will be very useful to the Biden campaign to further reduce Trump's support to his absolute core or "rump". It will not be a miracle but it is already destabalizing Trump severely and will give even more reason to his GOP coat-tails to distance themselves as much as their little courage will permit in an attempt to avoid being part of a rout. Obviously it will not do more than that....but decency remains a a factor common to all current Americans heritage as is respect for service to the nation .....be it patriotic and heroic or just everyday care for the proverbial other. Those non-rabid foxes amonsgt us will know where our "duty" lies.
As a response watch out for the next horror from Trump to try to recapture the headlines and once again divert attention.
Both of my grandfathers served in WWI. My father and my uncle served in WWII - fighting both the Germans and racism within the Army. He was an infantryman, engineer, cartographer, photographer and interpreter - fluent in German, French and Portuguese - with the rank of sergeant. Included in a booklet I did for his memorial service was the following excerpt from an 1988 newspaper article:
"As casualties climbed on the ground, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower asked for black volunteers to fight in the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. More than 4,500 blacks responded. Almost half were selected, trained and sent into battle.
There was a catch: Volunteers who were officers in other units were busted down to privates -- so they wouldn't outrank white soldiers.
Wilfred Strange of Washington, D.C., an Army sergeant in an all-black engineering regiment in France, took the demotion.
"They said that black people couldn't fight and didn't have any courage," Strange, 76, said. "I had a point to make."
Strange joined a platoon of 70 black soldiers attached to the 69th Division which later crossed the Rhine and met the Russians in Torgau -- a campaign that helped end the war, he said.
"During combat, quite often the black platoon would be in front," said Strange, who was featured in Love and War by Robert and Jane Easton. "About a dozen of us were killed. They saw by our heroism how well we performed."
When the war ended, most black volunteers returned to their old segregated units. Their ranks were never restored.
Last July, five survivors of the Battle of the Bulge received the bronze star for their bravery -- a commendation awarded in 1949 to white infantrymen who served in combat.
But Strange has refused to accept his medal. "Justice reserved is justice denied," he said."
Quite the contrast to 45.
Cheryl, this is heartbreaking. It made me think of Coach Rivers' comments about 'why we keep loving this country when it doesn't love us back".
Thank you for sharing this. Very moving. Your relatives typify patriotism, which of course Trump can't comprehend.
This story is inspiring and maddening at the same time. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Your family has done so much for this country with honor and humility. Thank you for the telling. With deepest gratitude, daria
What would it take to have a Bill passed in Congress to require a mental fitness exam before any person runs for POTUS? There must be a battery of tests that are available to take a clear inventory of a person's character. Let's ask for A.) mental fitness, B.) character assessment and C.) IQ, plus D.) Emotional intelligence. If they cannot manage this battery of tests in an above average way, then they cannot run. (IMHO). I'm so sick of this bottom feeding cretin.
I say give them the same test that all immigrants must pass to become a citizen. And, they have to do it in front of a camera so they can't cheat.
I would pay good money to watch 45 take that test on camera. Probably a cake walk for someone who has mastered "Person, woman, man, camera, TV".
Well then I would not be here if that were the case. My grandfather came here from Italy. He was a skilled machinist, but he would not have been able to understand English well enough to pass those tests. I feel certain that trump would not be able to pass the current tests for citizenship.
Paula didn't mean require the test for immigrants to enter the country. She said that anyone running for president has to pass the same test that immigrants must pass to become citizens, in public to make cheating harder. I think it's a great idea.
My apologies. I misread her comment. So sorry. Apologies to Paula. That is a great idea.
There is a certain irony that the Electoral College, established so that educated men could assure that the elected leader would be sufficiently educated and equipped for the Presidency, is the sole reason that this man of questionable mental faculty occupies the White House instead of the highly educated person who dedicated her life to service of country.
Yes, ppl forget that the whole “Undemocratic” structure was to prevent the ignorant unwashed masses from putting an idiot in the White House. I naively wrote to electors pleading with them to uphold that part of the Electoral College – but they were all Partisan Repugnants. We need to get rid of that destructive institution.
Practical note: to get rid of the Electoral College would take a constitutional convention, where delegates from red states would have clear majority. A better path would be to repeal the 1920s law capping the size of the House of Representatives, which was passed precisely for the sake of a rural white majority in Congress and the EC. Once the House is proportional to population, the impact of the Senate on the EC will be much less.
It was also to permit the "sensible" , property owning elite to keep an unwashed, uncouth idiot in place against the wishes of the "wrong thinking masses" should they wish it! That's what Koch etc are certainly hoping that their mega$s will do this time.
Sadly, so very true, Andrew. I had to take "Miller's Analogies" as an entrance exam to my graduate program. That is a good one to separate the wheat from the chaff. (I'm a tour guide in a 1747 grist mill.)
Several mental health professionals like myself have been discussing these sorts of things in a group for most of the length of his presidency. Dr. Bandy Lee, forensic psychiatrist out of Yale, has been trying to get the word out to the media and has been thwarted time and again cause media people can’t imagine what the repercussions are from what POTUS does and can’t imagine the downstream effects of his irrational antics. The group has been around for a few years now and is called “Dangerous Case— World Mental Health Coalition” and I’m sure many members would be interested in getting their concerns and possible answers out there!
The problem is always in the coverage and structure of the tests. Who set's the rules, what do you measure and how? Then you have the problem of interpreting the results. Who set's the decision criteria? Quantum physics is bringing us to understand that the "researcher" always influences the results of his research by the very reason that it is he/her rather than another doing the measuring. So the political battle is then to control the evaluation process and we haven't progressed very far in reality.
Elimination of "poor" candidates is best left up to the voter and their perception over time of the candidates performance. It's better sometimes to aggregate millions of personal decisions rather than allow one "side" to pre-censure the choice available to the "unwashed masses" .
I hear what you are saying, Stuart. But, why not use standardized tests? They exist. They are proven measurements used by colleges and universities for entrance exams. Use what we have. Proctor it so that you know a donald trump wannabe doesn't cheat, too!
Having ran an important part of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator world for a while i know the difficulties of detecting the persona rather than the true personality. Every test that you would care to mention has its detractors and supporters...neither being able to finally end the dispute. Over and above that, the difficulty with many existing tests, like IQ etc, nobody has definitively been able both to clearly define exactly hat they really measure and whether that is what is important. The test obviously help but only truly in the context of a reltionship with a psychology professional.
Thank you, Ms. Heather. While I am encouraged by all the comments here, I feel we still need to be vigilant until the final vote is cast.
Actually, I believe we need to be vigilant until the final vote is counted!
Right; I stand corrected.
Can I just say it plain and simple? He is a self-centered, greedy, ignorant *sshole!
(BTW, I adore HCR and my HCR tribe. You keep me sane these days.)
I have long since abandoned any hope that Trump's die-hard followers will be disaffected by anything reprehensible they learn about him. Just like himself, they have shown their true colors. Our challenge now is not to transform them into us, but rather to become ever more fully who we are in a passionate effort to drive Trump out of office. Unfortunately, all too many of "us" are down in the dumps after years of revulsion, and I fear this battering may translate to a suppression of our work between now and November 3. I've just posted a recipe to preclude that tragic possibility, if you're interested, read it here: https://eliotdaley.com/well-of-course-youre-depressed-why-wouldnt-you-be/
Thanks for sharing that. Some very good ideas indeed.
I enjoyed your recipe, Eliot. You offer some positive ways to engage, turning depression into purpose.
Bravo! Thank you for sharing multiple, doable ideas to get unstuck and to make a difference in the upcoming election results.
Thank you, Eliot. Very comprehensive article. I am calmer for having read it. Thanks again.
After perusing everybody's responses to HCR's letter and links, my usual head-scratching moment tends to end with: "WHAT. WILL. IT. TAKE???" I know that in this community on here we most frequently end up "preaching to the choir", but I like to think that maybe there are a few Republicans lurking on here who are fed up with Trump and still feel some reticence to publicly berate him. I daresay they agree with some of what we say on here, but I hope they also realise the importance of decent-minded people who love this country to step forward and fight against this menace in our midst. Trump IS an insult to almost anyone's definition of decency, and that should cut across any and all party lines. We're in a situation--ruled by an insane President* who is bereft of any reason, ethics, or morality--we have never (correct me if I'm wrong, HCR) been in in the 244-year history of this republic. We don't seem to know what to do. I suppose it is to our credit, and to the credit of how our government operates, that we've gone this long relatively unscathed. We've not had the misfortune to have our country ruled by a miscreant. Nixon came close, but Trump takes us into a whole other realm. I keep waiting for Trump to finally put the nail in his own coffin, and maybe we are close. But, with the long list of other outrages over the past 4 years that would have easily destroyed anybody else, he manages to endure. I do still wish the Democrats would "grow a pair" and attack him relentlessly. God knows, he's given us plenty of ammunition. The Lincoln Group of disaffected Republicans are showing how it's done. They just could use a lot more high-profile airplay. Democrats' responses so far, IMO, have been pretty lame. C'mon! We've got 2 more months and piles of $$ to sink this would-be tyrant!
I might be missing your point here, but we're too close to the election to start another impeachment, the only tool I know of that has any clout. Senator Warren from my state of VA, has been very vocal about the USPS; he co-authored the Senate Intelligence Committee report on Russian interference, just to name two. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2020/08/24/senate-intelligence-committees-report-really-is-damning/
I find it heartening that so many groups are coming out in favor of a Democrat win. And I have seen some Occupy Democrats ads that I think speak to what you are saying. However, I am not convinced that anything the Democrats could say or do will change the minds of those who are rooted in their opinion, and will vote for DJT no matter what. I am counting on a Biden victory because of the many who will come out to vote for him.
P.S. I always look for your comments on these Letters, Bruce!
Aww...thanks!
No, impeachment is not at all viable right now (and Trump and the Republicans know it...). And, Trump's wacko-base will vote for him regardless. However, I do not believe that his most ardent base alone constitutes nearly enough votes for any kind of a victory. They're a loud minority, but I don't think their numbers back up their decibel level. BUT, there exists, I'm sure, a great pool of voters out there who could very easily swing away from Trump if he gets too toxic for them--maybe not by coming out and voting for Biden, but certainly they could become disgruntled enough that they might put somebody else at the head of their ballot, especially if they do want to show up for down ballot races...or they may stay home. I think that great middle portion of swing voters, if they get aggravated enough at Trump and his antics, will NOT vote for him this go around. Of course, we know all too well ANYTHING can happen in this race and nothing is a guarantee--I still wonder if, for some of these polls, people are not admitting to pollsters that they're voting for Trump, either out of shame, or that they hope to skew the polls so far in Biden's favour that Dems won't show up at the polls because they assume he'll win. It's hard to know WHAT to think anymore...
everyone is so caught up in saving their own skin that we are left to try and save ourselves.
It bothers and boggles me why the Democrats are not being more emphatic about the disasters the Creature has caused to our republic, to our people and to our planet. What happened to Bloomberg and his promised money? There is so much ammunition. Why isn't it being forcefully used? Something like this masterful speech from "Network" would work.
https://neilchughes.com/2014/07/15/im-mad-as-hell-speech-from-network-1976/
Bloomberg has given some of the promised money and may still give more:
https://www.npr.org/2020/07/29/896545732/bloomberg-vowed-to-spend-whatever-it-takes-to-beat-trump-dems-are-still-waiting
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/mike-bloomberg-pledges-60-million-to-help-house-democrats/2020/08/17/a5756994-e0b5-11ea-8181-606e603bb1c4_story.html?outputType=amp
Thanks for that link, Catherine. That's good to know. However, this is of concern: "But Bloomberg has not yet announced whether he will spend more money on television and digital ads to help Biden, or whether he will repeat his $20 million 2018 effort to help Democrats take the U.S. Senate." If the Democrats don't take back the Senate (and oust McConnell), we'll be in the same situation as Obama faced, with the Senate blocking everything Biden proposes.
It's a lot easier to understand once you understand that the Democratic Party doesn't stand for much more than going back to the Obama years. And if that's fine with people, then that's what they'll get. I'd rather do better. Much better.
The Democratic Party is so much more. To start with (from https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2016/11/13/1598585/-What-are-the-core-values-of-the-Democratic-Party):
Democrats represent the working class over special interests and moneyed elites
Democrats believe health care is an economic and moral right
Democrats believe education, including college, is an economic right
Democrats believe that protecting the environment is essential to our future
Democrats advocate peace over military intervention, always
Democrats protect the civil liberties of all Americans, and especially stand up for the marginalized
Thank you! And “here! Here!”
In the year 2020 with all that we've seen, that is little more than propaganda. Neither party has offered a serious solution to anything. Look at who they invited to the convention, look at the platform, and then try to say that with a straight face.
Would you outline what the "better" is you would expect to get? I don't want to go backward no matter what. We have too many challenges facing us in this time that have to be addressed. What is your list of how we move forward? Thank you.
That is a very long list. But Medicare4All seems like the easiest quick answer.
OK. Yes, I can understand how that starts your list. So, my next question if you'll indulge me, is do you see someone that is a visionary of the future you'd like from within the younger generations (guess I'll say under 50). I feel there is so much that is broken, so much that is changing like technology (AI) and climate, social change like the movement for Black Lives Matter, to a new form of economics that I'm trying to find that visionary of the future and I believe it has to come from the younger generations. Basically, it is time for the old white men to move aside.... Your thoughts? Thank you again.
Ha!
Speaking as having officially achieved old man status this year (50 on the nose), I resemble that remark. But yes, I think the people running our government are too old, too stuck in their ways, and in general our whole government needs to become much younger.
On the other hand, I thought Obama would bring a whole new perspective on the Presidency and what we got, from my perspective, was Clintonism from a different person.
I see elements of people in Congress right now that seem to envision a more ambitious agenda and I hope that some day, one of them might be President and that then once they get there, they still have that same ambitious agenda and don't end up becoming another puppet of the wealthy. But the overwhelming message I got from this last election cycle is that the people with money and power are very happy with the system they've got and they will go to any lengths to make sure it does not change. The only weapon we have to defeat them (short of a violent revolution that I'm sure no one wants) is with our vote. And our representatives, senators, and president need to feel like if they don't serve our needs, they will be replaced. Right now, money in politics, the inertia of incumbency, and the apathy of the voters are all obstacles to change. My hope is that the youth will become engaged and start using their vote to change a system that is not working for most of them at the moment (Nor is it working for me specifically).
In terms of economics, it's funny that you mention that because that was my major in college and I have been recently looking into Modern Monetary Theory. I started with a sample book written by an economist named Stephanie Kelton, which has now led me to this book, which is available in PDF format on the internet (she references the author in her book). It is rather encouraging and it explains a lot of some the recent large spending initiatives and why we seem to be able to find unlimited amounts of money to spend on the military and investors, but not for regular people.
https://www.moslereconomics.com/wp-content/powerpoints/7DIF.pdf
We've had other pretty bad presidents. Trump probably wins the narcisstic category hands down. Plus he is the most quoted president in the history of our nation due to his abuse of his Twitter account and how the media is centered around everything he does and says.
My concern is what we do after Trump is gone. Do we become complacent and forget all the things that still need fixing, or is going back to October 2016 all anybody wants? I don't want to go backwards at all.
Well, your moniker on here and your little logo next to it pretty much shows where you're coming from, so I'll be brief. (You're either a disgruntled Bernie Bot or even a Russian bot--whatever...) Yes, we MUST do better after Trump is gone, but the big step toward even getting the process started is getting rid of his sorry orange ass FIRST. I'm by no means a rabid Biden supporter (Warren was my candidate...), but we HAVE to take our country back from these criminals. And FYI, we are most decidedly NOT sitting around yearning for the former palmy days of the Obama administration. That's where you reveal your true colours right there. You don't know us very well, and it shows. We've moved on. You obviously haven't. Stay tuned...
The moment that someone accuses someone of being a bot, they've already defeated their own point, whatever it was.
Riiiiiiiight...
"Breathes there a man with soul so dead...?" Yes.
Yes . . . . THIS!!
There was this little kurfuffle too, which clearly shows how he treats and regards vets... "The case is tied to a televised fundraiser for veterans held by Trump in Iowa when he was running for president in January 2016. Trump had said the funds raised would be distributed to charities. But according to court documents, the Trump Foundation improperly used $2.82 million it received from that fundraiser, for his campaign." He was fined, and had to pay charities who had come in on the fundraiser- https://www.npr.org/2019/11/07/777287610/judge-says-trump-must-pay-2-million-over-misuse-of-foundation-funds
My nephew committed suicide after Afghanistan and his younger brother is not the same after his stint. Cousins, my father all served in armed services. This is so disgusting! I can’t imagine this doesn’t do dumpty in. All the veterans and families affected! Why would any of them vote for this coward? We have to keep reminding voters of the evil while he presents his distracting smoke screens.
Thank you, Heather!
💙
I'm sorry for your losses. May their memory be a blessing to your family.
I hope the story catches fire. My husband served served 4 years voluntary service as a young man and he deeply resents Trump. As stepmother to a career soldier who served in the initial incursion into Iraq after 911 and who served in that region twice as well as three other overseas assignments, I deeply resent this President's treatment of our troops. He still has not condemned Russian bounties. He took money away from projects for military families to build his ridiculous wall. I have zero respect for this draft dodger. My son has permanent disabilities from his service. Trump said his disabilities were temporary.
What, he healed as soon as the Viet Nam conflict was over?
It's mind boggling that he'd think his denials would stand up in the face of video, audio, and photographic evidence to the contrary. But, like QAnon, we've seen way to many people accept that the ENTIRE WORLD could fashion and coordinate a conspiracy against them or Trump, yet somehow they've yet to present any credible and timely counterpoint beyond their statements of said conspiracies.
He believes his own lies. That’s the frightening part.