It is good that the presidential foundations and centers warned of the present dangers to democracy. It is too bad that did not have the courage to clearly stat that the MAGA wing of the Republican party including Trump and his acolytes and imitators are the present threat to democracy in America.
It is good that the presidential foundations and centers warned of the present dangers to democracy. It is too bad that did not have the courage to clearly stat that the MAGA wing of the Republican party including Trump and his acolytes and imitators are the present threat to democracy in America.
Trump would have immediately sued them all for defamation and raised millions from it.
We cannot be apathetic and the former Presidents and their representatives weren't. We need more of this to combat the MSM's BS about Biden's age.
Trump is almost as aged as Biden and worked about 25-30 hours a week. Every decision of import ran through him and he surrounded himself with rich white MAGA sycophantic elitists. Fail the loyalty test or upstate TFFG and you were history. If you have two X chromosomes you were ineligible to do anything but get him coffee and be office candy.
Biden has the most diverse and competent staff and cabinet of any President ever. Biden has delegated decisions to his cabinet, whereas Trump never did. Biden works 7 days a week at least twice as long as Trump ever did. But if he became demented like Reagan did his last 4 years in office, I for one have confidence his cabinet, VP and advisors could run the government just fine.
Thank you. It seems that every time I turn on MSNBC or CNN they feel compelled to talk about Biden's age. WAPO and NYT -- same thing.
Thank goodness Jennifer Rubin and HCR and many other columnists write about the positive things the Biden WH has done.
Who isn't impressed with the work Secretaries Deb Harland, Janet Reno, Anthony Bilnken and many others? Biden's economic advisors have done a fantastic job of digging us out from the mess TFFG left us.
Agreed.....a lot of it comes from these "polls". In my opinion, the people they find to do the polls and participate are not an accurate representation. The whole age thing is total BS. There's a reason we elect both a president and a vice president. If he, God forbid, doesn't finish his term, his administration goes on.
The polls are like a$$holes in that every body's got one of their own. Using a composite model, we all cobble together our personal vision of how things are from day to day. Putin has masterfully boxed us in as we swirl in a massive vortex of stupid talk, and crazy talk. (Neil Postman). With our big kaleidoscope of social distractions which keeps our monkey minds unable to self-correct. WE're either evolving, or we are devolving. Impermanence in all things in this life is a permanent state of being.
Nicely put Jim. I pay no attention to polls. When we had the Maddow blog, one of the posters, the lovely Carolina Lady With Fan, had worked for years in polling and she let us know how they worked which should cause everyone to ignore them. And social media provides people with lots of misinformation which can become dangerous if wing nuts decide to act. We have a poster down the street, who twice has dangerously stirred the pot on Nextdoor about her neighbor across the street. We have always taken a screenshot of the thread for him and his wife just in case someone shows up to do damage and/or violence. And people don't need social media. I was once waiting at the dentist's office for them to open and a dip also waiting went into a climate denial rant. Since I was there for teeth, I decided to remain silent.
I hope the polls are the problem. The obvious alternative is that USians are "too stupid for democracy" (as Eileen McGann sang, before concluding that "all of the alternatives are worse"). However, watching the way voters have come through in places like Kansas, Kentucky, and Montana to oppose restrictions on reproductive choice -- that gives me hope.
I do not accept or believe in the results of any polls. Many have them have been bought up by the right. But it's all in the questions they ask and they way they ask them. Also, if the pollsters make comments beforehand, for example, "Given the extreme gas prices, which candidate would get your vote?" this will skew the answers.
You are absolutely right. Polls 14 months before the elections are especially meaningless, but even a week before, they're crap. And journalists who use them to write pieces about the elections are lazy bastards.
+ Younger people tend to use cell phones, & it's technically illegal to call a cell for any sort of solicitation. Not that the scammers care, but the legit pollsters probably do.
Agreed! There is the question of who Trump will chose as his running mate. Has he been asked? Do his fans even care, or do they see him as immortal? The Kamala Harris haters are ready with their talking points in service of electing Trump. I wonder what R-leaning independents would think of Marjorie Taylor Greene or Kari Lake or even Sarah Palin as vice president.
MTG :( Imagine if she became president in light of trump's age. At least we know she will attend every train derailment and shoot own every Chinese "weather" balloon. She would need to get a new boyfriend. Having one who dressed in drag is not a good look on her.
Polls at this point don't really mean this much. They are the same as the results of the election before the votes are all in. Didn't trump get all excited and said he won before the votes were all tallied? Election results will not be a Tues night announcement of a winner which is what the juvenile trump thought would happen. This election the purple states like GA will probably have their votes counted three times ( and republicans STILL won't be happy.
If the media start accurately presenting the achievements of the Biden administration, the failed former president will shortly become a political irrelevancy and cost them both income and the convenience of reporting the same event daily. They'd have to become real journalists, work for their 500 words a day, and possibly make government a little more transparent. Much easier to whine about Biden's age and Harris's lack of positive presence.
More publicity for Biden. People see the price of food and gas go up so they don't believe inflation is down, jobs are up, more manufacturing jobs, etc. It is all Biden' fault.
Yes, if ever thee was a true conspiracy, this is one. These articles suddenly appeared EVERYWHERE - right and left media. Within a matter of weeks, the media has been saturated with them. We expected this sort of thing from the right. All it tells me is who really owns the media and lays bare the "MSM is liberal media" lie.
As of today, Joe Biden is best positioned to beat Trump. He's been an historically stellar president, overcoming many complex challenges. But my admiration for him doesn't blind me to a pragmatic reality: his age is clearly a major liability, and it will be widely exploited as the election draws near. Is it fair considering his performance? Absolutely not. Is it fair considering the undeniable fact that people in their 80s suffer mental and physical decline of varying degrees? Absolutely yes.
I say all this as someone who is approaching age 73, though people often think I'm younger.
If Kamala Harris had wide appeal (she likely never will), Biden would have been smart to pass the torch. Or even have announced to start this year that he would not run again and open the nomination to all entrants (Gretchen Whitmer-Ralphael Warnock would have been a dream team.)
We should also consider what happens if Trump isn't the GOP nominee and someone like Glenn Youngkin emerges. He would be seen as young, dynamic and not тАФ yet тАФ tainted with fascism despite odious policy views. Maybe someone like him would still come up short. But the situation is a legitimate concern.
If the electorate as a whole was far more engaged and informed and motivated тАФ no worries The abortion issue will obviously help a great deal. But leaving anything to chance with democracy at stake should make us alert to the uncomfortable reality of Biden's vulnerabilities.
Give me a break. Nothing I wrote indicated any such thing. Trump is unqualified to be president not just because he is immoral and a grotesque criminal, he's a walking physical disaster who also happens to be poorly educated and lack in IQ. And Biden is three years older on paper but younger than Trump physically and mentally.
I like Whitmer. I like Raskin, too. But we really need him in the House. We can't lose any seats. Hopefully we will pick up some. Boeber might be on the way out.
Also, redistricting battles in Alabama and Florida could well lead to a couple of Democratic pickups. Mark Elias's Democracy Docket has won court fights in both states.
There are quite a few Democrats who like BIden and would support him more vigorously with a different VP behind him. It wouldn't require passing the torch today. But they don't like the potential it gets passed before 2028.
Oops. I meant Yellen of course. How embarrassing. Thanks for pointing that out. And yes, Janet Reno died the day before Trump was elected President in 2016. A day that shall live in infamy. (I mean the Election Day not the day she died.)
Jon Favreau (head of Obama speechwriting team) and Dan Pfeiffer (long-time Obama aide) of Pod Save America had a really good conversation on how to handle the age thing, including how the MSM is keeping it alive by the way they are reporting on it. "MAGA says X; Is it true?" instead of pointing out all the ways Biden is working so well. https://youtu.be/kJdIy4PlJ04?si=qty3ug70lMItLaRg
Until Biden begins to exhibit clear signs that he is becoming non compos mentis or that he has a health issue similar to, perhaps even graver than, Mitch McConnell, the responsibility for all Democrats is clear. Support him for a second term. Do whatever you can to further his re-election. And vote with conviction.
America is at an astonishing and troubling crossroads. It stands in danger of slowly bleeding into an authoritarian state. The election of 2024 thus becomes the most important since the Civil War ├йlections. The same was said, correctly, in 2020. It was not hyperbole then nor is it now to point this out. At that point we knew the general direction of civil society was too frightening to countenance re-election of Trump. Now we know with certainty how deeply the rot has spread and stopping it is the one chance left.
There is a profound difference now however. For years the movement was directed from the top down. Now MAGAism is fully established on its own terms. It will line up behind Trump. Should he be somehow removed from the picture it will be a blessing. However state officials, a Supreme Court of dubious worth, and foreign actors will continue to fight to topple America. Now the script has flipped. The drip-drip of authoritarian тАЬStop me if you dareтАЭ actions has become a steady flow. The movement is now bottom-up and deeply more lethal.
I am uneasy about the *concept* of electing an 82 year old man. My wish would have been for him to have this glorious term and ten ride off into the sunset, giving way generously to a younger candidate. But I would never tell a pollster that. Never.
Democrats need to present a united front from now through November 2024. They must give no hope or solace to this predatory enemy through less than enthusiastic support in the polls. They must exploit the advantage of having an opposition candidate who faces a clearly determined judicial system.
And then the party must ramp up for the probability that the same fierce determination may well be needed in 2028. Time, an implacably severe but fair series of court rulings, and an immovable wall of voters will eventually quash this deep threat.
People who quibble about BidenтАЩs age publicly infect the party with doubt and defeatism. They are a prissy, self-absorbed menace from within, typical of a party with a large tent. In ordinary times BidenтАЩs age could be fodder for a serious internal debate. Not now.
тАЬPeople who quibble about BidenтАЩs age publicly infect the party with doubt and defeatism. тАж... In ordinary times BidenтАЩs age could be fodder for a serious internal debate. Not now.тАЭ Completely agree, and that is the point of bringing up the BS concerning age. It isn't 'age' per se that matters, of course, but whether an individual of any age is capable of doing a given job. At 85, I can match wits with anyone but not my physical endurance, for sure. Then I look at the senators Chuck Grassley, Diane Feinstein, and Mitch McConnell, and I think тАЬtoo oldтАЭтАж.but it really isn't age here, itтАЩs what is happening to their brains that matters.
Unfortunately, trying to get people to think deeply ..or even clearlyтАжabout anything is a Sisyphean effort. How do I know this? I taught for 35 years!
True that dementia is no respecter of age. It is a medical condition that can occur in people much younger than Joe Biden. Feinstein and McConnell both suffered head injuries from which they seem to be suffering serious aftereffects. McConnell's doctor is not being honest about his condition, but medical diagnoses are private and cannot be divulged without the patient's consent. In both their cases, head trauma brought on their symptoms.
Biden has been one of the best presidents we've seen in decades. If he has dementia, there's no sign of it.
It seems to be a trend for doctors to no9t be truthful. I realize about the patients privacy, but don't say he' good when he's almost on a respirator. No comment would be more appropriate. Keep us guessing.
I've noticed in some glimpses I get from right-wing media (however briefly I can stand to endure them) there is clip after clip headlined with "Biden Appears Not Able to Find the Limousine", or "Biden Wanders Off from White House Ceremony Before Final Prayer", etc. etc. ETC. Any and every tiny little thing they can portray as signs of Biden's senility they slather all over their media. (Watching right-wing media is like diving into a whole other universe with regard to what they consider "headlines".) I am fully convinced Russian and Chinese disinformation campaigns are working overtime to -- among other things -- show Biden as a senile old fossil, not capable of being President. They're able to easily take advantage of our open press and social media outlets (thanks to Musk-Rat, made even more open), while it isn't possible in their closed authoritarian societies.
DonтАЩt forget тАЬfeeble,тАЭ this man who is on call for his job 24/7/365, who travels and hits the ground running, over and over. Feeble is golfing instead of тАЬpresidentingтАЭ and riding a golf cart when all the other world leaders walked to the ceremony. Lame is complaining that Fox used his particularly orange and jowly photo.
Years ago a co-worker from FL said, " I never trust a man that cheats and golf and lies about fishing."
Turns out he was a Republican. I wonder if he feels differently about Trump being a golf cheat or whether he blindly accepts his cheating now that Trump is the GOP savior.
We don't have to look at China or Russia for disinformation campaigns, although they are certainly involved. The Republican Party is fully engaged in a disinformation and propaganda campaign the likes of which we have never seen before. Sadly, the legitimate press seems too often to be as bamboozled as Joe the Plumber. Noise is deafening and adroitly applied, an effective weapon against reason.
I was more or less echoing what HCR had written about in this letter. We know full well the disinformation coming from the Republican party. What is so insidious is the degree to which foreign intervention (as HCR discusses in paragraphs 14-17) has been ramped up. The fact that all the presidential foundations and centers for 13 Presidents have taken the unprecedented step to unite in their calling of attention to the increasing threats to our democracy attests to the gravity of the situation. I commend especially paragraphs 16 & 17 in today's Letter as being especially concerning. Again, where is the money coming from to fund all these attacks?? I think we know . . . the Kremlin and Bejing are helping stoke the flames.
The picture of trump trailing toilet paper on the way to the airplane would be good. Kicking his golf ball, the world leaders laughing at him (there is a video with sound), walking in front of the Queen, shoving some guy out of the way so trump could be in the front row for a picture, etc.
To me the old is represented by the neoconservative movement that has been in place since 1981. It is on its deathbed and refuses to yield to the changes that Biden has brought.
I guess I don't fit that description. I went to Province Town and "grooved" with the the drag queen performing a song. I campaigned for Pete B. He would be my choice but with the hate going around...... Neo conservative? I don't think so. I even burned a stolen (how appropriate) trump lawn sign and burned it.
"If you have two X chromosomes you were ineligible to do anything but get him coffee and be office candy." Please don't forget Cassidy Hutchinson, who appears to have been doing all the "work" in that administration.
Bear in mind that Biden's age is non-news, crap that the media fixates on so that they don't have to do the job of writing about and analyzing real news.
What they love doing is playing on people's fears and prejudices, and the public follows along. I'm more than ready to stop reading "news."
I've been in the news business 60 years, and I've never seen such poor coverage of politics and government. If some of these so-called news organizations don't wake up and start providing responsible coverage, the next five years will be the worst in American history.
Dan Froomkin just tore WaPo's Dan Balz a new one for a piece Balz has in today's paper. Both sides "journalism" is killing us. That piece is evidence. I'm tired of the media's lazy willingness to cover everything Trump pukes up on his Truth Social, yet they won't report on Biden's successes with the economy. Hunter Biden's laptop is obviously more fun to report about than the looming debt ceiling crisis.
Unfortunately I think trumpers' minds have been in a trump mode for so long, they can't accept any thing else. It would mean that they had to admit that they were wrong. People hate having to do that and lose face. Cult members have an extremely difficult time to break away (Moonies, Waco people, Jim Jones, etc)
How many blacks had positions of importance in the trump regime? One. Republicans (trump) basically wants to make it very easy to fire anyone who does not tow the line, Wants ALL departments to report to him. That might be interesting if Tuberville never allows the armed forces to get their commanders. trump has said he knows more than HIS generals.
Having no accountability for elected officials and the billionaire who are funding these people for decades give rise to more corruption. Trump proved that are system is broken.
Many of these politicians on both sides have been around for these 4/5 decades that allowed the take over by the these same millionaires who grew into billionaires.
How I wish former African presidents can emulate their American counterparts who have come forward to defend the democracy of America and legal institutions that form the basis of civilization. But unfortunately we don't have former presidents. They have been swallowed by junta and others followed wealth that they had hid overseas.
Nonetheless, the decision by American presidents to take a bold stance on democracy came at a time when the US needed a United voice more than ever as you approach towards 2024 elections. Politics is currently polarising and politicians are adopting radical opinions and making them as absolute truths.
There has been complete disregard for the constitution with politicians adopting extreme stance on various issues affecting the country. Democracy is a work in progress and it must be continually build and strengthened to ward off autocratic tendencies. Political parties, entrusted with building democracy and inclusivity, are nowadays a threat to the same ideals.
Extremist and unconstitutionalism have become so pervasive in the country and if other civil rights groups, citizens, former politicians, and churches do not raise their voices on time, the country will submerge into an irreversible oblivion.
Again, the biggest threat again to democracy is misinformation from Russia, China, and even politicians themselves. Misinformation is a form of social radicalism that penetrates into core, civil values of the society and replace them with extremism that threatens the whole of humanity. Meta, Instagram, and Twitter have emerged as mediums for misinformation because they can reach large audience.
Misinformation is Africa is as well threatening our quest towards civilization. Unverified data and details are pushed forward through algorithms.
Like my work? My underserved community in my newsletter corner will welcome you. It is free to be my subscriber.
Edwin Kiptoo Ngetich, are you always at the beginning of the line because you have a reply you want to make to one of the first three or four to post or because you want to be seen first thing as you are also in the business of selling your newsletter when you come to the forum? Thank you for letting us know that subscribing to it is free. If you posted when you arrived here you would not be second in line or among the first 20 who posted. It feels like an imposition if you jump the line.
Perhaps because of the time difference Edwin just happens to be up and at the start of his day and gets notified when Heather posts. Just like some of Heather's European posters are. Others are "first in line" because they are still up and are just ending their day when Heather posts. And many here have their own substacks that they mention.
A week ago or so, I asked all "users", defined "Authors" & defined "Readers" on LFAA to refrain from commercial advertising , a commercial form of trolling.
Commercial Advertisements are not "Comments" under Substack Inc's Terms of Use (TOU). I realize that HCR's remarkable LFAA Community does attract users, abusers & on specific occasions tortfeasors.
But, the "just don't look" posture fails to understand the gravity of the Professor's Letter this morning. The Ostrich strategy is part of the problem.
One need only look at the sheer volume of commenters on this forum who themselves have pages on Substack and who never once promote their writing to see why Edwin's self-promotion seems a bit out of line. If everybody begins to tout their own Substack writing on here this site will end up one gigantic ad. If one genuinely likes a commenter's writing and opinions on here, and then when one sees that commenter has his or her own "letter", then it is as easy as one click on their page (the link seen just to the right of their name) to go there and sign up for free, or pay for it. THAT should be all the self-advertising necessary on here. It isn't necessary to badger people to sign up for your writing. If they like what you have to say and are genuinely interested to read more of your opinions, they will come to your page under their own volition. You don't have to KEEP reminding them you're out here. We're high-order primates. We know already!
Bryan Sean McKown - "A week ago or so, I asked all "users", defined "Authors" & defined "Readers" on LFAA to refrain from commercial advertising , a commercial form of trolling."
Again, I ask, what is the difference between "Like my work? My underserved community in my newsletter corner will welcome you. It is free to be my subscriber." and "Writes <insert name> Substack"?
I was addressing Edwin as it is appropriate that he speak for himself. In addition, you have no knowledge of my reading practice on the forum, so hardly in a position to 'advise' me in that regard.
Sure Georgia. By the time HCR posts, it is already morning here and I am starting my day and checking my email. So, I normally get HCR post on time. At this time, I am as well active. I mostly find the first 2 or 3 comments with interesting conversations but I normally take time to respond.
Edwin, I see that you haven't answered my question to you about whether you jump the line -- go ahead of others for the purpose of being seen at the front of line. Comments are interesting up and down the line as they are, for the most part. in response to the Letter. Do you not consider responding to what HCR has written and post according to the time you arrive on the forum with your comment or reply?
Sorry for anyone who feels offended by my style of reply., I think I like mostly engaging with other commenters in line with what HCR has posted and I think that's most likely where there is a dispute. Also, due to time differential, I receive HCR post on time (morning) and at a time even when there isn't any comment but I have to reread and take time to write a response. I don't know how Substack rearranges comments or replies, so I only post what I have written as per that time. Thank you for inquiring ЁЯЩП
This article doesn't give proper credit to Rebecca Solnit, who mainstreamed the term several years ago when a man began talking at her about a subject she wrote an entire book about.
Marycat2021, the mansplaining was addressed to Georgia Fisanick who spoke for Edwin, to whom my question was addressed, without her knowing his situation. She also advised me as if she knew my reading practice on the forum, which she does not. I thought that 'mansplaining' was a perfect description of Georgia's behavior. I hope she reads that description of her aggressiveness and reflects on it.
Fern, in addition to the time differential, there also seems to be cultural differences in how Edwin expresses himself that seem to be annoying you. I see Edwin working to relate what is happening here in North American politics to what is happening across Africa, (which is a much more complicated situation!) for his readers in Africa. Edwin is willing to engage in discussions around interpretation and priorities. Maybe give him a little credit here?
Notes On Useful Beauty, I suggest that you reread my comment. I made no judgements about Edwin's writing style or the quality of his comments. You are attributing thoughts and a negativity to me that cannot be based on what I have written. Please reflect on why you have made such assumptions. Thank you.
Sorry Fern, I was replying to EKN's comment but I probably appear the same way. I don't have a newsletter, but I will try to do better. Thanks for the reminder. (sad face)
Nail head Anne-Louise ...didnтАЩt see it coming, huh?
Again such inventions appear so wonderful for the good hearted , certainly. But then ЁЯО╢along comes MaryЁЯО╢....and human nature rides the waves again ( such a great song, thanksЁЯл╢) .
We have consistently risen to the cause and prevailed.....
Why are the believers in democracy and fair elections playing victimage rather than playing creative offense? Navarro is a criminal who claims himself a "patriotic victim" of a corrupt justice system. That's offensive.
If you watch any of the тАЬcableтАЭ news stations itтАЩs 80% who is ahead for an election that is over a year away. They are all making money on Trump, pro or con. The world is burning, we are being swamped with false information, people are being shot every day, the Supreme Court is corrupt... those things are hardly mentioned.
Since the cell phones replaced land lines the polls have been wildly skewed. It's my belief (without proof) that 18-30 year olds are rarely represented in polls. My daughter is 29 and hangs up on pollsters. I can't believe she's the only one under 30 who refuses to respond to polls, And yet, she votes every time. Same with all of her cousins. I may be wrong about polls, but with 52 million potential voters that have turned 18 since 2016, I want to believe they are under represented in the polls.
Yet we suddenly get treated to endless articles - both right wing propaganda sites and MSM - about Biden's age being SUCH a worry and so scary (with dog whistles that we could end up with a female black person in the White House), while it's crickets on Trump's age (3 years younger) and general unhealthiness. He dementia is obvious but not being called out. Media is putting its thumb on Trump's side of the scale so they can have a better horse race to report. It's all about the money.
Here's an experiment, go to any media site, both MSM and heavily trafficked right wing. Count how many "Biden's age" articles you see on the front pages. Almost ALL of them are going on and on about it.
Interesting who Trump might chose as running mate. I canтАЩt imagine anyone not a scary as himself being his pick. He will draw it out as much as he can.
Actually itтАЩs hard to have a heart when you havenтАЩt much brain. But then what parental beatings do to brains is not something we discuss. Stalin: son of a drunken cobbler who beat him.
And Hitler's stepfather repeatedly beat him bloody, and reports say nearly to death once. Trumps father was known to hit Donald with punches. To make a conservative, you must beat the child, or as the religionists say, "break its spirit." I grew up with them. Everyone I knew in Kansas in the 50's beat their children with belts, paddles and switches.
Kristi Noem, like Mike Pence, has horrible politics but does have a clue what it means to keep a government operational. I work nearly every day to prevent any R from getting more power, but I would sleep better at night with one of them as VP than one of the total crazies.
I get the real info from South Dakota from one of my husband' cousins who loathes the Gnome and her dog and pony show. She want to ride shotgun (literally) for him as she loves guns and all the rest of R nonsense.
Who criminalized women's health care in almost all red states?
Who attacked and wounded 145 Capitol police officers?
Who ruined the USPS just so they could prevent people from voting?
Who on the left ever suggested taking away all of your guns?
Who doesn't mind children being afraid to attend school because of AR47's?
We eat what we want? Please help yourself to all of the banned cancer causing food additives that Republicans are more than happy to poison us with. Just don't expect us to pay your medical bills?
Who is banning books?
Who is preventing our kids from learning our real history by teaching them that slaves should appreciate the skills they learned from their "masters"?
Who told the kids to take off their masks when he visited their schools?
Who fired anyone that wouldn't kiss his shoes?
I can burn any lightbulb I want. But I choose to buy bulbs that use 3-4 watts instead of 60 watts.
I can drive any car I choose to drive. I drove a Pontiac in 1978 that got 8 miles to the gallon. My hybrid gets 70 mpg and I charge the battery with my solar panels.
Etcetera etcetera etcetera.
So go peddle your misinformation elsewhere where people accept your lies as the truth.
2) I'm not defending the people who attacked the capitol. The were wrong deserved to punished fairly. Do defending the BLM rioters who burned and looted American cities?
3) Yes the left wants to take away your guns. You are disputing that?
4) YES the right wants to BAN pornographic books from libraries. You support elementary school children having access to highly sexual literature?
5) YES parents want control over leftist that want to push a false narrative of history as well
It's the GOP that kills children with there tolerance for AR-15s and other guns. No proof of any baby killings that I've ever seen.
Apparently you have something against a woman's right to health care. Why? Do you support rape and incest? Governor Abbott and the GOP in TX does. The TX arrest rate for rape has halved since he took office. They won't even test rape kits. And they aren't the only state.
Give us a break about porn and violence. Open your Bible and read about the violence, abortion, bigamy and misogyny. Is the Bible banned in all of the same schools that are banning books? I doubt it. Also, how many kids have access to porn at home on their own cell phones or their parent's computers? You're telling me the parents of these religious zealots all have parental controls on their kid's phones and the Internet. Dream on.
So you admit that MAGAts want to take away our freedoms by banning books and changing history. And yeah, I proudly admit that I am woke and I expect proof when the GOP lies. Because there is none..
James, cancer patients die every day because people fail to put their health at risk (however small the risk is) to donate bone marrow and organs. Pregnancy and childbirth pose a much higher risk to the health of the woman. I donтАЩt want the government to dictate that people have to donate bone marrow and organs to save lives just as I donтАЩt want the government to dictate that a woman has to remain pregnant to save a life. Just as failing to donate organs does not make you a killer of cancer victims, failing to continue a pregnancy should not make you a killer of babies.
Well, I for one wouldn't trust YOU with a firearm of any kind, since you seem to operate from a position like that of tRump - wilfull blindness. Or near a woman or girl, since you seem to want us all to be subject to invasive, unConstitutional restrictions of our liberty. Your blindness prevents you from understanding that your definition of "pornographic" is not the be-all and end-all of that definition, and if YOU don't want YOUR kids to read some specific print matter then control YOUR kids; you have absolutely no right at all to control any other child, or to substitute your judgment for that of anyone else. And if you think that "leftist" [sic] want to control the teaching of history, you might want to consider how that history has been subject to revision after revision after revision all through, yes, history. It is a form of lying to leave out and to whitewash the ugly parts of our history, and it's wrong to lie to children. Finally, NO ONE defends rioters, whether they try a coup against the US government and end up with deaths of people defending the Capitol, or they infiltrate an otherwise peaceful BLM or other protest and set fire to ANYTHING.
You need to make a serious effort to get out of your information silo and learn what reality actually is. Then you're entitled to share your INFORMED opinion with others and those others will be interested to hear it.
James A Writes JamesтАЩs Newsletter - "Were you on MARS"
Back here on Earth, many sources point out that while it happened at otherwise peaceful BLM protests, the violence and looting were committed by non-BLM folks.
That there are too many guns on the street, and many (most?) are designed for military use is unquestionable. Getting them out of the hands of "bad" people should be everyone's priority -- right or left. If you are implying that the Democratic Party wants to repeal the 2nd Amendment ... well, I find no evidence that is on anyone's list of priorities.
So we support buybacks. So what? That isn't "taking your guns away from you." Get a clue. I'm a Democrat and a liberal and I have guns and know how to use them. Every Democrat I personally know has guns, but then we live in the west so that's not unusual. Nobody is taking our guns unless we want to give them up. We don't mind background checks, mandatory training and insurance, which is necessary to get a driver's license for pity sake.
I am 70 years old. Since I could remember, Republicans have said, _______ is going to come take your guns. Fill in with whatever Dem is in the White House. Clinton had 8 years. He never came for your guns. In fact, by militarizing the police, he put a lot more heavy artillery on the streets. Obama was the next boogeyman. Did he, in his eight years in office, come for your guns?
The FBI, by its very nature, investigates American citizens. That's its charter - to investigate crimes on US soil. None of the indictments handed down have anything to do with political dissent, but rather with illegal *actions.*
Please tell us of the plans to get control over your bank account. We'd like some data, please.
Who wants to take control of our children's education? Right wing extremists who are threatening teachers and school boards.
Who has told you what bulb you have to use or what sort of car to buy? Nobody. Cheaper, more energy efficient bulbs are more available now, but you can still buy the old ones. As far as I know there are thousands upon thousands of unhealthy fast food restaurants and the grocery stores are stocked with every kind of junk your heart desires. Who told you what you had to eat?
If you want delusion and repression, look in the mirror.
I have a friend in NE who claims he is a libertarian. I truth he is a 2nd amendment guy. He hated Obama because he signed an executive order requiring gun owners that had silencers to put them in a trust or something like that. Anyway, I asked him recently as a libertarian which "socialist programs" he would eliminate. The list included, highways, schools, the police and fire departments, social security, medicare, medicaid and several others. His reply was those should be handled by the states. He wouldn't eliminate a single program including the DOD.
Maybe I don't understand what a libertarian is, but I'm pretty sure that it's not someone that supports the 2nd amendment and wants to keep every other government program in place.
IMO, Libertarian ideology is the lowest depth to which humans can descend. It is regressive, selfish, self-centered, and without a shred of moral thought or intent. Humans' claim to fame and the reason we've spread almost to the earth's breaking point is cooperation. Without cooperation, it's everyone for themselves, and eventually war-lord tribalism. "Me me me me me me me..." We are a country, not a collection of independent countries that are states. And rights should accrue to everyone equally across this nation. Does you friend go on to advocate for nothing to be done at the state level, but at the county or city level? Because that's where this thinking goes. A civilization is to be judged on how it cares for the most vulnerable. Libertarian philosophy basically says, "If someone hasn't made it in life, let's just walk over them as they are dying and then find a way to put their children in the military or jail." Libertarians are empty skins.
I like your overview and I agree with it, but I probably won't share it with my so-called libertarian friend.
My wife read me a story a few years ago about a community in New Hampshire that tried living as Libertarians. They even eliminated their dump and trash pick-up. Anyway, the bears ended up overrunning the community and they abandoned their little experimental community. It's a very amusing story unless you live in their off-the-wall community.
All I have to say is, Jewish Space Lasers, peach tree dishes and Three Toes are representative of all your accusations.
YouтАЩre on the wrong site. They moved X three doors down from the Russian propaganda machine.
Keep moving, youтАЩll see itтАЩs well marked. Stay to the left when you get to fork in the road. The one one the right grifts and steals money for cheap flags, yard signs, hats, and stuffs your sad little brain with bullshit.
Really. While you are entitled to your MAGA talking points and opinions, your bias and inappropriate commentary was obviously sent to the wrong forum. Kindly do your research, educate yourself on our history, and seek legitimate answers to all your own questions. Your ignorance and anger is pathetic and sadly misdirected.
Example of what? You yourself are a fine example of
weak minds that are easily misled by propaganda.
You display anger when confronted with facts that do not fit your narrative. You have no idea what the party of Democracy stands for because you donтАЩt care to know. ThatтАЩs clear by you what stated to be truth. YOU prefer to remain close minded and ignorant. No one can change your mind because you like hating, accusing and believing someone else is to blame for your own shortcomings.
You can't cite a single example. Its facts don't matter to leftist. You clearly couldn't think your way out of a paperbag.
As for "democracy", its most important value is free speech. That's not a value the left shares. The Biden Administration censored descending views on COVID, Foreign Policy, Hunter Biden, and anything else they didn't like. THAT IS NOT IN DISPUTE.
Even worse they've turned the force of the FBI and DOJ on their political rivals.
EVERY SINGLE INDICTMENT of Trump was a novel legal theory that has never been used before. Its a JOKE.
Looking at the polling. Trump either leads or is tied with Biden. This farce isn't fooling anything.
James A - Tell me "I didn't/couldn't read/comprehend your response" without saying "I didn't/couldn't read/comprehend your response". Are you really a human, clearly a troll, or are you some sort of bot? In any case, I responded to your pointless points, your raving rant, earlier, and I'm just going to keep on reporting you until you wise up and stop using ad hominem attacks on commentors.
When you can comment like a civilized human being, then you may be worth listening to - disagreeing with, certainly, but a well-thought-out, well-reasoned point of view, with citations where warranted, is always worth listening to and thinking about. Sadly, nothing you've posted today is that. Stop wasting people's time.
Hmmm, I missed your citations and links to your talking points. Please post them again for us James. I listed several above that you didn't dispute. Maybe you missed them.
They are preaching to the choir. Trumpers would never be reading anything remotely intellectual as Heather's pieces.
I am on several Ukrainian twitter platforms. Some offer translations and some are in English. That is how I know what is going on. No way are they Russian sponsored. They talk about how Russians are killing civilians as well as their own soldiers, the helicopter pilot who defected with a helicopter, the kindness of Ukrainian soldiers who help wounded Russian soldiers, etc.
Several of the presidents represented by those foundations and centers contributed to the wreck of the GOP and/or the mess the country is in today. Off the top of my head: Nixon, Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, Bush II, and Obama. In other words, tact and careful focus are generally more effective than rhetorical flourishes, especially when taking an unprecedented step like this one.
In the news events of this year, the most troubling is the refusal by the Alabama legislature to abide by a Supreme Court order to reconstruct their voting districts to give African Americans fair representation in elections. For a state to defy a federal order, harkens back to the 1960тАЩs when the state of Alabama staunchly opposed desegregation of the schools despite clear federal mandates to do so. This development could be the most dangerous threat to our democracy. A constitution and the rule of law are only as good as the people living under it, abide by it. If any state refuses compliance with Supreme Court rulings, then all is lost, we will cease to be a тАЬ UnitedтАЭ Sates of America. You cannot pick and choose which laws are to be obeyed and which laws are ignored. In the 1960тАЩs the difficult decision was made to send in federal troops to force compliance by a defiant Alabama.
The MAGA are no longer a "wing" of the Republican Party. MAGA IS the Republican Party, with only a very slim minority clinging to the illusion of the former Republican Party. Christie, for example - his policies are awful - but at least he has the decency to call out Trump and what did he get in return? Complete marginalization.
There is growing recognition of the Republican split w/I their own coalition . But thereтАЩs significant credibility to the vast numbers who have played and are CONTINUING to play along in seemingly obscure ( but not in any way) roles already in office /on school boards /running for the offices of and against incumbent democrats etc. The overall effort is quite amazingly scary.
The Warning and specifically by Steve Schmitt and noble noted others (Bill Burton , Ruth BenGhait , Joyce Vance, Charlie ) labor over : the disinformed , brainwashed, deer in the headlight public who are pushed to angry places purposefully...and that these people have no idea they will be ( many have been for years but...)thrown under the bus and tromped on first if they vote in these hateful power mongers whose self interest is THE only real motivation.
And their cheap lip service is then swallowed hook,line, and sinker.
A lot is old rhetorical ploy , however still successfully used , and we must push our own agenda of progress in actual play , being seen on the streets and in the states at this very moment, as PROOF POSITVE not alleged promises...shall I repeat that ЁЯТеNOT ALLEGED PROMISEЁЯТе
The ads , the Democratic Ads are increasing and will even more increase.
Let us all share the livin bejeebers out of them...
Bang for our Buck...right?!!!
This, and THESE тАШ LettersтАЩ are structural masterpieces of truth and real news ,we are on the pivotal precipice of The American Dream тАШs continuance or The End....nobody can even imagine that reality
It is good that the presidential foundations and centers warned of the present dangers to democracy. It is too bad that did not have the courage to clearly stat that the MAGA wing of the Republican party including Trump and his acolytes and imitators are the present threat to democracy in America.
Trump would have immediately sued them all for defamation and raised millions from it.
We cannot be apathetic and the former Presidents and their representatives weren't. We need more of this to combat the MSM's BS about Biden's age.
Trump is almost as aged as Biden and worked about 25-30 hours a week. Every decision of import ran through him and he surrounded himself with rich white MAGA sycophantic elitists. Fail the loyalty test or upstate TFFG and you were history. If you have two X chromosomes you were ineligible to do anything but get him coffee and be office candy.
Biden has the most diverse and competent staff and cabinet of any President ever. Biden has delegated decisions to his cabinet, whereas Trump never did. Biden works 7 days a week at least twice as long as Trump ever did. But if he became demented like Reagan did his last 4 years in office, I for one have confidence his cabinet, VP and advisors could run the government just fine.
Can anyone say the same thing about Trump?
Truckload of "likes", Mr. Loft!
Thank you. It seems that every time I turn on MSNBC or CNN they feel compelled to talk about Biden's age. WAPO and NYT -- same thing.
Thank goodness Jennifer Rubin and HCR and many other columnists write about the positive things the Biden WH has done.
Who isn't impressed with the work Secretaries Deb Harland, Janet Reno, Anthony Bilnken and many others? Biden's economic advisors have done a fantastic job of digging us out from the mess TFFG left us.
Agreed.....a lot of it comes from these "polls". In my opinion, the people they find to do the polls and participate are not an accurate representation. The whole age thing is total BS. There's a reason we elect both a president and a vice president. If he, God forbid, doesn't finish his term, his administration goes on.
The polls are like a$$holes in that every body's got one of their own. Using a composite model, we all cobble together our personal vision of how things are from day to day. Putin has masterfully boxed us in as we swirl in a massive vortex of stupid talk, and crazy talk. (Neil Postman). With our big kaleidoscope of social distractions which keeps our monkey minds unable to self-correct. WE're either evolving, or we are devolving. Impermanence in all things in this life is a permanent state of being.
Nicely put Jim. I pay no attention to polls. When we had the Maddow blog, one of the posters, the lovely Carolina Lady With Fan, had worked for years in polling and she let us know how they worked which should cause everyone to ignore them. And social media provides people with lots of misinformation which can become dangerous if wing nuts decide to act. We have a poster down the street, who twice has dangerously stirred the pot on Nextdoor about her neighbor across the street. We have always taken a screenshot of the thread for him and his wife just in case someone shows up to do damage and/or violence. And people don't need social media. I was once waiting at the dentist's office for them to open and a dip also waiting went into a climate denial rant. Since I was there for teeth, I decided to remain silent.
I hope the polls are the problem. The obvious alternative is that USians are "too stupid for democracy" (as Eileen McGann sang, before concluding that "all of the alternatives are worse"). However, watching the way voters have come through in places like Kansas, Kentucky, and Montana to oppose restrictions on reproductive choice -- that gives me hope.
I do not accept or believe in the results of any polls. Many have them have been bought up by the right. But it's all in the questions they ask and they way they ask them. Also, if the pollsters make comments beforehand, for example, "Given the extreme gas prices, which candidate would get your vote?" this will skew the answers.
You are absolutely right. Polls 14 months before the elections are especially meaningless, but even a week before, they're crap. And journalists who use them to write pieces about the elections are lazy bastards.
+ Younger people tend to use cell phones, & it's technically illegal to call a cell for any sort of solicitation. Not that the scammers care, but the legit pollsters probably do.
Agreed! There is the question of who Trump will chose as his running mate. Has he been asked? Do his fans even care, or do they see him as immortal? The Kamala Harris haters are ready with their talking points in service of electing Trump. I wonder what R-leaning independents would think of Marjorie Taylor Greene or Kari Lake or even Sarah Palin as vice president.
MTG :( Imagine if she became president in light of trump's age. At least we know she will attend every train derailment and shoot own every Chinese "weather" balloon. She would need to get a new boyfriend. Having one who dressed in drag is not a good look on her.
Polls at this point don't really mean this much. They are the same as the results of the election before the votes are all in. Didn't trump get all excited and said he won before the votes were all tallied? Election results will not be a Tues night announcement of a winner which is what the juvenile trump thought would happen. This election the purple states like GA will probably have their votes counted three times ( and republicans STILL won't be happy.
If the media start accurately presenting the achievements of the Biden administration, the failed former president will shortly become a political irrelevancy and cost them both income and the convenience of reporting the same event daily. They'd have to become real journalists, work for their 500 words a day, and possibly make government a little more transparent. Much easier to whine about Biden's age and Harris's lack of positive presence.
More publicity for Biden. People see the price of food and gas go up so they don't believe inflation is down, jobs are up, more manufacturing jobs, etc. It is all Biden' fault.
Yes, if ever thee was a true conspiracy, this is one. These articles suddenly appeared EVERYWHERE - right and left media. Within a matter of weeks, the media has been saturated with them. We expected this sort of thing from the right. All it tells me is who really owns the media and lays bare the "MSM is liberal media" lie.
As of today, Joe Biden is best positioned to beat Trump. He's been an historically stellar president, overcoming many complex challenges. But my admiration for him doesn't blind me to a pragmatic reality: his age is clearly a major liability, and it will be widely exploited as the election draws near. Is it fair considering his performance? Absolutely not. Is it fair considering the undeniable fact that people in their 80s suffer mental and physical decline of varying degrees? Absolutely yes.
I say all this as someone who is approaching age 73, though people often think I'm younger.
If Kamala Harris had wide appeal (she likely never will), Biden would have been smart to pass the torch. Or even have announced to start this year that he would not run again and open the nomination to all entrants (Gretchen Whitmer-Ralphael Warnock would have been a dream team.)
We should also consider what happens if Trump isn't the GOP nominee and someone like Glenn Youngkin emerges. He would be seen as young, dynamic and not тАФ yet тАФ tainted with fascism despite odious policy views. Maybe someone like him would still come up short. But the situation is a legitimate concern.
If the electorate as a whole was far more engaged and informed and motivated тАФ no worries The abortion issue will obviously help a great deal. But leaving anything to chance with democracy at stake should make us alert to the uncomfortable reality of Biden's vulnerabilities.
Biden is only 3 years older than Trump, yet you think Biden is too old? Seriously?
Give me a break. Nothing I wrote indicated any such thing. Trump is unqualified to be president not just because he is immoral and a grotesque criminal, he's a walking physical disaster who also happens to be poorly educated and lack in IQ. And Biden is three years older on paper but younger than Trump physically and mentally.
I like Whitmer. I like Raskin, too. But we really need him in the House. We can't lose any seats. Hopefully we will pick up some. Boeber might be on the way out.
Also, redistricting battles in Alabama and Florida could well lead to a couple of Democratic pickups. Mark Elias's Democracy Docket has won court fights in both states.
There are quite a few Democrats who like BIden and would support him more vigorously with a different VP behind him. It wouldn't require passing the torch today. But they don't like the potential it gets passed before 2028.
Daily newsletters from Heather Cox Richardson as well.
Janet Reno? IsnтАЩt she deceased?
Oops. I meant Yellen of course. How embarrassing. Thanks for pointing that out. And yes, Janet Reno died the day before Trump was elected President in 2016. A day that shall live in infamy. (I mean the Election Day not the day she died.)
тШ║я╕Пshe got lucky didnтАЩt she?
From Parkinsons, 2016
Jon Favreau (head of Obama speechwriting team) and Dan Pfeiffer (long-time Obama aide) of Pod Save America had a really good conversation on how to handle the age thing, including how the MSM is keeping it alive by the way they are reporting on it. "MAGA says X; Is it true?" instead of pointing out all the ways Biden is working so well. https://youtu.be/kJdIy4PlJ04?si=qty3ug70lMItLaRg
yes, agreed
agreed
Until Biden begins to exhibit clear signs that he is becoming non compos mentis or that he has a health issue similar to, perhaps even graver than, Mitch McConnell, the responsibility for all Democrats is clear. Support him for a second term. Do whatever you can to further his re-election. And vote with conviction.
America is at an astonishing and troubling crossroads. It stands in danger of slowly bleeding into an authoritarian state. The election of 2024 thus becomes the most important since the Civil War ├йlections. The same was said, correctly, in 2020. It was not hyperbole then nor is it now to point this out. At that point we knew the general direction of civil society was too frightening to countenance re-election of Trump. Now we know with certainty how deeply the rot has spread and stopping it is the one chance left.
There is a profound difference now however. For years the movement was directed from the top down. Now MAGAism is fully established on its own terms. It will line up behind Trump. Should he be somehow removed from the picture it will be a blessing. However state officials, a Supreme Court of dubious worth, and foreign actors will continue to fight to topple America. Now the script has flipped. The drip-drip of authoritarian тАЬStop me if you dareтАЭ actions has become a steady flow. The movement is now bottom-up and deeply more lethal.
I am uneasy about the *concept* of electing an 82 year old man. My wish would have been for him to have this glorious term and ten ride off into the sunset, giving way generously to a younger candidate. But I would never tell a pollster that. Never.
Democrats need to present a united front from now through November 2024. They must give no hope or solace to this predatory enemy through less than enthusiastic support in the polls. They must exploit the advantage of having an opposition candidate who faces a clearly determined judicial system.
And then the party must ramp up for the probability that the same fierce determination may well be needed in 2028. Time, an implacably severe but fair series of court rulings, and an immovable wall of voters will eventually quash this deep threat.
People who quibble about BidenтАЩs age publicly infect the party with doubt and defeatism. They are a prissy, self-absorbed menace from within, typical of a party with a large tent. In ordinary times BidenтАЩs age could be fodder for a serious internal debate. Not now.
As Bob Dylan so presciently wrote an epoch ago:
Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don't criticize
What you can't understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is rapidly agin'
Please get out of the new one
If you can't lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin'
тАЬPeople who quibble about BidenтАЩs age publicly infect the party with doubt and defeatism. тАж... In ordinary times BidenтАЩs age could be fodder for a serious internal debate. Not now.тАЭ Completely agree, and that is the point of bringing up the BS concerning age. It isn't 'age' per se that matters, of course, but whether an individual of any age is capable of doing a given job. At 85, I can match wits with anyone but not my physical endurance, for sure. Then I look at the senators Chuck Grassley, Diane Feinstein, and Mitch McConnell, and I think тАЬtoo oldтАЭтАж.but it really isn't age here, itтАЩs what is happening to their brains that matters.
Unfortunately, trying to get people to think deeply ..or even clearlyтАжabout anything is a Sisyphean effort. How do I know this? I taught for 35 years!
True that dementia is no respecter of age. It is a medical condition that can occur in people much younger than Joe Biden. Feinstein and McConnell both suffered head injuries from which they seem to be suffering serious aftereffects. McConnell's doctor is not being honest about his condition, but medical diagnoses are private and cannot be divulged without the patient's consent. In both their cases, head trauma brought on their symptoms.
Biden has been one of the best presidents we've seen in decades. If he has dementia, there's no sign of it.
It seems to be a trend for doctors to no9t be truthful. I realize about the patients privacy, but don't say he' good when he's almost on a respirator. No comment would be more appropriate. Keep us guessing.
I've noticed in some glimpses I get from right-wing media (however briefly I can stand to endure them) there is clip after clip headlined with "Biden Appears Not Able to Find the Limousine", or "Biden Wanders Off from White House Ceremony Before Final Prayer", etc. etc. ETC. Any and every tiny little thing they can portray as signs of Biden's senility they slather all over their media. (Watching right-wing media is like diving into a whole other universe with regard to what they consider "headlines".) I am fully convinced Russian and Chinese disinformation campaigns are working overtime to -- among other things -- show Biden as a senile old fossil, not capable of being President. They're able to easily take advantage of our open press and social media outlets (thanks to Musk-Rat, made even more open), while it isn't possible in their closed authoritarian societies.
DonтАЩt forget тАЬfeeble,тАЭ this man who is on call for his job 24/7/365, who travels and hits the ground running, over and over. Feeble is golfing instead of тАЬpresidentingтАЭ and riding a golf cart when all the other world leaders walked to the ceremony. Lame is complaining that Fox used his particularly orange and jowly photo.
Years ago a co-worker from FL said, " I never trust a man that cheats and golf and lies about fishing."
Turns out he was a Republican. I wonder if he feels differently about Trump being a golf cheat or whether he blindly accepts his cheating now that Trump is the GOP savior.
Then trump sells the worst picture ever of himself plastered all over mugs, t-shirts. They should put it underwear. The picture on ether side will do.
We don't have to look at China or Russia for disinformation campaigns, although they are certainly involved. The Republican Party is fully engaged in a disinformation and propaganda campaign the likes of which we have never seen before. Sadly, the legitimate press seems too often to be as bamboozled as Joe the Plumber. Noise is deafening and adroitly applied, an effective weapon against reason.
I was more or less echoing what HCR had written about in this letter. We know full well the disinformation coming from the Republican party. What is so insidious is the degree to which foreign intervention (as HCR discusses in paragraphs 14-17) has been ramped up. The fact that all the presidential foundations and centers for 13 Presidents have taken the unprecedented step to unite in their calling of attention to the increasing threats to our democracy attests to the gravity of the situation. I commend especially paragraphs 16 & 17 in today's Letter as being especially concerning. Again, where is the money coming from to fund all these attacks?? I think we know . . . the Kremlin and Bejing are helping stoke the flames.
тАЬNoise is deafening and adroitly applied, an effective weapon against reason.тАЬ Brilliantly stated!
Exactly correct Carolyn.
The picture of trump trailing toilet paper on the way to the airplane would be good. Kicking his golf ball, the world leaders laughing at him (there is a video with sound), walking in front of the Queen, shoving some guy out of the way so trump could be in the front row for a picture, etc.
Eric O'Donnell, BD is part of the soundtrack to my life. How timeless and important his words are. Thank you.
Doesn't this verse from Bob Dylan say that the old should get out of the way of the young? It conflicts with (what I think is) your point.
To me the old is represented by the neoconservative movement that has been in place since 1981. It is on its deathbed and refuses to yield to the changes that Biden has brought.
I guess I don't fit that description. I went to Province Town and "grooved" with the the drag queen performing a song. I campaigned for Pete B. He would be my choice but with the hate going around...... Neo conservative? I don't think so. I even burned a stolen (how appropriate) trump lawn sign and burned it.
Absolutely. Biden is healthy, exercises, eats healthy and prays.
tRump only wants to be a dictator, plan and corrupt! (and already has)
And heтАЩs only 80! At 89, I will vouch for him and his cabinet every time!
тЩея╕П
trump was the only person who rode in a golf cart at one of international meetings.
And those people (republicans) say Biden is oldЁЯдм
"If you have two X chromosomes you were ineligible to do anything but get him coffee and be office candy." Please don't forget Cassidy Hutchinson, who appears to have been doing all the "work" in that administration.
Or Hope Hicks, a former model and Trump "family friend."
Bear in mind that Biden's age is non-news, crap that the media fixates on so that they don't have to do the job of writing about and analyzing real news.
What they love doing is playing on people's fears and prejudices, and the public follows along. I'm more than ready to stop reading "news."
I've been in the news business 60 years, and I've never seen such poor coverage of politics and government. If some of these so-called news organizations don't wake up and start providing responsible coverage, the next five years will be the worst in American history.
Dan Froomkin just tore WaPo's Dan Balz a new one for a piece Balz has in today's paper. Both sides "journalism" is killing us. That piece is evidence. I'm tired of the media's lazy willingness to cover everything Trump pukes up on his Truth Social, yet they won't report on Biden's successes with the economy. Hunter Biden's laptop is obviously more fun to report about than the looming debt ceiling crisis.
I totally agree. This "both sides" stuff will be the end of us all.
Unfortunately I think trumpers' minds have been in a trump mode for so long, they can't accept any thing else. It would mean that they had to admit that they were wrong. People hate having to do that and lose face. Cult members have an extremely difficult time to break away (Moonies, Waco people, Jim Jones, etc)
Thank you for the information and for the appreciation of the Biden cabinet!
How many blacks had positions of importance in the trump regime? One. Republicans (trump) basically wants to make it very easy to fire anyone who does not tow the line, Wants ALL departments to report to him. That might be interesting if Tuberville never allows the armed forces to get their commanders. trump has said he knows more than HIS generals.
Yes, exactly, thank you!
Well said!
Having no accountability for elected officials and the billionaire who are funding these people for decades give rise to more corruption. Trump proved that are system is broken.
Many of these politicians on both sides have been around for these 4/5 decades that allowed the take over by the these same millionaires who grew into billionaires.
And the beat goes on.
How I wish former African presidents can emulate their American counterparts who have come forward to defend the democracy of America and legal institutions that form the basis of civilization. But unfortunately we don't have former presidents. They have been swallowed by junta and others followed wealth that they had hid overseas.
Nonetheless, the decision by American presidents to take a bold stance on democracy came at a time when the US needed a United voice more than ever as you approach towards 2024 elections. Politics is currently polarising and politicians are adopting radical opinions and making them as absolute truths.
There has been complete disregard for the constitution with politicians adopting extreme stance on various issues affecting the country. Democracy is a work in progress and it must be continually build and strengthened to ward off autocratic tendencies. Political parties, entrusted with building democracy and inclusivity, are nowadays a threat to the same ideals.
Extremist and unconstitutionalism have become so pervasive in the country and if other civil rights groups, citizens, former politicians, and churches do not raise their voices on time, the country will submerge into an irreversible oblivion.
Again, the biggest threat again to democracy is misinformation from Russia, China, and even politicians themselves. Misinformation is a form of social radicalism that penetrates into core, civil values of the society and replace them with extremism that threatens the whole of humanity. Meta, Instagram, and Twitter have emerged as mediums for misinformation because they can reach large audience.
Misinformation is Africa is as well threatening our quest towards civilization. Unverified data and details are pushed forward through algorithms.
Like my work? My underserved community in my newsletter corner will welcome you. It is free to be my subscriber.
Edwin Kiptoo Ngetich, are you always at the beginning of the line because you have a reply you want to make to one of the first three or four to post or because you want to be seen first thing as you are also in the business of selling your newsletter when you come to the forum? Thank you for letting us know that subscribing to it is free. If you posted when you arrived here you would not be second in line or among the first 20 who posted. It feels like an imposition if you jump the line.
Perhaps because of the time difference Edwin just happens to be up and at the start of his day and gets notified when Heather posts. Just like some of Heather's European posters are. Others are "first in line" because they are still up and are just ending their day when Heather posts. And many here have their own substacks that they mention.
You don't have to read every post.
That position is just not accurate Georgia.
A week ago or so, I asked all "users", defined "Authors" & defined "Readers" on LFAA to refrain from commercial advertising , a commercial form of trolling.
Commercial Advertisements are not "Comments" under Substack Inc's Terms of Use (TOU). I realize that HCR's remarkable LFAA Community does attract users, abusers & on specific occasions tortfeasors.
But, the "just don't look" posture fails to understand the gravity of the Professor's Letter this morning. The Ostrich strategy is part of the problem.
Please refrain from commercial advertisements.
Thank you All & God Save Heather.
One need only look at the sheer volume of commenters on this forum who themselves have pages on Substack and who never once promote their writing to see why Edwin's self-promotion seems a bit out of line. If everybody begins to tout their own Substack writing on here this site will end up one gigantic ad. If one genuinely likes a commenter's writing and opinions on here, and then when one sees that commenter has his or her own "letter", then it is as easy as one click on their page (the link seen just to the right of their name) to go there and sign up for free, or pay for it. THAT should be all the self-advertising necessary on here. It isn't necessary to badger people to sign up for your writing. If they like what you have to say and are genuinely interested to read more of your opinions, they will come to your page under their own volition. You don't have to KEEP reminding them you're out here. We're high-order primates. We know already!
Bryan Sean McKown - "A week ago or so, I asked all "users", defined "Authors" & defined "Readers" on LFAA to refrain from commercial advertising , a commercial form of trolling."
Again, I ask, what is the difference between "Like my work? My underserved community in my newsletter corner will welcome you. It is free to be my subscriber." and "Writes <insert name> Substack"?
(Well, except denoting "Free.")
I was addressing Edwin as it is appropriate that he speak for himself. In addition, you have no knowledge of my reading practice on the forum, so hardly in a position to 'advise' me in that regard.
Sure Georgia. By the time HCR posts, it is already morning here and I am starting my day and checking my email. So, I normally get HCR post on time. At this time, I am as well active. I mostly find the first 2 or 3 comments with interesting conversations but I normally take time to respond.
An administrator has already asked you to stop including ads for your business, Edwin. Main reason i skip by your stuff.
On the side, while your opinions are often interesting and informed, id be more attracted to them if they were more succinct.
Edwin, I see that you haven't answered my question to you about whether you jump the line -- go ahead of others for the purpose of being seen at the front of line. Comments are interesting up and down the line as they are, for the most part. in response to the Letter. Do you not consider responding to what HCR has written and post according to the time you arrive on the forum with your comment or reply?
Sorry for anyone who feels offended by my style of reply., I think I like mostly engaging with other commenters in line with what HCR has posted and I think that's most likely where there is a dispute. Also, due to time differential, I receive HCR post on time (morning) and at a time even when there isn't any comment but I have to reread and take time to write a response. I don't know how Substack rearranges comments or replies, so I only post what I have written as per that time. Thank you for inquiring ЁЯЩП
This article doesn't give proper credit to Rebecca Solnit, who mainstreamed the term several years ago when a man began talking at her about a subject she wrote an entire book about.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/feb/09/mansplaining-word-problem-rebecca-solnit
I fail to understand in what way Bryan was mansplaining.
Marycat2021, the mansplaining was addressed to Georgia Fisanick who spoke for Edwin, to whom my question was addressed, without her knowing his situation. She also advised me as if she knew my reading practice on the forum, which she does not. I thought that 'mansplaining' was a perfect description of Georgia's behavior. I hope she reads that description of her aggressiveness and reflects on it.
Very interesting article, Zella!
Great!
Fern, in addition to the time differential, there also seems to be cultural differences in how Edwin expresses himself that seem to be annoying you. I see Edwin working to relate what is happening here in North American politics to what is happening across Africa, (which is a much more complicated situation!) for his readers in Africa. Edwin is willing to engage in discussions around interpretation and priorities. Maybe give him a little credit here?
Notes On Useful Beauty, I suggest that you reread my comment. I made no judgements about Edwin's writing style or the quality of his comments. You are attributing thoughts and a negativity to me that cannot be based on what I have written. Please reflect on why you have made such assumptions. Thank you.
Sorry Fern, I was replying to EKN's comment but I probably appear the same way. I don't have a newsletter, but I will try to do better. Thanks for the reminder. (sad face)
Misinformation! Remember how excited we were about the "information superhighway" 25 years ago?
Nail head Anne-Louise ...didnтАЩt see it coming, huh?
Again such inventions appear so wonderful for the good hearted , certainly. But then ЁЯО╢along comes MaryЁЯО╢....and human nature rides the waves again ( such a great song, thanksЁЯл╢) .
We have consistently risen to the cause and prevailed.....
ЁЯдЮЁЯЩПЁЯШ│ЁЯджтАНтЩАя╕ПтШоя╕П
ЁЯТЩЁЯТЩVOTE THE COMPLICIT ALL OUTЁЯТЩЁЯТЩ
Oh my goodness! That's an earworm I don't object to - a pleasant surprise and pleasant memories! Windy - Cherish - Never My Love! The Association.
Definitely ЁЯО╢ЁЯл╢тЬМя╕П
Why are the believers in democracy and fair elections playing victimage rather than playing creative offense? Navarro is a criminal who claims himself a "patriotic victim" of a corrupt justice system. That's offensive.
Thanks FM. I appreciate you very much.
And I wonder if this action was reported by Fox. They like to quell all talk of anything that might hurt Trump.
If you watch any of the тАЬcableтАЭ news stations itтАЩs 80% who is ahead for an election that is over a year away. They are all making money on Trump, pro or con. The world is burning, we are being swamped with false information, people are being shot every day, the Supreme Court is corrupt... those things are hardly mentioned.
Since the cell phones replaced land lines the polls have been wildly skewed. It's my belief (without proof) that 18-30 year olds are rarely represented in polls. My daughter is 29 and hangs up on pollsters. I can't believe she's the only one under 30 who refuses to respond to polls, And yet, she votes every time. Same with all of her cousins. I may be wrong about polls, but with 52 million potential voters that have turned 18 since 2016, I want to believe they are under represented in the polls.
Yet we suddenly get treated to endless articles - both right wing propaganda sites and MSM - about Biden's age being SUCH a worry and so scary (with dog whistles that we could end up with a female black person in the White House), while it's crickets on Trump's age (3 years younger) and general unhealthiness. He dementia is obvious but not being called out. Media is putting its thumb on Trump's side of the scale so they can have a better horse race to report. It's all about the money.
Here's an experiment, go to any media site, both MSM and heavily trafficked right wing. Count how many "Biden's age" articles you see on the front pages. Almost ALL of them are going on and on about it.
Thank you for pointing out that dog whistle.
Interesting who Trump might chose as running mate. I canтАЩt imagine anyone not a scary as himself being his pick. He will draw it out as much as he can.
Nope. They were all over Trump's visit to South Dakota, and speculation that Kristi Noem could be tapped to run with Trump.
Aw, MTG will be heart broken.
Snark alert: She has a heart?
Actually itтАЩs hard to have a heart when you havenтАЩt much brain. But then what parental beatings do to brains is not something we discuss. Stalin: son of a drunken cobbler who beat him.
And Hitler's stepfather repeatedly beat him bloody, and reports say nearly to death once. Trumps father was known to hit Donald with punches. To make a conservative, you must beat the child, or as the religionists say, "break its spirit." I grew up with them. Everyone I knew in Kansas in the 50's beat their children with belts, paddles and switches.
Kristi Noem, like Mike Pence, has horrible politics but does have a clue what it means to keep a government operational. I work nearly every day to prevent any R from getting more power, but I would sleep better at night with one of them as VP than one of the total crazies.
I get the real info from South Dakota from one of my husband' cousins who loathes the Gnome and her dog and pony show. She want to ride shotgun (literally) for him as she loves guns and all the rest of R nonsense.
Danger to democracy?
Who censors speech?
Who turned the FBI on American citizens?
Who has criminalized political dissent?
Who wants to take away your gun?
Who wants to get control over your bank account with digitial currency?
Who wants to take control over your children and their education?
Who wants to tell what food you can eat, light bulb you can burn, what kind of car you can drive?
You are delusional.
THE GREATEST THREAT TO FREEDOM always come from the left.
James, right back atcha--
Who criminalized women's health care in almost all red states?
Who attacked and wounded 145 Capitol police officers?
Who ruined the USPS just so they could prevent people from voting?
Who on the left ever suggested taking away all of your guns?
Who doesn't mind children being afraid to attend school because of AR47's?
We eat what we want? Please help yourself to all of the banned cancer causing food additives that Republicans are more than happy to poison us with. Just don't expect us to pay your medical bills?
Who is banning books?
Who is preventing our kids from learning our real history by teaching them that slaves should appreciate the skills they learned from their "masters"?
Who told the kids to take off their masks when he visited their schools?
Who fired anyone that wouldn't kiss his shoes?
I can burn any lightbulb I want. But I choose to buy bulbs that use 3-4 watts instead of 60 watts.
I can drive any car I choose to drive. I drove a Pontiac in 1978 that got 8 miles to the gallon. My hybrid gets 70 mpg and I charge the battery with my solar panels.
Etcetera etcetera etcetera.
So go peddle your misinformation elsewhere where people accept your lies as the truth.
HereтАЩs another with a newsletter to sell. Check him out, and then ignore his ignorance and arrogance.
Agnorance is such an unattractive condition, don't you think?
1) You mean who murders babies?
2) I'm not defending the people who attacked the capitol. The were wrong deserved to punished fairly. Do defending the BLM rioters who burned and looted American cities?
3) Yes the left wants to take away your guns. You are disputing that?
4) YES the right wants to BAN pornographic books from libraries. You support elementary school children having access to highly sexual literature?
5) YES parents want control over leftist that want to push a false narrative of history as well
WOKE narrative.
It's the GOP that kills children with there tolerance for AR-15s and other guns. No proof of any baby killings that I've ever seen.
Apparently you have something against a woman's right to health care. Why? Do you support rape and incest? Governor Abbott and the GOP in TX does. The TX arrest rate for rape has halved since he took office. They won't even test rape kits. And they aren't the only state.
Give us a break about porn and violence. Open your Bible and read about the violence, abortion, bigamy and misogyny. Is the Bible banned in all of the same schools that are banning books? I doubt it. Also, how many kids have access to porn at home on their own cell phones or their parent's computers? You're telling me the parents of these religious zealots all have parental controls on their kid's phones and the Internet. Dream on.
So you admit that MAGAts want to take away our freedoms by banning books and changing history. And yeah, I proudly admit that I am woke and I expect proof when the GOP lies. Because there is none..
James, cancer patients die every day because people fail to put their health at risk (however small the risk is) to donate bone marrow and organs. Pregnancy and childbirth pose a much higher risk to the health of the woman. I donтАЩt want the government to dictate that people have to donate bone marrow and organs to save lives just as I donтАЩt want the government to dictate that a woman has to remain pregnant to save a life. Just as failing to donate organs does not make you a killer of cancer victims, failing to continue a pregnancy should not make you a killer of babies.
Well said. Thank you.
Well, I for one wouldn't trust YOU with a firearm of any kind, since you seem to operate from a position like that of tRump - wilfull blindness. Or near a woman or girl, since you seem to want us all to be subject to invasive, unConstitutional restrictions of our liberty. Your blindness prevents you from understanding that your definition of "pornographic" is not the be-all and end-all of that definition, and if YOU don't want YOUR kids to read some specific print matter then control YOUR kids; you have absolutely no right at all to control any other child, or to substitute your judgment for that of anyone else. And if you think that "leftist" [sic] want to control the teaching of history, you might want to consider how that history has been subject to revision after revision after revision all through, yes, history. It is a form of lying to leave out and to whitewash the ugly parts of our history, and it's wrong to lie to children. Finally, NO ONE defends rioters, whether they try a coup against the US government and end up with deaths of people defending the Capitol, or they infiltrate an otherwise peaceful BLM or other protest and set fire to ANYTHING.
You need to make a serious effort to get out of your information silo and learn what reality actually is. Then you're entitled to share your INFORMED opinion with others and those others will be interested to hear it.
James A Writes JamesтАЩs Newsletter - "2) the BLM rioters who burned and looted American cities? 3) the left wants to take away your guns."
Can you provide evidence to support those opinions?
Were you on MARS during the summer of BLM riots and looting?
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/31/americans-killed-protests-political-unrest-acled
As for gun confiscation you must be on MARS too.
Sep 13, 2019 тАФ In a recent NPR/PBS/Marist poll, 70% of Democrats supported the idea of mandatory buybacks.
James A Writes JamesтАЩs Newsletter - "Were you on MARS"
Back here on Earth, many sources point out that while it happened at otherwise peaceful BLM protests, the violence and looting were committed by non-BLM folks.
That there are too many guns on the street, and many (most?) are designed for military use is unquestionable. Getting them out of the hands of "bad" people should be everyone's priority -- right or left. If you are implying that the Democratic Party wants to repeal the 2nd Amendment ... well, I find no evidence that is on anyone's list of priorities.
So we support buybacks. So what? That isn't "taking your guns away from you." Get a clue. I'm a Democrat and a liberal and I have guns and know how to use them. Every Democrat I personally know has guns, but then we live in the west so that's not unusual. Nobody is taking our guns unless we want to give them up. We don't mind background checks, mandatory training and insurance, which is necessary to get a driver's license for pity sake.
ЁЯдб
ЁЯдб
Gary, thatтАЩs a masterpiece! ЁЯША
I try not to respond when I'm frustrated or angry, but sometimes I can't help myself. Thanks for the kind words Virginia.
I am 70 years old. Since I could remember, Republicans have said, _______ is going to come take your guns. Fill in with whatever Dem is in the White House. Clinton had 8 years. He never came for your guns. In fact, by militarizing the police, he put a lot more heavy artillery on the streets. Obama was the next boogeyman. Did he, in his eight years in office, come for your guns?
The FBI, by its very nature, investigates American citizens. That's its charter - to investigate crimes on US soil. None of the indictments handed down have anything to do with political dissent, but rather with illegal *actions.*
Please tell us of the plans to get control over your bank account. We'd like some data, please.
Who wants to take control of our children's education? Right wing extremists who are threatening teachers and school boards.
Who has told you what bulb you have to use or what sort of car to buy? Nobody. Cheaper, more energy efficient bulbs are more available now, but you can still buy the old ones. As far as I know there are thousands upon thousands of unhealthy fast food restaurants and the grocery stores are stocked with every kind of junk your heart desires. Who told you what you had to eat?
If you want delusion and repression, look in the mirror.
I have a friend in NE who claims he is a libertarian. I truth he is a 2nd amendment guy. He hated Obama because he signed an executive order requiring gun owners that had silencers to put them in a trust or something like that. Anyway, I asked him recently as a libertarian which "socialist programs" he would eliminate. The list included, highways, schools, the police and fire departments, social security, medicare, medicaid and several others. His reply was those should be handled by the states. He wouldn't eliminate a single program including the DOD.
Maybe I don't understand what a libertarian is, but I'm pretty sure that it's not someone that supports the 2nd amendment and wants to keep every other government program in place.
IMO, Libertarian ideology is the lowest depth to which humans can descend. It is regressive, selfish, self-centered, and without a shred of moral thought or intent. Humans' claim to fame and the reason we've spread almost to the earth's breaking point is cooperation. Without cooperation, it's everyone for themselves, and eventually war-lord tribalism. "Me me me me me me me..." We are a country, not a collection of independent countries that are states. And rights should accrue to everyone equally across this nation. Does you friend go on to advocate for nothing to be done at the state level, but at the county or city level? Because that's where this thinking goes. A civilization is to be judged on how it cares for the most vulnerable. Libertarian philosophy basically says, "If someone hasn't made it in life, let's just walk over them as they are dying and then find a way to put their children in the military or jail." Libertarians are empty skins.
I like your overview and I agree with it, but I probably won't share it with my so-called libertarian friend.
My wife read me a story a few years ago about a community in New Hampshire that tried living as Libertarians. They even eliminated their dump and trash pick-up. Anyway, the bears ended up overrunning the community and they abandoned their little experimental community. It's a very amusing story unless you live in their off-the-wall community.
Here's a link but the story is behind a pay-wall. https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/21534416/free-state-project-new-hampshire-libertarians-matthew-hongoltz-hetling
This is a wikipedia article on the epic failure that was the Free State Project in New Hampshire: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_State_Project. And there's this interview on lithub, which is not behind a paywall: https://lithub.com/what-happens-when-a-group-of-outsiders-undertakes-a-wildly-bold-social-experiment/
All I have to say is, Jewish Space Lasers, peach tree dishes and Three Toes are representative of all your accusations.
YouтАЩre on the wrong site. They moved X three doors down from the Russian propaganda machine.
Keep moving, youтАЩll see itтАЩs well marked. Stay to the left when you get to fork in the road. The one one the right grifts and steals money for cheap flags, yard signs, hats, and stuffs your sad little brain with bullshit.
James-
Really. While you are entitled to your MAGA talking points and opinions, your bias and inappropriate commentary was obviously sent to the wrong forum. Kindly do your research, educate yourself on our history, and seek legitimate answers to all your own questions. Your ignorance and anger is pathetic and sadly misdirected.
Another dumb leftist response. You don't cite a single example? Of course you don't
because there isn't a single thing I said that was untrue.
But then again truth isn't a leftwing value.
Example of what? You yourself are a fine example of
weak minds that are easily misled by propaganda.
You display anger when confronted with facts that do not fit your narrative. You have no idea what the party of Democracy stands for because you donтАЩt care to know. ThatтАЩs clear by you what stated to be truth. YOU prefer to remain close minded and ignorant. No one can change your mind because you like hating, accusing and believing someone else is to blame for your own shortcomings.
Another stupid post.
You can't cite a single example. Its facts don't matter to leftist. You clearly couldn't think your way out of a paperbag.
As for "democracy", its most important value is free speech. That's not a value the left shares. The Biden Administration censored descending views on COVID, Foreign Policy, Hunter Biden, and anything else they didn't like. THAT IS NOT IN DISPUTE.
Even worse they've turned the force of the FBI and DOJ on their political rivals.
EVERY SINGLE INDICTMENT of Trump was a novel legal theory that has never been used before. Its a JOKE.
Looking at the polling. Trump either leads or is tied with Biden. This farce isn't fooling anything.
Blah blah blah. You keep repeating right wing bullshit. COVID, Hunter, polling... blah blah blah. Take a hike loser. YouтАЩre in a cult.
James, you are the one who's delusional.
Wow, James. Projection. Do some research and understand.
Is this a list of right wing bullshit talking points, or are you serious?
It's crazypants ranting, not a comment.
PS: You forgot to mention those carcinogenic windmills.
Yet you can't cite a single example.
1) Is it true or not true that the Biden Administration asked Twitter to censor
Medical Doctor who had dissenting opinions on COVID?
2) Is it true or not true that the James Brennan CIA director under Obama
brief Obama/Biden that the Clinton campaign was planning to link Trump to Russia
to mitigate damage from the email scandal?
3) Is it true or not that the laptop belonged to Hunter Biden. That the FBI confirmed its
authenticity with a 1 month and that the letter signed by Biden friendly intelligence
officials was a lie to give Biden cover in the debates.
You aren't going be allowed to LIE and spin here
"Reviving Intellectual Honesty" lol ЁЯдб
That which is asserted without evidence can be denied without evidence.
You couldn't name a single item that was untrue.
And you didn't site a single example of your "proof." You first please.
Reported for disinformation.
Just like a good leftist. When you can't win on ideas then censor.
Unfortunately you are to stupid to know that Bari Weiss founded this website because of
people like you that want to censor ideas they don't like.
You could not cite a single example of "disinformation".
You are an intellectual joke even worse baby. Grow up and defend your ideas. Stop being a coward.
James A - Tell me "I didn't/couldn't read/comprehend your response" without saying "I didn't/couldn't read/comprehend your response". Are you really a human, clearly a troll, or are you some sort of bot? In any case, I responded to your pointless points, your raving rant, earlier, and I'm just going to keep on reporting you until you wise up and stop using ad hominem attacks on commentors.
When you can comment like a civilized human being, then you may be worth listening to - disagreeing with, certainly, but a well-thought-out, well-reasoned point of view, with citations where warranted, is always worth listening to and thinking about. Sadly, nothing you've posted today is that. Stop wasting people's time.
Hmmm, I missed your citations and links to your talking points. Please post them again for us James. I listed several above that you didn't dispute. Maybe you missed them.
I agree Michael. The foundations should have called out specifically because the Republicans are the real danger
They are preaching to the choir. Trumpers would never be reading anything remotely intellectual as Heather's pieces.
I am on several Ukrainian twitter platforms. Some offer translations and some are in English. That is how I know what is going on. No way are they Russian sponsored. They talk about how Russians are killing civilians as well as their own soldiers, the helicopter pilot who defected with a helicopter, the kindness of Ukrainian soldiers who help wounded Russian soldiers, etc.
Several of the presidents represented by those foundations and centers contributed to the wreck of the GOP and/or the mess the country is in today. Off the top of my head: Nixon, Reagan, Bush I, Clinton, Bush II, and Obama. In other words, tact and careful focus are generally more effective than rhetorical flourishes, especially when taking an unprecedented step like this one.
In the news events of this year, the most troubling is the refusal by the Alabama legislature to abide by a Supreme Court order to reconstruct their voting districts to give African Americans fair representation in elections. For a state to defy a federal order, harkens back to the 1960тАЩs when the state of Alabama staunchly opposed desegregation of the schools despite clear federal mandates to do so. This development could be the most dangerous threat to our democracy. A constitution and the rule of law are only as good as the people living under it, abide by it. If any state refuses compliance with Supreme Court rulings, then all is lost, we will cease to be a тАЬ UnitedтАЭ Sates of America. You cannot pick and choose which laws are to be obeyed and which laws are ignored. In the 1960тАЩs the difficult decision was made to send in federal troops to force compliance by a defiant Alabama.
MAGA's + Scotus = the 4th Reich.
The MAGA are no longer a "wing" of the Republican Party. MAGA IS the Republican Party, with only a very slim minority clinging to the illusion of the former Republican Party. Christie, for example - his policies are awful - but at least he has the decency to call out Trump and what did he get in return? Complete marginalization.
There is growing recognition of the Republican split w/I their own coalition . But thereтАЩs significant credibility to the vast numbers who have played and are CONTINUING to play along in seemingly obscure ( but not in any way) roles already in office /on school boards /running for the offices of and against incumbent democrats etc. The overall effort is quite amazingly scary.
The Warning and specifically by Steve Schmitt and noble noted others (Bill Burton , Ruth BenGhait , Joyce Vance, Charlie ) labor over : the disinformed , brainwashed, deer in the headlight public who are pushed to angry places purposefully...and that these people have no idea they will be ( many have been for years but...)thrown under the bus and tromped on first if they vote in these hateful power mongers whose self interest is THE only real motivation.
And their cheap lip service is then swallowed hook,line, and sinker.
A lot is old rhetorical ploy , however still successfully used , and we must push our own agenda of progress in actual play , being seen on the streets and in the states at this very moment, as PROOF POSITVE not alleged promises...shall I repeat that ЁЯТеNOT ALLEGED PROMISEЁЯТе
The ads , the Democratic Ads are increasing and will even more increase.
Let us all share the livin bejeebers out of them...
Bang for our Buck...right?!!!
This, and THESE тАШ LettersтАЩ are structural masterpieces of truth and real news ,we are on the pivotal precipice of The American Dream тАШs continuance or The End....nobody can even imagine that reality
ЁЯТЩЁЯТЩVOTE OUT ALL THE COMPLICIT ЁЯТЩЁЯТЩ