Those who believe that Trump is the answer are gambling with their future and their children’s future. What will it take to prove to them that they are in a hopeless spiral that will lead to their ruin!
Those who believe that Trump is the answer are gambling with their future and their children’s future. What will it take to prove to them that they are in a hopeless spiral that will lead to their ruin!
Trump is a psychopathilogical grifter. The reason he is a psychopath is he is incapable of empathy with other human beings. Trump supporter are correct in understanding that the American establishment of the two-sides-of-the-same-coin Democrat-Republican party has abandoned them, the working class. Where they are badly deluded is in thinking Trump cares about them. He doesn't. Trump is using the working classes' anger and frustration to aggrandize himself.
Recall his tax cuts for the wealthy. That HURT the very people who support him by worsening the federal deficit. Americans need to wake up, grow up and begin to think and stop acting on their reflexes.
I disagree Daniel that this is bullshit, Tom has a good point. Not only are they being fed the two-sides are both bad it's being shoveled down their throats by a combination of Fox and the MAGAts in Congress supporting trump, all they really understand is they are hurting and "someone is at fault". What they fail to grasp is how much harm has come to them from their adulation of ham actors including Reagan.
One reason poorer people may vote for Trump is that they remember the two pandemic stimulus checks they received, with his signature in bold black marker on them. They received one during the Biden administration as well, but without his signature. Never underestimate the power of marketing.
"Americans" you mean? There are now two parties: American and Traitors! PRESIDENT BIDEN ended Dubbya Bush's asinine "War on Terror." This means The January 6th Insurrectionists are guilty of HIGH TREASON, often punishable by DEATH.
Daniel, and what is clear it does not matter how much Democrats have tried to assist working-class Americans. Those folks so often turn toward the guys who have nothing to offer them but hardship. Research has proven that Democrats do better for our economy than Republicans by a huge margin, but people just won't/can't believe it. Why? I think it is the big media that is too much owned and operated by Republicans who are certain the truth will hurt them. It did begin with Reagan, or at least this iteration of it did. Since LBJ, Republicans have dragged us into wars that are nearly impossible to get out of, but took a lot of lives and a lot of health and cost a whole lot of money. We need a force within Congress and states that support poor and working-class Americans and deal directly with their issues, improving their lives.
How do you explain democrats voting for a republican Speaker who then goes to New York to support TFG during his trial? This may be the one time MTG is correct. Then to top it off the democrat/republican Speaker invites the war criminal to address The House/Senate. This shows our even handed policy in the Middle East.
Daniel, I agree with you and I don't know how the disagreement of so many works. Trump has blurted out his fascism day after day and his handlers have helped him to get it into print and onto videos that they pump out for his supporters to drool over, and they do. Trump like most or all sociopaths thinks only of what makes him feel, well, comfortable. He has conned a whole lot of people to help with that comfort and they don't realize he is using them. He whines about enemies within and how everything that does not let him win is rigged. He is a toddler-man with dementia. He has a few lines and phrases down that he uses interchangeably whether they work in a particular instance or not: "it's rigged, they are fascists, there are enemies within, I love you all." They, like so much of what Trump says are lies which he has learned to put out with a straight face and a whole lot of people think they are some kind of truth handed down from their deity. They are wrong, but who can tell them in a way they can hear?
His appeal lies mainly with those that think a strong man is needed for the country. They aren't looking at the big picture and will rue the day they voted for him when he moves this country into fascism.
Because they think the passage of aid for Ukraine and israel is all important, and they think alternatives to Mike Johnson would be just as bad or even worse.Not hard.
Steve Ukraine is important, if it falls, Putin has his eyes on the Baltic States, Lithuania and Moldova and once he digest them, his hunger will reach out to western Europe and since Russia has so much oil, and he is in alliance with Iran who also has oil, he will choke off the West and that includes America.
While we produce enough oil to be self sufficient, we export oil,and the import oil from Saudi Arabia to keep the world prices up.
The world runs on oil. America may be self sufficient, if it weren't for the export import game, but Europe isn't, and we don't produce enough oil to take care of Europe's needs.
Europe relies on OPEC and OPEC is y five countries namely Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. They were to become the Founder Members of the Organization.
These countries were later joined by Qatar (1961), Indonesia (1962), Libya (1962), the United Arab Emirates (1967), Algeria (1969), Nigeria (1971), Ecuador (1973), Gabon (1975), Angola (2007), Equatorial Guinea (2017) and Congo (2018).
Notice Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Iran is an ally of Russia. India is Russia's major customer.
Russia, China and N Korea are in alliance now.
We are surrounded and the Europe is at the mercy of Saudi Arabia and Russia.
And what keeps the Mid East in Line, the US Navy, and the worlds largest land locked aircraft carrier, Israel.
Now you sound like Trump. Problem is that the EU doesn't have enough carrier groups. you need to understand naval tactics and strategy, besides we have a problem in Asia, called China, and not enough ships, men and resources to field an effective two ship navy, not to mention three or four, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, Gulf of Iran
If we provide them with a protective "umbrella" what incentive do they have to develop their own alliances and defense forces? The NATO alliance is pathetic. Even now they still cannot produce enough ammunition for Ukraine, thereby giving Republicans the opportunity to blackmail Democrats. There is nothing wrong with the Europeans; the problem is US. For decades American taxpayers subsidized their defense needs. Could this be because they were in turn obliged to purchase American weaponry? The same applies to our other "allies." As to aircraft carriers, they are sitting ducks now--and what a costly way to get oil to our allies. A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, and revealing the perils of ignorance.
Question for you Doug, Why are you fixated on Israel, but ignore the real threat to western civilization, and genocide perpetuated by Putin.
You care so little about Ukraine but care so much about HAMAS, just like Putin.
Incidentally, October 7th was Putins birthday, and Iran, via HAMAS just offered him the greatest birthday present he could wish for, a distraction from Ukraine and a divergence of aid to Israel.
Mass murder IS misogynists big " economic theory" . Murder;ake more, traffic.ect
Hamas insanity and Putin insanity are insanities. Hamas harms the very people of all ages around them. Putin has decades of " look what I can do" insanity.
I agree,let me put it this way. Patriarchalism is misogyny. The Abrahamic religions are patriarchal, ergo they are misogynist. Patriarchy demands submission. Submission is obtained by force or fraud. Religion uses fraud but reverts to force when fraud fails, sectarian forces use fraud, but resort to force when that fails.
The human male is taller, stronger and more aggressive (thanks to testosterone) than the female,thus human societies formed around a religion tend to be patriarchal.
Virgins were once bathed, garlanded, dressed in white, deflowered by priests who them "sacrificed" them (to shut them up) as brides of the gods, Caesar Augustus decreed in his law of Pater Familia, that the father had life and death control over wife and children.
War is the ultimate manifestation of patriarchalism.
Hitler kept his relationship with Eva Braun secret, because he was married to Germany, and Germany he dominated like a proper patriarch.
The primary cause of misogyny is death by diseases and infection : aka lack of hygiene. Lack of human knowledge. The morase of social human stunting caused by the " beliefs" and learned behaviors of the ages are not acquired by testosterone, rather high mortality rates and no sense whatsoever.
It is mansplain ,formerly " theory" aka " gossip" that misinforms and stunts otherwise capable homosapiens from dwelling peacefully for a lifetime .
Learning is what poses the efficacy of social human beings. The display of greeds and aggressions are inevitable birth order issues impatient of the potential.of human nervous systems to develope.a full array of very human capabilities.
By perpetuating the retardation, holding back, stunting behavior learned and touted by mansplain in an orgy of indifferency through ages your assumption that the criminalities of the stunted , retarded, misinformed and worst samples of perversion murders mass murders are " strengths" when misogynism is primarily addicts insane and stunted. Weak.
Any jerk in the circle fingering the murdering thief " leader" as a sample of strength is perpetuating the perversity that greed and perversion are strengths rather than hindrance.
What we need is to stop viewing mental deficient because of their greed and crime as important. Their stunted stunting behavior : crime against humanity.
Early childhood development is an insulator from the birth order abuses of ignorance to emerging new nervous systems. Not the misogynists next rape and murder targets.
All of those that you enumerated are caused by patriarchalism. Especially holding females uneducated. Where female are fully educated, the birth rate is lowered, as females are held in virtual ignorance, birthrate and death rate in pregnancy and childbirth goes up.
What's with this overuse of "mansplain" is that a new word you have found, to vent.
Where in the world did you get this from what I have said: "our assumption that the criminalities of the stunted , retarded, misinformed and worst samples of perversion murders mass murders are " strengths" when misogynism is primarily addicts insane and stunted."
I never said such things were strengths.
So you have identified misogynism as a great evil, I agree, but you don't identify the cause of misogynism, and I have, it is patriarchalism.
Patricia I really don't understand your comment, other than a rant, to get off your chest your anger and complaints.
To tell the truth, the syntax of your comment is incomprehensible.
Ukraine and Israel are important to US security. The Putin faction in congress was holding Ukraine arms hostage. Dems made a deal with Mike Johnson, to get him to support aid to Ukraine. Dems live up to their word.
But I am sure that you know all of this, as you have an ulterior motive, don't your Doug?
I don't know if you want to be informed, or if you don't. If you do want to have your question answered, and if you don't know the answer, let me know, please.
That was Doug, not William, who asked the question you originally responded to. William also responded to Doug. Looks like both you & William got mixed up. Doug never responded to either of you.
Substack creates that problem. However Dougs question was not an open question, but one Doug personally asked of me and Martha had no business butting in. Doug's question was actually trolling and argumentative, more reason for Martha to stay out of it, but she can't help herself, now we have a long running argument going. she assumed and is still assuming an air of superiority as if she was speaking to one of her children or was a teacher.
Grade school teachers are the worse, like mothers they don't realize that people grow up and have brains and can form their own thoughts and opinions. I've known and had to deal with a few, when I ran a senior transportation program.
And as you know I am pretty damn senior myself.
BTW had a CT Scan yesterday, the nodule in my upper right lung lobe, which was suspected of being pre cancerous has shrunk. probably an infection.
I can't believe this string of posts! People, get of the the sandbox. Don't you have better things to talk about other than who answered whose questions? Jesus!
I am concerned for many billions of reasons and our supply of military weapons to a radical religious state and the slaughter of innocent people on both sides and taking of hostages on both sides. I believe there are millions of Americans who agree but are fearful of speaking out due to the political and financial power of the so called land locked aircraft carrier. I have faith in our university student who are standup for the truth.
Israel is not taking hostages, and the radical religious state is HAMAS. Whether or not millions of Americans agree is irrelevant, that is a logical fallacy called a bandwagon effect Millions of Germans agreed with Hitler, Millions of Russians agree with Putin, and every Muslim in the world agrees with HAMAS.
A radical religious state? You mean Islamic ethno states. Why do you care about them, and gladly sacrifice Ukraine?
As regards the dead and wounded Gazan's, that blame lies with HAMAS.
HAMAS started it by slaughterining and raping Israeli's, then runs back to Gaza with hostages to use them and the people that they supposedly govern as humans shields.
Try some other excuse. Our university students have been swayed by their peers, the Arab students funded by their rich daddies.
These "Wise" university students haven't had shit to say about the genocide campaign of Vladimir Putin, Have they?
Genocide requires intent. The state of Israel has not said anything about the intent of obliterating the Arab culture of the billions of Muslims, the whole idea of which is ludicrous.
!0 Million Jews, genociding 1 billion Arabs, One Jewish Ethnostate against 57 Muslim ethno states.
Meanwhile Putin has declared his genocidal intentions against Ukraine, it's language and culture.
Our university students are self indulgent,self righteous, spoiled rich kids, easily manipulated for a "righteous cause",
“Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it.” ― Leo Tolstoy. “Right is right even if no one is doing it; wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.”
Thanks Eadie, that is the way I feel. Just because everyone is doing it or everyone believes it, doesn't mean it is right or true. I've always marched to my own drummer, and swam against the crowd.
The Russian crowd is pro Putin, the critical thinkers are dead or in jail.
If Trump becomes President and acts out on his retaliation pledge, it won't be long before a lot of currently safe dissidents, become Trump humpers.
in 1933, not everyone in Germany was a NAZI,by 1938 almost all were.
Those that actually resisted like Sophie Scholl and the White Rose Society
were beheaded for treason., or wound up in concentration camps.
Who was it that said "Shoot one, warn thousands"
In a free society the equivalent of shooting is ostracization, name calling, the equivalent of exiling. In primitive societies and indeed in Europe until the reformation, excommunication led to exile and was a death sentence.
Liz Cheney andAdam Kizzinger have been exiled from the Republican Party for heresy. Progressives try to exile anyone who doesn't fall completely in line with their ideology.
The Democrats made a responsible decision to support Johnson. The Republican party is in disarray and at least Johnson is willing to work with the Democrats.
Why should we care if he went to NY to kiss the ring? A majority of Republicans are doing that every day to stay relevant to Trump's base.
The best part of Johnson's trip to NY was when he tried to address the protestors at Columbia. He got flustered by the response he received and said, "enjoy your free speech." Then he left with his tail between his legs.
Daniel, the Democratic Party took a hard swerve to the right in the mid-1980's when the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) took control. Bill Clinton was Chair of the DLC just before he became President.
Take a close look at the changes that took place under his leadership - the repeal of Glass-Steagall and it's replacement with Gramm-Leach-Bliley, which led to the consolidation of the banks and investment firms, which in turn precipitated the banking crises.
Also the Commodity Futures Modernization Act which put commodities futures outside any regulatory framework, or even any reporting requirements. This allowed the creation of CDO's (Collateralized Debt Obligations) and CDS's (Credit Default Swaps) which contributed directly to the collapse of the housing markets.
And when progressives finally came up with a truly progressive candidate, the Party did everything in their power to sideline him and anoint Hillary to be the candidate because "It's Her Turn." Yeah, how'd that work out?
Biden, as much as I respect him as a person, is still part of that same neoliberal machine that has kept the Party from really moving forward and distinguishing itself from the Republicans.
Biden got the message. This why he proposed, endorsed and is implementing the Build Back Better program. It is a long-term program; its benefits will reveal themselves slowly. In the meantime people are hurting from high prices in almost everything, but there isn't much Biden can do about that in the short term.
I have followed presidential elections starting with Truman v Dewey as a child. The pundits and the strategist spend a lot of time and energy figuring out why voters vote the way they do. There are times when a single issue is the deciding factor like the Veitnam War or a deep recession. But over all most presidents are selected on personality. Too many voters are overwhelmed by political sales pitches by both sides or just tuned out and make their decisions on who they like more. If voters voted on policies we would not be where we are today.
I disagree. It's all a matter of perception. The infrastructure projects are not putting money into everyone's pockets. We absolutely need to address the infrastructure of the country. But the average citizen doesn't recognize the need or benefit to this endeavor because it does nothing to address the cost of living.
Biden needs to address the corporate greed situation. The supply chain problems are gone, yet big business isn't passing on the savings. Instead, they are maintaining artificially high prices and raking in record profits.
The FTC banned ex-oil executive Scott Sheffield from sitting on the board of Exxon after a merger. The FTC cited communications between Sheffield and other industry leaders, as well as public comments made by the oil boss, to assert that he had attempted to collude with the Opec cartel and other domestic producers to curtail production and prop up prices. https://www.ft.com/content/78bfb9e4-86bd-46d6-91e9-f4d43c2da2a6
It's not inflation, it is corporate greed that must be stopped but the right is promoting false information blaming Biden for high prices.
So are you implying that a WH press release is in some way "the other side of the coin?" Is a WH press release equivalent to a Fox News or "Info Wars" screed, to you? Just curious.
Fay, you are right, but those folks have chosen to keep from actually thinking about what is going on and looking beyond Fox et al. I suspect a lot of them know what Trump is or suspect, but can't bear to change to a different perspective. It is hard to change especially if you learn you have been bamboozled, cheated, lied to, and used by the guy you thought really cared about you and definitely doesn't beyond getting your vote. That's a pain most people don't want to deal with, so they will make every excuse to keep on the Trump wagon even though it is rolling inexeribly toward destruction.
Oh, Karl, you used a similar question already! Amazing! Try declarative sentences for a change, though. They can be interesting where questions just demonstrate lack of respect or ignorance when they are just reworded. I am not sure which relates to your situation. You do not care one whit about a WH press conference or probably anything else either. Where do you stand or are you just one of those botts who has a ton of information to toss out in questions that mean nothing? Hmmmm! I just asked a question. Wow, you inspired me! I had better be more careful!
Most people here recognize that the Democrat party has in ther past hurt the working class in different ways. And the Republican party far more.
The problem with what you have said is it leaves the impression there is no difference between the two parties, tweedle dee tweedle dum, and that is false and not helpful. The Biden administration has done much to help the working class and will do more if we can re-elect Joe.
Tom, I don't think equating Democrats with what Trump has done and is doing to the working-class is fair. Democrats have tried to get programs going for improving working-class lives, but nearly every time, Republicans have jumped in with filibusters and ridiculous riders designed to undermine whatever bill it is. Admittedly Manchin and Sinema, both originally Democrats were bought out, if they were ever really Dems and kept a lot of good legislation from being passed, much of which was to help improve programs and people's lives. Trump is scum (OK, that's an insult to scum) and has to be stopped, but there is a whole lineup out there just waiting to take over for Trump, sure they are smarter and could do even more damage to this nation on behalf of themselves and their rich white friends. Ugh!
Tom: all you have said is true. Trump supporters are suffering from severe gambling addiction, which no amount of psychotherapy will resolve. One characteristic of such addiction is a sociopathic disregard for others. Adding insult to injury, the liar- in -chief has gained his power Through a form of the Stockholm syndrome, a condition he has imposed upon his followers with his lies and false promises. Though we must mourn the loss of this enormous demographic, we must work together to ensure that this monster does not get reelected to finish the damage he has begun.
One part of the solution is to help low income people. The other part of the solution is to stop calling them stupid and try to understand where they are coming from.
Nobody disagrees with your point. After some 6+ years however, of Trump’s nonsense calling him any kind of answer is simply stupid. If you or they want to explain why a life long criminal who lies about everything, has any kind of plan that makes sense, I’m listening. I would gladly like to hear where they are coming from.
As the 80th anniversary of D-Day approaches, it's good to recall this number: 400,000. That is the approximate number of American servicemen and women who perished in the four years of World War II.
400,000 is also the approximate number of Americans who had perished from Covid-19 in Trump's last eight months in office. Tens of millions more had been infected by January of 2021, and many thousands more would die due to a virus that trump completely mismanaged.
(That's when inflation started to spike too, which is what Biden inherited.)
Recently, a number of economists from across the spectrum are warning that if Trump takes office, inflation will be far worse than it is under Biden. (When Trump calls for tariffs on Chinese products, for example, he actually believes that it's the Chinese who pay the tariffs.)
“There has never been a presidential platform so self-evidently inflationary as the one put forward by President Trump ... a growing number of economists and policy analysts are warning that Trump’s second-term agenda of sweeping tariffs, mass deportation of undocumented migrants, and enormous tax cuts would accelerate, rather than alleviate, inflation."
Trump says anything he thinks can get him votes. If reelected, he may do what the Republicans want him to do: use the border and drug crises to declare a national emergency and then implement their fascist program.
They will have to live the experience of Trump's policies. But it will be too late for them and for the rest of us. Who will they blame then? Who cares? Trump and all his GOP supporters along with the corrupt SCOTUS will be the end of the Democratic dream. Voting blue is our only chance.
They already spiraled in ruin from the neocon economy and capital hoarders. What do they have left to lose? I am not a party to their politics, and I lost the birth lottery as well. The lower class has been sold gambling as an "honest" way to make money through the neocon agenda. Whether it is playing the market, scratch-offs, LOTTO, Vegas style games of chance, and now even SPORTS BETTING or taking a chance on a non status quo candidate, they have nothing to lose. The only people winning already have access to capital and have rigged the system so they can not lose.
Trump's economic plan is a recipe for Argentina-size inflation.
May 3, 2024 discussion re US economy, and what would happen should Trump be permitted to affect decisions at the Federal Reserve Bank. (The Wall Street Journal broke the story of Trump policy advisors' 10-page policy brief re presidential influence on the Fed.)
What would happen if a president is permitted to modify as Republican policy brief suggests:
"If people think that inflation under Biden was bad, they're in for a very very rude and unpleasant surprise, because all of Trump's policies... are inflationary"
~ Aaron Pacitti, Prof. of Economics at Siena College
Pacitti further goes into detail on Trump's plans, and also points out that most factors creating inflation under Biden's administration were caused by outside actions, not administration policy.
I believe many of them *know* they're in a hopeless spiral, and the most angry and resentful act from a "If I'm going down, you're all going with me" mentality. Trump is the match to burn it all down.
The Democratic Party is the gambling one. They do not have the guts to tell Biden that he must make way for a new generation of leaders. To me he appears like a Zombie, like one of those robots who are being managed and manipulated. He will not last through the next five years for sure. So we are getting Kamala Harris as our President. She has not been vetted, she is being shoved down our throats. Yes Trump is awful but a zombie is any better? If Trump wins and it looks to me like he will, I blame Biden and his supporters. I remember the election of RR. The Democrats hated him but the country was tired of the chaos and of being pushed around. RR won in a landslide. It’s not too late for a change.
And lest ye despair about the possibility of electing a “zombie” (rather than a demented, fascist demagogue), take a serious look at the honest, competent, and truly patriotic Cabinet Biden assembled, compared to the kind of people Trump has and will assemble. Honest people don’t want to be surrounded by corrupt and crooked subordinates; crooks will not want honest people in the same room.
I’m not talking about myself. I would never vote for Trump. I am talking about the serious possibility that Trump could be elected. If he is, what then? Who is to blame?
Look in the mirror : "Hartmut".Blaming the only party left for the corruption of years of Republican Dominance of our government shows a breathtaking 😳 ignorance
Hartmut. A not so clever Republican tactic to throw the Democrats in disarray. Yes Kamala is better than any misogynistic, racist, homophobic fascist that the Republicans can put up.
I would vote for a head of cabbage,instead of a Republican, I like my freedoms, not to fond of fascism.
And you are just one more right winger, smooth you think you are, that is logging on to liberal sites as we get closer to November.
I guess you like to throw insults at people. I would never vote for Trump. I will look at third party candidates before voting for Biden. If he loses, whom are you going to blame? The leadership of the Democratic Party is gutless or they would force Biden not to run again. There are plenty of great candidates whom I would vote for.
I don't like doing anything Harmut, and talking of throwing insults, you are not a piker. Take the beam out of thy own eye.
If you vote for any third party, or don't vote for anyone, you are voting for Trump, So enjoy as he clamps down on all the civil rights and constitutional games and freedoms, and I do hope that the Muslims who sat on their hands or voted third party as he follows through with his plans to deport them.
Kamala Harris ? She would join the company of un -vetted VPs who assumed the presidency in our life times, Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson and Gerald Ford. Not too shabby.
She is intelligent and has good people in the present cabinet. Good advisors . What experience did tRump have? At least she cares about Democracy and decency. President Biden chose her for a reason.
True but in this case voters know and expect that Harris would become president. So in effect they will be voting for Harris. I doubt that this helps Biden.
Why? Because she is a woman and also a person of color? Or because she is a prosecutor who knows the law, and is capable and fearless! She would deal with criminals much more forcefully!
Again this is not about me and it is none of your business whom I am going to vote for. Thank God democracy protects confidential votes from people like you.
You don't have to tell me who you are voting for. You already did,you are voting for Trump, if not directly then indirectly. And is about you and people like you.
If you are so worried about confidentiality what are you doing in a political discussion forum!? You have this radical idea that we can gin up the perfect candidate in less than 4 months, but can'tveven come up with someone. Faker!
YES! A zombie is better. Our zombie isn't responsible for killing hundreds of thousands of people. He didn't tell people to take a disinfectant or drink bleach to cure COVID. tRump had no plan to address the crisis. Instead, our zombie got the American Rescue Plan passed. Our zombie signed a 1 trilllion dollar infrastructure bill to repair the nations bridges, roads, bring high speed internet to rural communities. It was bipartisan.32 republiccans signed it. Our zombie passed the first major gun safety legislation in decades. At a time when it's impossible to get anything done in Washington, Biden did something consequential. The Zombie you refer to that won't last 5 years passed the Science and Chips Act, which brought back manufacturing of semiconductor chips here instead of China.. I can go on. For example The Inflation Reduction Act originally called The Build back Better Act will spend 2 trillion dollars on health care reform, universal pre kindergarten, paid family leave, and 550 billion dollars dedicated for climate change, a cap on prescription drug costs like Insulin now costing $35.
YES, I'll take BIDEN for President over JFK, Cornell west, Nikki Haley and any other wannabe hypocrite, dictator you can conjure up. Democracy is on the ballot and your small minded complaints aren't helping.
I agree with most of what you say and yes Biden is 100% better than Trump. You don’t have to convince me. What worries me is that Trump will win. Biden is way behind in the swing states. My vote makes no difference. There is no doubt that in my state Biden-Harris will win and if they win then Harris will be our next president for sure. I do know Harris and I have a hard time seeing her as being President. Sorry about that. I felt similarly about Hillary Clinton. I thought she was in the pocket of Wall Street, same as Bill Clinton and she was disdainful of the working class. I still voted for her because I could not stand Trump. But my comment was not about me but about the choice we are given.
The polls are owned and operated by the billionaires who love tRUMP's tax "breaks". With very few exceptions. Fox "News" is owned by a family of dynastic wealth. "People" that are buying The Supreme Court" which has been trashing the Constitution . They buy and intimidate representatives and Senators. They are still engaging in a coup. misinformation and disinformation is powerful. Ignorance is not bliss! Expose the billionaires! They are an enemy when they destroy our rule of law, and mess with justice! Traitors Off the Court!
One part of the solution is to help low income people. The other part of the solution is to stop calling them stupid and try to understand where they are coming from.
Good clips. I am a “Community Teacher” for some med school students because I have a complex disease and am a senior citizen. I do make sure they understand my particular diagnosis and healthcare needs.
But I also make sure they understand the challenges they will face.
1. Insurance will dictate how many minutes they can spend with their patients (and half that time will be spent reviewing the patient’s chart to try to remember who is sitting in their office).
2. Insurance will dictate which tests they can order (none of which was related to my condition).
3. Insurance will dictate which medications will be covered (and insurance may stop covering a patient’s medication with only one month’s notice).
4. Healthcare monopolies and hedge fund profit-stripping will result in the students being over scheduled and too exhausted to keep up with any research - except the “studies” provided by the drug manufacturers which <surprise!> validate their own products.
5. For these reasons, the only way I was able to get a diagnosis and treatment plan was to find physician-experts who no longer are willing to be bound by the strictures of insurance. In other words, they accept no insurance. Paying these rates has been tough, but I am not exaggerating when I say that if I had not gone this route, I would have died nearly ten years ago.
Of course I don’t say all this at my first meeting with my students. And of course I could say a lot more. But if all my students drop out in despair I won’t be able to teach the next cohort! ;-)
The fact that what you wrote is totally true makes it hard to face.
I too have dealt with a 39 year horror story with health. Now I go to Mexico where medical care is focused on ,wait, you won’t believe this, the PATIENT!!!
If our young medical students were totally about wanting to be health providers, they would stand strong and tall and exclude insurance companies from the control over their chosen careers. Sadly, as the President of Harvard Medical school wrote years ago , 9 out of 10 medical students care mostly about money.
Our failure as a country continues to be the focus on more…. Not more great purpose, but on more, more, money!
My Medical Center is owned by the nuns of St Joseph and they own others in Washington and Oregon, however they have contracted out services to Black Rock, and Black Rock puts a time limit on how much time your PCP can devote to you, that limit is 15 minutes. I show up on time and still wait 16 minutes to 30 minutes to get called to his office, I see a nurse who takes vitals and asks why I am there, then another 15 to 20 minutes for the doctor to show up, and he is out as fast as he can.
Lawyers bill on the time they spend with you, or thinking about your case. Medicare and health insurance pays by the incident, the more incidents the more money.
I suspect that doctors who spent too much time with a patient are dinged.
William - I “like” your comment because I can relate to it very well. What chaps my a** is when they have those signs up saying if you are 15 minutes late they will make you reschedule. It doesn’t matter how long you have to collectively wait for them to see you but you are turned away if you can’t get there on time even if it is out of your control. Now only if my “like” button would work….:(
Customers are cattle, who need their services, if it was the other way around, they would be beginning us and doing every thing but oral sex and maybe that too.
How many times have you been sucked in by a low cost deal, or a promotion and then when the time expires to have your payment jump double, and then jump through hoops to cancel.
One time the only way I could cancel a "deal" was to cancel my credit card and get a new one.
Stanford hospital has time limitations as well. However, PCP's in Senior Care are not timed. Cardiology specialists can spend up to 40 minutes with a patient. Before we vote for Medicare for All, we need to establish guidelines that do not short change the doctors and their patients. Hospitals and insurance companies are laughing all the way to the bank.
William, I have learned that many insurance-controlled physicians do not want to hear about multiple system symptoms (which obviously makes it nearly impossible for them to think holistically and identify complex immunological diseases). Two symptoms? Maybe two visits!
I don’t know much about BlackRock but I wonder if they aren’t a hedge fund equity-stripping investment group (among other investments)?
Marge. Many decades ago, a pharmaceutical learned of an Amazonian tribe cure for diabetes. It was a concoction of herbs. They took it back and tried to find the particular chemical, and couldn't and gave up. It wasn't a particular chemical it was all of the herbs working together.
It is the same problem with the medical profession. For instance they believe that smoking is the cause of lung cancer, I know many people who have had lung cancer and never smoked, they refuse to accept that evidence.
Those who believe that Trump is the answer are gambling with their future and their children’s future. What will it take to prove to them that they are in a hopeless spiral that will lead to their ruin!
Trump is a psychopathilogical grifter. The reason he is a psychopath is he is incapable of empathy with other human beings. Trump supporter are correct in understanding that the American establishment of the two-sides-of-the-same-coin Democrat-Republican party has abandoned them, the working class. Where they are badly deluded is in thinking Trump cares about them. He doesn't. Trump is using the working classes' anger and frustration to aggrandize himself.
Recall his tax cuts for the wealthy. That HURT the very people who support him by worsening the federal deficit. Americans need to wake up, grow up and begin to think and stop acting on their reflexes.
That's BS. Biden has done more for them than any president since LBJ. They are fooled by people like you. https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/05/15/statement-from-president-joe-biden-on-the-april-consumer-price-index/
That's why I think you're a Republican troll.
I disagree Daniel that this is bullshit, Tom has a good point. Not only are they being fed the two-sides are both bad it's being shoveled down their throats by a combination of Fox and the MAGAts in Congress supporting trump, all they really understand is they are hurting and "someone is at fault". What they fail to grasp is how much harm has come to them from their adulation of ham actors including Reagan.
That "two-sides-of-the-same-coin Democrat-Republican party has abandoned them" is pure unadulterated bullshit!!
And WE say "Democratic" Party.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/05/14/fact-sheet-the-biden-harris-administration-highlights-investments-in-rural-america-invites-public-nominations-for-rural-innovators-initiative/#:~:text=The%20Biden%2DHarris%20Administration%20is%20also%20announcing%20over%20%24671%20million,paying%20jobs%20in%20rural%20communities.
Thank you! The dead giveaway is when someone says “Democrat party.”
One reason poorer people may vote for Trump is that they remember the two pandemic stimulus checks they received, with his signature in bold black marker on them. They received one during the Biden administration as well, but without his signature. Never underestimate the power of marketing.
Maybe. I personally think that culture and hatred Trump MAGATs' economic and physical health, however. Pun intended.
"Americans" you mean? There are now two parties: American and Traitors! PRESIDENT BIDEN ended Dubbya Bush's asinine "War on Terror." This means The January 6th Insurrectionists are guilty of HIGH TREASON, often punishable by DEATH.
Daniel, and what is clear it does not matter how much Democrats have tried to assist working-class Americans. Those folks so often turn toward the guys who have nothing to offer them but hardship. Research has proven that Democrats do better for our economy than Republicans by a huge margin, but people just won't/can't believe it. Why? I think it is the big media that is too much owned and operated by Republicans who are certain the truth will hurt them. It did begin with Reagan, or at least this iteration of it did. Since LBJ, Republicans have dragged us into wars that are nearly impossible to get out of, but took a lot of lives and a lot of health and cost a whole lot of money. We need a force within Congress and states that support poor and working-class Americans and deal directly with their issues, improving their lives.
How do you explain democrats voting for a republican Speaker who then goes to New York to support TFG during his trial? This may be the one time MTG is correct. Then to top it off the democrat/republican Speaker invites the war criminal to address The House/Senate. This shows our even handed policy in the Middle East.
If you don't support Biden, you get (and deserve) Fascism. Forest is made of trees.
No one " deserves" fascism.
Ever..anywhere, ever.
Daniel, I agree with you and I don't know how the disagreement of so many works. Trump has blurted out his fascism day after day and his handlers have helped him to get it into print and onto videos that they pump out for his supporters to drool over, and they do. Trump like most or all sociopaths thinks only of what makes him feel, well, comfortable. He has conned a whole lot of people to help with that comfort and they don't realize he is using them. He whines about enemies within and how everything that does not let him win is rigged. He is a toddler-man with dementia. He has a few lines and phrases down that he uses interchangeably whether they work in a particular instance or not: "it's rigged, they are fascists, there are enemies within, I love you all." They, like so much of what Trump says are lies which he has learned to put out with a straight face and a whole lot of people think they are some kind of truth handed down from their deity. They are wrong, but who can tell them in a way they can hear?
His appeal lies mainly with those that think a strong man is needed for the country. They aren't looking at the big picture and will rue the day they voted for him when he moves this country into fascism.
but we also get it,deserve it or not.therein lies the rub.
I reside and vote in a blue state one vote mine means nothing Genocide Joe will win.
Your opinion.
Because they think the passage of aid for Ukraine and israel is all important, and they think alternatives to Mike Johnson would be just as bad or even worse.Not hard.
Steve Ukraine is important, if it falls, Putin has his eyes on the Baltic States, Lithuania and Moldova and once he digest them, his hunger will reach out to western Europe and since Russia has so much oil, and he is in alliance with Iran who also has oil, he will choke off the West and that includes America.
While we produce enough oil to be self sufficient, we export oil,and the import oil from Saudi Arabia to keep the world prices up.
The world runs on oil. America may be self sufficient, if it weren't for the export import game, but Europe isn't, and we don't produce enough oil to take care of Europe's needs.
Europe relies on OPEC and OPEC is y five countries namely Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela. They were to become the Founder Members of the Organization.
These countries were later joined by Qatar (1961), Indonesia (1962), Libya (1962), the United Arab Emirates (1967), Algeria (1969), Nigeria (1971), Ecuador (1973), Gabon (1975), Angola (2007), Equatorial Guinea (2017) and Congo (2018).
Notice Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Iran is an ally of Russia. India is Russia's major customer.
Russia, China and N Korea are in alliance now.
We are surrounded and the Europe is at the mercy of Saudi Arabia and Russia.
And what keeps the Mid East in Line, the US Navy, and the worlds largest land locked aircraft carrier, Israel.
The EU can dispatch its own aircraft carriers, so can Japan and S. Korea. Isn't about time for us to learn to delegate?
Now you sound like Trump. Problem is that the EU doesn't have enough carrier groups. you need to understand naval tactics and strategy, besides we have a problem in Asia, called China, and not enough ships, men and resources to field an effective two ship navy, not to mention three or four, Mediterranean, Indian Ocean, Gulf of Iran
If we provide them with a protective "umbrella" what incentive do they have to develop their own alliances and defense forces? The NATO alliance is pathetic. Even now they still cannot produce enough ammunition for Ukraine, thereby giving Republicans the opportunity to blackmail Democrats. There is nothing wrong with the Europeans; the problem is US. For decades American taxpayers subsidized their defense needs. Could this be because they were in turn obliged to purchase American weaponry? The same applies to our other "allies." As to aircraft carriers, they are sitting ducks now--and what a costly way to get oil to our allies. A tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, and revealing the perils of ignorance.
Question for you Doug, Why are you fixated on Israel, but ignore the real threat to western civilization, and genocide perpetuated by Putin.
You care so little about Ukraine but care so much about HAMAS, just like Putin.
Incidentally, October 7th was Putins birthday, and Iran, via HAMAS just offered him the greatest birthday present he could wish for, a distraction from Ukraine and a divergence of aid to Israel.
Which is why I suspect that Putin helped plan the attack, using US classified intelligence he got from Trump.
Mass murder IS misogynists big " economic theory" . Murder;ake more, traffic.ect
Hamas insanity and Putin insanity are insanities. Hamas harms the very people of all ages around them. Putin has decades of " look what I can do" insanity.
Insane misogynism- kills a lot
I agree,let me put it this way. Patriarchalism is misogyny. The Abrahamic religions are patriarchal, ergo they are misogynist. Patriarchy demands submission. Submission is obtained by force or fraud. Religion uses fraud but reverts to force when fraud fails, sectarian forces use fraud, but resort to force when that fails.
The human male is taller, stronger and more aggressive (thanks to testosterone) than the female,thus human societies formed around a religion tend to be patriarchal.
Virgins were once bathed, garlanded, dressed in white, deflowered by priests who them "sacrificed" them (to shut them up) as brides of the gods, Caesar Augustus decreed in his law of Pater Familia, that the father had life and death control over wife and children.
War is the ultimate manifestation of patriarchalism.
Hitler kept his relationship with Eva Braun secret, because he was married to Germany, and Germany he dominated like a proper patriarch.
Beg to differ
The primary cause of misogyny is death by diseases and infection : aka lack of hygiene. Lack of human knowledge. The morase of social human stunting caused by the " beliefs" and learned behaviors of the ages are not acquired by testosterone, rather high mortality rates and no sense whatsoever.
It is mansplain ,formerly " theory" aka " gossip" that misinforms and stunts otherwise capable homosapiens from dwelling peacefully for a lifetime .
Learning is what poses the efficacy of social human beings. The display of greeds and aggressions are inevitable birth order issues impatient of the potential.of human nervous systems to develope.a full array of very human capabilities.
By perpetuating the retardation, holding back, stunting behavior learned and touted by mansplain in an orgy of indifferency through ages your assumption that the criminalities of the stunted , retarded, misinformed and worst samples of perversion murders mass murders are " strengths" when misogynism is primarily addicts insane and stunted. Weak.
Any jerk in the circle fingering the murdering thief " leader" as a sample of strength is perpetuating the perversity that greed and perversion are strengths rather than hindrance.
What we need is to stop viewing mental deficient because of their greed and crime as important. Their stunted stunting behavior : crime against humanity.
Early childhood development is an insulator from the birth order abuses of ignorance to emerging new nervous systems. Not the misogynists next rape and murder targets.
All of those that you enumerated are caused by patriarchalism. Especially holding females uneducated. Where female are fully educated, the birth rate is lowered, as females are held in virtual ignorance, birthrate and death rate in pregnancy and childbirth goes up.
What's with this overuse of "mansplain" is that a new word you have found, to vent.
Where in the world did you get this from what I have said: "our assumption that the criminalities of the stunted , retarded, misinformed and worst samples of perversion murders mass murders are " strengths" when misogynism is primarily addicts insane and stunted."
I never said such things were strengths.
So you have identified misogynism as a great evil, I agree, but you don't identify the cause of misogynism, and I have, it is patriarchalism.
Patricia I really don't understand your comment, other than a rant, to get off your chest your anger and complaints.
To tell the truth, the syntax of your comment is incomprehensible.
I think they made a deal with Johnson if he'd finally vote for the Ukrainian aid package. They may now regret voting to keep Johnson.
Ukraine and Israel are important to US security. The Putin faction in congress was holding Ukraine arms hostage. Dems made a deal with Mike Johnson, to get him to support aid to Ukraine. Dems live up to their word.
But I am sure that you know all of this, as you have an ulterior motive, don't your Doug?
I don't know if you want to be informed, or if you don't. If you do want to have your question answered, and if you don't know the answer, let me know, please.
Who are you talking to Martha. I didn't ask you a question, so you can't answer my question.
You asked a question and you replied with rudeness.
That was Doug, not William, who asked the question you originally responded to. William also responded to Doug. Looks like both you & William got mixed up. Doug never responded to either of you.
I asked a Question and replied to my own question?
I want to know who you were talking to? I didn't ask you a question. and that is rude pointing that out?
Your name isn't Doug is it? I asked Doug a question, not Martha.
Now you do have a problem Martha. Sticking your nose in other peoples business, that is rude.
You are in a public space.
Martha was originally responding to Doug's question, as were you. Looks like you both got mixed up on who was responding to whom.
Substack creates that problem. However Dougs question was not an open question, but one Doug personally asked of me and Martha had no business butting in. Doug's question was actually trolling and argumentative, more reason for Martha to stay out of it, but she can't help herself, now we have a long running argument going. she assumed and is still assuming an air of superiority as if she was speaking to one of her children or was a teacher.
Grade school teachers are the worse, like mothers they don't realize that people grow up and have brains and can form their own thoughts and opinions. I've known and had to deal with a few, when I ran a senior transportation program.
And as you know I am pretty damn senior myself.
BTW had a CT Scan yesterday, the nodule in my upper right lung lobe, which was suspected of being pre cancerous has shrunk. probably an infection.
I can't believe this string of posts! People, get of the the sandbox. Don't you have better things to talk about other than who answered whose questions? Jesus!
Why do you care so much about the middle east Doug.. Your concern should be here and what affects America and Western civilization.
Netanyahu and HAMAS or Muslims vs Jews as a 1400 year old story that had no end or no pleasant end.
Our problem is here and now, Whether we are going to live in a Democratic society or a fascist society.
A Democratic Republic America or a Gilead America.
Your choice.
I am concerned for many billions of reasons and our supply of military weapons to a radical religious state and the slaughter of innocent people on both sides and taking of hostages on both sides. I believe there are millions of Americans who agree but are fearful of speaking out due to the political and financial power of the so called land locked aircraft carrier. I have faith in our university student who are standup for the truth.
Israel is not taking hostages, and the radical religious state is HAMAS. Whether or not millions of Americans agree is irrelevant, that is a logical fallacy called a bandwagon effect Millions of Germans agreed with Hitler, Millions of Russians agree with Putin, and every Muslim in the world agrees with HAMAS.
A radical religious state? You mean Islamic ethno states. Why do you care about them, and gladly sacrifice Ukraine?
As regards the dead and wounded Gazan's, that blame lies with HAMAS.
HAMAS started it by slaughterining and raping Israeli's, then runs back to Gaza with hostages to use them and the people that they supposedly govern as humans shields.
Try some other excuse. Our university students have been swayed by their peers, the Arab students funded by their rich daddies.
These "Wise" university students haven't had shit to say about the genocide campaign of Vladimir Putin, Have they?
Genocide requires intent. The state of Israel has not said anything about the intent of obliterating the Arab culture of the billions of Muslims, the whole idea of which is ludicrous.
!0 Million Jews, genociding 1 billion Arabs, One Jewish Ethnostate against 57 Muslim ethno states.
Meanwhile Putin has declared his genocidal intentions against Ukraine, it's language and culture.
Our university students are self indulgent,self righteous, spoiled rich kids, easily manipulated for a "righteous cause",
Thank you William for defending right from wrong.
“Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it.” ― Leo Tolstoy. “Right is right even if no one is doing it; wrong is wrong even if everyone is doing it.”
Thanks Eadie, that is the way I feel. Just because everyone is doing it or everyone believes it, doesn't mean it is right or true. I've always marched to my own drummer, and swam against the crowd.
The Russian crowd is pro Putin, the critical thinkers are dead or in jail.
If Trump becomes President and acts out on his retaliation pledge, it won't be long before a lot of currently safe dissidents, become Trump humpers.
in 1933, not everyone in Germany was a NAZI,by 1938 almost all were.
Those that actually resisted like Sophie Scholl and the White Rose Society
were beheaded for treason., or wound up in concentration camps.
Who was it that said "Shoot one, warn thousands"
In a free society the equivalent of shooting is ostracization, name calling, the equivalent of exiling. In primitive societies and indeed in Europe until the reformation, excommunication led to exile and was a death sentence.
Liz Cheney andAdam Kizzinger have been exiled from the Republican Party for heresy. Progressives try to exile anyone who doesn't fall completely in line with their ideology.
The Democrats made a responsible decision to support Johnson. The Republican party is in disarray and at least Johnson is willing to work with the Democrats.
Why should we care if he went to NY to kiss the ring? A majority of Republicans are doing that every day to stay relevant to Trump's base.
The best part of Johnson's trip to NY was when he tried to address the protestors at Columbia. He got flustered by the response he received and said, "enjoy your free speech." Then he left with his tail between his legs.
Daniel, the Democratic Party took a hard swerve to the right in the mid-1980's when the Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) took control. Bill Clinton was Chair of the DLC just before he became President.
Take a close look at the changes that took place under his leadership - the repeal of Glass-Steagall and it's replacement with Gramm-Leach-Bliley, which led to the consolidation of the banks and investment firms, which in turn precipitated the banking crises.
Also the Commodity Futures Modernization Act which put commodities futures outside any regulatory framework, or even any reporting requirements. This allowed the creation of CDO's (Collateralized Debt Obligations) and CDS's (Credit Default Swaps) which contributed directly to the collapse of the housing markets.
And when progressives finally came up with a truly progressive candidate, the Party did everything in their power to sideline him and anoint Hillary to be the candidate because "It's Her Turn." Yeah, how'd that work out?
Biden, as much as I respect him as a person, is still part of that same neoliberal machine that has kept the Party from really moving forward and distinguishing itself from the Republicans.
Biden got the message. This why he proposed, endorsed and is implementing the Build Back Better program. It is a long-term program; its benefits will reveal themselves slowly. In the meantime people are hurting from high prices in almost everything, but there isn't much Biden can do about that in the short term.
I have followed presidential elections starting with Truman v Dewey as a child. The pundits and the strategist spend a lot of time and energy figuring out why voters vote the way they do. There are times when a single issue is the deciding factor like the Veitnam War or a deep recession. But over all most presidents are selected on personality. Too many voters are overwhelmed by political sales pitches by both sides or just tuned out and make their decisions on who they like more. If voters voted on policies we would not be where we are today.
I disagree. It's all a matter of perception. The infrastructure projects are not putting money into everyone's pockets. We absolutely need to address the infrastructure of the country. But the average citizen doesn't recognize the need or benefit to this endeavor because it does nothing to address the cost of living.
Biden needs to address the corporate greed situation. The supply chain problems are gone, yet big business isn't passing on the savings. Instead, they are maintaining artificially high prices and raking in record profits.
The FTC banned ex-oil executive Scott Sheffield from sitting on the board of Exxon after a merger. The FTC cited communications between Sheffield and other industry leaders, as well as public comments made by the oil boss, to assert that he had attempted to collude with the Opec cartel and other domestic producers to curtail production and prop up prices. https://www.ft.com/content/78bfb9e4-86bd-46d6-91e9-f4d43c2da2a6
It's not inflation, it is corporate greed that must be stopped but the right is promoting false information blaming Biden for high prices.
Knock your shit off Karl, don't play that right wing Socratic method here.
If you have something to say, spit it out.
Why are you a troll?
trolls get paid.
Karl from Vladivostok,
Prove it asshole.
Not in the least. For you to upset me requires that I hold you in regard. I do not.
I hold my spouse in regard, and she can upset me, but you, well you are a gnat, not even that.
I have no regard for useless trolls, but I have a lot of time on my hands, and find trolls like you entertaining.
So are you implying that a WH press release is in some way "the other side of the coin?" Is a WH press release equivalent to a Fox News or "Info Wars" screed, to you? Just curious.
DZK, it seems Karl only can respond in questions, and they're not very good questions. So sad!
Fox not only bends the truth, it lies.
What do you mean by this?
Fay, you are right, but those folks have chosen to keep from actually thinking about what is going on and looking beyond Fox et al. I suspect a lot of them know what Trump is or suspect, but can't bear to change to a different perspective. It is hard to change especially if you learn you have been bamboozled, cheated, lied to, and used by the guy you thought really cared about you and definitely doesn't beyond getting your vote. That's a pain most people don't want to deal with, so they will make every excuse to keep on the Trump wagon even though it is rolling inexeribly toward destruction.
You've certainly got that right Ruth. It's really hard for some people to admit to making a mistake - trump, himself is one of them.
It's the "two sides of the same coin" argument, ain't it? That's when I began wondering.
Rather more likely a foreign troll. A Republican would likely know about Robin hood.
Note also the short answers which read like they’re coming from a prepared list of points.
AI?
Karl is is a bot.
Oh, Karl, you used a similar question already! Amazing! Try declarative sentences for a change, though. They can be interesting where questions just demonstrate lack of respect or ignorance when they are just reworded. I am not sure which relates to your situation. You do not care one whit about a WH press conference or probably anything else either. Where do you stand or are you just one of those botts who has a ton of information to toss out in questions that mean nothing? Hmmmm! I just asked a question. Wow, you inspired me! I had better be more careful!
Most people here recognize that the Democrat party has in ther past hurt the working class in different ways. And the Republican party far more.
The problem with what you have said is it leaves the impression there is no difference between the two parties, tweedle dee tweedle dum, and that is false and not helpful. The Biden administration has done much to help the working class and will do more if we can re-elect Joe.
Tom, I don't think equating Democrats with what Trump has done and is doing to the working-class is fair. Democrats have tried to get programs going for improving working-class lives, but nearly every time, Republicans have jumped in with filibusters and ridiculous riders designed to undermine whatever bill it is. Admittedly Manchin and Sinema, both originally Democrats were bought out, if they were ever really Dems and kept a lot of good legislation from being passed, much of which was to help improve programs and people's lives. Trump is scum (OK, that's an insult to scum) and has to be stopped, but there is a whole lineup out there just waiting to take over for Trump, sure they are smarter and could do even more damage to this nation on behalf of themselves and their rich white friends. Ugh!
Tom: all you have said is true. Trump supporters are suffering from severe gambling addiction, which no amount of psychotherapy will resolve. One characteristic of such addiction is a sociopathic disregard for others. Adding insult to injury, the liar- in -chief has gained his power Through a form of the Stockholm syndrome, a condition he has imposed upon his followers with his lies and false promises. Though we must mourn the loss of this enormous demographic, we must work together to ensure that this monster does not get reelected to finish the damage he has begun.
Biden and the Dems need to figure this out. I nominate TAX THE RICH as an important slogan and campaign plank.
How 'bout including: "And justice for ALL!"
Those who think Trump is the answer are asking a really stupid question.
One part of the solution is to help low income people. The other part of the solution is to stop calling them stupid and try to understand where they are coming from.
Nobody disagrees with your point. After some 6+ years however, of Trump’s nonsense calling him any kind of answer is simply stupid. If you or they want to explain why a life long criminal who lies about everything, has any kind of plan that makes sense, I’m listening. I would gladly like to hear where they are coming from.
As the 80th anniversary of D-Day approaches, it's good to recall this number: 400,000. That is the approximate number of American servicemen and women who perished in the four years of World War II.
400,000 is also the approximate number of Americans who had perished from Covid-19 in Trump's last eight months in office. Tens of millions more had been infected by January of 2021, and many thousands more would die due to a virus that trump completely mismanaged.
(That's when inflation started to spike too, which is what Biden inherited.)
Recently, a number of economists from across the spectrum are warning that if Trump takes office, inflation will be far worse than it is under Biden. (When Trump calls for tariffs on Chinese products, for example, he actually believes that it's the Chinese who pay the tariffs.)
“There has never been a presidential platform so self-evidently inflationary as the one put forward by President Trump ... a growing number of economists and policy analysts are warning that Trump’s second-term agenda of sweeping tariffs, mass deportation of undocumented migrants, and enormous tax cuts would accelerate, rather than alleviate, inflation."
Trump says anything he thinks can get him votes. If reelected, he may do what the Republicans want him to do: use the border and drug crises to declare a national emergency and then implement their fascist program.
Thomas - “Like”!! Agree with Keith - Very well said.
Well said Thomas
They will have to live the experience of Trump's policies. But it will be too late for them and for the rest of us. Who will they blame then? Who cares? Trump and all his GOP supporters along with the corrupt SCOTUS will be the end of the Democratic dream. Voting blue is our only chance.
They already spiraled in ruin from the neocon economy and capital hoarders. What do they have left to lose? I am not a party to their politics, and I lost the birth lottery as well. The lower class has been sold gambling as an "honest" way to make money through the neocon agenda. Whether it is playing the market, scratch-offs, LOTTO, Vegas style games of chance, and now even SPORTS BETTING or taking a chance on a non status quo candidate, they have nothing to lose. The only people winning already have access to capital and have rigged the system so they can not lose.
For people with little hope, the downward spiral is already in play.
Trump's economic plan is a recipe for Argentina-size inflation.
May 3, 2024 discussion re US economy, and what would happen should Trump be permitted to affect decisions at the Federal Reserve Bank. (The Wall Street Journal broke the story of Trump policy advisors' 10-page policy brief re presidential influence on the Fed.)
https://www.wamc.org/podcast/the-roundtable/2024-05-03/5-3-24-rt-panel
Buried the lede:
What would happen if a president is permitted to modify as Republican policy brief suggests:
"If people think that inflation under Biden was bad, they're in for a very very rude and unpleasant surprise, because all of Trump's policies... are inflationary"
~ Aaron Pacitti, Prof. of Economics at Siena College
Pacitti further goes into detail on Trump's plans, and also points out that most factors creating inflation under Biden's administration were caused by outside actions, not administration policy.
Maryk - “Like”
I believe many of them *know* they're in a hopeless spiral, and the most angry and resentful act from a "If I'm going down, you're all going with me" mentality. Trump is the match to burn it all down.
The Democratic Party is the gambling one. They do not have the guts to tell Biden that he must make way for a new generation of leaders. To me he appears like a Zombie, like one of those robots who are being managed and manipulated. He will not last through the next five years for sure. So we are getting Kamala Harris as our President. She has not been vetted, she is being shoved down our throats. Yes Trump is awful but a zombie is any better? If Trump wins and it looks to me like he will, I blame Biden and his supporters. I remember the election of RR. The Democrats hated him but the country was tired of the chaos and of being pushed around. RR won in a landslide. It’s not too late for a change.
Yes, it is too late.
And lest ye despair about the possibility of electing a “zombie” (rather than a demented, fascist demagogue), take a serious look at the honest, competent, and truly patriotic Cabinet Biden assembled, compared to the kind of people Trump has and will assemble. Honest people don’t want to be surrounded by corrupt and crooked subordinates; crooks will not want honest people in the same room.
Marge, If more of our voters were as smart as you are Trump wouldn't be running for office.
I’m not talking about myself. I would never vote for Trump. I am talking about the serious possibility that Trump could be elected. If he is, what then? Who is to blame?
What is your alternative Harmut? Vote for Cornell West and elect Trump. Vote for RFKjr, Elect Trump, Vote for Jill Stein, elect Trump.
Ralph Nader took votes away from Gore in Florida and Dubya became President.
Jill Stein did the same in Swing states and Trump became President.
You are intelligent, thus are aware that any vote other than for Biden,or any non vote,is a vote for Trump.
Ergo, you are a Trumpian Troll, or maybe a Putinistia.
Are you always throwing insults rather than engaging in an intelligent debate? I don’t think you belong here.
You are not the decider on who belongs where. Stay in your own lane.
You raised the issue, If Biden is not a choice, then who is.
Math says that a third party has no chance of winning 270 electoral votes to become president. You are intelligent enough to know that.
And if liberals sit out the election, or vote third party then Trump becomes President. you are smart enough to know that.
Ergo, the conclusion is obvious you are either a Trumpian Troll or a Putinista.
That is nto an insult, that is a logical conclusion.
If I choose to insult you, you will know it.
Look in the mirror : "Hartmut".Blaming the only party left for the corruption of years of Republican Dominance of our government shows a breathtaking 😳 ignorance
Hartmut. A not so clever Republican tactic to throw the Democrats in disarray. Yes Kamala is better than any misogynistic, racist, homophobic fascist that the Republicans can put up.
I would vote for a head of cabbage,instead of a Republican, I like my freedoms, not to fond of fascism.
And you are just one more right winger, smooth you think you are, that is logging on to liberal sites as we get closer to November.
I guess you like to throw insults at people. I would never vote for Trump. I will look at third party candidates before voting for Biden. If he loses, whom are you going to blame? The leadership of the Democratic Party is gutless or they would force Biden not to run again. There are plenty of great candidates whom I would vote for.
I don't like doing anything Harmut, and talking of throwing insults, you are not a piker. Take the beam out of thy own eye.
If you vote for any third party, or don't vote for anyone, you are voting for Trump, So enjoy as he clamps down on all the civil rights and constitutional games and freedoms, and I do hope that the Muslims who sat on their hands or voted third party as he follows through with his plans to deport them.
Hartmut, clearly you are a fraud.
"Hartmut" Who would I blame? Traitors like you!
Kamala Harris ? She would join the company of un -vetted VPs who assumed the presidency in our life times, Harry Truman, Lyndon Johnson and Gerald Ford. Not too shabby.
and Kamala Harris is far more qualified than Trump, a shitty actor and a fraudster.
She is intelligent and has good people in the present cabinet. Good advisors . What experience did tRump have? At least she cares about Democracy and decency. President Biden chose her for a reason.
for white supremacists everyone else is "unqualified.."
True but in this case voters know and expect that Harris would become president. So in effect they will be voting for Harris. I doubt that this helps Biden.
Why? Because she is a woman and also a person of color? Or because she is a prosecutor who knows the law, and is capable and fearless! She would deal with criminals much more forcefully!
Again who do you champion Hartmut? If not Trump then who?
don't waste time on trolls.
You are correct, but I am bored, have time on my hand, and this is entertaining.
I am glad.
Again this is not about me and it is none of your business whom I am going to vote for. Thank God democracy protects confidential votes from people like you.
You don't have to tell me who you are voting for. You already did,you are voting for Trump, if not directly then indirectly. And is about you and people like you.
thank the Constitution. God has nothing to do with your voting rights.
If you are so worried about confidentiality what are you doing in a political discussion forum!? You have this radical idea that we can gin up the perfect candidate in less than 4 months, but can'tveven come up with someone. Faker!
YES! A zombie is better. Our zombie isn't responsible for killing hundreds of thousands of people. He didn't tell people to take a disinfectant or drink bleach to cure COVID. tRump had no plan to address the crisis. Instead, our zombie got the American Rescue Plan passed. Our zombie signed a 1 trilllion dollar infrastructure bill to repair the nations bridges, roads, bring high speed internet to rural communities. It was bipartisan.32 republiccans signed it. Our zombie passed the first major gun safety legislation in decades. At a time when it's impossible to get anything done in Washington, Biden did something consequential. The Zombie you refer to that won't last 5 years passed the Science and Chips Act, which brought back manufacturing of semiconductor chips here instead of China.. I can go on. For example The Inflation Reduction Act originally called The Build back Better Act will spend 2 trillion dollars on health care reform, universal pre kindergarten, paid family leave, and 550 billion dollars dedicated for climate change, a cap on prescription drug costs like Insulin now costing $35.
YES, I'll take BIDEN for President over JFK, Cornell west, Nikki Haley and any other wannabe hypocrite, dictator you can conjure up. Democracy is on the ballot and your small minded complaints aren't helping.
I agree with most of what you say and yes Biden is 100% better than Trump. You don’t have to convince me. What worries me is that Trump will win. Biden is way behind in the swing states. My vote makes no difference. There is no doubt that in my state Biden-Harris will win and if they win then Harris will be our next president for sure. I do know Harris and I have a hard time seeing her as being President. Sorry about that. I felt similarly about Hillary Clinton. I thought she was in the pocket of Wall Street, same as Bill Clinton and she was disdainful of the working class. I still voted for her because I could not stand Trump. But my comment was not about me but about the choice we are given.
Yes, "a zombie" is better. Biden is not a dictator & works with his competent administration.
Why is he then behind in the polls against a very beatable opponent?
The polls are owned and operated by the billionaires who love tRUMP's tax "breaks". With very few exceptions. Fox "News" is owned by a family of dynastic wealth. "People" that are buying The Supreme Court" which has been trashing the Constitution . They buy and intimidate representatives and Senators. They are still engaging in a coup. misinformation and disinformation is powerful. Ignorance is not bliss! Expose the billionaires! They are an enemy when they destroy our rule of law, and mess with justice! Traitors Off the Court!
Ergo you champion Trump Hartmut. That is the only possible conclusion/
They are ignorant or don’t have a very good memory or both!
One part of the solution is to help low income people. The other part of the solution is to stop calling them stupid and try to understand where they are coming from.
The low income people don't vote Raymond, it is the business class of middle income that are the Trump humpers.
Good clips. I am a “Community Teacher” for some med school students because I have a complex disease and am a senior citizen. I do make sure they understand my particular diagnosis and healthcare needs.
But I also make sure they understand the challenges they will face.
1. Insurance will dictate how many minutes they can spend with their patients (and half that time will be spent reviewing the patient’s chart to try to remember who is sitting in their office).
2. Insurance will dictate which tests they can order (none of which was related to my condition).
3. Insurance will dictate which medications will be covered (and insurance may stop covering a patient’s medication with only one month’s notice).
4. Healthcare monopolies and hedge fund profit-stripping will result in the students being over scheduled and too exhausted to keep up with any research - except the “studies” provided by the drug manufacturers which <surprise!> validate their own products.
5. For these reasons, the only way I was able to get a diagnosis and treatment plan was to find physician-experts who no longer are willing to be bound by the strictures of insurance. In other words, they accept no insurance. Paying these rates has been tough, but I am not exaggerating when I say that if I had not gone this route, I would have died nearly ten years ago.
Of course I don’t say all this at my first meeting with my students. And of course I could say a lot more. But if all my students drop out in despair I won’t be able to teach the next cohort! ;-)
Dear Marge,
The fact that what you wrote is totally true makes it hard to face.
I too have dealt with a 39 year horror story with health. Now I go to Mexico where medical care is focused on ,wait, you won’t believe this, the PATIENT!!!
If our young medical students were totally about wanting to be health providers, they would stand strong and tall and exclude insurance companies from the control over their chosen careers. Sadly, as the President of Harvard Medical school wrote years ago , 9 out of 10 medical students care mostly about money.
Our failure as a country continues to be the focus on more…. Not more great purpose, but on more, more, money!
😫
My Medical Center is owned by the nuns of St Joseph and they own others in Washington and Oregon, however they have contracted out services to Black Rock, and Black Rock puts a time limit on how much time your PCP can devote to you, that limit is 15 minutes. I show up on time and still wait 16 minutes to 30 minutes to get called to his office, I see a nurse who takes vitals and asks why I am there, then another 15 to 20 minutes for the doctor to show up, and he is out as fast as he can.
Lawyers bill on the time they spend with you, or thinking about your case. Medicare and health insurance pays by the incident, the more incidents the more money.
I suspect that doctors who spent too much time with a patient are dinged.
William - I “like” your comment because I can relate to it very well. What chaps my a** is when they have those signs up saying if you are 15 minutes late they will make you reschedule. It doesn’t matter how long you have to collectively wait for them to see you but you are turned away if you can’t get there on time even if it is out of your control. Now only if my “like” button would work….:(
Customers are cattle, who need their services, if it was the other way around, they would be beginning us and doing every thing but oral sex and maybe that too.
How many times have you been sucked in by a low cost deal, or a promotion and then when the time expires to have your payment jump double, and then jump through hoops to cancel.
One time the only way I could cancel a "deal" was to cancel my credit card and get a new one.
William - “Like”
Stanford hospital has time limitations as well. However, PCP's in Senior Care are not timed. Cardiology specialists can spend up to 40 minutes with a patient. Before we vote for Medicare for All, we need to establish guidelines that do not short change the doctors and their patients. Hospitals and insurance companies are laughing all the way to the bank.
The only problems with Medicare are those created by AHIP lobbyists who wrote the laws and amendments inserted into the law that created Medicare.
For instance until George W Bush, one was eligible for Medicare at age 65, now it is age 67, also Social Security was not taxable,until George W Bush.
William, I have learned that many insurance-controlled physicians do not want to hear about multiple system symptoms (which obviously makes it nearly impossible for them to think holistically and identify complex immunological diseases). Two symptoms? Maybe two visits!
I don’t know much about BlackRock but I wonder if they aren’t a hedge fund equity-stripping investment group (among other investments)?
Marge. Many decades ago, a pharmaceutical learned of an Amazonian tribe cure for diabetes. It was a concoction of herbs. They took it back and tried to find the particular chemical, and couldn't and gave up. It wasn't a particular chemical it was all of the herbs working together.
It is the same problem with the medical profession. For instance they believe that smoking is the cause of lung cancer, I know many people who have had lung cancer and never smoked, they refuse to accept that evidence.
We live in a cause and effect world.