"He deprived voters of information that might have affected their votes." the flipside of that is providing disinformation that is affecting peoples votes. Why is that not equally illegal? The Robo call that the Republicans sent out with the message that the 2020 election was massively fraudulent? Why are all these lies allowed to continue when it's known that if you repeat lies enough people start believing them. Isn't that also election interference?
Great point, Karen, which brings up a point that infuriates both my husband and me. When companies advertise a tube of toothpaste, they can only make verified claims about its benefits and effectiveness (puffery aside). But there are no such rules about political advertising. We certainly wish there were.
Bill, I think we’ve been duped into believing “truth in advertising” is enforced. During the Obama administration Kellogg was required to remove the “heart healthy” claim from its advertising. Trump gets elected and the claim is back. Cascade advertises using your dishwasher nightly to save water/energy claiming dishwashers use only “4 gallons per cycle” while omitting there are two cycles (wash and rinse) and require electricity. And who doesn’t rinse their dishes before loading them into the dishwasher? SECRET has developed a ‘body spray’ to convince women we STINK in more places (our crotch) than our armpits, claiming 4 out of 5 gynecologists endorse the product! What reputable woman’s doctor would recommend using such a product? And I’ll bet it’s very expensive to investigate those false claims, and, when proved and removed, what are the penalties to deter the behavior? I could name many others. My point is it’s up to us to keep from being bamboozled by politicians and advertisers.
I was an art director in advertising many years ago. Before anything went past the concept stage it went directly to the lawyers and they went over every word, every visual, and point size in the ad with a fine tooth comb.
We are now living in a time of magical thinking. Say something loud enough or often enough and it’s suddenly true. The internet was Pandora’s box. Trump was the monster lurking inside of it.
Instead of regulating women’s reproductive rights Congress should be regulating the tsunami of lies put forth by politicians and Fox News.
Yes. I worked in product development and brand maintenance for a home product manufacturer. We did a lot of testing for product claims to be used in advertising. We attended photo and video shoots for advertising to make sure any new ideas from the creatives could be supported by laboratory data. We also tested competitor’s products to assure they could support any advertising claims they made. Manufacturers of competing products had legal departments ready to contest any claims that could not be supported by data. The glass cleaner market alone is worth over 3 BILLION per year, so this isn’t about petty squabbles over chump change.
It’s not magical thinking, it’s an adage: “If you keep saying the way things are, eventually your word becomes law.”
If a voting machine company can win a lawsuit against a lying “news network” are we prohibited from suing the co-conspirators in the “big lie?” Can we continue to bankrupt trump and Giuliani and all the other co-conspirators by suing them? Of course we could if we could just find a law firm willing to take the case.
Meanwhile, I have to wonder what’s really going on? Are they trying to do other nefarious deeds while the news is totally absorbed with Roe v Wade and trump? Is there a plot to overturn our government that is alleged by some to have been going on since George H W? I can’t help wondering what the next surprise will be. I know, I know… just sayin’, we got blindsided once which means ‘shame on them’ but twice, shame on us.
BTW, I thought Lawrence O’Donnell’s editorial last night on MSNBC was particularly compelling.
Fox losing the suit to Dominion, hasn't changed Fox at all. They consider 3/4 of a billion dollars as the cost of doing business., and since they settled, Fox as part of the settlement, could and probably did, have it written into the settlement that the penalty was tax deductible, including lawyer fees and court costs.
Being an older person, I can remember Wonder Bread's slogan, "Builds strong bodies 12 ways." The FTC asked them to enumerate the 12 ways. They couldn't do it, so they had to stop using the slogan. Honestly, I think I would have locked the marketing department in a room for the weekend, bought them pizza, and had them come up with something.
I’m 75 and remember that ad very well. Back then were there many options to Wonder Bread? Makes one “wonder” why they felt the need to falsely advertise. 😉
Because they actually had competition back then. That's why they had to compare their product to "Brand X". Remember that? Then, suddenly, they started comparing it to actual brand names. Why? Because with the conglomerates all merged together so all the brands are under their umbrella. They're comparing one of their products to another. That way, whichever you buy, the money is still going into their pockets. It's a con.
It is the same with so many. Take TV and Radio. I did some research and most stations and corporations are owned, ultimately by Black Rock, Vanguard, First State, and they own each other.
There used to be a product called FDS, Feminine Deodorant Spray. Turns out doctors recommended AGAINST that product as it damaged vaginal pH. These new products are the same old crap in a new package. The public is being lied to.
Yep. The Secret commercial is really offensive. But it's only out there because that new Lume product is being relentlessly flogged on every possible outlet. Escalating bamboozlement.
I live in Southern California, drought country. The department of water and power monitors water usage and they recommend using a dishwasher as opposed to hand washing dishes. We are far beyond the “if customers use more water we will make more money” stage, so that particular bit of advice is more than likely true.
Yes, we language cops have to stay busy. Mine came from my public school Jewish jr. high English teacher plus 20 years a university publications editor.
True; the only claims at the conclusion of political ads is a candidates' endorsement as "my name is....and I approve this message." Like who cares? How about political ads in which the candidate voices the facts concerning what he/she will actually do in office?
I think that was to prevent people faking ads for politicians, putting words in their mouths. And a candidate doesn't know what he or she will do in office -- they know what they will TRY to do.
Speaking of toothpaste have you noticed how tubes of toothpaste are about two thirds the size of what they used to be?
When I was in school in a marketing class we were given an example of a marketing guy who told a toothpaste company that he could increase their sales by 30%. How? By making the tube opening 30% larger. It worked. Another way of manipulating the masses.
Wow! Thank you for this deep dive in to the world of psychology and it’s connection to cult thinking and behavior. I’m going to chew on this for a while!
Power: " If you look up the definitions of a cult online, you’ll see they have a number of common features, including: 1. A grandiose leader who insists that his or her followers believe things that simply aren’t true. 2. A non-scientific treatment or ritual claimed by the followers to have exceptional healing powers. 3. Potentially harmful effects on the followers. 4. A belief that the cult has discovered some type of absolute “truth” and intense feelings of rivalry with competing cults."
Trump can’t afford to lose in November. The Big Lie is nothing compared to what he and the Republicans will do to win in November. He’s already trying to change the way electoral votes are counted in Nebraska.
Trump is a threat to democracy... we've seen it with our own eyes and ears.
This "isn't it past your jail time?" T will NEVER get old: t.co/mtZXE00EFj
Actually, the Electoral College is a threat to our democracy. It gave us "Duh-bya" Bush and 45, both of whom lost the "popular" vote. Popular = Democracy.
Gore achieved popular win AND electoral win. The Supreme Court stepped in and stopped the re-count. It was later followed through by Washington Post & a FL newspaper investigative team to confirm this. He won. Period. Our mistake was not storming the streets when Rescumlicons pulled this.
RFK Jr will not pull votes from Democrats. Something put out by the right wingers. RFK Jr is as batshit crazy as trump. Doesn’t believe in vaccinations! Zero draw from Dems. Cornell West simply does not have enough support but it’s unfortunate to have anyone use the ticket the way West is…as a protest vote. That's an ignorant thing for him to do when we are facing right wing news, and fascism-creep already advancing in the US.
What does it take for people to understand the stakes. This is one time when Democrats need to be like Republicans in terms of pulling together.
We know after the fact, that Gore achieved the popular vote, but at the time of the recount Bush was ahead, and the recount was showing that Gore was ahead. The electoral vote count, depended on the popular vote, but SCOTUS jumping in and stopping it, gave he electoral vote to Bush.
Now I agree with your comment, that our mistake was not storming the streets, but Dem's unlike Republicans are always submissive and law abiding, and that is whey we will not lose
All third party votes will draw votes away from Biden, and give Trump the win.. that is a fact.
RFKjr is not going to draw away any Trump or Trump leaning voters, he and Cornell West will draw away fence sitters, the uninformed (which is the majority of non committed voters)
Jill Stein sucked up enough independents in swing states to give Trump a win.
If the two parties were, as they were when I first voted in 1960, two sides of the same coin, it would not make a difference, but they aren't, not any more.
Yes the electoral college. We should just allow New York and California decide our elections. As we know Michigan is actually a red state, but because of Grand Rapids and Detroit it’s a blue state. Texas would be a blue state if it was not so large. Thank goodness it is a large state
Comically, he seems to be unaware that a SITTING PRESIDENT can EASILY BE BEHIND BARS!
There are no laws preventing a prisoner from being president . . . which I imagine will lead to hilarious consequences when he has to grab a pocket his first 10 minutes in the Georgian State prison. (If you do not get the reference, stronger prisoners in the show "Prison Break" would have a pet that would hold onto their pocket 24/7. That would be dumdum donny!)
Forgive me for asking a stupid question. If a sitting president can be behind bars, for example, Trump could be elected while in prison, what does that mean? If he's convicted and then elected what the hell happens then? Do we have to have a new amendment to prevent this happening again or is it simply impossible?
In the terrible event this happened, congress would meet and overturn the election or the person elected to vice president would serve. Which leads me to another point, the vice president takes over if the president can not serve, why do the presidential candidates chose their running mate. Should not the people do that!!!
Under the original system, each member of the Electoral College voted for two persons for president, with the candidate receiving the most electoral votes (and at least a majority) becoming president and the candidate receiving the second highest number of votes becoming vice president.
The 12th Amendment changed that in 1804, where they were elected together.
Lincoln a Republican chose Andrew Johnson, a Democrat, to run on a unity ticket.
They would be right outside of his cell, sharing all of the things he does, including using the toilet, and carrying his dirty diapers away. Oh, those lucky secret servicemen.
The state of New York can and will dole out punishment to Trump. He can get up to four years in prison, but with 34 counts against him, will that be per count or all inclusive?
Exactly. We also have digital footage of tRump calling up a murderous mob and sending them with a home-made gallows to the Capitol Building to HANG PENCE on 1/6/21 after giving out false information regarding the actual outcome of the 2020 election. The Constitution either EXISTS or it does not. tRump doesn't get to continue his criminal activities any more than any OTHER criminal living in the USA.
I suppose if the number of House of Representative members hadn't been frozen back in 1929 the Electoral College would work as it SHOULD and average American Citizens could have benefitted from BETTER representation for the past century. Especially after adding Alaska and Hawaii as states during the interim. Oh well, keeping the House membership frozen @ 435 helps Oligarchs, (both foreign and domestic), to keep the amount of bribery money they have to dish out to buy Presidential elections down to a minimum - doesn't it. Must be nice for Oligarchs who support authoritarian dictatorship around the world to be too rich to tax, too rich to have to follow the Rule of Law and too rich to care about ANY consequences for their criminal actions.
Here in Baghdad By the Sea, corruption and voter fraud BY REPUBLICANS is finally coming to light.
"For the first time, the lead consultant to Florida Senate Republicans has admitted to hiring a disgraced ex-senator and approving a dirty trick to recruit a third-party candidate to siphon votes from a South Florida Democrat. The scheme succeeded. In 2020, Jose Javier Rodriguez, the Democrat targeted by the GOP and by Florida Power & Light, lost by 32 votes to Ileana Garcia, the founder of Latinas for Trump. A third-party candidate who didn’t campaign and who shared the same last name as Rodriguez drew over 6,000 votes."
The abortion debacle is backfiring on trumpliCons too and they are attempting to backpedal. The dominoes are leaning left & ready to fall. But the battle against the right wing media continues. It is helped along by letting trump spew dangerous lies daily to his armed mafia.
History is no mystery. Authoritarian Governments and Religions have both learned throughout the centuries that ignorant people are easier to govern. Why? Because Fascism never sleeps. And suspiciously enough, the last time I looked, less than 50% of average Americans read above the 6th grade level today I suppose unregulated digital media has contributed to the dumbing down of America. What would YOU say?
What's happened to every single library of any conquered nation since the invention of writing? They're destroyed. Burnt to a crisp. These days, when books are printed by increasingly monopolized publishing companies, are they being printed on paper for individual sales and sent to libraries for Reference or are they just sold and/or streamed on digital media? If there's no original for reference, who says that digital books can't be re-written at any moment by just going in and changing the original text to suit any oligarch's fancy after successfully conquering and obliterating yet another Democracy? So much for real information, essential knowledge and a populace organizing a rebellion against an authoritarian takeover to regain their FREEDOM.
IMO the "Cold War" and it's "duck and cover drills" are responsible for the rise of the right. Propaganda equated communism to socialism, and socialism to anti American values, and American values to hearth, home and religion, and the preachers, priests and press did the rest.
Indeed. Imagine growing up with Ground Zero dreams . .and books, movies, like On The Beach and Alas Babylon. I don't have to imagine. And you're right, the Enemy wasn't just Communism, it was Godless Communism! . . (tho as one grows older, the realization dawns that Religion is a bit of an Opiate for many . . .
I wonder what the definition of "Beloved UnEds" is? Must be the Uneducated...susceptibility! Butt: there are things the Stable' genius' does not know, too. See if he finds these things out.
It is illegal, and that is why that i ok ne is being pursued as well. What we should be upset about is that occurred in 2022, 6 years after this case, and those individuals are already facing convictions.
Exactly! I’m still burning about Comeys stunt. I just read that there were a lot of voters who hadn’t decided who they were going to vote for until 7days before the election, Timing is everything. Just imagine how much better off the country would be if trump had never been elected.
Just imagine what the country would be like if Bush and Cheney didn't get elected... another case of Republican election fraud. Probably no 911 no Iraq Afghanistan war and our lives would be completely different today for the better
One of the saddest realities of all time … What would life have been like if LBJ had signed a Peace Treaty in Paris in 1968 and ENDED the Vietnam war! And Nixon was never elected, and no Watergate…and MAYBE our scientists would have begun to address the changing climate sooner, even … Oh, that’s is a sad thing, to think of the “what ifs”….
Pat: my mind just played an unlikely cartoon. In it, there was a Perry Mason Moment, where an honest Supreme Court Justice, who can see where things are going, decided to 'rat out' the corrupt justices and tell the world what she heard the corrupt 6 say , incriminating them. The End.
OR....JFK had lived, de-escalated in Vietnam, as he'd planned to do, and....perhaps this country would have been set on a better course. Especially if Bobby and MLK had also survived. Imagine! But then, John didn't make it, either....
And. BTW, no tRump either. Also it everyone thinks that after he loses in November he will just go away quietly... Yeah right! Unless of course he is in jail as he should be.
I often think, as you said, of how "our lives would be completely different today for the better" if in the 2000 election Al Gore had become president. Less war, better environment. More people alive today to breathe cleaner air. That election outcome was, in my opinion, a national tragedy involving the Supreme Court.
H.L. Mencken said, "For every complex human problem, there is a solution that is neat, simple and wrong." Give such an answer to desperate people and they will bite. That is one of the most despicable things about Trump: the false hope that he gave to people who had lost their manufacturing jobs in the Mahoning Valley and elsewhere.
BUT, Trump’s celebrity and theatricality give him a huge boost with the less-than-aware electorate … We have a horrid cult of celebrity where elections are concerned in this country.
Imagine if Al Gore who was fully warning us of climate change had been elected. I doubt he would have let these semi monopolies form in part because they are so bad for the environment as well as workers and customers. We need to change our election rules to make it a true people’s choice.
Don't forget why Gore lost: in the minds of many he was "tainted" by his association with Clinton. "Vote your conscience," a noted environmentalist advised them. So they voted for Nader....
And think how good our country would have been under Clinton's leadership. She would have made a great president. Instead, we got that lying POS who worked to destroy our country.
This is how emotions rule the world: Comey was investigating Trump at the time, and he was afraid that he might be perceived as partial towards Clinton, so he reopened the preposterous case about the emails. People voted for Trump because they were angry at Clinton. Fear and anger decided the outcome of the election. People who don't use their brains get punished.
Daniel, While I appreciate you repeatedly calling for expanding the base and posting the Field Team 6 site, I’m deeply concerned we’re not paying enough attention to the fact Biden is hemorrhaging African American support. In battleground states, for example, polling currently shows that 30% of black males and 11% of black females (mostly young voters) don’t support the current Administration.
In my view, Biden’s messaging is not landing as squarely as he would want because he’s been reluctant to acknowledge the swath of African Americans who have voted for generations for the Democratic Party and have not seen substantial changes taking place in their communities. I would add I understand that these folks would be receptive to plain speaking that not only looked forward but that amplified what’s going to be different in a way they expressly could relate.
Also check out :Working America" which conducts large-scale listening projects in key states across the country. Front Porch Focus Group reports are the result of thousands of conversations with voters, asked about everything from how they voted in in the past to how they feel about the economic future of their community. Thanks to our unique blend of data analysis and anecdotes from in-person conversations, these reports offer the breadth of polling alongside the depth of a focus group., https://workingamerica.org/research/
It's also a non sequitur. When we register Democrats, we expand the base and all down ballot candidates, many who happen to be black, benefit .FT6 has software to counter arguments like that. Lat night I took the course on texting -- please check it out.
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I'm also involved with Forgotten Democrats, Focus for Democracy, etc.
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Daniel, I would note I’ve already signed on with Field Team 6. As for your references, I will check them out. Still, I would urge we not discount the findings, on which I based my comment, of Trymaine Lee and Charles Coleman, Jr. as reported in their recent special “Black Men in America: Road to 2024.”
Additionally, given you raised the issue of democracy, I encourage we bear in mind that for those for whom democracy has not actually worked or those who do not believe that democracy has protected them, losing it without discovering what’s going to be different in its preservation does not matter to them in the same way as it does for you and me.
Daniel: People vote perceptions, not fact, And it is a fact that young blacks, especially males, take for granted the struggles and history of their elders.
I have seen focus groups on MSNBC of young blacks discuss how they are disappointed with Democrats, because here has no been progress or enough progress in their complaints, and like the Muslims they are going to use the election to punish Democrats and teach them a lesson.
Problem being is that if Trump wins, there will be no 2028 opportunity, Trump will be running for a third time, and our elections will be as phony as Hungary and Russia's.
Blacks can expect an erosion or set back in civil rights, and Muslims deported back to Iran and the Mid east. The cult has no use for either.
I know, focus groups are used to influence opinions,when the results are broadcast over the air and in the media...the bandwagon effect is very effective among fence sitters, the ignorant and unengaged.
I do not know exactly how many black voters are leaving the Democratic Party and turning to Trump ( Trump ???) but I do know that many young people at my publicly funded college,with students of every color and nationality,identify with the Palestinians and protest loudly. Will they vote for Trump ? Seethe in protest ? Solving this humanitarian crisis may be beyond the talents of one man but at least President Biden is trying and I hope people understand that. All the other candidates are just mouthing off.
Joan, I imagine the students from your college who stand for Palestinian rights, if they don’t vote for Biden, are more likely to sit out the election or vote for a third-party candidate than vote for Trump.
However, considering any vote not cast for Biden is a vote for Trump, I haven’t hesitated to write regularly to the Biden Administration conveying my view that Netanyahu will continue to defy the U.S. unless the Biden Administration ceases to provide both military aid for this war and diplomatic protection at the UN, the ICJ (International Court of Justice), and other international forums.
Additionally, while I welcome recent minor shifts, the over-arching policy has not changed. The U.S. not only continues to fast-track massive amounts of weapons to Israel but also has failed fully to use its leverage to insist that aid gets in through ground routes. I understand a plane can carry 2 to 3 tons of aid while a single truck (hundreds of which still are waiting at the border) can carry 20 tons each.
Frankly, I have concerns about an Administration claiming it wants to reestablish America’s moral leadership in the world and uphold the rule of law while, at the same time, failing to support U.S. laws against providing weapons to governments that commit gross violations of human rights and that block U.S. humanitarian aid.
You are so right, Barbara. I will still vote for Biden, but in addition to not utilizing our leverage to force Bibi's hand, it does leave a bitter taste in my mouth knowing that such restraint is being used while children (and others) are dying a painful death of starvation. Yes, the US has always been Israel's staunchest allie, but when it's leadership is intent on destroying an entire population, that policy must be reevaluated. There is no excuse for sending more weapons when Netanyahu is blatantly ignoring internationally established rules of conduct and when we can see the destruction and suffering of the Gazans with our own two eyes. We have the power to change that, and Biden should not allow our decades of support to Israel to be more important than dealing with the realities of their genocidal conduct.
Lisa, Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I simply would add, given the threat of MAGA here in the States, I fear for all of us if Biden doesn’t act promptly to condition all military aid on an immediate and permanent ceasefire.
I generally agree with you, but I have heard from an old friend who is now living in Israel, and he says that if the US cut off what they are sending to Israel, it wouldn't make any difference, because Israel can make their own stuff now.
Lisa, you are assuming without evidence that Israeli leadership is bent on eliminating the entire population of Gaza. That my dear is the propaganda line of HAMAS. Interesting how you resist right wing propaganda and home an swallow, whole cloth, right wing Muslim propaganda..
Stop and think about it, HAMAS and Bibi's coalition are two right wing ideologies fighting it out.
One would have to be cold hearted not to feel for the Gazan children that are suffering and who have died, but there is a solution, and the solution is the same as the blame? HAMAS, they brought this upon themselves and the people whom they claim to represent, but don't, Because HAMAS is engaged in a real genocidal war against the Jews, it is in their charter and the words of their leadership, the goal is the obliteration of the state of Israel, meaning the Jews. Also the motto of "Free Palestine from the river (Jordan) to the sea (Mediterranean). Pull up a map and see what lies between the river and the sea..IOW genocide of the Jews, and the Jews have had their experience with that already.
Every child's death, every woman's death in Gaza can be laid square in the lap of HAMAS. They started it and are using civilians and hostages as human shields.
I would be surprised if there were any hostages left alive. HAMAS already set up front that they execute the hostages if Israel retaliates.
HAMAS are cowards, they won't forgeit their own lives, but do so with total aplomb the people whom they supposedly govern, claiming them to be martyrs, And in Islam martyrs are not mourned but celebrated.
HAMAS declared that they are a nation of martyr's and will keep coming back again and again, so what chances of any kind of peace with people like that.
For HAMAS there will be no peace until the region is Juden Frei.. in a word genocide.
Barbara Jo, you could not be more right. You have explained where so very many of us live this very day. I was 8 when Israel was created, living in the Bronx I was very cognizant of the Holocaust, and I have been a supporter of Israel ever since. But today I am conflicted - the Hamas attack was dreadful but the Israeli response is more and more troubling with every day. Have I been deluding myself all this time ?
Joan, Regrettably, the establishment of the state of Israel was akin to the quintessential conflict between right and right—the rights of one group to a homeland and the rights of the other to oppose dispossession.
Fast-forwarding to today, for me there is no question that Israel’s retaliatory response to Hamas’s savage October 7th attack, as barbaric as it was, nonetheless has been disproportional beyond measure.
I trust Biden in this situation. I think there are a lot of factors we are not considering, but Biden is. I am guessing, but I suspect one factor is the munitions manufacturers. Another is that my Israeli friend tells me there is no leverage there anymore -- Israel can do without our stuff. There is a long-standing relationship with Israel where we send our less than perfect stuff to them and they figure out how to fix it. (It may be that we need them more than they need us?) Another thing is that Netanyahu is Israel's Trump -- he is as unreasonable and bloodthirsty and cruel as Trump, just a bit more sophisticated. He is far right wing. Remember Trump saying that when someone hits you, you hit them back but much harder? Netanyahu is probably on the same page with that heavy retribution philosophy. Biden may be having trouble with that, like most people just can't imagine a sociopath -- someone with no conscience at all --and how they can think like that. I'm sure Biden thinks that if he cuts off all communication with Netanyahu, it would be worse, not better. You can't influence him if you aren't talking to him.
Kim, In my view, the issue is a matter of complicity, not revenge. To clarify, when the ICJ (International Court of Justice) delivered its interregnum report, it portrayed Israel’s actions in Gaza as “plausible genocide.” Accordingly, it is not unreasonable to conclude, given Netanyahu’s persistent defiance of the U.S., that our continuing unconditionally to provide U.S. military aid to Israel is akin to our complicity in the genocide.
The MAGAs are useless in that regard. They don't seem to care at all, about Palestinians or anyone, except maybe themselves. But they don't get that the direction their fearless leader is taking them is perilous! No freedom there!
Joan the campus idiots who will vote for Trump, are idiots. The brain is not fully developed until around age 25, and this is proof. If Trump wins because of them, they will rue the day. He has promised to deport Muslims, even 2nd Generation Muslims, and with a Trump congress and judiciary he can damn well do as he pleases.
These fools actually believe that they can set things aright in 2028.
Michigan and Pennsylvania are key swing states, well toss in Wisconsin, but Michigan Muslims can swing the state with 15 electoral votes, Pennsylvania with Muslim and black votes in Philadelphia is 19 electoral votes, Wisconsin which has a large Muslim population is 10 electoral votes.
There are only five swing states in 2023, AZ, NV, MI, PA, WI. There are 235 electoral votes in red and red leaning states. MI and PA have 34, if they go Trump because of Muslims and Blacks, then the election goes to Congress and each state has one vote, and there are more red states than blue states and Trump becomes President.
If Trump is elected, 2024 will be the last truly free democratic election, and the blame goes to the Muslims and Blacks, though they won't accept it, they will try to blame Biden because he backed Israel.
However the blame game will be a waste of time and energy, because as Bugs always said in Looney Tunes,, That's all Folks. Game over.
Barbara, I have the same concerns. If Trump wins, it in part will be because of them, and in larger part because of Muslims, and both will wake up on Day 1 with a massive hangover, thinking "WTF did I do". The Islamic Ummah is pissed because Biden supported Israel, that is nothing compared to what Trump and the fascist right will be doing to Muslims and people of color.
William, First, my apologies for my delayed response. As for my reply, despite the vast distinctions between Biden’s lapses and the massive atrocities MAGA fascists would unleash on Muslims and people of color, I maintain we must continue to press the current Administration to be more self-critical of its messaging to help ensure its reelection.
I totally agree Barbara. The "establishment", the beltway insiders, keep insisting that it is all about the economy, because the economy is what is important to the donor class, and the donor class is fellated by the RNC and DNC.
However if you take a long hard look at the voter class, you might notice that foremost in their mind is the culture war. The rust belt, aka swing states are both, Bill Clinton with his NAFTA and GAAT created the rust belt, and they haven't forgot, and the demagogues of the right moved in and married the culture war to unemployment,
Big AG, RR monopolies, the petro chemical cabal, and financial instittions have decimated rural America, but the Dem's get the blame, and again demagogic preachers and publishers have married their plight to the Democrats via the culture war.
Democrat messaging sucks because they are afraid of alienating the donors, whereas the Republicans terrorize the donors into emptying their wallets
The Republicans use the carrot and stick, effectively
Ken, Given the costs of a Trump presidency for all of us both at home and abroad, the thought of Trump returning to the White House terrifies me. Hence the reason for doing everything possible to contributing to his (and to MAGA’s) crushing defeat.
Comey was one of a several examples of how the Reds have abused the Judicial Department for political purpose, with the recent special prosecutor's report echoing the problem, and Trump's plans to use the Department for a Stalinist purge of his enemies highlighting the urgency. We need to craft legislation to specifically outlaw such behavior, and when the Reds prevent its passage, cast the election in terms of freedom and despotism in order to flip the House.
The Judicial Act of 1870 placing the Judiciary under the Executive Branch resulted from a distrust of the Judiciary that resulted, in part, from the Dred Scott decision that took away the civil rights of Blacks that a more recent Supreme Court gave to corporations (which recent Supreme Court we are now finding to be tainted with corruption).
The 1870 Judicial Act was probably unconstitutional. The legislative fix could help to fix that as well, and also include creating the position of the Grand Foreman of the Juries to lead the Judicial Branch of Government as the only person directly elected by all of the American people on 2 years after a Presidential election.
But the problem of how to fight Putin’s “House Divided” strategy remains.
And she lost the election. Comey went against the election rules bringing the Clinton emails forward right before the election. Did he get into trouble? No
“The mainstream media keeps referring to Trump’s upcoming trial as based on “charges that he covered up a sex scandal.” That’s exactly how Trump wants it characterized. So it looks like the district attorney is tarring Trump with having had an extramarital affair with a porn star — a form of character assassination, not a crime.”
Agreed! Trump is in big trouble. It’s not just trying to coverup a payment to a porn star for political purposes, it’s the way in which he did so that was ultimately illegal.
Two points clarify this fact:
First, he set up limited liability companies to hide and avoid paying taxes on the payout; writing them off as legal expenses, when clearly they were payments to silence his victims; a clear case of tax fraud.
Secondly, Stormy Daniel’s own attorney is on the record and under oath, testifying that Trump had an agreement signed before the Access Hollywood tape became public, and missed the deadline to make payments to Daniel’s in order to keep her silent.
And only after the tape became public did Trump decide to actually pay her in the “Catch and Kill” scandal. This is a clear FEC election violation and illegal; revealing his true intent of using the payout for his political survival; not to hide the affair from his wife.
Oh, and by the way, has it dawned on anyone that Trump slept with a porn star? He cheated on all his wive’s, including Melania when she was pregnant. And this is the family values guy, who according to evangelicals is the next messiah? UGH!!!!!!!!!!
Lee, at this point, you might as well read and believe The National Enquirer!! I don't believe anything media has to say about anything!!! I go to 1440 for my news and follow Professor Reich on his substack. There are very few true journalist of integrity that I would listen to. Unfortunately, Walter Cronkite and Huntley and Brinkley are dead now.
Robert, I would note, that while the hypocrisy wreaks, for those whose issues largely have been marginalized, who now perceive said issues elevated to front and center, we can expect efforts at rationalizing and blocking Trump’s detestable behaviors to continue unabated. Hence, the reason for remaining laser-focused on gettable votes, and as Reich states, on driving home the point that the election interference allegations that will be tried next week mark the first in a trend that culminate in January 6th and the Georgia racketeering case.
I think 2 things are going on with the media, late night hosts, etc. using the phrase "hush money" case. The 1st comes down to sexing up the case reference (esp. media) to get the clicks. The 2nd, to the perception that illegal bookkeeping practices committed to keep something likely damaging in the campaign in the 11th hour before the election would be too wordy, too complex, and sadly, but very likely, too "who cares".
For me, right now, it just does not seem to matter that the little orange man committed criminal acts and is allowed to walk free AND run for the highest office in our land!!! What has happened to my country? Why are we giving oxygen to this tired, ridiculous man? Why won't our laws which I have respected my entire life apply to him? It is ludicrous to act like this is all normal. It is NOT to me!!! He broke laws!! He happily skates away from all of them using the courts against everyone!!! I am so damn sick of this crap!! I want this orange menace to be dealt with the way every other citizen is dealt with. If you break the law, you are tried, convicted and put in jail. Why is that so hard with this man?? It is so very aggravating!! I wouldn't vote for him for any office at all let alone the president!! Has our country gone mad? America, vote blue so that we can get our country back on track. Otherwise, we will hand it over to the likes of trump and have to learn to live in a dictatorship!!! Please, vote Blue!!!
As Robert Reich has written prior, Trumpty is the icing on the cake of US Oligarchy. Watch. theCon.tv To view the free 5 part series on how he erupted from US oligarchal conditions. The role of the 2008 mortgage scandal, targeting of lower income folks fraudulently to steal their equity via corrupt mortgages using banks as pass through to Wall Street packaging these fraudulent, often stolen monies into investments for Unions and cities to buy, then failure of the paper loans resulting in folks expected pensions halved. The film, The Big Short was a piece of it. This film series captures far more of the Fraud through deregulation, desupervision then, decriminalization of the Corrupt bankers, wall , politicians etc. It is important and heartbreaking. We have seen dribs and drabs over decades but this series conveys the entirety.
Then they were "invaded" by refugees fleeing from wars, and then Orban told them that they were being "invaded" by the Jew Soros. The Republicans are telling us that we are being invaded by "vermin" with the encouragement of "the elites" who rule over us.
Peggy Freeman ; Why are those three 'justices' he stacked the Court with allowed to remain on the court when they clearly allowed him to stay on the ballot? They not only ignored the 14th amendment section 3, but they disabled it so that the sycophants he planted throughout government could not be removed from their seats in Congress, and, of course, the Supreme Court itself! Those 'Justices' disqualified themselves by not upholding the Constitution's separation of church and state! Reversing Roe was a religious 'law' they made! They removed the remedy given to US to keep the disqualified from getting into office, or being removed from office for violations. On MSNBC' Deadline Whitehouse, this week, another 'expert' said that "lifetime tenure ' allowed the Supreme Court judges to get away with things. There is no such thing in the Constitution allowing them lifetime 'tenure'. Something vague about "good behavior"? I think they violated that! More than once! I wish there was a 'ratings' , or feedback page to post opinions about the 'shows' on MSNBC ; the 'better' network'! What a Farce!
I know, Laurie, nothing seems to be working the way it is supposed to!! It is like the MAGAs have somehow managed to pull us into their alternate world and we are stuck there!! I am so worried about the future and feel so helpless right now!!!
Yes, Peggy ; Laws on the book are clearly ignored, and there does not seem to be a snowball's chance in hell to enforce them, or even notice them! the constitution is a cruel joke!
I turn 80 in November. Surprisingly that gives me comfort. I have outlived so many of my contemporaries (Glad O.J. is no longer breathing), but I can't have too many more years. I fear for my grandsons tho. They will have to live thru the demise of America.
Rob, this is my worst fear!! The demise of our America!! I think of all of those who have fought for our country - many gave their lives for America! Those brave men and women sacrificed in order for our country to remain free. What has happened to us? Do so many here in our country care so little for what we have built? Are there really that many who would willingly turn our country over to an authoritarian and live with those constraints? I am deeply saddened by all of it.
Peggy, I agree! He is already a CONVCTED rapist and allowed to wander freely and terrorize judges, their families & all Democrats etc. Beyond outrageous!
SeekingReason, the only thing that I can hope with all of my heart is that he is found guilty in this case and has to serve time in jail. If he gets off on this case, there is just no hope for any of us!!
When I hover my cursor over the photo area next to your name I get a blank space. No bio. Doesn't happen with other people. Do you have any idea why? Any help would be appreciated.
Dr. --The news has always been equated to money, that's how they stay in business. CNN is the best news outlet out there. They do what is needed to make sure the public gets the truth.
CNN is not the best news outlet out there. That may be your opinion, but that doesn't make it a fact. My opinion is that MSNBC is the best news outlet out there when it comes to politics, which is what this discussion is about.
They are both good sources. I make it a point to validate what they say by looking at other sources national and international. It takes extra effort but worth it.
Absolutely! My primary source of information is 1.) The Washington Post and 2.) The New York Times. Then I later go to MSNBC and CNN who often quote one or both newspapers that I have already read. That gives me an insight as to how accurately both TV stations report what I believe are the 2 best sources of national information in the country.
Here's a site that may help you correct some of the garbage you've been exposed to at the WP and NYT https://presswatchers.org/ Froomkin exposes the truly awful reporting published at both papers and explains why so.
Dr.--Funny, I always viewed MSNBC as a left-wing version of Fox News. I look around frequently and to this date I have never found CNN to lie about anything. If you look at the number of awards for reporting excellence just look at the number of Emmy's awarded to CNN over that of MSNBC.
Don't forget they're both in this for the $$. Both are large corporations with BOD and CEOs there to make their stockholders happy. Zaslav was responsible for the Chris Licht inspired Trump Town Hall. CNN is not a white knight.
Dr.-- You found disfavor in my statement that there was an 80% chance that one of the members of the jury would vote for Trump's innocence. That is what started this whole thing. I just quoted what I read on the television screen. You didn't believe it.
I think CNN did the public a disservice by allowing tRUMP to have a "town hall" that was a pep rally of hand picked sycophants enthusiastically cheering and applauding everything he said!
At best. FYI, the head of Warner Bros-Discovery, David Zaslav used to work at the same NBC station in Ohio that was home to Roger Ailes. Ailes went onto found Fox and Zaslav controls CNN. Very inscestual.
The biggest problem with our current political system is the perversion that is the Electoral College. We have already had two (or perhaps three if you count Hayes) presidents elected with less votes than their competitors.
Since a constitutional amendment is all but impossible, our hopes rest with the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact if enough states join who pledge their future electoral votes to the national popular vote.
I put getting rid of the electoral vote in the same “folder” as ranked voting. As far as I’m concerned, both are bad ideas. Both parties and both candidates already know the rules covering electoral voting and can adjust their campaigns accordingly.
I've never seen the Electoral College held up as a great example of electoral law. It always seems to get in the way of a true election. Of course that's what it was designed to do when it was first implemented to shield slave states from always losing.
Ranked choice voting is quite the opposite. It actually helps to determine true voter sentiment and keeps the radicals at bay.
No other country or system of voting uses Electoral College voting or anything close really. However many places use a form of ranked voting including Ireland which uses the single transferrable voting system. There are others as well but all IMO are better than first-past-the-post combined with an Electoral College ....so 18th century.
Electoral College rules are well known by anyone running and both political parties.
Ranked choice voting results in no clear winner and overtime will result in anger and disillusionment in the value of voting and ability to make a difference with your vote. People will eventually think “why bother voting “.
You should try explaining that to Ireland's Taoiseach.
Your conclusion is unsupported by your argument which is simply a string of assertions. You would not receive a passing grade even if you were submitting this for a HS course.
How, Keith?? I cannot for the life of me understand how a whole political party would just bow down and kiss his ring!!! I cannot believe that there are no people in the republican party with integrity and morals!! The only republicans I have seen with that have been basically pushed out of the party and replaced with ONLY people that will be subservient to that little orange man!!
I think the modern republican party started going down hill when Reagan took office. Money became the one and only goal. The rest was window dressing and still is.
Getting out the vote has worked in all the national elections and many state and local elections since 2016. Yes we let them get away with it in 2016 but not since then. Showing up and voting the bastards out works!
See Dannys, this is what scares me!! We are fighting to ensure people get out to vote and then I hear how that isn't going to make a difference because republicans have gerrymandered and cheated to ensure their candidate gets in office!!! Are we already defeated???
Peggy, there are those trying to halt the agenda to “remake” our government—largely influenced by the Powell memo during the Reagan years, but now beefed up with the backing of big money & ultra conservatives, especially wealthy ones (think autocrats/oligarchs/theocrats), and the Federalist Society—known as Project 2025. I read Heritage’s announcement when they dropped it, and the intro and some of the sections of the 900+ page “Mandate”. I thought it was a spoof at first, but it is not & is scary as sh*t to me. These folks, link follows, are trying to resist & help citizens to understand its potential impact & implications; the group is Stop the Coup 2025: https://www.stopthecoup2025.org/
Dannys, there is the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact trying to address the issue w/o a Constitutional Amendment (be careful what you wish for): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Popular_Vote_Interstate_Compact. I think, however, if enough states sign on to make the Electoral College moot, there would likely be legal challenges up the wazoo! Some folks like the idea of minority rule, as long as they are the minority that rules!!
Part of it seems to be Kompromat that Trump uses on certain Republicans to keep in line, some of which he got from Putin/Russia from their hacking & intelligence gathering & some of which he obtained otherwise. This explains many Republicans' sudden 180° change in public attitude towards Trump. It's quite amazing that so many Republicans are so vulnerable.
Jaime, if any of these politicians had a semblance of a spine, they would tell trump to take his Kompromat and shove it!! My country means so much more to me than his stupid intelligence crap. I mean, look at the little orange toad!!! He would have the audacity to tell a politician either fall in line or I will expose you?? He hardly has any room to threaten!!!
Hey Jaime I think you have an absolutely right. Politicians in our Congress are inherently Criminal. They think they can pretty much get away with anything because their neighbor Congressman or Senators have. It's just like the Supreme Court nothing more than a piece of garbage trying to run the country into a hole.
Terry, I know in my heart that what you say is true. It just seems that somedays 'stinkin thinkin' takes over and I am just plain terrified!! I want all of this to just stop!! I don't want to spend my golden years worried about the future of my country!! I will be okay. This happens occasionally when everything seems to overwhelm me; however, it will pass and I will continue to work hard to get out the vote!! Vote Blue, America!!
Just thinking and comparing today back to Nixon and a republican party that still had enough ethics and honesty among themselves to force Nixon to resign instead of participating in Trump’s many, many crimes while in office and after he left office.
I will tell you something else that makes me extremely mad. The justice system will take an ordinary citizen, arrest them for fraud or some criminal act. That ordinary citizen doesn't have the luxury of these stupid 'high-priced' lawyers and either has a public defender or low paid lawyer. He/She is tried and convicted. A judge decides to 'make an example' of this ordinary citizen and absolutely throws the book at him/her!! Why, in this great country of ours, doesn't that happen to the little orange man. Why can't he be made an example of? Why don't judges throw the book at him to let others know if they travel that same path, that is what will happen to them. We need to start holding ALL Americans accountable in the exact same way. We cannot let the oligarchs, monopolistic corporations, and grifters like the little orange man get away with the crap they pull. It is not a fair system that allows this to keep happening!!!!
I have the same issue with the “documents case” which is actually an Espionage Act violation. “Mar a Lago docs case” sounds generic: violation of Espionage Act is much more profound & impactful. However, media defaults to these bland nicknames for his crimes & thus, people don’t grasp the severity of his behavior
How is this any different than Trump refusing to share his tax records when he ran in 2016? That was hiding information from us that we should have had prior to voting.
"He deprived voters of information that might have affected their votes." the flipside of that is providing disinformation that is affecting peoples votes. Why is that not equally illegal? The Robo call that the Republicans sent out with the message that the 2020 election was massively fraudulent? Why are all these lies allowed to continue when it's known that if you repeat lies enough people start believing them. Isn't that also election interference?
Great point, Karen, which brings up a point that infuriates both my husband and me. When companies advertise a tube of toothpaste, they can only make verified claims about its benefits and effectiveness (puffery aside). But there are no such rules about political advertising. We certainly wish there were.
Bill, I think we’ve been duped into believing “truth in advertising” is enforced. During the Obama administration Kellogg was required to remove the “heart healthy” claim from its advertising. Trump gets elected and the claim is back. Cascade advertises using your dishwasher nightly to save water/energy claiming dishwashers use only “4 gallons per cycle” while omitting there are two cycles (wash and rinse) and require electricity. And who doesn’t rinse their dishes before loading them into the dishwasher? SECRET has developed a ‘body spray’ to convince women we STINK in more places (our crotch) than our armpits, claiming 4 out of 5 gynecologists endorse the product! What reputable woman’s doctor would recommend using such a product? And I’ll bet it’s very expensive to investigate those false claims, and, when proved and removed, what are the penalties to deter the behavior? I could name many others. My point is it’s up to us to keep from being bamboozled by politicians and advertisers.
I was an art director in advertising many years ago. Before anything went past the concept stage it went directly to the lawyers and they went over every word, every visual, and point size in the ad with a fine tooth comb.
We are now living in a time of magical thinking. Say something loud enough or often enough and it’s suddenly true. The internet was Pandora’s box. Trump was the monster lurking inside of it.
Instead of regulating women’s reproductive rights Congress should be regulating the tsunami of lies put forth by politicians and Fox News.
Yes. I worked in product development and brand maintenance for a home product manufacturer. We did a lot of testing for product claims to be used in advertising. We attended photo and video shoots for advertising to make sure any new ideas from the creatives could be supported by laboratory data. We also tested competitor’s products to assure they could support any advertising claims they made. Manufacturers of competing products had legal departments ready to contest any claims that could not be supported by data. The glass cleaner market alone is worth over 3 BILLION per year, so this isn’t about petty squabbles over chump change.
It’s not magical thinking, it’s an adage: “If you keep saying the way things are, eventually your word becomes law.”
If a voting machine company can win a lawsuit against a lying “news network” are we prohibited from suing the co-conspirators in the “big lie?” Can we continue to bankrupt trump and Giuliani and all the other co-conspirators by suing them? Of course we could if we could just find a law firm willing to take the case.
Meanwhile, I have to wonder what’s really going on? Are they trying to do other nefarious deeds while the news is totally absorbed with Roe v Wade and trump? Is there a plot to overturn our government that is alleged by some to have been going on since George H W? I can’t help wondering what the next surprise will be. I know, I know… just sayin’, we got blindsided once which means ‘shame on them’ but twice, shame on us.
BTW, I thought Lawrence O’Donnell’s editorial last night on MSNBC was particularly compelling.
Fox losing the suit to Dominion, hasn't changed Fox at all. They consider 3/4 of a billion dollars as the cost of doing business., and since they settled, Fox as part of the settlement, could and probably did, have it written into the settlement that the penalty was tax deductible, including lawyer fees and court costs.
Sadly, that’s the undisputed truth.
Being an older person, I can remember Wonder Bread's slogan, "Builds strong bodies 12 ways." The FTC asked them to enumerate the 12 ways. They couldn't do it, so they had to stop using the slogan. Honestly, I think I would have locked the marketing department in a room for the weekend, bought them pizza, and had them come up with something.
I’m 75 and remember that ad very well. Back then were there many options to Wonder Bread? Makes one “wonder” why they felt the need to falsely advertise. 😉
Because they actually had competition back then. That's why they had to compare their product to "Brand X". Remember that? Then, suddenly, they started comparing it to actual brand names. Why? Because with the conglomerates all merged together so all the brands are under their umbrella. They're comparing one of their products to another. That way, whichever you buy, the money is still going into their pockets. It's a con.
It is the same with so many. Take TV and Radio. I did some research and most stations and corporations are owned, ultimately by Black Rock, Vanguard, First State, and they own each other.
I have a feeling that somebody in the dim, remote past came up with 12 ways that may even have made sense at the time.
this is my thinking also!
The "12 ways" campaign is based in reality
There used to be a product called FDS, Feminine Deodorant Spray. Turns out doctors recommended AGAINST that product as it damaged vaginal pH. These new products are the same old crap in a new package. The public is being lied to.
I recall using FDS. Thanks for the information..
Thank you for that additional information, Jenn.
I agree! Is anything "private" anymore?
Yep. The Secret commercial is really offensive. But it's only out there because that new Lume product is being relentlessly flogged on every possible outlet. Escalating bamboozlement.
I live in Southern California, drought country. The department of water and power monitors water usage and they recommend using a dishwasher as opposed to hand washing dishes. We are far beyond the “if customers use more water we will make more money” stage, so that particular bit of advice is more than likely true.
Thank you for your correct English: "infuriates both my husband and me."
Thanks, Sandra! Twelve years of Catholic school made me the grammar police. :-)
Yes, we language cops have to stay busy. Mine came from my public school Jewish jr. high English teacher plus 20 years a university publications editor.
You come by it honestly!
True; the only claims at the conclusion of political ads is a candidates' endorsement as "my name is....and I approve this message." Like who cares? How about political ads in which the candidate voices the facts concerning what he/she will actually do in office?
I think that was to prevent people faking ads for politicians, putting words in their mouths. And a candidate doesn't know what he or she will do in office -- they know what they will TRY to do.
Speaking of toothpaste have you noticed how tubes of toothpaste are about two thirds the size of what they used to be?
When I was in school in a marketing class we were given an example of a marketing guy who told a toothpaste company that he could increase their sales by 30%. How? By making the tube opening 30% larger. It worked. Another way of manipulating the masses.
Don't sweat it folks, Republicans are doing smart, strategic stuff like sponsoring the HOOHAA* act.
*H.R.6192 - Hands Off Our Home Appliances Act
Right! I mean, we can't go around making efficiency standards for appliances. The horror! The injustice!
😂 Perfect!
Wow! Thank you for this deep dive in to the world of psychology and it’s connection to cult thinking and behavior. I’m going to chew on this for a while!
The scientific method is the only reliable "rock" on which to build a house.
Power: " If you look up the definitions of a cult online, you’ll see they have a number of common features, including: 1. A grandiose leader who insists that his or her followers believe things that simply aren’t true. 2. A non-scientific treatment or ritual claimed by the followers to have exceptional healing powers. 3. Potentially harmful effects on the followers. 4. A belief that the cult has discovered some type of absolute “truth” and intense feelings of rivalry with competing cults."
That defines every religion known to man.
Not true of Unitarian-Universalists or Buddhists.
Trump can’t afford to lose in November. The Big Lie is nothing compared to what he and the Republicans will do to win in November. He’s already trying to change the way electoral votes are counted in Nebraska.
Trump is a threat to democracy... we've seen it with our own eyes and ears.
This "isn't it past your jail time?" T will NEVER get old: t.co/mtZXE00EFj
Actually, the Electoral College is a threat to our democracy. It gave us "Duh-bya" Bush and 45, both of whom lost the "popular" vote. Popular = Democracy.
The Electoria College should be eliminated! They elect the President, and not the voters!
And let’s not forget that un democratic filibuster.
The Supreme Court installed W Bush
Yes, but long before that the federal government allowed Florida and other racist states to manipulate the electoral process.
I’m referring specifically to the comment about W Bush. We all know electoral college was put in place for racist reasons.
True, but only made possible by Ralph Nader, who took votes from Gore.
We are headed down the same road with RFK Jr and Cornell West who are closet Trump Humpers, by default if not by design.
Gore achieved popular win AND electoral win. The Supreme Court stepped in and stopped the re-count. It was later followed through by Washington Post & a FL newspaper investigative team to confirm this. He won. Period. Our mistake was not storming the streets when Rescumlicons pulled this.
RFK Jr will not pull votes from Democrats. Something put out by the right wingers. RFK Jr is as batshit crazy as trump. Doesn’t believe in vaccinations! Zero draw from Dems. Cornell West simply does not have enough support but it’s unfortunate to have anyone use the ticket the way West is…as a protest vote. That's an ignorant thing for him to do when we are facing right wing news, and fascism-creep already advancing in the US.
What does it take for people to understand the stakes. This is one time when Democrats need to be like Republicans in terms of pulling together.
We know after the fact, that Gore achieved the popular vote, but at the time of the recount Bush was ahead, and the recount was showing that Gore was ahead. The electoral vote count, depended on the popular vote, but SCOTUS jumping in and stopping it, gave he electoral vote to Bush.
Now I agree with your comment, that our mistake was not storming the streets, but Dem's unlike Republicans are always submissive and law abiding, and that is whey we will not lose
All third party votes will draw votes away from Biden, and give Trump the win.. that is a fact.
RFKjr is not going to draw away any Trump or Trump leaning voters, he and Cornell West will draw away fence sitters, the uninformed (which is the majority of non committed voters)
Jill Stein sucked up enough independents in swing states to give Trump a win.
If the two parties were, as they were when I first voted in 1960, two sides of the same coin, it would not make a difference, but they aren't, not any more.
Also the founders did not think popular = democracy. They believed that the minority should not rule the minority
Yes the electoral college. We should just allow New York and California decide our elections. As we know Michigan is actually a red state, but because of Grand Rapids and Detroit it’s a blue state. Texas would be a blue state if it was not so large. Thank goodness it is a large state
Comically, he seems to be unaware that a SITTING PRESIDENT can EASILY BE BEHIND BARS!
There are no laws preventing a prisoner from being president . . . which I imagine will lead to hilarious consequences when he has to grab a pocket his first 10 minutes in the Georgian State prison. (If you do not get the reference, stronger prisoners in the show "Prison Break" would have a pet that would hold onto their pocket 24/7. That would be dumdum donny!)
Forgive me for asking a stupid question. If a sitting president can be behind bars, for example, Trump could be elected while in prison, what does that mean? If he's convicted and then elected what the hell happens then? Do we have to have a new amendment to prevent this happening again or is it simply impossible?
Yes he could be convicted and elected. I doubt anyone knows just how that would work out. https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/trump-indictment-election-interference-08-04-23/h_10d9105f86c13e298c6d00ae2cd1df74
In the terrible event this happened, congress would meet and overturn the election or the person elected to vice president would serve. Which leads me to another point, the vice president takes over if the president can not serve, why do the presidential candidates chose their running mate. Should not the people do that!!!
Under the original system, each member of the Electoral College voted for two persons for president, with the candidate receiving the most electoral votes (and at least a majority) becoming president and the candidate receiving the second highest number of votes becoming vice president.
The 12th Amendment changed that in 1804, where they were elected together.
Lincoln a Republican chose Andrew Johnson, a Democrat, to run on a unity ticket.
Daniel H Laemmerhirt : but whare would the "lifetime security detail " be in this scenario!?
They would be right outside of his cell, sharing all of the things he does, including using the toilet, and carrying his dirty diapers away. Oh, those lucky secret servicemen.
Tough duty!
If they have to
carry his diapers, they deserve hazardous duty pay!
Good point. Will security have to sit next to him in the cell?
Lower bunk for security detail. Rotating watch.
Mar a lago would be reclassified as a federal prison.
Maybe name It after Donald tRUMP!
He would have to be on the lower bunk: otherwise, how would he get up top?
I guess the "great athlete" would be Incapable of climbing a ladder!
States have no jurisdiction over federal offices.
The state of New York can and will dole out punishment to Trump. He can get up to four years in prison, but with 34 counts against him, will that be per count or all inclusive?
Do you mean a live pet like gerbil?
Exactly. We also have digital footage of tRump calling up a murderous mob and sending them with a home-made gallows to the Capitol Building to HANG PENCE on 1/6/21 after giving out false information regarding the actual outcome of the 2020 election. The Constitution either EXISTS or it does not. tRump doesn't get to continue his criminal activities any more than any OTHER criminal living in the USA.
I suppose if the number of House of Representative members hadn't been frozen back in 1929 the Electoral College would work as it SHOULD and average American Citizens could have benefitted from BETTER representation for the past century. Especially after adding Alaska and Hawaii as states during the interim. Oh well, keeping the House membership frozen @ 435 helps Oligarchs, (both foreign and domestic), to keep the amount of bribery money they have to dish out to buy Presidential elections down to a minimum - doesn't it. Must be nice for Oligarchs who support authoritarian dictatorship around the world to be too rich to tax, too rich to have to follow the Rule of Law and too rich to care about ANY consequences for their criminal actions.
They’ll get around to bringing that up in a few years from now…,
Here in Baghdad By the Sea, corruption and voter fraud BY REPUBLICANS is finally coming to light.
"For the first time, the lead consultant to Florida Senate Republicans has admitted to hiring a disgraced ex-senator and approving a dirty trick to recruit a third-party candidate to siphon votes from a South Florida Democrat. The scheme succeeded. In 2020, Jose Javier Rodriguez, the Democrat targeted by the GOP and by Florida Power & Light, lost by 32 votes to Ileana Garcia, the founder of Latinas for Trump. A third-party candidate who didn’t campaign and who shared the same last name as Rodriguez drew over 6,000 votes."
Read more at: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article287575310.html#storylink=cpy
https://www.fieldteam6.org/actions
The abortion debacle is backfiring on trumpliCons too and they are attempting to backpedal. The dominoes are leaning left & ready to fall. But the battle against the right wing media continues. It is helped along by letting trump spew dangerous lies daily to his armed mafia.
Gag orders are the biggest GAG ever!
Horrid!
Rethuglicans.
After the damage is done!
And we have NO recourse!!
The "BeLuved UnEds" being particularly susceptible . . ..
oops, forgot . . He wuz Just Kidding . . .
History is no mystery. Authoritarian Governments and Religions have both learned throughout the centuries that ignorant people are easier to govern. Why? Because Fascism never sleeps. And suspiciously enough, the last time I looked, less than 50% of average Americans read above the 6th grade level today I suppose unregulated digital media has contributed to the dumbing down of America. What would YOU say?
Shooter drills and Teachers oughta carry . . .ain't helping . . Nor is book banning . ..
What's happened to every single library of any conquered nation since the invention of writing? They're destroyed. Burnt to a crisp. These days, when books are printed by increasingly monopolized publishing companies, are they being printed on paper for individual sales and sent to libraries for Reference or are they just sold and/or streamed on digital media? If there's no original for reference, who says that digital books can't be re-written at any moment by just going in and changing the original text to suit any oligarch's fancy after successfully conquering and obliterating yet another Democracy? So much for real information, essential knowledge and a populace organizing a rebellion against an authoritarian takeover to regain their FREEDOM.
IMO the "Cold War" and it's "duck and cover drills" are responsible for the rise of the right. Propaganda equated communism to socialism, and socialism to anti American values, and American values to hearth, home and religion, and the preachers, priests and press did the rest.
Indeed. Imagine growing up with Ground Zero dreams . .and books, movies, like On The Beach and Alas Babylon. I don't have to imagine. And you're right, the Enemy wasn't just Communism, it was Godless Communism! . . (tho as one grows older, the realization dawns that Religion is a bit of an Opiate for many . . .
I know all too well. I was raised on that bilge, and a yearly subscription to the Readers Digest, courtesy my mothers god mother.
I wonder what the definition of "Beloved UnEds" is? Must be the Uneducated...susceptibility! Butt: there are things the Stable' genius' does not know, too. See if he finds these things out.
The Reliably Mag Hat Unread . .. Even tho himself a Class Valedictorian! . . .
The blind leads the blinder!
We need legislation making deliberate disinfo about an election issue a felony. But, republicans would
challenge it in court.
Good point, but the irony may be that to Evangelicals sex matters more than elections. The Bible does not mention the US Constitution.
Because the law doesn't apply to Republicans.
It is up to journalists to call out BS every time - like real bull poop if spread it will fertilize and promote growth.
Mind blooms...
It is illegal, and that is why that i ok ne is being pursued as well. What we should be upset about is that occurred in 2022, 6 years after this case, and those individuals are already facing convictions.
I agree with you, Karen
The lies in the Republican robocalls may be unethical, but they are protected free speech and consequently not illegal.
Sadly
George Santos
Bob Menendez
Republicans. Need I say more?
Democrats need I say more
Too bad Comey didn't reveal this when he felt "obligated" to make a big deal about Clinton's e-mails (which turned out to be a nothing-burger).
That "nothing burger" flipped PA, MI & WI and WE lost. base
Expand the base and we win. https://www.fieldteam6.org/actions
Exactly! I’m still burning about Comeys stunt. I just read that there were a lot of voters who hadn’t decided who they were going to vote for until 7days before the election, Timing is everything. Just imagine how much better off the country would be if trump had never been elected.
Just imagine how much better off the country would be if trump had never been born.
Just imagine what the country would be like if Bush and Cheney didn't get elected... another case of Republican election fraud. Probably no 911 no Iraq Afghanistan war and our lives would be completely different today for the better
One of the saddest realities of all time … What would life have been like if LBJ had signed a Peace Treaty in Paris in 1968 and ENDED the Vietnam war! And Nixon was never elected, and no Watergate…and MAYBE our scientists would have begun to address the changing climate sooner, even … Oh, that’s is a sad thing, to think of the “what ifs”….
Pat: my mind just played an unlikely cartoon. In it, there was a Perry Mason Moment, where an honest Supreme Court Justice, who can see where things are going, decided to 'rat out' the corrupt justices and tell the world what she heard the corrupt 6 say , incriminating them. The End.
OR....JFK had lived, de-escalated in Vietnam, as he'd planned to do, and....perhaps this country would have been set on a better course. Especially if Bobby and MLK had also survived. Imagine! But then, John didn't make it, either....
OK, I 'm just depressing myself.
Yes! What is interesting to me, and this applies to myself too, is how wonderful some things that "might have been" can look retrospectively.
Maybe call them "forks in the road" that were rightly, or wrongly, taken?
And. BTW, no tRump either. Also it everyone thinks that after he loses in November he will just go away quietly... Yeah right! Unless of course he is in jail as he should be.
Tom Walsh : yes, this country Is being killed slowly by the "Republicans" : 'Death by a thousand cuts"!
🥺. And that message needs to go out, too. So much to get done!!
I often think, as you said, of how "our lives would be completely different today for the better" if in the 2000 election Al Gore had become president. Less war, better environment. More people alive today to breathe cleaner air. That election outcome was, in my opinion, a national tragedy involving the Supreme Court.
Well Tom ,
You certainly identified the real porn stars -
Cheney & Bush .
Don't forget the golden showers of tfg.
I am afraid that if it hadn't been Trump, it would have been some other demagogue who wasn't quite so much an idiot.
You may be right, and I tend to agree. A demagogue seems to be what many American people seem to want right now. Why, I do not know.
H.L. Mencken said, "For every complex human problem, there is a solution that is neat, simple and wrong." Give such an answer to desperate people and they will bite. That is one of the most despicable things about Trump: the false hope that he gave to people who had lost their manufacturing jobs in the Mahoning Valley and elsewhere.
No thinking or decision making required. Someone will take care of all that for them.
Disgruntled, disillusioned losers with low self-esteem need a pushy boss to show them the way because they can't find it themselves.
BUT, Trump’s celebrity and theatricality give him a huge boost with the less-than-aware electorate … We have a horrid cult of celebrity where elections are concerned in this country.
A demagogue is someone who tells people what they want to hear, who voices their anger and fans their fears.
Poor education system produces poor thinkers.
Just imagine Trump back in power.
Very painful thought. I worry for this nation and our Allies if TFG wins.
Think about how much better the country would be without the last Republican presidents, i.e. Reagan, W, tRump.
There's that time machine mention again. I don't suppose it would do any good to say "Hurry up!" ?
Imagine if Al Gore who was fully warning us of climate change had been elected. I doubt he would have let these semi monopolies form in part because they are so bad for the environment as well as workers and customers. We need to change our election rules to make it a true people’s choice.
Don't forget why Gore lost: in the minds of many he was "tainted" by his association with Clinton. "Vote your conscience," a noted environmentalist advised them. So they voted for Nader....
I can’t imagine that because it makes me cry.
And think how good our country would have been under Clinton's leadership. She would have made a great president. Instead, we got that lying POS who worked to destroy our country.
Oh, that is one painful daydream!! Both Trump and Dubya … OMG!
Pat : it's a serial nightmare!
This is how emotions rule the world: Comey was investigating Trump at the time, and he was afraid that he might be perceived as partial towards Clinton, so he reopened the preposterous case about the emails. People voted for Trump because they were angry at Clinton. Fear and anger decided the outcome of the election. People who don't use their brains get punished.
Even Trump would have been better off if Trump had never run for President!
Daniel, While I appreciate you repeatedly calling for expanding the base and posting the Field Team 6 site, I’m deeply concerned we’re not paying enough attention to the fact Biden is hemorrhaging African American support. In battleground states, for example, polling currently shows that 30% of black males and 11% of black females (mostly young voters) don’t support the current Administration.
In my view, Biden’s messaging is not landing as squarely as he would want because he’s been reluctant to acknowledge the swath of African Americans who have voted for generations for the Democratic Party and have not seen substantial changes taking place in their communities. I would add I understand that these folks would be receptive to plain speaking that not only looked forward but that amplified what’s going to be different in a way they expressly could relate.
That's based on misreporting...as usual. "...he’s been reluctant to acknowledge the swath of African Americans" is BS.
. https://democrats.org/who-we-are/who-we-serve/african-americans/
Also check out :Working America" which conducts large-scale listening projects in key states across the country. Front Porch Focus Group reports are the result of thousands of conversations with voters, asked about everything from how they voted in in the past to how they feel about the economic future of their community. Thanks to our unique blend of data analysis and anecdotes from in-person conversations, these reports offer the breadth of polling alongside the depth of a focus group., https://workingamerica.org/research/
It's also a non sequitur. When we register Democrats, we expand the base and all down ballot candidates, many who happen to be black, benefit .FT6 has software to counter arguments like that. Lat night I took the course on texting -- please check it out.
Field Team 6 is a machine that mints Democrats. Our dollars are the fuel. Those new voters will win key races for school boards, state legislatures, the US House, Senate and White House – pass voting rights and abortion rights – and crush Trump fascism once and for all.
I'm also involved with Forgotten Democrats, Focus for Democracy, etc.
At $1 per new voter, our support can literally swing elections.
For 2024, the goal is to raise $3M to deliver 3M new Democrats and independents – in the battlegrounds where we need them the most.
YOUR HELP COULD WIN IT ALL
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make as meaningful a contribution as you can. And let’s win!
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Daniel, I would note I’ve already signed on with Field Team 6. As for your references, I will check them out. Still, I would urge we not discount the findings, on which I based my comment, of Trymaine Lee and Charles Coleman, Jr. as reported in their recent special “Black Men in America: Road to 2024.”
Additionally, given you raised the issue of democracy, I encourage we bear in mind that for those for whom democracy has not actually worked or those who do not believe that democracy has protected them, losing it without discovering what’s going to be different in its preservation does not matter to them in the same way as it does for you and me.
I saw it. It sucked.
If these men really think they will benefit from trump they are truly ….. Their mothers need to exercise some guidance.
I saw it also. Ridiculous.
On this matter, I suppose we have no choice but to agree to disagree.
Daniel: People vote perceptions, not fact, And it is a fact that young blacks, especially males, take for granted the struggles and history of their elders.
I have seen focus groups on MSNBC of young blacks discuss how they are disappointed with Democrats, because here has no been progress or enough progress in their complaints, and like the Muslims they are going to use the election to punish Democrats and teach them a lesson.
Problem being is that if Trump wins, there will be no 2028 opportunity, Trump will be running for a third time, and our elections will be as phony as Hungary and Russia's.
Blacks can expect an erosion or set back in civil rights, and Muslims deported back to Iran and the Mid east. The cult has no use for either.
Those MSNBC programs are arbitrary and aberrant. The whole concept of "focus groups" is suspicious.
I have training in picking juries. Some schools have an entire department devoted to it. I didn't use it in decision making but BS is evident.
I made cold calls for Biden in 2020. The callers weren't trained how to be persuasive. Check this out. https://playbook.galvanizeaction.org/
Also see workingman above.
I know, focus groups are used to influence opinions,when the results are broadcast over the air and in the media...the bandwagon effect is very effective among fence sitters, the ignorant and unengaged.
I do not know exactly how many black voters are leaving the Democratic Party and turning to Trump ( Trump ???) but I do know that many young people at my publicly funded college,with students of every color and nationality,identify with the Palestinians and protest loudly. Will they vote for Trump ? Seethe in protest ? Solving this humanitarian crisis may be beyond the talents of one man but at least President Biden is trying and I hope people understand that. All the other candidates are just mouthing off.
Joan, I imagine the students from your college who stand for Palestinian rights, if they don’t vote for Biden, are more likely to sit out the election or vote for a third-party candidate than vote for Trump.
However, considering any vote not cast for Biden is a vote for Trump, I haven’t hesitated to write regularly to the Biden Administration conveying my view that Netanyahu will continue to defy the U.S. unless the Biden Administration ceases to provide both military aid for this war and diplomatic protection at the UN, the ICJ (International Court of Justice), and other international forums.
Additionally, while I welcome recent minor shifts, the over-arching policy has not changed. The U.S. not only continues to fast-track massive amounts of weapons to Israel but also has failed fully to use its leverage to insist that aid gets in through ground routes. I understand a plane can carry 2 to 3 tons of aid while a single truck (hundreds of which still are waiting at the border) can carry 20 tons each.
Frankly, I have concerns about an Administration claiming it wants to reestablish America’s moral leadership in the world and uphold the rule of law while, at the same time, failing to support U.S. laws against providing weapons to governments that commit gross violations of human rights and that block U.S. humanitarian aid.
You are so right, Barbara. I will still vote for Biden, but in addition to not utilizing our leverage to force Bibi's hand, it does leave a bitter taste in my mouth knowing that such restraint is being used while children (and others) are dying a painful death of starvation. Yes, the US has always been Israel's staunchest allie, but when it's leadership is intent on destroying an entire population, that policy must be reevaluated. There is no excuse for sending more weapons when Netanyahu is blatantly ignoring internationally established rules of conduct and when we can see the destruction and suffering of the Gazans with our own two eyes. We have the power to change that, and Biden should not allow our decades of support to Israel to be more important than dealing with the realities of their genocidal conduct.
Lisa, Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I simply would add, given the threat of MAGA here in the States, I fear for all of us if Biden doesn’t act promptly to condition all military aid on an immediate and permanent ceasefire.
I generally agree with you, but I have heard from an old friend who is now living in Israel, and he says that if the US cut off what they are sending to Israel, it wouldn't make any difference, because Israel can make their own stuff now.
Lisa, you are assuming without evidence that Israeli leadership is bent on eliminating the entire population of Gaza. That my dear is the propaganda line of HAMAS. Interesting how you resist right wing propaganda and home an swallow, whole cloth, right wing Muslim propaganda..
Stop and think about it, HAMAS and Bibi's coalition are two right wing ideologies fighting it out.
One would have to be cold hearted not to feel for the Gazan children that are suffering and who have died, but there is a solution, and the solution is the same as the blame? HAMAS, they brought this upon themselves and the people whom they claim to represent, but don't, Because HAMAS is engaged in a real genocidal war against the Jews, it is in their charter and the words of their leadership, the goal is the obliteration of the state of Israel, meaning the Jews. Also the motto of "Free Palestine from the river (Jordan) to the sea (Mediterranean). Pull up a map and see what lies between the river and the sea..IOW genocide of the Jews, and the Jews have had their experience with that already.
Every child's death, every woman's death in Gaza can be laid square in the lap of HAMAS. They started it and are using civilians and hostages as human shields.
I would be surprised if there were any hostages left alive. HAMAS already set up front that they execute the hostages if Israel retaliates.
HAMAS are cowards, they won't forgeit their own lives, but do so with total aplomb the people whom they supposedly govern, claiming them to be martyrs, And in Islam martyrs are not mourned but celebrated.
HAMAS declared that they are a nation of martyr's and will keep coming back again and again, so what chances of any kind of peace with people like that.
For HAMAS there will be no peace until the region is Juden Frei.. in a word genocide.
Barbara Jo, you could not be more right. You have explained where so very many of us live this very day. I was 8 when Israel was created, living in the Bronx I was very cognizant of the Holocaust, and I have been a supporter of Israel ever since. But today I am conflicted - the Hamas attack was dreadful but the Israeli response is more and more troubling with every day. Have I been deluding myself all this time ?
Joan, Regrettably, the establishment of the state of Israel was akin to the quintessential conflict between right and right—the rights of one group to a homeland and the rights of the other to oppose dispossession.
Fast-forwarding to today, for me there is no question that Israel’s retaliatory response to Hamas’s savage October 7th attack, as barbaric as it was, nonetheless has been disproportional beyond measure.
I trust Biden in this situation. I think there are a lot of factors we are not considering, but Biden is. I am guessing, but I suspect one factor is the munitions manufacturers. Another is that my Israeli friend tells me there is no leverage there anymore -- Israel can do without our stuff. There is a long-standing relationship with Israel where we send our less than perfect stuff to them and they figure out how to fix it. (It may be that we need them more than they need us?) Another thing is that Netanyahu is Israel's Trump -- he is as unreasonable and bloodthirsty and cruel as Trump, just a bit more sophisticated. He is far right wing. Remember Trump saying that when someone hits you, you hit them back but much harder? Netanyahu is probably on the same page with that heavy retribution philosophy. Biden may be having trouble with that, like most people just can't imagine a sociopath -- someone with no conscience at all --and how they can think like that. I'm sure Biden thinks that if he cuts off all communication with Netanyahu, it would be worse, not better. You can't influence him if you aren't talking to him.
And I say; revenge is the curse of humankind.
Kim, In my view, the issue is a matter of complicity, not revenge. To clarify, when the ICJ (International Court of Justice) delivered its interregnum report, it portrayed Israel’s actions in Gaza as “plausible genocide.” Accordingly, it is not unreasonable to conclude, given Netanyahu’s persistent defiance of the U.S., that our continuing unconditionally to provide U.S. military aid to Israel is akin to our complicity in the genocide.
The MAGAs are useless in that regard. They don't seem to care at all, about Palestinians or anyone, except maybe themselves. But they don't get that the direction their fearless leader is taking them is perilous! No freedom there!
Joan the campus idiots who will vote for Trump, are idiots. The brain is not fully developed until around age 25, and this is proof. If Trump wins because of them, they will rue the day. He has promised to deport Muslims, even 2nd Generation Muslims, and with a Trump congress and judiciary he can damn well do as he pleases.
These fools actually believe that they can set things aright in 2028.
Michigan and Pennsylvania are key swing states, well toss in Wisconsin, but Michigan Muslims can swing the state with 15 electoral votes, Pennsylvania with Muslim and black votes in Philadelphia is 19 electoral votes, Wisconsin which has a large Muslim population is 10 electoral votes.
There are only five swing states in 2023, AZ, NV, MI, PA, WI. There are 235 electoral votes in red and red leaning states. MI and PA have 34, if they go Trump because of Muslims and Blacks, then the election goes to Congress and each state has one vote, and there are more red states than blue states and Trump becomes President.
If Trump is elected, 2024 will be the last truly free democratic election, and the blame goes to the Muslims and Blacks, though they won't accept it, they will try to blame Biden because he backed Israel.
However the blame game will be a waste of time and energy, because as Bugs always said in Looney Tunes,, That's all Folks. Game over.
If reason could prevail over gut feelings.....
Barbara, I have the same concerns. If Trump wins, it in part will be because of them, and in larger part because of Muslims, and both will wake up on Day 1 with a massive hangover, thinking "WTF did I do". The Islamic Ummah is pissed because Biden supported Israel, that is nothing compared to what Trump and the fascist right will be doing to Muslims and people of color.
William, First, my apologies for my delayed response. As for my reply, despite the vast distinctions between Biden’s lapses and the massive atrocities MAGA fascists would unleash on Muslims and people of color, I maintain we must continue to press the current Administration to be more self-critical of its messaging to help ensure its reelection.
I totally agree Barbara. The "establishment", the beltway insiders, keep insisting that it is all about the economy, because the economy is what is important to the donor class, and the donor class is fellated by the RNC and DNC.
However if you take a long hard look at the voter class, you might notice that foremost in their mind is the culture war. The rust belt, aka swing states are both, Bill Clinton with his NAFTA and GAAT created the rust belt, and they haven't forgot, and the demagogues of the right moved in and married the culture war to unemployment,
Big AG, RR monopolies, the petro chemical cabal, and financial instittions have decimated rural America, but the Dem's get the blame, and again demagogic preachers and publishers have married their plight to the Democrats via the culture war.
Democrat messaging sucks because they are afraid of alienating the donors, whereas the Republicans terrorize the donors into emptying their wallets
The Republicans use the carrot and stick, effectively
My only consolation to a Trump win will be that these idiots will suffer under the White Christian Nationalism that will be ushered in.
Ken, Given the costs of a Trump presidency for all of us both at home and abroad, the thought of Trump returning to the White House terrifies me. Hence the reason for doing everything possible to contributing to his (and to MAGA’s) crushing defeat.
Agreed
Ken, Due to constraints beyond my control, this is the first time I had an opportunity to note your reply.
Comey was one of a several examples of how the Reds have abused the Judicial Department for political purpose, with the recent special prosecutor's report echoing the problem, and Trump's plans to use the Department for a Stalinist purge of his enemies highlighting the urgency. We need to craft legislation to specifically outlaw such behavior, and when the Reds prevent its passage, cast the election in terms of freedom and despotism in order to flip the House.
The Judicial Act of 1870 placing the Judiciary under the Executive Branch resulted from a distrust of the Judiciary that resulted, in part, from the Dred Scott decision that took away the civil rights of Blacks that a more recent Supreme Court gave to corporations (which recent Supreme Court we are now finding to be tainted with corruption).
The 1870 Judicial Act was probably unconstitutional. The legislative fix could help to fix that as well, and also include creating the position of the Grand Foreman of the Juries to lead the Judicial Branch of Government as the only person directly elected by all of the American people on 2 years after a Presidential election.
But the problem of how to fight Putin’s “House Divided” strategy remains.
And she lost the election. Comey went against the election rules bringing the Clinton emails forward right before the election. Did he get into trouble? No
Talk about election interference!!
Maureen : Gee, I wonder why he felt "obligated?" Who would put That in his mind?!
Can't possibly imagine.
“The mainstream media keeps referring to Trump’s upcoming trial as based on “charges that he covered up a sex scandal.” That’s exactly how Trump wants it characterized. So it looks like the district attorney is tarring Trump with having had an extramarital affair with a porn star — a form of character assassination, not a crime.”
Agreed! Trump is in big trouble. It’s not just trying to coverup a payment to a porn star for political purposes, it’s the way in which he did so that was ultimately illegal.
Two points clarify this fact:
First, he set up limited liability companies to hide and avoid paying taxes on the payout; writing them off as legal expenses, when clearly they were payments to silence his victims; a clear case of tax fraud.
Secondly, Stormy Daniel’s own attorney is on the record and under oath, testifying that Trump had an agreement signed before the Access Hollywood tape became public, and missed the deadline to make payments to Daniel’s in order to keep her silent.
And only after the tape became public did Trump decide to actually pay her in the “Catch and Kill” scandal. This is a clear FEC election violation and illegal; revealing his true intent of using the payout for his political survival; not to hide the affair from his wife.
Oh, and by the way, has it dawned on anyone that Trump slept with a porn star? He cheated on all his wive’s, including Melania when she was pregnant. And this is the family values guy, who according to evangelicals is the next messiah? UGH!!!!!!!!!!
I know, Robert!! It absolutely boggles the mind!! How and why does this man keep getting away with all of this???
Peggy ; because he 'salted' his sycophants here and there throughout government, where they remain to work for him! Even in the 'Supreme' Court!
He keeps calling the judges’ bluffs on the gag orders.
And what’s with the MSM’s “bothsidesism”? That’s not journalism. Seems there’s more truth in the National Enquirer of old.
Lee, at this point, you might as well read and believe The National Enquirer!! I don't believe anything media has to say about anything!!! I go to 1440 for my news and follow Professor Reich on his substack. There are very few true journalist of integrity that I would listen to. Unfortunately, Walter Cronkite and Huntley and Brinkley are dead now.
Agreed!…:)
FOX—24/7
G.P. Baltimore : "Butt it's only entertainment!".
You have the details correct. Family values what a dumb phrase.
Yes, 'Hush' money! : how quaint!
Robert, I would note, that while the hypocrisy wreaks, for those whose issues largely have been marginalized, who now perceive said issues elevated to front and center, we can expect efforts at rationalizing and blocking Trump’s detestable behaviors to continue unabated. Hence, the reason for remaining laser-focused on gettable votes, and as Reich states, on driving home the point that the election interference allegations that will be tried next week mark the first in a trend that culminate in January 6th and the Georgia racketeering case.
Well said…:)
Robert, I appreciate the affirming reply, particularly from you, whose comments I closely follow.
Thank you…:)
I think 2 things are going on with the media, late night hosts, etc. using the phrase "hush money" case. The 1st comes down to sexing up the case reference (esp. media) to get the clicks. The 2nd, to the perception that illegal bookkeeping practices committed to keep something likely damaging in the campaign in the 11th hour before the election would be too wordy, too complex, and sadly, but very likely, too "who cares".
Sex sells.
As a commenter on another substack noted: "Democracy dies in the darkness, why is the paper (NYT) turning off the lights?
For me, right now, it just does not seem to matter that the little orange man committed criminal acts and is allowed to walk free AND run for the highest office in our land!!! What has happened to my country? Why are we giving oxygen to this tired, ridiculous man? Why won't our laws which I have respected my entire life apply to him? It is ludicrous to act like this is all normal. It is NOT to me!!! He broke laws!! He happily skates away from all of them using the courts against everyone!!! I am so damn sick of this crap!! I want this orange menace to be dealt with the way every other citizen is dealt with. If you break the law, you are tried, convicted and put in jail. Why is that so hard with this man?? It is so very aggravating!! I wouldn't vote for him for any office at all let alone the president!! Has our country gone mad? America, vote blue so that we can get our country back on track. Otherwise, we will hand it over to the likes of trump and have to learn to live in a dictatorship!!! Please, vote Blue!!!
Because the US Republican Party supports Trump.
The Republican Party roadmap, Project 2025,
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/10/opinion/trump-donors-project-2025.html
Maryk, I have studied Project 2025 and it chilled me to the bone!! I urge everyone I talk to to read it and then decide on who to vote for!!
If implemented, it will be the last vote anyone makes.
I know!! That's what terrifies me!!!
Help get out the vote
Register Democrats.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/
Everyone's doing it!
I am, Maryk!! Vote Blue, America!!
Project 2025 is a direct copy of the plan that Viktor Orban used to take over the Hungarian government in 2010.
Hungary must be an amnesiac nation - first invaded by Hitler, then invaded by Stalin. Maybe they are used to living under a dictator.
As Robert Reich has written prior, Trumpty is the icing on the cake of US Oligarchy. Watch. theCon.tv To view the free 5 part series on how he erupted from US oligarchal conditions. The role of the 2008 mortgage scandal, targeting of lower income folks fraudulently to steal their equity via corrupt mortgages using banks as pass through to Wall Street packaging these fraudulent, often stolen monies into investments for Unions and cities to buy, then failure of the paper loans resulting in folks expected pensions halved. The film, The Big Short was a piece of it. This film series captures far more of the Fraud through deregulation, desupervision then, decriminalization of the Corrupt bankers, wall , politicians etc. It is important and heartbreaking. We have seen dribs and drabs over decades but this series conveys the entirety.
Then they were "invaded" by refugees fleeing from wars, and then Orban told them that they were being "invaded" by the Jew Soros. The Republicans are telling us that we are being invaded by "vermin" with the encouragement of "the elites" who rule over us.
Peggy Freeman ; Why are those three 'justices' he stacked the Court with allowed to remain on the court when they clearly allowed him to stay on the ballot? They not only ignored the 14th amendment section 3, but they disabled it so that the sycophants he planted throughout government could not be removed from their seats in Congress, and, of course, the Supreme Court itself! Those 'Justices' disqualified themselves by not upholding the Constitution's separation of church and state! Reversing Roe was a religious 'law' they made! They removed the remedy given to US to keep the disqualified from getting into office, or being removed from office for violations. On MSNBC' Deadline Whitehouse, this week, another 'expert' said that "lifetime tenure ' allowed the Supreme Court judges to get away with things. There is no such thing in the Constitution allowing them lifetime 'tenure'. Something vague about "good behavior"? I think they violated that! More than once! I wish there was a 'ratings' , or feedback page to post opinions about the 'shows' on MSNBC ; the 'better' network'! What a Farce!
I know, Laurie, nothing seems to be working the way it is supposed to!! It is like the MAGAs have somehow managed to pull us into their alternate world and we are stuck there!! I am so worried about the future and feel so helpless right now!!!
the big money is achieving their goals. It would be a miracle to see that turned around!
Yes, Peggy ; Laws on the book are clearly ignored, and there does not seem to be a snowball's chance in hell to enforce them, or even notice them! the constitution is a cruel joke!
I turn 80 in November. Surprisingly that gives me comfort. I have outlived so many of my contemporaries (Glad O.J. is no longer breathing), but I can't have too many more years. I fear for my grandsons tho. They will have to live thru the demise of America.
Rob, this is my worst fear!! The demise of our America!! I think of all of those who have fought for our country - many gave their lives for America! Those brave men and women sacrificed in order for our country to remain free. What has happened to us? Do so many here in our country care so little for what we have built? Are there really that many who would willingly turn our country over to an authoritarian and live with those constraints? I am deeply saddened by all of it.
We all must vote blue!
Peggy, I agree! He is already a CONVCTED rapist and allowed to wander freely and terrorize judges, their families & all Democrats etc. Beyond outrageous!
SeekingReason, the only thing that I can hope with all of my heart is that he is found guilty in this case and has to serve time in jail. If he gets off on this case, there is just no hope for any of us!!
I tried writing to CNN to complain about their Trump reporting, and got nowhere fast with that.
CNN helps Trump 1.) stay in power so he can 2.) stay out of jail. Trump's two main motives.
CNN seems to be trying for Faux Noise viewership. Their credibility as a news source is waning,
Thanks for your service. (Hi School Grad 1963-U.S. Air Force Vet)
I am also (High School Grad 1966-U.S. Air Force Vet)
There is absolutely nothing I could add to your comment that would improve it. Nicely done.
They have been owned by right wingers for years.
When I hover my cursor over the photo area next to your name I get a blank space. No bio. Doesn't happen with other people. Do you have any idea why? Any help would be appreciated.
Trump's the Master of ELECTION INTERFERENCE:
• Pay off Stormy Daniels to avoid affecting '16 election
• Get Zalenskyy to probe Biden to affect '20 election
• Minimize Covid-19 to avoid affecting '20 election
• Call Brad Raffensperger to affect '20 election
• Encourage Jan 6 to affect '20 election
• Discourage Border Bill to affect '24 election
We have a really stupid media.
Beyond stupid. Especially CNN, by using Trump to make money.
Dr. --The news has always been equated to money, that's how they stay in business. CNN is the best news outlet out there. They do what is needed to make sure the public gets the truth.
CNN is not the best news outlet out there. That may be your opinion, but that doesn't make it a fact. My opinion is that MSNBC is the best news outlet out there when it comes to politics, which is what this discussion is about.
They are both good sources. I make it a point to validate what they say by looking at other sources national and international. It takes extra effort but worth it.
Absolutely! My primary source of information is 1.) The Washington Post and 2.) The New York Times. Then I later go to MSNBC and CNN who often quote one or both newspapers that I have already read. That gives me an insight as to how accurately both TV stations report what I believe are the 2 best sources of national information in the country.
Here's a site that may help you correct some of the garbage you've been exposed to at the WP and NYT https://presswatchers.org/ Froomkin exposes the truly awful reporting published at both papers and explains why so.
Mine is the Associated Press. Got rid of NYT. Still have WaPo.
And CNN is truly the only American news source on TV internationally.
Dr.--Funny, I always viewed MSNBC as a left-wing version of Fox News. I look around frequently and to this date I have never found CNN to lie about anything. If you look at the number of awards for reporting excellence just look at the number of Emmy's awarded to CNN over that of MSNBC.
Don't forget they're both in this for the $$. Both are large corporations with BOD and CEOs there to make their stockholders happy. Zaslav was responsible for the Chris Licht inspired Trump Town Hall. CNN is not a white knight.
Terry--CNN is the whitest knight out there. I understand it's all about the money, but a least CNN spreads the truth between its slices of bread.
Who makes those awards?
Laurie--Probably the same company that makes the Oscars.
Once again, I never said people on CNN lie about anything. I don't know where you are getting that.
Dr.-- You found disfavor in my statement that there was an 80% chance that one of the members of the jury would vote for Trump's innocence. That is what started this whole thing. I just quoted what I read on the television screen. You didn't believe it.
Their job is to keep the public informed, so they can vote intelligently.
Laurie--And that is exactly what they are doing.
I think CNN did the public a disservice by allowing tRUMP to have a "town hall" that was a pep rally of hand picked sycophants enthusiastically cheering and applauding everything he said!
Laurie--CNN is now the voice of all the people. I like hearing both sides of an issue.
Donald H- CNN has been owned by right wingers for some time.
Seeking--This is true; however the standard CNN has always met still exists.
At best. FYI, the head of Warner Bros-Discovery, David Zaslav used to work at the same NBC station in Ohio that was home to Roger Ailes. Ailes went onto found Fox and Zaslav controls CNN. Very inscestual.
Elena : stupid and "crazy like a Fox"!
Yes, it is about lying to cheat the American people of information they should have prior to voting. Period.
The biggest problem with our current political system is the perversion that is the Electoral College. We have already had two (or perhaps three if you count Hayes) presidents elected with less votes than their competitors.
Since a constitutional amendment is all but impossible, our hopes rest with the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact if enough states join who pledge their future electoral votes to the national popular vote.
Support the NPVIC!
I put getting rid of the electoral vote in the same “folder” as ranked voting. As far as I’m concerned, both are bad ideas. Both parties and both candidates already know the rules covering electoral voting and can adjust their campaigns accordingly.
That's like putting road apples and potatoes in the same bin.
I disagree.
I've never seen the Electoral College held up as a great example of electoral law. It always seems to get in the way of a true election. Of course that's what it was designed to do when it was first implemented to shield slave states from always losing.
Ranked choice voting is quite the opposite. It actually helps to determine true voter sentiment and keeps the radicals at bay.
No other country or system of voting uses Electoral College voting or anything close really. However many places use a form of ranked voting including Ireland which uses the single transferrable voting system. There are others as well but all IMO are better than first-past-the-post combined with an Electoral College ....so 18th century.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ranked_voting#Single_transferable_vote
Polite and respectful reply.
Electoral College rules are well known by anyone running and both political parties.
Ranked choice voting results in no clear winner and overtime will result in anger and disillusionment in the value of voting and ability to make a difference with your vote. People will eventually think “why bother voting “.
You should try explaining that to Ireland's Taoiseach.
Your conclusion is unsupported by your argument which is simply a string of assertions. You would not receive a passing grade even if you were submitting this for a HS course.
A really important post Robert. Again, THANK YOU! xx's
Trump has the Republican Party OVER A BARREL in more ways than one.
How, Keith?? I cannot for the life of me understand how a whole political party would just bow down and kiss his ring!!! I cannot believe that there are no people in the republican party with integrity and morals!! The only republicans I have seen with that have been basically pushed out of the party and replaced with ONLY people that will be subservient to that little orange man!!
I think the modern republican party started going down hill when Reagan took office. Money became the one and only goal. The rest was window dressing and still is.
Agreed! Are there enough of us to put a stop to their move to take over our country?
That is the question! The electoral college is the potential problem since getting out the vote is not enough.
Getting out the vote has worked in all the national elections and many state and local elections since 2016. Yes we let them get away with it in 2016 but not since then. Showing up and voting the bastards out works!
See Dannys, this is what scares me!! We are fighting to ensure people get out to vote and then I hear how that isn't going to make a difference because republicans have gerrymandered and cheated to ensure their candidate gets in office!!! Are we already defeated???
No we are not. Its not over until its over. But i think the American people have to live up to what we preach.
Peggy, there are those trying to halt the agenda to “remake” our government—largely influenced by the Powell memo during the Reagan years, but now beefed up with the backing of big money & ultra conservatives, especially wealthy ones (think autocrats/oligarchs/theocrats), and the Federalist Society—known as Project 2025. I read Heritage’s announcement when they dropped it, and the intro and some of the sections of the 900+ page “Mandate”. I thought it was a spoof at first, but it is not & is scary as sh*t to me. These folks, link follows, are trying to resist & help citizens to understand its potential impact & implications; the group is Stop the Coup 2025: https://www.stopthecoup2025.org/
One person one vote is not equal. Where the vote is is crucial. Shocking but true.
Should have gotten rid of the Electoral College when we got rid of slavery.
Dannys, there is the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact trying to address the issue w/o a Constitutional Amendment (be careful what you wish for): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Popular_Vote_Interstate_Compact. I think, however, if enough states sign on to make the Electoral College moot, there would likely be legal challenges up the wazoo! Some folks like the idea of minority rule, as long as they are the minority that rules!!
They don’t have to pretend any more.
Part of it seems to be Kompromat that Trump uses on certain Republicans to keep in line, some of which he got from Putin/Russia from their hacking & intelligence gathering & some of which he obtained otherwise. This explains many Republicans' sudden 180° change in public attitude towards Trump. It's quite amazing that so many Republicans are so vulnerable.
Jaime, if any of these politicians had a semblance of a spine, they would tell trump to take his Kompromat and shove it!! My country means so much more to me than his stupid intelligence crap. I mean, look at the little orange toad!!! He would have the audacity to tell a politician either fall in line or I will expose you?? He hardly has any room to threaten!!!
Hey Jaime I think you have an absolutely right. Politicians in our Congress are inherently Criminal. They think they can pretty much get away with anything because their neighbor Congressman or Senators have. It's just like the Supreme Court nothing more than a piece of garbage trying to run the country into a hole.
Fear is the great driver and far right wingers are best at wielding it to their advantage. Try not to succumb ....take away their leverage.
Terry, I know in my heart that what you say is true. It just seems that somedays 'stinkin thinkin' takes over and I am just plain terrified!! I want all of this to just stop!! I don't want to spend my golden years worried about the future of my country!! I will be okay. This happens occasionally when everything seems to overwhelm me; however, it will pass and I will continue to work hard to get out the vote!! Vote Blue, America!!
Showing up is the only thing most of us can do. We just can't let fear distract us.
Agreed!
The only answer that makes any sense is WWG1WGA.The oath that they all committed to.
Keith, that was the oath they were SUPPOSED to be committed to. I don't want to follow the lemmings off the cliff!!
And it would seem that Putin has Trump over a barrel together with many many Republican congressmen
Peggy : He purged anyone who opposed him, even slightly. Death threats work!
Just thinking and comparing today back to Nixon and a republican party that still had enough ethics and honesty among themselves to force Nixon to resign instead of participating in Trump’s many, many crimes while in office and after he left office.
I like a lot you made this point as most of the other indictments follow that pattern. Thanks for pointing this out!
I will tell you something else that makes me extremely mad. The justice system will take an ordinary citizen, arrest them for fraud or some criminal act. That ordinary citizen doesn't have the luxury of these stupid 'high-priced' lawyers and either has a public defender or low paid lawyer. He/She is tried and convicted. A judge decides to 'make an example' of this ordinary citizen and absolutely throws the book at him/her!! Why, in this great country of ours, doesn't that happen to the little orange man. Why can't he be made an example of? Why don't judges throw the book at him to let others know if they travel that same path, that is what will happen to them. We need to start holding ALL Americans accountable in the exact same way. We cannot let the oligarchs, monopolistic corporations, and grifters like the little orange man get away with the crap they pull. It is not a fair system that allows this to keep happening!!!!
I have the same issue with the “documents case” which is actually an Espionage Act violation. “Mar a Lago docs case” sounds generic: violation of Espionage Act is much more profound & impactful. However, media defaults to these bland nicknames for his crimes & thus, people don’t grasp the severity of his behavior
Russian "meddling"in our election seems like a pretty understated word choice.
How is this any different than Trump refusing to share his tax records when he ran in 2016? That was hiding information from us that we should have had prior to voting.