When democrats are in charge every single person does better for 2 reasons.
1. When Republicans are in charge it’s all about me!
2. When Democrats are in charge it’s all about we!
Yes Democrats raise taxes on the rich so that everyone can do better. The poor do better and the middle class does better. And the Rich are still rich!
When the Republicans are in charge the rich get richer and everyone else suffers. And the economy takes it in the shorts!
When will the Republicans learn that when we all do better, we all do better?
Keith, I never understood why Democrats didn’t adopt Paul Wellstone’s touchstone slogan “We all do better when we all do better” as their own. Thank you for restating it. As for Republicans, generally speaking, they seemingly accept vastly disproportionate allocations of wealth, power, and influence as part of life. In their view, there are those who own and control and those who do not.
That’s who funds them. They keep the Republican Party alive in their quest for more money and more power. They come from the fossil fuel industry, the Heritage Foundation, and the Federalist Society. All the Murdoch publications support them. They use the media to get the support of the racists and the angry, and the evangelicals.
Republicans aren't going to learn until they're defeated and their noses are rubbed in the fact that nobody likes them anymore, only people who look exactly like them.
Trump is an enigma and a bad one at that. If Dr. Pimple popper ever got her hands on Trump the puss would be a flying. With out a doubt Donald Trump is perhaps the most singularly despicable man I've ever had the misfortune of listening to. The only other individual that reviled Trump's pathetic behavior was a woman named Patty, she ran a restaurant in Grayling Michigan. The word bitch was invented to describe both her and Mr. Trump.
We have a President who has taken the reins during some very troubling times. President Biden is being blamed for conditions both economically and socially that he has absolutely no control over. How would you like to be blamed for the acne problems suffered by the young "Boy" next door. I know it's stupid to draw the comparison but blaming our President for everything that's wrong with our country is just as silly. We hold baseball's greats to an elevated position of honor, and they make an out 70% of the time they step up to the plate. I really feel Joe's batting average would be higher than that.
I agree with your sentiment, but, in my opinion, if Biden loses to Trump it will be because of the chain of decisions he, himself, made to position the US as a staunch ally and supporter of Israel as it commits the ongoing massacre in Gaza. I could never vote for Trump, but I think the Democratic Party, which includes many astute, honest and capable people, should find an alternative to Biden for the November ballot. I doubt I could vote for Biden given the Gaza horror he has contributed so much to.
sherm--President Biden supports the people of Israel not Netanyahu's murderous rampage through a city filled with innocent people. Hamas is the killer hiding in the weeds that needs to be irritated in order for any form of peace to be had in the Middle East.
So, what will you do, Einstein, sit home? You sound like a Nikki Haley voter. If you don't vote for Biden, you're voting for 45. You'll be hurting all women, all minorities, our environment, & our relationships with the rest of the world. What is happening in the middle east is horrific, but by not voting for Biden you will be contributing to the unfolding of the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025, a 900+ page document which will radically change our lives and our country. https://tinyurl.com/wzvsmr85 This article out of the guardian was written almost a year ago @ the impact Project 2025 will have on our Environment.
Sit home, don't vote for Biden as a protest vote to find a younger model who YOU agree with on ALL the issues...and if 45 wins, it will be bc of selfish white ppl like you who are making a decision based on your right to punish all of us here for some crazy man in Israel who even the ppl living there disagree with. Israel is the only democracy in the area and has the right to defend itself. It does not have the right to take 30K+ lives. The real problem however, is ALL Arab countries in the area have sat back for years and have done NOTHING to support the Palestinian ppl. Plus, most are not allowing innocent ppl to flee from Gaza as refugees. The Palestinians elected this terror group into office in 2007 and haven't been able to hold an election since then.
The wealthy Hamas organizers don't live there and are using the Palestinian ppl as human shields to make their point. Do you think they care about the poor innocents living there. I think not.
So please revisit your "doubt I could vote for Biden given the Gaza horror he has contributed so much to."
You can't blame one person for the horror going on over there. And one of the major contributors to Project 2025 is Steven Miller. Remember, the guy who came up with separating latino/a children from their parents and putting them in cages? If 45 gets in, that insanity will happen again.
Israel is the size of the state of New Jersey. Russia, Iran and other countries in the area support those who'd rather wipe it off the map. The Jews have been persecuted for 2000 years +. This is not a Jewish or Palestinian problem. The problem is so much more than what's going on there now. In fact, Oct. 7th happened on the heels of negotiations Egypt was having with other Arab countries,Israel, in the area in an attempt to make things better. Someone(Cough, cough, Iran) didn't want a peaceful solution, so they funded Hamas.
Some ppl here think that "might makes right." Supporters of 45 want the "STRONG MAN" to fix and protect us. In actuality, we found out who the Wizard of OZ was behind the curtain..... The only difference? that Wizard living in OZ was a peace-filled, gentle, old ,man of wisdom who did manage to figure it out with the collective help from others.
Biden has a strong team behind him. No one is perfect. WE will all disagree on issues from time to time. Not voting or voting for some independent candidate (this time around) will abandon the most important responsibility we have. The Jill Stein vote led to what happened in 2016, and the repercussions of that election has been catastrophic.
We are still in PTSD mode and he never left. He again has promised another 2T tax cut to the top 1% because the one he gave in 2017 is expiring in 2025. NOTHING CHANGES IF NOTHING CHANGES.
Please don't sit home or vote for a person who can't win.
Magas like people who behave like them. Are you a racist? Are you a misogynist? Do you want rights and freedoms for yourself but not for other people? Do you want tax breaks only for yourselves? Do you want outrageously high compensation only for yourselves? Do you want the right to be rude, hateful, or cruel to others but demand others respect and cater to you? Yes? Then welcome to the resentful, angry, hateful maga world.
As Woody Allen once said, death is like a colonoscopy....peaceful once one's' out. Prepping for the colonoscopy is much worse. That they may learn from.
I think the news media are not helpful in this regard. I noticed that whenever they are analyzing a proposed or enacted policy, they talk about "winners and losers," thereby suggesting that the president and Congress are favoring one group over another. And of course, no one wants to be called a loser. The media can just report how the policy affects different groups without calling them winners and losers.
Unfortunately this is the American approach, Carolyn. The culture of this country is to divide people into winners and losers. It's sick and needs to be healed.
You know the hand gesture for 'loser' = forefinger pointed up with thumb at a right angle
and placed on your forehead ? Do this with both hands and you have a mirror image of
the 'loser' symbol. Now rotate both hands until the thumb tips touch and you have a "W"
= 'winner' ! (not whiner ). I often do this to remind myself that I am NOT a loser. It's life's
vaugeries that makes (my) life difficult ~. Yes, some of my 'problems' are my own fault, but way too many of - my - issues were caused by events outside my own ability to control. Same with everyone (?)
It won't, but if the Repubs are voted out, his squalor or theirs in general will not matter because he will not have the power or publicity to enable its spread.
Those Repubs who are in a position to "replace" Trump will be looking for a stupid person with public image giving him charisma to USE for their ends and have plausible deniability when push comes to shove. The duped persons will undoubtedly still be around to slavishly follow, that's true. Getting rid of Citizens United, which enabled the largest corporations to buy politicians would certainly help, but that can only be done with a heavy Dem Congressional majority.
Your comment is confusing to me. If the Repubs (plural) are voted out, then Trump still has millions of worshipers left. As a cult leader, all Trump needs is a few worshipers to feed his ego enough to keep him going strong.
Trump will have power well into the future, if for no other reason than he is a cult (almost religious) leader. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's the way I see it.
Democrats have also made some mistakes. It was under Democrats that so many well paying blue collar jobs were lost in our country. Also under Democrats that Wall Street was bailed out with our tax dollars and not held accountable.
When? About the jobs? And check the record about the Wall St Bailout which in the fall of 2008 at the end of the GWBush admin, which I believe helped Obama win
No, that bail out was begun under the George W Bush administration, it was completed at the onset of the Obama administration. get your facts straight.
Fay, you might recall that Obama rode into Washington on a high horse with a mighty, wind at his back, promptly hired Larry Sommers as his chief financial advisor and Tim Gheithner (former NY Fed Chairman) as Sec Treasurer (two of the most culpable suspects for facilitang the meltdown). What happened? Nothing. Nobody was ever held accountable for the pain inflicted on the middle class by the friends of these two crooks. Business as usual, Fay.
With that much I agree. president lacked an understanding of economics and took wrong advice on keeping the wrong people from the former administration. He'd have been better off if he'd hired Robert Reich.
Yes! The Democratic Party is nearly as corrupt as the Republican "alternative", and about twice as hypocritical, which is why we must abandon this stupid two party paradigm (both parties being owned lock, stock, and barrel by the oligarchy) in addition to dumping the Electoral College.
tRump is similar to a virus or a bacteria. Invasive bacteria need to be treated. They don't belong in our systems and once they have been detcted and recognised for what they are and the dangers the represent to our health we take measures to eliminate them. The damage they do can be reversed. Then we forget them until the next one comes along. Voting and encouraging other to register and vote is our antibacterial medication.
It's the culture too, and short of having someone popular come along and single-handedly change it I don't know how that happens. Reagan changed the culture in a bad way. Maybe another JFK (not RFK) could do it, but I don't see that person now. I was hoping for Michelle Obama or Oprah, but that's not going to happen.
It would certainly help if there was a charismatic person with a positive, humanistic attitude. It very difficult to build a positive myth these days because everyone is so exposed and is flawed. It’s so much easier to be the biggest a-hole, like Trump. Aside from George Clooney I can’t think of anyone 😉. Taylor Swift is too young, but Biden could make her Undersecretary of State for international relations and women's rights.
I don't think she's that young. AOC was elected to Congress when she was about 31, I think. Maxwell Frost is in his twenties. I think there are candidates. Of course there's Bernie, even though he's "old." Beyonce? I'm sure there are more.
Paula, I like Pete Buttigieg. He is energetic and very knowledgeable. If he were to run, he would have my vote. He remains unflappable when MAGAs attack him and always has a thoughtful compelling answer to media questions.
Virus or cancer, The metafor still helps to creat a picture which helps us to internalise tRumps effect on the country. When I see him on TV or listen to him speaking about anything I visualise him as being something repulsive causing one part society to to be damaged, injured, diminished. At the same time another part of society cheers him on without any understanding of the damage he is causing to America. Much of the rest of the world looks on in horror. America has, on balance, been a positive and stablising force in the world since the end of WWII. People around the world have been comforted and dependent on America as an important factor in their growing quality of life. The tRump virus has destabilised this world order and put into. question America's ability to fullfill this role in the future. Virus or cancer America needs a doctor.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of pressure from around the world that is helping Trump. All the authoritarian countries, including Russia, China, Hungry, Saudi Arabia, and even North Korea want Trump to regain power and destroy what is left of American leadership. They will be working their nefarious ways to influence the election.
Things seem so crazy. I read today in the NYT that one woman Trump supporter in GA told the reporter that she will vote for Trump again because he is such a great businessman. I guess $489 million in fines for fraud is pretty impressive. I guess there is no way for anyone in GA to know that happened.
Yes. A lot of this began when Roberts invited the Citizens United to bring their case to the Supreme Court. He has been instrumental in making sure that heavy money, especially dark money can be spent on campaigns. To him, money is free speech and corporations are people. His wife also runs a placement service for law students, many law firms pay a high price for her services -- but there is never a conflict of interest.
Rob, watching the minions from congress outside DT’s trial reminded me of zombie fungi.
“ The Ophiocordyceps unilateralis fungus has just one goal: self-propagation and dispersal. Researchers think the fungus, found in tropical forests, infects a foraging ant through spores that attach and penetrate the exoskeleton and slowly takes over its behavior.
As the infection advances, the enthralled ant is compelled to leave its nest for a more humid microclimate that’s favorable to the fungus’s growth. The ant is compelled to descend to a vantage point about 10 inches off the ground, sink its jaws into a leaf vein on the north side of a plant, and wait for death.” https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/cordyceps-zombie-fungus-takes-over-ants
For Republicans the bottom line of politics is the bottom line, both money and power. For the Democrats the bottom line is society and its wellbeing. It's the same in this country, the UK. We're in the process of waking up to that fact again. In our up-coming election I have no doubt we'll vote for the well-being of our society and get rid of this ruinous, self-serving Tory government.
It's not that they don't have a pot, they either want yours or don't want you or anyone that looks like you to have one, even if it has more holes in it than theirs.
Another thing I don't understand, you don't have a pot to piss in, so vote for the deplorable thug who will take more away from you. Why??? My family member is gay, was an ex football defensive player in HS and college with back problems and no pot to piss in. Moved into my 1 br apt with me and is a huge trump fan? Thank God he doesn't vote. Lol But why I ask? He is against EVERYTHING you live for. He screams trump is for the people. End of conversation. I wear my "I voted" sticker proudly!
2 of them. They weren't house trained until I FORCED him to take them out every 1 1/2hr for 2 weeks. They were 9 and 7. Not in my house. Lol How did you know? Lol They are house trained now.
Up close and personal most rely on government benefits., which should be the Achilles' heel. We only need to flip a small percentage to sweep the elections. Visceral attacks work.
I'm toying with the idea some of what's going on pyschodynamically is that Trump functions as the Priest absoving people of their sins and hence alleviating any guilt they have. I would expect Trumpers to have a heavy dose of shame and guilt culture.
As many Trumpers say when providing rationale as to why they overlook his misdeeds-"who hasn't done things they regret?" In forgiving Trump they forgive themselves for whatever they might feel bad about. It's a theory. If Trump starts selling indulgences that would be evidence. Maybe donations to him function that way. IDK.
The antigovernment thing has been sold by corporate America and others to the public for a very very long time since the government is ultimately a hinderance to their profit maximazation.Much of the public has bought it the same way they buy drugs.
It's a possibility, Susan. A lot of people seem to think things are going in the wrong direction and he'll shake everything up. Unfortunately they don't understand that the consequences will be worse. I know how things can be fixed and so does everyone here but without the political will it won't happen. Education is the key but unfortunately that is going to keep getting worse before it gets better.
If Trump doesn’t understand it’s simply wrong to cheat on his wife with Daniels or mcDougal - he doesn’t understand anything from a moral standpoint - he will
Hilary, here we are also fighting for the well-being of our society. We are also trying to tackle share-holder capitalism vs stake-holder capitalism and that is no easy feat! Here's to your country voting for society and its well-being! Good luck with your elections!
I would like to think so but Labour are playing their cards close to their chests on most issues. I think we will move closer on trade in the next 5-10 years. We need to as our economy is 6% smaller that it would have been in there had been no brexit.
Thank you. My husband is English and we're thinking of moving back to the UK. I've heard that the economy is a mess. I do hope Labour can turn things around.
It would be nice if modeling kindness, respect, and inclusion of all worked...but MAGAs see those traits as "weak". So the only answer is to vote against all MAGAthuglicans
I can’t get over how incredibly stupid members of Congress and the conservative Justices have to be to align themselves with a man TOTALLY devoid of integrity, intellect & compassion, who routinely violates the law and has very likely defrauded thousands of people.
Not only that, he’s mentally deteriorating into full-blown dementia. How the heck do they expect him to handle our economy? I can practically guarantee our economy will go into a free-fall at some point if Trump wins, partially bc he and his cronies will loot the treasury as fast as they can, and partially bc he simply doesn’t care about anyone but himself. He has no sense of responsibility to the people of
America. He obsesses 24/7 about his personal
finances.
Trump can’t take in or process new information, and he isn’t likely to try to understand it, yet he will have
the ability to wipe out humanity with nuclear weapons. (remember when he wanted to nuke illegal drug labs in Mexico and “hide” the fact that they came from us—which is stunningly ignorant and child-like) The people who tried to brief him every day when he was president said he had the attention span of a gnat. And he literally doesn’t read anything.
What all of the above means is that republicans are
either suicidal or they’re plan is to establish a “shadow” government accountable to no one.
Susan ; They are half way there, to a 'shadow government' with tRUMP running Congress from the 'back seat' and owning the MAGA majority on the Supreme Court ; also the "judge" in charge of the Stolen Secret Documents case in Florida. It is incredible what latitude he has been given and how pitifully inept or even corrupt, our Justice system is!
Laurie, he's also violating the Logan Act by meeting with foreign leaders. I wrote to my congresswoman about that and I got back some nonsense about she'll keep that in mind if any legislation comes up.
Professor Reich: i responded to your poll by clicking "don't elect him or any rethuglican" (as did 78% of your followers) but i think that "modelling decency and compassion" is a non-exclusive choice as well.
your comments about the transactional "relationships" of the rethuglicans is a topic of an entire chapter in the fascinating book i'm reading, How to Win An Information War by Peter Pomerantsev. according to the author, this is part of how the nazis/authoritarians destroy society so the elites and dictatorial types can move in and enslave our emotions and loyalties.
When democrats are in charge every single person does better for 2 reasons.
1. When Republicans are in charge it’s all about me!
2. When Democrats are in charge it’s all about we!
Yes Democrats raise taxes on the rich so that everyone can do better. The poor do better and the middle class does better. And the Rich are still rich!
When the Republicans are in charge the rich get richer and everyone else suffers. And the economy takes it in the shorts!
When will the Republicans learn that when we all do better, we all do better?
Keith, I never understood why Democrats didn’t adopt Paul Wellstone’s touchstone slogan “We all do better when we all do better” as their own. Thank you for restating it. As for Republicans, generally speaking, they seemingly accept vastly disproportionate allocations of wealth, power, and influence as part of life. In their view, there are those who own and control and those who do not.
That’s who funds them. They keep the Republican Party alive in their quest for more money and more power. They come from the fossil fuel industry, the Heritage Foundation, and the Federalist Society. All the Murdoch publications support them. They use the media to get the support of the racists and the angry, and the evangelicals.
Throw in the banks and stock brokers too!
Paul Wellstone was one of my heroes. I have his t shirt with that saying.
Republicans aren't going to learn until they're defeated and their noses are rubbed in the fact that nobody likes them anymore, only people who look exactly like them.
Trump is an enigma and a bad one at that. If Dr. Pimple popper ever got her hands on Trump the puss would be a flying. With out a doubt Donald Trump is perhaps the most singularly despicable man I've ever had the misfortune of listening to. The only other individual that reviled Trump's pathetic behavior was a woman named Patty, she ran a restaurant in Grayling Michigan. The word bitch was invented to describe both her and Mr. Trump.
If Dr. Pimple Popper drain all the pus from Trump, there would be nothing left but the outer skin.
Tim--All cysts are formed in a sack like structure which would resemble Trump, once drained.
Tho I think of him as the toxic pus seeping into his magas.
We have a President who has taken the reins during some very troubling times. President Biden is being blamed for conditions both economically and socially that he has absolutely no control over. How would you like to be blamed for the acne problems suffered by the young "Boy" next door. I know it's stupid to draw the comparison but blaming our President for everything that's wrong with our country is just as silly. We hold baseball's greats to an elevated position of honor, and they make an out 70% of the time they step up to the plate. I really feel Joe's batting average would be higher than that.
I agree with your sentiment, but, in my opinion, if Biden loses to Trump it will be because of the chain of decisions he, himself, made to position the US as a staunch ally and supporter of Israel as it commits the ongoing massacre in Gaza. I could never vote for Trump, but I think the Democratic Party, which includes many astute, honest and capable people, should find an alternative to Biden for the November ballot. I doubt I could vote for Biden given the Gaza horror he has contributed so much to.
sherm--President Biden supports the people of Israel not Netanyahu's murderous rampage through a city filled with innocent people. Hamas is the killer hiding in the weeds that needs to be irritated in order for any form of peace to be had in the Middle East.
So, what will you do, Einstein, sit home? You sound like a Nikki Haley voter. If you don't vote for Biden, you're voting for 45. You'll be hurting all women, all minorities, our environment, & our relationships with the rest of the world. What is happening in the middle east is horrific, but by not voting for Biden you will be contributing to the unfolding of the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025, a 900+ page document which will radically change our lives and our country. https://tinyurl.com/wzvsmr85 This article out of the guardian was written almost a year ago @ the impact Project 2025 will have on our Environment.
Sit home, don't vote for Biden as a protest vote to find a younger model who YOU agree with on ALL the issues...and if 45 wins, it will be bc of selfish white ppl like you who are making a decision based on your right to punish all of us here for some crazy man in Israel who even the ppl living there disagree with. Israel is the only democracy in the area and has the right to defend itself. It does not have the right to take 30K+ lives. The real problem however, is ALL Arab countries in the area have sat back for years and have done NOTHING to support the Palestinian ppl. Plus, most are not allowing innocent ppl to flee from Gaza as refugees. The Palestinians elected this terror group into office in 2007 and haven't been able to hold an election since then.
The wealthy Hamas organizers don't live there and are using the Palestinian ppl as human shields to make their point. Do you think they care about the poor innocents living there. I think not.
So please revisit your "doubt I could vote for Biden given the Gaza horror he has contributed so much to."
You can't blame one person for the horror going on over there. And one of the major contributors to Project 2025 is Steven Miller. Remember, the guy who came up with separating latino/a children from their parents and putting them in cages? If 45 gets in, that insanity will happen again.
Israel is the size of the state of New Jersey. Russia, Iran and other countries in the area support those who'd rather wipe it off the map. The Jews have been persecuted for 2000 years +. This is not a Jewish or Palestinian problem. The problem is so much more than what's going on there now. In fact, Oct. 7th happened on the heels of negotiations Egypt was having with other Arab countries,Israel, in the area in an attempt to make things better. Someone(Cough, cough, Iran) didn't want a peaceful solution, so they funded Hamas.
Some ppl here think that "might makes right." Supporters of 45 want the "STRONG MAN" to fix and protect us. In actuality, we found out who the Wizard of OZ was behind the curtain..... The only difference? that Wizard living in OZ was a peace-filled, gentle, old ,man of wisdom who did manage to figure it out with the collective help from others.
Biden has a strong team behind him. No one is perfect. WE will all disagree on issues from time to time. Not voting or voting for some independent candidate (this time around) will abandon the most important responsibility we have. The Jill Stein vote led to what happened in 2016, and the repercussions of that election has been catastrophic.
We are still in PTSD mode and he never left. He again has promised another 2T tax cut to the top 1% because the one he gave in 2017 is expiring in 2025. NOTHING CHANGES IF NOTHING CHANGES.
Please don't sit home or vote for a person who can't win.
I thought her name was “Marjorie” (the “B”)
😁
Think of where we would be today, as a country, if Trump was an honest man.
I kind of liked Patty but Trump is really despicable.
Magas like people who behave like them. Are you a racist? Are you a misogynist? Do you want rights and freedoms for yourself but not for other people? Do you want tax breaks only for yourselves? Do you want outrageously high compensation only for yourselves? Do you want the right to be rude, hateful, or cruel to others but demand others respect and cater to you? Yes? Then welcome to the resentful, angry, hateful maga world.
More like ppl who "THINK" as they do.
'Look' is all encompassing.
I'm not sure I would have put the "anymore" in there, Terry. 😀
The 'anymore' is for family.
Ah. Got it.
They will never learn. Except maybe when they are dead. Not Eve sure about that.
As Woody Allen once said, death is like a colonoscopy....peaceful once one's' out. Prepping for the colonoscopy is much worse. That they may learn from.
Hope and pray this happens
I think the news media are not helpful in this regard. I noticed that whenever they are analyzing a proposed or enacted policy, they talk about "winners and losers," thereby suggesting that the president and Congress are favoring one group over another. And of course, no one wants to be called a loser. The media can just report how the policy affects different groups without calling them winners and losers.
Unfortunately this is the American approach, Carolyn. The culture of this country is to divide people into winners and losers. It's sick and needs to be healed.
Trump sells.
indulgences, like the Church.
You know the hand gesture for 'loser' = forefinger pointed up with thumb at a right angle
and placed on your forehead ? Do this with both hands and you have a mirror image of
the 'loser' symbol. Now rotate both hands until the thumb tips touch and you have a "W"
= 'winner' ! (not whiner ). I often do this to remind myself that I am NOT a loser. It's life's
vaugeries that makes (my) life difficult ~. Yes, some of my 'problems' are my own fault, but way too many of - my - issues were caused by events outside my own ability to control. Same with everyone (?)
Greer
I like the positive imagery.
Standing in front of a mirror with the “W” on your forehead is a positive imprint. Thanks for the comment. Cool to the third degree!
not helpful? not helpful?! OMG.
@ Keith. So do something about it. Register Democrats to save the world.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/
How does any of that help overcome the moral squalor of Trump?
Vote him into oblivion.
What would his maga crowd do without him?
Hopefully come to their senses.
It won't, but if the Repubs are voted out, his squalor or theirs in general will not matter because he will not have the power or publicity to enable its spread.
Though there are legions of republicans cut from the same cloth vying to replace him.
sad but true.
Those Repubs who are in a position to "replace" Trump will be looking for a stupid person with public image giving him charisma to USE for their ends and have plausible deniability when push comes to shove. The duped persons will undoubtedly still be around to slavishly follow, that's true. Getting rid of Citizens United, which enabled the largest corporations to buy politicians would certainly help, but that can only be done with a heavy Dem Congressional majority.
Your comment is confusing to me. If the Repubs (plural) are voted out, then Trump still has millions of worshipers left. As a cult leader, all Trump needs is a few worshipers to feed his ego enough to keep him going strong.
Trump will have power well into the future, if for no other reason than he is a cult (almost religious) leader. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's the way I see it.
Yes, but having no enablers in Congress will marginalize the "cult."
True. "Marginalize" is an accurate description. I like it.
They will never learn, Keith, because they have weak egos that require oppressing others in order to feel valuable.
Democrats have also made some mistakes. It was under Democrats that so many well paying blue collar jobs were lost in our country. Also under Democrats that Wall Street was bailed out with our tax dollars and not held accountable.
When? About the jobs? And check the record about the Wall St Bailout which in the fall of 2008 at the end of the GWBush admin, which I believe helped Obama win
When Clinton signed NAFTA agreement
Agreed on this one
No, that bail out was begun under the George W Bush administration, it was completed at the onset of the Obama administration. get your facts straight.
Fay, you might recall that Obama rode into Washington on a high horse with a mighty, wind at his back, promptly hired Larry Sommers as his chief financial advisor and Tim Gheithner (former NY Fed Chairman) as Sec Treasurer (two of the most culpable suspects for facilitang the meltdown). What happened? Nothing. Nobody was ever held accountable for the pain inflicted on the middle class by the friends of these two crooks. Business as usual, Fay.
With that much I agree. president lacked an understanding of economics and took wrong advice on keeping the wrong people from the former administration. He'd have been better off if he'd hired Robert Reich.
Yes! The Democratic Party is nearly as corrupt as the Republican "alternative", and about twice as hypocritical, which is why we must abandon this stupid two party paradigm (both parties being owned lock, stock, and barrel by the oligarchy) in addition to dumping the Electoral College.
so much for neoliberalism
It’s all beyond many Republicans’ understanding … Sadly.
Keith, excellent comment and one I would love copy and use…crediting you, of course.
Please share
Exactly my sentiments.
Absolutely. Slap in the head br Gibbs!
tRump is similar to a virus or a bacteria. Invasive bacteria need to be treated. They don't belong in our systems and once they have been detcted and recognised for what they are and the dangers the represent to our health we take measures to eliminate them. The damage they do can be reversed. Then we forget them until the next one comes along. Voting and encouraging other to register and vote is our antibacterial medication.
MAGA is more like a cancer. It will take much more pain and effort to get rid of it. It has already metastasized to the Supreme Court.
It's the culture too, and short of having someone popular come along and single-handedly change it I don't know how that happens. Reagan changed the culture in a bad way. Maybe another JFK (not RFK) could do it, but I don't see that person now. I was hoping for Michelle Obama or Oprah, but that's not going to happen.
It would certainly help if there was a charismatic person with a positive, humanistic attitude. It very difficult to build a positive myth these days because everyone is so exposed and is flawed. It’s so much easier to be the biggest a-hole, like Trump. Aside from George Clooney I can’t think of anyone 😉. Taylor Swift is too young, but Biden could make her Undersecretary of State for international relations and women's rights.
I don't think she's that young. AOC was elected to Congress when she was about 31, I think. Maxwell Frost is in his twenties. I think there are candidates. Of course there's Bernie, even though he's "old." Beyonce? I'm sure there are more.
the person comes when the culture is ready for them
I think we're ready! 😀
Paula, I like Pete Buttigieg. He is energetic and very knowledgeable. If he were to run, he would have my vote. He remains unflappable when MAGAs attack him and always has a thoughtful compelling answer to media questions.
Virus or cancer, The metafor still helps to creat a picture which helps us to internalise tRumps effect on the country. When I see him on TV or listen to him speaking about anything I visualise him as being something repulsive causing one part society to to be damaged, injured, diminished. At the same time another part of society cheers him on without any understanding of the damage he is causing to America. Much of the rest of the world looks on in horror. America has, on balance, been a positive and stablising force in the world since the end of WWII. People around the world have been comforted and dependent on America as an important factor in their growing quality of life. The tRump virus has destabilised this world order and put into. question America's ability to fullfill this role in the future. Virus or cancer America needs a doctor.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of pressure from around the world that is helping Trump. All the authoritarian countries, including Russia, China, Hungry, Saudi Arabia, and even North Korea want Trump to regain power and destroy what is left of American leadership. They will be working their nefarious ways to influence the election.
Things seem so crazy. I read today in the NYT that one woman Trump supporter in GA told the reporter that she will vote for Trump again because he is such a great businessman. I guess $489 million in fines for fraud is pretty impressive. I guess there is no way for anyone in GA to know that happened.
Is Roberts part of right gang or simply ignored by them?
Yes. A lot of this began when Roberts invited the Citizens United to bring their case to the Supreme Court. He has been instrumental in making sure that heavy money, especially dark money can be spent on campaigns. To him, money is free speech and corporations are people. His wife also runs a placement service for law students, many law firms pay a high price for her services -- but there is never a conflict of interest.
He's part of it. If he weren't he'd be more concerned with the Court's image. Also, look at how he votes. He's a real disappointment.
Wasn’t it he who gutted the voting rights act?
Rob, watching the minions from congress outside DT’s trial reminded me of zombie fungi.
“ The Ophiocordyceps unilateralis fungus has just one goal: self-propagation and dispersal. Researchers think the fungus, found in tropical forests, infects a foraging ant through spores that attach and penetrate the exoskeleton and slowly takes over its behavior.
As the infection advances, the enthralled ant is compelled to leave its nest for a more humid microclimate that’s favorable to the fungus’s growth. The ant is compelled to descend to a vantage point about 10 inches off the ground, sink its jaws into a leaf vein on the north side of a plant, and wait for death.” https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/cordyceps-zombie-fungus-takes-over-ants
The last of us
For Republicans the bottom line of politics is the bottom line, both money and power. For the Democrats the bottom line is society and its wellbeing. It's the same in this country, the UK. We're in the process of waking up to that fact again. In our up-coming election I have no doubt we'll vote for the well-being of our society and get rid of this ruinous, self-serving Tory government.
@ Hilary. 90% of MAGATS do not have a pot to piss in. The vote against their own well being.
It's visceral.
It's not that they don't have a pot, they either want yours or don't want you or anyone that looks like you to have one, even if it has more holes in it than theirs.
Another thing I don't understand, you don't have a pot to piss in, so vote for the deplorable thug who will take more away from you. Why??? My family member is gay, was an ex football defensive player in HS and college with back problems and no pot to piss in. Moved into my 1 br apt with me and is a huge trump fan? Thank God he doesn't vote. Lol But why I ask? He is against EVERYTHING you live for. He screams trump is for the people. End of conversation. I wear my "I voted" sticker proudly!
That is just wierd … doesn’t he see that Trumps major donors are the Christian extreme right that HATE his homosexuality?
Does he have a dog?
Maybe Kristi Noem has a shot at being trump's VP.
We know what she does to unloyal "dogs".
2 of them. They weren't house trained until I FORCED him to take them out every 1 1/2hr for 2 weeks. They were 9 and 7. Not in my house. Lol How did you know? Lol They are house trained now.
He hears Trumps’ words but doesn’t see his actions. If you aren’t paying attention, Trump talks like one of the people.
Read Caste. You’ll find out that they vote for their own perceived self interests which are so different than what we think they should be.
Up close and personal most rely on government benefits., which should be the Achilles' heel. We only need to flip a small percentage to sweep the elections. Visceral attacks work.
Here's proof. https://rvat.org/
What is there attraction to Trump ? Anti government? As they see the government caused their misfortune?
I'm toying with the idea some of what's going on pyschodynamically is that Trump functions as the Priest absoving people of their sins and hence alleviating any guilt they have. I would expect Trumpers to have a heavy dose of shame and guilt culture.
As many Trumpers say when providing rationale as to why they overlook his misdeeds-"who hasn't done things they regret?" In forgiving Trump they forgive themselves for whatever they might feel bad about. It's a theory. If Trump starts selling indulgences that would be evidence. Maybe donations to him function that way. IDK.
The antigovernment thing has been sold by corporate America and others to the public for a very very long time since the government is ultimately a hinderance to their profit maximazation.Much of the public has bought it the same way they buy drugs.
It's a possibility, Susan. A lot of people seem to think things are going in the wrong direction and he'll shake everything up. Unfortunately they don't understand that the consequences will be worse. I know how things can be fixed and so does everyone here but without the political will it won't happen. Education is the key but unfortunately that is going to keep getting worse before it gets better.
If Trump doesn’t understand it’s simply wrong to cheat on his wife with Daniels or mcDougal - he doesn’t understand anything from a moral standpoint - he will
Accidentally push the nuclear codes
Or on purpose.
How about a collective racist subconscious? Hate.
But many of them are filthy rich.
Not many. You confuse the wolves in sheep's clothing with the sheep.
Hilary, here we are also fighting for the well-being of our society. We are also trying to tackle share-holder capitalism vs stake-holder capitalism and that is no easy feat! Here's to your country voting for society and its well-being! Good luck with your elections!
Hilary, do you think Brexit will be reversed?
I would like to think so but Labour are playing their cards close to their chests on most issues. I think we will move closer on trade in the next 5-10 years. We need to as our economy is 6% smaller that it would have been in there had been no brexit.
Thank you. My husband is English and we're thinking of moving back to the UK. I've heard that the economy is a mess. I do hope Labour can turn things around.
It would be nice if modeling kindness, respect, and inclusion of all worked...but MAGAs see those traits as "weak". So the only answer is to vote against all MAGAthuglicans
I can’t get over how incredibly stupid members of Congress and the conservative Justices have to be to align themselves with a man TOTALLY devoid of integrity, intellect & compassion, who routinely violates the law and has very likely defrauded thousands of people.
Not only that, he’s mentally deteriorating into full-blown dementia. How the heck do they expect him to handle our economy? I can practically guarantee our economy will go into a free-fall at some point if Trump wins, partially bc he and his cronies will loot the treasury as fast as they can, and partially bc he simply doesn’t care about anyone but himself. He has no sense of responsibility to the people of
America. He obsesses 24/7 about his personal
finances.
Trump can’t take in or process new information, and he isn’t likely to try to understand it, yet he will have
the ability to wipe out humanity with nuclear weapons. (remember when he wanted to nuke illegal drug labs in Mexico and “hide” the fact that they came from us—which is stunningly ignorant and child-like) The people who tried to brief him every day when he was president said he had the attention span of a gnat. And he literally doesn’t read anything.
What all of the above means is that republicans are
either suicidal or they’re plan is to establish a “shadow” government accountable to no one.
Susan ; They are half way there, to a 'shadow government' with tRUMP running Congress from the 'back seat' and owning the MAGA majority on the Supreme Court ; also the "judge" in charge of the Stolen Secret Documents case in Florida. It is incredible what latitude he has been given and how pitifully inept or even corrupt, our Justice system is!
True, all it takes is a few bad apples…
Laurie, he's also violating the Logan Act by meeting with foreign leaders. I wrote to my congresswoman about that and I got back some nonsense about she'll keep that in mind if any legislation comes up.
Paula ; Sounds right. "just slide your money under the door, and vote for me"!
Yes- why would Americans want an unstable person with the keys to the launch codes of nuclear weapons?
Thank God for Gen. Milley who helped us out while he was still in office.
Professor Reich: i responded to your poll by clicking "don't elect him or any rethuglican" (as did 78% of your followers) but i think that "modelling decency and compassion" is a non-exclusive choice as well.
your comments about the transactional "relationships" of the rethuglicans is a topic of an entire chapter in the fascinating book i'm reading, How to Win An Information War by Peter Pomerantsev. according to the author, this is part of how the nazis/authoritarians destroy society so the elites and dictatorial types can move in and enslave our emotions and loyalties.