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.
Like @Jean L I think we need both to model best practices of kindness, compassion and doing good for everyone, along with working our tails off to ensure Democracy prevails, and these utter fools are laughed out of office. Who wears an identical suit and tie and shows up in court looking like such cartoonish fools? Well, one of Ohio’s US Senators, along with a supposedly (self ordained) brilliant Ohio resident. Reminded me of how Xi Jinping dresses. Let that sink in.
Thank you Heather and Prof. Robert for your continued efforts to assure democracy prevails.
Paula, as one who was born, raised and educated through my undergraduate degree in Ohio, I feel your pain re: JD Vance 😔. But at least you have Sherrod Brown! Hope you sane Buckeyes re-elect him!!!
I chose Other as well. The effort involves staying educated and informed in all matters beyond the two options presented, which I also agree with. We cannot take for granted that our "leaders" (some do not deserve the title) will respect the Constitution or that they even believe in democracy. It takes an effort, but we owe it to ourselves (since we the people essentially are the country) to stay informed, and to inform others.
An aside, I wonder if all those House Republicans that traveled to Trump’s trial are using government money to fund their trip? And if so, isn’t that illegal to use taxpayer’s money for personal political purposes?
And they had to DELAY government work until MTG returned at 8pm from the trial. Isn’t that illegal for Johnson to hold up government work (and at almost $200,000 annual salary) for personal political reasons?
Lastly, isn’t it impropriety for re a House Speaker to show up at a trial on work time? Shouldn’t he let the court system play out instead of commenting on a criminal court case?
And who do the prosecutors get to put in front of the camera to rebuttal the Johnson’s, the MTG’s, the JD Vance’s? It’s once sided and will escalate further anger, hatred and division.
That's the problem, isn't it? There's no authority to go to about stuff like this. The only thing I can suggest is Democrats in the legislature. Garland won't do anything.
The current fascist (Republican) party of DJT must be crushed in its current state before it can be rebuilt as a reasonable conservative political party. The fact of the matter is: what will the status of voting be in our future? The fascist will not be crushed without a fight. They will cheat through suppression of votes. They know they only represent a minority of the people of this country (old white men and the Elon Musk's of the country).
Sadly, the current fascist/Republican Party are following exactly what LBJ once said, "if you can convince the poorest white man that he is better than the negro, you can pick his pockets all day long."
"As Nancy Norbeck said on a May 16 post "And he coerced her into sex! Why is nobody talking about that part? I’m sure she decided to call it consensual to avoid having to deal with charges, but he stood between her and the door, there was a bodyguard on the other side of that door, and most telling of all, when it was over, she was shaking so hard she could barely get her shoes on. That is NOT consensual in any way, but we keep pretending that it was. IMO, she deserves to be on this list the least for that reason—and because she’s been trying to tell the truth about him for so long now." I don't blame Stormy Daniels for wanting to bring tfg to justice at all! The idea that demanding such justice is "Moral squalor" seems ridiculous! especially when we see him getting away with so much! Kudos to Stormy for having the guts to go after him! How is being a doormat morally superior!!? He didn't even use a condom! The guy who brays like a donkey that he ended Roe! Stop blaming and shaming the victim!
Laurie, you know the answer to this: porn stars are always up for it and can't be raped. Of course I'm being sarcastic but you and I both know that's what a lot of people think.
Even a sex worker does not want to be robbed, I imagine. But tfg offered The adult film star a spot on the Apprentice, and as a porn star director and actress (?), she was going to a job interview, that looked like a real opportunity. Weinstein was not the only "casting couch rapist". Sadly, he is most likely the only high profile low life to get a jail sentence. Tfg hates women!
Also Bill Cosby but you're right: not enough of them are punished. As for Stormy, she deserves to be treated with respect and decency just like everybody else.
Trump reflects the moral squalor that exists among many American people. The question should be, how to get rid of immoral or amoral people among the population who vote for such bums as Trump.
Exactly. See NYT's daily presentation of "swing voters who now support trump"- pregnant women dying due to complications of non viable pregnancies and Republican governors pardoning racist murderers of protestors be damned. Nothing matters to these voters other than higher prices, for which Biden is not responsible.
Yes! What I noticed in the NYT (May 17) was that 71% of Biden defectors do so because they "Think the economy is poor". The strange thing to me is that the economy is in great shape, Biden or no Biden. The whole thing is baffling to me.
That’s exactly what I respond on the NYT forum to the right wingers! Low unemployment, higher GDP than Western Europe, stock markets at a record high and inflation down from 9% to 3%- where’s the “wrecked economy?” Illegal immigrants aren’t taking away any of the jobs openings for qualified seekers. It’s a canard to discredit Biden. And on another note, if you’re a right wing commentator on the NYT, you will have an infinite number of your responses published, but when a liberal person like me tries to fight back against comments such as “Americans miss the pre Covid Trump years,” my comment is unpublished because it may be the second one on the article. Yes, it is the media that amplifies the moral sewer Trump has created in the U.S.
You mentioned that illegal immigrants aren't taking away any of the job openings for qualified seekers. That is important to point out.
Not only are they not taking away jobs, they are necessary for a healthy economy. Trump's idea of building a frigg'in W A L L to keep them O U T is one of the most profoundly stupid ideas I've ever heard. That had to come from the mind of a psychopath.
And, to make things even worse, Mexico was supposed to pay for the damn thing. Plus tear up citizen's property in the process. Just ghastly.
Too bad they could not see how the economy is in Russia! because we could be heading that way if Putin loving tightwad tRUMP "wins" the election. Any wealth will go to Him!
I laughed at your first sentence up to the exclamation point, then thereafter my laughter turned into gloom. Interesting that you put "wins" in quotes because with Trump, "wins" means "steals" the election.
I enjoyed your use of the word "lovely". Made me laugh out loud. It's interesting how the use of one little 6-letter word, carefully placed, can brighten up my day. Thank you.
For many of the people I know, the "economy" boils down to their wallet. It seems emptier than when Trump was in office. Most don't even know what GDP means, or own stock in the stock market. Telling them the "the economy is great" seems like BS to them and is not a good campaign idea.
Then it’s time to educate your acquaintances that Joe Biden did not cause inflation, but it was brought down from 9-3% without a recession and the Fed controls interest rates with an iron fist
I think he might better succeed with these people by explaining what he is doing to put more dollars into their wallet and how the Republicans are blocking his efforts. So many don't know anything about the causes of inflation, or that a Fed exists, much less that it controls interest rates. Biden should keep things simple.
Susan Beal ; I just got dinged $5 because my bank charged me some fee I never saw. The overdraft was $1.49 or something. Small but annoying. they round up to $7.
I think that both are equally necessary. Republicans have wandered so far into the Trumpist swamp that none of them can be trusted in office at any level. Of course, that has been increasingly true since Reagan was president. Even before Trump, Republican ideology made for terrible public policy. At the same time there are some very untrustworthy Democrats out there (such as a certain senator from New Jersey) who ought not be trusted with public office either. We need to look more carefully at character when we vote, especially in primaries. At the moment I'm visiting Southern California, where I spent the first half of my life. We're staying on the West side of LA and I am blown away by the significant increase in the rudeness level while driving. It's as if everyone has decided to become an a**hole, a version of Trump, if you will, even in a part of town where almost no one would vote Republican. Somehow we must find our way out of the emotional chaos that came to define the pandemic. In our current state I worry that when Mango Mussolini departs the scene we'll find some other amoral a**hole to worship and elect.
Robert, I grew up in West LA and still live in SoCal. I'm not sure you can attribute the rudeness to Trump. People are still upset about covid, they're stressed because there are too many people, they're worried about money, they don't have any time, etc. Los Angeles has always had terrible traffic. I don't know how people can stand it. Honestly, I don't think they're taking Trump as some sort of paragon. In fact they may be stressed *because* of his antics, like so many of us here. He's toxic but I really don't think you can blame bad driving on him.
The moral squalor of Trump is increasingly amplified through support by "swing voters" in swing states who are suddenly nostalgic for Trump because of inflation, hedge fund-, banking- and tech billionaires who don't like Biden's new red line against Israel's extremist government and higher taxes on their class, or odious "anti-woke" crusaders, such as Nellie Bowles, who cash in on their newfound love for the right by selling out every principle of decency they once held. Granted, I am falling victim to the onslaught of daily, negative, predictive Biden v. Trump reporting in the New York Times, but who's left in the Biden coalition? For the first time this year, I believe the country is so steeped in ignorance (swing state voters), lies and greed (hedge fund billionaires:"Biden's economic policies are a failure," "illegal immigrants!") that I believe Trump will win the election. No transgression by the MAGA party seems to have changed people's minds or turned them off a Congress that undermines the independence of the judiciary and features lagoon creatures such as MTG. You can always run away, like I did. If trump wins, I'll just detach myself from anything that ties me to my American identity, cancel all the subscriptions and hope that Europe won't sink into the same right-wing morass. Also never watch the news.:)
"Just eight voters said they were committed to voting for Mr. Biden, while many others were debating staying home, or, in a few cases, supporting former President Donald J. Trump. They cited concerns about immigration, the cost of living and their sense that Mr. Biden was more focused on crises abroad than on fixing problems in their neighborhoods. And despite Mr. Biden’s robust policy accomplishments, some were unfamiliar with his record.
“I don’t care about what goes on overseas,” said Latasha Humphrey, 36, an infrequent voter who is considering supporting Mr. Trump, if she votes at all. “I care about where I live.”"
Bettina, I share your fear. Example of Harrison Butker,: “ Butker, who has won three Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs in recent years, delivered the address at Benedictine College, a private Catholic institution in Kansas, on May 11. In it, he criticizes everything from women prioritizing professional careers to Pride Month to abortion access.” https://www.vox.com/politics/2024/5/16/24158564/harrison-butker-benedictine-college-speech
These white male so called Christian supremacists are everywhere conning people into believing that they have the moral right. While there has been backlash to his speech, at the time the crowd cheered and clapped just like they do at DT’s functions. There is a faction of humans globally that truly believe in a god ordained white male supremacy even if it is promoted under various religious umbrellas. Has all the years of environmental toxins so horribly affected brains that they are so easily conned?
On this rainy day in Portugal, I’m happy to be part of this thread. To me, the worst part of th e Butker speech was the fact that the women, the female graduates did not yell, did not protest, did not walk out. No, instead, he received standing ovations from the young men and women. It’s really sickening.
Bettina, it was very disheartening. These women, even if they wanted to protest, would have faced retaliation given the location. I am only sorry that there weren’t at least some who had the courage to ir truth, Portugal? Do you love there? Argh! sorry, I am not a fan of autocorrect. I asked if you live there?
Hi Linda, since leaving the U.S. in 2014 to be “temporarily” closer to my parents - with my husband, I have lived in Germany, France ( near the Italian border) — and Portugal since 2023. The only country I am 90% sure will not fall into the trap of co governing with the extreme right is Germany- the activism against the AFD and the firm stance of the traditional conservative party against letting the AFD "in" are convincing. The country I fear most in that respect is France. Portugal is beautiful and more affordable but the comfort for expats here comes
at the cost of a population who is impoverished.
They are very kind people, but I am surrounded by Americans! We’re all part of Democrats Abroad.
It’s horrible. Italy, Holland, Austria more than anything! It’s disgusting and disheartening and it’s happening al over the West. The only good aspect is that in most countries, the far right can be capped at 20%. And GB and Poland are moving left , or at least away from authoritarianism.
Linda, I am taking the publicity over that stupid speech and the supposed support for those repulsive ideas as click bait. It's just the media looking for eyeballs. There have always been people like that. It doesn't mean they in the majority. They just make a lot of noise. The working women of this country--and that's most of us--will never go for that kind of nonsense.
I hope my recommendations help, Bettina. I must say that you're lucky to be out of the action here. Obviously the state of the country still matters but at least you don't have to be reminded of it every second.
Both. At the very least. We can change our thinking about a multiparty system, too. Right now we have become accustomed to it meaning that we have warring factions 180 degrees opposed to each other. But a two party or multi party system could be variations on a general principle too. I’m for ditching Republican ideology and candidates all together and developing parties that are aligned in progressive values and goals but differ a bit in how to achieve them. That would eliminate the judo flip we experience every time a different party takes over, and keep us generally on course to fulfill our goals: saving the planet, much less economic disparity, health care for all, and great education accessible at all levels for everyone in various ways. Obviously this idea can’t be realized without consensus on the party of our citizens. And that don’t happen any time soon.
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.
I chose Other b/c I think both options, done together, will help 😊
Like @Jean L I think we need both to model best practices of kindness, compassion and doing good for everyone, along with working our tails off to ensure Democracy prevails, and these utter fools are laughed out of office. Who wears an identical suit and tie and shows up in court looking like such cartoonish fools? Well, one of Ohio’s US Senators, along with a supposedly (self ordained) brilliant Ohio resident. Reminded me of how Xi Jinping dresses. Let that sink in.
Thank you Heather and Prof. Robert for your continued efforts to assure democracy prevails.
Paula, as one who was born, raised and educated through my undergraduate degree in Ohio, I feel your pain re: JD Vance 😔. But at least you have Sherrod Brown! Hope you sane Buckeyes re-elect him!!!
I chose Other as well. The effort involves staying educated and informed in all matters beyond the two options presented, which I also agree with. We cannot take for granted that our "leaders" (some do not deserve the title) will respect the Constitution or that they even believe in democracy. It takes an effort, but we owe it to ourselves (since we the people essentially are the country) to stay informed, and to inform others.
That would make a great visual: the Stepford representatives next to a picture of Chinese communists all dressed alike.
Me too
Corruption runs so deep in our violent, increasingly repressive nation that I fear the cancerous "supreme" court may take us all down.
An aside, I wonder if all those House Republicans that traveled to Trump’s trial are using government money to fund their trip? And if so, isn’t that illegal to use taxpayer’s money for personal political purposes?
And they had to DELAY government work until MTG returned at 8pm from the trial. Isn’t that illegal for Johnson to hold up government work (and at almost $200,000 annual salary) for personal political reasons?
Lastly, isn’t it impropriety for re a House Speaker to show up at a trial on work time? Shouldn’t he let the court system play out instead of commenting on a criminal court case?
And who do the prosecutors get to put in front of the camera to rebuttal the Johnson’s, the MTG’s, the JD Vance’s? It’s once sided and will escalate further anger, hatred and division.
To whom do we make our complaints?
That's the problem, isn't it? There's no authority to go to about stuff like this. The only thing I can suggest is Democrats in the legislature. Garland won't do anything.
😢
The current fascist (Republican) party of DJT must be crushed in its current state before it can be rebuilt as a reasonable conservative political party. The fact of the matter is: what will the status of voting be in our future? The fascist will not be crushed without a fight. They will cheat through suppression of votes. They know they only represent a minority of the people of this country (old white men and the Elon Musk's of the country).
Sadly, the current fascist/Republican Party are following exactly what LBJ once said, "if you can convince the poorest white man that he is better than the negro, you can pick his pockets all day long."
"As Nancy Norbeck said on a May 16 post "And he coerced her into sex! Why is nobody talking about that part? I’m sure she decided to call it consensual to avoid having to deal with charges, but he stood between her and the door, there was a bodyguard on the other side of that door, and most telling of all, when it was over, she was shaking so hard she could barely get her shoes on. That is NOT consensual in any way, but we keep pretending that it was. IMO, she deserves to be on this list the least for that reason—and because she’s been trying to tell the truth about him for so long now." I don't blame Stormy Daniels for wanting to bring tfg to justice at all! The idea that demanding such justice is "Moral squalor" seems ridiculous! especially when we see him getting away with so much! Kudos to Stormy for having the guts to go after him! How is being a doormat morally superior!!? He didn't even use a condom! The guy who brays like a donkey that he ended Roe! Stop blaming and shaming the victim!
Laurie, you know the answer to this: porn stars are always up for it and can't be raped. Of course I'm being sarcastic but you and I both know that's what a lot of people think.
Even a sex worker does not want to be robbed, I imagine. But tfg offered The adult film star a spot on the Apprentice, and as a porn star director and actress (?), she was going to a job interview, that looked like a real opportunity. Weinstein was not the only "casting couch rapist". Sadly, he is most likely the only high profile low life to get a jail sentence. Tfg hates women!
Also Bill Cosby but you're right: not enough of them are punished. As for Stormy, she deserves to be treated with respect and decency just like everybody else.
Why not!? I agree! I don't think tRUMP knows what respect and decency is.
No, he wouldn't know it if it bit him.
Yes, tRump wants to be a robber on all levels.
You're right. He thinks honesty and decency are for losers.
And humility is not in his vocabulary. Nor is empathy.
No. He didn't see it in his family and it's never penetrated his protection.
Don't elect Trump or any Republican Trumpist, sycophant, lackey or cowardly submissive agent. But respect all principled Republicans.
Seriously, are there any?
Sure. But they outnumbered currently. We need to keep reminding the others of the better angels of their nature.
Obviously Romney isn't one of them anymore, saying if he were president he'd pardon Trump.
Trump reflects the moral squalor that exists among many American people. The question should be, how to get rid of immoral or amoral people among the population who vote for such bums as Trump.
Exactly. See NYT's daily presentation of "swing voters who now support trump"- pregnant women dying due to complications of non viable pregnancies and Republican governors pardoning racist murderers of protestors be damned. Nothing matters to these voters other than higher prices, for which Biden is not responsible.
Yes! What I noticed in the NYT (May 17) was that 71% of Biden defectors do so because they "Think the economy is poor". The strange thing to me is that the economy is in great shape, Biden or no Biden. The whole thing is baffling to me.
That’s exactly what I respond on the NYT forum to the right wingers! Low unemployment, higher GDP than Western Europe, stock markets at a record high and inflation down from 9% to 3%- where’s the “wrecked economy?” Illegal immigrants aren’t taking away any of the jobs openings for qualified seekers. It’s a canard to discredit Biden. And on another note, if you’re a right wing commentator on the NYT, you will have an infinite number of your responses published, but when a liberal person like me tries to fight back against comments such as “Americans miss the pre Covid Trump years,” my comment is unpublished because it may be the second one on the article. Yes, it is the media that amplifies the moral sewer Trump has created in the U.S.
You mentioned that illegal immigrants aren't taking away any of the job openings for qualified seekers. That is important to point out.
Not only are they not taking away jobs, they are necessary for a healthy economy. Trump's idea of building a frigg'in W A L L to keep them O U T is one of the most profoundly stupid ideas I've ever heard. That had to come from the mind of a psychopath.
And, to make things even worse, Mexico was supposed to pay for the damn thing. Plus tear up citizen's property in the process. Just ghastly.
Too bad they could not see how the economy is in Russia! because we could be heading that way if Putin loving tightwad tRUMP "wins" the election. Any wealth will go to Him!
I laughed at your first sentence up to the exclamation point, then thereafter my laughter turned into gloom. Interesting that you put "wins" in quotes because with Trump, "wins" means "steals" the election.
My point! DR Robert Bloxom. The only way he wins is if he cheats.
He will
Cheat - he has all his toadie followers in Congress and senate to help this time
Dr Robert : That was my intent: because if he wins it Will be a steal! Just ask 'justice Alito'!
And unfortunately, Russia’s GDP is upwards of 5% this past quarter, due to the war machine and lovely trading partners such China and India
Bettina Kozlowski : I wonder how the average worker does with this "upwards of 5% this last quarter"?
I enjoyed your use of the word "lovely". Made me laugh out loud. It's interesting how the use of one little 6-letter word, carefully placed, can brighten up my day. Thank you.
For many of the people I know, the "economy" boils down to their wallet. It seems emptier than when Trump was in office. Most don't even know what GDP means, or own stock in the stock market. Telling them the "the economy is great" seems like BS to them and is not a good campaign idea.
Then it’s time to educate your acquaintances that Joe Biden did not cause inflation, but it was brought down from 9-3% without a recession and the Fed controls interest rates with an iron fist
I think he might better succeed with these people by explaining what he is doing to put more dollars into their wallet and how the Republicans are blocking his efforts. So many don't know anything about the causes of inflation, or that a Fed exists, much less that it controls interest rates. Biden should keep things simple.
You’re probably right! If labor unions can unionize auto workers in Tennessee and almost in AL, Joe should be able to talk to voters
And convince them
.
Yes- the avg person does not understand economics - most don’t even know how much is in their checking acct anymore
Susan Beal ; I just got dinged $5 because my bank charged me some fee I never saw. The overdraft was $1.49 or something. Small but annoying. they round up to $7.
you don't tell them the economy is great. You tell them this
https://democracyjournal.org/arguments/is-middle-out-bidens-new-deal/
I think that both are equally necessary. Republicans have wandered so far into the Trumpist swamp that none of them can be trusted in office at any level. Of course, that has been increasingly true since Reagan was president. Even before Trump, Republican ideology made for terrible public policy. At the same time there are some very untrustworthy Democrats out there (such as a certain senator from New Jersey) who ought not be trusted with public office either. We need to look more carefully at character when we vote, especially in primaries. At the moment I'm visiting Southern California, where I spent the first half of my life. We're staying on the West side of LA and I am blown away by the significant increase in the rudeness level while driving. It's as if everyone has decided to become an a**hole, a version of Trump, if you will, even in a part of town where almost no one would vote Republican. Somehow we must find our way out of the emotional chaos that came to define the pandemic. In our current state I worry that when Mango Mussolini departs the scene we'll find some other amoral a**hole to worship and elect.
Robert, I grew up in West LA and still live in SoCal. I'm not sure you can attribute the rudeness to Trump. People are still upset about covid, they're stressed because there are too many people, they're worried about money, they don't have any time, etc. Los Angeles has always had terrible traffic. I don't know how people can stand it. Honestly, I don't think they're taking Trump as some sort of paragon. In fact they may be stressed *because* of his antics, like so many of us here. He's toxic but I really don't think you can blame bad driving on him.
The moral squalor of Trump is increasingly amplified through support by "swing voters" in swing states who are suddenly nostalgic for Trump because of inflation, hedge fund-, banking- and tech billionaires who don't like Biden's new red line against Israel's extremist government and higher taxes on their class, or odious "anti-woke" crusaders, such as Nellie Bowles, who cash in on their newfound love for the right by selling out every principle of decency they once held. Granted, I am falling victim to the onslaught of daily, negative, predictive Biden v. Trump reporting in the New York Times, but who's left in the Biden coalition? For the first time this year, I believe the country is so steeped in ignorance (swing state voters), lies and greed (hedge fund billionaires:"Biden's economic policies are a failure," "illegal immigrants!") that I believe Trump will win the election. No transgression by the MAGA party seems to have changed people's minds or turned them off a Congress that undermines the independence of the judiciary and features lagoon creatures such as MTG. You can always run away, like I did. If trump wins, I'll just detach myself from anything that ties me to my American identity, cancel all the subscriptions and hope that Europe won't sink into the same right-wing morass. Also never watch the news.:)
Example:
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/18/us/politics/biden-philadelphia-black-voters.html
"Just eight voters said they were committed to voting for Mr. Biden, while many others were debating staying home, or, in a few cases, supporting former President Donald J. Trump. They cited concerns about immigration, the cost of living and their sense that Mr. Biden was more focused on crises abroad than on fixing problems in their neighborhoods. And despite Mr. Biden’s robust policy accomplishments, some were unfamiliar with his record.
“I don’t care about what goes on overseas,” said Latasha Humphrey, 36, an infrequent voter who is considering supporting Mr. Trump, if she votes at all. “I care about where I live.”"
Not caring about what goes on overseas is how Hitler nearly took over Europe completely
Yeah, if Trump wins in 2024, I think it’s clear that Americans in swing states embraced the way Hitler came to power -
By the way through a coalition with the old fashioned right who then relinquished all powers to him - sound familiar ?
Bettina, I share your fear. Example of Harrison Butker,: “ Butker, who has won three Super Bowls with the Kansas City Chiefs in recent years, delivered the address at Benedictine College, a private Catholic institution in Kansas, on May 11. In it, he criticizes everything from women prioritizing professional careers to Pride Month to abortion access.” https://www.vox.com/politics/2024/5/16/24158564/harrison-butker-benedictine-college-speech
These white male so called Christian supremacists are everywhere conning people into believing that they have the moral right. While there has been backlash to his speech, at the time the crowd cheered and clapped just like they do at DT’s functions. There is a faction of humans globally that truly believe in a god ordained white male supremacy even if it is promoted under various religious umbrellas. Has all the years of environmental toxins so horribly affected brains that they are so easily conned?
Linda, thank you for writing a reply-
On this rainy day in Portugal, I’m happy to be part of this thread. To me, the worst part of th e Butker speech was the fact that the women, the female graduates did not yell, did not protest, did not walk out. No, instead, he received standing ovations from the young men and women. It’s really sickening.
Bettina, it was very disheartening. These women, even if they wanted to protest, would have faced retaliation given the location. I am only sorry that there weren’t at least some who had the courage to ir truth, Portugal? Do you love there? Argh! sorry, I am not a fan of autocorrect. I asked if you live there?
see corrected message. sorry
Hi Linda, since leaving the U.S. in 2014 to be “temporarily” closer to my parents - with my husband, I have lived in Germany, France ( near the Italian border) — and Portugal since 2023. The only country I am 90% sure will not fall into the trap of co governing with the extreme right is Germany- the activism against the AFD and the firm stance of the traditional conservative party against letting the AFD "in" are convincing. The country I fear most in that respect is France. Portugal is beautiful and more affordable but the comfort for expats here comes
at the cost of a population who is impoverished.
They are very kind people, but I am surrounded by Americans! We’re all part of Democrats Abroad.
Sounds like a very interesting life. It is very worrying that authoritarianism under whatever name has such a strong hold on too many of our species.
It’s horrible. Italy, Holland, Austria more than anything! It’s disgusting and disheartening and it’s happening al over the West. The only good aspect is that in most countries, the far right can be capped at 20%. And GB and Poland are moving left , or at least away from authoritarianism.
Linda, I am taking the publicity over that stupid speech and the supposed support for those repulsive ideas as click bait. It's just the media looking for eyeballs. There have always been people like that. It doesn't mean they in the majority. They just make a lot of noise. The working women of this country--and that's most of us--will never go for that kind of nonsense.
Bettina, read Simon Rosenburg's Substack. It might just make you feel better. Also read Jay Kuo. Things are not necessarily what they seem.
Thank you, Paula! Despite living in Europe, I remain an activist with a hopeful heart!
I hope my recommendations help, Bettina. I must say that you're lucky to be out of the action here. Obviously the state of the country still matters but at least you don't have to be reminded of it every second.
Thank you, Paula! That’s true, yet here I am! :) ❤️
I'm glad you are, Bettina.
Both. At the very least. We can change our thinking about a multiparty system, too. Right now we have become accustomed to it meaning that we have warring factions 180 degrees opposed to each other. But a two party or multi party system could be variations on a general principle too. I’m for ditching Republican ideology and candidates all together and developing parties that are aligned in progressive values and goals but differ a bit in how to achieve them. That would eliminate the judo flip we experience every time a different party takes over, and keep us generally on course to fulfill our goals: saving the planet, much less economic disparity, health care for all, and great education accessible at all levels for everyone in various ways. Obviously this idea can’t be realized without consensus on the party of our citizens. And that don’t happen any time soon.
It might not happen soon but the sooner we start talking about it a LOT, the faster it will happen.
Didn’t catch the typos before posting, sorry!
If we had a functioning House & Senate, Alito — & Thomas — would be impeached.