467 Comments
Oct 26·edited Oct 27Liked by Robert Reich

Not sure how much the messages pointing out trump's fascism and the threat he represents to our democracy resonate with many people, as true as those messages are. Economic factors seem to be paramount in many people's lives.

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Oct 26Liked by Robert Reich

We can communicate both in our closing message and both resonate. Economics wise, I think more detailed plans to make housing more affordable (subsidized mortgages, like in Germany, Rent increase- anti gouging measures) would be great in the last week. We cannot drop January 6 from our core message. It’s too important for our society and future generations

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Oct 26Liked by Robert Reich

I spend hours a day pasting comments from lib-talk.com to social media and comments sections. It's just to persuade anyone that can be persuaded... and to blow away Maga lies. What surprises me this late is that there are people that say thanks for the information. Some people are still making up their mind.

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Not sure it helps but you could post that 23 Nobel economists (on economics) and 82 Nobelists (on science investment and more) have endorsed Harris. https://www.axios.com/2024/10/24/nobel-prize-winners-endorse-harris-president

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/23/nobel-prize-winning-economists-donald-trump-agenda-endorse-harris.html

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I'll send an email to the address about it.

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you only need post the links to where ever you are posting

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It is amazing how their info channels shield them from what is going on. We have encountered Trumpers in the South who don't know he is a convicted felon and did not know he was convicted of rape.

Their pastors are telling them they will go to hell if they vote for Harris.

They do not listen to NPR or PBS.

They are lied to constantly- so I guess it is worth trying to break through with some facts ....

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If Trump steals the election, Those that voted for him will get what they deserve.

Those that didn't vote at all,will also get what they deserve.

The rest of us, well we are screwed.

Bill Maher last night ridiculed those that say that they will leave if Trump becomes dictator, but never do. Evidently he doesn't believe that it will be all that bad if Trump becomes dictator. Turtles pull their head inside the shell. Millions of turtles.

He also had on Megyn Kelley, and let her filibuster and talk over, as usual, And as usual she came armed with the one subject that she knows will elicit approval from Maher transpeople. Never fails. When it comes to the trans Maher is all MAGA.

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Gave up on Maher a long time ago. He used to have intelligent things to say. Now he just seems to be a contrarian, and he has moved to the right.

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Too much the smart alec for me. As the CWO told me while visiting the 82nd airborne-nobody likes a smart alec. Maher clueless about the government--too much the clueless libertarian for me. Yeah, he is funny and insightful at times.

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Clueless about poor people too. Would love it if for a year he had to shop and cook all his own meals, bring his suits to the cleaners, clean his own house, wash his own car, wash his own clothes AT A LAUNDROMAT, change his own sheets, do his own nails, make all his own phone calls, etc., etc., etc.

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David Lehnherr, like you I gave up watching Bill Maher a long time ago (easy to do as I rarely have control of the TV remote) and I rarely bother looking at his youtube videos even when bored and looking for a good argument.

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Transpeople are to MAGA what Jews were to Hitler, a convenient vulnerable scapegoat.

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The powerless are a safe scapegoat. Immigrants are safe as well.

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Bill Maher is Big-Money Establishment Hollywood... He is a Weather-Vane... He is definitely getting Stale... Seems that his 'Life-Style' Choices are Catching-Up with Him... Notice how he he refers to Young Kids Idealism... There is more...

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Maher is a smug irrelevant unfunny chauvinist asshole libertarian

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That’s my experience too, MikeyB. I am easily changing some minds (or at least opening them up) via door canvassing discussions.

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Wonderful! Thanks!

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David--The economic conditions of which you speak are Republican based problems that they don't wish solved at this particular point in time.

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Oct 26Liked by Robert Reich

Agreed but Trump, even though he left them with a bad economy seems to have been able to blame Biden_Harris (Harris even more) for leaving many Americans with financial problems. Trump's plans would make things even worse but it seems that not enough time was spent on this by the Harris campaign. It's a bit unbelievable that we have the strongest economy in decades, that Trump ended with a terrible economy and yet more tha half of America thinks he will be better on the economy than Harris (with her Democrat Advisors). His few statements on what he would do (e.g tariffs) have been rebuked by almost all of the US policy economists. We are suffering from having a major portion of our population really uninformed about many political and economic issues.

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When Fox News lies about everything - including the economy- people believe them. When tv first started we turned to that media instead of radio for information on what was going on in the world. We did not doubt Walter Cronkite was telling the truth. Something sinister has happened. The news broadcasts not NEWS but political bias based on the ownership of the news station. We are becoming our own enemy.

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Yes, Leonard, and the only thing Trump is good at is playing the blame game, with a barrage of not only mis, but mainly disinformation. Everyone has seen the drivel that has infested the air, backed by T. megadonors, it's getting more hateful, and people in fear are lapping it up. All of it is false. Trump's 'economy' was an extension of the failed Reaganomics from 45 years before, and the shambles that he left it in were predictable (Congressonial Budget Office statistics). He rode in on the coattails of the Obama economy which was vibrant. His border policies not only were ineffectual, but represented a criminal policy of migrant abuse which was decried by the U.N. council on human rights. Trump has no clue about how to solve

problems, he only rants and raves with false promise. His record is one of unmitigated disaster in every conceivable way. Harris's best hope for success is to detail her economic vision, and provide more details on border policy, and to contrast those with hateful Trump's. Forward! Thank you, Robert and Heather!

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this 'better economy many are talking about was after President Obama fixed so much of the mess Rethugs made.Obama is believable ,very truthful,a man of integrity.Wonder why there is not more out there about this.

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Leonard : "one can take a horse to water, but can't make it drink." How many tRUMP voters watch Harris/Walz rallies? Or read any books that address our wealth Inequality? Or listen to anyone on the left? They are most likely to remain climate deniers, even when our storms get worse and more numerous with each passing season. They don't even know how to look things up to fact check. TRump alone can fix it.. He is the "anointed one." His" followers learn that anyone who is opposing anything he says and does is wrong. And evil. He is all right: the whole world is wrong.. They can't see or know the truth.

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COVID, which Trump mismanaged, caused supply chain disruptions and price increases. The economy has recovered.

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And all over the world! Among the G-7 Nations, only Italy had a steeper drop in inflation since the recovery. I don’t believe any G-7 nation has a higher GDP and fuller employment than the U.S. I love my original country of

Citizenship,Germany, for many of its policies and its informed citizens, but Germany is in the second year of a recession and fears losing its status as the world’s third economies.

Why? We didn’t have the investments in infrastructure and tech Biden introduced in the U.S. - ( we have a balanced budget - zero deficit anchored in our construction)

Kamala - stress we are on our way up and better off than the rest of the world! The U.S. economy is the envy of the world!

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And the media never reports any of that ... CNN or Fox

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*constitution! Damn auto correct

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I blame CNN- not Fox. CNN et al spent 3 years hammering on inflation 24/7. Never going into the effect of the pandemic, the real cause of rising prices, how quickly the economy was recovering due to the IRA, or the reality of the slow pandemic recovery for the rest of the world. They never even talked about it as the pandemic recovery. It was all about Biden being out of touch with the suffering of the American people.

Now we all have to turn that around in a couple of months .... Even now they don't push back on the narrative that food prices were lower when Trump was in office, so magically they will be lower if we elect him again.

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If Trump steals the election, then they will reap the whirlwind they created, unfortunately so will we., and as the standard of living degenerates, Trump will blame the libs and his enemies, and those that let him win or voted for him, will jump on the bandwagon, seig heiling. It has happened before. time to watch

Triumph des Willen. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PClcUxNc_M

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he is a mind cult,uses a Communist tactic 'if you say something enough,people will believe it'.Check out Steven Hassan,wrote 'The Cult of Trump',he deprograms people.One man he worked with actually mentioned that 'he was addicted to him'

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I've decided the population never was really informed. But there was more consensus in MSM on what to think and the population thought accordingly. This provided stability on a ship that was ever so slowly sinking under bad legislation and decisions but stability for a great while nonetheless. And then there was the great recession, and now other issues mounting up.

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Very true! Kamala should hammer and nail that on people’s head.

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Donald : "The twelfth of Never" is what I heard long ago when someone in the Republican party answered a query from a student who asked when The Electoral College would be ended.

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that and gerrymandering Must Go!!

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And the filibuster.

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it's a beautiful song by the great johnny mathis

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Yes, it is.. to hear the song cynically cannibalized by a hateful right winger was annoying.

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along with being a great singer,he was an alternate on the Olympic high-jump team-i saw him demo on Johnny Carson-it was great- other luminaries who were alternates-Neil Diamond,fencing,and Geena Davis,archery-maybe more but I don't recall-talent abounds

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right

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until it becomes disadvantageous to them-note how they changed on advance voting

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Brooks Keogh ; Yes ; they wanna "win".

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Dems are similar,but repubs are better at having no conscience

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and winning with their bigger money.

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Couldn't agree more. I've been baffled that Harris has fallen back on that for her closing argument. It didn't work for Pres Biden and it doesn't appear to be working now. Trump is driving the narrative at the moment. Sick and horrible, but there it is.

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Tara LeBlanc ; I think there is too much emphasis on the polls, which are a tool of the obscenely wealthy who would topple Democracy to keep their outsized power, and wealth.

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I agree with your observations about the polls. As a mathematician, the shoddy methodology blows my mind! In Canada, we tend to have a more academically inclined and neutral polling.

My comment may have been a bit muddled. What I have observed since that wonderful debate, is that VP Harris has fallen for the trap of responding to Trump's moves. She doesn't appear to be driving the conversation, Trump is.* And don't get me wrong, I think Trump is just crazy-pants insane with no real strategy. It would seem that this is the time for Harris to wrap up the pieces of her policy with a nice neat bow but instead she's throwing water on Trump's fire. This hasn't traditionally been a winning strategy. In a postmortem of this election, I think this will be a turning point that needs to be examined.**

*This could be an observation error based on the media I consume. So, judge accordingly.

** I'm not saying she's losing. But perhaps she could have made her path to the White House a bit easier.

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Tara Leblanc ; It is difficult to swim against the current with the mainstream media expert misinformation Rupert Murdoch types who know how to sow discord and lies. I think she tells what her plans are and who she works for. The problem is, can she reach the audience that is hypnotized by the Fox, Newsmax, et.al, and even to a certain extent, the mainstream media "both sides ism " and silence about the real story. For instance; how can we have fair elections when the big money runs rampant with their outsized power of speech via advertising and buying of seats in Government, all the way to the Supreme Court? It is also corrupted and allows hundreds of traitors to remain in power, as the Court refuses to enforce the 14th amendment section 3 ; disqualification clause. they are "the enemy within" as they march to tRUMP's orders. The Republicans have given US Citizens United : money power to buy our government by "owning" our courts in the past. It's on steroids now.

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Most people don’t know who Murdoch is or what his motives are …. They believe Fox News for some reason - I don’t get it

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Susan Beall: yes, critical thinking has not been taught in public schools. Unless one has attended some college. Where courses are available to enhance student's knowledge that not all media is informative. My mother had a 10th grade education and criticized commercials and some of the shows we watched: encouraging us to see when some things were misrepresented. It was often funny : like when June Lockheart would vacuum on the set of "Leave it to beaver" while wearing high heels and a fancy dress.

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I get it Susan, most people are preoccupied with life, lazy, stupid, they tune into Fox and their lizard brain lights up,they are hooked, others like truckers and commuters spend their time the truck or car, listening to sports, music or talk radio, and talk radio is 99.999% hate radio.

No different than Italian radio in the 1920's and 30's or German radio and print. In 1930 there were over 4,000 German news papers, by 1938 there were 1,000 and all spouting the same party line, with the lead paper being the German NYT, the Volkischer Beobachter and transitioning to another subject.

The NYT and WAPO are reading tea leaves, they want to survive and know that Trump will punish them but Kamala won't.

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So many uneducated folks say "I saw it on TV." To confirm that it is "true".

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it's the bells and whistles, the bright colors and flashing lights, the dramatic music. So very enthralling./s

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Yes according to a polysci guy at Standford most of the popular polls out there are not worth much because they aren't truly random and fall short in other areas.

and i agree with your observation re strategy. Why is she doing this now?

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She is trying to get persuadable Trump voters. Hopefully Michelle can get more of the young voters to show up.

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Taylor Swift, Beyonce, peers, et al can get more to show up.

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I just this minute saw MSNBC coverage of Kamala talking to a crowd and the crowd was wildly cheering and I thought, “ What is that sound? What am I hearing?” It was YOUNG PEOPLE, folks, it was a crowd made up of very many young people! I couldn’t see them, but I could HEAR them. That’s a good sign!

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@ David Lehnherr It's all about the culture, stupid. The MSM is selling a bill of goods. Ask anybody point blank. In their guts they know Trump's nuts.

1. Uncle Sam needs you! https://www.mobilize.us/ (And me.)

2. Please repeatedly post "not suckers or losers" comments in social media. According to Facebook, there are 4 million veterans and active duty members on Facebook, as well as 12.5 million family members and 242 million friends with veterans or active duty members. Military sites, veterans; organizations, historical sites. Vote vets has already flipped many 2016 and 2020 Trump voters.

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I post this as well.

Trump was popular because he said he would help ordinary Americans, but everything that benefits ordinary Americans gets called socialism or communism by the right wing zealots. Certainly any investment in American citizens, such as education or health care gets called socialism. We make billionaires now, but ordinary people are going broke and no way is Trump going to help them.

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Socialism is a scare word, used by the corporate media, since the Bolshevik Revolution. It is thrown around as such, a slur, a scare word, but the much vaunted American standard of living that they enjoy, would not exist were it not for socialism, be it the highways, safe air travel,public parks, the postal service, national defense, utilities (water, electricity), sewage disposal, safe drinking water, safe food, medical care, Medicare, Social Security, interstate commerce, and even the internet, off the top of my head.

All brought to you thanks to socialism.

Do you know what a country without socialism looks like, well think of Tudor England, or Medieval Europe, or Somalia, Sudan, the DRC, Mali, the Congo, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras.. among others.

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It has a different connotation in South Florida than in the rest of the country. Rick Scott has been running a commercial since day 1 calling his opponent a "socialista," which connotes to "communist" en espanol.

Even the worst Batistiano, who has wanted a form of fascism since arriving here in the '60s knows in their gut that Trump is nuts.

We have already voted. My wife has been working the polls. Virtually everyone she saw was a senior citizen, and our job is to get out the Gen Z vote, which can generate a blue tsunami. Although we are a minority party in Florida, we think that millions of "No Party" voters trend heavily with us. And as counterpunchers, Trump underperformed by 13 % in the Republican primary.

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Yo se Daniel, yo se.

Entiendo la mentalidad de los Bautistiaños.

Los Venezolaños son de la misma mentalidad

Ironic that bleeding heart liberals have campaigned for people that are diametrically opposed to liberal values.

Muslims and Hispanics are ultra conservative, their cultures are patriarchal, misogynistic, homophobic and inclined towards strong men.. Chavez, Maduro are strong men, but not their kind of strong men, right wing strong men, are OK, left wing strongmen, time to flee the country to the land of milk and honey.

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What baffles me is that, HOW can a man-child suffering from advanced Alzheimer's who BANKRUPTED 130,000% OF HIS BUSINESSES AND CASINOS help AMERICAN'S economic situation???

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By leaving our government.

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He can't and they don't care. The economic issue is one created by the corporate media and the billionaires. While it is true food costs more at the checkout counter, because of price gouging (prices never go down). but income has also gone up, people ignore the income rise, and all they see is the price rise. It is a rare day that I can exit the market spending less than $100, but then I only have one or two bags. I remember when $100 was four bags.

I get a 2% COLA and immediately all my service providers jack up the price $10 and now I am worse off than I was before. No more COLA's please.

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Some Democrats think Kamala Harris should be campaigning more with Bernie Sanders and Shawn Fain and less with Liz Cheney, to show that she cares about low-paid workers who are struggling to make ends meet.

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You mean the economy that Obama built and Trump plundered, and the economy that Biden rebuilt from the plunder of Trump. Is that the economy of which you speak David?

Well at least 30% if not more of the population isn't voting on the economy, but on the patriarchal culture war. Men like you are feeling disempowered, victims, because they have lost control as women and minorities have claimed control over their own bodies and lives.

Even black men and Hispanics are ignoring the racism of Trump and the right, not for economic reasons, but for the power and control of men again.

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On that we agree, there is only one answer: Professors.

Donald Trump is a stupid, incompetent, infantile, delusional, corrupt, hateful, petulant, vulgar, treacherous, soulless fascist, and, indeed, a fecal stain on American history for whom only one whose knuckles become seriously abraded after walking more than a few hundred feet would consider voting

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A Joni Mitchell tune comes to mind, "Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got till it's gone." Meanwhile, this morning I read Elon Musk has been speaking with Vlad since 2022. Elon just secured a billion $ contract for a project w/ NASA in which he got security clearance with the project........ hmmmmmm

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Yikes! here comes the Death star! Wait ; Good thing that there are no habitable planets near here.

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Yes: David Lehnherr, : follow the money. It is all interrelated. Wealth Inequality of this degree is bad for Democracy. No matter how one approaches it. There is no justice, nor is there freedom; for the workers and the poor.

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Great! : https://youtu.be/vZjFHXNSt9E?si=fIM_Iozbvq3W9fh5

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

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Lol. There is also a funny video on Facebook about Trump at McDonald's drive-thru window, where he insists that a customer take the fries he made by himself.

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many people,probably most undecideds,want to hear the latter and not the former

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It's one of 3 closing messages - together they are effective...

Personal Sphere: Donald Trump (who is now 1 year older than Reagan was when he retired) is dangerously unfit to hold office.

Economic Sphere: Donald Trump has promised to hand the government over to the richest man in the world and the other billionaires who financed nearly all of his campaign - Social Security, Medicare and ACA are all on their chopping block - the only one standing in their way to fight for ordinary Americans is Harris.

Political Sphere: Donald Trump is a bully - he's threatened nearly everyone in this country who he also calls the "Garbage can of the World" and a "failed nation" and he's promised to take away your rights - Harris is standing up to that bully by fighting for Freedom & Democracy and for you.

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The media never defines fascism or why it's a threat. Despite our amazing education system- Americans are not very well educated. Saying he is a fascist because he likes Hitler sounds like name calling- people blow it off.

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The economic factor, the most pressing issue for many, has been deliberately imposed. In a boastful display before Congress, Alan Greenspan, past Chairman of the Federal Reserve, attributed his success to keeping workers in a perpetual state of insecurity. Consider the implications for wages, labor organizing, and election issues. A new term, 'precariat, 'has been coined for U.S. workers, encapsulating the injustice of their situation. It combines the 'proletariat, 'the worker class, with 'precarious, 'the state of insecurity.

I found myself pondering why the 'morbidly rich' (Thom Hartmann's term) would support Trump's economic plan, which heavily relies on tariffs. This plan would cost the average person an extra $4,000 a year in necessities and potentially plunge the US into a deep recession or even a depression, only benefiting the wealthy. In addition to causing the working class to be more insecure, a deep recession leads to the sale of many assets at firesale prices. Who has the money to buy everything during a recession? The wealthiest. After every recession, the wealthiest have a larger slice of the whole pie, and they get further away in wealth from the rest of us. This stark inequality is a reality we all must face.

Does anything else explain why WaPo and the LA Times withheld the endorsement that would likely have gone to Harris and why Musk, Thiel, and the other billionaires are donating to and promoting Trump? They are not afraid of Trump. He is their tool.

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It would be more meaningful if she had people on stage who experienced the loss of freedom in their country. On this topic, that could be a powerful message.

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Professor Reich and Heather Lofthouse: I voted "He's with Big Money, I'm with you" -- especially after yesterday's WaPo non-endorsement bombshell -- but at this point, i'm not sure anything will change how the MAGAts or "undecided" (white male?) voters will vote. as an "overeducated" and chronically unemployed 'precariot' myself, i feel enormously betrayed by my fellow americans, who are proving once again to be racist and sexist putin- and musk-puppets, as well as brain dead idiots who don't (want to) remember the four years of policy hell trump put the nation through in his previous white house occupation. MAGAts are woefully uneducated about how the american political system works, especially when they rabidly demand that Harris has not accomplished some things that she is clearly not allowed to do as VP.

Harris and Walz have repeatedly discussed their policies and plans, but they are political Cassandras: they can see the two political futures for America, they can tell us of these two futures, yet no one listens to them. THAT is their particular curse.

america: i despair for you.

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Not just white male Grrrl. Black and Hispanic males as well. People underestimate how intrinsically conservative blacks and Hispanics are, especially when it comes to male power and prerogative, and sexual issues like homosexual and trans.

Push comes to shove, people place personal power and prerogative over even things like racism and discrimination. Hard to imagine for most, but if you can't be king of the nation, and are a second class citizen, then the booby prize that lets you feel empowered and manly,is to be king of your own domain..

Dad is beat at work, walks in the door and beats the wife, who beats the kid, who kicks the dog.

After taking shit all day at work, you come home and assume command of your own domain., and all is right with the world again.

Prison guards, abused by their superior who is abused by the warden, who is abused by the corporation, takes it out on the prisoners.

Shit rolls down hill.

I saw the chain of command in operation. A General chew out a Colonel, who lost his manhood, regained it by chewing out a major, who lost his manhood, regained it by chewing out a lieutenant and he lieutenant had to eat it, because no senior sergeant is going to put up with that shit.

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always enjoy ur posts-- from an old dude scientist!

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tRump, and those who support him with big money, for good reason love the uneducated.

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Grill scientist, who ever you are, wouldnI enjoy having lunch with you

I am so sorry you find yourelf part of"the Precariote"

Look me up on Amazon and maybe one of my books will offer a little support and comfort thru these stressful times, Ne illigitimis carborundum sit.

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thank you. i'm looking at your book list now and probably most of them would be useful for me to read. thanks for pointing me to them.

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Don’t let the billionaires run our country! They have to be held accountable and start sharing their wealth with all Americans. We will all do better if and only if we vote for Democracy over fascism!

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Keith that makes total sense. Add that small and large business always profits from Dem administrations begs the question of why business is not overwhelmingly promoting Harris. A mystery that repeats itself every election.

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Her message needs to be positive, not about Trump. She needs to talk about how she will support workers, health care, education, immigration, equality - and will pay for it by taxing the rich.

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As she has been doing. I ALWAYS feel uplifted and "good" after hearing her.

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Also ,she is extremely photogenic,all angles are beautiful.It wouldn't surprise me if someone did a photoshoot after the election.Beautiful bone structure.

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It’s very late but she should have been emphasising the amazing recovery in the USA economy that’s happening now and say she’d be the one to ensure this isn’t siphoned off by the rich. There’s been tough times due to the global post-pandemic rebound, but don’t spoil it now. She’ll ensure all Americans get their share, Trump will wreck this with tariffs and tax cuts for the rich, and slashing social security and Medicare

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Out of courtesy to others who would like to comment here, please do not repeat your comment over and over.

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In my view, afger an excellent start with an optimistic message, Harris started to decline after she started to focus on personally attacking Trump (at least that is what the media has focussed on. It diluted her strong starting message and affected her moral superiority. Too much focus on attacking the opponent, for me and many others, is a sign of weakness. (she basically tries to outperform a bully like Trump in an area where Trump simply is an ace). Biden tried it and failed. I fear this apparent change strategy could well cost her the election. Others should have done the attacks on Trump for her. Personally, she should have stayed out of it! Therefore, her parting message should not talk about Trump and why Trump is not fit for president but focus on why she is the right choice, reflect her moral superiority and be upbeat about where she is going to make a positive change for the American people.

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Could it be that what we hear has gone from a policy centered message to selective sound bytes chosen by media outlets that highlight her criticism of Trump, even though that is a small piece of her message, and may not be helping?

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People have made or feel they can make up their own minds on him. She needs to persuade swing voters how she will improve their lives economically and security wise. No wasted breath on trump.

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Sallie Hudson: If one is talking economics to swing voters (or any voters who work for a living, and those on Social Security), tRUMP'S " 20% "tariffs" must be mentioned, because they will not help anyone here, economically. nor will giving yet more tax "breaks" to the rich be helpful for most.

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A question from Georgia: Isn't it FAR easier to rig a poll than it is to rig an election?

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Exactly right! Plus: the media NEEDS a "horse race" to get eyes and make money. NO WAY Bunkerboy is closing the gap as his a-brain PUBLICALLY implodes!

Don't forget . . . Saudi Arabia and Russia will roo bee doo, ahhhh . . .

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Other. I don't think any "Trump is terrible, I'm not" message will win the election. The Democrats need to focus on what they are going to do to change even further away from Reaganomics and they need to show how they will make American foreign policy more consistent with what we claim are core American values. Plus they need to win the Senate and House or it will be 4 years of pain and doing nothing.

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yeah, just say the neoliberalism of the past 50 years has not worked- Biden has already turned the page toward a progressive/whatever capitalism, and she will do the same and more so

These things lift up the middle class and the overall economy. Here's how.

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founding

What you said about foreign policy is important and needs to be emphasized. If I were Harris I would constantly point out Trump's love affair with Putin. That relationship is un-American and dangerous.

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I think about Benjamin Franklin and his tart reply, "A republic if you can keep it." It does not bode well that so many Americans simply are not invested in keeping our Democratic republic. They shrug off the true danger the orange man represents and say he will fix our economy. Even though the economy is not broken and we are the envy of the entire world, they feel because of their struggle to pay the mortgage or rent, buy groceries and hold a job, it is President Biden's fault so they turn to the so-called "tough" guy to fix it. I am saddened by the direction this election is going. I am saddened to think that my country and my life will be forever changed if the orange man is elected. The biggest fear I have is that this will be the last election I can vote in because once he is in power and they use the 25th Amendment on him, Vance will take over and the Orwellian dystopian reality will come to pass. When that happens and they strip us of so many of our rights and freedoms, it will be extremely hard to cope. My strongest, most fevered wish is that Kamala will win but after today's Coffee Klatch, I am so very doubtful.

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I don’t blame “The Orange Man” exclusively. He is an addled narcissist bent on dodging justice and enriching himself. I blame the structural elements backing him up: the Heritage Foundation, Billionaires, Fox News. Trumpism no longer belongs to Trump (if it ever did). MAGA will linger after he has left the scene. We have a bigger set of problems that one election is not going to solve.

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I of course disagree. The economy, while positive on many macro measures, is not performing well for many.

People are getting too negative on this substack. I think it's 50-50.

What concerns me even more than the antidemocratic things Trump will do is that we will lose time for fixing climate change and that will lead to a possible fracturing of society due to being overcome by climate events our society is ill-equipped to handle.We are at a last fork in the road to work cooperatively to avert climate disaster or no.That is why the 80 plus Nobelists endorsing Harris said this is the most important election--perhaps ever.

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Peggy, the other more prescient comment of Franklin's which is too seldom mentioned in by polite media was: "This [Form of Government under the Constitution] can only end in Despotism as other Forms have done before it, when the People shall become so corrupted as to need Despotic Government, being incapable of any other." The warm embrace of Never Trumpers including Dick Cheney — Dick Cheney for crying out loud! — has been less than energizing for truly moderate people who hope for an economy that is less severely tilted to benefit the 1 or 0.1%. Our plutocratic economy was the product of a half century of 'neo-liberal' policies adopted by Republicans and Democrats alike. The embrace of so-called moderate (Cheney!?!) pretty much says we can look forward to four more years of the same.

All that said I've voted for Harris and am trying to get as many of my despairing friends to vote for Harris as I can. I hope to be disappointed come next January when the court challenges exhaust themselves.

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Peggy, maybe the reason why is because we were not founded as a democratic Republic. Ben didn't use the adjective democratic. We were founded as a Republic, and alas most people, esepcially liberals, have no idea what a republic is. It is a nation ruled by "wise men", the elite, those with a vested interest. Athens was a democracy, ruled by men who owned slaves, helots,

Rome started as a Republic, ruled by men of property, Senators. then under Octavian became an Empire and he Emperor.

It took three amendments, the 15th,17th, and 19th for America to become a democratic Republic, and now the MAGA movement, wants to and is trying to cancel those amendments, and using the law to do it.

The very thing that makes America great, the rule of law, is it's achilles heel, because the law is being used to destroy the rule of law.

The NSDAP tried to use force to gain power,it didn't work. It's leader wound up in a prison . he got out of prison and used the law and freedom of the democracy of his nation, to gain power and once in power he cancelled the rule of law that brought him to power.

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founding

There are lots of stupid people out there and Trump has them on his side. As you said, they "shrug off the true danger".

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But, Dr. Bloxom, are there more stupid people than sane?

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Average IQ is 100, by definition. So half of the people are from normal 100 and downward.

So if 50% of the people support Trump, that's where they come from. A generalisation, of course, but nevertheless...

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It seems that way to me but I have no numbers. Regardless of the numbers stupid people do a disproportionate amount of damage. Btw, many smart people do stupid things too - example Elon Musk.

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I like it. That should be Harris/Walz's "4 Nov closing question".

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I echo your concerns, Peggy. So much is at stake this election....our world could possibly be turned upside down by this " addled narcissist bent on dodging justice and enriching himself" as JOHN B. MCCORMACK so aptly puts it.

The Harris campaign has spoken out ...not with fear...but with

hope...hope for positive changes on.the horizon. A plan to move forward for all...not be held captive by a flawed wannabe king who should never have been allowed to come down that escalator in hind sight. Like the old ad for Motel 6..." let's keep a light burning in the window " for Kampala Harris!. Don't give up the fight now!. Nothing is forever, Peggy. This country has weathered a heap of storms over the decades. I have faith in the citizens of our land to meet whatever challenges we face..

no matter what the future holds.

You've had some very difficult weeks to get through, my dear.

Know you, your family, neighbors & friends have been in my thoughts, my heart, and my prayers for better times ahead ...

You do so much for others...remember the old Welsh truism...

" Kindness is the hardest thing to give away...because it's most often returned."🤗

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The world will be turned upside down. No "possible: about it, unless Trump does a 180 on his pledges that will increase climate changing emissions.

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Thank you so much, Lynn, for those encouraging words. I have to admit, there are times like today when all of it becomes overwhelming! I do have hope; however, I'm afraid it was hiding under a bushel! I will never give up, Lynn, not ever. Even if the orange man makes it back into the White House, I will continue to fight for our Democracy. There are so many issues that need to be addressed: climate change, term limits for politicians and judges, electoral college abolished and replaced with the popular vote and so much more. You lift me up when I feel so down and defeated and for that, I thank you. With so few days left, I will continue to talk to people and I have volunteered to drive voters to the polls as well. Let's get across the finish line and hopefully we will celebrate a win for Kamala Harris! Vote blue, America, up and down the ballot!

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I think Biden lost it with his support for Netanyahu's genocide, both with the supply of battlefield bombs, and with political cover. Then Harris didn't change direction when she had the opportunity to do so.

If Trump wins, that is, I think, the reason.

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The media failed Americans. Kamala Harris draws enthusiastic crowds and the economy is booming for investors. Grocery prices, insurance rates, medical care, social security, schools, safety, abortion rights, minority rights, and (secure) well-paying jobs count at this point. She needs to hammer home how well America is doing in comparison to the rest of the world. Into Trump’s garbage can with him and his authoritarian, misogynistic backers!

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I love Vance's grocery store photo op where he says eggs are $7 or maybe it was $11..in back of him was a display of eggs priced at $2.99.

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In my view, a pitfall within the Democratic establishment is the failure fully to internalize how Trump’s politics of grievance, central to the MAGA movement, cunningly links immigrants and Democrats and others to the economic pain and other problems Trump supporters are experiencing. I would add Trump’s repeated ritual of reinforcing their worldview that they have been left behind, that they have been shut out of the political conversations by so-called elites is incredibly effective and key to Trump’s staying power, let alone the explanation as to why, regardless of the election outcome, Trumpism will continue beyond Trump.

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I canceled my subscription to Washington Post. Another billionaire owner afraid of an endorsement..cowards!! And who are those that actually answer their phones and answer poll questions? I never answer my phone if I don't recognize the number. I think there are a ton of others out there that do the same. And DO NOT dismiss the Blue Wave of Feminine Rage that will sweep this country! There is a lot going on out there that is under estimated. I have to hold onto that! I have to have faith the the American Public is smarter than we are being told!

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I asked my wife to cancel Tracy, but she won't, she is a news junkie, addicted,She has serious screen addiction as well. Inour house it is live and let live. No one is the boss.

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Harris needs to send a positive message in her final speech - reflecting all the good she can bring to Americans and counter that with what she “ will not be bringing” as in the Trump plans -example :

I will be bringing controls over price gouging and manipulation of goods and services by large corporations

I won’t be bringing fear and military in to control your lives

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Kamala needs a new speech. All of her speeches, all of her responses on interviews are the same, in fact the same phrases.

Immigration and trans are not, and were not an issue with the public, but the MAGAts and the media have been pushing them into the issue.

Megyn Kelly was on Bill Maher last night and she had to talking point issues, immigration and trans, and she filibustered and pushed those issues.. he had Buck Sexton as a panelist on Oct 11th and he did the same, immigration and trans. They are smart, they know that Trans is an issue that Maher will agree with him, the bait on the hook which they pull in.

I wonder why Maher is transphobic, could i be because of his girl friend with an Adams Apple, Ann Coulter?

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That's funny, William.

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As a general rule I like New Rules, but I've also noticed that he bends over backwards to avoid the Maddow effect.

One of Rachel's first interviews was with Rand Paul, Rand commenced to equivocate,bullshit, avoid,andRachel nailed him. After that she could not get any right wingers onto the show.

Maher is also a selfish, self centered, narcissistic libertarian. He never got over not being able to get accolades from admiring fans because of COVID masking restrictions, and despite the fact that he was vaxxed, vaccinations, having his show on hiatus for a couple of months cut into his pocket book, so now he is anti medicine, anti Faucci, etc.

But one segment of the population triggers him is the transpeople, there he goes off the rails. He punches down, too often,and real comedy doesn't punch down, fascist "comedy" does, however.

His trans anxiety has enabled the MAGAts to take advantage of him, because they know he will leave that door open, and jump on their side.

Despite that I find myself, often, in agreement.

And I agree that political correctness has gone too far, and has caused, as a result, a backlash. A backlash which is, in part, that which motivates the MAGAts.

For instance the "home" of the free speech movement, Berkeley, is not so free speech when the speaker bounces up against their own beliefs and prejudices. Then they are no different than the right.

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and summon American patriotism

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Message should reiterate specific actions planned and how they will improve people’s lives.

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Oct 26·edited Oct 26

Mussolini did NOT make the trains run on time. Just like in Hitler's Fascist regime, and all others then and since, the government was completely corrupt and incompetent, this was just another lie. But everyone knew that the penalty for being late, or disagreeing and telling the truth, was death. So stationmasters always reported the arrivals and departures of all trains as perfectly on time, and everyone went along with the lie to keep everyone alive. This from someone I know in Italy whose family and friends told her how it really was.

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that kind of thing can get you into trouble if you invade a country because you've been told your Army is "outstanding sir!" "Never better!"

Oh Ivan you've been using that money for liquor smuggling rather than re-supply.

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