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It's up to all of us to help keep Biden in the picture. We have a part to play and we need to use it. Talk!

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No! No Biden! Mr collaborator in genocide! Genocide = murder. Mass murder. You want to elect a mass murderer for the USA Presidency⁉️23,000 mostly women and children murdered with dumb bombs and other weaponry made in the USA. Mr Biden strangling the UN ceasefire proposal in its Security Council? Is that the quality of personhood you want representing you and us? A man who says yes to the Alaskan Willow Project.?Your children and grandchildren will suffer the climate hit of that decision. A not minor one.

Push for his stepping aside. Push for Shawn Fain (SHREWD TOUGH CLEAR SMART WILY UAW PRESIDENT), Ro Khan, Jamie Raskin, Jill stein, Cornel West). None are murderers.

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Um, Biden has ZERO to do with the war Israel is waging. Israel is an ally of ours, not an American state. Hamas started this war all on their own. Actually, do a little digging, Biden said to Netanyahu “NOT to go in guns blazing. Take a lesson from the US and don’t start a never ending war. “ so sweetheart, tell me again why you’re blaming Biden?

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Not to mention that Herr Pumpkinfuhrer would be so much worse for Palestinians and anyone being oppressed. It’s like comparing pneumonia to lung cancer.

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Love Herr Pumpkinfuhrer! My laugh of the morning and I'm borrowing it!

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It's crazy that Trump would harsher on the Palestinians yet his worshipers hate Jews. That is a danger few really acknowledge.

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Please. .. It's Heil Hair! Mango Macho Pumpkinfhurer !. . .unless ur looking for a Ketchup Geyser .. or a Clavicle Lunge ...#the space takes . ..

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Laura Selena knows, I've told her before with the same quotes as above.

She is biased, because obviously she is a Muslim, maybe a Palestinian or even working out of a Saudi troll farm, under a screen name.

Saudis have troll farms that monitored the internet. there was one posting on the defunct Liberty From back in 2003, and they used the screen name Kudzu, there were many pages (subjects) and their response was almost immediate on any and all pages that adversely affected Saudi Arabia, And almost always the same, it included a rebuttal in the form of "you have never been to Saudi Arabia"

The forum had multiple subjects with multiple pages and it is physically impossible to monitor all at one time, much less read comments and respond in seconds.

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Valid point. I always forget that all the evil in the world runs these bot farms that run rampant disinformation in the US. You’re probably right, or she’s the dumbest bitch I’ve ever run across, and that says a lot!! lol

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Name calling doesn't help your argument. Besides, you say nothing in support of your claim.

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Actually name calling does help; look at what it did for Trump. Sometimes you have to pick up the gauntlet and slap a stupid troll in the face. They’ve gotten away with too much.

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THE ENEMY INSURRECTIONIST ARE AT THE GATE, DEFEAT TREASONOUS , TERRORIST, AND CON REPUBLICONS EVERYWHERE AND JAIL CORRUPT AND TRAITOR RTRUMP AND CRONIES.THE ENEMY INSURRECTIONIST ARE AT THE GATE, DEFEAT TREASONOUS , TERRORIST, AND CON REPUBLICONS EVERYWHERE AND JAIL CORRUPT AND TRAITOR RTRUMP AND CRONIES. VOTE PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS , AND RESTORE DEMOCRACY.

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Trump and others want non-interference in the Ukraine and other places. Trump certainly would not care about the 23,000 civilians. No question.

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Laura, you know nothing about the reality in Palestina. Israel lives on stolen land. It is based on murder. 750.000 were exile from their land in 1948. It is an apartheid state that can only live with the help of USA. Yes Israel is MORE than a state in USA. It has bought more than half of congress. Wake up to some reality. Get to know the story. The violence did not start on October 7, but in 1947-49 when Israel was established. Now is the time establisg a permanente solution.

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South Park had a song, if anything goes wrong in the U.S., “Blame Ca-nada! Blame Ca-nada.” How does electing good-government, in Biden and Democrats?, in contrast to Republican sneering, hand-wringing, ranting nonsense and exploding with glee, any vision of diplomacy?, have to do with Israel?--yeah, yeah, it’s historic policies, wrong-headed in retrospect, trying to cope with grief and power, but, “Attention?, everyone?” Shifting attention away from Biden is handing power to Trump, and Israel’s Netanyahu, and Hungary’s Viktor Orban, perceived as the Kremlin's closest ally in Europe.

CAREFUL when disrespecting Biden administration, not to throw baby-out-with everything else you see as wrong? Palestine and Israel and 2-state solution, it’s all very important. America’s ostrichism can get way worse. Provide the angsty response against Israel, as if Hamas and Israel are entirely within America’s power to DO anything? And you’ve got Trump, scrapping Supreme Court, rule of law, drawing rude graffiti on the Constitution for an appreciative laugh from audience of entertainment-craving armchair soldier-wannabes. 15-minute combatants, in it for the short-haul, can’t see 3-seconds in front of them, knee-jerk leadership with zero agenda, policy of stick-it to the-man, is all. People of Gaza are too important, don’t get distracted by past or current factions, the moment is next. What’s the vision?, and “who” is going to negotiate, broker, compromise, act, to get it done.

Don’t imagine Biden did this or has a wand to fix it. Waste time blaming Biden and you shoot yourself in the foot. Throw your interest and support into your vision. Staring at the house on fire, seeking a reason, as if on finding one all will be well? Leave scrutinizing the past for later. The time is now. First the work and then maybe, reflection, evaluation and analysis. First the work.

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it is not possible to respect this utterly incompetent warmongering administration. all the world is in disrespect because there is nothing to respect. biden is presidida over immensenothingness of a falling empire. biden is an evil person just as the clintons. as well as trumpºs pompeo and bolton. democracy cannt produce such scum. only empire. which is now falling. it is time for the people to speak and vote.

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I can't say I agree with that statement. But if you want positive change, the people must rise up and change the voting rules and process. We need ranked choice voting, or something like that. We need to keep dark money out of elections. For all we know, Putin is paying for pro Trump advertising. We need to favor compromise over extremism. So instead of majority rules at 50% in two party races, we need to raise the percent, to perhaps 60% so that some compromise is required.

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Hello Thomas, Image how trump would be dealing with all of this?

I believe Biden is very aware of what needs to be done in an extremely difficult challenging world of violence.

Biden cares about human lives more than any future presidents in 2024.

If any so called republicans win the election this year we will be in total despair. joe has kept ukraine funded with Israel.

this would cease under a new world order.

democracy ?

We never know as citizens what biden knows and must support him with our faith in his decisions. I am behind president Biden 100% as with anyone that is willing to fight for freedoms.

This is a time Thomas to follow this well regarded man and trust that he is doing the best for everyone in situations as these,he is the right person to follow believe in.

I can’t think of anyone that would come close to this man in our highest office.

Please consider as we all must do who could do better than President Biden?

A time for the faith in him that he deserves.

Wishing you well,

george fleet

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Bullshit Thomas, pure unadulterated , Putinesque Bullshit. The Jews didn't steal the land, they bought it between 1920 and 1948, and Jews have been living there since the Roman conquest.

The Arab tried to genocide the Jews in 1948 and lost, and Israel secured more land from their enemies to create a bigger border and secure their safety.

The Arabs are insane, and not having learned the lesson, driven by religious animosity towards the Jews, and kept coming back in 1956, 1967, 1973, 2006 and Oct 7th, each time they lost and Israel took more land from their genocidal enemies, in an attempt to secure their tiny state

Muslims have 57 Countries, Christian two continents, Russia a continent, India a whole sub continent yet Muslims and leftist fascists (that's right leftist fascist and I am a progressive anti fascist wish another genocide of Jews.

The extreme left is totally ignorant of Islam, it's history, its religion, its goal.

This progressive is not. I am disappointed and fed up with the likes of the squad, and Pramila Jayapal was once one of my political hero's.

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Read the copy of the original brief letter, sent November 1917 from Lord Arthur Balfour, UK Foreign Secretary, to Lord Lionel Walter Rothschild, a leading figure in the British Zionist movement of the time:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balfour_Declaration

Historical background to this letter (same source):

"Immediately following their declaration of war on the Ottoman Empire in November 1914, the British War Cabinet began to consider the future of Palestine; within two months a memorandum was circulated to the Cabinet by a Zionist Cabinet member, Herbert Samuel, proposing the support of Zionist ambitions in order to enlist the support of Jews in the wider war. A committee was established in April 1915 by British Prime Minister H. H. Asquith to determine their policy towards the Ottoman Empire including Palestine. Asquith, who had favoured post-war reform of the Ottoman Empire, resigned in December 1916; his replacement David Lloyd George favoured partition of the Empire. The first negotiations between the British and the Zionists took place at a conference on 7 February 1917 that included Sir Mark Sykes and the Zionist leadership. Subsequent discussions led to Balfour's request, on 19 June, that Rothschild and Chaim Weizmann submit a draft of a public declaration. Further drafts were discussed by the British Cabinet during September and October, with input from Zionist and anti-Zionist Jews but with no representation from the local population in Palestine."

It is worth knowing:

1) the provision of Palestine to the Zionist movement within Jewish community was a British colonialist act, not a sale by the inhabitants to new occupants,

2) the leading players were Brits, but it reflected many common interests of the British allies,

3) it figured somewhat in the interests and strategy of WW I,

4) but it did NOT consider the interests of the large majority of the then Palestinians, a small percentage of which were Jews, any more than the 'settling' of Manhattan or New Jersey reflected the interests of the Lenni Lenape or other minority peoples of the area who were subsequently displaced (via guns, germs, and immigration), not withstanding the estimated "$24 of glass beads" given to someone.

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I know all of thatMark. What is the point?

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Not to mention the history of Israeli settlers with bulldozing family homes of the Palestinians.

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Yep I know all about it. One of the reasons I am called an anti semite. I blame Netanyahu and his alliance of the Jewish right.

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I went to Israel in 2000 in the first gulf war.

I was stationed on an Israeli Defense Army base on the border of Lebanon.

I warned of the dangers of various Arab cities such as Hebron Ramallah.

On the outside entrance to Ramallah what I witnessed changed my mind of Israelis forever.

I am Jewish by birth. I went to Israel in memory of my dear departed mother.For the perhaps first time in my life I felt my jewishness.As my father was christian.

I spoke with a Palestinian journalist prior to entering the gates of the old city. He spoke with tears in his eyes of the life the oppression of his people as I watched Israeli soldiers on the roof tops with rifles and endless rows of barb wire across the perimeters of the roof tops.

I became aware of a crowded city more as a prison.

When there was suspicion of a disturbance of some kind iron gates that were installed by Israelis to come down abruptly and trap the populous until the soldiers did their investigations.

From this and other observations from Palestinian refugee camps where israeli soldiers patrolled on foot 3,4 hardened soldiers called the ‘bone crushers’

I left Israel with a different perspective.

My Romanian Jewish mother whom grew up in Chicago during Hitlers Nazi regime was treated with disdain prejudice no jews allowed of our history in America taught me by example not to repeat bitterness vindictiveness that people no matter the color of skin where they are from as immigrants their religion are all gods children not one better than the other.

She shaped my entire life as I was curious to find truth I traveled extensively throughout our world. Months at a time all the way back to the hunter gathers of Africa and other continents to experience my own origins.

What I observed in Israel was the oppression of the Palestinian People.I was told early on not to go to Arab Palestinian Cities by the I D F as I could be killed if I was found out to be Jewish.

The real reason not to go I just explained was the treatment the oppression of the Arab people.

I told myself over and over this is not the Jewish that my mother taught me! but the opposite.

Afterwards I traveled to several Arab countries as far as Yemen Syria Jordon Turkey and I was with the people in villages from small rural to the big cities.

What more I will tell you here in this forum is that no matter where I found myself I felt safe cared for.As is the highest virtue in the Arab world Hospitality to strangers passing through they fed me housed me showed me proudly their family photos. we laughed together drank tea together.As I said I always felt safe.

I see the Israeli government not the Jewish I believe in,

the current government are attempting genocide in the name of protection of their interests of expansion. This is their greatest opportunity ever to do so in my opinion.Look at the far right prime minister his hand picked officials.In my eyes they are criminals and should be tried in the Hague Courts.

bulldozing family homes by settlers was acceptable for decades!

this is where I end my offering of my experiences not from a history book as others offer.

thank you,

george schwarzbach fleet

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I know nothing of what’s going on because I said Biden can’t fix it? WOW

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no dear laura. you know nothing because you show that. study the story. the real story. not second hand. real sources. get serious. get factual.

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If Israel “has bought more than half of congress,” it’s bought a lot of Republicans. Please name them. Thx.

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Not the dunk you think it is. YES, Virginia, BOTH sides of the uniparty are bought. Congratulations on a boomer level 2020 Red Pill.

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study what good american patriots like ray mcgovern, larry johnson, scott ritter and douglas mcgregor are saying about exactly this. the immense power of the jewish lobby and thier immnese AIPAC resources to buy politicians. if this is new to study the thing and you get names. lindsey graham mitch mcconnel have sold the little soul they had. if this strange to you then visit different sources of information. ask tulsi gabbard. politics in the us is all about money. if you have illusions then study the possibility that you, yes, have illusions. follow the money as jesse ventura says. get radical and sharp. all the best to you.

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You say Biden is evil & Israel owns over 1/2 of congress (which must include Republicans). What’s your point?

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Biden is providing the means for slaughter- cash and bombs. He's stuck somewhere in the 70s, but he means well and has made considerable progress in the face of Republican's obdurate BS.

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Because, sweetheart, the U.S. is enabling Netanyahu and the Israeli hard right.

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Laura who. Am I your sweetheart? Is that true? Or is that a barely masked sarcastic and mocking attitude typical of the superior woman? So when the neighbor’s kids smash down all your tulips and you burn down their house in retaliation, it’s the kids’ fault, they made you do it. Hmm.

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Oh Selena, get over it! Insults here are not welcome. Most of us are interested in dialog, not propaganda and blaming where blaming is not warranted. Of course the US is not now and has never been perfect. We are a nation of human beings who are sometimes into power and live with the 4 modern horsemen of the apocalypse: fear, anger, resentment, hatred. Those emotions and the willingness of most Americans to let others decide for them permit us to do all kinds of cruelties. However, we do not always do that and all Americans do not support war and militarism. And, no one president is responsible for our foreign policy. There is Congress, the DOD, and more. I know you are aware of all that. We need to work together to get our government and its many facets to do the right thing here, whatever that thing is.

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Ruth Sheets - Please respond with quotes of my comments that are insults. I am very curious what you see. Thank you, Selina

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You mean besides calling Biden a "mass murderer"? Get help: You hate America so much you are frothing at the mouth. You have not mentioned Netanyahu. First he was attacked and he had our sympathy and our help. Now he has slipped into genocide and he doesn't deserve it anymore. Write to the President instead. I did. I said that this genocide would be the best excuse to finally cut the umbilical cord and stop forking over 3.2Billions each year [since 1948. Address your criticism where it has a chance to land. This is not the venue.

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Selina claiming the Jews are committing genocide is a gross insult and an antisemitic slam. While I am not a Jew and have my own crticism of the Israeli right and Bibi, there is no way I could survive an hour in a Muslim society, but would be very comfortable and safe in Israel, and unless you are a hijab or abaya wearing Muslim, you would be as well, you would be safe, like other Arab citizens of Israel are, they even vote, but you can't say the same for Jews in an Islamic country, to day the most Jews you will find in an Islamic country is 500, the populations range from 0 to 200 , the median is 100, and all are second class citizens, without the right to vote.

I am no ordinary kufr (kaffir) and you are propagandizing in the presence of the wrpng person, a knowledgeable murtadd (apostate, so I've been called by Muslims.

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Enough of this.

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Get some help.

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Do you mean to equate Islamist terror with simply smashing tulips? Fascinating tell there ma'am. Asking for a fren.

https://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Theo_van_Gogh

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All you got out of what I said was sweetheart? WOW, now I will insult you ya numb cunt. You think you know me now, because I called you sweetheart? Right, got it, won’t use that word again with you. ✅ you’re a dumb douche who can’t get a single point to make sense. Blaming Biden is like me blaming my neighbor on the right for the house burning across the street just because they were friends. Get the fuck back to the sandbox Barbie, the adults are talking.

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Your words insult you.

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But how do you really feel, Laura?

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Using ad hominem, attacking the person, is indication your argument has no merit, no other foundation than attacking the individual. Barbie, douche bag, the term cunt in the U.K. and Australia is the worst swearword, only directed at males, nonsensical to call a woman a cunt. Disparaging, rather than persuasive debate, is indication something else is going on for a person, convo is not-about-issues anymore. When it gets personal.

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Your thoughts are being drowned by the language you use as you express them.

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I could give a flying fuck if you guys think my language makes me sound dumb. They are adjectives, get over your simple ignorance. Yes, she pissed me off, and I reacted. Get off your high horses like you’ve never gotten angry. Ffs

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False analogy Selina. Or should I call you Ansar. or Ansari.

Lee the murtadd

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Jan 15·edited Jan 15

What was Israel supposed to do when HAMAS flew over the walls and rolled out on motorbikes to slaughter innocent babies, elderly, disabled, and women, not to mention hundreds of teens at a festival?

Invite them in for a spot of tea?

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This is the nature of "discourse" in 2023?

All unelicited references are fun to analyze though:

"Superior woman" - this is a construction used by women of color against those they perceive to be "whyte wimmin"

"Tulips" - fascinating. The "Superior Woman" is Dutch

"They made you do it" - a reference to statments by Meir: "We can forgive the Arabs for killing our children," she said. "But we can never forgive them for forcing us to kill their children."

The fun part is here is that there are more than 3 parties kvetching at each other, none of who I complete agree with. Do these three participants realize its not a zero sum game? Stay tuned.

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What are you adding to the discussion?

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You must not be hearing much news these days. Both the U.S. and Britain refuse to tell Israel to call a cease-fire. I won't vote for Biden either . . . "sweetheart". Biden is complicit. Did you not hear about the worldwide protests today, Saturday, Jan. 13, including thousands across from the White House, calling for an immediate end to the bombing and killing in Gaza???? Biden is as tone deaf as anyone can get!

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Terms like Sweetheart, Honey, Lovey, are nails on chalkboard, not used to express anger, power, superiority, as if to put people in their place, attempting to sideline. Not in hospitals, care homes, prisons, or courts. I think tap your contribution on phone, can edit. Edit if it’s possible, no harm done.

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Because haters are gonna hate.

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Other than using billions of OUR tax dollars to support THEIR despicable war.

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Your post is absurd- perhaps you have forgotten that Hamas invaded the walls of Israel and murdered 1200 people men, women kids and even babies in their cribs. If that was done to America- we would destroy that country that invaded us. To blame Biden would be like saying George Bush has no business sending troops to catch and destroy Bin Laden and his terrorist grouo.

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Why of course the USA destroys countries for much less. Look at the USA’s continuing vengefulness toward that tiny island called Cuba. Then there’s that pinnacle of USA retaliation in Abu Grab (sp?)…torture par excellence! Oh, yes, we withdraw from Afghanistan and then steal millions of money from them. We crush Iraq (to get into their oil buckets) under a lie about weapons of mass destruction. You sure are right about the USA’s character flaw of exacting infinite pain on those we deem unacceptable. How many coups has USA/CIA engineered. You are right. The USA is a self appointed King of the world. Hawking rules based order but itself choosing to break ones at will. All that said. It appears you approve of crushing countries.

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I think you need to straighten out what US Administration was in office when what incidents were occurring. Our government turns like a big wheel; Many things start under one administration and roll into another.

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Selina: And where do you live that is so great, and gives you the ability to speak freely and trash talk the country that you live in?

Russia perhaps.

Are you one of this addled mind, self indulgent, self righteous leftists.

Your ignorance is astounding we didn't steal millions from Afghanistan, rather we flooded the country with pallets of millions.

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Lee. Imo we need to distinguish between govt action & private action. We The People didn’t steal from Afghanistan, but pvt contractors may have (probably did?).

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And what they stole was money from the pallets delivered by C-5 Galaxies. Just as well, because all of that money went to build palatial infrastructure in Afghanistan which the Taliban now enjoys.

America made the Taliban, in part because we fight with one hand tied behind our back.

Afghanistan was a waste, the destruction of Iraq and Afghanistan are on the bloody hands of that cretin Dubya.

He claimed to invaded Afghanistan to get Osama, however the Taliban had offered Osama up to be tried in a European court, not an American court, Bush wanted none of that, so he ginned up excuses to justify the invasion like women wearing Burgas, saying nothing about the women of Saudi Arabia wearing Abayas or women of Iran wearing their version called Chador, and Niqab.

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A friend teaches English in Calif. to newcomer adult Americans, her own husband a Jew from Moscow via Israel who thinks Biden is weak, FB memes of paper puppet Joe, and scorn in Russian with FB acquaintances in Russia. I was puzzled--her exasperated made-up explanation was, people thrown out of, say, Iran, by a strong arm WANT a strong-arm saviour to beat-up the strong-arm (types), leadership that threw THEM out, with or without their money, made on the backs of others.

It makes frustrating sense--communities of people that OWNED the place, including Cuba, got thrown out. THOSE want an equally big bad bully criminal to stomp on their tormentor, at least for revenge, but further would provide for them a red carpet back-home, to resume, reclaim, their tier and prestige in the class system.

Does it sound plausible, accurate? New comer Americans are either the fortunate rich, got out or be killed or deposed, OR, the more usual assumption (“I bet you’re glad you’re HERE?” an entitled sneer on its own), the lucky poor, who were desperate and glad to get a fair new start.

WE tend to paint immigrants with the same broad brush (poor things). Instead, many love Trump. Their reason is revenge for loss of former power and entitlement.

PS Cuba kicked out rich people that made veritable slaves of the population. Doctors in Cuba earn $55 a month, their education and accommodation is paid for. Medical care is free. There are no slaves to the powerful wealthy; the government or government-plus foreign partnerships own the resorts that employ plenty of people paid by the government. The population has their needs met.

Foreigners from everywhere except the United States are free to visit Cuba, a proud hardworking place that doesn’t need American interest. “Vengeful”? I don’t think anyone but Americans see America as vengeful when it comes to Cuba, a type of self-importance. Who’s it hurting? Wealthy.

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You may want to Google the impact of US sanctions on Cuba.

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Yes, re You may want to search the impact of the U.S. on Cuba. Americans imagine strong-arming Cuba to become a capitalist democracy, where money is king. But, it’s Cuba’s decision. The answer is no. “Been there, done that.” Slaves to wealthy landowners (whose land IS it?”) is not a motivator.

Is it spite?, the plan to grind down a small country? It didn’t work and wishful thinking won’t make them beg to be owned and abused.

Article, “Understanding the Failure of the U.S. Embargo on Cuba.” Feb 2022. “President Johnson expanded the embargo through policy of economic denial in 1964, to INHIBIT Cuba’s efforts to foster economic relations with other countries. Despite continued efforts by the U.S. to cut off the island from the rest of the world, most of Europe and Latin America reinstated their relations with Cuba after close to a decade.” In 1974!!

“The embargo limits people accessing the internet to support small businesses, take online courses, or use services like PayPal. The embargo is a PUNITIVE approach.”

“Cuba achieved a 90% vaccination rate. Cuba developed its own COVID-19 vaccines, bypassing significant challenges. Development, research, production, and rollout, was delayed because purchases and shipping of supplies were complicated by the U.S. embargo. Biden administration’s show of empathy with OTHER countries led to exemptions to sanctions interfering with responses in Iran, Syria and Venezuela, efforts that were absent with Cuba.”

“The embargo has an impact on the Cuban economy at little cost to the U.S. The embargo is in place because the U.S. can afford to have an embargo on Cuba.”

“The U.S. Embargo Complicates Humanitarian Assistance. Consequences, jeopardizing health and welfare of women, children, people living with cancer and HIV/AIDS.” “The U.S. embargo endures, 60+ years, FAILING in its goal to incite regime change or promote democracy. It does not benefit any players in the game, not the U.S. and not Cubans. Yet it continues as U.S. foreign policy.”

“The U.S. impedes food, medicine, humanitarian assistance from reaching people. It restricts family remittances.

The Trump administration’s measures restrict travel to Cuba, limit mutually beneficial dialogue between the U.S. and Cuban people, and make it difficult for Cuban-Americans to visit and reunite with family, particularly those with family outside Havana.

Cuba is on the “State Sponsor of Terrorism (SSOT)” list, a designation that prevents improved relations, an obstacle to purchasing or receiving humanitarian goods.”

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I like hippies. My bet is a paid Russian troll.

But the Gaza war has victims on both sides. And responsible parties on both sides.

Hamas is as horrible as ISIS was. And apparently they would gladly kill each other!

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And the Palestinians, who mostly were not involved in the slaughter, have lost 90% of their housing and something like 24000 dead. Maybe you are obdurate toward facts.

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The Palestinians have allowed the terrorist Hamas to rule and control their lands - Hamas is evil and has no concerns for the welfare of the people they control …. The Palestinians should protest and demand Hamas give back the hostages and stop the carnage.

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Like US allowed tfg?

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Consider that Hamas and Palestinians are separate. Palestinians have no influence over Hamas. Pawns no one cares about. Hamas and Israeli military leadership are alike that way. Israel doesn’t want war.

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Selina! The meds, you forgot the meds again.

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Yeah???? You think the Gaza attacks qualify as genocide??? Not according to its received definition, and a much smaller scope than the real genocides in Armenia and in the Holocaust. And if Hamas hadn't tried to make its point with that raid, there would be no problem. In addition, if Jill Stein had not insisted on running in 2016, rump might very well NOT have been elected. You are not THINKING CLEARLY.

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I don’t advise it but you may be open minded enough to listen to South Africa’s woman attorney(Irish) testimony before the UN International Court of Justice where she presented the case for Israelis’ actions as (more than)qualified to the agreed upon definition of genocide. You may again - if you pride yourself on open mindedness - check out on YouTube Professor Norman Finkelstein s scholarly assessment of Gaza as the “world’s largest outdoor prison” in the world. Developed , maintained and viciously controlled by Israel. It was the context out of which Hamas escaped to viciously attack the 1200 celebratory Jews Oct 6. (Finelstein’s ancestry died in the German camps)Lastly, you

could check out Professor Ilan Pappes whose focus has been on Zionism.

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Opinions Selina. Opinions are like anus's everyone has one.

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Most helpful.

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Well actually Hamas is the forefront of a very big deal - that of wishing to a) Convert or b) Subdue or c) Kill all of us who are not yet Muslims. THAT is a command in that precious 'book' they worship & the attack on Israel was but step one in the ambitious road to an all-Islam world ! And if you refuse to entertain such an idea, and wish to "make peace'' with Hamas you are just giving them space to reorganize & get ready for their next attack. Israel needs to be careful to keep their policies in defense mode, they cannot win if the whole ME rises up against them, but luckily I don't think the ME in general or ordinary Muslims are in sync with Hamas, who are Extremists. AFAIC Islam has ZERO to offer anybody, especially any woman, so we need to watch carefully what they are up to ! Israel especially cannot afford to be complacent !

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vcragain correct you are. Islam is a triumphalist religion, it's Quran and haddiths give it one mandate and that is to conquer the world, and have all convert, or submit and accept 2nd class status. Atheists, polytheist have no choice but to convert or die. Christians and Jews (Peoples of the Book) can, per the Quran, practice their religion provided that they accept dhimmi status (second class status) and pay the poll tax (jizzyah), when in the days of the Caliphates was so onerous that many , like the Bosnians who were Bogomil Christians, chose o convert rather than pay the poll tax.

Here is a Muslim extremist of Jewish ancestry https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehmet_Kaplan

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You are quite possibly a thousand years out of date. Mostly (but not completely) Jews were treated better by the Muslims than the Christians. Currently, in these inflamed times, no religion deserves a crown.

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I wish to be 6' 4". I probably won't get there. Wishes are like straws in the wind, they limit visibility. Hamas is murderous but it is NOT an Existential threat to Israel, so let's not joust with windmills.

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Oh cripes, is Hamas still on about Jihad?

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Oh, yes, the neoliberal democrat mantra about the loss in 2016 being entirely Jill Stein's fault. Perhaps had the democrats chosen a candidate who was not so deeply flawed, who did not alienate millions with her secret, paid meetings with Wall Street execs, who did not use her own server to do the People's business, who did not torpedo the Copenhagen climate talks, who did not help destabilize Libya in the interest of US and UK oil companies, whose campaign discounted several swing states, . . . . . well perhaps you get the idea. More importantly, did the Democrats learn anything from the loss? By many indicators (flagging support among younger voters, people of color, environmentalists) the answer appears to be "No."

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You missed my point entirely. I just want to have a fighting chance to win the 2024 election, and inciting faction among Dems is NOT useful. Period. Everything you say is irrelevant. Why beat that dead horse now, instead of volunteering to help elect Dems in your state and nationwide????????????

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Stephen, wow!!! I had no idea Hillary Clinton was so immensely powerful! Of course she was not and most of what you have listed here was not her responsibility, but it looks good when even Democrats can malign an eminently qualified woman while promoting a woman who had little public experience, had not run for office previously had little to show us that she could actually serve effectively as president, Dr. Stein. Amazing!

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Recall that Hillary lead a failed effort to provide better healthcare many years before Obamacare.

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Ruth, it’s also amazing that 8 years later some people still obsess about HRC.

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She was remarkable enough to threaten the medico-pharma-insurance industry.

We implemented her HIPAA bill for Louisiana 1996-2000, big step forward. To try to stop her from making healthcare reforms, Industry spent $2B maligning & undercutting her candidacy, and she still was nearly elected.

Also did good job in Africa, where I worked 2000-14 with helping stop AIDS, as bipartisan implementer of PEPFAR started by Bush. Smartest and best prepared Presidential candidate of the past 40 years.

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Jan 13·edited Jan 13

Two things Ruth, Jill Stein did indeed take enough votes in Michigan to swing the state to Trumps electoral votes.

Second thing, Stephen is correct Hillary was a flawed candidate, and worse she is a loyal spouse of the man who single handedly created the rust belt/swing states, and they did not forget. The old saying about apples not falling far from the tree. Hillary has proven herself to be a self aggrandizing politician just like her hubby and the swing state voters have a long memory as to William Jefferson Clinton. I was a shop steward and an officer of SEIU, and almost got kicked out of headquarters for having the temerity to mention that Bill betrayed his base of minorities, women, gays and union workers, and America when he pushed for and signed the Repeal of Glass Steagall, which led to the bank crash of 2008, and the preposterous bail out of banks by Obama (Larry Summers, Geithner and Emanuel).

In fact we are here today because of Bill Clinton, and his wife is of the same ilk. Self serving, self aggrandizing.

The DNC twisted Obama's arm, easiy to do, and had him appoint Hillary as Secretary of State, so she would get the all important, at the time, foreign service credentials so she could run as president,

Recall the photo of the assassination of bin Laden. Hillary was sitting at the table, and the President was sitting in a low chair leaning forward in the background. The photo told you who was in charge, not Obama.

The press let that slide quietly, but I doubt that the Swing state voters did.

Here is the voter results for Michigan in 2016

Republican Donald Trump Mike Pence 2,279,543 47.50% 16

Democratic Hillary Clinton Tim Kaine 2,268,839 47.27% 0

Libertarian Gary Johnson William Weld 172,136 3.59% 0

Green Jill Stein Ajamu Baraka 51,463 1.07% 0

U.S. Taxpayers' Darrell Castle Scott Bradley 16,139 0.34% 0

Independent Evan McMullin (write-in) - 8,183 0.17% 0

Natural Law Mimi Soltysik Angela Nicole Walker 2,209 0.05% 0

- Others - 772 0.02% 0

Totals 4,799,284 100.00% 16

Bear in mind Libertarian votes always go Republican, never liberal.

Libertarians are fiscal and regulatory libertarians, never social libertarians in fact the opposite from those I've met.

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Lee, such enormous hatred for the Clintons! Since this nation is not yet a dictatorship, it is interesting that you claim it was Clinton who caused all your woes, both Clintons. Newt Gingrich and his crazies had a lot to do with it too. As for the meeting about Bin Laden, Clinton was Sec. of State and the camera position would determine who seems to be most important in the photo, possibly to make Obama seem irrelevant. Racism was and still is pretty significant in this nation as is misogyny. Hillary Clinton did a lot of positive things as the governor's wife in Arkansas, as the head of a commission trying to fix our health care system, and as Sec. of State trying to rebuild our alliances in the world. Ben Gazi was not totally her fault and the people of Libya came forward to save the rest of the embassy staff. Only 4 died and it could have been far worse. We saw that worse Oct. 7th when Israel was attacked by equally fervent terrorists. Jill Stein may have been popular in Michigan, but the rest of the country didn't know her and still don't. And, the truth is that Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by nearly 3 million. That is no small thing. No matter what anyone thinks, she would have been far better as president than Donald Trump. I hope people remember that throughout this year and keep that fool Trump from power.

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I'm glad you have a direct line to DNC's leaders.

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Lee, I agree 100% about Glass-Steagall, but imo Obama owns too big to fail.

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A Trump autocracy is much to be preferred?

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Stephen, “might… not” doesn’t = “entirely.” Far from it. Exaggerating doesn’t help.

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The Israeli attack is against the Palestinians. 24000 dead civilians vs. how many dead Hamas wretches? As an attack on a distinct group this is genocide, by its definition.

What is your case for calling the massacre something else- give your rationale vs. an unsupported attitude.

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So, how would you suggest effectively Hamas make its point?

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You are aware that Hamas are terrorists, right??

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Yes, just like Kahanists.

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Nailed it!!

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Hamas leading the insurrection against Israel is the point - they cannopt be trusted !

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Netanyahu can't be trusted, he supported funding for Hamas since it was a opponent of the n (ineffective) PLO, who in turn is a failed entity.

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Prisoners don't usually have the the goal of being a peaceful neighbor, especially if the prisoners are unlawfully imprisoned; unsurprisingly to mast people, they want to get out.

"They are getting what they deserve, Hamas and everyone that supported them." How about those who didn't support them and are getting it anyway? Like those four premature babies whose decomposing bodies were found in an NICU unit after they died due to lack of electricity to warm them them and feed them the oxygen they needed to live after their doctors and nurses were forced to abandon them?

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Maureen; As Mao said, the revolution swims in the sea of the people, that means there is no action wihout support of the people.

I HAMAS misjudged the Jews because they gave up 1,000 terrorists in exchange for one soldier, and they believed that Israel would cave for 240 hostages., after they raped and murdered kids at a festival, the elderly, disabled, women , children and babies, even burned them alive.

But that apparently is OK with you. the death of the Jews was up front and personal by terrorists, the death of Gazans is impersonal in pursuit of the inhumans that the "innocent" population is protecting, including tunnel entrances, and HAMAS is using their own people and hostages as human shields so they can get on their self phones and whine to the UN and western media how the Jews are killing innocent civilians and committing genocide. That tune don't play here

I can imagine all of those "innocent women" and children glued to their TV sets as images of the murders and hostage taken stream in, with the women ulating and the kids cheering and clapping. such is the attitude of Muslims as regards Jews, The kids read comic books that depict Jews as baby killers and vampires.

What is that about innocent civilians, maybe babies and toddlers, but again that is HAMAS' fault for using hospitals and the people as human shields while the leadership of HAMAS live high of he hog safely ensconced in Qatar and Lebanon.

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Still parroting the Kahanist party line, I see.

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Peaceful neighbor??? You truly seem to be missing the whole picture. Hamas = Terrorists. Palestinians VOTED Hamas into power. They had electricity etc until, wait for it, HAMAS attacked Israel. The hospital bombing was whose fault? HAMAS! They were using the hospital as a shield with a base and tunnels below it. If Hamas never entered Israel, the hospital would be standing, Along with all the other infrastructures. It is war, a war Hamas started. If they cared one bit about the Palestinian people, they wouldn’t use civilians as human shields. How can you possibly support that?

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Another Kahanist party liner heard from.

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One thing the Arabs are good at is breeding. The birth rate in Gaza is astronomical, and the poor nutrition, HAMAS commands the food

Women in Islam are little more than breed cows, sexual and domestic servants and nannies.

Which is what is n store for American women, when the Christian right takescontrol of the country with Trump 47

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The only question I would raise is this: why, when Hamas had hundreds of millions of dollars in its war chest from donations from other Arab countries, DIDN'T HAMAS WORK TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS IN GAZA, LIKE THE INFRASTRUCTURE?? They could at least have instituted some social welfare programs for kids and families without enough food or income. Or am I wrong? Did Hamas in fact work hard to improve living conditions for Palestinian families who elected them??

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Richard, “They had places they could live if they did not like their lives on the Strip,” that’s not factual.

Israelis can travel where they like, Palestinians cannot. Palestine is not a country, it’s a state. “Occupied by Israel since June 1967, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip have come to constitute the occupied Palestinian territory.”

PS you shot down anything persuasive you may have said with disrespect. Fur coat and no knickers, your argument hinged on name-calling, “Are you ignorant stupid .. do not see what any intelligent person sees,” ad hominem, because you feel out of ammo. Re intelligent person, you claim to be one. Your dissing says no.

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Prisoners don't have autonomy, as Israel's blockading of whatever they didn't want to go in or out of Gaza demonstrates.

And to think there was a time when you Kahanists were considered terrorists, even by Israel. Now you get elected to the Knesset and make war on your prisoners.

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Gaza (with exceptions) did not invade Israel. Hamas is a buttpain but is not an existential threat to Israel. The current Israeli right-wing outhouse is doing its best to wreck global support for Israel. Israel's goal of wrecking Hamas is unachievable, and Israeli leaders exhibit incandescent idiocy in describing plans for Gaza's future.

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I can’t stand the sight of Trump or his voice. When his mouth moves and words come out, I cannot listen because I know it is all lies and pointless stupid speak.

His speech is never uplifting or positive. He never builds anyone up or has anything nice to say unless he’s talking about himself. He’s negative and dark like a dystopian hellscape he wants us all to live in. No thanks. We must not go there. Republicans have no plan.

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Joe Biden IS captured by AIPAC & has a long relationship with the 'old' Israel he cant shake. Today's Israel is controlled by an authoritarian criminal guilty of genocide who is trying to stay out of jail. It's Joe's lethal blindspot. BUT don't dare compare him negatively to these other losers, including the felonious dictator DT

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Who’s comparing Biden? Biden stands on his own merit and foibles. Supplying the means for more Israeli murderous ness makes him co-responsible for the consequences. Is death of a human the ultimate?

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The problem is that Trump would supply the current Kahanist Israeli government with more powerful weapons.

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Actually, you do *more* than "not comparing him with the former guy". Trump, who is again vying for power is the guy you seem to prefer because we have not heard you say anything negative about him yet while you go on and on alt length, carrying on about how bad Biden is.

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I criticize Biden and Dems cause they deserve it. Only they stand t ween us & fascism & they are treating this election like one from the 80s or 90s. Where are they? Explain in specific terms how fascism will affect each & every american...no food inspection, DTs brownshirts roaming streets killing political enemies as in 1932 Germany....ad infinitum

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Agree Selina

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Selina sweet: go to some MAGA site! We need to support our President; not tfg!

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Right. Let’s let perfect be the enemy of good. It’s the exact path to usher in the second term of DJT.

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Being Complicit in a genocide is not subject to moral equivocation.

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Nor is cheating on your taxes, grabbing pu**y, betraying allies such as the Kurds and the former President of Afghanistan, lying about the effectiveness of the vaccines [Quite a few Americans died of that : He lied and they died].

I am not closing my eyes on what's happening in Gaza: I'm connecting with folks that could do something about it, like my Congressfolks, if ever they were so inclined to actually do something. I am pushing for a 2-states solution because we are not going to put an end to the war as long as both sides desire for more blood is not quenched. This ship has sailed: They are at war. Urge the President to keep us out of it. That would be more useful. The folks you are attacking here have nothing to do with this terrible war.

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The experience here reminds me of sorority rush at a mid western college a long time ago. The pressure to conform to the prevailing dominant attitude of the House and make nice nice instead of being just yourself was considerable. Here you, Cecile S-J and your compatriots have called me names, “blithering mind” and Russian troll, told me I don’t belong, told me I’m listening to voices , you’re telling me I am attacking people (what exactly have I said that is an attack on people?), sarcastically and with ridicule called me sweetheart, and more. Can you understand what I might feel my fellow Americans? The disdain and aggressiveness to diminish me - not counter my assertions - is remarkable. Not one among you who treated me in this fashion was simply courteous and respectful. Which underscores how utterly essential to a strong democracy is the capacity to tolerate the tension of dissent with respect. And a willingness to be curious and a desire to understand the “other”. Agent Chaos has made clear for all to see all the disrespect that operates in our society. Basically, it is corruption. Endemic. Even in here.

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You can throw around the word "genocide" out of anger and hysteria that Netanyahu/Israeli government have killed 23,000 Palestinians, but this does not fit the definition of genocide as bad as it is. INTENTION is the issue and that is being adjudicated. Biden/our government is not supporting genocide. They are supporting Israel going after Hamas, but not indiscriminately and with such disproportion. Biden is working to end this operation and push Netanyahu towards another approach towards Hamas and aid for Palestinians. The situation is evolving. The International Court of Justice will rule/have a say on this. WE are not responsible for what Israel is doing even though we have given Israel weapons (which is unfortunate). We do not advocate this destruction of Gaza.

We do not need Trump to gain the presidency again because of anger with Biden over this. Trump will be much much worse. This is sure and proven.

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Selena, Wow! So Biden did all that did he! Israel has caught the US in a web that we are having difficulty getting out of. That was not caused by Biden but he has to deal with it. I suspect none of the people you named would have been able to do much better if better at all. World politics is really complex and we are still living with the aftermath of WWII and the cold war which should be totally history, but are not. The Willow project is a problem, but there are a lot of Americans who still have no clue just how bad global warming is and cry "jobs" whenever efforts to stop projects are moving forward. I understand your frustration, but slamming Biden is a gift to Trump and Kump and if he understood what was going on, Trump would be grateful.

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Ruth “but slamming Biden is a gift to Trump”…so shut up…is that it? A USA President collaborating in a genocide project is despicable. Not something conducive to moral relativity.

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Selena, are you kidding me! You know that is not what I said. I guess twisting works well for you. It doesn't for me. Genocide is wrong everywhere and Biden is not responsible for it in Gaza or anywhere else. The Israeli people made a big mistake voting again for Netanyahu and are paying for it now as they are accused of genocide because their leader has decided he has the right to destroy Gaza and its people. That is not on Biden. He needs to keep up the push to get a ceasefire and to stop the genocide, but Israel must be the one that stops the destruction.

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What is not what you said? This? “Oh Selena, get over it! Insults here are not welcome. “(Your words) Who exactly have I insulted? What exactly is/are the insults Ruth? Now here again yours -.” I guess twisting works well for you. It doesn't for me.” What exactly Ruth did I twist? Is this called open dialogue?

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Whoa Chuck! Good insult! Feel better now?

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I think Selina is a paid operative for either the GOP

or Russia. People who respond as she does usually

have training.

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Selina Sweet is probably a paid Russian infiltrator or bot. Pay no attention to her. She just wants to upset the President Biden fierce supporters.

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PS Joe Biden is no murderer, YOU are being shrill and alarmist like THEM. The cease fire you refer to was a red herring, “stop, go, stop, go,” as undesirable is what I think that was about. When just plain STOP is what anyone wants instead. Avoid throwing around rhetoric like murderer when all it does is make one appear an infant bellringer, like when a toddler yowls and raises their arms in protest, ringing their bells. Your facts are correct and then one pretends to believe the facts bear out their personal assertions, not true. Biden administration is working 24/7 on climate and peace. Talk about switching horses midstream, you’ll tip the boat, spill the applecart, baby out with bathwater, keep your eye on the prize, dump Trump. Angst-iness from within on the subject of leadership, there is no appetite for that. The juggernaut of good government needs to scuttle the pigsty party’s MAGA Tea-party ship.

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Selina. Not in 2024.

Unless you want fascism & chaos, vote for the Dem candidate whether you like him or not (it won’t be a her).

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Biden’s one of the good guys. He always has been. He’s the best antidote to the times Trump has put us through. Tested by time, a known steady hand. He knows the best experts to trust with running the departments of the executive branch. I suggest we keep him for another term. We need the respite from the insanity of what’s left of the GOP, and Trump.

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Unless Joe Biden steps down and is replaced by another Democratic candidate, your pleas to vote for a third party candidate will only lead to a dystopian Trump Administration. Yes, atrocities are being committed in Gaza serious enough for processings at court in The Hague, but enabling Trump to become President will only make the Middle East crises even worse. In life, we are constantly faced with imperfect alternatives and we have to remain grounded and centered to make a good decision.

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Russian troll. Go back to Moscow.

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Russian? Really? Not French?

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Jan 12·edited Jan 12

Nobody seems to be talking about how banning ol' P01135809 from the ballot might impact the '24 election outcome. Blowing off other possible contenders could result in a different kind of disaster. Just sayin'.

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Jan 12·edited Jan 12

You seem to have gotten my point!

Speaking of other things that seem to have gotten lost in chaos:

What of Ukraine ‽

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Then hopefully, in the case of the executive, when things go thru the guardrails, ARTICLE 25 will go forward.. or the third (successful?) impeachment.. the crux, what it will come down to, is who controls the house and senate and who is going to stand up in the cabinet and the military.. so so important that those key places have the right kind of Americans in them.

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Agreed Lark.....the eloquent Dem Senators & Congreepersons need to get out there NOW & start defending Biden and attacking DT. The Dumbocrats are making the same mistake they made in 2016....starting to attack TOO late as it's now Jan 11 & DT HAS BEEN out there for months propogandizing/mesmerizing. Joe must realize that doing good policy isn't everything...hes gotta get out there & convince people he's fighting for them.. Act like a president. And yes I've noticed myself DTs manner is more macho which makes him appear more authoritative and even younger. Joe's older....he needs help from the team

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Douglas: Truely and sadly well stated. I fear for us if the Democrats and Biden don’t take to the air and demand as much time as is given to Trump. Used wisely it’s our only chance at preserving the nation.

Yes, I wish we had a younger and more charismatic candidate than Biden. Yes I wish Biden weren’t supplying Israel with weapons to further the genocide. (I’ve written to Biden and Congress every week deploring our military involvement with Israel which I consider sinful.). But Biden is all we have as a weak barrier to a vile dictatorship under Trump.

How we got in this position is no longer the main issue although it needs to be understood. The Democrats have got to get together and fight out loud if we are going to hold onto this fragile democracy/ plutocracy and rise from there to build a great nation or, at least, a good one.

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Well said!! I do believe Biden is running some good ads in the swing states, but crickets everywhere else. I think he needs to run a crap ton of ads explaining how the economy is better etc. the MAGAts believe every single freaking word out of tfg’s mouth!! He needs to counter their “reality”

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Biden will do what he does and you and I have no say. Actually, EVERYONE is doing whatever they are doing, and you and I have no say.

My point is what there is to attend to is what you or I do where we have an actual say in the matter.

There are literally endless opportunities to engage in making a difference. Don't just post comments. Get out into YOUR communities and don't merely vote. Run for local offices. Volunteer support to local government structures etc. ect.

Take care of EVERYTHING AND ONE near to you. As someone said “Keep doing the right things and the right things will happen.”

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I think the real Robert Reich’s SubStack has been hacked again. Dozens of us received a comment with no “Author” next to his name, time stamped between 2am and 3am Pacific January 13. Comment mentions his free course accessed through Telegram. (Copy of my 7:01 am pacific Jan 13 comment far far below)

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Oops! I just saw one. Received one in my e-mail about a week ago. I think it was also for Telegram, a favorite social media site for Russians, as I understand, & not something Dr. Reich is likely to use.

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Again?

I guess there are advantages to posting late.

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How insane is it that WE must "keep Biden in the picture" -- what that is EXACTLY what the MSM is supposed to be doing!! They're making billions upon billions of dollars, feeding pablum to the hungry masses -- meanwhile destroying our democracy.

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The Democrats should take some communication pointers from the Irish:

https://live.staticflickr.com/5044/5241182691_248c46964d_b.jpg

Imagine that headline on the billboard using a picture of the "Freedom Caucus" instead of the Irish politicians is shows.

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Oh my--strikes me as true, THERAPISTS know nothing. Our daughter, forever27, wouldn’t hear of changing, “She knows EVERYTHING about me!”(You wrote this a while back, I just saw). Therapist, it turns out, sort of fell into pattern, asked for recitation of week’s events. I had thought of therapy as a treat, a gift, speak freely including complain about parents, turns out FAMILY therapy is the only one recommended for eating disorders, a mental illness.

Their therapy sessions. To mull over, examine, search for a key, rather than talk about inability to eat, the elephant in a room, as if illness were a choice. “Be assured I would never have you pink slipped, committed. You can trust me.” Later, the therapist said, sectioning a person, a danger to themselves, “I wouldn’t have a person sectioned. It would harm the therapeutic relationship.” A therapist ought to help a person do hard things. Your Dr. Burns article, re suicide seems important and true--don’t trust a distressed person’s diagnosis, prognosis, or care to a therapist or parent, that understands illness as if it were a choice! Health professionals were the same. Patient, “I don’t feel ready to change,” fearful, directed to finish last bite of lunch, couldn’t, a symptom. A psychiatrist, “Well you’re in the wrong place then,” clever, and, “She was free to tell anyone she wanted.” Bound by distress, mute, inarticulate, pretending a person can make an uninfluenced decision? A new theory of substance abuse and eating disorders, the recovery model, says, a person must buy into their own recovery first. Nonsensical--mental illness, suicidal path, a person can’t decide to be well and not ill, though, to access care and treatment, being well and capable of following (perception of terrifying) instructions, is step one.

Thanks for the “Feeling Great,” Dr. Burns reference, I will look for it. Something needs to be learned, to help people instead of effectively discarding them.

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Let's hope you're wrong Robert. So far Biden is off to a strong start. His message is cohesive and hopeful. He sounds strong. He's getting good coverage. Trump is everything negative. I believe that the vast majority of Americans are sick of the meanness and negativity that Trump and the GOP and their extremist MAGA Agenda represent.

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He has people 'choked' w/ all this hatefulness,horrifying nasty and severe lack of respect for the court system.Would anyone want their children behaving like that?Horrible example for society and for young folks growing up.I heard a psychiatrist saying he had 'infected' society.Absolutely ,and we need to discard and deposit him in a dungeon.The day we do I'm popping open a nice,chilled bottle of Prosecco.

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Yes ma’am, Eliza!

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Thanks Robert. I’d love to join, but I don't understand what you mean by telegram?

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That isn't Robert Reich, & Telegram is a site favored by Russians to spread their propaganda. Please don't fall for it.

Every now & then some bot (Russian or otherwise) comes to this site disguised as Reich & replies to a bunch of comments to tell readers to come join him on some app. Like the very astute Janet says below (or above, depending on where this comment lands), it's a scam.

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Thanks! I figured that out when he asked me for my ID to enroll in a course. LOL

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Oh no! So that's what he was after! Glad you didn't go any further.

There should be better screening to prevent scam artists from getting on this site.

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This is a scam, please ignore it. It’s a bot posing as Robert Reich.

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It’s an IM App, Google it, may have security drawbacks in that it defaults to less secure mode. I have decided not to use it, but am increasingly cautious. But read up on it before downloading another app.

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Thanks!

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Ramona,

I've just learned that Robert Riech is a troll (is not THE Robert Reich - note spelling diff), likely Russian (Telegram is a IM app, as you may have learned, widely used around the world - it was written by a Russian not favored by the Russian admin, and who left that country... but one can wonder about the resale of information for EVERY app and social media!)

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Pleasure ;)

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“majority of Americans are sick of the meanness and negativity.” Does Biden’s collaboration with Israel’s genocide of Palestinians with mucho American dinero, humans, weapons etc qualify as meanness? Negativity? Just 23,000 mostly women and children murdered and a bunch dying under bomb rubble. While above ground the people intentionally deprived of food, water and medical care. Mean? Negative? Starvation? What is the moral quality of a person who has the power to force a stop but instead votes down a ceasefire in the UN Security Council?

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In case you hadn’t heard, Evangelicals who back Trump are looking forward to an escalation in the Middle East to hasten the arrival of end times. And they overwhelmingly support Trump. Do you honestly believe any Republican, let alone the incompetent Trump, will do anything to stop the carnage? Really?!

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Do you think Trump or any of the Republican candidates would do the right thing regarding the Palestinians? Trump is a big fan of Bibi, as is AIPAC. As is CUFI.

As tragic as is the situation of the Palestinians, climate change is a bigger tragedy waiting to happen on a far greater scale. Republicans will do nothing to prevent it from becoming worse. Some of them are hoping the Rapture will come soon, and believe we need not do anything to protect our only planet. Trump promises to drill, drill, drill.

I am grateful to South Africa for their efforts to hold Israel accountable for the slaughter of Palestinians. If “eye for an eye” is the standard, then Israel has taken its revenge for the Hamas October 7 attack already, and much more. I don’t know how to prevent Hamas from making more such attacks on Israel. That is a legitimate objective. But I doubt that Israeli air strikes in Gaza, causing mass death and destruction and 85% of the population to become refugees, is anything but more trouble ahead.

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What is the solution? Ranting never helps.

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Really?

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Selina, There’s no Biden “collaboration” with Israel. Biden cannot control Netenyahu. Even most Israelis don’t agree with what he’s doing.

Although some people seem to think Biden can control others as if he were God, he cannot. He doesn’t have a magic wand he can use to control

the fate of others. Pres. Biden isn’t responsible for starvation or lack of medical aid available to Palestinians.

The TRUTH is that Pres. Biden and Sec. Blinken have been and still are arranging for transport of food and basic necessities to Palestinians:

“Today(12/5/23) in El-Arish, Egypt, Administrator Samantha Power announced that the United States, through USAID, will provide more than $21 million in additional humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza and the West Bank affected by the ongoing conflict.”

“The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) improves the lives of the Palestinian people to set conditions for a viable

two-state solution. Between September 2021-

2024, USAID will have provided over $500

million in support to the Palestinian people.”

The US is also a major contributor, providing more than $5.2 billion through USAID since 1994. In recent years, this aid has totaled around $600 million annually.

10/18/23 “President Biden announced today that the United States is providing $100 million in humanitarian assistance for the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank. This funding will help support over a million displaced and conflict-affected people with clean water, food, hygiene support, medical care, and other essential needs.”

“We will continue to work closely with partners in the region to stress the importance of upholding the law of war, supporting those who are trying to get to safety or provide assistance, and facilitating access to food, water, medical care, and shelter.” President

Biden said.

Neither the Palestinians nor the Israelis are blameless. America didn’t start this war and isn’t

responsible for how the Israelis conduct it. Pres.

Biden has input and some amount of influence,

but he can’t control it.

If any outside country played a part in starting this war it’s Russia. Hamas fighters even looked for Russian citizens among the people who were being held hostage and set them free as a favor to Putin.

“When a Hamas delegation visited Moscow in late October, Russian diplomats handed the group a list of eight Russian-Israeli citizens being held hostage in Gaza.”

“We are very attentive to this list and will process it carefully because we look at Russia as our closest friend,” a senior member of Hamas, Mousa Abu Marzook, told RIA Novosti news agency. “As soon as we find them, we’ll release them.” Since then, Hamas has been making good on its pledge.” (Source--Washington Post, “Hamas release of Russian hostages highlights Putin’s new Mideast stance”, 12/2/23, by M. IIyushina)

Contrary to your beliefs, the U.S. is doing what it

can to ease the suffering of Palestinians, as are

other nations.

“A plan mediated by Qatar and France to deliver lifesaving medication to Israeli hostages, as well as critical aid to civilians in Gaza, went into motion Wednesday in a rare diplomatic breakthrough.”

(Washington Post, 1/17/24, by Shira Ruben)

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I hope you are right...

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Talk of Trump has worn me down. It grates on me like a child first learning how to play a trumpet. Let’s keep up a dialogue of what Joe Biden has accomplished in this term and keep repeating it.

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That's the "grating" that Trumps made America do again. He just can't spell.

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Good catch: Make America Grate Again!

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Also, I think its worth saying, Donald Trump is very boring. He has such limited inquisitiveness and such a dull brain, that he comes across as very banal. He's only funny because he's so ignorant and vapid. By rights he should be ignored.

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All his whining and complaining and being the center of constant attention has worn me down. I try not to give him much attention while knowing what he's up to. How can one person be so miserable.

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Use your energy to push for Biden to step down and replace him with Jamie Raskin or Ro Khanna or Shawn Fain (UAW)President , a man of integrity, smarts, not bought (Biden is the one pocketing the most money from PROIsrael - $4,500,000. Yes. That is almost $4.5 million. ) (Funny, huh, do you think a Pro-Russian lobby equal in magnitude to AIPAC would ever be allowed to influence our elections in like manner of buying Congress?)

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Selena,

23,000 dead is a terrible thing. However, the responsibility for those casualties under the rules of war is Hamas's because they put all of their operations in the middle of civilian residential areas. Biden is not responsible and Israel is not responsible. That said, Hamas loves your support.

Sincerely,

Isaiah D. Cooper

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Hamas wants everyone to criticize Israel for Palestinian deaths for which Hamas is responsible.

Sincerely,

Isaiah D. Cooper

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But Netanyahu himself specifically bears a significant responsibility for ignoring warnings of an imminent attack by Hamas & for how he has conducted this war.

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Israel has a choice. Many choices, in fact. Allways stand by the oppressed people, Jews as wel as Palestinians, be they oppressed and used by Hamas or by Israel.

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I hope Shawn Fain finds his way into high political office in the coming years, but it's WAY too late for him to run for president now, or even in 2028, and our national attitude toward labor unions ("commies!") isn't going away any time soon. I revere Raskin for many reasons, but he is Jewish -- and voters who are inflamed about Israel simply won't vote for him, period, the end. I wish Biden were younger, stronger. He's a good man; that's good enough for me. I'm being righteously shunned at my workplace for being pro-Biden, but I just turn my back to the wind and work/volunteer/donate for better days.

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Cyrano--you probably know this--voters are being manipulated with rhetoric like Selina Sweet’s.

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Voices Selina, keep listening to the voices. Everyone else is just jealous they can't hear them

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Yes. These are the voices I listen to: The South African lawyer testifying at the ICJ yesterday. Prof Norman Finkelstein. Chris Hedges. Prof Ilan Pappé.Vishay Prashad. Consortium Report.com, Counterpunch.org ( see “Magical Thinking About Biden 2024 Paves the Way for Another Trump Presidency

JANUARY 12, 2024 BY JEFF COHEN - NORMAN SOLOMON”. Carlprn I advise against your tapping into a non propagandistic take on reality. In other words avoid these sites.

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founding

I block thee.

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Please shut up

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Is that you Donald?

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Yes, it's me. No violence for the moment, makes us look bad. Go home peacefully. Stand back and stand by.

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If another dem runs in Biden's place they'll get my vote, and yes, America has supported Israel to the point that Israel's seeming impunity has corrupted them, but a vote for Trump is a vote to bring fascism to America, a non vote or 3rd party vote is 1/2 a vote for Trump, and I just can't do that. Netanyahu is a lot like Trump and Trump will support him more than Biden does. The best course of action is a vote against Trump. Democracy never gives you what you want, it gives you some mucked up middle ground that isn't sweet for anybody. I wish I had a better answer for you.

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No thank you Selina Sweet. I like Joe Biden for president in 2024. I liked him for president in 2020 and each year since. I voted for him and will again. He's done wonderful things for our country. I'll do me - and you do you. Have absolutely no idea what you hope to gain ranting on Mr. Reich's substack. I find your points extreme and distorted. I find your middle east theme distracting and derailing. The topic here is Donald Trump's noisiness drowning Joe Biden's message - not Israel or Gaza. Please stop.

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You’re kidding, right? Please post a link or 2 of where you’re getting your info. The repugs in the house are pocketing millions from lobbyists, but meanwhile you’re blithering brain thinks Biden’s the bad guy. Oh, btw, it’s illegal for the president of the United States to take, earn or otherwise make any money from foreign agents. So where’s your proof again?

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Agreed. Where’s the proof? Echo’s the voter fraud crap.

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Honestly, Laura is it fine with you to disparage another (your blithering brain)for having a different point of view? Are you among the fraternity intent on dismantling the freedom of speech and especially, the freedom to dissent? Do you hold your own view of reality as the most accurate and penetrating? So only condescension towards others is appropriate?

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See my foregoing response to your request.

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this is a con....note the spelling

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That wreaks of a Russian bot.

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NOT a Russian bot, just like the gal you'all attacked recently who held a different view from yours regarding the Palestine- Israel conflict, which by the way, the Creators of Israel prophesied that because they were stealing, yes taking land from another group (remind you of Native Americans & US killers, 'immigrants'), that there would be conflict in Israel Palestine FOREVER MORE!

I have a significant background in these areas, public health, community health, nursing, social work, primary care, mental health , substance abuse care, amongst others. I have had 2 serious bouts of multiple tick diseases- read the book, Bitten, and, I refuse to cover up the lies and destruction I have witnessed of all the COMMON GOOD I worked for my entire life! Robert is not the first & not the only person to understand the rotten country the US has become.

But, YOU are a KNOW IT ALL. You can read this blog and identify the competing Brown noses all through. Start listening. Wake up to wider understanding!

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Riech, not Reich?

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“But he was on TV” someone actually wrote that in

2016 in response to something I posted on Daily Kos.

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Jan 12·edited Jan 12

1. I detest Trump and skip over all news reports about him. Some headlines seep through. The headline I'm waiting for is "Trump Jailed". The photo I'm waiting for is a mug shot that shows his ugly, orange face in an orange prison uniform.

2. A LOT of us women are furious about the overturning of Roe V. Wade. We already know what that did to some Republicans in this country and I hope it will - as it should - continue to hurt Republicans. Even though I'm 70 and that decision doesn't affect me, I stand with all women and say "don't you dare take away our freedom to make our decision about our bodies". How about a law requiring men to wear condoms or else be jailed. I think I know how many men would react to that.

3. Remember how many of us Democrats and others came out to celebrate when we found out Biden had won and Trump had lost?

4. Remember how many of us turned out to vote for Biden? Unfortunately I live in Idaho which is a deeply red state which will go to whomever the Republican nominee is. Still, I WILL vote.

5. Biden has done a good job. Has he done as much as I would have liked - no, but I'm a very liberal Democrat. Unlike the idiot before him, he did a lot to bring the pandemic to a halt, the economy is doing fine, unemployment is low, the inflation rate is back to normal. As for inflation, that is never the fault of a President. It's the fault of large, greedy corporations. He got a major infrastructure bill passed. He's tried to help those with large loans from their college days. He is actually trying to help people and this country. The orange sociopath and his minions did nothing. Oops. Yes they did, they helped the rich by cutting their taxes. Then, as per usual, the deficit soared and they blamed it on Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid. I think the only reason Republican politicians hate those programs (which Republican voters do benefit from), it because all of those good programs were thought up and put into place by Democrats.

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generally agree - except re covid: how did Biden do a lot of bring the pandemic to a halt? covid carries on - t's just 'just' that governments and people got tired of it all and just ignore it now

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I agree covid is still with us - I certainly still keep being vaccinated - but it is no longer deemed a pandemic. Here us what Biden and his team of very smart doctors did: they got to work quickly getting the vaccines into pharmacies - of which there are many compared to hospitals, clinics, etc. and those pharmacies made it easy to use their websites to make appointments. As someone who was 68 at that time (no underlying health issues), I was able to get it as soon as Idaho had it available and decided who got it first, second, so on, and when. Also, free home test kits were made available through the U.S. Postal service. Trump and his minions did NOTHING like that. He was putting out quack ideas of what to take. I'm sure when he got covid himself and was hospitalized for it, those doctors didn't give him what he told the public to take. I agree a lot of people ignore it now and probably don't bother to get vaccinated, but certainly my friends and relatives who are in my age group - we take it seriously.

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Having just missed out on the role out of the Salk Polo Vaccine as a 5 year old in 1955, the entire subject of vaccines should have critical importance to everyone. But for those who dismiss them for political reasons, all I can say is that they are proving Darwin correct. Survival of the smartest. Republicans by taking this anti-vaccine stance, are literally killing off their own voting base.

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AS a 45 year healthcare person, the US did not make you aware of the regulatory capture of vaccines, the AMA decision to give so many vaccines at once to newborns with no immunity, vaccines with heavy metals in the preservatives which some bodies do not tolerate and many other issues. Live polio vaccine in the 1960s- 1970s caused, caused POLIO in parents who were not vaccinated when their children were vaccinated with live vaccine. This took too many years to resolve and many parents died and were crippled. The RNA shots were inadequately tested, we were all guinea pigs and if you were lucky enough not to coagulate or get put in a ventilator , you survived this. NO ONE knows the consequences of these new RNA shots. NO ONE> It is now clear, but was to many like myself early on, that this was a lab escape covid virus, a dire mistake by careless, money honking administrators of federal agencies who covered up funding the transfer of this covid mess from the US, where it was illegal to china, where safeguards were inadequate in the bioweapon, gain of function labs. These labs are all around the world. By the way, do you know the many diseases , one of which is Lyme disease,that were put in ticks as a bioweapon in the US ,but got out of 'secure biolabs' in the 19600s (see nonfiction book Bitten by Kris Newby). The US has researched and stockpiled bioweapons since WWI... There is much to question and change . The public has never been informed about this mass of data.

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Wowzie, that's a lot of "information" you've shared. It's true that there's illness out there, but it's the "lay down & let's talk about it" kind... Try That.

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con, be careful

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Gina, the difference is Covid is no longer killing almost everyone who gets sick with it. Medication

to minimize its lethality was developed, and an unprecedented push for the vaccine rollout is what President Biden did that Trump should’ve done. Biden made getting free vaccines to the public asap his priority. Biden even urged local governments to pay people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, and he set new rules requiring federal workers to provide proof of vaccination or face regular testing, mask mandates and travel restrictions. Trump didn’t care enough about people to bother with it.

Biden also arranged direct payments of $1,400 per person to more than 160 million households to help families devastated by loss of jobs. Biden also arranged for hundreds of billions of dollars in aid to

go to state and local governments in the hope that

it would be enough to bring back all 8.4 million jobs lost to the pandemic. Because Biden did that and

did other things, the U.S. economy recovered faster than any other economy in the post-pandemic

world.

Trump simply didn’t and still doesn’t care about people enough to worry about whether they get evicted and/or can’t feed their kids when the economy was more or less shut down because of

the pandemic. Trump actually made hospitals compete with each other in bidding wars for

ventilators and other necessary equipment. What Trump should have done was invoke the war powers act & use it to convert businesses that

manufactured other things to manufacturing ventilators.

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Not familiar with Telegram--looking it up.

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NOT the author here! A fraud

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It's an app favored by Russians to spread their false propaganda (& we have apparently been affected with a number of them visiting this site), & this is not our venerable Robert Reich (notice how the surname is spelled; & normally in the rare cases Reich speaks to us in the comment section, there is "author" by his name), so this is a bot (likely Russian).

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President Biden has some awesome ads in Arizona and if he continues to speak like he did at Valley Forge and put these ads in all the important states, he will prevail.

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Very true. So please, please stop! Robert, I love you. But stop giving tRump so much attention. Any publicity benefits him no matter how bad.

We have serious global problems to deal with no matter who wins this election. If we don’t stop the fighting no one will be left.

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Agree 100%. How come nearly every headline in this column features that man's name?

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Karla, Trump’s name is probably in every headline

because the thought that he could be elected is

truly terrifying. Putting Trump’s name in every headline Robert writes on this forum isn’t so much about giving him attention because probably 99%

of people on this forum already know Trump is a

terrifying threat, not only to us but also to the world.

I think Robert does it because he’s giving us factual info to use.

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Agree, Claire. Especially as Reich has been incessantly sounding alarms since early last year, telling us how terrifying it will be if TFG wins in ten months. For example, this is just hyperventilating, 14 months before the election:

https://robertreich.substack.com/p/the-terrifying-road-ahead

Time to take a breath and look at those national and global problems you bring up.

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Would you rather sleep thru it and wake up in an authoritarian dictatorship in Nov 24?

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No, but I think it’s ALL been said over and over and if you don’t get it by now, you never will. As I said in my earlier response, Trump NEEDS press, be it good or bad. Gee, what would happen if every single mainstream news outlet would stop covering him?

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Yeah, I wish Trump would get no coverage either - that would help, but unfortunately the networks like the viewers tuning in to hear the latest crap Trump is peddling or about his troubles. If folks only tune into Fox they are getting a very one-sided view of what’s happening and that is dangerous when it comes to voting.

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I don't sleep through anything, Susan; on the contrary, I pay close attention. I'm simply not worried about it. I don't think TFG is going to win in November. That said, ANYTHING can happen between now and then. For instance, he could cheeseburger himself to death. He could end up in the slam and the Rethugs then nominate somebody else. Remember Howard Dean? Gary Hart? Or even Thomas Dewey? They had it in the bag. Until they didn’t. There's absolutely no point in getting an ulcer over it this far out.

And obsessing over every orange utterance and speculating on every possible scenario is nonsensical. If you want to drive yourself crazy, Susan, by all means, you're free to do so. I’m not gonna panic until there's a concrete reason to do so.

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I know, but it’s good to voice opinions on this page - I’m sure there are millions of people just like me feeling anxious about this years elections - voicing opinions is one way of getting the word to the people

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I see this forum as a way to vent; it's kind of an echo chamber. I doubt the contents, intelligent and worthy as they are, are reaching the people who need to get the message. Rather, we who read these posts become more informed and feel supported.

As for the election ten months hence, I agree that, whoever the candidates are, we have reason for concern. For example, a Harris-Haley contest would be pretty scary. But dire predictions, pearl-clutching, and hand-wringing do no one any good, especially this far out.

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I write on these forums to get facts into discussions.

I’m not the type who panics at much of anything, (I’m a former ER nurse) but we ARE on the verge of

an existential nightmare of global proportions, not

just because of Trump, but because of climate change that neither Trump or the GOP seem inclined to address, apparently because it interferes with their single-minded agenda of making as much money as possible while simultaneously impoverishing the rest of America.

The GOP is hell-bent on doing whatever it takes to create more and more division in our culture to facilitate societal breakdown as a precursor to their takeover of our government, at a time when it’s most important for us to pull together to solve climate change issues barreling toward us. The first thing that has to be done when confronting a problem is to recognize it. So far I’m unaware of any GOP leadership giving voice to the drop-dead seriousness of climate change.

So what we have are a bunch of narcissistic sociopaths corruptly doing everything in their power to reduce the majority of Americans to a life of poverty when things like food will be more difficult to get because of world-wide droughts. That’s just one example of what we’re in for. Therefore, nothing-and I mean NOTHING is more important to the continued existence of every person on this forum than making

sure Trump and his GOP enablers don’t get elected.

If anyone reading this thinks I’m trying to scare you, you are correct. Too many voters aren’t paying attention. We have to make them pay attention.

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Im lovin’ the cheeseburger idea actually.

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Claire, like not paying attention to the "Air", all around us and disregarding it, does nothing for us.

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As one long time ago Senator said, I forget the name: "I don't care if they talk good about me or bad about just as long as they are talking about me." That is it in a nutshell.

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Just more ongoing ground truth evidence that the FCC fairness doctrine and all enabling attendant regulations robustly enforced; MUST be reenacted, but this time applied across ALL media platforms, especially internet, social media and ISPs. A must do, if we are to return to a well informed electorate debating from the SAME set of vetted facts and science,and break ALL of our bubbles and silos.

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It's a great idea that will never happen without a Democratic super majority in the house with a Progressive Democratic president.

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This idea also has appealed to me at times, but Does this lead us to "both sides" false equivalencies? (did it apply to just two parties?)

If one believes some things are right and others wrong (eg: grbbing by p; fraud; insurrection),

doesn't fairness doctrine mandate as much free airtime for the wrong as the right? Just ignorant about this detail.

Some points of view truly merit more attention than others; finding agreement on this is why this is so hard - and it will keep getting harder, given the commercial incentive of media - "if it bleeds, it leads".

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Robert, there’s a peculiar repetition of a solicitation from you to contact you on the Telegram app. Why?

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Because it's not Reich (note spelling "riech"). It's most likely a Russian robot.

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Thanks, Jamie. One knew German and still missed the vowel inversion. Getting old!

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Wow. Missed that!

Wondered how anyone could have usurped his name on his own stack!

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Well I have seen Reich imposters here before with his name spelled right, too. Another tell is whether or not "author" is next to his name. And then Reich almost never comments in the comment section. The only one I remember is when he recently cautioned a commenter not to be so antagonistic & disruptive. He doesn't give multiple standard replies telling people to contact him via another app as most of these bots do.

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With more and more Republicans turning away from Trump, it appears that his unhinged rants are showing just how unstable he is. His desire to be a dictator has turned off many independents and moderate Republicans.

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I have a step sister who is a Republican. We don't talk politics much, but she did say Trump should never be President again. So that's one less vote he'll get. But even if he is the Republican nominee, he won't win Washington state where she lives.

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Forgive my ignorance, but what is Telegram and where do I find it?

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It's a social media app favored by Russian propagandists, & that isn't Robert Reich (note spelling of last name), but a (likely Russian) bot..

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afraid the repub crazies way outweigh the independents and (haha) moderates

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Gina; who won the last three elections? The special elections in a few states, the mid terms and , of cousrse, the 2020 election? It was not the. 'repub crazies'!

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Democrats lost the House & barely retained the Senate under favorable circumstances, so no, we didn't win in 2022.

I strongly suspect that it was in part because of Republican cheating. Republicans always accuse Democrats of what Republicans are doing. They had us investigating elections won by Democrats where no irregularities were found, but none of the suspicious results where Republicans won was looked at, even though it was only Republicans who were found to have interfered in elections. Remember Trump & Graham meddling in Georgia? Trump also interfered in Arizona & Michigan. I am sure it was much more widespread. Also Russia is known to have interfered on behalf of Trump & the Republicans, & both will no doubt interfere on a much grander scale in 2024.

We must be vigilant in November to prevent Republican & Russian (why does it always feel like I'm repeating myself when I type "Republican" & "Russian" in the same phrase?) meddling & investigate any suspicious results.

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great - by the skin o' yer teeth trump lost...so MANY people support him tho and no guarantees he'll lose again...or if he does the maniacs will go away

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Gina : A win is a win! The last 3 elections were ALL won by the blue voters! 💙 Besides. There are plenty of US who have skin in the game, AND teeth! We have our voices, too. i'm wondering what your point is. Did the ones voting blue cheat? Some maps have been redrawn in places like New York. With less cheating and unfair gerrymandering, there could be greater margins. Who would want to be subjects At any rate, MAGAS are not the only ones who can push back! Who wants tyranny?

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okay okay, we get the message

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But hopefully you don't comply with this imposter's fraudulent request.

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He’s not getting mine. I pray everyday the piece of trash dies.

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We should continually ask the media not to cover his antics in any detail but rather to quickly summarize them, e.g., "once again, Trump attacks judges and prosecutors." End of coverage.

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Yes that’s right media has to stop airing his psychodramas and withhold airing for fact checking every single appearance. Zero live. Even Al Jazeera amusingly edited out the protests at Bidens last appearance when airing excerpts which is naughty but Trump has a proven record of spouting baseless lies so as a matter of good journalism should be done as a matter of course. The paid cronies that still introduce him as the President are a tell tale give away. Just delusional.

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For the past almost 8 years I've been irate that the sheer number and magnitude of his crimes and scandals keeps us from focusing on any of them long enough to take him down. Hopefully it's happening now. I'd like to do what the ancients did to tyrants and despots: remove their name from the record as if they never were. Can you imagine how much bandwidth he's claimed on all of the worlds servers?

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The single focus should be Trump’s insistence he can assassinate his enemies. That can be any one of us, even MAGA cultists, as people can be pressured (through threats and promises) to name names. That’s how purges work. A little understanding of history might help us steer away from such a nightmarish course.

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He's a loser! Reprise from Robert Hubbell.

Trump is a loser. A spectacular one. He is the living embodiment of the punchline to the joke, “How do you make a small fortune in New York real estate?” Answer: “Start out with a large one.” His companies have been through half-a-dozen bankruptcies. The failure of his Taj Mahal Casino helped turn Atlantic City into a “ghost town.” He is such an unreliable credit risk that American banks stopped dealing with him in the 1990s.

Trump is a loser. He is the only president ever to be impeached twice. He is the only major presidential candidate to lose the popular vote twice. He is the only major presidential candidate to be indicted once—let alone four times. He is the first president in nearly a century to lose the House, the Senate, and re-election. He is the only major presidential candidate who has been adjudged (in a civil case) to have raped a woman.

Trump is a loser. When he traveled internationally as president, foreign leaders laughed at him behind his back. When he addressed the UN Assembly, world leaders laughed at him to his face. He has made some of the most ignorant comments ever by a US president, suggesting that Covid victims “inject bleach” and that they “shine a light inside their bodies.” And during an eclipse visible from Washington, D.C., Trump did the one thing that observers of eclipses are NEVER supposed to do—he removed his protective eye gear to look directly at the sun.

Despite the fact that Trump is a historic loser, he has somehow convinced tens of millions of Americans that he is “a stable genius” who would defeat a combined presidential ticket of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. We should not add to Trump's false mythology by unintentionally ascribing stature or influence he does not have.

___________________________________________________________

A group of former Trump administration officials are banding together in an effort to block their former boss from entering office again. https://www.politico.com/news/2022/01/06/former-administration-officials-block-trump-526623

_______________________________________________________________

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukWRRNqMAZ4

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Trump lies constantly and the media aids and abets him. His entire persona and mythos of being any kind of businessman is a complete fabrication. The "reality show" he was on was a total lie. If we had more responsible journalism that reached most people perhaps this would not be happening. I cannot see Walter Cronkite taking part in this charade, but I do see media personalities saying idiotic things like "well, tell me, how do we really know the election wasn't stolen ... hmm?".

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Yet the lies, corruption, crimes, treachery & treason Trump has gotten away with is mindboggling!

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Agree: Tchump IS a loser, maybe the biggest one. But how he has recruited the Great Unwashed to his cause is no mystery. I assume that you chose here not to go into that question at any length.

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All good political ad material!

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Agree. But danger: NO ONE ought to say that a president could assassinate Tchump, resign before s/he could be impeached, and thereby escape criminal liability, because of the risk that the right-wing media would twist it.

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He is a Circus con man

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I like ridicule! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEZJKpuljGY

Trump Was So Upset by Jimmy Kimmel’s Jokes His White House Staff Asked Disney to Censor Him

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUCPszvd8Og

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Disney must have loved that.

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Have you watched any of the stuff Randy Rainbow does, or the Lincoln Project? Check out their YouTube channels.

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That's true, but !!! Although we're all inclined to watch the car wreck that's happening before our eyes or across the road, we're so horrified by it that we want to become no part of it, and on Election Day we will all be voting to steer clear of the disaster that would be another Trump car wreck, with far more dire consequences than he created last time.

I'm watching but I'm not buying what he's selling. It just the spectacle of the disaster, not an adoration of it. If we all turn out and vote, he will lose by an even greater margin than he did last time.

In fact, this has the potential to become the Blue Tsunami of all time if voters realize that the entire GOP is no better than he is these days -- they're all enablers of his dystopian worldview-- so if we vote straight blue up and down our ballots, we will have saved democracy. Quite the badge of honor! Let's make it happen! The power is still in our hands ONE LAST TIME! If we botch this, all bets are off.

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Kris, I am not worried about us. I think most if not all that read the SubStacks I read are committed to voting blue up and down the ballot. I do think it is an issue for younger people who lack the perspective that living longer brings. I think it is also an issue for anyone whether D, R, or I, that are on the periphery of news, information, history. As for the MAGAts, they are a lost cause.

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It is our morality that needs attention. If we follow the yellow brick road the result will not be a musical. It will war against life because we chose entertainment and got drunk on it.

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