We are in a position we never would have believed we would ever be in, and Trump is propped up by "the hidden enemy within,"...those who are making money out of the situation. These include private prison contractors and arms manufacturers. They have lots of ideas about how to mis-utilize an extra two hundred billion dollars.
Marc, you’re naming the deeper injustice here. When systems reward suffering and instability, they lose their moral center.
It also shows why change is so difficult once escalation begins. As long as profit is tied to conflict, these patterns will keep repeating, and people will continue to bear the cost.
Christy, unfortunately under an economic system of unbridled capitalism, profiting from war may be one of capitalism's most insidious results. It profits off of increased suffering. There has to be a better system that does not profit off of wars and prison camps. We need an economic system that serves us all rather than to harm us all.
Marc, I agree, when profit is tied to suffering, something is fundamentally out of alignment.
It really does point to the need for an economy that prioritizes well-being, where essential systems are organized to serve people and communities, not benefit from crisis.
Profit has always been tied to suffering. The less workers are paid, the more owners make. Hence, the rise--and inevitable destruction--of labor unions. Workers go bankrupt; Capital wins.
Trump and Co never had a moral center to begin with. His sycophants sold their souls, (if they had one), to be part of the morass we find ourselves in. They continue to do so on every front. It doesn't matter if it's the Epstein files, the November elections, or the Trump war with Iran, they will lie, cheat, and steal, to protect Trump and Themselves.
Yes, no moral center but history has an explanation.
Republican history with wars and oil in the middle east is important to remember and to understand the REAL reasons why Trump is stuck. Warfare fundamentally changed with drones that require new defensive weapons that Trump’s military ignored but there are other fundamental reasons revealed with history.
With an ongoing insurrection that violates federal law, Trump with Republican support of the insurrection, installed a lawless, fascist autocracy, started the war with Iran and raised the price of oil which hugely increased the profits of oil corporations. How did this disaster happen? History shows electing Trump was the consequence of the Republican campaign launched in 1971 with the Powell memo. In the campaign, Republicans, corporations and the wealthy intentionally attacked Democratic President FDR’s policies that enabled recovery from the Republican policies that rejected adequate financial regulation and supported the Gilded Age greed that had caused Great Depression that began with the stock market crash on October 29, 1929. The Republican campaign also attacked democracy and intentionally created wealthy inequality, a lack of good paying jobs for the working class and poor affordability for most Americans by cutting taxes on the wealthy and corporations.
For decades since 1971, Republicans have caused tragic suffering in America and the world with wars and poor affordability based on stealing wealth from 99% of Americans, transferring the wealth to the top 1%, and justifying the suffering with extensive lying.
The news media and Democrats as a group of idiots in 2026 have not recognized the ongoing insurrection and are not adequately protecting democracy because they have been mostly clueless and mute about the history of the Republican campaign launched in 1971, the Republican involvement with oil in the middle east since 1953, and the REAL reason for the war with Iran. Trump and oil companies wanted to take the Iranian oil as they had taken the Venezuela oil after a quick attack that captured Maduro on January 3, 2026. Yes, Trump and oil companies wanted the Iranian oil just as the oil companies had wanted the oil by supporting the 1953 Iranian coup led by the CIA that arrested and removed the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh who had nationalized the oil industry. The coup installed the exiled Shah who returned the nationalized oil industry to American and British corporate ownership. The 1953 coup in Iran, known as Operation Ajax, is a well-documented, watershed event in U.S.-Iran relations, where the CIA and British intelligence orchestrated the overthrow of democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh who by nationalizing the oil industry had taken ownership and their share of the oil revenue away from the British and the American oil companies who were getting 84% of the revenue with Iran getting only 16%. Installing the Shah in 1953 enabled a brutal dictatorship in Iran led by the Shah who enforced his dictatorship with torture.
Iranians revolted against the Shah government with the 1979 Iranian Revolution which directly led to the current regime in Iran. After 1979, Iran transformed from a pro-Western monarchy under Shah Pahlavi into an anti-Western, conservative Islamic regime led by Ayatollah Khomeini.
The 1979 Iranian Revolution deposed the Shah who had received American support for decades since 1953. Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi had turned the U.S. into a target for revolutionaries who viewed it as the “Great Satan”. After the U.S. allowed the exiled Shah entry for medical treatment in October 1979, Iranian students seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran on November 4, initiating a 444-day hostage crisis. The 1979 seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran was triggered by President Jimmy Carter’s decision to allow the deposed Shah to enter the U.S. for medical treatment, which Iranian students viewed as a precursor to a U.S.-backed coup. But prominent Republicans, including Henry Kissinger, had pressured the Carter administration to admit the Shah, and the move was portrayed by Iranian militants as a defense against American interference in Iran.
The U.S. mistake in foreign policy in the middle east with oil and Israel since 1953 was led by Republicans, caused Democratic President Carter to lose his reelection to Reagan, and has now caused the war with Iran.
Republicans have caused wars in the Middle East and oil crises for decades since 1953 including the 1970s oil crisis in America lasting for a decade with long lines at gas stations stretching for miles. Republican president Nixon caused the oil crisis by supporting Israel against the Arabs in the Middle East as Trump has now done. Nixon supported Israel in the Yom Kippur War in 1973 that pissed off the Arab nations (Saudi Arabia, ...) triggering the OPEC oil embargo causing the disastrous oil crisis in America in the1970s.
The ugly American history of Republicans interfering with oil in the Middle East over the last 55 years since 1971 reveals only part of the harm done by Republicans to Americans. The complete history provides factual evidence proving how Republicans since the oil crisis of the 1970s caused poor affordability, disruption of the economy, and then attacks on democracy. Republican presidents elected since 1968 (Nixon, Reagan, Bush 1, Bush 2, Trump) cut taxes on the wealthy, crashed the economy, raised interest rates to extremely high levels (14% under Reagan), and caused harmful recessions (1969, 1973, 1980, 1990, 2001, 2008, 2020) , started wars, and stacked the Supreme Court with justices to attack democracy with decisions like Citizens United and gutting protections on voting rights. The Great Recession of 2008, a result of Republican president Bush’s stupid ignorance and Republican policies, caused millions of Americans to lose their jobs and homes. The 2020 COVID-19 recession, a result of Republican president Trump’s stupid ignorance, caused a record-breaking decline in U.S. employment, with nonfarm payrolls dropping by 9.4 million over the calendar year. Total nonfarm employment ended 2020 approximately 10.0 million below its February peak, marking the largest employment decline in the history of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (.gov) Current Employment Survey.
The new Democratic president Biden recovered from the COVID pandemic and recession. But Republicans attacked to elect Trump in 2024 who lied about reducing inflation and prices to make life more affordable, lied about bringing manufacturing jobs back to America with tariffs, and lied about never starting another foreign war.
Marc, I don't want to be the wise guy, but honestly, I expected this disaster. It fits in quite well with all wars and interventions of the US in the last decades.
Arrogant, uninformed, trust in violence, no strategy. (Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan)
Puzzling: is it the attitude? Is it provincial ignorance?
The US has the knowledge, but is it too intellectual for policy makers?
Agreed. But along with arrogant, uninformed, trust in violence, and no strategy, the US is the only Western nation where strategic deception is legal (it’s also legal in Russia, China, and Iran).
This is 180 degrees from EU, where truthfulness and accessibility are recognized as essential for public trust. Even their most senior ministers post an email addresses for the public. In the US, we’re denied that due to “reduce spam and prevent security breaches.” If we’re not smart enough to figure it out, perhaps someone from Silicon Valley can ask our friends in Scandinavia for a tutorial. Criminy.
I’ll post the lengthy AI description of Strategic Deception separately, since some may wish to hide it. Here’s the summary: Strategic Deception is legal in the US in law enforcement, military, private industry, and politics. What’s left? We’re out of step. It’s time to criminalize strategic deception, imho.
"[We] won, so it's a little unfair. you know, you win a war, but they, they have no right to be doing what they're doing . . ." The Felon in Cheat 🤪🤪🙃😉
Keeping things in proportion, Iran is 1.1 times larger than Alaska, 2.5 larger than Texas, and 4 times larger than California, should Chairman Yackoff and his merry band of geniuses decide they absolutely >must< have a full, land invasion. (BTW: 3 times larger than Iraq.)
So why is the US military failing to recognize they're receiving and following illegal orders that will result in war crimes and that self-styled "patriots" among the citizenry will support? :
Sorry, Mr Nevas. I have no doubt your response is correct -as far as it goes. Being the kind of irascible old coot who learned long ago to take a skeptical view of explanations on complex principles that seem a bit too simple, I thought I'd do a little follow up:
An illegal order in the U.S. military is one that requires a service member to commit a criminal act, violates the Constitution or U.S. federal law, or exceeds the authority of the person issuing it. Examples include orders to harm civilians, engage in torture, or violate international law.
Definition of an Illegal Order
An illegal order in the U.S. military is one that violates laws, regulations, or ethical standards. Specifically, it includes directives that:
Require the commission of a crime
Violate the U.S. Constitution or federal laws
Contradict international law or treaties
Examples of Illegal Orders
Here are some common scenarios that may involve illegal orders:
Type of Order Description:
Targeting Civilians: Orders to intentionally harm or target civilians during military operations.
Torture or Mistreatmen: Directives to torture or abuse detainees, violating human rights laws.
Domestic Law Enforcement: Using military forces for policing actions against civilians, which is generally prohibited.
Engaging in War Crimes: Orders that involve looting, pillaging, or other actions that violate the laws of war.
Falsifying Records: Directives to alter or falsify operational or legal documents.
Legal Framework
Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), service members are required to obey lawful orders. However, they have the right and duty to refuse orders that are clearly illegal. The presumption is that all orders are lawful unless proven otherwise.
Consequences of Following Illegal Orders
Following an illegal order can lead to serious legal repercussions for both the person issuing the order and the one executing it. Service members who suspect an order may be illegal should seek legal counsel before acting.
==================
Of course, among the first things this administration did was to attack the only organization tasked with determining the legality of orders under the UCMJ by gutting the JAG office of anyone but MAGgot loyalists - sound vaguely familiar? - who won't call bullshit on anything that >must< be considered lawful unless proven otherwise under the UCMJ.
BY THE WAY: Under that interpretation, concocting an excuse to launch a "military operation," (falsifying records) who's real objective is to pillage natural resources - i.e., oil fields - is technically and in fact a legitimate war crime. That means the attack on Iran is the >second< such war crime under this Felon in War Criminal who is ordering such actions.
All of that exceeds the authority of those who initiated these hostile, military invasions - acts of war - and are falsifying records using language like "special operations" and "excursion" to justify that unconstitutional overreach.
Yes, why is the US military engaging in war crimes?
The latest affront - Hegseth stating that he's going to deny the enemy "quarter"; in other words, no prisoners, just kill them, even when/if they are trying to surrender. In other words, "slaughter" - as in Bibi's idea of what constitutes warfare; certain human beings, those outside the chosen "group" are the enemy and as such have no value, do not deserve the right to life. Kill them outright, or let them starve. That's the direction Trump and Bibi are headed. And what are the pundits talking about? - does Hegseth fully understand what "quarter" entails? Does he realize it's a war crime, does he mean it? Come on....
The "political quagmire" of missteps by the trump regime is occupying most conversations. There is not nearly enough discussion about the war crimes, and outrage as to what's about to happen to the people of Iran if war this escalates. Is the rising price of gas the only thing that concerns Americans?
tRump and has Cabinet are all complicit in war crimes and/or treasonous/impeachable offenses with dire consequences. It is very useful them to force as much of the military as possible to be complicit, so it'll be in their best interest to prevent any action(s) that would remove tRump from office, including fair elections, so the military doers not face such consequences
With Greenland it's natural resources - rare earths in particular.
With Cuba it is personal, political vendetta.
There's also the question of the ignorant, 18th Century doctrine of "Manifest Destiny," which holds that the US should stretch "from pole to pole and sea to see," which appears a part of the religious doctrine - Christian Nationalism - of those who would overturn the Constitutional "establishment clause" to impose government by a church-state. Pete Keg-breath - the SOW, formerly the SOD - both of which acronyms characterize his wet brain perfectly - has publicly proclaimed that he is a Christian Nationalist and likes to publicly hold a phony little prayer meeting when he issues orders to commit war crimes.
I have a tendency to continually update and save my responses, since I seldom say anything at a given time all that I have to say or will have to say.
You open your response with "why?" You were probably asking that as it was crossing my mind when I added:
BY THE WAY: Under that interpretation, concocting an excuse to launch a "military operation," (falsifying records) who's real objective is to pillage natural resources - i.e., oil fields - is technically and in fact a legitimate war crime. That means the attack on Iran is the >second< such war crime under this Felon in War Criminal who is ordering such actions.
All of that exceeds the authority of those who initiated these hostile, military invasions - acts of war - and are falsifying records using language like "special operations" and "excursion" to justify that unconstitutional overreach.
The least common denominator (LCD) in both illegal wars is oil! By all means draw your own conclusions, though.
ISOequanimity, what is left is we the people and we cannot afford to swallow the KoolAide the regime is attempting to feed us. Minneapolis is the shining example of how to take the power from the fascist regime. We will prevail.
Per Google AI: In the United States, strategic deception is legal and widely practiced within specific, regulated contexts where it is considered necessary for state security, law enforcement, or legitimate competitive maneuvering. Generally, deception is lawful when it does not constitute criminal fraud, perjury, or illegal coercion.
Key settings where strategic deception is legal include:
1. Military and National Security
The U.S. military is encouraged to use deception as a legitimate tool to gain tactical and strategic advantages.
Ruses of War: Military doctrine explicitly allows for ruses—tricks designed to mislead adversaries—as long as they do not constitute "perfidy" (violating laws of war by using protected symbols like the Red Cross to kill or injure).
Operational Security (OPSEC): Deception is legally employed to protect sensitive mission details, including the use of decoys, dummy equipment, and misinformation campaigns (e.g., Operation Fortitude in WWII).
2. Law Enforcement and Investigations
Law enforcement is permitted to use deceptive tactics to catch criminals, provided they do not cross into "entrapment"—inducing an otherwise innocent person to commit a crime.
Undercover Operations: Police can legally use false identities, act as buyers/sellers in illegal transactions, and lie to suspects about the evidence they possess (e.g., claiming to have fingerprints when they do not).
Interrogations: Voluntary confessions obtained after police misrepresent facts to a suspect are generally admissible in court.
Testing and Investigations: Civil rights "testing" (e.g., sending actors to test for housing discrimination) is a recognized and legal form of investigative deception.
3. Corporate Negotiation and Business
While fraudulent misrepresentation is illegal, "puffery" and strategic non-disclosure are often legal in business dealings.
Bluffing/Negotiation: It is generally legal to bluff regarding reservation points, goals, or the value of alternatives (e.g., exaggerating how much you are willing to pay or accept).
Advertising "Puffery": Over-the-top, subjective advertising claims that a reasonable person would not take as a literal fact (e.g., "The best coffee in the world") are legal and not considered fraudulent.
"Big Boy" Letters: Parties can contractually agree in advance to waive liability for potential deception, effectively consenting to a high-risk, "as-is" transaction.
4. Politics and Public Discourse
Lies told by individuals, including about the government, are often protected by the First Amendment.
Political Deception: Political figures and organizations frequently engage in strategic deception without legal recourse, as long as it does not constitute direct criminal action or defamation per se.
Protected Lies: Supreme Court rulings indicate that, outside of specific contexts like fraud or perjury, lies about history, science, or politics are generally constitutionally protected.
Girl Scouts. There’s a reason Mackenzie Scott donated nearly 85M. They help girls to become better people.I recited the following promise more often than any other in my life, other than the flag salute:
“On my honor, I will try: to do my duty to G_d and my country, To help other people at all times, To obey the Girl Scout Laws.”
The laws included being trustworthy, loyal, useful, helpful, courteous, friendly, kind to animals, cheerful, thrifty, cooperative, and “clean in thought word and deed.”
I think it’s a good place for our elected officials, law enforcement, military, and corporations to start.
I think it’s that we have no plan but faith in our size. It also takes our minds away from Epstein. Now Trump truly has no idea on how to get out and no one to help him. Netanyahu and Putin play him like prodigies. He is on his own with Hegseth and other useless idiots. He. Thinks 200 billion will fix things.
Which is why Congress must not give it to him. Chidren and old people go hungry. They want to close public schools, hogtie healthcare, turn the economy over to AI, and play with cryptocurrency. It could be a hellscape, all because of his ignorance and greed.
Tom, you are not a "wise guy." You are in fact a wisdom guy. Being from overseas you bring a perspective that is broader than our view from inside the Trump and MAGA caused chaos. In this case the U.S. is not too intellectual for policy makers; the policy makers do not have proper vision. The majority of them have no imagination; they cannot see the possibility of an economic system that does not center around profit driven capitalism that always, always ends up stealing from the poor to give to the rich. Our economic system is identical to the game of Monopoly. The player that bankrupts everyone else is the winner and the so called "winners" keep getting "Get Out of Jail Free" cards.
ECONOMIC DEMOCRACY takes the best part of capitalism; It is one third of the economy and it financially rewards creativity and entrepreneurship but within a larger system. The other two legs of the economy are worker owned cooperatives and state regulation of utilities such as electricity, water and petroleum derived fuel. Below is a link for a more detailed description of how Economic Democracy operates for the benefit of all without stifling entrepreneurship and creativity, and individual economic gain.
Marc, you are friendly and accept my gratitude and respect. Your transition text I have read some months ago, and I think the general direction is okay.
We talked about it before: the transition should be in the direction you sketch, but the mental and moral revolution that is needed, is heavy and complicated. I wonder what should come first: the mental part, the political change, the social and economic transition? I hope you think about that.
That said, how is it possible that high treason and corruption found a position in the White House? And how is it possible that it is permitted to go on for many months instead of a speedy exit?
I remember Nixon: he was told he would not stand a political chance and resigned, on condition of a total pardon. It might be acceptable, on condition that his bunch of idiots dissappear as well. But the grasp on reality does not exist, I fear. Trump saw "carnage", but he inherited a good economy. He thinks the US is respected, "but no one likes us", like Randy Newman sings.
It is arrogant, narrow minded authoritarianism, Tom. These people don't trust negotiations and don't believe in "soft power." They believe in the use of brute force, making war almost inevitable.
And IRAN now is almost an exact repeat of 1953. Then the democratically, socialistic govt who (gasp!) wanted Iran's oil to benefit the people of Iran. So the USA/Big Oil toppled that govt and installed one of the local 'kings' who was in league will Big Oil. That king/shah was eventually replaced by public demand by a religious govt. It too IMHO is a horrid govt system but the USA/Big Oil replacing it with (gasp!) the son of the last deposed king/shah is 1953-lather-rinse-repeat.
I think the USA - Iran was doing better under the Obama nuke agreement which provided 3rd party oversight and, ahem had our own covert ops people keeping an eye on things. An aside: I think Iran and anyone who chooses Nuclear Energy is foolish: no matter how many safeguards are put in place, human error will always eventually win and the half-life of a nuke error is a very. long. time.
I doubt intellect has much to do with it. The US is the bully on the playground. The bully isn't always there, but when it is, it wrecks the fun for everyone.
Marc and Christy, doing the dishes this morning, I started to ponder how the three economic systems we relate to (capitalism, socialism and communism), could all work to some extent, IF they were practiced with compassion and intelligence. Unfortunately, we as a species seem unable to use these as our guiding principles. That said, capitalism as currently practiced, brings out the worst in people. I put my best hope in socialism (and no, Americans, it's not the same as communism).
'how creative dishwashing can be' is kind of why I signed up for the volunteer job of 'dishwasher' at my local food bank. But also partly (because I live alone) to meet new people and be near the 'quiet chaos' of the food bank - clash/crash/bang of the pans and kettles and trays I'm washing. One thing I noticed early on is that too much vegg debris was clogging the sinks, so I provided large screens to catch that debris and let the water/liquids go down the drain without clogging the drains. Unfortunately, I seem to be the only one that makes use of those screens when I do work there. Others don't and stash them somewhere I have difficulty finding them... Stupidity of why ? maybe ~ but more like = a new technique that disrupts their own - patterns ~ hmm?
“and no, Americans, it's not the same as communism”
Actually, Americans, you’re better aware of the nature of Communism than most, although Eastern Europeans, especially the Poles and Baltics, are ahead through bitter experience.
The difference between Socialism and Communism is merely a narrow difference in degree.
Recently there has been some discussion in Canada over Justin’s biological paternity: was it actually Fidel? Just as Jackoff Smith may have swung a lot of people into believing that the 2020 election likely was stolen, the pearl-clutching, preposterompous reactions of Axe-worthy and Rockhead to the Donald’s bringing up the issue suggest that it might actually be true.
But in the end it doesn’t matter; Pierre or Fidel, either way Justin’s father was a Communist.
And Linda, replying to Dorothy has reminded me of a response to your comment that “What this country needs most is smarter people deciding what we need.”
For too many Canadians Justin’s father was one of the “smarter people.” But on one important issue he proved himself less smart than the despised Reagan. Commenting on the Soviet Union:
Pierre (on an actual visit to Siberia, forsooth!): this place is the wave of the future.
Reagan: the system can’t be sustained. It’s going to collapse.
General Smedley Butler said "War is a racket," and he knew from experience how the Merchants of Death (the military-industrial complex) have had a stranglehold on America for the last century. Our country's entire foreign affairs policy has been predicated on the bogus notion that our enemies were the Soviet Union, then the Chinese, then immigrants. In reality, our enemies were the war profiteers (and those who profit from the hydrocarbon-based economy), who paid large sums of bribery (campaign contributions) to get servile sycophants elected to Congress who passed laws that kept working people down and the profits of corporations up. They continue to run things to this day.
Without profound structural reform, our democracy's "goose will be cooked," as the jackbooted storm-troopers of ICE run riot through our cities and towns.....
Exactly right, and The Economist confirmed it yesterday: Trump’s in “a horrible position,” created a problem only regime change solves, won’t commit ground forces.
Weakened authoritarian doesn’t withdraw, he doubles down. Iran’s inside his loop, cost asymmetry working ($20K drones vs $3M interceptors), oil spiking, allies refusing help, economy getting crushed.
He built the trap, walked into it, can’t get out without admitting failure…which his narcissism won’t allow. So he escalates.
Most dangerous phase is cornered Trump with permanent emergency and no exit. Pattern visible, trajectory locked. Prepare for ultimate crazy!
The Economist and your comments are unfortunately spot on. It is also unfortunate that too many rich and powerful people are profiting off this war, as Robert Reich and others point out, so they and the sycophants will continue to stoke his blind fury.
You’re seeing the exact incentive structure, the people who could constrain Trump are the ones profiting most. The sycophants also need to keep him focused on targets that generate revenue streams while he performs dominance.
That’s why the Slow Ratchet continues: Trump politically weakened doesn’t withdraw, he doubles down using emergency to consolidate power.
The people who could stop it are the ones funding it.
We’re seeing it clearly. That doesn’t mean we’re powerless…it means we know exactly what we’re refusing to accept.
When someone is as poorly equipped mentally to deal with adversity as is Donnie J. we can anticipate him and his taking more frenetic and outlandish actions lashing out both domestically and internationally. I can only guess at these, but I’m sure Lil’Stevie is working on ways to double down on killing off internal dissent and probably subverting the midterms while the likes of lil’Narco and Putrid Hogsbreath are looking to create a second theater of conflict —Cuba?
Agreed. But this regime won’t last forever. My biggest fear isn’t that MAGAs will prevail. It’s that elected Dems enjoy their perks. I fear that they won’t be in a hurry to effect concrete change, like assigning all 50 states with a separate plank to research as working labs. I’ve sent that request to my senators, congressman, governor, and the DNC but no bites and they don’t have a plan of their own. Redistributing wealth and power could require them to send their kids and grandkids to public school and live in regular communities instead of gated ones. I don’t see any explanation other than passively maintaining the status quo.
ISO, unfortunately I have to agree with you. I would add that what you posit is why we need an upgrade to our Constitution, not just another amendment. We need to fundamentally upgrade how we govern ourselves rather than to let the Ultra-wealthy and power hungry lead us where they may and empty our pockets in the process.
Personally, I think it should be a one step program....get rid of the weak and dirty Dems ASAP and win in 2026 and 2028. Millennials and Zoomers don't want to wait for poky Boomers and Xers to figure this out.
I agree in general, but I have to say, Dawn, that we have really "dumbed down" our kids with technology. Unfortunately that's where the vast majority of young people get their "news."
Haste (to upgrade our constitution) makes waste. And haste let's opportunistic saboteurs to it... Kinda like what Project 2025 mandates and Trump et al are trying to do in his term 2, albeit incompetently. But a secure national discussion online limited to well meaning people with an IQ >125 (tested) could be useful.
The best thing Dems can do is purge themselves of any Dem who's oriented toward Wall Street. For the most part that means evicting the old farts who came to office with Clinton and crew. While not a Dem myself, I see this happening very slowly. Dems need to pick up the pace....
Dems need to purge pols who are in AIPAC's pocket. That is why we that Dems are not fighting to put an end to Trump's war powers. They know it is really Israel's war and that Netanyahu is using the US Military as his own weapon.
I agree that cleaning house is the top choice, as long as we have a full slate of suitable candidates in November with concrete plans for solving our many problems.
Sorry, but I used to be one of them. I'm actually older than Robert. (and Trump, Bill and George) They're still 'old farts'. Meantime may I suggest you quit looking for trouble? What I hate is greed and authoritarianism (and incompetent grifters)
I wouldn’t have used the phrase old fart but the bottom line is that there is no place for either Clinton as we reclaim our democracy.
Michele Goldberg, NYT, believes that Bill raped Juanita Broaddrick. Allegations of SA were made by Paula Jones, Kathleen Wiley, Gennifer Flowers, Leslie Millwee, Elizabeth Ward Gracen, Dolly Kyle Browning, Cristy Zercher, and Karen Hinton.
And unlike the wives of Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer, and Danny Masterson, HRC stayed with him. To survivors of sexual violence, that’s the opposite of “gutsy feminism.”
When the xenophobic, anti- Democracy forces on the American right wrote its 2025 plan for America under Trump, we can wonder if what we are living through all across American governance, is what those fellow Americans had in mind.
Did they imagine a rogue, fully armed, police state? Did they imagine a DOJ void of the rule of law? Did they imagine a hateful, demented lying leader whose use of the word "WE" means "ME"? Did they imagine a head of HHS who likes diseases more than cures?
And so on and so forth.
Building a White Nationalist theocracy to replace our Democracy and Constitution has been afoot in America for years. Today, it has brought a new version of our ongoing civil war. We won the last civil war. When we win this one, it is imperative we update and fortify our Constitution to better withstand such vicious assaults. We are a far different country than the agrarian country of our founders. It's way past time we fix the compromises the founders made that enable minority rule in America.
No boundaries. No one has put any boundaries on this lunatic. (It all started with the STUPID Supreme Court. That means, that whoever has the reigns to keep him in check is just as insane as he is and enjoys boundless reaction to whatever pinches their asses.
Also keep in mind that some of Trump's most important 'allies' are benefitting mightily from this war... including (1) Putin; (2) the giant oil companies; and (3) military contractors (including now his sons and their new drone companies). So no wonder that Trump seems in no hurry to end this fiasco.
Marc-- please fore the off thread post--I feel it must be said and knowing you --I'm sure you would agree---To the People of Japan: I would like to apologize for the insensitive remarks Mr. Trump made during a meeting yesterday in the oval office. Your country is filled with the vibrant minds of a people who have given so much to the world in which we all live. The past is to be learned from, in no way does it suggest current intent. What we've both struggled to live through has made our people stronger. Pearl Harbor and WWII were points of healing that our two cultures have used as starting points from which to build the relationship we enjoy today. The people of Japan have a proud foundation upon which to build a great future--We as Americans are lucky to have you as our friends--Please over look the ignorance of a man that time will soon swallow.
For the war to end all parties need to agree on the terms yet now appear to be pursuing different objectives. As horrible as Netanyahu’s is, Israel has never lost a war so it will be interesting to see how he talks his way out if this. He and Trump are both looking at possible prison which is also why they remain in power. Then there’s Epstein.
and continue fighting. At least Netanyahu has the excuse that Iran, as it is presently configured, will never quit trying to eliminate Israel. This fact is paramount to him and the country he leads.
Fred, Iran is one of few countries speaking out against Israel's history of expansionism and annexation. I do not think that Iran is an existential threat to Israel, but I do think that Zionist expansionism is an existential threat to Israel's close neighbors, and Iran has supported the resistance to that expansionism. The genocide in Gaza, the settler pogrom of Palestinians in the West Bank, and the ethnic cleansing in southern Lebanon are evidence that Zionism is an existential threat to Israel's neighbors.
It is the ideology of Zionism that is constantly de-stabilizing the Middle East. Trumpism as well as Biden's self proclaimed support for Zionism have only exacerbated the problem.
Dorothy, Unfortunately the political push has been to conflate being anti-Israeli policy and anti-Zionism with being anti-Semitic. Virulent Zionism has taken over most Israelis just as Trumpism has taken over the Republican party. The ethno-religious centricity of both has really made for an ugly period of history similar to the 1930s/40s.
You are right, Fred! The orange man has flittered from one excuse to another and absolutely none of his reasons for attacking Iran makes a twit of sense!
That’s the terrifying thing: for Trump h there IS no end game. As Prof. Reich says, Trump is reactive. No plan, no forethought… which is why he’s so easily triggered by the weakest “insult”, so easily played.
You’re seeing the incentive structure exactly. They are both optimized to stay in power.
Both face prosecution the moment they leave office, which means their optimal outcome is sustaining some type of emergency that makes removal politically impossible. Netanyahu does this through coalition management and security threat rotation. Trump’s doing it through the Slow Ratchet: permanent war emergency justifying expanded executive power, delayed accountability, delegitimized opposition.
The war continuing indefinitely isn’t the failure with Trump—- it’s the strategy. Every week it drags on without resolution is another week neither faces consequences. Trump then asks for more funds, he doubles down!
Iran’s cost-imposition strategy (cheap drones, sustained pressure, interceptor depletion) feeds exactly what they need: permanent crisis. Prison awaits both, so it either has to win (not with just bombing) or just not end.
Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said this yesterday, “The thing that I think a good number of people on the committee are concerned about is just the very, very low level of job creation. Effectively, there’s zero net job creation in the private sector. We’re dealing with very, very low - nonexistent, really - growth in the labor force, which of course we’ve never had in our history.”
Nothing but layoffs from big Pharma, retail here in NJ since his inauguration. No one is talking about that, or the Epstein scandal…mission accomplished by Dump.
I am going to use the concept of the OODA loop and your splendid explanation of it to jump back to yesterday's question of how we USians should prepare to prevent, shut down, or counter an administrative power move around this fall's elections, because it expresses what I was trying to get at better than I managed.
As opponents of the administration's seizure of power and of its policies, we need to use our multiplicity, our nimbleness, our ubiquity, to make everything difficult for them. To anticipate their use of a channel and to plan our strategies along that same channel limits our flexibility, grants these power monsters the setting of agendas, and allows them to flex their strengths.
What we need to do is to enact strategy and tactics of myriads of Nos and balks and inconveniences.
And we're finally seeing courts and judges beginning to help with the Nos.
Marc, if you have ever read Scott Dworkin's substack, there are brave citizens all across this country following Minneapolis's example! From California to Maine, small communities, towns and cities are resisting this regime in large numbers. Just yesterday, he wrote of a little town, small population that attended a council meeting to send a message to ICE. The whole town was unanimous - no detention facility in their town. The town council let ICE know they could NOT open a facility there. It is happening everywhere! We must continue to resist and fight this regime every minute of every day. As Mary Ann indicated, we need to use the OODA loop! We must remain on the offense rather than defense.
"The United States government is now a fascist government. It is different than the Nazis were, different than Mussolini’s government was, but still has the hallmarks of fascism.” -HCR-
Any expectation that America’s fascist regime can simply be voted out of office is not to be counted on. We have an epic struggle ahead and out of epic struggle comes epic wins.
Marc, I don’t disagree with the urgency or the need to resist. The instinct to say no, to disrupt, to not comply with harm is real.
I think you’re also pointing toward something important beneath that. If we can pair that resistance with people organizing, supporting one another, and building systems that actually serve people, then we’re not just reacting, we’re shaping what comes next.
Correct. It's sad that so many will lose their livelihoods and many will lose their lives. It's going to be a shocker for so many. This is sometimes overwhelming for humans. Not saying there won't be a victory but it is going be so messy on the way there.
Mary Ann, I think you’re naming something important here, the power of many decentralized “no’s” that don’t play by a single script.
At the same time, it feels just as important to pair that with building trust, coordination, and support across communities, so the response isn’t only disruption, but also something more steady and sustaining underneath it.
My thinking, as well. We have so many compassionate AND brilliant minds/writers/activists/organizers who require all USIANS (I am taking that adjective? Noun? ) to do something (keep imploring people to not pre capitulate)…
No mention of *Jonathan Powell's astonishing revelation - widely reported across the UK press - that talks with Iran were very close to a successful result just a few days before the US onslaught.
* A top aid to UK PM Keir Starmer, formerly chief of staff to Tony Blair, and hugely respected as one of the world's most experienced and effective international negotiators, he was present at a those talks. The US negotiators were the hugely inexperienced Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
That is what surprised me, Adrian! Negotiations that were close to a successful result and America does the unthinkable! The orange man attacked before negotiations were completed! No other country in the world will ever trust us again! They will always be wary because he attacked without provocation and while close to a successful agreement!
The most plausible explanation seems to be that Netanyahu, a much much wilier politician than Trump, dragged the US in. As quite possibly Bush with Iraq.
Oh no, didn’t you see Bibi’s ‘press’ conference where he said he did not pressure the USA to be his bitch? The rumor we were close to an agreement with in Iran was getting too much notice.
No other country will ever trust us again? Let's stay in the real world please. Trump's gets gone; MAGA disintegrates from its own incompetence; problem solved... IMHO.
Jennifer, when someone tells me one thing while doing the exact opposite, I lose trust. The man in the White House was negotiating in good faith and then attacks without provocation. Yes, countries will not trust that kind of behavior from a leader of another country. That is the real world. When he is out of the White House and his cult is gone, it will take many years to gain back the trust we once had with our allies and countries around the world. In the words of Thomas Barnaby, "Trust is hard to earn, easy to lose and never should be taken lightly."
Let’s ask why USA sent two real estate developers to negotiate a complex nuclear deal. Not only that, the Kushner/Netanyahu families go way back and Jared has huge financial conflicts of interest in the region. When the Iranians offered to permanently cease stockpiling enriched uranium, was Jared thrilled that he was about to secure peace or actually hoping negotiations would fail to give Israel an excuse to attack? Was Jared representing USA, Bibi or the Trump family business? Iran posed no imminent threat to USA. The only thing that was imminent was Israel’s attack on Iran. Iran was offering to hand over the 400kg of 60% enriched uranium. Now we have to go in and get it.
It is difficult to wrap one's head around just how much damage Trump has done to our country. We really don't know how much control Putin has over Trump. But a true planted Russian asset could not have caused more destruction to the fabric of the United States. One hardly wishes to see the US militarily humiliated, but wish it or not, Trump and Secretary of War Crimes Hegseth are almost surely going to produce it.
"It is difficult to wrap one's head around just how much damage Trump has done to our country." Just how much damage WE the People have ALLOWED Trump to do to our country.
"We really don't know how much control Putin has over Trump." If We the People exercised our rights and duties under the Constitution, Putin would and should be irrelevant.
Speak for yourself Tom- I’m not the enemy, or my friends and immediate family. The enemy are the OWM with All the $$. We serfs are the ones keeping the country running while the asshats are lighting fires everywhere. The KKK are wearing suits in the White House….
the real reason Trump is trapped in IRAN is because he wants to be. he and his puppet masters sycophants will profit while the poor and lower middle class will be destroyed.
Trump has been Putin's one-man war on America for 10 years, a weapon of chaos, incompetence, disruption, ignorance, stupidity, dementia. Trump doesn't need to understand this, but Putin knows very well all he had to do was put Trump in the Oval Office and his innate disorder would do the rest. With the Trump Missile in the Oval Putin can take out America without wasting a bomb or a bullet.
TRUMP UNWITTING RUSSIAN AGENT MICHAEL MORELL CIA DEPUTY DIRECTOR
TRUMP KGB AGENT SASHA SOTNIK
HOUSE OF TRUMP HOUSE OF PUTIN
AMERICAN KOMPROMAT
KREMLIN PAPERS
KRASNOV
All of this information has appeared in US media, which dismissed all of it because they did not have "proof beyond a reasonable doubt," they said, many times, failing to understand that in intel, espionage, military, you rarely if ever have "proof beyond a reasonable doubt," what you have is "connect the dots," evidence that adds up to a reasonable certainty. "
So for the last ten years America has failed to understand that Trump is Putin's "secret weapon," pretending to be a loyal American, President of the United States.
Easily manipulated by Putin, easily manipulated by Netanyahu, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un, easily manipulated by anyone with flattery and money.
Alexei Navalny tried to warn US about Trump in his memoir Patriot. 2024. A movie was released with the same information. I believe it won an Oscar. Navalny died in a Russian prison. Nobody wanted to listen.
Professor Reich: i suppose american residents should be using the same strategy -- OODA -- to survive this latest cock-up by the orange rapist and his regime? it seems we should be preparing now for a long siege of our country and government since that makes sense when trying to crush one's opponent.
Meanwhile China is building millions of drones. Does the US have any drone manufacturing capability? tRump can never admit defeat and would rather burn everything to the ground. Just look at his threat about the voter disenfranchisement act - SAVE VD for short.
If and when Dems and progressives take back the Congress this year, the radical right get flushed (removed) the next January. (They have to leave! They don't get to take their oaths of office again to get their jobs back!)
Robert Reich is right that this has become a reactive spiral, and Trump’s role in driving that escalation without a clear, grounded strategy is hard to ignore. Each move seems to create new problems faster than they can be resolved.
What matters just as much is where those consequences land. Rising energy prices and disruptions don’t stay abstract, they show up in people’s daily lives, especially for those already stretched thin.
This also points to a deeper issue. When essential systems like energy and supply chains are so centralized and fragile, conflict anywhere quickly becomes hardship everywhere.
Christy, you have an important point; Trump and his deteriorating ability to think and reason is globalizing hardship. Everyone's energy prices are going up, not just in the United States. One likely outcome of this might be international support for our resistance movement within. The American Revolution may have been a much longer struggle without the support from abroad.
Marc, I think you’re right to see the global ripple effects and the potential for broader support.
At the same time, it also highlights how interconnected and vulnerable people everywhere are when systems are this centralized. It makes the case not just for resistance, but for rethinking how we build more resilient, people-centered systems so shocks like this don’t spread so easily across the world.
Trump's bully-boy approach has always been transactional.
The so-called 'art of the deal' works in a limited domain where Trump has a significant number of financial aces.
But it's completely inadaquate against an opponent who is more agile and operates asymetrically, effectively nullifying the logic of transactionality.
Trump and his Netanyahu-inspired goons think that they have got Iran over a barrel.
But in fact it is they who are over a barrel. The more they up the ante, the more damage they do to the global economy in which countries with widely differing ideologies are economically dependent on each other whether they like it or not.
Part of the reason for the failure of the Soviet Union was the assumption that so-called socialism in one country would work.
Trumpism in one country, aka 'America first' isn't working either, whether domestically or internationally.
Just wait and see what happens when the American working class and middle class start to feel real economic pain.
Blaming immigrants under those circumstansces just won't work any more.
Now would be a good time for a change in leadership in the US, or at least the Fall. Blocking and destroying 20% of the world’s oil production guarantees that the prices aren’t coming back down, and yes, the US companies will gladly profit from our mistake for years to come. This could be the start of a global recession. How could it not?
But why did Trump start this war with Israel? My theory is that Israel and Russia have some big time sleazy goods on Trump and they blackmailed him into starting it. I mean like exposing his sexual predator secrets. Just a theory, but my better sense says this is it.
Trump is falling apart right in front of everyone's eyes...and becoming more dangerous than ever.
We are in a position we never would have believed we would ever be in, and Trump is propped up by "the hidden enemy within,"...those who are making money out of the situation. These include private prison contractors and arms manufacturers. They have lots of ideas about how to mis-utilize an extra two hundred billion dollars.
Marc, you’re naming the deeper injustice here. When systems reward suffering and instability, they lose their moral center.
It also shows why change is so difficult once escalation begins. As long as profit is tied to conflict, these patterns will keep repeating, and people will continue to bear the cost.
Christy, unfortunately under an economic system of unbridled capitalism, profiting from war may be one of capitalism's most insidious results. It profits off of increased suffering. There has to be a better system that does not profit off of wars and prison camps. We need an economic system that serves us all rather than to harm us all.
Marc, I agree, when profit is tied to suffering, something is fundamentally out of alignment.
It really does point to the need for an economy that prioritizes well-being, where essential systems are organized to serve people and communities, not benefit from crisis.
The most horrendous statement in our lexicon - "It's just business."
Profit has always been tied to suffering. The less workers are paid, the more owners make. Hence, the rise--and inevitable destruction--of labor unions. Workers go bankrupt; Capital wins.
Yes. Capitalism = exploitation.
There is one.
It's called socialism.
Who has thought of such an economy and why isn't it implemented?
A massive 😅😂🤣😂😅😂🤣😂😅😂🤣😂😅😂🤣😂😅😂🤣😂😅😂🤣😂😅😂🤣😂😅😂🤣😂😅😂🤣😂😅😂🤣😂😅😂🤣😂😅😂🤣😂 to Linda, Lon Nol, and Feldman, not forgetting earlier exchanges with Rick.
Again, no boundaries. Life without boundaries is just chaos. Wait a minute! That's what our government is....Chaos.
“Life without boundaries is just chaos”.
So you’re not in favour of open borders. We can start from there.
What this country needs most is smarter people deciding what we need.
Where are they and why haven't they stepped up to the plate?
Probably out shopping for bomb shelters...while they can still afford the gas.
I believe the experts in various fields are ignored/not given platforms.
Trump and Co never had a moral center to begin with. His sycophants sold their souls, (if they had one), to be part of the morass we find ourselves in. They continue to do so on every front. It doesn't matter if it's the Epstein files, the November elections, or the Trump war with Iran, they will lie, cheat, and steal, to protect Trump and Themselves.
Chrisine
Yes, no moral center but history has an explanation.
Republican history with wars and oil in the middle east is important to remember and to understand the REAL reasons why Trump is stuck. Warfare fundamentally changed with drones that require new defensive weapons that Trump’s military ignored but there are other fundamental reasons revealed with history.
With an ongoing insurrection that violates federal law, Trump with Republican support of the insurrection, installed a lawless, fascist autocracy, started the war with Iran and raised the price of oil which hugely increased the profits of oil corporations. How did this disaster happen? History shows electing Trump was the consequence of the Republican campaign launched in 1971 with the Powell memo. In the campaign, Republicans, corporations and the wealthy intentionally attacked Democratic President FDR’s policies that enabled recovery from the Republican policies that rejected adequate financial regulation and supported the Gilded Age greed that had caused Great Depression that began with the stock market crash on October 29, 1929. The Republican campaign also attacked democracy and intentionally created wealthy inequality, a lack of good paying jobs for the working class and poor affordability for most Americans by cutting taxes on the wealthy and corporations.
For decades since 1971, Republicans have caused tragic suffering in America and the world with wars and poor affordability based on stealing wealth from 99% of Americans, transferring the wealth to the top 1%, and justifying the suffering with extensive lying.
The news media and Democrats as a group of idiots in 2026 have not recognized the ongoing insurrection and are not adequately protecting democracy because they have been mostly clueless and mute about the history of the Republican campaign launched in 1971, the Republican involvement with oil in the middle east since 1953, and the REAL reason for the war with Iran. Trump and oil companies wanted to take the Iranian oil as they had taken the Venezuela oil after a quick attack that captured Maduro on January 3, 2026. Yes, Trump and oil companies wanted the Iranian oil just as the oil companies had wanted the oil by supporting the 1953 Iranian coup led by the CIA that arrested and removed the democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh who had nationalized the oil industry. The coup installed the exiled Shah who returned the nationalized oil industry to American and British corporate ownership. The 1953 coup in Iran, known as Operation Ajax, is a well-documented, watershed event in U.S.-Iran relations, where the CIA and British intelligence orchestrated the overthrow of democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammed Mossadegh who by nationalizing the oil industry had taken ownership and their share of the oil revenue away from the British and the American oil companies who were getting 84% of the revenue with Iran getting only 16%. Installing the Shah in 1953 enabled a brutal dictatorship in Iran led by the Shah who enforced his dictatorship with torture.
Iranians revolted against the Shah government with the 1979 Iranian Revolution which directly led to the current regime in Iran. After 1979, Iran transformed from a pro-Western monarchy under Shah Pahlavi into an anti-Western, conservative Islamic regime led by Ayatollah Khomeini.
The 1979 Iranian Revolution deposed the Shah who had received American support for decades since 1953. Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi had turned the U.S. into a target for revolutionaries who viewed it as the “Great Satan”. After the U.S. allowed the exiled Shah entry for medical treatment in October 1979, Iranian students seized the U.S. Embassy in Tehran on November 4, initiating a 444-day hostage crisis. The 1979 seizure of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran was triggered by President Jimmy Carter’s decision to allow the deposed Shah to enter the U.S. for medical treatment, which Iranian students viewed as a precursor to a U.S.-backed coup. But prominent Republicans, including Henry Kissinger, had pressured the Carter administration to admit the Shah, and the move was portrayed by Iranian militants as a defense against American interference in Iran.
The U.S. mistake in foreign policy in the middle east with oil and Israel since 1953 was led by Republicans, caused Democratic President Carter to lose his reelection to Reagan, and has now caused the war with Iran.
Republicans have caused wars in the Middle East and oil crises for decades since 1953 including the 1970s oil crisis in America lasting for a decade with long lines at gas stations stretching for miles. Republican president Nixon caused the oil crisis by supporting Israel against the Arabs in the Middle East as Trump has now done. Nixon supported Israel in the Yom Kippur War in 1973 that pissed off the Arab nations (Saudi Arabia, ...) triggering the OPEC oil embargo causing the disastrous oil crisis in America in the1970s.
The ugly American history of Republicans interfering with oil in the Middle East over the last 55 years since 1971 reveals only part of the harm done by Republicans to Americans. The complete history provides factual evidence proving how Republicans since the oil crisis of the 1970s caused poor affordability, disruption of the economy, and then attacks on democracy. Republican presidents elected since 1968 (Nixon, Reagan, Bush 1, Bush 2, Trump) cut taxes on the wealthy, crashed the economy, raised interest rates to extremely high levels (14% under Reagan), and caused harmful recessions (1969, 1973, 1980, 1990, 2001, 2008, 2020) , started wars, and stacked the Supreme Court with justices to attack democracy with decisions like Citizens United and gutting protections on voting rights. The Great Recession of 2008, a result of Republican president Bush’s stupid ignorance and Republican policies, caused millions of Americans to lose their jobs and homes. The 2020 COVID-19 recession, a result of Republican president Trump’s stupid ignorance, caused a record-breaking decline in U.S. employment, with nonfarm payrolls dropping by 9.4 million over the calendar year. Total nonfarm employment ended 2020 approximately 10.0 million below its February peak, marking the largest employment decline in the history of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (.gov) Current Employment Survey.
The new Democratic president Biden recovered from the COVID pandemic and recession. But Republicans attacked to elect Trump in 2024 who lied about reducing inflation and prices to make life more affordable, lied about bringing manufacturing jobs back to America with tariffs, and lied about never starting another foreign war.
So how do we get rid of the Republican Party and its agenda. They won’t change it will be Déjà vu!
Capitalism doesn't have a moral center. It's the people who embrace a system losing THEIR moral center that creates the slippery slope.
Profit is the point of capitalism, so war (no moral center there either) is fine.
Marc, I don't want to be the wise guy, but honestly, I expected this disaster. It fits in quite well with all wars and interventions of the US in the last decades.
Arrogant, uninformed, trust in violence, no strategy. (Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan)
Puzzling: is it the attitude? Is it provincial ignorance?
The US has the knowledge, but is it too intellectual for policy makers?
Agreed. But along with arrogant, uninformed, trust in violence, and no strategy, the US is the only Western nation where strategic deception is legal (it’s also legal in Russia, China, and Iran).
This is 180 degrees from EU, where truthfulness and accessibility are recognized as essential for public trust. Even their most senior ministers post an email addresses for the public. In the US, we’re denied that due to “reduce spam and prevent security breaches.” If we’re not smart enough to figure it out, perhaps someone from Silicon Valley can ask our friends in Scandinavia for a tutorial. Criminy.
I’ll post the lengthy AI description of Strategic Deception separately, since some may wish to hide it. Here’s the summary: Strategic Deception is legal in the US in law enforcement, military, private industry, and politics. What’s left? We’re out of step. It’s time to criminalize strategic deception, imho.
A transmission from Pluto here:
"[We] won, so it's a little unfair. you know, you win a war, but they, they have no right to be doing what they're doing . . ." The Felon in Cheat 🤪🤪🙃😉
https://youtu.be/7HYgU0W8IM8?si=GotaNCFhEUXo-Ee6
Keeping things in proportion, Iran is 1.1 times larger than Alaska, 2.5 larger than Texas, and 4 times larger than California, should Chairman Yackoff and his merry band of geniuses decide they absolutely >must< have a full, land invasion. (BTW: 3 times larger than Iraq.)
So why is the US military failing to recognize they're receiving and following illegal orders that will result in war crimes and that self-styled "patriots" among the citizenry will support? :
https://youtu.be/NR-bfJPsL7w?si=nL-wesCvW5VM4_Y7
The "illegal orders" that the military must follow are not to aggress upon the U.S. citizens or violate the Constitution.
Sorry, Mr Nevas. I have no doubt your response is correct -as far as it goes. Being the kind of irascible old coot who learned long ago to take a skeptical view of explanations on complex principles that seem a bit too simple, I thought I'd do a little follow up:
An illegal order in the U.S. military is one that requires a service member to commit a criminal act, violates the Constitution or U.S. federal law, or exceeds the authority of the person issuing it. Examples include orders to harm civilians, engage in torture, or violate international law.
Definition of an Illegal Order
An illegal order in the U.S. military is one that violates laws, regulations, or ethical standards. Specifically, it includes directives that:
Require the commission of a crime
Violate the U.S. Constitution or federal laws
Contradict international law or treaties
Examples of Illegal Orders
Here are some common scenarios that may involve illegal orders:
Type of Order Description:
Targeting Civilians: Orders to intentionally harm or target civilians during military operations.
Torture or Mistreatmen: Directives to torture or abuse detainees, violating human rights laws.
Domestic Law Enforcement: Using military forces for policing actions against civilians, which is generally prohibited.
Engaging in War Crimes: Orders that involve looting, pillaging, or other actions that violate the laws of war.
Falsifying Records: Directives to alter or falsify operational or legal documents.
Legal Framework
Under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), service members are required to obey lawful orders. However, they have the right and duty to refuse orders that are clearly illegal. The presumption is that all orders are lawful unless proven otherwise.
Consequences of Following Illegal Orders
Following an illegal order can lead to serious legal repercussions for both the person issuing the order and the one executing it. Service members who suspect an order may be illegal should seek legal counsel before acting.
==================
Of course, among the first things this administration did was to attack the only organization tasked with determining the legality of orders under the UCMJ by gutting the JAG office of anyone but MAGgot loyalists - sound vaguely familiar? - who won't call bullshit on anything that >must< be considered lawful unless proven otherwise under the UCMJ.
BY THE WAY: Under that interpretation, concocting an excuse to launch a "military operation," (falsifying records) who's real objective is to pillage natural resources - i.e., oil fields - is technically and in fact a legitimate war crime. That means the attack on Iran is the >second< such war crime under this Felon in War Criminal who is ordering such actions.
All of that exceeds the authority of those who initiated these hostile, military invasions - acts of war - and are falsifying records using language like "special operations" and "excursion" to justify that unconstitutional overreach.
I guess I just remember Lt. William Calley and My Lai too well.
But isn't his unilateral decision to go to war a violation of the Constitution?
Yes, why is the US military engaging in war crimes?
The latest affront - Hegseth stating that he's going to deny the enemy "quarter"; in other words, no prisoners, just kill them, even when/if they are trying to surrender. In other words, "slaughter" - as in Bibi's idea of what constitutes warfare; certain human beings, those outside the chosen "group" are the enemy and as such have no value, do not deserve the right to life. Kill them outright, or let them starve. That's the direction Trump and Bibi are headed. And what are the pundits talking about? - does Hegseth fully understand what "quarter" entails? Does he realize it's a war crime, does he mean it? Come on....
The "political quagmire" of missteps by the trump regime is occupying most conversations. There is not nearly enough discussion about the war crimes, and outrage as to what's about to happen to the people of Iran if war this escalates. Is the rising price of gas the only thing that concerns Americans?
tRump and has Cabinet are all complicit in war crimes and/or treasonous/impeachable offenses with dire consequences. It is very useful them to force as much of the military as possible to be complicit, so it'll be in their best interest to prevent any action(s) that would remove tRump from office, including fair elections, so the military doers not face such consequences
A little more on that posted a little later:
With Canada it's oil and natural resources.
With Greenland it's natural resources - rare earths in particular.
With Cuba it is personal, political vendetta.
There's also the question of the ignorant, 18th Century doctrine of "Manifest Destiny," which holds that the US should stretch "from pole to pole and sea to see," which appears a part of the religious doctrine - Christian Nationalism - of those who would overturn the Constitutional "establishment clause" to impose government by a church-state. Pete Keg-breath - the SOW, formerly the SOD - both of which acronyms characterize his wet brain perfectly - has publicly proclaimed that he is a Christian Nationalist and likes to publicly hold a phony little prayer meeting when he issues orders to commit war crimes.
I have a tendency to continually update and save my responses, since I seldom say anything at a given time all that I have to say or will have to say.
You open your response with "why?" You were probably asking that as it was crossing my mind when I added:
BY THE WAY: Under that interpretation, concocting an excuse to launch a "military operation," (falsifying records) who's real objective is to pillage natural resources - i.e., oil fields - is technically and in fact a legitimate war crime. That means the attack on Iran is the >second< such war crime under this Felon in War Criminal who is ordering such actions.
All of that exceeds the authority of those who initiated these hostile, military invasions - acts of war - and are falsifying records using language like "special operations" and "excursion" to justify that unconstitutional overreach.
The least common denominator (LCD) in both illegal wars is oil! By all means draw your own conclusions, though.
The price of gas may be what helps. Use it. MAGA isn't about humanity.
ISOequanimity, what is left is we the people and we cannot afford to swallow the KoolAide the regime is attempting to feed us. Minneapolis is the shining example of how to take the power from the fascist regime. We will prevail.
💯 We will prevail.
Per Google AI: In the United States, strategic deception is legal and widely practiced within specific, regulated contexts where it is considered necessary for state security, law enforcement, or legitimate competitive maneuvering. Generally, deception is lawful when it does not constitute criminal fraud, perjury, or illegal coercion.
Key settings where strategic deception is legal include:
1. Military and National Security
The U.S. military is encouraged to use deception as a legitimate tool to gain tactical and strategic advantages.
Ruses of War: Military doctrine explicitly allows for ruses—tricks designed to mislead adversaries—as long as they do not constitute "perfidy" (violating laws of war by using protected symbols like the Red Cross to kill or injure).
Operational Security (OPSEC): Deception is legally employed to protect sensitive mission details, including the use of decoys, dummy equipment, and misinformation campaigns (e.g., Operation Fortitude in WWII).
2. Law Enforcement and Investigations
Law enforcement is permitted to use deceptive tactics to catch criminals, provided they do not cross into "entrapment"—inducing an otherwise innocent person to commit a crime.
Undercover Operations: Police can legally use false identities, act as buyers/sellers in illegal transactions, and lie to suspects about the evidence they possess (e.g., claiming to have fingerprints when they do not).
Interrogations: Voluntary confessions obtained after police misrepresent facts to a suspect are generally admissible in court.
Testing and Investigations: Civil rights "testing" (e.g., sending actors to test for housing discrimination) is a recognized and legal form of investigative deception.
3. Corporate Negotiation and Business
While fraudulent misrepresentation is illegal, "puffery" and strategic non-disclosure are often legal in business dealings.
Bluffing/Negotiation: It is generally legal to bluff regarding reservation points, goals, or the value of alternatives (e.g., exaggerating how much you are willing to pay or accept).
Advertising "Puffery": Over-the-top, subjective advertising claims that a reasonable person would not take as a literal fact (e.g., "The best coffee in the world") are legal and not considered fraudulent.
"Big Boy" Letters: Parties can contractually agree in advance to waive liability for potential deception, effectively consenting to a high-risk, "as-is" transaction.
4. Politics and Public Discourse
Lies told by individuals, including about the government, are often protected by the First Amendment.
Political Deception: Political figures and organizations frequently engage in strategic deception without legal recourse, as long as it does not constitute direct criminal action or defamation per se.
Protected Lies: Supreme Court rulings indicate that, outside of specific contexts like fraud or perjury, lies about history, science, or politics are generally constitutionally protected.
This makes me ashamed.
Same. But we have models to follow.
Girl Scouts. There’s a reason Mackenzie Scott donated nearly 85M. They help girls to become better people.I recited the following promise more often than any other in my life, other than the flag salute:
“On my honor, I will try: to do my duty to G_d and my country, To help other people at all times, To obey the Girl Scout Laws.”
The laws included being trustworthy, loyal, useful, helpful, courteous, friendly, kind to animals, cheerful, thrifty, cooperative, and “clean in thought word and deed.”
I think it’s a good place for our elected officials, law enforcement, military, and corporations to start.
What’s left? Human relationships.
I believe it’s an arrogant jingoism that is part of our cultutral DNA. Goes back to our founding
Yes, quite possible. But what about the decisions to do stupid things?
They should be monitored; they should be callibrated in an open, dynamic struggle of interests, organisations and elites.
I think that is what is lost.
I think it’s that we have no plan but faith in our size. It also takes our minds away from Epstein. Now Trump truly has no idea on how to get out and no one to help him. Netanyahu and Putin play him like prodigies. He is on his own with Hegseth and other useless idiots. He. Thinks 200 billion will fix things.
Which is why Congress must not give it to him. Chidren and old people go hungry. They want to close public schools, hogtie healthcare, turn the economy over to AI, and play with cryptocurrency. It could be a hellscape, all because of his ignorance and greed.
Tom, you are not a "wise guy." You are in fact a wisdom guy. Being from overseas you bring a perspective that is broader than our view from inside the Trump and MAGA caused chaos. In this case the U.S. is not too intellectual for policy makers; the policy makers do not have proper vision. The majority of them have no imagination; they cannot see the possibility of an economic system that does not center around profit driven capitalism that always, always ends up stealing from the poor to give to the rich. Our economic system is identical to the game of Monopoly. The player that bankrupts everyone else is the winner and the so called "winners" keep getting "Get Out of Jail Free" cards.
ECONOMIC DEMOCRACY takes the best part of capitalism; It is one third of the economy and it financially rewards creativity and entrepreneurship but within a larger system. The other two legs of the economy are worker owned cooperatives and state regulation of utilities such as electricity, water and petroleum derived fuel. Below is a link for a more detailed description of how Economic Democracy operates for the benefit of all without stifling entrepreneurship and creativity, and individual economic gain.
https://crisistransition.substack.com/p/a-programmatic-agenda-for-economic
Marc, you are friendly and accept my gratitude and respect. Your transition text I have read some months ago, and I think the general direction is okay.
We talked about it before: the transition should be in the direction you sketch, but the mental and moral revolution that is needed, is heavy and complicated. I wonder what should come first: the mental part, the political change, the social and economic transition? I hope you think about that.
That said, how is it possible that high treason and corruption found a position in the White House? And how is it possible that it is permitted to go on for many months instead of a speedy exit?
I remember Nixon: he was told he would not stand a political chance and resigned, on condition of a total pardon. It might be acceptable, on condition that his bunch of idiots dissappear as well. But the grasp on reality does not exist, I fear. Trump saw "carnage", but he inherited a good economy. He thinks the US is respected, "but no one likes us", like Randy Newman sings.
Amen.
In theory there is knowledge, in practice all it takes is ignorant leaders.
Alan, you come close to my problem: when you know high quality knowledge is available, use it…
It is arrogant, narrow minded authoritarianism, Tom. These people don't trust negotiations and don't believe in "soft power." They believe in the use of brute force, making war almost inevitable.
And IRAN now is almost an exact repeat of 1953. Then the democratically, socialistic govt who (gasp!) wanted Iran's oil to benefit the people of Iran. So the USA/Big Oil toppled that govt and installed one of the local 'kings' who was in league will Big Oil. That king/shah was eventually replaced by public demand by a religious govt. It too IMHO is a horrid govt system but the USA/Big Oil replacing it with (gasp!) the son of the last deposed king/shah is 1953-lather-rinse-repeat.
I think the USA - Iran was doing better under the Obama nuke agreement which provided 3rd party oversight and, ahem had our own covert ops people keeping an eye on things. An aside: I think Iran and anyone who chooses Nuclear Energy is foolish: no matter how many safeguards are put in place, human error will always eventually win and the half-life of a nuke error is a very. long. time.
I doubt intellect has much to do with it. The US is the bully on the playground. The bully isn't always there, but when it is, it wrecks the fun for everyone.
Marc and Christy, doing the dishes this morning, I started to ponder how the three economic systems we relate to (capitalism, socialism and communism), could all work to some extent, IF they were practiced with compassion and intelligence. Unfortunately, we as a species seem unable to use these as our guiding principles. That said, capitalism as currently practiced, brings out the worst in people. I put my best hope in socialism (and no, Americans, it's not the same as communism).
Excellent post
Thank you, Kate. It's amazing how creative dishwashing can be!
'how creative dishwashing can be' is kind of why I signed up for the volunteer job of 'dishwasher' at my local food bank. But also partly (because I live alone) to meet new people and be near the 'quiet chaos' of the food bank - clash/crash/bang of the pans and kettles and trays I'm washing. One thing I noticed early on is that too much vegg debris was clogging the sinks, so I provided large screens to catch that debris and let the water/liquids go down the drain without clogging the drains. Unfortunately, I seem to be the only one that makes use of those screens when I do work there. Others don't and stash them somewhere I have difficulty finding them... Stupidity of why ? maybe ~ but more like = a new technique that disrupts their own - patterns ~ hmm?
“and no, Americans, it's not the same as communism”
Actually, Americans, you’re better aware of the nature of Communism than most, although Eastern Europeans, especially the Poles and Baltics, are ahead through bitter experience.
The difference between Socialism and Communism is merely a narrow difference in degree.
Recently there has been some discussion in Canada over Justin’s biological paternity: was it actually Fidel? Just as Jackoff Smith may have swung a lot of people into believing that the 2020 election likely was stolen, the pearl-clutching, preposterompous reactions of Axe-worthy and Rockhead to the Donald’s bringing up the issue suggest that it might actually be true.
But in the end it doesn’t matter; Pierre or Fidel, either way Justin’s father was a Communist.
And Linda, replying to Dorothy has reminded me of a response to your comment that “What this country needs most is smarter people deciding what we need.”
For too many Canadians Justin’s father was one of the “smarter people.” But on one important issue he proved himself less smart than the despised Reagan. Commenting on the Soviet Union:
Pierre (on an actual visit to Siberia, forsooth!): this place is the wave of the future.
Reagan: the system can’t be sustained. It’s going to collapse.
General Smedley Butler said "War is a racket," and he knew from experience how the Merchants of Death (the military-industrial complex) have had a stranglehold on America for the last century. Our country's entire foreign affairs policy has been predicated on the bogus notion that our enemies were the Soviet Union, then the Chinese, then immigrants. In reality, our enemies were the war profiteers (and those who profit from the hydrocarbon-based economy), who paid large sums of bribery (campaign contributions) to get servile sycophants elected to Congress who passed laws that kept working people down and the profits of corporations up. They continue to run things to this day.
Without profound structural reform, our democracy's "goose will be cooked," as the jackbooted storm-troopers of ICE run riot through our cities and towns.....
For now, how about a windfall profits surtax on war profiteers?
Great commentary. Thanks
Eisenhower warned us of this many years ago.
MARC, you make such an excellent point!
Right you are, Marc. How about a windfall profits surtax on the military industrial complex and the detention center builders?
Exactly right, and The Economist confirmed it yesterday: Trump’s in “a horrible position,” created a problem only regime change solves, won’t commit ground forces.
Weakened authoritarian doesn’t withdraw, he doubles down. Iran’s inside his loop, cost asymmetry working ($20K drones vs $3M interceptors), oil spiking, allies refusing help, economy getting crushed.
He built the trap, walked into it, can’t get out without admitting failure…which his narcissism won’t allow. So he escalates.
Most dangerous phase is cornered Trump with permanent emergency and no exit. Pattern visible, trajectory locked. Prepare for ultimate crazy!
The Economist and your comments are unfortunately spot on. It is also unfortunate that too many rich and powerful people are profiting off this war, as Robert Reich and others point out, so they and the sycophants will continue to stoke his blind fury.
You’re seeing the exact incentive structure, the people who could constrain Trump are the ones profiting most. The sycophants also need to keep him focused on targets that generate revenue streams while he performs dominance.
That’s why the Slow Ratchet continues: Trump politically weakened doesn’t withdraw, he doubles down using emergency to consolidate power.
The people who could stop it are the ones funding it.
We’re seeing it clearly. That doesn’t mean we’re powerless…it means we know exactly what we’re refusing to accept.
When someone is as poorly equipped mentally to deal with adversity as is Donnie J. we can anticipate him and his taking more frenetic and outlandish actions lashing out both domestically and internationally. I can only guess at these, but I’m sure Lil’Stevie is working on ways to double down on killing off internal dissent and probably subverting the midterms while the likes of lil’Narco and Putrid Hogsbreath are looking to create a second theater of conflict —Cuba?
I’ m afraid so: may I suggest the Bay of Pigs?
Without withdrawing air support this time, sure.
I think you are right, Johan.
Agreed. But this regime won’t last forever. My biggest fear isn’t that MAGAs will prevail. It’s that elected Dems enjoy their perks. I fear that they won’t be in a hurry to effect concrete change, like assigning all 50 states with a separate plank to research as working labs. I’ve sent that request to my senators, congressman, governor, and the DNC but no bites and they don’t have a plan of their own. Redistributing wealth and power could require them to send their kids and grandkids to public school and live in regular communities instead of gated ones. I don’t see any explanation other than passively maintaining the status quo.
ISO, unfortunately I have to agree with you. I would add that what you posit is why we need an upgrade to our Constitution, not just another amendment. We need to fundamentally upgrade how we govern ourselves rather than to let the Ultra-wealthy and power hungry lead us where they may and empty our pockets in the process.
The only way forward that I can see is to prevail in November and then get rid of weak or dirty Dems in 2028.
Personally, I think it should be a one step program....get rid of the weak and dirty Dems ASAP and win in 2026 and 2028. Millennials and Zoomers don't want to wait for poky Boomers and Xers to figure this out.
Generation bashing is neither sensical nor illuminating.
Its shorthand for how they vote.....not bashing.
I agree in general, but I have to say, Dawn, that we have really "dumbed down" our kids with technology. Unfortunately that's where the vast majority of young people get their "news."
Can we step with thr boomer bashing? It's really lazy.
No. Sorry to disappoint you. I happen to like the categories. Feel free to skip my comments.
Haste (to upgrade our constitution) makes waste. And haste let's opportunistic saboteurs to it... Kinda like what Project 2025 mandates and Trump et al are trying to do in his term 2, albeit incompetently. But a secure national discussion online limited to well meaning people with an IQ >125 (tested) could be useful.
and how do you "upgrade" the Constitution if not by means of a constitutional convention, which is bound to be controlled by Republicans?
This sounds about right…but very difficult.
R
The best thing Dems can do is purge themselves of any Dem who's oriented toward Wall Street. For the most part that means evicting the old farts who came to office with Clinton and crew. While not a Dem myself, I see this happening very slowly. Dems need to pick up the pace....
Dems need to purge pols who are in AIPAC's pocket. That is why we that Dems are not fighting to put an end to Trump's war powers. They know it is really Israel's war and that Netanyahu is using the US Military as his own weapon.
Agree. We need an AIPAC list to be made public.
I agree that cleaning house is the top choice, as long as we have a full slate of suitable candidates in November with concrete plans for solving our many problems.
"old farts like Clinton and crew"? You out yourself as a Dem hater T_Allen.
Sorry, but I used to be one of them. I'm actually older than Robert. (and Trump, Bill and George) They're still 'old farts'. Meantime may I suggest you quit looking for trouble? What I hate is greed and authoritarianism (and incompetent grifters)
💯
I wouldn’t have used the phrase old fart but the bottom line is that there is no place for either Clinton as we reclaim our democracy.
Michele Goldberg, NYT, believes that Bill raped Juanita Broaddrick. Allegations of SA were made by Paula Jones, Kathleen Wiley, Gennifer Flowers, Leslie Millwee, Elizabeth Ward Gracen, Dolly Kyle Browning, Cristy Zercher, and Karen Hinton.
And unlike the wives of Harvey Weinstein, Matt Lauer, and Danny Masterson, HRC stayed with him. To survivors of sexual violence, that’s the opposite of “gutsy feminism.”
Calling out their actions isn’t Dem hating. It’s truth-telling. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/13/opinion/juanita-broaddrick-bill-clinton.html
Our elected representatives are accomplished individuals. if there’s foot-dragging, how can that be anything but intentional?
Fear?
When the xenophobic, anti- Democracy forces on the American right wrote its 2025 plan for America under Trump, we can wonder if what we are living through all across American governance, is what those fellow Americans had in mind.
Did they imagine a rogue, fully armed, police state? Did they imagine a DOJ void of the rule of law? Did they imagine a hateful, demented lying leader whose use of the word "WE" means "ME"? Did they imagine a head of HHS who likes diseases more than cures?
And so on and so forth.
Building a White Nationalist theocracy to replace our Democracy and Constitution has been afoot in America for years. Today, it has brought a new version of our ongoing civil war. We won the last civil war. When we win this one, it is imperative we update and fortify our Constitution to better withstand such vicious assaults. We are a far different country than the agrarian country of our founders. It's way past time we fix the compromises the founders made that enable minority rule in America.
No boundaries. No one has put any boundaries on this lunatic. (It all started with the STUPID Supreme Court. That means, that whoever has the reigns to keep him in check is just as insane as he is and enjoys boundless reaction to whatever pinches their asses.
Also keep in mind that some of Trump's most important 'allies' are benefitting mightily from this war... including (1) Putin; (2) the giant oil companies; and (3) military contractors (including now his sons and their new drone companies). So no wonder that Trump seems in no hurry to end this fiasco.
Marc-- please fore the off thread post--I feel it must be said and knowing you --I'm sure you would agree---To the People of Japan: I would like to apologize for the insensitive remarks Mr. Trump made during a meeting yesterday in the oval office. Your country is filled with the vibrant minds of a people who have given so much to the world in which we all live. The past is to be learned from, in no way does it suggest current intent. What we've both struggled to live through has made our people stronger. Pearl Harbor and WWII were points of healing that our two cultures have used as starting points from which to build the relationship we enjoy today. The people of Japan have a proud foundation upon which to build a great future--We as Americans are lucky to have you as our friends--Please over look the ignorance of a man that time will soon swallow.
And there's f*ck-all we can do about it because our representatives are all hiding under their desks.
His removal is essential. This crisis doesn't just affect the US, it affects everyone. A wider conflict becomes more likely the long it goes on.
He had already disintegrated appreciably before he was first elected....sad.
because he's not in control-he thought he could ride the tiger but the tiger's riding him
Not falling apart. Beconing more evil and more emboldened.
Not fast enough.
For the war to end all parties need to agree on the terms yet now appear to be pursuing different objectives. As horrible as Netanyahu’s is, Israel has never lost a war so it will be interesting to see how he talks his way out if this. He and Trump are both looking at possible prison which is also why they remain in power. Then there’s Epstein.
and continue fighting. At least Netanyahu has the excuse that Iran, as it is presently configured, will never quit trying to eliminate Israel. This fact is paramount to him and the country he leads.
The US does not have that excuse.
Fred, Iran is one of few countries speaking out against Israel's history of expansionism and annexation. I do not think that Iran is an existential threat to Israel, but I do think that Zionist expansionism is an existential threat to Israel's close neighbors, and Iran has supported the resistance to that expansionism. The genocide in Gaza, the settler pogrom of Palestinians in the West Bank, and the ethnic cleansing in southern Lebanon are evidence that Zionism is an existential threat to Israel's neighbors.
It is the ideology of Zionism that is constantly de-stabilizing the Middle East. Trumpism as well as Biden's self proclaimed support for Zionism have only exacerbated the problem.
Yes, I am anti-Israel, not anti-Semitic.
Dorothy, Unfortunately the political push has been to conflate being anti-Israeli policy and anti-Zionism with being anti-Semitic. Virulent Zionism has taken over most Israelis just as Trumpism has taken over the Republican party. The ethno-religious centricity of both has really made for an ugly period of history similar to the 1930s/40s.
You are right, Fred! The orange man has flittered from one excuse to another and absolutely none of his reasons for attacking Iran makes a twit of sense!
True Peggy, but we have a partner in this fight and at this time we are in the dark as to what our endgame is, besides terrifying.
That’s the terrifying thing: for Trump h there IS no end game. As Prof. Reich says, Trump is reactive. No plan, no forethought… which is why he’s so easily triggered by the weakest “insult”, so easily played.
You’re seeing the incentive structure exactly. They are both optimized to stay in power.
Both face prosecution the moment they leave office, which means their optimal outcome is sustaining some type of emergency that makes removal politically impossible. Netanyahu does this through coalition management and security threat rotation. Trump’s doing it through the Slow Ratchet: permanent war emergency justifying expanded executive power, delayed accountability, delegitimized opposition.
The war continuing indefinitely isn’t the failure with Trump—- it’s the strategy. Every week it drags on without resolution is another week neither faces consequences. Trump then asks for more funds, he doubles down!
Iran’s cost-imposition strategy (cheap drones, sustained pressure, interceptor depletion) feeds exactly what they need: permanent crisis. Prison awaits both, so it either has to win (not with just bombing) or just not end.
Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said this yesterday, “The thing that I think a good number of people on the committee are concerned about is just the very, very low level of job creation. Effectively, there’s zero net job creation in the private sector. We’re dealing with very, very low - nonexistent, really - growth in the labor force, which of course we’ve never had in our history.”
Way to go MAGA
Nothing but layoffs from big Pharma, retail here in NJ since his inauguration. No one is talking about that, or the Epstein scandal…mission accomplished by Dump.
Or we've got very poor job numbers reporting. Or both.
This analysis seems to me spot-on.
I am going to use the concept of the OODA loop and your splendid explanation of it to jump back to yesterday's question of how we USians should prepare to prevent, shut down, or counter an administrative power move around this fall's elections, because it expresses what I was trying to get at better than I managed.
As opponents of the administration's seizure of power and of its policies, we need to use our multiplicity, our nimbleness, our ubiquity, to make everything difficult for them. To anticipate their use of a channel and to plan our strategies along that same channel limits our flexibility, grants these power monsters the setting of agendas, and allows them to flex their strengths.
What we need to do is to enact strategy and tactics of myriads of Nos and balks and inconveniences.
And we're finally seeing courts and judges beginning to help with the Nos.
Mary Ann, I believe the brave citizens of Minneapolis have demonstrated to the rest of the country how to effectively resist this regime.
Marc, if you have ever read Scott Dworkin's substack, there are brave citizens all across this country following Minneapolis's example! From California to Maine, small communities, towns and cities are resisting this regime in large numbers. Just yesterday, he wrote of a little town, small population that attended a council meeting to send a message to ICE. The whole town was unanimous - no detention facility in their town. The town council let ICE know they could NOT open a facility there. It is happening everywhere! We must continue to resist and fight this regime every minute of every day. As Mary Ann indicated, we need to use the OODA loop! We must remain on the offense rather than defense.
Throughout the course of time, tyrants and dictators were overcome and ousted by the brave acts of The Resistance.
Well, let's not leave that as Lone Example.
We're up against perseverators. Let us persevere unto perseveration, is what I'm saying.
"The United States government is now a fascist government. It is different than the Nazis were, different than Mussolini’s government was, but still has the hallmarks of fascism.” -HCR-
Any expectation that America’s fascist regime can simply be voted out of office is not to be counted on. We have an epic struggle ahead and out of epic struggle comes epic wins.
Marc, I don’t disagree with the urgency or the need to resist. The instinct to say no, to disrupt, to not comply with harm is real.
I think you’re also pointing toward something important beneath that. If we can pair that resistance with people organizing, supporting one another, and building systems that actually serve people, then we’re not just reacting, we’re shaping what comes next.
True!
Correct. It's sad that so many will lose their livelihoods and many will lose their lives. It's going to be a shocker for so many. This is sometimes overwhelming for humans. Not saying there won't be a victory but it is going be so messy on the way there.
We will be unable to go back to where we were in 2020. We need to adjust and move on.
This fascist regime is not yet fully entrenched. We can still stop its progress.
As did the brave citizens of South Carolina in 1860.
Mary Ann, I think you’re naming something important here, the power of many decentralized “no’s” that don’t play by a single script.
At the same time, it feels just as important to pair that with building trust, coordination, and support across communities, so the response isn’t only disruption, but also something more steady and sustaining underneath it.
Absolutely.
Dis-integration advertised as independence has been a theme of the GOP for over 45 years, even as they’ve worked for market concentration.
Community is vital, and we need to build it on equitable and sustainable foundations.
Hear, hear!
Spot on, Mary Ann!
My thinking, as well. We have so many compassionate AND brilliant minds/writers/activists/organizers who require all USIANS (I am taking that adjective? Noun? ) to do something (keep imploring people to not pre capitulate)…
No mention of *Jonathan Powell's astonishing revelation - widely reported across the UK press - that talks with Iran were very close to a successful result just a few days before the US onslaught.
* A top aid to UK PM Keir Starmer, formerly chief of staff to Tony Blair, and hugely respected as one of the world's most experienced and effective international negotiators, he was present at a those talks. The US negotiators were the hugely inexperienced Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.
That is what surprised me, Adrian! Negotiations that were close to a successful result and America does the unthinkable! The orange man attacked before negotiations were completed! No other country in the world will ever trust us again! They will always be wary because he attacked without provocation and while close to a successful agreement!
The most plausible explanation seems to be that Netanyahu, a much much wilier politician than Trump, dragged the US in. As quite possibly Bush with Iraq.
Oh no, didn’t you see Bibi’s ‘press’ conference where he said he did not pressure the USA to be his bitch? The rumor we were close to an agreement with in Iran was getting too much notice.
No other country will ever trust us again? Let's stay in the real world please. Trump's gets gone; MAGA disintegrates from its own incompetence; problem solved... IMHO.
Jennifer, when someone tells me one thing while doing the exact opposite, I lose trust. The man in the White House was negotiating in good faith and then attacks without provocation. Yes, countries will not trust that kind of behavior from a leader of another country. That is the real world. When he is out of the White House and his cult is gone, it will take many years to gain back the trust we once had with our allies and countries around the world. In the words of Thomas Barnaby, "Trust is hard to earn, easy to lose and never should be taken lightly."
Correction: ignore my "Trump's gets gone" edit please; imagine the " 's " is gone. Thank you..
Our only chance for building back trust any time soon is a regime change to one that is committed to implementing the Declaration of Independence.
Peggy, I think we have lost our place I the world for just this reason.
I do, too, Dorothy!
Let’s ask why USA sent two real estate developers to negotiate a complex nuclear deal. Not only that, the Kushner/Netanyahu families go way back and Jared has huge financial conflicts of interest in the region. When the Iranians offered to permanently cease stockpiling enriched uranium, was Jared thrilled that he was about to secure peace or actually hoping negotiations would fail to give Israel an excuse to attack? Was Jared representing USA, Bibi or the Trump family business? Iran posed no imminent threat to USA. The only thing that was imminent was Israel’s attack on Iran. Iran was offering to hand over the 400kg of 60% enriched uranium. Now we have to go in and get it.
Precisely. Those are the implications of Powell’s comments.
Those are indeed the conclusions to be drawn from Powell’s remarks.
It is difficult to wrap one's head around just how much damage Trump has done to our country. We really don't know how much control Putin has over Trump. But a true planted Russian asset could not have caused more destruction to the fabric of the United States. One hardly wishes to see the US militarily humiliated, but wish it or not, Trump and Secretary of War Crimes Hegseth are almost surely going to produce it.
"It is difficult to wrap one's head around just how much damage Trump has done to our country." Just how much damage WE the People have ALLOWED Trump to do to our country.
"We really don't know how much control Putin has over Trump." If We the People exercised our rights and duties under the Constitution, Putin would and should be irrelevant.
We have met the enemy and He is US.
Speak for yourself Tom- I’m not the enemy, or my friends and immediate family. The enemy are the OWM with All the $$. We serfs are the ones keeping the country running while the asshats are lighting fires everywhere. The KKK are wearing suits in the White House….
The real reason why Trump is trapped in Iran is because he’s an idiot!
the real reason Trump is trapped in IRAN is because he wants to be. he and his puppet masters sycophants will profit while the poor and lower middle class will be destroyed.
Trump has been Putin's one-man war on America for 10 years, a weapon of chaos, incompetence, disruption, ignorance, stupidity, dementia. Trump doesn't need to understand this, but Putin knows very well all he had to do was put Trump in the Oval Office and his innate disorder would do the rest. With the Trump Missile in the Oval Putin can take out America without wasting a bomb or a bullet.
TRUMP UNWITTING RUSSIAN AGENT MICHAEL MORELL CIA DEPUTY DIRECTOR
TRUMP KGB AGENT SASHA SOTNIK
HOUSE OF TRUMP HOUSE OF PUTIN
AMERICAN KOMPROMAT
KREMLIN PAPERS
KRASNOV
All of this information has appeared in US media, which dismissed all of it because they did not have "proof beyond a reasonable doubt," they said, many times, failing to understand that in intel, espionage, military, you rarely if ever have "proof beyond a reasonable doubt," what you have is "connect the dots," evidence that adds up to a reasonable certainty. "
So for the last ten years America has failed to understand that Trump is Putin's "secret weapon," pretending to be a loyal American, President of the United States.
Easily manipulated by Putin, easily manipulated by Netanyahu, Xi Jinping, Kim Jong Un, easily manipulated by anyone with flattery and money.
Alexei Navalny tried to warn US about Trump in his memoir Patriot. 2024. A movie was released with the same information. I believe it won an Oscar. Navalny died in a Russian prison. Nobody wanted to listen.
Professor Reich: i suppose american residents should be using the same strategy -- OODA -- to survive this latest cock-up by the orange rapist and his regime? it seems we should be preparing now for a long siege of our country and government since that makes sense when trying to crush one's opponent.
Meanwhile China is building millions of drones. Does the US have any drone manufacturing capability? tRump can never admit defeat and would rather burn everything to the ground. Just look at his threat about the voter disenfranchisement act - SAVE VD for short.
Trump family making fortune off drones. Its a sham war for profit.
Trump isn't trapped? Trump is where he wants to be because it's where he wants to be. The guy just can't see the danger his decisions are making.
Trump is close to pushing posies and therefore doesn’t really give a hoot to what happens.
Keith--The future holds no meaning for this fool because he knows he won't be there.
Plus the fact that those around him are egging him on and not telling him the truth about the dangers he is causing!
If and when Dems and progressives take back the Congress this year, the radical right get flushed (removed) the next January. (They have to leave! They don't get to take their oaths of office again to get their jobs back!)
The only solution would appear to be 'regime change'. Not in Iran but in the US.
Surely to God there's a way to remove this dangerous madman?
And his entire administration in one great sweep - all arrested for treason and sent to Dilley or Alligator Alcatraz for eternity.
Robert Reich is right that this has become a reactive spiral, and Trump’s role in driving that escalation without a clear, grounded strategy is hard to ignore. Each move seems to create new problems faster than they can be resolved.
What matters just as much is where those consequences land. Rising energy prices and disruptions don’t stay abstract, they show up in people’s daily lives, especially for those already stretched thin.
This also points to a deeper issue. When essential systems like energy and supply chains are so centralized and fragile, conflict anywhere quickly becomes hardship everywhere.
Christy, you have an important point; Trump and his deteriorating ability to think and reason is globalizing hardship. Everyone's energy prices are going up, not just in the United States. One likely outcome of this might be international support for our resistance movement within. The American Revolution may have been a much longer struggle without the support from abroad.
Marc, I think you’re right to see the global ripple effects and the potential for broader support.
At the same time, it also highlights how interconnected and vulnerable people everywhere are when systems are this centralized. It makes the case not just for resistance, but for rethinking how we build more resilient, people-centered systems so shocks like this don’t spread so easily across the world.
isn't that way humans always 'solve' problems by 'shifting the burden'
Trump's bully-boy approach has always been transactional.
The so-called 'art of the deal' works in a limited domain where Trump has a significant number of financial aces.
But it's completely inadaquate against an opponent who is more agile and operates asymetrically, effectively nullifying the logic of transactionality.
Trump and his Netanyahu-inspired goons think that they have got Iran over a barrel.
But in fact it is they who are over a barrel. The more they up the ante, the more damage they do to the global economy in which countries with widely differing ideologies are economically dependent on each other whether they like it or not.
Part of the reason for the failure of the Soviet Union was the assumption that so-called socialism in one country would work.
Trumpism in one country, aka 'America first' isn't working either, whether domestically or internationally.
Just wait and see what happens when the American working class and middle class start to feel real economic pain.
Blaming immigrants under those circumstansces just won't work any more.
Now would be a good time for a change in leadership in the US, or at least the Fall. Blocking and destroying 20% of the world’s oil production guarantees that the prices aren’t coming back down, and yes, the US companies will gladly profit from our mistake for years to come. This could be the start of a global recession. How could it not?
But why did Trump start this war with Israel? My theory is that Israel and Russia have some big time sleazy goods on Trump and they blackmailed him into starting it. I mean like exposing his sexual predator secrets. Just a theory, but my better sense says this is it.