Imagine if all the money instead of being spent on the elections was reallocated to improving education, health, infrastructure, American families, etc... how much better our country would be. SHARE THE WEALTH instead of buying politicians!
That would be the reasonable & patriotic thing to do. But greed reigns over these billionaires & takes priority over everything else, including the sustenance of a united democratic America & even an inhabitable planet.
I had to look up Phil Ruffin. Bankrolled Trump in Las Vegas. Partner in T rump Tower Vegas.
Ruffin might be a witness in the Trump-Russia Investigation and to disputed allegations in the related Steele dossier. Trump had flown on Ruffin's private jet to Moscow in 2013 for the Trump-owned Miss Universe Pageant. At the time Ruffin himself was married to a former Miss Universe, Ukrainian supermodel, Oleksandra Nikolayenko. Trump has since been accused of having engaged with prostitutes at a hotel room during that trip in urolagna-related sexual activities, and that those activities were filmed by Russian agents intended for the blackmailing of Donald Trump (kompromat). Former British intelligence officer, Christopher Steele provided reports of such activities, although they have not been substantiated in any major media outlets. Trump has repeatedly denied having stayed overnight in Moscow for the pageant (and therefore didn't require a hotel room) despite flight records indicating that Ruffin's plane arrived in Moscow on a Friday morning and departed Sunday.
On that same trip. Ruffin may also have attended a meeting with Trump, Trump's bodyguard Keith Schiller, and local Russian officials regarding the development of a Trump Tower Moscow, another important aspect of the Trump-Russia Investigation.
Ruffin probably paid $25 million to satisfy Trump's liability in the Trump University judgement. Ruffin admitted to paying Trump $28 million in 2018, but claimed it was for "back-fees" related to Trump International Hotel Las Vegas and unrelated to the Trump University case.
Boycott and picket his properties:
*Treasure Island Hotel and Casino and Circus Circus Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas
*Wichita Greyhound Park.
*Harper Trucks, the world's largest manufacturer of hand trucks
* Casino Miami
Owns lots of other properties. Short his publicly held companies.
Perfect! Meidas Touch has earned more viewers than FOX at least once that I know of. All the story needs is to be reported as a "story" on other outlets. It will go viral. The only thing is, this will put a target on Ruffin's back. At that point, he'd be better off in jail for his own safety!
Ah, Daniel. I do appreciate your posts! In the end, as a handicapped older woman in Minnesota, I often find that the relevant and illuminating education you provide makes me even more depressed. I don’t have the means to use stocks as a weapon and I am not able to travel, march or picket. I grieve not being young enough or rich enough to effectively fight back. Because I would LOVE to do so!
That which is, and the future that might be is indeed depressing, except for people with neurological diseases like bi polar, depression is a choice, especially if one considers themselves an optimist, or Pollyanna.
The only feasible way those of us without power have to fight back, is voting and spreading the word.
I am not depressed still kicking six years after being operated on for brain cancer, radiation and immunotherapy (Keytruda, the same drug used to treat Jimmy Carter).
Diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, they even had me in pallative care, I accepted my fate, but fought back and here I am happily living on borrowed time.
Check out Jessica Craven's substack "Chop Wood, Carry Water" for the many, many ways the blue wave can be supported and augmented--even by us older, non-wealthy members of the blue resistance.
As of 2023, 66% of U.S. households (86.9 million homes) own a pet. 99% of them probably love them. In Facebook, Tic toc, Instagram, thousands of pet lover groups. millions of pet owners. Channeling Taylor Swift, post that meme!
IMHO if that is done daily, it will sink in.
The best target market is probably 17 year olds who will be able to vote next year. Statistics show that 70% trend Democratic. I bet the percentage of 17 year old pet owners is higher.
Trump seems to hate all animals. His sons kill rare, iconic animals for trophies. Trump is on the wrong side of every environmental issue & is very bad for our future. The environment is the most important issue for the young & they're very concerned about their future & whether they'll even have one.
Marge, There are things older, less mobile folks can do. One is to write postcards reminding people to vote. There are various organizations that use volunteers to do that. They supply the names and addresses.
Vote Forward has you add a personal note to a letter to voters who might not vote, encouraging them. No political statements, but most who are reminded vote Democratic.
Marge, I have a similar challenge, but I keep reading this thread and commenting on people's insights. It helps me to share ideas and keep from getting too depressed about these issues because our being depressed and withdrawing from the interacting with others and staying involved is just what the very rich and their puppets like Trump and Kump want us to do. So, let's keep the conversation going along with the letters, petitions, research, etc. so we have a chance to keep our nation democratic not just for ourselves, but for all the people of this nation, including the rich ones. That's what communities do for each other. We are a community with some folks who don't want to be in community with us because they don't know what it means to be community. They bought the BS that they can do everything themselves with no help. It's ridiculous, but they will keep trying to spread their gospel of fear, anger, resentment, and hatred to anyone who will listen. We need to get their first with a different message.
No were not all dead yet and from what were all seeing and hearing about Trump, should mean his goose is cooked and will be on his way to the slammer, for if he ever was elected again, this would most certainly mean the end of the Constitution and the experiment, we call democracy.
I hope so Jon. The polls were wrong in 2020, 2022 and 2023.
Pollsters have a financial interest in promoting the horse race, as the corporate media does as well. But they are also conservative and thus stilted. They use polls to create reality. The only way to prove them wrong is for the DNC to inflame the lizard brain of the voter.
The only time the Lizard brain was activated for a liberal cause, was in 2023 and the cause was the right of females to maintain sovereignty over their minds and their bodies..
It works, and the DNC must step up the game, and play it the way the Republicans do, because if they don't..the fascists will win.
Indeed, turn the tables on MAGA Republicans, also messaging, GOP are so good at it and democrats frankly suck at it, and they need to go on the attack, don't be afraid and call them all out and the dark monied interests who are behind them, which seek to undermine any semblance of democracy and take the country back to the dark ages which is where their minds reside.
Golden showers are when a person urinates on you. I doubt that Trump, a germophobe, would subject himself to a golden shower.
However he or his sponsors paid a hooker to pee on the bed which Obama slept in, in the Moscow Ritz Carlton.
I can't think of a bumper sticker to describe the event
And that is not a golden shower, Calling it a golden shower makes it easy for Trump to disclaim because he is a well known germaphobe, just not to the extent of Howie Mandell. I wager though, that an aide is nearby with a bottle of hand sanitizer. You might notice that he doesn't touch or shake hands with the lowly,, only PM's, Presidents, Sheiks and people of importance, those whose financial and moral support he desperately needs.
The mainstreet press has always dismissed the Dossier as untrue. Steele never claimed that everything in it was factual, but rather most of it was based on some level of accuracy. Dismissing it outright is lazy journalism.
Jpurnalists are lazy, looking for the headline and knowing the mind of their editors and producers.
Look how they are treating the Gaza war. They take HAMAS at face value and believe everything that their representative utters, without question, But the IDF shows video's and the corporate media, qualifies them as "unverified" making sure we hear the word unverified.
Daniel, it's kind of depressing to see who Trump hangs around with. They, like him are not very good people, but I guess they don't have to be since lying, cheating, misinforming, and creating chaos are critical to the Trump cult. Trump has an affinity for lying, so nothing he says about his life should be believed. His fascist plans for this nation should be believed though because hurting people he does not see as totally loyal to himself is what turns him on. I suspect just thinking about what he would do if he ever got in the White House again is better than evenings with a prostitute.
There was a photo of Trump in the Moscow Ritz Carlton room where Obama slept it was shot between the legs of a hooker peeing on a bed that Obama slept in, Trump in the distance giving two thumbs up and smiling. That photo didn't last long, before it was scrubbed.
I am working under the assumption that "The PeePee Tapes" are in some perverts "personal collection," never to be seen again. With "Anonymous" as powerful as ALL the world's tyrants COMBINED, it is impossible that it HASN'T been on 4Chan yet!
If the 1% wants to support Trump’s fascist agenda and deport so many people, who is going to work in their factories, farms, and fields? Who will work in the lower-wage jobs they have? All those jobs are ones that people take as entry to the American dream of moving up and making more to improve their lives. And if Republicans force women to give birth but they cannot care for the children, then what? Will the country resort to orphanages like in Communist countries that warehouse the children? What kind of adults do these children grow into? What kind of workers are they?
Fascist Trump and his gazillionaire enablers are truly trying to create a dystopian nightmare. The only thing that will come from that is the destruction of the planet. I don't think all of their money will be able to start and sustain off-planet colonies.
LeeAnn: Think of all the jobs often filled by undocumented immigrants: restaurant staff, construction workers, childcare.... At a time when our aging population needs younger workers for the growing number of job vacancies, we need immigrant labor. Have businesses considered how they would fill the jobs after Trump deports their workers? Imagine the bidding wars for the existing labor force! And the oligarchs are already looking at raising the age for retirement and overturning child labor laws. WTF are they thinking will happen if Trump succeeds in implementing Project 2025?
It wouldn't surprise me if Project 2025 is seriously thinking of "terminating" all us retired, "non-productive" members of this perfect new order of Dump's delusions.
Remember...Repubbies first came up with the idea of ridiculing the idea of single payer health care by telling us it would result in "death panels". When Repubbies accuse others, it is wise to look very carefully indeed at what the Repubs themselves are doing or thinking.
PS...Since the Repub-fascists are considering ending or privatizing Social Security and Medicare....that would be nearly as good as a death panel. I survive on an extremely modest SS payment plus savings--which are dwindling--and have only had decent healthcare since I hit 65 (prior to 65, decent healthcare insurance was out of reach for a single homeowner who needed the weekly paycheck in full)....well figure it out: if the fascists take away our basic support and cut out all the healthcare support, a majority of seniors would be homeless, starving or sick enough to die in 5 years or less. I have no children to take me in and most of my friends will be in very similar predicaments. Vote blue; our country and our lives depend upon it.
Just look at what Gov Sarah Huckabee Sanders did in Arkansas. I believe I read that 14 year olds can work in slaughter houses there! They were finding kids that should have been in school. So in keeping out the immigrants, the GOP will make life so hard that you will be willing to send your children to work in slaughterhouses!
And even - die - there. I heard about a 14 year old boy that got killed
by flying machine parts in one of those slaughter houses.
This is beginning to sound like the - wave of the future - ..
I'm in Seattle (home of Amazon & Microsoft) and am being bombarded by mailings & e-mailings - whitewashing Amazon about
their "social conscienceness" and providing M's of $ for public housing, services, et al - - - at the same time Jeff Bezos is "fleeing" WA, a BLUE state, to relocate to Miami FL - RED state. Wonder why ??? hmmm ~
Merge: If Trump wins and follows the Trump 2025 plan, his loving followers are going to rue the day, the dog catches the car and America becomes a third world nation, because if there is one word to describe Americans it is consumers.
No customers, no consumers and all of the money of the fascist billionaires thrown at Trump will be for naught.
But not to worry, the foretasted end of the Anthropocene is only decades away, and all of those billions won't protect them from the inevitable cleansing of Gaia.
William, I’ve long suspected that the increases in global trade means the oligarchs no longer have to rely on American consumers. They can build a middle class in India, China, South America, while making sure the home office in the US is unregulated and untaxed.
Fascist Trump, MAGA GOP and the dark monied uber rich who desire a dystopian world of serfdom for the masses and create utter feudalism between the masses as they sit back in their ivory towered mansions and enjoy the shop, compliments of MAGA Republicans, who care not nor want democracy to flourish and it is so obvious from all their contrived past statements concerning the working class, that in fact, they have an utter disdain and contempt for the working class and poor, they crap on the majority every chance they get and the voters who vote for their crap, vote of course against their own interests , unless of course that interests is the same evil garbage as from Trump and MAGA Republicans, which is hate, bigotry or racism, then it is indeed in their interests, how else did Trump help himself get elected, he practically ran on it and still does
Lee Ann, I predict if Trump gets elected, he will not build a wall. The reason the immigrants have been let in is to bust the unions for cheap labor in the first place. The billionaires would rather hire three immigrants for the price of one born in America citizen. I do think however that the billionaires would like to get rid of all the old people and the unhealthy people and the financially poor criminals. The billionaires are not racist ,just the maga crowd is. Trump will have to take their guns which he will gladly do.
T L Mills, given all the job openings that would be created by their mass deportations, it’s more likely they would increase the Social Security eligibility to 75 so we would be forced to work. Hell, they’re already working on Children Labor Laws. And work requirements for anyone receiving public benefits are always very popular. Resurrect the Welfare Queen meme! They’ve even tried (so far unsuccessfully) to impose work requirements on people who just get Food Supports (aka Food Stamps) and Medicaid. They will have to be very creative to fill all those jobs.
One good thing for Republicans: when they deport all those undocumented people who have been paying into Social Security with no eligibility to ever collect, they may hasten the insolvency of the program. Just what they would like to do.
Indeed, for the fascist GOP, the exercise of cruelty is the whole point, from the so-called values party, which in reality is, hate, bigotry, cruelty and greed.
Indeed, and just imagine that had not the 2000 election between Bush and Gore, had it not been stolen from Gore via a corrupt Supreme Court ruling, we may never have what we're seeing today with ever unfolding climate crises, the Republican Party lap dogs for the fossil fuel cartel climate destroyers, they knew for decades, covered up their own scientist findings and yet to this day, taxpayers are forced to pay for in essence our own destruction and that of nature, we share this world with the animal kingdom, so what we invariably allow to befall them, will in the end befall all of humanity.
LOL. The Alzheimer/Dementia test. he even forgot that he said man, woman, person now it is man, woman, person TV, Camera, man, showing what a narcissist he is. The test only requires you to remember three words, then the nurse or doctor goes off on other tests, like draw a clock showing hands at ten to 2, then comes back to the questions.
They have me respond to the MoCA test every time I go in for my annual physical.
It's easy for me to remember my Birthday. .since its the same date My Voices came into this world . .tho they're on own their own if they have different Soc Security numbers . .#the space takes ..
Yes, not satisfied with having more money than they know what to do with already, their primary objective is to acquire even more for themselves. Pure selfishness. But too many ordinary people believe that possessing great wealth is an indication of superior intelligence, talent, work ethic, and moral character, when much of it is luck and the surrounding infrastructure.
It is not the money. It is 1. an addiction 2. Status for demonstrating that he is an alpha male. Four leged males, butt heads, 2 legged males do it like birds, strutting and puffing out their chests, and if a retard like Trump and Sen Mullins, thumping their chests. Trump does both, struts and thumps it is all performance, he knows that he is intellectually and socially incompetent so he compensates.
They figure they'll be dead and gone when that particular bill comes due and they'll leave their grandchildren PLENTY of money with which to sustain themselves!
You only had three upvotes now four, compared to the nine of Adam, it does appear that, though people are alarmed about the environment and global warming. It is a different story when facing the distinct possibility that their children and grandchildren might not have a future, and if young enough, not even they
News to their Grand children even if they figured out a way to acheive suspended animation the earth isnt going to get any cooler given that the sun is slowly warming as it gets older. This is something would could deal with if we had some temperature in the bank to play with. Since we dont if the grand kids try to escape the warming earth via time they will only come back to ab even warmer earth.
It is not just the sun warming, it is what humans have done to the only home they have, they have defecated in the pantry and kitchen, and urinated in the closet.
And while the sun is dying, so is the core of Earth, but in this case it isn't getting warmer. The core produces the electro magnetic belt, the Van Allan belt that protects us from radiation, and IMO, the gravitational field which creates an atmosphere that makes the planet liveable.
It makes me laugh that science and technology and a knowledgeable electorate is what can save us and that is exactly the opposite of what the oligarchs want. We can educate everyone fight climate change and live or we can keep everyone ignorant and die. Feels like we are stuck in a crappy familial relationship that we cant get out of. At least we can try to educate and prevent.
I understand some of the things I reference are long time frame and in the lifespan of humanity seem impossibly far off. We have to actually survive until those points and if our method of survival is small pockets of oligarchs clinging to life on an overheated windy mud ball we will run out of time and people power to create solutions. Solutions like orbiting sun shades or orbiting artificial em fields will require massive investment in people knowledge and resources. No amount of condensed billionaire money can make up for the billions of talented folks that will have perished from prior climate disasters.
Jaime, I just read this morning in The Guardian that the top 1% cause more pollution than the bottom 66%. That includes most of the people driving gas powered cars and trucks. It's safe to say the rich are killing our planet. In more ways than one. And they are doing it willfully and intentionally. This kind of greed is beyond comprehension. It is evil.
It is more than greed Paula. Money is only a tool. In large part it is an addiction, just like a drug, alcohol, gambling and sex.
Underlying it all is alpha male competition to be the leader of the pack, or at least to climb to the highest possible rung on the ladder. Social status, Tom Cruise and John Travolta, both are Scientologists, but are still males in competition for status,as both own a fleet of aircraft.
Billionaires may be billionaires, but they still compete against each other for for social status, just like teen age boys.
Social status requires money. Money to gain power, power to keep the money.
Capitalism has already destroyed half of the world's forests. While I admire the" plant trees efforts "we have to focus on maintaining what is here. Otherwise, all parties will run out of oxygen ... irony.
Yes, Keith, we can only imagine. John Lennon imagined 42 years ago.
Imagine if Jack Kennedy had not been assassinated, imagine if Bobby Kennedy had not been assassinated, imagine if Martin Luther King had not been assassinated. We can only Imagine if, in the 2000 and 2016 presidential races, the candidates with the most votes (Gore and Clinton) were chosen (whoever heard of such a concept?).
First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the socialists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me. -- attributed to pastor Martin Niemöller 1892-1984
We could even add Lincoln to this list. He did so much good and was assassinated way too early in his life. Think if he had been around to carry through the vision and support the nation for the next few decades and all the people, and thus generations down the line, that could have impacted for the better
Watch out for the Apple Television documentary on just this called; Four Who Died Trying . Also, if you can cut through the propaganda we have a 2024 candidate who is carrying the work of all three of these men ( plus Malcolm X) into this century.
Who is this candidate KG, If it isn't Biden, then Trump will be 47 and there will be no 48. And I am no Bidenisto,I voted against Trump, not for Biden, though that is how I marked my ballot. I would have voted for Alfred e Neuman (MAD magazine) or a head of cabbage, anyone but Trump
Ha Ha . In my opinion it is RFK jr. the faithful inheritor of the Kennedy courage and vision. His polling numbers continue to climb at 22-25% already. Also his favorability rating is much higher than either Biden's or Trumps and he leads both candidates in support from the 20-32 year age group. So don't let anyone dismiss his chances. He's the closest candidate I've seen in the past 50 years to the four who died trying. When I say courage I mean x 10 because he's well aware of the dangers inherent in "trying". Not many candidates are willing to put their lives on the line to serve their country !!
Educate you on what? I trust you can look into this on your own. I suggest primary sources like actual interviews of him ( non- attack ones ) and speeches he has given. Investigate his platform on his campaign web site. If he aligns with your values then consider backing him. If not I trust you’ll make the best decision you can for this country.
Marlo: What man isn't or wish he was, if he had the money and the charm.
Until I met my wife, of 30 years, I was an adulterer and cheated on two wives.
Truth be known every President has been an adulterer. I don't know a man who, if courted and tempted can keep it in his pants. It is biology, that is the way we are programmed. If he doesn't cheat in reality, he sure does in his mind. Why do you think porn is the biggest internet industry? Why do they publish Playboy, Hustler and all other masturbating magazines.
Keith you said Exactly what I was going to say. You definitely said it better than I would have so thank you. It has always rankled me that so many people would have their lives changed if the rich would share/contribute even a quarter of their wealth (i.e. pay taxes, fair wages or donate) to make sure that the money that they rake in was distributed to the people/places that would help the most instead of pocketing it or wasting it on elections and such.
You’re talking about a group of people (the rich) who almost uniformly inherited the money they are controlling and spending who probably rarely, if ever, were told “no”.
Jan, these kids were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. You are right, they were never told no, never told to work their own problems out, never told to work for what they want. I think of Sam Walton. He started his business in order to help people afford what they wanted; however, when his kids took over....well... you see what happened!
I worked for Walmart back when Sam was still running things, in fact I met him. His vision was even better than making things affordable, as employees we were called "associates" because we all had profit-sharing, easy stock-purchase(we had a chosen amount deducted from our paycheck and matched by the company), and if the annual inventory went well we got a bonus. How I wish I could have held onto my stock back then, I'd be rich today.
Paula, I have only heard good things about Sam Walton!! He was a good employer and took care of his employees as well as making things affordable for working families!
All went well Peggy until he went public and lost control of the company he founded, now it is just another evil corporation, gouging it's associates and driving mom and pop, brick and mortar companies out of existence.. which are the life blood of America, the tool that they had to climb the ladder.
Then again when they reach the top of the ladder, they become greedy, obnoxious billionaires, hell bent on destroying the system that made them billionaires.
Ive faced that situation many times and Ive sold the stock everytime. You did what you needed to do. The now is frequently more pressing than the unknown. And putting faith in any one company is a good way to lose a retirement.
I know you're right, and when I left Walmart it was due to disability received there - and still leaving me disabled today - and I was so disillusioned that to this day I can't set foot in their stores, or even think about them, without my blood pressure going up! Sam must be spinning in his grave to see what his family has done to his dream.
Paula some call them associates, some call them independent contractors, some call them partners but it is all a ruse to get out of having to pay the matching share of FICA and to be able to disclaim their actions if there is a law suit.
Jan, the rich make very poor leaders because they have never been hungry a day in their life. Unfortunately since FDR the Republicans haven't gone hungry a day in their life either and they have become maga. Most of the death destruction and dictatorship party will get to experience living in a third world nation if they get their dictatorship. They will get to experience hunger and financial insecurity constantly.
Anon: I do agree with you and Keith, but there is an even better formulation of how the country could be more livable - what if there were no morbidly rich people. What if our laws did not allow for people to endlessly accumulate fortunes. I don't mean only higher taxes. I mean if the very concept of people having the wherewithal to control the conditions of other people's lives was flat out not accepted under law. What if democracy was not a slogan but a principle of our legal system? I deal with this in detail in my book Parasites Lost available at gettingtozerowaste.com .
Not only for our country but for the world to apply it (and other solutions) so that we could leave a better planet for our future generations - that would be nice.
No apologies needed. I agree that there are a lot of people who care about this planet but there are also a lot who now ignore science because of the reckless words of others. However, I still will hold out hope that someday someone will find a solution to save us. Silly as it might be I just have to hold onto that little bit of hope.
Yep and the disgusting amount spent on the Military budget, straight into the pockets of Raytheon and the rest of the Military Industrial Complex. More than the next NINE countries combined, including China and Russia. All the while there is an epidemic of homelessness all across the US, including many, many veterans.
J Pat. Your point it valid to a point. The Military budget is bloated, and that is because there is at least one defense establishment, one contractor or subcontractor in every Congressional District.
On the other hand without a robust defense. America would not exist as we know it.
Those two moats won't protect us without a defense. America would be Japanese, Russian, German, satrapy's, Mexico would or could reclaim that which they lost with the Treaty of Guadalupe Herrera., and there would be worse between the satrap states.
Bitch about the MIC, Putin joins you. He would love nothing more than to see the Republicans win, that leaves up Europe to reconquest.
I've often said this. Recently I started a gosendgive campaign to help with medical bills. I'm 66 and have disabilities, so I figured people would help because they pay for these wealthy people's legal bills. After 2 months I shut it down because no one donated anything. To help the poor or struggling is a no no in the USA, but give it to the wealthy is bragged about.
We still live in a mindset based on the Western myth of the lone cowboy, struggling against all odds and winning because of survival of the fittest. This never was true and never will be. Couple that with "Greed is Good" slightly excused by another myth of Trickle Down, which the last forty years has shown to be false and we've got a SICK SOCIETY.
There should be no connection between these two different entitles. One deals with economics and the other is a social disorder. If both of these elements are present and functioning at the same time in the same system, the people involved are in serious trouble. Capitalism alone is filled with pit falls, add Hitler's attitude to the mix and greed inters the fray, and people will begin to suffer.
Keith-- I find it difficult to understand why after serving their country our government abandons them. Especially the unfortunate members of our military who suffered catastrophic injuries in the line of duty. Through retraining these wounded veterans could learn new skills that would give them a feeling of purpose. Our government should create facilities where these service members could become game fully employed and reenter our society. In doing so avoid the suicide machine that seems to be out there waiting for them. They gave so much now it our turn to give back to them.
Not our country, just the Republicans, those that would fellate Trump. He thinks the military are fools, for serving, not "smart like him" faking a bone spur, and the Republican Congress lines up to kiss his ass, by taking a crap on the VA, by reducing it's budget. Reduce it's budget, reduce it's staff, reduce it's staff and you reduce quality and quantity of services.
William--I challenged him to show the scar he received from the operation to correct. He had the procedure otherwise there would be no way he could walk around a golf course with a bone spur causing excruciating pain with every step.
Keith, from your mouth to God's ear!! Absolutely, our country would be the best place in the world!! Even just a small portion of what these billionaires have would keep America strong and growing!! Alas, greedy people are just that, greedy!! They want it all for themselves. What is funny is they simply could not spend all of their money in their lifetime, so why hang on to it? Anytime I have any extra money that does not go to bills, food, and housing, I donate to any one of a thousand plus charities that are always in need. Giving to others is part of what our great society is all about!
Spent on elections. How about spent on fleets of airplanes and cars, yachts, villas in foreign countries, personal islands, retreats (bunkers?) in the mountains, what they drop on elections is chump change to the billionaires.
The SCOTUS decision of Citizens United opened the floodgates for billionaire funding of political campaigns and Leo Leonard and the Federalist Society to corrupt the judiciary system in general and the Supreme Court appointment process and sitting members, in particular.
Biden appointed a Commission to look at SCOTUS and came back with NOTHING that would alleviate the situation we are now in with a Court that throws out precedents, tells states they can legislate against women but NOT about gun violence, et al.
The Democrats have to be tough and use the tools they have when they have the majority to do something- like increase the size of the Court or impeach the obviously corrupt ones.
Billionaires and corporations ARE “above the law” because they have the money and lawyers to delay law, go around it or have it written by
Frankom :Money in great quantities is no longer a tool of survival, it becomes an addition. In fact money is an addiction, just walk the floor of any casino, it is a major cause of crime.
I came up with a plan about 10 years ago to require every dollar spent toward supporting a candidate in any way to be matched with a dollar spent toward national healthcare for kids. It would more than fund the needs of all our kids if spending stayed where it was then. But nobody listened 🤣🤣🤣
We WOULD have a "universal standard income!" HECK! If musky would be so kind to PAY HIS BACK TAXES, the 1.9 TRILLION, or so, he owes would pay for that for THREE DECADES.
Every time I hear or read about the outrageous sums of money that are dumped into political campaigns by billionaires and corporations with blatant self interest, and even with SCOTUS taking trips and gifts if not direct cash, I rue the day that Citizens United became the mainstream sewer for political contributions. One person donating a million dollars or more, does more damage to our democratic system than just putting his finger on the scale....just look at the damage Elon Musk is doing with his antisemitic tropes through X, formerly Twitter, facilitated by his vast resources. Always and ever “follow the money”.
Indeed, the passing of Citizens United has led to a major threat to democracy from the dark money interests and the dark money captured Supreme Court, see how they recently sat with a straight face and said with should have better ethics, but they won't, simply refusing to impose any penalties whatsoever, how nice for them, because they're on the take, oh how nice for them and oh how the stench. People, you get what you vote for, only of late, have democratic party and more voters become more strident in their calls for ethics rules being imposed, but that would take Republican support, but they like it just the way Mitch, the Grim Reaper to democracy created it, corrupt!
Given the immense power the Justices wield on the Supreme Court it seems reasonable to me that their ethcis code should be MORE stringent than lower courts, not less.
One would think. Another logical fallacy on full display. They pretend to wish rules and guidance but each and every one of the vaunted SCOTUS is a GD liar!
Richard: Citizens United: One dollar equals one vote, he who has the most dollars behind them, wins.
SCOTUS: The no.1 enemy of the people.
Corporate media: No 2 enemy of the people. The corporate media gave the orange ape millions of dollars of free publicity, and not having learned a lesson is doing it all over again.
Or there is no lesson to be learned, as all corporate media are eventually owned by billionaires, and the media serves it's masters , even "liberal" MSNBC
Why do scholars keep nattering on about our 'democracy'? We don't have a 'democracy', we have an oligarchy of the corporatocracy, a plutocracy of kleptocrats acting behind the Congressional dumb-show's feckless posturing and gesticulating.
The US seems to have a constitution designed to advantage the already wealthy. And it is working as planned.
There seems to be no movement of any significance demanding that the many democratic deficits in the USA be addressed. And certainly not the party with 'democratic' in its name.....
Why that judge in Colorado ruled the way she did has me buffaloed! To say the president didn't swear to "support" because the oath says "preserve" is moronic, since "preserve" is a much higher standard than "support!" Why? English! In that ruling, the judge may "support" the Constitution, but she is >certainly< doing nothing to preserve it!
DZK, she was afraid, afraid for her life, afraid for her career, she knew that the case would lose on appeal.. Judges look upstream, and know how the higher courts will rule. If nothing else these cases 14th amendment, article 3 will eventually reach SCOTUS and it is no mystery how that court will rule
Mary, she is a Democrat, therefore a coward. I am putting Engoron, Chutkan and the judge in Georgia in the same basket.We know that Cannon fellates Trump, but Garland moved the case to Florida, when it is DC where the crime happened (when Nauta loaded the boxes onto the plane) and then selected Cannon, using as an excuse "the wheel", so called because of the wheel of fortune, if you don't believe that, then believe this Garland can remove Cannon for cause and there is plenty of it, and move the trial back to DC.
Upon further reflection, it occurred to me that it >may< be a >strategic< ruling. That judge may have decided the suit would be better served if the ruling goes to an appeals court, where it would be ruled on with the combined authority of a>panel< of judges, rather than that of a single judge. We shall see how it plays out.
Margaret The judiciary, even Obama and Biden appointees are cowards they are afraid of violent MAGAts and Trump, afraid of the money powers. The rest are in the tank with Trummp
Trump sent the names of 1,500 judges selected by the Federalist Society, to the Senate for approval and all were seate.
Even the Clinton and Obama judges can read tea leaves. They know that if they rule agaist the fasicts then they will be appealed, and the appellate court,will overturn their rule, if not then Trump's lawyers will appeal to the Supreme Court and we know what happens there, with six Christofascists commanding the court.
In addition they know that the red hatted Brown Shirts will dox them and threaten them and their families and they take those threats seriously.
The solution is for the states and federal government to create a special force that will protect the judges and their families 24/7, and with thousands of judges, that just isn't feasible., and even then there are ways to get to them.
I understand the aim of the fascists, but I like to think there are enough people like us to keep democracy intact. Unfortunately, there probably aren't too many who remember WW2 now and young people may not know what will happen if they don't resist the fascists.
The framers of the constitution were rich, powerful northern merchants and southern planters (Tidewater aristocracy)the constitution founded a republic to be run by rich, white, land owning men. It took 27 Amendments to make it appear to be a democracy, the only thing missing is an amendment restricting and regulating wealth, not eliminating it, and taxes like in the Eisenhower era, do just that. Hence tax cuts are forever their no 1 agenda, followed by deregulation and regulatory capture.
That's >exactly< what a lot of folks were a'hollerin' about back in the '60s & '70s, that seems to have fallen out of the discussion after the ol' cowboy actor. Thanks for bringing it up again!
They count on the rest of us being stupid! This needs to be brought out by the Dems. Are we stupid? Embarrass us.... show the pictures of totally stupid people pretending to work for the American public....ask Americans what it is that helps them sleep at night...
Correct Steve. The framers of the constitution were the Plutocrats of the era, Wealthy Northern Merchants, wealthy southern planters.
The constitution was designed to create a government, like the Roman Republic (not the Empire). Rule by the wealthy, the senatorial class and the executive.
At first only land owning, white men had the vote, and senators were selected, not by the public in a vote, but by the state legislatures, who were, landed rich white men.
It took 27 Amendments to make this a democracy. Thus a democratic Republic
The Plutocrats still maintain control, but not overtly, through political contributions to candidates and PAC's
It is easy to understand Trump and his associates. They all project onto others their own conditions in a process called psychological projection.
Projection is a divergence or distraction tool.
For example, in “root out the communists, Marxists, fascists and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country,” think the opposite, their fear of “root out the psychopath billionaires and rogue capitalists addicted to power and money at the majority's expense, who live like fascists within the confines of our democracy"; or something similar which makes sense to you.
In this way it is easy to see through the Trump and allies tactics and appreciate how damaging their playbooks are to most everyone except themselves.
Not sure we need to sink to DJT way of expressing things as fanning the flames back to the other side likely won't work either. Yes, critize what DJT said with some kind of insult but not calling them Psycho billionaires. Maybe consider that informing citizens that America has no Communists, Marxists, and radical left thugs holding even a dog catchers position is the reality in American. Perhaps (because I don't know the truth) that the millions/billions being donated to whoever are possibly a tax-writeoff on top of destorying the democracy if they are sent via organizations. The whole donating of money to election related anything is absurd as it likely is one of the largest ways we are screwing our own democracy in the making by donating money to Super PACS etc.
Laurie: A republic is rule of the rich, rule by the elite, the powerful, not the common man or woman. A democratic Republic is rule by an elected elite.
The Roman senate pre Octavian, was a republic, Senators chosen by uninformed, landless, and bribed citizens.
The citizens were happy so long as they had bread and circuses.
The problem lies in how to convince people that the former president's intention to run in 2024 is only for his personal gain. He may be driven by his need to prove that he is not a loser rather than a genuine desire to serve the country. If he is fully recognized and allowed to execute his plans, it could lead to disastrous consequences for the country.
He announced he was running as soon as he became aware he was being investigated for crimes that could having him living in a 6 X 12 box for the rest of his natural life. Crying "election interference< was >always< his strategy.
Amen Adam, Too many limp wrists, spineless and hopeful , who know nothing about struggle or war. They live in their own world, where if only and wishes exist. Conflict is to be avoided at all costs, and like the DNC there is a ferverent belief that people are rational actors, despite the evidence that humans are emotional and irrational.
I tried that as a child and a teen, but conflict did not avoid me. I had to learn to deal with bullies at an early age. Either I hit back and they ran away, or I refuse to stay down, and wore them out. They really get scared when they knock you down and you don't stay down.
, I found myself in conflict, and conflict training for my 26 years, half of them in Special ops
Henry: The MAGAts are like Clementine the miners daughter. Their is no reasoning, there is no explaining to a true believer., Try to deconvert an Evangelical, a Catholic, a devout Jew. It can't be done.
The only option is fighting fire with fire. Fight them on their own terms, it is not they that we seek to convince, it is the uninformed, ignorant whose source of info is FB, Twitter and Tik Tok.
Mr Hunt: Only a full steps into the ring with padded gloves and Marquis of Queensbury, when the opponent is an MMA fighter.
You fight fire with fire, or depriving it of occupation. We can't deprive the right of oxygen, so we have to fight them on their own turf, otherwise we cede the battle ground to them.
There is on tactical rule in war. Dominate the battlefield, or outwit them.
I don't see signs of Biden and the DNC outwitting Trump and the RNC.
Give him a chance. The election is a year away. Much can change pretty damn fast and Joe Biden is a wily old fox. I think tfg and his merry band are in for a right thumping. Far worse for them all than Nov 2022!
Having said that, Democratic messaging needs to be much more aggressively prosecuted. Make fun of these RW incompetent morons using their own words and deeds against them, without embellishment. Those mopes will be toast.
Simon Trump is a projection of the MAGA cults, anger, fears, bigotry, hopes. He is their avatar They see in him, the means to assuage their fears and fulfill their needs. Big truck, lots of guns mask an inferiority complex, and impotency hence the millions of dollars spent on Viagra.
Kay, it is not learning projection. That comes easily enough in fact humans of all stripes do it, unconsciously, we are not mind readers, our only choice is to impute motives unto others., unless they show us who and what they are.
It is commanding the mic, the bullhorn, and to do so, you have to have a lot of money, enough to keep the opposition and police at bay.
The old saying: “you have to fight fire with fire” comes to my mind. Trump is outrageous in everything he says and does, and unfortunately we are not hearing enough criticism from Democrats including President Biden. Democrats need to be more proactive and challenging. There is no doubt that big money has had a powerful influence, but they can be challenged and put on the defensive.
I suspect that good polititians fear for their lives. Martin Luther King, JFK, RFY, Malcolm X, John Lennon - all assassinated. The CIA is corporate America's private army with zero accountability.
The CIA helped install every right wing dictator in south and central America, overthrew a Democracy in Iran, and helped virtually all coups in Africa. I know that they trounced Patrice Lemumba,and any regime that is not obsequious to our Plutocrats and corporations. Coca cola's money financed Honduras death squads, because workers wanted to Unionize. United Fruit, now Chiquita banana has overthrown govenments in central America, with CIA help of course. G H W Bush violated international law (actually he didn't but that is another story, as Panama was not a sovereign nation), when he invaded Panama to arrest the bagman who committed the crim of all bagmen, and this dipping his fingers ito the bag.
And then there is the cocaine problem, 100% caused by Reagan, as his way of financing the promised weapons to Iran (the Iran Iraq War, and Reagans treason deal with Khomeini)
We need to compare and contrast Joe Biden's accomplishments, and goals for the future, with those of Donald Trump. It seems that many are simply unaware of these differences. "Those in the know (go with/support/favor/agree with) Joe!" And an effective political lawn sign from a few years ago in Wisconsin could be used nationally: "Democrats vote for you, now you vote for them!"
Tell us the best way to do this. The MAGAS control everything. They are living in an another world fostered by Fox News and all the Billionaires backed stations. Where does one even find a TV Station or Radio Station that opposes their distorted views ?
The public is brain washed. If it wasn’t Trump would be trashed.
Peggy Freeman ; and the media could give better coverage. I hate it when they show President Biden speaking, but you can't hear him, because a pundit is standing in the foreground, spinning the message. Or when MSNBC has a panel of talking heads prior to an important broadcast, and want to 'weigh in' before it is even aired. They want to influence perceptions, it seems.
Bingo Laurie I once respected MSNBC,no longer. My Dish receiver is set to record the afternoon and evening shows, but these days I delete them unviewed. The reason is that all of their hosts, repeat the same hot topics, and never, because they know not to , stray from the fold, doing so upsets the owners
Worse when they have a hostile on, to get ratings, they never ever ask follow up questions, That Kabuki theater that was hawked as the Republican debate is a prime example. The candidates just stood there and lied, and not a question or word in rebuttal.. a pathetic and disgusting performance by MSNBC.
Mike, You are an honest and rational thinker, However the opposition is the opposite, as are so many with a myopic axe to grind, like the young black and Hispanic males who are abandoning the Democratic party to vote for a loser, thus actually voting for Trump, and some have been infected by social media and have gone over to their enemy. because they are miffed and resentful because they haven't got their own way, not satisfied with small steps, because big steps are political impossible as the Democrats don't control the money, either the Republicans paymasters do, or they play the role of obstructionists.
The fools will get their just reward though, and unfortunately we will be caught up in the net.
Robert writes 'What do you think?' Well I am speechless. In a short post to the substack today we have a super concise explanation of what we are up against. The Biden administration should go full throttle as Mr. Reich notes. I am overwhelmed by how far down the food chain we are and how little power we hold. We can vote and as Robert Hubbell says our side is winning elections. We can donate and participate in writing postcards to voters. We should share Robert's post to social media and write letters to newspapers.
Every liberal organization should join together united under saving democracy. Forget the bees, bears, whales and LBGT issues for just the next twelve months. If our country goes down the wrong path the planet as a whole will go down as well.
Somethings I cannot get right in my head. I live in North Carolina. In the past three months I have crossed the state twice. While a survey showed 35% of Americans believed the economy tough I just cannot find the evidence or anyone complaining. On Interstate 40 the majority of vehicles are late model and judging by the speed of traffic no one is concerned about the cost of fuel. Shopping centers, gas stations and restaurant parking lots are full. Business owners/ managers all say they cannot hire enough people. Then the oligarchs such as Jamie Dimon are pushing us down with what I consider low resistance from most of the population. On my daily interactions including the statewide travels I see a majority of people with apparent success, above average intelligence and many I judge brilliant. On one hand I am thankful not to hear political rants and yet would we not expect mobs to be protesting the robbery of our health care and education? As if in the Middle Ages and peasants had no clue.
Frankom, who owns the polling companies. They are corporate enties just like the media.
The polling companies ask purposefully misleading questions, or the wrong questions, they know what they are doing, and their income depends on the horse race, as does the media's.
And they poll the demographics they know will give them the answer they seek.
Here is one example. Instead of asking Who will you vote for?They ask questions like "Are you satisified with Biden?"
If you asked me that I would answer truthfully no. But if you asked me who I vote for, I would respond I will crawl over broken glass to vote for Biden.
better is to convince people you're doing this for the bees, whales, etc. But good luck. It can be hard to get people to think outside of their focal issue.
All good advice. I'd just add one more step necessary to protect democracy in the USA . Overturn Citizens United- which also means a different Supreme Court. No democracy can survive when billionaires can tilt elections in whatever way they want.
I had to pause at these words: "...if capitalism and its moneyed interests are in charge..." IF? They have been in charge since at least 1980, probably since 1972.
I entirely agree that honest working people, of all views and beliefs, need a champion for their interests and that we and they would vote for them. Not just a single person/candidate but a team, a party if it comes to that. I don't expect that to ride over the hill. It must grow.
I also believe that if Trump wins in '24 there will be no election in '28. I'll do what i can to prevent that but winning would have to be the beginning, not the goal.
I agree. Though Biden cannot win if he actually runs. Democracy cannot and will not win out over the power and money of our corrupted two party system.The time has come to ditch both special interest run parties and put our full support behind electing a truly INDEPENDENT presidential candidate who actually still believes in the ideals of Democracy.
One more thing: Dems need to make it known each time they do something on voters' behalf. Because most people are too busy to always notice. Results need to be tangible to voters.
Happy Birthday Joe Biden This is Just Another Victory over Death; Enjoy it Lots of Work To Be Done.
What America Needs is ( NOT Another Trumpet 🎺) a President In the Image of Theodore Roosevelt. The only Politician that Fits That ReRequirement Senator Warren Buffet , Elizabeth Warren...
If We Can Only Get Elizabeth Warren To Smile More to increase her Television Appeal...
Bernie Sanders is also needed but was killed off by the Wall Street loving Hillary Clinton ...
There is another even more brilliant and courageous option than those DNC hobbled names , someone who is already polling at 22% . Someone with a much higher public confidence rating than Biden or Trump. RFK jr. is the only candidate who has the ability to unite this country , revive the ideals of Democracy , reign in the military industrial complex and strike a serious blow against the corporate capture of this country's government.
Biden's warmongering with Russia, China and now the Middle East is a bomb happy , saber rattling, empire expanding, World War three provoking foreign policy catastrophe . Biden and the DNC have single handedly revived Cold War propaganda, information control , censorship of dissent and McCarthy era black balling ( now called canceling ) Even the Biden or bust rhetoric is a psychological operations manipulation aimed to reelect a president with an approval rating in the 30% range.
Yous Guys sound like Putin Supporters are you really so blind to American/European History to spout such rhetoric .
NO DOUBT ABOUT WHO STARTED THE UKRAINE WAR ; PUTIN ; PUTIN ; KGB PUTIN. Retro KGB trained operator .
Putin’s Only Concern In This World is Putin Wallet and he won’t step down or Allow a successor until He Can Secure a Get Out of Jail Free Card. That’s how he got this Job in the first place His Loyality to Previous Prime Minister Yellson ( Putin did prevent Any Serious Look at His Presessor Financial dealings...
Sure your not An iTroll posting for some un named Not American Country ???
Obama was the USA President when Russia Invaded and invaded the Crimea Peninsula. Putin signed an Agreement with The USA Russia and the Ukraine the Ukrainians voluntary surrender Nuke weapons under their control to be turned into fuel for nuclear power plants.
Putin signature was only good for 20 Yrs then he had his own plans. Start Trouble in Cenretal Europe and see if he could Bluff his way into restoring all of the previous Colony’s to Russia...
NATO Has improved the economy of every country that have joined the alliance , Hungry seems to be trapped in Time Warp but eventually its Economy will take off.
Putin Promises On A Piece of Paper are as Permanent as Snowflake ❄️ in contact with a warm Hand..,
Biden’s team started provoking war in Ukraine as far back as 2014. He seems to think war is always the answer regardless the cost in innocents of Ukraine, Israel, Gaza. The youth of today see through it because the truth is obvious outside old network news sources. Biden can’t win with thinking constituents. Sorry.
I totally disagree. Do you realize this is just recycled Cold War rhetoric ? This is repackaging of the "communist plot to take over the world" paranoia being used to justify US and NATO military aggression , nuclear proliferation and brinkmanship .The demonization of Russia and Putin are up to 1960's levels. Ukraine is strategic to Russia's national security. The Russian invasion of Ukraine was totally preventable by Biden. As it was all about NATO expansion there. The longer the Ukraine war is funded and fought as a proxy war against Russia the greater the chance it escalating into World war three. Biden is a neocon idiot for provoking the Ukraine invasion and taunting China to invade Taiwan and selling bombs to Israel that kills tens of thousands of innocent civilians. But he is awfully good at pro-war propaganda. Which makes sense as he was one of the architects of the Patriot Act. What prevents war and establishes peace is diplomacy not bombs.
Abortion is not enough of an issue to help the Dems. They must make it very clear to Americans that the Republicans will go after Medicare and Social Security. If I can figure it out, why can't the Democrats? They must appeal to people's self interest!
Voters are mad as hell and they aren't going to take it anymore. Which means the broken two party system will be rejected. People don't want Biden or Trump . In 2024 independent RFK jr will win American's hearts and trust, prevailing against a hail storm of propaganda, misinformation and strategic attacks by all departments of the corporate captured, deep state. Finally we have someone who is willing to try.
Victoria Loudis ; Those who can't see the threats unfolding are not paying attention. You are right ; Abortion is just one right that has been taken away, or threatened. A large distraction, and threat to women's health. Women make up for more than half of the population, and are all races and faiths! If you are a MAGA republican, you are gaslighting Democrats and independents with insults!
Money destroyed our representative form of gov't. Money > Access > Influence. It distorts policy in favor of the monied and the corporatists. SCOTUS's brain-dead Citizens United lets the monied and the corporatists hide.
Biden's grit is very real - never doubt it - and perhaps obscured by his ability to shrewdly manoeuvre around obstacles to important projects. What Prof. Reich is calling for here must be done in such a way as to create more awareness of Biden's real strengths without destroying his integrity. He is genuinely a man of good will, but he is also very capable of standing ground and calling out deceit. And the dark money in our politics is one of the worst forms of deceit.
Like so many Americans, you are deluded. Here is my plea to Professor Reich and my fellow Americans on this thread: PLEASE STOP LYING TO YOURSELVES ABOUT WHO WE REALLY ARE. Joe Biden is not a man of good will and is in fact a warmongering neoliberal who is continuing to support genocide in Israel, mostly with the pledge of billions of aid (=US taxpayer dollars.) War crimes are literally being committed IRL in the name of all of us (including you Professor Reich, even if you can't admit it.) Biden, Blinken, et.al. could end it all with a phone call but can't even bring themselves to call for a ceasefire, nor BTW can most of our other esteemed leaders in Congress, including Senators Sanders and Warren. Talk about money in politics. Maybe Professor Reich is on the AIPAC dole too. I force myself to watch the daily carnage: bombing hospitals, refugee camps, and schools of a CAPTIVE AND STARVING people, killing mostly women and children, and then watch as the IDF spokespeople on CNN (Dana Bash and Jake Tapper) with straight faces no less, interview Israeli officials who lie, deny and obfuscate what anyone with half a brain and two eyes can see is happening. President Biden, leader of the free world, walking down the tarmac into the arms of Bibi, a Zionist Fascist, and leader of an apartheid religious ethnostate and inveterate liar( truly the culture of deceit that surrounds Israel cannot be overstated), so he can ask Bibi to exercise restraint while the IDF battle-tests their weapons of war purchased with our children's future on Palestinian citizens, is an image that I and many others on the progressive left will NEVER forget and NEVER forgive. The truth, whether you want to acknowledge it or not, is that Joe BIden is a war criminal and an embarrassment to this country, the Democrats and any American with even a shred of conscience. That so many of you on this (presumably) boomer echo-chamber cannot see this is further evidence of the moral decay, lack of discernment and, I'll say it again, utter delusion of so many Americans. Your lack of humanity and compassion is incomprehensible.
She is 100% right that Biden's warmongering with Russia, China and now the Middle East is a bomb happy , saber rattling, empire expanding, World War three provoking foreign policy,. Biden and the DNC have single handedly revived Cold War propaganda, information control , censorship of dissent and McCarthy era black balling ( now called canceling ) Even the Biden or bust rhetoric is a psychological operations manipulation aimed to elect a president with an approval rating in the 30% range. The only options are not Trump or Biden but someone with a much higher public confidence rating.. RFK jr. He is the only candidate who has the ability to unite this country , revive the ideals of Democracy , reign in the military industrial complex and strike a serious blow against the corporate capture of this country's government.
Ha Ha ... what a bizarre comment Joan. He is the only candidate I have seen in 50 years with any moxie and back bone at all. I think you are going to be surprised. You might actually listen to what he has to say instead of getting it second hand through the hostile , attack, corporate captured legacy media.
Have you heard what his many sisters, brother and cousins are saying about him ? You should listen to them as they seem to have some insider knowledge about him.
I see Democrats on WAPO continually saying Vote Blue. Why? Is Biden a good choice? The answer is NO he is controlled by money.
One of the many things which has registered in my 'old' brain is: The Military Industrial Complex.
1.There will be NO President that can dismantle this. Anyone who tries will be vilified because it means putting huge numbers of people out of work in many States.
2. I do not trust JFK he is the type of person who will eventually 'turn.' Why because he has to prove himself above money. It is possible that you are right and I am wrong.
3. The US has reached it's zenith. Why? Because other Country's have finally learned that the US are hypocrites. No country relies on them anymore .Many Country's loathe the USA.
4. Oil. USA wants to control this. I watch the US comments on many media and the first thing they always say is: Gas prices.
5. You are one of the few Country's in the world who has no 'fast rail' so of course you rely on OIL
I ask you what is JFK going to be able to do?
My 'gut feeling' is that (I am sorry because it is going to be awful. Maybe not worse than other Country's have suffered under the Imperialist USA) you need a Civil War which will happen. Because of guns it will be a bloodbath.
I just hope that out of the civil War will come some reckoning. Who knows.
Pretty depressed today, for no reason, other than I am sick of people dying in the name of OIL and American Imperialism.
Paying a responsible share of the taxes would do more to rebuild America from the bottom up than billions of dollars burned to no good on election campaigns. Why would those greedy obscenely wealthy plutocrats not donate to the Republicans - it enriches the already obscenely wealthy media corporations and if we bottom out and hand America to the fascists they will get the rest of their donations back in no taxes.
Fay Reid ; and once we are, say, North Korea, there may be fewer readers to care about whatever remains of the Fourth Estate ; which will be less profitable, so they better 'save up', because they are chopping down the 'money trees'. No more middle class to buy as much.
There is hope Jenny . In 2024 INDEPENDENT RFK jr will win American's hearts and trust, prevailing against a hail storm of propaganda, misinformation and strategic attacks by all departments of the corporate captured deep state. Finally we have someone who is willing to try. Someone who can unite this country, work for World peace, reign in the military industrial complex and strike blows against the political corruption that has eroded our Democracy. So stay tuned. Pray they don't eliminate this threat to the status quo like they did his father, his uncle , MLK and Malcom X.
Ha ha ha ha !! Thats a ton of limbic brain activity:) Of course there is no way to respond intelligently to name calling and disconnection from reality, but I will give it a try. "Undemocratic" ? He's the only candidate I see who actually believes in the ideals of Democracy. Certainly not Cold War starting, Neo Con , McCarthy era censorship throwback and co-architect of the Patriot act Joe Biden. Shill ? "An accomplice of a hawker, gambler, or swindler who acts as an enthusiastic customer to entice or encourage others." Are you suggesting he's working for Trump ? Lol. By the way he is as likely to take Trump votes away as he is from Biden. I suggest you look at the polls that show this. Finally Kennedy is a real Democrat an old fashioned, pre-Wall street captured Democrat in the very same character as his father and uncles. Not a DNC ......whipped and hobbled Democrat. All of whom you can keep , for not one exhibits any courage, intelligence or independence of thought. Sadly that includes once could be greats like Bernie, or Elizabeth etc.
Believe what’s easy , what you like , and have the intelligence to grasp. Independent critical thought, objective observation are required to escape from one’s political and cultural conditioning. When it comes to mass formation psychosis only about 10% are highly resistant , 60% do what everyone else does / believes and 30% become true believing, defenders and crusaders.
JennyStokes ; Way to "help' to ask a question like that? Did you say you are an American living over seas? I guess those who can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen! I have a grandchild and children that I will not leave behind. Not everyone can afford to flee to a safer, (for now), country!
I posted something that was duplicated. I deleted one, and they both disappeared. JennyStokes, I wish you well. Enjoy your family, if possible. And any friends, too. Life is shorter as we age.
Imagine if all the money instead of being spent on the elections was reallocated to improving education, health, infrastructure, American families, etc... how much better our country would be. SHARE THE WEALTH instead of buying politicians!
That would be the reasonable & patriotic thing to do. But greed reigns over these billionaires & takes priority over everything else, including the sustenance of a united democratic America & even an inhabitable planet.
Republicans =big oil=ruined democracy= a ruined planet and the death of all
"Death of all"
We ain't dead yet.
I had to look up Phil Ruffin. Bankrolled Trump in Las Vegas. Partner in T rump Tower Vegas.
Ruffin might be a witness in the Trump-Russia Investigation and to disputed allegations in the related Steele dossier. Trump had flown on Ruffin's private jet to Moscow in 2013 for the Trump-owned Miss Universe Pageant. At the time Ruffin himself was married to a former Miss Universe, Ukrainian supermodel, Oleksandra Nikolayenko. Trump has since been accused of having engaged with prostitutes at a hotel room during that trip in urolagna-related sexual activities, and that those activities were filmed by Russian agents intended for the blackmailing of Donald Trump (kompromat). Former British intelligence officer, Christopher Steele provided reports of such activities, although they have not been substantiated in any major media outlets. Trump has repeatedly denied having stayed overnight in Moscow for the pageant (and therefore didn't require a hotel room) despite flight records indicating that Ruffin's plane arrived in Moscow on a Friday morning and departed Sunday.
On that same trip. Ruffin may also have attended a meeting with Trump, Trump's bodyguard Keith Schiller, and local Russian officials regarding the development of a Trump Tower Moscow, another important aspect of the Trump-Russia Investigation.
Ruffin probably paid $25 million to satisfy Trump's liability in the Trump University judgement. Ruffin admitted to paying Trump $28 million in 2018, but claimed it was for "back-fees" related to Trump International Hotel Las Vegas and unrelated to the Trump University case.
Boycott and picket his properties:
*Treasure Island Hotel and Casino and Circus Circus Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas
*Wichita Greyhound Park.
*Harper Trucks, the world's largest manufacturer of hand trucks
* Casino Miami
Owns lots of other properties. Short his publicly held companies.
Daniel - submit this as an editorial to the Washington Post. I’ll be interested if they run it.
@Mark, the Post doesn't run editorials by folks. But a better idea is to pass the info to some good reporters and have them do some interviews.
Took your advice. Sent to Meidas Touch.
https://www.meidastouch.com/news/trump-in-iowa-i-do-not-like-golden-showers-from-prostitutes
Perfect! Meidas Touch has earned more viewers than FOX at least once that I know of. All the story needs is to be reported as a "story" on other outlets. It will go viral. The only thing is, this will put a target on Ruffin's back. At that point, he'd be better off in jail for his own safety!
: )
Editorials are one thing — OP-ED [opinions running alongside the editorial page] ARE written by others than the paper’s employees …
Ah, Daniel. I do appreciate your posts! In the end, as a handicapped older woman in Minnesota, I often find that the relevant and illuminating education you provide makes me even more depressed. I don’t have the means to use stocks as a weapon and I am not able to travel, march or picket. I grieve not being young enough or rich enough to effectively fight back. Because I would LOVE to do so!
That which is, and the future that might be is indeed depressing, except for people with neurological diseases like bi polar, depression is a choice, especially if one considers themselves an optimist, or Pollyanna.
The only feasible way those of us without power have to fight back, is voting and spreading the word.
I am not depressed still kicking six years after being operated on for brain cancer, radiation and immunotherapy (Keytruda, the same drug used to treat Jimmy Carter).
Diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, they even had me in pallative care, I accepted my fate, but fought back and here I am happily living on borrowed time.
You will be prayed for 24/7 by a Divine Mercy group in Tennessee,Happy Thanksgiving!
Check out Jessica Craven's substack "Chop Wood, Carry Water" for the many, many ways the blue wave can be supported and augmented--even by us older, non-wealthy members of the blue resistance.
She knows the importance of VA election to climate change so that's a positivre. There is only so much time for reading.
@ Marge Wherley. Thanks.
Here's what we can do. Free.
My favorite meme: "Trump hates dogs."
As of 2023, 66% of U.S. households (86.9 million homes) own a pet. 99% of them probably love them. In Facebook, Tic toc, Instagram, thousands of pet lover groups. millions of pet owners. Channeling Taylor Swift, post that meme!
IMHO if that is done daily, it will sink in.
The best target market is probably 17 year olds who will be able to vote next year. Statistics show that 70% trend Democratic. I bet the percentage of 17 year old pet owners is higher.
Consider referral to groups like field team six. https://www.fieldteam6.org/
Trump seems to hate all animals. His sons kill rare, iconic animals for trophies. Trump is on the wrong side of every environmental issue & is very bad for our future. The environment is the most important issue for the young & they're very concerned about their future & whether they'll even have one.
I’ve never posted a meme (not even sure what that is 😳) but this sounds like fun. Where do I get the meme and where do you post it? Thanks, Daniel!
Marge, There are things older, less mobile folks can do. One is to write postcards reminding people to vote. There are various organizations that use volunteers to do that. They supply the names and addresses.
Vote Forward has you add a personal note to a letter to voters who might not vote, encouraging them. No political statements, but most who are reminded vote Democratic.
My friend and I wrote them for the very proactive group Indivisible for the Midterms.
Your money can go toward getting signatures for a Maine ballot measure to effectively end SuperPACs there and hopefully nationwide.
https://cancelsuperpacs.com/contact-donate/
You have a good paper reporting the political news in your state. Read it and spread it to others. They (statenewsrooms) need our support.
https://minnesotareformer.com/
Thanks, Steve. I subscribed to the Minnesota Reformer! I’ll look at the Maine initiative, too! ❤️
Marge, I have a similar challenge, but I keep reading this thread and commenting on people's insights. It helps me to share ideas and keep from getting too depressed about these issues because our being depressed and withdrawing from the interacting with others and staying involved is just what the very rich and their puppets like Trump and Kump want us to do. So, let's keep the conversation going along with the letters, petitions, research, etc. so we have a chance to keep our nation democratic not just for ourselves, but for all the people of this nation, including the rich ones. That's what communities do for each other. We are a community with some folks who don't want to be in community with us because they don't know what it means to be community. They bought the BS that they can do everything themselves with no help. It's ridiculous, but they will keep trying to spread their gospel of fear, anger, resentment, and hatred to anyone who will listen. We need to get their first with a different message.
Thanks Ruth. You are a key part of my readings, this community of hopeful and engaged patriots!
But you've got an incredible spirit!
No were not all dead yet and from what were all seeing and hearing about Trump, should mean his goose is cooked and will be on his way to the slammer, for if he ever was elected again, this would most certainly mean the end of the Constitution and the experiment, we call democracy.
I hope so Jon. The polls were wrong in 2020, 2022 and 2023.
Pollsters have a financial interest in promoting the horse race, as the corporate media does as well. But they are also conservative and thus stilted. They use polls to create reality. The only way to prove them wrong is for the DNC to inflame the lizard brain of the voter.
The only time the Lizard brain was activated for a liberal cause, was in 2023 and the cause was the right of females to maintain sovereignty over their minds and their bodies..
It works, and the DNC must step up the game, and play it the way the Republicans do, because if they don't..the fascists will win.
Indeed, turn the tables on MAGA Republicans, also messaging, GOP are so good at it and democrats frankly suck at it, and they need to go on the attack, don't be afraid and call them all out and the dark monied interests who are behind them, which seek to undermine any semblance of democracy and take the country back to the dark ages which is where their minds reside.
Agreed. l never thought l would see democracy described as an experiment, yet here we are.
Thanks, msm.
Are we failing the experiment? if we lose to Trump 2024, we will, all of it.
I believe the dossier is true. And we all know Trump lies.
If Trump has brought the golden showers up, it must be because it is true...
Golden showers are when a person urinates on you. I doubt that Trump, a germophobe, would subject himself to a golden shower.
However he or his sponsors paid a hooker to pee on the bed which Obama slept in, in the Moscow Ritz Carlton.
I can't think of a bumper sticker to describe the event
And that is not a golden shower, Calling it a golden shower makes it easy for Trump to disclaim because he is a well known germaphobe, just not to the extent of Howie Mandell. I wager though, that an aide is nearby with a bottle of hand sanitizer. You might notice that he doesn't touch or shake hands with the lowly,, only PM's, Presidents, Sheiks and people of importance, those whose financial and moral support he desperately needs.
The mainstreet press has always dismissed the Dossier as untrue. Steele never claimed that everything in it was factual, but rather most of it was based on some level of accuracy. Dismissing it outright is lazy journalism.
Jpurnalists are lazy, looking for the headline and knowing the mind of their editors and producers.
Look how they are treating the Gaza war. They take HAMAS at face value and believe everything that their representative utters, without question, But the IDF shows video's and the corporate media, qualifies them as "unverified" making sure we hear the word unverified.
They don't report HAMAS lies as unverified.
Ruffin, Trump's financier, owns Circus Circus in Las Vegas, probably the one in Reno as well.
To cut off Trump at the knees we have to cut off his financiers knees.
Daniel, it's kind of depressing to see who Trump hangs around with. They, like him are not very good people, but I guess they don't have to be since lying, cheating, misinforming, and creating chaos are critical to the Trump cult. Trump has an affinity for lying, so nothing he says about his life should be believed. His fascist plans for this nation should be believed though because hurting people he does not see as totally loyal to himself is what turns him on. I suspect just thinking about what he would do if he ever got in the White House again is better than evenings with a prostitute.
There was a photo of Trump in the Moscow Ritz Carlton room where Obama slept it was shot between the legs of a hooker peeing on a bed that Obama slept in, Trump in the distance giving two thumbs up and smiling. That photo didn't last long, before it was scrubbed.
Boycott and don't click on ads.
Or, click on ad ads and cost them money..
I am working under the assumption that "The PeePee Tapes" are in some perverts "personal collection," never to be seen again. With "Anonymous" as powerful as ALL the world's tyrants COMBINED, it is impossible that it HASN'T been on 4Chan yet!
4chan isn't that right wing? If so why would they show it, and why do you watch?
To my knowledge 4 chan is the nesting place of NAZI's, KKK and MAGAts
I don't know about pee tapes, because what I saw was merely a photo.
It would have had to be taken by Putin's boyz, and somehow leaked, by someone in Putin's inner circle who was not as in love with Trump as his boss.
Somebody must have had fun photoshopping that still. A photo like that that can withstand scrutiny doesn't disappear.
If the 1% wants to support Trump’s fascist agenda and deport so many people, who is going to work in their factories, farms, and fields? Who will work in the lower-wage jobs they have? All those jobs are ones that people take as entry to the American dream of moving up and making more to improve their lives. And if Republicans force women to give birth but they cannot care for the children, then what? Will the country resort to orphanages like in Communist countries that warehouse the children? What kind of adults do these children grow into? What kind of workers are they?
Fascist Trump and his gazillionaire enablers are truly trying to create a dystopian nightmare. The only thing that will come from that is the destruction of the planet. I don't think all of their money will be able to start and sustain off-planet colonies.
LeeAnn: Think of all the jobs often filled by undocumented immigrants: restaurant staff, construction workers, childcare.... At a time when our aging population needs younger workers for the growing number of job vacancies, we need immigrant labor. Have businesses considered how they would fill the jobs after Trump deports their workers? Imagine the bidding wars for the existing labor force! And the oligarchs are already looking at raising the age for retirement and overturning child labor laws. WTF are they thinking will happen if Trump succeeds in implementing Project 2025?
It wouldn't surprise me if Project 2025 is seriously thinking of "terminating" all us retired, "non-productive" members of this perfect new order of Dump's delusions.
Remember...Repubbies first came up with the idea of ridiculing the idea of single payer health care by telling us it would result in "death panels". When Repubbies accuse others, it is wise to look very carefully indeed at what the Repubs themselves are doing or thinking.
PS...Since the Repub-fascists are considering ending or privatizing Social Security and Medicare....that would be nearly as good as a death panel. I survive on an extremely modest SS payment plus savings--which are dwindling--and have only had decent healthcare since I hit 65 (prior to 65, decent healthcare insurance was out of reach for a single homeowner who needed the weekly paycheck in full)....well figure it out: if the fascists take away our basic support and cut out all the healthcare support, a majority of seniors would be homeless, starving or sick enough to die in 5 years or less. I have no children to take me in and most of my friends will be in very similar predicaments. Vote blue; our country and our lives depend upon it.
Just look at what Gov Sarah Huckabee Sanders did in Arkansas. I believe I read that 14 year olds can work in slaughter houses there! They were finding kids that should have been in school. So in keeping out the immigrants, the GOP will make life so hard that you will be willing to send your children to work in slaughterhouses!
She’s an evil GOP witch.
And even - die - there. I heard about a 14 year old boy that got killed
by flying machine parts in one of those slaughter houses.
This is beginning to sound like the - wave of the future - ..
I'm in Seattle (home of Amazon & Microsoft) and am being bombarded by mailings & e-mailings - whitewashing Amazon about
their "social conscienceness" and providing M's of $ for public housing, services, et al - - - at the same time Jeff Bezos is "fleeing" WA, a BLUE state, to relocate to Miami FL - RED state. Wonder why ??? hmmm ~
Plus, they pay taxes. Lots of taxes. https://americasvoice.org/blog/immigration-101-immigrant-taxes/
Welfare recipiants will be forvrd to work these jobs for their welfare checks.
Merge: If Trump wins and follows the Trump 2025 plan, his loving followers are going to rue the day, the dog catches the car and America becomes a third world nation, because if there is one word to describe Americans it is consumers.
No customers, no consumers and all of the money of the fascist billionaires thrown at Trump will be for naught.
But not to worry, the foretasted end of the Anthropocene is only decades away, and all of those billions won't protect them from the inevitable cleansing of Gaia.
William, I’ve long suspected that the increases in global trade means the oligarchs no longer have to rely on American consumers. They can build a middle class in India, China, South America, while making sure the home office in the US is unregulated and untaxed.
Fascist Trump, MAGA GOP and the dark monied uber rich who desire a dystopian world of serfdom for the masses and create utter feudalism between the masses as they sit back in their ivory towered mansions and enjoy the shop, compliments of MAGA Republicans, who care not nor want democracy to flourish and it is so obvious from all their contrived past statements concerning the working class, that in fact, they have an utter disdain and contempt for the working class and poor, they crap on the majority every chance they get and the voters who vote for their crap, vote of course against their own interests , unless of course that interests is the same evil garbage as from Trump and MAGA Republicans, which is hate, bigotry or racism, then it is indeed in their interests, how else did Trump help himself get elected, he practically ran on it and still does
Lee Ann, I predict if Trump gets elected, he will not build a wall. The reason the immigrants have been let in is to bust the unions for cheap labor in the first place. The billionaires would rather hire three immigrants for the price of one born in America citizen. I do think however that the billionaires would like to get rid of all the old people and the unhealthy people and the financially poor criminals. The billionaires are not racist ,just the maga crowd is. Trump will have to take their guns which he will gladly do.
are you saying GOP stands for Greedy Oil Party? Truly they have become the death Party.
Gaslighting Old Plutocrats
They both fit.
add here: "Gross Old Perverts".
Whatever they're accusing opposition of is more than likely something they've
already thought of and/or are doing themselves = misdirection involved ~ ~
Indeed!!!
T L Mills, given all the job openings that would be created by their mass deportations, it’s more likely they would increase the Social Security eligibility to 75 so we would be forced to work. Hell, they’re already working on Children Labor Laws. And work requirements for anyone receiving public benefits are always very popular. Resurrect the Welfare Queen meme! They’ve even tried (so far unsuccessfully) to impose work requirements on people who just get Food Supports (aka Food Stamps) and Medicaid. They will have to be very creative to fill all those jobs.
One good thing for Republicans: when they deport all those undocumented people who have been paying into Social Security with no eligibility to ever collect, they may hasten the insolvency of the program. Just what they would like to do.
Indeed, for the fascist GOP, the exercise of cruelty is the whole point, from the so-called values party, which in reality is, hate, bigotry, cruelty and greed.
Big Oil - certainly true under GW and Cheney
Indeed, and just imagine that had not the 2000 election between Bush and Gore, had it not been stolen from Gore via a corrupt Supreme Court ruling, we may never have what we're seeing today with ever unfolding climate crises, the Republican Party lap dogs for the fossil fuel cartel climate destroyers, they knew for decades, covered up their own scientist findings and yet to this day, taxpayers are forced to pay for in essence our own destruction and that of nature, we share this world with the animal kingdom, so what we invariably allow to befall them, will in the end befall all of humanity.
Well, he has been diagnosed as a Woman Man Person .. does that mean The Fat Lady has sung? . .. .#jest asking. ..
LOL. The Alzheimer/Dementia test. he even forgot that he said man, woman, person now it is man, woman, person TV, Camera, man, showing what a narcissist he is. The test only requires you to remember three words, then the nurse or doctor goes off on other tests, like draw a clock showing hands at ten to 2, then comes back to the questions.
They have me respond to the MoCA test every time I go in for my annual physical.
It's easy for me to remember my Birthday. .since its the same date My Voices came into this world . .tho they're on own their own if they have different Soc Security numbers . .#the space takes ..
Yes, not satisfied with having more money than they know what to do with already, their primary objective is to acquire even more for themselves. Pure selfishness. But too many ordinary people believe that possessing great wealth is an indication of superior intelligence, talent, work ethic, and moral character, when much of it is luck and the surrounding infrastructure.
And sociopathic personalities!
It is not the money. It is 1. an addiction 2. Status for demonstrating that he is an alpha male. Four leged males, butt heads, 2 legged males do it like birds, strutting and puffing out their chests, and if a retard like Trump and Sen Mullins, thumping their chests. Trump does both, struts and thumps it is all performance, he knows that he is intellectually and socially incompetent so he compensates.
They figure they'll be dead and gone when that particular bill comes due and they'll leave their grandchildren PLENTY of money with which to sustain themselves!
won'tmatter how much money the grandkids have if life becomes unsustainable on a hot planet. Ultimately anyway.
Agreed. Shows you their logical fallacy don't it?
You only had three upvotes now four, compared to the nine of Adam, it does appear that, though people are alarmed about the environment and global warming. It is a different story when facing the distinct possibility that their children and grandchildren might not have a future, and if young enough, not even they
News to their Grand children even if they figured out a way to acheive suspended animation the earth isnt going to get any cooler given that the sun is slowly warming as it gets older. This is something would could deal with if we had some temperature in the bank to play with. Since we dont if the grand kids try to escape the warming earth via time they will only come back to ab even warmer earth.
It is not just the sun warming, it is what humans have done to the only home they have, they have defecated in the pantry and kitchen, and urinated in the closet.
And while the sun is dying, so is the core of Earth, but in this case it isn't getting warmer. The core produces the electro magnetic belt, the Van Allan belt that protects us from radiation, and IMO, the gravitational field which creates an atmosphere that makes the planet liveable.
It makes me laugh that science and technology and a knowledgeable electorate is what can save us and that is exactly the opposite of what the oligarchs want. We can educate everyone fight climate change and live or we can keep everyone ignorant and die. Feels like we are stuck in a crappy familial relationship that we cant get out of. At least we can try to educate and prevent.
I understand some of the things I reference are long time frame and in the lifespan of humanity seem impossibly far off. We have to actually survive until those points and if our method of survival is small pockets of oligarchs clinging to life on an overheated windy mud ball we will run out of time and people power to create solutions. Solutions like orbiting sun shades or orbiting artificial em fields will require massive investment in people knowledge and resources. No amount of condensed billionaire money can make up for the billions of talented folks that will have perished from prior climate disasters.
Jaime, I just read this morning in The Guardian that the top 1% cause more pollution than the bottom 66%. That includes most of the people driving gas powered cars and trucks. It's safe to say the rich are killing our planet. In more ways than one. And they are doing it willfully and intentionally. This kind of greed is beyond comprehension. It is evil.
It is more than greed Paula. Money is only a tool. In large part it is an addiction, just like a drug, alcohol, gambling and sex.
Underlying it all is alpha male competition to be the leader of the pack, or at least to climb to the highest possible rung on the ladder. Social status, Tom Cruise and John Travolta, both are Scientologists, but are still males in competition for status,as both own a fleet of aircraft.
Billionaires may be billionaires, but they still compete against each other for for social status, just like teen age boys.
Social status requires money. Money to gain power, power to keep the money.
Capitalism has already destroyed half of the world's forests. While I admire the" plant trees efforts "we have to focus on maintaining what is here. Otherwise, all parties will run out of oxygen ... irony.
Yes, Keith, we can only imagine. John Lennon imagined 42 years ago.
Imagine if Jack Kennedy had not been assassinated, imagine if Bobby Kennedy had not been assassinated, imagine if Martin Luther King had not been assassinated. We can only Imagine if, in the 2000 and 2016 presidential races, the candidates with the most votes (Gore and Clinton) were chosen (whoever heard of such a concept?).
First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the socialists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak for me. -- attributed to pastor Martin Niemöller 1892-1984
I can only imagine but oh my, what a wonderful world this would be had those visionaries lived longer!
We could even add Lincoln to this list. He did so much good and was assassinated way too early in his life. Think if he had been around to carry through the vision and support the nation for the next few decades and all the people, and thus generations down the line, that could have impacted for the better
Many times, I have imagined just those scenarios. What differences I imagine we would have in our country now.
Watch out for the Apple Television documentary on just this called; Four Who Died Trying . Also, if you can cut through the propaganda we have a 2024 candidate who is carrying the work of all three of these men ( plus Malcolm X) into this century.
Who is this candidate KG, If it isn't Biden, then Trump will be 47 and there will be no 48. And I am no Bidenisto,I voted against Trump, not for Biden, though that is how I marked my ballot. I would have voted for Alfred e Neuman (MAD magazine) or a head of cabbage, anyone but Trump
Ha Ha . In my opinion it is RFK jr. the faithful inheritor of the Kennedy courage and vision. His polling numbers continue to climb at 22-25% already. Also his favorability rating is much higher than either Biden's or Trumps and he leads both candidates in support from the 20-32 year age group. So don't let anyone dismiss his chances. He's the closest candidate I've seen in the past 50 years to the four who died trying. When I say courage I mean x 10 because he's well aware of the dangers inherent in "trying". Not many candidates are willing to put their lives on the line to serve their country !!
That so? Care to educate me,why is that? I am ready to listen. By the way I voted for Nixon in 1960 Goldwater in 64
Educate you on what? I trust you can look into this on your own. I suggest primary sources like actual interviews of him ( non- attack ones ) and speeches he has given. Investigate his platform on his campaign web site. If he aligns with your values then consider backing him. If not I trust you’ll make the best decision you can for this country.
Jeff, as much as those three contributed, we cannot ignore they were ALL adulterers.
Marlo: What man isn't or wish he was, if he had the money and the charm.
Until I met my wife, of 30 years, I was an adulterer and cheated on two wives.
Truth be known every President has been an adulterer. I don't know a man who, if courted and tempted can keep it in his pants. It is biology, that is the way we are programmed. If he doesn't cheat in reality, he sure does in his mind. Why do you think porn is the biggest internet industry? Why do they publish Playboy, Hustler and all other masturbating magazines.
Well William I guess boys will be boys. Justifying asshole behavior as “biology” doesn’t cut it.
Biology is behind bad behavior but bad behavior is learned and condone.
In other words, Maureen, biology is the seed, what is most important is parenting and culture. It is not nature or nurture it is nature and nurture.
Homeless geniuses abound, as do billionaire idiots (Trump for example)
There is biological DNA and cultural DNA.
Keith you said Exactly what I was going to say. You definitely said it better than I would have so thank you. It has always rankled me that so many people would have their lives changed if the rich would share/contribute even a quarter of their wealth (i.e. pay taxes, fair wages or donate) to make sure that the money that they rake in was distributed to the people/places that would help the most instead of pocketing it or wasting it on elections and such.
You’re talking about a group of people (the rich) who almost uniformly inherited the money they are controlling and spending who probably rarely, if ever, were told “no”.
Jan, these kids were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. You are right, they were never told no, never told to work their own problems out, never told to work for what they want. I think of Sam Walton. He started his business in order to help people afford what they wanted; however, when his kids took over....well... you see what happened!
I worked for Walmart back when Sam was still running things, in fact I met him. His vision was even better than making things affordable, as employees we were called "associates" because we all had profit-sharing, easy stock-purchase(we had a chosen amount deducted from our paycheck and matched by the company), and if the annual inventory went well we got a bonus. How I wish I could have held onto my stock back then, I'd be rich today.
Paula, I have only heard good things about Sam Walton!! He was a good employer and took care of his employees as well as making things affordable for working families!
All went well Peggy until he went public and lost control of the company he founded, now it is just another evil corporation, gouging it's associates and driving mom and pop, brick and mortar companies out of existence.. which are the life blood of America, the tool that they had to climb the ladder.
Then again when they reach the top of the ladder, they become greedy, obnoxious billionaires, hell bent on destroying the system that made them billionaires.
He was a lovely man who put his people at the top of his priorities.
Ive faced that situation many times and Ive sold the stock everytime. You did what you needed to do. The now is frequently more pressing than the unknown. And putting faith in any one company is a good way to lose a retirement.
I know you're right, and when I left Walmart it was due to disability received there - and still leaving me disabled today - and I was so disillusioned that to this day I can't set foot in their stores, or even think about them, without my blood pressure going up! Sam must be spinning in his grave to see what his family has done to his dream.
Paula some call them associates, some call them independent contractors, some call them partners but it is all a ruse to get out of having to pay the matching share of FICA and to be able to disclaim their actions if there is a law suit.
I agree - but I try to hope for a better future for others (will be holding my breath for a long time :) ).
Jan, the rich make very poor leaders because they have never been hungry a day in their life. Unfortunately since FDR the Republicans haven't gone hungry a day in their life either and they have become maga. Most of the death destruction and dictatorship party will get to experience living in a third world nation if they get their dictatorship. They will get to experience hunger and financial insecurity constantly.
Anon: I do agree with you and Keith, but there is an even better formulation of how the country could be more livable - what if there were no morbidly rich people. What if our laws did not allow for people to endlessly accumulate fortunes. I don't mean only higher taxes. I mean if the very concept of people having the wherewithal to control the conditions of other people's lives was flat out not accepted under law. What if democracy was not a slogan but a principle of our legal system? I deal with this in detail in my book Parasites Lost available at gettingtozerowaste.com .
I like that term: "morbidly rich." It perfectly states the societal impact of such wealth. It's now in my vocabulary!
Not only for our country but for the world to apply it (and other solutions) so that we could leave a better planet for our future generations - that would be nice.
Apologies Anon. But I think it is too late. We passed the tipping point of 350 PPM, and even the dangerous 400 ppm of pollutants in the atmosphere.
The tipping point is like the point of no return.
No apologies needed. I agree that there are a lot of people who care about this planet but there are also a lot who now ignore science because of the reckless words of others. However, I still will hold out hope that someday someone will find a solution to save us. Silly as it might be I just have to hold onto that little bit of hope.
Hope is why the victim climbs into a 55 gal drum, Hope is why a victim digs their own grave.
Hope doesn't live in my breast, but fighting back angrily does.
Hope is what leads to enslavement. Hope is why the NAZI's could convince millions of Jews to climb into cattle cars.
If you have hope you are passive, even submissive and compliant.
Hope is the father of lethargy.
That is how I see it at least.
I personally would gladly pay a greater share of my income towards these worthy societal goals and believe you me, I am NOT rich!
But I'm smart enough to know that a healthier, better educated society is a more successful society under any metric you may care to choose!
Yep and the disgusting amount spent on the Military budget, straight into the pockets of Raytheon and the rest of the Military Industrial Complex. More than the next NINE countries combined, including China and Russia. All the while there is an epidemic of homelessness all across the US, including many, many veterans.
J Pat. Your point it valid to a point. The Military budget is bloated, and that is because there is at least one defense establishment, one contractor or subcontractor in every Congressional District.
On the other hand without a robust defense. America would not exist as we know it.
Those two moats won't protect us without a defense. America would be Japanese, Russian, German, satrapy's, Mexico would or could reclaim that which they lost with the Treaty of Guadalupe Herrera., and there would be worse between the satrap states.
Bitch about the MIC, Putin joins you. He would love nothing more than to see the Republicans win, that leaves up Europe to reconquest.
All those improvements you mention will empower PEOPLE!
This is THE greatest fear of the monied-class...
A great explanatory principle.
You got it!
I've often said this. Recently I started a gosendgive campaign to help with medical bills. I'm 66 and have disabilities, so I figured people would help because they pay for these wealthy people's legal bills. After 2 months I shut it down because no one donated anything. To help the poor or struggling is a no no in the USA, but give it to the wealthy is bragged about.
We still live in a mindset based on the Western myth of the lone cowboy, struggling against all odds and winning because of survival of the fittest. This never was true and never will be. Couple that with "Greed is Good" slightly excused by another myth of Trickle Down, which the last forty years has shown to be false and we've got a SICK SOCIETY.
I agree, and di my best to be a part of the getting healthier society.
There should be no connection between these two different entitles. One deals with economics and the other is a social disorder. If both of these elements are present and functioning at the same time in the same system, the people involved are in serious trouble. Capitalism alone is filled with pit falls, add Hitler's attitude to the mix and greed inters the fray, and people will begin to suffer.
Many people are already suffering including many of our Veterans!
Keith-- I find it difficult to understand why after serving their country our government abandons them. Especially the unfortunate members of our military who suffered catastrophic injuries in the line of duty. Through retraining these wounded veterans could learn new skills that would give them a feeling of purpose. Our government should create facilities where these service members could become game fully employed and reenter our society. In doing so avoid the suicide machine that seems to be out there waiting for them. They gave so much now it our turn to give back to them.
Not our country, just the Republicans, those that would fellate Trump. He thinks the military are fools, for serving, not "smart like him" faking a bone spur, and the Republican Congress lines up to kiss his ass, by taking a crap on the VA, by reducing it's budget. Reduce it's budget, reduce it's staff, reduce it's staff and you reduce quality and quantity of services.
William--I challenged him to show the scar he received from the operation to correct. He had the procedure otherwise there would be no way he could walk around a golf course with a bone spur causing excruciating pain with every step.
LOL. I never thought of that Donald. Laughing out loud
Keith, from your mouth to God's ear!! Absolutely, our country would be the best place in the world!! Even just a small portion of what these billionaires have would keep America strong and growing!! Alas, greedy people are just that, greedy!! They want it all for themselves. What is funny is they simply could not spend all of their money in their lifetime, so why hang on to it? Anytime I have any extra money that does not go to bills, food, and housing, I donate to any one of a thousand plus charities that are always in need. Giving to others is part of what our great society is all about!
Imagine if all the money instead of being spent on the elections was reallocated to paying their damn taxes!
Spent on elections. How about spent on fleets of airplanes and cars, yachts, villas in foreign countries, personal islands, retreats (bunkers?) in the mountains, what they drop on elections is chump change to the billionaires.
Top donors to Trump's 2020 campaign The top two contributed $10 million each, followed by a "paltry"6 million, 4.5 million, 3 million down to $100,000 Read the whole list and what their industry is.https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/033116/top-10-corporate-contributors-trump-campaign.asp
This buying of government by and for the private interest of the mega-wealth screams out for a wealth tax.
The SCOTUS decision of Citizens United opened the floodgates for billionaire funding of political campaigns and Leo Leonard and the Federalist Society to corrupt the judiciary system in general and the Supreme Court appointment process and sitting members, in particular.
Biden appointed a Commission to look at SCOTUS and came back with NOTHING that would alleviate the situation we are now in with a Court that throws out precedents, tells states they can legislate against women but NOT about gun violence, et al.
The Democrats have to be tough and use the tools they have when they have the majority to do something- like increase the size of the Court or impeach the obviously corrupt ones.
Billionaires and corporations ARE “above the law” because they have the money and lawyers to delay law, go around it or have it written by
the politicians they have paid for.
That someone extremely well off worries about taxes seems impossible.
You would think so Frankom but apparently, greed knows no limits!
It is an addiction.
For them it is never enough. Money is an addiction, just visit any casino. Frankom
Frankom :Money in great quantities is no longer a tool of survival, it becomes an addition. In fact money is an addiction, just walk the floor of any casino, it is a major cause of crime.
I came up with a plan about 10 years ago to require every dollar spent toward supporting a candidate in any way to be matched with a dollar spent toward national healthcare for kids. It would more than fund the needs of all our kids if spending stayed where it was then. But nobody listened 🤣🤣🤣
I wish I could like this 1000 times!
We WOULD have a "universal standard income!" HECK! If musky would be so kind to PAY HIS BACK TAXES, the 1.9 TRILLION, or so, he owes would pay for that for THREE DECADES.
Every time I hear or read about the outrageous sums of money that are dumped into political campaigns by billionaires and corporations with blatant self interest, and even with SCOTUS taking trips and gifts if not direct cash, I rue the day that Citizens United became the mainstream sewer for political contributions. One person donating a million dollars or more, does more damage to our democratic system than just putting his finger on the scale....just look at the damage Elon Musk is doing with his antisemitic tropes through X, formerly Twitter, facilitated by his vast resources. Always and ever “follow the money”.
Indeed, the passing of Citizens United has led to a major threat to democracy from the dark money interests and the dark money captured Supreme Court, see how they recently sat with a straight face and said with should have better ethics, but they won't, simply refusing to impose any penalties whatsoever, how nice for them, because they're on the take, oh how nice for them and oh how the stench. People, you get what you vote for, only of late, have democratic party and more voters become more strident in their calls for ethics rules being imposed, but that would take Republican support, but they like it just the way Mitch, the Grim Reaper to democracy created it, corrupt!
Even Sotomayor has fallen under the sway of hypocrisy and corruption. And yes, I actually WAS shocked, I tell you!!!
Thanks I missed that story. https://www.newsweek.com/conservatives-out-sotomayor-3-million-dollar-publisher-thomas-reports-1798460
Not what I expected of her.
Given the immense power the Justices wield on the Supreme Court it seems reasonable to me that their ethcis code should be MORE stringent than lower courts, not less.
They wrote their own ethics code, it contains weasel words like should instead of shall and KNOWINGLY, which lets them off the hook for everything.
One would think. Another logical fallacy on full display. They pretend to wish rules and guidance but each and every one of the vaunted SCOTUS is a GD liar!
Yes, that was a shocker!
Richard: Citizens United: One dollar equals one vote, he who has the most dollars behind them, wins.
SCOTUS: The no.1 enemy of the people.
Corporate media: No 2 enemy of the people. The corporate media gave the orange ape millions of dollars of free publicity, and not having learned a lesson is doing it all over again.
Or there is no lesson to be learned, as all corporate media are eventually owned by billionaires, and the media serves it's masters , even "liberal" MSNBC
Why do scholars keep nattering on about our 'democracy'? We don't have a 'democracy', we have an oligarchy of the corporatocracy, a plutocracy of kleptocrats acting behind the Congressional dumb-show's feckless posturing and gesticulating.
The US seems to have a constitution designed to advantage the already wealthy. And it is working as planned.
There seems to be no movement of any significance demanding that the many democratic deficits in the USA be addressed. And certainly not the party with 'democratic' in its name.....
A good read on this subject is "We the Elites: Why the U.S. Constitution Serves the Few" by Robert Ovetz.
Good point! And it is amazing that the 14th Amendment doesn't stand up in our judicial today. If it did Trump couldn't run in 2024.
Why that judge in Colorado ruled the way she did has me buffaloed! To say the president didn't swear to "support" because the oath says "preserve" is moronic, since "preserve" is a much higher standard than "support!" Why? English! In that ruling, the judge may "support" the Constitution, but she is >certainly< doing nothing to preserve it!
DZK, she was afraid, afraid for her life, afraid for her career, she knew that the case would lose on appeal.. Judges look upstream, and know how the higher courts will rule. If nothing else these cases 14th amendment, article 3 will eventually reach SCOTUS and it is no mystery how that court will rule
She’s either a trumper or afraid for her family. It was a ridiculous ruling
Mary, she is a Democrat, therefore a coward. I am putting Engoron, Chutkan and the judge in Georgia in the same basket.We know that Cannon fellates Trump, but Garland moved the case to Florida, when it is DC where the crime happened (when Nauta loaded the boxes onto the plane) and then selected Cannon, using as an excuse "the wheel", so called because of the wheel of fortune, if you don't believe that, then believe this Garland can remove Cannon for cause and there is plenty of it, and move the trial back to DC.
Upon further reflection, it occurred to me that it >may< be a >strategic< ruling. That judge may have decided the suit would be better served if the ruling goes to an appeals court, where it would be ruled on with the combined authority of a>panel< of judges, rather than that of a single judge. We shall see how it plays out.
Yes, I agree. It boggles the mind!
DZK that Colorado judge is a coward
She certainly >appears< to be. I've just gotten used to things not being exactly as they appear, these days.
It really appears in a careful reading of what the judge wrote, that they just chose to kick it up the road for someone else to do the right thing.
Though, I am not a lawyer.
Margaret The judiciary, even Obama and Biden appointees are cowards they are afraid of violent MAGAts and Trump, afraid of the money powers. The rest are in the tank with Trummp
Isn't there anyone willing to take on the mobsters? Judges in particular should be able to do the right thing or am I just being naive?
Naive Margaret;
Trump sent the names of 1,500 judges selected by the Federalist Society, to the Senate for approval and all were seate.
Even the Clinton and Obama judges can read tea leaves. They know that if they rule agaist the fasicts then they will be appealed, and the appellate court,will overturn their rule, if not then Trump's lawyers will appeal to the Supreme Court and we know what happens there, with six Christofascists commanding the court.
In addition they know that the red hatted Brown Shirts will dox them and threaten them and their families and they take those threats seriously.
The solution is for the states and federal government to create a special force that will protect the judges and their families 24/7, and with thousands of judges, that just isn't feasible., and even then there are ways to get to them.
I understand the aim of the fascists, but I like to think there are enough people like us to keep democracy intact. Unfortunately, there probably aren't too many who remember WW2 now and young people may not know what will happen if they don't resist the fascists.
The framers of the constitution were rich, powerful northern merchants and southern planters (Tidewater aristocracy)the constitution founded a republic to be run by rich, white, land owning men. It took 27 Amendments to make it appear to be a democracy, the only thing missing is an amendment restricting and regulating wealth, not eliminating it, and taxes like in the Eisenhower era, do just that. Hence tax cuts are forever their no 1 agenda, followed by deregulation and regulatory capture.
That's >exactly< what a lot of folks were a'hollerin' about back in the '60s & '70s, that seems to have fallen out of the discussion after the ol' cowboy actor. Thanks for bringing it up again!
And now on GOP side. a kakistocracy.
Exactly what I was thinking.
John; nice vocabulary. “ obsequious sycophants” iis so pedestrian.
Because John,
They count on the rest of us being stupid! This needs to be brought out by the Dems. Are we stupid? Embarrass us.... show the pictures of totally stupid people pretending to work for the American public....ask Americans what it is that helps them sleep at night...
We are actually a republic and now its the good old boys club.
Correct Steve. The framers of the constitution were the Plutocrats of the era, Wealthy Northern Merchants, wealthy southern planters.
The constitution was designed to create a government, like the Roman Republic (not the Empire). Rule by the wealthy, the senatorial class and the executive.
At first only land owning, white men had the vote, and senators were selected, not by the public in a vote, but by the state legislatures, who were, landed rich white men.
It took 27 Amendments to make this a democracy. Thus a democratic Republic
The Plutocrats still maintain control, but not overtly, through political contributions to candidates and PAC's
It is easy to understand Trump and his associates. They all project onto others their own conditions in a process called psychological projection.
Projection is a divergence or distraction tool.
For example, in “root out the communists, Marxists, fascists and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country,” think the opposite, their fear of “root out the psychopath billionaires and rogue capitalists addicted to power and money at the majority's expense, who live like fascists within the confines of our democracy"; or something similar which makes sense to you.
In this way it is easy to see through the Trump and allies tactics and appreciate how damaging their playbooks are to most everyone except themselves.
Not sure we need to sink to DJT way of expressing things as fanning the flames back to the other side likely won't work either. Yes, critize what DJT said with some kind of insult but not calling them Psycho billionaires. Maybe consider that informing citizens that America has no Communists, Marxists, and radical left thugs holding even a dog catchers position is the reality in American. Perhaps (because I don't know the truth) that the millions/billions being donated to whoever are possibly a tax-writeoff on top of destorying the democracy if they are sent via organizations. The whole donating of money to election related anything is absurd as it likely is one of the largest ways we are screwing our own democracy in the making by donating money to Super PACS etc.
But it's been like this for years and people call it Democracy?
The goal is "to form a more perfect Union" even if the one we have is not there yet. "A Republic, if we can keep it." Ben Franklin said.
Laurie: A republic is rule of the rich, rule by the elite, the powerful, not the common man or woman. A democratic Republic is rule by an elected elite.
The Roman senate pre Octavian, was a republic, Senators chosen by uninformed, landless, and bribed citizens.
The citizens were happy so long as they had bread and circuses.
Sound familiar?
I don't recommend sinking to anything.
But as a former warrior for the US, I know that sometimes you have to meet fire with greater firepower.
How else will we gain the attentions of the stupid and bemused who would vote for tfg thinking its a vote for themselves when the opposite is true?
The problem lies in how to convince people that the former president's intention to run in 2024 is only for his personal gain. He may be driven by his need to prove that he is not a loser rather than a genuine desire to serve the country. If he is fully recognized and allowed to execute his plans, it could lead to disastrous consequences for the country.
He announced he was running as soon as he became aware he was being investigated for crimes that could having him living in a 6 X 12 box for the rest of his natural life. Crying "election interference< was >always< his strategy.
Only one point of disagreement.
"If he is fully recognized and allowed to execute his plans, it WILL lead to disastrous consequences for the country."
Yes. Democrats must compete in today's market. Pretending that things are not different won't make it so.
Amen Adam, Too many limp wrists, spineless and hopeful , who know nothing about struggle or war. They live in their own world, where if only and wishes exist. Conflict is to be avoided at all costs, and like the DNC there is a ferverent belief that people are rational actors, despite the evidence that humans are emotional and irrational.
Don't get me wrong. I avoid conflict like the plague, unless there is no other option.
I tried that as a child and a teen, but conflict did not avoid me. I had to learn to deal with bullies at an early age. Either I hit back and they ran away, or I refuse to stay down, and wore them out. They really get scared when they knock you down and you don't stay down.
, I found myself in conflict, and conflict training for my 26 years, half of them in Special ops
Henry: The MAGAts are like Clementine the miners daughter. Their is no reasoning, there is no explaining to a true believer., Try to deconvert an Evangelical, a Catholic, a devout Jew. It can't be done.
The only option is fighting fire with fire. Fight them on their own terms, it is not they that we seek to convince, it is the uninformed, ignorant whose source of info is FB, Twitter and Tik Tok.
Mr Hunt: Only a full steps into the ring with padded gloves and Marquis of Queensbury, when the opponent is an MMA fighter.
You fight fire with fire, or depriving it of occupation. We can't deprive the right of oxygen, so we have to fight them on their own turf, otherwise we cede the battle ground to them.
There is on tactical rule in war. Dominate the battlefield, or outwit them.
I don't see signs of Biden and the DNC outwitting Trump and the RNC.
Give him a chance. The election is a year away. Much can change pretty damn fast and Joe Biden is a wily old fox. I think tfg and his merry band are in for a right thumping. Far worse for them all than Nov 2022!
Having said that, Democratic messaging needs to be much more aggressively prosecuted. Make fun of these RW incompetent morons using their own words and deeds against them, without embellishment. Those mopes will be toast.
Simon Trump is a projection of the MAGA cults, anger, fears, bigotry, hopes. He is their avatar They see in him, the means to assuage their fears and fulfill their needs. Big truck, lots of guns mask an inferiority complex, and impotency hence the millions of dollars spent on Viagra.
If "we" could learn the projection technique, such as in the example you cited, maybe we could begin to make our voices heard!
Kay, it is not learning projection. That comes easily enough in fact humans of all stripes do it, unconsciously, we are not mind readers, our only choice is to impute motives unto others., unless they show us who and what they are.
It is commanding the mic, the bullhorn, and to do so, you have to have a lot of money, enough to keep the opposition and police at bay.
The old saying: “you have to fight fire with fire” comes to my mind. Trump is outrageous in everything he says and does, and unfortunately we are not hearing enough criticism from Democrats including President Biden. Democrats need to be more proactive and challenging. There is no doubt that big money has had a powerful influence, but they can be challenged and put on the defensive.
I suspect that good polititians fear for their lives. Martin Luther King, JFK, RFY, Malcolm X, John Lennon - all assassinated. The CIA is corporate America's private army with zero accountability.
The CIA helped install every right wing dictator in south and central America, overthrew a Democracy in Iran, and helped virtually all coups in Africa. I know that they trounced Patrice Lemumba,and any regime that is not obsequious to our Plutocrats and corporations. Coca cola's money financed Honduras death squads, because workers wanted to Unionize. United Fruit, now Chiquita banana has overthrown govenments in central America, with CIA help of course. G H W Bush violated international law (actually he didn't but that is another story, as Panama was not a sovereign nation), when he invaded Panama to arrest the bagman who committed the crim of all bagmen, and this dipping his fingers ito the bag.
And then there is the cocaine problem, 100% caused by Reagan, as his way of financing the promised weapons to Iran (the Iran Iraq War, and Reagans treason deal with Khomeini)
We need to compare and contrast Joe Biden's accomplishments, and goals for the future, with those of Donald Trump. It seems that many are simply unaware of these differences. "Those in the know (go with/support/favor/agree with) Joe!" And an effective political lawn sign from a few years ago in Wisconsin could be used nationally: "Democrats vote for you, now you vote for them!"
Mike Hazard, I like that signage! How about the inverse? "Republicans vote against you, now you vote against them!"
Excellent!!
Tell us the best way to do this. The MAGAS control everything. They are living in an another world fostered by Fox News and all the Billionaires backed stations. Where does one even find a TV Station or Radio Station that opposes their distorted views ?
The public is brain washed. If it wasn’t Trump would be trashed.
I agree with you, Mike. It boils down to messaging and Democrats need to get better at it!
Peggy Freeman ; and the media could give better coverage. I hate it when they show President Biden speaking, but you can't hear him, because a pundit is standing in the foreground, spinning the message. Or when MSNBC has a panel of talking heads prior to an important broadcast, and want to 'weigh in' before it is even aired. They want to influence perceptions, it seems.
I agree, Laurie. I don't like to watch cable news for that very reason!
No cable where I live, only Satellite, but same problem Peggie
Bingo Laurie I once respected MSNBC,no longer. My Dish receiver is set to record the afternoon and evening shows, but these days I delete them unviewed. The reason is that all of their hosts, repeat the same hot topics, and never, because they know not to , stray from the fold, doing so upsets the owners
Worse when they have a hostile on, to get ratings, they never ever ask follow up questions, That Kabuki theater that was hawked as the Republican debate is a prime example. The candidates just stood there and lied, and not a question or word in rebuttal.. a pathetic and disgusting performance by MSNBC.
Mike, You are an honest and rational thinker, However the opposition is the opposite, as are so many with a myopic axe to grind, like the young black and Hispanic males who are abandoning the Democratic party to vote for a loser, thus actually voting for Trump, and some have been infected by social media and have gone over to their enemy. because they are miffed and resentful because they haven't got their own way, not satisfied with small steps, because big steps are political impossible as the Democrats don't control the money, either the Republicans paymasters do, or they play the role of obstructionists.
The fools will get their just reward though, and unfortunately we will be caught up in the net.
Robert writes 'What do you think?' Well I am speechless. In a short post to the substack today we have a super concise explanation of what we are up against. The Biden administration should go full throttle as Mr. Reich notes. I am overwhelmed by how far down the food chain we are and how little power we hold. We can vote and as Robert Hubbell says our side is winning elections. We can donate and participate in writing postcards to voters. We should share Robert's post to social media and write letters to newspapers.
Every liberal organization should join together united under saving democracy. Forget the bees, bears, whales and LBGT issues for just the next twelve months. If our country goes down the wrong path the planet as a whole will go down as well.
Somethings I cannot get right in my head. I live in North Carolina. In the past three months I have crossed the state twice. While a survey showed 35% of Americans believed the economy tough I just cannot find the evidence or anyone complaining. On Interstate 40 the majority of vehicles are late model and judging by the speed of traffic no one is concerned about the cost of fuel. Shopping centers, gas stations and restaurant parking lots are full. Business owners/ managers all say they cannot hire enough people. Then the oligarchs such as Jamie Dimon are pushing us down with what I consider low resistance from most of the population. On my daily interactions including the statewide travels I see a majority of people with apparent success, above average intelligence and many I judge brilliant. On one hand I am thankful not to hear political rants and yet would we not expect mobs to be protesting the robbery of our health care and education? As if in the Middle Ages and peasants had no clue.
Frankom, who owns the polling companies. They are corporate enties just like the media.
The polling companies ask purposefully misleading questions, or the wrong questions, they know what they are doing, and their income depends on the horse race, as does the media's.
And they poll the demographics they know will give them the answer they seek.
Here is one example. Instead of asking Who will you vote for?They ask questions like "Are you satisified with Biden?"
If you asked me that I would answer truthfully no. But if you asked me who I vote for, I would respond I will crawl over broken glass to vote for Biden.
better is to convince people you're doing this for the bees, whales, etc. But good luck. It can be hard to get people to think outside of their focal issue.
Indeed!!!
All good advice. I'd just add one more step necessary to protect democracy in the USA . Overturn Citizens United- which also means a different Supreme Court. No democracy can survive when billionaires can tilt elections in whatever way they want.
I had to pause at these words: "...if capitalism and its moneyed interests are in charge..." IF? They have been in charge since at least 1980, probably since 1972.
I entirely agree that honest working people, of all views and beliefs, need a champion for their interests and that we and they would vote for them. Not just a single person/candidate but a team, a party if it comes to that. I don't expect that to ride over the hill. It must grow.
I also believe that if Trump wins in '24 there will be no election in '28. I'll do what i can to prevent that but winning would have to be the beginning, not the goal.
I agree. Though Biden cannot win if he actually runs. Democracy cannot and will not win out over the power and money of our corrupted two party system.The time has come to ditch both special interest run parties and put our full support behind electing a truly INDEPENDENT presidential candidate who actually still believes in the ideals of Democracy.
Agreed!
You're right about this!
One more thing: Dems need to make it known each time they do something on voters' behalf. Because most people are too busy to always notice. Results need to be tangible to voters.
Happy Birthday Joe Biden This is Just Another Victory over Death; Enjoy it Lots of Work To Be Done.
What America Needs is ( NOT Another Trumpet 🎺) a President In the Image of Theodore Roosevelt. The only Politician that Fits That ReRequirement Senator Warren Buffet , Elizabeth Warren...
If We Can Only Get Elizabeth Warren To Smile More to increase her Television Appeal...
Bernie Sanders is also needed but was killed off by the Wall Street loving Hillary Clinton ...
There is another even more brilliant and courageous option than those DNC hobbled names , someone who is already polling at 22% . Someone with a much higher public confidence rating than Biden or Trump. RFK jr. is the only candidate who has the ability to unite this country , revive the ideals of Democracy , reign in the military industrial complex and strike a serious blow against the corporate capture of this country's government.
Biden's warmongering with Russia, China and now the Middle East is a bomb happy , saber rattling, empire expanding, World War three provoking foreign policy catastrophe . Biden and the DNC have single handedly revived Cold War propaganda, information control , censorship of dissent and McCarthy era black balling ( now called canceling ) Even the Biden or bust rhetoric is a psychological operations manipulation aimed to reelect a president with an approval rating in the 30% range.
Stopping Putin Now Will prevent another major war in Europe. The Ukraine is just the latest almost victim of Russian colonization of Europe.
I stand with Ukraine
Yous Guys sound like Putin Supporters are you really so blind to American/European History to spout such rhetoric .
NO DOUBT ABOUT WHO STARTED THE UKRAINE WAR ; PUTIN ; PUTIN ; KGB PUTIN. Retro KGB trained operator .
Putin’s Only Concern In This World is Putin Wallet and he won’t step down or Allow a successor until He Can Secure a Get Out of Jail Free Card. That’s how he got this Job in the first place His Loyality to Previous Prime Minister Yellson ( Putin did prevent Any Serious Look at His Presessor Financial dealings...
Sure your not An iTroll posting for some un named Not American Country ???
Obama was the USA President when Russia Invaded and invaded the Crimea Peninsula. Putin signed an Agreement with The USA Russia and the Ukraine the Ukrainians voluntary surrender Nuke weapons under their control to be turned into fuel for nuclear power plants.
Putin signature was only good for 20 Yrs then he had his own plans. Start Trouble in Cenretal Europe and see if he could Bluff his way into restoring all of the previous Colony’s to Russia...
NATO Has improved the economy of every country that have joined the alliance , Hungry seems to be trapped in Time Warp but eventually its Economy will take off.
Putin Promises On A Piece of Paper are as Permanent as Snowflake ❄️ in contact with a warm Hand..,
Biden doesn’t stand with Ukraine, he sides with keeping the endless wars going. Is war really good for the climate anywhere?
Biden’s team started provoking war in Ukraine as far back as 2014. He seems to think war is always the answer regardless the cost in innocents of Ukraine, Israel, Gaza. The youth of today see through it because the truth is obvious outside old network news sources. Biden can’t win with thinking constituents. Sorry.
I totally disagree. Do you realize this is just recycled Cold War rhetoric ? This is repackaging of the "communist plot to take over the world" paranoia being used to justify US and NATO military aggression , nuclear proliferation and brinkmanship .The demonization of Russia and Putin are up to 1960's levels. Ukraine is strategic to Russia's national security. The Russian invasion of Ukraine was totally preventable by Biden. As it was all about NATO expansion there. The longer the Ukraine war is funded and fought as a proxy war against Russia the greater the chance it escalating into World war three. Biden is a neocon idiot for provoking the Ukraine invasion and taunting China to invade Taiwan and selling bombs to Israel that kills tens of thousands of innocent civilians. But he is awfully good at pro-war propaganda. Which makes sense as he was one of the architects of the Patriot Act. What prevents war and establishes peace is diplomacy not bombs.
Abortion is not enough of an issue to help the Dems. They must make it very clear to Americans that the Republicans will go after Medicare and Social Security. If I can figure it out, why can't the Democrats? They must appeal to people's self interest!
Ordinary people are not paying attention to self interest by voting Republican. Why would that convince them to vote Democrat?
Voters are mad as hell and they aren't going to take it anymore. Which means the broken two party system will be rejected. People don't want Biden or Trump . In 2024 independent RFK jr will win American's hearts and trust, prevailing against a hail storm of propaganda, misinformation and strategic attacks by all departments of the corporate captured, deep state. Finally we have someone who is willing to try.
Sometimes when I mowed frogs would jump like crazy to get out of the way.
They jumped the wrong way though.
Victoria Loudis ; Those who can't see the threats unfolding are not paying attention. You are right ; Abortion is just one right that has been taken away, or threatened. A large distraction, and threat to women's health. Women make up for more than half of the population, and are all races and faiths! If you are a MAGA republican, you are gaslighting Democrats and independents with insults!
So is the 2nd Amendment. Just sayin'.
Money destroyed our representative form of gov't. Money > Access > Influence. It distorts policy in favor of the monied and the corporatists. SCOTUS's brain-dead Citizens United lets the monied and the corporatists hide.
Biden's grit is very real - never doubt it - and perhaps obscured by his ability to shrewdly manoeuvre around obstacles to important projects. What Prof. Reich is calling for here must be done in such a way as to create more awareness of Biden's real strengths without destroying his integrity. He is genuinely a man of good will, but he is also very capable of standing ground and calling out deceit. And the dark money in our politics is one of the worst forms of deceit.
Like so many Americans, you are deluded. Here is my plea to Professor Reich and my fellow Americans on this thread: PLEASE STOP LYING TO YOURSELVES ABOUT WHO WE REALLY ARE. Joe Biden is not a man of good will and is in fact a warmongering neoliberal who is continuing to support genocide in Israel, mostly with the pledge of billions of aid (=US taxpayer dollars.) War crimes are literally being committed IRL in the name of all of us (including you Professor Reich, even if you can't admit it.) Biden, Blinken, et.al. could end it all with a phone call but can't even bring themselves to call for a ceasefire, nor BTW can most of our other esteemed leaders in Congress, including Senators Sanders and Warren. Talk about money in politics. Maybe Professor Reich is on the AIPAC dole too. I force myself to watch the daily carnage: bombing hospitals, refugee camps, and schools of a CAPTIVE AND STARVING people, killing mostly women and children, and then watch as the IDF spokespeople on CNN (Dana Bash and Jake Tapper) with straight faces no less, interview Israeli officials who lie, deny and obfuscate what anyone with half a brain and two eyes can see is happening. President Biden, leader of the free world, walking down the tarmac into the arms of Bibi, a Zionist Fascist, and leader of an apartheid religious ethnostate and inveterate liar( truly the culture of deceit that surrounds Israel cannot be overstated), so he can ask Bibi to exercise restraint while the IDF battle-tests their weapons of war purchased with our children's future on Palestinian citizens, is an image that I and many others on the progressive left will NEVER forget and NEVER forgive. The truth, whether you want to acknowledge it or not, is that Joe BIden is a war criminal and an embarrassment to this country, the Democrats and any American with even a shred of conscience. That so many of you on this (presumably) boomer echo-chamber cannot see this is further evidence of the moral decay, lack of discernment and, I'll say it again, utter delusion of so many Americans. Your lack of humanity and compassion is incomprehensible.
So you'll vote for the orange menace?
She is 100% right that Biden's warmongering with Russia, China and now the Middle East is a bomb happy , saber rattling, empire expanding, World War three provoking foreign policy,. Biden and the DNC have single handedly revived Cold War propaganda, information control , censorship of dissent and McCarthy era black balling ( now called canceling ) Even the Biden or bust rhetoric is a psychological operations manipulation aimed to elect a president with an approval rating in the 30% range. The only options are not Trump or Biden but someone with a much higher public confidence rating.. RFK jr. He is the only candidate who has the ability to unite this country , revive the ideals of Democracy , reign in the military industrial complex and strike a serious blow against the corporate capture of this country's government.
RFK Jr. went to an airplane lavatory in bare feet ! I honestly do not think he has enough moxie to come in out of the rain. Much less be President !
Ha Ha ... what a bizarre comment Joan. He is the only candidate I have seen in 50 years with any moxie and back bone at all. I think you are going to be surprised. You might actually listen to what he has to say instead of getting it second hand through the hostile , attack, corporate captured legacy media.
Have you heard what his many sisters, brother and cousins are saying about him ? You should listen to them as they seem to have some insider knowledge about him.
Don. Why do you assume that people who don't like Biden would vote for Trump?
I think it is pertinent to ask everyone NOT to vote!
Is that really ALL you can say after what I just wrote?
I think it's a good point.
I would never vote for my sister OR Brother
Wow. Yes and yes again.
I see Democrats on WAPO continually saying Vote Blue. Why? Is Biden a good choice? The answer is NO he is controlled by money.
One of the many things which has registered in my 'old' brain is: The Military Industrial Complex.
1.There will be NO President that can dismantle this. Anyone who tries will be vilified because it means putting huge numbers of people out of work in many States.
2. I do not trust JFK he is the type of person who will eventually 'turn.' Why because he has to prove himself above money. It is possible that you are right and I am wrong.
3. The US has reached it's zenith. Why? Because other Country's have finally learned that the US are hypocrites. No country relies on them anymore .Many Country's loathe the USA.
4. Oil. USA wants to control this. I watch the US comments on many media and the first thing they always say is: Gas prices.
5. You are one of the few Country's in the world who has no 'fast rail' so of course you rely on OIL
I ask you what is JFK going to be able to do?
My 'gut feeling' is that (I am sorry because it is going to be awful. Maybe not worse than other Country's have suffered under the Imperialist USA) you need a Civil War which will happen. Because of guns it will be a bloodbath.
I just hope that out of the civil War will come some reckoning. Who knows.
Pretty depressed today, for no reason, other than I am sick of people dying in the name of OIL and American Imperialism.
You talking about Biden? Lark was.
You were right. >I< was gibbering! LOL!
Good- thought you meant I was gibbering & didn't understand.
I re-read what I was responding to and saw what you were talking about and removed my response. Sorry 'bout that!
You're gibbering.
Paying a responsible share of the taxes would do more to rebuild America from the bottom up than billions of dollars burned to no good on election campaigns. Why would those greedy obscenely wealthy plutocrats not donate to the Republicans - it enriches the already obscenely wealthy media corporations and if we bottom out and hand America to the fascists they will get the rest of their donations back in no taxes.
Fay Reid ; and once we are, say, North Korea, there may be fewer readers to care about whatever remains of the Fourth Estate ; which will be less profitable, so they better 'save up', because they are chopping down the 'money trees'. No more middle class to buy as much.
Agreed
How can anyone call America a Democracy when it is run by money?
JennyStokes ; We can still hope, dream and vote! If necessary, we can still fight like Hell, too!
If you read Robert Reich, he calls it an oligarchy, the 2nd Guilded Age.
I call it a mess and it needs to stop.
There is hope Jenny . In 2024 INDEPENDENT RFK jr will win American's hearts and trust, prevailing against a hail storm of propaganda, misinformation and strategic attacks by all departments of the corporate captured deep state. Finally we have someone who is willing to try. Someone who can unite this country, work for World peace, reign in the military industrial complex and strike blows against the political corruption that has eroded our Democracy. So stay tuned. Pray they don't eliminate this threat to the status quo like they did his father, his uncle , MLK and Malcom X.
Bwahahaha... RFK is simply an undemocratic shill to divert actual Democratic votes. Think harder about voting for or supporting him.
Ha ha ha ha !! Thats a ton of limbic brain activity:) Of course there is no way to respond intelligently to name calling and disconnection from reality, but I will give it a try. "Undemocratic" ? He's the only candidate I see who actually believes in the ideals of Democracy. Certainly not Cold War starting, Neo Con , McCarthy era censorship throwback and co-architect of the Patriot act Joe Biden. Shill ? "An accomplice of a hawker, gambler, or swindler who acts as an enthusiastic customer to entice or encourage others." Are you suggesting he's working for Trump ? Lol. By the way he is as likely to take Trump votes away as he is from Biden. I suggest you look at the polls that show this. Finally Kennedy is a real Democrat an old fashioned, pre-Wall street captured Democrat in the very same character as his father and uncles. Not a DNC ......whipped and hobbled Democrat. All of whom you can keep , for not one exhibits any courage, intelligence or independence of thought. Sadly that includes once could be greats like Bernie, or Elizabeth etc.
Pigs will fly before RFK will do anything that you say. Of course, I don't believe in The Deep State either. Kool aid dreams that you have there
Believe what’s easy , what you like , and have the intelligence to grasp. Independent critical thought, objective observation are required to escape from one’s political and cultural conditioning. When it comes to mass formation psychosis only about 10% are highly resistant , 60% do what everyone else does / believes and 30% become true believing, defenders and crusaders.
JennyStokes ; Way to "help' to ask a question like that? Did you say you are an American living over seas? I guess those who can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen! I have a grandchild and children that I will not leave behind. Not everyone can afford to flee to a safer, (for now), country!
No. I have lived in four different country;s including the US.
I have grandchildren in England and in the US.
Presently I am in France.
I am and never have told anyone to flee it's not my business.
We have many problems here caused by the war in Ukraine.
Jenny ; I believe that.
Why wouldn't you?
IF I could figure out how to post on Substack you would read what I am my family have been through. Getting old and everything keeps changing.
I posted something that was duplicated. I deleted one, and they both disappeared. JennyStokes, I wish you well. Enjoy your family, if possible. And any friends, too. Life is shorter as we age.
Thanks Laurie. Same to you.
It goes 'zipping' by "life" I mean.
What was or is you4 favorite Country ?
Sri Lanka.
Good point.