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Once again, I think we are paying far too much attention to Donald Trump and not enough to the Republican Party as well as that portion of Americans who find both appealing. Donald Trump was, and is, patently unfit to be president of the United States. He is also a criminal who needs to answer for his crimes. But the real culprit isn’t Trump its the Republican Party. Donald Trump may be the tumor, but the cancer is the GOP as well as the frighteningly sizable portion of Americans who support what both stand for. Further, no one who associates with that man, or who subscribes to what the Republican Party stands for can be considered “normal”. Not at least if one values democratic governance, inclusion, and a dedication to solving America’s problems in ways the benefit the greatest number. Can we truly say anyone who works for any despot is acceptable? After all, we routinely condemn those surrounding Viktor Orban or Vladimir Putin. Is someone like William Barr any different? Each of these brigands who first enabled Trump’s worst excesses then called Trump out for doing what he did, have made it clear they’ll vote for him if he runs again. Is that really normal? I fear that because of Trump’s ability to attract attention we are once more taking our eye off the ball and are going to be worse off for having done so.

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Nov 28, 2022·edited Nov 28, 2022

The entire GOP is dangerous. DeSantis is dangerous because he’s smarter than the former occupant of the People’s House. At the same time, I am grateful that more and more ReThugs are distancing themselves from TFG.

I shudder to think of what January will bring with the new Congress.

I am so grateful that Biden is at the helm and that we control the Senate… it could be so much worse.

Segue… We are fighting our own war in this country against guns and mass shooters who have only to walk into a store and purchase a pistol without any background checks or waiting periods. I wish to God Congress would finally enact stricter legislation. ~rant just beginning~

💙🌻💙

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Nov 28, 2022Liked by Robert Reich

It's long been a source of frustration for me that the "normals" hid their true observations from the public for so long. And, that they did not join together to stop the orange blowhard in 2020. I'm talking about all of the people who departed his administration, after having seen first hand what a dangerous sociopath that muddahfacka is. All of these corporatists and all of these Republican politicians who enabled him by their silence or their failure to convict him upon impeachment - twice! - will go down in history as spineless, self-interested traitors of the Constitution they swore to defend.

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Nov 28, 2022·edited Nov 28, 2022Liked by Robert Reich

Professor, While my intent is not to diminish your justified concerns, I continue to take heart from the midterm results and view our work as building on our accomplishments at the federal, state, and local levels. I am particularly relieved that not one election denier (liar) won statewide election in a battleground state.

Additionally, between now and Jan. 3rd, nothing seems as important as working for Warnock (my contacts tell me voter enthusiasm has permeated much of the State), as curing ballots, and as pressing the Senate, in particular, in the final session to move on 3 issues: 1) completing their work reforming the Electoral Count Act, 2) prophylactically raising the debt ceiling as a protective measure against a 23-24 Republican House seeking to extract concessions by threatening to default on the national debt, and 3) advancing legislation, already passed by the House, banning high capacity assault weapons and instating both universal background checks and nationwide red flag laws.

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Nov 28, 2022Liked by Robert Reich

I’m going to argue another point of view, and I hope that I am onto something. It is possible that tfg’s showing himself even more obviously unhinged is a sign of the fever breaking. The midterm elections highlighted more Republicans and independents voting against the MAGA con and for more normal candidates. The Republican establishment has clearly seen that Dump leads them to defeat. In our local congressional contest, we flipped a red district blue and denied office to a Steve Bannon acolyte. Our winning candidate, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, ran an authentic blue collar campaign that was pro-choice but didn’t challenge the Republican and rural gun culture other than to promote raising the age of purchasing assault weapons to age 21 -- not my preference, but she won over the needed support. 2nd amendment “rights” also speak to conservative fear that’s been stoked against crime and (falsely) advocates the ability to protect their families instead of being outgunned by criminals.

Dump’s hosting loudmouth hate mongers may also signal his desperation as prosecutors close in. His fantasy may be that he would recruit violent defenders. But legitimate authorities are onto this and tracking it, and militias have been put on notice that if they attack government agencies and officials prison awaits.

Democrats now need to pivot away from culture wars, as Marie Perez did, and address the everyday needs of less educated, hardworking people who feel the “system” has abandoned them. That may also help to quell the MAGA fever.

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Trump would be nothing without a media megaphone.

The media and the dark money funders of the past and present would do well to understand the story of Fritz Thyssen, who funded the rise of a bombastic, anti-Semantic, leader in 1933. Thyssen found, as noted by one reviewer or his book, that it did not work out well for him.

"Thyssen was one of those German industrialists who supported the [Party] during the early years of the movement, only to discover that once in power their Frankenstein had no intention of setting up a corporative state in which the function of the storm troopers would be merely to keep labor in subjection for the convenience of big business." - Foreign Affairs, January 1942.

Thyssen and his wife ended up in multiple concentration camps before surviving the war.

Gaining control over the massive military, industrial, police complex of the U.S. would be the wildest dream of an authoritarian group that would have no bounds. It would be a total horror for the world.

Media, STOP covering this stuff just because it creates clicks!!!

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Stop the "what if's!" You're starting to sound like a fear monger! I hope Jack Smith does his job with zero fear of all the "what if" scenarios.

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Robert I agree with the article and what you are saying. One term that is used several times includes crazy in singular or plural. That is a term in the mental health field is working hard of getting rid of. Why? Because people with mental illness have asked us to. They consider it disrespectful. I don’t believe that the people you are referring to have a mental illness. They are of hate because they are of for expediency. I’m wondering if you would be willing to use a different term. I am an active follower of yours. I think you’re brilliant and have educated yourself on all of your subject matter. In is an honor to read your work

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To boil it down further: A presidential candidate who would welcome Nick Fuentes and Kanye West to dinner is a candidate who would welcome flames throughout the country, broken bodies, and cracked heads, if his next bid for the presidency fails.

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Prof. Reich,

I don’t know why Trump’s dinner at Mar-a-Lago with an anti-Semite and a white Supremacist surprised you. Trump is a lunatic and so are they, none of whom are tethered to reality in the least. My question is why did anyone from the press bother to write about the dinner? It wasn’t news. Ignore the a**hole and his crazy cult followers.

Robert Lehrer

Albemarle

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After reading “American Psychosis “, if most of the book is true, we as a country have always had these underlying issues. Our so called leaders are to blame for the majority of our problems!

The FPOTUS is the result of mismanagement! If Congress actually did it’s job which is to Form a more perfect Union instead of obstructing each other ......

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Nov 28, 2022·edited Nov 28, 2022

There is warning people and then there is fearmongering and this sounds more like the latter. IMO you do too much of this.

It was inevitable and has been obvious for some time that anyone with any sense would get away from him because he doesn't listen to them.

We HAVE to STOP doing this "OMG what is trump gonna do" shit!

All this accomplishes is scaring people and there's too many of them already. There are already too many people who do nothing because they're scared of the crazies and that shit has to stop as well. I've seen and heard from too many of them and it is frankly infuriating.

We should focus our attention instead on doing whatever necessary (within the law and protesting and fighting back when the law's not working) to keep him and the other crazies (DeSantis)from running or gaining control of more seats or the White House.

Action is the ONLY way to check fear. Guarding our democracy is the goal here, not shrinking in fear of that narcissistic shitstain and his cult.

Guarding our democracy should be our focus.

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Judy 05:25 EST

I completely agree with your concerns regarding the coming months and live in fear of more violence. I’ve had entirely enough of Trump’s unhinged and now predictable behavior, ensuring nothing but his attempt to regain control of our government in any way he finds useful. While I try to retain President Biden’s faith and optimism about the future of Democracy, and am grateful for the appointment of Jack Smith to speed indictments, it doesn’t help me sleep at night when looking back at historical similarities or ahead to impending chaos. I suppose we simply support one another in this time of crisis as it is indeed looming closer, the “headlights of the oncoming train” in our sights. Prayers for peace everyone to whatever entity you choose to be helpful. Thank you, Professor Reich for your insightful analysis.

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The fuse has already been lit. There are already enough of the Q and other fervent followers that are ready to go off on some type of rampage .

As the special prosecutor and Justice Department seek to indict him- they will rise up. Not the 30%, - many of them are growing tired of him.

But still there are enough to cause havoc.

Who among us would be brave enough to serve on a grand jury?? As that time approaches ( and it has to) it scares me to death.

Had the Republicans in the Senate voted against him so he couldn’t run for office again, a lot of this could have been avoided.

So, there will be brave prosecutors and jury people, I am sure. Ultimately, our government will hold.

But, God be with them and all of us the last act of this farce is played out.

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The underlying issue here is that there are no rules for the personal suitability of candidates who run for high office! Even CEOs applying for new jobs go through background and psychological and cognitive discernment by the company , much more than political parties vet their candidates. In this case everyone knew what an egotistical narcissist Trump was (except brain washed Q anon MAGA fans) but Trump waves the money flag and the RNC fell for it like idiots. They thought they could control him, because they always did have some sway over their candidates, but the more power Trump thought he had the more uncontrollable he became- of course! The same thing could happen to Democratic candidates. Republicans fell for power and money before reason- more fool them! Trump would be better off in court for his many crimes because nothing will stop this crazy man otherwise!!!

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Nov 28, 2022Liked by Robert Reich

You are such a great communicator. As a former readability editor, I greatly appreciate your easy-to-read style, with short paragraphs and short sentences. Too bad you don’t teach writing courses for many other writers who lose readers and influence with their ponderous sentences and long paragraphs. You’re a great example of how being highly intelligent and educated does not mean one becomes out of touch with the general population.

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