The world really needs to know this side of Vance to fully understand just how vile he is.
His willingness to deny abortions to victims of rape and incest shows that he’s willing to subject them to a lifetime of sorrow just so he can appease the far right.
My horrified major take on Vance's positions is that he insists that women should remain in abusive marriages. There's absolutely no respect for women in that vile creature. Really makes me wonder what is going on behind HIS closed doors at home.
Trumpet 🎺 has tasted power at the presidential level in his first term that should have never happened but for Hillary made trumpet 🎺 the president Possible..
Now we have trumpet 🎺 clones in the wings with money from the the newly rich the TECH giants musk and his ilk see an opportunity to retake the reins of political power and grow a family franchise. The would be Hitlers have to be stopped at the ballot Box while we still have a vote to be cast… trumpets 2025 won’t be pretty re - introduction of economic slavery is one of the many Hitler like goals…
Bernie should have been the Candidate... He was the one that DJT feared... This is the Age-Of-Populism... Not just in the USA, but in Europe as well for example... The Clintons had the DNC in their pocket...
trumpet 🎺 again that the reason 🎺 won the first time.
I predict a Biden sweep 🧹 because trumpet 🎺 is the worst person in politics.
God help the people he fooled , trumpet 🎺 sneakers , Bible , only a matter of time before his bloody shirt and secret service guys suits are on sale for another crazy price…. When trumpet was ducking down one hand on his ear the other on his wallet…
Daniel - Herr Schitzenpantz? Well, according to no less than james carville. not that i don't take it with a grain of salt. he did help give us bill clinton, after all.
The 'right to life' stops at the end of the birth canal. If the right really believed in the sanctity of life, they would also oppose the death penalty.
Unfortunately that seems to be true at least for the religions originating from the Middle East "sky god" neo-religions. Buddhism? Shinto? Taoism? Are these particular religions also patriarchal and misogynistic (I'm asking because I don't know that much about them...I do know the Abrahamic religions are very much patriarchal and misogynistic)
TL, this is what we need to stop doing. Hyperbole and personal assumptions have no place in this election. We know nothing about his home life. I dislike his policy as much as you do. But this is what has us losing “biggly”… We take our eyes off the ball and suddenly we’re talking about assumptions while Republicans are building project 25.
Just because maggots grow on fresh crap a day does not make crap makers less sewage polluters of criminals against humanity. So how a fresh pile of crime crap make defending the US Constitution from criminals crapping a type of daily mind blow is not jailing and seizing assets from tyrants . Illionaires do nothing but crap on and on and on.
Interesting how he turned on a dime - sort of like Lady Lindsay - it tends to make me wonder what T uses as blackmail. Pics from E's safe in NYC mansion? Where are they by the way? Seem to have disappeared.
I think that’s a giant leap TL. And that’s what we need to stop doing. We know nothing about his home life. We need to stick to the facts. Assumptions and hyperbole are what allowed us to drop the ball and put us in the position of losing “biggly”.
Did I even speculate? I merely commented that such an unreasonable, anti-woman position indicates--if nothing else--that he is supremely indifferent to potential cruelty and that it reflects very badly on him and his relationships, past and present.
TLMills observed Vance's lack of respect for women and wondered "what is going on behind HIS closed doors at home." I did some Googling and learned about his 14 year marriage to his non-white, educated, wife, a daughter of immigrants and their three children. If Vance is such a staunch Christian in all the GOP terms, shouldn't he have at least ten kids by now? Certainly suggests what ISN'T going on behind HIS closed doors!
I don't really care about his sex life or that either he or his wife likely use some form of birth control (although that makes him a lying hypocrite--but we already know that about him).
What is appalling is Vance's absolute insistence that women remain in their marriages even if they are abusive. That is medieval barbarism...but yeah, that is the MAGA position isn't it? Cruelty really is the point.
Yeh, Tucker I believe was one of the first to hang out with Viktor Orban, the Hungarian despot of Illiberalism. They are buddies. Orban comes here frequently - even to Mar a Lago. Keep your eye on him. BTW, he is anti LGBT.
Of course, with an overweight, man whose only exercise is chasing women and Golf-Cart-Golf and McDonalds & Kentucky Fried Chicken & catsup and 78 1/2 in Nov,( 79 in Dec and 82 in 2028) -- and, if elected, with SCOTUS, the Senate and the House in his rear pocket, and Putin & Kim & XI as his "godFathers", and stated dreams of a Dynasty, he is counting on eliminating the Constitutional law of two-term President and giving us Donny, Jr & JD (and, of course, Barron) through to year 3000 (& Barron's kids beyond that)
Pat Shellen - remember 313AD, when the roman empire incorporated early christianity into the gov't? that was the birth of what i call proto-fascism, when all the levers of power - religious, political, and economic - became entrenched as one mononlith. A monolith that stole, raped, killed, abused the population of europe for 1000+ years, and in the process amassing untold wealth and power, which continues to this day. Martin Luther, the printing press, and the enlightenment somewhat migitigated the situation, but the rich never got over having to "share". now we have the modern resurgence that really took off after FDR made them all mad that they couldn't have it all. So yes, dynasty.
Sally, I know what you mean! Anyone who doesn't have doubts is obviously not keeping up with the news. (And I am afraid that the "news" we DON'T see, may be MUCH more terrifying. Think of what President Biden learns everyday in briefings that would probably be more than we could cope with! Things that never leave those private top secret closed security briefings that cannot be reported or mentioned.
Justice does not come from heaven above. Informed preparation with laws and responsible legislators is a prerequisite. Republicans feel vindicated that Trump is finally going to remove "evil" regulations that encumber greed/profit. The battle for justice is never finished in a "free" society.
If Trump wins, Project 2025 with his help, will devastate regulations, along with an all willing corrupt, bought and paid for Supreme Court stacked by the pipeline of dark money and climate-trying to save earth ecosystems, all that will be destroyed
The climate can not sustan another 4 years of a Trump administration that expands gop -gas, oil, and petroleum , production and rolls back climate measures. This is not just guess work. The situation is mathematically tractible enough to know what level of disaster awaits.
The lack of US democracy will mean a failure to deal with the global climate crisis, certainly in the US. Although as counterexample one can point to China which produces 2/3 of renewable "goods".
Wow.. I thought on Substack we might be able to stick to the subject. It’s exactly why I got off of social media. Have we not figured out that calling each other names has gotten us absolutely nowhere… In fact it’s going to be a big reason. We are likely to lose this thing.
Sorry, Fanny! Sometimes I forget myself and make comments in a similar-thinking crowd that I wouldn't make to my conservative extended family & friends. I just picture Joe on his bikes, pedeling along and then I picture Trump riding in his Golf Carts. Joe attending his church and Trump selling bibles for donations and holding bibles upside down, unfamiliar with any verses (or, I bet) hymes, or walking into a church on a Sunday in his golf clothes on his way to the course. And then being declared The Missah or God's son on Earth. Oops. doing it again.
I agree, the personal attacks are not helping. Unfortunately, it is exactly what the Right thrives on and it will never end...and they may win because of it. Scary
Yet the right's daily bread is calling the left names, and their greatest orgasm is "owning the libs".
Name calling is not the reason the right wing is winning anything. In fact the right wing has effectively used name calling to attain it's dominance in the media.
We have gone high, when they go low and guess who is winning? Hint; Not the ones taking the high road.
"You take the high road and I'll take the low road and I'll be in Scotland before you".
Republicans fire live ammo and we fire blanks, because we are too good to stoop that low.
Racists don't like being called out as racists. Deplorables don't like being called out as deplorables. Racists and deplorables aren't what they are and vote the way they vote because we call them out, but if we don't we ar enabling and legitimizing them.
Pat, your birthday calculations are way off. Trump's b'day is June 14 -- he is 78 now. He will not be 79 until June 14, 2026, making him 81 in June of 2028. And I have been wondering about Barron -- what must be going thru his mind about all of this? SURELY, the kid can think for himself. Has he been indoctrinated by the Trump brand of vitriol and hatred? He has spent most of his time with his mother, after all. She's participating in Trump's life very little. She spends most of her time with her own family and friends, and therefore, so must have Barron done so.
As for "Donny Jr." . . . If ever there was a perfectly despicable sycophant suck-up to Trump himself, it is that pathetic "Oh please praise me, Daddy" POS blind follower of the cult!
Wonder how they would feel if one of their loved ones became pregnant through rape - would they happily raise the child as their own? Anyone who would deny a woman an abortion when she has been the victim of this horrific felony is beyond misogynistic - absolutely diabolical.
Judy, it would be adoption for "their" women and, of course, the other option would be secret abortion outside the country. They truly are monsters but so too are the women who support these cruel policies.
Judy, yes, I think many will. I was at a small business recently outside my community where I've been many times. The owner is a good person but she believes in Quanon stuff and perhaps is an evangelical based on our prior discussions. In our recent conversation she brought up the anti-women policies of MAGA and she was angry on steroids that they want to take away her right to self-governance. I didn't ask her if she would vote D or third party, but I'm confident she won't voting R. Next time, I see her, maybe I can ask what she will do to stop their anti-women agenda.
Members of my local GOP Executive Com believe adoption is the “humane compromise” for victims of rape.This was my published response as a pro-choice adoptee.Thanks for listening…
Members of our local Republican Executive Committee would have you believe adoption is the “humane compromise” for a woman or child who becomes pregnant as the result of rape or incest.
A woman or child who faces such a traumatic, forced pregnancy may have the option to: 1)carry the pregnancy to term, or,2) have a medical procedure to terminate the pregnancy. Some may have absolutely no say in the decision,including those who have been human-trafficked.
Fetuses cannot be adopted. Adoption is an option only once there is a living child.If a person carries a pregnancy to term, even if this decision was not freely chosen, the decision is to :1)parent the child, or,2) relinquish the child for adoption.
Many birth mothers who suffer the life-long trauma of relinquishment,as well as adoptees, should not be used as political pawns.
And please stop telling adoptees they should be grateful they weren’t aborted. This “pro-life” gaslighting only serves to promote a false equivalence.
Comprehend what? =their motivation is CRUELTY & CONTROL and of course, MONEY$$$ grifters, that is what one needs to comprehend about the why’s, about these rotten to the core evil slimes, but NO! we must not, and we CANNOT allow Trump back in office, or it’s all over folks
Kathy, thank you for sharing your response and that you are an adoptee. It is so important to keep sharing your experiential opinion to counter and poke holes in their cruel and ridiculous narratives that they want what is best for the woman/girl or even the unborn. Make people think, Kathy. People listen to stories. It is about female's having choice and dignity to be trusted that they know what is best for them and the fetus. Down with patriarchy.
The anti-choice folks always bark out their "adoption" story but few ever do it. In St. Louis, everyday, there are about 4,500 children ready for adoption through Children and Family Services and other agencies. EVERYDAY! In nice way I have often asked the anti-folks how many children have THEY adopted here in STL. Almost always their answer is none. One time a women blasted me that it was none of my business. Further conversation revealed that they adopted two children from Russia (years ago). So, I guess forcing women to carry to term for sake of adoption with all of the grief that causes and then let the children languish in a children's home for years is OK with them. These religious hypocrites have no morals or kindness. No cheers here... GH
Let’s not forget a high percentage of women voted for Trump in the first 2016 which I will never figure out!! Furthermore, a large percentage of Trumps base are women who will vote for him again. These women deserve what they get but the sad thing is the rest of us have to suffer!
Of course not Judy, if it happened to a daughter or wife of theirs a privately arranged procedure would be arranged. It was always handled that way for the wealthy.
With all the hanky panky we KNOW about in politics, I imagine most of us could live comfortably on those "healthcare for girls and women" expenses. The payment to Stormy was small in comparison, I imagine!
OMG! I really didn't understand why Trump would select him (except for the contributions Theil & others are willing to pay for the Vice-Presidency (potentially the Presidency within a very few years), BUT then I read today that he is 5'3"!! Now I understand --Trump hates to be around men as tall or taller than he!! Most of the others (except Rubio, who he has always called "tiny" & "little Rubio" as if it is a fault)), Remember hiw quickly he got rid of the +/-7' guy who claimed he might open an investigation of Hillary's emails and affected the results of the election. No reward for that dude -- he was terminated via email while away from D.C. No one ever wants to be taller than Trump!
Barron is going to be taller than his dad if he isn’t already. But maybe his mom will continue to keep Barron protected in the shadows until in a few months or a year CFDT’s dementia is so bad he can’t judge height and won’t recognize his son, much as he didn’t recognize and acknowledge Tiffany a few months ago.
Barron's height was determined by his mothers genes, and he has a bigger penis than his father, because penis size is also determined by the mother
Though the Y chromosome is central to the designation of male sex characteristics, the actual development of the penis is directed by genes on the X chromosome inherited from your mother.
The world needs to know who Elon Musk really is. Of course they know that he's a rich billionaire but they need to know that his futuristic ideas do not necessarily coincide with women's rights. He goes around having babies with different women and doesn't marry them so how convenient for him. I'm sure he has some kind of arrangement as far as supporting his children and of course he brags about how many children he has. His ideas are so far out there sometimes regardless of any possible good that he
This is how evil works. The evil people think they are right and fair and thinking correctly Nothing in the world will convince them otherwise. This is what makes it evil.
Further, the people themselves aren't evil - I hope to make that distinction because I believe in the basic goodness of people. Their stance or idea, if executed, can be evil.
How vile is the man?!!! To believe that how a child is conceived should not decide if they live or die? I mean how heartless is this man, that he cares about a child’s life. He is just pathetic
Also, you have no business making laws based on our gender. We don't belong to you. We are NOT your property to do with as you wish. The Middle Ages are over. Mind your own business and keep your hands to yourself....or Ill lop them off.
YAY, Collen!! I would have been much nastier -- MAGA, QAnon, Trumpsters & evilgelicals demand that a girl child or woman who is impregnated, even by a serial rapist or a family member, must carry that seed to term, but they won't cover the medical costs, or provide child care assistance or medical coverage or even food assistance or education for that child and consider that Christian! Does anyone REALLY think Trump cares for children (except a little when they get to be in their 40's and have surnames of Trump).
Well Said, the pro lifers are against paying the costs of having a child feeding a child , providing a good education for a child, dealing with being a parent…. The Catholic Church is all about having kids But no Money Comes From Them for children they are a collection agency for the Roman Catholic Church of the Vatican. What Would Jesus Do…
Hypocrites, the MAGA Project 2025, is an anathema to democracy, would be to the Founders of the Constitution and would be by Jesus too, but utter cruelty, hate, division and destruction and absolute greed, is what motivates the dark forces behind the nepotism and nihilism that will come from Project 2025
If you have the right to decide what happens to a man’s child without his consent ? Interesting. So what your saying is that if it is your child no one else has the right to tell you can what you can do with said child?
Not going to argue about this with you brad. Men like you are a danger to all women. You have no rights and no power over us, and you will never be given any voluntarily. If you try to take it we will defend ourselves. End of f****** story. Now go slither back to whatever religious hole you crawled out of and leave us alone.
Colleen read my response to Brad. Men "murder" millons of children every time they masturbate.
Men have suffered the illusion from time immemorial, that children are mini me's. In Tudor times and before they believed that when the ejaculated into a womb, that the ejaculate contained a miniature human being called a homoculus. That the woman was only the incubator so it could grow, and that even the sex of the child was determined by the woman's diet and activities.
This ideation of mini me's is the reason for inheritance laws, nobility and royalty.
We carry a sublimal belief that we cheat the grave by reproducing, and that by passing on our goodies and titles to our offspring, we are passing them on to ourselves. In other words, we believe we can take it with us
Our pre Christian ancestors had no such belief and thus buried belongs, wealth and weapons with them
But they did believe that social status was passed down, and India it still is, via the caste system
I wonder what Caste J D Vances wife belongs to
Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. There is also a fifth category known as the Dalits (or Untouchables), the lowest ranking class and often considered to be ''caste-less'' in Hindu
According to a 2003 study by the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Advanced Study of India, 1.5% of Indian immigrants to the United States were Dalits or came from lower castes. In contrast, a 2016 study found that more than 90% of Indian migrants belonged to upper or dominant castes. This means that Dalits make up no more than 1% of Indian Americans, despite making up 15% of India's population
The caste system today is based on occupation, but was originally based on skin color, with Brahmins at the top, Dalits at the bottom, and a penalty for Brahmins getting so close to a Dalit that if their shadow fell on them, they had to purify themselves by drinking their own urine. A practice that Mahatma Ghandi turned into an act of rebellion, by routinely drinking his own urine.
You're right, and I appreciate your well thought out response. They don't seem to understand that they can't use their religious beliefs to control other people. Really underneath of it it's all just an excuse to control and punish women for behavior they don't like and haven't been invited to participate in LOL
Hey happy to protect children will never apologize for that. You want to murder children in the name of your god. I want to save children in name if my God so yes I will continue to do whatever it takes to protect children.
A fetus is not a child asshole. It doesn't have a social security number and can't be claimed as an exemption.
What lives in the body of the host and draws it's nourishment at the expense of the host.
a. Tapeworm
b. Parasite
c. Fetus
d. all of the above
Answer d.
My father had to support my pregnant mother on $30 a month, includining himself as a private in the USMC. Mom lived in a room on the second floor of a row house on Nedro St in Philadelphia, the landlady provided board as well, which constituted mostly of cold mashed potatoes and left overs. Mom was malnourished, I wasn't. Carrying me cost her two teeth as I, the fetus, took what I needed at her expense
I'm an atheist, you sexist moron, and your God is a figment of your f****** imagination. You've been told. Keep it up and I'll block you and report you for harassment.
A man's child? Huh Brad. Every time you whack off, you spill millions of your children into a commode or tissue or whatever you use.
Your child? Really. Did you carry it for 9 months? did it draw nourishment from your body at your expense? Did your penis stretch abnormally that the child could exit your body, did you suffer undescribable pains going through labor, did you experience morning sickness? Fuck no.
It is no more your child than the sperm you spilled whacking off Dude.
Your child, what a laugh. I fathered three children, they are my children because I helped raise them, minimally, as I spent most of my time working to pay the bills, to feed, house and clothe them, that there mother could actually raise them.
Funny how you idiots act like the man has zero to do with the child until money is involved then all of a sudden “it’s his” child too. Your the one full of BS
First Brad. Do you understand how semi literate it shows you to be, to start with "Funny, how.."
And where the fuck do you get what stupid comment you made from my comment.?
I acknowledged my obligation to my children, I am responsible for bringing them into the world, and responsible for them to adulthood, Until the time they left the nest. In the wild parents will defend their offspring to the death, but when they are ready to go forth on their own, they kick them out of the nest, or pack, or pride. They are more adept at that than humans.
I never considered my children as my personal property, or my mini me, but I did consider myself responsible for the lives of those that I had a part in bringing into the world, and I supported them until they were independent.
The mother of my children, lived in her own world, and three times threatened to divorce me, we separated and each time, we separated and each time, the children suffered, so I went back to her to relieve her of her economic stress.
The third time, I was a newly promoted 1st Lt (Enlisted E-7, to commissioned officer). She was a great NCO wife, raucous, rough and the other wives loved her, but as an officers wife she was out of her element, lacked the refinement and social graces and wanted a divorce, I talked her out of a divorce into a separation and a child support payment that included an equivalent alimony.
My reason was that as a divorcee she would not have health care, BX and Commissary privileges, but as a wife, even separated, she would.
She moved back to a home we had bought in a previous assignment, and within the year she filed for a divorce because she was going to marry our old next door neighbor as she was pregnant with his wife.
So don't give me any shit about having children until money is involved.
I made sure that all of my children were supported until they were of age and on their own. If my ex wife suffered my children would have suffered, and child support alone is not enough, and I didn't want her to have to work to support my children.
Her new husband had a damn good job, and a healthy retirement, in fact between his job and the child support I paid, they were able to upgrade their home, while I lived in government bachelor officer quarters,basically a step up from a barracks room.
Shut that filthy mouth before you start spouting off,punk.
So unless you have been raped then you no right to comment? Then what about men who have been raped can they comment? Then I can comment unless your one of those sexist that believe only women have the right to decide what happens to child. Or right it’s not a child unless you decide it is a child. That is the stupidest argument
I know who has to carry that child, Brad and it's not you. So yeah, you have no say. Get over it. You have no right to control a woman's uterus. Unless you're willing to cede control of your dick in the same fashion? Keep your hands and your laws off of us or we will defend ourselves.
So now it is only if a woman gets raped then it matters. As usual the left can’t make up their minds. They have no idea what a woman is unless it is to murder a child. Then suddenly they know what a woman is
No Brad, Now I AM mad! Abortion is a very personal decision. It is most often a decision made by a man and a woman, who, for whatever personal situation decide that they cannot bring a child into their lives. Jewish couples, deeply in love and longing for children, become pregnant and discover they both carry Tay Sacs and realize the horrible short life that baby would have, would be forced to go through that heartache by MAGAs. Teenagers, experimenting, realize the girl is pregnant. She cannot support a child and they do not want to live together. SO many reasons. I was of age to have children when it was considered best for the world to only reproduce ourselves. ZPG -- Zero Population Growth. I, as a married mother, found myself pregnant with the serious chance of death to me or my fetus. Abortion was recommended. I did not do it -- I felt the baby move and fell in love with her. I and she survived. But I would NEVER require someone to give birth OR get an abortion -- it is one of the most personal decisions a person can make and the decision must be theirs! NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO DECIDE FOR THEM!! There is no question about "the left making up their minds -- the left is about our guaranteed inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We are furious because what was gauranteed us by our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution is being challenged by politicians and evilgelicals, robbing us of our rights as citizens. You don't see us trying to force abortion and ZPG on you!!
lol what an idiot. Do you own property? If you don’t then you have no right voting on property taxes. If you are an Asian male then you have no right commenting on anything Asian. If you are not name anything then you have no right talking about anything.
See how ridiculous your post is? No I am sure you don’t. As you are stupid that all you see is what you want. You keep your hands to yourself or I will lop yours off.
No her post is spot on fool. You do not have a womb, you have never nor will you be able to get pregnant, and thus you have absolutely no say as to what goes on inside the body of a woman. You do not even have the ability to even empathasize. Just like no white man can ever speak of a black man's experience.
Tell me Brad. What is it about the left that terrifies you so. It is your favorite epithet, you hurl it is a a slur, so it terrifies you.
You have never lived under a leftist regime, in fact no one has, not even the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was ultra conservative. Stalin criminalized abortion, art 12 of the 1936 Soviet Constitution says, If you don't work you don't eat.Google it.
Meanwile in socialist America. men were able to make millions, now billions, and deny other men the means of even living without going into debt, freedom to exploit ruled the day, want safety standards and protection at work, employees being eaten by machines or falling into rendering vats, well tough luck, humans are a renewable resource.
Building a bridge or skyscraper, need people willing to risk their lives for a slice of bread, there are plenty. You don't have to waste time or money on worker safety, there was an army of workers camped on the beaches of the San Francisco Bay, waiting for a worker to fall off the bridge, so they could take his place.
Why should I give you a pay raise, health insurance, time off, vacation? There are legions of you waiting to take your job. You are a resource, no different than the iron,coal, oil that is used to make the product that I am producing, or the metal, stone, glass that I am using to build a building, Or the wood, glass, piping conduit and mylar that I am using to build a house. You are nothing but a widget, a lump of coal. And I am the one that has invested my money and my time to build or make something that others will buy.
You Brad, would not be on this infernal machine, punching out these venomous and self righteous screeds were it not for the hard work and sacrifice of all of those "lefties" that have one before and have produced the standard of living that you now enjoy.
The Captains of industry, the capitalists, whom you admired, hired armies of Pinkerton detectives to mow down workers demanding safety protection and fair wages.
Being a full flown member of the right wing you never head of the Homestead Mill massacre at Carnegies mill, nor the battle of Blair Mountain where striking miners who only wanted safety protections and a fair wage were attacked and killed by airplanes, the sheriff and finally federal troops.
Fucking left wing, commie,pinko socialists,how dare they think that they deserved fair consideration for their work,who do they think they are.. ? Humans?
Today the right blathers about cancel culture and free speech rights, at the same time that they banish and burn books from school rooms and libraries, and take over class rooms that they can brainwash the kids into their preferred ideology. (Religion is an ideology, secular but an ideology none the less).
Every convenience you enjoy, every comfort you have, was earned by the work and sacrifice of your elders, not the Elon Musks, the Donald J Trumps, nor their antecedents.
Are part of my family? Then you have zero ability to speak about me. Since you are not me. How dare you believe that as a man I can’t get pregnant. Is that not your religion?
How would you know what a woman is? You leftist (and yes I do use as a slur) are all over the place, if it’s abortion, environment, women, race. You move the gal post whenever it suits you. You invent words to push your agenda. Funny how me want to protect a child is consider horrible. Since I don’t prescribe to religion then you would of course be wrong. What I believe is that every child regardless how it was conceived has worth. You want to dehumanize so that you can feel better when a child is burned alive or dismembered. You worship your god moloch.
The word leftist sure rattles around in that tiny brain of yours Brad. You have a serious problem.
You poor stupid, blathering, semi literate, incompetent slob, you get so excited you can't even string together a coherent sentence. Just rattle off words that you think are slurs.
Here is my attempt to help you boost your learning curve. Leftist is a slur on the right, you can vent your spleen about leftists all day on 4,6, or 8 chan or Der Stormer or whatever neo NAZI website you frequent, but here leftist is a badge of honor, not a slur.
When Trump and Epstein raped the 13 yr old and she cried "what if I'm pregnant" Trump threw money at her and said "get an abortion", so obviously you can't vote for him, right?
Trump is pro Trump, Nothing more, nothing less, he is a political chameleon, he is whatever he needs to be to be worshiped and admired., and you sir are a fool and a tool.
So you’re telling me that leftist media has this “evidence” and have not used it? You are living in a dream world. Also the woman who also accused a democrat lawyer and was “for sure” he was the one, oh, wait she said afterwords she was wrong.
Professor Reich: i find myself absolutely confused by the thiel's wackadoodle belief that "freedom and democracy are incompatible, and that freedom is preferable to democracy". what is freedom, if not the freedom to chose? to choose one's mate, to chose whether and when to have a family, and to choose the political fortunes for one's nation, one's community and oneself? these ideas sound a lot like democracy to me. but maybe thiel thinks "freedom" only applies to white rich men, and the rest of us are the vehicles for those plutocrats' freedom?
Unfettered Capitalism and Democracy are incompatible. Also, "freedom" encompasses both "freedom of" and "freedom from." Remember FDR's four freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. '
The hard right can read, but don't read for information. They only read to have their views reinforced. They hate any movement on the school system to teach critical thinking and and true independence, as that way, they lose control of their own children.
Welcome to Florida! We may not be loud but SO many of us democrats ended up here and can't afford to leave. It's BUTT UGLY! However we keep trying to work justice and teach our kids to lean left.
Yes, Tom. But I put the hunger for freedom among CEOs and billionaires differently. I see it as freedom.FROM taxation, oversight, regulation, transparency, and when you get right down to it, from democracy, if they can’t bend it to their will.
They believe in the power and privilege of extreme wealth on the backs of everyone else, including their followers They believe wholly in divided classes and misogynistic white privilege. They believe as Trump is unfortunately proving, their freedom means not only being above the law but also means disrespectfully thumbing their uppity noses at every attempt at constraint. Their appointed justices have fallen in line. We cannot allow them to destroy us.
This is a personal example of how all of this MAGA attitude trickles down: I live in a conservative community and because I am definitely not MAGA, a builder on an important construction job on my property (site built commercial kitchen- I am a chef) packed up his tools and walked off the job with his crew after the assignation attempt. Today I have to rent a civic center kitchen (only one available at the last minute) for a large event this weekend plus hire extra staff to accommodate the extra work for this event and a new crew to complete this buildout plus warehouse space until I can find a crew that isn’t MAGA to finish. This man and his crew were accommodated and compensated very well- I even fed them at my expense to encourage good rapport and the completion of this building. So, we’ll have to also vet our employees even if we don’t make it obvious. Get ready folks. This is the level of divisiveness - the disdain for taking instruction from a woman (I am very kind and generous tho independent and principled) was palpable. Contracts don’t matter to these Trump psychopaths . They truly believe we are already at war. This one example has just cost me, a small business owner over $40k. This is all very scary. Trying to sue for damages with conservative justices is a lesson in futility. This is my life at 5 am in N GA. We have to beat Trumpism and MAGA.
Thanks for your encouragement and for the reminder of Psalm 139. I’ve learned this situation positions me for a huge blessing so I will. Goose to keep the faith.
Doubtful it would be worth the financial investment to sue in this community and I’d not have the additional funds to appeal. I’m from a family of lawyers and judges and know how this works and the very small percentage of wins on appeal - less than 2%. Also, I was typing so rapidly auto correct decided on assignation. I know it was a failed assassination attempt. I won’t say what I think about that, lol!
One thing for sure, no one , even with a valid complaint, can be assured if a correct legal decision by Florida government, at any level!!! Look up Mike Moran in Sarasota.
Thanks for sharing and the harsh lesson learned from your ghastly recent experience of the vindictiveness and cruelty of MAGA true believers. Just how willing to burn your and their houses down to exact revenge against perceived personal slights. I hope your business recovers fast and you can manage to take a break in order to emotionally refuel 🐈⬛ I fear that it will get worse before it gets better. Especially for their chosen political targets: our shared natural world ecosystems, all women and girls, people of colour, LGBTQ or the culturally ‘different’.
Thankfully the event was wonderfully successful in every way except financial but that will eventually come. A food critic was one of their guests and said “your food is delicious” so that helped all of our team. Onward and upward. This event was hosted by a married LGBTQ couple with three children for their heterosexual engaged cousin and the guests were representative of some of the many ways people are unique so we had a blast with the entire group! I’ll never understand why people are afraid of individuality.
It's not any real help in your situation but my heart goes out to you.
For what it is worth, Canada is already preparing for an influx of refugees from the USA if Trump wins the election. We got them last time, and I'm sure we will get them again.
At this moment the windows in my house are covered with painters film. I hear the sander on the siding. I am paying to have my house painted (Double coat). I do not know my painters politics, not do I care. I want my house painted.
I live in a small community, and island of 10,000 people, no stop lights, no franchises no big box stores. Most of the population votes Democrat, but I don't know who they are.
When I see my doctor I want good medical attention and my needs met, when I visit the dentist the same, when I pick up mail an packages from my local commercial mail box, the same, when I shop at our one and only market, the same.
My closest neighbor lives about 100 yards distance, but I never met them, as there is a forest between us. The one neighbor I do know and who parks their truck and boat in my otherwise unused barn, lives about 4/10's of a while east and I see his house on a hill from my front window. He is very patriotic, but never served, he is also anti Trump. I wouldn't know, but my wife can't help herself from talking politics.
I have to live with people because I depend on them for goods and services. (I have difficulty finding even young people to do odd jobs these days, no body want to work anymore, not when mom and pop pays their cell and ISP service, and cooks meals for them.
I assume that anyone who is a small business owner is also a Republican.
I once assumed that anyone who owned a pet store,and kept their dogs behind the counter was a liberal, until I took a look at the rear window of the car of the owner of our one and only pet store. "The 1st Amendment gave us the right of speech, the 2nd Amendment guarantees it".
I now buy pet food, toys, supplies from Amazon.
By the way, my house painter just moved to the island, he is the only one on the island, there are no carpenters, just men wielding hammers that work for our two contractors, whose job is building homes.
Don't talk politics with people whose services you depend upon. I don't even talk politics when getting my hair cut. I let them lead, and feel them out as to their level of cultish commitment.
Follow up with a complaint with the contractors license agency if your in Georgia.
"...To perform (or offer to perform) residential or general contractor services for compensation in Georgia, you must be licensed in accordance with the laws and rules that regulate this profession. You may view relevant laws and rules at the following link: Residential and General Contractors Rules and Regulations | Georgia Secretary of State (ga.gov).
However, licenses are not required to perform work that qualifies as a specialty trade. See more details here: (Residential and General Contractor Exemptions | Georgia Secretary of State (ga.gov)."
Thank you and I’ll explore that information. Ironically, our company catered the local “Builders/Contractor Association” meeting. I’m honestly embarrassed by all of this.
I agree! The Trumplican's sense of entitlement allows for a warped sense of freedom as doing whatever the hell you want to do with out regard for others. It is a form of lawlessness I call "MEdom". Freedom requires respecting others rights and acting responsibly.
Sadly, the Trumplican' loyal subjects, in "falling in line", are the least free among us as they have given up their right of dissent.
Putting whatever language they like on it, these people would vacuum public money out of everyone's pockets and into their own.
They represent an end to funding public health, safety, education. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Affordable Care Act, public schools, wildlife habitat, species biodiversity etc. are ALL "on the chopping block' if Trump regains the Whitehouse.
Definitely a variant of "freedom for me (the rich white male), not for thee (the rest of us)".
Think of it like of Musk's idea of "freedom of speech" which is using the power his money can buy to amplify nazis, while silencing or sidelining everyone else.
I had the same reaction. MAGAt's freedom is freedom from taxation, regulation, and the freedom to punish women for having sex. Freedom to persecute the other, freedom to resist diversity and equality. Freedom to be open with one hatred, freedom to open carry guns. Democracy means majority rule which would deny MAGAts their "freedoms".
I agree with you. The trend since Citizens United is to empower the oligarchy to the diminution of democracy. Big money is tipping the scales in the states houses to gain power for gerrymandering and voter suppression and to promote the ‘values’ of the oligarchy, by controlling the narrative and people’s choices. Unfortunately people are falling for these ‘values’ and voting against their best interests.
without democracy there is no freedom, unless one considers serfdom to be freedom.
These monsters use their education to coin phrases, which they spit out like popcorn, phrases which have no meaning but look good on bumper stickers
JD Vance is a 39 year old Marine, who was a journalist for the Marines for 6 months in Iraq, he is a Yale Graduate, In fact all of the Trump political upper class are well educated, most are lawyers, some are Rhodes scholars. They are not stupid, all were anti Trump in 2016, all called him stupid, a threat to democracy, even traitorous, but they are all ambitious, politically ambitious and I dare say have Presidential ambitions, and at the moment the tide and momentum is with MAGA , Street, Chamber of Commerce and National Association of Manufacturers, and the billionaire donor class.
They are gamblers and they place their bets on what they perceive is the winner, and all of the above perceive Trump as the winner, because Trump knew and, not being a bonafide member of the Beltway society, played to the fears, the needs, the bias, the prejudice of rural America and gave them, not one, but many scapegoats upon which to vent their frustration.
The Demographic he appeals to, is the Demographic that the Democratic party has ignored or taken for granted, in their pursuit for donor cash.
The Republicans have been building a grass roots support mechanism from the ground up since before Reagan, the Democats haven't.
Trump has inherited that grass roots organization and it is now rebuilt in his image as MAGA.
The closest the Democrats have is the Progressive Caucus, which old line Democrats like Pelosi and Emanuel hate.
Vance in 28 is what is on Vance's mind. And I am quite sure that Thiel, Dimond, Peterson, Andrew Mellon and the rest know that Trump is abuffoon, and that once in office he will be their tool.
Fritz Thyssen thought the same about Hitler.
If Trump wins he will, or he will try very hard, to make America into an occidental version of North Korea.
hyssen was tried for being a supporter of the Nazi Party. He did not deny that he had been a Nazi supporter until 1938, and he accepted responsibility for his companies' mistreatment of Jewish employees in the 1930s, although he denied involvement in the employment of slave labour during the war. On 2 October 1948, a denazification tribunal declared Thyssen a lesser offender and sentenced him to a fine of 15% of his assets.[14] Thyssen agreed to pay 500,000 Deutschmarks (equivalent to €1,652,535 in 2021) as compensation to those who suffered as a result of his actions, and was acquitted of other charges.
In January 1950, he and his wife emigrated to Buenos Aires, where he died in 1951.[15] In 1953, Thyssen was buried in the family mausoleum in Mülheim. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_Thyssen
This belief (and belief is what it is) is straight out of Hayek. Hayek conflates freedom of the individual with freedom of economic actors (including corporations), the idea being that any state control (i.e., regulation) of the economy (economic actors) will inevitably end in the loss of individual freedom. The only role of the state is to make smooth the paths of economic actors. But when individuals find themselves constrained by the effects of this economic freedom, they fight back by voting for policies that restrain economic freedom. So "democracy" (exercising your right to vote for people and policies that benefit individuals) is incompatible with the freedom of the economic actors.
INDEED, THIEL, WHO MADE POSSIBLE J.D VANCE AS TRUMPS V.P AND WHO WORKED FOR HIM VIA THIELS COMPANY, PAY-PAL, THIEL, VANCE, TRUMP AND MAGA REPUBLICANS, THEIR ILK, ARE ALL A MAJOR THREAT TO DEMOCRACY
Agreed, Susan!! Some Dems are trying to get Biden to quit over one CNN led inquisition, and suggesting Harris, with the apparent stupidity to recognize what you see -- Support Biden/Harris and the Constitution provides for if Joe can't manage the next 4 years (our current president who has managed to achieve SO MUCH with the House and (essentially) the Senate and (Definitely) SCOTUS in Trump's control, and still go for his long distance bike rides and attend his house of worship at least once a week, unlike the daily Golf Cart rider.
It’s not some Dems. Most Dems want someone else. And it’s about far, far more than the debate. It’s about every public appearance, where you pray he finishes sentences and doesn’t lose his train of thought. Yes, trump and MAGA are vile. Yes, the media isn’t doing their job. But the many of the voters we need are turned off by current Biden. Period. He often looks weak and his interview responses are “meh,” at best, which is attracting no new voters. He polls worse than other Dems and the trajectory is down. Unless a younger, more exciting and more capable Dem steps up (yes, yes, Biden WAS great) we’ll be lucky to not lose in a landslide. (And now Joe has COVID, which makes him seem even weaker.)
It doesn't look to me like it's most dems, it looks like it's the donor class and the party elites. I keep finding people at ground level want to keep Biden.
I live in “rural” Montana. I’ve talked to several Dems who want to see Joe replaced. And that is consistent with national polls of Dems. The party elites are trying to quell the anti-Joe movement, actually.
I am encouraged by GenZ recognizing and supporting Joe Biden. They are thinking of the future of democracy and their own future. What is wrong with the 40-50-60s. I’m shy of 90 years old and I’m shocked by the naysayers. 💙🇺🇸
Biden/Harris is still a whole lot safer than Trump/Vance. I don’t know if polling has been done on
a new Dem candidate specifically. I still think voters
will go with Biden/Harris because they are a known quantity & a new Dem, while he or she may be more exciting, is unknown. Will they understand the threat of climate change like Biden/Harris do? Biden’s done a terrific job. A lot of projects are ongoing and I would rather see them completed than have a new Dem president come in with a whole new team.
Got to say I LOVE Joe Biden and family. But at this point, we will gain a FEMALE president, just think of that 😜 I didn't want this at first, but Kamala and perhaps Mark Kelly as VP will give power we Democrats have not had us TOO LONG.
No one seems to be able to name a new exciting younger alternative. So how do the newly anti-Biden crusaders know what will happen if they alienate the millions who voted Biden/Harris in the primaries or if the party essentially dumps Biden’s black-brown VP. This strikes me as a deus ex machina fever dream that could very well cost us everything. The time for replacing Biden was three years ago when we should have seen someone new, exciting, young bring groomed for 2024. It’s too F-ing late.⏰
A very scary time for our country where our democracy hangs precariously in the balance. We need to counter with a young generation of democratic leaders.
We have them coming up --Gen X & Gen Z -- who have lived knowing the joys of freedom and the sorrows of abuse and the danger of assisted mass murders. Kids like Hogg, who are already actively trying to improve America and advance real universal values!
The vast financial support laid out at Trump’s feet by Elon Musk and other ultra rich capitalist show just how far the ultra wealthy have infiltrated into the American political system. Without the support of the ultra wealthy, the campaign would be likely to fizzle.
The difference between most of our Billionaires and the Russian Oligarchs is the number of SuperYachts the Russians have. And we have a number of GOOD billionaires who support JudeoChristian values. We need to get back to one person/one vote AND -- any contribution by a corporation MUST have the approval of each and EVERY stock holder for each contribution, limited to the maximum allowed per each -- get rid of the $45 million per month by single individuals overseeing the corporations!!
Sorry to be pedantic but people really need to find reality.
What Musk does with his wealth is up to him,it has nothing to do with shareholders of Tesla,or twitter or any body else.Tesla did not donate that money.
Form 4 will tell you exactly what is going on.Musk was selling down shares in 2022 .He is a minor shareholder in Tesla ~ 13%.Pension funds are the major shareholders.
Bezos sold approx 12 million shares in Amazon during February.Form 4 will give you the number of shares sold and the average price.He sold around $5 billion worth.
He has the same freedom as everybody else has ( there are certain restrictions for major individual shareholders ) to buy or sell shares. He is down to around 9% ownership of Amazon now.The human race will never let facts spoil the delusions they want to believe.
Two minutes maximum on the SEC website to find out.Around 2 to 3 minutes to plough through the charitable foundations they fund to see if the money went there.
Musk got 56 Billion dollars for his annual compensation! He should pay back all the subsidies that Tesla and all his other activities were given by taxpayers.
And let's not forget what Orange turd said about Musk. "When Elon Musk came to the White House asking me for help on all of his many subsidized projects, whether it's electric cars that don't drive long enough, driverless cars that crash, or rocketships to nowhere, without which subsidies he'd be worthless, and telling me how he was a big Trump fan and Republican, I could have said, "drop to your knees and beg" and he would have done it,"..."
You still need to live in reality.The share holders voted to grant Musk those options
.
You need to find out the strike price of that option,and the time period and conditions to be met ( LTI ,long term incentives )
To make it easy then we'll say 5 years ago ( Tesla at $17 a share).The incentives were to increase profits,or reduce losses, and a share price of $250 today..The conditions have been met.To make it easy he had options on 1 million shares ( a made up number ).
He now pays out $17 million to buy shares worth $250 million .You and everybody else got exactly the same chance to buy those shares at $17 ,wait for 5 years to see how much they are worth in 5 years time..Should he be granted options today for say 1 million shares to be purchased in 5 years time,then the incentives may be ( made up numbers) a share price of $2000 ,profit to be $X.Should that happen then he will need to spend $250 million to buy those shares worth $2 billion .You and everybody else has the same chance,spend $250 and buy as many shares as you like.
People live in a world of conspiracy theories,they don ' t live in reality..Pension funds are happy with that huge increase in share price over that 5 year period.You should be happy if you have a 401K,Musk has made you wealthier .The rich get richer,you get richer,just as the whole history of the human race tells you .
The answer will still be the same no matter how long the human race is on the planet. The answer is,Nah,reality is not for me,I prefer conspiracy theories.
Opening my E mails ( breakfast time here) the headline " Long time Tesla shareholder says price will increase 1,000%". Nonsense ,predict 10 times every day,365 days a year and there is a chance one of them may be right.If it is dine out on it for the rest of your life.The man that bought NVIDIA @ $1,the person that predicted the next crash,the person that had Bitcoin on an old computer,disposed of it and now searches rubbish tips trying to find his computer with a gazillion $$ worth of Bitcoin on it .The astrologist that can predict the winning lottery ticket,send me $10 and I will give you the winning numbers..
A wonderful bit of common sense from Mark Twain,somebody would have said it centuries earlier
I hate rich people,however if I was offered the position........
Modern day of course is I hate rich people,however I will still buy lottery tickets every week........,fingers crossed,hope I win
you make some very good points. What angers me is that one individual is allowed to donate 45 million dollars/month because of "freedom of speech". The United States is now a full fledged Oligarchy, where a select few can purchase more than their fair share of "freedom"
Why do fascist love use the word "freedom" so much?
Because they certainly love denying the vast majority of people our freedom as they pursue their own craven, selfish goals.
The democratic party has got to gets it act together and fast, because the MAGA brown shirts are more than ready to smother what remains of our democracy in their dystopian form of freedom, which means no freedom at all for the average American.
Trump is a chump. But Biden's popularity has declined as precipitously as Trump's has surged after the shooting incident. We really need good ole Joe Biden to do what is right for the country and decline to accept his party's nomination. The party must come together to plan and execute an open convention that showcased the next generation of Democratic leaders. I can't face what the world will look like if the Democrats can't keep Trump out of the White House.
Michael, I agree. He should resign from the Presidency, and Harris should run with Pritzger or another strong Democrat who has actually worked toward protecting the environment and promoting healthcare.
Harris doesn't have the numbers yet. She needs to be seen as Presidential, with a televised swearing-in ceremony and the "Hail to the Chief" Marine Corps band playing. A home run speech at the DNC should cinch it, along with a good choice of running mate.
At this point, Biden is not capable of going big, assuming I understand what you mean. Biden has been far outspending trump. It hasn’t helped and now trump is getting big-time financial help. With Joe the country is doomed.
I assume you meant ‘if Joe is the nominee, the country is doomed with a Trump win’.
Probably.
If you’re still living in Montana, then you know what it’s like trying to exist with these people. I live in Florida. I had to get a gun for the first time in my life because these MAGAts think they can intimidate me on the road and on the sidewalk.
I can take care of them, but I can’t make Americans vote. Civil dissolution if we don’t win this time.
As George Washington (or someone?) once said, "Don't Changes Horses in Mid-Stream!" Admittedly, Bush 2 used that after the Saudi Arabians attacked NY & he invaded Iraq, with the US commiting atrocities we will never be forgiven for, but, obviously, Biden is a far better & successful President!!
I agree with you that Biden should withdraw. I saw him climb the "baby steps" on Air Force One yesterday, and he looked every inch a tired, old man! He is just going to get worse as time goes on. However, an open convention is not needed. Kamala can get elected if we unite behind her.
@Tim. You have neatly framed the issue. Some say she can win. Traditional measures indicate otherwise. I admit there may not be a Democrat who can generate the kind of excitement in the Democratic Party that would be needed to win. But I can say with a certain amount of certainty that Harris wouldn’t be the one who could do it.
Trump‘s polling is not surging after the shooting. The day after the shooting, Trump went golfing. Biden tried to call Corey Comperatore‘s widow to offer her condolences for her loss. Trump has not called the widow.
According to reports on the Internet, the widow refused to talk to Biden (she is MAGA, after all), but did talk to Trump who called later (after completing his golf game?) and said he was "very kind".
I assume, Benjamin, you are not a Democrat? A Democrat, concerned with what would happen if Trump & his Hillbilly win, dragging along Repub Reps & Repub Senators, would not assume that, after 2 months of constant Trump lies and Repub "justice" eliminating all Trump trials for sedition, Dems can take back the elections in 2 months with unknown candidates, barring events so catestrophic that there is no other choice for the MAGATrumpSupporters to vote for.
If you are thinking Harris -- Keeping Biden keeps those supporting him PLUS keeping Harris and voters who feel more comfortable with a younger V-P in the wings for smooth transition.
@Pat. Registered Democrat since before I went in the Army (1968). I'm also a political scientist. Opinions on this forum are like yours and mine - it's zero sum when some say we can't win if we change candidates and some say we can't win if we don't change. Many analysts and many polls show Harris can't beat Trump. Democrats need to run a convention so that the nearly 4000 delegates, who are all professional political operatives, can sort out the candidates and showcase a clear winner. If Harris wins so be it. Conventions are designed to advance a clear winner through a series of caucuses , and hopefully the Democratic voters, undecided voters, the double-haters and the never-Trumpers will all get behind a fresh Democratic candidate that builds name recognition by going through the media-saturated convention process.
Too late in the election cycle to change candidates if that happens the Republicans will win that how e got Nixon. No need to describe his administration screw ups…
After the election should pass a law prohibiting anyone over 73 or older during their term of office of president.
The big bet is who strokes out first Biden or trumpet 🎺…. In or out of office.
@Citizen J. Opinions on this forum are like yours and mine - it's zero sum when some say we can't win if we change candidates and some say we can't win if we don't change. It was said that the worst mistake is to do nothing because you believe you can only do a little. For me the big decision is whether to lose being loyal to a guy who has been a good President, or to lose by switching to someone who may not pull us through. Many analysts and many polls show Harris can't beat Trump. Too much cultural misogyny in America, and particularly in swing states. Even a lot of women won't vote for a woman. I'm a full on political scientist by training and by interests. Polls are wrong in the specifics, but polls are right on the trend lines. Biden = declining support. Harris = declining support. Impact of conventions = increases differentiation and builds support for the leader. We need to run a convention so that the nearly 4000 delegates, who are all professional political operatives, can sort out the candidates and showcase a clear winner. Conventions are designed to advance a clear winner, and hopefully the Democratic voters, undecided voters, the double-haters and the never-Trumpers will all get behind a fresh Democratic candidate.
@G G. If we’re using command language you stop choosing a man over the good of the country. Polls indicate Biden can’t win, Harris can’t win at this point in her candidacy. It is a mistake to do nothing because you think you can only do a little. Folks should be more optimistic about what could occur at an open convention attended by almost 4000 party professionals who know how to run a series of votes and select the best candidate. Plus everyone who assumes the convention will be messy must be thinking they’re smarter than all of those professional party politicians who have as much at stake and more than the general public !
I wish I had more time to get into this, but I've got to get to work, so I'll just say the last 538 poll I saw had Biden ahead of Trump. Sorry for the command language.
I especially liked his direct confrontation of Lester Holt, Monday. Lester sat there, scowling angrily, immobile, not breathing. He had to interrupt the answers he couldn't handle hearing, to undermine the President's zing. And yes: that zing factor was definitely there!
Here are my interview questions for him, since everyone else wants to fawn:
Sir,
“ Why slander a guy with the term pedo?” “ How much money did it ACTUALLY cost to settle the above-mentioned lawsuit ?” “Why slander Zuck the Cuck?” “Why call Democrats ‘the extremists’ ?” “Why badmouth NPR?” “How is Wokeism ‘the biggest threat to society’?” “Why do you constantly parrot GOP talking points and dog whistles?” “ Is your father a pedophile“ “Were you actually beaten up severely for taunting a kid who lost his father to suicide?” “ Why do you support Chinese and Russian governments over American union workers?” “What’s with all the conspiracy theories?”: (Soros Paul Pelosi Deep State Liberal Media)
“Why did you immediately endorse Donald Trump rather than spread a vicious conspiracy theory about him(Like you did for Mr Pelosi)?”
Last question:
“Are there other people in your family who were raised to be fascist assholes?”
Vance is a woman hater. It's a death sentence to deny health care related to Ob/Gyn emergency care when a pregnancy is no longer viable. Death is a very large price to pay just for being a fertile girl or woman. He lacks maturity as well as empathy or decency. the billionaires behind him nd tRUMP are the worst of them. Vote blue, of course. because "those two wrongs : trump and Vance ; do not make a right.
People need to understand that this is not just trumpism. This is authoritarianism with rich white men making the rules. This is Putin's Russia, Nazi Germany.
When I read that 14 GOP 'governors' turned down federal money to give poor kids lunches during the summer, it brought home to me once again how hard hearted these 'christians' are. Shameful.
J. D. Vance is the pick of Donald Trump Jr. and because of his influence with Dad we as a country now have a convert to the MAGA way of thinking as our VP under Mr. Trump. It's not that the choice was ill conceived, it just leaves us with a milk toast as a future Presidential replacement when the time comes for Trump to step aside. The election of 2024 comes down to our choice between a Trump dictatorship and the continuation of our current Democracy under Biden and Harris. Kamala is an experienced political figure who has a proven track record, while Vance can't make up his mind about who Trump really is. The chant that a vote for Joe is a vote for Kamala for President. Well, she is more qualified to run this country than Donald Trump is.
Vancelot, Trumpletiltskin Jr. and Muskrat are oundoubtedly the next generation, as you call it, Robert, but It's just that they're going to lose once again this coming November. They lost by 3 million votes in 2016 (Trumplestiltskin only secured an Electoral College victory with help from Vlad Pukin's hackers), 7 million in 2020 after yet more banana Republican incompetence led to over 1 million American MAGA deaths due to our then-President refusing to listen to sound scientific advice. My prediction for this year is that they'll lose by 11 million votes. Otherwise, we'll have over 1 billion MAGOA deaths all over Planet Earth due to global boiling and the stupid insistence of the GOP (Greedy Old Polluters) on refusing to listen to sound scientific. Finally, we'll see a strong woman, Kamala Devi Harris, sworn in as America's 47th and first female President next January 20th. Make America Great Once Again (MAGOA) means "sore, bruise, hurt, grief, woe, heartache, sorrow, anguish, lamentation, complaint", in Portuguese (accent on the 1st sylable), which is what the "next generation" is calling for in Milwaukee.
With a net worth of $250 billion and 190 million followers on X, Musk has no guardrails whatsoever. The money makes him a powerhouse driver of public policy. The number of consumers watching and listening to him gives him the opportunity to have an unprecedented influence upon public opinion. If you're not scared sh*tless by this guy, you haven't been paying attention. It's even more frightening to contemplate the damage he and Trump could do together if they developed a serious alliance.
I suspect they'll destroy each other. Musk will expect Trump to say "how high" when Musk says "jump!" and Trump will refuse. Musk will then attack Trump and destroy him as much as possible..
These two, Trump and Musk, will feed off each other. Trump loves BIG money white men and Musk wants money, respect, and power. They will work it out. The contest will go on until money wins! Do not forget the pecking order of oligarchs around the World!
This would be the case if either of these men were psychologically functional and emotionally stable. Neither of them is. They'll try to use each other to meet their own needs, but those needs are constantly changing and will lead to clashes for which each will blame the other, probably quite publicly.
I suspect that Musk likes don, because don likes monopolies. And that is what Elon wants. It won't end there. Industry after industry will succumb to monopolization. Then everything you wish to buy will cost too much, and not work.
He paid $44bil to buy X. Then it tanked. He didn't mind. Clearly, he was using his money, to buy influence. He didn't care about profit: merely influence.
The Republican convention is a festival of lies. Worse, there's no consistent, coherent pushback and messaging from Democrats. Except on the need for firing Biden. There's time for the messaging to improve but, after so many years of watching Democrats screw it up, I have little faith. There's no political prodigy, like Clinton or Obama, to bail us out.
I don't see how Biden's candidacy can survive. But he's done a better job than I expected. I'd like a Biden candidacy without Biden. A new candidate with Biden's full support and involvement and a promise for it to be a continuation of Biden's work. And for the somewhat hidden messaging to become more overt. Don't just say what we are and cite our record. Attack the Republicans.
And don't be meek or apologetic about anything. It's a crisis.
Republicans are claiming to be Democrats so there's an opportunity there. They've shafted the middle class out of existence, squandered resources and our 'moral capital' like maniacs, started wars for political purposes and kowtowed to the rich with religious zeal and devotion. Are we going to let them get away with this? They are the elite. They're the deep state. They hate America.
And they don't want America to be great they want the Confederacy, with all the perversion that entails. People are crying out for hope and Republicans are offering armageddon -- an apocalypse of lies, policies that are proven bullshit and an ethos of exclusion. We mustn't let them get away with it. We've survived extraordinary stupidity and carelessness. I think it's do or die now.
It sounds like a very bad film script, psychotic misogynists running the country into the ground with the support of their cult followers, reducing everyone else to slavery. It’s time for everyone with a brain and conscience to become actively political to elect Democrats down the ticket. Democracy depends directly on citizen participation to maintain it - it’s not optional. Either we activate every shred of emotion we have about the insanity of the above scenario or we accept it through our passivity.
The world really needs to know this side of Vance to fully understand just how vile he is.
His willingness to deny abortions to victims of rape and incest shows that he’s willing to subject them to a lifetime of sorrow just so he can appease the far right.
My horrified major take on Vance's positions is that he insists that women should remain in abusive marriages. There's absolutely no respect for women in that vile creature. Really makes me wonder what is going on behind HIS closed doors at home.
Trumpet 🎺 has tasted power at the presidential level in his first term that should have never happened but for Hillary made trumpet 🎺 the president Possible..
Now we have trumpet 🎺 clones in the wings with money from the the newly rich the TECH giants musk and his ilk see an opportunity to retake the reins of political power and grow a family franchise. The would be Hitlers have to be stopped at the ballot Box while we still have a vote to be cast… trumpets 2025 won’t be pretty re - introduction of economic slavery is one of the many Hitler like goals…
Comey influenced Hillary's defeat.
Bernie should have been the Candidate... He was the one that DJT feared... This is the Age-Of-Populism... Not just in the USA, but in Europe as well for example... The Clintons had the DNC in their pocket...
If Hillary run again I would chose
trumpet 🎺 again that the reason 🎺 won the first time.
I predict a Biden sweep 🧹 because trumpet 🎺 is the worst person in politics.
God help the people he fooled , trumpet 🎺 sneakers , Bible , only a matter of time before his bloody shirt and secret service guys suits are on sale for another crazy price…. When trumpet was ducking down one hand on his ear the other on his wallet…
Worst candidate of all time. Trump hates dogs, is ugly and he stinks.
Daniel - Herr Schitzenpantz? Well, according to no less than james carville. not that i don't take it with a grain of salt. he did help give us bill clinton, after all.
INDEED
I often wonder how those who are strict "right to life" advocates manage to scoff at the rights of those who are already alive. It makes no sense.
The 'right to life' stops at the end of the birth canal. If the right really believed in the sanctity of life, they would also oppose the death penalty.
Imo what they really believe in is THEIR right to decide whose life is sacred.
TL Mills - consider the culture from which his wife came. All major religions are patriarchal and misogynistic
Which wife?
I believe Mr. Cesmat is referring to little Jimmy Vance's wife, who is the daughter of Indian immigrants.
Those are the major Sky-God Religions... The Mother Earth Religions are not...
Unfortunately that seems to be true at least for the religions originating from the Middle East "sky god" neo-religions. Buddhism? Shinto? Taoism? Are these particular religions also patriarchal and misogynistic (I'm asking because I don't know that much about them...I do know the Abrahamic religions are very much patriarchal and misogynistic)
We don't have to "wonder", 😞 we know one when we see one
Very true.
TL, this is what we need to stop doing. Hyperbole and personal assumptions have no place in this election. We know nothing about his home life. I dislike his policy as much as you do. But this is what has us losing “biggly”… We take our eyes off the ball and suddenly we’re talking about assumptions while Republicans are building project 25.
The ball has never been clearer. We don't need assumptions when these treacherous louts tell us everyday, in their own words, who they are.
Not even their words, their behaviors are much louder
True
Just because maggots grow on fresh crap a day does not make crap makers less sewage polluters of criminals against humanity. So how a fresh pile of crime crap make defending the US Constitution from criminals crapping a type of daily mind blow is not jailing and seizing assets from tyrants . Illionaires do nothing but crap on and on and on.
Interesting how he turned on a dime - sort of like Lady Lindsay - it tends to make me wonder what T uses as blackmail. Pics from E's safe in NYC mansion? Where are they by the way? Seem to have disappeared.
Kathleen - perhaps that's what's buried in Ivana's coffin in the golf course? I thought it might be more documents, but it could be both.
He knows Trump is not healthy. He would do or say anything to be the next King.
Married to an educated Indian! I guess another hand maiden!
I think that’s a giant leap TL. And that’s what we need to stop doing. We know nothing about his home life. We need to stick to the facts. Assumptions and hyperbole are what allowed us to drop the ball and put us in the position of losing “biggly”.
😒🙄
Did I even speculate? I merely commented that such an unreasonable, anti-woman position indicates--if nothing else--that he is supremely indifferent to potential cruelty and that it reflects very badly on him and his relationships, past and present.
TLMills observed Vance's lack of respect for women and wondered "what is going on behind HIS closed doors at home." I did some Googling and learned about his 14 year marriage to his non-white, educated, wife, a daughter of immigrants and their three children. If Vance is such a staunch Christian in all the GOP terms, shouldn't he have at least ten kids by now? Certainly suggests what ISN'T going on behind HIS closed doors!
I don't really care about his sex life or that either he or his wife likely use some form of birth control (although that makes him a lying hypocrite--but we already know that about him).
What is appalling is Vance's absolute insistence that women remain in their marriages even if they are abusive. That is medieval barbarism...but yeah, that is the MAGA position isn't it? Cruelty really is the point.
So many of us could have been one of those unfortunate women. They are as clueless as they are heartless. Narcissistic psychopaths cannot love.
Make that sociopath.
Not really, no. They were BORN that way, making them "PYSCHOpaths." Sociopaths are created by "SOCiety."
@ Todd Musk, Thiel and Putin picked Vance as a future president,
Tucker Carlson Told Trump to Pick J.D. Vance or the Deep State Might Assassinate Him: Report
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/tucker-carlson-warning-to-trump-jd-vance
Sounds like Carlson knows all about the deep state - look at the company he keeps with the right wing despots of the world.
Yeh, Tucker I believe was one of the first to hang out with Viktor Orban, the Hungarian despot of Illiberalism. They are buddies. Orban comes here frequently - even to Mar a Lago. Keep your eye on him. BTW, he is anti LGBT.
Tucker is a star on Russian TV. Putin's favorite American.
https://thehill.com/homenews/media/4677767-tucker-carlson-russian-tv-without-permission/
Of course, with an overweight, man whose only exercise is chasing women and Golf-Cart-Golf and McDonalds & Kentucky Fried Chicken & catsup and 78 1/2 in Nov,( 79 in Dec and 82 in 2028) -- and, if elected, with SCOTUS, the Senate and the House in his rear pocket, and Putin & Kim & XI as his "godFathers", and stated dreams of a Dynasty, he is counting on eliminating the Constitutional law of two-term President and giving us Donny, Jr & JD (and, of course, Barron) through to year 3000 (& Barron's kids beyond that)
.
Pat Shellen - remember 313AD, when the roman empire incorporated early christianity into the gov't? that was the birth of what i call proto-fascism, when all the levers of power - religious, political, and economic - became entrenched as one mononlith. A monolith that stole, raped, killed, abused the population of europe for 1000+ years, and in the process amassing untold wealth and power, which continues to this day. Martin Luther, the printing press, and the enlightenment somewhat migitigated the situation, but the rich never got over having to "share". now we have the modern resurgence that really took off after FDR made them all mad that they couldn't have it all. So yes, dynasty.
And less than 100 years later (410ce) Rome fell and Rome withdrew from Britain. So much for Christianity saving their asses.
Frightening. I used to believe in justice. Now, I don’t know....
Sally, I know what you mean! Anyone who doesn't have doubts is obviously not keeping up with the news. (And I am afraid that the "news" we DON'T see, may be MUCH more terrifying. Think of what President Biden learns everyday in briefings that would probably be more than we could cope with! Things that never leave those private top secret closed security briefings that cannot be reported or mentioned.
Justice does not come from heaven above. Informed preparation with laws and responsible legislators is a prerequisite. Republicans feel vindicated that Trump is finally going to remove "evil" regulations that encumber greed/profit. The battle for justice is never finished in a "free" society.
If Trump wins, Project 2025 with his help, will devastate regulations, along with an all willing corrupt, bought and paid for Supreme Court stacked by the pipeline of dark money and climate-trying to save earth ecosystems, all that will be destroyed
The climate can not sustan another 4 years of a Trump administration that expands gop -gas, oil, and petroleum , production and rolls back climate measures. This is not just guess work. The situation is mathematically tractible enough to know what level of disaster awaits.
The lack of US democracy will mean a failure to deal with the global climate crisis, certainly in the US. Although as counterexample one can point to China which produces 2/3 of renewable "goods".
Most of all democracy, lose that and you lose everything!
Good point, if elected he will be older than Biden at this point in the term.
Wow.. I thought on Substack we might be able to stick to the subject. It’s exactly why I got off of social media. Have we not figured out that calling each other names has gotten us absolutely nowhere… In fact it’s going to be a big reason. We are likely to lose this thing.
Sorry, Fanny! Sometimes I forget myself and make comments in a similar-thinking crowd that I wouldn't make to my conservative extended family & friends. I just picture Joe on his bikes, pedeling along and then I picture Trump riding in his Golf Carts. Joe attending his church and Trump selling bibles for donations and holding bibles upside down, unfamiliar with any verses (or, I bet) hymes, or walking into a church on a Sunday in his golf clothes on his way to the course. And then being declared The Missah or God's son on Earth. Oops. doing it again.
I agree, the personal attacks are not helping. Unfortunately, it is exactly what the Right thrives on and it will never end...and they may win because of it. Scary
Yet the right's daily bread is calling the left names, and their greatest orgasm is "owning the libs".
Name calling is not the reason the right wing is winning anything. In fact the right wing has effectively used name calling to attain it's dominance in the media.
We have gone high, when they go low and guess who is winning? Hint; Not the ones taking the high road.
"You take the high road and I'll take the low road and I'll be in Scotland before you".
Republicans fire live ammo and we fire blanks, because we are too good to stoop that low.
Racists don't like being called out as racists. Deplorables don't like being called out as deplorables. Racists and deplorables aren't what they are and vote the way they vote because we call them out, but if we don't we ar enabling and legitimizing them.
Did you really just crib lyrics from the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond?
sounds like North Korea to me
Nooooooo!
Pat, your birthday calculations are way off. Trump's b'day is June 14 -- he is 78 now. He will not be 79 until June 14, 2026, making him 81 in June of 2028. And I have been wondering about Barron -- what must be going thru his mind about all of this? SURELY, the kid can think for himself. Has he been indoctrinated by the Trump brand of vitriol and hatred? He has spent most of his time with his mother, after all. She's participating in Trump's life very little. She spends most of her time with her own family and friends, and therefore, so must have Barron done so.
As for "Donny Jr." . . . If ever there was a perfectly despicable sycophant suck-up to Trump himself, it is that pathetic "Oh please praise me, Daddy" POS blind follower of the cult!
THE PUBLIC: Why did Trump pick Vance?
CARLSON: He didn't.
He didn't Thiel did.
Vances wife is a backchannel to their pet court
Wouldnt be surprised if she gets on the court if trump is elected.
If he gets elected, the law as we know it will cease to exist.
The SC will be a worse farce than it is now, for sure. They may keep it just for show.
To be fair, it's likely none of them support restricting reproductive healthcare for girls and women in own families.
Wonder how they would feel if one of their loved ones became pregnant through rape - would they happily raise the child as their own? Anyone who would deny a woman an abortion when she has been the victim of this horrific felony is beyond misogynistic - absolutely diabolical.
Judy, it would be adoption for "their" women and, of course, the other option would be secret abortion outside the country. They truly are monsters but so too are the women who support these cruel policies.
May all their women secretly vote against them!!
Judy, yes, I think many will. I was at a small business recently outside my community where I've been many times. The owner is a good person but she believes in Quanon stuff and perhaps is an evangelical based on our prior discussions. In our recent conversation she brought up the anti-women policies of MAGA and she was angry on steroids that they want to take away her right to self-governance. I didn't ask her if she would vote D or third party, but I'm confident she won't voting R. Next time, I see her, maybe I can ask what she will do to stop their anti-women agenda.
Members of my local GOP Executive Com believe adoption is the “humane compromise” for victims of rape.This was my published response as a pro-choice adoptee.Thanks for listening…
Members of our local Republican Executive Committee would have you believe adoption is the “humane compromise” for a woman or child who becomes pregnant as the result of rape or incest.
A woman or child who faces such a traumatic, forced pregnancy may have the option to: 1)carry the pregnancy to term, or,2) have a medical procedure to terminate the pregnancy. Some may have absolutely no say in the decision,including those who have been human-trafficked.
Fetuses cannot be adopted. Adoption is an option only once there is a living child.If a person carries a pregnancy to term, even if this decision was not freely chosen, the decision is to :1)parent the child, or,2) relinquish the child for adoption.
Many birth mothers who suffer the life-long trauma of relinquishment,as well as adoptees, should not be used as political pawns.
And please stop telling adoptees they should be grateful they weren’t aborted. This “pro-life” gaslighting only serves to promote a false equivalence.
Forced birth after rape prolongs the trauma. I can’t comprehend the cruelty of a person that advocates for that.
Comprehend what? =their motivation is CRUELTY & CONTROL and of course, MONEY$$$ grifters, that is what one needs to comprehend about the why’s, about these rotten to the core evil slimes, but NO! we must not, and we CANNOT allow Trump back in office, or it’s all over folks
Kathy, thank you for sharing your response and that you are an adoptee. It is so important to keep sharing your experiential opinion to counter and poke holes in their cruel and ridiculous narratives that they want what is best for the woman/girl or even the unborn. Make people think, Kathy. People listen to stories. It is about female's having choice and dignity to be trusted that they know what is best for them and the fetus. Down with patriarchy.
The anti-choice folks always bark out their "adoption" story but few ever do it. In St. Louis, everyday, there are about 4,500 children ready for adoption through Children and Family Services and other agencies. EVERYDAY! In nice way I have often asked the anti-folks how many children have THEY adopted here in STL. Almost always their answer is none. One time a women blasted me that it was none of my business. Further conversation revealed that they adopted two children from Russia (years ago). So, I guess forcing women to carry to term for sake of adoption with all of the grief that causes and then let the children languish in a children's home for years is OK with them. These religious hypocrites have no morals or kindness. No cheers here... GH
Kathy, Roe was a humane compromise. That seems to slip their minds.
Let’s not forget a high percentage of women voted for Trump in the first 2016 which I will never figure out!! Furthermore, a large percentage of Trumps base are women who will vote for him again. These women deserve what they get but the sad thing is the rest of us have to suffer!
Judi S., hopefully some will wake up by learning about Project 2025.
Of course not Judy, if it happened to a daughter or wife of theirs a privately arranged procedure would be arranged. It was always handled that way for the wealthy.
And out the window with their holier-than-thou religiosity.
EVIL
How is that fair? What it does is make them hypocritical asshats. But then, we've known that all along.
With all the hanky panky we KNOW about in politics, I imagine most of us could live comfortably on those "healthcare for girls and women" expenses. The payment to Stormy was small in comparison, I imagine!
It’s an assumption if true, is not fair, it’s hypocrisy.
It’s up to all of us to help shout out what JD Vance is about!📣
Ultra short (people do have short attention spans!)TikTIk showing JD Vance speaking the words.
https://www.tiktok.com/@meidastouch/video/7391954521519426858
1 min video by the Seneca Project.Remember, JD Vance and the GOP support this:
https://x.com/senecaprojectus/status/1810372496878874790
OMG! I really didn't understand why Trump would select him (except for the contributions Theil & others are willing to pay for the Vice-Presidency (potentially the Presidency within a very few years), BUT then I read today that he is 5'3"!! Now I understand --Trump hates to be around men as tall or taller than he!! Most of the others (except Rubio, who he has always called "tiny" & "little Rubio" as if it is a fault)), Remember hiw quickly he got rid of the +/-7' guy who claimed he might open an investigation of Hillary's emails and affected the results of the election. No reward for that dude -- he was terminated via email while away from D.C. No one ever wants to be taller than Trump!
Barron is going to be taller than his dad if he isn’t already. But maybe his mom will continue to keep Barron protected in the shadows until in a few months or a year CFDT’s dementia is so bad he can’t judge height and won’t recognize his son, much as he didn’t recognize and acknowledge Tiffany a few months ago.
Barron is 18 and towers over drumpf. I read he is 6’8” tall ( give or take an inch).
Pretty sure he was already taller. Favorable press photos try not to show the difference.
Yes, he is quite tall. One cannot help but notice how he towers over his mother as well.
Barron's height was determined by his mothers genes, and he has a bigger penis than his father, because penis size is also determined by the mother
Though the Y chromosome is central to the designation of male sex characteristics, the actual development of the penis is directed by genes on the X chromosome inherited from your mother.
Just a factoid for titillation purposes.
Doesn’t that make Vance #ProSTRIFE?
He claimed that the problem was not that don is a facist. Why no, you see. The problem, you see, is that people have called out his facism.
Apparently when in the Marines, Vance was a PR guy. PR guys are not noted for adherence to truth.
So THAT's how he was able to swing his pendulum 180 degrees from, "never a trumper." Thanks for explaining it. Makes sense.
Nor are they in the same danger as the outdoor Marines.
His comment about miserable-because-of-decisions-they made-cat ladies wanting everyone else to be miserable should be on billboards.
Blames whomever he harmed.
I think it maybe a deeply rooted cruelty streak as well.
Vance is smart enough to know what the powerful people need from him. and weak enough to provide it
The failure to provide medical care for miscarriage is just another insult/injury. 🤬
A mini-Trump, a grifter, who will carry out Project 2025
The world needs to know who Elon Musk really is. Of course they know that he's a rich billionaire but they need to know that his futuristic ideas do not necessarily coincide with women's rights. He goes around having babies with different women and doesn't marry them so how convenient for him. I'm sure he has some kind of arrangement as far as supporting his children and of course he brags about how many children he has. His ideas are so far out there sometimes regardless of any possible good that he
This is how evil works. The evil people think they are right and fair and thinking correctly Nothing in the world will convince them otherwise. This is what makes it evil.
I have a different take. They insist upon stances. Mere stances. Which they, themselves, don't believe.
Further, the people themselves aren't evil - I hope to make that distinction because I believe in the basic goodness of people. Their stance or idea, if executed, can be evil.
That can also be true.
How vile is the man?!!! To believe that how a child is conceived should not decide if they live or die? I mean how heartless is this man, that he cares about a child’s life. He is just pathetic
Ever been raped, Brad?
Also, you have no business making laws based on our gender. We don't belong to you. We are NOT your property to do with as you wish. The Middle Ages are over. Mind your own business and keep your hands to yourself....or Ill lop them off.
YAY, Collen!! I would have been much nastier -- MAGA, QAnon, Trumpsters & evilgelicals demand that a girl child or woman who is impregnated, even by a serial rapist or a family member, must carry that seed to term, but they won't cover the medical costs, or provide child care assistance or medical coverage or even food assistance or education for that child and consider that Christian! Does anyone REALLY think Trump cares for children (except a little when they get to be in their 40's and have surnames of Trump).
Well, he sure seems to care for his pretty, smart blonde daughter with her beautiful long hair... (sorry, that was me puking!)
INCEST! DISGUSTING!
Or shower with their teenage daughter with the last name Biden
Well Said, the pro lifers are against paying the costs of having a child feeding a child , providing a good education for a child, dealing with being a parent…. The Catholic Church is all about having kids But no Money Comes From Them for children they are a collection agency for the Roman Catholic Church of the Vatican. What Would Jesus Do…
Hypocrites, the MAGA Project 2025, is an anathema to democracy, would be to the Founders of the Constitution and would be by Jesus too, but utter cruelty, hate, division and destruction and absolute greed, is what motivates the dark forces behind the nepotism and nihilism that will come from Project 2025
Ya all those adaption agencies run by the Catholic Church they definitely don’t care
If you have the right to decide what happens to a man’s child without his consent ? Interesting. So what your saying is that if it is your child no one else has the right to tell you can what you can do with said child?
Not going to argue about this with you brad. Men like you are a danger to all women. You have no rights and no power over us, and you will never be given any voluntarily. If you try to take it we will defend ourselves. End of f****** story. Now go slither back to whatever religious hole you crawled out of and leave us alone.
Colleen read my response to Brad. Men "murder" millons of children every time they masturbate.
Men have suffered the illusion from time immemorial, that children are mini me's. In Tudor times and before they believed that when the ejaculated into a womb, that the ejaculate contained a miniature human being called a homoculus. That the woman was only the incubator so it could grow, and that even the sex of the child was determined by the woman's diet and activities.
This ideation of mini me's is the reason for inheritance laws, nobility and royalty.
We carry a sublimal belief that we cheat the grave by reproducing, and that by passing on our goodies and titles to our offspring, we are passing them on to ourselves. In other words, we believe we can take it with us
Our pre Christian ancestors had no such belief and thus buried belongs, wealth and weapons with them
But they did believe that social status was passed down, and India it still is, via the caste system
I wonder what Caste J D Vances wife belongs to
Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. There is also a fifth category known as the Dalits (or Untouchables), the lowest ranking class and often considered to be ''caste-less'' in Hindu
According to a 2003 study by the University of Pennsylvania's Center for Advanced Study of India, 1.5% of Indian immigrants to the United States were Dalits or came from lower castes. In contrast, a 2016 study found that more than 90% of Indian migrants belonged to upper or dominant castes. This means that Dalits make up no more than 1% of Indian Americans, despite making up 15% of India's population
The caste system today is based on occupation, but was originally based on skin color, with Brahmins at the top, Dalits at the bottom, and a penalty for Brahmins getting so close to a Dalit that if their shadow fell on them, they had to purify themselves by drinking their own urine. A practice that Mahatma Ghandi turned into an act of rebellion, by routinely drinking his own urine.
I always really like what you write. Thank you for your thoughts and research.
Viktoria
You're right, and I appreciate your well thought out response. They don't seem to understand that they can't use their religious beliefs to control other people. Really underneath of it it's all just an excuse to control and punish women for behavior they don't like and haven't been invited to participate in LOL
You people are sick. The idea that you will so causally murder a child is sad. But since you have the same mentality as Hitler I understand why you do
Hey happy to protect children will never apologize for that. You want to murder children in the name of your god. I want to save children in name if my God so yes I will continue to do whatever it takes to protect children.
A fetus is not a child asshole. It doesn't have a social security number and can't be claimed as an exemption.
What lives in the body of the host and draws it's nourishment at the expense of the host.
a. Tapeworm
b. Parasite
c. Fetus
d. all of the above
Answer d.
My father had to support my pregnant mother on $30 a month, includining himself as a private in the USMC. Mom lived in a room on the second floor of a row house on Nedro St in Philadelphia, the landlady provided board as well, which constituted mostly of cold mashed potatoes and left overs. Mom was malnourished, I wasn't. Carrying me cost her two teeth as I, the fetus, took what I needed at her expense
I'm an atheist, you sexist moron, and your God is a figment of your f****** imagination. You've been told. Keep it up and I'll block you and report you for harassment.
Fetuses.
A man's child? Huh Brad. Every time you whack off, you spill millions of your children into a commode or tissue or whatever you use.
Your child? Really. Did you carry it for 9 months? did it draw nourishment from your body at your expense? Did your penis stretch abnormally that the child could exit your body, did you suffer undescribable pains going through labor, did you experience morning sickness? Fuck no.
It is no more your child than the sperm you spilled whacking off Dude.
Your child, what a laugh. I fathered three children, they are my children because I helped raise them, minimally, as I spent most of my time working to pay the bills, to feed, house and clothe them, that there mother could actually raise them.
Your child, bullshit.
Which means you are also a lousy father but your kids would be better off never having known you.
So fathers who don't work, fathers who don't support their wives and children are good fathers? You are pathetic.
Funny how you idiots act like the man has zero to do with the child until money is involved then all of a sudden “it’s his” child too. Your the one full of BS
First Brad. Do you understand how semi literate it shows you to be, to start with "Funny, how.."
And where the fuck do you get what stupid comment you made from my comment.?
I acknowledged my obligation to my children, I am responsible for bringing them into the world, and responsible for them to adulthood, Until the time they left the nest. In the wild parents will defend their offspring to the death, but when they are ready to go forth on their own, they kick them out of the nest, or pack, or pride. They are more adept at that than humans.
I never considered my children as my personal property, or my mini me, but I did consider myself responsible for the lives of those that I had a part in bringing into the world, and I supported them until they were independent.
The mother of my children, lived in her own world, and three times threatened to divorce me, we separated and each time, we separated and each time, the children suffered, so I went back to her to relieve her of her economic stress.
The third time, I was a newly promoted 1st Lt (Enlisted E-7, to commissioned officer). She was a great NCO wife, raucous, rough and the other wives loved her, but as an officers wife she was out of her element, lacked the refinement and social graces and wanted a divorce, I talked her out of a divorce into a separation and a child support payment that included an equivalent alimony.
My reason was that as a divorcee she would not have health care, BX and Commissary privileges, but as a wife, even separated, she would.
She moved back to a home we had bought in a previous assignment, and within the year she filed for a divorce because she was going to marry our old next door neighbor as she was pregnant with his wife.
So don't give me any shit about having children until money is involved.
I made sure that all of my children were supported until they were of age and on their own. If my ex wife suffered my children would have suffered, and child support alone is not enough, and I didn't want her to have to work to support my children.
Her new husband had a damn good job, and a healthy retirement, in fact between his job and the child support I paid, they were able to upgrade their home, while I lived in government bachelor officer quarters,basically a step up from a barracks room.
Shut that filthy mouth before you start spouting off,punk.
Brad you are over reaching. Your argument is senseless.
Just because you like logic that’s your problem
No Brad, the problem is that you lack critical reasoning skills, and are self centered narcissist that thinks the world revolves around him.
A mass murderer with every ejaculation, that none the less believes that a particular sperm is his replicant, because it fertilized an ovum.
How many times did you ejaculate today? How many millions of children did you kill?
You really should go back to 3rd grade. You obviously skipped the lesson on how a child is created.
Do you mean every time you jack off, you create a child? Wow you have killed millions.
So unless you have been raped then you no right to comment? Then what about men who have been raped can they comment? Then I can comment unless your one of those sexist that believe only women have the right to decide what happens to child. Or right it’s not a child unless you decide it is a child. That is the stupidest argument
I know who has to carry that child, Brad and it's not you. So yeah, you have no say. Get over it. You have no right to control a woman's uterus. Unless you're willing to cede control of your dick in the same fashion? Keep your hands and your laws off of us or we will defend ourselves.
He is a typical right winger, narcissistic, selfish, self centered, center of the universe prick.
So now it is only if a woman gets raped then it matters. As usual the left can’t make up their minds. They have no idea what a woman is unless it is to murder a child. Then suddenly they know what a woman is
No Brad, Now I AM mad! Abortion is a very personal decision. It is most often a decision made by a man and a woman, who, for whatever personal situation decide that they cannot bring a child into their lives. Jewish couples, deeply in love and longing for children, become pregnant and discover they both carry Tay Sacs and realize the horrible short life that baby would have, would be forced to go through that heartache by MAGAs. Teenagers, experimenting, realize the girl is pregnant. She cannot support a child and they do not want to live together. SO many reasons. I was of age to have children when it was considered best for the world to only reproduce ourselves. ZPG -- Zero Population Growth. I, as a married mother, found myself pregnant with the serious chance of death to me or my fetus. Abortion was recommended. I did not do it -- I felt the baby move and fell in love with her. I and she survived. But I would NEVER require someone to give birth OR get an abortion -- it is one of the most personal decisions a person can make and the decision must be theirs! NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT TO DECIDE FOR THEM!! There is no question about "the left making up their minds -- the left is about our guaranteed inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We are furious because what was gauranteed us by our Declaration of Independence and our Constitution is being challenged by politicians and evilgelicals, robbing us of our rights as citizens. You don't see us trying to force abortion and ZPG on you!!
What the fuck are you mumbling about. You string together words and think you are making a sentence.
Just like your orange Jesus.
Lost the argument Brad,now you are moving the gold posts.
Gotcha.
How many raped men have been made pregnant you stupid cunt.
Your total investment in a child is an orgasm. Nothing more, nothing less. No different than a steer, a stallion, a cat, a dog or a woodchuck.
lol what an idiot. Do you own property? If you don’t then you have no right voting on property taxes. If you are an Asian male then you have no right commenting on anything Asian. If you are not name anything then you have no right talking about anything.
See how ridiculous your post is? No I am sure you don’t. As you are stupid that all you see is what you want. You keep your hands to yourself or I will lop yours off.
No her post is spot on fool. You do not have a womb, you have never nor will you be able to get pregnant, and thus you have absolutely no say as to what goes on inside the body of a woman. You do not even have the ability to even empathasize. Just like no white man can ever speak of a black man's experience.
Tell me Brad. What is it about the left that terrifies you so. It is your favorite epithet, you hurl it is a a slur, so it terrifies you.
You have never lived under a leftist regime, in fact no one has, not even the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union was ultra conservative. Stalin criminalized abortion, art 12 of the 1936 Soviet Constitution says, If you don't work you don't eat.Google it.
Meanwile in socialist America. men were able to make millions, now billions, and deny other men the means of even living without going into debt, freedom to exploit ruled the day, want safety standards and protection at work, employees being eaten by machines or falling into rendering vats, well tough luck, humans are a renewable resource.
Building a bridge or skyscraper, need people willing to risk their lives for a slice of bread, there are plenty. You don't have to waste time or money on worker safety, there was an army of workers camped on the beaches of the San Francisco Bay, waiting for a worker to fall off the bridge, so they could take his place.
Why should I give you a pay raise, health insurance, time off, vacation? There are legions of you waiting to take your job. You are a resource, no different than the iron,coal, oil that is used to make the product that I am producing, or the metal, stone, glass that I am using to build a building, Or the wood, glass, piping conduit and mylar that I am using to build a house. You are nothing but a widget, a lump of coal. And I am the one that has invested my money and my time to build or make something that others will buy.
You Brad, would not be on this infernal machine, punching out these venomous and self righteous screeds were it not for the hard work and sacrifice of all of those "lefties" that have one before and have produced the standard of living that you now enjoy.
The Captains of industry, the capitalists, whom you admired, hired armies of Pinkerton detectives to mow down workers demanding safety protection and fair wages.
Being a full flown member of the right wing you never head of the Homestead Mill massacre at Carnegies mill, nor the battle of Blair Mountain where striking miners who only wanted safety protections and a fair wage were attacked and killed by airplanes, the sheriff and finally federal troops.
Fucking left wing, commie,pinko socialists,how dare they think that they deserved fair consideration for their work,who do they think they are.. ? Humans?
Today the right blathers about cancel culture and free speech rights, at the same time that they banish and burn books from school rooms and libraries, and take over class rooms that they can brainwash the kids into their preferred ideology. (Religion is an ideology, secular but an ideology none the less).
Every convenience you enjoy, every comfort you have, was earned by the work and sacrifice of your elders, not the Elon Musks, the Donald J Trumps, nor their antecedents.
Are part of my family? Then you have zero ability to speak about me. Since you are not me. How dare you believe that as a man I can’t get pregnant. Is that not your religion?
How would you know what a woman is? You leftist (and yes I do use as a slur) are all over the place, if it’s abortion, environment, women, race. You move the gal post whenever it suits you. You invent words to push your agenda. Funny how me want to protect a child is consider horrible. Since I don’t prescribe to religion then you would of course be wrong. What I believe is that every child regardless how it was conceived has worth. You want to dehumanize so that you can feel better when a child is burned alive or dismembered. You worship your god moloch.
You ramble like an idiot.
The word leftist sure rattles around in that tiny brain of yours Brad. You have a serious problem.
You poor stupid, blathering, semi literate, incompetent slob, you get so excited you can't even string together a coherent sentence. Just rattle off words that you think are slurs.
Here is my attempt to help you boost your learning curve. Leftist is a slur on the right, you can vent your spleen about leftists all day on 4,6, or 8 chan or Der Stormer or whatever neo NAZI website you frequent, but here leftist is a badge of honor, not a slur.
You really are a blinded dumb phuckwit.
When Trump and Epstein raped the 13 yr old and she cried "what if I'm pregnant" Trump threw money at her and said "get an abortion", so obviously you can't vote for him, right?
Funny how you have all the “facts” about this “incident” and yet it is nowhere else. If there was “proof” of this it would have been headline news.
Second Trump was pro-death and then switched to pro-life. So if I was going to vote for him I could on this particular issue
Trump is pro Trump, Nothing more, nothing less, he is a political chameleon, he is whatever he needs to be to be worshiped and admired., and you sir are a fool and a tool.
Ya Biden, Clinton, Obama all were whatever the current trend would get them
I'm not making this up, it's a real story. The victim went into hiding because of threats from MAGA. Google a little harder.
So you’re telling me that leftist media has this “evidence” and have not used it? You are living in a dream world. Also the woman who also accused a democrat lawyer and was “for sure” he was the one, oh, wait she said afterwords she was wrong.
Not the leftist media, in fact there is no such ting, only a corporate media.
The first thing you right wingers go for when there is no evidence against Trump is that its source is the left wing.
You do know that is symptomatic of a cult, do you not?
Here is one: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2016/11/3/13501364/trump-rape-13-year-old-lawsuit-katie-johnson-allegation
Where is Usha in all this? What's her position?
Professor Reich: i find myself absolutely confused by the thiel's wackadoodle belief that "freedom and democracy are incompatible, and that freedom is preferable to democracy". what is freedom, if not the freedom to chose? to choose one's mate, to chose whether and when to have a family, and to choose the political fortunes for one's nation, one's community and oneself? these ideas sound a lot like democracy to me. but maybe thiel thinks "freedom" only applies to white rich men, and the rest of us are the vehicles for those plutocrats' freedom?
Freedom for billionaires is incompatible with democracy, is what he is saying.
Their creed is do unto others ....before they do it to you.
Add to "undo others so they can have for themselves".
Unfettered Capitalism and Democracy are incompatible. Also, "freedom" encompasses both "freedom of" and "freedom from." Remember FDR's four freedoms: freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. '
You all DO realize we write these comments to people who think like we do?
The Hard Right fascist folks either don't know how to read, or wouldn't bother to confuse themselves reading "leftist" dreams. Sad truth.
The hard right can read, but don't read for information. They only read to have their views reinforced. They hate any movement on the school system to teach critical thinking and and true independence, as that way, they lose control of their own children.
Welcome to Florida! We may not be loud but SO many of us democrats ended up here and can't afford to leave. It's BUTT UGLY! However we keep trying to work justice and teach our kids to lean left.
Yes, Tom. But I put the hunger for freedom among CEOs and billionaires differently. I see it as freedom.FROM taxation, oversight, regulation, transparency, and when you get right down to it, from democracy, if they can’t bend it to their will.
They believe in the power and privilege of extreme wealth on the backs of everyone else, including their followers They believe wholly in divided classes and misogynistic white privilege. They believe as Trump is unfortunately proving, their freedom means not only being above the law but also means disrespectfully thumbing their uppity noses at every attempt at constraint. Their appointed justices have fallen in line. We cannot allow them to destroy us.
This is a personal example of how all of this MAGA attitude trickles down: I live in a conservative community and because I am definitely not MAGA, a builder on an important construction job on my property (site built commercial kitchen- I am a chef) packed up his tools and walked off the job with his crew after the assignation attempt. Today I have to rent a civic center kitchen (only one available at the last minute) for a large event this weekend plus hire extra staff to accommodate the extra work for this event and a new crew to complete this buildout plus warehouse space until I can find a crew that isn’t MAGA to finish. This man and his crew were accommodated and compensated very well- I even fed them at my expense to encourage good rapport and the completion of this building. So, we’ll have to also vet our employees even if we don’t make it obvious. Get ready folks. This is the level of divisiveness - the disdain for taking instruction from a woman (I am very kind and generous tho independent and principled) was palpable. Contracts don’t matter to these Trump psychopaths . They truly believe we are already at war. This one example has just cost me, a small business owner over $40k. This is all very scary. Trying to sue for damages with conservative justices is a lesson in futility. This is my life at 5 am in N GA. We have to beat Trumpism and MAGA.
Cynthia:
Your contractor walked out on an unfinished project because he disapproves of your non-MAGA political views?
1. Sue him for breach. Ask for the full cost of hiring a new contractor, plus incidental damages and loss of profits.
2. Make the story known among your loyal clientele.
3. Recite Psalm 139 a few times.
4. Keep the faith!
\Vince S
Incidentally, correct term is "assassination, " not "assignation."
I wonder if she fears if suing someone with this kind of behavior might lead to other harm? I would be ambivalent in her shoes.
Thanks for your encouragement and for the reminder of Psalm 139. I’ve learned this situation positions me for a huge blessing so I will. Goose to keep the faith.
Doubtful it would be worth the financial investment to sue in this community and I’d not have the additional funds to appeal. I’m from a family of lawyers and judges and know how this works and the very small percentage of wins on appeal - less than 2%. Also, I was typing so rapidly auto correct decided on assignation. I know it was a failed assassination attempt. I won’t say what I think about that, lol!
One thing for sure, no one , even with a valid complaint, can be assured if a correct legal decision by Florida government, at any level!!! Look up Mike Moran in Sarasota.
Thanks for sharing and the harsh lesson learned from your ghastly recent experience of the vindictiveness and cruelty of MAGA true believers. Just how willing to burn your and their houses down to exact revenge against perceived personal slights. I hope your business recovers fast and you can manage to take a break in order to emotionally refuel 🐈⬛ I fear that it will get worse before it gets better. Especially for their chosen political targets: our shared natural world ecosystems, all women and girls, people of colour, LGBTQ or the culturally ‘different’.
Thankfully the event was wonderfully successful in every way except financial but that will eventually come. A food critic was one of their guests and said “your food is delicious” so that helped all of our team. Onward and upward. This event was hosted by a married LGBTQ couple with three children for their heterosexual engaged cousin and the guests were representative of some of the many ways people are unique so we had a blast with the entire group! I’ll never understand why people are afraid of individuality.
It's not any real help in your situation but my heart goes out to you.
For what it is worth, Canada is already preparing for an influx of refugees from the USA if Trump wins the election. We got them last time, and I'm sure we will get them again.
At this moment the windows in my house are covered with painters film. I hear the sander on the siding. I am paying to have my house painted (Double coat). I do not know my painters politics, not do I care. I want my house painted.
I live in a small community, and island of 10,000 people, no stop lights, no franchises no big box stores. Most of the population votes Democrat, but I don't know who they are.
When I see my doctor I want good medical attention and my needs met, when I visit the dentist the same, when I pick up mail an packages from my local commercial mail box, the same, when I shop at our one and only market, the same.
My closest neighbor lives about 100 yards distance, but I never met them, as there is a forest between us. The one neighbor I do know and who parks their truck and boat in my otherwise unused barn, lives about 4/10's of a while east and I see his house on a hill from my front window. He is very patriotic, but never served, he is also anti Trump. I wouldn't know, but my wife can't help herself from talking politics.
I have to live with people because I depend on them for goods and services. (I have difficulty finding even young people to do odd jobs these days, no body want to work anymore, not when mom and pop pays their cell and ISP service, and cooks meals for them.
I assume that anyone who is a small business owner is also a Republican.
I once assumed that anyone who owned a pet store,and kept their dogs behind the counter was a liberal, until I took a look at the rear window of the car of the owner of our one and only pet store. "The 1st Amendment gave us the right of speech, the 2nd Amendment guarantees it".
I now buy pet food, toys, supplies from Amazon.
By the way, my house painter just moved to the island, he is the only one on the island, there are no carpenters, just men wielding hammers that work for our two contractors, whose job is building homes.
Don't talk politics with people whose services you depend upon. I don't even talk politics when getting my hair cut. I let them lead, and feel them out as to their level of cultish commitment.
You are wise and fortunate!
Follow up with a complaint with the contractors license agency if your in Georgia.
"...To perform (or offer to perform) residential or general contractor services for compensation in Georgia, you must be licensed in accordance with the laws and rules that regulate this profession. You may view relevant laws and rules at the following link: Residential and General Contractors Rules and Regulations | Georgia Secretary of State (ga.gov).
However, licenses are not required to perform work that qualifies as a specialty trade. See more details here: (Residential and General Contractor Exemptions | Georgia Secretary of State (ga.gov)."
Thank you and I’ll explore that information. Ironically, our company catered the local “Builders/Contractor Association” meeting. I’m honestly embarrassed by all of this.
They most definitely like the "freedom to do whatever they like" .... without restraints or litigations
I agree! The Trumplican's sense of entitlement allows for a warped sense of freedom as doing whatever the hell you want to do with out regard for others. It is a form of lawlessness I call "MEdom". Freedom requires respecting others rights and acting responsibly.
Sadly, the Trumplican' loyal subjects, in "falling in line", are the least free among us as they have given up their right of dissent.
Your descriptive terms are clever indeed!
It's the 'I me me mine!' crowd.
Putting whatever language they like on it, these people would vacuum public money out of everyone's pockets and into their own.
They represent an end to funding public health, safety, education. Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Affordable Care Act, public schools, wildlife habitat, species biodiversity etc. are ALL "on the chopping block' if Trump regains the Whitehouse.
@Grrl. Sadly I think you have described them...
Definitely a variant of "freedom for me (the rich white male), not for thee (the rest of us)".
Think of it like of Musk's idea of "freedom of speech" which is using the power his money can buy to amplify nazis, while silencing or sidelining everyone else.
I had the same reaction. MAGAt's freedom is freedom from taxation, regulation, and the freedom to punish women for having sex. Freedom to persecute the other, freedom to resist diversity and equality. Freedom to be open with one hatred, freedom to open carry guns. Democracy means majority rule which would deny MAGAts their "freedoms".
I agree with you. The trend since Citizens United is to empower the oligarchy to the diminution of democracy. Big money is tipping the scales in the states houses to gain power for gerrymandering and voter suppression and to promote the ‘values’ of the oligarchy, by controlling the narrative and people’s choices. Unfortunately people are falling for these ‘values’ and voting against their best interests.
without democracy there is no freedom, unless one considers serfdom to be freedom.
These monsters use their education to coin phrases, which they spit out like popcorn, phrases which have no meaning but look good on bumper stickers
JD Vance is a 39 year old Marine, who was a journalist for the Marines for 6 months in Iraq, he is a Yale Graduate, In fact all of the Trump political upper class are well educated, most are lawyers, some are Rhodes scholars. They are not stupid, all were anti Trump in 2016, all called him stupid, a threat to democracy, even traitorous, but they are all ambitious, politically ambitious and I dare say have Presidential ambitions, and at the moment the tide and momentum is with MAGA , Street, Chamber of Commerce and National Association of Manufacturers, and the billionaire donor class.
They are gamblers and they place their bets on what they perceive is the winner, and all of the above perceive Trump as the winner, because Trump knew and, not being a bonafide member of the Beltway society, played to the fears, the needs, the bias, the prejudice of rural America and gave them, not one, but many scapegoats upon which to vent their frustration.
The Demographic he appeals to, is the Demographic that the Democratic party has ignored or taken for granted, in their pursuit for donor cash.
The Republicans have been building a grass roots support mechanism from the ground up since before Reagan, the Democats haven't.
Trump has inherited that grass roots organization and it is now rebuilt in his image as MAGA.
The closest the Democrats have is the Progressive Caucus, which old line Democrats like Pelosi and Emanuel hate.
Vance in 28 is what is on Vance's mind. And I am quite sure that Thiel, Dimond, Peterson, Andrew Mellon and the rest know that Trump is abuffoon, and that once in office he will be their tool.
Fritz Thyssen thought the same about Hitler.
If Trump wins he will, or he will try very hard, to make America into an occidental version of North Korea.
Yeah, and by the end of the war Fritz Thyssen was in a concentration camp, although much better treated than other inmates.
hyssen was tried for being a supporter of the Nazi Party. He did not deny that he had been a Nazi supporter until 1938, and he accepted responsibility for his companies' mistreatment of Jewish employees in the 1930s, although he denied involvement in the employment of slave labour during the war. On 2 October 1948, a denazification tribunal declared Thyssen a lesser offender and sentenced him to a fine of 15% of his assets.[14] Thyssen agreed to pay 500,000 Deutschmarks (equivalent to €1,652,535 in 2021) as compensation to those who suffered as a result of his actions, and was acquitted of other charges.
In January 1950, he and his wife emigrated to Buenos Aires, where he died in 1951.[15] In 1953, Thyssen was buried in the family mausoleum in Mülheim. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_Thyssen
This belief (and belief is what it is) is straight out of Hayek. Hayek conflates freedom of the individual with freedom of economic actors (including corporations), the idea being that any state control (i.e., regulation) of the economy (economic actors) will inevitably end in the loss of individual freedom. The only role of the state is to make smooth the paths of economic actors. But when individuals find themselves constrained by the effects of this economic freedom, they fight back by voting for policies that restrain economic freedom. So "democracy" (exercising your right to vote for people and policies that benefit individuals) is incompatible with the freedom of the economic actors.
INDEED, THIEL, WHO MADE POSSIBLE J.D VANCE AS TRUMPS V.P AND WHO WORKED FOR HIM VIA THIELS COMPANY, PAY-PAL, THIEL, VANCE, TRUMP AND MAGA REPUBLICANS, THEIR ILK, ARE ALL A MAJOR THREAT TO DEMOCRACY
Freedom to be gay…as Thiel is.
Yes, you've got it. Freedom is for wealthy, white men....
Bingo!
I agree Prof. Vance is the VP pick so he can lead the next gen. of magas. He’s also the choice bec. Putin
likes him. In fact if Trump/Vance win, I bet Trump isn’t just might fall out of a window in a high-rise. But that’s only if Trump wins.
I don’t think Trump has any chance of winning
unless magas found a way to cheat. Voters want stability & a President they can trust. Trump is neither of those things. But Biden is both of them.
As for the “But he can’t do the job for 4 more yrs” geniuses, he doesn’t have to be President for 4
more yrs. He has to win the election.
Agreed, Susan!! Some Dems are trying to get Biden to quit over one CNN led inquisition, and suggesting Harris, with the apparent stupidity to recognize what you see -- Support Biden/Harris and the Constitution provides for if Joe can't manage the next 4 years (our current president who has managed to achieve SO MUCH with the House and (essentially) the Senate and (Definitely) SCOTUS in Trump's control, and still go for his long distance bike rides and attend his house of worship at least once a week, unlike the daily Golf Cart rider.
It’s not some Dems. Most Dems want someone else. And it’s about far, far more than the debate. It’s about every public appearance, where you pray he finishes sentences and doesn’t lose his train of thought. Yes, trump and MAGA are vile. Yes, the media isn’t doing their job. But the many of the voters we need are turned off by current Biden. Period. He often looks weak and his interview responses are “meh,” at best, which is attracting no new voters. He polls worse than other Dems and the trajectory is down. Unless a younger, more exciting and more capable Dem steps up (yes, yes, Biden WAS great) we’ll be lucky to not lose in a landslide. (And now Joe has COVID, which makes him seem even weaker.)
It doesn't look to me like it's most dems, it looks like it's the donor class and the party elites. I keep finding people at ground level want to keep Biden.
I live in “rural” Montana. I’ve talked to several Dems who want to see Joe replaced. And that is consistent with national polls of Dems. The party elites are trying to quell the anti-Joe movement, actually.
I wish I had more time to get into this, but I've got to get to work, so I'll just say the last 538 poll I saw had Biden ahead of Trump.
Of course, the swing state polls are the ones that matter. And trump is doing better in the swing states. But nationally... https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/polls/president-general/2024/national/
I am encouraged by GenZ recognizing and supporting Joe Biden. They are thinking of the future of democracy and their own future. What is wrong with the 40-50-60s. I’m shy of 90 years old and I’m shocked by the naysayers. 💙🇺🇸
As of the date of this link less than 25% of GenZers think Biden should be at the top of the ticket. Not exactly a ringing endorsement. https://www.newsweek.com/gen-z-backs-biden-debate-1920875
That doesn’t mean they wouldn’t vote for him if the ballot is Biden or Trump.
Biden/Harris is still a whole lot safer than Trump/Vance. I don’t know if polling has been done on
a new Dem candidate specifically. I still think voters
will go with Biden/Harris because they are a known quantity & a new Dem, while he or she may be more exciting, is unknown. Will they understand the threat of climate change like Biden/Harris do? Biden’s done a terrific job. A lot of projects are ongoing and I would rather see them completed than have a new Dem president come in with a whole new team.
But maybe that’s just me.
Got to say I LOVE Joe Biden and family. But at this point, we will gain a FEMALE president, just think of that 😜 I didn't want this at first, but Kamala and perhaps Mark Kelly as VP will give power we Democrats have not had us TOO LONG.
No one seems to be able to name a new exciting younger alternative. So how do the newly anti-Biden crusaders know what will happen if they alienate the millions who voted Biden/Harris in the primaries or if the party essentially dumps Biden’s black-brown VP. This strikes me as a deus ex machina fever dream that could very well cost us everything. The time for replacing Biden was three years ago when we should have seen someone new, exciting, young bring groomed for 2024. It’s too F-ing late.⏰
Gerrymandering, changing people's voter status to inactive are 2 ways Republicans are trying to manipulate the outcome.
People are working to make sure Democrats will vote:
REGISTER DEMOCRATS: They vote!
https://www.fieldteam6.org/
Thank you. Shout it from the roof tops
A MUCH better use of rooftops than Crooks chose.
Bingo, Susan! You nailed it. Just. Get. Biden. Elected. Then we go from there.
A very scary time for our country where our democracy hangs precariously in the balance. We need to counter with a young generation of democratic leaders.
Keeping my head down, working to elect Democrats!!
Today is Florida day on FT 6. Textarcade, phonebank.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/actions
https://www.fieldteam6.org/fund-the-mission
We have them coming up --Gen X & Gen Z -- who have lived knowing the joys of freedom and the sorrows of abuse and the danger of assisted mass murders. Kids like Hogg, who are already actively trying to improve America and advance real universal values!
These young people are our hope.
Vote of course, and get out the vote.
REGISTER DEMOCRATS. They vote!
https://www.fieldteam6.org/
could not agree more!!!
Trump agrees with you....
https://www.bbc.com/news/videos/c2x0knenz4go
YES!
Donald Trump has definitely hijacked the Republican party. Now he sets the stage to keep it hijacked for the next generation and generations to come.
The vast financial support laid out at Trump’s feet by Elon Musk and other ultra rich capitalist show just how far the ultra wealthy have infiltrated into the American political system. Without the support of the ultra wealthy, the campaign would be likely to fizzle.
don’t forget the contracts musk has with the DoD
and how he crippled Ukraine with his threats of totally denying them access to StarLink
The difference between most of our Billionaires and the Russian Oligarchs is the number of SuperYachts the Russians have. And we have a number of GOOD billionaires who support JudeoChristian values. We need to get back to one person/one vote AND -- any contribution by a corporation MUST have the approval of each and EVERY stock holder for each contribution, limited to the maximum allowed per each -- get rid of the $45 million per month by single individuals overseeing the corporations!!
Sorry to be pedantic but people really need to find reality.
What Musk does with his wealth is up to him,it has nothing to do with shareholders of Tesla,or twitter or any body else.Tesla did not donate that money.
Form 4 will tell you exactly what is going on.Musk was selling down shares in 2022 .He is a minor shareholder in Tesla ~ 13%.Pension funds are the major shareholders.
Bezos sold approx 12 million shares in Amazon during February.Form 4 will give you the number of shares sold and the average price.He sold around $5 billion worth.
He has the same freedom as everybody else has ( there are certain restrictions for major individual shareholders ) to buy or sell shares. He is down to around 9% ownership of Amazon now.The human race will never let facts spoil the delusions they want to believe.
Two minutes maximum on the SEC website to find out.Around 2 to 3 minutes to plough through the charitable foundations they fund to see if the money went there.
Musk got 56 Billion dollars for his annual compensation! He should pay back all the subsidies that Tesla and all his other activities were given by taxpayers.
And let's not forget what Orange turd said about Musk. "When Elon Musk came to the White House asking me for help on all of his many subsidized projects, whether it's electric cars that don't drive long enough, driverless cars that crash, or rocketships to nowhere, without which subsidies he'd be worthless, and telling me how he was a big Trump fan and Republican, I could have said, "drop to your knees and beg" and he would have done it,"..."
You still need to live in reality.The share holders voted to grant Musk those options
.
You need to find out the strike price of that option,and the time period and conditions to be met ( LTI ,long term incentives )
To make it easy then we'll say 5 years ago ( Tesla at $17 a share).The incentives were to increase profits,or reduce losses, and a share price of $250 today..The conditions have been met.To make it easy he had options on 1 million shares ( a made up number ).
He now pays out $17 million to buy shares worth $250 million .You and everybody else got exactly the same chance to buy those shares at $17 ,wait for 5 years to see how much they are worth in 5 years time..Should he be granted options today for say 1 million shares to be purchased in 5 years time,then the incentives may be ( made up numbers) a share price of $2000 ,profit to be $X.Should that happen then he will need to spend $250 million to buy those shares worth $2 billion .You and everybody else has the same chance,spend $250 and buy as many shares as you like.
People live in a world of conspiracy theories,they don ' t live in reality..Pension funds are happy with that huge increase in share price over that 5 year period.You should be happy if you have a 401K,Musk has made you wealthier .The rich get richer,you get richer,just as the whole history of the human race tells you .
The answer will still be the same no matter how long the human race is on the planet. The answer is,Nah,reality is not for me,I prefer conspiracy theories.
Opening my E mails ( breakfast time here) the headline " Long time Tesla shareholder says price will increase 1,000%". Nonsense ,predict 10 times every day,365 days a year and there is a chance one of them may be right.If it is dine out on it for the rest of your life.The man that bought NVIDIA @ $1,the person that predicted the next crash,the person that had Bitcoin on an old computer,disposed of it and now searches rubbish tips trying to find his computer with a gazillion $$ worth of Bitcoin on it .The astrologist that can predict the winning lottery ticket,send me $10 and I will give you the winning numbers..
A wonderful bit of common sense from Mark Twain,somebody would have said it centuries earlier
I hate rich people,however if I was offered the position........
Modern day of course is I hate rich people,however I will still buy lottery tickets every week........,fingers crossed,hope I win
you make some very good points. What angers me is that one individual is allowed to donate 45 million dollars/month because of "freedom of speech". The United States is now a full fledged Oligarchy, where a select few can purchase more than their fair share of "freedom"
Or did a few billionaires and religious extremists see a perfect vessel in Mr. Trump?
Why do fascist love use the word "freedom" so much?
Because they certainly love denying the vast majority of people our freedom as they pursue their own craven, selfish goals.
The democratic party has got to gets it act together and fast, because the MAGA brown shirts are more than ready to smother what remains of our democracy in their dystopian form of freedom, which means no freedom at all for the average American.
Yep.
Trump is a chump. But Biden's popularity has declined as precipitously as Trump's has surged after the shooting incident. We really need good ole Joe Biden to do what is right for the country and decline to accept his party's nomination. The party must come together to plan and execute an open convention that showcased the next generation of Democratic leaders. I can't face what the world will look like if the Democrats can't keep Trump out of the White House.
Decline the nomination?
No.
He either shows strength & resiliency, or resigns the Presidency as a boost to his VP and her forthcoming EIGHT YEAR ADMINISTRATION.
When dealing with fascists, Go big or go home
Michael, I agree. He should resign from the Presidency, and Harris should run with Pritzger or another strong Democrat who has actually worked toward protecting the environment and promoting healthcare.
I like PA -John Fetterman
Or Buttigieg! MAGA would explode!!
It’s hard to imagine anyone not doing better than Biden, at this point.
Harris doesn't have the numbers to win.
To win the country, not just those of us who will vote BLUE wno matter who, have an open convention.
Harris doesn't have the numbers yet. She needs to be seen as Presidential, with a televised swearing-in ceremony and the "Hail to the Chief" Marine Corps band playing. A home run speech at the DNC should cinch it, along with a good choice of running mate.
At this point, Biden is not capable of going big, assuming I understand what you mean. Biden has been far outspending trump. It hasn’t helped and now trump is getting big-time financial help. With Joe the country is doomed.
I assume you meant ‘if Joe is the nominee, the country is doomed with a Trump win’.
Probably.
If you’re still living in Montana, then you know what it’s like trying to exist with these people. I live in Florida. I had to get a gun for the first time in my life because these MAGAts think they can intimidate me on the road and on the sidewalk.
I can take care of them, but I can’t make Americans vote. Civil dissolution if we don’t win this time.
@David. Not because he is a bad guy - just too many against him in swing states. With Joe leading the ticket we are doomed.
@ Michael. Harris polls worse than Biden. Lots of younger talent to pull from at an open convention.
An open convention would be chaotic and divide the party when Dems need unity.
As George Washington (or someone?) once said, "Don't Changes Horses in Mid-Stream!" Admittedly, Bush 2 used that after the Saudi Arabians attacked NY & he invaded Iraq, with the US commiting atrocities we will never be forgiven for, but, obviously, Biden is a far better & successful President!!
@Pat. That was Lincoln when he had to run for reelection during the Civil War.
If I recall, Trump was polling worse than Clinton in 2016. So much for the accuracy of polls!
Wrong.
Will not happen.
She can choose a young VP
Evidence Harris is polling worse than Biden?
@David. Watch Kornaki on MSNBC or look up on google.
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2024/07/09/harris-beat-trump-poll-biden/74335338007/ But, yes, there are several alternatives.
@David. One poll and all the numbers are in the margin of error. Not too persuasive, right? And the same regional paper says:
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/opinion/2024/07/14/biden-must-step-down-protect-from-trump/74391743007/
@ David. Forgot to mention that poll was before the shooting. Check again? Biden and Harris have both fallen.
I agree with you that Biden should withdraw. I saw him climb the "baby steps" on Air Force One yesterday, and he looked every inch a tired, old man! He is just going to get worse as time goes on. However, an open convention is not needed. Kamala can get elected if we unite behind her.
@Tim. You have neatly framed the issue. Some say she can win. Traditional measures indicate otherwise. I admit there may not be a Democrat who can generate the kind of excitement in the Democratic Party that would be needed to win. But I can say with a certain amount of certainty that Harris wouldn’t be the one who could do it.
Trump‘s polling is not surging after the shooting. The day after the shooting, Trump went golfing. Biden tried to call Corey Comperatore‘s widow to offer her condolences for her loss. Trump has not called the widow.
According to reports on the Internet, the widow refused to talk to Biden (she is MAGA, after all), but did talk to Trump who called later (after completing his golf game?) and said he was "very kind".
I assume, Benjamin, you are not a Democrat? A Democrat, concerned with what would happen if Trump & his Hillbilly win, dragging along Repub Reps & Repub Senators, would not assume that, after 2 months of constant Trump lies and Repub "justice" eliminating all Trump trials for sedition, Dems can take back the elections in 2 months with unknown candidates, barring events so catestrophic that there is no other choice for the MAGATrumpSupporters to vote for.
If you are thinking Harris -- Keeping Biden keeps those supporting him PLUS keeping Harris and voters who feel more comfortable with a younger V-P in the wings for smooth transition.
@Pat. Registered Democrat since before I went in the Army (1968). I'm also a political scientist. Opinions on this forum are like yours and mine - it's zero sum when some say we can't win if we change candidates and some say we can't win if we don't change. Many analysts and many polls show Harris can't beat Trump. Democrats need to run a convention so that the nearly 4000 delegates, who are all professional political operatives, can sort out the candidates and showcase a clear winner. If Harris wins so be it. Conventions are designed to advance a clear winner through a series of caucuses , and hopefully the Democratic voters, undecided voters, the double-haters and the never-Trumpers will all get behind a fresh Democratic candidate that builds name recognition by going through the media-saturated convention process.
Too late in the election cycle to change candidates if that happens the Republicans will win that how e got Nixon. No need to describe his administration screw ups…
After the election should pass a law prohibiting anyone over 73 or older during their term of office of president.
The big bet is who strokes out first Biden or trumpet 🎺…. In or out of office.
@Citizen J. Opinions on this forum are like yours and mine - it's zero sum when some say we can't win if we change candidates and some say we can't win if we don't change. It was said that the worst mistake is to do nothing because you believe you can only do a little. For me the big decision is whether to lose being loyal to a guy who has been a good President, or to lose by switching to someone who may not pull us through. Many analysts and many polls show Harris can't beat Trump. Too much cultural misogyny in America, and particularly in swing states. Even a lot of women won't vote for a woman. I'm a full on political scientist by training and by interests. Polls are wrong in the specifics, but polls are right on the trend lines. Biden = declining support. Harris = declining support. Impact of conventions = increases differentiation and builds support for the leader. We need to run a convention so that the nearly 4000 delegates, who are all professional political operatives, can sort out the candidates and showcase a clear winner. Conventions are designed to advance a clear winner, and hopefully the Democratic voters, undecided voters, the double-haters and the never-Trumpers will all get behind a fresh Democratic candidate.
The party needs to come together in support of Biden. Stop undermining a successful incumbent.
@G G. If we’re using command language you stop choosing a man over the good of the country. Polls indicate Biden can’t win, Harris can’t win at this point in her candidacy. It is a mistake to do nothing because you think you can only do a little. Folks should be more optimistic about what could occur at an open convention attended by almost 4000 party professionals who know how to run a series of votes and select the best candidate. Plus everyone who assumes the convention will be messy must be thinking they’re smarter than all of those professional party politicians who have as much at stake and more than the general public !
I wish I had more time to get into this, but I've got to get to work, so I'll just say the last 538 poll I saw had Biden ahead of Trump. Sorry for the command language.
@G G. Partly it’s our forum, no worries. But Biden’s poll numbers are sinking and so are Harris’s. Let’s watch the trends but not for too long…
I especially liked his direct confrontation of Lester Holt, Monday. Lester sat there, scowling angrily, immobile, not breathing. He had to interrupt the answers he couldn't handle hearing, to undermine the President's zing. And yes: that zing factor was definitely there!
Yup.
Elon Musk, serial slanderer and arrogant jerk-
Here are my interview questions for him, since everyone else wants to fawn:
Sir,
“ Why slander a guy with the term pedo?” “ How much money did it ACTUALLY cost to settle the above-mentioned lawsuit ?” “Why slander Zuck the Cuck?” “Why call Democrats ‘the extremists’ ?” “Why badmouth NPR?” “How is Wokeism ‘the biggest threat to society’?” “Why do you constantly parrot GOP talking points and dog whistles?” “ Is your father a pedophile“ “Were you actually beaten up severely for taunting a kid who lost his father to suicide?” “ Why do you support Chinese and Russian governments over American union workers?” “What’s with all the conspiracy theories?”: (Soros Paul Pelosi Deep State Liberal Media)
“Why did you immediately endorse Donald Trump rather than spread a vicious conspiracy theory about him(Like you did for Mr Pelosi)?”
Last question:
“Are there other people in your family who were raised to be fascist assholes?”
Vance is a woman hater. It's a death sentence to deny health care related to Ob/Gyn emergency care when a pregnancy is no longer viable. Death is a very large price to pay just for being a fertile girl or woman. He lacks maturity as well as empathy or decency. the billionaires behind him nd tRUMP are the worst of them. Vote blue, of course. because "those two wrongs : trump and Vance ; do not make a right.
Vance would not have made it in life except for a woman: his grandmother "Mamaw".
People need to understand that this is not just trumpism. This is authoritarianism with rich white men making the rules. This is Putin's Russia, Nazi Germany.
When I read that 14 GOP 'governors' turned down federal money to give poor kids lunches during the summer, it brought home to me once again how hard hearted these 'christians' are. Shameful.
J. D. Vance is the pick of Donald Trump Jr. and because of his influence with Dad we as a country now have a convert to the MAGA way of thinking as our VP under Mr. Trump. It's not that the choice was ill conceived, it just leaves us with a milk toast as a future Presidential replacement when the time comes for Trump to step aside. The election of 2024 comes down to our choice between a Trump dictatorship and the continuation of our current Democracy under Biden and Harris. Kamala is an experienced political figure who has a proven track record, while Vance can't make up his mind about who Trump really is. The chant that a vote for Joe is a vote for Kamala for President. Well, she is more qualified to run this country than Donald Trump is.
Vancelot, Trumpletiltskin Jr. and Muskrat are oundoubtedly the next generation, as you call it, Robert, but It's just that they're going to lose once again this coming November. They lost by 3 million votes in 2016 (Trumplestiltskin only secured an Electoral College victory with help from Vlad Pukin's hackers), 7 million in 2020 after yet more banana Republican incompetence led to over 1 million American MAGA deaths due to our then-President refusing to listen to sound scientific advice. My prediction for this year is that they'll lose by 11 million votes. Otherwise, we'll have over 1 billion MAGOA deaths all over Planet Earth due to global boiling and the stupid insistence of the GOP (Greedy Old Polluters) on refusing to listen to sound scientific. Finally, we'll see a strong woman, Kamala Devi Harris, sworn in as America's 47th and first female President next January 20th. Make America Great Once Again (MAGOA) means "sore, bruise, hurt, grief, woe, heartache, sorrow, anguish, lamentation, complaint", in Portuguese (accent on the 1st sylable), which is what the "next generation" is calling for in Milwaukee.
With a net worth of $250 billion and 190 million followers on X, Musk has no guardrails whatsoever. The money makes him a powerhouse driver of public policy. The number of consumers watching and listening to him gives him the opportunity to have an unprecedented influence upon public opinion. If you're not scared sh*tless by this guy, you haven't been paying attention. It's even more frightening to contemplate the damage he and Trump could do together if they developed a serious alliance.
I suspect they'll destroy each other. Musk will expect Trump to say "how high" when Musk says "jump!" and Trump will refuse. Musk will then attack Trump and destroy him as much as possible..
Then Musk will be King? Money corrupts absolutely!
These two, Trump and Musk, will feed off each other. Trump loves BIG money white men and Musk wants money, respect, and power. They will work it out. The contest will go on until money wins! Do not forget the pecking order of oligarchs around the World!
This would be the case if either of these men were psychologically functional and emotionally stable. Neither of them is. They'll try to use each other to meet their own needs, but those needs are constantly changing and will lead to clashes for which each will blame the other, probably quite publicly.
Might be a self solving problem. We can only hope.
I suspect that Musk likes don, because don likes monopolies. And that is what Elon wants. It won't end there. Industry after industry will succumb to monopolization. Then everything you wish to buy will cost too much, and not work.
He paid $44bil to buy X. Then it tanked. He didn't mind. Clearly, he was using his money, to buy influence. He didn't care about profit: merely influence.
👍Musk has president itch and he will put Trump and Vance under his feet.
MUSK cannot qualify to be candidate. Born in S. Africa! But is American citizen.
The Republican convention is a festival of lies. Worse, there's no consistent, coherent pushback and messaging from Democrats. Except on the need for firing Biden. There's time for the messaging to improve but, after so many years of watching Democrats screw it up, I have little faith. There's no political prodigy, like Clinton or Obama, to bail us out.
I don't see how Biden's candidacy can survive. But he's done a better job than I expected. I'd like a Biden candidacy without Biden. A new candidate with Biden's full support and involvement and a promise for it to be a continuation of Biden's work. And for the somewhat hidden messaging to become more overt. Don't just say what we are and cite our record. Attack the Republicans.
And don't be meek or apologetic about anything. It's a crisis.
Republicans are claiming to be Democrats so there's an opportunity there. They've shafted the middle class out of existence, squandered resources and our 'moral capital' like maniacs, started wars for political purposes and kowtowed to the rich with religious zeal and devotion. Are we going to let them get away with this? They are the elite. They're the deep state. They hate America.
And they don't want America to be great they want the Confederacy, with all the perversion that entails. People are crying out for hope and Republicans are offering armageddon -- an apocalypse of lies, policies that are proven bullshit and an ethos of exclusion. We mustn't let them get away with it. We've survived extraordinary stupidity and carelessness. I think it's do or die now.
It sounds like a very bad film script, psychotic misogynists running the country into the ground with the support of their cult followers, reducing everyone else to slavery. It’s time for everyone with a brain and conscience to become actively political to elect Democrats down the ticket. Democracy depends directly on citizen participation to maintain it - it’s not optional. Either we activate every shred of emotion we have about the insanity of the above scenario or we accept it through our passivity.