Unfortunately, a sociopathic infant is what far too many people want. They seriously (I mean seriously) confuse good government with the experience of watching WWE.
I've noticed something interesting on Nextdoor. Although there you find the requisite МАГАт nut-job rants, you have others, whose sympathies become clear over time, asking little questions like "grocery prices are awful high, aren't they?" and inviting comment. So while it seems like the strategy is all WWE all the time in the overt campaign, it calms down and almost comes across as good natured and polite in less radicalized social media, that has enough support for the right to affirm the message on the one hand, and attack anyone interfering with that message as communists, etc. on the other - complaining about and having removed. They also seem to be relatively successful in complaining and having removed anything one might offer, usually as "non-local" - that is, irrelevant - to the discussion, or disrespectful. On the other hand, I started 3 discussions based on Dr Reich's articles on corporate gouging, the high cost of rent, and the high price of groceries that were "hidden because they might violate forum rules." Just something to keep in mind.
IMHO all the chains, Publix, Kroger, Vons, et all support the orange antichrist. All are price gouging. Although Biden was not given authority to sue, California is suing Amazon for price fixing.
Yes, but Biden’s antitrust activities aren’t credited and the general public remains ignorant. The news that Trump requested a billion dollars from the oil and coal cartel was largely and now completely ignored. Trump exaggerates enough so the public ignores what his real message is.
100% of social media, both social and news media, are owned by THE ALT RIGHT. MSNBC sometimes and most INDEPENDENT media are the only ones that give push-back.
Yes, Alan - that was bribery out in the public eye. It needs to be called out. Trump figures he can get away with anything. He needs to be corrected, many times.
I just revised your comment here to point it specifically at corporate grocery chains and the МАГАт driven Ohio General Assembly & Attorney General, then posted it on Nextdoor.com. I'm curious to see how long it'll last before it's suppressed. In the meantime, it should make eyeball contact with several hundred subscribers. I'll keep you posted on how it flies - or whether it even flies in the first place!
My revised version of your comment I'm responding to is now approaching 5000 views on Nextdoor.com and a lively discussion is underway - a total surprise to me!
Not only has it not (yet) been suppressed as I expected, I just got a message from Nextdoor saying:
"Neighbors are really interested in your post!
Trusted neighbors like you are making a difference in the neighborhood. What will you share next?"
Holy cow! I just checked and found I've gotten nearly 2K hits on the version of your comment I revised. It's also garnered a lot of pretty civil discussion, mostly from those that disagree. It's even managed to avoid being complained about and deleted or hidden for one day in a row! It must have been the IMHO I kept in the revision! 😁
If I were a shareholder, I'd sue to recoup profits lost due to high energy costs based on fixed long term contracts. Most of those expenses were manufactured, starting with OPEC. Actually I represented, in antediluvian time, many in the industry. The big fish ate the little fish. The real reason why there are high prices is lack of competition.
How much of your living expenses are for fuel? How much of business expenses are for fuel? You make it sound as if 100% of all expenses are for fuel. If 20% of your expenses are for fuel, and the price of fuel doubles, your total expense only increases 10%.
And you can't talk about the expense for fuel without taking into consideration Climate Change. A gallon of gasoline emits 19.4 pounds of CO2. CO2 lasts for tens of thousands of years in the atmosphere and oceans. It currently costs 50 cents per pound to capture CO2 from the air and bury it as stone. Add that to the cost of gasoline, and it adds $10 bucks per gallon.
China and India are the biggest polluters of the earth. The USA cracked down on industrial pollution in the 70s. Also our crude oil is much cleaner than Asia’s.
Are you aware that the WWE is the trademark of TV "rasslin'?" (I just discovered my typo! My apologies.) It has nothing to do - in this case - with wildlife other than the fake TV "rasslers" hollerin' at each other and their МАГАт oriented fans. Hell, even ol' Kaiser von Schitzinpantz was once featured slamming someone down on the floor on TV once.
Yes, I do but you typed WWF instead of WWE. There was a copyright infringement lawsuit because in 1979 the WWWF was renamed the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). In 2002, following a legal dispute with the World Wildlife Fund, the WWF was renamed World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
You are a communist and I’m not good natured. I have no problem hurting you or other communist because you are enemies of the American people. Hopefully I do get a chance to really cause damage to your life, but if not, you’ll die alone and in misery anyway. So that’s a consolation! Anyway have a great day, pal.
Let’s set it up! I live in Silver Spring, MD. That’s right outside DC. I’m outtagetme1 on IG. DM me there and we can set up a fight for charity.
If not, I would still like to meet your little friend! And btw I’m very intimidated by some guy on Substack, so please don’t threaten me too much!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤡
My serious confusion is to THEIR, (the deathcult members), confusion over HIS confusion! He can BARELY SPEAK ENGLISH ANYMORE! At night, he "Sundowns" so incredibly hard that he is INCAPABLE of pronouncing the letter 's.'
I want a president who is able to choose which tie to wear at a six o'clock press briefing.
Is it be because half of our population actually prefer “a sociopathic infant” or perhaps are ones…no amount of convincing some people that Trump is terrible is going to matter.. because terrible is what they want 😐
I recognize it’s going to be terrible for weaklings like you , doc. The gravy train is over, wasteful bureaucracy’s handing out cash to their friends, AKA facism, is coming to an end. It sucks you are going to have to work like everyone else, but hey, such is life.
They are into him for the social aspects. He makes them laugh, he is as imperfect as they are, and his people gather for parties and are made to feel special. It does not occur to them that they are nothing to him.
No, he hates people like you. We aren’t delusional about political leaders. You think I care if it was Trump or someone else? As long as you stupid white liberals pay for your idiocy then it’s all good! I just want people like you to suffer!🙂
Terrible like his first term? Do you forget we already experienced Trump in office and everything was better then, at least what the Office of the President can affect.
You just expressed exactly what is wrong with the Democrat party. You call president Trump an “infant” and “sociopathic”. He’s obviously not an infant, and truly does not display sociopathic behaviors. This is name calling, which is immature behavior. When Republicans speak of Biden, we state actual facts..such as dementia, sniffing children, lying about his past accomplishments etc…which are all observable and proven facts recorded.
Terrible for you, but not for us working class people. Btw, why aren’t you housing illegals? They look awfully hungry, and could use someone to cook and clean for them.
Paul you were just getting nasty in this comment section. Why not go out to Trump rally some place stick your head in the toilet and then flush real hard.
Russell, Exactly, an uneducated fearful, hateful group of people who equate forms of equality with a loss of their PERCEIVED superiority. They cannot comprehend the meaning of The common good.
I absolutely agree. When politics becomes entertainment you don’t have to listen to any empirical data or economists. Because they are all lying, because they’re all liberals, etc., blah, blah, blah. The maga voter disassociates from facts and truth. They can just change the channel or get their fix on you-tube and listen to their favorite influencers, who, btw, are never experts in any field they purport to have inside knowledge of. It also relieves the voter from taking any responsibility for anything, racism, climate change. If the problems in this country are someone else’s then I can just sit back and blame them.
YouTube could be maybe a little too highbrow for some of these cats. Senator Ted Stevens's "internets," aka "that series of tubes," has dissolved into a cesspool.
I’m very depressed. I think the fascists are going to take over. I can’t believe how stupid a significant portion of the population is. I think Trump is going to win again. It’s a nightmare.
Protest votes have a role in U.S. elections, I suppose. But elections, at bottom, are bound by the electoral process and math. The process will not allow the math to add up to 270 for Jill Stein. Thus, pointless to vote for her, or any other Presidential candidate that does not belong to one of the two major parties.
Tom, if you want sane—which is what I want; as a lifelong unaffiliated voter, I care about effective governance. I hate The Politics Industry (great book). To get better outcomes, we need to adjust the system. It’s not enough to vote for someone whose values & aims align best with your own if they simply can’t win, because the system is rigged in favor of hyperpartisan duopoly voters, and particularly in favor of voters from low population states.
The Electoral College has its effect; one way to mitigate its negative effects are for a couple of more states to pass the National Popular Vote (NPV) Interstate Compact, which ensures that whoever earns the majority of votes across the country, nationally, because the winner of the popular vote is who EC votes are allocated to from participating states.
What I’m doing is NOT wasting my one vote. I’m working for pro-voter, pro-democracy electoral reform. I’m working with Dems to get out the vote. And I’m working with a lot of other people to educate people & influence elected officials that specific reforms will reduce polarization and shift the toxic nature of politics and campaigns. Ranked choice voting. Proportional representation. Open primaries.
We have to shift the composition of state legislatures to be more representative. We have to elect people WILLING to institute reforms. Right now, the only major party willing to do that is the Dems. Otherwise, the duopoly seesaw, the constant attack ads, the relentless attempts at minority power grabs, the mind-numbing bullshit continues.
Gov Hochul is not well liked. Outside of NYC, Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo it is a complete mess with private equity suppressing new home building while buying up property and housing stock.
They are only building high-end market rate apartments, or low income subsidized housing as those are the two largest growing demographics, with the low income demographic growing the fastest.
If you do not leave your comfort zone, leave the city, go to rural areas, you will not see the real issues and never understand.
Good point, but his is a point the cultist won't like. When I live in a conservative area I register Republican, and in a liberal area Democrat. That way, I can help choose the most likely candidate to win during the primaries... I then vote my conscience.
You use so much over-used propaganda talk it makes me wonder what country you’re trolling from. You are extremely uninformed about numerous accomplishments by Biden. The media is owned almost exclusively by the ultra right, that’s a fact you can look up. Biden passed $1.2T infrastructure pkg, got 500 million Covid vaccinations to people by having them given at pharmacies and other convenient locations, $369 billion investment in Climate change despite the idiot rescumliCons pretending Climate change does not exist, Cut child poverty in HALF, Capped prescription drugs at $2k per yr for seniors, achieved historically low unemployment, recommitted to the Paris Agreement (regarding Climate Change), Respect for Marriage Act, Electoral Count Act and more!
Jill Stein can talk all she wants because she doesn’t even make the charts so a vote for her truly is a vote to help trump. That you can’t find a difference btwn trump and Biden makes you a rube, easily fooled by the BS.
Adam, Ultimately it’s a good sign that they’re so damn desperate. Trump can’t even speak without slurring his words and stood with a 35 second pause recently…forgot where he was! 😄 The trolls need to do their best to distract. They have nothing.
Agreed! The fact that they try so hard IS telling. And this high AH is so much damn fun! I can scarcely wait for the next installment of his "tomfoolery!"
There is ZERO chance Stein will win. There is ZERO chance anyone will win but Biden or Trump. If your vote helps Trump to win, he will steer us much further away from your vision of the future than Biden will.
So voting Stein does NOT align with yor vision. Voting Biden does. Get it? It's very simple. Even Trumpers understand this which is why they always vote Trump even when they can't stand him.
There is a path between you and the moon but there is zero chance you will be there anytime soon. Stein won't even be on the ballot. If you are not voting for Biden, you are voting for Trump. It is that simple. Obviously, you have trouble with binary logic.
Even if you do nothing at all, you are voting for Trump. And when Trump is back in the White House, destroys our democracy, gives Israel all the money and weapons it wants, completely abandons all Biden has done for the environment, screws over labor by making all unions illegal, etc.etc. whose fault will all of that be? It will be YOURS and yours only. You and all the other morons who are too stupid to make your vote count and actually do something that might prevent all of that. Actually, when Trump is president, he will end all elections and you will not even HAVE a vote anymore.
What do we know about Dirty Don and Honest Joe. No one really knows anyone completely. However, when forced to choose between the two I feel an honest man like Joe supersedes anything offered by a criminal, a bully and an egotistical moron like Dirty Don. Vote for the continuation of normalcy not the fool hearty efforts offered by a stooge on the eve of destruction, (great song.)
I agree, but I think Don gets a pass on being a moron. Maniac perhaps; but Dirty Don's plans, speeches and actions are thoroughly intentional and not the product of a moron! For what it's not worth, he doesn't qualify as an evil "genius" either.
Don, you’re a bitch, and you will be treated as such. You must like Joe because you are like him, feeble, old, weak, stupid, corrupt and a complete liar who’s plagiarized his entire life from other people.
As far as I can tell, the people making that kind of talk are deeply conflicted with their own pornographic mother fkng sexual desires. They have a universal inability to separate fact from fiction. They lack any understanding of the thousands of factors that go into messing up a pregnency, or a person's attractors.
And, what exactly, is wrong with any of that, Southern Belle? I’d rather have a president with an affinity for all cultures, rather than one whose only affinity appears to be for himself, golf carts, and large bowls of ice cream after dinner!
This long time Republican thoroughly agrees! Former President Trump IS a clear and present danger who must not be elected President in November!
At the same time, I hope that several of President Biden's more extreme economic and international relations policies can be implemented in a manner tempered to achiever their desired results without overly damaging the country's economy or the well being of its citizens.
It will not be easy, but focusing on results and real people is far preferable to ideologic purity - no mater how well intended it may be.
Good words Noel. My only quibble would be the part "can be implemented in a manner tempered to achieve their desired results without overly damaging the country's economy". That applies to most things, but not climate change. My whole world view changed once I realized years back how much trouble humanity is in when it comes to human-caused climate change. In my view and in the view of almost all scientists in all scientific fields, it is quite literally a 5-alarm fire. And insidious in that the worst effects are delayed long enough so as not to be obvious to those not in the know. The frog on the stove top analogy is a good one. In the case of global warming, the Biden administration needs to push as hard as it possibly can for the country and the world to take measures as strong as the situation demands to get this emergency turned around. The only limit in my mind is not so much measured in what impact there is on the economy, for near term economic difficulties due to strong action pale in comparison with long term impacts of no action or weak action. No, it should be measured in whether or not the administration can continue to be in power, such that strong policy can endure rather than get thrown out the window as Trump did in 2016, and promises to do if he gets in again. Unfortunately that is where we are, with very strong climate-denial forces at work.
Naming ideas is important, as important as implementing solutions... "Climate Change" I felt from the start was very easy for Repulicans to counter ... the climate has and always "changes." Which is very true. It changes from dusk to dawn, every minute, every hour ... the word Disrupt, Disruption ... much harder to deny humans have effected and disrupted the climate, quality and health of this planet earth. Same with programs named "Free lunches" and Defund the Police ... and many more rediculous names so easily targeted slamming to the matt/counter.
Thanks Jay, I much enjoyed your comments and agree thoroughly with most of them. My background in the hard sciences and mathematics is not at a professional level by any means, but neither is it just average. "Climate Change" is undeniable and has existed in one form or another for literally millions of years. Undoubtedly homo sapiens has contributed to climate change over the past few millennia and even more so recently with industrialization and all that implies.
Yet even without industrialization ice ages have come and gone; continents have rearranged themselves; desserts and barren lands now exist in China, the South West United States, North Africa and the Middle East where once robust civilizations existed. All without a decent smokestack in sight. The geologic records of massive meteor strikes, super volcanoes, earth quake and generated tsunamis are only now beginning to be understood along with deep sea currents whose locations, courses and volume have yet to be accurately modeled, let alone accurately mapped. Even our day to day weather systems and patterns have yet to be fully understood, although much more about them is known compared to some other events I have mentioned.
But assuming for the sake of discussion that man has been responsible for much or most of recent climate change, an assumption I can neither accept fully nor deny, we are still working with terribly incomplete data, and as a practical matter the United States is only one small geologic part of an industrialized planet that is politically controlled by other nations or by no-one at all.
Who tells or compels China or Russia to clean up their industrial pollution (which is far greater than that of the US); or compels South American countries to stop cutting or burning trees in order to increase their food producing agricultural industries via farming or meat production? Who compels North Korea or Iran to stop their researches into thermonuclear weapons?
Once again, I do not deny climate change but, borrowing your example, actions taken by the United State alone is like trying to fight your 5 alarm fire using a few small children in fire hats riding a toy truck and carrying garden hoses. Much more scientific knowledge, resources and complete, global cooperation is required to do the job right! Certainly the U.S. can and I believe will provide an invaluable example, but unless you know which way to point the hoses (and or foam generators) the 5 alarm conflagration will not be extinguished, and a global solution is definitely required!
H.B. I completely agree with your assertion. Yet half of the country will read your words and call you wacko. "Oh stop that!" Your words sound like you are exaggerating, raving, fear-mongering. Yet what you are saying is true. And another will woman will read that last sentence and call me naive; yet another trollish person in my own vicinity will break into my house and what will they do to it; and me?
MSM has to start reporting all the news. Biden is doing a great job. They don’t give him any credit. Lowercased don is an egotistical liar, rapist and hater of Democracy. Most people that I know who are for don are deeply rooted and can’t be changed.
If something doesn’t change little lowercased don will have total control and that is frightening.
Heather Cox Richardson’s Substack covers Biden’s commencement address to the graduating seniors at Morehouse College. Everyone should read this and share it with others who have any questions about who is more presidential.
Yes it was inspiring. It brought me a way to be compassionate toward the trumpanzee too.
They are angry, for the same reason black men are angry. They've been screwed, and so have at least 50% of the rest of the population. They're angry, for good reason.
There's your point of compassion.
But rather than revenge, which is all Drumpf has to offer, Biden offers justice. It's weak tea at this point, looking at how weak the justice system looks. I think when Drumpf is found guilty yet again, people may start to see that there is a reason to hope for justice after all.
Thanks Jen. Trump supporters are angry and blame Biden for the price of groceries and gas. Economic data and Reich calculations are a weak tea compared to the sensational lies that Trump brews.
@ Monica P: This is the third time I've posted this this morning. Start complaining to the NY Times, the "newspaper of record," that has been horrible:
WE don't control the media. Neither does the DNC. In order to repeat our message, WE need to be persistent. DNC REACH provides the means to broadcast the comments. https://democrats.org/reach/
WE can send it...every day as a press release to media outlets. To social media.
WE can channel Taylor Swift, who has millions of followers on Instagram and X. Most Gen Z do not rely on MSM...use Tic Tok, Instagram, Facebook for their news.
Meanwhile millions of unregistered folks trend heavily Democratic. Register Democrats -- save the world.
I agree that Biden is generally doing a great job and that it's appalling so many Americans would prefer an orange douchebag from Queens. I agree that Biden could have handled Netanyahu much better. I also agree that the media should be doing a much better job.
I don't agree about the polls in 2016, however. The polls I followed on 538, showed Hillary consistently level-pegging with Trump throughout 2016, same as Biden in 2024.
Sanders, on the other hand, was always way ahead of Trump.
My greatest concern about Biden is not that he's old (Sanders is old, Trump is old) but that he's said to be old because he's perceived to be weak. His voice is weak, his gait is slow and deliberate, he sometimes appears to be a bit confused. This is not the Joe Biden of 2016, who would have been a shoe-in for the presidency. Maybe he has a sleep disorder, maybe he has early Parkinson's, either way he may have a readily treatable condition.
If he doesn't do extremely well in the first debate, then the DNC must take drastic action. But please let us not fall into the comfortable trap of thinking that the polls don't matter. They do.
Yup. There's no way Dumpy will participate without a friendly audience and without being able to shout over Pres Biden. He doesn't know how to speak without those two requirements.
As for Biden’s gait, I recognize my own arthritic stiffness of the spine. My gait is slow and deliberate, too, to avoid tripping. He rides a bicycle, you know.
When Trump does his little “energetic dance” he does not move his feet.
Are you serious Karen, I mean Carol. Joe is a complete invalid at this point. My question is why is he in such bad shape? He’s only in his early 80’s and he’s had the easiest job in the world for 4 decades combined with the best and free medical care. My grandma is 95 and is far sharper than Joe Dope. And comparing Trump’s mental acuity to Biden, that’s just a joke and shows how delusional white liberals are.
“His voice is weak, his gait is slow and deliberate, he sometimes appears to be a bit confused.” Whether this is the case or whether it is perceived, people vote based on perceptions. I agree with you Michael that if Joe looks weak at the first debate we (collective “WE” that want to preserve democracy) have time to recover at the Democratic Convention. Just for grins think about the energy that a Gavin Newsom/Gretchen Whitmer (or name another one) ticket would pump into those that are disenchanted with the current two presumptive candidates.
I think Bill Maher is right. I would much rather have the real Biden stand up. Slowly. Don’t deny your old. We all know you’re old. Admit it. Biden’s old. Run on democracy. Run on having an excellent administration officials. The Biden’s cabinet has been doing a great job. Of course, the MSM doesn’t cover them at all. Accept poor Secretary for immigration. The only reason he was covered was the cowardly republican’s are forcing immigration as the sole issue upon us.
Secretary Buttigieg got us Airline Bill of Rights. Rights similar to the EU and Canada. A lot of business travelers are going to love that.
Biden walked on a picket line and under his presidency has seen the biggest growth of unions in decades.
The Attorney General is doing the most antitrust litigation to pull us out of the second gilded age.
President Biden is being a great president because he has good people around him. There are no Friday night massacres of Trump appointments. There are no resignations en masse.
I think he needs to pull VP Harris a hell of a lot more. If she’s going to be the president should die in office let her show how she would be a good president. We can start with the fact she’s never shot a puppy in the face because the poor dog annoyed her.
Yes, Biden is old. Trump is old too. Furthermore he is showing neurological decline. He has symptoms of dementia or early stages of Alzheimer’s. Both of which are degenerative and will only worsen.
I hate to bring this up for fear a Republican meet read this, even if Trump gets elected the 25 Amendment needs to be invoked. He clearly has no competency to carry out the duties of presidency. It was a concern in his administration already.
I hope Biden uses a cane or even a walker to the podium and just says loud and clear “I believe in democracy.” Mic drop
Well Newsom got elected Governor of our country’s largest state twice as well as beating a recall effort. Newsom governs the fifth largest economy in the world with a GDP just under $4 trillion so I’m not sure where your reasoning comes in.
I will treat you idiots however I choose. You are a shit stain that no one cares about, so lay down and shit up, bitch. BTW, so you understand democrat voter = “you idiots”.
I like your choice of alternative candidates. I just saw a clip of Joe Biden talking. His facial expression was good, his voice was strong. He looked great, and my first thought was FINALLY he's taking his vitamins. Then I saw the date: October 2020, just before he won the election. He has declined markedly. I don't think it's Alzheimer's or frontotemporal degeneration, but I do think he's not getting good medical advice. He may have something quite treatable.
I’m not sure that there is anything medically wrong or any medical diagnosis. Possibly just being 81 years old and aging is part of the process. As far as good medical advice, he has the best medical care in the world so I’m doubtful about that statement. We all lose energy and vigor with age. Some earlier than others. It doesn’t mean that his mind isn’t working at 100%. Don’t get me wrong, I love JB and I think that he has accomplished a lot, I just want “US” to have the best shot at keeping the former guy from getting elected again.
I agree, but thinking it might be too late. And I think the Israel thing is really hurting him with the youth. I don’t think they’ll vote for trump, but just not vote or third party.
Turn off Fox Entertainment- first and get your news elsewhere. Second- corporations control food prices- Biden did not raise them. He is using the Government to help lower them and provide relief! Third- Biden has lowered the deficit with China. Fourth- the lawlessness of the Democratic Party does not even compare to the blatant lawlessness of the Republican Party starting and starring fmr Pres Donald. Immoral behavior is not defined by political party. Biden and US did not start the war in Ukraine or Isreal. That was Putin and Hamas.
Your comments are not worthy of my time to respond but you got it anyway. I did my hard work of the day. One day at a time, one person at a time, despite the fact that I know by your tone that it is time waisted on a closed mind. Listen carefully to what your man is promising if elected this time around and remind yourself Hitler and Nazi Germany and of what is at stake for your future- fascism is what he is promising and you are supporting. Opposition to leadership in authoritarian regimes is punishable by incarceration or even death.
You need to understand that Presidents don’t raise grocery prices….Presidents make policy decisions that cause inflation. Gas prices are a big contributor to food prices. Farm machinery runs on fuel. Next, transporting food takes fuel. The whole economy is like Dominoes game. When one area goes down the rest goes down. It’s very fragile actually. People pay more for necessary food and fuel. That stresses their incomes. People stay home more, less likely to travel or eat at restaurants. Retailers and restaurants are going bankrupt. Then add in all the illegal migrant spending, less tax money to help our own. Taxes will go up. It’s a mess that was all avoidable by just following our laws on the books.
Quit shouting with the capital letters. Also, can’t you at least try to get your point across without the vulgarity and name calling? It’s all very trump-like!
Seems like you have drunk too much Kool-Aid. Biden is by no means perfect, but he's a h-ll of a lot better than TFP who should never be allowed in public office again. We need to vote to keep our democracy. I do NOT want a dictator, whom we already know is a fraud & a criminal, running the US, or his magas in Congress! Globally, he is already feared & the US is losing its power because of him.
You got up really early to produce that screed but you have given us a pretty complete picture of a our polar opposite. On my TV I see Marjorie Taylor Green, I see corporations reporting great profits, I see lots of shiny new cars, I see incredible infrastructure projects with their attendant incredible traffic jams, for 4 months I have watched Southwest Florida fight it’s way back from a devilish hurricane, I see a border problem that flies in the face of our national policy of being a hope to lawful immigrants because of our national polices of aiding and abetting leaders in Latin and South America who were first anti communist and second, God knows what ! I won’t even mention the mess in most of Africa. As for Israel and Ukraine, Biden is working at both. We are not going to ask Ukraine to back down as they were invaded and Putin has to be taught a hard lesson but Biden must try to persuade the totally rabid hard liners in the Israeli government that the way they have been pursuing this war against Hamas will not achieve their desired ends. As for “wax corpse like Biden “ you are just a mean bully. When you consider Trump’s presidency, the Muslim ban, the stupid and ugly border wall, pardons for all his friends, January 6th, 4 criminal trials, I really do not care what he looks like. What he has done and said and promised is so awful that we cannot have him repeat.
you only see these people who are profiting off of the "helpful" things that joe Biden has done are the people that voted for Biden the people that voted for trump has had it worse than before he was elected
These are facts but the MAGA troll isn’t hired to write facts. Just to scream a world salad like his orange master. Fortunately, Art Lover’s stupidity is quite obvious.😂
Copied from a response I made earlier. Educate yourself! You are extremely uninformed about numerous accomplishments by Biden. The media is owned almost exclusively by the ultra right, that’s a fact you can look up. Biden passed $1.2T infrastructure pkg, got 500 million Covid vaccinations to people by having them given at pharmacies and other convenient locations, $369 billion investment in Climate change despite the idiot rescumliCons pretending Climate change does not exist, Cut child poverty in HALF, Capped prescription drugs at $2k per yr for seniors, achieved historically low unemployment, recommitted to the Paris Agreement (regarding Climate Change), Respect for Marriage Act, Electoral Count Act and more!
Here you go Art Lover. Here’s the unemployment rates for each administration since WWII. In case you have difficulty reading facts I’ll clue you in that Joe Biden leads the pack in the lowest rate.
And let's not forget Bidens continued financial support of the depraved genocide taking place in Gaza. Also, the fact that he is a pervert/pedophile, has committed plagiarism, is corrupt, and he thinks his father lived on a Kibbutz (severe dementia getting worse everyday). I am no fan of Trump, but to suggest Biden is doing a great job as President is at best patent dilusional nonsense to a blatant lie.
CNN is owned by a right wing billionaire. Jesus you’re dumber than a doorknob! And I love the trump-style whining in all caps. Nobody here is fooled by you. Get back on your meds and back to your cult.
I’m NOT a fan of Trump & will not go to his defense for anything he’s done, said or otherwise. But I do have an issue with Biden’s seemingly increasing mental defects. He won’t submit to neurological testing (that I’m aware of & I may not be) to reassure the American voters. I’m curious to know why? Additionally, the whole border crisis & payouts to illegal immigrants, regardless who is in office, offends me at my very core. Why isn’t this money being put back into our system to care for legal US citizens and taxpayers when children are starving, our Veterans who can’t get proper medical care (the VA is a joke & a racket) or live in a home & the elderly are being forced to Ed out of their homes & nursing homes are nothing but chronic abuse & neglect?? Why did Biden make the vaccine mandatory when common sense would tell you it was a coordinated attack on our most vulnerable population by Big Pharma & its political allies?? Why are we sending billions of dollars to foreign countries/governments when we can’t contain our own borders?? I, honestly, don’t trust the word of ANY politician & look at track records. Both the Biden & Trump families are into shady business & are corrupt. But Biden’s family has a hx of crossing the line when it comes to women & children. There are drugs & guns involved. Yes, Trump has many affairs in his time but the majority have been adults & consensual.
I want to see a candidate who actually wants to do the right thing, clean up corruption in the White House and all elected officials as well as Big Corporations. Biden may have greater job growth but how many of those are COVID lockdowns that lost their middle class jobs? I say those don’t count. And why aren’t those responsible for the whole COVID debacle not being prosecuted, fined & sitting their butts in jail??? Why aren’t we as a nation distancing ourselves from the WHO, who have an agenda of their own??
There are too many questions that both Trump & Biden are responsible for me to believe in either.
I’m siding with the US of America 🇺🇸. Too bad more ppl can’t see it that way.
Think what you may. But your constant vitriol to others’ opinions only show what kind of person you are. An unhappy, bitter, angry person who doesn’t want anything but more drama. You couldn’t have a calm discussion about anything which puts you in the same category as those who are shaming others to keep them quiet. This country was established on having informative debates with calm, educated people. This may be before your ignorant mind which was brainwashed in Marxism. I took a debate class in high school. Back when it was normal to not judge ppl, we welcomed the opinions of others & we believed America was the great melting pot of the world. Diversity was considered a great thing.
Your very small mind & attitude speaks loudly of your character, so excuse me if I don’t give 2 shits what you think. Ppl like you are the reason this world has gotten so ugly.
You're looking in the mirror and dealing with it every day aren't you? You're demented and just feeling the effects, eh? Family history of it, right? If you weren't what you are, one could almost feel sorry for ya.
But here you are casting aspersions in your feeble attempt to elicit personal inforrmation from me. Poor deluded thing. Don't worry about my age. You'll have enough to worry about with what's coming up soon in your rear-view mirror.
Now that's IT! Off to bed now or I'll get my belt.
This is an excellent comment. I don’t agree with all of it, but it highlights why a cherry picked view of Biden is so unsatisfying to people who might “come across“. It would be far more effective for the goal of finding a middle ground, if Professor Reich would present a balanced view, and let us make up our minds, rather than a cherry picked view that ignores Biden‘s shortcomings.
Oh yeah, Biden is such a great leader!😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
You realize that dope has been in DC his whole adult life and done nothing but enrich himself? Are you stupid because you’re a woman or because you’re white?
Hey dumb white woman! The MSM is the democrat cheer team. If they can’t find good shit to tout about Joe Dope, that means there isn’t anything good. Stop being such an idiot, Karen.
okay we want Biden for our president and keep the constitution right? while he is taking our rights away. I know you are going to say how but they are taking our 2 amendment and you don't see anyone saying how Biden is a pedophile that is the 1 amendment right there
"He can’t afford you all having a collective herd of cows on his stack when somebody posts a meme you can’t handle without a whambulance ride to the ER."
Or by utilizing Occam's razor, we can determine that you are a base liar in addition to being a troll of lesser quality.
Shut up you stupid bitch. Yeah you, van Doormaal. We don’t need to read shit, we live in the real world and see real shit. For example I know you are scared of black people, because you’re a punk ass white boy who would get beaten and robbed for looking like a victim. You have your head stuck so far up your ass you can’t see how big of a pussy you are, and that why you just do as your told. Stop pretending like you’re intelligent, you’re not. Stop pretending like you know what you’re talking about, you don’t. And lastly I hope you get killed by a pack of rabid illegals, because you supported that shit.
A Murdoch's Fox News YouTube doesn't have much credibilty. It's pretty obvious to anyone who understands how Murdoch has been influencing elections for years that he's supporting T. So you are helping Murdoch do his 'brainwashing', as you call it!
Do you really think personally insulting people is going to have them hear your viewpoints? I like Robert's page because his participants are mostly respectful and polite here and I learn stuff. Regarding Murdoch's Fox News YT, maybe read up on Murdoch's empire and how he operates, there are also documentaries about him.
I can't believe you find this clips serious information. It reminds me of Congress seriously talking about the intimate parts of Hunter Biden, proving that... what?
In my country a village council does not stoop so low.
The clip you wanted me to see is as stupid and toxic: just think and compare policies and achievements!
With all due respect Robert, I am sorry but this a typical Liberal Intellectual response. Most people are worried about the sharp increase in COL and concerned about security, and they don't see any of this having any positive impact on that. Yes, keep celebrating Biden's achievements but without directly addressing their day-to-day concerns, Biden won't get re-elected. Many people seem desperate and want to see something change for the better and to be frank, one has to be pretty desperate if one believes Trump will bring a change for the better for everybody. Trump is not afraid of naming their concerns repeatedly, without even coming up with real solutions and merely for political gain but at least they believe he recognises their concerns. Most Democrats seem not to want to talk about it and if they do, they often blame others. If you are incapable of doing anything about it, you are seen as weak by the voters.
Democrats across the board have to stand up much stronger to support the American people in dealing with their concerns and much stronger and united in their support of Biden. This whole election seems to be singularly focused by both sides on defeating the opponents, not on what is best for America and the American people.
I agree with you. The harsh reality of most people is that they are struggling to provide the basic necessities for themselves and their families. The Democrats have to stop saying it is so much better now when most people don't feel that. It sounds like BS. The cost of groceries, rent, childcare when you can find it, gas, utilities, and transportation is too high for most people. Obamacare is becoming too expensive for many people who don't qualify for Medicaid so they rely on urgent care and intend to use Go Fund Me if they have a major illness.
We're retired and have the time to read and watch the news. We have life experience and aren't easily conned. We understand that Biden is turning things around and it can't happen overnight. A year seems much longer to young people and they are impatient for a break. The stock market is an economy in another world for most people. Promise universal healthcare and childcare. Promise something tangible that will change lives in the foreseeable future, like within four years of Biden's next term. Trumps oportunistic daughter promised childcare is 2016 and got many surburban women's votes. Of course she lied.
Agreed. I'm a senior, and I feel like our group has been left behind. I can barely keep a roof over my head, and if my 11-yr-old car needs to be replaced, forget it! Who can afford the cost of a new vehicle these days? Food prices are still high. Utilities are higher. Basic necessities will soon cost too much for the poor in this country. Actually, we're pretty much there. If they raise my rent again this year, I'll likely end up living in my car, like so many other seniors.
That being said, I know well what Trump has done to trash our country, and I'm fully aware of what Biden has accomplished to counteract it. He's done far better than I thought he would, so of course he'll get my vote. But I'd really, really like NOT to live in a car at my age. Affordable housing must be addressed! There are too many homeless in this country, and while some have drug problems or suffer from mental illness, many are simply poor and can't afford a safe place to live.
Same. I am raising my Godson, who is 14. I am not retired, have a STEM degree, have worked at an Ivy in nuclear physics research, yet find myself both "over qualified" for work outside academia and "not experienced enough" for things in my field, depending on the job I apply for. Meanwhile, everything is falling apart in local societies as the monopolies and tech centralize all work, automate the wrong processes misusing tech advances.
When you add that to the large growth in the poor and a shrinking middle class, you get mental illness, and associated drug addiction from the trauma.
No one talks about the mental illness of the morbidly rich, which should be in the DSM.
I'm incredibly stressed these days. I hardly sleep anymore. I worry all the time because I don't have enough money for basics. I admit I'm reaching a depth of despair previously unknown to me. :( Life doesn't seem worth living anymore, when it's nothing but anxiety and struggle.
Theo, you are right. Unaffordable housing ruins lives, but owners and investors earn a lot. How to change your "red scare"? In Holland we tried to since 1902...
Yet there are tens of millions of eligible voters who just do not vote. It is urgent that we contact those people and have conversations in which we hear out their opinions and inform them of logistics to get them to the polls for this crucial election.
Theo, I am sorry to hear of your difficult situation. Elected officials at every level of government need to hear your story. So many voters say they don't call their elected officials because they feel not listened to. If they don't hear your story, then they will not have the human side of issues. It is one way for us on the ground to speak our truth and potentially impact policy even if the (White House/Senate/Congressional/State legislative/ mayoral/ city council/ public advocate/ County executive) staffer who takes your message cannot produce meaningful and immediate help. I wish you well.
It is dumb to blame inflation on Joe Biden or any single person. Inflation is the result of actions by the Federal Reserve, Congress, corporations, weather (especially with food), conditions in other countries that we trade with, etc. IMHO, the actions of these actors baked in much of the inflation we have seen since 2021 BEFORE Joe Biden took office!
Not correct. We are in no way "lower than the rest of the world". We are 17th from the lowest in the G20, in a cluster with Spain, UK, Australia and Brazil around 3.5%.
Since 2021 prices have increased due to corporate greed. Stop blaming it on Biden. Since it was Trump who deregulated corporations, that’s where you should be putting your blame.
I agree, Hans; thanks for your comment today. Looking forward to June 27. Imagine if the debate started with a coin toss, and each Candidate got three minutes to blurt out whatever they wanted, and the rebuttal got two minutes to respond. That debate pattern continues up to the end of the debate. Then, just after the debate, the pollsters and MSM all weigh in as to who they think won the first debate. At a guess, the needle won’t have much or at all for either candidate because many voters already know who they are voting for, and the ones who don’t likely won’t until just before the election based on who they think will win.
Why, many people want to say I picked the winner and don’t look too deeply after that. You are right, many of us in America live from day to day, and history has proven that those of us in that large swath of the population often feel our concerns are not being addressed.
My advice to either candidate is to get out there and tell the truth to the country in a diplomatic way, something to the effect that it matters who you vote for, but the likelihood that anything will change for you soon is unlikely. Explain that in a two-party election there will be a winner and a loser, but the reality is that we as a country, all of us, have been headed down a path starting in the seventies that has gotten us to where we are today regarding education, health-care, living wages, preoccupation with ourselves, has gotten us better or worse off, we’ve got over eight billion of us on the planet and as humans we’re consuming things we can’t replace and creating an environment we likely can’t survive in after another one-hundred years like we do today.
If either candidate took on the challenge of using the debate time to level with the country they could end the first debate telling the American people that neither party has the ability to make things better anytime soon and that what everyone comes to vote on November 5th is challenged with, is to, regardless of the winner or the loser, walk out of that booth and go about re-unifying the country for the common good. All Americans want to earn a living wage, see their kids get educated in a way they can meet the challenges of the future, have healthcare, that death and taxes are inevitable but life’s journey should not be a struggle between haves and have-nots, that elected officials in the legislative branch, are there to work for all of us not just a few at the top of the human food chain.
Nothing of what’s been written today, or the topic of today’s letter means a thing if, after the election, we as Americans remain largely divided and blame each other for what ails us. Thanks again, Hans!
I think people support Dumpy because he's given them permission to say whatever nasty, bigoted thing that comes into their heads, especially about Brown and Black people, or gay people, or trans people, and if Biden's elected they'll be pushed back into speaking politely and respectfully again. They don't want to do that.
Hans, You don’t sound like you know much about Biden or the media. Where are you from? Mars?
The media is owned almost exclusively by the ultra right, that’s a fact you can look up. Biden passed $1.2T infrastructure pkg, got 500 million Covid vaccinations to people by having them given at pharmacies and other convenient locations, $369 billion investment in Climate change despite the idiot rescumliCons pretending Climate change does not exist, Cut child poverty in HALF, Capped prescription drugs at $2k per yr for seniors, achieved historically low unemployment, recommitted to the Paris Agreement (regarding Climate Change), Respect for Marriage Act, Electoral Count Act and more!
I've noticed something interesting on Nextdoor. Although there you find the requisite МАГАт nut-job rants, you have others, whose sympathies become clear over time, asking little questions like "grocery prices are awful high, aren't they?" and inviting comment. So while it seems like the strategy is all WWE in the overt campaign, it calms down and almost comes across as good natured and polite in less radicalized social media, that has enough support for the right to affirm the message on the one hand, and attack anyone interfering with that message as communists, etc. on the other- complaining about and having removed. They also seem to be relatively successful in complaining and having removed anything one might offer, usually as "non-local" - that is, irrelevant - to the discussion, or disrespectful. On the other hand, I started 3 discussions based on Dr Reich's articles on corporate gouging, the high cost of rent, and the high price of groceries that were "hidden because they might violate forum rules" - that don't seem to be applied consistently. Just something to keep in mind.
This> "Trump is not afraid of naming their concerns repeatedly, without even coming up with real solutions and merely for political gain but at least they believe he recognises their concerns. Most Democrats seem not to want to talk about it and if they do, they often blame others. If you are incapable of doing anything about it, you are seen as weak by the voters.
Democrats across the board have to stand up much stronger to support the American people in dealing with their concerns and much stronger and united in their support of Biden. This whole election seems to be singularly focused by both sides on defeating the opponents, not on what is best for America and the American people."
Bob, you're a brilliant man, but you are not putting enough blame on the propaganda pushed by the right-wing media, particularly The Fox News Channel. I don't know if you downplay this on purpose to avoid alienating the Fox News Channel viewers, but if we don't call it out and do something about it, it will continue to dominate the public narrative with outright lies. Every day, they hear lies about how Biden is destroying the country, about how bad things are economically, how Biden is persecuting Trump unfairly, and about how great 'everything Trump' is. They not only hear it every day, they hear it repeated ad nauseam. The Fox News Channel has the highest ratings. It's on everywhere you go. Independents and non-political people are exposed as well, and the repetition sticks. We're in big trouble, and this disinformation propaganda and conspiracy-peddling is the core of it. If we can't find a way to get it under control, we lose.
I agree Bob, that the disinformation is a serious problem, along with the forces to divide us. I read quite a lot of the 'social' media platfroms and am somewhat gobsmacked at times with how crazy, twisted and hateful a lot of it is. I saw a Fox News article posted on one of them tonight that seemed to support Trump claiming that a certain judge was corrupt. I wondered how can that even be allowed in the middle of a case.
I think we underestimate the power of stupid. Somewhere along the line, we forgot how to reason, and we continue to support those that talk at our level. I get asked repeatedly "what has Biden done?" And when I start listing the things that the Professor listed, I usually get a blank stare and the inevitable question: "yeah, but what has he done for ME?" And I see that we, in general, are not able to link "big words" to our ordinary life.
When we need education so badly, it's being dismantled, and I don't see it getting any better in the future. I certainly don't want Biden to talk at the level that Trump does, but maybe we can have some commercials that do.
Whether because of stupid or because folks are exhausted trying to earn a living, I do agree many people have little understanding of government and how it works, even at the local level. Often people don't even know where their water comes from, let alone other government services or how they are funded. It is difficult to translate Biden's efforts when real life is so expensive. I think Biden might be better off focusing on closing the record wealth gap. He is, after all, the first since Reagan to reverse "trickle down" that sent over $50T up to the 1%. Much of the distress reported by people young, old, and in between is the inability to obtain secure housing, food, and health care. It seems people of all parties understand were are increasingly at the mercy of corporate oligarchs. The point of Biden's policies is to start redirecting investment to the rest of America in order to address those concerns, but it is turning a battle ship for sure. I believe the CHIPS, IRA, and infrastructure laws are attracting huge private investment and factories are being built, etc. However, many of the non-construction jobs that will follow will not be hiring until after the election.
You are the problem, Celia. You think everyone else doesn’t understand how shit works, when it’s really you who has no clue. Biden is a joke of a man, period. Look at the body language of other foreign leaders in Biden’s presence. They have ZERO respect for Joe. If you can’t see that then it’s because you have no clue about male behavior. Joe is a loud mouth dope who’s never done anything in his life of value. Let me guess, you’re a 50 something white woman who’s worked in an office setting your whole adult life. In other words you’re a clueless white bitch. Sit down and shut up.
It has nothing to do with being shallow. I can size up a man just by watching him for a few minutes. Rick Wilson, George Conway and their ilk, are soft, ugly, and not very bright. So consequently they are vindictive little men that are jealous of men like me, who shit on men like them every day.
Except Trump has made gains with every race except whites, particularly boomer whites and college whites. You know, the two groups of white people that are terrified of their own shadow, let alone a non white person.
Professor Reich: too many americans are idiots. they believe all the disinformation, the drama, the soap opera, the lies. it's entertaining. it's entertainment. they are too eager to sit back on their fat behinds and complain to their buddies than to actually contribute to making anything better because they would rather belong to a declining society than to a progressive society. part of it is because they are brainwashed by all the russian-bought disinformation but part of it is because this gives them license to spew their hatreds -- bigotry, racism and misogyny -- and they find making these ideas public into a bonding experience.
Pretty bold assumption I do not agree with: "they are too eager to sit back on their fat behinds and complain to their buddies than to actually contribute to making anything better because they would rather belong to a declining society than to a progressive society. "
You engage in personal attacks that should not be in the discourse.
We are, once again, experiencing what I refer to as: The Lag Effect.
People are recalling the pre pandemic Trump years and post pandemic Biden years.
During the first 3 bizzaro Trump years, the Obama presidency economic gains continued as Trump began twisting the screws against Main Street. Then the pandemic set in. Trump’s mishandling of the pandemic sent our economy into a downward spiral. As Biden inherited this downward spiral, he and his administration have made leaps and bounds to the economic recovery. Considering the positioning of the rest of the world, the U.S. has seen one of the best recoveries. But prices on average are about 150% higher than they were pre pandemic. This is not Biden’s fault. This is the lag effect of Trump’s horrible policies.
The simple ignorance of people is causing whipsaw whiplash.
If Trump is elected in ‘24, our nation is doomed.
If Biden is re-elected in ‘24, our recovery will not only continue, but prosper for the whole of the nation, not just the top 1%.
Robert, words, facts, logic are not what dictators use to rally people to their side, facts, logic, speeches, have nothing to do with emotional appeal evoked by images of masses of "people who look like me," gestures of aggressiveness (he is so strong!), martial music, vivid colors, primal symbols, all are hallmarks of a campaign designed to bypass the thought process and excite the herd instinct to follow the leader. Given permission to do mean and simplistic hateful things to defend the herd, basically a mob is now coalesced behind the one who displays this force to take the herd to their rightful place as the dominant group even if they are in fact a small minority. We are not in a normal political campaign, it is a survival test.
and a situation made all the worse by a media that loves selling the circus to voters who love the circus. Aeropagitica, meet 21st century reality. The markeplace of ideas where the truth will be sussed out. Hah? This marketplace is rigged too.
But the Archmere style requires you to put your head down, do the work, and count on people noticing. You must expose the American people more fully to your ideas, progress to date, and, perhaps most importantly, your personality, character, and work ethic.
But people won't get it and retain it in a single event. People need to be brought along over time. You need to get more exposures.
I recommend giving a 15-minute fireside chat every Sunday evening at 8:45 p.m. If you were to start in a few weeks, you would have about 28 opportunities to talk directly to the American people in a short format without much travel and coordination. This talk would allow you to discuss current issues that need pushing as we speak (Israel, Ukraine) or broader long-term items (the climate change project). You have made so much progress that people don't realize everything that you have in process.
The weekly address would be streamed at 8:45 p.m. on Sunday night for people to look forward to and catch. Now is an excellent time to start it without a big Sunday night sports event to program around.
It can be made available for streaming after the live broadcast. Throughout the following week, it can be used to play the 5-minute stories or issue key context phrases. You don't need the networks broadcasting on the internet, but after a few weeks, they will log on and carry it on their newscasts.
Mr. President, you are the right man for the job right now. We need to get people to hear about everything you are doing well and describe the plans in place for the things that could be going better.
FDR spoke clearly and honestly with the American people through fireside chats to great effect. You can do the same, but even better. You have the internet and streaming facilities, a great team and plans, and you are a great, competent leader.
I would be happy to discuss this idea with your strategic staff.
Thanks,
John Patterson, Archmere ‘70
(Brother of Bob Patterson, Archmere '60, Brother of Betsy Patterson, Dover, Delaware)
Under Trump, corporations and the mega-wealthy will continue to grow, and destroy the middle and lower classes (once the middle class is gone, who do they think will buy their products?); women will lose all bodily autonomy and economic rights, but especially the right to health care; no one will be safe from the tyranny of fascism.
Under Biden, our country will remain a democracy, and we can start to heal from years of tax breaks for the rich, corrupt courts, and the GOP deliberately blocking any and all legislation, even if they wrote it themselves, that helps the little guy. And maybe prevent Putin from destroying the world (unfortunately, not a hyperbole).
I think part of the problem is also perceived costs. Four years ago we spent far less on gasoline due to Covid shutdowns. We couldn’t go to work or stores, our kids didn’t got to schools, we didn’t travel,for vacations or to visit friends or relatives and I think people have remembered lower costs but not the reasons why. We didn’t got out to eat or to see movies. So in some areas we spent less. I think this in part explains the collective amnesia of those who think they were better off four years ago but who don’t recall why they spent less on these things. I realize it’s more complex than this, some things are higher priced now and we see that regularly. Eggs at the grocery store come immediately to mind. Eating out costs a lot more now. The fallacy is to blame Biden and his administration for these things.
Taking a very different approach psychological approach Mary L Trump discussed this in her recent Substack here:
People sometimes forget because it’s painful to remember. Of course, with the MAGA crowd, sometimes nothing we say will help them see. For the rest, we have to remind them and if they will listen, show them the receipts. Such as Professor Reich has done here.
Pollsters, for the love of God, I beg of you: when you ask voters “who they trust more” in the economy, or any issue - ASK THEM WHY!
You don’t have to correct them or anything, but at least write their misperceptions down instead of just saying they “trust Trump” over and over and over again!
Because our educational system does not teach about the various forms of mental illness and because our entertainment industries focus on chaos, violence, destruction, applauding sociopathic behavior and triggering our Pain Bodies, the average citizen does not seem capable of seeing how profoundly dangerous and deeply disturbed Trump really is. In spite of all evidence, too many still feel he is some sort of Marvel super-hero who will save the day while Biden is more like Will Kane/Gary Cooper in High Noon.
maybe the average citizen, or too many of them, aren't capable of seeing how profoundly and deeply disturbed Trump is because they themselves are likewise disturbed as well.
Nice summary of Biden’s efforts and long term plan to shift the tide but unfortunately you’re unable to convince everyone that it’s as good as you make it sound. I spent $11.88 the other day for a box of cereal & a small amount of asparagus. This is what my eyes tell me today during an election year. Biden’s long term plan will benefit his successors and they will take credit.
While I understand your explanation there’s not enough push back on the real culprits in this effort to make Biden a one term president. This is the same playbook the wealthy used back in the late seventies into the early eighties to discredit President Carter. Gas prices soared corporate price gougers sent inflation to a crazy level and the interest rate on my first mortgage was 16.25%.
Bottom line is they want to continue the tRump tax breaks and GOP trickle down theory that enriches the wealthy only, period. They will sabotage the good work Biden is doing and the changes he’s trying to make so he too will be one term.
The only way to combat this is to tell it like it is. The president doesn’t put the price on goods and services and fuel prices it’s the greedy. To reduce the debt & deficits he’s trying to bring jobs back to America so we can gain back the tax revenues, both federal & state, and social security & Medicare revenue lost because of greedy corporate globalization initiatives that never returned the promised increase in revenue & taxes. Basically, corporations & their overpaid executives do everything in their power to avoid paying any taxes.
The system is bought and paid for by the wealthy and until this PAC gig that benefits both parties is exposed we’ll be in this continuous endless loop of finger pointing and party flip flopping
The system is bought and paid for by the wealthy. SCOTUS helped see to that with Citizens United. Investmernt firms and banks and associations of banks don't care one whit that they are supporting politicians that oppose action to address climate change.
That is one clue about how big money interests are contrary to the common people.
Another is that the media is fixated on one person endlessly. Healthy societies don't do that.
The 70’s inflation was due to lots of new regulations on industry and employment as well as the Vietnam war. It was a time of intense changes in technology, social norms, human rights etc…the Cold War and politics also.
Unfortunately, a sociopathic infant is what far too many people want. They seriously (I mean seriously) confuse good government with the experience of watching WWE.
I've noticed something interesting on Nextdoor. Although there you find the requisite МАГАт nut-job rants, you have others, whose sympathies become clear over time, asking little questions like "grocery prices are awful high, aren't they?" and inviting comment. So while it seems like the strategy is all WWE all the time in the overt campaign, it calms down and almost comes across as good natured and polite in less radicalized social media, that has enough support for the right to affirm the message on the one hand, and attack anyone interfering with that message as communists, etc. on the other - complaining about and having removed. They also seem to be relatively successful in complaining and having removed anything one might offer, usually as "non-local" - that is, irrelevant - to the discussion, or disrespectful. On the other hand, I started 3 discussions based on Dr Reich's articles on corporate gouging, the high cost of rent, and the high price of groceries that were "hidden because they might violate forum rules." Just something to keep in mind.
IMHO all the chains, Publix, Kroger, Vons, et all support the orange antichrist. All are price gouging. Although Biden was not given authority to sue, California is suing Amazon for price fixing.
Yes, but Biden’s antitrust activities aren’t credited and the general public remains ignorant. The news that Trump requested a billion dollars from the oil and coal cartel was largely and now completely ignored. Trump exaggerates enough so the public ignores what his real message is.
Right!?! That's should have been a headline for days...
But no, media is complicit in the MAGA lunacy
100% of social media, both social and news media, are owned by THE ALT RIGHT. MSNBC sometimes and most INDEPENDENT media are the only ones that give push-back.
For now!
Yes, Alan - that was bribery out in the public eye. It needs to be called out. Trump figures he can get away with anything. He needs to be corrected, many times.
I just revised your comment here to point it specifically at corporate grocery chains and the МАГАт driven Ohio General Assembly & Attorney General, then posted it on Nextdoor.com. I'm curious to see how long it'll last before it's suppressed. In the meantime, it should make eyeball contact with several hundred subscribers. I'll keep you posted on how it flies - or whether it even flies in the first place!
UPDATE - as promised:
My revised version of your comment I'm responding to is now approaching 5000 views on Nextdoor.com and a lively discussion is underway - a total surprise to me!
Not only has it not (yet) been suppressed as I expected, I just got a message from Nextdoor saying:
"Neighbors are really interested in your post!
Trusted neighbors like you are making a difference in the neighborhood. What will you share next?"
HOODATHUNK ‽
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Holy cow! I just checked and found I've gotten nearly 2K hits on the version of your comment I revised. It's also garnered a lot of pretty civil discussion, mostly from those that disagree. It's even managed to avoid being complained about and deleted or hidden for one day in a row! It must have been the IMHO I kept in the revision! 😁
If I were a shareholder, I'd sue to recoup profits lost due to high energy costs based on fixed long term contracts. Most of those expenses were manufactured, starting with OPEC. Actually I represented, in antediluvian time, many in the industry. The big fish ate the little fish. The real reason why there are high prices is lack of competition.
Many of the owners are, IMHO traitors. https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2023/06/tax-records-reveal-more-contributions-from-publix-heiress-to-dark-money-groups-sponsoring-jan-6-rally/
https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN29P1T3/
How much of your living expenses are for fuel? How much of business expenses are for fuel? You make it sound as if 100% of all expenses are for fuel. If 20% of your expenses are for fuel, and the price of fuel doubles, your total expense only increases 10%.
And you can't talk about the expense for fuel without taking into consideration Climate Change. A gallon of gasoline emits 19.4 pounds of CO2. CO2 lasts for tens of thousands of years in the atmosphere and oceans. It currently costs 50 cents per pound to capture CO2 from the air and bury it as stone. Add that to the cost of gasoline, and it adds $10 bucks per gallon.
China and India are the biggest polluters of the earth. The USA cracked down on industrial pollution in the 70s. Also our crude oil is much cleaner than Asia’s.
China Population 2022 1400 Million
India Population 2022 1400 Million
US Population 2022 330 Million
China GDP 2022 $ 18 Trillion
India GDP 2022 $ 3.4 Trillion
US GDP 2022 $25 Trillion
China CO2 Emissions 2022 11.4 Billion tonnes
India CO2 Emissions 2022 2.7 Billion tonnes
US CO2 Emissions 2022 6.3 Billion tonnes
And for the most part, the US buys stuff from China.
China GDP per person $12,800
India GDP per person $2,400
US GDP per person $75,700
China CO2 per person 7.88 tonnes
India CO2 per person 1.7 tonnes
US CO2 per person 19 tonnes
and a lot of those China emissions are caused by US consumtion.
and historically, in most of the past, the US has been the main polluter.
How is the strategy like the World Wildlife Federation (WWF)?
Well, Dumpy and his followers are a lot like the hyenas in "The Lion King." But the acronym being used is the WWE.
Are you aware that the WWE is the trademark of TV "rasslin'?" (I just discovered my typo! My apologies.) It has nothing to do - in this case - with wildlife other than the fake TV "rasslers" hollerin' at each other and their МАГАт oriented fans. Hell, even ol' Kaiser von Schitzinpantz was once featured slamming someone down on the floor on TV once.
https://youtu.be/jkghtyxZ6rc?si=r4aW1mLD7eoPMQjr
Yes, I do but you typed WWF instead of WWE. There was a copyright infringement lawsuit because in 1979 the WWWF was renamed the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). In 2002, following a legal dispute with the World Wildlife Fund, the WWF was renamed World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
I realize that. You notified me. And I corrected it. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. Is there anything else?
Nope.
You are a communist and I’m not good natured. I have no problem hurting you or other communist because you are enemies of the American people. Hopefully I do get a chance to really cause damage to your life, but if not, you’ll die alone and in misery anyway. So that’s a consolation! Anyway have a great day, pal.
Let’s set it up! I live in Silver Spring, MD. That’s right outside DC. I’m outtagetme1 on IG. DM me there and we can set up a fight for charity.
If not, I would still like to meet your little friend! And btw I’m very intimidated by some guy on Substack, so please don’t threaten me too much!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤡
My serious confusion is to THEIR, (the deathcult members), confusion over HIS confusion! He can BARELY SPEAK ENGLISH ANYMORE! At night, he "Sundowns" so incredibly hard that he is INCAPABLE of pronouncing the letter 's.'
I want a president who is able to choose which tie to wear at a six o'clock press briefing.
You right, Biden is a fucking idiot!
Is it be because half of our population actually prefer “a sociopathic infant” or perhaps are ones…no amount of convincing some people that Trump is terrible is going to matter.. because terrible is what they want 😐
They can't recognize terrible when they see it.
I recognize it’s going to be terrible for weaklings like you , doc. The gravy train is over, wasteful bureaucracy’s handing out cash to their friends, AKA facism, is coming to an end. It sucks you are going to have to work like everyone else, but hey, such is life.
Yes !
They are into him for the social aspects. He makes them laugh, he is as imperfect as they are, and his people gather for parties and are made to feel special. It does not occur to them that they are nothing to him.
No, he hates people like you. We aren’t delusional about political leaders. You think I care if it was Trump or someone else? As long as you stupid white liberals pay for your idiocy then it’s all good! I just want people like you to suffer!🙂
Terrible like his first term? Do you forget we already experienced Trump in office and everything was better then, at least what the Office of the President can affect.
No, just terrible for you clowns and your grifting way of life.
You just expressed exactly what is wrong with the Democrat party. You call president Trump an “infant” and “sociopathic”. He’s obviously not an infant, and truly does not display sociopathic behaviors. This is name calling, which is immature behavior. When Republicans speak of Biden, we state actual facts..such as dementia, sniffing children, lying about his past accomplishments etc…which are all observable and proven facts recorded.
Terrible for you, but not for us working class people. Btw, why aren’t you housing illegals? They look awfully hungry, and could use someone to cook and clean for them.
Paul you were just getting nasty in this comment section. Why not go out to Trump rally some place stick your head in the toilet and then flush real hard.
Yes.
They want an outlet for their rage.
Drumpf offers revenge.
Biden needs to tap that rage and turn it toward justice.
So true! Ignorance is our biggest problem.
Education has not been a priority in America for some time.
why would anyone want a criminal,maniac pervert who probably sold us out w/ our own 'secret documents'.
Russell, Exactly, an uneducated fearful, hateful group of people who equate forms of equality with a loss of their PERCEIVED superiority. They cannot comprehend the meaning of The common good.
I absolutely agree. When politics becomes entertainment you don’t have to listen to any empirical data or economists. Because they are all lying, because they’re all liberals, etc., blah, blah, blah. The maga voter disassociates from facts and truth. They can just change the channel or get their fix on you-tube and listen to their favorite influencers, who, btw, are never experts in any field they purport to have inside knowledge of. It also relieves the voter from taking any responsibility for anything, racism, climate change. If the problems in this country are someone else’s then I can just sit back and blame them.
YouTube could be maybe a little too highbrow for some of these cats. Senator Ted Stevens's "internets," aka "that series of tubes," has dissolved into a cesspool.
In all fairness: it's 60% of the 35% that are registered "Traitors."
Yep. It’s fad politics. But it works for building the Trump cult.
I’m very depressed. I think the fascists are going to take over. I can’t believe how stupid a significant portion of the population is. I think Trump is going to win again. It’s a nightmare.
Good government? No such thing you stupid faggot.
think they want,they're mentally on the wrong track
Protest votes have a role in U.S. elections, I suppose. But elections, at bottom, are bound by the electoral process and math. The process will not allow the math to add up to 270 for Jill Stein. Thus, pointless to vote for her, or any other Presidential candidate that does not belong to one of the two major parties.
Tom, if you want sane—which is what I want; as a lifelong unaffiliated voter, I care about effective governance. I hate The Politics Industry (great book). To get better outcomes, we need to adjust the system. It’s not enough to vote for someone whose values & aims align best with your own if they simply can’t win, because the system is rigged in favor of hyperpartisan duopoly voters, and particularly in favor of voters from low population states.
The Electoral College has its effect; one way to mitigate its negative effects are for a couple of more states to pass the National Popular Vote (NPV) Interstate Compact, which ensures that whoever earns the majority of votes across the country, nationally, because the winner of the popular vote is who EC votes are allocated to from participating states.
What I’m doing is NOT wasting my one vote. I’m working for pro-voter, pro-democracy electoral reform. I’m working with Dems to get out the vote. And I’m working with a lot of other people to educate people & influence elected officials that specific reforms will reduce polarization and shift the toxic nature of politics and campaigns. Ranked choice voting. Proportional representation. Open primaries.
We have to shift the composition of state legislatures to be more representative. We have to elect people WILLING to institute reforms. Right now, the only major party willing to do that is the Dems. Otherwise, the duopoly seesaw, the constant attack ads, the relentless attempts at minority power grabs, the mind-numbing bullshit continues.
You don't get the point. At some point it is not a protest vote if enough people vote. We all win.
What specific organizations do you work with? I find your approach to be highly constructive.
Gov Hochul is not well liked. Outside of NYC, Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo it is a complete mess with private equity suppressing new home building while buying up property and housing stock.
They are only building high-end market rate apartments, or low income subsidized housing as those are the two largest growing demographics, with the low income demographic growing the fastest.
If you do not leave your comfort zone, leave the city, go to rural areas, you will not see the real issues and never understand.
A vote for Jill Stein is a vote for Trump.
So you won't get 'sane', you will get insane. Sorry.
A vote for Stein, RFK , Jr. or others is a vote against both Biden and Trump. Don't kid yourself.
Calvin from Vladivostok.
By any chance, do you have anything logical to say?
Good point, but his is a point the cultist won't like. When I live in a conservative area I register Republican, and in a liberal area Democrat. That way, I can help choose the most likely candidate to win during the primaries... I then vote my conscience.
Biden is NOT a sociopath.
I do hope you understand that Biden lives in a completely different moral universe from Drumpf and his GOP/MAGA-mob.
Tom High from Leningrad?
You use so much over-used propaganda talk it makes me wonder what country you’re trolling from. You are extremely uninformed about numerous accomplishments by Biden. The media is owned almost exclusively by the ultra right, that’s a fact you can look up. Biden passed $1.2T infrastructure pkg, got 500 million Covid vaccinations to people by having them given at pharmacies and other convenient locations, $369 billion investment in Climate change despite the idiot rescumliCons pretending Climate change does not exist, Cut child poverty in HALF, Capped prescription drugs at $2k per yr for seniors, achieved historically low unemployment, recommitted to the Paris Agreement (regarding Climate Change), Respect for Marriage Act, Electoral Count Act and more!
Jill Stein can talk all she wants because she doesn’t even make the charts so a vote for her truly is a vote to help trump. That you can’t find a difference btwn trump and Biden makes you a rube, easily fooled by the BS.
Seeking Reason comment is directed at Tom H
Thanks for playing "Whack that Troll" so well. Too many of the low budget kind coming round here lately.
Adam, Ultimately it’s a good sign that they’re so damn desperate. Trump can’t even speak without slurring his words and stood with a 35 second pause recently…forgot where he was! 😄 The trolls need to do their best to distract. They have nothing.
Agreed! The fact that they try so hard IS telling. And this high AH is so much damn fun! I can scarcely wait for the next installment of his "tomfoolery!"
Whack Whack Whack!
You are not a serious person.
You are still unable to come up with facts! Just rants. You are useless. I’m not wasting anymore time with your troll patrol. Go take your meds.
Wow. You forgot the /s - I hope.
There is ZERO chance Stein will win. There is ZERO chance anyone will win but Biden or Trump. If your vote helps Trump to win, he will steer us much further away from your vision of the future than Biden will.
So voting Stein does NOT align with yor vision. Voting Biden does. Get it? It's very simple. Even Trumpers understand this which is why they always vote Trump even when they can't stand him.
There is a path between you and the moon but there is zero chance you will be there anytime soon. Stein won't even be on the ballot. If you are not voting for Biden, you are voting for Trump. It is that simple. Obviously, you have trouble with binary logic.
Even if you do nothing at all, you are voting for Trump. And when Trump is back in the White House, destroys our democracy, gives Israel all the money and weapons it wants, completely abandons all Biden has done for the environment, screws over labor by making all unions illegal, etc.etc. whose fault will all of that be? It will be YOURS and yours only. You and all the other morons who are too stupid to make your vote count and actually do something that might prevent all of that. Actually, when Trump is president, he will end all elections and you will not even HAVE a vote anymore.
What do we know about Dirty Don and Honest Joe. No one really knows anyone completely. However, when forced to choose between the two I feel an honest man like Joe supersedes anything offered by a criminal, a bully and an egotistical moron like Dirty Don. Vote for the continuation of normalcy not the fool hearty efforts offered by a stooge on the eve of destruction, (great song.)
Folks need to look at the overall picture.Anyone w/ that much controversy MIGHT have a real problem behind it.
Red--Where there's smoke ---and you know the rest.
Normalcy has not good for a long time.
Allen--Maybe not, but it's fun to reflect upon.
I agree, but I think Don gets a pass on being a moron. Maniac perhaps; but Dirty Don's plans, speeches and actions are thoroughly intentional and not the product of a moron! For what it's not worth, he doesn't qualify as an evil "genius" either.
Don, you’re a bitch, and you will be treated as such. You must like Joe because you are like him, feeble, old, weak, stupid, corrupt and a complete liar who’s plagiarized his entire life from other people.
Paul--I love you to.
Honest?
https://youtu.be/ske5NvXgIno?si=bQBQSppxi91ryCRJ
Bonnie--Compared to Trump Joe is a saint.
Art--Now that you have practiced that speech in front of a mirror, how does it make you feel to take the position of ignorance.
As far as I can tell, the people making that kind of talk are deeply conflicted with their own pornographic mother fkng sexual desires. They have a universal inability to separate fact from fiction. They lack any understanding of the thousands of factors that go into messing up a pregnency, or a person's attractors.
WTF??? How could anybody, absolutely ANYBODY, be so bigoted as you???
And, what exactly, is wrong with any of that, Southern Belle? I’d rather have a president with an affinity for all cultures, rather than one whose only affinity appears to be for himself, golf carts, and large bowls of ice cream after dinner!
This long time Republican thoroughly agrees! Former President Trump IS a clear and present danger who must not be elected President in November!
At the same time, I hope that several of President Biden's more extreme economic and international relations policies can be implemented in a manner tempered to achiever their desired results without overly damaging the country's economy or the well being of its citizens.
It will not be easy, but focusing on results and real people is far preferable to ideologic purity - no mater how well intended it may be.
Good words Noel. My only quibble would be the part "can be implemented in a manner tempered to achieve their desired results without overly damaging the country's economy". That applies to most things, but not climate change. My whole world view changed once I realized years back how much trouble humanity is in when it comes to human-caused climate change. In my view and in the view of almost all scientists in all scientific fields, it is quite literally a 5-alarm fire. And insidious in that the worst effects are delayed long enough so as not to be obvious to those not in the know. The frog on the stove top analogy is a good one. In the case of global warming, the Biden administration needs to push as hard as it possibly can for the country and the world to take measures as strong as the situation demands to get this emergency turned around. The only limit in my mind is not so much measured in what impact there is on the economy, for near term economic difficulties due to strong action pale in comparison with long term impacts of no action or weak action. No, it should be measured in whether or not the administration can continue to be in power, such that strong policy can endure rather than get thrown out the window as Trump did in 2016, and promises to do if he gets in again. Unfortunately that is where we are, with very strong climate-denial forces at work.
Naming ideas is important, as important as implementing solutions... "Climate Change" I felt from the start was very easy for Repulicans to counter ... the climate has and always "changes." Which is very true. It changes from dusk to dawn, every minute, every hour ... the word Disrupt, Disruption ... much harder to deny humans have effected and disrupted the climate, quality and health of this planet earth. Same with programs named "Free lunches" and Defund the Police ... and many more rediculous names so easily targeted slamming to the matt/counter.
Noel K. McKeown
Noel’s Substack
just now
Thanks Jay, I much enjoyed your comments and agree thoroughly with most of them. My background in the hard sciences and mathematics is not at a professional level by any means, but neither is it just average. "Climate Change" is undeniable and has existed in one form or another for literally millions of years. Undoubtedly homo sapiens has contributed to climate change over the past few millennia and even more so recently with industrialization and all that implies.
Yet even without industrialization ice ages have come and gone; continents have rearranged themselves; desserts and barren lands now exist in China, the South West United States, North Africa and the Middle East where once robust civilizations existed. All without a decent smokestack in sight. The geologic records of massive meteor strikes, super volcanoes, earth quake and generated tsunamis are only now beginning to be understood along with deep sea currents whose locations, courses and volume have yet to be accurately modeled, let alone accurately mapped. Even our day to day weather systems and patterns have yet to be fully understood, although much more about them is known compared to some other events I have mentioned.
But assuming for the sake of discussion that man has been responsible for much or most of recent climate change, an assumption I can neither accept fully nor deny, we are still working with terribly incomplete data, and as a practical matter the United States is only one small geologic part of an industrialized planet that is politically controlled by other nations or by no-one at all.
Who tells or compels China or Russia to clean up their industrial pollution (which is far greater than that of the US); or compels South American countries to stop cutting or burning trees in order to increase their food producing agricultural industries via farming or meat production? Who compels North Korea or Iran to stop their researches into thermonuclear weapons?
Once again, I do not deny climate change but, borrowing your example, actions taken by the United State alone is like trying to fight your 5 alarm fire using a few small children in fire hats riding a toy truck and carrying garden hoses. Much more scientific knowledge, resources and complete, global cooperation is required to do the job right! Certainly the U.S. can and I believe will provide an invaluable example, but unless you know which way to point the hoses (and or foam generators) the 5 alarm conflagration will not be extinguished, and a global solution is definitely required!
H.B. I completely agree with your assertion. Yet half of the country will read your words and call you wacko. "Oh stop that!" Your words sound like you are exaggerating, raving, fear-mongering. Yet what you are saying is true. And another will woman will read that last sentence and call me naive; yet another trollish person in my own vicinity will break into my house and what will they do to it; and me?
MSM has to start reporting all the news. Biden is doing a great job. They don’t give him any credit. Lowercased don is an egotistical liar, rapist and hater of Democracy. Most people that I know who are for don are deeply rooted and can’t be changed.
If something doesn’t change little lowercased don will have total control and that is frightening.
Heather Cox Richardson’s Substack covers Biden’s commencement address to the graduating seniors at Morehouse College. Everyone should read this and share it with others who have any questions about who is more presidential.
Yes it was inspiring. It brought me a way to be compassionate toward the trumpanzee too.
They are angry, for the same reason black men are angry. They've been screwed, and so have at least 50% of the rest of the population. They're angry, for good reason.
There's your point of compassion.
But rather than revenge, which is all Drumpf has to offer, Biden offers justice. It's weak tea at this point, looking at how weak the justice system looks. I think when Drumpf is found guilty yet again, people may start to see that there is a reason to hope for justice after all.
Thanks Jen. Trump supporters are angry and blame Biden for the price of groceries and gas. Economic data and Reich calculations are a weak tea compared to the sensational lies that Trump brews.
Do you believe Obiden wrote a commencement address? He can’t open a beach chair….
@ Monica P: This is the third time I've posted this this morning. Start complaining to the NY Times, the "newspaper of record," that has been horrible:
editorial@nytimes.com
List of press release agencies https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_press_release_agencies
Free sites: https://www.thesmbguide.com/free-press-release-distribution-services
WE don't control the media. Neither does the DNC. In order to repeat our message, WE need to be persistent. DNC REACH provides the means to broadcast the comments. https://democrats.org/reach/
WE can send it...every day as a press release to media outlets. To social media.
WE can channel Taylor Swift, who has millions of followers on Instagram and X. Most Gen Z do not rely on MSM...use Tic Tok, Instagram, Facebook for their news.
Meanwhile millions of unregistered folks trend heavily Democratic. Register Democrats -- save the world.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/
Most of the war machine controls the media.
Thank you for posting this Daniel. I appreciate it and will use it.
I agree that Biden is generally doing a great job and that it's appalling so many Americans would prefer an orange douchebag from Queens. I agree that Biden could have handled Netanyahu much better. I also agree that the media should be doing a much better job.
I don't agree about the polls in 2016, however. The polls I followed on 538, showed Hillary consistently level-pegging with Trump throughout 2016, same as Biden in 2024.
Sanders, on the other hand, was always way ahead of Trump.
My greatest concern about Biden is not that he's old (Sanders is old, Trump is old) but that he's said to be old because he's perceived to be weak. His voice is weak, his gait is slow and deliberate, he sometimes appears to be a bit confused. This is not the Joe Biden of 2016, who would have been a shoe-in for the presidency. Maybe he has a sleep disorder, maybe he has early Parkinson's, either way he may have a readily treatable condition.
If he doesn't do extremely well in the first debate, then the DNC must take drastic action. But please let us not fall into the comfortable trap of thinking that the polls don't matter. They do.
Trump will back out of the debates. The excuses started the day after he accepted.
He can't avoid the debates for fear of looking weak. Let's hope you're right and I'm wrong.
Bob--Trump's an egotistical fool with an image problem, I feel he will never back out.
Bet. Put money on it bitch boy.
Yup. There's no way Dumpy will participate without a friendly audience and without being able to shout over Pres Biden. He doesn't know how to speak without those two requirements.
Right Betsy, he’ll treat the debate the same way he treats the legal system. He’ll say it’s rigged against him using the same paranoid excuses.
As for Biden’s gait, I recognize my own arthritic stiffness of the spine. My gait is slow and deliberate, too, to avoid tripping. He rides a bicycle, you know.
When Trump does his little “energetic dance” he does not move his feet.
Are you serious Karen, I mean Carol. Joe is a complete invalid at this point. My question is why is he in such bad shape? He’s only in his early 80’s and he’s had the easiest job in the world for 4 decades combined with the best and free medical care. My grandma is 95 and is far sharper than Joe Dope. And comparing Trump’s mental acuity to Biden, that’s just a joke and shows how delusional white liberals are.
“His voice is weak, his gait is slow and deliberate, he sometimes appears to be a bit confused.” Whether this is the case or whether it is perceived, people vote based on perceptions. I agree with you Michael that if Joe looks weak at the first debate we (collective “WE” that want to preserve democracy) have time to recover at the Democratic Convention. Just for grins think about the energy that a Gavin Newsom/Gretchen Whitmer (or name another one) ticket would pump into those that are disenchanted with the current two presumptive candidates.
I think Bill Maher is right. I would much rather have the real Biden stand up. Slowly. Don’t deny your old. We all know you’re old. Admit it. Biden’s old. Run on democracy. Run on having an excellent administration officials. The Biden’s cabinet has been doing a great job. Of course, the MSM doesn’t cover them at all. Accept poor Secretary for immigration. The only reason he was covered was the cowardly republican’s are forcing immigration as the sole issue upon us.
Secretary Buttigieg got us Airline Bill of Rights. Rights similar to the EU and Canada. A lot of business travelers are going to love that.
Biden walked on a picket line and under his presidency has seen the biggest growth of unions in decades.
The Attorney General is doing the most antitrust litigation to pull us out of the second gilded age.
President Biden is being a great president because he has good people around him. There are no Friday night massacres of Trump appointments. There are no resignations en masse.
I think he needs to pull VP Harris a hell of a lot more. If she’s going to be the president should die in office let her show how she would be a good president. We can start with the fact she’s never shot a puppy in the face because the poor dog annoyed her.
Yes, Biden is old. Trump is old too. Furthermore he is showing neurological decline. He has symptoms of dementia or early stages of Alzheimer’s. Both of which are degenerative and will only worsen.
I hate to bring this up for fear a Republican meet read this, even if Trump gets elected the 25 Amendment needs to be invoked. He clearly has no competency to carry out the duties of presidency. It was a concern in his administration already.
I hope Biden uses a cane or even a walker to the podium and just says loud and clear “I believe in democracy.” Mic drop
California is a Sh-t show. Newsome doesn’t have a chance!
Well Newsom got elected Governor of our country’s largest state twice as well as beating a recall effort. Newsom governs the fifth largest economy in the world with a GDP just under $4 trillion so I’m not sure where your reasoning comes in.
are you a democrat or republican?
You would get happy about Newsome or Whitmer??? You are a fucking weirdo, pal.
There was no need for the profanity or the name calling. Pal!
I will treat you idiots however I choose. You are a shit stain that no one cares about, so lay down and shit up, bitch. BTW, so you understand democrat voter = “you idiots”.
I like your choice of alternative candidates. I just saw a clip of Joe Biden talking. His facial expression was good, his voice was strong. He looked great, and my first thought was FINALLY he's taking his vitamins. Then I saw the date: October 2020, just before he won the election. He has declined markedly. I don't think it's Alzheimer's or frontotemporal degeneration, but I do think he's not getting good medical advice. He may have something quite treatable.
I’m not sure that there is anything medically wrong or any medical diagnosis. Possibly just being 81 years old and aging is part of the process. As far as good medical advice, he has the best medical care in the world so I’m doubtful about that statement. We all lose energy and vigor with age. Some earlier than others. It doesn’t mean that his mind isn’t working at 100%. Don’t get me wrong, I love JB and I think that he has accomplished a lot, I just want “US” to have the best shot at keeping the former guy from getting elected again.
I agree, but thinking it might be too late. And I think the Israel thing is really hurting him with the youth. I don’t think they’ll vote for trump, but just not vote or third party.
Not now they don’t. Maybe in September you can pay more attention to them.
Putin pays by the word.
😀😂
Turn off Fox Entertainment- first and get your news elsewhere. Second- corporations control food prices- Biden did not raise them. He is using the Government to help lower them and provide relief! Third- Biden has lowered the deficit with China. Fourth- the lawlessness of the Democratic Party does not even compare to the blatant lawlessness of the Republican Party starting and starring fmr Pres Donald. Immoral behavior is not defined by political party. Biden and US did not start the war in Ukraine or Isreal. That was Putin and Hamas.
Your comments are not worthy of my time to respond but you got it anyway. I did my hard work of the day. One day at a time, one person at a time, despite the fact that I know by your tone that it is time waisted on a closed mind. Listen carefully to what your man is promising if elected this time around and remind yourself Hitler and Nazi Germany and of what is at stake for your future- fascism is what he is promising and you are supporting. Opposition to leadership in authoritarian regimes is punishable by incarceration or even death.
You need to understand that Presidents don’t raise grocery prices….Presidents make policy decisions that cause inflation. Gas prices are a big contributor to food prices. Farm machinery runs on fuel. Next, transporting food takes fuel. The whole economy is like Dominoes game. When one area goes down the rest goes down. It’s very fragile actually. People pay more for necessary food and fuel. That stresses their incomes. People stay home more, less likely to travel or eat at restaurants. Retailers and restaurants are going bankrupt. Then add in all the illegal migrant spending, less tax money to help our own. Taxes will go up. It’s a mess that was all avoidable by just following our laws on the books.
Quit shouting with the capital letters. Also, can’t you at least try to get your point across without the vulgarity and name calling? It’s all very trump-like!
You prefer a psychopath. That's all there is to it. Now that you've announced your perfidy, you can go away.
Every accusation continues to be a confession for your lot.
Good day.
Ugly, polarised radicalism, no serious content, that is the problem...
yea brother cant afford my car cant even pay off my dept eather like he stayed he was going to clear
Seems like you have drunk too much Kool-Aid. Biden is by no means perfect, but he's a h-ll of a lot better than TFP who should never be allowed in public office again. We need to vote to keep our democracy. I do NOT want a dictator, whom we already know is a fraud & a criminal, running the US, or his magas in Congress! Globally, he is already feared & the US is losing its power because of him.
You got up really early to produce that screed but you have given us a pretty complete picture of a our polar opposite. On my TV I see Marjorie Taylor Green, I see corporations reporting great profits, I see lots of shiny new cars, I see incredible infrastructure projects with their attendant incredible traffic jams, for 4 months I have watched Southwest Florida fight it’s way back from a devilish hurricane, I see a border problem that flies in the face of our national policy of being a hope to lawful immigrants because of our national polices of aiding and abetting leaders in Latin and South America who were first anti communist and second, God knows what ! I won’t even mention the mess in most of Africa. As for Israel and Ukraine, Biden is working at both. We are not going to ask Ukraine to back down as they were invaded and Putin has to be taught a hard lesson but Biden must try to persuade the totally rabid hard liners in the Israeli government that the way they have been pursuing this war against Hamas will not achieve their desired ends. As for “wax corpse like Biden “ you are just a mean bully. When you consider Trump’s presidency, the Muslim ban, the stupid and ugly border wall, pardons for all his friends, January 6th, 4 criminal trials, I really do not care what he looks like. What he has done and said and promised is so awful that we cannot have him repeat.
you only see these people who are profiting off of the "helpful" things that joe Biden has done are the people that voted for Biden the people that voted for trump has had it worse than before he was elected
Spoken like a true MAGAT.
Yup. With a mouth more filthy than his rancid behind.
Art Lover, you said something about lawlessness? Here’s some stats from Politifact:
Recent administrations with the MOST criminal indictments:
Trump (Republican) — 215 4 years
Nixon (Republican) — 76 5 years
Reagan (Republican) — 26 8 years
Recent administrations with the LEAST criminal indictments:
Obama (Democrat) — 0 8 years
Carter (Democrat) — 1 4 years
Clinton (Democrat) — 2 8 years
Biden (Democrat) —0
Notice any pattern of lawlessness?
These are facts but the MAGA troll isn’t hired to write facts. Just to scream a world salad like his orange master. Fortunately, Art Lover’s stupidity is quite obvious.😂
Copied from a response I made earlier. Educate yourself! You are extremely uninformed about numerous accomplishments by Biden. The media is owned almost exclusively by the ultra right, that’s a fact you can look up. Biden passed $1.2T infrastructure pkg, got 500 million Covid vaccinations to people by having them given at pharmacies and other convenient locations, $369 billion investment in Climate change despite the idiot rescumliCons pretending Climate change does not exist, Cut child poverty in HALF, Capped prescription drugs at $2k per yr for seniors, achieved historically low unemployment, recommitted to the Paris Agreement (regarding Climate Change), Respect for Marriage Act, Electoral Count Act and more!
Here you go Art Lover. Here’s the unemployment rates for each administration since WWII. In case you have difficulty reading facts I’ll clue you in that Joe Biden leads the pack in the lowest rate.
https://www.investopedia.com/unemployment-rate-by-president-8637843
Poor snowflake, you don’t know you’ve been duped yet…I don’t see you writing ANY facts, just trolling. You make yourself so obvious.
I think that it knows that IT has been duped so it is trying desperately to dupe others.
But sad sack troll absolutely hates being in it's silo with the other morons so it does what they all do.
They go where they know there will be loads of smart people hoping to garner some real insults with which to fetsoon their 4-chan caves.
I'd pity them but... their futility is not by happenstance but by choice.
you probably support blm
okay he stayed that if you got the vaccine you cant get the virus then why do you need boosters and still can get the virus
And let's not forget Bidens continued financial support of the depraved genocide taking place in Gaza. Also, the fact that he is a pervert/pedophile, has committed plagiarism, is corrupt, and he thinks his father lived on a Kibbutz (severe dementia getting worse everyday). I am no fan of Trump, but to suggest Biden is doing a great job as President is at best patent dilusional nonsense to a blatant lie.
CNN is owned by a right wing billionaire. Jesus you’re dumber than a doorknob! And I love the trump-style whining in all caps. Nobody here is fooled by you. Get back on your meds and back to your cult.
Sounds like Faux Noise redux..just my honest opinion.
Wow, are you uniformed!
I’m NOT a fan of Trump & will not go to his defense for anything he’s done, said or otherwise. But I do have an issue with Biden’s seemingly increasing mental defects. He won’t submit to neurological testing (that I’m aware of & I may not be) to reassure the American voters. I’m curious to know why? Additionally, the whole border crisis & payouts to illegal immigrants, regardless who is in office, offends me at my very core. Why isn’t this money being put back into our system to care for legal US citizens and taxpayers when children are starving, our Veterans who can’t get proper medical care (the VA is a joke & a racket) or live in a home & the elderly are being forced to Ed out of their homes & nursing homes are nothing but chronic abuse & neglect?? Why did Biden make the vaccine mandatory when common sense would tell you it was a coordinated attack on our most vulnerable population by Big Pharma & its political allies?? Why are we sending billions of dollars to foreign countries/governments when we can’t contain our own borders?? I, honestly, don’t trust the word of ANY politician & look at track records. Both the Biden & Trump families are into shady business & are corrupt. But Biden’s family has a hx of crossing the line when it comes to women & children. There are drugs & guns involved. Yes, Trump has many affairs in his time but the majority have been adults & consensual.
I want to see a candidate who actually wants to do the right thing, clean up corruption in the White House and all elected officials as well as Big Corporations. Biden may have greater job growth but how many of those are COVID lockdowns that lost their middle class jobs? I say those don’t count. And why aren’t those responsible for the whole COVID debacle not being prosecuted, fined & sitting their butts in jail??? Why aren’t we as a nation distancing ourselves from the WHO, who have an agenda of their own??
There are too many questions that both Trump & Biden are responsible for me to believe in either.
I’m siding with the US of America 🇺🇸. Too bad more ppl can’t see it that way.
A lot of unsubstantiated hoo-ha there.
You write fairly well so I presume that you know what substantiation means.
You may wish to add versimilitude to your screed by sprinkling in some fact with your fiction.
At least then you'd be more than another lost troll hurling their unassuaged ignorance at the world.
Think what you may. But your constant vitriol to others’ opinions only show what kind of person you are. An unhappy, bitter, angry person who doesn’t want anything but more drama. You couldn’t have a calm discussion about anything which puts you in the same category as those who are shaming others to keep them quiet. This country was established on having informative debates with calm, educated people. This may be before your ignorant mind which was brainwashed in Marxism. I took a debate class in high school. Back when it was normal to not judge ppl, we welcomed the opinions of others & we believed America was the great melting pot of the world. Diversity was considered a great thing.
Your very small mind & attitude speaks loudly of your character, so excuse me if I don’t give 2 shits what you think. Ppl like you are the reason this world has gotten so ugly.
Grow up little man.
There ya go hurling again. I invited you to prove something from your screed and you obviously cannot.
My vitriol has not been unleashed.
I'm gently mocking you and look how you react. Not a picture of probity huh?
You're looking in the mirror and dealing with it every day aren't you? You're demented and just feeling the effects, eh? Family history of it, right? If you weren't what you are, one could almost feel sorry for ya.
But here you are casting aspersions in your feeble attempt to elicit personal inforrmation from me. Poor deluded thing. Don't worry about my age. You'll have enough to worry about with what's coming up soon in your rear-view mirror.
Now that's IT! Off to bed now or I'll get my belt.
This is an excellent comment. I don’t agree with all of it, but it highlights why a cherry picked view of Biden is so unsatisfying to people who might “come across“. It would be far more effective for the goal of finding a middle ground, if Professor Reich would present a balanced view, and let us make up our minds, rather than a cherry picked view that ignores Biden‘s shortcomings.
Oh yeah, Biden is such a great leader!😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
You realize that dope has been in DC his whole adult life and done nothing but enrich himself? Are you stupid because you’re a woman or because you’re white?
Hey dumb white woman! The MSM is the democrat cheer team. If they can’t find good shit to tout about Joe Dope, that means there isn’t anything good. Stop being such an idiot, Karen.
okay we want Biden for our president and keep the constitution right? while he is taking our rights away. I know you are going to say how but they are taking our 2 amendment and you don't see anyone saying how Biden is a pedophile that is the 1 amendment right there
MSM has been bought off by rich republicans…except for MSNBC and maybe BBC, PBS.
It’s a game of the rich against the common man and they win through people's apathy and ignorance to the facts. And social feeds on this quite well..
We will all pay the price in the long run. It’s a given.
Tell us about lies, Art Lover...
I would bet a dollar art lover didn’t bother to even read the article. Must be a bot.
I guess by art lover you must mean plastic trumps sign😂😂😂
"He can’t afford you all having a collective herd of cows on his stack when somebody posts a meme you can’t handle without a whambulance ride to the ER."
Or by utilizing Occam's razor, we can determine that you are a base liar in addition to being a troll of lesser quality.
Shut up you stupid bitch. Yeah you, van Doormaal. We don’t need to read shit, we live in the real world and see real shit. For example I know you are scared of black people, because you’re a punk ass white boy who would get beaten and robbed for looking like a victim. You have your head stuck so far up your ass you can’t see how big of a pussy you are, and that why you just do as your told. Stop pretending like you’re intelligent, you’re not. Stop pretending like you know what you’re talking about, you don’t. And lastly I hope you get killed by a pack of rabid illegals, because you supported that shit.
A Murdoch's Fox News YouTube doesn't have much credibilty. It's pretty obvious to anyone who understands how Murdoch has been influencing elections for years that he's supporting T. So you are helping Murdoch do his 'brainwashing', as you call it!
Do you really think personally insulting people is going to have them hear your viewpoints? I like Robert's page because his participants are mostly respectful and polite here and I learn stuff. Regarding Murdoch's Fox News YT, maybe read up on Murdoch's empire and how he operates, there are also documentaries about him.
I can't believe you find this clips serious information. It reminds me of Congress seriously talking about the intimate parts of Hunter Biden, proving that... what?
In my country a village council does not stoop so low.
The clip you wanted me to see is as stupid and toxic: just think and compare policies and achievements!
With all due respect Robert, I am sorry but this a typical Liberal Intellectual response. Most people are worried about the sharp increase in COL and concerned about security, and they don't see any of this having any positive impact on that. Yes, keep celebrating Biden's achievements but without directly addressing their day-to-day concerns, Biden won't get re-elected. Many people seem desperate and want to see something change for the better and to be frank, one has to be pretty desperate if one believes Trump will bring a change for the better for everybody. Trump is not afraid of naming their concerns repeatedly, without even coming up with real solutions and merely for political gain but at least they believe he recognises their concerns. Most Democrats seem not to want to talk about it and if they do, they often blame others. If you are incapable of doing anything about it, you are seen as weak by the voters.
Democrats across the board have to stand up much stronger to support the American people in dealing with their concerns and much stronger and united in their support of Biden. This whole election seems to be singularly focused by both sides on defeating the opponents, not on what is best for America and the American people.
I agree with you. The harsh reality of most people is that they are struggling to provide the basic necessities for themselves and their families. The Democrats have to stop saying it is so much better now when most people don't feel that. It sounds like BS. The cost of groceries, rent, childcare when you can find it, gas, utilities, and transportation is too high for most people. Obamacare is becoming too expensive for many people who don't qualify for Medicaid so they rely on urgent care and intend to use Go Fund Me if they have a major illness.
We're retired and have the time to read and watch the news. We have life experience and aren't easily conned. We understand that Biden is turning things around and it can't happen overnight. A year seems much longer to young people and they are impatient for a break. The stock market is an economy in another world for most people. Promise universal healthcare and childcare. Promise something tangible that will change lives in the foreseeable future, like within four years of Biden's next term. Trumps oportunistic daughter promised childcare is 2016 and got many surburban women's votes. Of course she lied.
Agreed. I'm a senior, and I feel like our group has been left behind. I can barely keep a roof over my head, and if my 11-yr-old car needs to be replaced, forget it! Who can afford the cost of a new vehicle these days? Food prices are still high. Utilities are higher. Basic necessities will soon cost too much for the poor in this country. Actually, we're pretty much there. If they raise my rent again this year, I'll likely end up living in my car, like so many other seniors.
That being said, I know well what Trump has done to trash our country, and I'm fully aware of what Biden has accomplished to counteract it. He's done far better than I thought he would, so of course he'll get my vote. But I'd really, really like NOT to live in a car at my age. Affordable housing must be addressed! There are too many homeless in this country, and while some have drug problems or suffer from mental illness, many are simply poor and can't afford a safe place to live.
Same. I am raising my Godson, who is 14. I am not retired, have a STEM degree, have worked at an Ivy in nuclear physics research, yet find myself both "over qualified" for work outside academia and "not experienced enough" for things in my field, depending on the job I apply for. Meanwhile, everything is falling apart in local societies as the monopolies and tech centralize all work, automate the wrong processes misusing tech advances.
When you add that to the large growth in the poor and a shrinking middle class, you get mental illness, and associated drug addiction from the trauma.
No one talks about the mental illness of the morbidly rich, which should be in the DSM.
I'm incredibly stressed these days. I hardly sleep anymore. I worry all the time because I don't have enough money for basics. I admit I'm reaching a depth of despair previously unknown to me. :( Life doesn't seem worth living anymore, when it's nothing but anxiety and struggle.
Theo, you are right. Unaffordable housing ruins lives, but owners and investors earn a lot. How to change your "red scare"? In Holland we tried to since 1902...
Can homeless people vote?
Not unless they have a permanent address.
The worst victims of capitalism can't vote.
https://www.findlaw.com/voting/my-voting-guide/the-homeless-vote--can-you-legally-cast-a-ballot-.html
Yup. The poorer you get, the more marginalized you become.
Yet there are tens of millions of eligible voters who just do not vote. It is urgent that we contact those people and have conversations in which we hear out their opinions and inform them of logistics to get them to the polls for this crucial election.
Yes Gloria, what to do about it?
Sounds like a civil rights case. Either homeless people have a right to vote or they have a right to housing so they are eligible to vote.
No, in many states, unhoused people can use the address of a friend or neighbor, or even a local library.
I didn't say they couldn't. That wasn't the question, however.
Yes, see below from Henry Hunt.
Theo, I am sorry to hear of your difficult situation. Elected officials at every level of government need to hear your story. So many voters say they don't call their elected officials because they feel not listened to. If they don't hear your story, then they will not have the human side of issues. It is one way for us on the ground to speak our truth and potentially impact policy even if the (White House/Senate/Congressional/State legislative/ mayoral/ city council/ public advocate/ County executive) staffer who takes your message cannot produce meaningful and immediate help. I wish you well.
You voted for Joe Biden and ended up with high Inflation.
It is dumb to blame inflation on Joe Biden or any single person. Inflation is the result of actions by the Federal Reserve, Congress, corporations, weather (especially with food), conditions in other countries that we trade with, etc. IMHO, the actions of these actors baked in much of the inflation we have seen since 2021 BEFORE Joe Biden took office!
Inflation is world wide. Our Country is NOT the center of the universe and our inflation is lower than the rest of the world.
Not correct. We are in no way "lower than the rest of the world". We are 17th from the lowest in the G20, in a cluster with Spain, UK, Australia and Brazil around 3.5%.
And you are a lost soul.
I speak the truth. Since Jan 2021 prices have increased by over 20%.
Since 2021 prices have increased due to corporate greed. Stop blaming it on Biden. Since it was Trump who deregulated corporations, that’s where you should be putting your blame.
...on the price gouging of corporate monopolies. That is not something a President can control directly.
I agree, Hans; thanks for your comment today. Looking forward to June 27. Imagine if the debate started with a coin toss, and each Candidate got three minutes to blurt out whatever they wanted, and the rebuttal got two minutes to respond. That debate pattern continues up to the end of the debate. Then, just after the debate, the pollsters and MSM all weigh in as to who they think won the first debate. At a guess, the needle won’t have much or at all for either candidate because many voters already know who they are voting for, and the ones who don’t likely won’t until just before the election based on who they think will win.
Why, many people want to say I picked the winner and don’t look too deeply after that. You are right, many of us in America live from day to day, and history has proven that those of us in that large swath of the population often feel our concerns are not being addressed.
My advice to either candidate is to get out there and tell the truth to the country in a diplomatic way, something to the effect that it matters who you vote for, but the likelihood that anything will change for you soon is unlikely. Explain that in a two-party election there will be a winner and a loser, but the reality is that we as a country, all of us, have been headed down a path starting in the seventies that has gotten us to where we are today regarding education, health-care, living wages, preoccupation with ourselves, has gotten us better or worse off, we’ve got over eight billion of us on the planet and as humans we’re consuming things we can’t replace and creating an environment we likely can’t survive in after another one-hundred years like we do today.
If either candidate took on the challenge of using the debate time to level with the country they could end the first debate telling the American people that neither party has the ability to make things better anytime soon and that what everyone comes to vote on November 5th is challenged with, is to, regardless of the winner or the loser, walk out of that booth and go about re-unifying the country for the common good. All Americans want to earn a living wage, see their kids get educated in a way they can meet the challenges of the future, have healthcare, that death and taxes are inevitable but life’s journey should not be a struggle between haves and have-nots, that elected officials in the legislative branch, are there to work for all of us not just a few at the top of the human food chain.
Nothing of what’s been written today, or the topic of today’s letter means a thing if, after the election, we as Americans remain largely divided and blame each other for what ails us. Thanks again, Hans!
Well said.
Looks like troll class is out in force today. I see you like each other’s comments. Laughable!
You said, "Trump is not afraid of naming their concerns repeatedly, without even coming up with real solutions".
Yes. You are right. Trump identifies concerns/issues then disappears. Maybe he should be called "Disappearing Diaper Don"
What change did T make that was for the better? Unless you’re one of the 1 percent that got tax cuts, I don’t know of any?
There weren't any. But he talked a good game.
I think people support Dumpy because he's given them permission to say whatever nasty, bigoted thing that comes into their heads, especially about Brown and Black people, or gay people, or trans people, and if Biden's elected they'll be pushed back into speaking politely and respectfully again. They don't want to do that.
Most people are strictly emotional, and they're angry. It's really that simple.
Drumpf channels that rage, so he resonates. But where he'll send it is revenge, which never works.
Biden needs to channel it towards justice.
Hans, You don’t sound like you know much about Biden or the media. Where are you from? Mars?
The media is owned almost exclusively by the ultra right, that’s a fact you can look up. Biden passed $1.2T infrastructure pkg, got 500 million Covid vaccinations to people by having them given at pharmacies and other convenient locations, $369 billion investment in Climate change despite the idiot rescumliCons pretending Climate change does not exist, Cut child poverty in HALF, Capped prescription drugs at $2k per yr for seniors, achieved historically low unemployment, recommitted to the Paris Agreement (regarding Climate Change), Respect for Marriage Act, Electoral Count Act and more!
I've noticed something interesting on Nextdoor. Although there you find the requisite МАГАт nut-job rants, you have others, whose sympathies become clear over time, asking little questions like "grocery prices are awful high, aren't they?" and inviting comment. So while it seems like the strategy is all WWE in the overt campaign, it calms down and almost comes across as good natured and polite in less radicalized social media, that has enough support for the right to affirm the message on the one hand, and attack anyone interfering with that message as communists, etc. on the other- complaining about and having removed. They also seem to be relatively successful in complaining and having removed anything one might offer, usually as "non-local" - that is, irrelevant - to the discussion, or disrespectful. On the other hand, I started 3 discussions based on Dr Reich's articles on corporate gouging, the high cost of rent, and the high price of groceries that were "hidden because they might violate forum rules" - that don't seem to be applied consistently. Just something to keep in mind.
This> "Trump is not afraid of naming their concerns repeatedly, without even coming up with real solutions and merely for political gain but at least they believe he recognises their concerns. Most Democrats seem not to want to talk about it and if they do, they often blame others. If you are incapable of doing anything about it, you are seen as weak by the voters.
Democrats across the board have to stand up much stronger to support the American people in dealing with their concerns and much stronger and united in their support of Biden. This whole election seems to be singularly focused by both sides on defeating the opponents, not on what is best for America and the American people."
How do you get people who have drenched themselves in Trump's rhetoric even BEGIN to listen to logic?
You don’t. They will never see it, but their grandchildren will and wonder WTF were they thinking!
Bob, you're a brilliant man, but you are not putting enough blame on the propaganda pushed by the right-wing media, particularly The Fox News Channel. I don't know if you downplay this on purpose to avoid alienating the Fox News Channel viewers, but if we don't call it out and do something about it, it will continue to dominate the public narrative with outright lies. Every day, they hear lies about how Biden is destroying the country, about how bad things are economically, how Biden is persecuting Trump unfairly, and about how great 'everything Trump' is. They not only hear it every day, they hear it repeated ad nauseam. The Fox News Channel has the highest ratings. It's on everywhere you go. Independents and non-political people are exposed as well, and the repetition sticks. We're in big trouble, and this disinformation propaganda and conspiracy-peddling is the core of it. If we can't find a way to get it under control, we lose.
I agree Bob, that the disinformation is a serious problem, along with the forces to divide us. I read quite a lot of the 'social' media platfroms and am somewhat gobsmacked at times with how crazy, twisted and hateful a lot of it is. I saw a Fox News article posted on one of them tonight that seemed to support Trump claiming that a certain judge was corrupt. I wondered how can that even be allowed in the middle of a case.
If a lie is repeated often enough, the masses perceive it as truth.
I think we underestimate the power of stupid. Somewhere along the line, we forgot how to reason, and we continue to support those that talk at our level. I get asked repeatedly "what has Biden done?" And when I start listing the things that the Professor listed, I usually get a blank stare and the inevitable question: "yeah, but what has he done for ME?" And I see that we, in general, are not able to link "big words" to our ordinary life.
When we need education so badly, it's being dismantled, and I don't see it getting any better in the future. I certainly don't want Biden to talk at the level that Trump does, but maybe we can have some commercials that do.
Whether because of stupid or because folks are exhausted trying to earn a living, I do agree many people have little understanding of government and how it works, even at the local level. Often people don't even know where their water comes from, let alone other government services or how they are funded. It is difficult to translate Biden's efforts when real life is so expensive. I think Biden might be better off focusing on closing the record wealth gap. He is, after all, the first since Reagan to reverse "trickle down" that sent over $50T up to the 1%. Much of the distress reported by people young, old, and in between is the inability to obtain secure housing, food, and health care. It seems people of all parties understand were are increasingly at the mercy of corporate oligarchs. The point of Biden's policies is to start redirecting investment to the rest of America in order to address those concerns, but it is turning a battle ship for sure. I believe the CHIPS, IRA, and infrastructure laws are attracting huge private investment and factories are being built, etc. However, many of the non-construction jobs that will follow will not be hiring until after the election.
You are the problem, Celia. You think everyone else doesn’t understand how shit works, when it’s really you who has no clue. Biden is a joke of a man, period. Look at the body language of other foreign leaders in Biden’s presence. They have ZERO respect for Joe. If you can’t see that then it’s because you have no clue about male behavior. Joe is a loud mouth dope who’s never done anything in his life of value. Let me guess, you’re a 50 something white woman who’s worked in an office setting your whole adult life. In other words you’re a clueless white bitch. Sit down and shut up.
Exactly right, down to the analogy. I don't care what all the other lawyers are saying about you. You're okay in my book.
THE LINCOLN PROJECT is producing gut smacking video content that should be airing as commercials on prime time in every news platform
Have you seen what the people at the Lincoln project look like? That tells you all you need to know about them!
Are you SERIOUS???!!! ALL we need to know about the producers of The Lincoln Project is what they LOOK like? Could you be any more fucking shallow?
It has nothing to do with being shallow. I can size up a man just by watching him for a few minutes. Rick Wilson, George Conway and their ilk, are soft, ugly, and not very bright. So consequently they are vindictive little men that are jealous of men like me, who shit on men like them every day.
Your defense is just as shallow and arrogant as your original comment. I don't even want to LOOK at your picture, because your SOUL is UGLY.
There is no idea so stupid that you can't find a professor who will believe it.
Vote for the power of stupid! Vote for Trump!
New improved Trump . Now with the Power of Stupid for whiter whites.
Except Trump has made gains with every race except whites, particularly boomer whites and college whites. You know, the two groups of white people that are terrified of their own shadow, let alone a non white person.
Professor Reich: too many americans are idiots. they believe all the disinformation, the drama, the soap opera, the lies. it's entertaining. it's entertainment. they are too eager to sit back on their fat behinds and complain to their buddies than to actually contribute to making anything better because they would rather belong to a declining society than to a progressive society. part of it is because they are brainwashed by all the russian-bought disinformation but part of it is because this gives them license to spew their hatreds -- bigotry, racism and misogyny -- and they find making these ideas public into a bonding experience.
NOT entertaining. It’s disgusting.
well, perhaps. in that case, it may give them a false sense of superiority over all the rest of us who "don't understand."
Pretty bold assumption I do not agree with: "they are too eager to sit back on their fat behinds and complain to their buddies than to actually contribute to making anything better because they would rather belong to a declining society than to a progressive society. "
You engage in personal attacks that should not be in the discourse.
We are, once again, experiencing what I refer to as: The Lag Effect.
People are recalling the pre pandemic Trump years and post pandemic Biden years.
During the first 3 bizzaro Trump years, the Obama presidency economic gains continued as Trump began twisting the screws against Main Street. Then the pandemic set in. Trump’s mishandling of the pandemic sent our economy into a downward spiral. As Biden inherited this downward spiral, he and his administration have made leaps and bounds to the economic recovery. Considering the positioning of the rest of the world, the U.S. has seen one of the best recoveries. But prices on average are about 150% higher than they were pre pandemic. This is not Biden’s fault. This is the lag effect of Trump’s horrible policies.
The simple ignorance of people is causing whipsaw whiplash.
If Trump is elected in ‘24, our nation is doomed.
If Biden is re-elected in ‘24, our recovery will not only continue, but prosper for the whole of the nation, not just the top 1%.
vote! Vote!! VOTE!!!
Robert, words, facts, logic are not what dictators use to rally people to their side, facts, logic, speeches, have nothing to do with emotional appeal evoked by images of masses of "people who look like me," gestures of aggressiveness (he is so strong!), martial music, vivid colors, primal symbols, all are hallmarks of a campaign designed to bypass the thought process and excite the herd instinct to follow the leader. Given permission to do mean and simplistic hateful things to defend the herd, basically a mob is now coalesced behind the one who displays this force to take the herd to their rightful place as the dominant group even if they are in fact a small minority. We are not in a normal political campaign, it is a survival test.
and a situation made all the worse by a media that loves selling the circus to voters who love the circus. Aeropagitica, meet 21st century reality. The markeplace of ideas where the truth will be sussed out. Hah? This marketplace is rigged too.
Mr. President,
You are doing a truly great job.
But the Archmere style requires you to put your head down, do the work, and count on people noticing. You must expose the American people more fully to your ideas, progress to date, and, perhaps most importantly, your personality, character, and work ethic.
But people won't get it and retain it in a single event. People need to be brought along over time. You need to get more exposures.
I recommend giving a 15-minute fireside chat every Sunday evening at 8:45 p.m. If you were to start in a few weeks, you would have about 28 opportunities to talk directly to the American people in a short format without much travel and coordination. This talk would allow you to discuss current issues that need pushing as we speak (Israel, Ukraine) or broader long-term items (the climate change project). You have made so much progress that people don't realize everything that you have in process.
The weekly address would be streamed at 8:45 p.m. on Sunday night for people to look forward to and catch. Now is an excellent time to start it without a big Sunday night sports event to program around.
It can be made available for streaming after the live broadcast. Throughout the following week, it can be used to play the 5-minute stories or issue key context phrases. You don't need the networks broadcasting on the internet, but after a few weeks, they will log on and carry it on their newscasts.
Mr. President, you are the right man for the job right now. We need to get people to hear about everything you are doing well and describe the plans in place for the things that could be going better.
FDR spoke clearly and honestly with the American people through fireside chats to great effect. You can do the same, but even better. You have the internet and streaming facilities, a great team and plans, and you are a great, competent leader.
I would be happy to discuss this idea with your strategic staff.
Thanks,
John Patterson, Archmere ‘70
(Brother of Bob Patterson, Archmere '60, Brother of Betsy Patterson, Dover, Delaware)
410-440-0935
I think the bigger picture is this:
Under Trump, corporations and the mega-wealthy will continue to grow, and destroy the middle and lower classes (once the middle class is gone, who do they think will buy their products?); women will lose all bodily autonomy and economic rights, but especially the right to health care; no one will be safe from the tyranny of fascism.
Under Biden, our country will remain a democracy, and we can start to heal from years of tax breaks for the rich, corrupt courts, and the GOP deliberately blocking any and all legislation, even if they wrote it themselves, that helps the little guy. And maybe prevent Putin from destroying the world (unfortunately, not a hyperbole).
Tax cuts = Services cuts
That is what tax-cut bloviating, lying by omission, slimeball Republicans do not, will not, never have and never will tell you.
That is partly why Republicans get elected, because people like tax cuts; until they find out what they lose in services.
Democrats should stop that by asking every time a "tax cut" is mentioned: what services are you going to cut?
Pin Republicans down for an answer and don't let them change the subject, which is typically what they try to do.
A lying sociopathic all-consuming infant President who needs his diapers changed would make things infinitely worse.
Yes! Biden needs to go. He can’t even get off a stage by himself. I’m not sure about his use of diapers.
You wear diapers on your head.
Alright sir or ma'am. Time for your nap. You've trolled long enough.
I think part of the problem is also perceived costs. Four years ago we spent far less on gasoline due to Covid shutdowns. We couldn’t go to work or stores, our kids didn’t got to schools, we didn’t travel,for vacations or to visit friends or relatives and I think people have remembered lower costs but not the reasons why. We didn’t got out to eat or to see movies. So in some areas we spent less. I think this in part explains the collective amnesia of those who think they were better off four years ago but who don’t recall why they spent less on these things. I realize it’s more complex than this, some things are higher priced now and we see that regularly. Eggs at the grocery store come immediately to mind. Eating out costs a lot more now. The fallacy is to blame Biden and his administration for these things.
Taking a very different approach psychological approach Mary L Trump discussed this in her recent Substack here:
https://open.substack.com/pub/marytrump/p/the-perpetual-twilight-of-our-times?r=3p4cw&utm_medium=ios
People sometimes forget because it’s painful to remember. Of course, with the MAGA crowd, sometimes nothing we say will help them see. For the rest, we have to remind them and if they will listen, show them the receipts. Such as Professor Reich has done here.
Pollsters, for the love of God, I beg of you: when you ask voters “who they trust more” in the economy, or any issue - ASK THEM WHY!
You don’t have to correct them or anything, but at least write their misperceptions down instead of just saying they “trust Trump” over and over and over again!
Because our educational system does not teach about the various forms of mental illness and because our entertainment industries focus on chaos, violence, destruction, applauding sociopathic behavior and triggering our Pain Bodies, the average citizen does not seem capable of seeing how profoundly dangerous and deeply disturbed Trump really is. In spite of all evidence, too many still feel he is some sort of Marvel super-hero who will save the day while Biden is more like Will Kane/Gary Cooper in High Noon.
this is not going to be received well, but,
maybe the average citizen, or too many of them, aren't capable of seeing how profoundly and deeply disturbed Trump is because they themselves are likewise disturbed as well.
This was well received here, Steve. I agree.
That’s not likely to be true, but nice try.
Nice summary of Biden’s efforts and long term plan to shift the tide but unfortunately you’re unable to convince everyone that it’s as good as you make it sound. I spent $11.88 the other day for a box of cereal & a small amount of asparagus. This is what my eyes tell me today during an election year. Biden’s long term plan will benefit his successors and they will take credit.
While I understand your explanation there’s not enough push back on the real culprits in this effort to make Biden a one term president. This is the same playbook the wealthy used back in the late seventies into the early eighties to discredit President Carter. Gas prices soared corporate price gougers sent inflation to a crazy level and the interest rate on my first mortgage was 16.25%.
Bottom line is they want to continue the tRump tax breaks and GOP trickle down theory that enriches the wealthy only, period. They will sabotage the good work Biden is doing and the changes he’s trying to make so he too will be one term.
The only way to combat this is to tell it like it is. The president doesn’t put the price on goods and services and fuel prices it’s the greedy. To reduce the debt & deficits he’s trying to bring jobs back to America so we can gain back the tax revenues, both federal & state, and social security & Medicare revenue lost because of greedy corporate globalization initiatives that never returned the promised increase in revenue & taxes. Basically, corporations & their overpaid executives do everything in their power to avoid paying any taxes.
The system is bought and paid for by the wealthy and until this PAC gig that benefits both parties is exposed we’ll be in this continuous endless loop of finger pointing and party flip flopping
The system is bought and paid for by the wealthy. SCOTUS helped see to that with Citizens United. Investmernt firms and banks and associations of banks don't care one whit that they are supporting politicians that oppose action to address climate change.
That is one clue about how big money interests are contrary to the common people.
Another is that the media is fixated on one person endlessly. Healthy societies don't do that.
The 70’s inflation was due to lots of new regulations on industry and employment as well as the Vietnam war. It was a time of intense changes in technology, social norms, human rights etc…the Cold War and politics also.