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For this and a host of many more reasons, our effort should be to drive the Republican party to extinction. They are marking themselves as dinosaurs, standing firm for every retrograde, backward and hateful instinct. Americans must reject these desperate extremists at the polls everywhere.

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And we'll all BE like dinosaurs: killed off by anthropogenic global warming, an existential reality ignored and accelerated by Republicans, who REFUSE to admit global warming is a clear and present danger.

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Yep. Nationalize all fossil fuel companies, appropriate all their assets & those of their executives & anybody else engaging in the decades long propaganda of denial, distortion & deceit about their products' harm to the environment & contribution to climate disruption, & use those funds to mitigate & adapt to climate chaos.

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Jaime Ramirez ; Look at the attacks on the EPA, including the latest on water regulations vs development. Water is life, and I have read, "the next oil" . It is that important. Humans, and much else, can't live long without it. Taking away humans' ability to control their fertility is bad enough, and does not help any water issues. It just keeps getting worse with the clueless greedheads!

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Since Ronald Regan appointed Ann Gorsuch, (yes Neil’s mom). Republicans have been defunding the EPA and reducing their power. Check out her wikipedia page. The Republicans are not concerned with the environment or climate change any more than they are concerned with the rich paying their fare share of taxes. They want small federal government so the wealthy don’t have to contribute to a civil society.

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The nihilistic fascists just do not seem to care if THEY themselves die, as long as they 'burn/own the libtards' in the process, and their NAZI propaganda outlets have made sure that is absolute job ONE.

It is why they even exist (good job, Goebbels Nooz, Newsmax, etc., et al, ad nauseum).

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YES JAIME,, the Greedheads !! ARE MAMMONITES !!

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ALL of the GREEHEADS, can be Surnamed.....MAMMONITES !, Jaime ..

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The current debt problem facing this country isn't going away any time soon. It's an unsustainable situation that only has a negative prognosis. I'm no economist but it doesn't take a genus to see the tipping point isn't that far away. We just can't keep raising the debt ceiling every time this issue comes up. Thirty-one trillion in debt, that's like a number most of us can't even start to comprehend, let alone as a country ever begin to repay. Our lenders will one day say enough is enough, then what. Our money was once backed up by a gold standard and that was replaced by silver but now it's a simple game of trust, what happens when the trust wanes and uncertainty sets in. I fear a time will come when our country will just print money when ever the need arises, more and more until we finally run out of ink. The day will come when the system has to collapse from the strain of it own weight. What then? How many of us are prepared to live on Baltic Avenue?

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I think the biggest flaw in your statement is evidenced by you yourself, “I’m no economist”.

Actual economists have mixed theories about the debt, which has always been with us. Try reading a real economist. Start with Stephanie Keltons The Deficit Myth. Once you understand that, then start poking holes in it. But at least you’ll know something instead of merely expressing fears related to your own credit limit.

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Totally agree with this. Please read what economists write about the debt ceiling instead of continuing this culture of fear.

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I was hoping someone would bring in Modern Monetary theory.

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I keep wishing Dr Reich would address it. It’s a fascinating take, and I’ve had to listen (audiobooks are my best way to learn)three times to that book to wrap my head around it. I’d love for him to address the biggest flaw in its theory of debt, which is that it’s okay until it causes inflation.

When does that happen?

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Jen--Sorry young lady, what I stated was a personal opinion which by definition needs no actual evidence to be proposed. You need another cup of coffee and a chill pill. My opinions need no basis in fact, they just express how I feel about a subject.

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Your condescending attitude reveals not only your ignorance but your misogyny, sweetie.

You’d do well not to argue outside your intellectual weight class.

Your ignorant “opinion” is just that, ignorant.

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DH - Rest assured your opinions show not basis in fact. That is why we all get to laugh at them...

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As my pre-depression era dad always told me, "Money is a figment of your imagination". This was his impression after FDR went off the gold standard. But one must look at the extraordinary accomplishments that have followed since to see that debt has saved us thus far.

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It has been a short term blessing, but there will be a price.

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It has been a short term blessing, but there will be a price.

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Absolutely. The federal government is not our household budget. People that dont get that are fools

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Simple solution is to tax the corporations, the banks, and the uber-rich. Presto -- the debt is erased!

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Stan--I'll vote 4-U, I love easy ways to fix things.

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Countries that print money to finance their expenditures all end up with higher inflation. Inflation is taxation without representation. What is important is the “real burden”of the debt. With inflation this is held in check, witness our last two years. For Prof. Reich to state that an increase in the national debt is not a problem is pure nonsense. He of course will want you to repeat after him: “inflation is due to big corporations raising their prices”. Confusing cause with effect.

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I have an open mind about whether or how much inflation is due to corporatations hiking prices to increase their profit margins, which have increased. It seems plausible that at least some inflation might be attributed to that. This is a good question.

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IMHO Steveandjanereed MOST is due to price fixing and price gouging.

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I am of the understanding that if the growth of the money supply was commensurate with the growth of the economy, inflation would not occur. The first Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton understood this as far back as 1800.

When the U.S. was a rising power it could print as much money as it wanted knowing inflationary tendencies would be absorbed by the growth of the economy and the world's desire for dollars. That is no longer the case today. As the dollar loses it's world hegemonic status it's perceived value declines and it is subject to inflation as its reserve currency status lapses.

Prof. Reich is correct. The national debt is not a problem. That is so long as the US dollar retains it's hegemonic status.

That status is now being lost to China's enormous economic growth as well as the BRIC alliance. The U.S. has essentially been checkmated which will eliminate it as the world's leading power in 10 or 20 years.

Instead of setting the rules, America will have to play by the rules others set. China and the BRICS will now set the new rules.

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Of course it goes without saying that corporations and all businesses try always to increase their profit margin.

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Hartmut, inflation is not taxation without representation. It's a form a grand larceny—that's just my opinion. Taxation is levied by the government and paid to the government, with or without representation. Inflation is an economic issue centered in the marketplace and exploited by the corporations who have the most to sell. When rumors about inflation begin to expand, capitalists have no compunction about raising their prices so they can get in on the spoils. We've just watched this happen during the past couple of years. And, did wages go up without the hard work of some few unions who might have had some small success? I don't know the answer to that, but I believe the investors and other ubers reaped all the benefits during the early rush to increase prices. Inflation is theft by capitalists, and definitely NOT taxation.

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Sandra, I am sorry to say you like Prof. Reich are confusing Cause with Effect. Without the huge increase in Government expenditures which were debt financed and increased the national debt there would not be any inflation.

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I see no credible way to predict when such a tipping point might occur. You could look at what has happened to other countries's with unsustainable debt but given the, ahem, exceptional circumstances of the USA, the dollar as the currency of choice, and the economic. cultural, and military clout of thre US, good predictions based upon difficult comparisons are difficult.

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Steve--I agree with you, it a tough thing to predict. It's just a scary thing to have constantly hanging over our heads.

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The whole concept of the “National Debt” is imaginary. The Gold Standard is that piece of paper and the photo on the front. Our lenders are ourselves. The new gold standard is oil. However as long as everyone is eating, working , and trading, the corporate giants can “go to hell in a [stockmarket] hand basket.” Nobody else gives a s@!$#%!*t.

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LaVelle--OK- then why does our credit rating take a dive when things here go terribly wrong? Is it possible we are restricting our own credit availability. The way you spelled "rectal debris" was impressive.

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Donald, I think about this also, and only recently, due to Covid and for other reasons, I found myself carrying for the first time in my life, a comfortable financial cushion in my checking account. It actually made me nervous, because I continue to realize that money has become the placement of the correct numbers by a certain date, in a regular way, etc.—Social Security and retirement from employment— and we continue to value these blips of wealth that travel through an interconnected electronic system, appearing as deposited into our checking accounts. I rarely see cash in all this, and only occasionally write a check on paper. Most transactions are performed with a technologically-adept plastic card. So I spent most of it this past year on home improvements. I saw it as a better investment than buying stock, or holding on to more electronic blips than I need.

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Sandra--You sound like the ground beneath your feet is "Terra Firma" Scarlett would be proud.

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With God as my witness . . . I've never been hungry!

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Jaime, that does sound like a good idea except that it is very undemocratic. Those corporations deserve some kind of punishment for what they have done, but we the people are the ones now addicted to the fossil fuels and industrial materials that have been produced by those corporations and it is going to be really hard to get us off those drugs no matter who owns those corporations.

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IMHO can make a case that since Trump and the Saudis agreed to limit oil production and fix prices above market valses, that the conspirators should pay.

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Spot on! Hit the Cons where it counts......their wallets!

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A windfall profits tax would be a good start, except if the oil producers further restrict production, driving the price up further.

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Excellent suggestion. Their crimes are beyond number.

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JR - That can't happen as long as the Democratic party remains controlled by the donor class. Health Care or Big Oil. what is the difference. Both are evil.. Biden flat out said he would veto a Medicare for All bill. He is protecting the Health Care industries just like the GOP is protecting the Gun and Big Oil industries

Biden would never nationalize any industry because he would lose the support of the donors he works for.

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If he were really smart, he would sign & enact Medicare for All during his 2nd term. He should no longer be so beholden to his donors by then & it would leave a legacy that will not only put him in a favorable position among presidential rankings, but help the Democratic Party strengthen & lengthen their hold on power. But I sure wouldn't get my hopes up.

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Absolutely right. Thank you Jaime!

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Companies like Exxon should be investing in alternative energy. Instead the fleecing the public and extort higher prices at any shift in world news.

Long before fuel prices were affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine gas prices shot up. Even though President Biden released reserve oil; prices continued to soar.

Gas prices go up in California twice a year. I looked into it. The reason? Because they have to change the gas formula from winter to summer and back again. I can’t imagine how in a state where people say we don’t have seasons, where I only rarely need a coat because the temperature dropped down to the 40’s that gas formulas need such dramatic formulation changes.

Then there’s food prices. The common perception is it’s the result of inflation. But it’s not. I spoke about Walmart’s despicable treatment of their employees, keeping their wages so low that they actually instruct new hires on how to apply for food stamps and other government social services. Well that’s just part of their manipulative corporate agenda.

Walmart holds a major share of the food market. Because of this they have the clout to demand major discounts from their suppliers. They have a reputation to be ruthless.To keep up other grocery chains have merged. Kroger is currently in the process of merging with Albertsons. There are five major food companies that own 55% of the market share. Smaller companies are charged more to make up the loss from the discounts demanded by these major corporations. As a result of this imbalance many local grocers go out of business. There are more and more “food deserts” places where there are no grocery stores.

Capitalism is supposed to encourage competition and innovation. It is meant to provide choices for the consumer. That is not what is happening. We find billion and trillion dollar companies exploiting their employees and manipulating the flow of the economy.

Once Starbucks got started they would build Starbucks stores across the street from a mom and pop coffee house. It was intentional. They wanted to own the market.

They exploited the coffee farmers in the third world paying very little for their beans. It took years for Starbucks to stop using the name Ethiopian on one of their coffee products to the detriment of the Ethiopian coffee farmers. Now they are Union busting their own employees.

Our society is in crisis on many levels and a large portion of that comes down to corporate greed. Democracy is meant to give all of its citizens an equal voice. But the Supreme Court changed that when it gave corporations the ability to donate unlimited funds in campaign contributions.

Our country is becoming an oligarchy. The wannabe autocrats are already campaigning for the presidency. Every able bodied person needs to speak up. Too many uninformed people think that the far right is their friend.

The republicans are going for the lowest aspects of people’s beliefs who feel left out. They are pretending to be their stalwart defenders. It’s slight of hand. Distract the people with wars on the demonic : left wing, LGBQT people, color that doesn’t match yours, non Christian’s, wokeness, and they won’t notice that they are only interested in enriching themselves and have no interest in making ordinary peoples lives better.

We can’t let this go on.

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Democrats are at best doing MARGINALLY more than the GOP on climate change. What kind of party can barely beat a party as disfunctional and evil as the 2023 GOP? The Biden led Democrats. The Democrats are controlled by the donor class, they have turned their back on labor and the environment and they are fine with Americans dying or going broke in exchange for clinging to one of the most evil health care systems ever invented.

Lets get our own house cleaned before we even think about beating the GOP

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Mostly "present" these days. Cough, cough.

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Check out the World Economic Forum's solution -- a "circular"

(sustainable) economy: https://www.weforum.org/topics/circular-economy/

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Yes, but it isn't only the Republican Party; it is those who espouse and implement the kinds of ideas and policies that the Republican Party now fully embraces. Their paths to power and the fascist take-over of all of our institutions and agencies is occurring at every level and may not always be identified as "Republican." It is the ideas and ideology that must be repudiated.

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IMHO Republicans already control most of our institutions.

Ironically most Republican voters are not wealthy but support control by BIG OIL, BIG PHARMA, etc. These are the real forces that have shaped public policy since Buckley vs Valeo and Citizens United.

As I've been saying, we don't control Congress but do control Treasury, the IRS and DOJ for a 2 year window and it's possible to add as much as $7 trillion to fund the government. https://www.businessinsider.com/yellen-shocking-7-trillion-in-taxes-uncollected-treasury-federal-government-2021-5#:~:text=Yellen%20told%20The%20Atlantic%20that,no%20additional%20action%20is%

20taken.

I'm especially sorry that Robert implicated "if present trends continue, the federal budget will essentially be Social Security, Medicare"..... That is a mistake. In fact the problems with the trust funds, stem from the baby boom generation not contributing to the same extent as other generations. According to statistics, the baby boom phenomenon will decline beginning in 2034, when the population curve flattens.

IMHO some of the slope of the statistical curve leading to 2034, can be adjusted by "private" or subsidized "charitable" contributions. Social Security benefits disabled workers, orphans, widoe(ers) as much as any charity and does so with minimal operational expenses.

Spread the word. https://www.ssa.gov/agency/donations.html

*

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I'm not sure I entirely understand your comment and recommendations, but if my understanding is at all correct, then I must disagree.

Social Security, Medicare (not to mention all other aspects of our society, such as food production, defense, education, etc. etc.) are dependent on a work-force and that is dependent on population status. As America's birth rate declines, that eventually means fewer workers. Without immigration - or other worker options such as "work visas" - the "inputs" to all of these systems also decline.

There are various problems with Social Security and Medicare (and the future of them, but similarly of other societal elements in the U.S.) but I do NOT think "charity" is the answer. SYSTEMIC changes are needed, but those systemic changes must be based on a dedication to the public good, to genuine caring for the well-being of our citizens - birth to death and quality of life between. In the short-term, that means that all income-earning Americans and employers/businesses must contribute to Social Security and the "cap" must be fixed so that there is more contributed revenue now. Revenue, not cuts and not charitable props!

Medicare has become some kind of quasi-private insurance program that benefits BIG INSURANCE, BIG PHARMA, BIG MEDICINE and has declining benefit to America's "senior" citizens in their real, lived experience of America's "health care" system. America needs a comprehensive SYSTEM of HEALTH CARE that includes really good doctors and nurses and hospitals and clinics and PUBLIC HEALTH and the whole gamut of systems to help citizens become and stay as healthy as possible, a whole SYSTEM that says we are all in this together, we want us all to be well and strong. What we have now is going from bad to worse and paying money for nothin' (to borrow from the great Dire Straits song).

A "senior" I know recently had one of those supposedly no-cost "wellness" exams that were to be given annually, just a basic exam ostensibly to promote - you know - wellness. The senior tried to make an appointment with a doctor; the wait for an appt was about 8 months. Then that awaited appt. got cancelled and the "senior" was assigned instead to a nurse practitioner and another months long-wait even for that "assigned" appt. not with a doctor but an NP. The senior kept the appt and the exam took place. It consisted exactly of this: a nurse took the senior's blood pressure. The NP put on a stethoscope, listened to the senior "breathe in.....breathe out.... again.....in.......out." The NP ordered the very most basic blood work from the lab. And THAT was the sum-total of the "wellness" exam - for which the "senior" friend received a huge bill, AFTER insurance had paid a separate HUGE amount. THIS is American "health care" and even at that terrible level, it's probably more than a lot of people get.

Like tRump's craven, crass nature has revealed itself in so much of America, so too have so many of America's "services" been revealed as money-grabs without substance, and until and unless Americans start to demand that OUR tax dollars are to be used for OUR well-being, we will continue to give our life's blood to enrich those who contribute nothing of any significance to the public good!

No, charity is NOT the answer to saving a humane program of decency and dignity. WORK and WORKERS were valued in the underlying origins of Social Security and honoring and respecting "elders" and their well-being throughout life was part of the origins of Medicare. Both have been harmed by the crass and craven lust for the earnings, savings, health, safety and very lives of American citizens and most particularly the most vulnerable, "senior citizens" of all "kinds."

No, "charity" is noblesse oblige and has no place in a nation that is - purportedly - NOT an aristocracy but is a nation of proud, dignified workers!

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You missed the part where the population rate returns to normal levels beginning in 2034.

We have been giving 501 c 3 tax subsidies to institutions that are less worthy than the trust funds. Many are "charities" in name only....that is the rub.

Instead Congress, most recently during the Trump administration, decreased the contributions by cutting "payroll" taxes.

Had the trust funds been fully funded, wouldn't need a fix.

BTW a couple of former SSA commissioners thanked me for working this out.

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James, you are so right about knocking out the Republican Party as it is now, but how do we do it when our media are so one-sided in favor of Republicans and their deep-seated lying and ignoring our Constitution? Then, there's the Supreme Court and federal and state Republican legislators, right-wingers who care nothing for the truth because it doesn't get them anything they want. They want the lies to speak for them, and they do. The challenge, a whole lot of people believe Republican lies and BS and think Republicans will actually help the people of this nation when there is no evidence of that for 45 years or so.

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I'm afraid you're absolutely right Ruth. However, on the bright side we have another 2 years to turn the tide on this. I can't believe that the majority of Americans want the orange monster in office and fascism to become our form of government in this country. We will need to vote Blue in 2024 and any other time no matter the position local, state or federal. Democrats have such a hard time doing it but, we need to confront these Christo- fascist wherever they hide.

The one thing we as Democrats need to do is talk to all the Republicans we know and even the ones we don't know. We need to find out what is on their mind and get them to understand that we are all in this game together and the answer is democracy. Those states that are fully fascist now, Florida and Texas for instance, are basically the losers in this. The people in those states are losers in this. We need them to figure out that the route that they're taking is not the correct one for 80% of Americans.

Most Americans are not neo- Nazis and are not white supremacists and are not fake Christians. Thus most Americans want a Democratic society not or Russian society. Most Americans want a society run by society and not by some religious Pope. Ask your Republican friends and relatives, if you still speak to them, especially if you don't,"do you really want to live in a place like Russia?"

Except for the maga crowd most all of them will answer hell no. Next show them how the Republicans are pushing us into that direction. Remember also that the majority of Republicans are under educated Americans. They do not understand things the same way as we (Dems) do.. They even have a fearless leader called tRump who understands nothing. I'm sorry to say it but in my opinion the man isn't all there and is certainly a Hitler look alike.

If we want to understand the rump and the con party that he represents we just need to take a look at who is support structure is. Neo-nazis, White supremacist, racist, gun toting militia members, the NRA, the mega crowd, anyone and the media goon squad of haters.

This is who he is. This is who the Republican party is.

Vote blue.

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I like the part about talking to republicans. I've made a new friend in my neighborhood, tattered trump flag and all. She had to look at my huge Biden sign. I love my neighbor. We get along.

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The REGRESSIVE Party (and that's the 'moderate/problem solver' labeled ones who are not actually devout, outright wannabe genocidal NAZIS at this point).

Robert is CORRECT, there is NO COMPROMISE with foaming at the mouth, bloodthirsty FASCISTS, and democracy never should, nor can it ever compromise with them.

Totalitarian fascism is NOT "just another worldview", or "another side of the political spectrum or governance" as many say.

It is an absolute life ending existential threat to at least half of the populace of this land currently.

'No shame' McCarthy IS already pushing for his MAGAt brown shirt, SCUMp loving 'base' sating 'commission' to look at radically cutting OUR paid into by US, EARNED BENEFITS, so that war is not over yet either. :(

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Sure, that will solve everything. Just keep doing what we have been doing. (Sorry for the frustration/sarcasm, but you are way wrong.)

System change is the ONLY solution. See movetoamend.org

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I think all of you are right. S. Howard says we should vote for Dems because republicans obstruct efforts to re-distribute money & power away from corporations and toward the people. Daniel points out that industries/corporations have been controlling public policy to the detriment of the people. Ruth is concerned that the media has become a tool for authoritarian/fascist lies with no pushback. Lawrence says we can’t keep doing what we’ve been doing to correct these issues, and that’s true to a certain extent.

I looked at the website for “move to amend” and it says what I’ve been saying for at least 6 years- we must overturn Citizens United asap. Next we have to pass a law making private campaign donations

illegal and requiring the use of only public money for campaigning, because campaign donations are literally bribes.

A good number of our reps & senators (especially republicans) are in Congress for self-enrichment opportunities. They couldn’t care less about the Constitution or governing. Republicans skew/rig everything they can to favor corporations/industries so they can get large campaign donations from them. If we get rid of the monetary perks available to our elected representatives, Congress will eventually be filled with people who are more concerned about their constituents than they are about corporations.

But the key factor or variable in doing what needs to be done to take our government back is the Supreme Crt. It would be devastating to achieve these goals only to have the conservative majority on the Court decide against them, because let’s face it, the current court is corrupt. Strategy-wise, four more justices must be added, but not until after President Biden is re-elected.

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Good glory! Sure they refuse to admit global warming. But how did they get there? What are the deeper powers and shananigans at work to cultivate such delusions? Good gosh! Look at the state of our cities! All those blue tarps of the houseless! The level of pessimism and suicide among the young! The atomization of the body politic sitting alone before the computer screen! Instead in consciousness raising groups to save the democracy! The lack of citizenry support for those intent on unionizing! The absence of dissent to the prevailing governmental/Big Money/money for war but not for basic needs! Good Glory! We are in class warfare and Big Money is winning cause unlike the Poles in the streets raising caine against the governmental line toward LGBT human beings, Americans go peep peep be sure to vote peep! Good Heavens! Don't you get it? The Democrats have colluded with the Republican agenda? Otherwise, how could Big Oil and Big Inc and Big Private Equity and Big Billion get away with what they are doing? They want us embroiled in cultural wars so we don't take a hard look at how we have been allowing them to shaft us - Daily!! The whole system is sick and it's making us sick and keeping us sick. If you're up to it - check out any and all of Dr. Gabor Mate's youtube videos and books. He's a truth teller with evidence.

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I'm sorry anyone would equate reality with pessimism. Calling the fire department because one's house is on fire is not pessimism. (responding to the first reponse to your post).

So lately I've been wondering about freedom from the press. The corporate press. The voice of the plutocrats/oligarchs. The megaphone for the neoliberal (yes Biden is one) agenda in what passes for gov't by, of, and for the people.

I subscribe to the New York Times because I compare it's coverage to progressive news outlets (most of which get no corporate money). For how many weeks did we bemoan the lack of coverage/information about what the debt ceiling really is, in this column by Dr. Reich?

by the way, all of this is moot if putin gets overly weird and starts shooting off tactical nukes. and if he doesn't, the warming planet will take care of it all. did anyone mention water wars? i know, let's privatize our water systems, 'cause y'know, business can do it better!

and yes Gabor Mate is extremely perceptive in my opinion.

and yes, there is class war, and we lost long ago. it's just a mop-up operation now, and drumpf was supposed to be the janitor, but he couldn't even do that right. send him back to russia.

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Well Paul I think you make a good point. Thank you

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Wow, it would be great however if we approach this at a more positive fashion. There's nothing to be gained Selena with all this negativism.

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The Republican Party would not exist, unless they had many followers. You can kill the head of the beast, but it will just grow another head. Somehow we need to get those 30% to see the bigger picture and the lies they are being told.

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Yet the Republicans are more popular than ever and Trump is beating Biden in the polls. Maybe it's time for Democrats to wake up and smell the coffee. The Democratic agenda is at best marginally better than the GOP agenda to the poor and working class in this nation and until that changes the GOP is going to stay strong.

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How do you mean marginally better? It seems to me the difference is day and night. Am I wrong?

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Kind of off topic but people like Maxwell Frost, who openly called out fascism and DeSantis on stage in Florida give me a newfound hope for what his generation can accomplish. I only hope more of his peers follow in his footsteps.

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Greg Casars of Texas is another one like that.

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I think I have made this comment before, but it is clear to me who our next President should be. Robert Reich.

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I second that!

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SHOULD the US spend so much on the military-industrial complex?

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No.

What we need is a lot more revenue, & we should get it from an increasingly progressive income tax system with higher marginal tax rates, wealth taxes, & closing tax loopholes to start with. And to shore up Social Security, remove the cap

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Jaime, and, I would like to see our IRS put a lot of its current and future funds no matter how much it is given to go after rich cheaters and stop stressing so much over the cheaters under $100,000. That should be retro for say 10 years back.

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Sorry, don't agree. Squeezing money from rich cheaters requires lots of time and effort. Need specially trained IRS agents. "Poor" cheaters have simpler situations and produce quicker, easier returns to the government. You don't want cheaters to think they have a "Get Out of Jail card" because they are poor. Yes, we need to put more effort into catching rich cheaters, but the IRS should continue to "stress" over poor cheaters too.

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IMHO all Treasury needs to get started are object lessons and the receipts will roll in.

I also think that the public should know that there are bounties available!!! https://www.irs.gov/compliance/whistleblower-office

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Okay well we need to be a little careful with the bounty system. Somebody turned me in once to the IRS. On Christmas Eve day at 7:30 a.m. and IRS agent showed up at my door and handed me in $90,000 bill. It was all a bunch of fun it took me two and a half years and $4,000 to get the IRS to understand that my accountant was right and they were wrong. They finally accepted what I had to say and drop the bill but bounties can be a complete pain in the... When they are lies in the IRS Acts without any knowledge of what is going on except the bogus report.

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We do need more revenue Jaime. All the GOP talks about is cutting spending...what they really mean is to cut spending on us, the people. But we the people ARE the government. America exists for all of the people, not for corporations & industries. Corporations and industries are supposed to be tools to help us govern by contributing money in the form of taxes.

But Republicans have given up so much power to them that making ever more money is their only goal. CEOs, CFOs, etc. have insulated themselves from the reality that our country is in grave trouble and CNN just demonstrated that unintentionally.

Everything Dems do to try and turn that around is subject to sabotage by the “conservatives” on the Supreme Crt. So we have to get serious about

taking power back from the GOP and corporations. The first step to doing that is to vote for democrats.

If Dems are the majority of both the Senate and the House we can start to turn things around. Turning

this dystopia around doesn’t include criticizing

President Biden. In my view Biden is the link

between the horrific Trump years and the realization

of what has happened, to the future re-building of

our country. He’s putting the building blocks in

place for our future in the face of extreme, relentless opposition and personal attacks no president has ever had to deal with before now, and he’s doing it

with uncommon grace.

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NO, but cut the defense budget? Sadly, not likely! Millions of Americans work for the military-industrial complex (MIC), and there are MIC installations in most states and congressional districts. This makes it nearly impossible to make significant cuts to the defense budget. Also, it seems like the US has been almost continuously involved in wars since Pearl Harbor in 1941, with Ukraine being our latest war. This feeds the "need" for a large, and very expensive, military. My two cents...

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The authoritarian worshiping MAGAts are vehemently and vociferously against helping out Ukraine with even a tiny portion of that said defense budget since their populace is fighting an existential war AGAINST a genocidal fascist, and it's supporting corrupt oligarchs, and FOR democracy.

If Russia were still loud and proud declared 'commie' (even though they NEVER really were actual communists in the purest sense, just a totalitarian state) all of these Q'aNAZI 4th REICHers might have a different stance on the matter.

That says it all. ;) :(

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And the US hasn't actually won a war since WWII (unless you count creating a desolation and then abandoning it as a "win").

Just think how well-off Americans would be if even some of those MIC installations were converted to installations to serve the public good: infrastructure, education, food, medical and climate research, etc. They'd still provide jobs and votes in those states and congressional districts.

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Should, should, should?!??????

We should not! But we are!!!

What does that tell you?

Hint: our system is broken. movetoamend.org

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well I agree Lawrenece. If we don't get rid of Citizens United it's hard to see that we maintain any semblance of democracy .SCOTUS decision drove a stake into the heart of democracy. We may never recover.

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I'm sure it is. Citizens united invited dark money in the millions or even billions from corporations. Among those corporations are religious nonprofits who were unable to contribute to the fascist party because of separation of patrician state and IRS restrictions on nonprofit religious corporations. Today is a Catholic bishops of America and the leaders of the Evangelical churches are hiding millions of dollars in donations to the fascist party in order to achieve their own goals of making America a Christian Nation and- to hell with anyone else. Our inferior Roman Catholic supreme Court needs to be revamped in citizens united needs to be history. Our supreme Court needs to be replaced with sane judges and more of them.

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There is a way to recover from Citizens United, but it requires some effort from each of us. movetoamend.org It’s not much trouble. Call your Reps and ask them to support HJR54, the We the People Amendment, if they are not yet a cosponsor!

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That's one of the reasons I emigrated from the US to Canada.

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Maureen, is emigrating to Canada complicated with a lot of red tape? I have passed a Canadian citizenship test, and there are more reasons than just getting away from these MAGAt's here in the United States. I have talked to few people up there and i like them and i like the weather up there better than here in the southeastern states as i am very sensitive to heat and the humidity here. If these fascists take over our government here in the 2024 elections, i most certainly will not stay in the United States. No one is going to force that damn Christian National and Fascist crap on me. I may sound insane for saying this, but i love the snow too and due to this climate change thing, it no longer snows here in North Georgia like it used to about 2 or 3 times a winter.

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It may be nice to live in Canada, but if the US tips over, there will be no way out anywhere on this planet.

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Donna Robin Lippman, VERY GOOD point! The GUP has no idea of how dangerous that made up "Debt Ceiling" fights are to this country and THE WORLD..

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I think they do know how dangerous it is

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I have to agree with you, i read somewhere recently that Canada is very dependent on the United States for goods and supplies. It may buy a little time to go there, but eventually things would most likely go sour for Canada fairly soon. What about Australia or New Zealand?? I don't even like to think about going to those 2 nations many thousands of miles away. I wonder how it would be those nations if the Fascism thing happens in the United States?? Will master of the world Dictator TUMP invade and seize Australia, New Zealand, and even the United Kingdom's Britain, Scotland, and Ireland?? Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and other free nations of the world??? The Democrats and Democratic voters need to start very soon to stop these despicable Fascists from letting Fascism getting any traction.

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If the US tips over, there will be a race as to which harm does the most damage to the entire world; destroy the habitable planet by environmental collapse, and/or fascist/racist elitism. I don't think it will matter in which shadow anyone attempts to hide from it. It will seep in everywhere. I am in favor of fighting for justice as long as is necessary. As to your point about Democratic voters stopping these despicable fascists, there are phone banks now, in June every day. To mention a few, seek out the websites and volunteer with WisDems, Justin J Pearson, New Georgia Project, or Sister District focusing on the Virginia legislature.

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Canada has is its far right crazies too. The same dark forces that keep them stirred up here in the US, do the same up there as well.

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Sad, but true. Canada used to be a GREAT place for freedom.

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They’re better at fighting back.

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I can't honestly say how difficult it would be for you now; I'd suggest you consult the Canadian government immigration websites.

When I came to Canada in 1971, I already had an MA and came to do my PhD on a Teaching Assistantship at the University of Toronto on a student visa. Then I married a Canadian fellow student, so I had plenty of points: education, language, family in Canada, etc.

Good luck!

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Thank you, Maureen. I honestly don't have the credentials that you do, and i only have 1 year of Technical college. I had thought about trying to find a nice lady to marry in either Nova Scotia or New Brunswick, as i have been alone for 8 years after my wife left me back in 2015. But i have had some very bad luck with scammers on dating sites. I do have contact information for the immigration office in Halifax, Nova Scotia. My phone is on the blink now and i am going to get me a new one very soon. Thank you again for the info you have gave me.

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Check the Canada Immigration website. I’m dual so have my passport in hand.

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All this "I'm moving to Canada" stuff is like 1968 all over again.

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I’m Canadian

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I wish I had when I was young.

But as a Canadian, I'm sure you must be quite concerned about the precarious state of our system in the US in the last several years.

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Yes, very. It also has a bad influence on US: e.g., the Freedumb Convoy.

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I’m trying to as well. Selling my house then I’m outta here.

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Good luck to you!

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No. See, President Eisenhower's final speech to the Country with Federal jobs powering the M-I C going to every state.

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Maureen, the answer is "no!" The military can't even account for a lot of what it spends, then clamors for more and we give it, nearly without thought because, well, the Pentagon wants it and they "protect" us. The wealthy who love and benefit most from the Pentagon budget need to pay their share of taxes and that share needs to be a significant percentage (maybe 30% over 1 million dollars, to start with, then 70% over 30 million dollars of their income, including capital gains, and all the extra money they bring in on the side. Then, if political donations could be severely limited to say no more than $2,500 a year for any person, and corporations are persons. That should include contributions to PACs and other organizations that directly support candidates or political parties. It's time we got a handle on this insanity.

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The effing MAGAtz in Congress actually give the DoD MORE THAN they ever even ask for, since it only helps the defense contractors which are their HUGE donors, rivalling even their BIG; pharma, fossil fuel, and corporate/trillionaire donors.

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Interesting twist on "corporations are persons." Sort of like conversational karate. But, regarding the military demands you've mentioned, just FYI, I've read pieces about how there have been high-ranking military men resisting the purchase of specific armaments, because the inventory was overflowing in tanks, ships, big guns, planes, missiles, whatever you can imagine. One general was offended that his own personal tax money was at issue, as any other citizen would complain. The main point was, that some of it would never be used, but instead would fall to rust in some western canyon. Ruth, I like the way you just roll out the high taxes for the rich like it's something you know by heart and it's part of your political lexicon, especially since I agree with what you're saying.

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Sandra, thank you. The tax issue is a big one for me because it is frustrating that people with minimum incomes often pay a higher percentage of their income than the very rich. And, those rich pay only a tiny fraction of their massive incomes for Social Security and Medicare. It is disgusting how many people in congress are ready to jump on board for tax breaks. Either they are rich enough to be angry that they should have to pay their fair share of taxes (in that case they shouldn't even be in Congress with their pathetic whining) or they are wealth wannabees who think that if/when they do get rich, they won't want to give up any of their "hard-earned" bucks (they shouldn't be in congress either because their situation lends itself to bribes and help from lobbyists). No one in Congress should be voting for lower taxes for rich people. Those folks have already been given the riches of our society and owe back their fair share of that. Alas, we expect nothing of them except, perhaps showing off their home or yacht on reality TV.

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One thing that scares me is: what if, if push came to shove and the US military had to defend the US against invasion, it turned out that, like Russia's army, due to the corruption, they were useless?

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The DoD budget could be cut to HALF of what it is currently, with billions more given to the veterans who need (and MUST have) the help, and we would STILL have the most powerful defense system on the planet many many times over.

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Instead, the US pushes NATO nations to also spend more on defense. Is this to get them to buy American munitions?

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Is that a rhetorical question? The defense budget is larger than the next 9 countries with the world’s largest defense budgets. See the link below for 2020 figures:

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/military-spending-by-country

I imagine the waste alone in the Defense Department would fund some “nice things” for the poor and middle class (Prof. Reich named a few in today’s post). And since the Defense Department encouraged consolidation in the defense industry, there is now a virtual monopoly of about 5 or so defense contractors. We know what monopolies can do with pricing.

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No. Time for a haircut and shift in priorities, including priorities within DOD. We have to invest more in our people. Consider it an investment in national securty if you like.

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There was an informational item in emails from a Social Security advocacy group saying that Kevin McCarthy had been on Fox "news" after the "deal" was done. The item said that McCarthy was planning to organize a "commission" dedicated to cutting Social Security. Since it has been an obsessive focus of Republicans for decades to eliminate, privatize, or otherwise destroy Social Security, I think we can be sure McCarthy and his coven will be back again and again and again to finish their dirty deeds. Furthermore, it is just a matter of a few summer months before they can begin their now annual threat-fest for "do what we say with the budget or we shut this whole thing down!" Chaos, threats, bullying, and utterly insane mis-management of everything that might be for the public good or for progress is their way. They are anti-American. Why do they hate America and Americans so much?

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It’s not that they hate America, it’s that they love money more. Which reminds me, does anyone

believe Trump took classified documents as keepsakes? That’s the most absurd thing I’ve

heard in a long time. Trump is all about money.

He worships money. His entire adult life has been devoted to fraudulently obtaining money.

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He most likely has been using those documents to sell to his dictator buddies like MBS & Putin, & blackmail Republicans like Graham & McCarthy.

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Susan Garrity Benton, regarding tRump's taking of the documents and all of the speculation about what he was doing, or planning to do with them: I also think it is about his lust for money (and the translation of money to power and control for him). Everything he does is about the accumulation of money (power, control - all of which are essential to his relentless need to satisfy his sociopathic narcissism/narcissistic sociopathy). In a recent interview he apparently did with Sean Hannity (Fox "news") excerpts of which were shown on MSNBC, he let the cat out of bag (cat had to pay him a fee for the bag and for exiting the bag, it was a MAGA-BAGA).

tRump has so little control over his disordered thought processes that he often projects his own ideas by ascribing them to others and/or he describes what "might/could have" happened or he uses "whataboutism" - something he does quite routinely. He used "whataboutism" when he let that cat out of the bag in that interview: among his many usual absurd and false claims about the documents, including that they "are mine.....I can do whatever I want with them...." he actually gave the game away, I think, when he invoked - of all people, that paragon of American virtue (!) - Richard Nixon. (paraphrasing here because I regret that I don't remember the EXACT words): Nixon was paid $16 million for ?the papers? the documents?

My inadequate memory for the exact quote ALMOST makes me wish I watched Hannity (but I will get over it). If anyone can obtain that exact quote, I think they will have the key to tRump's plan for "the documents": sell them to multiple buyers, sell them to the highest bidders, use them to extort money/other "gifts," etc. from any dictator, despot, lunatic, criminal who will pay. I think his sickening intimations of "love" for Kim Jung Un, Vladimir Putin, Modi, Netanyahu, Orban, Xi, and probably most all, Saudi Arabia's "MBS" are actually a line-up of his intended "marks" for the bidding wars to obtain "the documents" he stole and illegally held onto. His lust for money (power/control) and his absolutely amoral psychopathic mind, however, supercedes any interest or concern or sense of responsiblity for the national security of the United States or welfare of its citizens, not to mention that of any other country. HIS needs, drives, compulsions are all that matter to him and he has a large following dedicated to satisfying him, at the expense of, and peril to, America - and very possibly even the world.

If there is anything "good" at all that has come from the emergence of tRump as a global influence, it is that his overwhelming presence among us has forced us to recognize the many, deep, wide and horrifying places of rot in our country. He turned over rocks, things slithered out, words and ideas we might have thought were extinct suddenly rose up in obscene, ugly fury. He and his similars have sucked the air out of our ideals and our idealistic notions of who and what we are.

Now we have to put that predatory criminal stratum down, put their obscene anti-American plans back in their boxes, and put them into the status of being "shunned," lock them down again, reclaim our (idealized) path to decency, prosecute their crimes and traitorous activities, and clean up the mess they have left behind, and are still making.

BUT moving forward must be BETTER, not just extension of some past status quo. We MUST reform and improve in order to move forward as our better 'selves.' tRump didn't invent the view of America he forced us all to see and realize. His disturbed predatory con-artistry simply exploited it for his own amoral ends. But that side/those sides of America that he exposed are like the lamprey that attach themselves to the free-swimming wild salmon, sucking its life-force away.....

We must do better. We must BE (or become) better. We cannot possibly be, or continue to be, what tRump and any criminal, despotic, deranged entity, shows us to be. We must be better citizens, better humans than that.

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Annie, I completely agree. Most people don’t realize that almost all of Trump’s behavior (criminal or otherwise) is due to a disordered thought process.

In addition, people are objects to Trump. Upon meeting people his thoughts immediately become, “How can this person benefit me?” He manipulates everyone around him constantly and most of them don’t realize it.

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You have great insights into his behavior and mental status. You have complete agreement from me. Not only are people objects to him, as you said, and his self- interest the primary motivator behind his manipulation and exploitation of everyone, but that is often followed by his sadistic, often cruel and vindictive, actions if they disappoint his use of them. Sociopathic to the core, absolutely no empathy, sympathy or human connection with anyone - other than as objects for his use.

I'm sure you recall that some large number - 100? 200? - of psychiatrists (maybe other mental health professionals; I don't recall precisely) wrote about their diagnostic assessment of him, and about their professionally-informed worries about his possibly becoming President when he was 'just' a candidate. Unfortunately, THEY were excoriated for that, whereas HE went on to be elected, and the country went on to suffer greatly for that outcome - and it is still ongoing.

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I do remember--I read the book. He keeps saying

he doesn’t understand why people are picking on him, because other presidents have done what he did but they haven’t been in trouble like him. Part of that is because he’s delusional and part of it is

because he truly believes anything he does can’t possibly be “wrong.” But as you said, what’s most frightening is his complete lack of empathy.

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The SCUMp SHITler owes Vlad The Impaler, BIG TIME (MUCH more than he could ever hope to pay back monetarily), and will owe that fascist butcher even MORE YET after 2024. ;)

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Trump has found other ways to repay his puppetmaster, whose investment in Trump was his best ever.

But I really hope that by 2024 both of them will be put away somewhere they can no longer harm us.

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There is little more than what you are hoping for that I could hope for more, but tragically, evil ALWAYS seems to triumph in this world. :(

Sorry for sounding so glass half full, all out pessimistic, but just look at the effing REICHwing judge assigned to SHITler's trial, and just try to imagine the sycophantic MAGAt jury pool in FLORIDA. ;) :(

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I saw that. This kind of thing always happens. Is it by accident or by design?

It has occurred to me upon thinking about it, considering that Trump is the opposite of just about everything he pretends to be, that Trump has lived a life of crime while managing to skirt the law, & that Trump has so many connections in the corporate, political, legal, entertainment & international (& more recently, religious & military) realms, that he is actually part of the "deep state", whatever it is exactly (but I'm quite sure there is something to it, though not quite what right-wingers depict it to be). There was this apparent reluctance by the DOJ to prosecute him until such overwhelming evidence of guilt, part of which was revealed by the House January 6th Committee, compelled them to put some effort into an investigation of him, which really started in earnest by the hiring of Jack Smith.

But no matter what happens: a great congressional investigation of Watergate leads to the resignation of Nixon, but then his pardon; the Iran/Contra hearings lead to the conviction of numerous government & military figures, but then Bush pardons them; longtime political establishment figures are in charge of the 9/11 investigation to make sure nothing is uncovered that would point any serious culpability to the Bush administration, our military or corporations contracted to the government; Obama doesn't even bother to investigate the crimes of Bush/Cheney in Iraq & Afghanistan; another political establishment figure is appointed to lead the investigation of the Trump campaign connections to Russia & is thwarted from looking at the most critical financial & personal connections between Trump & Russia, & those who are convicted get pardoned by Trump; the perpetrators of the most serious crimes against our nation nearly always go scot free if they're part of the Washington establishment. Your pessimism is very well-founded.

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Yes, 'the powers that be' always seem to drag their asses when it comes to prosecutions of these evil pieces of shit, all in the name of/under the guise of 'dotting i's and crossing t's to get it right'.

The problem is that the powerful evade justice by delays, and the SCUMp SHitler knows that all it has to do is delay into the effing 'election season', and it is home free no matter HOW; compelling, 'airtight', 'slam dunk', and ferocious the case against him may seem.

I truly do hope that I could not be more wrong, but it seems once again that the orange fuehrer was HANDED a 'get out of jail free card' by the DoJ with that effing reactionary judge, putting the trial in MAGAt-land, and the delay in even first bringing the case against the megalomaniacal DESPOT by making SURE that it will run into the 20 foot thick steel wall of their "too close to the election" 'rule'.

Everyone now so praises Garland for finally getting this started, and assigning such a 'pitbull' to the investigation/prosecution in Smith (and looking good for it), but it also handed the Mango Mussolini one of those ten layer padded attack dog proof training suits with which to shield itself.

This trial (and ALL of the others) should have been in progress already, F**K "appearing way too politically partisan".

This is our effing WHOLE DEMOCRACY on the line here, not some esoteric 'principal' (which is NOT even an actual law!) related to aesthetics.

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They are Fascist, they are Authoritarian, they are closet Nazis, their voters are brain washed by them through their very extensive right-wing media propaganda machine, which would give Gobbles a hard on in the grave. They are Putin worshipers, going back before Trump ran. Trump running and Brexit was pushed and helped finance by Putin/Russia. Our legal system moves too slow for their criminal and traitorous behavior.

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They're sadists.

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I keep hearing on MSNBC that "The cruelty IS the point!"

That is a gross understatement when applied to these MAGAt Q'aNAZIS. ;)

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Annie C., be careful how you use the word "coven" (above). Today's witches might be offended, and they're an essentially gentle bunch. Regarding your possibly rhetorical question, democracy in the form of our Constitution is set up for members of the government to be subtle, cooperative, compromising, thoughtful, flexible, and honest in representing their constituencies. Working through disagreement takes all these qualities, and it takes time to muddle through the process. There is a mindset in the world that abhors this slowly moving, mostly unsatisfying process. We have a lot of people in America who don't have the patience for democracy. Fascism can be called "fastism" in effect.

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Understand that Republicans face a demographic time bomb in Social Security. Boomers retiring, population shrinking. Cut SS or raise taxes.

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No, have ALL income earners and employers contribute to Social Security and raise the "cap."

Revenue, a word that is anathema to Republicans unless it's "revenue" that goes to their wallets/pockets/bank accounts.

The demographic time bomb is true, but so is a shortage of WORKERS in all areas of American society and the Republican answer to that? Stop immigration, end work visas - oh, and let's not forget, permit CHILD labor.

No, let's have some smart, HUMANE citizens work on improving Social Security, plans that don't focus on enriching "Wall Street" and corporations and BIG BUCKS by privatizing Social Security or otherwise robbing - again and again and again - American tax-payers!

'

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Exactly! Well said as are all of your comments.

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That is very kind of you. And "right back at ya!" Maybe eventually we'll get the problems of the world solved, eh?

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Annie Cross is right.👇Social security can easily be fixed. No republican ever says it can easily be fixed because they want to get rid of it Social Security payroll taxes are not collected on earnings over a set cap. In 2021, this cap was $142,800, so workers who made/make more than $142,800 don’t pay Social Security taxes on earnings in excess of this cap. The only difficulty is getting enough republicans to agree to raise the cap. Probably the best way to approach it is to point out that rising income inequality means the share higher earners pay has become a smaller

percentage of their earnings.

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it sure would be wonderful if the debt deal would cut defense spending IN HALF and restore government forgiveness of college tuition debts!

just saying.

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As someone who graduated debtfree from a state university where tuition was $45/semester, I am aghast at the idea of new graduates burdened with debt that may not be discharged in a lifetime. Can't we rid the nation of policies that bury the enlightened to further elevate the filthy rich?

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I totally agree difny! Students getting loans today and in the recent past are being taken advantage of. I had a student loan at a very low interest rate, and I think it was a low interest rate by law. It’s in all our best interests to have a well educated population.

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Also community (junior) college used to be free.

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White Christian nationalist care nothing about protecting/increasing Democracy in America. They follow only the most violent parts of the Bible. Christianity follows none of the teachings of Jesus, i.e. respect and full rights for women, care for the sick, feeding the hungry, prison reform. Chriistians demonstrate every day that it is easier to hate than to respect and love others

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As I listen to the blather flowing out of the mouths of our fellow Americans who claim to be Christians I wonder where and how their interpretation of Christianity was corrupted. I remember well the lessons I learned from bible study about how we should treat one another how to lead a virtuous life.

What I see now is hard to believe.

I wish I had the answer that would bring back peace and love.

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The self-professed "Christians" I've known cared only about saving their own souls (if such a thing exists). They didn't care about "doing unto others as you would have done unto you." And they probably couldn't have told you what the Sermon on the Mount or the Beatitudes were if you asked them.

In other words they were interested in Christianity only to look out for themselves. Which seems to me to be pretty unChrist like selfish.

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American "evangelican" Christianity has been infused wit individualism to the point of narcissism.

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Yes, the version of Christianity that you refer to has been called "salvationist" -- probably because of an excess of concern for the future state of the soul.

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I've known a few evangelicals. They are a hateful bunch. There's something out of the 15th century which is where the Christo- fascist party wants to take us.

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It is hard to believe PJ.

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The misuse of demographics through assumption.

Lumping people, whites, christians, and nationalists in one broad group; insulting them, followed by a misinformed description of - i.e. what they really believe and do.

Is a stroke of what shall I say ? . . . Marketing Genius ?

What a mind reading feat of reading the customers' circumstances and motivations . . .

done like carnival tent barkers.

A real draw to the big tenet circus of politics!

Hark!

I hear the pounding of their feet!

. . . running, to your tent's doors !

EXIT doors !

So . . . you have found, it's easier to hate and disrespect them then to convert them.

Good luck carnival party tent barkers!

I Exit your tent !

( a barker is a circus job; done to attract people to enter the different shows. It is not an insult nor is it used that way here).

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Robert,

Please take on US militarism, which spends more than the next 10 countries combined on military. Please don't call it "defense". US militarism fuels the climate crisis - the Pentagon is the largest institutional producer of Greenhouse Gases on the planet. The US military at about a trillion dollars is taxpayer-supported muscle backing fossil fuel companies' extraction (theft) of oil from other countries and from nature. We need this money to address the climate crisis and human needs. The military industrial complex is threatened by peace and depends upon tension that can lead to war - consider the current Cold War rhetoric toward China and the encircling of China with US bases.

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I trusted Biden, I didn’t trust McCarthy and the GOP. I was scared and took all my savings out of stock and ditched them in a low percentage account. I’m 71, my 50plus years of paying into retirement we’re done, I had no way to start over. I will get back into the market, but the idea of defaulting kept me up at night. Thank you Mr. President for your skills and calm under duress ❤️

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Those our age ALREADY have enough to stress and fret about in our daily lives.

Even more so those without any big portfolio 'golden parachute' when the merciless fascists all threaten to obliterate our earned benefits, and those of us caring for even MORE elderly yet parents at this age!

As was stated above; the cruelty is the point, since as far as the Magda T Goebbels types in Congress are concerned one cannot be sadistic enough. :(

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Daniel—You post so much valuable factual stuff as commentary in this forum it's a damn shame to see it go to waste in the great Sargasso Sea of archived RR commentary. I know an extra step is a lot to ask, especially if your health isn't a hundred per cent, but please: It sure would be swell if you could file a copy of every comment, as you post it, to your otherwise wasted 'Baghdad by the Sea' newsletter. Even if clips are ordered only by date, being able to find your wisdom isolated from the dreck would be a remarkable assist to inquiring minds. —df

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Thanks for the info Daniel!

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I believe Biden used the threat of the 14th Amendment as leverage in his negotiations with the House Republicans! Defaulting on the Debt would have been a very serious threat to our National Security! As Comander in Chief, the President has the Constitutional right to intervene. Realizing this, the House Republicans had to cave in on this issue! Biden masterfully used the Republican manufactured Debt Ceiling crisis against them! Just for that he deserves reelection!

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Transactional analysis. 14th Amendment was the Republicans' WATNA and the Democrats' BATNA.

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We hear alot about the 2nd Amendment! Time the Right hears about the 14th! Don't you think?!

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Had to look up the acronyms Daniel! I’ve handled

plenty of negotiations as an attorney, but that was

a few years back. I’m looking forward to learning more about WATNA & BATNA.

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Interesting take on the matter, Constantinos.

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I believe Debt Ceilings are unconstitutional! As this infringes on the Executive rights to faithfully execute the laws passed by Congress and signed by the President. Such policy disputes should be workeout during the annual Budget process. But once a Budget becomes law, those disputes end. As they end for hypocritical Republicans when a Republican President is in Office!

But with the current corrupt Conservative SCOTUS, can't take a chance litigating this. What Biden was worried about not taking that route now.

On the other hand, emergency powers granted to the President to protect and defend our country is a "slam dunk", in my view! If the President can act to protect the country against a Pandemic, he surely can act to protect the country (and the world) against an economic catastrophy defaulting on our Debt! Can MAGA mites think?!

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I hadn’t thought about the President’s emergency powers applying to the debt ceiling Constantinos. I think it’s a great idea!

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The megas however want to take away the president's right to declare a pandemic. Because they don't really care if they die they want to take everyone else down with them.

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The Christian Nationalist Movement ... what a contradiction in terms ... and the scariest thing I've seen in my lifetime. Outlines of the major elements (14) of fascism include its marriage to a Radical Right religious tradition. For Franco it was the Spanish Catholic Church. For Hitler it was, first, the Lutheran Church, and when they stopped playing ball, he created a Reich's Church to take their place--though Hitler's Catholic mother's grave was a Catholic shrine during WWII. Pictures of Catholic priests doing the sieg heil salute abound in the war's histories. For Mussolini, it was a quite willing Vatican. In Iran (Twelver Shia), Turkey (Sunni), Afghanistan (Deobandi), Indonesia in Aceh Province (Sunni), Malaysia (Sunni), and Saudi Arabia (Wahhabi Hanbali Sunni), it's a radicalization of Islam not seen before the 20th century. Then, on the opposite side of things, is radical state secularism, which functions as a religion while being anti-religious--and that's in China, Russia, North Korea. Now we have Christofascism in the United States, and this is *not* the Christianity I grew up with, though the seeds were always there in the Southern racist screed preached from the pulpit in some places. My rascal writing partner Rupert Chapman (archaeologist, British Museum curator) calls what's happening now a CRISIS CULT, which is what develops when a culture is disintegrating, when its privilege by color or race of religion is crumbling, when its demographic dominance is disappearing, when its economic hegemony is going to hell. Crisis cults are incredibly dangerous. And ours is gaining strength--and it is armed and defending its right to have its own ARMY. And it is already advocating an internal state sponsorship of terrorism against women, the LBGTQ+ community, immigrants, all non-Whites, and all non-complying practitioners of other religions. And if it gets its hands on the wealth and power of America and can reserve the vote only for itself, it won't be satisfied there. And because its ideology is based on non-reality, it will be swamped by climate change and the starvation another blunder in this area will bring to billions. Maybe Job No. 1 is protecting the vote. If the rest of us can't vote, and don't fight for that right, America's one brief shining moment of democracy will end. And the world may never see its like again. ... Donald Trump didn't create this problem. He gave permission for the ugliness in the American Dark Shadow to snarl its way out of its nasty little underworld and openly lust for the power it craves. Hopefully, the courts will move forward with all deliberate speed to hold him accountable for the raft of crimes he's committed and help us end his charade--and discredit both this sleaze and his Congressional minions--before the next election comes around.

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It does make me wonder, as well as being terrified, at what would Fritz Kuhn have 'accomplished' HERE, when (S)Hitler 1.0 sent him over here in the late 1920s to start up a U.S. Nazi Party, had he had all of the current fascist propaganda outlets' power, brainwashing influence and viewership reach at his disposal/beck and call??

He did already have 'Father' Coughlin 'softening up' much of the populace for a fascist takeover in the name of Christ.

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If you want "terrified" (I know you don't ... I'm being facetious!) ... Go here. This is Getty Images' collection of photographs on the German American Bund. There were lots and lots and lots of American Nazis. ... This isn't new. It's just reproducing again. And if Fox News had existed then and Tucker Carlson had blonde hair, we'd be in deep voodoo. https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/german-american-bund

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Rachel Maddow did a GREAT podcast t on this subject last year (and referenced great sources on it as well). I'm guessing it is still available on the MSNBC Rachel Maddow site. It was fascinating.

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Protecting the vote is essential!

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I feel almost desperate on this issue. They're carving out a private country for themselves as fast as they can, and they are doing it by trying to destroy others' rights to a voice. And if they succeed, I have NO IDEA how bad they'll become. But the warning of Dr. Jerrold R. Post--for 22 years the chief CIA profiler of terrorists--isn't lost on me. ALL religious states, he said, ALWAYS become more and more and more conservative, targeting both internal and external enemies to try to shore up a legitimacy that never existed in the first place. The horrid truth is that, if we're not really careful, we can become Iran--Iran that incarcerates women even in their own clothes--Iran that lynches gays--Iran that represses Ismailis--Iran that tries to go nuclear to destroy Israeli and Saudi Arabia--Iran whose mad scientists aren't smart enough to figure out that if they ever do this, the jet stream will dump all that radiation (with its half-life of 17 million years) onto Tehran in 32 hours. We can become that insane. It's up to the people who can still love to do something about this as fast as possible.

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I have some thoughts on this Morgaan, but no time right now. I’ll add my thoughts later.

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My rightwing economist father orated repeatedly that federal spending should be limited to national defense - everything else should be charity. He was Reagan's Treasury undersecretary for tax reform and domestic fiscal policy. He was author of the Reagan tax cuts. Seeing his wish list come to pass should infuriate everybody on earth.

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Thanks, Martha Ture. Your constant efforts to discredit the unwelcome legacy you received do not go unnoticed.

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sins of the father....

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Yes, little has changed. Our rigged and corrupted system; the same one that allowed a Trump to rise to the top, is still in play!

And HJR54, the We the People Amendment, is still the ONLY way out of this mess, by overturning Citizens United, and restoring our Constitution back to us!!!

But our Constitution won’t repair itself. We need your help at movetoamend.org

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Sign the petition to support here https://www.movetoamend.org/motion

Watch the video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcWyKwdFm6w

why did HJResolution 1 die in committee in 2021?

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How many MAGAs will stay with Trump when he is indicted in three jurisdictions: NY, DC and Georgia? If indictments in DC and GA are forthcoming, won’t some Republicans turn on their fearless leader who has continually taken them on the path to defeat. Trump’s mental status is more and more questionable in light of his irrational and fact free tweets. So one would expect that as the political heat rises, Trump will not be able to stay in the kitchen.

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One would expect that. But his worshipers seem to consider lawlessness & treason as a virtue.

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True. It's not that Trump could shoot some one on 5th avenue and his voters would still vote for him. It's that they vote for him "BECAUSE" he shot someone on 5th Avenue (or seems willing to).This has taken me a while to understand.The world is not a pretty place.

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THIS, PRECISELY!

Their orange fuehrer will become a fascist martyr to it's MAGAt deifiers, to the point of them trying to elect (or INSTALL him into power?!?) it from a prison cell.

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Trump’s indictments will be a badge of honor for Trump and his followers.

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It’s fascinating to me how so many republicans express concern about President Biden’s age but don’t see any problem with an obviously intellectually compromised, mentally ill and almost illiterate former President who has the vocabulary of a fourth grader.

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Cult of the personality. The hard core will walk off the cliff if he so directs.

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Oh! Harold, I hope you are correct.

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That's what they asked about Hitler as well.

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I agree Steve.

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Unfortunately that is what they said about his predecessor Hitler.

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As the saying goes, a small battle has been won, but the war is FAR from over.

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The Democrats need a Beyond Biden moment;. that is, a candidate/leader that the Party can get behind. We are so focused on the shamelessness and greed for power in the Republican Party, the utter cruelty and corruption, that we tend not to work on strengthening and nurturing the future of the Democratic Party. We have the next generation and we need a leader of that generation.

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Dems are like herding cats - we have a multitude of important/ critical issues and constituencies don’t necessarily overlap. I see the GQP party as more monolithic.

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Yes, that 'party' is like jack booted, brown shirted, goose steppers Heil Trumping as they pass by their adored orange fuehrer's viewing stand.

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