In your quiz didn’t offer the option of both A and B, both of which I think are true. I think the protests will help Trump - because amazingly his base confuses tyranny with law and order - and I think the abortion bans help Biden. I chose B because that has already shown to be the case in the 2022 midterms and because of all the other cases since then, while the protests are just starting but I fear greatly they will have unintended consequences.
I am a strong advocate of peaceful protests but we now have police who are trained much more in paramilitary techniques and the attendant mindset than during the Vietnam protests and I think this will get much worse before it gets better. That doesn’t mean I advocate protestors occupying buildings and vandalizing them, disrupting classes and graduation or anything else that keeps others from studying or teaching. As Professor Reich has said in several excellent essays lately, I too can oppose Hamas and still be upset at what Israel is doing in Gaza. That doesn’t make me an antisemite. It’s called nuance.
A detail is being missed here. For the moment, Biden - by way of federal intervention - isn't involved in any way with campus protests. Even if the National Guard gets involved, that would be at the behest of the individual state governors. Biden would need to first federalize the National Guards in order for that to happen - which he hasn't. Otherwise, any intervention would be coming from state and local government intervention, over which Biden has no authority. (I want to bring that up, since Kaiser von Shitzenpants is making a lot of disinformation blaming Biden for ordering his criminal prosecutions, in which Biden is in no way involved.) That should be kept in mind if idiocy begins coming down. Whatever you may think about Biden's policy in the Levant, he currently isn't presently involved with any suppression of current campus protest that may be taking place. That's a detail I think we need to keep in mind as events unfold, particularly in these trigger-happy days!
You're absolutely correct. But one other detail being missed, is that MAGAts don't care and many of them haven't a clue how things work in real life. They prefer to live in MAGA fantasy land and so will do whatever Trump commands.
Absolutely! So it stands to reason that if the МАГАтs are >already< accusing Biden of persecuting their lil' Kaiser von Shitzenpants the way tin-pot dictators or juntas eliminate political opposition in banana republics, then you know damn well they'll be screaming bullshit about suppression of free speech if the protests are broken up and protesters are jailed - even though they'd otherwise advocate doing that - or decry the breakdown of law & order if no suppression takes place, while that mean, old Biden is persecuting their lil' Kaiser! Von Shitzenpants himself has already been spewing that latter crap about his prosecution as he attempts diversion to "all the crime in the streets." That's why I'm addressing the missed detail in the first place. I fully expect plenty of bullshit to soon fly over those protests.
After crime soared under Trump, it has gone down under Biden, including by over 10% last year, yet the public mistakenly thinks Trump is better on crime, just as they erroneously think Trump is better on the economy..
I'd be interested in the non-response numbers to those polls. I suspect the voters trust polls even less - and perhaps rightly - than the problems & politicians the polling is about. In other words, the numbers we're getting come only from those among the sample universe who are inclined to respond. For statistical purposes, they're akin to registered voters who choose not to vote. Let me hasten to add that voting is a completely different thing. Non-response to polls is more like that old US tradition of keeping quiet and not talking about one's personal political views, particularly if any personally identifiable information attached to it. There's also the suspicion of some new mass-marketing scam, as well. Indeed, although not the original intent, that could be >exactly< what polling has become.
I mention that because I keep getting hit by texts querying my position on issues and politicians. The catch is, I have no idea where these polling questions are coming from and who is sending them. I typically block the incoming phone number and delete the thread. See what I mean?
I'm not sure it'd take that much to seduce any semi-trained Russian grunt in the field being offered up as fodder! Remember, Putin's elite division already mutinied and it's commander assassinated!
Perhaps it would work for foreign mercenaries fighting on Russia's side just in order to make money. A group of Cuban mercenaries, after being constantly bullied & beaten by their Russian commander (& also not paid), killed him. They then got sent to the frontlines as fodder, of course.
You’re a diluted useless eater, and before this shit is over with, all you motherfuckers aren’t going to be in the United States anymore however, that Has happen mark my words. If you think you can take us, bring your girly men, your faggots and your panty fa and come on bitch.
I disagree with the sort of protests we are seeing and their blockades of students who just want to take classes but the point of the protests as far as Biden is concerned is his arming of Israel and that is an aspect that has to be considered.
Agreed - my point is not that Biden is doing anything wrong but the protesters think he is. Biden needs to explain what is really going on and not let himself be defined by the media.
I think that anything Biden says will be twisted, and fall on deaf ears. Just on RR's threads alone, one can see that people have been co opted by HAMAS and Arab propaganda,.
One can't get through to MAGAts, and believers about anything that conflicts with their made up minds and beliefs, the same with the left. They are as intransigent and vicious as their right wing opponents.
And I am a progressive, anatheist, anti racist, a proponent of DEI, and that the rich should pay their fair share. but one thing I've learned from this is that I have no respect for no truck with the stupid left, I'm screwed, not a centrist, not a moderate and scared shitless of the fascist right.and fed up with the stupid reactionary left.
When the fulfillment of that treaty continues a partnership with a country that is doing what Israel is doing, becomes a liability, then it needs to be re evaluated for its utility. If the future of America is directly at stake, and there are many who feel it is, then it is not worth it.
Blocking classes is a rumor in most of the schools. Only a few made it hard to get in building like the New School in city. No one can block graduation that’s just ridiculous. This is why we have those expensive stadiums. Who is blocking students from attending classes or taking exams are the University Admin who use suspension to repress free speech.
The thesis of my original comment - to which Mr Franzman is replying - concerns suppression of the campus demonstrations:
"For the moment, Biden - by way of federal intervention - isn't involved in any way with campus protests."
And to address your objection, I recap with:
"Whatever you may think about Biden's policy in the Levant, he currently isn't presently involved with any suppression of current campus protest that may be taking place. "
My comment has nothing to do with whether or not anyone should be demonstrating or for what cause they're demonstrating. Mr Franzman is commenting on who's probably going to be loudest about any kind of suppression - in >my< view, probably to justify the 1/6 insurrection. It's about repercussions involving 1st Amendment rights - including >your< right to disagree. I think you got the wrong end of the stick about what I'm saying.
Agreed. But he isn’t doing that. He’s not addressing the student’s concerns. He’s busy telling us about the fact that this isn’t an authoritarian nation, but then turns around and implies that the protestors are antisemitic. This feeds into the narrative and helps the militarized police and beholden-to-Israel University administrators feel justified to respond in a way that isn’t effective. Why isn’t it effective? Because the central issue is the genocide that is being funded by the US, at Biden’s command. Why he won’t just talk to the students and directly address it is beyond me.
The Biden prosecution in NY. I cant stand hearing that. The NY Election fraud case with Stormy Daniels goes on day after day and it puts Trumps actions as per hia organized crime in sharp relief. If Trump would have you believe it, that case is all Bidens fault. Which is the only sound bite MAGA will ever see. None of the trial. What gives me hope is the protests (or lack there of) in front of the court house. Its good that MAGA doesnt care. On the other side, heck I wish there were a bunch of other folks saying put him in jail out there. Ambivalence isnt what is needed here.
Yes, it would be lovely if we saw hordes of people protesting Trump's treachery against our democracy & attempts to take us into fascism, among many other causes that are at least as important to our national welfare as the war between Israel & Hamas, & if they are to protest that war, at least criticize those who are more to blame than Biden, like Hamas, Netanyahu, Iran, Putin & Trump.
From an independemt I spoke with yestersay (an RFK Jr) supporter. He was under the impression that the one protest that got violent and the one peaceful protest that got cleared out by police is, RIOTs everywhere. So all the peaceful protests are no longer "peaceful" even when they are. His interpretations read like mainstream media soundbites. We have a lot of people who have too little information or distorted and skewed real information. I spent 2 hours talking to this guy. A complete waste. I wish I was like that young kid on youtube who sometimes get through to these people. I guess, that is the point though....sometimes you get through. After the first hour I shpild have called it.
It was like that for the George Floyd protests, too, where many of the riots were instigated by members of white supremacist groups. I wonder if that's happening at all in these college campus protests.
There are other issues that could & should affect presidential choice, if they're brought to public attention: the survival of healthcare, the survival of democracy, the survival of our biosphere, the survival of Ukraine, Europe, Asia & the rest of the world against Russian & Chinese imperialism, the maintenance of access to contraceptives, marriage equality & other civil rights, economic injustice & the enormous disparity in wealth & power between rich & poor, the economy, which always does much better under Democrats than Republicans & which is doing remarkably well under Biden despite predictions of recession by economists & obstruction & sabotage by Republicans in Congress, & the utter dysfunction & failure by Republicans to govern or do anything on behalf of ordinary Americans.
Excellent Jaime,this is really what we all need to realize and do.Pres. Biden is not a bogeyman,he's worked very hard for us and for all.If people don't like his policies,please put that side and vote to save our beloved nation,think of the freedoms they'll be saving for themelves,their children and grandchildren.
How come the message of the economy doesn’t dry thru ? Grocery prices mostly … But Trump can’t do anything about that or rent or gas prices - why can’t the maga understand that?
He did & he can—and he & Jared Kushner are tight with the Saudis & specifically MBS.
There's an arrangement to cut oil production to drive up gas prices for this election cycle—not the first time it's been done for benefit of Drumpf & Co., either.
Fuck you Terry. You are the piece of Leftist shit that thinks your food comes from the grocery store. Stop vomiting your demented fucking lies asswipe. Because the people that you hate, we’re the ones that grow your food you retard, and truck it to you with gasoline we make you fucking retard. And we will lay a seige aginst you deluded bigoted himan scum, we will stop fucking sending you food asshole before it’s over with Mark my words you piece of fucking shit cityslickin shit. If you people wouldn’t hide behind the power of the state like fucking Nazis to attack us, we would have already taken you motherfuckers out inside of two weeks and get this fucking country back where it goes. While you pieces of Marxist deluded shit starve to death. Fuck You People.
I completely agree - and kudos for using Cohen’s appellation for Trump here. I wasn’t trying to suggest Biden will call out any local, state or national forces to address protests. But Trump will use this as further evidence that world peace would break out of only he’s reelected, how he’s the law and order candidate, blah blah blah. Remember, it’s all a deep state conspiracy to draw attention away from millions of criminals pouring over the border. I’m concerned about perception and not reality, because anyone who hasn’t already made up their mind isn’t paying attention.
It’s seems so frustrating talking to magas - you point out all the good things and they go to a transgender man competing in girls sports - or the immigrants are getting $10k to live on or everyone is getting free college and dont deserve it - they can’t stay on topic - if like their brains have melted
I completely agree back at you! Kudos to you, too, for your focus on the all-important word: >perception!<
(Also, kudos to Cohen. Von Shitzenpants is much better than my own "Tovarich МАГАт." Although mine points at the Putin connection, it lacks Cohen's sense of humor!)
The more I read and see and learn, the more I know “Von Schitz” is in Putin’s pocket … wish I could get a gander at the kompromat Putin holds on Donnie Boy.
Trump behaves just as if he were the Manchurian Candidate, yet he would probably be inclined to act that way anyway, considering his strong authoritarian tendencies & his great admiration for Hitler, Mussolini & Putin.
Still there are many reasons, including so many connections with Russian officials & oligarchs, why I think Trump is beholden to Putin in some way. One impression that will always remain with me is his & Putin's facial expressions & body shapes in Helsinki right after leaving 1 of their many secret meetings. Putin had this very triumphant broad grin & proud strut, while Trump had this look of being terribly defeated & humiliated, hunched over in shame.
What are the reasons you're so sure Trump isn't under some sort of personal pressure or threat by Putin?
I believe the pee tapes, because it is so so Trump.
The claim, by Trump, that it was a golden shower is too easy to disprove, Trump is a noted germaphobe.
Remember the uproar over the letter that proved that Bush went AWOL, well that was aRove Plant, produced on a computer and thus easy to prove a fake, because at the time there were no personal computers, at best an IBM Selectric.
Tump has spent a lot of time in Moscow, and has an affinity for young girls, but the pee tape is of a prostitute standing on the bed that Obama slept in and beeing, while Trump is in the background smiling with two thumbs up, he really is childish, venal and vengeful. Obama was not at all hurt by that childish display, but it gladden the miscreants heart.
One of my many appellations for Trump is the Siberian Candidate, also trying to connect him to Putin as well as to his role. Another which does it more straightforwardly, is Putin's Puppet. Of course, that was before his incontinence became such a hot topic.
Besides - upon further reflection - I can still hurl МАГАт$ & МАГАт Яepuблиkan$ and variations in my arsenal to hurl, and they're arguably more to the point!
Who knew there were so many of them? And they seem to be multiplying faster than cockroaches. Did we always have such a majority of fools and self-righteous idiots?
They can't even be original. Let's Make America Great Again was Reagan's election slogan. I guess the fat boy figured if he didn't remember, no one else would, either. But then, he has never been known for his intelligence or originality. Don't get me wrong, I was never a Reagan fan. But shouldn't those ugly red hats all have an asterisk?
Johnson was back in Texas at the time of Kent State and Jackson State, which happened in May of 1970, when Nixon was in office. In both instances, National Guard troops shot and killed/wounded antiwar protesters.
John: Kent State happened while I lived in Ohio and it’s the reason I have lived in Minnesota ever since. Now I shudder every time I think about a National Guard being militarized by a cruel man with dementia. We can’t let Von Schitz win. He would reenact Kent State at the drop of a hat - and be very proud of it.
I've been thinking that too, D. It's the governors who call out the Guard. Although try telling that to most people. For some perverse reason it is always the president who gets blamed for everything, unless it's Trump, who never gets blamed for anything. That's what propaganda will do for you.
Thoroughly agree, but then <I> know the lay of this land. I pay attention to a lot of the news and commentary, and have a sense of how things work.
Some people just blame the president — especially if their favorite “team” blames the president. They do NOT pay attention to the lay of the land. They might even make good decisions, if they were making them based on good information … How to get good information into the hands of people who don’t pay attention .. that is a task to be undertaken …
You know, someone mentioned a reading of the Mueller report by famous actors on Joyce Vance's Substack yesterday (I think it was hers; might have been Kuo or Hubbell) and suggested that they do the same for Project 2025, but what about this as well: celebrities doing civics videos, just as you're describing? I don't have any influence that could make that happen but Robert does (and he's already doing his own terrific videos). What do you think? That might actually reach people.
The same applies to Trump derangement syndrome. The scoreboard doesn’t lie. When our elections are this close, it’s likely people are not particularly impressed with either candidate. So insulting the intelligence of those that find your team less palatable is apt to create the same jingoism exhibited by this comment thread on a regular basis. Don’t pretend to be aghast at a situation that you created and seem to enjoy
Start by making sure they know how US governance works, particularly with regard to jurisdiction differences between federal, state, and local government. Then comes the nutty mystery of international relations. You know. It's that big, counterintuitive, global poker table where all players are cheating, and power and national interest are the objective, and morality is only relevant if the >appearance< of morality serves that objective!
DZK, it's not poker, and there is little cheating. It's more like a chess game; it's called geopolitics, and all the players are working hard to check mate each other. Since the main players have nuclear arsenals the likelihood of a checkmate would trigger a nuclear war. A costly, indecisive draw is the best we can hope for at this time.
I agree that the US education system has failed miserably in its primary mission from inception, it's raison d'etre: to cultivate a population of savvy voters. Although important, the focus on an employable work force - particularly athletes having strong bodies and weak minds - to serve corporate interests seems to have subverted that primary mission. It's cheaper for the corporate interests to hire pre-trained labor than apprentices who learn skills OTJ. That's why military veterans always used to be preferred new hires.
You make good points. I do feel that while Biden may not be directly involved with the campus protests, he does echo the false flag of campus protestors are antisemitic. The latter is not only untrue, but encouraging that helps the militarized police suppression of a valid concern. One that is supposed to be a Constitutional right. I also don’t think Biden is really cognizant of, listening to, or even caring about WHY they’re protesting.
I don’t know how to deal with all those settlements in the West Bank, unless they become citizens of the new Palestinian state …That’s what happens in other parts o the world when borders move … My grandfather was born in a little town in Austria, but when he emigrated from that town, he had an Italian passport. The border was moved. His citizenship changed accordingly.
But West Bank settlers would be a tough bunch to govern in a Palestinian state….
Believer me. this is nothing new. Land for peace. UN Resolution 242. Israel unilaterally shut some of them in 2007. Oslo Accords. Remember Evangeline? Canadians relocated to Louisiana?
I know, Daniel. About the only place we can be SURE people are from is Planet Earth — and some of us think we have some interlopers from elsewhere, even on that scale.
You are, or were, a neighbor. I'm in Shadyside, OH, which has been gerrymandered so many times I have no idea what district I'm in from one year to the next.
With a population of 15, does S.N.P.J. lean left or right?
Most all born in Middle East are semites. The antisemitic reference doesn't apply only to Jews. This is disconcerting and distorts reality and the history of semites tribes.
Daniel, I empathize with your historical pain, however, loss is loss no matter to what peoples or during what centuries they happen. We must live for now and strive to reduce human suffering for all since we are all one--in terms of biological beings. No human being is better than another so we must vanquish the notion of the "other" and strive to cooperate, collaborate, and unite because our planet needs our help.
Nature survives by being coherent, and today it's not. Our biggest battle, beyond turf wars, is to save all sentient beings wishing to live on precious Earth--we are losing this battle by being distracted with our egos. This must end or we end. Moving beyond the present madness will help those on our planet regain harmony that has been abandoned. Meanwhile, Daniel, I wish you the best for your wellbeing.
Joan, you are using the term "semite" in a technical way. That was not the way the Nazis used it. Still, Hitler would have been delighted by the Arab-Israelite conflict.
Let's us hope our leaders and allies are disenthralled by this unfortunate situation! It's gone on too long and what wicked deal will be made to end it? I dare not contemplate the outcome.
We know that the bloodlines are there, but the vernacular speaks of Antisemitism in reference to Jews.
I find the Biblical differentiation laughable {because I am not a believer, anyway}, pretending that Jews descend from one son of Shem, an Arabs from another. {Shem being a son of Noah … And then, there’s Abraham in this mix somewhere … Oh, I get confused…}.
But, we know that today, antisemitism is anti-Jewish. No matter the etymology …
No "antisemitism" is a fancy jargon used instead of saying something else about Jewish people. Semites originated from the Middle East and comprise those of Jewish, Islamic, and other faiths too. It goes back to the origin of the basic language of the Middle East. So "antisemitisim" is a misnomer that must be eradicated since it would apply to most from the region--it's not a justifiable abbreviation for ethnic discrimination against Jews.
Yeah, all that etymology … except, I don’t know what a “fancy” jargon is …
You know language is constantly changing in bits and pieces, all the time, right?
Antisemitism has been the term used for “Anti-Jewish” for a lot of decades. You can cite all the origins and derivations you like, but the reality is “antisemitism” means what it means TODAY — which is anti-Jewish.
I selected A. While I believe B is true, I am deeply concerned that Republicans found what amounts to their Reichstag moment. Republicans set the stage for the college campus clashes with their bogus congressional hearings. They duped college administrators into attending the hearings and are stoking the political flames by enlisting counter-protestors to clash with the protestors. All in an effort to undermine Biden's support.
This is is Bannonism. This is Trumpism's Reichstag moment.
I understand what you're saying but do you realistically think that Trump will get more votes than he already would because of this? I am under the (potentially mistaken) impression that his base is his base and that's it. I know there are swing voters but is it possible they still haven't made up their minds?
No, Trump won't get more votes but Biden could receive fewer votes. As we learned in 2016, who votes and where those votes are located is what matters. If Biden loses just enough votes in just the right electoral college states, well, we all know what could happen then.
No The Protests are Not Joe Biden’s Problem . Trumpet 🎺 is being held accountable in Court and has Dissuaded even his most fanatical followers of his Innocence.
The Uniform Lack of Political Support from Former 🎺 trumpet appointees and staff has cemented his political Fate to the Dust Bin of History…
As a sidebar, don't forget that a good number of police depts in the U.S. send their cops to Israel for special training in paramilitary techniques. So of course they come back with more hateful and brutal mindsets.
You people are the ones confusing tyranny with law and order. What the hell do you even mean? Jobiden and the Democrats are literally hunting and killing their political enemies, The J6 people who have committed suicide were MURDERED by your braindead president.. So name one thing that YOU believe Trump did that is tyrannical? I bet what ever you reply with will be easily debunked bullshit.
You are so sick, @lynnbroomfield. Anyone who wants to know who you are, there she/he is, folks! This troll has a name and a space on Substack. Formerly calling him/herself LEFTIST DISSENTER DETECTOR. Changing your byline/moniker to "Art Lover" isn't going to hide you or your abject stupidity! Don't get that close to Trump, girlie . . . he's got uncured syphilis on the brain which is why he is insane. P.S. It rubs off (if you know what I mean 😏. . .).
That’s how you wanna play Klare, I can find you to too. You baby-sacrificing slut. How many of your children have you killed for the convenience of your sluttiness?
You are truly ONE SICK WHACKO. YOU DONT KNOW A GOD-DAMNED THING ABOUT ME, OR ANYONE ELSE ON THIS WEBSITE. WHAT DRIVES YOUR SICK, SICK MIND AND HATRED? I AM NOT A SLUT, I HAVE KILLED NO CHILDREN. WHERE IN THE HELL DO YOU GET THESE SUBNORMAL, PARANOID, DEMENTED IDEAS? YOU BELONG IN AN INSANE ASYLUM. BY THE WAY, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR HATEFUL COMMENTS TO ME HAS ALREADY GONE TO MY CONTACT AT THE FBI. YOU ARE BUILDING QUITE A CASE FOR YOURSELF! YOU MUST BE TAKING LESSONS FROM DONALD TRUMP! "IF YOU WANT TO DO THE CRIME, BE PREPARED TO DO THE TIME!"
Am I as sick as supporting the chopping up of live infants and sucking them out of their mothers wombs one bloody twitching chunk at a time Bitch? Am I sick enough to love pedo men with ball sacks dressed as women reading to my toddlers? Am I sick enough to cut the genitals off minors and pump them full of hormones and tell them lies that they can magically be the other sex? Am I sick enough to leave the borders open for all the child-raping misery that’s happening down there for your fucking political correctness feelz? you’re the fucking sick fuck you bitch. And I have made good points here and none of you motherfuckers have had the balls to address any of them. All you do is sit there on your fat leftist ass and act like a fucking 10 year old call me a Magat. not one of you motherfuckers has asdressed one single point I’ve made, and I’ve made a whole bunch of posts on here that didn’t have fucking cussing in it and made good points and you all just fucking ignore them because you can’t do anything else because everything in your shit-brain is a lie..
You’re so full of lies your fucking leaking pus out of every pore of your body.
In my opinion, you motherfuckers ate the sickest on the planet except for the goat-fuckers in Afghanistan, and guess what there’s not that many people that are sick as you are and there’s a whole lot of people in this country at all around the world that are sick of you people’s sick demented bullshit, so get ready and buy a helmet Cunt. Maybe you should check your fucking watch while you’re at it if you even know how to tell time.
You are truly ILL. I have copied every single one of these sick rants and sent them to my contact at the FBI, as well as reporting all of them to Substack. If I were you, I'd get off this website and run! You are going to need a place to hide, real quick. What in God's name are you on? Mushrooms? Heroin? Fentanyl? LSD? COCAINE? HIGH-POTENCY WEED? ALL OF THE ABOVE AT THE SAME TIME?? DON'T EVER CONTACT ME AGAIN, BECAUSE MY INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE FBI ARE TO KEEP COPYING AND SENDING. THEY ARE BUILDING A CASE AGAINST YOU AS I WRITE.
From one who has been there, the Vietnam protests actually lengthened the war, not stopped it, the student protests will empower the Trumpian right and Bibi, not stop anything.
but you can't tell protesters that. I certainly tried back in the day, because they have so much energy and emotion wrapped up, that they need to feel victorious.
Protests haven't stopped anything, not the Occupy movement, not even the March on Washington, .
I think the protests are hurting Biden. Even though the protesters would like Trump a lot less, I think many of them will abstain from voting in the upcoming election and Biden needs them.
It is time for the U.S. to call for a cease fire. If we do not, Trump wins.
I disagree. Nothing will make me hate Trump any less. He's a true enemy of the American people and a traitor to our country and peace. A worst ever president who misled the American people at every chance.
I disagree, but with reservations allowing Israel to defend themselves from the Arab financed aggression from avowed Jew haters who want them dead or worse.
Israel is devastating Gaza, far beyond self defense now … Arab states in the region {along with the US} just completely defended Israel against the Iranian missiles, shooting all but one of them out of the sky.
The facts on the ground there are in constant motion, and the Netanyahu response today is making Israel’s security WORSE, not better. {Worse even than it was when Netanyahu was asleep at the wheel on Oct. 7. Why is that man still in charge of Israel’s security???}
Joe Biden will do well to support Palestinians, Iraelis, and all decent people, and NOT Bibi Netanyahu.
At this point I would argue that a cease fire is not about Israel, but about saving us from Trump, which is my more immediate concern...even though I strongly agree about Israel defending itself.
How many times must Biden call for a ceasefire before people hear it? He's called for it time and time again. It seems like a considerable number of people in this country seem to think Biden is the president of Israel and controls the IDF's actions and movements. He's not, and he doesn't!
Biden works diligently every single day to get the hostages released from Gaza, negotiations that should be on Bibi's plate. But this is the same leader who still opposes a two-state solution.
Please forgive my ignorance since I'm not a student of Middle East politics nor their history. But as an outsider, it appears that Hamas won't stop until all of Israel is destroyed, and Israel won't stop until all Palestinians are dead. Since none of it falls on Biden's shoulders, why is he getting so much flak over it, and why should a Middle East war hurt his reelection chances? It makes no sense to me. Does anyone think the fat boy could have done a better job of it? Does anyone believe he could have ended the war by now? Or believe his crap that Hamas wouldn't have attacked if he'd been president? I shudder to think of his response to any international conflict.
It's a sad day when all these educated young people would knowingly allow xxxx to take over and basically ruin their lives. They are the ones who will suffer for it.
@ Terry. The basis for your statement is a false assumption that Biden hasn't already threatened Netanyahu. Diplomacy is done in secret. Biden is not king. Congress voted to send the money. Robert, Rhodes Scholar, former DOL Secretary, and pundit and otherwise rational makes the same false assumption.
I assume that the Israeli Arab Party will support him.
How many of the protesters will? How many Moslems? Egyptians? Jordanians? Saudis? Ad infinitum? The mayor of Dearborn (which btw the home of Antisemitism USA)!
BTW all of what Robert says about the mens rea of protestors is anecdotal. A Harvard study shows that the ardor is low in the priority of most students. As I have been saying, it's OK to "lobby" Biden; something else to elect Trump.
Meanwhile, Hamas could accept terms and reach a cease fire. Their leaders are murderers who were granted asylum in countries like Qatar. Protest at the Qatari embassy, At the Qatari UN mission. Boycott schools that take Qatari money.
Thank you for a good explanation of a complex situation.
You can add that Gaza a is a small part of the Middle East situation that is being dealt with.
Russia is in Syria, Iran and it’s proxies, etc. Hopefully our diplomats are focused on the big picture and not on one corner.
This does not minimize the suffering in Gaza. It is real, as is the suffering of Syrians caught in that conflict, Iranians living in that totalitarian theocracy, etc.
Daniel, this is a very important point that needs exploration. Israel's neighbors scapegoat Israeli Jews for their humiliation by the British and the USA--just as Hitler scapegoated Jews for Germany's humiliation after WW I. This is why countries that experienced colonialism tend to sympathize with the Palestinians.
Daniel, I believe you are misinterpreting my question. My only assumption is that Biden hasn't publicly asked Netanyahu for a ceasefire in Gaza.
I'm basically on the side of the Palestinian people....and the Jewish people. But they both have horrible elected officials who ultimately don't have the well-being of the people in their hearts....or their agenda.
Your response was a bit over the top, don't you think?
Bibi is no more synonymous with the state of Israel than Trump was synonymous with the United States. We have Trumpers and Anti-Trumpers in this country.
The Israeli citizenry is, also, not monolithic.
Netanyahu and his cohorts are as much an impediment to peace as any other factor. He’s not bringing security to Israel or to anybody. He is decimating it.
The region needs to defang Hamas — Bibi can’t do it in Gaza alone, even if he DOES raze the entire strip to the ground and kill every Gazan. Besides being a war crime of epic proportions, what he is doing there is having the opposite effect. He has to be stopped.
And so does Hamas.
Which means leaning on the rest of the region to get the job done.
{Now, we’re being told we could see a resurgence of ISIS in Syria? Damn. We need to get a grip. Biden needs to get a grip. Radicals in the region are energized by what’s happening in Gaza…}
And may I add that Netanyahu is not doing people's impressions of Jews any good either. I am furious that he claims to be doing this for us (us being Jews).
Too true, Paula. I fear all the blow-back against Jews, who do not deserve to be held to account for Bibi’s monstrosity — Not only that, but the recruits who will join Hamas and ISIS and other radical groups to “get even” with all Jews for what Bibi is doing to all Palestinians to “get even” for what Hamas did, and … I’m losing track …. Round and round it goes, and where it stops, nobody knows .
Hamas is no more interested in ending it than Netanyahu is — Everyone is dependent on two entities who want to keep this going for their own reasons … That is part of what is so monstrous about it.
Netanyahu and HAMAS must come to an agreement to end something neither wants to end.
How ludicrous to leave it to them. {But we know that negotiations ARE undertaken, and we do not know exactly what is being said — let us hope that pressure is being applied to the angry ones who don’t really want to stop this at all.}
The rest of the world — the Arab world that speaks to Hamas, and those of us who speak to Israel — WE must make them stop. WE must provide the incentive for them to STOP. Countries in the region must make it tough on Hamas so they will release hostages and get out of Gaza. The US and Europe must make it tough on Bibi so he’ll stop bombing Gaza.
WE need to put the pressure on to stop the bombing of Gaza, the release of hostages, and bring in aid…
Pat, I just read a substack about the problems with our own military that President Biden must also take into consideration. This is all deeply concerning regarding the stability of the world.
It’s too easy to abuse our military. They have to obey.
Using the reserves as a conscripted source of warm bodies has been wrong, too, but I don’t see the US population sitting still for “the draft” of our young people again … Dunno what the answer is, except to stop fighting stupid wars.
Looks like higher pay might help recruitment. This is really disconcerting that we pay so much to the Defense budget yet lack enough ammunition & don't pay our soldiers enough.
from what I've heard and read that has already happened. Plus Biden has stated publicly that the US will not supply or support an invasion by Israel into other countries (Iran). Dig deep and I think we'll see that the State Dept. is attempting to finish the burgeoning coalition of Arab nations (Saudi, Jordan, Quatar, etc--obviously not Syria or Iran who are both in Putin's pocket and Lebanon-who basically has not real government) with Israel to provide peace and warning to those Putin allies. When we talk about world politics, we need to see big picture and not be myopic.
Sounds like a gradual realignment. Quite amazing & gratifying that a couple of them even joined to help defend Israel from the Iranian missiles & drones! Several Arab nations apparently fear Iran & Russia more than Israel & the US, as they should.
100% correct from my point of view. The young people and not only the actual protesters won’t vote for Trump of course. They just won’t vote 🤷♀️ and that does not bode well for Biden. 😢
Joe Biden needs to clarify that he supports Israel's rights to exist and defend itself, but he opposes the current Israeli government's anti-democratic policies in general, and its anti-Palestinian policy in particular. Just as Netanyahu is not Israel, Hamas is not Palestine.
But Mike he's done that already. Clarification means nada. He's gotta condition any further financial backing on a total ceasefire; return of hostages (dead or alive 🥺); and total commencing of humanitarian aid to bombed-out, starving population of Gaza.
Who are "you people"? I've already indicated many times on this forum, that even though I'm not a Biden believer, I'll probably vote for him. However, since I'm from a reliably blue state, I might hit the pause button.
“You people” are ostensibly Biden 2020 voters who are threatening to not vote for him solely based on giving Israel aid in the form of money and/or weapons. I’d go a step further here and include people who now believe Biden to be “evil” for providing this aid. Out of this group, who is willing to change their minds based on anything Biden could do at this point? Is it too late, no matter what he does? Or does he need to meet some standard to gain back trust for a vote? Who makes the standard? Or is it easier to just say “he’s evil, never voting for him?” If that’s the case, then why would he do anything you want? At the end of the day, I trust Biden to keep the safety and security of the USA as the number 1 priority and if that means leveraging Israel against Hezbollah, Hamas, ISIS, Taliban, and the Islamic State, then so be it. Most of “you people” don’t understand the complex foreign policy decisions that a president needs to make. You make emotional reactions and follow fashion.
Your comment: "Most of "you people" don't understand the complex foreign policy decisions that a president needs to make. You make emotional reactions and follow fashion" is in itself an arrogant statement about the knowledge and understanding of the individuals you are criticizing and reveals a total ignorance of their thought processes. Take a look in the mirror Bro - a little self-reflection might work wonders.
A laughable retort when surveys of the student protests reveal a very limited understanding of the conflict and geopolitical history. Most of these kids on campus are cosplaying revolutionaries and have no clue what’s really going on other than seeing Israeli atrocities, and somehow blaming Biden for all of it because he’s an easy fall guy.
Thugs with helmets, sticks & bear spray attacked peaceful protesters on the UCLA campus. Who were these thugs? Right-wing provocateurs? Far-right zionists?
Back in October, Israel announced its genocidal intent: Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a complete blockade of Gaza. Gallant said, “There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed. We are fighting human animals..." [No, he's for killing thousands of innocent civilians, thousands of children.]
In the past week or so, a major Israeli official called for the "complete annihilation" of Rafah -- where nearly a million Palestinians have sought shelter.
What the Nazi UC might be implying is that genocide only applies to human beings, a status being denied to the Palestinians by the Zio-Nazis.
Exactly. It seems that it is not a shared assumption that Israel is carrying out a genocide. Bombings, destruction of hospitals, mass graves of people with their hands tied behind their backs, intentional famine, spreading disease from unburied corpses, assassinations of journalists, deprivation of clean drinking water, displacing 2/3 of the population, use of white phosphorus, preventing aid from entering, and constant lying about the conduct of all these assaults, plus the determination to annihilate Rafah: what else could this be?
US classified intelligence on Israeli military operations -> Trump -> Putin -> [Iran] -> Hamas -> barbaric Hamas attack on Israeli citizens reminiscent of Russian atrocities on Ukrainians -> Israeli invasion of Gaza & slaughter of Palestinians.
Results: international attention on Russia's brutal war against Ukraine diverted, support for Ukraine wanes; tide of war turns in favor of Russia, social unrest in US, support for Biden in key constituencies diminishes; chances of Trump assuming power enhanced.
Whom do all these events benefit? Putin. Trump & the GOP also benefit, & probably Iran. Oh, yeah, Netanyahu for the time being.
Who is cunning & machiavellian enough to come up with such a devious scheme? Putin.
Hamas, Netanyahu, Putin, Iran & probably Trump all deserve more of the blame than Biden, who is trying to do the best he can in a very difficult position. He should've stopped military aid to Israel months ago, but other than that I don't see any major error on his part.
So other than funding genocidal maniacs, Biden is driven snow? How you can put this on Putin or Trump is beyond me. But Trump has already proven that given the chance he would be equally bad if not worse. The only good thing about Trump doing it would be a media hysteria about genocide commensurate with mass atrocities. Instead, we’re vetting campus protesters potential impact on an election that marks an all time low in terms of viable candidates. I’m voting for RFK jr, who may be the worst candidate on Israel for reasons that I don’t even want to consider. Probably just old age and propaganda. But I hope he frees Assange. Then journalists can expose corruption instead of aiding and abetting it. The nation as a whole, everyone of us , should have protested many of our foreign policy fiascos.
Surely nothing could help Trump at this point!? As I follow the court case from afar (australia) it would appear that he continues to dig his own grave, deeper and deeper. Although with corruption even in the supreme court, I guess nothing is guaranteed! It blows my mind that he's got this far! :0
Oh my goodness, if only that were true, Felicity. Unfortunately there are many, many mentally ill people in the US, and many brainwashed as well. People here are no longer logical. It is beyond belief. You are so lucky to live in a better place.
The protesters are the tip of the iceberg. Biden not grasping that is the only reason that I can fathom his not steering full left, full right flank, or all engines back! I don't know who he's surrounded by, but I'm in Philly, pretty darn liberal. Yet I'm constantly encountering people who are so thoroughly done with Biden over his stubborn refusal to break from policy that's genocide sustaining, until they're intent upon throwing away their votes with a 3rd party or not voting at all. It's an unnecessary gamble with the future of the world to ignore what and who lies below the protesters. There are too many who only see a vote for Biden as a vote for massacring civilians including women and children.
A lot of dirty hands in this game of “post ottoman musical chairs”.
Losers so far: Ionian Greeks, Kurds, Armenians, Bidoons, and Palestinians. It’s wild that Arab brothers won’t take Palestinians or Bidoons “in” but hey, they got theirs. Iran won’t take them either (who’s kidding who?) America wants them but it would help if they opened their eyes.
Removing the Palestinian's from their land is part of the Definition of Genocide. They didn't want to leave their land. Do you know that the Palestinians that the Zionists murdered or FORCED out into Lebanon in 1967 haven't been allowed to return home by Israel? Get some empathy and know that it is very very damaging to not be allowed home in your ansetral land.
Not all of it. Israel speaks of its ancestral connection to the region as one raison d’etre for its existence now. Palestinians are the people who have actually been there all along — probably a great many descended from the Jews who didn’t leave when the Romans banished the faith and kicked people out … Israel does worry about the demographics of importing more non-Jews .. The whole world apparently has a lot of people who worry about importing “the other” into one’s population, hmmm?
I know that, Daniel. I know that Israeli society is heavily multi-cultural. I know many Palestinians are citizens {though their rights are not always as well respected as they should be}. I also know that the country identifies as a Jewish homeland, and {is it still a policy?} that recognized Jews have a right to immigrate, while others have to jump through more hoops.
I also have read a LOT over the years about the fear of incorporating all of the land between the river and the sea into one entity, for fear that Jews would become outnumbered … Not that anyone is seriously thinking about doing it.
Lots of countries have an us-and-them element to their thinking and identities. It’s in our DNA. We need to deal with the realities.
Israel DOES talk about the Jewish ancestral connection to the land. Palestinians can certainly speak of the same connection … ancestral and recent…
DNA testing is illegal in Israel. That’s because pontificating cunts like Danny would have to concede that Jews belong in Poland. I propose South Dakota as a compromise
Many Christian Arabs are more intimidated by Hamas than by Israel, Arab Druze serve voluntarily in the Israeli army. Bedouins were killed by Hamas on Oct. 7. The Israeli Arab Party and the Arabs in the Knesset show that you are a troll.
Israel is targeting ALL Palestinians! It's matters not to them what the Palestinians believe, it only matters that Israel is cleansing Palastine of ALL Palestinians. They are talk l taught to even cleanse "Soft Jews". That is Jews that don't hate and won't kill non-Jews. There are audio and possibly video of the rabid Rabbis teaching that in their synogouges.
But the scary thing right now is that Benjamin Netanyahu and the students reacting to his actions could pull off the same stunt that Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini did in 1980 with the Iranian Hostage crisis and end up getting Trump elected just as Khomeini got Reagan elected.
I appreciate Robert’s making a distinction between being “pro-Palestinian” in a comprehensive way and being against the horrible bloodshed in Gaza.
I am definitely both pro-Palestinian (because I know the history of Israel’s relentless oppression of the Palestinians from the very beginning, in many ways, and lying like hell about it, and this provoked although it did not justify Hamas’s October 7th attack), and angry as hell about Israel’s using the Hamas attack to try to exterminate or drive out all the Gazans and take over all the land, which it has wanted to do from Day One. It has its eyes on the West Bank, too, don’t mistake about that. It is not really an ally of the US, nor does it represent the Jewish people in their hope to honor the Jewish principles of justice and peace, also tikkun olam, repairing the world—and being free of antisemitism. Biden should NOT aid and abet the killing, whether he has all the support of American Jews or not. He should not be bought and sold by groups of Jews who blindly and cruelly exalt Israel over everybody else. As you know, very many Jews abhor the idea.
You’re right, Robert, that the police don’t belong on campus harassing and arresting protesters.
As a small child, I was in Syria and Lebanon with my family for a year and a half, and we met Palestinian refugees who’d been driven out of their homeland at gunpoint by Zionists taking over that land which the Palestinians had peacefully shared with Jews for generations. (This was in 1955-56.). That land had been called Palestine before the Zionists took over because of permission they’d gotten from elsewhere via the Balfour Declaration.
"taking over that land which the Palestinians had peacefully shared with Jews for generations"
Noting also the existence of prosperous Jewish communities co-existing in the Arab world for centuries: Cairo, Alexandria, Baghdad, Tehran, Algiers, Tunis, and many others.
Prior to the 20th century, Jews were a tiny minority in Palestine, but like you wrote, that minority co-existed overwhelmingly peacefully -- until the advent of the Zionist movement. Most Americans don't have a clue how true, Torah-observant Jews regard Zionism.
Both will be harmed by both things but Biden will pay a hefty price for not addressing the protests properly or handling Israel's genocide in Palestine correctly
The Only Way he should Address The protests of GENOCIDE is to not let the police beat them up, the Congress not pass unconstitutional laws and listen to the protesters crys of Divestment.
The billionaires and their MAGA supporters thrive on the endless drama of protests about the war in the middle East, the anger and protests of millions of women and girls against Draconian new laws banning reproductive rights and medical care, even to the point of women's deaths! they don't like "Boring" Biden, who calmly and industriously gets things done. They don't want voters to see the gross income inequality or pay attention to the agenda they have outlined for the future, where humans will have fewer and fewer rights and far less consumer protection, and certainly, less wealth, security , or even a home.
Fox News and the right wing media LOVE the student protests! It distracts people from the real issues you note and supports their narrative that the far leftist protesters are a VIOLENT bunch! They continually show the most violent clashes on their "news", and blame the protesters for starting the violence.
Yes, they do that! I did see on The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell some peaceful protesters walking along side peaceful police officers, on thei way to a bus to take them downtown to get the arrest warrant. That was better to see than windows getting broken by people who were later found to have nothing to do with Columbia. But the lie will get traction, and some never learn the truth
These same 'news' outlets never showed the worst of Jan 6. They got McCarthy to take some videos of the "peacefully protesting" MAGAs in heavily edited and doctored videos . Total BS
"Genocide Joe" they're calling him, although he has much less to do with what's going on in the Middle East than Hamas, Netanyahu, Putin, Iranian leadership, & probably even Trump, & in fact, his efforts have been to calm the situation & bring relief to suffering Palestinians.
Laurie, you mention how boring it is to quietly and calmly get things done. I wonder how people who don't like that would feel if their workplaces were full of chaos agents like Trump. That they can't see how important it is to be competent is crazy.
The MAGAs make money with chaos. distract and deflect. Their billionaires can afford to buy government and legislation they want, Their shyster lawyers are competent at getting them what they want, and keeping the human people off balance and oppressed. So they can't see how inequality is maintained, with laws that make it harder to get justice! they laugh all the way to the bank while we "march peacefully" surrounded by their rioting sycophants! it's time to target the Oath breakers!!! Name names ; Dox them!! Sue them!
In response to the question “Which will have a bigger impact on the 2024 election, and who will be most helped,” I answered “Protests will help Trump.” Let me explain.
Last night, Bernie Sanders portrayed Democrats’ disunity over the issues of Israel and college campus protests as possibly “Biden’s Vietnam.” Invoking LBJ’s decision not to run for re-election in 68 because of opposition to his views on Vietnam, Sanders expressed deep concern that Biden is putting himself in a position wherein he is alienating not just young people but a lot of the Democratic base.
I imagine many of us are aware of people, whether or not they’re protesting, who are growing increasingly impatient and even dismissive of Biden and are planning to sit out the November election. In contrast, the previously fractured Republican House caucus has seized upon this issue and has become increasingly united, albeit disingenuously, in their condemnation of the protests.
I further would note, considering Biden and Democrats generally are vulnerable with young voters and, to some degree, black and brown voters, who either could stay home or vote for third party candidates, we have a situation that seriously could erode the base. Accordingly, I encourage us judiciously to follow the theoretical chaos that Democrats likely could contend with leading up to the Democratic Convention that, for Republicans, could be quite opportunistic and help them score points.
Regardless of all the hand wringing. If we don't get Biden then we get Trump (and Autocracy). If you want Trump then everything is working out fine for you. If not, and you really want Biden (and Democracy) then ask yourself what you need to do. Wishful thinking isn't going to cut it. I'm guessing you probably agree but many on here are still confused and will confuse themselves right into an Orange America.
Terry, My point in writing was to sound the alarm unless Biden is more responsive to the Democratic base. Case in point: Just yesterday, House Democrats issued two letters to the Administration: one signed by 87 members urging Biden to enforce U.S. laws and policies regarding U.S. humanitarian aid to Gaza and the second signed by 57 members calling on the Administration to help prevent an assault on Rafah. I believe it would behoove anyone invested in Biden winning re-election to press him to act on both initiatives.
To be clear, while I regularly write postcards to voters, text bank, phone bank, and the like, I also keep track of the bigger picture on every issue I believe will be consequential in November.
I hope you're wrong, Barbara Jo. A full third of American women now live in states that consider them expendable. I hope they plan to do something about that.
At UWMilwaukee the atmosphere is relaxed and family friendly with some students bringing their kids or being visited by family. Others sit and study outside their tents on the lawn. There is a place to pray and tonight the local JVP held a Shabbat. There is nothing threatening and the sidewalks around and through the area are open. You can walk through or stop and ask a question. We have legal observers and so far the police have kept their distance. Biden shouldn't condemn the protests as a disturbance. If he dismisses the students he risks losing a large portion of the youth vote.
Who benefits from the protests? Not the people of Gaza. Certainly not the President. Hamas benefits. Trump benefits and Putin benefits. I don’t think the protesters would knowingly aid Putin’s plan to replace Biden with Trump, his useful idiot, but they are. The protesters are being driven by a genuine outrage but also Russia interference and disinformation.
US intelligence on Israeli military operations -> Trump -> Russia -> Hamas -> attack on Israel on Putin's birthday with barbarity modeled after Putin's atrocities in Ukraine
Given Trump's support of Netanyahu, I'm amazed in a bad way and really shocked that young protestors are considering staying home on Election Day and getting Trump re-elected.
Despite how much of a limp noodle that Biden is, Trump will full-throatedly support Netanyahu, even if he wants to bomb Gaza off the face of the earth and commit actual genocide against the Palestinians. The collateral damage of the current war is horrible, but it's nothing compared to the kind of actions that Trump would support.
PLEASE read the definition of " malicious narcissist". It is incurable and such a person cannot....repeat ...."Cannot" ...stop their minds commands which require that they win over and over.
Ha Ha Ha how is a man who Declares to the Citizens of the USA that he's a Proud Zionist. That's like declaring hrs a proud Fascist and Genocide Enabler with his many shipments of 2,000 pound bombs and Satellite Intel for Israel's merciful 24/7 bombing of women and children.
Did you know that the miscarriage rate amongst those suffering mothers had gone up 300% and that is they get to deliver the baby that's always premature in tents because Israel has blown up all the hospitals and assassinated the doctors and staff.
That's what Biden cheers on and knows a bunch of phsychophants will vote for the war profiteer genocide enabler.
Although I still think Trump is more dangerous, you have a point.
Someone else concerned with Covid-19 gaslighting posted that Biden was setting us back by trying to rush everyone back to the offices to get city downtowns going again before Covid-19 was truly under control. Heck, under Biden, the detailed Covid-19 reporting was abridged, and then we began defunding the wastewater analyzers tracking potential Covid-19 breakouts. I replied that Biden was being a kinder, gentler version of Trump who made meatpackers, mostly Latino, go back to their jobs as "essential employees" so that he could keep eating his hamberderders. She liked my post
He's doubled down on Trump's policies, open up more prisons for refugees. He's making permanent the tariffs/underhanded tax on overburdened taxpayers and much much more. Of his name was Dick we could accurately call him Tricky Dick
SIDE NOTE: Dr Reich and Heather, I prefer the one camera view of the two of you rather than the use of additional cameras cutting back and forth from one to the other. The scene is small enough that more than one angle is unnecessary--even distracting. I like seeing each of your reactions to what the other is saying, which is easier to see when both of you are in the shot. I also prefer the small microphones on your lapels. Those giant microphones seem intrusive.
Israel is defending itself. None of this would be happening without the vicious attack on innocent, unarmed civilians by gaza / hamas on October 7. There was a ceasefire on October 6. It was broken by hamas. If hamas wants a ceasfire now they can have it instantly: SURRENDER… In war there will be civilian casualties. Especially against a cowardly enemy that hides among civilians and deliberately locates its headquarters under a hospital. Gaza is suffering the inevitable fallout of aiding and abetting terrorists for decades. They voted 92% for hamas. And these “protests” have been anything but peaceful. A lot of naïveté being expressed here
BS. They are NOT defending themselves and they said so. Those babies are a threat? Well yes, if they are allowed to live, because Israel is creating hatred for Zionists, not Jews but Zionists.
Zionism DEPENDS so much on anti-semitism that it will foment it as much as it can in other countries with large Jewish communities. One of history's most brutal and cruel ideologies -- that presents its adherents as eternal victims.
In your quiz didn’t offer the option of both A and B, both of which I think are true. I think the protests will help Trump - because amazingly his base confuses tyranny with law and order - and I think the abortion bans help Biden. I chose B because that has already shown to be the case in the 2022 midterms and because of all the other cases since then, while the protests are just starting but I fear greatly they will have unintended consequences.
I am a strong advocate of peaceful protests but we now have police who are trained much more in paramilitary techniques and the attendant mindset than during the Vietnam protests and I think this will get much worse before it gets better. That doesn’t mean I advocate protestors occupying buildings and vandalizing them, disrupting classes and graduation or anything else that keeps others from studying or teaching. As Professor Reich has said in several excellent essays lately, I too can oppose Hamas and still be upset at what Israel is doing in Gaza. That doesn’t make me an antisemite. It’s called nuance.
A detail is being missed here. For the moment, Biden - by way of federal intervention - isn't involved in any way with campus protests. Even if the National Guard gets involved, that would be at the behest of the individual state governors. Biden would need to first federalize the National Guards in order for that to happen - which he hasn't. Otherwise, any intervention would be coming from state and local government intervention, over which Biden has no authority. (I want to bring that up, since Kaiser von Shitzenpants is making a lot of disinformation blaming Biden for ordering his criminal prosecutions, in which Biden is in no way involved.) That should be kept in mind if idiocy begins coming down. Whatever you may think about Biden's policy in the Levant, he currently isn't presently involved with any suppression of current campus protest that may be taking place. That's a detail I think we need to keep in mind as events unfold, particularly in these trigger-happy days!
HOT OFF THE PRESS: https://www.commondreams.org/news/ole-miss-racist-video
To quote Hossenfelder: "the first symptom of a much bigger problem:" https://youtu.be/TW6hgOc3wuI?si=J1ipUs_qL1L7OHmW
A rather apropos assortment for today: https://youtu.be/-6pzYlqbqrc?si=e1nBhe19U8-BLpc1
You're absolutely correct. But one other detail being missed, is that MAGAts don't care and many of them haven't a clue how things work in real life. They prefer to live in MAGA fantasy land and so will do whatever Trump commands.
Absolutely! So it stands to reason that if the МАГАтs are >already< accusing Biden of persecuting their lil' Kaiser von Shitzenpants the way tin-pot dictators or juntas eliminate political opposition in banana republics, then you know damn well they'll be screaming bullshit about suppression of free speech if the protests are broken up and protesters are jailed - even though they'd otherwise advocate doing that - or decry the breakdown of law & order if no suppression takes place, while that mean, old Biden is persecuting their lil' Kaiser! Von Shitzenpants himself has already been spewing that latter crap about his prosecution as he attempts diversion to "all the crime in the streets." That's why I'm addressing the missed detail in the first place. I fully expect plenty of bullshit to soon fly over those protests.
After crime soared under Trump, it has gone down under Biden, including by over 10% last year, yet the public mistakenly thinks Trump is better on crime, just as they erroneously think Trump is better on the economy..
I'd be interested in the non-response numbers to those polls. I suspect the voters trust polls even less - and perhaps rightly - than the problems & politicians the polling is about. In other words, the numbers we're getting come only from those among the sample universe who are inclined to respond. For statistical purposes, they're akin to registered voters who choose not to vote. Let me hasten to add that voting is a completely different thing. Non-response to polls is more like that old US tradition of keeping quiet and not talking about one's personal political views, particularly if any personally identifiable information attached to it. There's also the suspicion of some new mass-marketing scam, as well. Indeed, although not the original intent, that could be >exactly< what polling has become.
I mention that because I keep getting hit by texts querying my position on issues and politicians. The catch is, I have no idea where these polling questions are coming from and who is sending them. I typically block the incoming phone number and delete the thread. See what I mean?
I’m
So confused over this … is the public that misinformed on the numbers?
Please help me convince our college Anti War to seduce Russian troops to defect.
Bibi has been killing children forever so Putin is more likely to stop and easier to stop ( one seduction at a time).
"Smart Sanctions" in millions of dollars would result in Putin's draftees being rescued before their first kill: 1+10+5=$16 million per seductee:
1 for the troop's training Putin wasted on them
10 million for the driveable Rocket Launcher the defector drove to surrender
5 million dollars saved that NATO would have spent to kill that troop
I'm not sure it'd take that much to seduce any semi-trained Russian grunt in the field being offered up as fodder! Remember, Putin's elite division already mutinied and it's commander assassinated!
Putin is using Stalin's tactics.
At Stalingrad, he pushed untrained barely clothed conscripts to rush the Germans,and they were told to stopand pick up weapons from fallen comrades.
And behind them he stationed his commisars with machine guns to shoot anyone who refuseto advance.
Putin is using the same tactics. If the recruit doesn't go forward or retreats he is shot.
Perhaps it would work for foreign mercenaries fighting on Russia's side just in order to make money. A group of Cuban mercenaries, after being constantly bullied & beaten by their Russian commander (& also not paid), killed him. They then got sent to the frontlines as fodder, of course.
You’re a diluted useless eater, and before this shit is over with, all you motherfuckers aren’t going to be in the United States anymore however, that Has happen mark my words. If you think you can take us, bring your girly men, your faggots and your panty fa and come on bitch.
I disagree with the sort of protests we are seeing and their blockades of students who just want to take classes but the point of the protests as far as Biden is concerned is his arming of Israel and that is an aspect that has to be considered.
America, not Biden, is committed by treaty to the defense of Israel, and the treaty predates Biden.
Agreed - my point is not that Biden is doing anything wrong but the protesters think he is. Biden needs to explain what is really going on and not let himself be defined by the media.
I think that anything Biden says will be twisted, and fall on deaf ears. Just on RR's threads alone, one can see that people have been co opted by HAMAS and Arab propaganda,.
One can't get through to MAGAts, and believers about anything that conflicts with their made up minds and beliefs, the same with the left. They are as intransigent and vicious as their right wing opponents.
And I am a progressive, anatheist, anti racist, a proponent of DEI, and that the rich should pay their fair share. but one thing I've learned from this is that I have no respect for no truck with the stupid left, I'm screwed, not a centrist, not a moderate and scared shitless of the fascist right.and fed up with the stupid reactionary left.
When the fulfillment of that treaty continues a partnership with a country that is doing what Israel is doing, becomes a liability, then it needs to be re evaluated for its utility. If the future of America is directly at stake, and there are many who feel it is, then it is not worth it.
Excellent point! Thank you!
Stand on a soapbox in Times Square.
Everyone has an opinion, but opinions have nothing to do with legalities.
Blocking classes is a rumor in most of the schools. Only a few made it hard to get in building like the New School in city. No one can block graduation that’s just ridiculous. This is why we have those expensive stadiums. Who is blocking students from attending classes or taking exams are the University Admin who use suspension to repress free speech.
The thesis of my original comment - to which Mr Franzman is replying - concerns suppression of the campus demonstrations:
"For the moment, Biden - by way of federal intervention - isn't involved in any way with campus protests."
And to address your objection, I recap with:
"Whatever you may think about Biden's policy in the Levant, he currently isn't presently involved with any suppression of current campus protest that may be taking place. "
My comment has nothing to do with whether or not anyone should be demonstrating or for what cause they're demonstrating. Mr Franzman is commenting on who's probably going to be loudest about any kind of suppression - in >my< view, probably to justify the 1/6 insurrection. It's about repercussions involving 1st Amendment rights - including >your< right to disagree. I think you got the wrong end of the stick about what I'm saying.
Agreed. But he isn’t doing that. He’s not addressing the student’s concerns. He’s busy telling us about the fact that this isn’t an authoritarian nation, but then turns around and implies that the protestors are antisemitic. This feeds into the narrative and helps the militarized police and beholden-to-Israel University administrators feel justified to respond in a way that isn’t effective. Why isn’t it effective? Because the central issue is the genocide that is being funded by the US, at Biden’s command. Why he won’t just talk to the students and directly address it is beyond me.
It's because of what you just said -- "Biden is commanding it."
I think you meant to reply to DZK rather than me.
The Biden prosecution in NY. I cant stand hearing that. The NY Election fraud case with Stormy Daniels goes on day after day and it puts Trumps actions as per hia organized crime in sharp relief. If Trump would have you believe it, that case is all Bidens fault. Which is the only sound bite MAGA will ever see. None of the trial. What gives me hope is the protests (or lack there of) in front of the court house. Its good that MAGA doesnt care. On the other side, heck I wish there were a bunch of other folks saying put him in jail out there. Ambivalence isnt what is needed here.
Yes, it would be lovely if we saw hordes of people protesting Trump's treachery against our democracy & attempts to take us into fascism, among many other causes that are at least as important to our national welfare as the war between Israel & Hamas, & if they are to protest that war, at least criticize those who are more to blame than Biden, like Hamas, Netanyahu, Iran, Putin & Trump.
From an independemt I spoke with yestersay (an RFK Jr) supporter. He was under the impression that the one protest that got violent and the one peaceful protest that got cleared out by police is, RIOTs everywhere. So all the peaceful protests are no longer "peaceful" even when they are. His interpretations read like mainstream media soundbites. We have a lot of people who have too little information or distorted and skewed real information. I spent 2 hours talking to this guy. A complete waste. I wish I was like that young kid on youtube who sometimes get through to these people. I guess, that is the point though....sometimes you get through. After the first hour I shpild have called it.
It was like that for the George Floyd protests, too, where many of the riots were instigated by members of white supremacist groups. I wonder if that's happening at all in these college campus protests.
Unfortunately I believe you are correct about the maggots fantasyland of myths about how things work in our free country.
But how did this happen ?
There are other issues that could & should affect presidential choice, if they're brought to public attention: the survival of healthcare, the survival of democracy, the survival of our biosphere, the survival of Ukraine, Europe, Asia & the rest of the world against Russian & Chinese imperialism, the maintenance of access to contraceptives, marriage equality & other civil rights, economic injustice & the enormous disparity in wealth & power between rich & poor, the economy, which always does much better under Democrats than Republicans & which is doing remarkably well under Biden despite predictions of recession by economists & obstruction & sabotage by Republicans in Congress, & the utter dysfunction & failure by Republicans to govern or do anything on behalf of ordinary Americans.
Excellent Jaime,this is really what we all need to realize and do.Pres. Biden is not a bogeyman,he's worked very hard for us and for all.If people don't like his policies,please put that side and vote to save our beloved nation,think of the freedoms they'll be saving for themelves,their children and grandchildren.
How come the message of the economy doesn’t dry thru ? Grocery prices mostly … But Trump can’t do anything about that or rent or gas prices - why can’t the maga understand that?
He did & he can—and he & Jared Kushner are tight with the Saudis & specifically MBS.
There's an arrangement to cut oil production to drive up gas prices for this election cycle—not the first time it's been done for benefit of Drumpf & Co., either.
Yes, absolutely. It's good to point these out.
Can’t ‘like.’ Totally agree.
Press and then wait
👍
Fuck you Terry. You are the piece of Leftist shit that thinks your food comes from the grocery store. Stop vomiting your demented fucking lies asswipe. Because the people that you hate, we’re the ones that grow your food you retard, and truck it to you with gasoline we make you fucking retard. And we will lay a seige aginst you deluded bigoted himan scum, we will stop fucking sending you food asshole before it’s over with Mark my words you piece of fucking shit cityslickin shit. If you people wouldn’t hide behind the power of the state like fucking Nazis to attack us, we would have already taken you motherfuckers out inside of two weeks and get this fucking country back where it goes. While you pieces of Marxist deluded shit starve to death. Fuck You People.
What???
Terry had a you tube link: https://youtu.be/-6pzYlqbqrc?si=e1nBhe19U8-BLpc1
Which I can tell you did not watch. Well worth the effort.
I completely agree - and kudos for using Cohen’s appellation for Trump here. I wasn’t trying to suggest Biden will call out any local, state or national forces to address protests. But Trump will use this as further evidence that world peace would break out of only he’s reelected, how he’s the law and order candidate, blah blah blah. Remember, it’s all a deep state conspiracy to draw attention away from millions of criminals pouring over the border. I’m concerned about perception and not reality, because anyone who hasn’t already made up their mind isn’t paying attention.
UGH, it seems we’re all completely aware of the reality that Trumpists are NOT paying attention to reality.
OK, well, that’s not really a surprise. Just so damned frustrating to try to deal with …
It’s seems so frustrating talking to magas - you point out all the good things and they go to a transgender man competing in girls sports - or the immigrants are getting $10k to live on or everyone is getting free college and dont deserve it - they can’t stay on topic - if like their brains have melted
Especially reposted just for you:
To quote Hossenfelder: "the first symptom of a much bigger problem:" https://youtu.be/TW6hgOc3wuI?si=J1ipUs_qL1L7OHmW
I completely agree back at you! Kudos to you, too, for your focus on the all-important word: >perception!<
(Also, kudos to Cohen. Von Shitzenpants is much better than my own "Tovarich МАГАт." Although mine points at the Putin connection, it lacks Cohen's sense of humor!)
The more I read and see and learn, the more I know “Von Schitz” is in Putin’s pocket … wish I could get a gander at the kompromat Putin holds on Donnie Boy.
It's not blackmail, Pat. It's his business interests. I'm absolutely sure about that.
Hi, Paula!
Trump behaves just as if he were the Manchurian Candidate, yet he would probably be inclined to act that way anyway, considering his strong authoritarian tendencies & his great admiration for Hitler, Mussolini & Putin.
Still there are many reasons, including so many connections with Russian officials & oligarchs, why I think Trump is beholden to Putin in some way. One impression that will always remain with me is his & Putin's facial expressions & body shapes in Helsinki right after leaving 1 of their many secret meetings. Putin had this very triumphant broad grin & proud strut, while Trump had this look of being terribly defeated & humiliated, hunched over in shame.
What are the reasons you're so sure Trump isn't under some sort of personal pressure or threat by Putin?
I believe the pee tapes, because it is so so Trump.
The claim, by Trump, that it was a golden shower is too easy to disprove, Trump is a noted germaphobe.
Remember the uproar over the letter that proved that Bush went AWOL, well that was aRove Plant, produced on a computer and thus easy to prove a fake, because at the time there were no personal computers, at best an IBM Selectric.
Tump has spent a lot of time in Moscow, and has an affinity for young girls, but the pee tape is of a prostitute standing on the bed that Obama slept in and beeing, while Trump is in the background smiling with two thumbs up, he really is childish, venal and vengeful. Obama was not at all hurt by that childish display, but it gladden the miscreants heart.
I suspect it may be a bit of both —-But, of course, that's a suspicion…
Yeah, that appellation is going to stick forever now. Cohen has done us all a big service.
Instead of addressing him as proper nobility with "your highness," we can address him as "your hinney!" (or hind-end!) 😁
(Is it hiney or hinney? I've never had to use it in text before! 🤣)
🤣🤣🤣 I don't know but I think all spellings are good in this case.
👍
One of my many appellations for Trump is the Siberian Candidate, also trying to connect him to Putin as well as to his role. Another which does it more straightforwardly, is Putin's Puppet. Of course, that was before his incontinence became such a hot topic.
Besides - upon further reflection - I can still hurl МАГАт$ & МАГАт Яepuблиkan$ and variations in my arsenal to hurl, and they're arguably more to the point!
Agreed! Besides. Von Shitzinpantz is a lot funnier! 🤣👍
People have to be out in the beyond to believe Trump.
Who knew there were so many of them? And they seem to be multiplying faster than cockroaches. Did we always have such a majority of fools and self-righteous idiots?
He's got magic; he puts them in a spell and makes them zombies. They lose their sense of how ridiculous they look and are. Goners.
True! The way he speaks to them is mesmerizing for them. I think Democrats underestimate his ability there. Hitler had that skill, too.
They can't even be original. Let's Make America Great Again was Reagan's election slogan. I guess the fat boy figured if he didn't remember, no one else would, either. But then, he has never been known for his intelligence or originality. Don't get me wrong, I was never a Reagan fan. But shouldn't those ugly red hats all have an asterisk?
Johnson was back in Texas at the time of Kent State and Jackson State, which happened in May of 1970, when Nixon was in office. In both instances, National Guard troops shot and killed/wounded antiwar protesters.
John: Kent State happened while I lived in Ohio and it’s the reason I have lived in Minnesota ever since. Now I shudder every time I think about a National Guard being militarized by a cruel man with dementia. We can’t let Von Schitz win. He would reenact Kent State at the drop of a hat - and be very proud of it.
Marge - can only say amen to that. Thanks.
I stand corrected. Thank you. I shall edit accordingly! It was an afterthought, anyway.
DZK - thank you for posting the article from commondreams.org It's important that people see this state sanctioned and encouraged racist behavior.
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I've been thinking that too, D. It's the governors who call out the Guard. Although try telling that to most people. For some perverse reason it is always the president who gets blamed for everything, unless it's Trump, who never gets blamed for anything. That's what propaganda will do for you.
👍 See that Hossenfelder link I later added to my original post and apply that principle to US public understanding of US governance.
Thoroughly agree, but then <I> know the lay of this land. I pay attention to a lot of the news and commentary, and have a sense of how things work.
Some people just blame the president — especially if their favorite “team” blames the president. They do NOT pay attention to the lay of the land. They might even make good decisions, if they were making them based on good information … How to get good information into the hands of people who don’t pay attention .. that is a task to be undertaken …
You know, someone mentioned a reading of the Mueller report by famous actors on Joyce Vance's Substack yesterday (I think it was hers; might have been Kuo or Hubbell) and suggested that they do the same for Project 2025, but what about this as well: celebrities doing civics videos, just as you're describing? I don't have any influence that could make that happen but Robert does (and he's already doing his own terrific videos). What do you think? That might actually reach people.
They need more commercials reading the project 2025 and horrific it is
The same applies to Trump derangement syndrome. The scoreboard doesn’t lie. When our elections are this close, it’s likely people are not particularly impressed with either candidate. So insulting the intelligence of those that find your team less palatable is apt to create the same jingoism exhibited by this comment thread on a regular basis. Don’t pretend to be aghast at a situation that you created and seem to enjoy
Start by making sure they know how US governance works, particularly with regard to jurisdiction differences between federal, state, and local government. Then comes the nutty mystery of international relations. You know. It's that big, counterintuitive, global poker table where all players are cheating, and power and national interest are the objective, and morality is only relevant if the >appearance< of morality serves that objective!
DZK, it's not poker, and there is little cheating. It's more like a chess game; it's called geopolitics, and all the players are working hard to check mate each other. Since the main players have nuclear arsenals the likelihood of a checkmate would trigger a nuclear war. A costly, indecisive draw is the best we can hope for at this time.
Potato, potahto.
You’re talking about a big job of education, there …
An interesting follow up piece you may find interesting: https://youtu.be/f47uuLFxSK4?si=wreOPfxKjoWzA23p
oy, vey iz mir
I agree that the US education system has failed miserably in its primary mission from inception, it's raison d'etre: to cultivate a population of savvy voters. Although important, the focus on an employable work force - particularly athletes having strong bodies and weak minds - to serve corporate interests seems to have subverted that primary mission. It's cheaper for the corporate interests to hire pre-trained labor than apprentices who learn skills OTJ. That's why military veterans always used to be preferred new hires.
Mmmmm, one of my pet peeves in this world…
Dunno what I can do about it, other than raise the issue when it is relevant, which I do. For what THAT’S worth...sigh…
DZK, thank you, we must not loose sight of the white supremacy thread that is a big part of the GOP agenda.
👍
DZK, I love your "Kaiser von Shitzenpants"!!
You make good points. I do feel that while Biden may not be directly involved with the campus protests, he does echo the false flag of campus protestors are antisemitic. The latter is not only untrue, but encouraging that helps the militarized police suppression of a valid concern. One that is supposed to be a Constitutional right. I also don’t think Biden is really cognizant of, listening to, or even caring about WHY they’re protesting.
Thanks DZK, I apreciate this video the most. so much truth, so much laughter.
https://youtu.be/-6pzYlqbqrc?si=e1nBhe19U8-BLpc1
College intellectual an oxymoron, emphasis on the moron. so true.
Agree you can be anti ISRAEL and that doesn’t make you Antisemite!
Netanyahu is not Israel. He's just a politician.
I’m totally anti-Bibi and NOT anti-Israel.
I’m totally anti-Trump, but was NOT anti-American when he was president.
I’m totally PRO-a-secure-and-functional-Palestinian State.
I don’t know how to deal with all those settlements in the West Bank, unless they become citizens of the new Palestinian state …That’s what happens in other parts o the world when borders move … My grandfather was born in a little town in Austria, but when he emigrated from that town, he had an Italian passport. The border was moved. His citizenship changed accordingly.
But West Bank settlers would be a tough bunch to govern in a Palestinian state….
Believer me. this is nothing new. Land for peace. UN Resolution 242. Israel unilaterally shut some of them in 2007. Oslo Accords. Remember Evangeline? Canadians relocated to Louisiana?
In my home town, SNPJ. One day people in Trieste were Italian, the next Slovenian. The resolution for some was to move to Pennsyltucky. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S.N.P.J.,_Pennsylvania
Yes, Daniel. Smart people move out of bad neighborhoods when at all possible.
I know, Daniel. About the only place we can be SURE people are from is Planet Earth — and some of us think we have some interlopers from elsewhere, even on that scale.
Oy, vey
You are, or were, a neighbor. I'm in Shadyside, OH, which has been gerrymandered so many times I have no idea what district I'm in from one year to the next.
With a population of 15, does S.N.P.J. lean left or right?
I'm afraid they identify with Melania.
a politician trapped in a bubble, like a wasp in a drop of amber.
Most all born in Middle East are semites. The antisemitic reference doesn't apply only to Jews. This is disconcerting and distorts reality and the history of semites tribes.
BS. How many Arabs killed in the Holocaust?
Daniel, I empathize with your historical pain, however, loss is loss no matter to what peoples or during what centuries they happen. We must live for now and strive to reduce human suffering for all since we are all one--in terms of biological beings. No human being is better than another so we must vanquish the notion of the "other" and strive to cooperate, collaborate, and unite because our planet needs our help.
Nature survives by being coherent, and today it's not. Our biggest battle, beyond turf wars, is to save all sentient beings wishing to live on precious Earth--we are losing this battle by being distracted with our egos. This must end or we end. Moving beyond the present madness will help those on our planet regain harmony that has been abandoned. Meanwhile, Daniel, I wish you the best for your wellbeing.
Joan, you are using the term "semite" in a technical way. That was not the way the Nazis used it. Still, Hitler would have been delighted by the Arab-Israelite conflict.
Let's us hope our leaders and allies are disenthralled by this unfortunate situation! It's gone on too long and what wicked deal will be made to end it? I dare not contemplate the outcome.
Unlike you, I have been cannon fodder. You're full of it.
We know that the bloodlines are there, but the vernacular speaks of Antisemitism in reference to Jews.
I find the Biblical differentiation laughable {because I am not a believer, anyway}, pretending that Jews descend from one son of Shem, an Arabs from another. {Shem being a son of Noah … And then, there’s Abraham in this mix somewhere … Oh, I get confused…}.
But, we know that today, antisemitism is anti-Jewish. No matter the etymology …
Antisemitism is anti-Jewish, and Islamophobia is a close relative.
As spoken today, and as they are afoot today … yes.
No "antisemitism" is a fancy jargon used instead of saying something else about Jewish people. Semites originated from the Middle East and comprise those of Jewish, Islamic, and other faiths too. It goes back to the origin of the basic language of the Middle East. So "antisemitisim" is a misnomer that must be eradicated since it would apply to most from the region--it's not a justifiable abbreviation for ethnic discrimination against Jews.
Yeah, all that etymology … except, I don’t know what a “fancy” jargon is …
You know language is constantly changing in bits and pieces, all the time, right?
Antisemitism has been the term used for “Anti-Jewish” for a lot of decades. You can cite all the origins and derivations you like, but the reality is “antisemitism” means what it means TODAY — which is anti-Jewish.
Good luck convincing the whole world it doesn’t.
How many Arabs were killed in the Holocaust?
I selected A. While I believe B is true, I am deeply concerned that Republicans found what amounts to their Reichstag moment. Republicans set the stage for the college campus clashes with their bogus congressional hearings. They duped college administrators into attending the hearings and are stoking the political flames by enlisting counter-protestors to clash with the protestors. All in an effort to undermine Biden's support.
This is is Bannonism. This is Trumpism's Reichstag moment.
I understand what you're saying but do you realistically think that Trump will get more votes than he already would because of this? I am under the (potentially mistaken) impression that his base is his base and that's it. I know there are swing voters but is it possible they still haven't made up their minds?
No, Trump won't get more votes but Biden could receive fewer votes. As we learned in 2016, who votes and where those votes are located is what matters. If Biden loses just enough votes in just the right electoral college states, well, we all know what could happen then.
Yes, you're right. I'm so upset I'm not thinking clearly.
The greater concern, I think, is people who otherwise would vote for Biden either sitting out this election or voting 3rd party.
Right, so it's not that people will suddenly favor Trump but that they'll withhold their votes from Biden.
I vote for A and B helping Biden
No The Protests are Not Joe Biden’s Problem . Trumpet 🎺 is being held accountable in Court and has Dissuaded even his most fanatical followers of his Innocence.
The Uniform Lack of Political Support from Former 🎺 trumpet appointees and staff has cemented his political Fate to the Dust Bin of History…
I hope your are right. I am not convinced most Americans care enough to pay attention!
As a sidebar, don't forget that a good number of police depts in the U.S. send their cops to Israel for special training in paramilitary techniques. So of course they come back with more hateful and brutal mindsets.
You people are the ones confusing tyranny with law and order. What the hell do you even mean? Jobiden and the Democrats are literally hunting and killing their political enemies, The J6 people who have committed suicide were MURDERED by your braindead president.. So name one thing that YOU believe Trump did that is tyrannical? I bet what ever you reply with will be easily debunked bullshit.
You are so sick, @lynnbroomfield. Anyone who wants to know who you are, there she/he is, folks! This troll has a name and a space on Substack. Formerly calling him/herself LEFTIST DISSENTER DETECTOR. Changing your byline/moniker to "Art Lover" isn't going to hide you or your abject stupidity! Don't get that close to Trump, girlie . . . he's got uncured syphilis on the brain which is why he is insane. P.S. It rubs off (if you know what I mean 😏. . .).
You people are a waste of oxygen. And guess what. You absolutely WILL be held accountable. 💯%
That’s how you wanna play Klare, I can find you to too. You baby-sacrificing slut. How many of your children have you killed for the convenience of your sluttiness?
You are truly ONE SICK WHACKO. YOU DONT KNOW A GOD-DAMNED THING ABOUT ME, OR ANYONE ELSE ON THIS WEBSITE. WHAT DRIVES YOUR SICK, SICK MIND AND HATRED? I AM NOT A SLUT, I HAVE KILLED NO CHILDREN. WHERE IN THE HELL DO YOU GET THESE SUBNORMAL, PARANOID, DEMENTED IDEAS? YOU BELONG IN AN INSANE ASYLUM. BY THE WAY, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOUR HATEFUL COMMENTS TO ME HAS ALREADY GONE TO MY CONTACT AT THE FBI. YOU ARE BUILDING QUITE A CASE FOR YOURSELF! YOU MUST BE TAKING LESSONS FROM DONALD TRUMP! "IF YOU WANT TO DO THE CRIME, BE PREPARED TO DO THE TIME!"
Am I as sick as supporting the chopping up of live infants and sucking them out of their mothers wombs one bloody twitching chunk at a time Bitch? Am I sick enough to love pedo men with ball sacks dressed as women reading to my toddlers? Am I sick enough to cut the genitals off minors and pump them full of hormones and tell them lies that they can magically be the other sex? Am I sick enough to leave the borders open for all the child-raping misery that’s happening down there for your fucking political correctness feelz? you’re the fucking sick fuck you bitch. And I have made good points here and none of you motherfuckers have had the balls to address any of them. All you do is sit there on your fat leftist ass and act like a fucking 10 year old call me a Magat. not one of you motherfuckers has asdressed one single point I’ve made, and I’ve made a whole bunch of posts on here that didn’t have fucking cussing in it and made good points and you all just fucking ignore them because you can’t do anything else because everything in your shit-brain is a lie..
You’re so full of lies your fucking leaking pus out of every pore of your body.
In my opinion, you motherfuckers ate the sickest on the planet except for the goat-fuckers in Afghanistan, and guess what there’s not that many people that are sick as you are and there’s a whole lot of people in this country at all around the world that are sick of you people’s sick demented bullshit, so get ready and buy a helmet Cunt. Maybe you should check your fucking watch while you’re at it if you even know how to tell time.
You are truly ILL. I have copied every single one of these sick rants and sent them to my contact at the FBI, as well as reporting all of them to Substack. If I were you, I'd get off this website and run! You are going to need a place to hide, real quick. What in God's name are you on? Mushrooms? Heroin? Fentanyl? LSD? COCAINE? HIGH-POTENCY WEED? ALL OF THE ABOVE AT THE SAME TIME?? DON'T EVER CONTACT ME AGAIN, BECAUSE MY INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE FBI ARE TO KEEP COPYING AND SENDING. THEY ARE BUILDING A CASE AGAINST YOU AS I WRITE.
From one who has been there, the Vietnam protests actually lengthened the war, not stopped it, the student protests will empower the Trumpian right and Bibi, not stop anything.
but you can't tell protesters that. I certainly tried back in the day, because they have so much energy and emotion wrapped up, that they need to feel victorious.
Protests haven't stopped anything, not the Occupy movement, not even the March on Washington, .
The original protests were no so much as stopping the war as ending the travesty of draft deferments for college students.
Well stated & I agree!
I think the protests are hurting Biden. Even though the protesters would like Trump a lot less, I think many of them will abstain from voting in the upcoming election and Biden needs them.
It is time for the U.S. to call for a cease fire. If we do not, Trump wins.
I disagree. Nothing will make me hate Trump any less. He's a true enemy of the American people and a traitor to our country and peace. A worst ever president who misled the American people at every chance.
If he hasn’t already. Truly, without a cease fire Biden is hung, which is what Netanyahu and ultimately Putin want.
I disagree, but with reservations allowing Israel to defend themselves from the Arab financed aggression from avowed Jew haters who want them dead or worse.
Israel is devastating Gaza, far beyond self defense now … Arab states in the region {along with the US} just completely defended Israel against the Iranian missiles, shooting all but one of them out of the sky.
The facts on the ground there are in constant motion, and the Netanyahu response today is making Israel’s security WORSE, not better. {Worse even than it was when Netanyahu was asleep at the wheel on Oct. 7. Why is that man still in charge of Israel’s security???}
Joe Biden will do well to support Palestinians, Iraelis, and all decent people, and NOT Bibi Netanyahu.
At this point I would argue that a cease fire is not about Israel, but about saving us from Trump, which is my more immediate concern...even though I strongly agree about Israel defending itself.
How many times must Biden call for a ceasefire before people hear it? He's called for it time and time again. It seems like a considerable number of people in this country seem to think Biden is the president of Israel and controls the IDF's actions and movements. He's not, and he doesn't!
Biden works diligently every single day to get the hostages released from Gaza, negotiations that should be on Bibi's plate. But this is the same leader who still opposes a two-state solution.
Please forgive my ignorance since I'm not a student of Middle East politics nor their history. But as an outsider, it appears that Hamas won't stop until all of Israel is destroyed, and Israel won't stop until all Palestinians are dead. Since none of it falls on Biden's shoulders, why is he getting so much flak over it, and why should a Middle East war hurt his reelection chances? It makes no sense to me. Does anyone think the fat boy could have done a better job of it? Does anyone believe he could have ended the war by now? Or believe his crap that Hamas wouldn't have attacked if he'd been president? I shudder to think of his response to any international conflict.
It's a sad day when all these educated young people would knowingly allow xxxx to take over and basically ruin their lives. They are the ones who will suffer for it.
What happens to Biden if he calls for a cease fire and Netanyahu says Nyet! ??
@ Terry. The basis for your statement is a false assumption that Biden hasn't already threatened Netanyahu. Diplomacy is done in secret. Biden is not king. Congress voted to send the money. Robert, Rhodes Scholar, former DOL Secretary, and pundit and otherwise rational makes the same false assumption.
The real threat to Netanyahu comes from ISRAELI public opinion. https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/poll-gantz-gaining-on-netanyahu-again-as-israel-waits-on-hostage-deal-rafah-operation/
Want to influence Israel, support Ganz. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benny_Gantz
I assume that the Israeli Arab Party will support him.
How many of the protesters will? How many Moslems? Egyptians? Jordanians? Saudis? Ad infinitum? The mayor of Dearborn (which btw the home of Antisemitism USA)!
BTW all of what Robert says about the mens rea of protestors is anecdotal. A Harvard study shows that the ardor is low in the priority of most students. As I have been saying, it's OK to "lobby" Biden; something else to elect Trump.
Meanwhile, Hamas could accept terms and reach a cease fire. Their leaders are murderers who were granted asylum in countries like Qatar. Protest at the Qatari embassy, At the Qatari UN mission. Boycott schools that take Qatari money.
Thank you for a good explanation of a complex situation.
You can add that Gaza a is a small part of the Middle East situation that is being dealt with.
Russia is in Syria, Iran and it’s proxies, etc. Hopefully our diplomats are focused on the big picture and not on one corner.
This does not minimize the suffering in Gaza. It is real, as is the suffering of Syrians caught in that conflict, Iranians living in that totalitarian theocracy, etc.
Nobody is protesting the hundreds of thousands of Syrians, Yemeni killed by other Arabs.
Daniel, this is a very important point that needs exploration. Israel's neighbors scapegoat Israeli Jews for their humiliation by the British and the USA--just as Hitler scapegoated Jews for Germany's humiliation after WW I. This is why countries that experienced colonialism tend to sympathize with the Palestinians.
Daniel, I believe you are misinterpreting my question. My only assumption is that Biden hasn't publicly asked Netanyahu for a ceasefire in Gaza.
I'm basically on the side of the Palestinian people....and the Jewish people. But they both have horrible elected officials who ultimately don't have the well-being of the people in their hearts....or their agenda.
Your response was a bit over the top, don't you think?
BS. You don't know what you don't know.
:(
There’s a lot to agree with here, Daniel.
Bibi is no more synonymous with the state of Israel than Trump was synonymous with the United States. We have Trumpers and Anti-Trumpers in this country.
The Israeli citizenry is, also, not monolithic.
Netanyahu and his cohorts are as much an impediment to peace as any other factor. He’s not bringing security to Israel or to anybody. He is decimating it.
The region needs to defang Hamas — Bibi can’t do it in Gaza alone, even if he DOES raze the entire strip to the ground and kill every Gazan. Besides being a war crime of epic proportions, what he is doing there is having the opposite effect. He has to be stopped.
And so does Hamas.
Which means leaning on the rest of the region to get the job done.
{Now, we’re being told we could see a resurgence of ISIS in Syria? Damn. We need to get a grip. Biden needs to get a grip. Radicals in the region are energized by what’s happening in Gaza…}
And may I add that Netanyahu is not doing people's impressions of Jews any good either. I am furious that he claims to be doing this for us (us being Jews).
Too true, Paula. I fear all the blow-back against Jews, who do not deserve to be held to account for Bibi’s monstrosity — Not only that, but the recruits who will join Hamas and ISIS and other radical groups to “get even” with all Jews for what Bibi is doing to all Palestinians to “get even” for what Hamas did, and … I’m losing track …. Round and round it goes, and where it stops, nobody knows .
Why isn’t Hamas releasing the rest of the hostages to end this ?
Hamas is no more interested in ending it than Netanyahu is — Everyone is dependent on two entities who want to keep this going for their own reasons … That is part of what is so monstrous about it.
Netanyahu and HAMAS must come to an agreement to end something neither wants to end.
How ludicrous to leave it to them. {But we know that negotiations ARE undertaken, and we do not know exactly what is being said — let us hope that pressure is being applied to the angry ones who don’t really want to stop this at all.}
The rest of the world — the Arab world that speaks to Hamas, and those of us who speak to Israel — WE must make them stop. WE must provide the incentive for them to STOP. Countries in the region must make it tough on Hamas so they will release hostages and get out of Gaza. The US and Europe must make it tough on Bibi so he’ll stop bombing Gaza.
WE need to put the pressure on to stop the bombing of Gaza, the release of hostages, and bring in aid…
I suspect they're dead.
Pat, I just read a substack about the problems with our own military that President Biden must also take into consideration. This is all deeply concerning regarding the stability of the world.
https://www.thebulwark.com/p/disaffection-despair-all-volunteer-force-crisis?utm_source=cross-post&publication_id=87281&post_id=144261628&utm_campaign=2154788&isFreemail=true&r=f14pb&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
It’s too easy to abuse our military. They have to obey.
Using the reserves as a conscripted source of warm bodies has been wrong, too, but I don’t see the US population sitting still for “the draft” of our young people again … Dunno what the answer is, except to stop fighting stupid wars.
Looks like higher pay might help recruitment. This is really disconcerting that we pay so much to the Defense budget yet lack enough ammunition & don't pay our soldiers enough.
Yes, very complex situation.
from what I've heard and read that has already happened. Plus Biden has stated publicly that the US will not supply or support an invasion by Israel into other countries (Iran). Dig deep and I think we'll see that the State Dept. is attempting to finish the burgeoning coalition of Arab nations (Saudi, Jordan, Quatar, etc--obviously not Syria or Iran who are both in Putin's pocket and Lebanon-who basically has not real government) with Israel to provide peace and warning to those Putin allies. When we talk about world politics, we need to see big picture and not be myopic.
Sounds like a gradual realignment. Quite amazing & gratifying that a couple of them even joined to help defend Israel from the Iranian missiles & drones! Several Arab nations apparently fear Iran & Russia more than Israel & the US, as they should.
The U.s. has called for a ceasefire. Our diplomats arr working for that.
100% correct from my point of view. The young people and not only the actual protesters won’t vote for Trump of course. They just won’t vote 🤷♀️ and that does not bode well for Biden. 😢
Joe Biden needs to clarify that he supports Israel's rights to exist and defend itself, but he opposes the current Israeli government's anti-democratic policies in general, and its anti-Palestinian policy in particular. Just as Netanyahu is not Israel, Hamas is not Palestine.
But Mike he's done that already. Clarification means nada. He's gotta condition any further financial backing on a total ceasefire; return of hostages (dead or alive 🥺); and total commencing of humanitarian aid to bombed-out, starving population of Gaza.
Will any of that make you people still vote for him?
Who are "you people"? I've already indicated many times on this forum, that even though I'm not a Biden believer, I'll probably vote for him. However, since I'm from a reliably blue state, I might hit the pause button.
“You people” are ostensibly Biden 2020 voters who are threatening to not vote for him solely based on giving Israel aid in the form of money and/or weapons. I’d go a step further here and include people who now believe Biden to be “evil” for providing this aid. Out of this group, who is willing to change their minds based on anything Biden could do at this point? Is it too late, no matter what he does? Or does he need to meet some standard to gain back trust for a vote? Who makes the standard? Or is it easier to just say “he’s evil, never voting for him?” If that’s the case, then why would he do anything you want? At the end of the day, I trust Biden to keep the safety and security of the USA as the number 1 priority and if that means leveraging Israel against Hezbollah, Hamas, ISIS, Taliban, and the Islamic State, then so be it. Most of “you people” don’t understand the complex foreign policy decisions that a president needs to make. You make emotional reactions and follow fashion.
Your comment: "Most of "you people" don't understand the complex foreign policy decisions that a president needs to make. You make emotional reactions and follow fashion" is in itself an arrogant statement about the knowledge and understanding of the individuals you are criticizing and reveals a total ignorance of their thought processes. Take a look in the mirror Bro - a little self-reflection might work wonders.
A laughable retort when surveys of the student protests reveal a very limited understanding of the conflict and geopolitical history. Most of these kids on campus are cosplaying revolutionaries and have no clue what’s really going on other than seeing Israeli atrocities, and somehow blaming Biden for all of it because he’s an easy fall guy.
Yes, I agree that he's already made that clear. But I also agree that he needs to get tougher.
AMEN!!!
Why hasn’t Hamas released the rest of the hostages to end this ?
That should be obvious, but it seems it is not.
Yes
Will the protests hurt Biden? Not as much as blindly supporting the genocide perpetrated by an apartheid state. Nice framing though
Thugs with helmets, sticks & bear spray attacked peaceful protesters on the UCLA campus. Who were these thugs? Right-wing provocateurs? Far-right zionists?
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/05/03/us/ucla-protests-encampment-violence.html?unlocked_article_code=1.pU0.Pbbx.r7qGekuO669d&smid=url-share
Ask Robert whether he's a Zionist. Antisemitic BS. Some protestors are Zionists.
This is the same thing that happened with Vietnam. Nothing new here.
Trump has no love for Muslims - if elected he will give Netanyahu everything he wants to take control of Palestinians land
Trump Biden and RFK are all horrible on Israel. Because they think they’re endearing themselves to numb nut baby boomers. Who are actually the problem
There is no genocide. This does not add to the conversation. You are doing nothing but echoing talking points.
Isn't that what you're doing?
PURE BULL 🐂 S***
Murdering a large group of people who have different belief is genocide and/or ethnic cleansing…
No mental gymnastics or semantics will change that …
I’m not talking Soldiers I’m talking about civilians children women non-Soldiers…
Undocumented Commentator, If what is happening to the Palestinians is not genocide, then what is your understanding of the definition of genocide?
I think you've said this before. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. I think the needle's stuck.
Back in October, Israel announced its genocidal intent: Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a complete blockade of Gaza. Gallant said, “There will be no electricity, no food, no fuel, everything is closed. We are fighting human animals..." [No, he's for killing thousands of innocent civilians, thousands of children.]
In the past week or so, a major Israeli official called for the "complete annihilation" of Rafah -- where nearly a million Palestinians have sought shelter.
What the Nazi UC might be implying is that genocide only applies to human beings, a status being denied to the Palestinians by the Zio-Nazis.
What bullshit. OK he's an asshole. But he is not ISRAEL.
Also Palestine isn’t Hamas.
Well they are not protesting Hamas causing all of this by murdering 1200 Jews or taking 399 hostages
Chuck from Vladivostok again.
"There's no business like shoah business." -- Abba Eban
Polls in Israel indicate that most Israelis think Netanyahu is being too soft on Gaza.
Israel, by the way, was the major arms supplier to the Rwandan genocide of 1994.
You've proven repeatedly that you buy and sell antisemitic bullshit.
Why don’t the Gazans demand release of all hostages to end this ?
"Chuck" from Vladivostok"
Exactly. It seems that it is not a shared assumption that Israel is carrying out a genocide. Bombings, destruction of hospitals, mass graves of people with their hands tied behind their backs, intentional famine, spreading disease from unburied corpses, assassinations of journalists, deprivation of clean drinking water, displacing 2/3 of the population, use of white phosphorus, preventing aid from entering, and constant lying about the conduct of all these assaults, plus the determination to annihilate Rafah: what else could this be?
Biden hates brown people.
Crime bill
Racial jungle
Gaza
Your god Putin is responsible for this.
US classified intelligence on Israeli military operations -> Trump -> Putin -> [Iran] -> Hamas -> barbaric Hamas attack on Israeli citizens reminiscent of Russian atrocities on Ukrainians -> Israeli invasion of Gaza & slaughter of Palestinians.
Results: international attention on Russia's brutal war against Ukraine diverted, support for Ukraine wanes; tide of war turns in favor of Russia, social unrest in US, support for Biden in key constituencies diminishes; chances of Trump assuming power enhanced.
Whom do all these events benefit? Putin. Trump & the GOP also benefit, & probably Iran. Oh, yeah, Netanyahu for the time being.
Who is cunning & machiavellian enough to come up with such a devious scheme? Putin.
Hamas, Netanyahu, Putin, Iran & probably Trump all deserve more of the blame than Biden, who is trying to do the best he can in a very difficult position. He should've stopped military aid to Israel months ago, but other than that I don't see any major error on his part.
So other than funding genocidal maniacs, Biden is driven snow? How you can put this on Putin or Trump is beyond me. But Trump has already proven that given the chance he would be equally bad if not worse. The only good thing about Trump doing it would be a media hysteria about genocide commensurate with mass atrocities. Instead, we’re vetting campus protesters potential impact on an election that marks an all time low in terms of viable candidates. I’m voting for RFK jr, who may be the worst candidate on Israel for reasons that I don’t even want to consider. Probably just old age and propaganda. But I hope he frees Assange. Then journalists can expose corruption instead of aiding and abetting it. The nation as a whole, everyone of us , should have protested many of our foreign policy fiascos.
I already gave you some strong clues as to how Putin & Trump may be involved.
But other than that, I mostly agree with this post of yours, surprisingly.
Surely nothing could help Trump at this point!? As I follow the court case from afar (australia) it would appear that he continues to dig his own grave, deeper and deeper. Although with corruption even in the supreme court, I guess nothing is guaranteed! It blows my mind that he's got this far! :0
Oh my goodness, if only that were true, Felicity. Unfortunately there are many, many mentally ill people in the US, and many brainwashed as well. People here are no longer logical. It is beyond belief. You are so lucky to live in a better place.
Felicity, I appreciate your view. I am stunned by it as well. Our US news media gave Trump too much attention as a former president!
The protesters are the tip of the iceberg. Biden not grasping that is the only reason that I can fathom his not steering full left, full right flank, or all engines back! I don't know who he's surrounded by, but I'm in Philly, pretty darn liberal. Yet I'm constantly encountering people who are so thoroughly done with Biden over his stubborn refusal to break from policy that's genocide sustaining, until they're intent upon throwing away their votes with a 3rd party or not voting at all. It's an unnecessary gamble with the future of the world to ignore what and who lies below the protesters. There are too many who only see a vote for Biden as a vote for massacring civilians including women and children.
A lot of dirty hands in this game of “post ottoman musical chairs”.
Losers so far: Ionian Greeks, Kurds, Armenians, Bidoons, and Palestinians. It’s wild that Arab brothers won’t take Palestinians or Bidoons “in” but hey, they got theirs. Iran won’t take them either (who’s kidding who?) America wants them but it would help if they opened their eyes.
Removing the Palestinian's from their land is part of the Definition of Genocide. They didn't want to leave their land. Do you know that the Palestinians that the Zionists murdered or FORCED out into Lebanon in 1967 haven't been allowed to return home by Israel? Get some empathy and know that it is very very damaging to not be allowed home in your ansetral land.
https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2011/9/23/why-palestinians-have-a-right-to-return-home/
Palestine started the war in 1967 - they lost lands - don’t make them out as innocents
You are too uniformed to be on any debate forum. You should be on Fox Fact Free or working for The New York Times fact free.
I'm not going to waste my time educating people like you.
Propaganda.
Not all of it. Israel speaks of its ancestral connection to the region as one raison d’etre for its existence now. Palestinians are the people who have actually been there all along — probably a great many descended from the Jews who didn’t leave when the Romans banished the faith and kicked people out … Israel does worry about the demographics of importing more non-Jews .. The whole world apparently has a lot of people who worry about importing “the other” into one’s population, hmmm?
That's propaganda. I posted evidence to the contrary several times this morning.
Lots of B'hai, Christians, others were accepted in Israel.
I know that, Daniel. I know that Israeli society is heavily multi-cultural. I know many Palestinians are citizens {though their rights are not always as well respected as they should be}. I also know that the country identifies as a Jewish homeland, and {is it still a policy?} that recognized Jews have a right to immigrate, while others have to jump through more hoops.
I also have read a LOT over the years about the fear of incorporating all of the land between the river and the sea into one entity, for fear that Jews would become outnumbered … Not that anyone is seriously thinking about doing it.
Lots of countries have an us-and-them element to their thinking and identities. It’s in our DNA. We need to deal with the realities.
Israel DOES talk about the Jewish ancestral connection to the land. Palestinians can certainly speak of the same connection … ancestral and recent…
DNA testing is illegal in Israel. That’s because pontificating cunts like Danny would have to concede that Jews belong in Poland. I propose South Dakota as a compromise
I agree that every-thing -you post is propaganda. I have critical thinking skills. MAGAs and people like you don't.
Phsychophants on both sides.
Many Christian Arabs are more intimidated by Hamas than by Israel, Arab Druze serve voluntarily in the Israeli army. Bedouins were killed by Hamas on Oct. 7. The Israeli Arab Party and the Arabs in the Knesset show that you are a troll.
https://youtu.be/Otw-1JQsP2g?feature=shared
Israel is targeting ALL Palestinians! It's matters not to them what the Palestinians believe, it only matters that Israel is cleansing Palastine of ALL Palestinians. They are talk l taught to even cleanse "Soft Jews". That is Jews that don't hate and won't kill non-Jews. There are audio and possibly video of the rabid Rabbis teaching that in their synogouges.
https://youtu.be/Otw-1JQsP2g?feature=shared
Those who've benefited from it: Putin, Netanyahu (temporarily), Trump & maybe Iran, & they are likely the main culprits besides Hamas.
When the British occupied the vacant Ottoman chair they set a time bomb.
Love the nautical terms ❤
"All back full starboard shaft" - The Hunt for Red October
But the scary thing right now is that Benjamin Netanyahu and the students reacting to his actions could pull off the same stunt that Ayatollah Ruhollah Musavi Khomeini did in 1980 with the Iranian Hostage crisis and end up getting Trump elected just as Khomeini got Reagan elected.
@ Carl. That's why Trump/Putin and company are taking advantage of the situation.
That is definitely BS, Solomon.
CS - Common Sense.
I appreciate Robert’s making a distinction between being “pro-Palestinian” in a comprehensive way and being against the horrible bloodshed in Gaza.
I am definitely both pro-Palestinian (because I know the history of Israel’s relentless oppression of the Palestinians from the very beginning, in many ways, and lying like hell about it, and this provoked although it did not justify Hamas’s October 7th attack), and angry as hell about Israel’s using the Hamas attack to try to exterminate or drive out all the Gazans and take over all the land, which it has wanted to do from Day One. It has its eyes on the West Bank, too, don’t mistake about that. It is not really an ally of the US, nor does it represent the Jewish people in their hope to honor the Jewish principles of justice and peace, also tikkun olam, repairing the world—and being free of antisemitism. Biden should NOT aid and abet the killing, whether he has all the support of American Jews or not. He should not be bought and sold by groups of Jews who blindly and cruelly exalt Israel over everybody else. As you know, very many Jews abhor the idea.
You’re right, Robert, that the police don’t belong on campus harassing and arresting protesters.
As a small child, I was in Syria and Lebanon with my family for a year and a half, and we met Palestinian refugees who’d been driven out of their homeland at gunpoint by Zionists taking over that land which the Palestinians had peacefully shared with Jews for generations. (This was in 1955-56.). That land had been called Palestine before the Zionists took over because of permission they’d gotten from elsewhere via the Balfour Declaration.
"taking over that land which the Palestinians had peacefully shared with Jews for generations"
Noting also the existence of prosperous Jewish communities co-existing in the Arab world for centuries: Cairo, Alexandria, Baghdad, Tehran, Algiers, Tunis, and many others.
Prior to the 20th century, Jews were a tiny minority in Palestine, but like you wrote, that minority co-existed overwhelmingly peacefully -- until the advent of the Zionist movement. Most Americans don't have a clue how true, Torah-observant Jews regard Zionism.
Both will be harmed by both things but Biden will pay a hefty price for not addressing the protests properly or handling Israel's genocide in Palestine correctly
Stop with the genocide narrative. It's simply not true.
Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
You need to explain yourself. Assertions are not facts.
Please explain
Thank you for fleshing out the truth!
The Only Way he should Address The protests of GENOCIDE is to not let the police beat them up, the Congress not pass unconstitutional laws and listen to the protesters crys of Divestment.
The billionaires and their MAGA supporters thrive on the endless drama of protests about the war in the middle East, the anger and protests of millions of women and girls against Draconian new laws banning reproductive rights and medical care, even to the point of women's deaths! they don't like "Boring" Biden, who calmly and industriously gets things done. They don't want voters to see the gross income inequality or pay attention to the agenda they have outlined for the future, where humans will have fewer and fewer rights and far less consumer protection, and certainly, less wealth, security , or even a home.
Fox News and the right wing media LOVE the student protests! It distracts people from the real issues you note and supports their narrative that the far leftist protesters are a VIOLENT bunch! They continually show the most violent clashes on their "news", and blame the protesters for starting the violence.
Yes, they do that! I did see on The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell some peaceful protesters walking along side peaceful police officers, on thei way to a bus to take them downtown to get the arrest warrant. That was better to see than windows getting broken by people who were later found to have nothing to do with Columbia. But the lie will get traction, and some never learn the truth
These same 'news' outlets never showed the worst of Jan 6. They got McCarthy to take some videos of the "peacefully protesting" MAGAs in heavily edited and doctored videos . Total BS
And ultimately blame President Biden for the carnage and starving in Gaza.
"Genocide Joe" they're calling him, although he has much less to do with what's going on in the Middle East than Hamas, Netanyahu, Putin, Iranian leadership, & probably even Trump, & in fact, his efforts have been to calm the situation & bring relief to suffering Palestinians.
Laurie, you mention how boring it is to quietly and calmly get things done. I wonder how people who don't like that would feel if their workplaces were full of chaos agents like Trump. That they can't see how important it is to be competent is crazy.
The MAGAs make money with chaos. distract and deflect. Their billionaires can afford to buy government and legislation they want, Their shyster lawyers are competent at getting them what they want, and keeping the human people off balance and oppressed. So they can't see how inequality is maintained, with laws that make it harder to get justice! they laugh all the way to the bank while we "march peacefully" surrounded by their rioting sycophants! it's time to target the Oath breakers!!! Name names ; Dox them!! Sue them!
I understand what you're saying but I really just meant Trump voters.
Paula B. The tRUMP voters just want their guy to 'win'! They are in fantasy land!
Another excellent post, Laurie!
Thank you, Jaime!
Huh?
In response to the question “Which will have a bigger impact on the 2024 election, and who will be most helped,” I answered “Protests will help Trump.” Let me explain.
Last night, Bernie Sanders portrayed Democrats’ disunity over the issues of Israel and college campus protests as possibly “Biden’s Vietnam.” Invoking LBJ’s decision not to run for re-election in 68 because of opposition to his views on Vietnam, Sanders expressed deep concern that Biden is putting himself in a position wherein he is alienating not just young people but a lot of the Democratic base.
I imagine many of us are aware of people, whether or not they’re protesting, who are growing increasingly impatient and even dismissive of Biden and are planning to sit out the November election. In contrast, the previously fractured Republican House caucus has seized upon this issue and has become increasingly united, albeit disingenuously, in their condemnation of the protests.
I further would note, considering Biden and Democrats generally are vulnerable with young voters and, to some degree, black and brown voters, who either could stay home or vote for third party candidates, we have a situation that seriously could erode the base. Accordingly, I encourage us judiciously to follow the theoretical chaos that Democrats likely could contend with leading up to the Democratic Convention that, for Republicans, could be quite opportunistic and help them score points.
Regardless of all the hand wringing. If we don't get Biden then we get Trump (and Autocracy). If you want Trump then everything is working out fine for you. If not, and you really want Biden (and Democracy) then ask yourself what you need to do. Wishful thinking isn't going to cut it. I'm guessing you probably agree but many on here are still confused and will confuse themselves right into an Orange America.
Terry, My point in writing was to sound the alarm unless Biden is more responsive to the Democratic base. Case in point: Just yesterday, House Democrats issued two letters to the Administration: one signed by 87 members urging Biden to enforce U.S. laws and policies regarding U.S. humanitarian aid to Gaza and the second signed by 57 members calling on the Administration to help prevent an assault on Rafah. I believe it would behoove anyone invested in Biden winning re-election to press him to act on both initiatives.
To be clear, while I regularly write postcards to voters, text bank, phone bank, and the like, I also keep track of the bigger picture on every issue I believe will be consequential in November.
Barbara I don't disagree with you. Thank you for all the work you do. You seem to have much more energy than I do.
Why are you attacking a logical statement? That's irrational.
attacking?
EXACTLY
I hope you're wrong, Barbara Jo. A full third of American women now live in states that consider them expendable. I hope they plan to do something about that.
At UWMilwaukee the atmosphere is relaxed and family friendly with some students bringing their kids or being visited by family. Others sit and study outside their tents on the lawn. There is a place to pray and tonight the local JVP held a Shabbat. There is nothing threatening and the sidewalks around and through the area are open. You can walk through or stop and ask a question. We have legal observers and so far the police have kept their distance. Biden shouldn't condemn the protests as a disturbance. If he dismisses the students he risks losing a large portion of the youth vote.
Who benefits from the protests? Not the people of Gaza. Certainly not the President. Hamas benefits. Trump benefits and Putin benefits. I don’t think the protesters would knowingly aid Putin’s plan to replace Biden with Trump, his useful idiot, but they are. The protesters are being driven by a genuine outrage but also Russia interference and disinformation.
Talking point provided by the actual President of the USA, Netanyahu, the Israeli entity.
US intelligence on Israeli military operations -> Trump -> Russia -> Hamas -> attack on Israel on Putin's birthday with barbarity modeled after Putin's atrocities in Ukraine
Pull the other one, it has got bells on it.
Ha!
This Hamas/Putin fan "blocked" me!
Refreshing to see someone who gets it! You are absolutely right!
Given Trump's support of Netanyahu, I'm amazed in a bad way and really shocked that young protestors are considering staying home on Election Day and getting Trump re-elected.
Despite how much of a limp noodle that Biden is, Trump will full-throatedly support Netanyahu, even if he wants to bomb Gaza off the face of the earth and commit actual genocide against the Palestinians. The collateral damage of the current war is horrible, but it's nothing compared to the kind of actions that Trump would support.
Well it's Biden different? We know by facts that he isn't. He could have NOT given 2,000 pound bombs to Israel.
Biden is not different than Trump.
Biden is a sneaky change to Fascism and Trump is an honest one.
I think I prefer fighting someone that's not hiding behind the curtain.
PLEASE read the definition of " malicious narcissist". It is incurable and such a person cannot....repeat ...."Cannot" ...stop their minds commands which require that they win over and over.
In. contrast ...Biden is sane, intelligent man .
Ha Ha Ha how is a man who Declares to the Citizens of the USA that he's a Proud Zionist. That's like declaring hrs a proud Fascist and Genocide Enabler with his many shipments of 2,000 pound bombs and Satellite Intel for Israel's merciful 24/7 bombing of women and children.
Did you know that the miscarriage rate amongst those suffering mothers had gone up 300% and that is they get to deliver the baby that's always premature in tents because Israel has blown up all the hospitals and assassinated the doctors and staff.
That's what Biden cheers on and knows a bunch of phsychophants will vote for the war profiteer genocide enabler.
How blind.
Stop complaining about your blindness and open your eyes then.
Was this meant for me?
Although I still think Trump is more dangerous, you have a point.
Someone else concerned with Covid-19 gaslighting posted that Biden was setting us back by trying to rush everyone back to the offices to get city downtowns going again before Covid-19 was truly under control. Heck, under Biden, the detailed Covid-19 reporting was abridged, and then we began defunding the wastewater analyzers tracking potential Covid-19 breakouts. I replied that Biden was being a kinder, gentler version of Trump who made meatpackers, mostly Latino, go back to their jobs as "essential employees" so that he could keep eating his hamberderders. She liked my post
He's not kinder or gentler.
He's doubled down on Trump's policies, open up more prisons for refugees. He's making permanent the tariffs/underhanded tax on overburdened taxpayers and much much more. Of his name was Dick we could accurately call him Tricky Dick
What a fucking joke of a position to take. Just complete clown shit.
Many of these Biden abstainers don’t care about the actual outcome. They just want to rage and punish Biden.
Maybe he'll keep opening his big mouth and they'll see how awful he is. Fingers crossed.
SIDE NOTE: Dr Reich and Heather, I prefer the one camera view of the two of you rather than the use of additional cameras cutting back and forth from one to the other. The scene is small enough that more than one angle is unnecessary--even distracting. I like seeing each of your reactions to what the other is saying, which is easier to see when both of you are in the shot. I also prefer the small microphones on your lapels. Those giant microphones seem intrusive.
Israel is defending itself. None of this would be happening without the vicious attack on innocent, unarmed civilians by gaza / hamas on October 7. There was a ceasefire on October 6. It was broken by hamas. If hamas wants a ceasfire now they can have it instantly: SURRENDER… In war there will be civilian casualties. Especially against a cowardly enemy that hides among civilians and deliberately locates its headquarters under a hospital. Gaza is suffering the inevitable fallout of aiding and abetting terrorists for decades. They voted 92% for hamas. And these “protests” have been anything but peaceful. A lot of naïveté being expressed here
BS. They are NOT defending themselves and they said so. Those babies are a threat? Well yes, if they are allowed to live, because Israel is creating hatred for Zionists, not Jews but Zionists.
Zionism DEPENDS so much on anti-semitism that it will foment it as much as it can in other countries with large Jewish communities. One of history's most brutal and cruel ideologies -- that presents its adherents as eternal victims.
Please elaborate.
Seems so logical when you put it that way. /s