Good summary, thank you, Thom. To this day, I still cannot understand how his total smarmy-ness isn’t so obvious to everyone. He is a cartoon character, a cardboard cut out, a facade. I’ve never understood being conned by him. Still shaking my head.
G2, not to sound like a conspiracy weirdo, I still think they (Rs, Elon, whomever) f’d with the machines that they had access to… So, a combo of deluded Americans and voting sheisters, in my opinion. More and more is coming out and I believe it.
Well the G20 folks are having a good time without him.....
The mask is NOT working on them any more. In an interview, a Dr. Fanier said they were happy TRump wasn't there to talk about golf, throw his toys out of the cart, and suck up the limelight. Apt. Description.
They came to a 4 point consensus about: Climate Financing, Debt Management, Disaster Management, and Critical Minerals. Finland's President Stubb talked about Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability. He wants to see the world get back on track about Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan. He's concise, brilliant, and handsome. I'm jealous.
They are done with the 800 pound gorilla in the room. I hope they take us back some day. This is what a roster said about another member: "Russia: President Vladimir Putin did not attend due to an arrest warrant."
If only. Is TRump scared that the Hague has a secret warrant out for him?! See you in the streets.
Several things popped into mind while reading this chapter. First is how so many Nepo's lose their wealth. Several of my boyhood pals inherited their daddies' businesses and eventually both endured foreclosures despite them being successful when they took control. It made me wonder if growing up with that silver spoon in your mouth causes one to think that they are born to rule and thus, they do not seek input from their managers before making big decisions.
A second thing I noted was the casual mention of Trump's limited attention span - a classic symptom of ADHD. Trump is notorious as POTUS for never reading reports or paying attention in briefings. He also, despite his obvious dementia, stays very busy traveling around (unproductively in most cases) compared to a typical 80-year-old.
My mom was a teacher, and she persistently helped me develop self-discipline and focus on my homework from "Dick and Jane" onward. The nuns in my grammar school also kept on my case when not paying attention in class. Lucky for me and Thom, we were born with above-average IQs that enabled us to convert symptoms into assets. Trump only inherited over 400 million dollars, but not 130 IQ points.
A third thing not addressed was who kept bailing Trump out of all his business failures. Bankers aren't that dumb. What I have picked up over the years from my super-successful friends is that Russian oligarchs used Trump's businesses to launder their loot, probably with help from the Russian mob in NYC. That might explain the deference to Putin.
Tomonthebeach,interesting post,had not thought about the Russian Oligarchs bailing him out,so they could launder their loot. The Russian and American mafia have threatened anyone going after him.
The "Bubba" story may initiate the whole story about Trump Model Management, the modeling agency founded in 1999, closed in April, 2017.
During that time, according to AI, Trump brought roughly 250 foreigners to the US. Melania was one of the initial models for this agency. Documents show that she had a management agreement with "Metropolitan International Management" for modeling jobs in the US in 1996 and 1997. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/05/melania-trump-was-paid-modeling-before-work-visa-records-show. That company, as it tuns out, probably doesn't really exist.
In 2016 a Trump agency employee alleged that she was "lured ... to New York to work at age 17 with the promise of riches and fame and then treated her 'like a slave.'”
Did they have visa applications? Obtain H1B or other temporary work visas? Were any minors when they worked for Trump? Did any of them have exposure to Epstein or Maxwell?
This is just a way to get a message to you, Thom. Your aren't quite the senior I am, being I'm 81 and when I was in grad school protesting at Michigan State you were there still in high school. However, at 74 you qualify to be one of the wise elders fighting ICE and authoritarianism. As you may recall from our meeting, my partner and I live in a continuing care retirement community not far from you. We had ICE on our campus last week and they arrested a construction worker. Apparently he didn't get out of his vehicle quickly enough for them so they broke his window. This all led to a furor among residents here. I ended up taking a lead role. I met with our adminstration and discussed how they will try to stop this in the future. I also am starting a phone tree so residents who see ICE here can alert others so they can get out and take videos. This all led me to write "Elders Against ICE. Revolutionary War Patriots fought the Redcoats and Hessians, during WWII The Resistance fought the Nazis, today our patriots are dealing with ICE and all it represents." https://halbrown.substack.com/p/elders-against-ice-by-hal-m-brown
Thanks Hal for all your efforts to fight back. I sure wish it was contagious,because 67 million Demcrats who voted for Harris are AWOL. About 8 million have been doing rallies and,postcards,organizing,the 67 million think they have no responsibility,don't want to get their hands dirty, don;t have the time.They are making money in the stock market and have decided they will put up wit the " Nazi".
EXCELLENT ARTICLE. It should be required reading for every MAGAt.
The article reinforced something I have said for years: The most effective way to persuade people is TO LIE TO THEM.
But I think Thom may have messed up on one thing. The expression I have always heard was, "The guy was born on third base, yet he goes through life thinking he hit a triple!" Then there is the crazier version that applies neatly to a buffoon like Trump, "He was born on third base, yet he goes through life thinking he scored a touchdown!"
This is just brilliant writing, Thom. I’ve purchased the book; I want to pick it up and read it cover to cover.
The person that is giving me the most hope right now is Marjorie Taylor Green. She appears to be the one who’s actually taking off the damn mask of insanity that we’ve been trapped beneath. What she’s doing, IMO, is nothing shy of amazing. She’s so “unpolished” politically, she’s allowing her humanity and her sanity shine forth front and center. It’s like she was trying to play “the game”, and she finally woke up and saw that “the game” is a completely losing battle.
I’m beginning to feel some hope; turns out, it is “crazy” MTG that’s tearing the mask off of the monster.
The repetition thing is very real. In dance choreography you repeat a step 3 times for the audience to see it and then hit with a variation of it for emphasis. That's one of the things he does. It's very intentional. In writing it works also.
Stunning examination of a fraud. Fortunately I never watched a single episode of The Apprentice. My first impression of him was a N.Y. conman draft dodger with no sense of taste. I'm merely offspring of a dust bowl migrant.
Thank you for your excellent book, I just finished it and it ties so many threads together coherently for me in the history of our nation, the lunacy of this president and what is demanded of us in this day.
For anyone who is interested, here's an interview with his ghostwriter, Tony Schwartz. It's basically a deeper dive into what Thom wrote. But the comparison of Trump with a black hole, how he constantly needs to suck in reassurance, is particularly apt:
One of my favorite quotes about trump, which I will assuredly get not quite right:
"He's a weak person's idea of a strong man, a poor person's idea of a rich man, a stupid person's idea of a smart men...."
Absolutely brilliant analysis. This chapter needs to be mandatory reading for every voting American! Well done 👏
Good summary, thank you, Thom. To this day, I still cannot understand how his total smarmy-ness isn’t so obvious to everyone. He is a cartoon character, a cardboard cut out, a facade. I’ve never understood being conned by him. Still shaking my head.
Suzanne, I too cannot understand how 77 million voters were conned by him.
G2, not to sound like a conspiracy weirdo, I still think they (Rs, Elon, whomever) f’d with the machines that they had access to… So, a combo of deluded Americans and voting sheisters, in my opinion. More and more is coming out and I believe it.
Well the G20 folks are having a good time without him.....
The mask is NOT working on them any more. In an interview, a Dr. Fanier said they were happy TRump wasn't there to talk about golf, throw his toys out of the cart, and suck up the limelight. Apt. Description.
They came to a 4 point consensus about: Climate Financing, Debt Management, Disaster Management, and Critical Minerals. Finland's President Stubb talked about Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability. He wants to see the world get back on track about Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan. He's concise, brilliant, and handsome. I'm jealous.
They are done with the 800 pound gorilla in the room. I hope they take us back some day. This is what a roster said about another member: "Russia: President Vladimir Putin did not attend due to an arrest warrant."
If only. Is TRump scared that the Hague has a secret warrant out for him?! See you in the streets.
Several things popped into mind while reading this chapter. First is how so many Nepo's lose their wealth. Several of my boyhood pals inherited their daddies' businesses and eventually both endured foreclosures despite them being successful when they took control. It made me wonder if growing up with that silver spoon in your mouth causes one to think that they are born to rule and thus, they do not seek input from their managers before making big decisions.
A second thing I noted was the casual mention of Trump's limited attention span - a classic symptom of ADHD. Trump is notorious as POTUS for never reading reports or paying attention in briefings. He also, despite his obvious dementia, stays very busy traveling around (unproductively in most cases) compared to a typical 80-year-old.
My mom was a teacher, and she persistently helped me develop self-discipline and focus on my homework from "Dick and Jane" onward. The nuns in my grammar school also kept on my case when not paying attention in class. Lucky for me and Thom, we were born with above-average IQs that enabled us to convert symptoms into assets. Trump only inherited over 400 million dollars, but not 130 IQ points.
A third thing not addressed was who kept bailing Trump out of all his business failures. Bankers aren't that dumb. What I have picked up over the years from my super-successful friends is that Russian oligarchs used Trump's businesses to launder their loot, probably with help from the Russian mob in NYC. That might explain the deference to Putin.
Tomonthebeach,interesting post,had not thought about the Russian Oligarchs bailing him out,so they could launder their loot. The Russian and American mafia have threatened anyone going after him.
Need to add Trump Model Management a/k/a T Management
.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_Model_Management
The "Bubba" story may initiate the whole story about Trump Model Management, the modeling agency founded in 1999, closed in April, 2017.
During that time, according to AI, Trump brought roughly 250 foreigners to the US. Melania was one of the initial models for this agency. Documents show that she had a management agreement with "Metropolitan International Management" for modeling jobs in the US in 1996 and 1997. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/05/melania-trump-was-paid-modeling-before-work-visa-records-show. That company, as it tuns out, probably doesn't really exist.
Trump’s modeling company was allegedly a “crooked agency” that put young women into “modern-day slavery” and had them working in the U.S. illegally, former models for the organization claimed in a bombshell report. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/08/donald-trump-model-management-illegal-immigration/y.
In 2016 a Trump agency employee alleged that she was "lured ... to New York to work at age 17 with the promise of riches and fame and then treated her 'like a slave.'”
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-model-felt-slave-working-donalds-agency/story?id=37313993
Did they have visa applications? Obtain H1B or other temporary work visas? Were any minors when they worked for Trump? Did any of them have exposure to Epstein or Maxwell?
This is just a way to get a message to you, Thom. Your aren't quite the senior I am, being I'm 81 and when I was in grad school protesting at Michigan State you were there still in high school. However, at 74 you qualify to be one of the wise elders fighting ICE and authoritarianism. As you may recall from our meeting, my partner and I live in a continuing care retirement community not far from you. We had ICE on our campus last week and they arrested a construction worker. Apparently he didn't get out of his vehicle quickly enough for them so they broke his window. This all led to a furor among residents here. I ended up taking a lead role. I met with our adminstration and discussed how they will try to stop this in the future. I also am starting a phone tree so residents who see ICE here can alert others so they can get out and take videos. This all led me to write "Elders Against ICE. Revolutionary War Patriots fought the Redcoats and Hessians, during WWII The Resistance fought the Nazis, today our patriots are dealing with ICE and all it represents." https://halbrown.substack.com/p/elders-against-ice-by-hal-m-brown
Thanks Hal for all your efforts to fight back. I sure wish it was contagious,because 67 million Demcrats who voted for Harris are AWOL. About 8 million have been doing rallies and,postcards,organizing,the 67 million think they have no responsibility,don't want to get their hands dirty, don;t have the time.They are making money in the stock market and have decided they will put up wit the " Nazi".
He is so nauseating—take the rotten fish to the dump!
EXCELLENT ARTICLE. It should be required reading for every MAGAt.
The article reinforced something I have said for years: The most effective way to persuade people is TO LIE TO THEM.
But I think Thom may have messed up on one thing. The expression I have always heard was, "The guy was born on third base, yet he goes through life thinking he hit a triple!" Then there is the crazier version that applies neatly to a buffoon like Trump, "He was born on third base, yet he goes through life thinking he scored a touchdown!"
This is just brilliant writing, Thom. I’ve purchased the book; I want to pick it up and read it cover to cover.
The person that is giving me the most hope right now is Marjorie Taylor Green. She appears to be the one who’s actually taking off the damn mask of insanity that we’ve been trapped beneath. What she’s doing, IMO, is nothing shy of amazing. She’s so “unpolished” politically, she’s allowing her humanity and her sanity shine forth front and center. It’s like she was trying to play “the game”, and she finally woke up and saw that “the game” is a completely losing battle.
I’m beginning to feel some hope; turns out, it is “crazy” MTG that’s tearing the mask off of the monster.
Mitzi,I think we should all be calling MTG's office,identifying as Dems and say : " Thank You".
That's a brilliant idea; why didn't I think of that?? Doing that now, too! Thank you, David!
The repetition thing is very real. In dance choreography you repeat a step 3 times for the audience to see it and then hit with a variation of it for emphasis. That's one of the things he does. It's very intentional. In writing it works also.
MAGA has been performing St. Vitus dance.
Wow! What a chapter! - I learned so much about this forever cheating FELON -
60+ years of it, always failing, never taking any responsibility ....
He 's worse than Charles Guiteau in self deception and mental retardation.
Stunning examination of a fraud. Fortunately I never watched a single episode of The Apprentice. My first impression of him was a N.Y. conman draft dodger with no sense of taste. I'm merely offspring of a dust bowl migrant.
Thank you for your excellent book, I just finished it and it ties so many threads together coherently for me in the history of our nation, the lunacy of this president and what is demanded of us in this day.
Thank you. Your insightful thoughts give me life-sustaining hope.
For anyone who is interested, here's an interview with his ghostwriter, Tony Schwartz. It's basically a deeper dive into what Thom wrote. But the comparison of Trump with a black hole, how he constantly needs to suck in reassurance, is particularly apt:
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/interview/tony-schwartz/