What he saw from inside the system, and why his departure signals that the guardrails are collapsing faster than anyone on the outside fully understands…
The social democratic mind-set is simply not prepared to handle the organized efforts of will-to-power oligarchic sociopaths. No normal person is ready to be mugged or ambushed; we would have to be as paranoid as they are to even see it coming. Even the cautionary phrase "never again" has lost its power when Israel has been hijacked by a fascist movement.
Listening to Sean Penn on Acosta's show this week, he said he thought TRump will "postpone" the elections over nothing. Then came the scariest: Trump "...might try to destroy the world before he ages-out."
The price of NOT understanding couldn't be higher. Excellent post, Mr. Hobbs.
Good point, I expect unprecedented surprises from Trump. Most people do not understand the fascist dogma at the heart of MAGA. It is that only so-called "Real Americans", who have "traditional white" cultural values that Trump approves of, are legitimate citizens of America. It follows that he can claim America has been taken by "non-citizens". This allows him to create his own Security Army, and take over elections, so that only the ballots of "real citizens" are counted. The whole thing is crazy because the original idea is crazy, but the creation of a policy from it follows logical rules. Trump will follow this policy because in his mind to abandon it means the original idea is wrong. The same process created the extremism of the Hitler and Stalin regimes.
Ah, Larry, we can do it! It's the White House Building that is not going to survive. He's going to work on the columns now.
His stupid SAVE Act isn't going to pass. They aren't very organized and have to wrangle all the Blue states and counties. Some of the Red ones are not going to cooperate either. People are going to want to elect their mayor, sheriff, county commissioners, secretary of state, state attorney general, state rep, state senator, and governor.
It would be pretty interesting if he goes there and the rest of us just say oh hell no!
It is highly unlikely Trump will allow his power to be ended by free and fair midterms. Expect this scenario 1. Terrorist attacks many times greater than 9/11, with Iranians firmly in the frame -> 2. Mass public fear allows Trump to create a Security Army (SA) by transferring MAGA loyalists from US armed forces, size around 400,000. -> 3. Disregarding both Constitution and US laws, Trump uses the SA to take over elections in targeted blue cities this November, where the results will be rigged based on long term false claims of voter fraud. -> 4. Fewer Democrat representatives and senators returned. Trump uses a safer majority to pass enabling acts (note: Republicans drop 60 vote cloture in Senate, and the plan is permanent MAGA power). This would be easy to stop if Democrats could manage to imagine something on this scale happening, and act on it.
America's transition to fascism is already bubbling up in Red states. Yesterday, Fascist Florida's senate passed 3 bills that 1) outlaws DEI policies in local governments, b) voids bans all greenhouse gas emissions, and 3) bars all local governments from managing development in their communities. So, I guess it is now legal to put a strip club across the street from a high school. Epstein would have loved that.
Florida is already the state that fires a teacher for saying the word "gay" in a classroom, and recently painted over a rainbow flag painted on an Orlando crosswalk in memory of a mass murder at a gay nightclub. Doubtless, Texas and Oklahoma (Markwayne Mullin's home), are following in Florida's footsteps.
As a psychologist, it is hard to see this transformation and not attribute it to the megalomania caused by being a billionaire. Billionaire Trump uses invasions and extortion to bully other nations to bend the proverbial knee. It was refreshing to see NATO allies giving Trump the finger when he begged for a Hormuz Straight bailout from the serial disasters a war he started created for the world economy - yet again - like his assinine tariffs.
We used to have an opposition party in America. Ironically, they used to call themselves Democrats. You don't hear much about them anymore - partly because most legislators appear to have been bought by fascist billionaires now that the Supreme Court made that legal.
Tomonthebeach, great post and pretty much sums up what I was thining about 4 this morning. So in 2024 75 Million Democrats voted for Harris. Democrats have seen what has happened to our Gov't and yet in all the rallies around the country,only 8 million have shown up. Where are the other 67 million Democrats? I have a good example for you.I have a friend who is Jewish. He spends 9 hours every Saturday in synoggue.I ask why he won't attend the rallies usually held on Saturdays,his response,he can not miss synogogue,not for one minute ,not for 1 hr ,not for 1 day. So tell me what is the end game for these religious fanatics? When they see a "NazI" takeover of our Gov't and are unwilling to give up synogogue for 1 day every few months to fight back,how we interpret that?
Interesting that Republicans call Democratic men,sissys,babies,non confrontational, and of course " Pussies" .They may be right.
This takeover might not happen if maybe 25 million Demcrats would get off their asses and get to the rallies,the pathetic 8 turnout is laughed @ by the " Nazi" pig who most of us should not call president,he is the "America's Fuhrer".
While I doubt that municipalities are willing to go to war over DEI, most are MAGAs. What they should be annoyed about is that the state is trying to castrate their power over their own domains. Billionaire developers want this. Florida is the US capital of real estate scams. Recall that the Great Recession started here over real estate loans.
Won't be the governments, WILL be the individuals who have lost bigly. Virtually every business here is bi - if not tri- lingual. Virtually every state employee. Virtually every Republican business owner and office holder. .
Well it is very simple. Trump thinks he is an unstoppable force, and the Iranians, waiting for the economic damage to tip the world to their side, are an immovable object. Meanwhile everybody who depends on oil, fertilizer and all the other chemicals that pass through Hormuz are caught between them. And Russia and China are waiting to pick up the pieces.
Side note: Trump has finally reached a situation that he can't talk or bargain himself out of. And nobody is coming to bail him out. As we know, the danger is that he'll double down with a land invasion on the Gulf. When cornered, any animal can dangerous. But especially an angry 5-year old with a loaded gun.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE may have had a hand in it, but for the life of me I can't see why. The Sunni shia rift is all on the Shia side, Sunni Muslims have no problem. It is the Shia that contend for leadership of world Islam. Sunni Mjuslims have that leadership.
It is Shia that has resentment towards Sunni, not vice versa. And surely Saudi Arabia and the UAE knew that they were under the umbrella of Shia missiles and their oil fields and de desalinization plants were vulnerable to aerial attack.
Nah, this whole thing was cooked up between Bibi and Donald at Mar a Lago in December and toasted when Bibi had dinner with Donald on Dec 28th and 29th at Mar a Lago.
Want to know where the action is, follow the aircraft carriers.
The USS Gerald Ford was repositioned from the So China Sea to the Arabian sea/Persian Gulf in January.
The USS Ronald Reagan would have been as well, but it was tied up in the Caribbean because of Trumps, Technate of America plans for Venezuela.
Once Maduro was in hand, the Ronald Reagan set sail for the Mediterranean.
Bibi launched the first strike to decapitate the Iranian Leadership, it wasn’t Trump that did the job.
Trump jumped in to deflect from Bibi, this is Bibi all around as is his invasion of Lebanon.
Both of t hem are depending on a forever war to keep them in office, the exigencies of national security
Basically the same excuse cops use to break down a door without a warrant, “exigent circumsatances
I'm sorry but Saudi led us into the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. Apparently Saudi was involved in July and was invoved planning recent attacks.
Pecking order witiin Islam is important, but preservation of market share in oil and use of the petrodoillar as the default medium of exchange has as much to to with it.
Yeh, I know G-D forbid that it was Israel that started this war, only it wasn't israel, but Netanyahu, but some can't discern the difference.
Iran's sale of oil before Bibi and Trump started this war was China. And the preservation of market share and use of the petrodollar has nothing to do with it
However restricting the oil supply, as it is doing now, fattens the quarterly reports of the petro cabal, and is a windfall, a bonus for Putin.
Before the war, Putin was going broke, the Russian banks had virtually cut off consumer credit gas was $32 a gallon, and now it is around $100 a gallon
And Krasnov lifted the sanctions he placed on India as regards purchasing Russian oil.
The real beneficiearies shareholders of oil companies,their execs, Bibi and Vlad.
No, the vast majority of Americans don't know jackshit other than what is spoon fed them on TV and Radio, or social media.
My beloved wife, has to vent and regardless of who it is, she unloads politics on people, and in general they are uninformed and uninvolved other than social media and Fox news.
The only people watch MSNOW are gray hairs like me, who have one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel.
You can tell that by the commercials they run, drugs, and insurance.
William,you are so right. It is not only pathetic,but a real commentary on the intellect of the average american. I watch MS now but the only fighters are Lawrence O'Donnell and Rachel. The others are like watching paint dry.
I screen my email and comments the same way TV. I don't need a rah rah chorus or to hear people commiserate. I seek info, and when I see mis info or the conversation steered in the wrong direction. I interject, otherwise I pass it on by.
As for Rachel, she is good, but I learn nothing new from her, her style is to grab one or two issues and bloviate for an hour. I liked her presentations on demonstrations, but other wise she spend too much time building up to her point, and that bores me., by the time she gets there I find I already know what is happening or happened. I don't need someone tell me what to think. I just need info, and For that I break a cardinal rule.
I watch Black Man Spy, Malcom Nance, he and Jacob have real info.
For what is happening in Ukraine i go to Medium.com. American media, even the best, suck, big time.
Otherwise anytime an email shows up in my inbox with "watch X amount of minutes" I delete unwatched. I don't have time to waste on podcasts and yotubes and listen to some one waste my time bloviating endlessly.
I do watch Thom Hartmann on Dish (ch: 269) but get bored with the call ins, not interested, most of them are just looking for attention and validation, or have a need to unload.
Were you at the planning table? If not then you can't make ethat statement.
My assessment is based on what is actually known, like Israel launched the first missile to decaptiate the Iranian leadership. and reported gacts, as well as logical deduction.
It is true that MBS speaks out of both sides of the mouth,, publicly says one thing, privately does other stuff. Like murdering Kashoggi.
,Meanwhile, inside Iran, they were killing sunnis thay accused as spies. Sunnis are the largest minority, Google: As of 2018, there were three Sunni members in the 88-member Assembly of Experts (the body that selects the Supreme Leader), representing Sistan-Baluchestan and Kurdistan. Historically, only about 12 Sunnis have ever served in this body since 1980.
" Specific Sunni-associated groups, such as Ansar al Furqan, have been active, with reported attacks on security forces in southeastern Iran, leading to crackdown efforts by the [Iranian] government. "
No google Daniel, unlike you I don't need google, only to support what I am saying not for formation
Yet in all your response, you still don't know what the purpose was in launching the war. Because you weren't there.
MSB was not ssitting at the table with Trump in Mar a Lago, Bibi was, just a week or two before the Aircraft carriers started to move.
I am aware of what they are doing inside Iran, killing Sunnis and Jews (the few left)
Yes Sunni's are a minority, but what has that got to with the price of tea in China, it certainly is not the reason the MBS has a hard on for the Iranians.
For one thing they are an oil competitor
We do not know his motive, or if that motive you impute is relevant anymore,
Iran is a member of OPEC as is the Kingdom, but is currently exempt from production quotas.
BTW, WAPO is no longer a paper of record and is not reliable, it has become a mouth organ for the administration. I would be leery of using it as a source.
We are at the point where we can't trust the media, it is either owned by the Ellisons, or caved to Brenda Carr. I've already had my reservations because I know who owns and control the media,print and electronic.
I doubt seriously if MBS is a religious nationalist ready to go to the wire over his co coreligionists. Indications are that he isn't, he and the rest of the royals have an alliance with the Wahabbi muft's and the grand mufti of Mecca, to keep them in power.
I attended military training with Saudi's and drank with them in the officers club. I have some interesting anecdotes to share.
I've also seen them partying up in Vegas. All of that taboo shit in the Qu'ran, goes out the window in the land of the kufr.
I hope the Americans who march against tyranny on the 28th will keep things as non-violent as they can. Non-violence has a way better chance when you’re looking to tear down a regime. You’ve got to get the regime’s forces to join you in order to turn the tide. There’s no way you’re ever going to out-gun them. But if you can get them to join you, the regime will fall.
How do you get them to join you? Not with fists and bullets and bombs. They’ve got to be persuaded. You have to make them see that what you’re doing is right... And that their orders to stop you are wrong. When enough of them are persuaded, everything gets turned around.
The marchers need to keep in mind that non-violent doesn’t mean non-terrifying. The regime is going to have to be scared near to death in order to put the levers of government back into the hands of the people where they belong. When there are seas of marchers who are looking to take them down - seas large enough and angry enough - they’ll hand over the levers. They won’t run the risk of those seas boiling out of control and sending them to Davey Jones' locker. History shows that non-violence is way more likely to succeed, but it also shows that revolution is a game of fear.
“Which leaves it to us, average Americans like you and me, to reclaim American democracy and encourage our allied politicians to grow a damn spine and begin to seriously take on Trump’s and Heritage’s neofascism project before it’s gone too far to stop.” Unfortunately, our “allied politicians” are united in the belief that nothing can be done. As cranky old Henry Ford observed, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right”. We’d damn well better identify, elect, and support politicians who think we can.
Of course, Ford was a Hitler-adjacent fascist. Not really relevant here. But to me, always worth keeping in mind when he's referenced. Same for Charles Lindbergh.
Ford’s observation applies to our defeat of fascism and the belief our most powerful allied politicians seem to hold that we can’t. It’s validity is not diminished by his politics.
What will it take to get Schumer to get out of the way? I fear he will never willingly step aside as "leader", much to the detriment of American and global democracy. He is a coward. At least Durbin will be gone, replaced by someone who looks to be much more attuned to the existential crisis our democracy is facing. She has said she won't support supine Chuck for leader in the next Congress. Yes! More of this, please!
Congress isn't impotent,Congress is complicit. There is a difference. Your comment assumes that we have an independent congress. We have a MAGA congress. A MAGA congress doing what it is suppose to do, be a support and back stop for Trump.
If Congress is not acting as an independent voting body, or just not acting, it is by definition of impotent.
It is reported right and left that republicans are opposed to trump's antics privately but are afraid to speak up or act against him. This results in complete and utter impotence....
yes....I agree....they are impotent due to the majority of them (maga) being [complicit] with tRUMP....which, imo, prevents them from getting the job they were elected for done for us...
One of the many reasons our congress is impotent is our poorly written constitution. It needs to be amended. Electoral college needs to go. Oh yeah corruption, lobbyists etc.
You have changed the subject Barbara from congress is incompetent, I say it is complicit, to changing the constitution.
In that regard, the constitution can not be changed unless 67 Senators agree or if 38 States hold a constitutional convention.
Be careful of what you wish for, The right wing has been clamoring for a constitutional convention, to rewrite the Constitution to make this a theocracy among other things, however since Trump got elected and with the current Supreme Court you don't hear anything anymore about a constitutional convention, because it is a dead letter issue, they are getting what they want.
Even decades before Citizens United, they were saying, We have the best government money can buy.
Go back to the slavers, the cattle barons, the RR barons, the land speculators or town boosters, the local reps, mayors, city council, senators were all bought and paid for if not the wealthy themselves.
Even U.S. Grant was bought, paid for and owned.
There is circumstantial evidence that Lincoln was shot because he refused to redeem the bonds that he sold to finance the war for gold, but only greenbacks.
His VP despite being a slavery sympathizingDemocrat also refused to redeem the bonds for gold.
In the 1868 election Horatio Seymour ran against US Grant. Seymour at first promised to redeem the bonds for gold, then facing a backlash changed his position and the New york World owned by Ausustus Belmont, dropped their support for Seymour and shifted to Grant.
The first bill that Grant signed as President, was laying on his desk, redemption of the bonds for gold, but at $.10 on the dollar, but that was still a lot of gold.
The major holders of these bonds were Baring and Rothschild
Lord Byron in 1823. "Who keeps the world, both old and new, in pain or pleasure? Who makes politics run glibber all? The shade of Bonapartes noble daring?
Jew Rothschild and his fellow Christian Baring. (p.42 the Money Lenders)
We have exposed the Epstein Class, Tech Bros, and Crypto Creeps.....
Something that these factions share is that they are citizens of the world---their world where they do not have any laws or norms. These psychos and sickos are not Americans even though that may appear on one of their passports.
They gave this nation their Project 2025; the Dems told MAGA what that meant. They chose the Project over their own children's future. It is like a run-up to the all too familiar "family annihilation" murders you see on a Dateline show.
Now exposed and they know that we are going to get them eventually, there is no reason for them to stop. People are dying. There is no stopping us either. We need to gather every Patriot and Ally we can. Show SOLIDARITY! See you in the streets.
We should start with being accurate---there are 44.1 million registered Democrats. Also refuse may not be the right word, David. Not everyone lives where there are marches or gatherings.
There are a host of reasons with that number of people. Schedules, child/senior/disabled care, age, weather, transportation, chores, and long work hours.
I know all I can do to spread the word and make people feel welcome when they do come. Been working with Indivisible; that's a great source.
Alis,ok I guess if we're going to nitpick,let's have at it. According to the most up to date records 74,999,166 people voted for Harris. I assume they were democrats or Independents,so if 44.1 million are registered Dems,the question still becomes where are the 67 million Dems and Independents who voted for Harris?
You mention all the reasons why people are not getting out there,I have heard the excuses over and over,it is simply laughable.
Let's take the reasons you have mentioned.Remember we're asking people to get out to a NO KINGS RALLY. This is the 4th,the two previous were 6/20/25 and 10/25.
Schedules-Are you telling me that someone who is concerned about the " Nazi" takeover cannot attend a rally every 6 months( Bullshit)
Child care=Do you think they might be able to get a babysitter for 2 hrs on a1 Saturday afternoon every 6 months.
Senior-If a senior is totally disabled unable to stand or walk,maybe,but I have seen people in walkers,wheelchairs,on canes.
Weather-So I have been to rallies where it was freezing,we are not talking about a 12 hr vigil,we are talking about 1 hr or 30 minutes,just show up.
Chores-Give me a fucking break,are you saying that as the "Nazis" take over our Gov't that you can't do the dishs,clean the toilet,do your laundry,go grocery shopping,have your kid miss soccer once ever 6 months.
Long work hours-please, do you think maybe you could forgo an hours worth of pay on a Saturday for 1-2 hrs,every 6 months.
You know your host of reasons as to why people don't show is already known by the "Nazis" .That is why they laugh when we seriously talk about the rallies ,they know the 67 million are weak,gutless,and deserve to be called "pussies"
When these 67 million get a backbone,things may change,I'm not holding my breath.
You know David, the people we are fighting are low on the empathy "scale", so I find your assessment of what people can or cannot do a bit ironic.
The TRump voters are the pussies, pussy-grabbers, and the some are pedos.
Democrats and thinking caring people come with a whole host of problems, but they are still the solution. I don't decide for them and they don't decide for me what I should do or not do. Peace out-A
To our dear Thom: Your relentless reporting and explanatory commentary is and always has been EXEMPLARY. You are always ahead of the tsunami, warning us toward higher ground. Oh, that we still have time to save our precious nation from drowning and being swept out to sea. Thank you again for your clarion call. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
If you ask me as an outsider looking in from a British perspective...the day Donald Trump was elected he was determined to destroy American Democracy ....as it would take away from him the freedom to do what he wants and wanted to do all along!!! You have to understand you are dealing with a petulant spoilt child who will if they do not get their own way will throw a tantrum...Blame is always pointed at someone else..as narcissist always never take that responsibility...Joe Kent he hired and yet he said some terrible things about him in his speech yesterday....about him but he put him there Trump handpicked him....He does not tell the people that though...He went before he was pushed because Trump had to find a scapegoat for the Iran oil fiasco...It was a failure that he gambled on and failed....Trump hates failure it makes him feel inadequate!!! Yes, already he is trying to rig the voting system so that he can stay in place as Dictator...a fascist dictator...now who is going to stop him....Not the oligarchs or the Billionaires who have been backing him...Someone somewhere at some point will eventually take that man out....if he is not removed forcibly Good luck with that!!! BTW I hate him and what he represents!!!
It’s beyond my comprehension how he got into our the most sacred house called White House . I guess he charmed the American people with his total lies and they were all ignorant to believe him. Now we all have to pay price of our fellow Americans who put him into the power . Our congress have no spine left to stand up to this bully and Mike Johnson a nationalist Christian who wants our government to be governed by Christian is happy and also let’s not forget justice john Robert’s handed him the complete power the card to run for presidency.
Yes let’s get out in the streets on 28 and show the solidarity and stand up to these thugs and goons ,hand cuff them asap, take away all their wealth that they have stolen from us and our country and put them behind bars for rest of their lives so that they never see a single sun ray in the remaining of their lives . We also have do the sane thing with Saudi Arabia king, Benjamin Israel leader .
I dont mean to be rude but God will not help you....those that help themselves are the only ones to help solve this one... You have to maybe start to promote more protests and shout out loud to Call out that Orange Big insane old man residing in the Whitehouse.....YOu have to gee up your Democrat representatives...and they have to be the ones to fight back...refuse to play ball with Trump... Time maybe to put an age limit on who can stand in elections...certainly nobody over 70.....You need some young blood in politics, Congress and the Senate...! Stop huge donations from Billionaires and Oligarchs going to help candidates get elected...that are corrupt..Money is the root of all evil and you can bet if you follow the money you will find corrupt people using politicians like puppets so they push through what they themselves want!!! I think the same here of our Politicians in the UK its time to stop and ban all large donations from Billionaires etc....it leads to corruption!!
Bev,I agree 100%. Age limits,embarass the candidates with the contributors,fight back against the contributors,boycott CNBC,Wall Street, Amazon,and all Tech companies.And most of all the lazyy,stupid Democrats here in the US who refuse to get out to the rallies.
"Kent, a hardcore MAGA Republican who ran two failed, Trump-endorsed campaigns for Congress before Trump put him in charge of counterterrorism, was adjacent to the very highest levels of our national security apparatus, had all the inside information, and not only resigned but salted the earth on his way out, writing:
**“Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”"**
Is Joe Kent's resignation and admission the world changing moment that President Eisenhower's warning was supposed to be?
Are the stakes now higher because the threat is both the military industrial complex **and** foreign nations openly purchasing American policy?
Is it possible that the Democratic party could turn this into a major campaign and bring potential voters back into the fold?
I would just add that the resignation letter concluded with a tirade written against Netanyahu (not unwarranted) but coming from an avowed antisemitic conspiracy driven individual who will continue to spread the "America First" agenda -- itself echoing Nazism -- amps up the degree of danger our society is in.
Swimming in fascist rhetoric, the great replacement theory, and fake concern for the "little man", all while provoking our primitive, instinctual fear of the other, are the powerful tools used by these immoral, greed and control-driven individuals and organizations.
Unleashing a deranged personality, with no compunction, or moral compass, and worse giving him a global platform on which to stand (and no "time-out" for bad behavior), has rocket-fueled our descent.
We may feel our last, best hope is the coming midterms. There has been no public outcry covered in the media, or discussion therein when Trump lifted sanctions on Russian oil, chuckling as he was asked about it (“Yeah, we’re helping them also,” Trump agreed, chuckling, “China would say the same thing, you know. It’s like, ‘Hey, they do it, and we do it, in all fairness.") even as they continue to aid the Iranians in targeting American forces and bases. Neither has there been a whisper as he asserts that "I can take Cuba anytime, and do whatever I want with it". I fear that the true extent of the destruction of democracy is not being grasped. And that doesn't bode well for the long-term.
The social democratic mind-set is simply not prepared to handle the organized efforts of will-to-power oligarchic sociopaths. No normal person is ready to be mugged or ambushed; we would have to be as paranoid as they are to even see it coming. Even the cautionary phrase "never again" has lost its power when Israel has been hijacked by a fascist movement.
Scary, scarier, scariest.
Listening to Sean Penn on Acosta's show this week, he said he thought TRump will "postpone" the elections over nothing. Then came the scariest: Trump "...might try to destroy the world before he ages-out."
The price of NOT understanding couldn't be higher. Excellent post, Mr. Hobbs.
Good point, I expect unprecedented surprises from Trump. Most people do not understand the fascist dogma at the heart of MAGA. It is that only so-called "Real Americans", who have "traditional white" cultural values that Trump approves of, are legitimate citizens of America. It follows that he can claim America has been taken by "non-citizens". This allows him to create his own Security Army, and take over elections, so that only the ballots of "real citizens" are counted. The whole thing is crazy because the original idea is crazy, but the creation of a policy from it follows logical rules. Trump will follow this policy because in his mind to abandon it means the original idea is wrong. The same process created the extremism of the Hitler and Stalin regimes.
Can we survive another ten months until January 20, 2027? That assumes we have elections this year.
Ah, Larry, we can do it! It's the White House Building that is not going to survive. He's going to work on the columns now.
His stupid SAVE Act isn't going to pass. They aren't very organized and have to wrangle all the Blue states and counties. Some of the Red ones are not going to cooperate either. People are going to want to elect their mayor, sheriff, county commissioners, secretary of state, state attorney general, state rep, state senator, and governor.
It would be pretty interesting if he goes there and the rest of us just say oh hell no!
It is highly unlikely Trump will allow his power to be ended by free and fair midterms. Expect this scenario 1. Terrorist attacks many times greater than 9/11, with Iranians firmly in the frame -> 2. Mass public fear allows Trump to create a Security Army (SA) by transferring MAGA loyalists from US armed forces, size around 400,000. -> 3. Disregarding both Constitution and US laws, Trump uses the SA to take over elections in targeted blue cities this November, where the results will be rigged based on long term false claims of voter fraud. -> 4. Fewer Democrat representatives and senators returned. Trump uses a safer majority to pass enabling acts (note: Republicans drop 60 vote cloture in Senate, and the plan is permanent MAGA power). This would be easy to stop if Democrats could manage to imagine something on this scale happening, and act on it.
America's transition to fascism is already bubbling up in Red states. Yesterday, Fascist Florida's senate passed 3 bills that 1) outlaws DEI policies in local governments, b) voids bans all greenhouse gas emissions, and 3) bars all local governments from managing development in their communities. So, I guess it is now legal to put a strip club across the street from a high school. Epstein would have loved that.
Florida is already the state that fires a teacher for saying the word "gay" in a classroom, and recently painted over a rainbow flag painted on an Orlando crosswalk in memory of a mass murder at a gay nightclub. Doubtless, Texas and Oklahoma (Markwayne Mullin's home), are following in Florida's footsteps.
As a psychologist, it is hard to see this transformation and not attribute it to the megalomania caused by being a billionaire. Billionaire Trump uses invasions and extortion to bully other nations to bend the proverbial knee. It was refreshing to see NATO allies giving Trump the finger when he begged for a Hormuz Straight bailout from the serial disasters a war he started created for the world economy - yet again - like his assinine tariffs.
We used to have an opposition party in America. Ironically, they used to call themselves Democrats. You don't hear much about them anymore - partly because most legislators appear to have been bought by fascist billionaires now that the Supreme Court made that legal.
Tomonthebeach, great post and pretty much sums up what I was thining about 4 this morning. So in 2024 75 Million Democrats voted for Harris. Democrats have seen what has happened to our Gov't and yet in all the rallies around the country,only 8 million have shown up. Where are the other 67 million Democrats? I have a good example for you.I have a friend who is Jewish. He spends 9 hours every Saturday in synoggue.I ask why he won't attend the rallies usually held on Saturdays,his response,he can not miss synogogue,not for one minute ,not for 1 hr ,not for 1 day. So tell me what is the end game for these religious fanatics? When they see a "NazI" takeover of our Gov't and are unwilling to give up synogogue for 1 day every few months to fight back,how we interpret that?
Interesting that Republicans call Democratic men,sissys,babies,non confrontational, and of course " Pussies" .They may be right.
This takeover might not happen if maybe 25 million Demcrats would get off their asses and get to the rallies,the pathetic 8 turnout is laughed @ by the " Nazi" pig who most of us should not call president,he is the "America's Fuhrer".
Re Fascist Florida: Considering that Hispanics are the majority in my county, you'd think there will be backlash.
While I doubt that municipalities are willing to go to war over DEI, most are MAGAs. What they should be annoyed about is that the state is trying to castrate their power over their own domains. Billionaire developers want this. Florida is the US capital of real estate scams. Recall that the Great Recession started here over real estate loans.
Won't be the governments, WILL be the individuals who have lost bigly. Virtually every business here is bi - if not tri- lingual. Virtually every state employee. Virtually every Republican business owner and office holder. .
Well it is very simple. Trump thinks he is an unstoppable force, and the Iranians, waiting for the economic damage to tip the world to their side, are an immovable object. Meanwhile everybody who depends on oil, fertilizer and all the other chemicals that pass through Hormuz are caught between them. And Russia and China are waiting to pick up the pieces.
Side note: Trump has finally reached a situation that he can't talk or bargain himself out of. And nobody is coming to bail him out. As we know, the danger is that he'll double down with a land invasion on the Gulf. When cornered, any animal can dangerous. But especially an angry 5-year old with a loaded gun.
with nuclear weapons!!!
Saudi Arabia and the UAE may have had a hand in it, but for the life of me I can't see why. The Sunni shia rift is all on the Shia side, Sunni Muslims have no problem. It is the Shia that contend for leadership of world Islam. Sunni Mjuslims have that leadership.
It is Shia that has resentment towards Sunni, not vice versa. And surely Saudi Arabia and the UAE knew that they were under the umbrella of Shia missiles and their oil fields and de desalinization plants were vulnerable to aerial attack.
Nah, this whole thing was cooked up between Bibi and Donald at Mar a Lago in December and toasted when Bibi had dinner with Donald on Dec 28th and 29th at Mar a Lago.
Want to know where the action is, follow the aircraft carriers.
The USS Gerald Ford was repositioned from the So China Sea to the Arabian sea/Persian Gulf in January.
The USS Ronald Reagan would have been as well, but it was tied up in the Caribbean because of Trumps, Technate of America plans for Venezuela.
Once Maduro was in hand, the Ronald Reagan set sail for the Mediterranean.
Bibi launched the first strike to decapitate the Iranian Leadership, it wasn’t Trump that did the job.
Trump jumped in to deflect from Bibi, this is Bibi all around as is his invasion of Lebanon.
Both of t hem are depending on a forever war to keep them in office, the exigencies of national security
Basically the same excuse cops use to break down a door without a warrant, “exigent circumsatances
I'm sorry but Saudi led us into the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. Apparently Saudi was involved in July and was invoved planning recent attacks.
Pecking order witiin Islam is important, but preservation of market share in oil and use of the petrodoillar as the default medium of exchange has as much to to with it.
Yeh, I know G-D forbid that it was Israel that started this war, only it wasn't israel, but Netanyahu, but some can't discern the difference.
Iran's sale of oil before Bibi and Trump started this war was China. And the preservation of market share and use of the petrodollar has nothing to do with it
However restricting the oil supply, as it is doing now, fattens the quarterly reports of the petro cabal, and is a windfall, a bonus for Putin.
Before the war, Putin was going broke, the Russian banks had virtually cut off consumer credit gas was $32 a gallon, and now it is around $100 a gallon
And Krasnov lifted the sanctions he placed on India as regards purchasing Russian oil.
The real beneficiearies shareholders of oil companies,their execs, Bibi and Vlad.
William,you've got it. Do you think a vast majority of americans will ever figure this out.
No, the vast majority of Americans don't know jackshit other than what is spoon fed them on TV and Radio, or social media.
My beloved wife, has to vent and regardless of who it is, she unloads politics on people, and in general they are uninformed and uninvolved other than social media and Fox news.
The only people watch MSNOW are gray hairs like me, who have one foot in the grave and the other on a banana peel.
You can tell that by the commercials they run, drugs, and insurance.
William,you are so right. It is not only pathetic,but a real commentary on the intellect of the average american. I watch MS now but the only fighters are Lawrence O'Donnell and Rachel. The others are like watching paint dry.
I screen my email and comments the same way TV. I don't need a rah rah chorus or to hear people commiserate. I seek info, and when I see mis info or the conversation steered in the wrong direction. I interject, otherwise I pass it on by.
As for Rachel, she is good, but I learn nothing new from her, her style is to grab one or two issues and bloviate for an hour. I liked her presentations on demonstrations, but other wise she spend too much time building up to her point, and that bores me., by the time she gets there I find I already know what is happening or happened. I don't need someone tell me what to think. I just need info, and For that I break a cardinal rule.
I watch Black Man Spy, Malcom Nance, he and Jacob have real info.
For what is happening in Ukraine i go to Medium.com. American media, even the best, suck, big time.
Otherwise anytime an email shows up in my inbox with "watch X amount of minutes" I delete unwatched. I don't have time to waste on podcasts and yotubes and listen to some one waste my time bloviating endlessly.
I do watch Thom Hartmann on Dish (ch: 269) but get bored with the call ins, not interested, most of them are just looking for attention and validation, or have a need to unload.
That's after the fact. WAS involved in planning all of the above.
Were you at the planning table? If not then you can't make ethat statement.
My assessment is based on what is actually known, like Israel launched the first missile to decaptiate the Iranian leadership. and reported gacts, as well as logical deduction.
Your Google must still be broken. "Feb 28, 2026 — Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman made multiple private phone calls to Trump over the past month advocating a U.S. attack." WAPO and about 25 other sources. https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/02/28/trump-iran-decision-saudi-arabia-israel/
It is true that MBS speaks out of both sides of the mouth,, publicly says one thing, privately does other stuff. Like murdering Kashoggi.
,Meanwhile, inside Iran, they were killing sunnis thay accused as spies. Sunnis are the largest minority, Google: As of 2018, there were three Sunni members in the 88-member Assembly of Experts (the body that selects the Supreme Leader), representing Sistan-Baluchestan and Kurdistan. Historically, only about 12 Sunnis have ever served in this body since 1980.
Lots of executions.
https://www.hrw.org/news/2026/02/04/iran-human-rights-situation-spirals-deeper-into-crisis. Some were Sunnis.
" Specific Sunni-associated groups, such as Ansar al Furqan, have been active, with reported attacks on security forces in southeastern Iran, leading to crackdown efforts by the [Iranian] government. "
No google Daniel, unlike you I don't need google, only to support what I am saying not for formation
Yet in all your response, you still don't know what the purpose was in launching the war. Because you weren't there.
MSB was not ssitting at the table with Trump in Mar a Lago, Bibi was, just a week or two before the Aircraft carriers started to move.
I am aware of what they are doing inside Iran, killing Sunnis and Jews (the few left)
Yes Sunni's are a minority, but what has that got to with the price of tea in China, it certainly is not the reason the MBS has a hard on for the Iranians.
For one thing they are an oil competitor
We do not know his motive, or if that motive you impute is relevant anymore,
Iran is a member of OPEC as is the Kingdom, but is currently exempt from production quotas.
BTW, WAPO is no longer a paper of record and is not reliable, it has become a mouth organ for the administration. I would be leery of using it as a source.
We are at the point where we can't trust the media, it is either owned by the Ellisons, or caved to Brenda Carr. I've already had my reservations because I know who owns and control the media,print and electronic.
I doubt seriously if MBS is a religious nationalist ready to go to the wire over his co coreligionists. Indications are that he isn't, he and the rest of the royals have an alliance with the Wahabbi muft's and the grand mufti of Mecca, to keep them in power.
I attended military training with Saudi's and drank with them in the officers club. I have some interesting anecdotes to share.
I've also seen them partying up in Vegas. All of that taboo shit in the Qu'ran, goes out the window in the land of the kufr.
Y
.
I hope the Americans who march against tyranny on the 28th will keep things as non-violent as they can. Non-violence has a way better chance when you’re looking to tear down a regime. You’ve got to get the regime’s forces to join you in order to turn the tide. There’s no way you’re ever going to out-gun them. But if you can get them to join you, the regime will fall.
How do you get them to join you? Not with fists and bullets and bombs. They’ve got to be persuaded. You have to make them see that what you’re doing is right... And that their orders to stop you are wrong. When enough of them are persuaded, everything gets turned around.
The marchers need to keep in mind that non-violent doesn’t mean non-terrifying. The regime is going to have to be scared near to death in order to put the levers of government back into the hands of the people where they belong. When there are seas of marchers who are looking to take them down - seas large enough and angry enough - they’ll hand over the levers. They won’t run the risk of those seas boiling out of control and sending them to Davey Jones' locker. History shows that non-violence is way more likely to succeed, but it also shows that revolution is a game of fear.
“Which leaves it to us, average Americans like you and me, to reclaim American democracy and encourage our allied politicians to grow a damn spine and begin to seriously take on Trump’s and Heritage’s neofascism project before it’s gone too far to stop.” Unfortunately, our “allied politicians” are united in the belief that nothing can be done. As cranky old Henry Ford observed, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right”. We’d damn well better identify, elect, and support politicians who think we can.
Of course, Ford was a Hitler-adjacent fascist. Not really relevant here. But to me, always worth keeping in mind when he's referenced. Same for Charles Lindbergh.
Ford’s observation applies to our defeat of fascism and the belief our most powerful allied politicians seem to hold that we can’t. It’s validity is not diminished by his politics.
True, and it's a damn fine saying. Wish I'd come up with it because it's generally, if not always, true.
Why would a free people crave a king?
And if a majority did, why a mad king?
Why a cruel king?
Why a vicious king?
Why a sick in the head king?
Why a felonious king?
Why a chronic and habitual liar king?
Why an incestuous king [Ivanka]?
Why a misogynist king?
Why an immigrant-hating king?
Why a Black-hating king?
Why a business failure of a king?
Why a cowardly king [Viet Nam]?
Why a king with a God complex?
Why an illiterate king who maintained a D average, and washed out on his SATs.
Why a raper of women [including his 1st wife] king?
Why a kiddie rapist king?
Why a thief of a king?
Why a traitorous king?
Why a Russian bootlicker king?
Why a fake king, a colossal buffoon?
Chunks of his and Epstein's case, FYI, in case you missed it.
COMPLAINT FOR RAPE, SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, CRIMINAL SEXUAL ACTS,
SEXUAL ABUSE, FORCIBLE TOUCHING, ASSAULT, BATTERY, INTENTIONAL
AND RECKLESS INFLICTION OF EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, DURESS, FALSE
IMPRISONMENT, AND DEFAMATION
RAPE, SEXUAL MISCONDUCT, CRIMINAL SEXUAL ACTS, SEXUAL ABUSE,
FORCIBLE TOUCHING, ASSAULT, BATTERY, INTENTIONAL AND RECKLESS
INFLICTION OF EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, DURESS, AND FALSE
IMPRISONMENT
7. Plaintiff was subject to acts of rape, sexual misconduct, criminal sexual acts,
sexual abuse, forcible touching, assault, battery, intentional and reckless infliction of emotional
distress, duress, false imprisonment, and threats of death and/or serious bodily injury by the
Defendants that took place at several parties during the summer months of 1994. The parties
were held by Defendant Epstein at a New York City residence that was being used by Defendant
Epstein at 9 E. 71st St. in Manhattan. During this period, Plaintiff was a minor of age 13 and
was legally incapable under New York law of consenting to sexual intercourse and the other
sexual contacts detailed herein. NY Penal L § 130.05(3)(a). The rapes in the first, second, and
third degrees; sexual misconduct; criminal sexual acts in the first, second, and third degrees;
sexual abuse in the first, second, and third degrees; and forcible touching (and, on information
Case 1:16-cv-07673-RA Document 4 Filed 10/03/16 Page 2 of 10
3
and belief, predatory sexual assault) detailed herein are unlawful under New York law, e.g., NY
Penal L § 130.20-130.52, and 130.55-130.65 (and, on information and belief, 130.95) and
constitute the torts of, inter alia, assault, battery, false imprisonment, and intentional or reckless
infliction of emotional distress, including threats of force and serious bodily harm, under New
York law. In addition, 18 U.S. Code § 2255 provides Plaintiff with a civil remedy for personal
injuries because Plaintiff, while a minor, was a victim of violations of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1591, 2421,
2422(b), and 2423(a) and she suffered personal injury as a result of such violations. Declaration
of Plaintiff Jane Doe, Exhibit A hereto; Declaration of Tiffany Doe, Exhibit B hereto;
Declaration of Joan Doe, Exhibit C hereto; Jane Doe, Tiffany Doe, and Joan Doe are each
pseudonyms as each woman wishes anonymity. Tiffany Doe, a witness, was an employee of
Defendant Epstein. Exh. B. Joan Doe, a witness, was a childhood classmate of Plaintiff who, in
the 1994-95 school year, was told by Plaintiff that Plaintiff was subject to sexual contact by the
Defendants at parties in New York City during the summer of 1994. Exh. C.
#VOTE #SEND BARRON
What will it take to get Schumer to get out of the way? I fear he will never willingly step aside as "leader", much to the detriment of American and global democracy. He is a coward. At least Durbin will be gone, replaced by someone who looks to be much more attuned to the existential crisis our democracy is facing. She has said she won't support supine Chuck for leader in the next Congress. Yes! More of this, please!
Not one mention of Congress's impotence?
Congress isn't impotent,Congress is complicit. There is a difference. Your comment assumes that we have an independent congress. We have a MAGA congress. A MAGA congress doing what it is suppose to do, be a support and back stop for Trump.
Last I looked MAGA controlled Congress.
If Congress is not acting as an independent voting body, or just not acting, it is by definition of impotent.
It is reported right and left that republicans are opposed to trump's antics privately but are afraid to speak up or act against him. This results in complete and utter impotence....
yes....I agree....they are impotent due to the majority of them (maga) being [complicit] with tRUMP....which, imo, prevents them from getting the job they were elected for done for us...
That they are afraid to speak up, means that they are complicit. Silence is consent.
Yes I realize that pride demands that you salvage and defend your comment.
William,"Silence is Consent".Let's post this every day for all the Democrats,last count 67 million who refuse to get in the streets for the rallies>
One of the many reasons our congress is impotent is our poorly written constitution. It needs to be amended. Electoral college needs to go. Oh yeah corruption, lobbyists etc.
You have changed the subject Barbara from congress is incompetent, I say it is complicit, to changing the constitution.
In that regard, the constitution can not be changed unless 67 Senators agree or if 38 States hold a constitutional convention.
Be careful of what you wish for, The right wing has been clamoring for a constitutional convention, to rewrite the Constitution to make this a theocracy among other things, however since Trump got elected and with the current Supreme Court you don't hear anything anymore about a constitutional convention, because it is a dead letter issue, they are getting what they want.
Point is be careful for what you wish,
"Congress isn't impotent, Congress is complicit." Yes!
And fearing we're losing our democracy, they assume we didn't lose it decades ago or that we ever had democracy.
Even decades before Citizens United, they were saying, We have the best government money can buy.
Go back to the slavers, the cattle barons, the RR barons, the land speculators or town boosters, the local reps, mayors, city council, senators were all bought and paid for if not the wealthy themselves.
Even U.S. Grant was bought, paid for and owned.
There is circumstantial evidence that Lincoln was shot because he refused to redeem the bonds that he sold to finance the war for gold, but only greenbacks.
His VP despite being a slavery sympathizingDemocrat also refused to redeem the bonds for gold.
In the 1868 election Horatio Seymour ran against US Grant. Seymour at first promised to redeem the bonds for gold, then facing a backlash changed his position and the New york World owned by Ausustus Belmont, dropped their support for Seymour and shifted to Grant.
The first bill that Grant signed as President, was laying on his desk, redemption of the bonds for gold, but at $.10 on the dollar, but that was still a lot of gold.
The major holders of these bonds were Baring and Rothschild
Lord Byron in 1823. "Who keeps the world, both old and new, in pain or pleasure? Who makes politics run glibber all? The shade of Bonapartes noble daring?
Jew Rothschild and his fellow Christian Baring. (p.42 the Money Lenders)
Aren't we cynical? Lol.
Cynical and pessimistic and for good reason, but also Zen.
We have exposed the Epstein Class, Tech Bros, and Crypto Creeps.....
Something that these factions share is that they are citizens of the world---their world where they do not have any laws or norms. These psychos and sickos are not Americans even though that may appear on one of their passports.
They gave this nation their Project 2025; the Dems told MAGA what that meant. They chose the Project over their own children's future. It is like a run-up to the all too familiar "family annihilation" murders you see on a Dateline show.
Now exposed and they know that we are going to get them eventually, there is no reason for them to stop. People are dying. There is no stopping us either. We need to gather every Patriot and Ally we can. Show SOLIDARITY! See you in the streets.
Alis,how do we get the message across to the 67 million Democrats who refuse to get involved in the rallies?
We should start with being accurate---there are 44.1 million registered Democrats. Also refuse may not be the right word, David. Not everyone lives where there are marches or gatherings.
There are a host of reasons with that number of people. Schedules, child/senior/disabled care, age, weather, transportation, chores, and long work hours.
I know all I can do to spread the word and make people feel welcome when they do come. Been working with Indivisible; that's a great source.
Alis,ok I guess if we're going to nitpick,let's have at it. According to the most up to date records 74,999,166 people voted for Harris. I assume they were democrats or Independents,so if 44.1 million are registered Dems,the question still becomes where are the 67 million Dems and Independents who voted for Harris?
You mention all the reasons why people are not getting out there,I have heard the excuses over and over,it is simply laughable.
Let's take the reasons you have mentioned.Remember we're asking people to get out to a NO KINGS RALLY. This is the 4th,the two previous were 6/20/25 and 10/25.
Schedules-Are you telling me that someone who is concerned about the " Nazi" takeover cannot attend a rally every 6 months( Bullshit)
Child care=Do you think they might be able to get a babysitter for 2 hrs on a1 Saturday afternoon every 6 months.
Senior-If a senior is totally disabled unable to stand or walk,maybe,but I have seen people in walkers,wheelchairs,on canes.
Weather-So I have been to rallies where it was freezing,we are not talking about a 12 hr vigil,we are talking about 1 hr or 30 minutes,just show up.
Chores-Give me a fucking break,are you saying that as the "Nazis" take over our Gov't that you can't do the dishs,clean the toilet,do your laundry,go grocery shopping,have your kid miss soccer once ever 6 months.
Long work hours-please, do you think maybe you could forgo an hours worth of pay on a Saturday for 1-2 hrs,every 6 months.
You know your host of reasons as to why people don't show is already known by the "Nazis" .That is why they laugh when we seriously talk about the rallies ,they know the 67 million are weak,gutless,and deserve to be called "pussies"
When these 67 million get a backbone,things may change,I'm not holding my breath.
J
You know David, the people we are fighting are low on the empathy "scale", so I find your assessment of what people can or cannot do a bit ironic.
The TRump voters are the pussies, pussy-grabbers, and the some are pedos.
Democrats and thinking caring people come with a whole host of problems, but they are still the solution. I don't decide for them and they don't decide for me what I should do or not do. Peace out-A
To our dear Thom: Your relentless reporting and explanatory commentary is and always has been EXEMPLARY. You are always ahead of the tsunami, warning us toward higher ground. Oh, that we still have time to save our precious nation from drowning and being swept out to sea. Thank you again for your clarion call. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
If you ask me as an outsider looking in from a British perspective...the day Donald Trump was elected he was determined to destroy American Democracy ....as it would take away from him the freedom to do what he wants and wanted to do all along!!! You have to understand you are dealing with a petulant spoilt child who will if they do not get their own way will throw a tantrum...Blame is always pointed at someone else..as narcissist always never take that responsibility...Joe Kent he hired and yet he said some terrible things about him in his speech yesterday....about him but he put him there Trump handpicked him....He does not tell the people that though...He went before he was pushed because Trump had to find a scapegoat for the Iran oil fiasco...It was a failure that he gambled on and failed....Trump hates failure it makes him feel inadequate!!! Yes, already he is trying to rig the voting system so that he can stay in place as Dictator...a fascist dictator...now who is going to stop him....Not the oligarchs or the Billionaires who have been backing him...Someone somewhere at some point will eventually take that man out....if he is not removed forcibly Good luck with that!!! BTW I hate him and what he represents!!!
It’s beyond my comprehension how he got into our the most sacred house called White House . I guess he charmed the American people with his total lies and they were all ignorant to believe him. Now we all have to pay price of our fellow Americans who put him into the power . Our congress have no spine left to stand up to this bully and Mike Johnson a nationalist Christian who wants our government to be governed by Christian is happy and also let’s not forget justice john Robert’s handed him the complete power the card to run for presidency.
Yes let’s get out in the streets on 28 and show the solidarity and stand up to these thugs and goons ,hand cuff them asap, take away all their wealth that they have stolen from us and our country and put them behind bars for rest of their lives so that they never see a single sun ray in the remaining of their lives . We also have do the sane thing with Saudi Arabia king, Benjamin Israel leader .
God please come down and help us now .
I dont mean to be rude but God will not help you....those that help themselves are the only ones to help solve this one... You have to maybe start to promote more protests and shout out loud to Call out that Orange Big insane old man residing in the Whitehouse.....YOu have to gee up your Democrat representatives...and they have to be the ones to fight back...refuse to play ball with Trump... Time maybe to put an age limit on who can stand in elections...certainly nobody over 70.....You need some young blood in politics, Congress and the Senate...! Stop huge donations from Billionaires and Oligarchs going to help candidates get elected...that are corrupt..Money is the root of all evil and you can bet if you follow the money you will find corrupt people using politicians like puppets so they push through what they themselves want!!! I think the same here of our Politicians in the UK its time to stop and ban all large donations from Billionaires etc....it leads to corruption!!
Bev,I agree 100%. Age limits,embarass the candidates with the contributors,fight back against the contributors,boycott CNBC,Wall Street, Amazon,and all Tech companies.And most of all the lazyy,stupid Democrats here in the US who refuse to get out to the rallies.
Absolutely!!
"Kent, a hardcore MAGA Republican who ran two failed, Trump-endorsed campaigns for Congress before Trump put him in charge of counterterrorism, was adjacent to the very highest levels of our national security apparatus, had all the inside information, and not only resigned but salted the earth on his way out, writing:
**“Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”"**
Is Joe Kent's resignation and admission the world changing moment that President Eisenhower's warning was supposed to be?
Are the stakes now higher because the threat is both the military industrial complex **and** foreign nations openly purchasing American policy?
Is it possible that the Democratic party could turn this into a major campaign and bring potential voters back into the fold?
Your commentary is comprehensive and correct.
I would just add that the resignation letter concluded with a tirade written against Netanyahu (not unwarranted) but coming from an avowed antisemitic conspiracy driven individual who will continue to spread the "America First" agenda -- itself echoing Nazism -- amps up the degree of danger our society is in.
Swimming in fascist rhetoric, the great replacement theory, and fake concern for the "little man", all while provoking our primitive, instinctual fear of the other, are the powerful tools used by these immoral, greed and control-driven individuals and organizations.
Unleashing a deranged personality, with no compunction, or moral compass, and worse giving him a global platform on which to stand (and no "time-out" for bad behavior), has rocket-fueled our descent.
We may feel our last, best hope is the coming midterms. There has been no public outcry covered in the media, or discussion therein when Trump lifted sanctions on Russian oil, chuckling as he was asked about it (“Yeah, we’re helping them also,” Trump agreed, chuckling, “China would say the same thing, you know. It’s like, ‘Hey, they do it, and we do it, in all fairness.") even as they continue to aid the Iranians in targeting American forces and bases. Neither has there been a whisper as he asserts that "I can take Cuba anytime, and do whatever I want with it". I fear that the true extent of the destruction of democracy is not being grasped. And that doesn't bode well for the long-term.