Hundreds of working class people who answered Donald Trump’s call on January 6th are sitting in prison today, but the ringleader, the guy without whom those people would not be in jail, walks free…
"Man is the only animal that devours its own kind".
The left works to end human suffering, while the right destroys what the left creates and then tortures the poor. The rich believe they should be the leaders because they are smarter than everyone else, yet they are just sadistic common thugs. If they lead man anywhere it will be to hell on Earth!
Our founding fathers who knew of all of this needed to limit the amount of wealth an individual can accumulate to hold the Republic!
It’s amazing despite the imperfections of our founding fathers, how prescient they were. Hyper-Capitalism and upward mobility has replaced the idea of a nation of laws not men. We stopped teaching civics. How can we keep a republic when we’ve lost the understanding of what it is. I guess we will find out this year.
4 indictments, 91 felony counts but still can't believe Trump hasn't been charged with insurrection. Insurrection refers to acts of violence, but it's not the only charge that could apply. Seditious conspiracy, may be an effort to overthrow the United States government.
18 USC §2383. Rebellion or insurrection
Whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.
18 U.S. Code § 2384 - Seditious conspiracy
If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.
Today on Robert Hubbell and Joyce Vance we discussed the NY case. Vance said "We can expect Trump to try the predictable last-ditch efforts of the desperate, like firing his lawyer or sudden illness, we can also expect the Judge to be prepared."
I don't know much about NY state law, but if I were Trump's lawyer I'd be looking into pre trial intervention, ARD (advanced rehabilitative disposition) or whatever procedure they have to avoid trial.
In most states first time offenders may be able to avoid an open court hearing and adjudication can be withheld pending a final probation.
Trump has little or no self control. I imagine that the last thing he wants is to have to sit through days of embarrassing, humiliating ridicule. I'm also sure that his internal polls show that he has little or no hope of winning an election if convicted He has civil exposure that no one discusses. The 5 DC civil cases could be as devastating as his current judgments.
Considering the odds on 91 felony counts, and the threat that he will lose all his property, I'd bet his lawyers seek a global deal.
In response to your very insightful words, Thom: "That outrage, hopefully, will lead to some real and meaningful change in America if we can take our country back from the corrupt and well-funded GOP this year," I'd like to put what you are saying in the 4th Turning perspective. In our last 4th Turning, the "meaningful change" was the leap from the outrageous inequality of the late 1920's into the early 1930's....to the post-Great-Depression-WWII 90% tax on the rich while the GI-Bill gave free education to returning GI soldiers and we built the largest middle class the world had yet seen. Neil Howe in his book "The 4th Turning Is Here" calls this last phase of the Crisis the "resolution"....in which "the big problems are resolved and the new order established." But, he also, notes, positive results only follow IF the egalitarian side is "triumphant" during the climax of the 4th Turning Crisis. We are currently in the fourth phase of this Crisis--the "consolidation" phase--in which we are recognizing that our renewed sense of community is "in a true struggle for survival." That is becoming perfectly clear, is it not? We either keep Joe Biden in the White House this November....or we lose our republic and our democracy. It's that simple....and absolutely vital. Only then can we enact the many, urgently needed changes to our Supreme Court, our laws, our elections, our healthcare, education, the climate crisis, etc. So, in my view, we need to do both now: save our democracy & republic while also looking ahead and planning for changes in the post-Crisis First Turning....like we did in our last First Turning (the 1950's)....
Lets not forget how these same billionaires are causing such high prices in the supermarkets. Making billions while jacking up prices. Also lowering content.
This may be the best essay I've seen you write. Too bad it's not in the NYT or WAPO. Thanks for all you do, but don't let this much truth telling get you down. I believe you grew-up in GR, where I practiced psychiatry for 16 yrs., retiring 7/4/12 to ramble through the net and write, when I moved back to WI, where I did my medical/psychiatric training and a far, far more beautiful state than MI.
Kalief Browder spent 800 hours in solitary confinement and attempted suicide unsuccessfully in Rikers several times. He was released though and soon successfully killed himself at home.
He spent three years in Rikers after being accused of stealing a backpack. He never had a trial.
I walked from Sarasota to Tallahassee in 2014 at 81 in honor of Doris Haddock (Granny D). She walked across the whole US in 1999 at age 89 for campaign finance reform. Google her. When I walked I had T shirts that said "Money is not Speech. Corporations are not People". I sounded like a broken record when I spoke. I referred to the Franklin remark to Mrs Powell, :a republic if you can keep it" and the Powell Memorandum of 1971. There were many who were aware of what was happening to our Gov. Thanks Mr. Hartmann for referring to us as a republic, not a democracy, and mentioning Powell/Frankin and Justice Powell (hmmm wonder if they're related) We need a charismatic leader to organize us. Sadly that's what Trump is. A modern Pied Piper.
Guess all the complaining worked! “NBC NEWS plans to drop ex RNC-chair Ronna McDaniel as a paid contributor following on-air revolt from NBC/MSNBC talent. Execs are deliberating over details; announcement pending. Meanwhile, McDaniel is seeking legal representation. “
Speaking for myself, and I believe, many others, Thom, we know this and we believe you, but you're speaking to the choir. Personally, I write a lot of blogs and letters to editors, often quoting or using your ideas, but I wish that I could perceive them circulating more in our media and in the general public. Speaking truth to power is risky and not easy, but we all appreciate everything you're saying and doing....and have for so many years.
To start, I'd like to know, on Main Street, WHO still bemoans the loss of the "Golden Years", of the Reagan administration when, the once upon a time Hollywood actor (sound familiar), and his wife, "just say NO", Nance, there was 18% interest, high inflation, a 50%+ tax cut on Wall Street, trickle UP not down, which didn't work for Thatcher either, Union busting, merger mania, deregulation, the beginnings of mass incarceration and privatizing institutions where profits rule over humanity, is beyond my intellect. If that knowledge makes me woke, well, I'm woke.
Reagan did say "Tear down that Wall" and 50+ years later we have a criminal convincing the country "To build a Wall" because migrants are the problem and why there is no middle class.
There is no true middle class for many reasons, but one must look to history to know about how damaging the Reagan years were and how, today's MAGA is different, and is not your father's Republican Party, if that was so great. I add the Founder's mistake was not understanding majority rule, or liking it, so they went the ill way of the Electoral College. It worked when the country was a few but not when it is now 300M+ more.
I read in another substack that, personally, angered me to a different degree as it took, from me, the hope in my fellow citizens to realize what we are up against, entitled "Joe Biden's Parting Gift to America Will be Christian Fascism", and I apparently am, both, naive and the smartest person in a room full of experts. Please allow me to explain.
I began to learn political history, as my life has taken me far from my school degrees, and I wanted some self-loathing activity to engage in, and had forgotten, because, well Biden, at nearly twice my age, could lap me 1000x in memory, and I started with a book by Elizabeth Drew, as a DC reporter, for the Post during the Nixon admin, along with my legacy hero Bob Woodward. He gets people to talk. I digress.
That start produced another 200+ books, from centuries ago through today. It taught me the tip of the iceberg. I have more books to read than years of my life. Most Americans, with little precious time or interest, don't get above the waterline and don't even know the basics of what Trump has been found guilty of, the laws surrounding those results, believe without a shred of evidence because they see no contradiction to their beliefs, don't understand how a man beholden to foreign entities and adversaries will affect them, not to mention his "dictator for a day", loss of their hard earned retirements and medical care, undocumented migrants do work Americans wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole, and Trump is notorious for hiring them, don't vote and if they do it is, statistically, not even worth the time to talk about, drugs will permeate this country until there is no demand as the drugs, today, are cheap, foreign sourced from all over the world, and require so little to get high, they can be brought in and re-engineered , by ever changing supply chains and ingredients, that ensure the supply to the dealers and addicts, they adapt and no wall or ending immigration will stop DRUGS. ICYMI migrants are far less likely to commit crime than native born citizens in all crime areas. By HUGE percentages. That is an issue that has been used over and over and over and for another day and without ROE, MAGA needs something or they'd have passed the immigration bill, Biden was to sign, against Amnesty International calling it the most inhume measure to date. I said let the MAGA have the border and use their weapons, militias, and gun everyone down. Do you know how long that would last? Yet, that is what Trump is telling the country he'd do on day one.
The above piece, about Biden and fascism, blames both parties and I'm not stupid to think Democrats or whatever allegiance you hang your hat on, unless you are MAGA, first your responsibility is to this republic but they all take money from people, places and things. Trump grifts. There is a difference, folks. I remember the nothing burger when Pelosi was scathed on SM about eating gelato in front of her Sub-Zero fridge during COVID instead of how many people were dying and why. Who cares about gelato?
Bemoan Congress insider trading, when an entire community, on X and elsewhere, is committed to hours talking of a 15k sell-off of Boeing stock, which will make the IRS more money because the elected official dumped it, right or wrong, or making money, salary and perks, as a professional, elected official within rules, when said professional is working their best to protect the country, in terms of the government.
The government is reactive, uses money like water, exposes no truths beyond the veil, if it were on Wall Street it would have been long gone, and that is that. I am all for capitalism but not run amok. I'm not Bernie. I'm not blaming Biden for the world's problems even though he's been around the same amount of decades as Trump. I shame those for the "hum-drum" because, folks, life is "hum-drum". Yet, we are at a point hum-drum needs to convert to knowledge and voting and forget the rest until democracy is saved. If it isn't, everything this piece and the one I mentioned WILL NOT MATTER. NO SCOTUS. NO MEDIA. ONLY HAVES and HAVE NOTS, but worse. Far worse.. No need to fret over the middle class or another election.
H Biden was hawked for 6 years, and is still fighting tax and gun indictments, while the board of the corporation, Trump's meme stock merged with, has Jr., another who was a chief of staff in Trump's admin, Trump gets 56% of the vote for stockholders and is aligned with China. The surety bond in his "rape" and defamation case was secured by Chubb and Evan Greenberg who is aligned with Russia. You can't keep saying HOAX to a person with any kind of know how in discernment and logic.
The article explains Biden's inability to pass more New Deal laws and didn't. "Scuse me? As a an interested American I can say he has or has attempted to do mostly what he set out to do but the POTUS can't change the price of groceries or set fuel costs, or alienate all of Wall Street, which in a standard, built of the impossible, he's actually done more of, optically than others, and put pen to the paper in cases where he can.
It is never enough and it will never be enough. There will never be clean coal. No one can stop AI but we can make training for such jobs cheaper and easier so Harvard isn't the only college that churns out smart people. In fact, those not Harvard educated I view as better citizens and future leaders. DEI, or Musk's DIE, was done to roll back, thank you insurrectionist husband, Black SCOTUS justice who should take a trip to hell with Cannon, civil rights progress by a billionaire and a couple of Asian Americans. Mind blowing. This might piss off people. But really?
I'm not going to burn myself outside of a consulate because we have had nearly three years of innocence killed, raped, tortured in Ukraine that is like America, in trying desperately to hang on to a democracy, after Shokin and the Russian defector Poroshenko got their corrupt asses voted out. I might change my mind after a zen buddist retreat, in the Plum Village, prior to Thich That Hanh's death, to understand.
My point is that whether you understand, or not, the problems HERE, in the richest country in the world, which one can complain, be pissed off at, about eggs or radically burn themselves to expose the atrocities committed in the world, and threaten to destroy this country when this administration isn't responsible for the world's burdens, making the outrage look pointless, in these last 3 years.
What does that say about the same populist "LOOK AT ME" that Trump does when he declares himself a martyr or victim? Do you think he cares about that young man or that he promised clean coal and that people can't buy eggs? I'm using extremes, I realize this. People are disengaged and need teachers, not literally, but to learn what preponderance of the evidence is, how one state's court decisions affect your state and why those elections matter MORE, how originalists on the SCOTUS, as the Federalist Society teaches, are of absolutely no use and are political hacks. The Founders knew a changing dynamic must be met with changing interpretations. Ambition must be met with Ambition or close to that. How is it the SCOTUS rules the state's control voting rights, still being gutted, but can't keep a person off their own ballot because of a bad look? Did they define or answer the insurrection question about Trump in the request, by CO? NO.
There will always be billionaires. Exposing them and telling and teaching Americans about them is the problem and if we eek out this election those with a voice need it everywhere to start the teaching on day one. Not town halls, not here, not SM. I haven't done enough. Most haven't. Some have done too much for others. A collective effort to end the Electoral College, codify laws, and start action not afraid of Wall Street but asking them, until forcing them, how they'd like to begin to be responsible corporate citizens and if it takes the veil away, then it must be immediately done if given the chance. We aren't who we were but we have sins to pay for, people to help and educate, train. I could go on for days. My intention is only to point to my own opining and knowledge about all the nothing burgers that, today, people worry about without stopping to understand what may come of their complaints in November if they can't find their conscience buried in lies and conspiracy theories because it is easier to hate than to learn.
"Too big to fail" logically gives way to "Too big to jail".
These are stage-4 symptoms of a cancer riddled multi-tier justice sickness.
How are we to expect everyday people to respect ANY law when clearly there are criminal exemptions for those with enough money and/ or influence? It's ridiculous.
One system for the people.
One system for the white collar criminal class.
One system for the T's: The treasonous, the tyrannical, and the Trumps.
Corruption seems to be the end of the path given enough time. The people seem to prefer the lesson to remind them of the dangers of allowing your elected representatives to act as kings. Being blind to the dangers so clearly before us we act as if these conditions are normal. In order to win the majority must focus on the people that run for elections that match our higher ideas. Not perfectly but at least going in the right direction by every election ongoing. That takes time and constant action by us in the right direction. We get better in time whatever upsets that do occur. Nobody wins at one go. The other side will not give up no matter how badly we beat them at the polls. Forever warrior.
I am surely tired of reading what 'we must do' and 'what must be done' with no actual way to effectively make these things happening.
I think you need to be honest. Only a VIOLENT revolution of revolt is going to rectify our corrupted system. And acknowledge that millions will die before we win. Our chances of actually winning in November seem to be growing smaller and smaller because we know the GOP is busy cheating, and concocting ways of corrupting the upcoming elections, not to mention the stupidity of the American populace, no small thanks to the corrupted billionaire-purchased media that has misinformed the public for decades. While hope still remains, it gets dimmer by the day, and those at the top (rumpt) continues to get every break, chance, and postponement of accountability until he steals the election and does away with all charges as he arrests all his enemies and maybe even has them murdered. Think not?
Thom, thank you again. On both sides of the culture divide, I hear so much about our "democracy" being under threat. You've nailed the more profound threat that's missed (evidently) by so many. OUR particular "democracy" hangs and swings in the cradle of a constitutional republic. It's the republic and its rule of law that allows our democracy any legitimacy it may have. And it's nothing less than our rule of law -- our very republic -- under threat these days. Thank you for recognizing and calling that profundity for what it really is. Our "democracy," if we lose it -- is little more than collateral damage to the real loss here.
"Man is the only animal that devours its own kind".
The left works to end human suffering, while the right destroys what the left creates and then tortures the poor. The rich believe they should be the leaders because they are smarter than everyone else, yet they are just sadistic common thugs. If they lead man anywhere it will be to hell on Earth!
Our founding fathers who knew of all of this needed to limit the amount of wealth an individual can accumulate to hold the Republic!
It’s amazing despite the imperfections of our founding fathers, how prescient they were. Hyper-Capitalism and upward mobility has replaced the idea of a nation of laws not men. We stopped teaching civics. How can we keep a republic when we’ve lost the understanding of what it is. I guess we will find out this year.
4 indictments, 91 felony counts but still can't believe Trump hasn't been charged with insurrection. Insurrection refers to acts of violence, but it's not the only charge that could apply. Seditious conspiracy, may be an effort to overthrow the United States government.
18 USC §2383. Rebellion or insurrection
Whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrection against the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.
18 U.S. Code § 2384 - Seditious conspiracy
If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.
The Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. were convicted of seditious conspiracy. https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/jury-convicts-four-leaders-proud-boys-seditious-conspiracy-related-us-capitol-breach
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/four-additional-oath-keepers-sentenced-seditious-conspiracy-related-us-capitol-breach
Today on Robert Hubbell and Joyce Vance we discussed the NY case. Vance said "We can expect Trump to try the predictable last-ditch efforts of the desperate, like firing his lawyer or sudden illness, we can also expect the Judge to be prepared."
I don't know much about NY state law, but if I were Trump's lawyer I'd be looking into pre trial intervention, ARD (advanced rehabilitative disposition) or whatever procedure they have to avoid trial.
In most states first time offenders may be able to avoid an open court hearing and adjudication can be withheld pending a final probation.
Trump has little or no self control. I imagine that the last thing he wants is to have to sit through days of embarrassing, humiliating ridicule. I'm also sure that his internal polls show that he has little or no hope of winning an election if convicted He has civil exposure that no one discusses. The 5 DC civil cases could be as devastating as his current judgments.
Considering the odds on 91 felony counts, and the threat that he will lose all his property, I'd bet his lawyers seek a global deal.
In response to your very insightful words, Thom: "That outrage, hopefully, will lead to some real and meaningful change in America if we can take our country back from the corrupt and well-funded GOP this year," I'd like to put what you are saying in the 4th Turning perspective. In our last 4th Turning, the "meaningful change" was the leap from the outrageous inequality of the late 1920's into the early 1930's....to the post-Great-Depression-WWII 90% tax on the rich while the GI-Bill gave free education to returning GI soldiers and we built the largest middle class the world had yet seen. Neil Howe in his book "The 4th Turning Is Here" calls this last phase of the Crisis the "resolution"....in which "the big problems are resolved and the new order established." But, he also, notes, positive results only follow IF the egalitarian side is "triumphant" during the climax of the 4th Turning Crisis. We are currently in the fourth phase of this Crisis--the "consolidation" phase--in which we are recognizing that our renewed sense of community is "in a true struggle for survival." That is becoming perfectly clear, is it not? We either keep Joe Biden in the White House this November....or we lose our republic and our democracy. It's that simple....and absolutely vital. Only then can we enact the many, urgently needed changes to our Supreme Court, our laws, our elections, our healthcare, education, the climate crisis, etc. So, in my view, we need to do both now: save our democracy & republic while also looking ahead and planning for changes in the post-Crisis First Turning....like we did in our last First Turning (the 1950's)....
Lets not forget how these same billionaires are causing such high prices in the supermarkets. Making billions while jacking up prices. Also lowering content.
This may be the best essay I've seen you write. Too bad it's not in the NYT or WAPO. Thanks for all you do, but don't let this much truth telling get you down. I believe you grew-up in GR, where I practiced psychiatry for 16 yrs., retiring 7/4/12 to ramble through the net and write, when I moved back to WI, where I did my medical/psychiatric training and a far, far more beautiful state than MI.
Kalief Browder spent 800 hours in solitary confinement and attempted suicide unsuccessfully in Rikers several times. He was released though and soon successfully killed himself at home.
He spent three years in Rikers after being accused of stealing a backpack. He never had a trial.
I walked from Sarasota to Tallahassee in 2014 at 81 in honor of Doris Haddock (Granny D). She walked across the whole US in 1999 at age 89 for campaign finance reform. Google her. When I walked I had T shirts that said "Money is not Speech. Corporations are not People". I sounded like a broken record when I spoke. I referred to the Franklin remark to Mrs Powell, :a republic if you can keep it" and the Powell Memorandum of 1971. There were many who were aware of what was happening to our Gov. Thanks Mr. Hartmann for referring to us as a republic, not a democracy, and mentioning Powell/Frankin and Justice Powell (hmmm wonder if they're related) We need a charismatic leader to organize us. Sadly that's what Trump is. A modern Pied Piper.
Billionaires for jingoism and citizens united. Billionaires love SCOTUS.
Guess all the complaining worked! “NBC NEWS plans to drop ex RNC-chair Ronna McDaniel as a paid contributor following on-air revolt from NBC/MSNBC talent. Execs are deliberating over details; announcement pending. Meanwhile, McDaniel is seeking legal representation. “
Speaking for myself, and I believe, many others, Thom, we know this and we believe you, but you're speaking to the choir. Personally, I write a lot of blogs and letters to editors, often quoting or using your ideas, but I wish that I could perceive them circulating more in our media and in the general public. Speaking truth to power is risky and not easy, but we all appreciate everything you're saying and doing....and have for so many years.
To start, I'd like to know, on Main Street, WHO still bemoans the loss of the "Golden Years", of the Reagan administration when, the once upon a time Hollywood actor (sound familiar), and his wife, "just say NO", Nance, there was 18% interest, high inflation, a 50%+ tax cut on Wall Street, trickle UP not down, which didn't work for Thatcher either, Union busting, merger mania, deregulation, the beginnings of mass incarceration and privatizing institutions where profits rule over humanity, is beyond my intellect. If that knowledge makes me woke, well, I'm woke.
Reagan did say "Tear down that Wall" and 50+ years later we have a criminal convincing the country "To build a Wall" because migrants are the problem and why there is no middle class.
There is no true middle class for many reasons, but one must look to history to know about how damaging the Reagan years were and how, today's MAGA is different, and is not your father's Republican Party, if that was so great. I add the Founder's mistake was not understanding majority rule, or liking it, so they went the ill way of the Electoral College. It worked when the country was a few but not when it is now 300M+ more.
I read in another substack that, personally, angered me to a different degree as it took, from me, the hope in my fellow citizens to realize what we are up against, entitled "Joe Biden's Parting Gift to America Will be Christian Fascism", and I apparently am, both, naive and the smartest person in a room full of experts. Please allow me to explain.
I began to learn political history, as my life has taken me far from my school degrees, and I wanted some self-loathing activity to engage in, and had forgotten, because, well Biden, at nearly twice my age, could lap me 1000x in memory, and I started with a book by Elizabeth Drew, as a DC reporter, for the Post during the Nixon admin, along with my legacy hero Bob Woodward. He gets people to talk. I digress.
That start produced another 200+ books, from centuries ago through today. It taught me the tip of the iceberg. I have more books to read than years of my life. Most Americans, with little precious time or interest, don't get above the waterline and don't even know the basics of what Trump has been found guilty of, the laws surrounding those results, believe without a shred of evidence because they see no contradiction to their beliefs, don't understand how a man beholden to foreign entities and adversaries will affect them, not to mention his "dictator for a day", loss of their hard earned retirements and medical care, undocumented migrants do work Americans wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole, and Trump is notorious for hiring them, don't vote and if they do it is, statistically, not even worth the time to talk about, drugs will permeate this country until there is no demand as the drugs, today, are cheap, foreign sourced from all over the world, and require so little to get high, they can be brought in and re-engineered , by ever changing supply chains and ingredients, that ensure the supply to the dealers and addicts, they adapt and no wall or ending immigration will stop DRUGS. ICYMI migrants are far less likely to commit crime than native born citizens in all crime areas. By HUGE percentages. That is an issue that has been used over and over and over and for another day and without ROE, MAGA needs something or they'd have passed the immigration bill, Biden was to sign, against Amnesty International calling it the most inhume measure to date. I said let the MAGA have the border and use their weapons, militias, and gun everyone down. Do you know how long that would last? Yet, that is what Trump is telling the country he'd do on day one.
The above piece, about Biden and fascism, blames both parties and I'm not stupid to think Democrats or whatever allegiance you hang your hat on, unless you are MAGA, first your responsibility is to this republic but they all take money from people, places and things. Trump grifts. There is a difference, folks. I remember the nothing burger when Pelosi was scathed on SM about eating gelato in front of her Sub-Zero fridge during COVID instead of how many people were dying and why. Who cares about gelato?
Bemoan Congress insider trading, when an entire community, on X and elsewhere, is committed to hours talking of a 15k sell-off of Boeing stock, which will make the IRS more money because the elected official dumped it, right or wrong, or making money, salary and perks, as a professional, elected official within rules, when said professional is working their best to protect the country, in terms of the government.
The government is reactive, uses money like water, exposes no truths beyond the veil, if it were on Wall Street it would have been long gone, and that is that. I am all for capitalism but not run amok. I'm not Bernie. I'm not blaming Biden for the world's problems even though he's been around the same amount of decades as Trump. I shame those for the "hum-drum" because, folks, life is "hum-drum". Yet, we are at a point hum-drum needs to convert to knowledge and voting and forget the rest until democracy is saved. If it isn't, everything this piece and the one I mentioned WILL NOT MATTER. NO SCOTUS. NO MEDIA. ONLY HAVES and HAVE NOTS, but worse. Far worse.. No need to fret over the middle class or another election.
H Biden was hawked for 6 years, and is still fighting tax and gun indictments, while the board of the corporation, Trump's meme stock merged with, has Jr., another who was a chief of staff in Trump's admin, Trump gets 56% of the vote for stockholders and is aligned with China. The surety bond in his "rape" and defamation case was secured by Chubb and Evan Greenberg who is aligned with Russia. You can't keep saying HOAX to a person with any kind of know how in discernment and logic.
The article explains Biden's inability to pass more New Deal laws and didn't. "Scuse me? As a an interested American I can say he has or has attempted to do mostly what he set out to do but the POTUS can't change the price of groceries or set fuel costs, or alienate all of Wall Street, which in a standard, built of the impossible, he's actually done more of, optically than others, and put pen to the paper in cases where he can.
It is never enough and it will never be enough. There will never be clean coal. No one can stop AI but we can make training for such jobs cheaper and easier so Harvard isn't the only college that churns out smart people. In fact, those not Harvard educated I view as better citizens and future leaders. DEI, or Musk's DIE, was done to roll back, thank you insurrectionist husband, Black SCOTUS justice who should take a trip to hell with Cannon, civil rights progress by a billionaire and a couple of Asian Americans. Mind blowing. This might piss off people. But really?
I'm not going to burn myself outside of a consulate because we have had nearly three years of innocence killed, raped, tortured in Ukraine that is like America, in trying desperately to hang on to a democracy, after Shokin and the Russian defector Poroshenko got their corrupt asses voted out. I might change my mind after a zen buddist retreat, in the Plum Village, prior to Thich That Hanh's death, to understand.
My point is that whether you understand, or not, the problems HERE, in the richest country in the world, which one can complain, be pissed off at, about eggs or radically burn themselves to expose the atrocities committed in the world, and threaten to destroy this country when this administration isn't responsible for the world's burdens, making the outrage look pointless, in these last 3 years.
What does that say about the same populist "LOOK AT ME" that Trump does when he declares himself a martyr or victim? Do you think he cares about that young man or that he promised clean coal and that people can't buy eggs? I'm using extremes, I realize this. People are disengaged and need teachers, not literally, but to learn what preponderance of the evidence is, how one state's court decisions affect your state and why those elections matter MORE, how originalists on the SCOTUS, as the Federalist Society teaches, are of absolutely no use and are political hacks. The Founders knew a changing dynamic must be met with changing interpretations. Ambition must be met with Ambition or close to that. How is it the SCOTUS rules the state's control voting rights, still being gutted, but can't keep a person off their own ballot because of a bad look? Did they define or answer the insurrection question about Trump in the request, by CO? NO.
There will always be billionaires. Exposing them and telling and teaching Americans about them is the problem and if we eek out this election those with a voice need it everywhere to start the teaching on day one. Not town halls, not here, not SM. I haven't done enough. Most haven't. Some have done too much for others. A collective effort to end the Electoral College, codify laws, and start action not afraid of Wall Street but asking them, until forcing them, how they'd like to begin to be responsible corporate citizens and if it takes the veil away, then it must be immediately done if given the chance. We aren't who we were but we have sins to pay for, people to help and educate, train. I could go on for days. My intention is only to point to my own opining and knowledge about all the nothing burgers that, today, people worry about without stopping to understand what may come of their complaints in November if they can't find their conscience buried in lies and conspiracy theories because it is easier to hate than to learn.
"Too big to fail" logically gives way to "Too big to jail".
These are stage-4 symptoms of a cancer riddled multi-tier justice sickness.
How are we to expect everyday people to respect ANY law when clearly there are criminal exemptions for those with enough money and/ or influence? It's ridiculous.
One system for the people.
One system for the white collar criminal class.
One system for the T's: The treasonous, the tyrannical, and the Trumps.
Corruption seems to be the end of the path given enough time. The people seem to prefer the lesson to remind them of the dangers of allowing your elected representatives to act as kings. Being blind to the dangers so clearly before us we act as if these conditions are normal. In order to win the majority must focus on the people that run for elections that match our higher ideas. Not perfectly but at least going in the right direction by every election ongoing. That takes time and constant action by us in the right direction. We get better in time whatever upsets that do occur. Nobody wins at one go. The other side will not give up no matter how badly we beat them at the polls. Forever warrior.
I am surely tired of reading what 'we must do' and 'what must be done' with no actual way to effectively make these things happening.
I think you need to be honest. Only a VIOLENT revolution of revolt is going to rectify our corrupted system. And acknowledge that millions will die before we win. Our chances of actually winning in November seem to be growing smaller and smaller because we know the GOP is busy cheating, and concocting ways of corrupting the upcoming elections, not to mention the stupidity of the American populace, no small thanks to the corrupted billionaire-purchased media that has misinformed the public for decades. While hope still remains, it gets dimmer by the day, and those at the top (rumpt) continues to get every break, chance, and postponement of accountability until he steals the election and does away with all charges as he arrests all his enemies and maybe even has them murdered. Think not?
Thom, thank you again. On both sides of the culture divide, I hear so much about our "democracy" being under threat. You've nailed the more profound threat that's missed (evidently) by so many. OUR particular "democracy" hangs and swings in the cradle of a constitutional republic. It's the republic and its rule of law that allows our democracy any legitimacy it may have. And it's nothing less than our rule of law -- our very republic -- under threat these days. Thank you for recognizing and calling that profundity for what it really is. Our "democracy," if we lose it -- is little more than collateral damage to the real loss here.