Thom, Howdy. Looking down the road, please consider spearheading (perhaps in consultation with meidas touch, steve schmidt, marc elias, steven beschloss, and other interested parties) a super bowl ad that can begin to fight back back with facts about our 47th president (in title), Elon Musk (in reality) and the oligarchy that cares not one whit about those. of us who aren’t billionaires. I would donate for such a purchase. I bet others here would, too. The one thing everyone in the USA sees at one time, is the super bowl. The earlier resistance can be inspired, the better. Cheers.
Obedience in advance. They, and this includes some Democrats,fear what will happen to them in 2025, Republicans fear being primaried, Democrats fear being legally and criminally persecuted.
The lawsuit against the Iowa pollster, Selzer, and the fine of $15 mil. paid by ABC, are shots across the bow, and now everyone of substance and influence is making a pilgrimage to Mar a Lago, and even foreign leaders, like Macron, prostitute themselves.
Ans. Acquiescence. I.E. “The validity of the public debt of the United States...shall not be questioned.”—14th Amendment, Section 4, U.S. Constitution.
The oligarchs (and most CEOs) think they are the smartest, the most worthy people, even chosen by God to be above and beyond all other people. In fact, most of them are mentally ill. They claim to have earned every cent of their assets, but they actually partnered with the common people and then stole the lion’s share of the profits. They benefited from the existence of public schools, national highways and the internet, which they used for free. “Oligarchy” needs to be added to the DSM (a manual of mental disorders) as a dangerous combination of narcissistic and pathological psychosis.
Predestination, the precepts of Calvinism and Orthodox Judaism. If you are born favored of god then you are rich, the richer the more favored.Also the prosperity doctrine.
People fall for this tripe, because despite our narcissistic claim that we are homo sapiens sapiens, most of us are not. We are homo sapiens credulus.
To separate the sapiens from the credulus, ask "what do you believe?"
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
Daniel your spot on. we need someone to take drastic action to save our democracy. once trump has control of the military, he will it use to put down the massive protests against him. The checks and balances provided by our constitution that would Prevent a presidential candidate like Trump have been totally eroded. Fox News, the social media, and other national news outlets will continue to brainwash the voter public by spreading propaganda supporting trump. Add to this voter suppression, voter intimidation, and jerry- mandering the Good People of America will not have a say in the future course of our country. getting rid of trump in the next presidential election will be the same as the chances of the Russian people voting Putin out of office.
Who is the Superman that's going to save our nation? He's not faster than a speeding bullet, and not more powerful than a locomotive. But he campaigned to save the soul of America . He took an oath to protect our constitution against foreign and domestic terrorists. he honored our fallen veterans, including his son Beau, that gave it all to protect our democracy. He may not be Superman, but as President he has Presidential power to declare our nation in a State of Emergency. We are in a undeclared war against a group that wants to destroy our democracy. Biden will postpone the transition of power until Trump has been tried of all charges including those the extreme Court declared he was immune of. If the juries find him guilty of being a felon, an insurrectionist, a rapist, or traitor the 14th amendment will prevent him from holding office as president.
Idea for fighting back. The blue state taxpayers (approx 140M) should all request IRS extensions for filing 2024 taxes. When Prez Muskrat cuts the IRS they’ll not have the wherewithal to process the deluge of extensions. Since Blue State tax payments fund federal expenditures in Red States this will aggravate the deficit. And aggravate the Red States which depend on those dollars for education & other public goods. Aggravating the Red States is a good way to get their attention.
Democracy affords ordinary people the only path to their own liberation. We have to realize that all of civilization is a war between those who crave power and the rest of us, who are only trying to live our lives. Democracy is our victory, but it is always temporary and conditional; the fight never ends.
Too late, the consequences are upon us. We’re heading into a generational backslide of manmade disasters. We had the chance to prevent it but their playbook has totally dominated. Get prepared to defend against the militias. But maybe there’s a chance the cannibals will eat themselves.
There is no democracy, we have a choice between socialism and feudalism. In a democracy we elect representatives to enact laws of which we approve. But now our representatives bow to the will of the corporations. Politicians are more concerned about retaining their jobs than serving the public and thus they take the knee.
This system needs to change. All resources, oil, minerals, water, food etc. belong to the commons, not to any individual or corporation.
"We" are in an echo chamber bouncing our observations and information back and forth between ourselves. I see little evidence that the messages are getting outside of this closed space. Something has to change. I do not know what.
I'm sure there are a substantial number of readers, for which I am grateful. That is the "we" I referred to, or the "choir" to whom Thom preaches. The issue is whether the choir is expanding or if anyone outside hears the message. At some point there must be some new converts and some new voices or we will just watch as the cult takes over and sends us to our final resting place as they have been planning to do.
Well, it's a good thing that my teeth are in relatively good shape as there is a lot to chew on in this post! ; )
In one of my responses to a post concerning the gunning down of the United Health Care CEO I admitted to my internal struggle that I am having in mustering up any sympathy for him or his family. Of course it's wrong! Of course it shouldn't have happened but as this post today points out people are at their limit! That is no way is an excuse to murder someone but for me I understand the motive.
What is a person to do when faced with this reality? Well, today, as it happened, I received an email from CVS pharmacy. They wanted my my feedback concerning my interaction with the pharmacy staff & whether I was satisfied with it. So, I decided to let them have it. I spoke glowingly of the staff, they always work hard & are knowledgeable, efficient, friendly, personable etc. But I let them have it because the pharmacy was understaffed. I told them that it was time to support their employees & their customers rather than giving themselves bigger & better salaries & bonuses! Now, will it do any good, NO, I'm sure it won't but it certainly felt good to get my thoughts out to a venue where someone might just pass the word up the ladder. I know that as Joe & Jane little person we have little or no chance of impacting the state of affairs with a response to a survey but maybe Hell does allow a snowball a chance at surviving & we never will start any conversation if we don't let our feelings & complaints out. We can post & bitch & complain on the Substacks we follow which is a wonderful outlet for our frustrations but those CEOs & Boards of Directors will NEVER read these wonderful posts but maybe, just maybe if enough people respond to surveys or send a letter complaing the snowball will actually hit someone upside the head & possibly knock a bit of sense into those self-centered egomaniacs. Just a thought!
Return: The media purposefully misguides as to where we should place our sympathies, because the media is, well corporate, and in fact it depends on advertising dolllars from AHIP and PhRMA/
How can we care so much about the widow and two children, of a man responsible for the death,widowhood and orphanage of millions. Especially when his family and heirs are the beneficiaries of millions of dollars, and the widows and orphans of his victims are left trying to fend for themselves,if not live on the streets.
No misplaced sympathy here.
All of these heartless greedy bastards deserve a come uppance, in what ever form it may be.
Kill one and it is murder kill thousands and it is a statistic: Josep Stalin.
We are statistics to the Brian L. Thompsons of the world, impediments to their high living lifestyle, their mansions, yachts, airplanes and expensive vacations.
Truth is, if someone has enough wealth, and at the same time be a role model for the worst possible character flaws, a huge percentage of Americans will adjust to exceptional forgiveness, using euphemisms like "eccentric", "out-of-the-box", "genius". They swing with Jesus, but they worship Mammon. Elon Musk, whose recently revealed (perhaps 'self 'outed') true persona continues to repulse daily, is particularly both macabre and ultra menacing. His flagrant racism is not an American bigotry, but instead the elitist, granitized, flinch-not South -African brand of bigotry. He has voiced pride in this, but couched in always-be-abstrusely-clever rhetoric. You know--nano clever. But by far the most gruesome, creepy, truly frightening aspect of his pouncing declarations are his suggestions that Americans be brought down to subterranean poverty, that they should suffer without quarter, to teach them "a lesson". Even in a mental institution such a statement would have all patients looking at nurses Rachet for confirmation that this was beyond just crazy. It is solidly lunatic sadistic. It is real, in America, of the richest man in the world, with a special pass to the White House door. It is Strangelove, riding high on obliging shoulders. Front page stuff.
Thank you, Thom, as always for your historical perspective and links across decades of facts. Also - where are your links to the fascist cults within the Catholic Church - such as Opus Dei and others? Leonard Leo is an Opus Dei member and has ensured our Supreme Court is packed with other cult members. The news occasionally refers to Christian nationalism but never calls out the Vatican-supported cults. Why not?
Thanks, Kathy! I’ve read Gareth Gore’s book, and also Mathew Fox’s book “The Pope’s War”. I wish more people were alert to who Leonard Leo is and what this cult has done and is doing to this nation and many nations. I hope Pope Francis can do something to reduce their power. I can’t understand why our media never reports on this. Likely because many wealthy people are numeraries in the cult.
As a Catholic, I want to go on the record here. Opus Dei is a cancer on my church, and they are not friendly to Pope Francis. They are completely opposed to how I view my faith. Opus Dei became the power that it is because they had the money to bail out the Vatican’s financial crisis in the early 1980s. In return, Pope John Paul II gave them two things they wanted. He made them a personal prelature in the church, and he scrapped the Devil’s advocate process to make Josemaría Escrivá a saint (I refuse to acknowledge his canonization.) Escrivá was an antisemitic, power-hungry jerk and treated the people who worked for him with a great deal of contempt and condescension. The late María del Carmen Tapía wrote about how Escrivá called her stupid and wound up expelling her from OD. There were a large number of people willing to go on the record about Escrivá’s cruel and unsaintly behavior to oppose his canonization, but the Vatican decided to ignore them and proceeded with it. I recommend Gareth Gore’s recent book “Opus” for an accurate view of Opus Dei. OD has naturally condemned it, but I guess the truth hurts.
Do you plan to craft your content to reach people in younger generations based on their cultures, regions, and media preferences? Do you think this is important to our resistance efforts?
Thom, Howdy. Looking down the road, please consider spearheading (perhaps in consultation with meidas touch, steve schmidt, marc elias, steven beschloss, and other interested parties) a super bowl ad that can begin to fight back back with facts about our 47th president (in title), Elon Musk (in reality) and the oligarchy that cares not one whit about those. of us who aren’t billionaires. I would donate for such a purchase. I bet others here would, too. The one thing everyone in the USA sees at one time, is the super bowl. The earlier resistance can be inspired, the better. Cheers.
SCOTUS has given the power to Biden. As I said yesterday, still may have the 14th Amendment option.
You could donate to the Lincoln Project they work on ads like that all the time.
Civics 101: How is it that the Musk- Chump administration is calling the shots and dictating to Congress before they are even in office?
Obedience in advance. They, and this includes some Democrats,fear what will happen to them in 2025, Republicans fear being primaried, Democrats fear being legally and criminally persecuted.
The lawsuit against the Iowa pollster, Selzer, and the fine of $15 mil. paid by ABC, are shots across the bow, and now everyone of substance and influence is making a pilgrimage to Mar a Lago, and even foreign leaders, like Macron, prostitute themselves.
It’s discouraging that so many fear being primaried more than they fear living in, let alone promoting an oligarchy.
Ans. Acquiescence. I.E. “The validity of the public debt of the United States...shall not be questioned.”—14th Amendment, Section 4, U.S. Constitution.
https://www.vox.com/politics/2023/5/11/23712477/supreme-court-debt-ceiling-fourteenth-amendment-unconstitutional-kevin-mccarthy-joe-biden
The oligarchs (and most CEOs) think they are the smartest, the most worthy people, even chosen by God to be above and beyond all other people. In fact, most of them are mentally ill. They claim to have earned every cent of their assets, but they actually partnered with the common people and then stole the lion’s share of the profits. They benefited from the existence of public schools, national highways and the internet, which they used for free. “Oligarchy” needs to be added to the DSM (a manual of mental disorders) as a dangerous combination of narcissistic and pathological psychosis.
Ethical considerations and time constraints prevent me from liking this comment a thousand times.
I wish the "likes" had a scale of 1-10.
DITTO!!!!! x 1,000!!!! ; )
In simple terms, I see them as Bullies!! And I agree there should be a DSM code.
Predestination, the precepts of Calvinism and Orthodox Judaism. If you are born favored of god then you are rich, the richer the more favored.Also the prosperity doctrine.
People fall for this tripe, because despite our narcissistic claim that we are homo sapiens sapiens, most of us are not. We are homo sapiens credulus.
To separate the sapiens from the credulus, ask "what do you believe?"
Constitutional Question:
How the hell can we Crown a defacto "king" who is a raving insurrectionist?
But, if legit, must we Crown someone, who's :
- a convicted Bergdorf's rapist who appears utterly brain-fogged from both genes and Long COVID
- and/or the son of a South African Nazi-lover who lucked into Ali Baba's treasure, who didn't get 1 vote
14th Amendment Clause 3.
Section 3 Disqualification from Holding Office
No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.
Daniel your spot on. we need someone to take drastic action to save our democracy. once trump has control of the military, he will it use to put down the massive protests against him. The checks and balances provided by our constitution that would Prevent a presidential candidate like Trump have been totally eroded. Fox News, the social media, and other national news outlets will continue to brainwash the voter public by spreading propaganda supporting trump. Add to this voter suppression, voter intimidation, and jerry- mandering the Good People of America will not have a say in the future course of our country. getting rid of trump in the next presidential election will be the same as the chances of the Russian people voting Putin out of office.
Who is the Superman that's going to save our nation? He's not faster than a speeding bullet, and not more powerful than a locomotive. But he campaigned to save the soul of America . He took an oath to protect our constitution against foreign and domestic terrorists. he honored our fallen veterans, including his son Beau, that gave it all to protect our democracy. He may not be Superman, but as President he has Presidential power to declare our nation in a State of Emergency. We are in a undeclared war against a group that wants to destroy our democracy. Biden will postpone the transition of power until Trump has been tried of all charges including those the extreme Court declared he was immune of. If the juries find him guilty of being a felon, an insurrectionist, a rapist, or traitor the 14th amendment will prevent him from holding office as president.
Napoleon crowned himself.
Corporations do not need a tax cut. Every year they claim they have so much surplus cash that they are able to do massive stock buybacks.
The evidence shows that the last Trump tax cuts went mainly to increasing buybacks:
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/07/30/eye-popping-payouts-for-ceos-follow-trumps-tax-cuts-747649
Since the upper10% own 80% of stocks, this is an upward transfer of wealth increasing economic inequality..
Idea for fighting back. The blue state taxpayers (approx 140M) should all request IRS extensions for filing 2024 taxes. When Prez Muskrat cuts the IRS they’ll not have the wherewithal to process the deluge of extensions. Since Blue State tax payments fund federal expenditures in Red States this will aggravate the deficit. And aggravate the Red States which depend on those dollars for education & other public goods. Aggravating the Red States is a good way to get their attention.
Democracy affords ordinary people the only path to their own liberation. We have to realize that all of civilization is a war between those who crave power and the rest of us, who are only trying to live our lives. Democracy is our victory, but it is always temporary and conditional; the fight never ends.
Too late, the consequences are upon us. We’re heading into a generational backslide of manmade disasters. We had the chance to prevent it but their playbook has totally dominated. Get prepared to defend against the militias. But maybe there’s a chance the cannibals will eat themselves.
Who suffers when billionaires dodge their Medicare Taxes? Check this interactive map.
https://thedemlabs.org/2024/12/19/medicare-tax-loophole-steve-cohen-musk-cuts/
Thanks. The irony is that payments from the trust funds do not come from the tax revenues that consitute the budget.
I think this is the tip of an iceberg. Thousands of the highest income earners do not even file IRS returns. Biden tried to collect and IMHO this is one reason so many of those oligharchs supported Trump. https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/business/money-report/wealthy-americans-are-still-ducking-the-irs-crackdown-on-non-filers/6043517/
There is no democracy, we have a choice between socialism and feudalism. In a democracy we elect representatives to enact laws of which we approve. But now our representatives bow to the will of the corporations. Politicians are more concerned about retaining their jobs than serving the public and thus they take the knee.
This system needs to change. All resources, oil, minerals, water, food etc. belong to the commons, not to any individual or corporation.
Just a dream.
"We" are in an echo chamber bouncing our observations and information back and forth between ourselves. I see little evidence that the messages are getting outside of this closed space. Something has to change. I do not know what.
You are correct Robert. at least as far as the people who comment, but do you know how many readers there are that don't comment?
I'm sure there are a substantial number of readers, for which I am grateful. That is the "we" I referred to, or the "choir" to whom Thom preaches. The issue is whether the choir is expanding or if anyone outside hears the message. At some point there must be some new converts and some new voices or we will just watch as the cult takes over and sends us to our final resting place as they have been planning to do.
All we can do is share Thom on other forums and venues. I do that, the best I can do to spread the word.
Well, it's a good thing that my teeth are in relatively good shape as there is a lot to chew on in this post! ; )
In one of my responses to a post concerning the gunning down of the United Health Care CEO I admitted to my internal struggle that I am having in mustering up any sympathy for him or his family. Of course it's wrong! Of course it shouldn't have happened but as this post today points out people are at their limit! That is no way is an excuse to murder someone but for me I understand the motive.
What is a person to do when faced with this reality? Well, today, as it happened, I received an email from CVS pharmacy. They wanted my my feedback concerning my interaction with the pharmacy staff & whether I was satisfied with it. So, I decided to let them have it. I spoke glowingly of the staff, they always work hard & are knowledgeable, efficient, friendly, personable etc. But I let them have it because the pharmacy was understaffed. I told them that it was time to support their employees & their customers rather than giving themselves bigger & better salaries & bonuses! Now, will it do any good, NO, I'm sure it won't but it certainly felt good to get my thoughts out to a venue where someone might just pass the word up the ladder. I know that as Joe & Jane little person we have little or no chance of impacting the state of affairs with a response to a survey but maybe Hell does allow a snowball a chance at surviving & we never will start any conversation if we don't let our feelings & complaints out. We can post & bitch & complain on the Substacks we follow which is a wonderful outlet for our frustrations but those CEOs & Boards of Directors will NEVER read these wonderful posts but maybe, just maybe if enough people respond to surveys or send a letter complaing the snowball will actually hit someone upside the head & possibly knock a bit of sense into those self-centered egomaniacs. Just a thought!
Return: The media purposefully misguides as to where we should place our sympathies, because the media is, well corporate, and in fact it depends on advertising dolllars from AHIP and PhRMA/
How can we care so much about the widow and two children, of a man responsible for the death,widowhood and orphanage of millions. Especially when his family and heirs are the beneficiaries of millions of dollars, and the widows and orphans of his victims are left trying to fend for themselves,if not live on the streets.
No misplaced sympathy here.
All of these heartless greedy bastards deserve a come uppance, in what ever form it may be.
Kill one and it is murder kill thousands and it is a statistic: Josep Stalin.
We are statistics to the Brian L. Thompsons of the world, impediments to their high living lifestyle, their mansions, yachts, airplanes and expensive vacations.
Right. Even an autocrat would not, as my o'l pappy would have said. "shit where (s)he eats."
Gluttony leads to an early demise. Putin may not know Shakespeare, but probably expects them to be hoisted on their own petards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsTK2LHZKPQ
Truth is, if someone has enough wealth, and at the same time be a role model for the worst possible character flaws, a huge percentage of Americans will adjust to exceptional forgiveness, using euphemisms like "eccentric", "out-of-the-box", "genius". They swing with Jesus, but they worship Mammon. Elon Musk, whose recently revealed (perhaps 'self 'outed') true persona continues to repulse daily, is particularly both macabre and ultra menacing. His flagrant racism is not an American bigotry, but instead the elitist, granitized, flinch-not South -African brand of bigotry. He has voiced pride in this, but couched in always-be-abstrusely-clever rhetoric. You know--nano clever. But by far the most gruesome, creepy, truly frightening aspect of his pouncing declarations are his suggestions that Americans be brought down to subterranean poverty, that they should suffer without quarter, to teach them "a lesson". Even in a mental institution such a statement would have all patients looking at nurses Rachet for confirmation that this was beyond just crazy. It is solidly lunatic sadistic. It is real, in America, of the richest man in the world, with a special pass to the White House door. It is Strangelove, riding high on obliging shoulders. Front page stuff.
Thank you, Thom, as always for your historical perspective and links across decades of facts. Also - where are your links to the fascist cults within the Catholic Church - such as Opus Dei and others? Leonard Leo is an Opus Dei member and has ensured our Supreme Court is packed with other cult members. The news occasionally refers to Christian nationalism but never calls out the Vatican-supported cults. Why not?
Thanks, Kathy! I’ve read Gareth Gore’s book, and also Mathew Fox’s book “The Pope’s War”. I wish more people were alert to who Leonard Leo is and what this cult has done and is doing to this nation and many nations. I hope Pope Francis can do something to reduce their power. I can’t understand why our media never reports on this. Likely because many wealthy people are numeraries in the cult.
As a Catholic, I want to go on the record here. Opus Dei is a cancer on my church, and they are not friendly to Pope Francis. They are completely opposed to how I view my faith. Opus Dei became the power that it is because they had the money to bail out the Vatican’s financial crisis in the early 1980s. In return, Pope John Paul II gave them two things they wanted. He made them a personal prelature in the church, and he scrapped the Devil’s advocate process to make Josemaría Escrivá a saint (I refuse to acknowledge his canonization.) Escrivá was an antisemitic, power-hungry jerk and treated the people who worked for him with a great deal of contempt and condescension. The late María del Carmen Tapía wrote about how Escrivá called her stupid and wound up expelling her from OD. There were a large number of people willing to go on the record about Escrivá’s cruel and unsaintly behavior to oppose his canonization, but the Vatican decided to ignore them and proceeded with it. I recommend Gareth Gore’s recent book “Opus” for an accurate view of Opus Dei. OD has naturally condemned it, but I guess the truth hurts.
Do you plan to craft your content to reach people in younger generations based on their cultures, regions, and media preferences? Do you think this is important to our resistance efforts?