Republicans simply don’t believe that protecting the people of America is a legitimate function of government & they’re strengthened in that belief by far-right billionaires’ money showered on them
I truly appreciate your articles Thom. They are thought-provoking and backed by references. Your points on what Republicans represent and legislate are proof that their policies are against American’ health and welfare. When many Americans have to struggle daily for food, safety and healthcare and Republicans vote against those very measures to benefit people and don’t call out the violence egged on by their crazy demigod, it’s obvious that one party is a corporate sponsored authoritarian terrorist organization. Rule by the minority crazies with Qanon ideology is the new Republican normal. The “both sides do it” people frustrate me because even if a small number of Democratic legislators are corrupt at least they are called out by colleagues, but it doesn’t compare to the large number of people indicted, prosecuted and convicted in Republican administrations. The list of legislation beneficial to Americans accomplished by the Democrats should be put out there on major news but usually anything positive is buried by corporate owned Fox- lite media organizations. Could Democrats do more? Of course. We need more aggressive legislation to really address America’s problems . But when you have a major political party fully into obstruction of anything beneficial for Americans (and will not vote against their corporate sponsors best interest ) then it’s a constant uphill struggle. American anger at the “system” is misdirected and too many Americans vote for the very people that keep a boot on their necks by the anti -democracy party.
Every time I see an article that illustrates , once again, the Republican chokehold they have imposed on this country in the name of greed and power , I shudder.
First of all, they are the minority in this country.
They have successfully strategized a devious plan where they feel entitled to bulldoze every good thing America ever stood for.
I am truly disgusted by their ability to take hostage, anyone who doesn’t agree with them , directing them to “ walk the plank’ for thinking this is ‘ government for the people’.
Trump was selected by these monied individuals to represent and sustain their putrid assessment of what ‘ Makes America Great’ . They along with Trumps sponsor ,Putin,
selected him for his total valueless ,selfish narcissism.
What works more than anything else that Donald Trump exploits, are peoples willingness to identify with his alleged victimhood .
He’s at the mercy of the government ‘who are really out to ruin his pitiful bloated life’.
This is the biggest lie and he’s been happy to play victim. When in fact he is the ruin of many lives, businesses, people , institutions all to stomp on the ‘people’, and elevate the snakes who have extorted and choked any honest people,
who tried to remove their GOP treasonous, poisonous fangs from the
Another of his deceptions that's worked well with his base is equating what happens to him as though it's happening to America, or Americans. He makes himself synonymous with America; I believe his new slogan is "Save America", fully knowing it's himself that needs to be saved from the justice that's due him.
I traveled this path with Thom for a very long time. I witnessed how hard he strove to understand and debate many Republicans. That all seemed reasonable to me until they literally let a psychopath take over their party and their agenda.
We have before our very eyes the results of Republican ideology and policies. The pandemic proved the cost in human lives and stress, and the government HAD to take over part of the healthcare system. January 6th proved the crazed and lethal blows delivered to people and our democracy means nothing to most of them, and again the government HAD to step-up to seek justice and defend our election system.
We as a nation do not have a choice. We must react to Republican insanity, cruelty, and greed. It is time to acknowledge the facts, history, and what Thom and The Lancet commission have proven about their sick ideas.
That Florida is Hell is no longer even questionable. What remains uncertain is who will play the role of Satan. Scott and de Santis are giving their best possible auditions. The only question is whether the casting director wants chubby and annoying or skinny and creepy. Remove all the charm from Uncle Fester and Lurch and you have the options of the casting director.
You have literally demonized your enemies. This is exactly what the far right does. The difference is you believe your morality is sacred and they believe their morality is sacred. Based on what? Who knows ... presumably some sort of religious faith?
Your rhetoric truly reveals two things: one, you've become the Jerry Falwell of the Left, and two you've contributed to that loss of meaning of words. Austin Sarat writes, “When words lose their meaning and their capacity to bind those who use them, neither democracy nor the rule of law can long survive.” When both sides freely and hatefully demonize those they disagree with, democracy is not long for this world.
I wish we would all leave the hell and Satan accusations to religious people. Then again, maybe you are religious and your God is informing you that politicians can be Satan incarnate? Thom somehow believes Trump is the antichrist, so maybe the line between politics and religion for the Left has been completely eradicated?
Intentional cruelty in the quest for power and wealth in this world is the defining act of evil. Using immigrants and gays as stepping stones for your ambitions is not new to history. Mr. Nelson, do I have your permission to call the Nazis evil? I wonder what Charlene Dill’s perspective on this would be?
You can call anyone you want whatever you want. That's the great thing about living in the US. I believe there is nothing more dangerous and destructive than to call someone Satan, the antichrist and or evil. You are free to do so but if one is to apply your definition that someone is evil because they "step on someone in the quest for power" then I'd say there are countless millions maybe billions that fall to that kind of damning condemnation.
There are literally millions of Floridians (including all kinds of immigrants) that adamantly disagree with your condemnation of the governor. As well, 10s of millions of other US citizens (including millions of other immigrants) that would completely disagree with you. Are these people evil? Are they Satan worshipers? And what about those that hold different moral values then you do? Are they evil as well?
You must see how dangerously destructive this name-calling game can be. Another quote from Anne Lamott, sums up a frightening truth about how freely we can condemn others, "You can safely assume you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.”
Sadly, there's a lot of truth in that Lamott quote. It may be safe to say that because God created us in their image, we, just like the apes we can be, imitate that behavior, so we create God in our image. I like an Edgar Cayce quote - he said that in our relationships with others, we should "minimize the faults, and maximize the virtues." That's a hard one to put into practice, but it's a worthy goal. Try it for a day, and see if you don't feel better about yourself, and gain a few more friends at the same time.
"When words lose their meaning..." Like the words: "Make America Great Again." About the greatest America has ever been was the glorious post-WWII era of "The Greatest Generation." The taxes on what would now be billionaires scaled up to 90% on what would now be the, I don't know, 10th or 15th Billion. That's how the Interstate Highways got built and the GI's got sent to college for free. Corporations paid for health care plans for their employees, and started more business and hired more people rather than pay the huge tax out of any huge surplus. Before that, when America was Great was The New Deal: government giving people bootstraps. My grandaddy went to Nevada from San Francisco to get a paycheck from Uncle Sam, and he was no Commie. "MAGA" is a sick perversion of the meaning of words.
OK so if and when the right manipulated words (i.e. MAGA) is wrong, then it's wrong when the left does it as well, correct? Both sides are guilty of this practice. It would be really heathy for the country if both sides would be honest and admit it.
Is it true that causing people to die is evil? This is the relentless outcome of Republican policies. It is at the least at odds with any “moral” standing. To quote a favorite religious line, What Would Jesus Do with republicans like DeSantis and Rick Scott?
Please show me what false equivalencies were made?
I think you ask good questions. However, bringing Jesus into this throws the discussion into highly speculative ideas about theology and the bible. Of course, we can point the discussion in whatever direction we want to. But if you allow the bible to come into the discussion, don't you think you must allow the prolife crowd to weigh in with their beliefs? In other words, what do you do when a pro-lifer asks: WWJD about a country that's allowed the mass destruction of tens of millions of human life? They belief each life retains the image of God. So they must be allowed to ask what God would say and do about each of the little souls that were willfully destroyed? What would he say about choosing a means that caused people to die? Is that evil on a mass scale? Isn't this a relentless outcome of the Democrats policies?
If you would, please provide a little clarity for me.
I think I understand your rhetoric concerning the abortion issue, but it certainly comes with several value judgments. Clearly both sides of this issue claim abortion is either a good or bad thing. The Left believes it's good for society to allow woman to eliminate the human DNA of a fetus and to allow doctors to perform the abortion procedures. Then they affirm the legality of the issue and judge abortion to be a net good for society.
Not sure you agree but legalizing the practice of abortion is NOT a value neutral decision. It has come with an unrelating fight to keep the practice legal. So I guess you may feel the political Right's "valuing of an unformed humans" is unrelenting but they clearly see that the Left's values have been profoundly unrelenting. In fact, the Left's unrelenting fight to keep abortion legal, proves that the Left's values have consistently dominated the Right's values.
I believe the arguments concerning who's values are better, is what the culture wars are really all about.
Interesting article. The discussion of values is really helpful. I wish we could have it. Certainly our so-called culture wars are not about definitions. They’re all about telling the other side that they are wrong, bad and evil for their interpretations of their values. Thom’s site is the perfect example of this. The Hartman Report and Thom’s radio show come complete with his values standards and judgments. Thom can’t stop judging his opposition for not living up to his standards. His opponents fall desperately short of his interpretations and, in no uncertain terms, he lets them know that not only are they falling short but they are evil for doing so.
This is exactly what the other political side does as well. And therein lay our culture wars. Both sides don’t only share their interpretations of their values, but both sides speak as though their interpretations are the absolute truth. For instance you’ll never hear Thom (or Ben Shapiro) say “the values that I’m judging everyone else by are strictly my opinions. They are a reflection of my subjective beliefs about right and wrong. Because they are my opinions I won’t judge or condemn the other side for not holding my set of values.”
If we could do this, maybe we could reconcile SOME of our differences. But my fear is that people like Thom Hartman (and hosts from Conservative shows) are way too invested in their interpretations of their moral values. Thom simply cannot stop telling his opposition that his value interpretations are truly right and those held by his opponents are truly wrong.
Two excellent books on this subject are Jonathan Haidt’s, “The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion”, and Thomas Sowell’s book called “A Conflict of Visions.”
This is a salient summary of Republican cruelty and lawlessness. As infuriating as it is, I must blame the fact that they get away with it on the Democratic Party and their rudderless leadership. In addition, your own show plays the game of protecting Democrats and their inaction, as well as their largely ineffectual means-tested legislation, from proper criticism so that constituents can make educated decisions. While Joe Biden is being pushed and prodded to do the bare minimum come election season, his insistence on relying upon harmful institutions like our militarized and fascist police force alienates a wide swath of what should be the Democratic electorate, not to mention repeats the harms he claims to be contrite about from his racist "Tough on Crime" legislation of 1994. Democrats are certainly not as evil or hostile as Republicans, but their (and to some degree your) submission to political expediency and not saying or doing certain things for fear of what Republicans will say or how those mythical "swing voters" will vote has made for a cowering and weak opposition to the rightward shift of the Republican Party. In fact, it has unwittingly dragged the Democrats along with it, bills passed by the House which could never be passed by the Senate notwithstanding.
I truly appreciate your articles Thom. They are thought-provoking and backed by references. Your points on what Republicans represent and legislate are proof that their policies are against American’ health and welfare. When many Americans have to struggle daily for food, safety and healthcare and Republicans vote against those very measures to benefit people and don’t call out the violence egged on by their crazy demigod, it’s obvious that one party is a corporate sponsored authoritarian terrorist organization. Rule by the minority crazies with Qanon ideology is the new Republican normal. The “both sides do it” people frustrate me because even if a small number of Democratic legislators are corrupt at least they are called out by colleagues, but it doesn’t compare to the large number of people indicted, prosecuted and convicted in Republican administrations. The list of legislation beneficial to Americans accomplished by the Democrats should be put out there on major news but usually anything positive is buried by corporate owned Fox- lite media organizations. Could Democrats do more? Of course. We need more aggressive legislation to really address America’s problems . But when you have a major political party fully into obstruction of anything beneficial for Americans (and will not vote against their corporate sponsors best interest ) then it’s a constant uphill struggle. American anger at the “system” is misdirected and too many Americans vote for the very people that keep a boot on their necks by the anti -democracy party.
Every time I see an article that illustrates , once again, the Republican chokehold they have imposed on this country in the name of greed and power , I shudder.
First of all, they are the minority in this country.
They have successfully strategized a devious plan where they feel entitled to bulldoze every good thing America ever stood for.
I am truly disgusted by their ability to take hostage, anyone who doesn’t agree with them , directing them to “ walk the plank’ for thinking this is ‘ government for the people’.
Trump was selected by these monied individuals to represent and sustain their putrid assessment of what ‘ Makes America Great’ . They along with Trumps sponsor ,Putin,
selected him for his total valueless ,selfish narcissism.
What works more than anything else that Donald Trump exploits, are peoples willingness to identify with his alleged victimhood .
He’s at the mercy of the government ‘who are really out to ruin his pitiful bloated life’.
This is the biggest lie and he’s been happy to play victim. When in fact he is the ruin of many lives, businesses, people , institutions all to stomp on the ‘people’, and elevate the snakes who have extorted and choked any honest people,
who tried to remove their GOP treasonous, poisonous fangs from the
Another of his deceptions that's worked well with his base is equating what happens to him as though it's happening to America, or Americans. He makes himself synonymous with America; I believe his new slogan is "Save America", fully knowing it's himself that needs to be saved from the justice that's due him.
I traveled this path with Thom for a very long time. I witnessed how hard he strove to understand and debate many Republicans. That all seemed reasonable to me until they literally let a psychopath take over their party and their agenda.
We have before our very eyes the results of Republican ideology and policies. The pandemic proved the cost in human lives and stress, and the government HAD to take over part of the healthcare system. January 6th proved the crazed and lethal blows delivered to people and our democracy means nothing to most of them, and again the government HAD to step-up to seek justice and defend our election system.
We as a nation do not have a choice. We must react to Republican insanity, cruelty, and greed. It is time to acknowledge the facts, history, and what Thom and The Lancet commission have proven about their sick ideas.
That Florida is Hell is no longer even questionable. What remains uncertain is who will play the role of Satan. Scott and de Santis are giving their best possible auditions. The only question is whether the casting director wants chubby and annoying or skinny and creepy. Remove all the charm from Uncle Fester and Lurch and you have the options of the casting director.
You have literally demonized your enemies. This is exactly what the far right does. The difference is you believe your morality is sacred and they believe their morality is sacred. Based on what? Who knows ... presumably some sort of religious faith?
Your rhetoric truly reveals two things: one, you've become the Jerry Falwell of the Left, and two you've contributed to that loss of meaning of words. Austin Sarat writes, “When words lose their meaning and their capacity to bind those who use them, neither democracy nor the rule of law can long survive.” When both sides freely and hatefully demonize those they disagree with, democracy is not long for this world.
I wish we would all leave the hell and Satan accusations to religious people. Then again, maybe you are religious and your God is informing you that politicians can be Satan incarnate? Thom somehow believes Trump is the antichrist, so maybe the line between politics and religion for the Left has been completely eradicated?
Intentional cruelty in the quest for power and wealth in this world is the defining act of evil. Using immigrants and gays as stepping stones for your ambitions is not new to history. Mr. Nelson, do I have your permission to call the Nazis evil? I wonder what Charlene Dill’s perspective on this would be?
You can call anyone you want whatever you want. That's the great thing about living in the US. I believe there is nothing more dangerous and destructive than to call someone Satan, the antichrist and or evil. You are free to do so but if one is to apply your definition that someone is evil because they "step on someone in the quest for power" then I'd say there are countless millions maybe billions that fall to that kind of damning condemnation.
There are literally millions of Floridians (including all kinds of immigrants) that adamantly disagree with your condemnation of the governor. As well, 10s of millions of other US citizens (including millions of other immigrants) that would completely disagree with you. Are these people evil? Are they Satan worshipers? And what about those that hold different moral values then you do? Are they evil as well?
You must see how dangerously destructive this name-calling game can be. Another quote from Anne Lamott, sums up a frightening truth about how freely we can condemn others, "You can safely assume you've created God in your own image when it turns out that God hates all the same people you do.”
Sadly, there's a lot of truth in that Lamott quote. It may be safe to say that because God created us in their image, we, just like the apes we can be, imitate that behavior, so we create God in our image. I like an Edgar Cayce quote - he said that in our relationships with others, we should "minimize the faults, and maximize the virtues." That's a hard one to put into practice, but it's a worthy goal. Try it for a day, and see if you don't feel better about yourself, and gain a few more friends at the same time.
Great quote! Hope we can apply that to those we might want call Satan and or the anti christ.
"When words lose their meaning..." Like the words: "Make America Great Again." About the greatest America has ever been was the glorious post-WWII era of "The Greatest Generation." The taxes on what would now be billionaires scaled up to 90% on what would now be the, I don't know, 10th or 15th Billion. That's how the Interstate Highways got built and the GI's got sent to college for free. Corporations paid for health care plans for their employees, and started more business and hired more people rather than pay the huge tax out of any huge surplus. Before that, when America was Great was The New Deal: government giving people bootstraps. My grandaddy went to Nevada from San Francisco to get a paycheck from Uncle Sam, and he was no Commie. "MAGA" is a sick perversion of the meaning of words.
OK so if and when the right manipulated words (i.e. MAGA) is wrong, then it's wrong when the left does it as well, correct? Both sides are guilty of this practice. It would be really heathy for the country if both sides would be honest and admit it.
Is it true that causing people to die is evil? This is the relentless outcome of Republican policies. It is at the least at odds with any “moral” standing. To quote a favorite religious line, What Would Jesus Do with republicans like DeSantis and Rick Scott?
Also, don’t indulge in false equivalencies.
Please show me what false equivalencies were made?
I think you ask good questions. However, bringing Jesus into this throws the discussion into highly speculative ideas about theology and the bible. Of course, we can point the discussion in whatever direction we want to. But if you allow the bible to come into the discussion, don't you think you must allow the prolife crowd to weigh in with their beliefs? In other words, what do you do when a pro-lifer asks: WWJD about a country that's allowed the mass destruction of tens of millions of human life? They belief each life retains the image of God. So they must be allowed to ask what God would say and do about each of the little souls that were willfully destroyed? What would he say about choosing a means that caused people to die? Is that evil on a mass scale? Isn't this a relentless outcome of the Democrats policies?
If you would, please provide a little clarity for me.
I do not, myself, believe in literal heaven, hell or Satan. These are convenient descriptors of the characteristics of places & people.
The main issue with the prolife crowd is their unrelenting valuing of unformed humans above actual, *living* girls & women.
I think I understand your rhetoric concerning the abortion issue, but it certainly comes with several value judgments. Clearly both sides of this issue claim abortion is either a good or bad thing. The Left believes it's good for society to allow woman to eliminate the human DNA of a fetus and to allow doctors to perform the abortion procedures. Then they affirm the legality of the issue and judge abortion to be a net good for society.
Not sure you agree but legalizing the practice of abortion is NOT a value neutral decision. It has come with an unrelating fight to keep the practice legal. So I guess you may feel the political Right's "valuing of an unformed humans" is unrelenting but they clearly see that the Left's values have been profoundly unrelenting. In fact, the Left's unrelenting fight to keep abortion legal, proves that the Left's values have consistently dominated the Right's values.
I believe the arguments concerning who's values are better, is what the culture wars are really all about.
What are “bad values?” https://www.tbr.fun/defining-good-and-bad-values/
Interesting article. The discussion of values is really helpful. I wish we could have it. Certainly our so-called culture wars are not about definitions. They’re all about telling the other side that they are wrong, bad and evil for their interpretations of their values. Thom’s site is the perfect example of this. The Hartman Report and Thom’s radio show come complete with his values standards and judgments. Thom can’t stop judging his opposition for not living up to his standards. His opponents fall desperately short of his interpretations and, in no uncertain terms, he lets them know that not only are they falling short but they are evil for doing so.
This is exactly what the other political side does as well. And therein lay our culture wars. Both sides don’t only share their interpretations of their values, but both sides speak as though their interpretations are the absolute truth. For instance you’ll never hear Thom (or Ben Shapiro) say “the values that I’m judging everyone else by are strictly my opinions. They are a reflection of my subjective beliefs about right and wrong. Because they are my opinions I won’t judge or condemn the other side for not holding my set of values.”
If we could do this, maybe we could reconcile SOME of our differences. But my fear is that people like Thom Hartman (and hosts from Conservative shows) are way too invested in their interpretations of their moral values. Thom simply cannot stop telling his opposition that his value interpretations are truly right and those held by his opponents are truly wrong.
Two excellent books on this subject are Jonathan Haidt’s, “The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion”, and Thomas Sowell’s book called “A Conflict of Visions.”
Enjoyed joining in creative imagery/metaphor about when is the ridiculous not a joke in real life!
Necks of everyday Americans
This is a salient summary of Republican cruelty and lawlessness. As infuriating as it is, I must blame the fact that they get away with it on the Democratic Party and their rudderless leadership. In addition, your own show plays the game of protecting Democrats and their inaction, as well as their largely ineffectual means-tested legislation, from proper criticism so that constituents can make educated decisions. While Joe Biden is being pushed and prodded to do the bare minimum come election season, his insistence on relying upon harmful institutions like our militarized and fascist police force alienates a wide swath of what should be the Democratic electorate, not to mention repeats the harms he claims to be contrite about from his racist "Tough on Crime" legislation of 1994. Democrats are certainly not as evil or hostile as Republicans, but their (and to some degree your) submission to political expediency and not saying or doing certain things for fear of what Republicans will say or how those mythical "swing voters" will vote has made for a cowering and weak opposition to the rightward shift of the Republican Party. In fact, it has unwittingly dragged the Democrats along with it, bills passed by the House which could never be passed by the Senate notwithstanding.
Yes . Truly , his twisted view is only enhanced by his twisted interpretations of what Americans need/ want.