Why are politicians afraid to stand in front of a chart outlining this obvious pattern in GOP spending and refusing to allow Dems to spend? I guess charts and graphs are a no-no, so they have to tell the story with out visual aids. We know they know, and every senate aide and intern knows, but the GOP still gets to play double santa every f-ing time.
So much for all those empty words! Merrick Garland fails all his own tests by appointing a special counsel today. He further delays an almost two-year investigation of a major coup attempt, and he's acting in spineless fear after Trump the bully announced a third run for president. Such a cowardly decision favors the main perpetrator "bigly", who will still accuse the DOJ of political influence regardless of how the cases against him proceed, since Biden's Attorney General must approve any final decision anyway.
By trying too hard not to appear political, Garland is acting political in the worst possible way, awarding even more time and space for all the bad actors to act even more badly. Evidently, he is worried more about his own reputation and the bureaucratic monstrosity he runs rather than the survival of democracy itself.
Look how much oxygen a ponderous justice system gives those who enjoy extreme wealth and power, and how streamlined it suddenly becomes when going after little people who can't afford the "fair" treatment afforded the big guys with the big bucks.
If Trump ever does face a trial in the distant future before he dies of natural causes, the jury pool will be tainted by biases set in stone by the passage of so much time. And any potential witnesses will be hobbled by faulty memories. As the world of American dysfunctional politics moves on to ever more critical stages of decomposition, Garland's special counsel investigation will go the way of the Mueller investigation.
Does anyone remember that one as serving Justice? Hell no! People hardly remember that whole exercise in futility at all. Nor do they care about the distant past.
Thank you Thom for putting the Republican messaging and strategy out there. I can’t help but scream to myself what the “ H-ell” is wrong with voters who can’t se through the Republican BS. Are they brainwashed, brain dead or willfully ignorant?? The frustration of constantly having to fact check and double check statements put out there by Republicans is exhausting and I am really tired of their manipulation of the gullible. I guess it’s not going to happen in my lifetime where two or three political parties can exist in our country with viable policy ideas and political discourse that benefit the country as a whole.
If they haven't by now, after over 40 years of Republican fascism in your face, American voters have another two years to figure all it out before once again tasked with the heavy responsibility of preserving what's left of our dying democracy.
What good are Democratic politicians if they can't break through the wall of corporate media in real-time to explain what should be so obvious to themselves and even a first-grader -- the truth of American oligarchy and what our economic system has become, a pariah feeding off the suffering of workers and consumers, who are becoming increasingly impoverished in their own land?
How are the "media" going to get this straight? Who has a way to educate the movers and shakers who control the media? Can we organize huge protests outside of their corporate offices? Can we convince the public to boycott when they continue pushing the Republican narratives? How far can we take this Democratic success of the Mid-terms, or was it really that much of a success? Waiting for answers. Not optimistic.
U.S. national debt in 1980 was $800 billion. After Reagan, Bush Jr., and Trump it is now $30 trillion. The Republicans' donors have profited by the trillions of dollars so the strategy has been highly effective at transferring wealth from the workers to the elites.
Best to keep the workers in the dark and discourage critical thinking of any form and defund public schools while providing federal funding to private charter schools with far right textbooks from the Christian Right fascists. Capitalists have long favored a monarchy or a dictatorship or a fascist regime over any form of democracy.
It has become much worse with the removal of the separation of church and state than began with GW Bush and expanded under Trump. We now have a Supreme Court forcing far right "Christian" dogma into law. The United States comes closer to resembling Iran each day with the loss of civil rights that affects everyone but currently targets women and people of color.
The media will not call it out. It makes good ratings.
It’s up to us to spread the word.
Thank you Thom Hartmann for consolidating the info and presenting it so clearly!
I never knew this strategy had a name. Thanks for calling it out and calling it out so early.
Brilliantly explained. And terrifying.
Why are politicians afraid to stand in front of a chart outlining this obvious pattern in GOP spending and refusing to allow Dems to spend? I guess charts and graphs are a no-no, so they have to tell the story with out visual aids. We know they know, and every senate aide and intern knows, but the GOP still gets to play double santa every f-ing time.
"Justice delayed is justice denied."
"Justice without fear or favor."
"No one is above the law."
So much for all those empty words! Merrick Garland fails all his own tests by appointing a special counsel today. He further delays an almost two-year investigation of a major coup attempt, and he's acting in spineless fear after Trump the bully announced a third run for president. Such a cowardly decision favors the main perpetrator "bigly", who will still accuse the DOJ of political influence regardless of how the cases against him proceed, since Biden's Attorney General must approve any final decision anyway.
By trying too hard not to appear political, Garland is acting political in the worst possible way, awarding even more time and space for all the bad actors to act even more badly. Evidently, he is worried more about his own reputation and the bureaucratic monstrosity he runs rather than the survival of democracy itself.
Look how much oxygen a ponderous justice system gives those who enjoy extreme wealth and power, and how streamlined it suddenly becomes when going after little people who can't afford the "fair" treatment afforded the big guys with the big bucks.
If Trump ever does face a trial in the distant future before he dies of natural causes, the jury pool will be tainted by biases set in stone by the passage of so much time. And any potential witnesses will be hobbled by faulty memories. As the world of American dysfunctional politics moves on to ever more critical stages of decomposition, Garland's special counsel investigation will go the way of the Mueller investigation.
Does anyone remember that one as serving Justice? Hell no! People hardly remember that whole exercise in futility at all. Nor do they care about the distant past.
Thank you Thom for putting the Republican messaging and strategy out there. I can’t help but scream to myself what the “ H-ell” is wrong with voters who can’t se through the Republican BS. Are they brainwashed, brain dead or willfully ignorant?? The frustration of constantly having to fact check and double check statements put out there by Republicans is exhausting and I am really tired of their manipulation of the gullible. I guess it’s not going to happen in my lifetime where two or three political parties can exist in our country with viable policy ideas and political discourse that benefit the country as a whole.
If they haven't by now, after over 40 years of Republican fascism in your face, American voters have another two years to figure all it out before once again tasked with the heavy responsibility of preserving what's left of our dying democracy.
What good are Democratic politicians if they can't break through the wall of corporate media in real-time to explain what should be so obvious to themselves and even a first-grader -- the truth of American oligarchy and what our economic system has become, a pariah feeding off the suffering of workers and consumers, who are becoming increasingly impoverished in their own land?
As usual, Thom has reported on the ‘ man behind the curtain’.
Like the Wizard they only allow the things that look “ good” to leak out.
None are good . If its a Republican-message, count on the lie.
They have gotten so good at lying , it gets more preposterous every time their mouths open.
They are who have determined to ruin Democracy. And until the right wing media get smart enough to see the truth and perhaps to tell the truth.
It abounds . They’ve prattled on with their lying points and gotten better about believing their own lies.
And they’ve bought up most media to do their work to spread more lies.
The Country and the world is catching on , but not soon enough.
Its the Democrats time to pull the curtain back on the “ Great and Powerful Lie” and expose their weakness.
Their power is also their weakness.
‘The truth will set you free but first it’ll make you miserable.’
Thanks Thom; this is going out today to all on Facebook.
How are the "media" going to get this straight? Who has a way to educate the movers and shakers who control the media? Can we organize huge protests outside of their corporate offices? Can we convince the public to boycott when they continue pushing the Republican narratives? How far can we take this Democratic success of the Mid-terms, or was it really that much of a success? Waiting for answers. Not optimistic.
If the Republicans know this, surely some Democrats, media??? Otherwise, Hope to God, literally.
U.S. national debt in 1980 was $800 billion. After Reagan, Bush Jr., and Trump it is now $30 trillion. The Republicans' donors have profited by the trillions of dollars so the strategy has been highly effective at transferring wealth from the workers to the elites.
Best to keep the workers in the dark and discourage critical thinking of any form and defund public schools while providing federal funding to private charter schools with far right textbooks from the Christian Right fascists. Capitalists have long favored a monarchy or a dictatorship or a fascist regime over any form of democracy.
It has become much worse with the removal of the separation of church and state than began with GW Bush and expanded under Trump. We now have a Supreme Court forcing far right "Christian" dogma into law. The United States comes closer to resembling Iran each day with the loss of civil rights that affects everyone but currently targets women and people of color.
"Wanting to meet an author because you like his work is like wanting to meet a duck because you like paté."
- Margaret Atwood, novelist and poet (b. 18 Nov 1939)