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Saturday Report from Hartmann - this week is wild in an increasingly wild world. Read it - you won't get a compilation of real news like this from literally any other source.

On the topic of authoritarianism - or just everyday "conservatism" now - the Koch Oil Kingdom via the Heritage Foundation (who's heritage, exactly?) is firing its opening salvo against democracy in a well-coordinated multi-pronged blitzkrieg.

The Orc's work on a few principles: Fear, lies, and bribery.

Recently we saw Heritage Kevin Roberts use fear to threaten bloody revolution against something called "the left", which in my opinion is simply any and everyone not bowing before the illionaire right. If you're not with them, you're against them, and obviously that means you're an extremist leftist Marxist communist.

And today there's Heritage Mike Howell dipping deep into the well of lies dug for him just 5 years ago by dear donny: "0% chance of a free and fair election". This is coming a mere 3 months before the most consequential election in US history. Sound familiar? As of today, if you know a kindergartner, this exact setting-of-the-table happened in their lifetime. This is the exact same shit they pulled in 2020, which led not only to J6, but this forever wondering if relative normalcy can ever return to the modern world.

There coming at us hard and fast. And it's not "the left" they're after - it's any of us who are not "them".

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Trump started undermining fair elections in 2015-2016.

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Carter v Reagan 1980. Bush v Gore. 2000.Bush v. Kerry 2006 .

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At first glance, "them", appear to be narcissistic thugs. Everyone they don't like will be called A dehumanizing name. But the zillionaires don't care about that petty nonsense, they just want all the useless eaters done away with of all races and religions. The old, the disabled, the journalists, the criminals... Anyone who does not make them a buck. They actually prefer healthy illegal immigrants

over unhealthy fat maga cult followers. Especially if they work for a dollar an hour. The love affair will end when the Nazis take the magas guns from them. There won't be any leftist left to defend them either.

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I wonder if the fossil fuel guys have paid the $1B that Trump asked for to get rid of all restrictions and regulations on their drilling and polluting? Trump, the men of the Supreme Court, the MAGAs in Congress are nothing but a bunch of corrupt criminals. Their entire existence is about money, power, and exploiting everyone else. They are more than willing to lie, cheat, and even kill those who try to stop them.

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End-stage mega-capitalism: the purpose of competition is to eliminate competition. After subduing commercial rivals or forming pseudo-competitive cartels, the next step is eliminating government, unions, even nature. Basically, capitalism ends by eating its own substance. They can't help themselves; they are lost in a fever dream of total mastery.

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I prefer the term "unlimited greed". Capitalism is great for job growth if it is well regulated! I support a maximum wage about 15 times the minimum wage or a 95% tax on the wealthy or both! Don't wave a red flag at the right, they aren't very bright, defend sane capitalism, and you won't be called a communist! Very few Democrats are communists!!!

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Why pay ? Looks like they get pretty

much everything they want automatically.

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I support Biden, and NYT’s Charles Blow notes that presidential predictor and political science professor Allan Lichtman believes dumping President Biden would be a disastrous move. I think Dr. Lichtman and Mr. Blow are correct , but the “debate” and Stephanopoulos interview spooked the big donors and pundits.

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Simon Sayz: We just had an encouraging week of polling with Biden ahead or tied in many new polls. Biden is at 270 Electoral College votes this morning in the 538 forecast. VP Harris keeps polling at an impressive level, and is clearly bringing much to the ticket. The election is close and competitive today - no red waving 2024 please.

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I have been saying all long that we need to change the focus to the ticket and the record not the person. Harris is stronger with Biden than on her own, currently.

The R's are already starting a birther movement against her. Four weeks does not allow enough time to clean up the likely mud fest planned by the Rs. Let's let that lie package get out there and clean it up after 2025.

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Ron DeSantis banning any mention of climate change reminds me of King Canute, who ruled England from 1017 to 1035, ordering the tide to recede, but with one key difference. Canute knew that nature would not obey him; he was demonstrating to his subjects the limits of his powers. But DeSantis seems not to know that, or in a childish fit of pique, can't accept it.

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Best ever description of DeSantis.

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Why suddenly NYT changed its tune? Very much surprised? Tks

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The Times could have written this piece eight years ago, but the pull of a local-boy-makes-good story was irresistible.

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Which raises the question: why DIDN’T they publish that piece eight years ago? Hmmmm…

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They haven’t. They are still rolling out the barrage of stories casting doubt on Biden’s mental capacity. The editorial and lead story about Project 2025 are a good start. Now they have to clean up the rest of their act.

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I think we all need to understand that given the breadth & depth of anti-Biden bs, the relentlessness of it, the numerous directions from which it comes, the fact that so many comments everywhere are articulated & phrased in ways that Americans do not use, it is coming through nefarious manipulation through/from unidentified sources. Perhaps through bribery, blackmail or infiltrators put in place for just this purpose. Trump himself said after 1/6/21 that "we" have people everywhere, in state & even local governments, in business, the media, everywhere, waiting for the right time. This was not

reported in the news. The only place you could see it was on 'X'.

One observant person thought it was interesting that only governors had not been heard from regarding Biden. Believe me when I say republican governors will make some sort of overt move regarding the election. How can the courts allow criminally charged fake electors to go to the convention? How corrupt is the judicial system when free reign is so easily allowed & those involved are not punished? At least Biden himself is talking about 2025.

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Look east towards St. Petersburg, Shannon. They are no doubt working overtime.

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"The Democrats need to suck it up, unite behind Biden, and do what it takes to reel his a** across the finish line" - Michael Steele on Ari Melber.

It could not be better said, and coming from a very experienced organizer who has dealt with candidates such as W who were thought unelectable, it's good advice.

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We will unite behind any Democrat who is breathing!

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Here's my prepared question to ask Thom for the Zoom meeting. Didn't get to me, but I prefer leaving a comment anyway. What do you think of this? Get Biden in front of public more. Have press releases with him at a table with a teleprompter with VP Harris along with experts. Show charts and graphs. Have Team Biden written across the table. Another thing.

Give millions permission to vote for the Democratic party. On the issue of abortion, don't try to restore Roe, but to have women rights nationwide such as abortions with a good reason. Legal birth control & IVF, free births and greater dependent tax credits.

To expand on that more, the more the public can see Biden where he's comfortable and in control the more it will help him. Karine Jean-Pierre could be the main spokesperson. Biden and Harris could give statements. Experts on the particular subject of the day could also make comments. A data person can state the actual numbers and show charts and graphs that show actual data in response to Fox disinformation. Biden can say he works as a team and his team will defeat Trump and dictatorship.

There're millions of people who vote Republican only because of the abortion issue. If we campaign to restore Roe, millions will feel that they must vote for Trump. Roe has been overturned. Let's campaign to get basic rights for women nationwide, allow abortions in cases such as rape, incest, life and health of the woman and for underage girls. Allow low-cost birth control and IVF and help financially women with children. Let's get improvements in birth control so there are fewer unexpected pregnancies. If in the long run, people want to restore Roe, that may be an issue for later years, but in this election cycle as a first step let's get basic women rights nationwide, allow everyone to feel comfortable voting for Biden and defeat Trump and dictatorship.

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Sounds like a plan! :)

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Doug--Some good ideas and I hope it did come up in the Ask Thom Anything.

Those that dwell on Biden's use of notes have fairly obviously not worked with any senior leaders in organizations. At one time I was one of the script writers for a CEO of a multinational. EVERYTHING external was scripted and rehearsed. The financial and reputational risks to a corporation of off-script remarks are just too great.

Biden is just operating as do any responsible CEOs of major organizations.

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I am thrilled that Biden has asked to make voting a right. I've always been amazed that voting was not a right & wondered why it wasn't made a right during the civil rights years. I frankly think it should be mandatory. Since we no longer have mandatory selective service there should be some requirement in place to being a citizen. Even my republican husband thinks that's a good idea...but wait! He's well aware of the republican effort to as we call it "dumb down" the schools. If education can be restored to its former glory he'd change his tune, I know.

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The State: we want to take away that man's guns.

The Courts: DENIED.

The State: we wanna take away that man's vote.

The Courts: (PFFT.)

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I buy none of the anally clenched conclusion that only Biden can run, which carries with it the inevitable remora that only Biden can win. Another pundit commented that MAGA's current lead is due not so much to Trump's strength but to Biden's weaknesses. Eliminate Biden, eliminate the negatively contributive weaknesses. The notion that it too late is just so much conjecture. Seems to be passed on without credible source

verification, like the old rumor game, from one seat to another, growing both in repetitive reinforcement suggesting a center while growing in deceptive compounding distortions. The only energy the tribal Biden political apparatus is spending now is directed to the larger Blue political structure , none against the currently grinning MAGA force. The center of the contending voice--ignoring things like policy--is the Biden family itself. Their extraordinary self-assertive, self-serving ambitions have become a travesty exposed by ego excess. With Biden, harness removed, put to pasture, the pure sweet voice of change can emerge. The change needed is deeper than many realize. Remember Obama, confounding all stricktured projections, coming our of nowhere like a sudden dazzling sunrise. First remove Biden, refuting his comments that only he or God can do so. File that claim under megalomania.

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AMEN

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Thom, I know we are all fearful but my fear does not come from Biden. trump, in his mob-boss like way has terrorized our nations (yes more than one nation!) with his arrogant, violent threats to anyone who oppose him. Now he threatens us with destruction of our Democracy. Some in his base carry out his threats so he has plausible deniability but he eggs them on to do his will none the less. We are all being terrorized and are fearful of his winning because republicans lie, cheat, steal votes, suppress votes, stage coups, and they take voters off rolls with no consequences. The republicans take us to court to make it harder for us to vote. Thanks to Marc Elias and Eric Holder, they are able to swat them back some but they keep coming, they don't quit. Now the not-so-supreme court has been increasingly corrupted and three of the justices lied about precedence to get onto the court. It is terrifying now that they are saying donald has complete immunity.

I am wondering if President Biden was having problems getting words out as he is a stutterer and has been for a long time. When they are tired or sick, word fluency is impacted. When donald peppered lies at him with the speed of a bumstock-gun mouth, not caring if it was truthful or not, I think it was hard for Biden to confront all the lies in the time frame needed. donald went at his son also, he hits below the belt. donald did not answer monitor's questions or debate issues, he just negatively attacked Biden and his son. The moderators should also have adjusted President Biden's mic, it sounded like it was not working adequately. If we are not debating issues and facts to get at the truth, what are we doing debates for? We have known about President Biden's age, his stuttering which he has had for years but controls it most times. He presented a master-class in foreign policy at his press conference and a NYT pundent on MSNBC said something negative about it. Sorry but I was impressed with his deep knowledge and grasp of the real issues. I am impressed with his empathy and love of our country, love of middle class and the poor. He should not have to be subjected to the likes of trump but he is willing to stay in the fight even though there are those who are trying to knock him down. Those wanting him off the ticket are ignoring the millions of voters who voted for him in the primaries. The polls are not always right and the press never covers President Biden. I have to try to find his speeches on the internet, the only reason they cover him now is to catch him in his "gaffe" for political reasons. At least they are starting to cover his speeches! Fridays speech in Michigan was tremendous! I know he stutters sometimes, I've known it for years, it will not distract me from the authoritarian con man in our midst trying to destroy our system of government. We should also explain to people what privatization has been doing to our country. republicans want to privatize everything because they want to profitize from every pot of money they can get their greedy hands on like our US Treasury (their tax cuts raise the deficit then Dems have to pay it down). Those trying to get Pres. Biden off the ticket should have researched how to do it within the process and time frame we have left. Who will step up and who will vote for the candidate. Will voters who voted for Biden still have a say in the new pick? Did those concerned about Biden think this thru before giving republican and the right-wing press fodder to kneecap the Democratic campaign? I don't think Pres. Biden is doing this out of ego, I think he truly believes it is best for the country to stay in the fight. I'm backing Biden! He has had our backs, like he had President Obama's back all those years. I haven't heard anything from President Obama yet! The republicans know how to swift-boat our candidates (Kerry, Hillary, Gore (the supreme court) and now they're trying it with main-street media, the internet and rich donors. unjust roberts let in all the grifting con men, and Pacs with citizens united (legislation from the bench). I can't give as much as the rich donors but I hope our votes are enough to say AMERICA IS NOT FOR SALE!

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Don't worry about the fake electors Thom! We have Garland and Biden protecting democracy/S. What could go wrong?

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Oh my …..

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Calling BS on Biden. He continually says he needs to "finish the job". He's the only one? Doesn't that sound like ego?

The projects he implemented are terrific, his message through his Presidency has been spot on, he stepped-up to get us through covid and helped us dodge the Trump bullet. BUT, he also said he would pass the torch. Now he is the old-fuck in the room you don't even want to see behind the wheel of a car much less running a nation! AND we do not owe him this considering his condition.

He never should have run, because he had it right. It IS time to pass the torch. He is not the only one that can finish the job. Truth is most of this "job" he speaks of came from a whole host of progressives and amazing activists from well over the last hundred years.  It takes so very very many people to get the job done.

Frankly, I hate writing any of this. I broke my cardinal rule of don't criticize Dems during a big election. If Joe survives the convention, he'll get my vote, but he won't have my respect. I don't like people that end-up believing their own BS.

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Thanks, Thom. There are issues to contend with for sure. I just have to quote Biden on Trump, you have the morals of a alleycat. I think that is widespread in the Republican Party. Widespread! Thanks again Thom.

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Regarding Biden dropping out of the race and being replaced by Kamala, I will vote for and support whoever is nominated. However, I'm concerned about the effect of Biden's lapses on the election, but what concerns me even more is his refusal to engage with the people who want him replaced. He has been unwilling to listen to people's concerns and fears. Also, he has stated many times that he is convinced he is the best person to beat Trump, but I for one would like to hear him tell us why.

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