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This may be the single best explanation of American politics, corrupted by the conservative governing body of ultra wealthy far right corporations and individuals.

The fantasy that Republicans will keep America as a freedom loving country is a sham.

They have strangled the economy, minority populations and non wealthy individuals.

They’ve abducted the media and insist that they repeat the lies of these individuals and corporations.

Its a blatant show of dismal regard for what America was founded on and for.

The question I have asked over and over again, why do we believe any of the rights lies?

Further more , why do their followers worship these false figure heads? Religion may be the opiate of the masses.

But lies are the basis for all their false propaganda

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Oct 19, 2022Liked by Thom Hartmann

A very clear way to see the issue, though Kristi Noem is the Governor of South Dakota. Having worked in that state's government under an earlier administration, which eventually kicked me out for being too liberal, I can say that it is a hard right state. The biggest city, Sioux Falls, is slightly more liberal, but it's in the minority.

In any case, to answer the last question, "how much longer", I can ask how long people follow any con. The answer is until they run out of money, though once in a while they will realize that they've been had. But it takes an awful lot for people to admit that they were wrong, especially when they have invested so much in being right.

And in an America where so many voters believe their groups and the country are losing power because of "outside forces" it is very hard to enter the scary world of thinking for oneself. Then they also have to accept that, for better or worse, things are changing outside of their control.

Putin, not having to deal with an alternative media, know how to play this gave very well, but it works here too if you don't listen to anyone else. I have some very conservative friends and have found that it doesn't matter how many facts are laid out, they will smile and laugh them off. Perhaps we're all like that in one way or another, carrying around our own paradigms, but as you say the Republicans have done a good job of weaponizing this way of thinking.

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I second Patricia's opening sentence. This "Report" clearly and concisely explains the "Decline and Fall?" of the reigning champion of Democracy in the world. Can we rise from the canvass and punch our way back into the fight? We can and we must!

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Rule of Threes, following the excellent advice from Thom Hartmann:

1) G reedy

2) O ld

3) P erverts

may the fates save US all, b.rad

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In the UK:

"My son has lived through four chancellors, three home secretaries, two prime ministers and two monarchs.

He's four months old."

https://twitter.com/Alan_McGuinness/status/1582780559989739522?s=20&t=q-5eTI6Jpy62oBgZicidjQ

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Everything the Republicans put out there is a con to bamboozle the electorate into thinking that that the Republicans have all the answers to “making America great again “. The fact that super unqualified Republican candidates are neck in neck in some states with serious (willing to do the work of governing ) Dem opponents tells us all we need to know about the lack of critical thinking and laziness (should I say stupid?) of the electorate. The reporting of statements by many Republicans of ending entitlement programs, women’s determination of their reproductive health and blowing up the debt ceiling which would put the economy into a death spiral should scare the crap ( sorry) out of all Americans. But no, many still vote for the lying, unprincipled scum that propose anti democracy propaganda and fear mongering “ of the non-white “ soon to be majority. I despair that America is in a downward spiral with the crazies soon to be in charge if Americans don’t pay attention.

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Just one comment, why else would the NaziRepublican Party hire actors? They want a distraction, and if the actor siphons off a little of the grift, OK, but just a little.

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In a largely highly unregulated capitalistic society, what a surprise that those at the top--the capitalists--have both the money and the power....eh? Since money is the lifeblood of the system and powers the oligarchs and corporations, they virtually control everything. So you're right, Thom, that our media is largely owned and controlled by the capitalists--and so it is especially hard for anyone else to break through their hold on the information the general public receives. We small-d

democrats who want a fairer, more equitable society seem to be blinded, however, by the example set by the capitalists--that everything depends on MONEY. We now have an alternative system that requires very little money as nearly everyone invests in it already--cyberspace accessed by our cellphones, laptops, etc. Daily I receive between 100-150 emails asking for money from candidates for office across the country. That's all. Just MONEY. No attempt to interact and achieve consensus.

No attempt to educate and share values, means, and goals. Just MONEY. Everyone is buying into the notion that MONEY is required to play the game, It isn't. We have this virtually "free" access to everyone--the each other-- via our cyberspace technology. Why aren't we using it? Our congressional representatives could establish and maintain direct contact with their constituents and forego the MONEY trap when it comes to election / re-election time.

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It's a gift to be able to see the big picture, so thanks for your years of effort to share it with us, Thom.

The movement of wealth to the top has enabled the repression of workers and now the attempts to claw-back voting and civil rights.

Still, I refuse to be disheartened. The one area where we are not poor is information. That's the enemy of the con-man. We just need to use our information more effectively.

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"A man of courage never needs weapons, but he may need bail."

- Lewis Mumford, writer and philosopher (19 Oct 1895 - 1990)

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I'm amazed that I turned out as free-thinking as I did. I was raised in Florida in the Boomer years - 50's till I left (at any cost!) to the Southeast with my Army officer husband. But then I got a tiny little taste of Hawaii on an R&R - and divorced the "Army" and tasted real freedom of speech, thought, a bit of racism (directed at me!) in Hawaii for a decade. Ultimately I knew exactly where I wanted to live and BE - Colorado and have been here close to 40 years. I know a few Republicans, but they're easy to avoid in a Trifecta Blue State - governor, sec. of state, state legislature, 2 Dem senators, and only one House member a ReThug. It's almost way too easy to live here and just enjoy our democracy. BUT this year, we are fighting for our small "d" democracy. Trump POISONED this country - and I don't know how long it will take to detox from his waste dump.

I'm poor as a churchmouse because I went through a big, long health disaster, nearly losing my life - before I transferred to Cleveland clinic (because we can DO that here - unlike in Canada) to get my life-saving transplant. So, in a way, I don't mind being poor (well, mostly, kinda) because my life is filled with the truth, integrity, and honest politicians on MY side. Thanks for all you do, Thom Hartmann! And thanks for John Oliver - who absolutely nailed the argument for all trans kids and adults.

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re the Republican National Debt: A Dem national committee is on this! ( Stabenow & Booker leaders )

Who reported it? Some modification of nobody. See graph . . . wish I could include it.

( .gov web site ) <https://www.democrats.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/Just%20the%20Facts%20-%20Republicans%20Create%20Huge%20Deficits.pdf>

Just the Facts: Republicans Create Huge Deficits

President Trump and Senate Republicans promised to reduce the national debt. Instead, it grew by $7.2 trillion in four years under President Trump.

Graphs show per pres, Clinton, Bush, Obama, Turd . . . shows Turd ( Don T ) presided over 30% of the national debt as of the treasonous end of that huge mistake . . . b.rad

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Giving rich people tax cuts is dumber than irrigating the ocean. -- b.rad

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ps one thing, per your reporting and others:

We need to start calling it the Republican National Debt -- maybe you already did . . .

pps the National Debt Clock is a lie, using facts. We have $135 Trillion in net household wealth. $135T - $31T => way solvent, more than $100T.

Bill Gates has credit cards He is *not* in debt. -- b.rad

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I have always agreed with almost everything Thom writes, and I'm a big fan. But I vehemently disagree with one point here. I firmly oppose trans women competing in men's sports. I do not support any kind of discrimination against transgender people, but segregating men's and women's sports has been a standard in the world for centuries. I don't think this should be an issue for young kids, as prior to puberty boys have no or very little advantage over girls. But after puberty, men have a huge advantage (average 11% over women at the elite level).

The arguments for trans women in men's sports are weak; the main one is that there are few cases of this happening. This should always have the qualifier "so far" when the argument is made, but it never does. But beyond the likelihood that there will be many more in the future, the fact now that every egregious case like Lia Thomas hurts a woman, sometimes substantially. It is unacceptable to me that a girl may start training at a young age and work hard throughout her youth to gain skill and strength in a sport, and then when their dreams are close to being realized, they get trashed by a male athlete who decided they wanted to be female. It may be a rare event, but so is polygamy, but we prohibit that - we outlaw many activities and behaviors in our society that may actually occur very rarely.

The other main argument is that trans women take estrogen and other hormones and drugs which reduces muscle mass. That is true, but muscle mass is not the only difference between men and women. Men are, on average, bigger, stronger, faster than women, and that entails bone structure and size, muscle length, lung capacity. And in sports like swimming, longer arms, legs, feet, and hands, all of which contribute to speed in the water. The fact is that elite men athletes outperform elite female athletes by an average of 11%, ranging from about 6% to 45% depending on the sport. After two years of hormone treatments, Lia Thomas's performance was only off about 2.5% from her male performances. But she retained enough of here male advantage to deny the fastest cis woman victory, and to deny another woman of a place on the team.

I can see allowing trans girls to compete with boys prior to puberty. In much of America girls are allowed to compete with boys today. Some of my youth football games were against girls, even a girl quarterback. But after puberty, and especially if she has previously competed in men's sports, trans women should only be allowed to compete in men's sports. But we probably will not be able to come to a solution like that, because we can't even have a conversation about it. The right has screwed up this debate by enacting bans and restrictions against transgenders in general, which is horrible. And the left immediately attacks my arguments, for example, as simply me being transphobic. Thom doesn't go that far, but he says it is due to corporations using this issue as another wedge for power. That may actually be true, but it does not alter the details of the debate.

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Oh! No! Another "gateway" has opened up into the #Netherworld! ... "Sex, drugs, Rock n Roll!" and, now ... #Teetotalers-unite! ... #Gender-ID!

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