1. Donald is beyond insane; he's criminally insane
2. Many wanted a racist; they got one, but he's got mental-baggage
3. He may begin to target cars, as he does trawlers in the Caribbean Sea, if Putin says so.
#WILL he charge Putin's protection force the same rate as he does the Secret Service, when Putin spends sweet, sweet honeymoon nights w/ the mic-blower-in-chief at Mar-a-Lago?
In my estimation trump is the most successful criminal in U.S. history. Threaten the Don and get punished, stay in line or lose your livelihood. He's turned republican house and senate members into capos and soldiers for his use. And add in six members of the supreme court. He's used them successfully to block the release of the Epstein files and Jack Smith's classified documents investigation. Just as with Putin the money flows up to him and some flows down to fellow gang members. He can make you rich or ruin your life the GOP has made their choice.
It might be reassuring to keep in mind that Don Dementiano is ruthless, but dum as a doornail. It is his arrogant stupidity that always trips him up in the end. Diesel Don's Putin deal, a treasonous violation of federal law, was mocked for the fact that Trump arrogantly failed to even have an expert do the arithmetic on whether his treason would lower fuel prices - which it will not. However, it did confirm suspicions across the EU that America is no longer a trustworthy ally. We are not viewed by the rest of the world as a dangerous loose cannon.
I loved the story Voltaire passed down to us as fiction. Like much fiction, it's also fact.
It seems to me that many of the most public figures Trump is targeting have the moxie and the means to stand up to his vengeful and perhaps (given it's TRUMP, whose narcissism and sadism might make his actions at least somewhat personal) politically motivated barrage of lawsuits. But that doesn't mean the whole thing doesn't stink to high heaven. Right now I find myself also concerned with his approval of broadcasting a public execution by firing squad, which is barbaric and retrograde to the extreme, putting us in the company of the Taliban, Somalia and North Korea (only). I am reminded of Alexei Navalny, who stayed true and courageous until the end. Might be I should get a picture of him and light a candle to his spirit every day.
It's difficult to imagine the hellish future that Mr. Trump and his circle are itching for. Trump is mortal; only a few (mostly family) briefly sit behind his fire hose of vengefulness, with everyone else scrambling against slipping down the treacherous slope into disfavor and retribution. We see it daily as his loyalists do flip-flops to align with the emperor's declamations, hoping to succeed him (Rubio comes to mind). As the country crumbles, what happens to the flow of consumer-sourced wealth that feeds his billionaire enablers? Who would vote to live that way? This is Stalin's communism, yet Trumpies slander Democrats as being "communist".
Many in the generation that marched in Selma had no power, but resolved to choke the prisons with their bodies. Will those of us who have lived so much more comfortably do as well in resisting?
May many perceive this horror, then vote to disempower him while voting remains within our grasp.
Although I don't believe in space aliens. For the simple reason that to be able to perambulate on and live in this gravity and atmosphere, the alien would have to come from an identical planet, it does cross my mind that Trump is an alien or possessed by one, because he is on a mission to destroy this planet and all mammalian life,and the best way to do that is to take over and destroy America and democracy, and he is doing a yeomans job if that is his goal.
Other than that, with the exception of you Thom, readers of Thom, fellow travelers. the innocents , and myself, the rest of the country.deserve Trump and all that follows.
MAGAts will eat their own shit, unfortunately you and I and fellow travelers will have that shit shoved down our throats.
Why aren't the (do-nothing) Democrats screaming their heads off, pounding their shoes and having a fit in congress over this outrageous insult? Every one of them!!! AND, why haven't they tried to DEFUND ICE? THIS IS THE TIME TO DO SOMETHING! All should march down to the Republican chair's office and stand there and scream! There is no HIGH ROAD position to this.
Trump is a stereotypical racketeer. He leads via extortion, not by trust of the led. "Do what I say or I will f-ck you up." Trump will sue you into bankruptcy with legal fees before you ever have a trial, eventually losing 70% of those that do make it to trial, according to NYT. He will publicly accuse you of malfeasance without proof - guilty until proven innocent. Like all MAGAs, unpalatable or disparaging facts about them are lies, whereas their lies to dismiss your accusations of corruption as baseless are, as Kelly Conway put it; "alternative facts." The goal of all racketeers is to exploit by bullying.
Once in power, racketeers can and do weaponize government to enrich themselves and crush opposition to their rule. It is ironic that MAGAs have begun to accuse Democrats of weaponizing government by trying to get Trump to obey court orders and the law (like the Graham law he signed banning fuel purchases from Russia). Just look at the number of cases that Trump brought that failed to get indictments, were tossed out of court, or were lost in court.
The Trump regime constantly inverts and subverts reality and projects their criminal habits on their critics, or anyone who is merely being honest and just. Thus, the most corrupt administration in history indicts and investigates innocent people for...corruption!
POSOTUS’S many, many victims should be generously compensated from his vast, ill-gotten wealth, the coffers of the RNC, and, finally, federal treasury, in that order. Democratic leaders who fail to aggressively, loudly, forcefully pursue justice should appropriately be seen as spinelessly abetting Repugnican crimes and expelled from their positions. The damage that’s been done is incalculable, its perpetrators deserving of the harshest penalties. Failure to respond accordingly will constitute tacit approval.
What you are proposing might seem like justice, but it also is not that different from how Trump has weaponized our justice system. Bill Maher and several others have reminded their viewers that Democrats will bomb in 2028 if they act like MAGAs once in the majority come January (assuming Trump does not trigger another revolutionary war).
My friend, I must respectfully disagree. POSOTUS’S weaponization is entirely based on lies, fantasies, “retribution”, and grandstanding, whereas the Dem case has nothing but facts about very serious crimes. The “advice” of Maher and anyone else in support of prioritizing appearances over justice is both cowardly and counterproductive. (Take Merrick Garland, please). We won’t cure cancer with aspirin. As an aside, Bill Maher’s counsel is of dubious value in any case.
I am not arguing that your facts are wrong. But politics is about people trusting their government. I would not want a Nuremberg-type event to cause voters to put another Trump in the WH in 2028. What if the next MAGA POTUS really had an IQ above 130? Trump's stupidity is what undermines his corruption. The crimes can be pursued in court without dominating the MSM.
While I often find Maher to be expressing views incompatible with my worldview and values, that does not justify ignoring advice that makes sense. Impeach Trump, then convict a few high-profile staff, and that might cause the rest of his clowncar to resign (probably wishful thinking on my part).
Adult message management on the part of Democratic “leaders” would be helpful. The war criminals and banksters of W.’s administration escaped justice for questionable reasons, none of which bolstered faith in government.
If the courts crack, the November election is stolen, and the felon in chief goes full on fascist (or moreso, rather), we all know there will be only one option. Who will take it, I don't know. But someone will. And that is terrible. It will mean the total end of our experiment, which was supposed to be a nation of laws, not men, not even those who mean well if they violate the law in their quest for what is otherwise right.
But can anyone think that people who don't agree with him will not get Stephen Miller's message that power is everything? Or that as Mao said, political power grows out of the barrel of a gun? Given our nation's history, I think not. If I were the people leading the abominable MAGA movement, I would think long and hard about that. Their people aren't the only ones with guns in this country. At some point, someone, maybe a lot of someones, will become desperate enough to throw caution to the winds. Like the French proletariat did in 1789, or the Russian one in 1917.
My preference would be a blue tsunami this coming month, then a beginning of making these people pay for their corruption, and a removal of them and their ilk from the Presidency in 2028, with reform of SCOTUS on the list there too. I can dream.
Hover and the FBI, did some this, with COINTELPRO. When I was about 19, the FBI visited my dad to warn him about my activities with the anti-Vietnam War movement to get him to intervene. I wasn't dissuaded and went on to work full-time for the anti-war movement and later for a socialist group. My experience was mild. The FBI COINTELPRO operation did a lot of undercover as well as overt activities to intimidate and prosecute movements against racism and the war. There were many victims. Activists for the civil rights movement and also Black Nationalism including Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, the Black Panther Party, SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) and more. The big antiwar coalitions. Organizations for Palestinian rights. Organizations for Native Americans like AIM (the American Indian Movement). SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) which Thom has talked about being part of. Nixon in particular seemed to step up the COINTELPRO operation and it began to be exposed in the press especially before and during the reporting of his undercover operation with Watergate.
I wrote a reply to this important essay, hit the wrong button and it disappeared. I will not even try to recreate my comment other than this - this criminal, fascist regime may believe they are on track to destroy our democracy lock stock and barrel but they are wrong! They did not count on two areas of resistance that are not backing down and continue to fight to save our democracy.
1) Our courts, where even judges appointed by the POS because of the perception they would be "loyal" to the regime are ruling against the illegal moves and tactics of DOJ, DOD and POTUS, and 2) they underestimated the grassroots resistance, which grows stronger every day across America. .
The main stream media, now owned by a handful of oligarchs, no loner exists. Yet, people and pundits keep waiting for the media to show outrage, disgust, demand transparency from the very people they support. This is NOT going to happen now or in the near future. Move on to independent journalists, papers like The Guardian, substack writers, etc.
The curtain has been pulled back to show that Putin controls what the POS says and does. But, like the Wizard of Oz, the POS is only as strong as we allow him to be. Show up at a No Kings 4 event near you on Saturday because there IS strength in numbers. Protest on a freeway overpass with a Visibility Brigade near you. VOTE EARLY and encourage others to do so. Drive people to the polls who need a ride. Volunteer as a poll worker or a poll watcher. Remember, there are more of us than of them! And, together we CAN and WILL save our country from fascism.
This is such an important essay. May the spirit of Navalny continue to inspire us all!
1. Donald is beyond insane; he's criminally insane
2. Many wanted a racist; they got one, but he's got mental-baggage
3. He may begin to target cars, as he does trawlers in the Caribbean Sea, if Putin says so.
#WILL he charge Putin's protection force the same rate as he does the Secret Service, when Putin spends sweet, sweet honeymoon nights w/ the mic-blower-in-chief at Mar-a-Lago?
#KIDDIE Rapists must ATONE
#VOTE for Strong Democrats
Yes Sir criminally insane and increasingly dangerous. Can't imagine he will accept election results ... coup # 2 on the way?
In my estimation trump is the most successful criminal in U.S. history. Threaten the Don and get punished, stay in line or lose your livelihood. He's turned republican house and senate members into capos and soldiers for his use. And add in six members of the supreme court. He's used them successfully to block the release of the Epstein files and Jack Smith's classified documents investigation. Just as with Putin the money flows up to him and some flows down to fellow gang members. He can make you rich or ruin your life the GOP has made their choice.
It might be reassuring to keep in mind that Don Dementiano is ruthless, but dum as a doornail. It is his arrogant stupidity that always trips him up in the end. Diesel Don's Putin deal, a treasonous violation of federal law, was mocked for the fact that Trump arrogantly failed to even have an expert do the arithmetic on whether his treason would lower fuel prices - which it will not. However, it did confirm suspicions across the EU that America is no longer a trustworthy ally. We are not viewed by the rest of the world as a dangerous loose cannon.
I loved the story Voltaire passed down to us as fiction. Like much fiction, it's also fact.
It seems to me that many of the most public figures Trump is targeting have the moxie and the means to stand up to his vengeful and perhaps (given it's TRUMP, whose narcissism and sadism might make his actions at least somewhat personal) politically motivated barrage of lawsuits. But that doesn't mean the whole thing doesn't stink to high heaven. Right now I find myself also concerned with his approval of broadcasting a public execution by firing squad, which is barbaric and retrograde to the extreme, putting us in the company of the Taliban, Somalia and North Korea (only). I am reminded of Alexei Navalny, who stayed true and courageous until the end. Might be I should get a picture of him and light a candle to his spirit every day.
Thanks for the chilling, but necessary, reminder of how dire the current situation really is.
It is very important to know the history -- both of repressive authoritarian regimes, and how and when they were broken.
Equally essential is that we show up -- with our voices, with our protests, in our conversations.
However, if the captive media doesn't cover it, doesn't show up to do their constitutional designed function, it will matter not.
It's difficult to imagine the hellish future that Mr. Trump and his circle are itching for. Trump is mortal; only a few (mostly family) briefly sit behind his fire hose of vengefulness, with everyone else scrambling against slipping down the treacherous slope into disfavor and retribution. We see it daily as his loyalists do flip-flops to align with the emperor's declamations, hoping to succeed him (Rubio comes to mind). As the country crumbles, what happens to the flow of consumer-sourced wealth that feeds his billionaire enablers? Who would vote to live that way? This is Stalin's communism, yet Trumpies slander Democrats as being "communist".
Many in the generation that marched in Selma had no power, but resolved to choke the prisons with their bodies. Will those of us who have lived so much more comfortably do as well in resisting?
May many perceive this horror, then vote to disempower him while voting remains within our grasp.
Although I don't believe in space aliens. For the simple reason that to be able to perambulate on and live in this gravity and atmosphere, the alien would have to come from an identical planet, it does cross my mind that Trump is an alien or possessed by one, because he is on a mission to destroy this planet and all mammalian life,and the best way to do that is to take over and destroy America and democracy, and he is doing a yeomans job if that is his goal.
Other than that, with the exception of you Thom, readers of Thom, fellow travelers. the innocents , and myself, the rest of the country.deserve Trump and all that follows.
MAGAts will eat their own shit, unfortunately you and I and fellow travelers will have that shit shoved down our throats.
Do they wear orange make-up?
Why aren't the (do-nothing) Democrats screaming their heads off, pounding their shoes and having a fit in congress over this outrageous insult? Every one of them!!! AND, why haven't they tried to DEFUND ICE? THIS IS THE TIME TO DO SOMETHING! All should march down to the Republican chair's office and stand there and scream! There is no HIGH ROAD position to this.
Trump is a stereotypical racketeer. He leads via extortion, not by trust of the led. "Do what I say or I will f-ck you up." Trump will sue you into bankruptcy with legal fees before you ever have a trial, eventually losing 70% of those that do make it to trial, according to NYT. He will publicly accuse you of malfeasance without proof - guilty until proven innocent. Like all MAGAs, unpalatable or disparaging facts about them are lies, whereas their lies to dismiss your accusations of corruption as baseless are, as Kelly Conway put it; "alternative facts." The goal of all racketeers is to exploit by bullying.
Once in power, racketeers can and do weaponize government to enrich themselves and crush opposition to their rule. It is ironic that MAGAs have begun to accuse Democrats of weaponizing government by trying to get Trump to obey court orders and the law (like the Graham law he signed banning fuel purchases from Russia). Just look at the number of cases that Trump brought that failed to get indictments, were tossed out of court, or were lost in court.
The Trump regime constantly inverts and subverts reality and projects their criminal habits on their critics, or anyone who is merely being honest and just. Thus, the most corrupt administration in history indicts and investigates innocent people for...corruption!
POSOTUS’S many, many victims should be generously compensated from his vast, ill-gotten wealth, the coffers of the RNC, and, finally, federal treasury, in that order. Democratic leaders who fail to aggressively, loudly, forcefully pursue justice should appropriately be seen as spinelessly abetting Repugnican crimes and expelled from their positions. The damage that’s been done is incalculable, its perpetrators deserving of the harshest penalties. Failure to respond accordingly will constitute tacit approval.
What you are proposing might seem like justice, but it also is not that different from how Trump has weaponized our justice system. Bill Maher and several others have reminded their viewers that Democrats will bomb in 2028 if they act like MAGAs once in the majority come January (assuming Trump does not trigger another revolutionary war).
My friend, I must respectfully disagree. POSOTUS’S weaponization is entirely based on lies, fantasies, “retribution”, and grandstanding, whereas the Dem case has nothing but facts about very serious crimes. The “advice” of Maher and anyone else in support of prioritizing appearances over justice is both cowardly and counterproductive. (Take Merrick Garland, please). We won’t cure cancer with aspirin. As an aside, Bill Maher’s counsel is of dubious value in any case.
I am not arguing that your facts are wrong. But politics is about people trusting their government. I would not want a Nuremberg-type event to cause voters to put another Trump in the WH in 2028. What if the next MAGA POTUS really had an IQ above 130? Trump's stupidity is what undermines his corruption. The crimes can be pursued in court without dominating the MSM.
While I often find Maher to be expressing views incompatible with my worldview and values, that does not justify ignoring advice that makes sense. Impeach Trump, then convict a few high-profile staff, and that might cause the rest of his clowncar to resign (probably wishful thinking on my part).
Adult message management on the part of Democratic “leaders” would be helpful. The war criminals and banksters of W.’s administration escaped justice for questionable reasons, none of which bolstered faith in government.
Trump and his fellow travelers are smily following the playbook and his coach, Putin.
If the courts crack, the November election is stolen, and the felon in chief goes full on fascist (or moreso, rather), we all know there will be only one option. Who will take it, I don't know. But someone will. And that is terrible. It will mean the total end of our experiment, which was supposed to be a nation of laws, not men, not even those who mean well if they violate the law in their quest for what is otherwise right.
But can anyone think that people who don't agree with him will not get Stephen Miller's message that power is everything? Or that as Mao said, political power grows out of the barrel of a gun? Given our nation's history, I think not. If I were the people leading the abominable MAGA movement, I would think long and hard about that. Their people aren't the only ones with guns in this country. At some point, someone, maybe a lot of someones, will become desperate enough to throw caution to the winds. Like the French proletariat did in 1789, or the Russian one in 1917.
My preference would be a blue tsunami this coming month, then a beginning of making these people pay for their corruption, and a removal of them and their ilk from the Presidency in 2028, with reform of SCOTUS on the list there too. I can dream.
Hover and the FBI, did some this, with COINTELPRO. When I was about 19, the FBI visited my dad to warn him about my activities with the anti-Vietnam War movement to get him to intervene. I wasn't dissuaded and went on to work full-time for the anti-war movement and later for a socialist group. My experience was mild. The FBI COINTELPRO operation did a lot of undercover as well as overt activities to intimidate and prosecute movements against racism and the war. There were many victims. Activists for the civil rights movement and also Black Nationalism including Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, the Black Panther Party, SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) and more. The big antiwar coalitions. Organizations for Palestinian rights. Organizations for Native Americans like AIM (the American Indian Movement). SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) which Thom has talked about being part of. Nixon in particular seemed to step up the COINTELPRO operation and it began to be exposed in the press especially before and during the reporting of his undercover operation with Watergate.
I wrote a reply to this important essay, hit the wrong button and it disappeared. I will not even try to recreate my comment other than this - this criminal, fascist regime may believe they are on track to destroy our democracy lock stock and barrel but they are wrong! They did not count on two areas of resistance that are not backing down and continue to fight to save our democracy.
1) Our courts, where even judges appointed by the POS because of the perception they would be "loyal" to the regime are ruling against the illegal moves and tactics of DOJ, DOD and POTUS, and 2) they underestimated the grassroots resistance, which grows stronger every day across America. .
The main stream media, now owned by a handful of oligarchs, no loner exists. Yet, people and pundits keep waiting for the media to show outrage, disgust, demand transparency from the very people they support. This is NOT going to happen now or in the near future. Move on to independent journalists, papers like The Guardian, substack writers, etc.
The curtain has been pulled back to show that Putin controls what the POS says and does. But, like the Wizard of Oz, the POS is only as strong as we allow him to be. Show up at a No Kings 4 event near you on Saturday because there IS strength in numbers. Protest on a freeway overpass with a Visibility Brigade near you. VOTE EARLY and encourage others to do so. Drive people to the polls who need a ride. Volunteer as a poll worker or a poll watcher. Remember, there are more of us than of them! And, together we CAN and WILL save our country from fascism.