Following Donald Trump’s town hall with Fox’s Sean Hannity last week, J.D. Vance posted this on X, formerly Twitter: No, J.D. We shouldn’t “take a chill pill.” As I keep saying — and will continue to say — we need to take Donald Trump’s comments about being a dictator “for one day” seriously in order to defeat him in 2024. More on that here:
Vance’s apology for Trump is only surpassed by Susan Collins saying “ I think he’s learned his lesson” when she refused to vote him out during impeachment.
Another good one from Collins was when she said she believed that Roe was “settled law”— at the same time they didn’t let the FBI do what is does, vet these people and make it public. Had they just looked into the backgrounds of Barret or Kavanaugh it would have revealed much-needed information on these fools backgrounds.
In Fairness to Collins (and I am no fan ) the 3 Justices trump appointed all lied under oath. - I guess when they were all asked the question, whether ROE was settled law ...?
and they said YES - Perhaps the follow up question should have been ..do YOU see a scenario where ROE would be overturned or sent back to the States. No one asked that question, that I remember? but then again ..Who is going to go after a Seated Justice after the fact? I am sick of all the LYING ..Lying to get a seat/ Lying to keep a seat / Lying to get elected ..ENOUGH ..I want the 99.9% honest Party.
That is the issue with MOST of this. To give someone (let alone the Leader of our Nation) the OK to lie...what is that......then we have all the misinformation AND corruption... no surprise we are here. Then add all the r’s that allowed it in the 1st place and not one person called him on it. However, it galls me to no end that most of the r’s denied their “Oath of Office” on the impeachment process (2 x’s). It goes on and on, 😢🇺🇸
There is a "surprise we are here." That surprise is that we have a player called "disinformation" which is actually not the same as "misinformation." "Disinformation" is given by someone who has intent to tell a lie, whereas "misinformation" may be given by someone who is confused and says something which turned out to be inaccurate and later recognized as mistaken with apologies tendered.
All of us "speak off the top of our heads” from time to time so I would be very happy if our leaders were just 95% truthful. After all, there are certain military secrets that no layperson should know, and probably a few other things.
I think we can all agree that we are not privy to knowing everything ! But as an example , when congressmen and senators have been corrected by news reporting- facts, etc... for them to continue to lie ? Is Diabolical
Collins has always been unreliable. She makes statements early on, on an issue that may be in opposition to the Republican position but falls in line when it’s time to vote.
The one exception was when she refused to get rid of Obamacare. I remember because I was on it at the time. Now I am on Medicare. McCain was still alive and his vote was the final Republican vote that saved it.
Yeah, She’s done that so many times I hope the voters in her district have had enough of that & are smart enough to vote for whatever Democrat runs against her.
I do not know which disturbs me more, Trump calling out being a dictator or Mike Johnson declaring himself anointed by God. And then there is JD Vance telling the world to "chill". Between Trump the monster, Johnson the heretic and Vance the blowhard we are looking down a tunnel where there is only darkness; total, unfettered darkness.
There has been no greater destructive force AGAINST our country, than Donald Trump. FULL STOP. When I see Hannity, or anyone else interview him for that matter, I always wonder why, what’s the point? He’s quite possibly the biggest pathological liar on the planet (up there with George Santos) so why bother asking him anything; whatever spews out of his orange lips won’t come close to resembling the “truth”. And for Trump to respond to Hannity’s question that he’d be a dictator “only on day one”??? Who’s he kidding, - and who would be dumb enough to believe that? What Trump absolutely meant by that was: “BEGINNING on day one”...he’ll BE a dictator. “Dictator for a day”....yeah, right.
It seems surreal that he can state he will tear down the constitution yet if elected he would need to swear on a bible to uphold it. Maybe it’s his upside down bible?
There is another "destructive force AGAINST our country" which is greater than Donald Trump. That force is the American voters who believe everything that Trump says. Mentally ill individuals exist at all times in every country but there are seldom vast multitudes of people who follow them. To see examples Google "Examples of Mass Hysteria."
Let us not get tangled up in parsing whether one day really means just one day. Instead, look at everything else that requires no speculation because Trump clearly told us what he means; Trump has told us the dictatorial acts he will do throughout his second term, such as eliminating much of the Civil Service in favor of patronage positions, hiring federal employees who will be loyal to him, placing DOJ under his personal control, arranging trumped-up (double meaning intended) charges against Joe Biden and other Americans who loyally served our country, pardoning those convicted of J6 crimes, and lots of other horrid acts. THOSE show that he intends to be a dictator.
There are two types of Loyalty: One type is Loyalty to an idea such as the U. S. Constitution. Another type is Loyalty to an individual (such as Donald J. Trump).
Two loyalties cannot be equal; one has to be stronger than the other. Trump wants officers under him to be more loyal to him than to the Constitution. Trump wants patronage (which History teaches usually leads to corruption).
Yes. Donald Dumpsterfire wants to be a dictator...when he grows up. Meanwhile, he just keeps whining and throwing all caps tantrums. Poor little guy. If things keep going like this his hair could turn white from anger and his face turn orange with rage and maybe he'll just explode into a 250 pounds of blubber, melt down and give us all a break. Keep it up Dumpy.
His appearance is already deteriorating - like the “picture of Dorian Grey” is beginning to actually appear on him as his court appearances proceed and his lies in public multiply.
He told us who he is in 2016 on public TV during the debates. And STILL they don’t believe...!! He TOLD a national audience that he wouldn’t accept an election loss. Yet he won anyway!! People voted for him ☹️
In 2018, TFG praised Xi when he got rid of the two-term presidency and declared himself leader for life. "Maybe we'll have to give that a shot some day," TFG said, to roars from his fans. It scared me then and scares me even more now. Because he would try and do it. But there are checks and balances in the constitution that call for many hoops to be jumped through before it could happen. Oh, yeah, that's right, he wants to suspend the constitution, too. Why oh why do people support this monster?
no one should ever shrug off what trump jokes about.
He is a Foreshadower ..in everything he does .
there is a swath of people
who are coming out and saying "they are OKAY with Trump being a dictator" its what they want. They want EXTREME law and order. Women will have babies . No matter what.
There will be no room for LGBTQ -
there will be NO trans or Doctors that will perform procedures that will facilitate that.
I guess...that they will do away with inter-racial coupling ??
Education / our schools ..will be controlled and monitored - what you will learn, what you won't learn .. It will be Like back ward / inside out/ out side in / Upside down / down side up ...
BRAVE NEW WORLD ..it will be NEW to US, who originally grew up with FREEDOM ...Old people will just be in some facility ...Drooling . Talking to themselves about ...what happened???
Now wait a minute. There is the outcry here to not let up on calling Trump out, and the presumption that if everyone got it about the dictator thing they wouldn’t vote for him. Well, none of us would and we don’t need to hear the accusations again and again, but who says, even if Trumpers heard them, which is a question when they only come from our side, that they wouldn’t like what they hear? Are we so sure his supporters wouldn’t just love him to be their presumably benevolent dictator?
About JD Vance’s comment regarding violence. He’s “projecting”. I have been living among very “interesting” people the past few years. Accusing the other person of what you are actually doing is common. In fact they will even call it out and tell the other guy that he is “projecting”. J.D Vance is covering for the violence that has been threatened. But by doing it this way, he is also trying to get ahead of the what is coming when they actually try to do what is planned. I suspect the State Republican legislators are getting blowback from threatening a voter approved abortion rights bill. 400 Million guns and the Supreme Court loosened the regulations. JD is beginning to get nervous
Are Republicans who support Trump accurately deserving of the name "Conservatives?" A better name is Fascist. Why? The Fascisti used the fasces—a bundle of rods with an ax among them—as a symbol of the Italian people united and obedient to the single authority of the state. Trump obviously wants to take an ax to our Constitution.
Watching a Trump town hall has to be one of your worst job related activities. Personally, I would prefer stomach flu than endure the orange menace’s spectacles. Thank you for doing this for your subscribers. You truly are dedicated to the cause. Chapeau à vous, M. Schmidt. Vous êtes très apprécié.
I let him have it in the comments: "Pitiful ad hominem attacks of your own, Mr. Jenkins, without an ounce of persuasion, unworthy of the WSJ's (former) standards. You ignore the elephant in the room: Trump will not accept an election result unless he wins. He incited violence to try to stay in office, and only his vice president stood in his way. That vice president and members of Congress came within feet of being murdered by Trump's mob. Trump has stated that the Constitution should be suspended. His former chiefs of staff and other advisors say he should not be allowed near the Oval Office again. The fact that you poo-poo the threat to the nation reveals your own craven and unprincipled betrayal of American ideals. The WSJ should be ashamed to keep you on. Your views are certainly not "conservative."
And of course, my comment elicited a spate of more ad hominem attacks from the Trump cult, along with a few attaboys.
What scares me is that the Murdochs' influential WSJ, which pretty much abandoned Trump in 2020, initially tried to promote an alternative to him in the GOP for 2024, but now seeing that's failing, seems to be coming around to his inevitability as GOP nominee, but blaming Democrat prosecutors for Republicans' decision to support Trump's nomination. And then they publish daily attacks on Biden.
So much for the GOP being the party of "personal responsibility." What a crock.
We can not discuss "the Media" without knowing what it serves the purpose of, and what it came from, and then we will know what makes it so destructive to our society. The reasons involve the Trumpian iconic figure, what made types like him possible, and our entire economic system.
First, what are we standing for? What do we worship most? It is INDIVIDUALISM and CAPITALISM.
Trump is like no one else in all history-because AMERICA itself is like no one else in history, and America is what produced him. No other evil demagogues have been as dangerous for the world.
Trump himself is the ideal expression of what we Americans wordship: INDIVIDUALITY and OBSCENE WEALTH. The latter is what we all detest, but, Trump is the evil side of both of things, no matter how you look at it.. This is unlike any other time in history.
He also is the one thing -- THE ONLY THING-- America is based on: The Image Of Being A Self-Made Man... the loner, needing no one's help. Hollywood created much of this country utterly false image of itself, and he is the archetype of it; he one of the worshipped Titans of America's Unheard of Wealth...and too many Americans forget this, that-- that King Midas Wealth goes only to some tiny portion of our people..and it is the most unethically acquistive of us.
He is our perfect expression of the selfish dictator, and the opposite of a person or a nation caring for one another, and that is because he is the SUPREME EXPRESSION of our one thing we boast most about; our INDIVIDUALISM.. Our leaders from the right wing hushed us long ago into not working together in a COLLECTIVE way for the common good.. Our American soul is supported on the shoulders of capitalism.
Capitalism's glamour is founded on the CHANCE of becoming a baron of Industry, and it fits perfectly with being a "free" cowboy who flouts the laws, personifying the myth of the wild west man, the John Wayne who goes it alone.
We have always borrowed from the Jews for our Arts, since we as Puritans only brought church music and furniture crafts, despising all sins of expressing oneself too much. I was raised casually in religion as a negligent Protestant, and never benefitted from the solid educational upbring of a poltically wise, philosophical family, but I exhibited a definte talent at 4 years old and I entered the arts and through my endowed talents from the benefits of genetics gained my knowledge, such as it is, from the greatest artists in all the arts for all of history, from the globe.. I know what true success is; it is the HARD-WON expression of a love of beauty, for as the bard said; "Truth is beauty and beauty is truth", and thereby expressing beauty well and truly is also the expression of a love of the beauty in humanity, the altruistic helping of all humanity, and is not only paying the rent. I am concerned with daily events in international and in cosmopolitian life and political affairs, yet with one foot in the soil and oceans, thus not a typical American, although there are millions like me--it is just not the majority.
Here, the idea of being a success and "Making It" is not at all what I think it should be-instead, it is this: a Man can be a Man only by pulling up on his own boot straps without any help at all from society or neighbors, for only then can a person have been said to have "Made It " the right way, meaning they forget that it has been only through forms of collectivism-- meaning things done for us which we alone can not do, that without which, no one can even live or survive. But, in the minds of millions of Americans, IN THEIR MINDS, they think they built their own roads with a shovel and make their own asphalt, sunk their own wells for fresh water, self-educated themselves in the home needing no outside sources of information,, needed no emergeny help from hospitals when an accident happens, etc etc. That is our denial of collectivism; instead, too many will alwasy believe they are INDIVIDUALS needing no one!
Most Americans do not know what Altruism in our politics should be; I feel sure that it ought to be a nation with a completely thorough brotherly love, with a legislature in the constitution that would gaurantee help for others less fortunate through daily Legislation and sharing national wealth., automatically. Truly engaged Altruism has never been applied here.
We have despised collective behavior since we were founded, and so naturally the king pins of cruelty-the Industrialists--have taken over. They do not want us to think, and never did. That is why Steve Schmidt is right about the Media and its profit-driven, craven desires and commercials which need to distract us, but Mr. Schmidt is wrong in not calling out and recognizing that the source of the Media's flaws are in the very foundations of idiotic celebrations of INDIVIDUALISM and CAPITALISM.
Vance’s apology for Trump is only surpassed by Susan Collins saying “ I think he’s learned his lesson” when she refused to vote him out during impeachment.
Another good one from Collins was when she said she believed that Roe was “settled law”— at the same time they didn’t let the FBI do what is does, vet these people and make it public. Had they just looked into the backgrounds of Barret or Kavanaugh it would have revealed much-needed information on these fools backgrounds.
In Fairness to Collins (and I am no fan ) the 3 Justices trump appointed all lied under oath. - I guess when they were all asked the question, whether ROE was settled law ...?
and they said YES - Perhaps the follow up question should have been ..do YOU see a scenario where ROE would be overturned or sent back to the States. No one asked that question, that I remember? but then again ..Who is going to go after a Seated Justice after the fact? I am sick of all the LYING ..Lying to get a seat/ Lying to keep a seat / Lying to get elected ..ENOUGH ..I want the 99.9% honest Party.
That is the issue with MOST of this. To give someone (let alone the Leader of our Nation) the OK to lie...what is that......then we have all the misinformation AND corruption... no surprise we are here. Then add all the r’s that allowed it in the 1st place and not one person called him on it. However, it galls me to no end that most of the r’s denied their “Oath of Office” on the impeachment process (2 x’s). It goes on and on, 😢🇺🇸
There is a "surprise we are here." That surprise is that we have a player called "disinformation" which is actually not the same as "misinformation." "Disinformation" is given by someone who has intent to tell a lie, whereas "misinformation" may be given by someone who is confused and says something which turned out to be inaccurate and later recognized as mistaken with apologies tendered.
All of us "speak off the top of our heads” from time to time so I would be very happy if our leaders were just 95% truthful. After all, there are certain military secrets that no layperson should know, and probably a few other things.
I think we can all agree that we are not privy to knowing everything ! But as an example , when congressmen and senators have been corrected by news reporting- facts, etc... for them to continue to lie ? Is Diabolical
To Trump she is the gift that keeps giving.
Collins has always been unreliable. She makes statements early on, on an issue that may be in opposition to the Republican position but falls in line when it’s time to vote.
The one exception was when she refused to get rid of Obamacare. I remember because I was on it at the time. Now I am on Medicare. McCain was still alive and his vote was the final Republican vote that saved it.
Yeah, She’s done that so many times I hope the voters in her district have had enough of that & are smart enough to vote for whatever Democrat runs against her.
When someone tells you who they are—believe them. With Trump, it certainly is a rare thing when he tells the truth. It’s so rare!
I do not know which disturbs me more, Trump calling out being a dictator or Mike Johnson declaring himself anointed by God. And then there is JD Vance telling the world to "chill". Between Trump the monster, Johnson the heretic and Vance the blowhard we are looking down a tunnel where there is only darkness; total, unfettered darkness.
There has been no greater destructive force AGAINST our country, than Donald Trump. FULL STOP. When I see Hannity, or anyone else interview him for that matter, I always wonder why, what’s the point? He’s quite possibly the biggest pathological liar on the planet (up there with George Santos) so why bother asking him anything; whatever spews out of his orange lips won’t come close to resembling the “truth”. And for Trump to respond to Hannity’s question that he’d be a dictator “only on day one”??? Who’s he kidding, - and who would be dumb enough to believe that? What Trump absolutely meant by that was: “BEGINNING on day one”...he’ll BE a dictator. “Dictator for a day”....yeah, right.
Why should any American accept a presidential candidate saying they would be a dictator for even one day.?
Totally.
It seems surreal that he can state he will tear down the constitution yet if elected he would need to swear on a bible to uphold it. Maybe it’s his upside down bible?
There is another "destructive force AGAINST our country" which is greater than Donald Trump. That force is the American voters who believe everything that Trump says. Mentally ill individuals exist at all times in every country but there are seldom vast multitudes of people who follow them. To see examples Google "Examples of Mass Hysteria."
Power and money...the great aphrodisiacs
You know Michael, I thought that too, what would he swear on??? Good for you for posting this.
Let us not get tangled up in parsing whether one day really means just one day. Instead, look at everything else that requires no speculation because Trump clearly told us what he means; Trump has told us the dictatorial acts he will do throughout his second term, such as eliminating much of the Civil Service in favor of patronage positions, hiring federal employees who will be loyal to him, placing DOJ under his personal control, arranging trumped-up (double meaning intended) charges against Joe Biden and other Americans who loyally served our country, pardoning those convicted of J6 crimes, and lots of other horrid acts. THOSE show that he intends to be a dictator.
This is a PERFECT summary of what he is and will do. Thank you, Audrey. Love it.
There are two types of Loyalty: One type is Loyalty to an idea such as the U. S. Constitution. Another type is Loyalty to an individual (such as Donald J. Trump).
Two loyalties cannot be equal; one has to be stronger than the other. Trump wants officers under him to be more loyal to him than to the Constitution. Trump wants patronage (which History teaches usually leads to corruption).
Yes. Donald Dumpsterfire wants to be a dictator...when he grows up. Meanwhile, he just keeps whining and throwing all caps tantrums. Poor little guy. If things keep going like this his hair could turn white from anger and his face turn orange with rage and maybe he'll just explode into a 250 pounds of blubber, melt down and give us all a break. Keep it up Dumpy.
His appearance is already deteriorating - like the “picture of Dorian Grey” is beginning to actually appear on him as his court appearances proceed and his lies in public multiply.
He told us who he is in 2016 on public TV during the debates. And STILL they don’t believe...!! He TOLD a national audience that he wouldn’t accept an election loss. Yet he won anyway!! People voted for him ☹️
Vance is campaigning for a job in the dictator’s cabinet? Book turned JD into a crook and follower of the Dark Corner of our country?
In 2018, TFG praised Xi when he got rid of the two-term presidency and declared himself leader for life. "Maybe we'll have to give that a shot some day," TFG said, to roars from his fans. It scared me then and scares me even more now. Because he would try and do it. But there are checks and balances in the constitution that call for many hoops to be jumped through before it could happen. Oh, yeah, that's right, he wants to suspend the constitution, too. Why oh why do people support this monster?
many times throughout trumps term
he hinted that he wanted more than 4 more years.
no one should ever shrug off what trump jokes about.
He is a Foreshadower ..in everything he does .
there is a swath of people
who are coming out and saying "they are OKAY with Trump being a dictator" its what they want. They want EXTREME law and order. Women will have babies . No matter what.
There will be no room for LGBTQ -
there will be NO trans or Doctors that will perform procedures that will facilitate that.
I guess...that they will do away with inter-racial coupling ??
Education / our schools ..will be controlled and monitored - what you will learn, what you won't learn .. It will be Like back ward / inside out/ out side in / Upside down / down side up ...
BRAVE NEW WORLD ..it will be NEW to US, who originally grew up with FREEDOM ...Old people will just be in some facility ...Drooling . Talking to themselves about ...what happened???
Steve Schmidt, way to hammer the media and to educate about the foundations of our Democracy!
Now wait a minute. There is the outcry here to not let up on calling Trump out, and the presumption that if everyone got it about the dictator thing they wouldn’t vote for him. Well, none of us would and we don’t need to hear the accusations again and again, but who says, even if Trumpers heard them, which is a question when they only come from our side, that they wouldn’t like what they hear? Are we so sure his supporters wouldn’t just love him to be their presumably benevolent dictator?
About JD Vance’s comment regarding violence. He’s “projecting”. I have been living among very “interesting” people the past few years. Accusing the other person of what you are actually doing is common. In fact they will even call it out and tell the other guy that he is “projecting”. J.D Vance is covering for the violence that has been threatened. But by doing it this way, he is also trying to get ahead of the what is coming when they actually try to do what is planned. I suspect the State Republican legislators are getting blowback from threatening a voter approved abortion rights bill. 400 Million guns and the Supreme Court loosened the regulations. JD is beginning to get nervous
Are Republicans who support Trump accurately deserving of the name "Conservatives?" A better name is Fascist. Why? The Fascisti used the fasces—a bundle of rods with an ax among them—as a symbol of the Italian people united and obedient to the single authority of the state. Trump obviously wants to take an ax to our Constitution.
Watching a Trump town hall has to be one of your worst job related activities. Personally, I would prefer stomach flu than endure the orange menace’s spectacles. Thank you for doing this for your subscribers. You truly are dedicated to the cause. Chapeau à vous, M. Schmidt. Vous êtes très apprécié.
Holman Jenkins Jr. in the WSJ made a similar claim four days ago: "Never Trumpers Never Learn: Their ‘dictator’ talk only invites more incompetent election meddling in 2024 and beyond." https://www.wsj.com/articles/never-trumpers-never-learn-russia-collusion-conspiracy-theory-2024-election-baf5d0a0
I let him have it in the comments: "Pitiful ad hominem attacks of your own, Mr. Jenkins, without an ounce of persuasion, unworthy of the WSJ's (former) standards. You ignore the elephant in the room: Trump will not accept an election result unless he wins. He incited violence to try to stay in office, and only his vice president stood in his way. That vice president and members of Congress came within feet of being murdered by Trump's mob. Trump has stated that the Constitution should be suspended. His former chiefs of staff and other advisors say he should not be allowed near the Oval Office again. The fact that you poo-poo the threat to the nation reveals your own craven and unprincipled betrayal of American ideals. The WSJ should be ashamed to keep you on. Your views are certainly not "conservative."
And of course, my comment elicited a spate of more ad hominem attacks from the Trump cult, along with a few attaboys.
What scares me is that the Murdochs' influential WSJ, which pretty much abandoned Trump in 2020, initially tried to promote an alternative to him in the GOP for 2024, but now seeing that's failing, seems to be coming around to his inevitability as GOP nominee, but blaming Democrat prosecutors for Republicans' decision to support Trump's nomination. And then they publish daily attacks on Biden.
So much for the GOP being the party of "personal responsibility." What a crock.
We can not discuss "the Media" without knowing what it serves the purpose of, and what it came from, and then we will know what makes it so destructive to our society. The reasons involve the Trumpian iconic figure, what made types like him possible, and our entire economic system.
First, what are we standing for? What do we worship most? It is INDIVIDUALISM and CAPITALISM.
Trump is like no one else in all history-because AMERICA itself is like no one else in history, and America is what produced him. No other evil demagogues have been as dangerous for the world.
Trump himself is the ideal expression of what we Americans wordship: INDIVIDUALITY and OBSCENE WEALTH. The latter is what we all detest, but, Trump is the evil side of both of things, no matter how you look at it.. This is unlike any other time in history.
He also is the one thing -- THE ONLY THING-- America is based on: The Image Of Being A Self-Made Man... the loner, needing no one's help. Hollywood created much of this country utterly false image of itself, and he is the archetype of it; he one of the worshipped Titans of America's Unheard of Wealth...and too many Americans forget this, that-- that King Midas Wealth goes only to some tiny portion of our people..and it is the most unethically acquistive of us.
He is our perfect expression of the selfish dictator, and the opposite of a person or a nation caring for one another, and that is because he is the SUPREME EXPRESSION of our one thing we boast most about; our INDIVIDUALISM.. Our leaders from the right wing hushed us long ago into not working together in a COLLECTIVE way for the common good.. Our American soul is supported on the shoulders of capitalism.
Capitalism's glamour is founded on the CHANCE of becoming a baron of Industry, and it fits perfectly with being a "free" cowboy who flouts the laws, personifying the myth of the wild west man, the John Wayne who goes it alone.
We have always borrowed from the Jews for our Arts, since we as Puritans only brought church music and furniture crafts, despising all sins of expressing oneself too much. I was raised casually in religion as a negligent Protestant, and never benefitted from the solid educational upbring of a poltically wise, philosophical family, but I exhibited a definte talent at 4 years old and I entered the arts and through my endowed talents from the benefits of genetics gained my knowledge, such as it is, from the greatest artists in all the arts for all of history, from the globe.. I know what true success is; it is the HARD-WON expression of a love of beauty, for as the bard said; "Truth is beauty and beauty is truth", and thereby expressing beauty well and truly is also the expression of a love of the beauty in humanity, the altruistic helping of all humanity, and is not only paying the rent. I am concerned with daily events in international and in cosmopolitian life and political affairs, yet with one foot in the soil and oceans, thus not a typical American, although there are millions like me--it is just not the majority.
Here, the idea of being a success and "Making It" is not at all what I think it should be-instead, it is this: a Man can be a Man only by pulling up on his own boot straps without any help at all from society or neighbors, for only then can a person have been said to have "Made It " the right way, meaning they forget that it has been only through forms of collectivism-- meaning things done for us which we alone can not do, that without which, no one can even live or survive. But, in the minds of millions of Americans, IN THEIR MINDS, they think they built their own roads with a shovel and make their own asphalt, sunk their own wells for fresh water, self-educated themselves in the home needing no outside sources of information,, needed no emergeny help from hospitals when an accident happens, etc etc. That is our denial of collectivism; instead, too many will alwasy believe they are INDIVIDUALS needing no one!
Most Americans do not know what Altruism in our politics should be; I feel sure that it ought to be a nation with a completely thorough brotherly love, with a legislature in the constitution that would gaurantee help for others less fortunate through daily Legislation and sharing national wealth., automatically. Truly engaged Altruism has never been applied here.
We have despised collective behavior since we were founded, and so naturally the king pins of cruelty-the Industrialists--have taken over. They do not want us to think, and never did. That is why Steve Schmidt is right about the Media and its profit-driven, craven desires and commercials which need to distract us, but Mr. Schmidt is wrong in not calling out and recognizing that the source of the Media's flaws are in the very foundations of idiotic celebrations of INDIVIDUALISM and CAPITALISM.