146 Comments

It does sound like Ron DeSatan will be nominated in place of Hegseth. A Governor with military experience is better than Hegseth, but any of the first 50,000 names in the North Jersey phone book would have been better than Hegseth.

What say you, Tommy Tuberville? You were one of Hegseth’s biggest poodles. My advice is to stay focused on completing your High School Equivalency Diploma.

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While I agree he’s better than Hegseth

from a total disaster perspective; he’s not a step up! Have you seen what he’s done to Florida? It’s the most fascist state in the nation. A 6 week abortion ban, so forget women in the military being able to get abortions in red states, or flying them to blue states. He’s also taken over the State University and College System (see Hungary).

He’s also inserting religion into the classrooms, and book bans. Not to mention, threatening media outlets with lawsuits.

Like I’ve said in the past; Trump will get the cabinet he wants; total morally bankrupt sycophants, all hell bent on destroying the administrative state!..:)

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He is a twice elected Governor, so enough people there like him. As I like to say, we have met the enemy and it is us.

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Not necessarily that they like him, they just dislike the democrats more!…:)

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As I am fond of saying, Jesus Christ could not be elected if he had a D next to his name.

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Yea, not extreme enough for MAGA and Christian nationalists.

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Well said…:)

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He has lost a lot of favor in Florida and knows it, so I am sure he will accept.

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He’s a lame duck governor anyway. He’s termed out!…:)

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Pogo would definitely be a better pick for sec. of defense than Ron...

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While it is probably true that DeSantis is a better choice by not getting stupid drunk everyday, it is also true that DeSantis in his unbridled ambition likes to use his power to pick high profile fights, and he cares not in the least who he hurts. Florida is full of collaterals. He is more fascist than almost everyone, and asserts fascist action while most MAGA fascists are mainly only making threats. He has passed unbelievable legislation regarding the schools, women's rights, discrimination issues, any defiance of his goose-stepping agendas. He has demanded that all forms of protest be patently illegal, and police in many counties are making 3am raids at homes housing people who have merely disagreed with his policies. I repeat, doors are pounded upon and down by police acting like gestapo, scaring families shitless. Little to no media coverage commenting, BTW. The list of excessive authoritative punitive actions by police is long and growing. The most dangerous omen lurking in his new appointment lies in his sociopathic need fed by unbridled ambition to theatrically display his aggressions. His pomposity rivals Mussolini. He will be ruthlessly mean on purpose, his usual m.o., with high optics drama, not fed by policy but by his bottomless need for attention. He loves to be regarded as mean.

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Why people elect someone like him eludes me. But it seems that as long as there is no D behind the name, then Mussolini it is. Pretty sad indictment of those we call neighbors.

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Florida has become base point for the fascist agenda, at least for the operations above ground. Florida has for years been the state most friendly to corporations and that link is crucial, the massive drug industry and it's trafficking, a history still of high organized crime, spoiler of legitimate elections, etc. In most people's minds, sunshine and oranges. People who recently were relocating to Florida are now leaving in droves, due to highly punitive manipulation of taxes and fees, making room for a anticipated paradise spot for the very wealthy from worldwide places.

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Bothare walking talking disasters! Cruel, dangerous and disgusting.

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Well said!…:)

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Hegseth's ultimate withdrawal is living proof of the value of a free press. Events in Monterey that were brought to light by numerous investigative reporters, to Jane Mayer's work in the New Yorker, and the folks at Fox News (which is mind blowing), are examples of the free press in action and how lazy Trump's team was to scratch below the surface.

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Absolutely right Battlecat! But I'd like to give an extra big shout-out to Jane Mayers. This is premier investigative work looks like.

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The 'Free Press' has spent three times the ink and racket being outraged about the Hunter Biden pardon that they did about the Michael Flynn, Manafort, Bannon pardons...not to mention the Saudi Arabia/Kushner (ie Trump) bribes.

Thank God for their REMARKABLE courage and insight!

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It still mind boggles me that he’s out because of personal characteristics, not his complete unqualifications for the job. Suppose he hadn’t been a womanizing abuser of alcohol who used money from his non-profit jobs for his own pleasure, and who is in the JD Vance school of where a woman’s place is? Would he have made it through? A TV news host with no experience running a company of more than 100 people? And by the way, where is JD Vance?? Has Musk completely supplanted him?

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It was his coworkers that put the last nail in his coffin.

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That’s gotta sting.

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Fox is not news it’s entertainment. They don’t have a news broadcast license.

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It is time for a federal rule that if you don’t have a broadcast license, you can’t be “broadcast” in public spaces such as airports, military bases, maybe even universities or any place that receives fedral money. That might not do much with everyone running around with a mini-tv in their pocket, but it would make a statement and if written properly would be lawful.

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Dec 4
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Fox noise

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Trump's "team" didn't scratch below the surface because they didn't, and still don't, want to. Trump is basically Oprah with her car giveaway.........."YOU get a nomination, and YOU get a nomination and YOU get a nomination" to his buds.

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Trump would do better if he nominated Bugs Bunny to his cabinet. Everybody loves Bugs.

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This is a very relevant approach to going forward. Burn the damn boats and keep it moving.

How different will the country look in 6, 12, or 18 months? Who knows? We need to be prepared and facile enough to get through it.

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For starters, the Dems had better be ready to play offense when Trump starts blaming them for the coming chaos. Higher priced eggs and meat because of labor-force shortages due to deportations? Of course, Trump will have some reason that Dems caused those price hikes. Some major military chain of command snafu? Obviously, it was because of some Dem policy. And so on, until the house of cards starts burning for real, but the fire department has been defunded.... We need some people with real intelligence, morality and cunning to be laying the groundwork.

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While I agree that morally debasing ourselves is not a winning strategy, and in any event destroys the very thing we seek to protect, pardoning Hunter does not qualify as such debasement. A criminal psychopath, and his boot licking acolytes, have promised to avenge Trump with political prosecutions. Pardoning Hunter, under those circumstances and given that but for his last name Hunter would not have faced such aggressive prosecutions, was reasonable. Moral perfection should not be the goal and, as we know, is not politically rewarded. The pursuit of a more perfect political morality should be the goal. And everyone knows which party stands for that. It is simply the case that in this political moment not enough people care.

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No, Democrats don't need to be mean and nasty but I would like to see them become more hard-nosed and united. The GOP always seems to win in that regard.

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This is very true. You cannot win at someone else’s game because they can and will change the rules without notice.

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Women are dying because we can't get healthcare do to an abortion or a miscarriage. Kamala Harris was called "trash" "low IQ person" and called out on the color of her skin. So I'm not even going to read a piece that talks about how Democrats should not get mean and dirty. I'm not in the mood to listen to a man tell me how I should feel or how I should play the game of life. Democrats are way too interested in table manners, especially when eating with people who dine at a trough. Your life is considered sacred. My life is not considered at all. Mean and dirty? Indeed.

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Right On, Nora! Thanks for speaking out. We need to play hard ball and keep morality, too.

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You say Schumer is to soft and too nice and You say President Biden has lost the character and moral high ground and you say Pelosi is too cunning and too much of an insider and you say Democrats are to woke and too bleeding heart on diversity and you ask Democrats to be tougher and more center then you accuse Democrats of calling for meanness and unethical behavior to beat the MAGA. Steve you wonder all over the place with zero purpose other than to whine. It seems like you threw in the name drop of Hunter Biden in this piece only to draw clicks because there was no need for his name here for your point.

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The person that I wanted so badly was Katie Porter but the marina kept Schumer in place.

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Steve, this is exactly what I have been thinking. We have an opportunity coming to shake off the old, tired ways and move to something new. It is going to be a rough road ahead, but that thought gives me great hope. On a side note, I think the Democrats will try on the "mean" hat for a moment, but it's just not in our nature. Thank you for all you do.

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I'm not sure democrats will need to put that hat on, because the republicans are set to fuck things up so badly, it should be (I say that lightly) their undoing. I agree with Steve it won't take that long and next year at this time the mood across the country will be very sour, is my prediction. Hell, with the ass hats set to be in charge a whole lot of us may be vaporized.

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Exactly or sooner.

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I wouldn't count on the democrats. They elected the same old tired senate leadership. No new anything coming from them.

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Yes there is. I think his name is Larry Wickler and Jamie Raskin is going to challenge Nadler.

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Nadler has already withdrawn.

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Really. I didn't see that. Thanks.

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I see some self-implosion on the part of the Magats. A comment from one of them complained about the cost of deporting illegal immigrants. So I asked them would you rather they stay here instead of being deported. Silence, not even crickets.

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"Adopting a politics of authentic morality that places a premium on service and people would be a start. It is time to start imagining the future."

Yes! And in this endeavor, we need not remake the wheel. We need only to emulate Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland, all of which place a high premium on social trust; good governance; all citizens' education, development, and agency; equality for all, and a clear division between church and state. These nations ardently believe that all citizens deserve a good life, and they soundly reject the notions that "greed is good," that neighbors must be beggared for individuals to get ahead, and that the wealthy are morally superior to the poor. These are the keys to a stable democracy.

This was the first lesson I was given during a monthlong stay in Helsinki in 1982, when I was a college student. My host family lectured me about this on the way from the airport to their home!

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Thank you, Rosemary Silva. Our leaders and spokespersons must come from the Congressional Progressive Caucus (https://progressives.house.gov/caucus-members), people who want to create an America in the model of Scandinavian countries where people care for each other and government enacts policies reflective of that mutual concern.

We need to stop bickering about minor issues like whether or not Biden should have pardoned his son; that is a distraction from thinking about the kind of government, society, and economy we want to build on the disaster bound to come in the wake of Trump's administration.

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So true, Rosemary.

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I agree but you mention about the taxes they pay and Americans throw up their hands in horror! They just don’t get it. I think it sounds wonderful and if I were younger would love to live in Scandinavia! Most speak English there while you learn their language, that’s the least you can do. Something has happened here since Trump has made an appearance and it’s not pleasant at all. Reminds me of what happened in Germany in the 1930’s ! I sincerely hope not. If you ignore history you are doomed to repeat it. Trump admires Hitler that should tell us a great deal.

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"Something has happened here since Trump has made an appearance and it’s not pleasant at all."

What would that be? The only difference I see is that the same old crap is socially acceptable - again. Deep south racism is back out in the open and it's everywhere. The inner city ghettos are the same as they were a hundred years ago. Likewise life on an American indian reservation.

Hitler would like Trump. A man cut from the same cloth as he was. As a matter of fact he encouraged his Nazi cohorts in crime to take a good hard look at our American south and our native American reservations and learn how we handled our marginalized citizens. Then he took it further. Now we have a chance to outdo ol' Adolph.

Adolph Hitler had a large photograph of Henry Ford hanging on the wall behind his desk. Not the other way around.

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The Constitution’s Preamble is all about authentic morality, and places a premium on service and the people. Look no further.

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I agree. How else could "in order...to promote the general welfare" be interpreted?

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That’s a lovely fantasy. But it’s not going to happen here. Too many Americans are stupid, lazy, ignorant and selfish.

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Spot on Rosemary! Wish I could restack your comment.

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Steve - You are a master of the pithy statement that says nothing. You are becoming one of the very pundits you despise. If you have a specific idea for what we as citizens, or the Democratic Party, or whoever, ought to do, if you have a plan, if you actually see a path forward, have the balls to say it. Telling us what we already know is meaningless, gutless, and a waste of our time as readers/listeners. We all know the dangers that are on the horizon. We are looking for substantive leaders, thought leaders and front line leaders, who might just have serious ideas about how to get through the quickly approaching shit storm and build a better tomorrow. Clearly, right you are not that leader.

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Keep in mind that this IS "The Warning"-not "The How To Fix IT" & Steve does lead!

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I hear the underlying concern about Democrats suggesting that we need to “go low” to take the country back. I agree that generally our goals and efforts must maintain the moral high ground. Where I may diverge as someone who has studied psychology is that what we do with our understanding of the audience on the other side (intellectually and with regard to the cult mentality) in order to message effectively may skirt the bounds of ethics in the eyes of some scientists. We must message effectively both from a psychological standpoint and a standpoint of content. We need a committee of the top minds in the country on these issues to guide our messaging, and it must be nonstop, not only during election cycles. Messaging is where we win or lose. The fact that we were not in a recession and the vast majority of the country believed we were tells you that.

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My gosh Laura, I’ve been saying the same thing since I was in college—50 years ago! We almost got there…..until we didn’t.

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Democratic patience, embraced consistently since 1980, has brought us to where we are today. Democratic leadership currently blames the left for our most recent drubbing. We have a fascist House, a fascist Senate, a fascist Supreme Court, and a fascist Executive. We have responded to Repugnican abuses with patient adherence to “norms”, shutting out the voices of our morally-driven idealists because they’re “radical”, which of course they arguably are in today’s context. No, we should not resort to Repugnican tactics, but we most certainly should actively and loudly reflect the courage of our alleged convictions.

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It would be great to think that Kamala Harris will emerge with her message continuing in spite of her slim loss...and I really think with the proper support she could lead...but...twice he won against a woman and we cannot negate that as part of the loss...especially the stay at homes and the slim margins that puled Trump through the finish line. We learned from MAGA that consistency even lies repeated over and over again work until results don't happen...our strength is their failure...as building bridges have always turned out to be the cornerstone of our Democracy. I agree...strength through principles and truth will prevail if we keep saying it and acting upon it. Joe Biden's "selfish" F...You act is a moment in history...Trump's acts are possibly years of our future and history. Illnesses won't heal until the right medicine is given...Kamala Harris should be there prosecuting in real life his every move or their every move...over and over again with truth to power! Women must come out and they will once the fun begins on January 20th, 2025!

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Well, the weakling Democrats have waived the white flag as the Senate has chosen its leadership ......the new boss same as the old boss(es)...the two moderate cowards I feel bear much of the responsibility for this catastrophe....Chuck Schumer & Dick (Theres not much we can do/not gonna happen) Durbin. The party has refused to choose brash youth. Total capitulation awaits us. I'm done....its as if a football team went 2-15 & kept all the players & coaches/GM

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Agree!!!! They learned zero. Entrenched lazy power holders. What is going on? They are insiders with Trump

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Would that be a metaphor or an analogy?

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