“Fascism rose in the 1930s not because it was strong, but because democracy was weak.”
Never more prescient or sagacious words, Steve. Democracy dies due to apathy and malnourishment by our citizens and institutions. And our only natural enemy is from within; and the reason no nation will take us on militarily. Instead, they try to sow chaos and confusion within our nation, with mixed results.
Tonight will be a shit show. Trump’s only chance is to sow even more confusion and chaos by using information overload; or a “mind meld” that will make it difficult for Kamala to respond in the allotted timeframe, since he intends to throw enough BS against the wall, hoping Kamala has difficulty refuting most of the nonsensical allegations and lies.
And let’s face it, there will be no fact checking, and of course, the MSM will give brownie points to Trump just for showing up. How quaint!
Personally, I wonder whether the NYT’s will have their own podium on stage to act as the Trump “whisperer”; disseminating Trump’s incomprehensible, unhinged mixed word salads so the audience can fully understand what Trump clearly doesn’t? I wouldn’t be surprised if they do since the Time’s has become nothing more than a sad and pathetic apologist for Trump and a morally bankrupt party of no ideas, or really bad ideas.
That said, let’s just hope Trump continues to melt down and the MSM starts to treat Trump as he deserves: with complete and utter contempt. This race shouldn’t even be close. Trump doesn’t even understand basic economic principles like free trade and tariffs. He will run this country straight into the ground. And sadly, he has an entire party and media ecosystem willing to carry his lies and propaganda into this election! I truly feel bad for all the politicians and media personalities that have sold their souls to a false prophet, and even worse human being!
Communism rose in the 1950s not because it was strong, but because conservatives did not fight the constant drip of liberalism to its ubiquitous final goal of collectivist totalitarianism... and the resulting human misery, suffering, starvation and death.
Interesting! Frank brings 50’s communism into the conversation. Who was Senator McCarthy’s right hand man? Roy Cohn! Who was Trump’s mentor? Roy Cohn!
What does Trump intend to do this nation? Turn it into a 1950’s witch-hunt! They’ve already sent back women’s reproductive rights back into the 50’s: so…….
She loves this country and has given her life to public service. He is a convicted felon who has given his life to greed, revenge and open contempt for the rule of law. We, the People are on trial before the world.
The attempt on MAGA's part to pretend slavery wasn't as terrible as people think it was is a strong indicator of the moral rot that pervades the movement. The message sent by the statue of the Confederate soldier kissing his child held in the arms of the "mammy", is an outrageous attempt to show a loving relationship between owners and slaves. So was DeSantis' story that slaves learned useful vocations. They know the truth or they wouldn't be fighting teaching CRT in public schools. When convenient totalitarian movements always re-wrie history.
The anger and resentment of Magats is reflected in an anonymous statement: “When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression."
MAGA followers' basis for insanity: "“When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression." (Right On, Anthony -I'm saving that quote for future use regarding MAGA.)
Slaves certainly did not love their masters There were several large slave revolts one of which, ironically, was led by a white man, John Brown. —- which didn’t turn out well for him, and hence the well-known song “John Brown’s body lies amoulding in the dust … “. There was also the slave revolt led by Nat Turner in 1831, a courageous black slave, who also ended up dead.
In fact most of the slave revolts didn’t turn out well because the masters had the shot guns which enslaved people were not allowed to have. Let’s also note that the American Constitution excluded all enslaved people and women too from the rights it proclaimed for “All men”.
And clearly Donald Trump and his crazy sidekick JD Vance now want to turn the clock back to what they see as “the good ole days”. These very dangerous men must now be the ones who are completely excluded from power, and Kamala Harris is the woman who can do it.
I am just praying that she wins the debate with Trump this evening because if not god knows what the narcissistic maniac Donald Trump will do to all Americans, including to his own craven MAGA followers.
She will win. There is no way that self-centered orange egomaniac will be able to control himself. My bet is the 2 year old spoiled brat that is the essential Donald Trump will behave like the angry, uninformed, petty man he is. He will be held up to ridicule before the entire nation.
Thank you for the evidence that, of course, there was no love between owners and slaves, their chattel property . That is an impossibility. Slaves could, through terrible cruelty, be forced into a semblance of adoration for their "masters." It could never be considered sincere by any objective evaluation.
"The elderly gentleman next to me was an 18 year old boy when his daddy gave him $250 million dollars. This was his downfall. It corrupted his mind. Since then Donald has been living in a make believe world. A world that few of us can understand. His world is gold plated, with beautiful women craving his attention. His world is twisting and bending the law and pushing public officials to give him breaks available to none of the rest of us. His world is palling around with other rich people. Impressing them with his aggressive style.
The reality of Donald is different than this fantasy. Donald doesn't read. He doesn't understand basic human kindness and respect. Donald doesn't understand what public service or people who give their lives for something bigger than themselves. Donald appears big and tough and rude. But he's actually a small minded miser. He steals from people. He attacks women. He insults and demeans and name calls and bullies. He thinks because he's famous and popular that the laws don't apply to him. So he commits crimes and expects all of us to look the other way. In short, Donald is the classical Bad Man.
Donald tells fantastic stories, for hours and hours. He floods us with bullshit because he hopes it will hide the truth that he doesn't really know anything. His stories are lies. Migrants are not Hannibal Lecter. Al Capone was a murdering thug. Schools are not performing surgeries on children. I did not destroy California. In actual fact, California is booming. Joe Biden passed the infrastructure act to rebuild the country. Unemployment is low. The stock market is up. Inflation is down.
Let's talk about his friends. There are a few hundred billionaires, dictators, oligarchs and their paid helpers. This is a club of human beings who want to rule the world and subject all of us to their power. Anne Applebaum calls them Autocrat Inc. Donald is a member of this club. So are his supporters Musk and Murdoch and Putin and Orban. If they get their way, the world will become very much like Russia today. A place where the good people's freedom and rights are crushed for the benefit of the autocrat club. Democracies and republics--self rule--will be replaced by a world monarchy. It is happening now. With or without Donald. To stop this we must stop Donald. And push back the dictators and oligarchs. The fight starts with each one of us, and the Press, learning the truth."
The Press calls this election a horserace. But it is actually easy. When you go to the polls or fill out your mail in ballot, think about the election as going to McDonalds. Number 1 is a juicy quarterpounder with cheese and delicious french fries. Number 2 is a bag of warm dog shit. The Press and the MAGAs and the dictators and billionaires want you to choose Number 2.
You hit the nail on the head. People need to understand that Trump envisions a world of nations dominated by oligarchs and lead by autocrats with the goal of exploiting ordinary people to enhance the obscenely opulent lifestyle of the privileged.
If Trump leaves his podium and begins to move toward Kamala, she could say, "Get back to your podium, I will not become a victim of your schoolyard bully tactics or sexual aggression."
Only if she brandishes shiny metal handcuffs! She should slap a pair on him at the end of the so called debate instead of shaking his hand, and say 'Donald, you're fired! Time to go to jail!" Then walk off with Trump in his handcuffs!
I guaranfuckingtee TFG will try that stunt. It worked for him against Hillary so I believe he will try it again. I also believe Kamala Harris has great courage and will stand up to this abhorrant behaviour.
The world knows who and what Trump is. It is up to VP Harris to show the world who she is. The difference between the two could not be greater. Kamala is a good person who has spent her whole life prosecuting the most despicable criminals who Broke the law. Donald Trump is an over privileged disgrace who has received every break a person could possibly get and has the nerve to complain about being a victim. The world is tired of Trump and his constant victim hood and wants change. Kamala needs to show everyone that our future is ahead of us and not in our past. She needs to be strong in conviction but also be optimistic in the hope she envisions for us. Donald only knows how to think of Donald, first, last and every time. He is incapable of thinking about improving our lives without improving his first. Kamala needs to show the people she has a plan to improve their lives and not hers. If she can vocalize that vision for America she will win the debate and win in November.
In Florida, the Election Police Unit created by Governor Ron DeSantis has been knocking on the doors of people who signed a petition for an Abortion Rights Referendum.
That knock at the door may be coming to you, courtesy of MAGA. I would say, yes, the stakes are high.
I will not be in tonight's audience. Really, I never watch these debates after the Carter-Reagan debacle. It has too much the flavor and essence of a dog-and-pony show.
Having said that, I hope (and, pray) Harris knocks it out of the park, tonight. No doubt Trump will show up weaponized with every nasty trick and remark in the book. That is another reason I refuse to watch this debate: Trump. Hopefully, Harris will have put on an extra layer of armor.
I just read that Leonard Leo, the anti-democracy Supreme Court stacker, is putting up $1 BILLION to subvert and destroy liberalism. High on his list is DEI. No doubt Leo was in the shadows when the Citizens United case was decided -- favoring dark money from large donors. The fact that one person can wield so much power and influence underscores the weakness and failure of our system of governance. Checks and balances, guard rails and boundaries have been tossed to the wind. What millions of us believed in has been made naked to the world the charade we have been pawns to. November 5th looms heavy on the horizon. Our republic is at the razor's edge of survival.
Saddened to say it, but that Leo miscreant is from my home state of New Jersey. We could put money to good work, such as animal shelters, but no, these scumbags have money and want control of us.
These Medieval Idiots are winning. I did not know it until today that DeSatan in Florida has an Election Police Unit and they have been knocking on the doors of people who signed an Abortion Rights petition.
The MAGA people admire the Confederacy. In my state of North Carolina, there is a statue on government property that has this inscription: In Appreciation of Our Faithful Slaves.
If MAGA wins, this statue will continue to have an honored place and may even get buffed and polished for Chump.
"Faithful Slaves," another oxymoron from the corrupt Magats. It implies slaves had a choice; obviously, they did not. They were not faithful, they were brutalized, fearful, and exploited.
A fact inconceivable to me is that more than 5% of the voting population could seriously consider voting for Tr*mp or remains “undecided”. He’ll be aided by an M$M bent on equalizing the debaters, of coarse, which explains much. Tonight, there are no expectations for Tr*mp, nearly impossible expectations for Kamala Harris. I think she’ll be fine.
Of course you are absolutely correct. My greatest desire is that your column today 'ages well' and important expectations were not only met, but succeeded. I'm very optimistic.
When this election is over we will have to recognize that stupidity and democracy cannot co-exist. And our educational establishment has not met the challenge of conquering ignorance. That's what led to much of this stupidity. That is true even if Trump loses by a thin hair. The acceptable level of stupidity should be well below 10%.
There is a very good likelihood that the State of North Carolina will be turning over its entire public school system to a lunatic QAnon conspiracist. I kid not.
God help us! Please let her knock it out of the park and knock him down off the pedestal his lies have created.
“Fascism rose in the 1930s not because it was strong, but because democracy was weak.”
Never more prescient or sagacious words, Steve. Democracy dies due to apathy and malnourishment by our citizens and institutions. And our only natural enemy is from within; and the reason no nation will take us on militarily. Instead, they try to sow chaos and confusion within our nation, with mixed results.
Tonight will be a shit show. Trump’s only chance is to sow even more confusion and chaos by using information overload; or a “mind meld” that will make it difficult for Kamala to respond in the allotted timeframe, since he intends to throw enough BS against the wall, hoping Kamala has difficulty refuting most of the nonsensical allegations and lies.
And let’s face it, there will be no fact checking, and of course, the MSM will give brownie points to Trump just for showing up. How quaint!
Personally, I wonder whether the NYT’s will have their own podium on stage to act as the Trump “whisperer”; disseminating Trump’s incomprehensible, unhinged mixed word salads so the audience can fully understand what Trump clearly doesn’t? I wouldn’t be surprised if they do since the Time’s has become nothing more than a sad and pathetic apologist for Trump and a morally bankrupt party of no ideas, or really bad ideas.
That said, let’s just hope Trump continues to melt down and the MSM starts to treat Trump as he deserves: with complete and utter contempt. This race shouldn’t even be close. Trump doesn’t even understand basic economic principles like free trade and tariffs. He will run this country straight into the ground. And sadly, he has an entire party and media ecosystem willing to carry his lies and propaganda into this election! I truly feel bad for all the politicians and media personalities that have sold their souls to a false prophet, and even worse human being!
Be afraid, be very afraid!…:)
As bad as the New York Times has become the Washington Post is even worse!
Communism rose in the 1950s not because it was strong, but because conservatives did not fight the constant drip of liberalism to its ubiquitous final goal of collectivist totalitarianism... and the resulting human misery, suffering, starvation and death.
Did you attend university? If so, it certainly doesn’t show in your ersatz, OCD and paranoid attempts to prove your bogus arguments availing.
It sounds like Frank Lee thinks Senator Joe McCarthy's failure was a loss for America.
I wonder if he really believes that Trump would do more for working people than labor unions have.
I think Frank Lee likes to read his own comments. Hallucinating?
Interesting! Frank brings 50’s communism into the conversation. Who was Senator McCarthy’s right hand man? Roy Cohn! Who was Trump’s mentor? Roy Cohn!
What does Trump intend to do this nation? Turn it into a 1950’s witch-hunt! They’ve already sent back women’s reproductive rights back into the 50’s: so…….
Coincidence? I think not!…:)
Excellent! I hadn't considered all those telling implications. Thank you.
She loves this country and has given her life to public service. He is a convicted felon who has given his life to greed, revenge and open contempt for the rule of law. We, the People are on trial before the world.
The attempt on MAGA's part to pretend slavery wasn't as terrible as people think it was is a strong indicator of the moral rot that pervades the movement. The message sent by the statue of the Confederate soldier kissing his child held in the arms of the "mammy", is an outrageous attempt to show a loving relationship between owners and slaves. So was DeSantis' story that slaves learned useful vocations. They know the truth or they wouldn't be fighting teaching CRT in public schools. When convenient totalitarian movements always re-wrie history.
The anger and resentment of Magats is reflected in an anonymous statement: “When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression."
MAGA followers' basis for insanity: "“When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression." (Right On, Anthony -I'm saving that quote for future use regarding MAGA.)
Slaves certainly did not love their masters There were several large slave revolts one of which, ironically, was led by a white man, John Brown. —- which didn’t turn out well for him, and hence the well-known song “John Brown’s body lies amoulding in the dust … “. There was also the slave revolt led by Nat Turner in 1831, a courageous black slave, who also ended up dead.
In fact most of the slave revolts didn’t turn out well because the masters had the shot guns which enslaved people were not allowed to have. Let’s also note that the American Constitution excluded all enslaved people and women too from the rights it proclaimed for “All men”.
And clearly Donald Trump and his crazy sidekick JD Vance now want to turn the clock back to what they see as “the good ole days”. These very dangerous men must now be the ones who are completely excluded from power, and Kamala Harris is the woman who can do it.
I am just praying that she wins the debate with Trump this evening because if not god knows what the narcissistic maniac Donald Trump will do to all Americans, including to his own craven MAGA followers.
She will win. There is no way that self-centered orange egomaniac will be able to control himself. My bet is the 2 year old spoiled brat that is the essential Donald Trump will behave like the angry, uninformed, petty man he is. He will be held up to ridicule before the entire nation.
Thank you for the evidence that, of course, there was no love between owners and slaves, their chattel property . That is an impossibility. Slaves could, through terrible cruelty, be forced into a semblance of adoration for their "masters." It could never be considered sincere by any objective evaluation.
The theme of the night is the truth about Donald.
"The elderly gentleman next to me was an 18 year old boy when his daddy gave him $250 million dollars. This was his downfall. It corrupted his mind. Since then Donald has been living in a make believe world. A world that few of us can understand. His world is gold plated, with beautiful women craving his attention. His world is twisting and bending the law and pushing public officials to give him breaks available to none of the rest of us. His world is palling around with other rich people. Impressing them with his aggressive style.
The reality of Donald is different than this fantasy. Donald doesn't read. He doesn't understand basic human kindness and respect. Donald doesn't understand what public service or people who give their lives for something bigger than themselves. Donald appears big and tough and rude. But he's actually a small minded miser. He steals from people. He attacks women. He insults and demeans and name calls and bullies. He thinks because he's famous and popular that the laws don't apply to him. So he commits crimes and expects all of us to look the other way. In short, Donald is the classical Bad Man.
Donald tells fantastic stories, for hours and hours. He floods us with bullshit because he hopes it will hide the truth that he doesn't really know anything. His stories are lies. Migrants are not Hannibal Lecter. Al Capone was a murdering thug. Schools are not performing surgeries on children. I did not destroy California. In actual fact, California is booming. Joe Biden passed the infrastructure act to rebuild the country. Unemployment is low. The stock market is up. Inflation is down.
Let's talk about his friends. There are a few hundred billionaires, dictators, oligarchs and their paid helpers. This is a club of human beings who want to rule the world and subject all of us to their power. Anne Applebaum calls them Autocrat Inc. Donald is a member of this club. So are his supporters Musk and Murdoch and Putin and Orban. If they get their way, the world will become very much like Russia today. A place where the good people's freedom and rights are crushed for the benefit of the autocrat club. Democracies and republics--self rule--will be replaced by a world monarchy. It is happening now. With or without Donald. To stop this we must stop Donald. And push back the dictators and oligarchs. The fight starts with each one of us, and the Press, learning the truth."
The Press calls this election a horserace. But it is actually easy. When you go to the polls or fill out your mail in ballot, think about the election as going to McDonalds. Number 1 is a juicy quarterpounder with cheese and delicious french fries. Number 2 is a bag of warm dog shit. The Press and the MAGAs and the dictators and billionaires want you to choose Number 2.
You hit the nail on the head. People need to understand that Trump envisions a world of nations dominated by oligarchs and lead by autocrats with the goal of exploiting ordinary people to enhance the obscenely opulent lifestyle of the privileged.
A nightmare of the highest order. They must be stopped! It boggles my mind that anyone would choose Number 2
Just realize that even if you choose #1, he will try to slip you #2 while you aren't looking. And we will end up with another Jan. 6.
BRAVO! BRAVO!
If Trump leaves his podium and begins to move toward Kamala, she could say, "Get back to your podium, I will not become a victim of your schoolyard bully tactics or sexual aggression."
Exactly. And if Clinton had done that, (I was yelling at the tv that she turn around and put the bully in his place), she would have won.
Maybe we'll see Harris behind Trump?! (Just kidding, but it would be interesting :-)
Only if she brandishes shiny metal handcuffs! She should slap a pair on him at the end of the so called debate instead of shaking his hand, and say 'Donald, you're fired! Time to go to jail!" Then walk off with Trump in his handcuffs!
Now that WOULD be interesting...
I guaranfuckingtee TFG will try that stunt. It worked for him against Hillary so I believe he will try it again. I also believe Kamala Harris has great courage and will stand up to this abhorrant behaviour.
The world knows who and what Trump is. It is up to VP Harris to show the world who she is. The difference between the two could not be greater. Kamala is a good person who has spent her whole life prosecuting the most despicable criminals who Broke the law. Donald Trump is an over privileged disgrace who has received every break a person could possibly get and has the nerve to complain about being a victim. The world is tired of Trump and his constant victim hood and wants change. Kamala needs to show everyone that our future is ahead of us and not in our past. She needs to be strong in conviction but also be optimistic in the hope she envisions for us. Donald only knows how to think of Donald, first, last and every time. He is incapable of thinking about improving our lives without improving his first. Kamala needs to show the people she has a plan to improve their lives and not hers. If she can vocalize that vision for America she will win the debate and win in November.
In Florida, the Election Police Unit created by Governor Ron DeSantis has been knocking on the doors of people who signed a petition for an Abortion Rights Referendum.
That knock at the door may be coming to you, courtesy of MAGA. I would say, yes, the stakes are high.
I will not be in tonight's audience. Really, I never watch these debates after the Carter-Reagan debacle. It has too much the flavor and essence of a dog-and-pony show.
Having said that, I hope (and, pray) Harris knocks it out of the park, tonight. No doubt Trump will show up weaponized with every nasty trick and remark in the book. That is another reason I refuse to watch this debate: Trump. Hopefully, Harris will have put on an extra layer of armor.
I just read that Leonard Leo, the anti-democracy Supreme Court stacker, is putting up $1 BILLION to subvert and destroy liberalism. High on his list is DEI. No doubt Leo was in the shadows when the Citizens United case was decided -- favoring dark money from large donors. The fact that one person can wield so much power and influence underscores the weakness and failure of our system of governance. Checks and balances, guard rails and boundaries have been tossed to the wind. What millions of us believed in has been made naked to the world the charade we have been pawns to. November 5th looms heavy on the horizon. Our republic is at the razor's edge of survival.
Saddened to say it, but that Leo miscreant is from my home state of New Jersey. We could put money to good work, such as animal shelters, but no, these scumbags have money and want control of us.
Leo is the perfect Dark Ages Catholic. He is a fascist autocrat. (Hmm. Is that redundant?)
These Medieval Idiots are winning. I did not know it until today that DeSatan in Florida has an Election Police Unit and they have been knocking on the doors of people who signed an Abortion Rights petition.
Great comment. I didn't know about the Leo/$1 Billion until now. Anti-constitutional...
This [from VP Harris]:
People say everything Donald Trump touches dies.
- His real estate business....multiple bankruptcies
- Business ventures....USFL, Trump Steaks, Trump University...failure
- His associations....Graham, McCarthy, Pence [almost literally]
- The Evangelical Christian movement...in decline and disgrace
- Three failed marriages
- The once great and noble Republican Party....debilitated and destroyed
- Eight years ago, the voters allowed Trump to put his poisonous little hands on the United States of
America....and now all he can talk about is how America is dying
Do we really want him to touch America again?
The MAGA people admire the Confederacy. In my state of North Carolina, there is a statue on government property that has this inscription: In Appreciation of Our Faithful Slaves.
If MAGA wins, this statue will continue to have an honored place and may even get buffed and polished for Chump.
Throw out the MAGA Garbage on November 5th.
"Faithful Slaves," another oxymoron from the corrupt Magats. It implies slaves had a choice; obviously, they did not. They were not faithful, they were brutalized, fearful, and exploited.
A fact inconceivable to me is that more than 5% of the voting population could seriously consider voting for Tr*mp or remains “undecided”. He’ll be aided by an M$M bent on equalizing the debaters, of coarse, which explains much. Tonight, there are no expectations for Tr*mp, nearly impossible expectations for Kamala Harris. I think she’ll be fine.
There is only one question to be asked and answered tonight; which candidate has read, and is willing to defend the Constitution?
Of course you are absolutely correct. My greatest desire is that your column today 'ages well' and important expectations were not only met, but succeeded. I'm very optimistic.
So true. Absolutely nothing has changed with Trump.
When this election is over we will have to recognize that stupidity and democracy cannot co-exist. And our educational establishment has not met the challenge of conquering ignorance. That's what led to much of this stupidity. That is true even if Trump loses by a thin hair. The acceptable level of stupidity should be well below 10%.
Without proper education in civics, history, and critical thinking skills, we're doomed.
There is a very good likelihood that the State of North Carolina will be turning over its entire public school system to a lunatic QAnon conspiracist. I kid not.