I did not watch the inauguration today, but when I read the media news stories and watched the video of Trumps speech, it made me literally sick to my stomach, which I don't see changing for the next four years. Even worse was to watch his supporters cheering the end of Democracy, the Constitution and the rule of law, and the beginning of a fascist Autocratic Dictatorship and losing our basic freedoms. Our founding fathers would be rolling in their graves.
Our Brand of capitalism led us directly into fascism.
When will Steve Schmidt address the truth of that fact?
Billionaires in a Plutocracy led us into a dictatorship.
Billionaires must be taxed until they are forced to share the wealth until they get no more income than some reasonable proportion of salary. Henry George's system of economics would level the playing field. I am not against wealth, just against unfair taxation of the poor (and ask ourselves-WHY IS THERE A POOR CLASS?). Let us have a system of CEO's that is not obscenely greater than that an average blue-collar worker. That is what the Brotherhood of Man means.
That is what manliness means.
Steve Schmidt defends Our Brand of Obscene Capitalism.
If only he could read more and learn about economists like Henry George.
I think you misunderstand and underestimate Steve.
I think Henry George's analysis that the basis of wealth is fundamentally land might have been apt for Eur. and GB (and other places) at the end of the 19th cent., but is wrong for our time, when ideas (including patents), celebrity, inherited wealth, and having a seat at the money game are the juggernauts. Henry George said, "Tax the basis of wealth." Not a unique idea. All reformers start there. Exhorting human beings to be kinder and more considerate to other humans is also not an innovative idea. Accomplishing that would be revolutionary! But if any group of people disagrees (and the alpha humans will) the construct fails.
Henry George was extremely well known in the USA and had great approval among the public for his economic proposals and his platform. He ran for mayor of NYC in a 1886, and came in second, ahead of Theodore Roosevelt., all based on the popularity of his proposal for a new economic system in NYC. .
It took me almost a year to understand Henry George's philosophy of economics, and Lydia, I believe you have not understood it, if you will forgive me for saying so, and be patient me. as I say why I believe that about you. I am not being rude or offensive, believe me. I just know it is something that turns all economics on its head, is impossible to conceive of. I went to the Henry George School, a landmark heritage location in the east 30;s in NYC, It's an incredible place. for two years and made great strides in my education about all the great economists since ancient Greek times. You must go there and learn, if you want to comprehend his system. It is not what you are talking about.
"Our Brand of capitalism led us directly into fascism.
When will Steve Schmidt address the truth of that fact?"
Another great leader in the movement to change the economy from domination and exploitation to partnership, cooperation, and caring is Riane Eisler. She explores why we are in the oppressive system we are and how to get out of it in "The Real Wealth of Nations," and "The Chalice and the Blade." It should be required reading for all government officials in positions of great power. It is the exact opposite of Trump/Maga (Febb) ideology.
In you, I have found a man of my own taste in reading, Mr. Santo. I will investigate Riane Eisler. There was another great Eisler in history as well, in case you are interested.
Hanns Eisler. I never heard of him, but I scanned his Wikipedia biography and it sounds fascinating; a musician who composed the East German National Anthem, exile from nazi Germany, later on the American blacklist; sounds like a fascinating person. Thank you
BTW, we obviously share the same economic and political views. If everyone did, the world described in John Lennon's "Imagine" would be possible.
Anthony, I looked at Riane on Wikipedia. She is obviously brilliant. My favorite philosophers were always activists as well, using their international power of fame by marching with the common people for helping them to gain their rights.
I have not looked up YOUR Esiler yet. Now I will. Hans was a victim of McCarthyism and worked with Brecht.
I think this area of knowledge is totally unknown to Steve Schmidt, or so it seems. I think he is a diehard capitalist fan. It is a pity, for his skills could help change this country if he applied them in a new direction..
Yet he is truly an imaginative writer and charismatic speaker. That much I give him and applaud those skills.
Sorry to keep repeating the same point, but we are at war. We've been at war for some time. It is not about the first soldier killed in Panama. It is about the 800,000 American dead for which Trump Inc is largely responsible during Covid. It is about the police killed or injured on Jan 6. It is about those in Puerto Rico and elsewhere who perished while T threw them paper towels. The body count is already immense. And while the rant went on, the Proud Boys marched proudly in the streets of DC, the regime's terrorist police. Yes, make no mistake. This is where we are.
I know I’m right about our advantages. What we must hope is that people do the work we need to do now that we messed up. They’re more likely to when they consider our advantages.
I forgot another advantage. Trump is hideous and impossible to admire for so many of us. Hitler had some like able qualities. It’s much easier to despise Trump whereas many people despised Hitler only after they found out what he did.
That being said we don’t know what we can do but if we approach it negatively we’ll lose.
That assumes the masses turn off Fox “News”. As long as people stay in their FN (right wing media) silo, they gain absolutely no truth or reason, just propaganda and lies. However, corporate MSM is no angel. Substack, Pro Publica and Guardian are my current go to.
He hates the same people that they hate and he gives them permission to hate. What I cannot understand is how the so-called "Christians" can support the hatred and division that Donald Trump promotes, and everything that Donald Trump is about is the complete opposite of Christian value teachings. Every one.
That's because too many Christians are hypocrits. If they weren't hypocrits, they would have denounced the grifter-in-chief, and everything he stood for. But instead, so many of the 'pulpit pushovers' embraced him, and embraced his message. They promoted him to their 'flocks' in churches....what a sham and what a shame! He doesn't have one religious bone in his body! He grifted them like he grifted the MAGAts who put him back in office...and they'll find out the hard way.
The way I understand it, some Christians believe in the prophesies of The End Times (the Bible Book of Revelations), and they long to actually have Christ on earth, when believers will be transported straight to Heaven. Many of us don't see it as that appealing. But they are happy to try to fulfill the prophesy anyway.
I think they see Trump as an unlikely bearer of God's word, but God is testing their faith by presenting them with a prophet who only God knows why he chose Trump. They pass the faith test if they accept Trump with no questions asked. (BTW - Jews are essential to these Christians because they need Jews to have the opportunity to accept Christ as their Savior to fulfill the prophesy.)
I watched a video some years ago where Sarah Palin was talking about preparing Wasilla for the mass influx of Christians going there for the Last Days.
The only thing that makes Christianity tolerable is it's subjugation to the Enlightenment and Democracy. As a former Catholic and now atheist, sooner or later the Christian police will come knocking on my door and take me away if I don't repent and acknowledge the error of my ways. I am sure some child abusing bishop will gladly have me burned at the stake if I don't..
The logic is: your guys disappoint too - everyone is corrupt - so we might as well try something new and he must be from God because he’s so successful. They took the fact he’s a con man off the table because others have conned us. They need to learn the difference between a con man and normal disappointing people. They will but it’s up to us to expedite that.
I don't see any of his cult supporters standing up in opposition to his policies, which have been there in Project 2025 in plain sight all along.. They really do believe he is a God sent from heaven to save them.
It’s mind boggling and numbing that Musk can literally give the Nazi salute at an American Inauguration! How can half the country be oblivious to the hatred and the fascism playing out in front of us?
Wow. I can't watch or even listen to his disgusting voice. Maybe I'll come across a clip of just that, because I won't watch the convicted felon's ugly face spewing his hate and lies.
I will likely have to listen to Trump's speech eventually. The governor of Idaho is so proud that Trump will return America back to the people - I have no idea of what that means, especially since America is getting delivered to the billionaires. The applause will likely sicken me, thinking of the stupid deaths that are coming, in our names.
MAGA has never said explicitly just what Trump is saving them from, or what mythological world they want to return to. I think they know, but refuse to admit that it is all about making America roll back to a majority white, male, straight, Christian nationalist, isolationist nation, and a government controlled strictly by the wealthy. One where women and minorities rights are restricted and voting rights are only what those at the top tell us they are. The laws and history are rewritten as they see fit. It's already happening, and not according to what the founders envisioned.
We’re going to be fucked. If the Democrats started screaming today, and they SHOULD, they still can’t stop this juggernaut. How? This is a sick nation. We’ve already had rights stripped from us, women are second-class citizens, and we will soon be at war with our allies. Imagine it. It’s breathtakingly horrible. And the public is cheering for this!! It’s going to get so much worse. And fast. I can’t imagine how this shitshow of cruelty and corruption lasts four years with an intact US.
I’ve been disheartened about this country since Iraq, when we destroyed lives and lost 3 trillion dollars on war that no one has ever been held accountable for. I’ll withhold judgment on things now and see what unfolds. He was elected by a majority and his plans and orders are what they voted for. As for being worried, I’ll let Mark Twain speak: Worrying is like paying a debt you don’t owe.
He was not elected by a majority, but a plurality. He won by less than 50% and his margin of winning was only 1.5%. Not a landslide, not a mandate, not a majority.
It is always important to note that too few people vote in our elections. In 2024, only 63.7% of those eligible voted, fewer even than 2020, when 66.6% voted. So Trump's "majority" is comprised of around 32% of eligible voters. Hardly a landslide. It is always a weak turnout and accounts for late changes in vote totals under the influence of events near voting day.
Webster’s defines majority as “the greater number,” which is how I meant it.
Whether the phrase should be plurality or majority, the only vote that decided the election was in the Electoral College. It would be nice if the country went to popular vote for the Presidency, but I doubt it ever will.
“You can’t fix stupid as they say, and I worry about that.” I too worry about this Steve, and the level of the uneducated that perhaps can be fixed. It was this that played a powerful role in the past election. I don’t hold my fellow citizens who voted for Trump in contempt, I hold them in disappointment. Some were duped, tricked into believing the lies, can they be shown the truth? That remains to be seen. Will there be those on their own as you have remarked begin to see it for themselves? This remains to be seen as well. But there are those who grabbed on tight to the permission to be the hate filled & racist bigots that they are, provided by Trump. No, I’m not going to watch his speech, I’m going to revisit the speeches of King, Kennedy et al. like those you provided. There will be plenty of reposting of it all across the internet.
Steve - to your point about resisting. One of my political science professors back in the 1960's suggested a reform to our process of nominating candidates. His proposal was for the losing party to hold its convention soon after the inauguration to select their candidates for the next go around, which in this case would be 2028. Having recognizable political leaders at a forefront of an opposition to the current administration would be a good way to resist the incumbent. Forget the primaries, and have a convention that selects a ticket of say Hakeem Jeffries or Gretchen Whitmer or Josh Shapiro would be quite effective in advancing and growing a unified opposition. Have a press conference after every one by Trump. Give a speech in every city he gives one. With your political savvy I am sure you can think of other methods of forming a strong opposition with a ticket made up of 2 of the above or similar names.
The down side is the Democrats would probably end up renominating Harris.
Thank you for another clear assessment of our challenges we all now face because of the inability of voters to acknowledge what was clear as day before Election Day. DISGUSTING.
I did not watch the inauguration today, but when I read the media news stories and watched the video of Trumps speech, it made me literally sick to my stomach, which I don't see changing for the next four years. Even worse was to watch his supporters cheering the end of Democracy, the Constitution and the rule of law, and the beginning of a fascist Autocratic Dictatorship and losing our basic freedoms. Our founding fathers would be rolling in their graves.
Our Brand of capitalism led us directly into fascism.
When will Steve Schmidt address the truth of that fact?
Billionaires in a Plutocracy led us into a dictatorship.
Billionaires must be taxed until they are forced to share the wealth until they get no more income than some reasonable proportion of salary. Henry George's system of economics would level the playing field. I am not against wealth, just against unfair taxation of the poor (and ask ourselves-WHY IS THERE A POOR CLASS?). Let us have a system of CEO's that is not obscenely greater than that an average blue-collar worker. That is what the Brotherhood of Man means.
That is what manliness means.
Steve Schmidt defends Our Brand of Obscene Capitalism.
If only he could read more and learn about economists like Henry George.
https://www.google.com/search?q=Henry+George+as+mayor+for+NYC&oq=Henry+George+as+mayor+for+NYC&gs_lcrp=EgRlZGdlKgYIABBFGDkyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRifBdIBCDg4OTBqMGoxqAIAsAIB&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
I think you misunderstand and underestimate Steve.
I think Henry George's analysis that the basis of wealth is fundamentally land might have been apt for Eur. and GB (and other places) at the end of the 19th cent., but is wrong for our time, when ideas (including patents), celebrity, inherited wealth, and having a seat at the money game are the juggernauts. Henry George said, "Tax the basis of wealth." Not a unique idea. All reformers start there. Exhorting human beings to be kinder and more considerate to other humans is also not an innovative idea. Accomplishing that would be revolutionary! But if any group of people disagrees (and the alpha humans will) the construct fails.
Henry George was extremely well known in the USA and had great approval among the public for his economic proposals and his platform. He ran for mayor of NYC in a 1886, and came in second, ahead of Theodore Roosevelt., all based on the popularity of his proposal for a new economic system in NYC. .
Did you know that?
https://www.google.com/search?q=Henry+George+as+mayor+for+NYC&oq=Henry+George+as+mayor+for+NYC&gs_lcrp=EgRlZGdlKgYIABBFGDkyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIRifBdIBCDg4OTBqMGoxqAIAsAIB&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
Pardon me, dear, are you a bot? Blink your eyes once for "yes".
Worse than that, I am a semi- educated man who thinks, reads, and studies economics
Hmmmm.
It took me almost a year to understand Henry George's philosophy of economics, and Lydia, I believe you have not understood it, if you will forgive me for saying so, and be patient me. as I say why I believe that about you. I am not being rude or offensive, believe me. I just know it is something that turns all economics on its head, is impossible to conceive of. I went to the Henry George School, a landmark heritage location in the east 30;s in NYC, It's an incredible place. for two years and made great strides in my education about all the great economists since ancient Greek times. You must go there and learn, if you want to comprehend his system. It is not what you are talking about.
"Our Brand of capitalism led us directly into fascism.
When will Steve Schmidt address the truth of that fact?"
Another great leader in the movement to change the economy from domination and exploitation to partnership, cooperation, and caring is Riane Eisler. She explores why we are in the oppressive system we are and how to get out of it in "The Real Wealth of Nations," and "The Chalice and the Blade." It should be required reading for all government officials in positions of great power. It is the exact opposite of Trump/Maga (Febb) ideology.
In you, I have found a man of my own taste in reading, Mr. Santo. I will investigate Riane Eisler. There was another great Eisler in history as well, in case you are interested.
Hanns Eisler. I never heard of him, but I scanned his Wikipedia biography and it sounds fascinating; a musician who composed the East German National Anthem, exile from nazi Germany, later on the American blacklist; sounds like a fascinating person. Thank you
BTW, we obviously share the same economic and political views. If everyone did, the world described in John Lennon's "Imagine" would be possible.
Anthony, I looked at Riane on Wikipedia. She is obviously brilliant. My favorite philosophers were always activists as well, using their international power of fame by marching with the common people for helping them to gain their rights.
I have not looked up YOUR Esiler yet. Now I will. Hans was a victim of McCarthyism and worked with Brecht.
I think this area of knowledge is totally unknown to Steve Schmidt, or so it seems. I think he is a diehard capitalist fan. It is a pity, for his skills could help change this country if he applied them in a new direction..
Yet he is truly an imaginative writer and charismatic speaker. That much I give him and applaud those skills.
Anthony - did you get hacked?
?
Sorry to keep repeating the same point, but we are at war. We've been at war for some time. It is not about the first soldier killed in Panama. It is about the 800,000 American dead for which Trump Inc is largely responsible during Covid. It is about the police killed or injured on Jan 6. It is about those in Puerto Rico and elsewhere who perished while T threw them paper towels. The body count is already immense. And while the rant went on, the Proud Boys marched proudly in the streets of DC, the regime's terrorist police. Yes, make no mistake. This is where we are.
You’re exactly right.
The rational people in Germany did not have Substack nor a history of Hitler. Do not underestimate our advantages.
I hope you are right.
I know I’m right about our advantages. What we must hope is that people do the work we need to do now that we messed up. They’re more likely to when they consider our advantages.
I forgot another advantage. Trump is hideous and impossible to admire for so many of us. Hitler had some like able qualities. It’s much easier to despise Trump whereas many people despised Hitler only after they found out what he did.
That being said we don’t know what we can do but if we approach it negatively we’ll lose.
It's true that the opposition in Nazi Germany came mostly too late. There is a lesson there as well. Don't wait. There is nothing to wait for.
That assumes the masses turn off Fox “News”. As long as people stay in their FN (right wing media) silo, they gain absolutely no truth or reason, just propaganda and lies. However, corporate MSM is no angel. Substack, Pro Publica and Guardian are my current go to.
I always try to see the logic behind things and for the life of me, I can’t see the logic behind the appeal of Trump.
He hates the same people that they hate and he gives them permission to hate. What I cannot understand is how the so-called "Christians" can support the hatred and division that Donald Trump promotes, and everything that Donald Trump is about is the complete opposite of Christian value teachings. Every one.
That's because too many Christians are hypocrits. If they weren't hypocrits, they would have denounced the grifter-in-chief, and everything he stood for. But instead, so many of the 'pulpit pushovers' embraced him, and embraced his message. They promoted him to their 'flocks' in churches....what a sham and what a shame! He doesn't have one religious bone in his body! He grifted them like he grifted the MAGAts who put him back in office...and they'll find out the hard way.
The way I understand it, some Christians believe in the prophesies of The End Times (the Bible Book of Revelations), and they long to actually have Christ on earth, when believers will be transported straight to Heaven. Many of us don't see it as that appealing. But they are happy to try to fulfill the prophesy anyway.
I think they see Trump as an unlikely bearer of God's word, but God is testing their faith by presenting them with a prophet who only God knows why he chose Trump. They pass the faith test if they accept Trump with no questions asked. (BTW - Jews are essential to these Christians because they need Jews to have the opportunity to accept Christ as their Savior to fulfill the prophesy.)
I watched a video some years ago where Sarah Palin was talking about preparing Wasilla for the mass influx of Christians going there for the Last Days.
The “Christians” are the biggest haters of them all.
I wonder if these "christians" (and yes, I deliberately didn't capitalize) have ever considered that Trump might just be the Antichrist.
The only way his christians would accept any information is if he TOLD them. It’s a dangerous cult. All of it.
The only thing that makes Christianity tolerable is it's subjugation to the Enlightenment and Democracy. As a former Catholic and now atheist, sooner or later the Christian police will come knocking on my door and take me away if I don't repent and acknowledge the error of my ways. I am sure some child abusing bishop will gladly have me burned at the stake if I don't..
The logic is: your guys disappoint too - everyone is corrupt - so we might as well try something new and he must be from God because he’s so successful. They took the fact he’s a con man off the table because others have conned us. They need to learn the difference between a con man and normal disappointing people. They will but it’s up to us to expedite that.
Steve. The USA needs you. Join the Democrats now and run for President in 2028.
He will never be accepted by more than 50% , maybe more Americans. He will not be allowed to do it.
He does not have to be. Hitler took power after getting 37% of the vote. So many Americans are so delusional.
I don't see any of his cult supporters standing up in opposition to his policies, which have been there in Project 2025 in plain sight all along.. They really do believe he is a God sent from heaven to save them.
It’s mind boggling and numbing that Musk can literally give the Nazi salute at an American Inauguration! How can half the country be oblivious to the hatred and the fascism playing out in front of us?
Wow. I can't watch or even listen to his disgusting voice. Maybe I'll come across a clip of just that, because I won't watch the convicted felon's ugly face spewing his hate and lies.
You can find it on Bluesky …just the few seconds that include his salute
I will likely have to listen to Trump's speech eventually. The governor of Idaho is so proud that Trump will return America back to the people - I have no idea of what that means, especially since America is getting delivered to the billionaires. The applause will likely sicken me, thinking of the stupid deaths that are coming, in our names.
MAGA has never said explicitly just what Trump is saving them from, or what mythological world they want to return to. I think they know, but refuse to admit that it is all about making America roll back to a majority white, male, straight, Christian nationalist, isolationist nation, and a government controlled strictly by the wealthy. One where women and minorities rights are restricted and voting rights are only what those at the top tell us they are. The laws and history are rewritten as they see fit. It's already happening, and not according to what the founders envisioned.
And heyerosexual + marriage between one man/woman.
We’re going to be fucked. If the Democrats started screaming today, and they SHOULD, they still can’t stop this juggernaut. How? This is a sick nation. We’ve already had rights stripped from us, women are second-class citizens, and we will soon be at war with our allies. Imagine it. It’s breathtakingly horrible. And the public is cheering for this!! It’s going to get so much worse. And fast. I can’t imagine how this shitshow of cruelty and corruption lasts four years with an intact US.
I’ve been disheartened about this country since Iraq, when we destroyed lives and lost 3 trillion dollars on war that no one has ever been held accountable for. I’ll withhold judgment on things now and see what unfolds. He was elected by a majority and his plans and orders are what they voted for. As for being worried, I’ll let Mark Twain speak: Worrying is like paying a debt you don’t owe.
He was not elected by a majority, but a plurality. He won by less than 50% and his margin of winning was only 1.5%. Not a landslide, not a mandate, not a majority.
It is always important to note that too few people vote in our elections. In 2024, only 63.7% of those eligible voted, fewer even than 2020, when 66.6% voted. So Trump's "majority" is comprised of around 32% of eligible voters. Hardly a landslide. It is always a weak turnout and accounts for late changes in vote totals under the influence of events near voting day.
Webster’s defines majority as “the greater number,” which is how I meant it.
Whether the phrase should be plurality or majority, the only vote that decided the election was in the Electoral College. It would be nice if the country went to popular vote for the Presidency, but I doubt it ever will.
“You can’t fix stupid as they say, and I worry about that.” I too worry about this Steve, and the level of the uneducated that perhaps can be fixed. It was this that played a powerful role in the past election. I don’t hold my fellow citizens who voted for Trump in contempt, I hold them in disappointment. Some were duped, tricked into believing the lies, can they be shown the truth? That remains to be seen. Will there be those on their own as you have remarked begin to see it for themselves? This remains to be seen as well. But there are those who grabbed on tight to the permission to be the hate filled & racist bigots that they are, provided by Trump. No, I’m not going to watch his speech, I’m going to revisit the speeches of King, Kennedy et al. like those you provided. There will be plenty of reposting of it all across the internet.
I am sick to my stomach. America Inc. for real. It is a sad day. I hang my flag upside down.
Steve - to your point about resisting. One of my political science professors back in the 1960's suggested a reform to our process of nominating candidates. His proposal was for the losing party to hold its convention soon after the inauguration to select their candidates for the next go around, which in this case would be 2028. Having recognizable political leaders at a forefront of an opposition to the current administration would be a good way to resist the incumbent. Forget the primaries, and have a convention that selects a ticket of say Hakeem Jeffries or Gretchen Whitmer or Josh Shapiro would be quite effective in advancing and growing a unified opposition. Have a press conference after every one by Trump. Give a speech in every city he gives one. With your political savvy I am sure you can think of other methods of forming a strong opposition with a ticket made up of 2 of the above or similar names.
The down side is the Democrats would probably end up renominating Harris.
Thank you for another clear assessment of our challenges we all now face because of the inability of voters to acknowledge what was clear as day before Election Day. DISGUSTING.
What a massive, know nothing, syphillitic fuckwad!!!!
https://www.c-span.org/clip/public-affairs-event/user-clip-trump-admits-they-rigged-the-election/5150039
I caught that, too. Seems he doesn't care who knows about it anymore. And really, why should he, I suppose.