Reading the federal criminal complaint against Donald Trump was akin to a hallucinatory experience, where the words yielded to flashes of imagination that pixilated into grainy images in my mind’s eye.
The morning after the indictments were announced, an elderly relative posted on social media that she would be donating money to him - her first donation ever to a politician. This is a woman on fixed income with little to give. I can guarantee you that Trump didn't do a damn thing to make her life better when he was in office. But it's never about what he did for them, it was about what he made them feel and the dopamine rush of confirmation bias and "othering" the undesirables. There is no bottom for MAGA diehards and they will never abandon him.
I take these reports with a grain of salt due the the immense network of operatives and amount of money being spent to make Trump appear more popular than he actually is. In our Nation of 340 million people is isn't difficult to pay for supporters, hire operatives to write stories, and get them published. Anyone can tweet anything, not to mention all of the right-wing broadcast channels. If you are related to the "elderly relative" and have first hand info regarding her contribution, her action is most likely the result of receiving mass mail and/or robo phone calls from a Trump affiliate, or watching a right-wing broadcast convincing the relative to support their country that is under attack or Trump who is also under attack.
Are you saying you take my post with a grain of salt? Because I do indeed know the woman (spouse's aunt) and can personally attest to her deep and unshakable adoration of and loyalty to Trump. Her children and grandchildren feel the same, as does most of that side of the family. They live in states both red and blue, and are faithful Fox and Newsmax viewers. Their bubble is impenetrable. They have not read the indictment, but believe it to be nothing more than harassment of Trump, who is simultaneously tough-guy hero and besieged victim in their narrative.
I live in a "blue" county in a "blue" state (which is really only blue in the middle while hardcore red around the edges). Even in my blue county in my blue state, I know a helluva lot of Trump supporters. There are Trump flag-flying neighbors on my block (surrounded by other neighbors with BLM signs that get stolen) All of this is anecdata, but to say: while I think the majority of this nation oppose him and by a substantial margin, do not underestimate the depth of his support. You might be astounded by how many folks in your own life support him, even if they don't vocalize it.
He lost the 26% he had, probably at 20% Gerrymandering made up the rest of his votes. I followed that idiot because I remembered him from the 70s and I knew he was up to no good. Blame congress for jumping aboard the trump train and trying to normalize his God Awful Dangerous Orange clown performance. Let's not forget the Wealthy owned, Newspapers eating IT up.
I should hope that Russian interference/ cyber warfare in the 2016 elections will be further revealed in the future. I strongly feel that 2016 was not a fair election. Heather Cox Richardson wrote a fairly comprehensive account of this about 6 to 8 weeks ago. The social media algorithms are a warfare used by DJT- MAGA- and powerful foreign autocrats; they seek to destroy Democracy.
Explain to your Aunt that Trump is doing fine. The Federal government has given him almost 200 million dollars for playing golf on his courses and a good percentage of this money was put directly into pocket, when he jacked up his room rates. Also, the Saudis invested 5 billion with his son-in-law and ex-treasury secretary, and there's a good chance he has a percentage of everything they earn. He also has money coming in from Saudi Arabia's trying to team up with the PGA, and playing on his courses. Break it down for her how much money 5 Billion is - 5,000 million dollar bills etc.
Hi Robert, For millions of DJT followers, there is no 'explaining' or rationalizing anything to change their minds. MAGA is a mass cult movement. Millions of people have been indoctrinated and brainwashed and many will kill and die for their 'god', their 'savior'. I was raised in a violent Christian cult. I could plainly see that DJT was a dangerous cult leader when he came down the elevator in 2015, and that he would take millions of American off a cliff with him, which he has and will. Some of the GOP in Congress are brain-washed, but many are not: they are fully taking advantage of a mass cult movement that has grave potential to destroy our country. Many are armed with military weapons and will slaughter more church members, more of their neighbors, more little children. There is no 'explaining' anything to millions of MAGA followers. Some who are brainwashed will need outreach programs in order to over come this cult. The solution, as I see it (I have an education background, not a political one) is to hold accountable DJT and all of the insurrectionists that are now IN congress and otherwise. Millions of people will die as MAGA followers and will pass this insanity onto their children. Education (civics, history and critical thinking skills as a priority) will be imperative. A great deal of love and care towards the children, a modeling of goodness, by as many of individuals as possible in all professions could make a difference in these cult indoctrinated children going forward. We don't seem to understand cults or trauma in our society. We'll need to in order to pull our country together again, and it could take decades. MAGA won't disappear with DJT. Thank you.
There is no denying there is a lot of bigotry, ignorance, illiteracy, and inequality in the U.S. and the Republicans do their best to exploit and exacerbate it whenever they can.
As I suggested, in a country of 340 million just about anything is possible. I'm willing to bet your elderly relative watches a right-wing broadcast station, doesn't read a well-distributed newspaper, and has only a high-school level of education or less. In fact, I would also predict she is functionally illiterate, certainly not well-grounded in civics, and the group she associates with is similar to her and reinforce each others disinformation and misinformation. She may also be a life-long R and unable to differentiate some of the significant changes in the R Party. Trump never uttered the word democracy in his four years in office or since, unlike Reagan and other R Presidents.
Despite the relatively high literacy rate in the U.S of 79%, 54% only read at the 6th grade level or lower and newspaper and magazine subscriptions have dropped significantly. That leaves 75% of our population with a reading challenge and without the interest, ability, or the means to factcheck whatever news they are watching or hearing. When Musk is done, Twitter will also be another right-wing broadcast site. With 75% of American susceptible to propaganda, right-wing billionaires or Trump have a big target group to prey on. As Musk has demonstrated 25 billion means nothing to a multimillionaire under our current and increasingly more regressive taxation system.
Traitors to our country, every one who still supports, lies, twists facts and kisses the orange ass of trump. How any American can read the indictment, or the many excellent authors who concisely give a summation of what's in the indictment, and say anything other than trump's a traitor to America. It's both scary and sad that this has happened.
No one who suffers from trump fever has or will read the indictment or excellent articles detailing trump’s consistent attacks and efforts to undermine our democracy.
The Republicans and their cult followers are out of their minds. I had to turn it off and stop reading yesterday, walk away from it for awhile. I was astonished, angry and needed to step away from such idiocy. The thing is, they know. They know damn well what Trump is and yet they beat their chest declaring him a saint, untouchable. This man is everything you described, Steve. He is a piece of shit and 40% of Americans call him God. Unbelievable.
I turned over to Fox News to just watch the spectacle for a minute. I eventually had to turn the television off completely. I’m utterly perplexed and dismayed.
I appreciate that you've used the term 'cult'. Millions of followers will kill and die for their 'God', their 'Savior'. The Democrats are 'the enemy'. Many are highly armed with military grade weapons (including my brothers in Montana) Are we on the brink of a civil war?
Is the number truly 40% though? I feel it's less than that, maybe even less than 25%. But since Trump and his followers get nonstop free publicity from MSM, it seems like the whole country is on his side. That's certainly not the case if you look at the numbers that show up for his rallies - they are pathetically small crowds. Fox News recently held a poll (of which I have a screenshot) asking their audience if they want to Trump to be reelected - 38% said yes, 61% said no.
I think that's probably accurate, and includes right leaning independents. I did the math a few years ago, Democrats and left-leaning independents were 41% of the population, while Republicans & right-leaning independents were like 32% or thereabouts, and much smaller percentages amongst the other parties.
These numbers speak to the fact that the GOP has an all out war on voting rights and are determined to gerrymander every state they possibly can so they can remain in power. Because all things being equal, they'll never win another national election again. They'll win local and state elections in red states only.
The GOP tolerates Trump’s outrages in service to a larger goal: ensuring the world’s richest families have the same friction-free access to American land, labor, credit and resources the 19th century robber barons had.
The responses by rep🇷🇺blican politicians is a disgrace. I can’t imagine how they can’t look at themselves each morning in the mirror without disgust. People who take a vow to support and defend the constitution denigrating our justice system makes my stomach churn.
You know it takes a lot of time to gather all that top secret information and not return it to it's proper safe place. That to me means this gathering of top secret docs took planing over time. It also means Trump intended to use that information for his own wealth enhancing purposes and to show off to his friends. He's nothing less than a traitor to his country and much worse than I had anticipated. When I saw what he actually had in his possession I couldn't believe it. Those house members and senators who defend traitorous acts are then themselves traitors, and we cannot let them off the hook. I'm talking about you Cruz and you Hawley and all the rest. We won't forget this. Ever.
Completely agree with you, Jerry, about Hawley and Cruz being traitors. Defending Donald Trump at this point is defending treason. Donald Trump should be jailed for the rest of his life. His actions make Benedict Arnold's look like small potatoes.
Just a dozen words to get to the incentive for the crime of treason; you parse information like no other. Type those same lines in caps about a dozen times more and check how much more notice you get. Remember, we’re so accustomed to the damned bullhorn TFG uses nonstop, it could be overlooked!
Trump and the GOP are trying to obliterate the system that has given them the opportunity to prosper. They wouldn’t have made it to the upper echelon of the political order without a stable and thriving nation. They are now trying to reduce America to what Putin and other authoritarians want. They are losing because they have declared war on democracy. Andriy Yermak of Ukraine said recently that just because you are closer to the finished line you must not stop pushing hard. You have to get to the victory, the end goal, for survival of our democratic values depends on it.
We think alike, May. To think that anyone could be living today and see how far they have come. Even when it is unbalanced (fact that the Middle Class is all but gone) but still, they manage to live well enough. The poor grovel and depend on the government for food and medical care. As hard as many have worked hard to get that all working. So now you have our so-called leaders who sit in Congress and deny deny deny anything that could balance it all out...yet here so many of them just raping the American People. I would love to know who the hell they think they are to take advantage of the people that put them there. To think they are so GD smart? To actually think that they do not follow their Oath of Office when they vote NO to deny these same people that pay their salary. Who should actually be mad here?
The comments I just read from the r’s... I hope the Buck stops here, I am, for one, sick of hearing all your lies, you think that is false, you have not yet proven with and fact that President Biden has done anything you are accusing him of. While DJT has crippled our Country and will hopefully have to finally be accountable. My father and soooo many others family paid the ultimate price to stop Hitler. And stop him they DID, how proud we are of them. It is quite sad to see all “One” man and his sycophants are destroying it all for. WHAT? I will never understand the Greed, the Hate, the Lying. Read the indictment with a sincere heart.
💯! The Fairness Doctrine that Reagan struck down must be updated for current standards (social media etc.) and reinstated. It is shocking to the core that Fox news, OAN, Newsmax and their ilk are allowed to broadcast heinous lies with impunity and zero accountability. There must be guardrails in place or the propaganda will only continue to get worse.
I don’t know what to do anymore... am I in some crazy Twilight Zone episode?? I have no words to describe my complete and utterly profound confusion and disgust.
Words can’t explain the disdain I have for Donald Trump and his maga Repugs that exist on this earth. How could you want to do this great harm to a country that allowed you the freedom to do what you have done and make the Almighty green dollar? How dare you prosper and then put us common people in the hole for you to destroy? Hate is a strong word but it applies here to you and your ignorant followers. America used to be the country that people wanted to visit and perhaps live here, but now I hear anything but through my travels in other countries. Donald Trump and his followers could care less as long as they exist in their isolated state.
Steve, let’s call out specific GOP officeholders for their response and thoughts on this indictment. Here in Massachusetts, I call upon Senator Susan Collins of Maine to stand and articulate her thoughts on this TODAY, before the polls and the bell weather establishment theme emerges (mane already too late for that tho). I ask Senator Collins, does Trump pose a security threat today? It is black fly season in Maine but Steve all hear so for from Susan Collins is crickets!
Susan Collins has already said she thinks Trump has learned his lesson. She is truly ineffective & useless at upholding democracy and only functions as McConnell's tool.
Seems that there’s no Barry Goldwater around today. He certainly spoke truth to power directly to Nixon! But, one has to have a spine to stand up like that!
These supporters of the orange traitor must be voted into oblivion.
This past week, SCOTUS struck down the congressional map in Alabama, leaving section 2 of the Voting Rights Act intact. This is a major win for Democracy and citizens' voting rights. The decision is already having an impact in the court cases concerning voting redistricting in states like Georgia, Kansas, Arkansas and Louisiana, and will probably affect many other states going through voting redistricting by republicans trying to win elections unfairly.
I found out this info through "Democracy Docket", a site that keeps up with the courts and cases happening throughout the country. Check it out!
This is a big win for voters. It will give voters the opportunity to get rid of the politicians who support the orange traitor, and vote in those who will uphold the Constitution and safeguard our Democracy.
Yes Celeste, it certainly is a big “win” for Democracy. What is scary though is that it was a very narrow “win”, only because of Roberts and Kavanaugh’s “switch” to the liberal side of the issue. I’m thankful for that, but it’s concerning that just two extra votes is what it took to make this happen. We can only hope that they’ll continue in this course.
Correct. But that's why voting matters so much. We need politicians with backbones who will hold the SCJ responsible to what they stated when being confirmed, and not playing politics on the bench. Saying one thing before the Senate, and doing the opposite in practice without good reason is perjury. They need to be held to account.
I turned on Fox News last night to see how they were covering Trump's indictment. Over the rainbow, they were only talking about how Joe Biden was not charged and Trump was being persecuted. I had to quickly tap my heels 3 times and pray I would make it out of Mar a Lago alive.
I wanted to call my Trump loving brothers and get their reactions but this would only have made our divide greater. I hope if and when Trump is found guilty there can be repatriation of family members back to reality. They have lived in the land of Mar a Lago where truth is a discouraging word for so long that adjusting to life in the real world will be difficult. I am old and my lungs are failing but I hope my estranged family members are strong enough to make the return trip over the rainbow back to reality.
I’m waiting for the phone call from my cousin in Detroit, but not holding my breath, it’ll be difficult to undo 6 years of devotion to the insipid POS, we were close, but the insipid one was a deal breaker.
I had a short conversation with one of my brothers and the moment Trump's name is mentioned, their self defense mechanism kicks in and no further words are possible. I am afraid they are lost to me and reality forever.
Same for my dad and his only brother. My dad has always walked on eggshells around him anyway, but the Trump thing has taken tension to a whole new level.
I'm so sad for all here who are expressing loss of their family members to insidious 'leaders' who care nothing for them, rather will destroy their lives. The corruption in my family started with talk Radio (Rush Limbaugh, Alex Jones, etc) and then Fox news. My mother wired talk radio into all rooms in the house, the barn, and the garage. It was non-stop. (She eventually became sane for a few years due to early Alzheimer's) The head Montana Oath Keeper lived in the town near the family farm and became involved with my mother and younger brother. This all destroyed any semblance of 'family' I have in Montana. My younger brother imports, sells, and builds all kinds of weapons, including military style weapons. His little children are in the middle of all of this. Trauma. My family, previous to this radio and tv grifting, were good American citizens, vulnerable, lacking educational skills to discern what was happening to them. Their minds were destroyed and I became an 'enemy' of the people I loved and still love, as we all have here on this thread. I've shared this on The Warning before and have healed some, have made friends, but I still shake and cry as I type this. Nothing can unring the bell on what has already happened: corruption that will go on for generations. I know and see where all of this can go, especially in these rural pockets of Red States. The devastation of so many family and friends and minds will not be remedied. I pray that many will. May justice prevail. May Love and a priority on Education prevail. Thank you.
I’m so sorry, Lisa. This death of your family relationships you did not deserve. We are living through a nightmare. We have used the tools we have to try to fight back and have probably used a lot of energy trying to convince the trump crowd in the error of their ways. Sometimes all that can be done is shake, cry, and reach for politically educated people like yourself, and, well, vote. I never asked or wanted to be part of this club but here I am. Here we are and it’s daunting. So many times I’ve wondered if I am the one who is delusional politically so it helps me to see all the words here, too.
Thank you Libby. So many of us are often overwhelmed by the insanity going on. I'm so glad you said, "Sometimes all that can be done is shake, cry, and reach for politically educated people like yourself, and, well, vote." So, here we are. I had no idea how healing and reaffirming the The Warning and this community could be. I'm so glad you're here! xo
Lisa, I cry as I read this. Your story breaks my heart. Your mother's behavior, "My mother wired talk radio into all rooms in the house, the barn, and the garage. It was non-stop" is horrifying. It's almost as if (some of) your siblings had no chance. How you escaped is a miracle, and one for which I thank God. You are courageous and loving. May you continue your brave work. Sending you love. xo
Kathy, Thank You. I felt I was over-sharing. I may be. Sadly, though, I did lose my beloved younger sister in this mess, and the main reason is because of what I've shared above. It is my 'Warning' and I pray we can pull ourselves and as many loved ones out of this darkness as we possibly can. There is an attempt going on to exterminate the 'enemy. I think we'll pull our Democracy back, but this division and these damages are likely to continue. I'm so sad and enraged. Grief. The talk radio grifters, Oath Keepers, and MAGA (and the for profit media) took what I cherished the most. Evil predators will take everything if they can. Pray for Strength and Healing. Love you. xoxo
JenRose, I'm so sorry you lost your childhood family to this political insanity. Ten years ago, I couldn't have imagined this happening. There are no more family BBQs, holidays, or phone calls.
When I read your comment here, I got to wondering if some of us could benefit from group meetings for people like us who are in recovery from losing our families to MAGA. If you have any ideas, please let me know. Take best of care and I'm glad you're here. XO
I am so sad for your many, many losses. What a horrible thing the orange sadist has brought upon our country. He's causing the same rift upon tens of millions of us that occurred in his own family.
Hey Patrick, I’m in the same boat as you.... all of my siblings and my mom followed the dictator and his cronies down the yellow brick road. As for me, Ive had to give up and realize that they will never admit what they now stand for... fascism. I no longer consider them bamboozled by propaganda. Nope - it is who they are now and that will never be me. Take care!!!! Your definitely not alone.
Steve, thank you for nearly exhausting the English language's nouns and adjectives to describe these evil anti-American, pseudo-Christian fascists.
Meanwhile, many in the right-wing mob are spewing talk of major violence and awaiting the signal from Trump to go on a killing spree -- read this from Rolling Stone's longtime political reporter Tim Dickinson:
Trump Extremists Demand Civil War, Mass Murder After New Indictment
“Why are we talking about anything but dragging the political elite out of their homes and setting them on fire?” asked a poster on online forum, The Donald
Janet, i hope you're right that "these cowards are all talk, and no action," i.e., no mass murder.
And yes, most unfortunately there likely will be some "lone wolves" who act out their obsession with violence, incited by Trump and the other right-wing politicians.
Lone wolf is exactly why I have stopped attending Dem party meetings in my district. I am not a fearful person but I'm also not a reckless one. I am worried these lone wolves will decide a mass shooting of Democrats is a good start to the Civil War. I am avoiding crowds for the time being.
I hear you! I used to live in Colorado Springs and was surrounded by military fams who all had Trump signs in their yards and didn't care to associate with someone who had a Biden sticker on her car. I moved to Loveland to be closer to my granddaughter, and there's plenty of MAGAts here too, but not as bad as COS. The Dems have made good gains here in registering more democrats. I think we might slightly outnumber the GOP now, at least in the city. The district is huge and encompasses all the red towns east of I-25, so we still have a Republican as our representative 😖 and likely will, for the foreseeable future.
A brilliant analysis of our current national crisis, Steve. I am among those who was entrusted with a security clearance during my service and am infuriated by trump’s--and all of his henchmen’s betrayals of our nation. What I hope my fellow Americans see is the need for not only trump’s accountability, but that we must not allow any of these feckless cowards near the Oval Office. Their “fanatical defenses” of him leave no doubt of their danger to our nation. They will pardon him. And in DeSantis’s case, he will seize power and crush what remains of the rule of law and our freedoms.
Absolutely they will pardon him. It will be a litmus test for Republican candidates for President. If there are convictions in the anticipated Georgia case, Kemp will pardon him there, along with his criminal collaborators.
The morning after the indictments were announced, an elderly relative posted on social media that she would be donating money to him - her first donation ever to a politician. This is a woman on fixed income with little to give. I can guarantee you that Trump didn't do a damn thing to make her life better when he was in office. But it's never about what he did for them, it was about what he made them feel and the dopamine rush of confirmation bias and "othering" the undesirables. There is no bottom for MAGA diehards and they will never abandon him.
I take these reports with a grain of salt due the the immense network of operatives and amount of money being spent to make Trump appear more popular than he actually is. In our Nation of 340 million people is isn't difficult to pay for supporters, hire operatives to write stories, and get them published. Anyone can tweet anything, not to mention all of the right-wing broadcast channels. If you are related to the "elderly relative" and have first hand info regarding her contribution, her action is most likely the result of receiving mass mail and/or robo phone calls from a Trump affiliate, or watching a right-wing broadcast convincing the relative to support their country that is under attack or Trump who is also under attack.
Are you saying you take my post with a grain of salt? Because I do indeed know the woman (spouse's aunt) and can personally attest to her deep and unshakable adoration of and loyalty to Trump. Her children and grandchildren feel the same, as does most of that side of the family. They live in states both red and blue, and are faithful Fox and Newsmax viewers. Their bubble is impenetrable. They have not read the indictment, but believe it to be nothing more than harassment of Trump, who is simultaneously tough-guy hero and besieged victim in their narrative.
I live in a "blue" county in a "blue" state (which is really only blue in the middle while hardcore red around the edges). Even in my blue county in my blue state, I know a helluva lot of Trump supporters. There are Trump flag-flying neighbors on my block (surrounded by other neighbors with BLM signs that get stolen) All of this is anecdata, but to say: while I think the majority of this nation oppose him and by a substantial margin, do not underestimate the depth of his support. You might be astounded by how many folks in your own life support him, even if they don't vocalize it.
He lost the 26% he had, probably at 20% Gerrymandering made up the rest of his votes. I followed that idiot because I remembered him from the 70s and I knew he was up to no good. Blame congress for jumping aboard the trump train and trying to normalize his God Awful Dangerous Orange clown performance. Let's not forget the Wealthy owned, Newspapers eating IT up.
I should hope that Russian interference/ cyber warfare in the 2016 elections will be further revealed in the future. I strongly feel that 2016 was not a fair election. Heather Cox Richardson wrote a fairly comprehensive account of this about 6 to 8 weeks ago. The social media algorithms are a warfare used by DJT- MAGA- and powerful foreign autocrats; they seek to destroy Democracy.
Explain to your Aunt that Trump is doing fine. The Federal government has given him almost 200 million dollars for playing golf on his courses and a good percentage of this money was put directly into pocket, when he jacked up his room rates. Also, the Saudis invested 5 billion with his son-in-law and ex-treasury secretary, and there's a good chance he has a percentage of everything they earn. He also has money coming in from Saudi Arabia's trying to team up with the PGA, and playing on his courses. Break it down for her how much money 5 Billion is - 5,000 million dollar bills etc.
Hi Robert, For millions of DJT followers, there is no 'explaining' or rationalizing anything to change their minds. MAGA is a mass cult movement. Millions of people have been indoctrinated and brainwashed and many will kill and die for their 'god', their 'savior'. I was raised in a violent Christian cult. I could plainly see that DJT was a dangerous cult leader when he came down the elevator in 2015, and that he would take millions of American off a cliff with him, which he has and will. Some of the GOP in Congress are brain-washed, but many are not: they are fully taking advantage of a mass cult movement that has grave potential to destroy our country. Many are armed with military weapons and will slaughter more church members, more of their neighbors, more little children. There is no 'explaining' anything to millions of MAGA followers. Some who are brainwashed will need outreach programs in order to over come this cult. The solution, as I see it (I have an education background, not a political one) is to hold accountable DJT and all of the insurrectionists that are now IN congress and otherwise. Millions of people will die as MAGA followers and will pass this insanity onto their children. Education (civics, history and critical thinking skills as a priority) will be imperative. A great deal of love and care towards the children, a modeling of goodness, by as many of individuals as possible in all professions could make a difference in these cult indoctrinated children going forward. We don't seem to understand cults or trauma in our society. We'll need to in order to pull our country together again, and it could take decades. MAGA won't disappear with DJT. Thank you.
There is no denying there is a lot of bigotry, ignorance, illiteracy, and inequality in the U.S. and the Republicans do their best to exploit and exacerbate it whenever they can.
True, but there is no harm in TRYING!
As I suggested, in a country of 340 million just about anything is possible. I'm willing to bet your elderly relative watches a right-wing broadcast station, doesn't read a well-distributed newspaper, and has only a high-school level of education or less. In fact, I would also predict she is functionally illiterate, certainly not well-grounded in civics, and the group she associates with is similar to her and reinforce each others disinformation and misinformation. She may also be a life-long R and unable to differentiate some of the significant changes in the R Party. Trump never uttered the word democracy in his four years in office or since, unlike Reagan and other R Presidents.
Despite the relatively high literacy rate in the U.S of 79%, 54% only read at the 6th grade level or lower and newspaper and magazine subscriptions have dropped significantly. That leaves 75% of our population with a reading challenge and without the interest, ability, or the means to factcheck whatever news they are watching or hearing. When Musk is done, Twitter will also be another right-wing broadcast site. With 75% of American susceptible to propaganda, right-wing billionaires or Trump have a big target group to prey on. As Musk has demonstrated 25 billion means nothing to a multimillionaire under our current and increasingly more regressive taxation system.
Traitors to our country, every one who still supports, lies, twists facts and kisses the orange ass of trump. How any American can read the indictment, or the many excellent authors who concisely give a summation of what's in the indictment, and say anything other than trump's a traitor to America. It's both scary and sad that this has happened.
No one who suffers from trump fever has or will read the indictment or excellent articles detailing trump’s consistent attacks and efforts to undermine our democracy.
I know. Ignorance isn't bliss. It's just ignorance.
Willful ignorance, coupled with cognitive dissonance.
Yes.
The Republicans and their cult followers are out of their minds. I had to turn it off and stop reading yesterday, walk away from it for awhile. I was astonished, angry and needed to step away from such idiocy. The thing is, they know. They know damn well what Trump is and yet they beat their chest declaring him a saint, untouchable. This man is everything you described, Steve. He is a piece of shit and 40% of Americans call him God. Unbelievable.
I turned over to Fox News to just watch the spectacle for a minute. I eventually had to turn the television off completely. I’m utterly perplexed and dismayed.
Ignorance + misinformation is a combination for disaster! It totally fits into the definition of a cult! Their philosophy is party over country!
I appreciate that you've used the term 'cult'. Millions of followers will kill and die for their 'God', their 'Savior'. The Democrats are 'the enemy'. Many are highly armed with military grade weapons (including my brothers in Montana) Are we on the brink of a civil war?
👍👍👍
Is the number truly 40% though? I feel it's less than that, maybe even less than 25%. But since Trump and his followers get nonstop free publicity from MSM, it seems like the whole country is on his side. That's certainly not the case if you look at the numbers that show up for his rallies - they are pathetically small crowds. Fox News recently held a poll (of which I have a screenshot) asking their audience if they want to Trump to be reelected - 38% said yes, 61% said no.
I think you are right. I see 32% as his hard core base.
I think that's probably accurate, and includes right leaning independents. I did the math a few years ago, Democrats and left-leaning independents were 41% of the population, while Republicans & right-leaning independents were like 32% or thereabouts, and much smaller percentages amongst the other parties.
These numbers speak to the fact that the GOP has an all out war on voting rights and are determined to gerrymander every state they possibly can so they can remain in power. Because all things being equal, they'll never win another national election again. They'll win local and state elections in red states only.
The GOP tolerates Trump’s outrages in service to a larger goal: ensuring the world’s richest families have the same friction-free access to American land, labor, credit and resources the 19th century robber barons had.
🎯🎯🎯
The responses by rep🇷🇺blican politicians is a disgrace. I can’t imagine how they can’t look at themselves each morning in the mirror without disgust. People who take a vow to support and defend the constitution denigrating our justice system makes my stomach churn.
Love the flag - you nailed it.
Thanks Jen, I’m a little slow, I just got it. 🤷♂️
You know it takes a lot of time to gather all that top secret information and not return it to it's proper safe place. That to me means this gathering of top secret docs took planing over time. It also means Trump intended to use that information for his own wealth enhancing purposes and to show off to his friends. He's nothing less than a traitor to his country and much worse than I had anticipated. When I saw what he actually had in his possession I couldn't believe it. Those house members and senators who defend traitorous acts are then themselves traitors, and we cannot let them off the hook. I'm talking about you Cruz and you Hawley and all the rest. We won't forget this. Ever.
Completely agree with you, Jerry, about Hawley and Cruz being traitors. Defending Donald Trump at this point is defending treason. Donald Trump should be jailed for the rest of his life. His actions make Benedict Arnold's look like small potatoes.
$2 billion from the Saudi's for Iran info. That's what it was worth
Just a dozen words to get to the incentive for the crime of treason; you parse information like no other. Type those same lines in caps about a dozen times more and check how much more notice you get. Remember, we’re so accustomed to the damned bullhorn TFG uses nonstop, it could be overlooked!
Wow! You’re probably correct
I thought that immediately when I heard about MBS's "investment" into jared's scheme.
Right, and TFG is pissed that he did not get a cut of this from Jared.
TFG definitely got something out of the LIV golf tournaments. He helped the Saudis make that merger with PGA.
It is my hope there is a solid line demonstrating how information was disseminated
Trump and the GOP are trying to obliterate the system that has given them the opportunity to prosper. They wouldn’t have made it to the upper echelon of the political order without a stable and thriving nation. They are now trying to reduce America to what Putin and other authoritarians want. They are losing because they have declared war on democracy. Andriy Yermak of Ukraine said recently that just because you are closer to the finished line you must not stop pushing hard. You have to get to the victory, the end goal, for survival of our democratic values depends on it.
We think alike, May. To think that anyone could be living today and see how far they have come. Even when it is unbalanced (fact that the Middle Class is all but gone) but still, they manage to live well enough. The poor grovel and depend on the government for food and medical care. As hard as many have worked hard to get that all working. So now you have our so-called leaders who sit in Congress and deny deny deny anything that could balance it all out...yet here so many of them just raping the American People. I would love to know who the hell they think they are to take advantage of the people that put them there. To think they are so GD smart? To actually think that they do not follow their Oath of Office when they vote NO to deny these same people that pay their salary. Who should actually be mad here?
The comments I just read from the r’s... I hope the Buck stops here, I am, for one, sick of hearing all your lies, you think that is false, you have not yet proven with and fact that President Biden has done anything you are accusing him of. While DJT has crippled our Country and will hopefully have to finally be accountable. My father and soooo many others family paid the ultimate price to stop Hitler. And stop him they DID, how proud we are of them. It is quite sad to see all “One” man and his sycophants are destroying it all for. WHAT? I will never understand the Greed, the Hate, the Lying. Read the indictment with a sincere heart.
🙏
💯! The Fairness Doctrine that Reagan struck down must be updated for current standards (social media etc.) and reinstated. It is shocking to the core that Fox news, OAN, Newsmax and their ilk are allowed to broadcast heinous lies with impunity and zero accountability. There must be guardrails in place or the propaganda will only continue to get worse.
Anyone who supports Trump after learning about the contents of that indictment is sick in the head and/or anti-American.
I don’t know what to do anymore... am I in some crazy Twilight Zone episode?? I have no words to describe my complete and utterly profound confusion and disgust.
Words can’t explain the disdain I have for Donald Trump and his maga Repugs that exist on this earth. How could you want to do this great harm to a country that allowed you the freedom to do what you have done and make the Almighty green dollar? How dare you prosper and then put us common people in the hole for you to destroy? Hate is a strong word but it applies here to you and your ignorant followers. America used to be the country that people wanted to visit and perhaps live here, but now I hear anything but through my travels in other countries. Donald Trump and his followers could care less as long as they exist in their isolated state.
Their brains are infected with pathological greed & thirst for power.
Steve, let’s call out specific GOP officeholders for their response and thoughts on this indictment. Here in Massachusetts, I call upon Senator Susan Collins of Maine to stand and articulate her thoughts on this TODAY, before the polls and the bell weather establishment theme emerges (mane already too late for that tho). I ask Senator Collins, does Trump pose a security threat today? It is black fly season in Maine but Steve all hear so for from Susan Collins is crickets!
Susan Collins is a zero. Always has been. Looking to her to speak out is like looking to Trump to be honest. She needs to go.
Susan Collins has already said she thinks Trump has learned his lesson. She is truly ineffective & useless at upholding democracy and only functions as McConnell's tool.
Change your tagline Washington Post - Democracy is dying in the brightness of daylight abetted by our mainstream media.
And I can’t help but think of the Republican leaders who ushered the disgraced Richard Nixon out of town.
Seems that there’s no Barry Goldwater around today. He certainly spoke truth to power directly to Nixon! But, one has to have a spine to stand up like that!
These supporters of the orange traitor must be voted into oblivion.
This past week, SCOTUS struck down the congressional map in Alabama, leaving section 2 of the Voting Rights Act intact. This is a major win for Democracy and citizens' voting rights. The decision is already having an impact in the court cases concerning voting redistricting in states like Georgia, Kansas, Arkansas and Louisiana, and will probably affect many other states going through voting redistricting by republicans trying to win elections unfairly.
I found out this info through "Democracy Docket", a site that keeps up with the courts and cases happening throughout the country. Check it out!
This is a big win for voters. It will give voters the opportunity to get rid of the politicians who support the orange traitor, and vote in those who will uphold the Constitution and safeguard our Democracy.
Yes Celeste, it certainly is a big “win” for Democracy. What is scary though is that it was a very narrow “win”, only because of Roberts and Kavanaugh’s “switch” to the liberal side of the issue. I’m thankful for that, but it’s concerning that just two extra votes is what it took to make this happen. We can only hope that they’ll continue in this course.
Correct. But that's why voting matters so much. We need politicians with backbones who will hold the SCJ responsible to what they stated when being confirmed, and not playing politics on the bench. Saying one thing before the Senate, and doing the opposite in practice without good reason is perjury. They need to be held to account.
I turned on Fox News last night to see how they were covering Trump's indictment. Over the rainbow, they were only talking about how Joe Biden was not charged and Trump was being persecuted. I had to quickly tap my heels 3 times and pray I would make it out of Mar a Lago alive.
I wanted to call my Trump loving brothers and get their reactions but this would only have made our divide greater. I hope if and when Trump is found guilty there can be repatriation of family members back to reality. They have lived in the land of Mar a Lago where truth is a discouraging word for so long that adjusting to life in the real world will be difficult. I am old and my lungs are failing but I hope my estranged family members are strong enough to make the return trip over the rainbow back to reality.
I’m waiting for the phone call from my cousin in Detroit, but not holding my breath, it’ll be difficult to undo 6 years of devotion to the insipid POS, we were close, but the insipid one was a deal breaker.
I had a short conversation with one of my brothers and the moment Trump's name is mentioned, their self defense mechanism kicks in and no further words are possible. I am afraid they are lost to me and reality forever.
Same for my dad and his only brother. My dad has always walked on eggshells around him anyway, but the Trump thing has taken tension to a whole new level.
I understand
I'm so sad for all here who are expressing loss of their family members to insidious 'leaders' who care nothing for them, rather will destroy their lives. The corruption in my family started with talk Radio (Rush Limbaugh, Alex Jones, etc) and then Fox news. My mother wired talk radio into all rooms in the house, the barn, and the garage. It was non-stop. (She eventually became sane for a few years due to early Alzheimer's) The head Montana Oath Keeper lived in the town near the family farm and became involved with my mother and younger brother. This all destroyed any semblance of 'family' I have in Montana. My younger brother imports, sells, and builds all kinds of weapons, including military style weapons. His little children are in the middle of all of this. Trauma. My family, previous to this radio and tv grifting, were good American citizens, vulnerable, lacking educational skills to discern what was happening to them. Their minds were destroyed and I became an 'enemy' of the people I loved and still love, as we all have here on this thread. I've shared this on The Warning before and have healed some, have made friends, but I still shake and cry as I type this. Nothing can unring the bell on what has already happened: corruption that will go on for generations. I know and see where all of this can go, especially in these rural pockets of Red States. The devastation of so many family and friends and minds will not be remedied. I pray that many will. May justice prevail. May Love and a priority on Education prevail. Thank you.
I’m so sorry, Lisa. This death of your family relationships you did not deserve. We are living through a nightmare. We have used the tools we have to try to fight back and have probably used a lot of energy trying to convince the trump crowd in the error of their ways. Sometimes all that can be done is shake, cry, and reach for politically educated people like yourself, and, well, vote. I never asked or wanted to be part of this club but here I am. Here we are and it’s daunting. So many times I’ve wondered if I am the one who is delusional politically so it helps me to see all the words here, too.
Thank you Libby. So many of us are often overwhelmed by the insanity going on. I'm so glad you said, "Sometimes all that can be done is shake, cry, and reach for politically educated people like yourself, and, well, vote." So, here we are. I had no idea how healing and reaffirming the The Warning and this community could be. I'm so glad you're here! xo
Lisa, I cry as I read this. Your story breaks my heart. Your mother's behavior, "My mother wired talk radio into all rooms in the house, the barn, and the garage. It was non-stop" is horrifying. It's almost as if (some of) your siblings had no chance. How you escaped is a miracle, and one for which I thank God. You are courageous and loving. May you continue your brave work. Sending you love. xo
Kathy, Thank You. I felt I was over-sharing. I may be. Sadly, though, I did lose my beloved younger sister in this mess, and the main reason is because of what I've shared above. It is my 'Warning' and I pray we can pull ourselves and as many loved ones out of this darkness as we possibly can. There is an attempt going on to exterminate the 'enemy. I think we'll pull our Democracy back, but this division and these damages are likely to continue. I'm so sad and enraged. Grief. The talk radio grifters, Oath Keepers, and MAGA (and the for profit media) took what I cherished the most. Evil predators will take everything if they can. Pray for Strength and Healing. Love you. xoxo
I’m here for you too, Lisa. I have lost my entire childhood family - mom, brothers, sister, cousin.... I’m sad every day.
JenRose, I'm so sorry you lost your childhood family to this political insanity. Ten years ago, I couldn't have imagined this happening. There are no more family BBQs, holidays, or phone calls.
When I read your comment here, I got to wondering if some of us could benefit from group meetings for people like us who are in recovery from losing our families to MAGA. If you have any ideas, please let me know. Take best of care and I'm glad you're here. XO
Jen Rose, I am so very, very sad for you, with you. We are here for you, too.
I am so sad for your many, many losses. What a horrible thing the orange sadist has brought upon our country. He's causing the same rift upon tens of millions of us that occurred in his own family.
Oh Janet, I am so very sorry. My mom is 83 and I fear the same will happen to me... sending hugs your way.
Hey Patrick, I’m in the same boat as you.... all of my siblings and my mom followed the dictator and his cronies down the yellow brick road. As for me, Ive had to give up and realize that they will never admit what they now stand for... fascism. I no longer consider them bamboozled by propaganda. Nope - it is who they are now and that will never be me. Take care!!!! Your definitely not alone.
Steve, thank you for nearly exhausting the English language's nouns and adjectives to describe these evil anti-American, pseudo-Christian fascists.
Meanwhile, many in the right-wing mob are spewing talk of major violence and awaiting the signal from Trump to go on a killing spree -- read this from Rolling Stone's longtime political reporter Tim Dickinson:
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-indictment-violence-the-donald-mass-killing-1234768146/
MAGA MAYHEM
Trump Extremists Demand Civil War, Mass Murder After New Indictment
“Why are we talking about anything but dragging the political elite out of their homes and setting them on fire?” asked a poster on online forum, The Donald
BY TIM DICKINSON
JUNE 9, 2023
Janet, i hope you're right that "these cowards are all talk, and no action," i.e., no mass murder.
And yes, most unfortunately there likely will be some "lone wolves" who act out their obsession with violence, incited by Trump and the other right-wing politicians.
Lone wolf is exactly why I have stopped attending Dem party meetings in my district. I am not a fearful person but I'm also not a reckless one. I am worried these lone wolves will decide a mass shooting of Democrats is a good start to the Civil War. I am avoiding crowds for the time being.
Melody Annie,
Oh, dear Lord! What a nightmare the orange sadist has created in our country.
I hear you! I used to live in Colorado Springs and was surrounded by military fams who all had Trump signs in their yards and didn't care to associate with someone who had a Biden sticker on her car. I moved to Loveland to be closer to my granddaughter, and there's plenty of MAGAts here too, but not as bad as COS. The Dems have made good gains here in registering more democrats. I think we might slightly outnumber the GOP now, at least in the city. The district is huge and encompasses all the red towns east of I-25, so we still have a Republican as our representative 😖 and likely will, for the foreseeable future.
Where I live falls in the 4th congressional district and republican Ken Buck is our representative.
A brilliant analysis of our current national crisis, Steve. I am among those who was entrusted with a security clearance during my service and am infuriated by trump’s--and all of his henchmen’s betrayals of our nation. What I hope my fellow Americans see is the need for not only trump’s accountability, but that we must not allow any of these feckless cowards near the Oval Office. Their “fanatical defenses” of him leave no doubt of their danger to our nation. They will pardon him. And in DeSantis’s case, he will seize power and crush what remains of the rule of law and our freedoms.
Absolutely they will pardon him. It will be a litmus test for Republican candidates for President. If there are convictions in the anticipated Georgia case, Kemp will pardon him there, along with his criminal collaborators.
HORRIFYING!