The choice does not get any easier than this, in a state that is home to one of the largest measles outbreaks in United States history. The vaccine for measles has been safely in existence since 1962. The outbreak does not respect state borders and will harm many. Thank you, South Carolina.
Your writing always captivates me and scares the hell out of me at the same time. I’m 73 and seen how good people are afraid to be part of politics now when I was growing up it was an honor to be a statesman and serve the people.
Darline Graham Nordone should be nowhere near the Senate of the United States. She is uninformed and malleable, a really bad combination. Add Trumpism to the mix, and it is lethal.
Why did she agree to a debate, knowing she had nothing to say? What, if anything, has she learned in these last few weeks? If her sainted brother was so involved in everything “national security“, why would she think this question wouldn’t have been asked? Can you imagine – – no, I can’t – – this imbecile being elected for six years as another remora who can’t/won’t/wouldn’t be at all USEFUL in our Democracy ? You said it, Steve, more elegantly than I ever could have, so thank you. Please let the people of South Carolina wise up to do a good thing for our country!
First of all, she doesn't know what she doesn't know. (Dangerous.) We can only hope that she crumbles under the pressure, leaves a situation crying, runs home and never returns. (However, if she simply does as told, there will be no pressure... unless her constituents miraculously wake up)
I hope and pray the people vote to end this nightmare.I don't have any faith that they will. It's funny, past politicians like Bill Clinton would say trust the people.. Nah, I don't trust the people anymore .. Not just because they voted for a convicted felon but because the people in my party
were unhappy with Hillary ...they wanted Bernie. So they didn't vote for her. The list of stupid things my party has done is endless. If they screw up this election,I am going to go screaming into the night. The one thing you wrote this morning that gives me hope is that the name DJT airport is temporary ..Please, please, please, let it be temporary...that is the closest airport to me.
The thought, that I have to see his name on that beautiful little airport makes me sick. I hope the world of graffiti artists comes back and they dress in hoodies and masks..then I want them to spray paint every sign . When the powers that be have them cleaned up I want them to do it again ..Vandalism is in when it comes to dumpty ..thanks !
The level of incompetence, corruption, greed, and sycophancy in the executive branch is stunning and frightening and can only be explained by the ignorance and blind faith of so many Americans.
Let's hope those who voted for MAGATS are awakening to what they have done to themselves, the country, and the world.
As someone who has lived among them for >60 years....
To many of them it's simply a prank, at least a few steps up from, "Do you have Prince Albert in a can?", but not so very different.
But you raise an excellent point, Anthony: "blind faith". And in return for all these white male Christians praising Trump, he tells the world, in his own voice, that these men are so pathetic as to be dominated, skills and intellect, by EVERY demographic existing in America, or might wish to live in America. And in return for being so lacking in skills motivation and education, Trump will assure that they receive EVERY skilled, technical, dangerous job in America that they could possibly have zero qualifications for (except for the top qualification to not be so smart as to "dislike Trump.")
They feel powerless, and to them, hate IS power. For many of them, that, and the ability to pull a trigger, is all they can manage to perceive of power.
Thanks foofaw .. I agree to them it's simply a prank. And they love it. I can't tell you how many times in his first term he did somthing awful and someone I knew thought it was funny.
Thank you Mr. Schmidt, another deeply felt and intelligent essay.
It seems that only with terrible suffering do people learn, and as time goes by, the lessons are forgotten by future generations. This is why I've always said the most powerful weapon in the hands of a country, is its educational system. Americans over the past 50 yrs or so, are not educated with historical knowledge, can't recite a poem, and have limited critical thinking skills, not enough for a democracy to thrive. In France it is mandatory to study philosophy
This is in part what the 1960's was trying to achieve, a level of education for all emphasized critical thinking skills, the importance of culture, the arts and physical activity. Unfortunately, corporatization started to take over, with a push for both standardization, and the road to privatization. Text book publishers watered down textbooks (that looked like commercials on TV), schools hired "outside consultants," instead of relying on their own teachers to help fix the problems, teachers salaries remained low and along with that teacher education programs let virtually anyone into their programs. It was a vicious circle of downward trend, where the internet and now AI have been the final deathblow; students in college struggle to read a whole book, and professors assigning only chapters....
The Naomi Klein theory of "shock doctrine," applied here as the whole system weakened, a rescue was needed, the first step to privatization, the Manhatten Institute's "charter schools."
Of course private schools were different, smaller class sizes, teachers expecting their students to do well and go to college, money never an issue. So the ultimate was achieved, a two tier system, private education for the rich, and public for the majority.
As a former teacher in the 90's, the horror stories are endless, because in the end we cannot separate the educational system from the Republican ideology of privatization and two tier system, as well as the do nothing Dems who were asleep this whole time....
Thank you for fighting the good fight Steve. He will bankrupt our country like he has his businesses and his soul if we can't stop him and pry away the abalones attached to him.
This feels like a continuous loop of a very poorly written, acted, and scored movie. I am sickened by this sycophants that know nothing or purport to know nothing about that which they should be well versed. It is like we are surrounded by a party of Sgt. Schultz’s. Thanks for the great writing and excellent article regarding the continued ignorance of choice.
Crazy DEI flipping. Not just dumb but uninformed and uninterested. We like politicians (she is one despite her protestations) who seem down-to-earth and like “one of us” but, really? She’s a living SNL skit.
The choice does not get any easier than this, in a state that is home to one of the largest measles outbreaks in United States history. The vaccine for measles has been safely in existence since 1962. The outbreak does not respect state borders and will harm many. Thank you, South Carolina.
I still remember my vaccinations, in South Carolina, about 1960.
While Mom never hesitated to be a good Mom, they had to hold me down with about 4 people...
Another amazing piece of writing 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Your writing always captivates me and scares the hell out of me at the same time. I’m 73 and seen how good people are afraid to be part of politics now when I was growing up it was an honor to be a statesman and serve the people.
Darline Graham Nordone should be nowhere near the Senate of the United States. She is uninformed and malleable, a really bad combination. Add Trumpism to the mix, and it is lethal.
I keep wondering how long Americans will put up with this shit? I keep thinking it’ll take a civil war to get rid of Trump.
Why did she agree to a debate, knowing she had nothing to say? What, if anything, has she learned in these last few weeks? If her sainted brother was so involved in everything “national security“, why would she think this question wouldn’t have been asked? Can you imagine – – no, I can’t – – this imbecile being elected for six years as another remora who can’t/won’t/wouldn’t be at all USEFUL in our Democracy ? You said it, Steve, more elegantly than I ever could have, so thank you. Please let the people of South Carolina wise up to do a good thing for our country!
First of all, she doesn't know what she doesn't know. (Dangerous.) We can only hope that she crumbles under the pressure, leaves a situation crying, runs home and never returns. (However, if she simply does as told, there will be no pressure... unless her constituents miraculously wake up)
If only we could. I so hope that enough magarhoids don't vote that we can elect Annie Andrews.
I hope and pray the people vote to end this nightmare.I don't have any faith that they will. It's funny, past politicians like Bill Clinton would say trust the people.. Nah, I don't trust the people anymore .. Not just because they voted for a convicted felon but because the people in my party
were unhappy with Hillary ...they wanted Bernie. So they didn't vote for her. The list of stupid things my party has done is endless. If they screw up this election,I am going to go screaming into the night. The one thing you wrote this morning that gives me hope is that the name DJT airport is temporary ..Please, please, please, let it be temporary...that is the closest airport to me.
The thought, that I have to see his name on that beautiful little airport makes me sick. I hope the world of graffiti artists comes back and they dress in hoodies and masks..then I want them to spray paint every sign . When the powers that be have them cleaned up I want them to do it again ..Vandalism is in when it comes to dumpty ..thanks !
Graffiti is a powerful tool and should be used for more than beautification of railroad boxcars.
Yes Mike I agree 100%
The level of incompetence, corruption, greed, and sycophancy in the executive branch is stunning and frightening and can only be explained by the ignorance and blind faith of so many Americans.
Let's hope those who voted for MAGATS are awakening to what they have done to themselves, the country, and the world.
As someone who has lived among them for >60 years....
To many of them it's simply a prank, at least a few steps up from, "Do you have Prince Albert in a can?", but not so very different.
But you raise an excellent point, Anthony: "blind faith". And in return for all these white male Christians praising Trump, he tells the world, in his own voice, that these men are so pathetic as to be dominated, skills and intellect, by EVERY demographic existing in America, or might wish to live in America. And in return for being so lacking in skills motivation and education, Trump will assure that they receive EVERY skilled, technical, dangerous job in America that they could possibly have zero qualifications for (except for the top qualification to not be so smart as to "dislike Trump.")
They feel powerless, and to them, hate IS power. For many of them, that, and the ability to pull a trigger, is all they can manage to perceive of power.
"...to them, hate IS power." That is an excellent observation.
And has given rise to gangster capitalism.
Thanks foofaw .. I agree to them it's simply a prank. And they love it. I can't tell you how many times in his first term he did somthing awful and someone I knew thought it was funny.
Yes hate is power for them.
I already have your "Country Over Cult" (as well as "Embarrassed American", a "Trumpless" cap, and about a half-dozen other of your shirts.)
I suspect I'll frame the Lindsey shirt, in honor of the actual solution to the Trump era. (Perhaps best not worn here in SC now.)
Perhaps, eventually, the only answer for saving democracy....
Thank you! Glad you like them!
Steve
If you're wearing them in public, you have more courage than I. Here in the upstate, a beating is the least of my worries....
Every day, without exception, for going on ten years or more.....
(I also carry a metal cane, and a bag containing heavy books.)
Generally, MAGA is only dangerous in numbers, though I'm always careful.
(Yeah, I lived in Greenville for a few years. I think I won't be inclined to return, even w/o measles, polio, mumps,......)
Unfortunately, she fits right in with the maniac regime screwing up the entire world.
Thank you Mr. Schmidt, another deeply felt and intelligent essay.
It seems that only with terrible suffering do people learn, and as time goes by, the lessons are forgotten by future generations. This is why I've always said the most powerful weapon in the hands of a country, is its educational system. Americans over the past 50 yrs or so, are not educated with historical knowledge, can't recite a poem, and have limited critical thinking skills, not enough for a democracy to thrive. In France it is mandatory to study philosophy
This is in part what the 1960's was trying to achieve, a level of education for all emphasized critical thinking skills, the importance of culture, the arts and physical activity. Unfortunately, corporatization started to take over, with a push for both standardization, and the road to privatization. Text book publishers watered down textbooks (that looked like commercials on TV), schools hired "outside consultants," instead of relying on their own teachers to help fix the problems, teachers salaries remained low and along with that teacher education programs let virtually anyone into their programs. It was a vicious circle of downward trend, where the internet and now AI have been the final deathblow; students in college struggle to read a whole book, and professors assigning only chapters....
The Naomi Klein theory of "shock doctrine," applied here as the whole system weakened, a rescue was needed, the first step to privatization, the Manhatten Institute's "charter schools."
Of course private schools were different, smaller class sizes, teachers expecting their students to do well and go to college, money never an issue. So the ultimate was achieved, a two tier system, private education for the rich, and public for the majority.
As a former teacher in the 90's, the horror stories are endless, because in the end we cannot separate the educational system from the Republican ideology of privatization and two tier system, as well as the do nothing Dems who were asleep this whole time....
I wish you would make a tee shirt that reads:
"Only Americans can STOP TRUMP.....VOTE"
Thank you for fighting the good fight Steve. He will bankrupt our country like he has his businesses and his soul if we can't stop him and pry away the abalones attached to him.
Good message, Troy.
If I were feeling particularly snarky, I might add "Only REAL Americans..."
I've bought, and worn, countless progressive messages since 2015. I'd certainly wear yours....
"Can wearing progressive messages EVERY DAY for approaching TEN YEARS (so far) make a difference? I hope so…"
https://medium.com/@foofaraw/many-more-people-will-die-because-of-trump-i-hope-i-wont-be-one-of-them-41b2f1493036
This feels like a continuous loop of a very poorly written, acted, and scored movie. I am sickened by this sycophants that know nothing or purport to know nothing about that which they should be well versed. It is like we are surrounded by a party of Sgt. Schultz’s. Thanks for the great writing and excellent article regarding the continued ignorance of choice.
"Well, I haven't studied foreign policy, but neither has my President. I follow him wherever my brother would," not far from fact but in remembrance, you might like: https://lyndance1.substack.com/p/extra-extra-read-all-about-it-lindsey?r=6emu46&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web
Powerful and frightening post of TRUTH!!!
Crazy DEI flipping. Not just dumb but uninformed and uninterested. We like politicians (she is one despite her protestations) who seem down-to-earth and like “one of us” but, really? She’s a living SNL skit.