Heading into the final stretch of the presidential election, I am publishing 10 specific warnings about the existential threat at hand facing the American way of life.
I take MAGA at its word. It is all Darkness to me. The American Nazi rally to be held only miles from the grave of my United States Third Army uncle, a liberator of Buchenwald.
Just remember what Tucker Carlson said about little girls needing a spanking. Americans could put a sick group of predators in the halls of government. I am just taking them at their word.
100% John! The true sadness to me is that people who are calling them out for what THEY say are deemed the problem, not the things THEY say. Only in a twisted perverse environment of mis and disinformation could this be okay. So many WTFs recently, and sure more to come in the coming weeks, because it sure as hell won't stop at the election if he loses.
After maga is defeated in the election is when the work real begins. Do you think the corrupted leaders and oligarchs supporting this will just shrug and go away?!
And how will the tattered remnants of the Republican party react? Will they go down with the MAGA ship or will they all grow a set and help clean up the mess they left behind?
A revitalized Republican party (or it's equivalent) is absolutely necessary if we are to recover from this $hitshow. Our form of government only works well if there are at least two oppositional parties. They both need to be serious parties with serious people in them; not this travelling circus we have now. And there is something else that I haven't seen anyone mention: we need to keep our Democratic party on the straight and narrow. Just because we are the folks with the white hats right now doesn't mean Democrats can't be corrupted down the line. Ten years ago no one would have prophesied this Republican political clusterfuck we have right now. Ten years from now who knows what could happen? The shoe might be on the other foot.
As for indifference, it seems to me that this has always been a problem and it always will be one. I think it's also at the root of our current situation. Folks often don't care much about the other guy's problem until suddenly their problem becomes the issue. I have no idea how to change this.
We are on the verge of losing everything we have fought for since the Revolutionary War. This a national failure, pure snd simple. How many don’t understand? How many don’t care? They will be shocked when it reaches them.
Agreed and it's not a search of ancient history for examples. As recently as 2016 when TFG was first elected. People could be understood, if not forgiven for their vote then. But since? 2020 and now 2024?? Insanity after everything has been made abundantly clear. It also reminds me of the Brexit movement. Folks just went along and then WHAM!!, Brexit was approved. The #1 Google search in the UK the day after that vote? "What is Brexit?"
And if my analogy wasn't clear, I hope we don't wake up on 11/06 (or some time after) to a president elect TFG only to have the #1 Google search in the US be: "What is fascism?". People need to wake up, but those that do aren't seeing or heeding The Warning or the warnings. Hopefully it won't be too late.
True! The K campaign did a good job in the tome they had...wish they could have explained fascism in practical terms and how SPECIFICALLY it would affect each person's life. Many are ignorant.
I took a German history course in college that covered the rise of the 3rd Reich from a professor who was a military intelligence officer in Germany at the end of WWII. During his lecture one class he told the story of a German couple attending the opera prewar. They came across some book banning thugs wearing jack boots. The husband of the couple tipped his hat to them and advised "Smile. Then they won't be harsh with us." I remembered this lecture upon learning of Bezo's and the Washington Post's non endorsement.
Lindsey Graham, one among many abject cowards who at first condemned Trump but later sang his paises when they felt it would facilitate their political ambitions, a man who said Trump would destroy the GOP if they nominated him in 2016, now makes a fool of himself by regularly defending the idefensible orange blight on America:
"Graham appeared on ABC’s This Week Sunday where co-host Jonathan Karl discussed revelations that retired generals Mark Milley and John Kelly, both of whom served under Trump, called the commander-in-chief a fascist and a threat to democracy.
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) passionately condemned critics of Donald Trump for using the “dangerous and off-base” term “fascist” to describe the former president, before slowing his roll over a video of Trump repeatedly using the same word to describe his opponent.
Jonathan Karl then rolled tape on several clips of Trump saying things like, “The true divide in American politics today is between these far-left fascists led by Harris and her group,” and calling Harris “a radical left, Marxist, communist, fascist."
“I don’t want to get involved.” A sentence I have heard from people in every walk of life for my entire adult life which speaks to our current nightmare. My activism began in 1984 when a multinational chemical company’s outfall line disposing of waste in the ocean burst and caused a sinkhole on the road we took to ballet class and my parents. Then I heard it from all my striving young professional friends and neighbors. Now I hear It from my black neighbors living in an affordable apartment for seniors. People feel superior by staying above the fray. They will be first in line to board the cattle car thinking THIS CANT BE HAPPENING but it f’ing is!
Complacency is moral cowardice…it is used by “normal”people to not have to make a decision. How does the song go…Que Sera Sera…whatever will be will be… I’ll just go with the majority… in this election, its the equivalent of a vote for fascism.
Democracy dies in the dark killed by complacency. You have to work to keep it. Vote, don’t let others decide for you.
I'm reminded of Djt's reaction on Jan.6th when he heard that his swarm of fans were violently breaking into the Capitol and threatened to hang Pence and attack Pelosi: "So what?"
Then, later, Djt's allies in Congress and the Senate echoed those words by not removing him from office after two impeachments.
Now, publications known for their historic spotlighting of anti-democratic threats, are not condemning or warning Americans of Djt's dangerous mission. That's how they're now echoing Djt's Jan. 6th phrase: "So What?"
Powerful Message you've written this morning ☕ I got "Chicken Skin" while reading your letter. I understand exactly what you've written, and how it pertains to the Two largest News paper publications. Their Indifference is Deafening ! Thank You, Steve, and will reStack ASAP 💯👍🇺🇸💙🌊🌊
Indifference as a warning is prophetic and for telling to the gathering storm. Trump uses disaster as a weapon to prey on his would be supporters and get them in line. His lies cause confusion and desperation and then he shows up not to offer words of comfort but to further divide us as a nation. He continues to seek loyalty from those who are already loyal which cements his grip on them. He is not trying to expand his base but he is trying to edge them into a spear point. He needs his base to be willing to use violence to achieve his goals, not his supporters.
I believe General Mattis was more correct than General Kelly when he called Trump, Fascist to the core. When I first turned away from my support of Trump shortly after his inauguration, I did so because I thought he was more ignorant than dangerous. However, in his ignorance there is danger and his need for constant loyalty is beyond my comprehension. I guess I am not susceptible to cult behavior modification because I was able to see through his deception. It is so clear to me that I have trouble understanding why my family and friends don't see it. I have often wondered if this is what happened in 1920s Italy and 1930s Germany. Either way it is disturbing to know it is happening now in America.
I often wonder are magats aware how dumb and now demented tRomp really is? I have had relatives and sometimes they get very mean physically and verbally, it reminds me of the old joke ‘Hitler drinking tequila gets really mean’ it is a disease that gets worse daily.
This is one example of how stupid, vulgar, and disrespectful of laws and those who enforce them, Trump supporters can be:
"In a scene captured by a Redditor at an early voting location, an elderly woman—wearing Trump-themed attire — became irate when poll workers asked her to follow the polling place’s rules prohibiting political merchandise.
Instead of simply complying, the woman reportedly unleashed a tirade of insults and obscenities at the workers. When asked again to remove her political gear, she tore off her shirt in frustration, remaining in just her bra in front of others waiting to vote.
This shocking moment quickly circulated online, sparking outrage. But it also garnered vocal support from JD Vance. Rather than denouncing the outburst, Vance took to social media, where he labeled the woman’s actions “patriotic,” encouraging a divisive response to basic rules meant to ensure neutrality at polling sites."
Ponder the wicked metaphorical irony of the mnemonic ‘falling back’ that reminds us to turn back the clock to end Daylight Savings Time next Sunday arriving just two days before America could well turn back -- or rather ‘off’ -- the clock of human enlightenment and progress in favor of moving the doomsday clock of humanity’s darkness perceptibly closer to permanent midnight.
It occurred to me I was complicit by being indifferent to friends who maintained relationships with Ohio Nazi relatives, vacationing with them and never challenging. The same is true with my own family members who know what’s going on, but do nothing except complain to one another.
As one who works in animal protection, I know all about indifference: especially when it comes to less popular animals like chickens, cows, pigs. That's why they remain caged, crated and imprisoned in darkness. BTW, Elon Musk is not only a fascist, he is a primate torturer: https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-pcrm-neuralink-monkey-deaths/
Just read the ‘Wired’ piece and it sickened me, I have monkeys next to my house in Costa Rica they are curious about me and the dog. That story is going to stick with me, sad.
I rescued a rare baby monkey (Dusky Lemur -they eat leaves) in Thailand. She was at a closed down resort on a short rope eating left-over rice and noodle dishes. I managed to get her across Thailand to a wild-life rehabilitation center, but she was too young and sick to survive. I've seen so much of this kind of animal abuse and it breaks my heart. Elon Musk is a selfish, power-hungry, ruthless, rotten human being.
Thank you for reading it. It's horrible what happened to those poor animals. It's awesome that you have monkeys next to your house. It must be amazing to live next to them. Also, Costa Rica sounds wonderful.
I read a book in 1989 by John Robbins, Diet For A New America; I was so horrified at the way animals Americans eat are treated in factory farms and mass slaughterhouses, I became Vegan and have remained on that diet ever since. I bought dozens of his books and gave them away, convinced that people who read them would become vegetarian, vegan, or at least buy from local producers who cared for and slaughtered animals humanely. I soon became aware, and I think that it is part of the problem in American politics today, that people can easily close their eyes to horrors that discomfort them.
I've seen documentaries about the horror of factory farms and mass slaughterhouses which changed my diet for life. Other animals are sentient beings! The abuse is horrific.
It's great that you went vegan in 1989! I went vegan in 1990! Diet For a New American is excellent: a classic! Thank you as well for your compassion. Yes, people closing their eyes is a problem in politics and in life. Same for #speciesism
I have been attempting to articulate this concept for years, and I could never. The 'indifference' of my previous good friends infuriates and irritated me about these otherwise good people. Perhaps because I can clearly see myself in this situation, preceding seeing Lott, Grinage, and Delay come on the scene in 1990 and together marching down the aisles of Congress. I also don't like being made a fool of, politically or otherwise. As I began to search for information and facts politically, I felt that the Republican party had made a fool of me and others. The more I learned, the more I understood that this was not an accident or serendipitous event by the Republican Party. But it was an evolving Nixonian plan growing and spreading across America. I started paying attention then because I was horrified when I saw these three marched down the halls of Congress proudly with determination to shut our government down. These three were missing only swastika armbands at that time in our history, in my opinion.
“When Americans think of dictators they always think of some foreign model. If anyone turned up here in a fur hat, boots and a grim look he would be recognized and shunned…. But when our dictator turns up, you can depend on it that he will be one of the boys, and he will stand for everything traditionally American.”
So true! The closest iteration in modern times was David Duke: the KKK GrandMaster with his All American looks, and white nationalist appeal. However, the zeitgeist didn’t meet the right criteria of disillusionment for the times; allowing a man like him to prevail in the 80’s and 90’s.
That said, the next authoritarian coup, will be a combination of many, whose interests align. A charismatic charlatan, getting the help from a bought and paid for media with a vested interest and agenda, and by some of the richest men, and financial institutions in the country.
That said, we currently have a plethora of David Dukes pounding our youth at the University level, and or influencers on social media: the Charlie Kirk’s, Jake Paul’s and Joe Rogan’s of the world come to mind (useful idiots), along with many plutocrats who may not share their religious convictions, but have a vested interest in a authoritarian agenda, should Trump prevail.
That said, why would Bezos and Musk have an interest in Russia? There are only two things that come to mind. Russian Kompromat (dirt on both of them), which is definitely possible; however, far more likely is the pride of Russia; outside its oil and natural gas industry. Wait for it????
If you haven’t guessed, it’s their Space Program. And both Musk and Bezos have Space X and Blue Origins, which could benefit both their companies financially. Russia could essentially be a partner in developing some of the next generation space programs and technologies.
And we all know Russia, and even China have amped up their on-line disinformation election campaigns, that make 2016, pale in comparison. The recent Russian influence campaign, in which American influencers didn’t even know they were working for Russia, while regurgitating Russian propaganda, may just be the tipping point.
It’s even infected our Republican Congress. And these are the operations the FBI and Homeland Security have uncovered, so chances are, these operations are ongoing, and more massive than we think. What both China and Russia have figured out, while Trump can bought, so too can businessmen, influencers, politicians and corporations. You just can’t buy them the usual ways. Truth social should be an illegal bribery scheme and scandal, yet again, no one seems to care, and our current SC most likely wouldn’t agree.
Couple this with two of Trump’s biggest investors in TMTG for the second quarter: Black Rock, the largest private asset company in the world, with $11.5 trillion under management, and Vanguard, which has $9.5 trillion in assets, and is the largest investor in BlackRock (they own 9%). So ask yourself, why BlackRock and Vanguard, two of the largest financial and most powerful institutions in the world, just happened to bail out TMTG (a dog that has a negative EPS and no real revenue) when the stock was plummeting to under $12 a share? It now trades at $39 a share, and kept rising last week, even while the NASDAQ was down over 500 points, and every other technology stock was in down at least 3-4%?
Both companies, which incidentally combined, own a 30% stake in The New York Times (the second largest after Sulzberger). Let that sink in: it’s the same NYT’s that has been writing misleading political headlines critical of Biden for the past several years, Harris for the last three months, and sane-washing Trump’s convoluted and incomprehensible mixed word salads for two years. None of this makes sense!
In other words, an authoritarian dictator can’t come to power in America , without the help on the media ecosystem, willing to lie and mislead, and which has the support of the some of the richest men in the world, and largest financial institutions backing them up.
Bottom line: this could be a plutocrat coup, not much different than the Business Plot, or better known as the Wall Street Putsch, which took place in 1933, and was a plot by the the Robber Barons, to dethrone FDR, and destroy his New Deal.
And if you think I’m crazy, so be it, but ask yourself one question. Why would some of the smartest and richest men in the world, who have huge business empires, align themselves with a “know-nothing” bankrupt, business loser, unless he can bring something to the table; 48% of the US voting population, willing to vote against their interests! And why is Musk allowed to flagrantly violate election laws, buying votes with his million dollar give aways, while a green card holder who illegally votes gets eight years in jail? And he’s doing it in plain sight, asking to get caught!
I was sure Harris would prevail in this election right up and until Thursday and Friday, when both the LA Times, and Washington Post refused to endorse Harris; individually, they could be one offs, but taken together with the NYT’s and WaPPo sane-washing of Trump, and almost discrediting their great reporting coverage of the election, with these misleading headlines, leads me to believe something more sinister may be taking place behind closed doors!
And remember, not all people involved know what’s truly happening. These types of operations are complex and require compartmentalization. We often hear of Peter Thiel (tech billionaire), a mentor to Vance, and his biggest financial supporter. Thiel has also been developing technologies for the CIA and NSA for decades, so he has deep ties to the National Security apparatus. And like the Pentagon, the CIA isn’t monolithic. Maybe powerful elements of the government believe Biden was weak, and the reason Russia invaded Ukraine, or even agree it was Biden who lost Afghanistan?
Let’s not forget, a good portion of the military supports Trump. Michael Flynn’s brother is head of Pacific Command: the largest Army Command in the Military. And if Trump wins, Michael will most be likely be named Secretary of Defense. And as the former head of the DIA, and a former counterintelligence specialist, he would now how to turn our military into a tool for authoritarian command.
Additionally, there are other possibilities as well that could be a factor. Maybe Trump has actually been diagnosed with a degenerative cognitive disorder (he won’t release his medical records), and doesn’t have much time left, and their man Vance, a wholly owned subsidiary of Thiel and Musk Inc., will takeover in a short time?
Meanwhile, Trump gets to become a real billionaire in the process, leaves office as a Devine Savior, since the propaganda machines have completely taken over this nation, and most people don’t know who to trust as a source of news and information anymore. It’s already happening: information overload; garbage in, and garbage out! Conspiracy theories and misinformation everywhere, spreading like wildfire.
And let’s face it, if Trump wins, Truth Social will become bigger than X, because everyone will want to curry favor with Trump. Maybe both X and Truth Social will merge, or Musk’s X will happily take a back seat and support Truth Social, since their sole purpose is to only be a propaganda tool meant to galvanize and mislead the masses; his real money is Tesla and SpaceX. X and Truth Social are just the mechanism’s to keep the Brown and Black shirts in line and on message.
Furthermore, watch closely this recent 5th Circuit decision in Mississippi, overturning a district court judge who threw out a red state lawsuit regarding Mail-in ballots that are postmarked on or before Election Day, but are received up to five days after the Election. The SC will definitely hear the case, and could throwout hundreds of thousands of votes in much needed swing states.
Perhaps there’s a reason republicans filed so many frivolous lawsuit suits before the election, knowing full well that the Mississippi case is the one that will hand a close election to Trump. The rest were just red herrings, meant to confuse and distract. And if our current SC could carve out an Immunity clause in the Constitution, that never existed, and is the antithesis of what our founding father would have done, then nothing is too outrageous for this court to justify on behalf of their fascist tendencies to reshape this country into a white nationalist, theocratic dictatorship. Reread the Bush v. Gore decision; it was the warmup act!
I know this sounds conspiratorial, but remember, these financial institutions and people have nothing to lose. The courts aren’t holding Trump to account. The DOJ sent a lukewarm cease and desist letter to Musk, who’s operating an illegal election scam. If they think Biden is weak, then they have nothing to lose or fear with this gambit.
It’s not so much that they are rigging the election at their level, as much as they are increasing the odds of Trump victory. The real rigging lies in a closely contested election, where the SC will ultimately weigh in, and decide the election. Bush v Gore comes to mind!
I'm afraid you're onto something, maybe not the whole thing but definitely something. When I saw the NYT charts last week showing how enmeshed Musk is in our space *and defense* departments, I felt stunned and chilled. Harris & Walz are our best hope, I believe the people will choose them, but Trump & his billionaire bozo friends don't have consciences, along with Bannon who unfortunately just got out of jail "looking rested" 🤢 I hope our military & NG leaders are already prepared to deal with violence and graft at the state level this time.
Thanks for the Wiesel quote about indifference. So much of the dangers we face are rooted in people not voting or believing all politicians are the same. If we lose our democracy indifference will be as culpable as MAGA.
I appreciate your offer of providing your Warning to friends and family. I have forwarded previous essays to them without even an acknowledgement. Alas, most Canadians, especially those without ties to the US share an indifference concerning trump and your election. They may hide their ignorance by saying they read newspapers - read Canadian newspapers, but none have subscriptions to any American media, not even friends who winter in the US who will be in your country during your election. When asked about the potential for protests and/or riots post election, they shrug their shoulders and say, we’ll be fine, we’re in a friendly neighborhood or we’re staying at the beach, far from the madding crowd. If one is a Canuck travelling to the 🇺🇸, indifference to your political scene prior to this election is foolish, if not dangerous.
I take MAGA at its word. It is all Darkness to me. The American Nazi rally to be held only miles from the grave of my United States Third Army uncle, a liberator of Buchenwald.
Just remember what Tucker Carlson said about little girls needing a spanking. Americans could put a sick group of predators in the halls of government. I am just taking them at their word.
100% John! The true sadness to me is that people who are calling them out for what THEY say are deemed the problem, not the things THEY say. Only in a twisted perverse environment of mis and disinformation could this be okay. So many WTFs recently, and sure more to come in the coming weeks, because it sure as hell won't stop at the election if he loses.
After maga is defeated in the election is when the work real begins. Do you think the corrupted leaders and oligarchs supporting this will just shrug and go away?!
And how will the tattered remnants of the Republican party react? Will they go down with the MAGA ship or will they all grow a set and help clean up the mess they left behind?
A revitalized Republican party (or it's equivalent) is absolutely necessary if we are to recover from this $hitshow. Our form of government only works well if there are at least two oppositional parties. They both need to be serious parties with serious people in them; not this travelling circus we have now. And there is something else that I haven't seen anyone mention: we need to keep our Democratic party on the straight and narrow. Just because we are the folks with the white hats right now doesn't mean Democrats can't be corrupted down the line. Ten years ago no one would have prophesied this Republican political clusterfuck we have right now. Ten years from now who knows what could happen? The shoe might be on the other foot.
As for indifference, it seems to me that this has always been a problem and it always will be one. I think it's also at the root of our current situation. Folks often don't care much about the other guy's problem until suddenly their problem becomes the issue. I have no idea how to change this.
No they won't go away. Vigilance will be required to defeat MAGA again and again at the polls.
May the memory of your uncle live forever.
We are on the verge of losing everything we have fought for since the Revolutionary War. This a national failure, pure snd simple. How many don’t understand? How many don’t care? They will be shocked when it reaches them.
Agreed and it's not a search of ancient history for examples. As recently as 2016 when TFG was first elected. People could be understood, if not forgiven for their vote then. But since? 2020 and now 2024?? Insanity after everything has been made abundantly clear. It also reminds me of the Brexit movement. Folks just went along and then WHAM!!, Brexit was approved. The #1 Google search in the UK the day after that vote? "What is Brexit?"
And if my analogy wasn't clear, I hope we don't wake up on 11/06 (or some time after) to a president elect TFG only to have the #1 Google search in the US be: "What is fascism?". People need to wake up, but those that do aren't seeing or heeding The Warning or the warnings. Hopefully it won't be too late.
True! The K campaign did a good job in the tome they had...wish they could have explained fascism in practical terms and how SPECIFICALLY it would affect each person's life. Many are ignorant.
Brexit was a Russian Psy-Op and it worked...no??!
The uninformed or the un-woke or the non-participants are definitely a problem.
My family ancestry has been traced back to before the Revolutionary War. Immigrants came for freedom, new life, and world.
I took a German history course in college that covered the rise of the 3rd Reich from a professor who was a military intelligence officer in Germany at the end of WWII. During his lecture one class he told the story of a German couple attending the opera prewar. They came across some book banning thugs wearing jack boots. The husband of the couple tipped his hat to them and advised "Smile. Then they won't be harsh with us." I remembered this lecture upon learning of Bezo's and the Washington Post's non endorsement.
'Amazon Primed’ for a fire sale of American democracy to its fascist American buyers -- the ultimate social psychopathy of capitalism.
Lindsey Graham, one among many abject cowards who at first condemned Trump but later sang his paises when they felt it would facilitate their political ambitions, a man who said Trump would destroy the GOP if they nominated him in 2016, now makes a fool of himself by regularly defending the idefensible orange blight on America:
"Graham appeared on ABC’s This Week Sunday where co-host Jonathan Karl discussed revelations that retired generals Mark Milley and John Kelly, both of whom served under Trump, called the commander-in-chief a fascist and a threat to democracy.
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) passionately condemned critics of Donald Trump for using the “dangerous and off-base” term “fascist” to describe the former president, before slowing his roll over a video of Trump repeatedly using the same word to describe his opponent.
Jonathan Karl then rolled tape on several clips of Trump saying things like, “The true divide in American politics today is between these far-left fascists led by Harris and her group,” and calling Harris “a radical left, Marxist, communist, fascist."
https://www.joemygod.com/2024/10/graham-rages-over-trump-being-called-a-fascist/
That is one sad story, very touching “smile” won’t help.
“I don’t want to get involved.” A sentence I have heard from people in every walk of life for my entire adult life which speaks to our current nightmare. My activism began in 1984 when a multinational chemical company’s outfall line disposing of waste in the ocean burst and caused a sinkhole on the road we took to ballet class and my parents. Then I heard it from all my striving young professional friends and neighbors. Now I hear It from my black neighbors living in an affordable apartment for seniors. People feel superior by staying above the fray. They will be first in line to board the cattle car thinking THIS CANT BE HAPPENING but it f’ing is!
The opposite of love isn’t hatred, it’s indifference.
Complacency is moral cowardice…it is used by “normal”people to not have to make a decision. How does the song go…Que Sera Sera…whatever will be will be… I’ll just go with the majority… in this election, its the equivalent of a vote for fascism.
Democracy dies in the dark killed by complacency. You have to work to keep it. Vote, don’t let others decide for you.
Unless you’re voting for Trump. Lol
I'm reminded of Djt's reaction on Jan.6th when he heard that his swarm of fans were violently breaking into the Capitol and threatened to hang Pence and attack Pelosi: "So what?"
Then, later, Djt's allies in Congress and the Senate echoed those words by not removing him from office after two impeachments.
Now, publications known for their historic spotlighting of anti-democratic threats, are not condemning or warning Americans of Djt's dangerous mission. That's how they're now echoing Djt's Jan. 6th phrase: "So What?"
Powerful Message you've written this morning ☕ I got "Chicken Skin" while reading your letter. I understand exactly what you've written, and how it pertains to the Two largest News paper publications. Their Indifference is Deafening ! Thank You, Steve, and will reStack ASAP 💯👍🇺🇸💙🌊🌊
Indifference as a warning is prophetic and for telling to the gathering storm. Trump uses disaster as a weapon to prey on his would be supporters and get them in line. His lies cause confusion and desperation and then he shows up not to offer words of comfort but to further divide us as a nation. He continues to seek loyalty from those who are already loyal which cements his grip on them. He is not trying to expand his base but he is trying to edge them into a spear point. He needs his base to be willing to use violence to achieve his goals, not his supporters.
I believe General Mattis was more correct than General Kelly when he called Trump, Fascist to the core. When I first turned away from my support of Trump shortly after his inauguration, I did so because I thought he was more ignorant than dangerous. However, in his ignorance there is danger and his need for constant loyalty is beyond my comprehension. I guess I am not susceptible to cult behavior modification because I was able to see through his deception. It is so clear to me that I have trouble understanding why my family and friends don't see it. I have often wondered if this is what happened in 1920s Italy and 1930s Germany. Either way it is disturbing to know it is happening now in America.
"It is so clear to me that I have trouble understanding why my family and friends don't see it."
It's frustrating, I understand. Obedience is easy. Peer support is comforting. Critical thinking requires effort and independence.
I often wonder are magats aware how dumb and now demented tRomp really is? I have had relatives and sometimes they get very mean physically and verbally, it reminds me of the old joke ‘Hitler drinking tequila gets really mean’ it is a disease that gets worse daily.
This is one example of how stupid, vulgar, and disrespectful of laws and those who enforce them, Trump supporters can be:
"In a scene captured by a Redditor at an early voting location, an elderly woman—wearing Trump-themed attire — became irate when poll workers asked her to follow the polling place’s rules prohibiting political merchandise.
Instead of simply complying, the woman reportedly unleashed a tirade of insults and obscenities at the workers. When asked again to remove her political gear, she tore off her shirt in frustration, remaining in just her bra in front of others waiting to vote.
This shocking moment quickly circulated online, sparking outrage. But it also garnered vocal support from JD Vance. Rather than denouncing the outburst, Vance took to social media, where he labeled the woman’s actions “patriotic,” encouraging a divisive response to basic rules meant to ensure neutrality at polling sites."
https://meidasnews.com/news/jd-vance-applauds-voter-for-calling-poll-worker-a-d-ckhead-and-telling-him-to-suck-her-c-nt-in-deranged-outburts
What have we come to under the influence of the Trump/Maga malignancy?
Well expressed Patrick
Ponder the wicked metaphorical irony of the mnemonic ‘falling back’ that reminds us to turn back the clock to end Daylight Savings Time next Sunday arriving just two days before America could well turn back -- or rather ‘off’ -- the clock of human enlightenment and progress in favor of moving the doomsday clock of humanity’s darkness perceptibly closer to permanent midnight.
It occurred to me I was complicit by being indifferent to friends who maintained relationships with Ohio Nazi relatives, vacationing with them and never challenging. The same is true with my own family members who know what’s going on, but do nothing except complain to one another.
As one who works in animal protection, I know all about indifference: especially when it comes to less popular animals like chickens, cows, pigs. That's why they remain caged, crated and imprisoned in darkness. BTW, Elon Musk is not only a fascist, he is a primate torturer: https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-pcrm-neuralink-monkey-deaths/
Thank you for sharing this information about Musk's horrific animal abuse - very dark and sad.
Just read the ‘Wired’ piece and it sickened me, I have monkeys next to my house in Costa Rica they are curious about me and the dog. That story is going to stick with me, sad.
I rescued a rare baby monkey (Dusky Lemur -they eat leaves) in Thailand. She was at a closed down resort on a short rope eating left-over rice and noodle dishes. I managed to get her across Thailand to a wild-life rehabilitation center, but she was too young and sick to survive. I've seen so much of this kind of animal abuse and it breaks my heart. Elon Musk is a selfish, power-hungry, ruthless, rotten human being.
Heartbreaking. Thank you for trying to save her. I agree re Elon. He is a sociopath.
Costa Rica may become a #1 expat location....any brief advice for those of us who should have already made plans about CR life?
Thank you for reading it. It's horrible what happened to those poor animals. It's awesome that you have monkeys next to your house. It must be amazing to live next to them. Also, Costa Rica sounds wonderful.
You're welcome, Lisa. Thank you for your compassion.
I read a book in 1989 by John Robbins, Diet For A New America; I was so horrified at the way animals Americans eat are treated in factory farms and mass slaughterhouses, I became Vegan and have remained on that diet ever since. I bought dozens of his books and gave them away, convinced that people who read them would become vegetarian, vegan, or at least buy from local producers who cared for and slaughtered animals humanely. I soon became aware, and I think that it is part of the problem in American politics today, that people can easily close their eyes to horrors that discomfort them.
I've seen documentaries about the horror of factory farms and mass slaughterhouses which changed my diet for life. Other animals are sentient beings! The abuse is horrific.
Same here. When I learned about the horrors, I stopped eating animals.
It's great that you went vegan in 1989! I went vegan in 1990! Diet For a New American is excellent: a classic! Thank you as well for your compassion. Yes, people closing their eyes is a problem in politics and in life. Same for #speciesism
Brilliance, simply put.
I have been attempting to articulate this concept for years, and I could never. The 'indifference' of my previous good friends infuriates and irritated me about these otherwise good people. Perhaps because I can clearly see myself in this situation, preceding seeing Lott, Grinage, and Delay come on the scene in 1990 and together marching down the aisles of Congress. I also don't like being made a fool of, politically or otherwise. As I began to search for information and facts politically, I felt that the Republican party had made a fool of me and others. The more I learned, the more I understood that this was not an accident or serendipitous event by the Republican Party. But it was an evolving Nixonian plan growing and spreading across America. I started paying attention then because I was horrified when I saw these three marched down the halls of Congress proudly with determination to shut our government down. These three were missing only swastika armbands at that time in our history, in my opinion.
Great reminder of a subtle show of defiance fed into a horseshit concept.
“When Americans think of dictators they always think of some foreign model. If anyone turned up here in a fur hat, boots and a grim look he would be recognized and shunned…. But when our dictator turns up, you can depend on it that he will be one of the boys, and he will stand for everything traditionally American.”
So true! The closest iteration in modern times was David Duke: the KKK GrandMaster with his All American looks, and white nationalist appeal. However, the zeitgeist didn’t meet the right criteria of disillusionment for the times; allowing a man like him to prevail in the 80’s and 90’s.
That said, the next authoritarian coup, will be a combination of many, whose interests align. A charismatic charlatan, getting the help from a bought and paid for media with a vested interest and agenda, and by some of the richest men, and financial institutions in the country.
That said, we currently have a plethora of David Dukes pounding our youth at the University level, and or influencers on social media: the Charlie Kirk’s, Jake Paul’s and Joe Rogan’s of the world come to mind (useful idiots), along with many plutocrats who may not share their religious convictions, but have a vested interest in a authoritarian agenda, should Trump prevail.
That said, why would Bezos and Musk have an interest in Russia? There are only two things that come to mind. Russian Kompromat (dirt on both of them), which is definitely possible; however, far more likely is the pride of Russia; outside its oil and natural gas industry. Wait for it????
If you haven’t guessed, it’s their Space Program. And both Musk and Bezos have Space X and Blue Origins, which could benefit both their companies financially. Russia could essentially be a partner in developing some of the next generation space programs and technologies.
And we all know Russia, and even China have amped up their on-line disinformation election campaigns, that make 2016, pale in comparison. The recent Russian influence campaign, in which American influencers didn’t even know they were working for Russia, while regurgitating Russian propaganda, may just be the tipping point.
It’s even infected our Republican Congress. And these are the operations the FBI and Homeland Security have uncovered, so chances are, these operations are ongoing, and more massive than we think. What both China and Russia have figured out, while Trump can bought, so too can businessmen, influencers, politicians and corporations. You just can’t buy them the usual ways. Truth social should be an illegal bribery scheme and scandal, yet again, no one seems to care, and our current SC most likely wouldn’t agree.
Couple this with two of Trump’s biggest investors in TMTG for the second quarter: Black Rock, the largest private asset company in the world, with $11.5 trillion under management, and Vanguard, which has $9.5 trillion in assets, and is the largest investor in BlackRock (they own 9%). So ask yourself, why BlackRock and Vanguard, two of the largest financial and most powerful institutions in the world, just happened to bail out TMTG (a dog that has a negative EPS and no real revenue) when the stock was plummeting to under $12 a share? It now trades at $39 a share, and kept rising last week, even while the NASDAQ was down over 500 points, and every other technology stock was in down at least 3-4%?
Both companies, which incidentally combined, own a 30% stake in The New York Times (the second largest after Sulzberger). Let that sink in: it’s the same NYT’s that has been writing misleading political headlines critical of Biden for the past several years, Harris for the last three months, and sane-washing Trump’s convoluted and incomprehensible mixed word salads for two years. None of this makes sense!
In other words, an authoritarian dictator can’t come to power in America , without the help on the media ecosystem, willing to lie and mislead, and which has the support of the some of the richest men in the world, and largest financial institutions backing them up.
Bottom line: this could be a plutocrat coup, not much different than the Business Plot, or better known as the Wall Street Putsch, which took place in 1933, and was a plot by the the Robber Barons, to dethrone FDR, and destroy his New Deal.
And if you think I’m crazy, so be it, but ask yourself one question. Why would some of the smartest and richest men in the world, who have huge business empires, align themselves with a “know-nothing” bankrupt, business loser, unless he can bring something to the table; 48% of the US voting population, willing to vote against their interests! And why is Musk allowed to flagrantly violate election laws, buying votes with his million dollar give aways, while a green card holder who illegally votes gets eight years in jail? And he’s doing it in plain sight, asking to get caught!
I was sure Harris would prevail in this election right up and until Thursday and Friday, when both the LA Times, and Washington Post refused to endorse Harris; individually, they could be one offs, but taken together with the NYT’s and WaPPo sane-washing of Trump, and almost discrediting their great reporting coverage of the election, with these misleading headlines, leads me to believe something more sinister may be taking place behind closed doors!
And remember, not all people involved know what’s truly happening. These types of operations are complex and require compartmentalization. We often hear of Peter Thiel (tech billionaire), a mentor to Vance, and his biggest financial supporter. Thiel has also been developing technologies for the CIA and NSA for decades, so he has deep ties to the National Security apparatus. And like the Pentagon, the CIA isn’t monolithic. Maybe powerful elements of the government believe Biden was weak, and the reason Russia invaded Ukraine, or even agree it was Biden who lost Afghanistan?
Let’s not forget, a good portion of the military supports Trump. Michael Flynn’s brother is head of Pacific Command: the largest Army Command in the Military. And if Trump wins, Michael will most be likely be named Secretary of Defense. And as the former head of the DIA, and a former counterintelligence specialist, he would now how to turn our military into a tool for authoritarian command.
Additionally, there are other possibilities as well that could be a factor. Maybe Trump has actually been diagnosed with a degenerative cognitive disorder (he won’t release his medical records), and doesn’t have much time left, and their man Vance, a wholly owned subsidiary of Thiel and Musk Inc., will takeover in a short time?
Meanwhile, Trump gets to become a real billionaire in the process, leaves office as a Devine Savior, since the propaganda machines have completely taken over this nation, and most people don’t know who to trust as a source of news and information anymore. It’s already happening: information overload; garbage in, and garbage out! Conspiracy theories and misinformation everywhere, spreading like wildfire.
And let’s face it, if Trump wins, Truth Social will become bigger than X, because everyone will want to curry favor with Trump. Maybe both X and Truth Social will merge, or Musk’s X will happily take a back seat and support Truth Social, since their sole purpose is to only be a propaganda tool meant to galvanize and mislead the masses; his real money is Tesla and SpaceX. X and Truth Social are just the mechanism’s to keep the Brown and Black shirts in line and on message.
Furthermore, watch closely this recent 5th Circuit decision in Mississippi, overturning a district court judge who threw out a red state lawsuit regarding Mail-in ballots that are postmarked on or before Election Day, but are received up to five days after the Election. The SC will definitely hear the case, and could throwout hundreds of thousands of votes in much needed swing states.
Perhaps there’s a reason republicans filed so many frivolous lawsuit suits before the election, knowing full well that the Mississippi case is the one that will hand a close election to Trump. The rest were just red herrings, meant to confuse and distract. And if our current SC could carve out an Immunity clause in the Constitution, that never existed, and is the antithesis of what our founding father would have done, then nothing is too outrageous for this court to justify on behalf of their fascist tendencies to reshape this country into a white nationalist, theocratic dictatorship. Reread the Bush v. Gore decision; it was the warmup act!
I know this sounds conspiratorial, but remember, these financial institutions and people have nothing to lose. The courts aren’t holding Trump to account. The DOJ sent a lukewarm cease and desist letter to Musk, who’s operating an illegal election scam. If they think Biden is weak, then they have nothing to lose or fear with this gambit.
It’s not so much that they are rigging the election at their level, as much as they are increasing the odds of Trump victory. The real rigging lies in a closely contested election, where the SC will ultimately weigh in, and decide the election. Bush v Gore comes to mind!
IMHO!…:)
I'm afraid you're onto something, maybe not the whole thing but definitely something. When I saw the NYT charts last week showing how enmeshed Musk is in our space *and defense* departments, I felt stunned and chilled. Harris & Walz are our best hope, I believe the people will choose them, but Trump & his billionaire bozo friends don't have consciences, along with Bannon who unfortunately just got out of jail "looking rested" 🤢 I hope our military & NG leaders are already prepared to deal with violence and graft at the state level this time.
Thanks for the Wiesel quote about indifference. So much of the dangers we face are rooted in people not voting or believing all politicians are the same. If we lose our democracy indifference will be as culpable as MAGA.
I appreciate your offer of providing your Warning to friends and family. I have forwarded previous essays to them without even an acknowledgement. Alas, most Canadians, especially those without ties to the US share an indifference concerning trump and your election. They may hide their ignorance by saying they read newspapers - read Canadian newspapers, but none have subscriptions to any American media, not even friends who winter in the US who will be in your country during your election. When asked about the potential for protests and/or riots post election, they shrug their shoulders and say, we’ll be fine, we’re in a friendly neighborhood or we’re staying at the beach, far from the madding crowd. If one is a Canuck travelling to the 🇺🇸, indifference to your political scene prior to this election is foolish, if not dangerous.