For years, I believed that most politically-active people were working for policies consistent with their conception of the good society. We were all well-meaning; we just had different points of view, different visions of what the good society should look like, and we obviously differed on how to get there.
The past few years have disabused me of that belief. Incredible as I still find it, the evidence is too clear to ignore: the political establishment of today’s GOP is not composed of people who are well-meaning but deluded. These are people–mostly but not exclusively male–who truly do value their own wealth and power above the lives of others.
The evidence is simply too copious to dismiss, and the moral rot isn’t limited to a few appallingly bad actors like Mitch McConnell, Donald Trump and William Barr.
Think about it.
When Wisconsin’s Democratic Governor wanted to delay his state’s primary election so that voters wouldn’t need to choose between risking their health and exercising their right to cast ballots, the Republicans in the state legislature appealed to the Republican majority on the state Supreme Court, which ruled that the election must proceed. When Democrats appealed that ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, the five judges appointed by Republicans obediently voted their politics over their humanity.
In the end, the judge the Wisconsin GOP was trying to re-elect still lost–bigly— because voters risked contagion to exercise their franchise. But the risk was real. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinal now reports that
Officials have identified seven people who appear to have contracted COVID-19 through activities related to the April 7 election, Milwaukee Health Commissioner Jeanette Kowalik said Monday.
Six of the cases are in voters and one is a poll worker, Kowalik said.
Lest you conclude that this was a “one-off” or limited to the State of Wisconsin, allow me to remind you of the sorts of things this administration has been doing while the GOP’s head clown has been keeping us distracted.
A recent New York Times headline asks “Why Is Trump Gutting Regulations That Save Lives?”
Since Jan. 30, 2017, the Trump administration’s approach to federal regulation has been defined by a simple requirement: “one in, two out.” The basic idea, set out in one of President Trump’s first executive orders, is that whenever a federal agency issues one regulation, it has to take at least two regulations away — and produce an incremental cost, on the private sector, of zero.
The idea was absurd from the very start.
It was profoundly demoralizing to experts in federal agencies, who know a lot about science and who have plenty of good ideas about how to protect public health and safety. But its absurdity has been put in a whole new light by the Covid-19 pandemic, which demonstrates that the regulatory state is no enemy of the people — and that smart safeguards, designed by specialists, save lives.
If there are regulations on the books that are outmoded, or have proved to be more onerous than necessary, they should be eliminated. If existing regulations are demonstrably protecting people–worker safety regulations that prevent illnesses and death, air pollution regulations that protect public health, restrictions on the use of chemicals that have proved dangerous or cancer-producing–arbitrarily removing them to keep the number of rules down is insane.
Unless, of course, protecting the pocketbooks of your donors is more important than protecting the lives and health of your constituents.
Trump’s behavior during the pandemic has been perfectly compatible with GOP priorities–lifesaving equipment stolen from (Democratic) states that desperately need it and doled out to “friendlier” Governors. “Briefings” that are ill-disguised, nauseating political rallies. A complete absence of expressions of empathy for those suffering and dying.
As numerous political scientists have pointed out, as repulsive as Trump is–as morally and intellectually defective–he is simply the visible product of what the Republican Party has become.
For those of us who served a former iteration of that party–a very different iteration–what it has become is heartbreaking.
The Orange Moron really went HARD for his Lysol/Bleach Light cure. I sure hope that he and his family and his cabinet will ALL start the day with a Lysol/Bleach cocktail before getting into their HIGH intensity Tanning Beds. Maybe all the Trump lovers can follow.
One can hope.
About those Wisconsin voters who braved going to the polls, wearing masks and standing apart in those long lines for hours, the last number of coronavirus positive cases I read was 19. The odds that it was only the polling places where they could possibly have contracted the virus is low, as low as Trump’s IQ. They have probably grocery shopped and picked up prescriptions at local pharmacies; only the Republicans will assume they were infected while voting…for Democrats.
“Since Jan. 30, 2017, the Trump administration’s approach to federal regulation has been defined by a simple requirement: “one in, two out.” The basic idea, set out in one of President Trump’s first executive orders, is that whenever a federal agency issues one regulation, it has to take at least two regulations away — and produce an incremental cost, on the private sector, of zero.”
Keep in mind I’m asking about Trump; could this Executive Order possibly refer to department heads as well as regulations and explain the revolving door of his administration? It has certainly been distracting and impossible to keep up with. His distracting idea to “shoot down Iranian gunboats” was short-lived due to his prescriptions to inject disinfectants and cleansers to possibly cure Covid-19 Pandemic. There must be a regulation somewhere in this government’s archives to support the medical oath “First do no harm”; in the 1960s the law was passed to make cleaning products biodegradable to protect plant life. At least he didn’t prescribe Roundup.
corona may have bankrupt trump…forbes last month figured,by what they assume,is trumps worth,figured he lost 1 billion,this month is going to be the same..his rants have begun to shed a new light,to his mental state. his staff is taking note..he misses his golf buddies, his hotels are for the most part closed,and duetch bank maybe asking for money he owes.
id like to ask a question in regards to the state of Georgia,and its floundering tax base..
as we know,and from a few days ago the subject here,does Georgia go broke in 28 weeks or send its little people back to work or else.. mcconnel said in interview,if any states belly up by going broke, he said, dont come to me….Puerto Rico has been sold to hedgefunds, would said broke states seek this kimd of bailout,on a private lend,and have their state,be literally bought by a private fund? imagine,buying a state,or foreclosing on it…hense,if wall streets minions send the working class back to work, will they have the same wages to provide the same tax base. seems the game of thrones here is,get ready for a pay back from wall street,our slanderous needs of protecting ourselves,over wall streets loses. tell mcconnel he needs to find a new job…best wishes, washdapaws…
Joann,
thanks for the,,, round up..ive been up since 2am driving,glad i wasnt reading that while driving..
id be in the weeds,laughing….
Agreed, JoAnn. When they attributed these new cases to in-person voting in Wisconsin, my first thought was how can you know they didn’t go *anywhere* else? Just Rep manipulation of the facts, clearly intended to build a case for cancelling the November election. I expect much more such spin in the coming months, and we must be immune to it (no pun intended). They cannot win without cheating with voter suppression of some kind. If we turn out, whether in person or by mail – and God help us if we do *not* – they know they will lose.
Agreed, JoAnn. When they attributed these new cases to in-person voting in Wisconsin, my first thought was so you are sure they didn’t go *anywhere* else? Just Rep manipulation of the facts, clearly intended to build a case for cancelling the November election. I expect much more such spin in the coming months, and we must be immune to it (no pun intended). They cannot win without cheating with voter suppression of some kind. If we turn out, whether in person or by mail – and God help us if we do *not* – they know they will lose.
What is on display is mental illness on an epic scale, and there definitely is cause for removal per the 25th amendment. Unfortunately, the Republican-controlled Senate and POTUS cabinet officials are such sycophantic toadies, they’d rather let Nero fiddle as Rome burns, because they just might get a nice dose of self enrichment.
Grifters, and grifting, flimflamery, con artistry, bigotry, racism, narcissism, self-delusion, willful ignorance, alternate realities, all of these things and others are mental illness! Pathological or compulsive lying is another major sign, because if you are pathological or compulsive in your untruths and explanations, you are the same to yourself!
Remember, when the Cuyahoga River was burning, the Chicago River was a virtual witches cauldron of bubbles, smoke-and animal parts, one which you could actually walk on, the Clean Water Act reversed that trend, and now people are fishing and kayaking in the rivers! The Clean Water Act is under assault, and this was put into place by another nefarious president, “Nixon.”
I mentioned before, the amount of tribalistic swan diving that I had witnessed in my working career by white and very well-paid privileged individuals-was mind-boggling and astounding! That somehow they were being affected by people that talked, lived and acted differently than they did. Even if those people were not in their particular locality or orbit. Self-deluded? Bigots? Racists? Self elevated superiority? Hypocritical? Absolutely!
But let’s be real, this is nothing new, we have an enabler in the White House. So all of the ne’er-do-wells in this country who support chaos and self-aggrandizement in their mentally defective caste system, were emboldened to come out of the closet so to speak. They didn’t just talk about their musings during members only coffee clutches, they feel emboldened to walk around with their protest signs announcing their beliefs. There is no shame, there is no stop sign, and it just harkens back to a much darker time in our history.
Remember, only white, male, wealthy, land owners could vote. During the census years, Americans of African descent, and Native Americans, were only considered 3/5 human! Over the years, enough progressive movement took place to allow women and African-Americans to vote. Of course that gave rise to misogyny and Jim Crow, which is evidently making a seeming come back, although misogyny and Jim Crow never really left anyway.
Sheila brought out an interesting point in her previous thread about Calvinism, this Calvinism directly correlates to the above-mentioned mental illness. Using religion as a conduit to justify this mental defective belief system by white males in this country. Not all White males I might add, but a goodly portion. Even people that I know, AND, who should know better, fall into the tribal vortex during intense conversation. So it doesn’t take much, and it’s going to get much worse.
Let’s face it, there are still lynchings going on in the United States, how long ago wasn’t that James Byrd was dragged to his death behind truck by 3 white guys in Texas, or Willie Turks, Michael Griffith, and Yosef Hawkins, all lynched in New York City, one of these lynchings was probably in relation to some of Donald Trump’s bluster in New York newspapers in 1989. This was the year of the central Park 5 who were wrongly-accused and imprisoned. This was New York mind you, and had nothing to do with the South, it had to do with tribalistic fear! Even though it might be a minority of those who are fearful, it doesn’t take much to convince someone that wrongdoing will make things right! At least right in their own minds, this in itself, once again, is mental illness.
So why is anybody surprised? Grifters grift, sleight-of-hand, life is a shell game, while you’re looking for the Pea under the walnut shell, their partner is lifting your wallet! It’s kind of like bolting your front door shut while leaving your back door wide open, distract, and loot! Why does the press cover these Campaign rallies disguised as informational pressers? All of this free television time? Like I said, grifters grift, and the stupid go along to get along! Because the stupid are incapable of learning from history, and they are incapable of learning because there is no self gratification involved in putting restraints upon mankind’s basest instincts!
The oft repeated solution to the spread of the orange crowned virus ’16 is a blue wave of voters which drowns the trumpian White House and Senate. Even if Biden were to sweep the Electoral College and Schumer is elevated to Leader come January, two months remain for evil beyond belief to be visited upon us…
Jack,
There is plenty in these bills being passed to take care of POTUS shortfalls financially speaking that is, believe me, grifters will not allow their fellow grifters to suffer!
Benito Mussolini lived like an Emperor, he was one that truly fiddled while Rome was burning, and he was dressed out like a piece of GAME in the public square! Once Italian society took control, there was no stopping the bloodletting.
Sheila writes, “Unless, of course, protecting the pocketbooks of your donors is more important than protecting the lives and health of your constituents.”
See Indiana and the workings of IDEM as an example of this occurring daily.
Aw, the capitalist agenda is driven by the short term expectations of analysts on Wall Street. Perform to their satisfaction and you keep your job; don’t meet those expectations, and the board tosses you to another multimillion-dollar salaried position.
The Koch brothers have spent billions building a network to demolish the former governing body of the Grand Ole Party. Supposedly, the GOP has booted the Koch tentacles, but the network remains, and personally, the GOP was posturing, nothing else.
And once again, the theory endorsed by the Koch network is government itself is interfering with the free market, so they hire politicos who are willing to eliminate government regulation. We certainly don’t need the government to regulate the private market since it is full of sane actors.
The intended “opposition party” has not destroyed this ultra-right-wing conservative network. The DNC has gone along with Neoliberalism since Ronald Reagan kicked off Friedman’s economic theories in the early 1980s.
As we just witnessed again, the purpose of the DNC is to destroy working-class movements in favor of capitalist control. Wall Street hedge funders are putting big money on a centrist democrat to defeat AOC in New York because she represents the people — not Wall Street. The Justice Democrats building a working-class movement are considered the enemy by both captive capitalist-controlled political parties in this country, and both parties have made forming viable tertiary parties impossible to form.
And yes, the wake-up moment is COVID-19.
For instance, why are our meatpacking plants becoming hotspots for the virus? Who’s been regulating these meat producing facilities? And thirdly, who works in these facilities?
The Smithfield pork-producing plant owned by the Chinese had to produce videos in multiple languages to instruct their employees about testing and the eventual closure of the plant. Are they using cheap immigrant labor so they can circumvent labor regulations?
Also, I posted this rather late last night, but it deserves another shout out. The American Prospect has done an excellent piece of journalism mapping out the corruption of the Trump administration by departments/agencies.
As Dan Rather recently said, “The world would be laughing at us if it weren’t for the weeping.”
https://prospect.org/mapping-corruption-interactive
Personally, I am seriously worried about the mental state of our health care workers. I believe many of them are suffering from traumatic stress (it won’t be post traumatic until this mess is behind us) and I see little that we can do to help at the moment. We need to provide for their care better than we provided for the first responders of 9/11.
John,i agree with the shortfalls.and what ifs, the idea of more private investment in the goverment,directly to the state?..The mismanagement, from the elected cons has left many states to flunder. Texas depends on oil, over the last 40 years its given away its profit to the investors,and left the people,hanging,like now. The Lt Gov is sweating buckets,and the demos are on the rise there… low wages and giveaways have finally shown whos not to be,or whats not to be trusted. if the state can not,or will not help,the very people who are the reason why they exist at all,then its obvious and the discussions are needed now,when this is still freash in the minds of whoever,is involved.. my own needs to discuss,are everyday,the focus needs to be who,and why? i come to this site to gain all i can from educated minds,and feedback,so valuble to me to relate to,the ones who deny,fake,ignore,or just dont have a clue,or be involved. when people die because the ones we elected failed to cover our asses,then we need to make it a public statement,and add, why and who..thanks for the kickback. im working again,and my daily job gets me closer to more people everyday..it really works,i get kickbacks from those after the facts,and many, ask for more…
Yes. Psychopathy is the correct word/disease for the Trump administration and the compliant Republican tool chest. They see their political necessities in the same vision as their next home-cooked meal.
No, Todd, Democrats have not abetted this horror show. Those meat-packing plants are in Republican-controlled states where labor laws and regulations are only enforced when more profits can be made from them.
There is no third-party rescue. Yes, Trump will undoubtedly start a war or some other draconian action -like trying to defund the USPS, thus eliminating any hope of mail-in balloting between now and 1/20/21. You can see it coming. The more that his mental state deteriorates, the closer we’ll get to war, or insurrection.
Why, for example, do gun sales spike when we have the smallest of enemies attacking us. Viruses are smaller even than bacteria, so why the guns? It’s the white male thing mentioned by John.
These pathetic weaklings are scared to death of….anything not white, anything not crazy Christian (their views of it anyway) and anything seen as helping the least of us to live a decent life. They don’t want any of that.
Then, there are the wildly insane Republicans like Dan Patrick of Texas who keeps throwing up on himself with little missives like: There are more important things than living. This is the same Texas Republican who suggested that old people should be allowed to die so the economy won’t be destroyed. This is the Republican Lt. Governor speaking. To John’s and Jack’s points, he epitomizes everything that contributes to the tribal psychopathy fronted by the psychopath in chief.
Voters: Be prepared to fight a civil war before Trump will allow himself to lose an election. It’s what psychopaths do.
Jack,
Might I suggest you looking at Todd Smekens post at 8:23 AM, the link he has found is fascinating..
Todd,
Awesome find brother, very enlightening!
Todd,
formerly,it was the john morrell plant, i have a few retired friends who made a living there. sioux falls,s.d. its a union plant back when.. let me fill in some points,one, every packing plant in America is mainly,immigrant,minority jobs. the fact, and i actully did some machinery work in a few of these plants during operation.. the smell alone would have ya think twice about ever eating meat again..the pace, ill be frank, the people who come from third world countries,are forever greatful to live here ,and have a job,hense,the managment rides their ass unforgivingly to make quaotas,unheard of in other aspects of industry. the boning line alone,would make ya think twice about walking down a dark alley at night. rendering, hot greasy,and stinks,,the ones who start there,get here first..that teaches em to think twuce about slacking..most plants are supplied by,christian orgs in missionary of proselytize people.orgs like lutheran social services,bring these poeple to America,and get them new starts,in this field,because no one else wants to be beaten to work like they do..if ya hang around the fence and look into cars leaving or entering a plants,the majority is minority..ive hauled alot of meat from various plants,these people work hard, and the work is disgusting. they live exploited lives mainly in need of decent housing. but, they also follow their families footsteps, crowded housing,the more lower class side of town etc. this breeds the issues,and why,they get hit hard when this pandemic happens. its more to do with exploitation,over their need to just have a place to call home and a living wage job.. many towns where these plants exist,garden city ks,guymon ok, liberal ks,have few economic ideals in itself to create new housing,instead just shack em up tight,and bleed em to death. again,the investor first and the worker,well give em liberty,or give em death..none of these corps who,own these plants could care less about the needs over profits..many will,throw a park in or new rec center,but housing,naw, they wouldnt appriciate it..
John,Todd,
gotta go load, and make a new road,i found the page,just looking at the trump,signs,glad i was,parked,idda drove off the road laughing.. ill read em in a few,gotta make the buck,and keep the taxpayer happy…thanks for keeping me working ,and thanks for a better tomarrow
can someone explain to me why both parties are not screaming to remove this president from office (again)for his blatant unfitness to run this country?
Vernon has it right that Trump will not allow himself to lose an election, he will start up something; what is China, Russia and N. Korea plotting against us with their puppet, Trump.
Pray for Joe Biden, because if he does become President-Elect, there will be two months that Trump can and will totally destroy the US. as the disgruntled former employee…..we need to remove this man now from the White House forcefully, because he is never going to go willingly!
Roberta,
Sad, but true. But who will step up to fulfill your obvious necessity? The rule of law means nothing to our Federal government these days, so…. what do the citizens do?
Thanks, Jack! Your insight coincides with what I’ve researched as well. And not just minorities, but immigrant minorities who cannot complain to state or federal regulators about the working conditions or they’ll be kicked out of the country within a New York minute.
And sorry Vernon, but the Wall Street party has abetted this horror show. Obama had the chance to break up the banks into little regional pieces but he was owned by Citibank. Not one single Bankster was jailed – “Too big to fail and too important to jail.”
And the last I checked, who has been allowing these mega-mergers? Why have our elected officials and their appointees, allowed our meatpacking industry to consolidate into four major global corporations, including one being Chinese owned (Smithfield)?
It hasn’t mattered which political party runs the show — the results have been the same. The theater just has different levels of performance actors.
What’s the problem? It’s just three little words. Overhearing a recent conversation, I heard the truth: “They are Nazis.”
That’s our starting point, so let’s go forward while we still have a chance. We’re running out of time. Who knows? It could be “all over” by tomorrow.
AMERICA AWAKE!
The count of COVID infections from Wisconsin election are up to 40 (not 7, as reported in the blog post): https://www.wuwm.com/post/40-coronavirus-cases-milwaukee-county-linked-wisconsin-election-health-official-says
My experience is that people get elected for two main reasons. 1. Policy-there is something they want to accomplish. 2 The 2 Ps…power and prestige. My belief is this was true among those that we think of as the founding fathers. Trump has simply taken #2 to the negative nth degree. He will be temporary, and there will be severe damage to be repaired.
At the rate we’re going, the reputation of Adolph Hitler will be seriously challenged by Donald Trump. Trump just needs a little more time. Let’s don’t be fooled by his use of so many Jews. He learned that trick from Senator Joseph McCarthy.
Here’s what I’d love to know. How and/or who is the someone managing to prop up the Dow Jones stock values? Clearly, most of those industries’ operations have been contracted or even stopped because of COVID 19 – note the 25 million unemployment claims. Investors were reflecting a realistic reduction in the value of them when we saw the Dow Jones slipping down a steep slide. But then, somehow the stock market numbers began to rise. And, they have maintained values over the past several weeks not far from those before the Pandemic crisis. We know that Trumps believes this to be the biggest barometer of the health of the economy and his ticket to re-election. Something seems amiss.
The 25th Amendment solution, which I’ve seen referenced in these and other comments, is not going to happen. Even if Pence and a majority of the cabinet voted to remove him (unlikely in the extreme) and informed Pelosi and McConnell accordingly, read the amendment and see what happens next:
* trump asserts he’s able to perform the duties of the office (can not! can too!) and resumes office
* then another vote from VP and majority of the cabinet and another letter to Pelosi and McConnell (you think they’d put their neck on the block TWICE for this vindictive POS?)
* then both houses have to vote within 21 days, with a 2/3 majority in each house, that he’s unfit whereupon he’s out for good.
Given that the House got a (partisan) majority but not 2/3 for the articles of impeachment, and that the Senate announced that it was in the bag for trump even before the final articles were transmitted (and of course the articles didn’t even get a majority there, let alone 2/3), the chances that the 25th Amendment will solve the immediate problem are basically nonexistent. And the moral gangrene he’s unleashed throughout the executive branch will continue on autopilot so long as Republicans are in charge.
Warren,
“And the moral gangrene he’s unleashed throughout the executive branch will continue on autopilot so long as Republicans are in charge.
This is the result when you refuse to deal with the truth that we’re dealing with TWO different viruses. If we don’t wake-up NOW, we’ve had it. Unfortunately, I have seen, absolutely, no evidence that we will.
I don’t worry about what will happen between the time Trump is defeated and the time he leaves the Oval Office since all interim regs and laws adopted are subject to repeal or recall after an all-Democratic House, Senate and Oval Office take over (and in any event Nancy will pull a McConnell and see that no draconian laws are passed during this 78 day period). The only thing that cannot be taken back is a war, and that can be averted as well since even a president as commander in chief can be restrained from committing an illegal act and the Constitution gives the Congress exclusive power to declare war. Personally, I think we need to focus our energy on today’s wrongdoings by the demented one and his congressional sycophants and not worry (at least not yet) about a future that may not happen.
Some are prone to put down Democrats and equate their record with that of Republicans. No political party has a flawless record, but I think it counter productive to compare the record of FDR with the record of the libertarian and Koch-captured Republican Party since and including Reagan, who put the finishing touches on the New Deal. Political parties are human institutions, and let me know when humans have achieved perfection in any collective endeavor. I, a flawed human, will remain a member of a flawed political party, not a party of libertarian greedhogs, psychopaths and the clueless, so yes, we are far better than they are in this “us vs. them” contest in our efforts to act for the common good.
My guess for the future under discussion today > Trump will lose. We will retake the Senate and at least maintain our majority in the House. There will be no civil war. Trump will either leave the Oval Office peacefully or will be escorted out of the Oval Office by federal marshals as the Secret Service detail passively watches, since he is not the president and is no more entitled to occupy the Oval Office then than I am. I expect some noise from the child as he is removed from his sandbox but think that the transition will in fact be relatively peaceful since the people will have spoken. (Caveat > This opinion is subject to change, depending on the tide and pace of events.)
How is it that Trump can get away with his insane remarks about the treatment for COVID-19? Why? Because the long-standing [at least 40 years] denial of the new strain of what might be best called THE HITLER VIRUS is more potent and, potentially, much more deadly.
Great! From the “Ship of Fools” to the “Country of Fools.” What’s next?
I doubt we have the literary skill to describe how terrible the situation now is in the United States for the ordinary citizen, but we give it the old college try, post after post, wake up America after wake up America.
I can’t find the words, but I can imagine awful scenarios that come close to presenting how disastrous the IGRAB-19 virus (IGnorant RAcist Bully Virus of 2019)has been.
1. Imagine the South won the Civil War; it’s that disastrous.
2. Imagine Hitler and the Nazis won WWII; it’s that disastrous.
3. Imagine the USSR had won the Cold War; it’s that disastrous.
But of course no disaster of that import is worth more opposition than a measly get-out-the-vote movement. So, glad Lincoln, Roosevelt and Kennedy didn’t think like that.
Gerald,
“(Caveat > This opinion is subject to change, depending on the tide and pace of events.)”
All political fantasies need a hedge. Thanks for the disclaimer.
Larry,
What about the worst-case scenario of all three disasters combined? Just thinking about “Dr. Strangelove” and my deceased partner’s book and movie “Fail-Safe.”
“Moral gangrene”. I like that. But it’s been unleashed also in Congress…and in commerce…and in religious institutions…and in education…and in the streets and alleys and taverns and pool halls and factories and farms and institutions of all kinds.
Marv,
It appears to me that no disaster of any tragic and monumental dimension will move the American citizen off his or her reliance on a single social/governing tool, the one that sports the myth that it solves all problems and no other tool shall ever be needed: THE VOTE.
All we have to do is wave larger blue pom-poms and wear shorter blue skirts and all will be saved.
I worked one of the Milwaukee polling places and the count is up to 40. They still have not informed poll workers which site(s) were the traced locations. I voted absentee but felt I had to help get the task done. That the inconsiderate pricks who forced this event are walking around healthy bothers me. I plan to use their home addresses at the hospital if I fall ill.
Larry,
“Moral gangrene.” I like it too. A perfect diagnosis of our “body politic.”
Gerald and others…
Yep, Scarlet cried her eyes out face down on that great curved staircase amid a destroyed social myth, slowly rose, opened her eyes wide in discovery of a new myth–“After all, tomorrow is another day!”
Fade in to a red sunset and Max Steiner’s score, “TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY”.
But that was not the last music in the film. The last song was loosely called, “Exit music”.
“For years, I believed that most politically-active people were working for policies consistent with their conception of the good society. We were all well-meaning; we just had different points of view, different visions of what the good society should look like, and we obviously differed on how to get there.”
I think that there is some truth in Sheila’s former belief. Trumpublicans live in a dream world in which they are wealthier and further up in the economic class structure. In other words, a world over which they have more power. My experience is that wealth and power are addictive and enough is always not quite enough. It’s especially addictive to authoritarians because behind that is always the notion that they are entitled to more wealth and power because they are superior beings.
It’s popular among them to think that such a world, a world of boundless profit, would be just the ticket. Focus only on that one dream reveals the path to it, no taxes and no profit limitations. That’s the end of their thinking.
Any government larger than what you can take home and drown in the bathtub is what’s in the way of their happiness. The government is the problem, not the solution. A bigger slice of the pie is the solution. More, more, more, endless more. Power, power, power, endless power. A never ending arms race where the race never ends because there is no finish line, no goal, only endless competition.
“What is on display is mental illness on an epic scale, and there definitely is cause for removal per the 25th amendment. Unfortunately, the Republican-controlled Senate and POTUS cabinet officials are such sycophantic toadies, they’d rather let Nero fiddle as Rome burns, because they just might get a nice dose of self enrichment.”
Other than what Marv Kramer has added with his comparison of all this with the Nazi Party – the National Socialist German Workers’ Party (Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei -abbreviated NSDAP) and how it operated and is still trying to operate apparently, little else needs to be said beyond what John Sorg opened up with earlier today in his great comments. Keying this in no way is intended to negate any of the other comments that have been keyed.
We haven’t really begun to really grasp the magnitude of this catastrophe just as all those “good Germans”, especially the intelligentsia of the time, failed to do with the rise of the NSDAP and Hitler. Can you imagine what cold-blooded, racist, and demagogic rhetorical bombasts could have been uttered by master propagandist Josef Goebbels if he had had access to the mass media tools available today? His latter-day counterparts, both here and abroad, are using everyone of them to the hilt to derail us and our country.
We are facing, none-the-less, the same overthrow of rational thought, common sense and established social norms as those in Germany faced 90 years ago but now they’re on steroids and being used on a society that is far, far more developed that Germany was in 1930 in terms of access to mass communications. The well orchestrated political divide that has turned American against American, neighbor against neighbor, family members against family members is basically unprecedented, even more so since a foreign power, at least one, has had a huge hand in doing it. We are effectively crippled until we can come to a common consensus as to what the threat is and what it’s doing to this country and all of us, adapt our thinking about it all as necessary to understand it, see it clearly for what is truly is and then develop cohesive and well thought out tactics and strategies, media and otherwise, to confront it head on and annihilate it once and for all.
To do anything less than this will very likely leave us in utter chaos and also leave us even more ripe for destruction or degradation at the hands of foreign powers that want us out of their way for a variety of very sinister and threatening reasons.
The choice rests with all of us just as it should.
The truth is that there’s so much about where the whole world is that’s not sustainable and therefore temporary and IMO time’s up. Republicans believe that they can stretch the past out a little more because they know that what they are up to is what’s not sustainable but they really don’t know what else to do.
However long they can stretch the past is time taken away from doing what natural selection requires; adapting to the changing environment in the largest sense of environment.
All that stretching the past can accomplish is to be paid for when it breaks.
Deborah,
Yes, something seems amiss in regard to the Dow and the stock market treading water while the ship sinks.
I think that phenomenon is testament to the “Two Economies” concept for which John Edwards was roundly ridiculed in his 2004 primary campaign.
Several think tanks have now adopted the two economies model, and I think the future economic well-being of the middle class will require a national coming to terms with the fact of two economies.
The Brookings Institute says, “America has two economies, and they are diverging fast.”
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/the-avenue/2019/09/10/america-has-two-economies-and-theyre-diverging-fast/
And WSJ agrees, as do many other academic economic observers.
Tom,
“The choice rests with all of us just as it should.”
Absolutely right. To quote, the now maligned, Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Aung San Sui Kyi’s words to the masses that followed her: “We have to RAISE OUR STRENGTHS.” That would be a good start. It is up to all of us who care about the future of our country to do just that. Our present level is grossly inadequate.
We’re at war. Let’s get real. It’s like Gil Alexander-Moegerle’s title to his book in 1997: “James Dobson’s War on America.”
We’re years away from a win-win situation, it’s a we win-you lose situation. What’s at stake is our FREEDOM, nothing less.
Yes, Deborah, the something amyss is called our Federal Reserve pumping unlimited monies into the financial system under a term called, “quantitative easing.”
In fact, to clean up the banking crisis from 2008, they used over $14 trillion of QE.
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/23/fed-announces-a-slew-of-new-programs-to-help-markets-including-open-ended-asset-purchases.html
Marv and Todd,
The Federal reserve is pumping counterfeit money into the economy! The printing presses are working overtime! When the crash comes, money won’t be worth the paper it’s printed on, and like Marv had mentioned several times, they were trying to buy bread with wheelbarrows full of money in Germany during the second world war. The capitalists were given free rein, and on top of that, a lot of those companies were American!
General motors, Ford motor company, Westinghouse, general electric, Thomas Edison, you name it, they were helping build the German war machine, and they got paid very well for it!
They’re going back to the old playbook, just like they did in Germany! Except, every single one is in cahoots!
How much money was pulled from the stock market before its free fall in march?
most was pulled due to past exp,,2008 andput into gov bonds. though today at .64%and its there when they want it. being its the investor who pulled it,and stuffed it away from wall streets deliberate greed to control, and brokers commisions,now wall streets pissed. they dont like the gov having all the money.. they want all the money. mcconnels end game as i see, is still, give it all to wall street, incld, the govrment. norquest would be pissing himself. all the union busting,we havent had a decent wage increase since reagan, we are paying more taxes through what we buy, (over priced goods) and wages…,seems deliberate starving of public needs and infrastructure to get talk and action on PPP public private partnerships, schools left to rot,the postal service,which controls the largest gov union orgs pension at 65 billion, and other investments,and it all spells the end game. mcconnel could care less about the working class, were tied to credit,tied to take it or leave it wages, and now a goverment who seeks to give tax cuts to,the investor,and give away our safety nets to them. its done…when dr trump talks about the economy,like his swamp, the economy is the numbers on wall street,and nothing more. theres no economy for working slaves to their system. we are, just machines for the use to be discarded by wall street when they are done with us..
but, this shut down also shows the effect, we have on wall street, when we say no.
mcconnels response, o.k. we,ll give ya what ya want,from the top down, and your going to pay us back…the wages will be again a take itnor leave it, medical care cost increases,and with any wall street enity that demands repayment for our needs to,survive.. the long time wait for this move isnt tommarow,its now. wall street is gearing up with its think tanks to a retribution, that will be out front,and many hidden. we have as a people, allowed this to happen. we need to be deliberate in November, we need to get the word out,and help anyone to vote. spend a few bucks for gas, stamps,help the ones who dont know how..a total sweep in november would send a message,and we need a messenger, the whole monte. we bred the neos to believe because we voted them in, we are to ignorant to understand,vote as they see fit in congress,,and their orgs demand satisfaction at our expense,again.. ALEC,heritage,koch,liberty, and the rest,need to be sat down and told,you work for America now, we dont work for you,anymore… but, we need to have the face to face discussions, not social medias faceless garb.that is why our voices fail. we didnt fail getting out of vietnam, we all took to the streets,and local voices amassed, as a whole..the bath tub is empty,and we see the soap scum. time for a house cleaning..
jack,
“time for a house cleaning..”
We probably don’t have to wait too long. At this point, it’s no more than a “house of cards” that can’t be prevented to fall. What our main objective should be is to make sure that we’ll be able to
rebuild, as quickly as possible another house, this time out of “bricks,” not one out of “straws.”
JoAnn – I appreciate your skepticism, which is something I always encourage. Epidemiology is not an exact science, however, please don’t fall into the trap of Trumpian rejection of expert opinion.
Epidemiology has methods – just think – 40 people (thank you David and Julia for the update) went to the same polling place and have come down with the virus – they likely did not use the same grocery or pharmacy – simply put, the simplest explanation is probably true (Occam’s Razor) – it is far more likely that they all caught the virus, maybe from the one infected poll worker, than that they caught it in 40 different places.
Please have some faith that scientist who study these things know what they are doing. If there is any problem with conveying that knowledge, it is more likely to be the news media that misinterpret the meaning of the results. In this particular case, I strongly suspect that the chances of this being linked voting are quite high.
Len,
“Epidemiology is not an exact science, however, please don’t fall into the trap of Trumpian rejection of expert opinion.”
What about political epidemiology? What about your opinion on political epidemiology? You’ve seemed to be mute in that area. What’s the reason? Are you afraid of something?
We are being distracted. What is the overriding ISSUE in the era of Donald Trump?
Is it bi-partisan politics? No
Is It White against Black? No
Is it Christian against Jew? No
Is it Authoritarianism versus Democracy? No
Is it Enslavement or Freedom? No
IS IT LIFE OR DEATH? YES [And we better wake-up to that fact before it is too late.] This is the one issue you can’t run away from, even if it is too late.