Remember that old song lyric, “What’s It all about, Alfie?”
Those of us who are appalled and confused by the administration’s daily abuses of the Constitution and rule of law can be forgiven for losing sight of “what it’s all about.” As usual, Heather Cox Richardson has provided context–and an answer. She points to the obvious: Trump’s economic policies are designed to transfer wealth to the already-obscenely-wealthy from the rest of us–then provides context: “From 1981 to 2021, American policies moved $50 trillion from the bottom 90% of Americans to the top 1%.”
But just enriching the already-rich is only one part of the overall goal. Richardson points to the administration’s gutting of a government that “regulates business, provides a basic social safety net, promotes infrastructure, and protects civil rights and to replace it with a government that permits a few wealthy men to rule.”
The CBO score for the Republicans’ omnibus bill projects that if it is enacted, 16 million people will lose access to healthcare insurance over the next decade in what is essentially an assault on the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The bill also dramatically cuts Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Plan (SNAP) benefits, clean energy credits, aid for student borrowers, benefits for federal workers, and consumer protection services, while requiring the sale of public natural resources.
It gets worse. (I know, you’re thinking “how much worse can it get?” Trust me.)
Richardson is only one of the observers who pinpoints the real “mover and shaker” behind this assault on constitutional government–Office of Management and Budget director Russell Vought. Vought is determined to decimate those parts of the government that are inconsistent with the Christian Nationalist goals outlined in Project 2025, the production of which he directed. As Richardson reminds us,
Vought was a key author of Project 2025, whose aim is to disrupt and destroy the United States government order to center a Christian, heteronormative, male-dominated family as the primary element of society. To do so, the plan calls for destroying the administrative state, withdrawing the United States from global affairs, and ending environmental and business regulations.
Racism is, of course, an essential element of Christian Nationalism, which works to elevate the civic and social dominance of (certain) White Christian males. Vought founded the Center for Renewing America (CRA), which focuses on combating its (utterly phony) version of “critical race theory.” The organization’s affiliated issue advocacy group, American Restoration Action, has a similar mission: to “renew a consensus of America as a nation under God”. Both groups hope to provide the “ideological ammunition to sustain Trump’s political movement after his departure from the White House.”
It is worth noting that the administration’s war on education and empirical knowledge is an essential element of the Christian Nationalist plan to de-secularize America. The assaults on science, on research, on academic freedom are an indispensable part of the movement to substitute theocracy for a country that respects the intellectual liberties protected by the First Amendment. In service of that goal, Christian Nationalists have worked diligently to redefine “religious freedom” to mean the right of fundamentalist Christians to impose their beliefs on others, and to redefine “free speech” to mean privileging opposition to the “woke” values they abhor.
One of those “woke” values is education.
In my own Red state of Indiana, where performative “Christians” dominate the legislature and self-identified Christian Nationalists hold statewide offices, the assault on education has been unremitting. The voucher program that pretends to honor “parental choice” sends millions of Hoosier tax dollars to religious schools, in what is a dishonest work-around of the Establishment Clause while starving our public schools. More recently, steady assaults on Indiana University–a once-storied and highly respected academic institution–have ranged from political interference with its latest choice of a president–allowing the post to go to an less distinguished (but presumably more well-connected) “dark horse” candidate, to legislation threatening curriculum considered “liberal,” to the more recent and appalling substitution of far-right political operatives (including the odious Jim Bopp) for the choices of alumni on the university’s board of trustees.
Thanks to those assaults–and Indiana’s ban on abortion–Indiana University is losing many of the students who formerly enriched intellectual life on campus.
America is at an inflection point. What is at stake isn’t simply our global dominance (which Trump has already discarded), but our essential domestic identity. America hasn’t been seen as the “City on the Hill” because we embraced fundamentalist religion, but because we aspired to protect individual liberty and civic equality.
We didn’t always live up to those aspirations, but we can ill-afford to replace them with a Taliban-like theocracy.
As said before. If Yeshua, the Christ of the New Testament, was here today, these christian nationalists would nail him to a cross for being “woke”.
I apologize for repeating what I posted as a reply last evening to what seemed like many maga trolls. The differences between IN’s Lt Gov and, a century ago, D.C. Stephenson (head whatever of IN’s klan) are that Stephenson: 1) was more straightforward and 2) dressed better.
Yeah. Religion as the tool for power. Sure. Power mad lunatics have been doing something like what we’re seeing since the invention of religion. CONTROL over the masses. When people are poor, ignorant and desperate, they’ll follow/cling to the loudest voice in the room.
This coming Saturday is going to be the inflection day of the inflection point. But those of us who will attend these rallies, a word of caution: DO NOT ENGAGE WITH THE PEOPLE IN FULL BATTLE GEAR. It’s what the human hemorrhoid (Stephen Miller) and his orange turd boss want. Why? so they can claim martial law and suspend the Constitution. As Todd and I have been saying all along, they can’t afford to have the mid-terms. Why do you think they’re moving so fast with the dismantling of our pillars of democracy.
We are on the brink of civil war. The madman has just said that Governor Newsome should be in prison for being governor of California. Yep. Around the bend. Totally crazy. Then there’s RFK, Jr. dismissing all the vaccination experts and CDC. Now why would he do that?
The peaceful citizens are not ready for a full-out civil war. It will have to be more subtle.
Kkenna is correct!
A little morality in our government would be beneficial, but these aren’t moral individuals taking official positions. They know nothing about Jesus’ teachings. They remind me of the Fascist Zionists who rule over Israel and are committing genocide against the Arab Palestinians in Gaza. I mean, what religion teaches us to starve our enemy and then bomb them while standing in line for food aid?
I’m pretty sure that I’m not alone here, but I don’t want anything to do with that kind of “religion,” no matter who it claims to follow.
As for retreating from global affairs, the sooner the better, I say, especially when we are sending the most ignorant people abroad. Pete Hegseth attended an Asian conference in Singapore and advised the countries to prepare for war against China. Brilliant! His speech was the usual, “War is peace.” We scare China with our talk so they don’t get aggressive. Brilliant!
Do you honestly think Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin take anything these people say seriously? Putin found out that Trump has no power over ending the Ukrainian conflict, so he’s ignoring him. Can you imagine Pete Hegseth in the room with Sergei Lavrov? LOL
The Russians are mocking Trump’s administration, and the “leaders” of the vassal states of the European Union.
Meanwhile, our Fourth Estate is distracted with trying to upgrade their brand for lying about Biden’s mental and physical health for years while POTUS.
p.s. If you recognize Braun’s playbook, it was written by the same folks who funded Project 2025. A Koch shill runs his “nonprofit” policy outfit. I’ve tried to get our “up and coming” media entities to print this, but they won’t because they need access to Braun. IPR does the same thing. The IndyStar did the same thing, and that’s why it’s an entertainment and sports sheet today. You can’t trust this kind of media outlet that will sell out for advertisers and access.
This whole recent onslaught in Los Angeles, along with calling up active duty Marines and adding another division of federalized national guard troops, makes people lose their focus.
This allows the criminal element in government to loot, unabated, whenever and wherever they wish. Because while the turmoil is brewing all over the place, people cannot focus on the other things that are happening. It’s like criminals wanting to rob a bank on one side of town, so they cause turmoil on the opposite side of town. Everyone is focused on that turmoil, and they can rob the bank with out much attention. That’s what you have today. Start a fire at the front door, and carry the valuables out the back door.
I mean you have to be amazed at the brazeness of it all, and it comes right out of gangster movies! Francis Ford Coppola would be proud!
There’s going to be a backlash without a doubt, but I wouldn’t expect any of the stolen loot returned! It will be parked somewhere overseas, out of sight and out of mind, just like they hope the gulags that are being built overseas will not garner the attention of the ones they have built in the United States on military bases. The United States is not the only country adding people to these gulags, it’s a multinational effort. There are no human rights in these gulags, there is no due process or habeas corpus. If they claim these people they’re shipping over there are foreign combatants, well they can disappear with no hope for recourse.
And if they end up getting rid of birthright citizenship, every single person in this country is at risk of being shipped off to some dark side gulag, that no one will be able to help you, or even know your location.
Like I said, look up Rex 84. And you will see exactly what’s happening today! I would venture to say, that the contingencies for Rex 84 have been activated by executive order. The ramifications of this, will be worse than what the Nazis did in Germany.
There are dozens of battalions of every sort of armed aggrieved Americans, right, left, liberal, communist, nationalist, theocratic, you name it. Who doesn’t like whom? Who will Ally with whom? When will the first bombings take place? Once it gets to that point, if you don’t pray to a God, then I suppose you should start. Because there will be no safety or comfort in anyone or anything! And the entire time they’ll be shoveling out the treasure and shipping it off to who knows where. Are the cities that the wealthy are building, going to be like cities of refuge? Or are these cities going to be run by Snake Pliskin, and become large prisons? Hey, does life imitate art or does art imitate life? You better hope that you’re not one of those that gets shipped off to some dark site, because there is no more citizenship for anyone.
John is also correct and reminds us of the importance of holding the looters accountable. The entertainment media have already been notified and are accommodating Trump’s administration by purging all those perceived as a threat to Trump. The pressers also exclude access to any site considered “hostile” to Dear Leader.
The AP filed a lawsuit, but the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Trump being allowed to approve or deny access to anyone. This is why he is surrounding himself with the right-wing outlets.
Just a reminder, Ronald Reagan was a puppet of the Hollywood Mob Boss, Lew Wasserman, and the MCA crowd who had deep ties to the Chicago Mob.
p.s. Of the $50 trillion looted from the poor and shuffled to the Wealthy Oligarchs, it was primarily done through the Treasury and borrowing $34 trillion. As I repeatedly have said, they are stealing from the Treasury, and anyone who tries to hold them accountable will be considered a “national security threat.” This is the role of Peter Thiel’s Palantir.
How long will it take for trump’s MAGATS to recognize that their leader has been lying to them all along? Will they ever realize that Fox, Newsmax and Oann have been lying and manipulating them too? Might those willfully ignorant followers some day choose to use their massive personal arsenals to attack the very people they’ve worshiped for so many years? One can hope.
All good posts!
Yes, stir up the populace, then declare Martial Law, have that 2nd Constitutional Convention the right has been pining for, for years, and “You won’t have to vote,” and Iran will have its western counterpart.
Simple.
Okay, here’s the REAL truth: Stephen Hawking was/is the REAL GOD! His prediction that humanity would not outlast this century is the REAL Gospel.
And the Trumpists are the anointed, making sure that that prediction comes true!
The Heritage Foundation, and ilk are just unknowing parts of the PLAN!
You know, “God works in mysterious ways.”
An aside: Sheila, for some reason, on my Favorite Places after being posted in my E-mails, the blog keeps popping up at the end of yesterdays blog with the box, “Ask anything”. Is a puzzlement.
Back to my comments late yesterday and the control of “What’s It All About Alfie?”, the manufacturers of the computerized electrical devices control what information we receive. The continued escalation of everything in our lives being run by electronics, the power outages here in Indiana have been further widespread and last longer, causing dangerous health, traffic control and food source situations and high costs of throwing out bad food. Local news reported about 18 months ago that “We don’t have enough electricity to meet the needs of residents.” Musk’s and other vehicle manufacturers keep pushing for EVs as the Republicans push to lower solar and wind sources for power and maintain and increasing the fossil fuel source to further enrich the owners.
That, Alfie, is what it’s all about.
“Those of us who are appalled and confused by the administration’s daily abuses of the Constitution and rule of law can be forgiven for losing sight of “what it’s all about.”
The current administration are the source of manufacturers who control our electronic, computerized lives which is causing the loss of sight among confused and angry constituents of both parties. It has been 12 years since I have spoken with an elected official who came to my door, and it had been many more years since an elected official came to my door before my City Councilor Mary Moriarty Adams listened, researched and resolved 2 problems before her death. She has been replaced twice and the problems recurred and continue.
Greta Thunberg understands the stakes – “protesters” waving signs on June 14 don’t.
I hate to threepeat, but we can flush the idea of MAGA cult members waking up to become “woke.” That’s why they make good cult members; they don’t question anything.
Besides, when their TVs show them pictures of brown people destroying public property and attacking ICE, all while waving Mexican flags, they start repurchasing ammo, waiting for the Mexicans to come their way. Their hate for immigrants intensifies.
Also, if you haven’t figured it out by now, many of the right-winged Patriots who tried to overthrow the government (who have been exonerated by Trump) are helping ICE, whether in a paid or volunteer status. They’ve already chosen sides and will unknowingly assist the oligarchs in their theft.
It breaks my heart that those “Christian” Nationalists portray Christ as someone who would treat others with cruelty, and would claim that they are the only ones who know what is part of what he taught. The Christ they depict has nothing to do with the Christ who taught, lived and died for things to be fair for ALL.
My view of the morality that Christian theology teaches is one commandment rather than the Ten Commandments. Mine begins with “do unto others….”
This perspective challenges Trump’s interpretation of ‘take from others and give to me’ which encompasses wealth and the rights humans are born into; all carefully documented in our Bill of Rights.
The rest of Christian Theology is very interesting to debate.
Read Daniel 2:41-43. In the dream that Daniel interpreted for King Nebuchadnezzar, the feet of the image that the king saw were made of “iron mixed with soft clay.” By comparing this prophecy with others in the books of Daniel and Revelation, we can conclude that the feet represent the Anglo-American alliance, the dominant world power today. Regarding this world power, Daniel says that “the kingdom will be partly strong and partly fragile.” Why partly fragile? Because the common people, pictured by the soft clay, undermine its ability to act with ironlike strength.b
From Daniel’s description of the dream image and particularly its feet, we learn several important truths. First, the Anglo-American World Power has shown its strength in some ways. For example, it played a key role in winning World War I and World War II. However, this world power has been weakened and will continue to be weakened by internal conflicts among its own citizens. Second, this alliance will be the last world power to rule before God’s Kingdom puts an end to all human kingdoms. Even though other nations may at times challenge the Anglo-American World Power.
This is referred to as a prophetic revelation. And it’s mentioned in Daniel originally, but it’s also Ben mentioned and thoroughly dissected in Revelation. But not only that, it’s been mentioned by various profits through the millennia before Christ, and by apostles and Christ himself before his demise. The striking similarity between Daniel’s prophecy and what’s happening today is quite astounding. It’s obviously been written by a higher power.
People ask why God would want these things to happen, but the gauntlet has been cast, and there must be that allocation of evil by the one son of God who chose to disobey, the great Satan or the father of the lie!
Just as in the book of Job, when Job lost everything, he stood firm and did not listen to his comforters who were supposed friends. And when he stood firm, he gained everything back twofold.
At the end of Job’s faithful course under test, God constituted him a priest for his three companions who had contended with him, and God restored Job to his former status. He again had a fine family (evidently by the same wife) and double the wealth he had previously possessed. All his relatives and former associates returned to pay respect to him and to bring him gifts. (Job 42:7-15) He lived to see his sons and his grandsons to four generations.—Job 42:16.
Through the prophet Ezekiel, God pointed to Job as an example of righteousness. (Ezekiel 14:14, 20) His patient endurance of suffering is set before Christians as a pattern of faith, conduct, humility, and loyal love! Something that so-called Christians today have fallen extremely short.
Thank God for the late night comedians! It would be too bleak for any of us without a little humor. Colbert was particularly sharp last night. It’s how I get by.
That said, how long will it be before he brings this opportunity to fruition. Only blue states are being targeted for ICE raids. Every black or brown adult not born in this country is targeted. People are being picked up at their ICE appointments. Is it possible that people who are there to be told they’re approved for a green card are clever criminals who’ve deceived ICE? Is it likely they’ll commit heinous crimes that would warrant deportation? The answer to both questions is not just no, but hell no!
Orange Jesus is looking for any excuse to call insurrection. Remember he’s already deployed Marines to LA. The protesters need to assign people to patrol and apprehend the individuals who are setting fires and turn them over to LAPD. Those people are more than likely not there to demonstrate, but to cause problems.
I haven’t read all of the comments, just the posts by the professor…but I saw that Greta Thunberg gets it and the June 14th protestors don’t.
What? I’m on the same side of Greta about the genocide in Gaza and plan on protesting Saturday. Why? Because this is America, No Kings here!
Just Prince Harry. 🙂 carry on.