31% of voters plus 36% abstaining is not a damn mandate. The mandate narrative needs to end, hard stop. Do not even speak the word in any context PLEASE.
Yes, start covering the Dems that are rocking it. Maybe NM doesn't have a huge population, but Melanie Stansbury is rocking it on Instagram and YouTube. She's there every day - get to know her. There are other Dems, start bringing them in to talk about what they are doing.
How can anyone believe that this corrupt, lying, miserable POS is planning to do anything for America and Americans? The only thing he’s shown us is that he is greedily getting everything he can for himself, family, and friends while enjoying inflicting as much cruelty as possible on everyone else. This monster has shown us who and exactly what he is and none of it is good!!! There is a reason he’s referred to as don the con…jeeze people get a clue.
I am surprised that Sarah Longwell doesn't think Democrats are doing anything. Angry articulate Democrats include Chris Murphy, Adam Schiff, Brian Schatz, Eric Swalwell, Elizabeth Warren, Jason Crow and Patty Murray. I also don't think we should discount Elissa Slotkin's rational advice: Choose the most important issue to you concerning the economy., national security or our democracy, and focus on doing whatever you can to advocate for it
indeed - and this becomes part of the GOP message - the Dems are doing nothing- I really do not think the DEM bahing helps people see in any way how all of this ALL is at the feet of the GOP.
But his countless protectors (politicians, cult media, lawyers, Musk and his teenage geek squad, etc.) DO care. They know that MAGA popularity can only go downhill from here and that it's almost impossible for them to win legitimately in '28. Which is why preventing them from rigging the election (or worse) is more important and urgent than all the other issues (tariffs, immigration, etc.) combined.
Yep, Witmer is a BIG disappointment. The Clinton Democrats are FECKLESS and need to be booted out of power. We need FIGHTING progressives in the mode of FDR who celebrate being the enemy of Republicans, their donors and their MAGA supporters.
Honestly, IMO, trump is so unfit for office to begin with. Maybe the Dems should push on that. His mind is gone. As a survivor of DV, this administration feels exactly like DM and terrorism. He needs a gut punch to his narcissistic ego. He's failed at everything he's ever done in his life. He knows nothing about groceries. I bet he's never shopped a day in his life or had to pay rent. I'm not even sure he can read.
Sarah is spot on with her assessment at 4:48 that the only way people will move away from Trump and the GOP is if there are negative personal consequences as a result of his policies. Trump and GOP supporters are selfish and undeserving of a liberal democracy, period. Their concerns are entirely about their situation, they fully support the criminal abuse of everyone else as long as it serves them, they fully support the destruction of every ecosystem as long as they benefit from that destruction. These are people of no value.
They must be marginalized. How to do that should be focused on because they cannot be made to be better people.
He just barely won by a slight plurality, not even a majority. His popularity has already dropped since, and will only decrease. As Sarah said, it's because it will hit his supporters on the issues that they care about most, and the one on which they trusted him enough to overlook the fact that he's a convicted felon who commanded (not just "incited") an insurrection and insists on lying about the '20 election. Granted, many, if not most of his voters are so addicted that they'll literally take bullets for him. But it's now virtually impossible for him, or a MAGA-blessed successor, to win legitimately in '28. Now more than ever, priority 1 must be to prevent the MAGA cult from stealing elections. They don't even pretend that they won't.
The problem is that he's not obeying court rulings at every level. He is acting as the unitary executive that Bush and Cheney promoted and that is supported by the majority of GOP voters. The remedy is impeachment and removal from office and prosecution for his willful violation of the constitution but the congressional GOP fully supports this and are complicit and the GOP SCOTUS ruled that he can't be prosecuted!
This government is truly an authoritarian government with the full support of its actors!
I'm glad you made the point that this is a subset of Americans, "GOP supporters." I am beginning to despair of America, and I do hope that you're right, that this self-centered worldview represents only a part of us. I do wonder, though. Has America lost its bearings? Remember the old saw "Americans are a people who know the price of everything and the value of nothing?" Is that who we are now? Generally, as a people, of course not every individual.
Do we really not give a damn that we are deporting people without due process? Or that we are now discussing outsourcing our penal system to El Salvador. Or that an insurrection occurred right in front of our own eyes? Or that elections are now routinely called into question for no substantive reason at all? Or that top civilian military leaders bumble a top secret mission discussion and invite a journalist? Or that we've destroyed our credibility with all of our allies world wide? Or abandoned a valiant ally in it's struggle against a ruthless dictator?
I just wonder, outside of those of us participating in this bubble, does the country as a whole really know what America stands for, or should stand for, or did stand for at one time?
Is it really nothing more than "the economy stupid?" As long as my pockets are full, let the rest of it burn down.
Is that America now? Are we no better than Russia anymore?
I don't ask these questions lightly. I served in the US Army in the 80's in Berlin, in military intelligence. We were face to face with the Soviet Union, and we were confident that, though imperfect, we stood on higher moral ground.
Are we, as Friedrich Nietzsche asked 150 years ago, no longer able to distinguish higher ground from lower, is there no longer an up or down, a left or right. Have we killed God without the slightest idea of the consequences of our tremendous act?
Happy Tuesday, John! In a nutshell, I think that we're here, because essentially most Americans are concerned about their material well being with little to no concern for our liberal democracy that elevated everyone and moved us to sustainability that ended at Reagan. Below is an oversimplified version of my review as to what got us here, we, the voters.
The GOP grew after the passage of the Civil Rights Act from the influx of Dixiecrats who wanted to destroy the liberal order and that provided the libertarian GOP with more power because both wings wanted to make the federal government small enough to drown in a bath tub so it couldn't regulate the wealthy or force states to act liberally. These people were highly motivated and were highly successful in controlling the narrative using cloaked racism, such as Reagan's welfare queen and Willie Horton ads. The GOP's message was all about taking the white man's money and giving it to an unworthy black welfare recipient.
Due to Reagan's win and the GOP's ability to raise huge amounts of donations Clinton believed that Americans blamed progressive programs for their financial state and so moved the party closer to the GOP, that "it's the economy, stupid" thing. Thus the Clinton Democrats became complicit in recreating the new Gilded Age.
Thus the disgruntled electorate who are too stupid to understand that they voted for this because they believed the racist ads and libertarian lies. They don't understand that it was the income tax that created our inclusive and extensive middle class because if wealth isn't controlled it takes control as shown in every civilization that existed. They believed the lie that taxation is theft, that it is taken to be given to the unworthy and so voted for candidates that supported that false worldview.
Excellent overview of the decline in US values over the past 4 decades, Jeff. The question that I cannot answer - can we possibly recover from that fall?
That is the question. I have caught a few of Bernie's and AOC's rallies on youtube and the crowds look big and that gives me hope. We need to do what we can to drive action to stop this coup because we don't have but one chance to drive the GOP from power and reverse this authoritarian trend, but we need progressives willing to fight and with the ability to convey their message powerfully against MAGA lies, IMO.
One more thing, every problem that we face is self made by our selfish voters. We need to marginalize them and ironically they will also benefit from progressives in power.
Didn't have time to listen to the entire podcast, so I may be repeating something already said. Anyway, my opinion is that the only way to influence Trump is through his followers and they are not going to stop supporting him unless their hearts and minds change. See this link for how this would happen: https://www.thewaywesee.com/confrontchristiannationalism/overview-of-christian-nationalism/outline-of-a-good-strategy-to-change-hearts-and-minds/
Listen to Malcom Nance’s impassioned plea to citizens on you tube.
31% of voters plus 36% abstaining is not a damn mandate. The mandate narrative needs to end, hard stop. Do not even speak the word in any context PLEASE.
Thanks, excellent.
Yes, start covering the Dems that are rocking it. Maybe NM doesn't have a huge population, but Melanie Stansbury is rocking it on Instagram and YouTube. She's there every day - get to know her. There are other Dems, start bringing them in to talk about what they are doing.
It's very scary that I am afraid to post anything for fear of retribution.
That scares me the most.
How can anyone believe that this corrupt, lying, miserable POS is planning to do anything for America and Americans? The only thing he’s shown us is that he is greedily getting everything he can for himself, family, and friends while enjoying inflicting as much cruelty as possible on everyone else. This monster has shown us who and exactly what he is and none of it is good!!! There is a reason he’s referred to as don the con…jeeze people get a clue.
I am surprised that Sarah Longwell doesn't think Democrats are doing anything. Angry articulate Democrats include Chris Murphy, Adam Schiff, Brian Schatz, Eric Swalwell, Elizabeth Warren, Jason Crow and Patty Murray. I also don't think we should discount Elissa Slotkin's rational advice: Choose the most important issue to you concerning the economy., national security or our democracy, and focus on doing whatever you can to advocate for it
indeed - and this becomes part of the GOP message - the Dems are doing nothing- I really do not think the DEM bahing helps people see in any way how all of this ALL is at the feet of the GOP.
Chris Murphy is doing everything you're asking for. He's loud and out front. He's a leader!
I don't think Trump cares about the polls anymore. He cares about himself and his money. That's always been the case.
But his countless protectors (politicians, cult media, lawyers, Musk and his teenage geek squad, etc.) DO care. They know that MAGA popularity can only go downhill from here and that it's almost impossible for them to win legitimately in '28. Which is why preventing them from rigging the election (or worse) is more important and urgent than all the other issues (tariffs, immigration, etc.) combined.
I'm not sure we will even make it to the 2026 elections. Trump can declare martial law and just cancel them. Who will stop him?
Yep, Witmer is a BIG disappointment. The Clinton Democrats are FECKLESS and need to be booted out of power. We need FIGHTING progressives in the mode of FDR who celebrate being the enemy of Republicans, their donors and their MAGA supporters.
Honestly, IMO, trump is so unfit for office to begin with. Maybe the Dems should push on that. His mind is gone. As a survivor of DV, this administration feels exactly like DM and terrorism. He needs a gut punch to his narcissistic ego. He's failed at everything he's ever done in his life. He knows nothing about groceries. I bet he's never shopped a day in his life or had to pay rent. I'm not even sure he can read.
Sarah is spot on with her assessment at 4:48 that the only way people will move away from Trump and the GOP is if there are negative personal consequences as a result of his policies. Trump and GOP supporters are selfish and undeserving of a liberal democracy, period. Their concerns are entirely about their situation, they fully support the criminal abuse of everyone else as long as it serves them, they fully support the destruction of every ecosystem as long as they benefit from that destruction. These are people of no value.
They must be marginalized. How to do that should be focused on because they cannot be made to be better people.
He just barely won by a slight plurality, not even a majority. His popularity has already dropped since, and will only decrease. As Sarah said, it's because it will hit his supporters on the issues that they care about most, and the one on which they trusted him enough to overlook the fact that he's a convicted felon who commanded (not just "incited") an insurrection and insists on lying about the '20 election. Granted, many, if not most of his voters are so addicted that they'll literally take bullets for him. But it's now virtually impossible for him, or a MAGA-blessed successor, to win legitimately in '28. Now more than ever, priority 1 must be to prevent the MAGA cult from stealing elections. They don't even pretend that they won't.
The problem is that he's not obeying court rulings at every level. He is acting as the unitary executive that Bush and Cheney promoted and that is supported by the majority of GOP voters. The remedy is impeachment and removal from office and prosecution for his willful violation of the constitution but the congressional GOP fully supports this and are complicit and the GOP SCOTUS ruled that he can't be prosecuted!
This government is truly an authoritarian government with the full support of its actors!
I'm glad you made the point that this is a subset of Americans, "GOP supporters." I am beginning to despair of America, and I do hope that you're right, that this self-centered worldview represents only a part of us. I do wonder, though. Has America lost its bearings? Remember the old saw "Americans are a people who know the price of everything and the value of nothing?" Is that who we are now? Generally, as a people, of course not every individual.
Do we really not give a damn that we are deporting people without due process? Or that we are now discussing outsourcing our penal system to El Salvador. Or that an insurrection occurred right in front of our own eyes? Or that elections are now routinely called into question for no substantive reason at all? Or that top civilian military leaders bumble a top secret mission discussion and invite a journalist? Or that we've destroyed our credibility with all of our allies world wide? Or abandoned a valiant ally in it's struggle against a ruthless dictator?
I just wonder, outside of those of us participating in this bubble, does the country as a whole really know what America stands for, or should stand for, or did stand for at one time?
Is it really nothing more than "the economy stupid?" As long as my pockets are full, let the rest of it burn down.
Is that America now? Are we no better than Russia anymore?
I don't ask these questions lightly. I served in the US Army in the 80's in Berlin, in military intelligence. We were face to face with the Soviet Union, and we were confident that, though imperfect, we stood on higher moral ground.
Are we, as Friedrich Nietzsche asked 150 years ago, no longer able to distinguish higher ground from lower, is there no longer an up or down, a left or right. Have we killed God without the slightest idea of the consequences of our tremendous act?
Happy Tuesday, John! In a nutshell, I think that we're here, because essentially most Americans are concerned about their material well being with little to no concern for our liberal democracy that elevated everyone and moved us to sustainability that ended at Reagan. Below is an oversimplified version of my review as to what got us here, we, the voters.
The GOP grew after the passage of the Civil Rights Act from the influx of Dixiecrats who wanted to destroy the liberal order and that provided the libertarian GOP with more power because both wings wanted to make the federal government small enough to drown in a bath tub so it couldn't regulate the wealthy or force states to act liberally. These people were highly motivated and were highly successful in controlling the narrative using cloaked racism, such as Reagan's welfare queen and Willie Horton ads. The GOP's message was all about taking the white man's money and giving it to an unworthy black welfare recipient.
Due to Reagan's win and the GOP's ability to raise huge amounts of donations Clinton believed that Americans blamed progressive programs for their financial state and so moved the party closer to the GOP, that "it's the economy, stupid" thing. Thus the Clinton Democrats became complicit in recreating the new Gilded Age.
Thus the disgruntled electorate who are too stupid to understand that they voted for this because they believed the racist ads and libertarian lies. They don't understand that it was the income tax that created our inclusive and extensive middle class because if wealth isn't controlled it takes control as shown in every civilization that existed. They believed the lie that taxation is theft, that it is taken to be given to the unworthy and so voted for candidates that supported that false worldview.
Excellent overview of the decline in US values over the past 4 decades, Jeff. The question that I cannot answer - can we possibly recover from that fall?
That is the question. I have caught a few of Bernie's and AOC's rallies on youtube and the crowds look big and that gives me hope. We need to do what we can to drive action to stop this coup because we don't have but one chance to drive the GOP from power and reverse this authoritarian trend, but we need progressives willing to fight and with the ability to convey their message powerfully against MAGA lies, IMO.
One more thing, every problem that we face is self made by our selfish voters. We need to marginalize them and ironically they will also benefit from progressives in power.
Thank you for this clear-eyed discussion. The examples of what voters can do were especially helpful.
The bond market crisis has become Trump’s bridge too far. He’s done. It could take years for us to recover.
Sarah, just saw you on morning Joe re. Focus groups on Trump failure to lower costs, and his approvals re. Immigration….
Elephant in the room: Trump campaign lies and distortions! Our country and the world are being manipulated and destroyed by trump, Maga lies.
Their exposure must be headline features of every broadcast and journalist article throughout media.
It’s these lies that caused desperate and gullible voters who believed trump to put him in the whitehouse.
To not emphasise the lies and distortions with urgency at every turn just normalises trump…
He lied incessantly and won. These same repetitive tactics with true facts must be used to defeat him.
P.S. Sarah , in the morning Joe segment you alluded to lies briefly, but the underlying reason focus group voted trump was in believing his lies….
This is never highlighted enough. Typically, and throughout media , his lies are mentioned in passing instead of being highlighted.
Also it needs to be said over and over: Trump tanked the bipartisan immigration bill, written by staunch conservatives…