American-style kleptocracy is fine and all. But what Trump really wants is the kind with aggressive repression, no dissent, and a bone saw on hand just in case.
I always enjoy reading the comments. It is comforting to know that I'm not alone in my concern for our country's survival. However, we are a small group who read The Bulwark. I think there is a great many people across this nation who are unaware how serious the situation is. These people are working 40 plus hours per week, raising children, taking care of their parents, and the list goes on. Then we also have the issue of the uneducated group, through no fault of their own. Public education failed them. They never received in-depth study of world history or US history. I know this from a personal experience. Several years ago, I was called to be a substitute teacher for a high school history class. Their regular teacher was the high school basketball coach. As the class began, several of the boys put their heads down on their desks to take a nap. When I told them this was not their nap time, they replied "But Coach lets us," The system failed them. We must find a way to reach them. As Musk-Trump team raise their taxes and strip them of benefits, this may be the time. Voters always seem to act when it becomes personal. I live in a very red state but we have pockets of unhappy voters. The issue of the plane from a nation that hates our guts may be the break that we need.
Remember this: When it was obvious Bin Salman had authorized Khashoggi's brutal murder, Trump said that we condemned the killing, and were looking into the matter. He NEVER condemned Bin Salman. He prioritized an arms deal with Saudi Arabia. Trump even crowed that he protected the Crown Prince. They are both repulsive monsters.
Maybe we should let Sleepy ride around in his toy airplane — and fly it himself. That would leave us with Justa Dumbshit Vance, but he doesn't bring the juice for the MAGA gang. He's like aspirin when you're hooked on cocaine.
Everyone, particularly those in the stock market seems to think that 30% tariffs on China and 10% tariffs on just about everyone have solved the "Liberation Day" tariff problem, but they represent a huge tax increase on Americans. It's only going to be a few more weeks before a variety of stores such as the Dollar stores, Walmart, Target, and Amazon are going to have to decide what to do about price increases on most of their non-grocery items. A 30% price hike will hit many Americans who can't stand an additional $500 expense hard. Some retailers may have stashed some orders in bonded warehouses so shortages might not be an issue, but 30% is a big increase, even if it seems trivial next to 145%. We'll see how the stock market reacts then. And there is also the question what Trump will do in 90 days. He loves tariffs so much it might be "Liberation Day Two".
I am not really sure what, the proverbial: "My responsibilities" are here
Any rational human being knew at the get-go that trump is NOT qualified to be President.
He has proven over and over and over and over again that this is indeed still in play.
He was elected twice. He has always adored and sided with dictators, he has always disparaged freedom, Western Democracy, and all of its institutions. He has illustrated this in so many disgusting and depressing ways.
Pundits from all sides now declare that Americans should actively dissent.
while there is good cause, or logic in these pronouncements
I cannot quite help but think that those who should be leading the proverbial(?) charge in this are
1. our elected leaders who still maintain some level of sanity
2. our esteemed and highly educated legal profession
#who-ya-gonna-call?
Well, all of my representatives are Democrats who trump considers (has named as)
"enemies of the State" ... I am pretty sure they're aware of the State-Of-Things
"ring, ring, umm Hi, uhh, did you know there's a crook in the White House? just-sayin'
Doesn’t Trump insist on doing his own make-up? I think that’s been written about and it makes a lot of sense. Why not just use a tanning bed? It’s not like he is short for time or is afraid of cancer.
Hannah Arendt might be rolling around in her grave and watching how you “banalize evil.” What exactly is the purpose of becoming so linguistically technical or grossly snobbish? Why are you not calling it for what it is—oligarchic thievery? Are you so unreasonably afraid of using Jewish Independent Senator Sanders’s and Naturalized Puerto Rican Representative AOC’s phraseology, as it seems? Is this is the reason you prefer to refer to it as a “kleptocracy”? There is no such thing as an “American” kleptocracy. Kleptocracy is thievery anywhere.
Are you at the Bulwark, just disguised Republicans? Do you want to be a hypocritical Republican until you can come back to the Republican crowd in style? The conversation between Tim Miller and William Kristol from a couple of days ago remains quite significant.
How cynically disrespectful must one be to suggest that «American kleptocracy» may be «fine and well»? Had you been a politician in power, would you be doing the same?
Since the Puritans unleashed violence against the Native Americans, racism has not stopped rising and spreading, despite the bloody defeat of fascism in the 1940s and the valiant struggle of the US Civil Rights Movement, which is still ongoing. It has now reached unsuspected heights because of the blind arrogance of people who banalize it. Well, Trumpian ruffianism may shake up the American voters’ political awareness. After all, the American oligarchy is no different from that of the underdeveloped countries, controlled by the US Government with the complicity of local oligarchs for more than 125 years.
Let's be clear about one thing: There is already an AF1 in commission with that call sign. It would have to be decommissioned before there can be another one. A better call sign would be AS1, to clearly and unmistakeably identify an Arabian Gift to the Felon-in-Chief: Arabian Stooge 1.
“I understand it went through Pam Bondi,” said Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke. “So it’s legal. It’s ethical.”
Birds of a feather. Zinke must be aware that Bondi dropped an investigation into complaints against the fraudulent Trump University after Trump gave her a generous campaign donation (which she had solicited). But then, Zinke has had ethics violations of his own.
The Trumpist definition of "ethical" would be unrecognizable to any serious philosopher of ethics.
"Pretty much every decision the White House makes these days is carried out to please one faction or another of right-wing maniacs. At least in this case, the administration seems to be prioritizing the group of maniacs who are making common cause with the rest of us."
To invoke Cramer's Paradox: We can briefly celebrate [this common cause] while not for one moment conceding that [pleasing one faction or another of RW maniacs] has become tolerable.
a) international students attend a peaceful rally or write op-ed on Palestinian rights - grabbed up by plainclothes "agents" and renditioned;
b) President has positive meetings with & praises Palestinian-supporting authoritarian regimes - gets a multi-million airplane & praise on Fox news as diplomat/peacemaker.
...your essay should address cause & effect, finance, and moral considerations (all 3 for full credit)
I always enjoy reading the comments. It is comforting to know that I'm not alone in my concern for our country's survival. However, we are a small group who read The Bulwark. I think there is a great many people across this nation who are unaware how serious the situation is. These people are working 40 plus hours per week, raising children, taking care of their parents, and the list goes on. Then we also have the issue of the uneducated group, through no fault of their own. Public education failed them. They never received in-depth study of world history or US history. I know this from a personal experience. Several years ago, I was called to be a substitute teacher for a high school history class. Their regular teacher was the high school basketball coach. As the class began, several of the boys put their heads down on their desks to take a nap. When I told them this was not their nap time, they replied "But Coach lets us," The system failed them. We must find a way to reach them. As Musk-Trump team raise their taxes and strip them of benefits, this may be the time. Voters always seem to act when it becomes personal. I live in a very red state but we have pockets of unhappy voters. The issue of the plane from a nation that hates our guts may be the break that we need.
It is a complete disgrace that the administration is pushing business deals and ignoring the fact that American bombs are killing children in Gaza.
Remember this: When it was obvious Bin Salman had authorized Khashoggi's brutal murder, Trump said that we condemned the killing, and were looking into the matter. He NEVER condemned Bin Salman. He prioritized an arms deal with Saudi Arabia. Trump even crowed that he protected the Crown Prince. They are both repulsive monsters.
Enough to want to stay there?
if he didn't win and was facing Prosecution, he would have fled to Saudi Arabia
Trump even scowls when he's asleep.
The footnote captured my thought. Shouldn't tolerating be easier than celebrating? Upside down world is disorienting.
Maybe we should let Sleepy ride around in his toy airplane — and fly it himself. That would leave us with Justa Dumbshit Vance, but he doesn't bring the juice for the MAGA gang. He's like aspirin when you're hooked on cocaine.
Everyone, particularly those in the stock market seems to think that 30% tariffs on China and 10% tariffs on just about everyone have solved the "Liberation Day" tariff problem, but they represent a huge tax increase on Americans. It's only going to be a few more weeks before a variety of stores such as the Dollar stores, Walmart, Target, and Amazon are going to have to decide what to do about price increases on most of their non-grocery items. A 30% price hike will hit many Americans who can't stand an additional $500 expense hard. Some retailers may have stashed some orders in bonded warehouses so shortages might not be an issue, but 30% is a big increase, even if it seems trivial next to 145%. We'll see how the stock market reacts then. And there is also the question what Trump will do in 90 days. He loves tariffs so much it might be "Liberation Day Two".
I am not really sure what, the proverbial: "My responsibilities" are here
Any rational human being knew at the get-go that trump is NOT qualified to be President.
He has proven over and over and over and over again that this is indeed still in play.
He was elected twice. He has always adored and sided with dictators, he has always disparaged freedom, Western Democracy, and all of its institutions. He has illustrated this in so many disgusting and depressing ways.
Pundits from all sides now declare that Americans should actively dissent.
while there is good cause, or logic in these pronouncements
I cannot quite help but think that those who should be leading the proverbial(?) charge in this are
1. our elected leaders who still maintain some level of sanity
2. our esteemed and highly educated legal profession
#who-ya-gonna-call?
Well, all of my representatives are Democrats who trump considers (has named as)
"enemies of the State" ... I am pretty sure they're aware of the State-Of-Things
"ring, ring, umm Hi, uhh, did you know there's a crook in the White House? just-sayin'
thanks for taking my call"
just another in my series: "I am atta-Loss ;-(
Doesn’t Trump insist on doing his own make-up? I think that’s been written about and it makes a lot of sense. Why not just use a tanning bed? It’s not like he is short for time or is afraid of cancer.
Hannah Arendt might be rolling around in her grave and watching how you “banalize evil.” What exactly is the purpose of becoming so linguistically technical or grossly snobbish? Why are you not calling it for what it is—oligarchic thievery? Are you so unreasonably afraid of using Jewish Independent Senator Sanders’s and Naturalized Puerto Rican Representative AOC’s phraseology, as it seems? Is this is the reason you prefer to refer to it as a “kleptocracy”? There is no such thing as an “American” kleptocracy. Kleptocracy is thievery anywhere.
Are you at the Bulwark, just disguised Republicans? Do you want to be a hypocritical Republican until you can come back to the Republican crowd in style? The conversation between Tim Miller and William Kristol from a couple of days ago remains quite significant.
How cynically disrespectful must one be to suggest that «American kleptocracy» may be «fine and well»? Had you been a politician in power, would you be doing the same?
Since the Puritans unleashed violence against the Native Americans, racism has not stopped rising and spreading, despite the bloody defeat of fascism in the 1940s and the valiant struggle of the US Civil Rights Movement, which is still ongoing. It has now reached unsuspected heights because of the blind arrogance of people who banalize it. Well, Trumpian ruffianism may shake up the American voters’ political awareness. After all, the American oligarchy is no different from that of the underdeveloped countries, controlled by the US Government with the complicity of local oligarchs for more than 125 years.
Let's be clear about one thing: There is already an AF1 in commission with that call sign. It would have to be decommissioned before there can be another one. A better call sign would be AS1, to clearly and unmistakeably identify an Arabian Gift to the Felon-in-Chief: Arabian Stooge 1.
“I understand it went through Pam Bondi,” said Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke. “So it’s legal. It’s ethical.”
Birds of a feather. Zinke must be aware that Bondi dropped an investigation into complaints against the fraudulent Trump University after Trump gave her a generous campaign donation (which she had solicited). But then, Zinke has had ethics violations of his own.
The Trumpist definition of "ethical" would be unrecognizable to any serious philosopher of ethics.
"Pretty much every decision the White House makes these days is carried out to please one faction or another of right-wing maniacs. At least in this case, the administration seems to be prioritizing the group of maniacs who are making common cause with the rest of us."
To invoke Cramer's Paradox: We can briefly celebrate [this common cause] while not for one moment conceding that [pleasing one faction or another of RW maniacs] has become tolerable.
Also, and unrelated, Megyn Kelly is such a hack.
Compare & Contrast:
a) international students attend a peaceful rally or write op-ed on Palestinian rights - grabbed up by plainclothes "agents" and renditioned;
b) President has positive meetings with & praises Palestinian-supporting authoritarian regimes - gets a multi-million airplane & praise on Fox news as diplomat/peacemaker.
...your essay should address cause & effect, finance, and moral considerations (all 3 for full credit)
So fucking pathetic