As a retired American Government teacher I am losing my f&@king mind. Christian nation? President above the law?... Has Trump ever read the Constitution? It really isn’t too long. Perhaps, Steven Miller can read it to him. To me, swearing an oath to uphold the Constitution means something. Trump should be in prison now. Personally I believe that if his core group of followers become violent we need to be prepared to see them immediately arrested. We can’t be afraid of their threats. Let them break the law and pay the consequence.
I’m a Texas woman - and I hate these self righteous, totalitarian cruel and evil assholes in charge right now. We are not all like the them. I have a good feeling that there are more of us who feel this way than not - and it will present itself in the ballot boxes, so to speak. Don’t give up on us, there’s a whole lot of Christian conservative fuckery to straighten out here - and it’s a big damned state. Keep the faith and let’s build each other up - we’re gonna need it.
Yep, I'm hoping voters save us. We're all we got, but we outnumber those corporate fraudsters by massive numbers, and they think they have all the power, but already mergers aren't happening because of Biden's team, and if we have the political power we can stomp on those bastards..
That’s right! I’m sensing a silent shift of women voting their conscience and against the injustices and general incompetence. Many women will smile and nod and go along to get along, but they’ll flip a complete 180 in their voting booth that nobody gets to question or control. 😉
Which means none of those dolts are familiar with the supremacy clause. Or don't give a shit because they're drunken illiterate inbreds voting Republicans for a generation straight and blame Democrats for their dying state.
Arrest abbott! Someone needs to go there and take him into custody. Idk who - the Feds, US marshals, Joe Biden, someone, anyone. This is so crazy, all of it. We have not much choice but to let it all play out. I wish I could find my crystal ball. I don’t want it solved by violence but that’s what happened with the Civil War, WWI, WWII etc. So if it comes to that I’m in, let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that.
We have to remember that the U.S. was an "experiment" in democracy. As Ben Franklin said: "a republic if you can keep it." Obviously, some huge cracks are appearing in the foundation.
In my lifetime, I began noticing the change and lack of confidence in our government as corporations and special interest groups poured money into politics and the will of the majority was usurped by the wealthy elite.
"January 21, 2020 will mark a decade since the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, a controversial decision that reversed century-old campaign finance restrictions and enabled corporations and other outside groups to spend unlimited funds on elections.
Someone wisely noted that the U.S. has a very old constitution for such a young country. The devastation of WWII caused much of Europe to rewrite their constitutions when they rebuilt. We're still shackled to an artifact from the 18th century and it took the assassination of JFK to get enough of a coalition to pass any meaningful Constitutional amendments since then. One can only wonder what calamity must befall us today to agree upon a new Constitutional Convention. We are a disaster waiting to happen with half our population eager to facilitate our collective demise. If Trump and his minions are the answer, we're surely doomed.
Yes! We must overturn Citizen's United as corporations they are the ones with the money and, unfortunately, the power. They are NOT the people. Their ONLY goal is profit.
Right on Mrs Jeff!!! FYI-fascinating viewing this week on PBS American Experience series-mislabled as “The Zoot Suit Riots” was actually the story of the German American Bund, the earliest American Nazis of the 1920’s & 30’s right out in the open, before the Klan, before WWII even started, before the citizenry began its way too slow dawning of the problem. Only the Bund’s own over confidence & hubris (plus a little grift by its long time leader that landed him in prison) kept them from establishing a political party. No SM then of course so it took Pearl fucking Harbor being bombed by Nazi collaborators before the entire country galvanized against fascism and Nazism. 20+ years of them indoctrinating children, holding meetings and parades, raising money, taking over entire blocks of NYC, rubbing right up against everyday Americans. And here we are 100 years later not one lesson learned from history.
Read (or listen to the audiobook) Prequel by Rachel Maddow. It’s about that era of American fascism. You will enjoy it. Well, maybe enjoy isn’t the right word. It’s well written, well researched, and you’ll be better informed about the origins of our current situation.
I used to drive through western Kansas and the only radio stations were right wing crazy stuff. That's all they hear. They are scared. It makes them feel they MUST fight.
Brilliant and terrifying! Appreciate your efforts to peel back the leprosy-ridden skin of this nation. We must hold ourselves accountable and keep on keeping on. Be well.
"Starting in the 1970s, Rush Limbaugh made billions simply by stroking the egos of weak men searching for someone to blame for their failure to achieve the greatness they were sure they deserved, by way of being born white men in America."
Don’t forget, many thanks to the NRA for making boys and men feel inadequate, inferior without weapons of war. Assault rifles, hundreds of millions in the hands of Trumps anarchists.
Good lord, I do not know what happened in America... other than all of the above.
When that pudgy a-hole Nwet Gingrich decided the other half of the aisle was the "enemy " and decided Congress was his cause to $$ like a casino?, yeah THAT was probably the decided line in the $ sand, beginning. The rest of, what FOX,Limbaugh etc just signed on for whoever they thought would pay out. Because, of course what was the penalty?
Not exactly. They signed on the side of the extreme right and to me it started with Carl Roves “Dumb it Down” campaign of GW Bush using evangelical Christian’s as test bait, finding out that by claiming democrats are an evil sewn into the basic fabric of America, an evil that must be exposed. I thought that was over when Obama won the White House for 8 years but no it came back with a learned vengeance with normal Americans believing it to be a joke, I know I did when Trump came down that escalator and announced his run the 2016 office of POTUS. We, like republicans, had so many chances to throw him out.
The first I recall is his cocky interview saying that John McCain wasn’t a hero-he didn’t like people who got captured not knowing the story behind it and it’s Trumps ignorance and stupidity that has gotten him so far. He ran on the only platform he could run his mouth about and no one called him out. I was watching Morning Joe when Trump Called in as he usually did every morning but this time something had changed. No more joking and BS ing around. Joe shut Trump Mike off because he wouldn’t stop running his mouth about everything he knew nothing about. Yes he actually turned him off!
What if all other media outlets at that time did the same? Of course this would include Fox, would’ve been a hard sell but just what if? But no. Every single wrong he did or was exposed of was immediately forgiven and he didn’t get more presidential as his party had hoped. He went totally the other way and to many Americans loved him for it. They said he was like them. No. He wasn’t.
I hate to say it, but it was before Rove. These folks are nothing more than the proud sons and daughters of the confederacy. They’ve always been there, they’ve never shut up, they’ve been proud Republicans since the southern strategy, those of us who grew up in evangelical or rural areas know. I was in one in the 70s and 80s and literally every last fascist, hateful, bullshitty thing said today (even calling lgbtq+ “groomers” and “pedophiles” comes straight from ancient evangelical and southern culture. National media just spread it to every rural area in the country beyond the south throughout the 70s, 80s, leading to what you see today where it’s all conservative media everywhere and we’ve now rebranded and come up with new names for all of this centuries old bullshit we never actually defeated. We just drove them under rocks and then yelled at everyone who was trapped under the rock with them “YOU CALL EVERYONE sexist/racist/bigoted/etc” as we tried to warn folks. Sadly.
Bingo! and Ronnie Reagan launching his campaign, in that small Mississippi town, where they killed the Civil Rights workers, was a big dog whistle to them.
And no mistake. I agree with all 3 responders. The original rate ists plus .ore material added as they go along. Old Ronnie," gov is the problem " did and continued ues to do harm.
Hey all, thanks for playing "How the F did we get here"!
Outstanding. Thank you. Might I suggest the vicious cycle of diminishing education and expanding religulosity? Less education makes it ever easier to swallow and regurgitate the delusions on the pinnings of religion. No Uneducated Zealot Left Behind. Thanks Shrub, and Dianne Feinstein, but the latter is a longer, even more pathetic story....
As a retired American Government teacher I am losing my f&@king mind. Christian nation? President above the law?... Has Trump ever read the Constitution? It really isn’t too long. Perhaps, Steven Miller can read it to him. To me, swearing an oath to uphold the Constitution means something. Trump should be in prison now. Personally I believe that if his core group of followers become violent we need to be prepared to see them immediately arrested. We can’t be afraid of their threats. Let them break the law and pay the consequence.
Refer to Texas government going against the fed govt supreme court with their Razor wire, today... Texas thinks they are above the law.
I’m a Texas woman - and I hate these self righteous, totalitarian cruel and evil assholes in charge right now. We are not all like the them. I have a good feeling that there are more of us who feel this way than not - and it will present itself in the ballot boxes, so to speak. Don’t give up on us, there’s a whole lot of Christian conservative fuckery to straighten out here - and it’s a big damned state. Keep the faith and let’s build each other up - we’re gonna need it.
Yep, I'm hoping voters save us. We're all we got, but we outnumber those corporate fraudsters by massive numbers, and they think they have all the power, but already mergers aren't happening because of Biden's team, and if we have the political power we can stomp on those bastards..
they are not in charge, not even Elon.
That’s right! I’m sensing a silent shift of women voting their conscience and against the injustices and general incompetence. Many women will smile and nod and go along to get along, but they’ll flip a complete 180 in their voting booth that nobody gets to question or control. 😉
Now is the time to talk to the undecided, and make sure our less well off neighbors have access to get to the polls.
The entire outcome of the November 2024 election will be hinged on women and minorities getting to the polls and having their votes counted.
I am so sick of Texas and their stance on state rights.
Slavery was states right also.
Which means none of those dolts are familiar with the supremacy clause. Or don't give a shit because they're drunken illiterate inbreds voting Republicans for a generation straight and blame Democrats for their dying state.
I have no tears for them.
Arrest abbott! Someone needs to go there and take him into custody. Idk who - the Feds, US marshals, Joe Biden, someone, anyone. This is so crazy, all of it. We have not much choice but to let it all play out. I wish I could find my crystal ball. I don’t want it solved by violence but that’s what happened with the Civil War, WWI, WWII etc. So if it comes to that I’m in, let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that.
No Abbott, Paxton and Patrick are promoting civil war. They haven't asked the rest of us in Texas.
I hope they don't come out on the winning end of this BS. I can't stand them and I feel for you.
Thank you for quoting George Orwell.
Thank you for your articulate, honest newsletter.
My dad - who fought in WWII - has been spinning in his grave since this nazi craze began.
Tha quote from Orwell immediately made me think of MTG.
The Bible teaches "Jesus said, put away your sword", but all the angry MAGAts hear is "...and pick up your assault rifle"
Each and every one thinks that he, personally, could have stopped the entire German Army in 1942...
Sad part of is there acting like nazis ...
No, they would have joined Hitler.
Excellent article, Claudia. This needs to be restacked far and wide. 100% agree!
A terrifying overview of our National nightmare. Well done. Vote, register new voters. We must do everything in our power to save our democracy.
We have to remember that the U.S. was an "experiment" in democracy. As Ben Franklin said: "a republic if you can keep it." Obviously, some huge cracks are appearing in the foundation.
In my lifetime, I began noticing the change and lack of confidence in our government as corporations and special interest groups poured money into politics and the will of the majority was usurped by the wealthy elite.
"January 21, 2020 will mark a decade since the Supreme Court’s ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, a controversial decision that reversed century-old campaign finance restrictions and enabled corporations and other outside groups to spend unlimited funds on elections.
While wealthy donors, corporations, and special interest groups have long had an outsized influence in elections, that sway has dramatically expanded since the Citizens United decision, with negative repercussions for American democracy and the fight against political corruption." https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/citizens-united-explained?ref=foreverwars.ghost.io
Someone wisely noted that the U.S. has a very old constitution for such a young country. The devastation of WWII caused much of Europe to rewrite their constitutions when they rebuilt. We're still shackled to an artifact from the 18th century and it took the assassination of JFK to get enough of a coalition to pass any meaningful Constitutional amendments since then. One can only wonder what calamity must befall us today to agree upon a new Constitutional Convention. We are a disaster waiting to happen with half our population eager to facilitate our collective demise. If Trump and his minions are the answer, we're surely doomed.
Yes! We must overturn Citizen's United as corporations they are the ones with the money and, unfortunately, the power. They are NOT the people. Their ONLY goal is profit.
Eloquently, forcefully, truthfully put. Thank you for your post.
Right on Mrs Jeff!!! FYI-fascinating viewing this week on PBS American Experience series-mislabled as “The Zoot Suit Riots” was actually the story of the German American Bund, the earliest American Nazis of the 1920’s & 30’s right out in the open, before the Klan, before WWII even started, before the citizenry began its way too slow dawning of the problem. Only the Bund’s own over confidence & hubris (plus a little grift by its long time leader that landed him in prison) kept them from establishing a political party. No SM then of course so it took Pearl fucking Harbor being bombed by Nazi collaborators before the entire country galvanized against fascism and Nazism. 20+ years of them indoctrinating children, holding meetings and parades, raising money, taking over entire blocks of NYC, rubbing right up against everyday Americans. And here we are 100 years later not one lesson learned from history.
Read (or listen to the audiobook) Prequel by Rachel Maddow. It’s about that era of American fascism. You will enjoy it. Well, maybe enjoy isn’t the right word. It’s well written, well researched, and you’ll be better informed about the origins of our current situation.
I used to drive through western Kansas and the only radio stations were right wing crazy stuff. That's all they hear. They are scared. It makes them feel they MUST fight.
this was fabulous. Sharing this one far and wide.
Thank you for showing up in my email. I am your audience and may pay.
Thank you, Greg for being my audience!
Brilliant and terrifying! Appreciate your efforts to peel back the leprosy-ridden skin of this nation. We must hold ourselves accountable and keep on keeping on. Be well.
"Starting in the 1970s, Rush Limbaugh made billions simply by stroking the egos of weak men searching for someone to blame for their failure to achieve the greatness they were sure they deserved, by way of being born white men in America."
Exactly
I thought he was a political satirist the first time I saw him, like Colbert used to do!
Don’t forget, many thanks to the NRA for making boys and men feel inadequate, inferior without weapons of war. Assault rifles, hundreds of millions in the hands of Trumps anarchists.
Good lord, I do not know what happened in America... other than all of the above.
When that pudgy a-hole Nwet Gingrich decided the other half of the aisle was the "enemy " and decided Congress was his cause to $$ like a casino?, yeah THAT was probably the decided line in the $ sand, beginning. The rest of, what FOX,Limbaugh etc just signed on for whoever they thought would pay out. Because, of course what was the penalty?
Not exactly. They signed on the side of the extreme right and to me it started with Carl Roves “Dumb it Down” campaign of GW Bush using evangelical Christian’s as test bait, finding out that by claiming democrats are an evil sewn into the basic fabric of America, an evil that must be exposed. I thought that was over when Obama won the White House for 8 years but no it came back with a learned vengeance with normal Americans believing it to be a joke, I know I did when Trump came down that escalator and announced his run the 2016 office of POTUS. We, like republicans, had so many chances to throw him out.
The first I recall is his cocky interview saying that John McCain wasn’t a hero-he didn’t like people who got captured not knowing the story behind it and it’s Trumps ignorance and stupidity that has gotten him so far. He ran on the only platform he could run his mouth about and no one called him out. I was watching Morning Joe when Trump Called in as he usually did every morning but this time something had changed. No more joking and BS ing around. Joe shut Trump Mike off because he wouldn’t stop running his mouth about everything he knew nothing about. Yes he actually turned him off!
What if all other media outlets at that time did the same? Of course this would include Fox, would’ve been a hard sell but just what if? But no. Every single wrong he did or was exposed of was immediately forgiven and he didn’t get more presidential as his party had hoped. He went totally the other way and to many Americans loved him for it. They said he was like them. No. He wasn’t.
I hate to say it, but it was before Rove. These folks are nothing more than the proud sons and daughters of the confederacy. They’ve always been there, they’ve never shut up, they’ve been proud Republicans since the southern strategy, those of us who grew up in evangelical or rural areas know. I was in one in the 70s and 80s and literally every last fascist, hateful, bullshitty thing said today (even calling lgbtq+ “groomers” and “pedophiles” comes straight from ancient evangelical and southern culture. National media just spread it to every rural area in the country beyond the south throughout the 70s, 80s, leading to what you see today where it’s all conservative media everywhere and we’ve now rebranded and come up with new names for all of this centuries old bullshit we never actually defeated. We just drove them under rocks and then yelled at everyone who was trapped under the rock with them “YOU CALL EVERYONE sexist/racist/bigoted/etc” as we tried to warn folks. Sadly.
Bingo! and Ronnie Reagan launching his campaign, in that small Mississippi town, where they killed the Civil Rights workers, was a big dog whistle to them.
And no mistake. I agree with all 3 responders. The original rate ists plus .ore material added as they go along. Old Ronnie," gov is the problem " did and continued ues to do harm.
Hey all, thanks for playing "How the F did we get here"!
Outstanding. Thank you. Might I suggest the vicious cycle of diminishing education and expanding religulosity? Less education makes it ever easier to swallow and regurgitate the delusions on the pinnings of religion. No Uneducated Zealot Left Behind. Thanks Shrub, and Dianne Feinstein, but the latter is a longer, even more pathetic story....