I think we can all agree that Marjorie Traitor Goon belongs in locked padded cell in a secure mental facility. With her public performances over the past several days, it’s clear that her padded cell should be in the prison ward of the facility. For those trying to avoid the news, Greene spoke this weekend at the Turning Points Action political conference as the introduction to Trump’s appearance. What she said needs to be seen as truly alarming.
I spent half my life up to the age of 13 in post WW II Germany as an Army brat with the Allied Army of Occupation during the 1950s and 60s. As a result, I spoke passable German. As a shy child, I listened a lot. I heard people in Germany struggling with reconciling the effects of that motivated ignorance, that wilful blindness. We lived next door to a man who was a devoted Nazi, and had discussions with the other neighbors about him when he vandalized our possessions (he trashed our bicycles after seeing my dad in his uniform). When I came back to the USA and watched all those interminable newsreel class movies in history and social studies classes, I was often the only person in the class who could understand what Hitler was saying in those films. And I was usually the only one who believed that it COULD happen here, because I could see, had seen, the power of someone like Hitler telling people what they want to hear.
Laura, I went to Germany in 1993 for a few weeks staying in a small village near Thalheim. It was obvious to me that among the very friendly German people I met, there were still some then old angry Nazis scattered around. It was so obvious and frankly terrifying. I now see and feel that same thing on the street where I live. Not in Idaho or Georgia. But in supposedly democratic Massachusetts.
There is a documentary called "The Final Account" that has interviews with old Nazis and soldiers. Some were reformed, some not. The most chilling was a story about an American soldier who wanted to shake the hand of a captured nazi soldier. It pokes holes in the monolithic "Americans fought fascism" view.
This column is quite brilliant and horrifying at the same time. You are right that Biden’s win in November will not stop them because the similarity with the Nazis is unmistakeable. It’s hard to imagine that kind of evil exists in the world but the lovefest the repubs put on for tffg proves it’s real and dangerous. Hitler could have been stopped and so can MAGats but can they be taken down before they start WWIII?
It’s great to know you are feeling better medically. It shows.
Excellent column, Tom - you have described exactly the reason I am not, and most likely will never be, a registered Democrat..... Too many of the liberal motherfuckers will not fight for our country because it might upset someone on the other side..... After the last 9 years, that is an inexcusable position to take, and they can bloody well take it without me. Trump's toadies have the Bride spooked - she's already planning to decamp for Old Blighty if the balloon goes up. I'd miss a few things here and the kids, but hell, I'd be able to attend Telford and meet some of the UK FB pals I have. I hope to stay here, but to do that, we gotta beat the Orcs and the Eye of Sauron.....hell, it worked the last time.....
This is the part that irritates and enrages me: enemies should be called enemies, and they should be eliminated, not coddled. Especially when they have made it clear that their agenda is to do the same.
There are a ton of energized, pro-democracy grassroots organizations out there. This is not just about the Democratic Party. This is about democracy. Subscribe to Hopium and listen to Simon Rosenberg’s interviews with Democratic candidates. You’ll be informed and energized. We have to do the work and toot our own horns loudly. Nobody is coming to save us but I’m learning daily about all the non-wimps out there doing amazing, heroic work. Case in point: a 20 year old whose cousin was killed in the Parkland Shooting in Florida has organized a group to go cross country for a month this summer to register young people to vote. I wish I could remember his name but I think it’s Josh Stein. These are our heroes and we need to let people know about them. We can do this. History does not have to repeat itself. Every week I learn something new through the SeniorsTakingAction.org Speakers Series. It’s free. Wednesday, 11am EST. I’m going to stop writing and go watch it now.
The Bride is spooked; I am not. I believe that Trump will lose the 2024 election. There are now a few pundits (and Peter Zeihan) who believe that he will lose in a blowout, which also bears good news for taking back the country for democratic principles. I tend to believe that also. A lot of people are not looking at all at anything in politics, but they start in October. It is even possible that Judge Tanya Chutkan in DC will have the DC election interference trial started by early October after the Supremes rule on Trump's claim of absolute immunity. Just think, a trial on the most serious assault on American democracy in our entire history (except for the Civil War) going on during the end of the 2024 campaign, and Trump will have to be present in the courtroom every day.....not able to campaign except at night. I think we will be pretty happy come November 6.....
I agree; I remain hopeful but not complacent. I agree about the evil of MAGA, but I still don't think that all Republican VOTERS are with the program--those who are just habitually Republicans but don't really pay attention to politics. (MAGAts clearly do pay attention). When they do, I think that even if they don't change from great-grandpa's favorite party, the box they check will be Biden--or at least not trump. What TC says about motivated ignorance is true but there is also just plain ignorance.
My mantra, stated here and more or less everywhere, is get both the vote and the WORD out. I have begun to think about how to link the policies of Stalin's Russia to Project 2025. (Hitler is too loaded an example for most people not yet awake.) It should be fairly easy to start a discussion of the one man/nomenklatura rule of Stalin, the gulags, the show trials--meat for the basic Republican non--MAGAt--and then read them the right chunks of Project 2025 or a trump speech and ask them who today is saying stuff like that. You can do that with the not-paying-attention Dems, too.
Joyce Vance is about to start what she calls the Project 2025 "Book Club" where she goes through the whole document bit by bit. Should be a lot of stuff one can use in that.
Wow. That's great. I like the idea of linking 2025 to Stalin. I'm slowly making my way through Bloodlands and it's hard to read, but important to know. Evil leaders will kill you without blinking an eye. That has to be made clear to everyone.
Bruce, I think this is wonderful and I think you are right. The resistance to Trump and MAGA is growing. I forget what the exact number is but it takes 3.something percent of the population to make a movement work. If we can find a way to bring together the multitude of grassroots organizations, voices, entertainers, artists, teachers, scholars, you name it that detest the minority rule offered by MAGA and the handful of billionaires who fund this crowd, that would be wonderful. We need this to be an intergenerational movement. There must be some way to make this happen.
One of the most serious problems we have now is the failure of most of the mainstream media to take the threats of Trump and the MAGA crowd seriously and writing news articles about the stakes in this race. The commercialization of our news (dependent on advertising and clicks) has corrupted many of the news outlets so that "real" news is shoved aside or downplayed to cover trivial things (see the blanket coverage of Justin Timberlake's DWI arrest today.....). It's all bread and circuses - may have worked for Rome but not for us.....
Intergenerational political action is happening! From established programs like old League of Women Voter members registering young highschoolers to vote and teaching them about the ballot, to students across the nation pressuring us grown ups to vote against NRA Republicans. Over my 50 plus years of protesting and lobbying, I have never seen this much fervor and power and savvy devoted to political action (not even with Vietnam). That said, we cannot take any of it for granted, and we must each do our part to support these efforts.
It is exciting. Getting out the vote, teaching young people about the ballot, learning from young people. All of it is good and getting better. It is not just preserving democracy but putting democracy into action. That is exactly what is expected of citizens in a democracy. So glad to be a part of th.
Sam Schwartz is the cousin and tour director. I see Seniors Taking Action is a co-host 👍along with Robert Hubbell, Jess Carven +. 💙 any good news with a Florida origin!
Virtual event is June 20th, 8PM for any interested.⬇️
Yes we can all agree, Tom. But in America today, June 18, 2024, who are too busy with their friends, their social media, their lives. to care. These are the people who never vote, who never listen to or read the news. S few of them may in September or October catch a thirty second blip or 2 of political ads. But the effort it takes to mark a ballot, sign the envelop and slip in in a mail box is just too much to think or care about. If this describes one of your friends or relatives take your laptop and visit them make sure they are registered to vote, if they aren't do it for them while you are there or help them do it but make sure it is completed. Then follow up in October, if your State allows mail in voting, help them fill out their ballot, put it in the envelop and have them sign it, Hell, fill it out for them, better you should get two votes than they should get none.
I still remember what Gore Vidal said in his last appearance on 'Real Time,' - "The GOP ran out of ideas in 1928, all they do is oppose everything." That's why I call them "The Party of No."
I don't see that changing anytime soon. But the party must become FOR something that appeals to the greater good. This is end-stage capitalism that we're going through right now. That's a term that's been bandied about for thirty years (ironically, since the dissolution of the Soviet Union), but now we're beginning to feel it. This isn't inflation, it's stagflation. Where incomes remain the same while the prices of goods and services continue to go up. Japan went through 25 years of Stag-de-flation before emerging from it with a better economy. Because, unlike other western countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia), the politicians from all parties saw the same solution and worked towards it. Here, we can't even agree on the time of day, let alone how to fix a broken system.
Amen a hundred times! What you call "motivated ignorance" I've been thinking of as "frog in boiling water syndrome." The erosion of "our democracy" (scare quotes intentional) started long before Trump, but "we the people" sucked it up time after time after time as if this was just democracy in action. And now here we are -- and some people *still* want us all to suck it up.
Bruce, I couldn't agree more which is why I don't watch the news anymore. I was delighted to learn I am not alone in looking for my news elsewhere. I am beginning to believe that turning off the noise is an act of civil disobedience to the gross commercialism of everything. I also believe that there are way more people who are fed up with this nonsense than we are led to believe. The question is how to reach them. There is a big part of me that thinks the best way to do that is mano a mano. That plus Zooms and Substack feeds. We are not alone and I think that is critical to remember just now.
I spent half my life up to the age of 13 in post WW II Germany as an Army brat with the Allied Army of Occupation during the 1950s and 60s. As a result, I spoke passable German. As a shy child, I listened a lot. I heard people in Germany struggling with reconciling the effects of that motivated ignorance, that wilful blindness. We lived next door to a man who was a devoted Nazi, and had discussions with the other neighbors about him when he vandalized our possessions (he trashed our bicycles after seeing my dad in his uniform). When I came back to the USA and watched all those interminable newsreel class movies in history and social studies classes, I was often the only person in the class who could understand what Hitler was saying in those films. And I was usually the only one who believed that it COULD happen here, because I could see, had seen, the power of someone like Hitler telling people what they want to hear.
Laura, I went to Germany in 1993 for a few weeks staying in a small village near Thalheim. It was obvious to me that among the very friendly German people I met, there were still some then old angry Nazis scattered around. It was so obvious and frankly terrifying. I now see and feel that same thing on the street where I live. Not in Idaho or Georgia. But in supposedly democratic Massachusetts.
There is a documentary called "The Final Account" that has interviews with old Nazis and soldiers. Some were reformed, some not. The most chilling was a story about an American soldier who wanted to shake the hand of a captured nazi soldier. It pokes holes in the monolithic "Americans fought fascism" view.
The white southerners certainly weren't opposing fascism - the spread the American version (which Hitler copied).
This column is quite brilliant and horrifying at the same time. You are right that Biden’s win in November will not stop them because the similarity with the Nazis is unmistakeable. It’s hard to imagine that kind of evil exists in the world but the lovefest the repubs put on for tffg proves it’s real and dangerous. Hitler could have been stopped and so can MAGats but can they be taken down before they start WWIII?
It’s great to know you are feeling better medically. It shows.
Resist! Persist! Not one step back!!!!
Excellent column, Tom - you have described exactly the reason I am not, and most likely will never be, a registered Democrat..... Too many of the liberal motherfuckers will not fight for our country because it might upset someone on the other side..... After the last 9 years, that is an inexcusable position to take, and they can bloody well take it without me. Trump's toadies have the Bride spooked - she's already planning to decamp for Old Blighty if the balloon goes up. I'd miss a few things here and the kids, but hell, I'd be able to attend Telford and meet some of the UK FB pals I have. I hope to stay here, but to do that, we gotta beat the Orcs and the Eye of Sauron.....hell, it worked the last time.....
We do.
This is the part that irritates and enrages me: enemies should be called enemies, and they should be eliminated, not coddled. Especially when they have made it clear that their agenda is to do the same.
There are a ton of energized, pro-democracy grassroots organizations out there. This is not just about the Democratic Party. This is about democracy. Subscribe to Hopium and listen to Simon Rosenberg’s interviews with Democratic candidates. You’ll be informed and energized. We have to do the work and toot our own horns loudly. Nobody is coming to save us but I’m learning daily about all the non-wimps out there doing amazing, heroic work. Case in point: a 20 year old whose cousin was killed in the Parkland Shooting in Florida has organized a group to go cross country for a month this summer to register young people to vote. I wish I could remember his name but I think it’s Josh Stein. These are our heroes and we need to let people know about them. We can do this. History does not have to repeat itself. Every week I learn something new through the SeniorsTakingAction.org Speakers Series. It’s free. Wednesday, 11am EST. I’m going to stop writing and go watch it now.
The Bride is spooked; I am not. I believe that Trump will lose the 2024 election. There are now a few pundits (and Peter Zeihan) who believe that he will lose in a blowout, which also bears good news for taking back the country for democratic principles. I tend to believe that also. A lot of people are not looking at all at anything in politics, but they start in October. It is even possible that Judge Tanya Chutkan in DC will have the DC election interference trial started by early October after the Supremes rule on Trump's claim of absolute immunity. Just think, a trial on the most serious assault on American democracy in our entire history (except for the Civil War) going on during the end of the 2024 campaign, and Trump will have to be present in the courtroom every day.....not able to campaign except at night. I think we will be pretty happy come November 6.....
I agree; I remain hopeful but not complacent. I agree about the evil of MAGA, but I still don't think that all Republican VOTERS are with the program--those who are just habitually Republicans but don't really pay attention to politics. (MAGAts clearly do pay attention). When they do, I think that even if they don't change from great-grandpa's favorite party, the box they check will be Biden--or at least not trump. What TC says about motivated ignorance is true but there is also just plain ignorance.
My mantra, stated here and more or less everywhere, is get both the vote and the WORD out. I have begun to think about how to link the policies of Stalin's Russia to Project 2025. (Hitler is too loaded an example for most people not yet awake.) It should be fairly easy to start a discussion of the one man/nomenklatura rule of Stalin, the gulags, the show trials--meat for the basic Republican non--MAGAt--and then read them the right chunks of Project 2025 or a trump speech and ask them who today is saying stuff like that. You can do that with the not-paying-attention Dems, too.
Joyce Vance is about to start what she calls the Project 2025 "Book Club" where she goes through the whole document bit by bit. Should be a lot of stuff one can use in that.
Wow. That's great. I like the idea of linking 2025 to Stalin. I'm slowly making my way through Bloodlands and it's hard to read, but important to know. Evil leaders will kill you without blinking an eye. That has to be made clear to everyone.
"hopeful but not complacent." Exactly!
Bruce, I think this is wonderful and I think you are right. The resistance to Trump and MAGA is growing. I forget what the exact number is but it takes 3.something percent of the population to make a movement work. If we can find a way to bring together the multitude of grassroots organizations, voices, entertainers, artists, teachers, scholars, you name it that detest the minority rule offered by MAGA and the handful of billionaires who fund this crowd, that would be wonderful. We need this to be an intergenerational movement. There must be some way to make this happen.
One of the most serious problems we have now is the failure of most of the mainstream media to take the threats of Trump and the MAGA crowd seriously and writing news articles about the stakes in this race. The commercialization of our news (dependent on advertising and clicks) has corrupted many of the news outlets so that "real" news is shoved aside or downplayed to cover trivial things (see the blanket coverage of Justin Timberlake's DWI arrest today.....). It's all bread and circuses - may have worked for Rome but not for us.....
Intergenerational political action is happening! From established programs like old League of Women Voter members registering young highschoolers to vote and teaching them about the ballot, to students across the nation pressuring us grown ups to vote against NRA Republicans. Over my 50 plus years of protesting and lobbying, I have never seen this much fervor and power and savvy devoted to political action (not even with Vietnam). That said, we cannot take any of it for granted, and we must each do our part to support these efforts.
It is exciting. Getting out the vote, teaching young people about the ballot, learning from young people. All of it is good and getting better. It is not just preserving democracy but putting democracy into action. That is exactly what is expected of citizens in a democracy. So glad to be a part of th.
Sam Schwartz is the cousin and tour director. I see Seniors Taking Action is a co-host 👍along with Robert Hubbell, Jess Carven +. 💙 any good news with a Florida origin!
Virtual event is June 20th, 8PM for any interested.⬇️
🚌
https://www.mobilize.us/theunion/event/634419/
Thank You, TC. Although I should have waited til morning to read it. Alas, visions of 1984 and 2025 dance in my sleepy head. We have work to do.
How is your battle with those nasty little pylori buggers? I hope the nasty little bacteria are dying in droves.
They are - only half as many runs to the bathroom today.
You're winning the battle 2 for Tom, 1.5 for pylori, they are persistent and difficult since they love acid.
Last lines say it all!
Yes we can all agree, Tom. But in America today, June 18, 2024, who are too busy with their friends, their social media, their lives. to care. These are the people who never vote, who never listen to or read the news. S few of them may in September or October catch a thirty second blip or 2 of political ads. But the effort it takes to mark a ballot, sign the envelop and slip in in a mail box is just too much to think or care about. If this describes one of your friends or relatives take your laptop and visit them make sure they are registered to vote, if they aren't do it for them while you are there or help them do it but make sure it is completed. Then follow up in October, if your State allows mail in voting, help them fill out their ballot, put it in the envelop and have them sign it, Hell, fill it out for them, better you should get two votes than they should get none.
Glad to see that you’re feeling better, Tom. 👍🏻
JVL nailed it.
He did.
These revolutionaries are allowing me a lens into the ignorance of the human condition that I had no idea existed.
Glad you are on the mend!
I still remember what Gore Vidal said in his last appearance on 'Real Time,' - "The GOP ran out of ideas in 1928, all they do is oppose everything." That's why I call them "The Party of No."
I don't see that changing anytime soon. But the party must become FOR something that appeals to the greater good. This is end-stage capitalism that we're going through right now. That's a term that's been bandied about for thirty years (ironically, since the dissolution of the Soviet Union), but now we're beginning to feel it. This isn't inflation, it's stagflation. Where incomes remain the same while the prices of goods and services continue to go up. Japan went through 25 years of Stag-de-flation before emerging from it with a better economy. Because, unlike other western countries (US, UK, Canada, Australia), the politicians from all parties saw the same solution and worked towards it. Here, we can't even agree on the time of day, let alone how to fix a broken system.
Amen a hundred times! What you call "motivated ignorance" I've been thinking of as "frog in boiling water syndrome." The erosion of "our democracy" (scare quotes intentional) started long before Trump, but "we the people" sucked it up time after time after time as if this was just democracy in action. And now here we are -- and some people *still* want us all to suck it up.
Yes, you're right - two terms for the same phenomenon.
Typo in the last line, should read "Off your dead asses ..."
I am giving up, on January 20, 2025 when Trump is sworn in, we will have nobody to blame but ourselves. They wanted it more.
Let's "act as if" the fight is worth fighting
Yes, but then perform. I'm forwarding this one around, Tom. Laid down on the mark. You seem to feel much better.
Yes. The treatment's working like the doctor said it would.
Bruce, I couldn't agree more which is why I don't watch the news anymore. I was delighted to learn I am not alone in looking for my news elsewhere. I am beginning to believe that turning off the noise is an act of civil disobedience to the gross commercialism of everything. I also believe that there are way more people who are fed up with this nonsense than we are led to believe. The question is how to reach them. There is a big part of me that thinks the best way to do that is mano a mano. That plus Zooms and Substack feeds. We are not alone and I think that is critical to remember just now.