Here in Germany is the right wing gaining force, especially in the east. Much rancour must in my opinion be blamed on big differences in income between east and west Germany. Much is done but somehow the more powerful with the most money know how to twinge the outcome in their favour. That is what I like in Kamala Harris plans focusing on the middle class. It is from utmost importance that we tell this how it is. That the trickle down mantra doesn't work without appropriate regulation and stimulation. That the warming of the earth is real and that we must do something about it. On 20 September we will stand in Frankfurt in a worldwide demo from organizations like the WWF and others but also against the far right. We are Opa's and Oma's for the future of our grandchildren. Thanks, Robert, as always.
My friend lives in Germany, and keeps me informed about her experience watching the AfD making headway with the German electorate. It resembles our MAGA movement so closely. I cannot but help thinking the same forces are at the manipulating controls.
Once the manipulations are exposed, the comparison is blindingly obvious.
Activating and further stimulation of prejudice and fear as a means to get and keep people frightened of one another can only be effective for a finite period.
The hardest thing for me to model is “MAGA people are Americans”. Not all of course, but with the exposure of RT in our MSM it sure does pull back the curtain on the influencers trying to market fear, hate and intolerance. Russia has been infiltrating and influencing Republican leaders to weaken the USA and other previously successful post WWII country’s democratic institutions since Nixon/Reagan anti-Democratic shift towards oligarchies both foreign and domestic. Hollowing out the middle class by unfair taxation while claiming social programs and welfare queens were a big problem. There happens to be 40+ years of indisputable facts that these claims were never the case. Trickle down economics translates to “You’re going to hand your money and children’s futures over to us with nothing but disdain for your stupidity. In return and you’re going to not only thank us for getting rid of social security, Medicare and hardly existing “Welfare Queens”, but ask us to do more damage with each Republican you get tricked into handing a vote”.
To team up with authoritarian regimes we were raised to strenuously object to in the past.
The smoke and mirrors show is over. Trump and Elon’s public displays of their own uncontrollable narcissistic behaviors are starting to become increasingly apparent to all but their most ardent supporters.
We are now watching in real time where Trump and Musk’s outrageous claims are wearing thin not only with the voting public, also across X and the Republican Party.
With MSM under RT control, we actually have a front and center seat to the downward spiral RT itself is causing.
NYT’s glaring lack of coverage of if Trump’s unexpected vanishing act from the campaign trail is completely normal isn’t fooling nearly as many as it did in 2016.
Karen, love your passionate words and analysis! I agree, and hope devoutly you are right that there is "exposure of Russia Today (RT) in our "mainstream" media (quotes for irony)."
That is true but for a long time Russia has been funding propaganda efforts to support and strengthen these far right movements across the free world. Just yesterday the Justice Department indicted two Russians working for Putin’s RT of funding a $10 million propaganda election interference operation to interfere in the 2024 election. They gave that money to a rightwing media outlet, Tennessee based Tenet media. I addition the Biden administration sanctioned 10 individuals/entities and seized 32 internet domains. The FBI say documents seized show one of the goals is to help elect Trump or any other Republican nominee if Trump isn’t on the ballot.
The WaPo buried the article on this very important story in a back section. It is not on their main webpage or the front page of their print edition either.
May I point out that the representative from Tennessee--the home of Tenet, this Russian garbage source--is James Comer, arguably the most vicious MAGA spewer in Congress, who still at this time is wasting the Congressional salary we taxpayers spend on him trying to impeach Joe Biden? Tennessee's Comer is the poster-child for the MAGA-controlled Do-Nothing 118th "Frivolous-Investigations-R-Us" Congress. I wonder if Putin bought all of Tennessee? Maybe he got a bulk discount. Comer, like Tenet, has set up personal shell companies in the recent past (maybe to channel all his Putin payments through); in a move beyond irony, it's one of the very things he's (still) "investigating" Hunter Biden for.
And today the news is about who those manipulators are--the Russians! Here's an article about Russian-owned news sites spewing propaganda into our various media:
Democracies need to wake up and realize that allowing large areas of their countries be much poorer than the rest of the country makes those areas easy prey for rightwing demagogues. Too many countries look at economic development investment strictly in terms of economic returns not in terms of strengthening democracy, meeting the needs of citizens, etc.
Biden and Harris clearly understand this which is why most of the money from the Inflation Reduction Act (in reality their clean energy bill) is going to non-urban areas in red states. For example West Viriginia has a new cutting edge, energy efficient steel rolling mill, a new iron battery plant, another lithium battery plant and other projects spurred by funding from Biden’s IRA. These projects are creating new jobs and spurring more investment. What is lacking is the media informing people that the funding for these projects was opposed by most Republicans in Congress — Republicans who are now taking credit for them.
Democrats also need to have a PR push to make sure Americans wake up to this fact in order to undercut the rightwing propaganda that keeps bamboozling them. After Reagan was out of office Republicans had a well-funded, long running PR campaign to canonize Reagan as an economic genius. They also got many things named after him, including DC’s National Airport. I think that is one reason the media has never been willing to be honest about Reagan’s true record, particularly his budget-busting tax cuts for the rich that not only didn’t pay for themselves but also didn’t trickle down. Income inequality increased significantly as a result of Reagan’s policies. Democrats need to do the same for Bidenomics and unlike the Reagan PR project, the Bidenomics project can be truthful.
If you are interested in learning more about the things the IRA has alreadly accomplished listen to Chris Hayes’s “Why is this Happening Podcast” episode “The Biden Miracle”.
Germany needs to get over its fear of debt and create similar programs for East German regions. That is an effective way undercut the appeal of the far right, especially if the people are made aware of the source of the new investments. The UK needs to do the same for all those areas that got conned into voting for Brexit — a referendum that Putin’s propagandists pushed for.
You have my full support for exposing the hypocrisy and corruption the Nixon/Reagan administrations. The damage hefted upon the American middle class, the creation of “Welfare Queens”, allowing evangelicals to participate in the passing of laws that deliberately harmed the middle and lower income communities while swiftly and quietly began funneling money to wealthy families and corporations and…evangelicals. Even Barry Goldwater warned that if they influenced government, very bad things would happen.
With the pardon of Nixon, President Gerald Ford created the beginnings of an American Aristocracy.
Republicans were greatly empowered to move forward with an oligarchy agenda which reached its pinnacle with the Citizen’s United legislation.
The corruption and Russian interference in the 2016 election was the beginning of the end of the legitimate Republican Party. The unanimous decision to accept Trump’s corruption and incompetence by not doing anything to stop him became the direction the party moved toward while others not in agreement quickly moved out of Trump’s way. I wondered how many and how much dirt did Putin have on these people?
Especially Senator Lindsay Graham who sounded completely sane and grounded in 2016 before the election he said, “America will be destroyed and we’ll deserve it if Trump is elected President.” Now he’s stark raving mad.
Who are these people we trusted with our democracy? After 40 years of Republicans taxing the middle class, destroying public education, creating so many roadblocks to prosperity for regular citizens the SCOTUS handed down the Dobb’s Decision. The last straw, the final nail. Where the buck stops and totally shit the bed.
Taking away a constitutional right was unheard of! Though many women feel they have the right to insert their indoctrinations into the lives of other American women, it was met with outrage by a majority of all Americans. As more and more corruption is uncovered, some Americans who were once eager to vote for Trump, are becoming increasingly likely to stay home on Election Day.
I’m interested in hearing opinions on removing these traitors names from airports, libraries, public buildings. After all, Benedict Arnold doesn’t have so much as a footbridge named after him.
Also, I have doubts Trump will participate in the September 10th debate. But, if he does, he’ll be either a zombie or raving lunatic. Either way, it’s not going to help his campaign.
Love your analysis. Re: dirt. I keep touting the documentary, Active Measures, which you can get on Amazon and should watch tonight if you haven't already. It describes in excruciating detail the dirt Putin has assembled--over decades--on Trump. Putin early identified Trump as a "likely subject--financial troubles, questionable moral character, popular TV presence (large audience). From bailing him out of Trump Casino bankruptcies, to enticing him with Russian prostitutes on Trump visits to Moscow, which he then videotaped (golden showers?) and holds over his head, to building 35 Trump Towers (it's not just in NYC, you know) as valuable resources to launder Russian drug & extortion money from global Russian mob activity...of course Putin asks for "small favors" from Trump in return...destroying NATO, handing over Ukraine, making America a communist-model dictatorship...
Thank you. I will watch it this evening. I knew the minute I saw his face in People Magazine in the 1980’s he oozed slimy corruption. He and Ivana, both shallow, desperate with emotional needs. The most easily manipulated.
This is especially true of the two FORMER papers of record, The Washington Post and The NY Times, now shameless shills for Trump since 2015. The use of the term 'liar' does not exist in their lexicon regarding Trump.
I can't help but think of Trump's quote in the 2016 election cycle, "Russia, if you're listening...I think you'll be rewarded mightily by THE PRESS." Why would he use the words "the Press" like that? Trump usually says exactly what he means, much to our continued amazement and disbelief.
Whenever one of these tragedies occurs, I think back to an article that The Onion publishes with the same headline each time, just changing the location, number of victims, etc. So, this time: "'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens" <https://theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-regularly-happens/>.
I think we should refer to the tragedy in Georgia as "the first major school shooting of the 2024-25 school year." Let's not pretend that this isn't an ongoing pattern, and that we don't think there will be more of these horrific events without significant changes in legislation.
Have always loved this, too. Along with the never-disappointing Onion, these times really do call for respect and appreciation for the great movie 'Idiocracy.' Who knew how perspicacious it was going to be???
He won the district with nearly ⅔ of the vote. Until Citizens United is revoked and the US passes stringent campaign financing laws worthy of a functioning democracy nothing will change. Nothing!
Oh, I nearly forgot to mention Mr. Collins' latest tweet: "Leigh Ann and I are praying for the victims, their families, and all students at Apalachee High School in Barrow County."
There are many laws such as Citizens United that need to be modified or eliminated but until the D’s can control the Supreme Court we are helpless. Then Supreme Courts future is also on the ballot this year in case people forgot.
Thank you for the link to Mike Collins video, which teaches young people that the way to solve your problems is to use an AR-15 weapon of war to shoot at things.
Mike Collins is a disgusting human being. The hypocrisy of "praying" for the child victims alone...My rep, Eli Crane in Arizona, has a newsletter titled "One in the Chamber" that he sends out to all of us regularly. Its graphic is an AK-47, overlaid on the title.
Collins is the same asshole (Sorry, but it’s the only adjective that works here) who posted that Biden was responsible for the shooting at the Trump rally.
Agreed. Citizens United was a crucial blow to democracy in this country. It has tipped the political playing field overwhelmingly in favor of billionaires and corporations.
These little known Republicans in "safe" districts are a danger to democracy and the life of the children and families they represent. The gun lobby, Citizens United, gerrymandering, and the Supreme Court are threats to life and liberty to be sure, but the citizens of each district and each state must decide the central question Robert leads with today: "In November, you can choose which America you want to live in: One that protects our children or exalting gun ownership above all other rights." Marjorie Taylor Greene, Mike Collins and numerous other Republicans are enabled by dark money and a soulless gun lobby, to be sure, but also by the citizens they represent, "good people" who will go to churches and mourn the deaths and weep real tears of sorrow, but they will not think to vote for a Democrat or a liberal or a "Godless communist" like Harris because all they hear, read, see, and know is loathsome propaganda. This is why efforts to support down-ballot races are so important, so that Democrats in rural areas in "Republican" far suburbs, can offer a realistic alternative. Job one is to win up and down the ticket in November. Job two is to rebuild the Democratic Party as a voice for rational solutions for America all across the country. Biden (bless him!) laid the ground by beating Trump in 2020. Harris and Walz are enlivening contests all across America. Sam Schwartz, David Hogg and millions of other young people are fighting for a better, safer, America. Jess Piper and hundreds of others are working to persuade rural and small town people that as Geoff Duncan of Georgia and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, told their fellow Republicans. "If you vote for Harris in November, you are not a Democrat. You are a patriot." To follow our "better angels of our nature" we have to believe that they exist all across America.
I was under the impression that Democrats had to wait till the 2030 census to gerrymander on our own behalf (and on behalf of the American people). This initiative gives me hope that Congress can take a hand in making the voting maps fair again sooner than 2030. Boy, is it important that we win not just the presidency but the House and Senate. Otherwise we're have to move very, very slowly if at all under President Harris.
I definitely like this initiative…A LOT! We, the people, would be the ones to draw the maps and be able to have input. This is long overdue and it will be fought against but in this climate of change, I see it taking hold. So happy to see it comes from the state I was born and raised in but also from the state I live in now. Thanks, Annette, for posting this!
In Arizona, we have a new young politician, Jonathan Nez, running (hopelessly, I fear), against one of the worst MAGA votes in Congress, Eli Crane. If anyone can send him even $5, PLEASE do...
Floridians, Amendment 2 is on the ballot. My concern is that “The Right To Hunt and Fish “is a gateway to defending the use of AR-15’s for other than hunting and fishing. Yes, hard to believe but they are allowed under statute.Firearms is not defined so that loophole has been exploited by AR-15 carrying fisherman.
Wow, Mike Collins is a disgusting human. The crass hypocrisy of his praying for the victims...! He's not the only one. My rep, Eli Crane in Arizona, has a newsletter titled "One in the Chamber," with a graphic of an AK-47 overlaid on the title.
Brian Kemp is a MAGA extremist parading around as a GWBush style republican and he is extremely ambitious. While he is folksy and soft spoken in demeanor his policies are extreme. Due to GA constitution voters have no ability to put voter initiatives on the ballots. We are stuck with a 6 week abortion ban, lax gun laws, voter suppression, extreme gerrymandering, no Medicaid expansion, book bans, and much more. The state is very diverse and it would be a true purple state if not for extreme gerrymandering and massive vote purges, begun while Kemp was Secretary of State in GA. I wish the press would stop celebrating Kemp for being “moderate” and start looking at what he has actually done. His polished marketing techniques have also deceived GA voters!
Long-time Georgia voters will likely remember Kemp's political ad the first time he ran in which he totes a long gun and a chain saw and vows that he is a "politically-incorrect conservative." He shows himself "blowing stuff up" and saying he'll round up and deport "criminal illegals" in his "big truck" (see https://globalnews.ca/video/4634557/brian-kemp-blows-up-spending-has-big-truck-to-round-up-illegals). I hope Kemp is proud of himself today. Madeleine, you are totally correct in your analysis of Kemp's deception.
Robert shares: "In a rational world, Republicans should wonder why a dictator in Russia wants Trump to be the US president. The most reasonable explanation is that Putin believes Trump will make America a weak actor on the world stage. Other reasonable explanations include the possibility that Putin is blackmailing Trump."
Another reasonable explanation is that Trump and Putin have an understanding that Trump will eliminate or de-fang sanctions against Russia broadly and many of the oligarchs personally for example releasing holds on Megayachts that have been impounded. This is my bet. And that Russia will facilitate the building of Trump resort hotels in desirable locations.
Yes, last I heard, Russia didn't have an immigration problem. Surprisingly few refugees from Africa or South Asia seek asylum in their workers paradise.
I think supporters of Trump are willfully and dangerously blind to the downside of his election. Let's talk Nato, Ukraine, China, Unions, clean water, the NOAA, Project 2025
Supporters of Trump completely and totally ignore anything he says. They notice only his cute little red pompadour, his blustery rebellious rhetoric, and their dim memory of "oh this is someone I've seen on TV." Based on those three likes, they cast their precious American vote for him, in complete ignorance and complete lack of concern that they are voting for the violent extermination of their own cherished way of life. The supporters of Trump are UNTHINKING.
I know. We have a friend who lives in the hard red South. He says he prefers Trump because of his policies. What????? What policy? All his thinking has been outsourced to the Heritage Society. If women pause and think that through, they'll run from Trump and his Moms for Liberty counsellors.
The back of the Dems Make Life Better shirt lists 13 top priorities and accomplishments of the Harris campaign. Wear it grocery shopping so the cart behind you gets an eyeful of Dem facts.
The BeantownStrong.org shirts are from an Etsy site with several Harris Walz options PLUS the capability of customizing your shirt with any Pro-Harris message. I keep an extra shirt with my reusable grocery my bags. Why?
I wear a Pro-Dem shirt on every grocery run (in Florida) because it feels good to DO SOMETHING.
I am not financially connected to either site. I’m just doing what I can to counter Fox/Russian Trumpaganda.
Great comment, Shawn! I appreciate that you point out why the union-made-in-the-USA tees are more expensive. Too often we are tempted to take the cheapest made-in-China (or elsewhere) choice, ignoring that by buying American we are supporting our USA workers.
Thanks Lynell, Union Made = High Quality. To save money, I first bought a shirt off Amazon to see what $17 could get me. That shirt was cheap… and unwearable… a waste of $17. Lesson learned.
The shirts at DemsMakeLifeBetter.org support US jobs AND Harris… and they’ll never ever ever send a text asking for one more donation.
You go, Shawn!!! As I have said several times before in these comment sections, we all need to wear our Harris-Walz buttons next to our US flag pins and our Democratic/democracy-leaning T-shirts, even in ruby-red areas. If you do, you will be pleasantly surprised at the positive (although sometimes whispered) support you receive. If confronted by a djt supporter, just politely ask them if they just fell out of a coconut tree. :-)
CK, I love your response ! 🌴🥥 I’m in MAGA-ville,Fl and wearing my messaging t’s since being encouraged by Shawn. My only MAGA “response” since February…..A MAGA walked past me in Publix one day, saw a woman in front of me wearing a red shirt (just red, no MAGA signage) and said very loudly to HER…”I love your RED shirt!” 🤣🤣
Yeah, red--as in the Russian flag with the hammer and sickle! Bright red. Putin's flag. Trump's flag. All it needs next to the hammer and sickle is a little elephant.
Funny how we all now make certain assumptions about the colors we wear. That’s why I always wear a certain shade of blue every time I go to vote. Subliminal message anyone? 🤣🤣
I continue to look forward to reading your Newsletter 1st thing when I get up very early in the Broiling State of Texas! Today it is 73 degrees and will reach 90 at the highest -- this is after a really difficult month for me with my breathing problems where highs were routinely >100 and heat indices w/humidity factored in up to 120. Arizona has it way way worse; they are now at their 100th day of temperatures over 100. I get the strong impression that America in general is going to try to adapt to business-as-usual -- and the 'business' word is all important there -- and just keep cranking up the A/C. I despair, truly. But, back to the Newsletter: Am especially enjoying it when I feel your anger coming through and it is a righteous anger expressed eloquently in call-and-response writing. Thank you, as always, for the astronomy photos; it's always helpful toward keeping some sense of perspective and, from Texas, I send out a big Howdy!! to all our unknown life forms out there in the Very Big Sky; I know they're out there, although I suspect none of them are wearing cowboy hats ...
As noted in Robert’s report above, Elon Musk is not only a Trump supporter and sycophant, he helps promote Russian influence on our social media. He is a Putin supporter, liar and antisemite. I urge all readers and friends to boycott Tesla vehicles which only further enriches Musk. Every time I see one I shudder to think of more money in Musk’s pocket. If you want an EV there are plenty of other choices.
Maybe that Collins guy can add: "Mandatory issuance of an AK-47 to every five-year-old in Georgia." That would probably make sense to a cretin like him.
The revelation about Russia interference is big and should be shouted to the roof tops along with Liz Chaney’s endorsement. The Democrats have the momentum and now have to effectively use it in a positive way to gain voter acceptance. Remember the song “ fifty ways to leave your lover”? Well the Democratic’s should have a new one called “ fifty ways to leave political trouble. There seems to be something everyday that is another reason to vote for Harris and notice that Trump is not getting a lot of vocal support from other Republicans. The debate next Tuesday is being over hyped but the visual of Harris standing next to Trump and sounding and acting presidential is all voters need to see.
Standing...no, no. I devoutly hope Harris' field team is on top of this issue. Harris and Trump must be seated in commensurately adjusted chairs, or they have to get her a footstool. Trump claims to be 6"3" tall. Harris is 5'4" tall. They must NOT stand next to each other. Folks, don't underestimate optics. Optics is close to everything in 2024 when too few people are even listening to what the candidates say
Please stop saying “Second Amendment” that way. What we have, now, is the Scalia-revised Second Amendment.
Justice Scalia effectively excised the Amendment’s opening words; thise words state that the Amendment’s purpose is (or was, until Scalia et al. Bowdlerized it) to ensure that guns would be available for state Militias (now National Guards).
One of the Harris Administration’s priorities must be to restore the Second Amendment to its original meaning.
Here in Germany is the right wing gaining force, especially in the east. Much rancour must in my opinion be blamed on big differences in income between east and west Germany. Much is done but somehow the more powerful with the most money know how to twinge the outcome in their favour. That is what I like in Kamala Harris plans focusing on the middle class. It is from utmost importance that we tell this how it is. That the trickle down mantra doesn't work without appropriate regulation and stimulation. That the warming of the earth is real and that we must do something about it. On 20 September we will stand in Frankfurt in a worldwide demo from organizations like the WWF and others but also against the far right. We are Opa's and Oma's for the future of our grandchildren. Thanks, Robert, as always.
My friend lives in Germany, and keeps me informed about her experience watching the AfD making headway with the German electorate. It resembles our MAGA movement so closely. I cannot but help thinking the same forces are at the manipulating controls.
Once the manipulations are exposed, the comparison is blindingly obvious.
Activating and further stimulation of prejudice and fear as a means to get and keep people frightened of one another can only be effective for a finite period.
The hardest thing for me to model is “MAGA people are Americans”. Not all of course, but with the exposure of RT in our MSM it sure does pull back the curtain on the influencers trying to market fear, hate and intolerance. Russia has been infiltrating and influencing Republican leaders to weaken the USA and other previously successful post WWII country’s democratic institutions since Nixon/Reagan anti-Democratic shift towards oligarchies both foreign and domestic. Hollowing out the middle class by unfair taxation while claiming social programs and welfare queens were a big problem. There happens to be 40+ years of indisputable facts that these claims were never the case. Trickle down economics translates to “You’re going to hand your money and children’s futures over to us with nothing but disdain for your stupidity. In return and you’re going to not only thank us for getting rid of social security, Medicare and hardly existing “Welfare Queens”, but ask us to do more damage with each Republican you get tricked into handing a vote”.
To team up with authoritarian regimes we were raised to strenuously object to in the past.
The smoke and mirrors show is over. Trump and Elon’s public displays of their own uncontrollable narcissistic behaviors are starting to become increasingly apparent to all but their most ardent supporters.
We are now watching in real time where Trump and Musk’s outrageous claims are wearing thin not only with the voting public, also across X and the Republican Party.
With MSM under RT control, we actually have a front and center seat to the downward spiral RT itself is causing.
NYT’s glaring lack of coverage of if Trump’s unexpected vanishing act from the campaign trail is completely normal isn’t fooling nearly as many as it did in 2016.
Karen, love your passionate words and analysis! I agree, and hope devoutly you are right that there is "exposure of Russia Today (RT) in our "mainstream" media (quotes for irony)."
At least I am sure that these movements are influencing each other through media and/or international contacts.
That is true but for a long time Russia has been funding propaganda efforts to support and strengthen these far right movements across the free world. Just yesterday the Justice Department indicted two Russians working for Putin’s RT of funding a $10 million propaganda election interference operation to interfere in the 2024 election. They gave that money to a rightwing media outlet, Tennessee based Tenet media. I addition the Biden administration sanctioned 10 individuals/entities and seized 32 internet domains. The FBI say documents seized show one of the goals is to help elect Trump or any other Republican nominee if Trump isn’t on the ballot.
The WaPo buried the article on this very important story in a back section. It is not on their main webpage or the front page of their print edition either.
May I point out that the representative from Tennessee--the home of Tenet, this Russian garbage source--is James Comer, arguably the most vicious MAGA spewer in Congress, who still at this time is wasting the Congressional salary we taxpayers spend on him trying to impeach Joe Biden? Tennessee's Comer is the poster-child for the MAGA-controlled Do-Nothing 118th "Frivolous-Investigations-R-Us" Congress. I wonder if Putin bought all of Tennessee? Maybe he got a bulk discount. Comer, like Tenet, has set up personal shell companies in the recent past (maybe to channel all his Putin payments through); in a move beyond irony, it's one of the very things he's (still) "investigating" Hunter Biden for.
And today the news is about who those manipulators are--the Russians! Here's an article about Russian-owned news sites spewing propaganda into our various media:
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/2/#inbox/FMfcgzQVzXVPsRbwcMvVFhfXfmbWjnNv
Democracies need to wake up and realize that allowing large areas of their countries be much poorer than the rest of the country makes those areas easy prey for rightwing demagogues. Too many countries look at economic development investment strictly in terms of economic returns not in terms of strengthening democracy, meeting the needs of citizens, etc.
Biden and Harris clearly understand this which is why most of the money from the Inflation Reduction Act (in reality their clean energy bill) is going to non-urban areas in red states. For example West Viriginia has a new cutting edge, energy efficient steel rolling mill, a new iron battery plant, another lithium battery plant and other projects spurred by funding from Biden’s IRA. These projects are creating new jobs and spurring more investment. What is lacking is the media informing people that the funding for these projects was opposed by most Republicans in Congress — Republicans who are now taking credit for them.
Democrats also need to have a PR push to make sure Americans wake up to this fact in order to undercut the rightwing propaganda that keeps bamboozling them. After Reagan was out of office Republicans had a well-funded, long running PR campaign to canonize Reagan as an economic genius. They also got many things named after him, including DC’s National Airport. I think that is one reason the media has never been willing to be honest about Reagan’s true record, particularly his budget-busting tax cuts for the rich that not only didn’t pay for themselves but also didn’t trickle down. Income inequality increased significantly as a result of Reagan’s policies. Democrats need to do the same for Bidenomics and unlike the Reagan PR project, the Bidenomics project can be truthful.
If you are interested in learning more about the things the IRA has alreadly accomplished listen to Chris Hayes’s “Why is this Happening Podcast” episode “The Biden Miracle”.
Germany needs to get over its fear of debt and create similar programs for East German regions. That is an effective way undercut the appeal of the far right, especially if the people are made aware of the source of the new investments. The UK needs to do the same for all those areas that got conned into voting for Brexit — a referendum that Putin’s propagandists pushed for.
You have my full support for exposing the hypocrisy and corruption the Nixon/Reagan administrations. The damage hefted upon the American middle class, the creation of “Welfare Queens”, allowing evangelicals to participate in the passing of laws that deliberately harmed the middle and lower income communities while swiftly and quietly began funneling money to wealthy families and corporations and…evangelicals. Even Barry Goldwater warned that if they influenced government, very bad things would happen.
With the pardon of Nixon, President Gerald Ford created the beginnings of an American Aristocracy.
Republicans were greatly empowered to move forward with an oligarchy agenda which reached its pinnacle with the Citizen’s United legislation.
The corruption and Russian interference in the 2016 election was the beginning of the end of the legitimate Republican Party. The unanimous decision to accept Trump’s corruption and incompetence by not doing anything to stop him became the direction the party moved toward while others not in agreement quickly moved out of Trump’s way. I wondered how many and how much dirt did Putin have on these people?
Especially Senator Lindsay Graham who sounded completely sane and grounded in 2016 before the election he said, “America will be destroyed and we’ll deserve it if Trump is elected President.” Now he’s stark raving mad.
Who are these people we trusted with our democracy? After 40 years of Republicans taxing the middle class, destroying public education, creating so many roadblocks to prosperity for regular citizens the SCOTUS handed down the Dobb’s Decision. The last straw, the final nail. Where the buck stops and totally shit the bed.
Taking away a constitutional right was unheard of! Though many women feel they have the right to insert their indoctrinations into the lives of other American women, it was met with outrage by a majority of all Americans. As more and more corruption is uncovered, some Americans who were once eager to vote for Trump, are becoming increasingly likely to stay home on Election Day.
I’m interested in hearing opinions on removing these traitors names from airports, libraries, public buildings. After all, Benedict Arnold doesn’t have so much as a footbridge named after him.
Also, I have doubts Trump will participate in the September 10th debate. But, if he does, he’ll be either a zombie or raving lunatic. Either way, it’s not going to help his campaign.
Love your analysis. Re: dirt. I keep touting the documentary, Active Measures, which you can get on Amazon and should watch tonight if you haven't already. It describes in excruciating detail the dirt Putin has assembled--over decades--on Trump. Putin early identified Trump as a "likely subject--financial troubles, questionable moral character, popular TV presence (large audience). From bailing him out of Trump Casino bankruptcies, to enticing him with Russian prostitutes on Trump visits to Moscow, which he then videotaped (golden showers?) and holds over his head, to building 35 Trump Towers (it's not just in NYC, you know) as valuable resources to launder Russian drug & extortion money from global Russian mob activity...of course Putin asks for "small favors" from Trump in return...destroying NATO, handing over Ukraine, making America a communist-model dictatorship...
Thank you. I will watch it this evening. I knew the minute I saw his face in People Magazine in the 1980’s he oozed slimy corruption. He and Ivana, both shallow, desperate with emotional needs. The most easily manipulated.
Maybe our mainstream news media is also on Putin’s payroll given how much they legitimize Trump’s massively unfit candidacy.
This is especially true of the two FORMER papers of record, The Washington Post and The NY Times, now shameless shills for Trump since 2015. The use of the term 'liar' does not exist in their lexicon regarding Trump.
So true! The media keeps employing euphemisms to describe his intentional lying.
I can't help but think of Trump's quote in the 2016 election cycle, "Russia, if you're listening...I think you'll be rewarded mightily by THE PRESS." Why would he use the words "the Press" like that? Trump usually says exactly what he means, much to our continued amazement and disbelief.
In Trump's typical fascist double talk and lies, he later said these comments were a joke.
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/mar/02/donald-trump/donald-trump-rewrites-history-about-his-russia-if-/
Money laundering or just simple investment?
When does Musk form his own Lord of the Flies government?
"Maybe?" !!! You think??
Whenever one of these tragedies occurs, I think back to an article that The Onion publishes with the same headline each time, just changing the location, number of victims, etc. So, this time: "'No Way To Prevent This,' Says Only Nation Where This Regularly Happens" <https://theonion.com/no-way-to-prevent-this-says-only-nation-where-this-regularly-happens/>.
I think we should refer to the tragedy in Georgia as "the first major school shooting of the 2024-25 school year." Let's not pretend that this isn't an ongoing pattern, and that we don't think there will be more of these horrific events without significant changes in legislation.
Have always loved this, too. Along with the never-disappointing Onion, these times really do call for respect and appreciation for the great movie 'Idiocracy.' Who knew how perspicacious it was going to be???
😢
Gun safety. Election integrity. Harris-Walz 2024.
Meet Mike Collins who represents the good people of Winder, GA in Congress
https://x.com/MillennialEdit1/status/1831398334487257213
He won the district with nearly ⅔ of the vote. Until Citizens United is revoked and the US passes stringent campaign financing laws worthy of a functioning democracy nothing will change. Nothing!
Oh, I nearly forgot to mention Mr. Collins' latest tweet: "Leigh Ann and I are praying for the victims, their families, and all students at Apalachee High School in Barrow County."
There are many laws such as Citizens United that need to be modified or eliminated but until the D’s can control the Supreme Court we are helpless. Then Supreme Courts future is also on the ballot this year in case people forgot.
Thank you for the link to Mike Collins video, which teaches young people that the way to solve your problems is to use an AR-15 weapon of war to shoot at things.
Mike Collins is a disgusting human being. The hypocrisy of "praying" for the child victims alone...My rep, Eli Crane in Arizona, has a newsletter titled "One in the Chamber" that he sends out to all of us regularly. Its graphic is an AK-47, overlaid on the title.
Yes, it’s one of the most absurd and horrid videos have seen!
Collins is the same asshole (Sorry, but it’s the only adjective that works here) who posted that Biden was responsible for the shooting at the Trump rally.
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/republican-mike-collins-accuses-biden-ordering-trump-shooting-1235059900/
Agreed. Citizens United was a crucial blow to democracy in this country. It has tipped the political playing field overwhelmingly in favor of billionaires and corporations.
All thanks to Chief Justice Roberts!
Isn't that 'thoughts and prayers' thing the most maddening ever? The hypocrisy doesn't just drip, it pours...
These little known Republicans in "safe" districts are a danger to democracy and the life of the children and families they represent. The gun lobby, Citizens United, gerrymandering, and the Supreme Court are threats to life and liberty to be sure, but the citizens of each district and each state must decide the central question Robert leads with today: "In November, you can choose which America you want to live in: One that protects our children or exalting gun ownership above all other rights." Marjorie Taylor Greene, Mike Collins and numerous other Republicans are enabled by dark money and a soulless gun lobby, to be sure, but also by the citizens they represent, "good people" who will go to churches and mourn the deaths and weep real tears of sorrow, but they will not think to vote for a Democrat or a liberal or a "Godless communist" like Harris because all they hear, read, see, and know is loathsome propaganda. This is why efforts to support down-ballot races are so important, so that Democrats in rural areas in "Republican" far suburbs, can offer a realistic alternative. Job one is to win up and down the ticket in November. Job two is to rebuild the Democratic Party as a voice for rational solutions for America all across the country. Biden (bless him!) laid the ground by beating Trump in 2020. Harris and Walz are enlivening contests all across America. Sam Schwartz, David Hogg and millions of other young people are fighting for a better, safer, America. Jess Piper and hundreds of others are working to persuade rural and small town people that as Geoff Duncan of Georgia and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, told their fellow Republicans. "If you vote for Harris in November, you are not a Democrat. You are a patriot." To follow our "better angels of our nature" we have to believe that they exist all across America.
My congressman, Wiley Nickel, who was gerrymandered out of his seat has introduced a “Fair Maps” initiative in congress. https://nickel.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=812
Please follow this important piece of legislation and lend your support.
I was under the impression that Democrats had to wait till the 2030 census to gerrymander on our own behalf (and on behalf of the American people). This initiative gives me hope that Congress can take a hand in making the voting maps fair again sooner than 2030. Boy, is it important that we win not just the presidency but the House and Senate. Otherwise we're have to move very, very slowly if at all under President Harris.
I definitely like this initiative…A LOT! We, the people, would be the ones to draw the maps and be able to have input. This is long overdue and it will be fought against but in this climate of change, I see it taking hold. So happy to see it comes from the state I was born and raised in but also from the state I live in now. Thanks, Annette, for posting this!
This, with perhaps an introduction about Mike Collin’s video, would make a great editorial in any newspaper.
In Arizona, we have a new young politician, Jonathan Nez, running (hopelessly, I fear), against one of the worst MAGA votes in Congress, Eli Crane. If anyone can send him even $5, PLEASE do...
https://www.jonathannezforaz.com/
Floridians, Amendment 2 is on the ballot. My concern is that “The Right To Hunt and Fish “is a gateway to defending the use of AR-15’s for other than hunting and fishing. Yes, hard to believe but they are allowed under statute.Firearms is not defined so that loophole has been exploited by AR-15 carrying fisherman.
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0790/Sections/0790.25.html
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2021/05/13/case-dropped-against-gun-toting-fisherman-youtuber-arrested-in-brevard-county/
Who is running against Collins? Is there any hope of an upset? Are there many new voters, especially women and Gen Z registered in this district?
FYI, Lexy Doherty is in a woefully underfunded race against Mike Collins. See below;
Name Party Receipts* Disbursements** Cash on hand Date
Mike Collins Republican Party $1,256,031 $901,827 $551,275 As of June 30, 2024
Lexy Doherty Democratic Party $55,409 $45,671 $2,702 As of June 30, 2024
Yesterday, the Harris-Walz campaign announced that they were distributing $25 million to down ballot candidates. Perhaps Lexi will get some of that much badly needed money. https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/harris-trump-campaign-fundraising-spending-election-rcna169338
PS: I’m going to look this up later this morning. With Dobbs, all the new voters, and now this tragedy will voter behavior finally change?
https://ballotpedia.org/Georgia%27s_10th_Congressional_District_election,_2024
My god, what an absolute jackass.
Wow, Mike Collins is a disgusting human. The crass hypocrisy of his praying for the victims...! He's not the only one. My rep, Eli Crane in Arizona, has a newsletter titled "One in the Chamber," with a graphic of an AK-47 overlaid on the title.
Brian Kemp is a MAGA extremist parading around as a GWBush style republican and he is extremely ambitious. While he is folksy and soft spoken in demeanor his policies are extreme. Due to GA constitution voters have no ability to put voter initiatives on the ballots. We are stuck with a 6 week abortion ban, lax gun laws, voter suppression, extreme gerrymandering, no Medicaid expansion, book bans, and much more. The state is very diverse and it would be a true purple state if not for extreme gerrymandering and massive vote purges, begun while Kemp was Secretary of State in GA. I wish the press would stop celebrating Kemp for being “moderate” and start looking at what he has actually done. His polished marketing techniques have also deceived GA voters!
Long-time Georgia voters will likely remember Kemp's political ad the first time he ran in which he totes a long gun and a chain saw and vows that he is a "politically-incorrect conservative." He shows himself "blowing stuff up" and saying he'll round up and deport "criminal illegals" in his "big truck" (see https://globalnews.ca/video/4634557/brian-kemp-blows-up-spending-has-big-truck-to-round-up-illegals). I hope Kemp is proud of himself today. Madeleine, you are totally correct in your analysis of Kemp's deception.
Robert shares: "In a rational world, Republicans should wonder why a dictator in Russia wants Trump to be the US president. The most reasonable explanation is that Putin believes Trump will make America a weak actor on the world stage. Other reasonable explanations include the possibility that Putin is blackmailing Trump."
Another reasonable explanation is that Trump and Putin have an understanding that Trump will eliminate or de-fang sanctions against Russia broadly and many of the oligarchs personally for example releasing holds on Megayachts that have been impounded. This is my bet. And that Russia will facilitate the building of Trump resort hotels in desirable locations.
Republicans sell t-shirts at Trump rallies that say "I'd rather be Russian than a Democrat".
I would really like to accommodate them if we win. Let's send them on over to Putin.
Yes, last I heard, Russia didn't have an immigration problem. Surprisingly few refugees from Africa or South Asia seek asylum in their workers paradise.
Great point.
Love it, Adaline. Putin can give them a gun and send them to fight in the trenches in Ukraine.
But it's at least ironic that snuggling up to Russia is a new GOP preference
If djt wins he will withdraw from NATO.
I think supporters of Trump are willfully and dangerously blind to the downside of his election. Let's talk Nato, Ukraine, China, Unions, clean water, the NOAA, Project 2025
Supporters of Trump completely and totally ignore anything he says. They notice only his cute little red pompadour, his blustery rebellious rhetoric, and their dim memory of "oh this is someone I've seen on TV." Based on those three likes, they cast their precious American vote for him, in complete ignorance and complete lack of concern that they are voting for the violent extermination of their own cherished way of life. The supporters of Trump are UNTHINKING.
I know. We have a friend who lives in the hard red South. He says he prefers Trump because of his policies. What????? What policy? All his thinking has been outsourced to the Heritage Society. If women pause and think that through, they'll run from Trump and his Moms for Liberty counsellors.
Already happening. There are 35 Trump Towers across the globe that launder Russian mob money. I'm sure Trump gets income from them too.
Bet he'll get to pick which megayacht he wants in 2028.
Counter Russian Propaganda and emulate Liz Cheney’s public support.
Wear a pro-Dem T-shirt.
These are $30 because they are high quality & union made in the USA 🇺🇸
DemsMakeLifeBetter.org
BeantownStrong.com
The back of the Dems Make Life Better shirt lists 13 top priorities and accomplishments of the Harris campaign. Wear it grocery shopping so the cart behind you gets an eyeful of Dem facts.
The BeantownStrong.org shirts are from an Etsy site with several Harris Walz options PLUS the capability of customizing your shirt with any Pro-Harris message. I keep an extra shirt with my reusable grocery my bags. Why?
I wear a Pro-Dem shirt on every grocery run (in Florida) because it feels good to DO SOMETHING.
I am not financially connected to either site. I’m just doing what I can to counter Fox/Russian Trumpaganda.
Great comment, Shawn! I appreciate that you point out why the union-made-in-the-USA tees are more expensive. Too often we are tempted to take the cheapest made-in-China (or elsewhere) choice, ignoring that by buying American we are supporting our USA workers.
Trumpaganda? Love it!
Thanks Lynell, Union Made = High Quality. To save money, I first bought a shirt off Amazon to see what $17 could get me. That shirt was cheap… and unwearable… a waste of $17. Lesson learned.
The shirts at DemsMakeLifeBetter.org support US jobs AND Harris… and they’ll never ever ever send a text asking for one more donation.
You go, Shawn!!! As I have said several times before in these comment sections, we all need to wear our Harris-Walz buttons next to our US flag pins and our Democratic/democracy-leaning T-shirts, even in ruby-red areas. If you do, you will be pleasantly surprised at the positive (although sometimes whispered) support you receive. If confronted by a djt supporter, just politely ask them if they just fell out of a coconut tree. :-)
CK, I love your response ! 🌴🥥 I’m in MAGA-ville,Fl and wearing my messaging t’s since being encouraged by Shawn. My only MAGA “response” since February…..A MAGA walked past me in Publix one day, saw a woman in front of me wearing a red shirt (just red, no MAGA signage) and said very loudly to HER…”I love your RED shirt!” 🤣🤣
👕🛒
Yeah, red--as in the Russian flag with the hammer and sickle! Bright red. Putin's flag. Trump's flag. All it needs next to the hammer and sickle is a little elephant.
Funny how we all now make certain assumptions about the colors we wear. That’s why I always wear a certain shade of blue every time I go to vote. Subliminal message anyone? 🤣🤣
I continue to look forward to reading your Newsletter 1st thing when I get up very early in the Broiling State of Texas! Today it is 73 degrees and will reach 90 at the highest -- this is after a really difficult month for me with my breathing problems where highs were routinely >100 and heat indices w/humidity factored in up to 120. Arizona has it way way worse; they are now at their 100th day of temperatures over 100. I get the strong impression that America in general is going to try to adapt to business-as-usual -- and the 'business' word is all important there -- and just keep cranking up the A/C. I despair, truly. But, back to the Newsletter: Am especially enjoying it when I feel your anger coming through and it is a righteous anger expressed eloquently in call-and-response writing. Thank you, as always, for the astronomy photos; it's always helpful toward keeping some sense of perspective and, from Texas, I send out a big Howdy!! to all our unknown life forms out there in the Very Big Sky; I know they're out there, although I suspect none of them are wearing cowboy hats ...
Stay healthy and inside (if possible)!
This would be a good graph to show: the number of children killed by assault rifles vs the amount of children killed by reading banned books.
As noted in Robert’s report above, Elon Musk is not only a Trump supporter and sycophant, he helps promote Russian influence on our social media. He is a Putin supporter, liar and antisemite. I urge all readers and friends to boycott Tesla vehicles which only further enriches Musk. Every time I see one I shudder to think of more money in Musk’s pocket. If you want an EV there are plenty of other choices.
Georgia gun laws:
No background checks
No purchase permit laws
K-12 teachers are allowed to carry
No red flag laws
No bans on high capacity magazines
No secured gun storage required
Open carry / no concealed carry permit required
No ghost gun regulations
People with assault or violent misdemeanors can carry guns
Maybe that Collins guy can add: "Mandatory issuance of an AK-47 to every five-year-old in Georgia." That would probably make sense to a cretin like him.
The revelation about Russia interference is big and should be shouted to the roof tops along with Liz Chaney’s endorsement. The Democrats have the momentum and now have to effectively use it in a positive way to gain voter acceptance. Remember the song “ fifty ways to leave your lover”? Well the Democratic’s should have a new one called “ fifty ways to leave political trouble. There seems to be something everyday that is another reason to vote for Harris and notice that Trump is not getting a lot of vocal support from other Republicans. The debate next Tuesday is being over hyped but the visual of Harris standing next to Trump and sounding and acting presidential is all voters need to see.
Standing...no, no. I devoutly hope Harris' field team is on top of this issue. Harris and Trump must be seated in commensurately adjusted chairs, or they have to get her a footstool. Trump claims to be 6"3" tall. Harris is 5'4" tall. They must NOT stand next to each other. Folks, don't underestimate optics. Optics is close to everything in 2024 when too few people are even listening to what the candidates say
Remember Gov. Kemp's gun laws in Georgia when he runs as the Republican candidate for President in 2028. Look past his current raises for teachers.
If we can get eight years of Harris, with any luck the next Republican nominee will be someone like Adam Kinzinger, Geoff Duncan, or Lisa Murkowski!
The Apalachee High Shooting Tragedy highlights the role of dark money on politics. Follow the money behind GOP weakened gun laws. Spot the correlation between the Republican led states that get the most gun lobby money and the number of mass shootings with this StoryMap. https://thedemlabs.org/2024/09/04/apalachee-high-shooting-tragedy-follow-the-money-behind-gop-weakened-gun-laws/
I saw this last evening. It is excellent. I recommend everyone here check it out. The map is really specific!
Second Amendment advocates say, "Guns don't kill people." People with guns kill people, with guns. We regulate driving better than we regulate murder.
Please stop saying “Second Amendment” that way. What we have, now, is the Scalia-revised Second Amendment.
Justice Scalia effectively excised the Amendment’s opening words; thise words state that the Amendment’s purpose is (or was, until Scalia et al. Bowdlerized it) to ensure that guns would be available for state Militias (now National Guards).
One of the Harris Administration’s priorities must be to restore the Second Amendment to its original meaning.
Guns don't kill people until they have some idiot people activating their trigger. 🤬