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@Adam Parkhomenko

@MeidasTouch

@IAPoliticsGirl

@TheRickWilson

@CalltoActivism

@ProjectLincoln

@GeorgeTakei

@TheRecount

@NoLieWithBTC

@CREWcrew

@RBReich

I also watch the tweets of Cruz, Graham, RNC, GOP, Graham, et all because it's important to see what they are saying. Then repost facts and truths on their posts.

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Nov 1, 2022·edited Nov 2, 2022Pinned

I follow Heather Cox Richardson on Twitter.

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@HC_Richardson

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Ted-another option is to subscribe to her "Letters From An American" on Substack

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Thanks, Barbara - I do subscribe.

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I’m not on Twitter, but Judd Legum’s of Popular Information is concerned that they are losing part of their following and asked to spread the word.

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Popular Information is an excellent newsletter and reliable source for accurate, fact-based information "dedicated to accountability journalism". Judd Legum is a phenomenal investigative reporter who pursues the truth like a bloodhound, with laser-sharp focus and dedication. Please support his work!!

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I totally agree and was going to post the same but you beat me to it! His Popular Information is definitely a must read!

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@SIfill_

@AngryStaffer especially Friday “ask me anything“

@AWeissmann

@TimothyDSnyder

@ruthbenghiat

@TristanSnell

@PalmerReport says instead of worrying about polls or complaining, get out the vote!

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author

Thanks! Pinning to the top.

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Nov 1, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

“ I will join Jill Wine-Banks on her live podcast on YouTube, iGen Politics w/ Jill Wine-Banks & Victor Shi on Tuesday, November 1, 2022, at 2:00 PM Eastern, 11:00 AM Pacific. “ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPjTKCXgo8I

This was recorded and is absolutely a must watch for those of us who follow Robert. I just followed two of the participants - one a Repub turned Democratic and the other a PhD former polled with amazing insight into what Dems need to do. @KurtBardella and @RachelBitecofer

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author

Thanks for the link!

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These are some of my faves! I follow all of them!

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On Twitter I follow Heather Cox Richardson for obvious reasons, Connie Schultz for decency and observations of journalism and comments on society, Juliette Kayyem, national security expert, Chris Hayes for is comments and opinions,

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Another great person to follow on Twitter is John Flannery (frequent commentator on Ari's show on MSNBC). He, like you, Robert, heartens me daily.

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But the surrender of the GOP to Trump was so swift and uncontested that the party must have been primed for depravity.

I don't know how people missed it for the past 100 years, but the GOP has been "primed for depravity" since 1876. Most of the northern politicians elected with KKK support in the 1920s were Republicans. Republicans were the core of the America 1st movement (of which you should be listening to Rachel Maddow's "Ultra" podcast; I thought I had studied this deeply and am learning new stuff).

Go read Rick Perlstein's "Before the Storm" about Goldwater, "Nixonland" about Shithead, and "The Invisible Bridge" about RayGun. Or read David Corn's new "American Psychosis."

Read Richard Hofstadter's "The Pseudo Conservative Revolt" written 68 years ago and the only difference with now is what the conspiratorial fantasies are.

https://theamericanscholar.org/the-pseudo-conservative-revolt/

"The pseudo conservative is a man who, in the name of upholding traditional American values and institutions and defending them against more or less fictitious dangers, consciously or unconsciously aims at their abolition.”

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This is so much bigger, deeper and more evil than just Trump. Red flags have been waving for decades and still Democrats treat all of this as the political norm. That probably explains why Democrats show up for a gunfight with a pea shooter.

Democrats had a narrow opportunity of two years to bring the Republican Party to justice. They couldn't even convict Trump. Hell, they didn't even indict him.

I always believed that the country would have to hit rock bottom before there is a reckoning. I just didn't think I would live to see it. It looks like I'm going to be wrong about that.

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Yes, the great illusion that all this has come upon us suddenly has been one of the many tales we liberals tell ourselves as reason for our failure to be prepared. Like you, "I always believed that the country would have to hit rock bottom," and am frequently slammed or ignored even in comments on dear Mr. Hubbell's site for being too "negative" or "pessimistic." I don't know if I thought I would live to see it, hard to be sure. But I do recall the dread that felt like it was sinking into my bones the morning I woke up to the NYTimes headline, "Trump Triumphs."

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Chip, I'm not sure any of us on this forum realized how far down rock bottom could be.

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Are we there yet?

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No. Not even close. We have much farther to fall. The Extreme Court will start doing more than tossing democracy overboard. It will be holding it underwater until the bubbles stop. I'm an old guy. I do not expect to see democracy again.

But I fully expect my grandchildren to scream "Why didn't you do something before it was too late?" And if I am alive to answer, I will regretfully say: "Because too many of us were too selfish, too self absorbed, too cocky, too clueless to really believe that our lives would be threatened by fascists. We ignored history. We were fools."

What can we do now? Vote. Find non voters to vote. Make some good trouble. Hope for the best and be ready for the worst. Plan on losing friendships and watching families disintegrate as outwardly nice people gobble up the fascist fabrications. No, we are not even close to "there".

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It makes sense and it's understandable that we will self-define rock bottom. I think we will hit rock bottom when most people realize they are powerless against the uber-wealthy.

In the United States, we are for all intents and purposes there now because it is obvious that our two-party system is fundamentally flawed and obviously vulnerable to corrupt, dishonest. immoral and self-serving charlatans. We don't have a representative democracy because our system to elect people has been corrupted wherein the minority rules. We have effectively the best government that money can buy.

We have already faced several Constitutional crises and each time we become a lesser country for not confronting and addressing them.

Our judicial system is so incredibly compromised and ineffectual it allows people who have demonstrated repeatedly their desire to overthrow the government and or retain supreme power to walk free and unpunished. A charlatan and illegitimate president is twice impeached, and now faces two actionable charges: 1) leading an insurrection against the government and Constitution which they swore under oath to defend, and 2) stealing and refusing to return or divulge the locations of highly sensitive national security secrets. Trump walks free, not charged nor indicted. He has the full backing of an entire political party - a party who has pledged to do all they can to set this evil traitor free when they illegally seize power.

The rule of law has become a sham. Notably, a sick and demented person uses a hammer to bludgeon another person to death, and they are charged by the Justice Department with assault and attempted kidnapping. Apparently, you have to kill a government official before being charged with manslaughter or in this case an assassination attempt.

Every branch of government is filled with people who have forsworn their oath of office, defiled the Constitution and discarded established norms and precedents. The majority views and beliefs in this country have been completely neutered allowing a powerful ultra-right-wing to take control. It is a redux of a form of fascism! There are now enough people in this country who are unwilling to defend the Constitution and democracy in their quest to support white supremacy. If that isn't treasonous, what is?

The majority on the Supreme Court defy the majority in the country by returning one decision after another that overturns established laws. Stare decisis no longer exists - everything is open to reevaluation and apparently with a view to establishing white supremacy and protecting and further empowering the wealthy.

And finally, nobody should be confused about who is really in control of our government, the economy, and society. The ultra-wealthy have all the money and resources they need to establish a de facto plutocracy and a new financial world order where they own and control everything and we become their indentured servants fighting for scraps in their vast empires. By the time everyone wakes up to this fact it will be too late, and we will have officially hit rock bottom.

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Yes. Exactly. Frightening, appalling and unbelievable. But you speak the truth. And the world walks around staring at their phones.

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TCinLA, Thank you for beating this drum. Yes on two points. First, this entire world that seems to me to spread like quicksand all around us, has been long in the making. It started earlier and it runs deeper than any of us imagined. Did we idealistic and often ineffective liberals just look away from unpleasantness or is it really not possible to see this without benefit of hindsight--by which time it is almost too late?

Second, I appreciate your making a distinction between the Republicans, past and present, who tear at the foundations, and conservatives. They are not the same, and referring to these monsters (and I believe they are) as conservatives has completely debased the term "conservative." I am not and have never been a conservative, but I do remember a time when there were among them fairly ordinary human beings with whom I disagreed on almost every point.

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Thanks. Yes, the word "conservative" has been hijacked many many times by people who are the furthest thing from it. And yes, while I can disagree strongly with conservatives (who are), I can respect them; on that basis, progress can ensue. Like it or not, the eagle cannot fly on just one wing.

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My mind isn't as swift as it used to be, and this subject/article deserves understanding. First reading left me a bit breathless, as I recognized many of the issues that caught my attention during the Goldwater time, which resulted in my leaving the Republican party of my father to venture into unknown Democrat territory. Thank you for posting this article!

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For perspective, there is a line 6 weeks deep for Mr. Corn's book in the local library system.

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That's good news!

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Nov 1, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

As for the Brazil election, it does seem as a of now that the transition to Lula’s administration will go smoother then anticipated, which is a very good thing. While Bolsonaro has been silent up until now (he is expected to speak today), all of his major political allies have recognized Lula’s win and don’t plan to disrupt the transition. Plus reports are coming up that because of the pressure Bolsonaro won’t challenge the result. I cannot stress enough how big a result this is for democracy and also for solving climate change. Bolsonaro had deeply authoritarian tendencies and wrecked havoc on the Amazon. Let’s view this as a sign of hope that change is possible, and Trumpist politicians are beatable. Hopefully we see a similar result next week.

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Here's a little something to bring a smile.

https://twitter.com/LbudisaLila/status/1587095168372641794?s=20&t=zHSMkt-bESjy7s3jfI7sdA

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Gailee, that was hilarious 😂!

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🤣😂🤣😂🤣

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Thanks! I needed that smile

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founding

Best LOL of the day!!! Thanks for sharing ... and let's all just step up and dance!!

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Thank you, thank you, thank you! Now back to writing postcards!

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Nov 1, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Twitter is the most profoundly influential social media platform in history. It was for sale to the highest bidder!

Not surprisingly it sold to a far right, ultra-wealthy oligarch who will use it to spew right wing propaganda/lies/misinformation. Equally not surprising, there was no one, or group of ultra-wealthy people on the political left willing to buy Twitter. That is extraordinarily significant and summarizes the state of the union.

The Republican Party serves the wealthy. The wealthy have all the money they need to destroy democracy by any means necessary. Their goal is to establish a de facto plutocracy.

Money is power - the proverbial modern Golden Rule. These are the real enemies of We the People. They have acquired enough wealth to rule the world!

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author

You could be correct; or it could be that purchasing Twitter was a monumentally bad idea and only someone with nearly limitless wealth and limited common sense would make the purchase. Musk paid $44 billion for an asset that can succeed only if American advertisers feel that it is a good way to promote their products. In his first week of ownership, Musk made it a less attractive place for advertisers. Go figure.

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I’m hoping that Twitter will bankrupt him

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Nov 1, 2022·edited Nov 1, 2022

Musk will let the evil genie out of the bottle, and deplorable Twitter subscribers and tweets will grow like a cancer in society self-reinforcing and replicating to take over and control the body.

Advertisers will flock to the cesspool. They have no moral conscience - it is only and always about growing profits and controlling government. They already know the American people will not coalesce around boycotting them. For every one of us who boycott XYZ company, a 100 won't.

There is no question in my mind, the uber-wealthy will spend whatever is needed to destroy democracy. Musk's investment may start out as a loss leader but a year from now, it will become profitable.

My point was how often do you get a chance to buy the greatest propaganda forum in history. There are thousands of sheep for every wolf, and they are all going to get sheared.

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Republican candidates in the mid term have joked about the attack on Paul Pelosi and the second attempt to assassinate Nancy Pelosi while Steve Bannon is encouraging Bolsonaro not to concede the election in Brazil and meanwhile here Republican candidates are running attack ads against Democrats, many featuring candidates holding automatic weapons and sending the message that violence and intimidation is ok. How many more people need to be radicalized and left to their own devices to attack Democrats as a part of there solution before we do anything about it? Republicans stand silently by and say nothing. This is not a political issue anymore it’s a life threatening attack on our country and basic values and our way of life. We need to end it. Voting those who support this behavior and rhetoric out of office is required to send the message “ we have had enough and this is not who we are or who we want to be.

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The media has been reluctant to characterize the Republican Party as a terrorist organization, but given their mission and conduct, you would have to be blind, dumb or ignorant to not see it.

BTW, Republicans often mix silence with bombastic and destructive rhetoric. Their intent is never opaque anymore.

It is going to take far more than voting to save this country from this destructive and deadly cancer. They have been trying for decades to establish an authoritarian regime, a de facto plutocracy, and they have the unlimited backing and resources from some of the wealthiest people in the world.

May I suggest you all read this from Robert Reich. I have tried for decades to convey this message, but Robert is far more articulate than I. https://open.substack.com/pub/robertreich/p/the-power-shift-part-ii?r=5v8ez&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

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I've shared both parts 1 & 2 to my FB progressive groups.

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There are many Democrats including those on popular substacks like Hubbell's who reject or ignore the inconvenient truth that Robert Reich writes.

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Unfortunately I think your analysis is correct

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Nov 1, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

By far the most important person I follow on Twitter is lawyer and author Teri Kanefield. She also writes a free weekly blog on Sundays. She is calm, brilliant, and has a knack for cutting through the noise to explain things in a way that makes sense. She refuses to give in to the hysteria whipped up by pundits and the media. In all honesty, I attribute my current ability to remain semi-sane to the wisdom and insights of Robert Hubbell, Heather Cox Richardson, and Teri Kanefield. I feel indebted to all three. ❤️

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Those are my three too! Sanity saving. And keeps me working hard.

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Me too Jill!! I’ve never thought of myself as politically savvy, and consequently didn’t think there’d be much I’d be qualified to do aside from voting to fight for our democracy. Teri’s “Things to Do” list has made such a huge difference in my world. There’s literally something for EVERYBODY on that list, regardless of your strengths or experience.

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Nov 1, 2022·edited Nov 1, 2022

This is what more people need to be doing! ¨Georgia We Don't Need a Walker!!!!

https://twitter.com/NoLieWithBTC/status/1587084959172509696?s=20&t=zHSMkt-bESjy7s3jfI7sdA

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Nov 1, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

I was going to put up Judd Legum’s name, but his email this morning included this --

“Over the last four years, nearly half of Popular Information's readers have found out about this newsletter through Twitter. Last Friday, Twitter was purchased by billionaire Elon Musk, a supporter of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R). Since taking over, Musk has used his own account to promote a vile anti-LGBTQ conspiracy theory about the brutal assault against Nancy Pelosi's husband. And the use of racial slurs is exploding. Musk's purchase of Twitter represents an acute threat to Popular Information's future. The account we use to promote Popular Information has already lost more than 7,000 followers as some chose to leave the platform.

What happens next is anyone's guess. But Popular Information can't count on Twitter anymore to sustain its growth.

That’s why I need your help. Popular Information’s biggest asset is its dedicated readers.

Please spread the word about this newsletter, so it can continue to grow and thrive”

https://popular.info/?r=n6lj&utm_campaign=pub&utm_medium=web

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done

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Done. Thank you for the link. I just can't go back to Twitter. I cannot tolerate association with its obscene owner.

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Per your request I am listing several of the key folks I follow on Twitter. I don't have the time to explain why for each. I hope most of them are self-explanatory. Here goes:

Steve Sheffey, Rick Wilson, Laurence Tribe, Benjamin Wittes, LaTosha Brown, Maddow Blog, Lis Smith, Neal Kaytal, Steve Schmidt, George Conway, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, Malcolm Nance, Thomas Frank, Digby, Ezra Klein, Nate Silver, Paul Krugman, Charles Blow, David Axelrod, Lawrence O'Donnell

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Nov 1, 2022Liked by Robert B. Hubbell

Steve Bannon treads very closely to a line that seems to cross into treason. Is it anything less? How can one deny the facts and instigate violent over-throws of not only our government but that of Brazil without facing serious consequences for his liberty and access to the airwaves? He's no doubt stir the mud in Hungary if his champion Orban would be defeated. His ego seems to be running without a governor.

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