46 minutes ago, stevenkesslar said:

I'll add a few more examples that seem to go to the heart of it.

There was a great long interview in 2016 on the ACA with a Trump supporter.  It was so good it seemed like it had to be an actor.  Even though it was probably real.  Nice elderly guy, plain spoken, in what looked like a working class home. 

He said something like this:  I've  heard all this scare talk about how Trump is gonna take my Obamacare away.  And I have to say I really like my Obamacare.  And how I can't be denied insurance anymore for pre-existing conditions.   

When you think about it, it makes no sense that Trump would try to take my Obamacare away.  It would just piss me off.  And why would he piss me off?  So really he'd only try to kill Obamacare if he replaced it with something better.

The argument made sense.  Until it didn't.

In fact, Trump supposedly did label Republican efforts to kill Obamacare as "cruel".  But he was still more than willing to be cruel to his own supporters.  His approval ratings were lower during that ACA fight than at any other time during his failed Presidency.  So it's not like people didn't notice.  But it faded, and changed.

The even better example is that Trump was fired in Nov. 2020 because the economy was a complete mess.  But now a lot of people want to rehire Trump because of the economy.  He never got 50 % approval as POTUS.  But now more than 50 % of people say they approved of his Presidency, at least in a few polls.   Even though he still has less than 50 % of people who approve of him right now.  WTF?

‘Everything Is Subservient to the Big Guy’: Fiona Hill on Trump and America’s Emerging Oligarchy

The longtime Russia expert explains why Elon Musk, Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump are all talking to each other.

Great new interview with Fiona Hill that touches on a lot of things.  Including this, I think.  I think these are indicators of how the US is already slipping into oligarchy.  A lot of people just line up behind The Big Guy.  So you have a Jew who is no fan of The Holocaust backing someone who praises Hitler and wishes he had loyal Nazi generals.  People get quiet, turn inward, go along.

I think there is a good argument that there are benefits of oligarchy for some.  Let's take Genocide World.  Before he was Genocide Man, Putin's authoritarianism looked better and worked better for the average Russian than Yeltsin's "democracy", if you can call it that.  Now, is life really better for hundreds of thousands of Russians being sent off to slaughtered?  I'm not persuaded.  So maybe people like oligarchy.  Or maybe they are just afraid.  Maybe they know if they support Putin he has their back.  Or maybe Genocide Man will shift, and send them off to slaughter.

Either way, Hill nailed the point.  It's not about you and me.  It's about Putin.  It's about Trump.  It's about Musk. 

Hill is right.  This is not good for consumers.  Or citizens.  Or country.  We're about to find out whether Americans agree with her.

I've thought a lot about this, how the world is moving away from democracy, towards rule by the super rich.   Too many countries are run by super rich people now.

Sometimes I wonder how the pie will be divided when we have a King running our show.  Will there be enough boat slips to park all of their fucking mega yachts?  Get ready to roll up your sleeves and pay for that.

How will enough people at the top of the pyramid remain satisfied?  How will they all deal with each other, competing for what they think should be their share?   Will they be able to soak the worker bees for money fast enough to remain satisfied? 

The corrupt legal system will likely be less and less helpful for a fair resolution to disputes.  Who will have the King's ear?  Will folks start falling out of windows like they do in Russia?  Will the office of tariffs be created for transactional favors? 

What will the Federalist Society think about the new order?  Will they even matter any longer?   

Will Project 2025 successfully re-define and tear apart how our government has been working?

How the New York Times has failed us again, not protecting democracy, not endorsing Harris,  harkens back to their podcast about undecided voters, the healthcare worker in Ohio I referred to above, that was worried about our healthcare system and her children's education, so she leans towards Trump, or the CNN piece on voters in Omaha, a couple that leans towards Trump because Trump is willing to tell the truth.  Yeah. 

So that's where we are.  The 4th estate which once was respected and powerful, has become something else over the last 30 years.  It's sad.

 

 

5 minutes ago, Pete1111 said:

Sometimes I wonder how the pie will be divided when we have a King running our show.

That's one of Hill's main points.  There's no question how the pie is divided.  The King gets more of the pie.  This a good deal for oligarchs and autocrats.  Genocide World is the best example.  But, as you note, lots of other countries are run this way now, to one degree or another.

It's not good for small businesses.  It's not good for capitalism, if you define that as wild competition and little guys and gals that want to scrap it out and move up the ladder.  It's good for people like Trump, Genocide Man, and Musk, who want to dominate.  And have as much power and money as they can.

There's been a good argument for a long time that the "liberal" tech establishment is building a new feudalism, with Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos as the new lords and masters.  I question how "liberal"  these tech titans really are.  But the conservatives who argue this have a point.  The way Bezos weaseled out of offending Trump said something about whose interests he, and WaPo, are looking out for now.  

All that said, nobody who went to college really wants to be part of Mark Zuckerberg's metaverse.  I see him as an annoyance more than a threat.

It makes sense that if we have a new oligarchy, and America is the place that makes authoritarians and fascists great again, it will come from the right.  And it won't come from middle class or upper middle class college educated people who are better off than ever.  It will come from the pissed off working class.  Who does have a lot to be pissed off about.  Even though there is absolutely no evidence that oligarchy and authoritarian rule did get them a bigger piece of the pie in the past - under Trump, Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, or anyone.  They won't get a bigger piece of the pie under Trump.  The oligarchs will get tax cuts, and lots of them.  We'll be stuck with the deficit, and the bill.

1 hour ago, stevenkesslar said:

That's one of Hill's main points.  There's no question how the pie is divided.  The King gets more of the pie.  This a good deal for oligarchs and autocrats.  Genocide World is the best example.  But, as you note, lots of other countries are run this way now, to one degree or another.

It's not good for small businesses.  It's not good for capitalism, if you define that as wild competition and little guys and gals that want to scrap it out and move up the ladder.  It's good for people like Trump, Genocide Man, and Musk, who want to dominate.  And have as much power and money as they can.

There's been a good argument for a long time that the "liberal" tech establishment is building a new feudalism, with Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos as the new lords and masters.  I question how "liberal"  these tech titans really are.  But the conservatives who argue this have a point.  The way Bezos weaseled out of offending Trump said something about whose interests he, and WaPo, are looking out for now.  

All that said, nobody who went to college really wants to be part of Mark Zuckerberg's metaverse.  I see him as an annoyance more than a threat.

It makes sense that if we have a new oligarchy, and America is the place that makes authoritarians and fascists great again, it will come from the right.  And it won't come from middle class or upper middle class college educated people who are better off than ever.  It will come from the pissed off working class.  Who does have a lot to be pissed off about.  Even though there is absolutely no evidence that oligarchy and authoritarian rule did get them a bigger piece of the pie in the past - under Trump, Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, or anyone.  They won't get a bigger piece of the pie under Trump.  The oligarchs will get tax cuts, and lots of them.  We'll be stuck with the deficit, and the bill.

 

Sounds as if YOU and @Pete1111 have conceded to a Harris Loss ?      Dont run out of steam at the final hour Sis.....

It aint over till the cock CUMS.......

22 minutes ago, Suckrates said:

 

Sounds as if YOU and @Pete1111 have conceded to a Harris Loss ?      Dont run out of steam at the final hour Sis.....

It aint over till the cock CUMS.......

Huh?  What?

I feel like I just said in several posts that I think Harris is going to win.  But that was in the dumb fuck thread where our resident Team Genocide and Team Hitler, @Moses and @EmmetK,were going off on betting odds that say Hillary is certain to win in 2016 Donald Trump is favored to win in 2024. 

If I had to give a one word explanation for why Harris will win, it would be "Lichtman."  If I had to give a sentence, this is more an explanation of Lichtman:  "American voters won't trade a team that did a good enough job on fundamentals (The Keys) for an authoritarian felon they fired once already."

What I am conceding in this  thread is that there are a lot of MAGA folks who could be happily lulled into oligarchy.  Even though it doesn't fix their problems or address their interests.  

I just don't believe this is what Americans want.   We'll see.  But I'm donating to Harris and voting for Harris, and I think she will win.

What I am also conceding is that Ruy Teixeira is right. Progressive Democrats brought some of this on ourselves with too much woke bullshit -  as centrist voters see it.  We certainly did not bring COVID, or COVIDflation, on ourselves.  I don't think Trump would have helped tens of millions of working class families with child tax credits, which is one of Harris's most popular policy ideas.  But I agree with Teixeira that the woke moment has passed.  Precisely because everyone is seeing and living the backlash on issues like immigration. We're going to have to adapt.  The closeness of this election and the backlash has given us a great reason to do that.

54 minutes ago, Suckrates said:

 

Sounds as if YOU and @Pete1111 have conceded to a Harris Loss ?      Dont run out of steam at the final hour Sis.....

It aint over till the cock CUMS.......

No way.  

Shoot your victory shot.

 

I only concede that after Harris wins and King Baby is in jail, we still know what we're up against.  

1 hour ago, stevenkesslar said:

Team Hitler, @Moses and @EmmetK

If I had to give a one word explanation for why Harris will win, it would be "Lichtman."  If I had to give a sentence, this is more an explanation of Lichtman:  "American voters won't trade a team that did a good enough job on fundamentals (The Keys) for an authoritarian felon they fired once already."

..and speaking of Lichtman, I watched Lichtman live tonight. 

I love the father/son dynamic Dr. Lichtman and his son have.

FYI they will be doing a marathon vlog live on Tuesday     ❤️

 

 

4 hours ago, Suckrates said:

Dont run out of steam at the final hour Sis.....

I'm just glad we haven't run out of Randy

 

7 hours ago, Suckrates said:

Dont run out of steam at the final hour Sis.....

Trump Defiant After Racist Joke: 'No President Has Done More for Puerto Rico Than I Have'

 

1 hour ago, Stable Genius said:

Trump Defiant After Racist Joke: 'No President Has Done More for Puerto Rico Than I Have'

 

 

This mutherfucker needs to "be taught a lesson".....😈😈😈

 

Early TRUMP voter exit interview........  What THEY believe...

Interviewer - So, who did you vote for ?

Voter - Trump, he's the man....

Interviewer - So, you are OK with him being a Dictator ?

Voter -  YUP, it wont affect ME !  

🤔🤔🤔🤔

Now Boebert denies being a carpet muncher:

Yahoo News

MAGA Star Lauren Boebert, 39, Addresses Explosive Lesbian...

Lauren Boebert has long cast herself as a “family values” crusader. Now, she’s facing a sworn complaint accusing the Trump-endorsed Colorado congresswoman of having inappropriate sexual relationships

JD Maybelline Vance traveling the country on the campaign trail BEGGING voters to give his party another 2 years "to fix everything that's broken", and to let them complete ALL the GREAT things things have done.....

GREAT ???? WHAT things ? War? High prices? ICE murders on American streets ?

Trump & Co are FAILURES, and now they are begging for MORE time to accomplish more Destruction and citizen pain...... they have NOTHING to run on.......

35 minutes ago, Suckrates said:

JD Maybelline Vance traveling the country on the campaign trail BEGGING voters to give his party another 2 years "to fix everything that's broken", and to let them complete ALL the GREAT things things have done.....

GREAT ???? WHAT things ? War? High prices? ICE murders on American streets ?

Trump & Co are FAILURES, and now they are begging for MORE time to accomplish more Destruction and citizen pain...... they have NOTHING to run on.......

Why isn't brain-dead biden out there on the campaign trail? His disposable diapers should save him from any potentially embarrassing moments.

This thread title should be changed to reflect the fact that it is the dummycrats that are the real idiots!

40 minutes ago, EmmetK said:

Why isn't brain-dead biden out there on the campaign trail? His disposable diapers should save him from any potentially embarrassing moments.

This thread title should be changed to reflect the fact that it is the dummycrats that are the real idiots!

45 minutes ago, EmmetK said:

This thread title should be changed to reflect the fact that it is the dummycrats that are the real idiots!

Stop trying to blame Trumps FAILURES on Biden. Biden was over 2 years ago..... THIS shit is ALL Trump, no matter how much you and your lunatic MAGAtards try to still blame Biden...... The jig is up..... Americans are on to you, Trump is a FAILURE and even YOU cant save him anymore. As for diapers, maybe Natalie can speak to that since SHE is the one that changes Trumps...... and his big, fat diapers are always on full display, sticking out thru his ill-fitting suits. The title of this thread is PERFECT just the way it is........