It's Happened Here
Had it been mere fiction, it would have been the darkest of dark comedies: A self-aggrandizing, celebrity billionaire, the star of a bad reality television show, decides to "up his brand" by seeking the office of the presidency. He never really expected to win, but as a former candidate his speaking fees would go through the roof. As always he was in it for the money. To the surprise of nearly everyone, he wins the primaries. Then, incredibly, he wins the general election. This was something else indeed. As president, the opportunity to make countless financial killings would be extraordinary. It reminded people who bother to pay attention to these things of the old line from H.L. Menken: "No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people." Today we're also reminded of the title of Sinclair Lewis' most famous novel: "It Can't Happen Here". It can happened here. It has.I cannot believe I'm writing this stuff.
It was only in the final ten days of the campaign that it finally dawned on me that he might be able to take the big prize. In spite of the appearance of the infamous, long-dormant Access Hollywood videotape, he seemed to be inexplicably gaining momentum. There was also the fact that his opponent was a terrible candidate. All of these realities made perfectly probable the election of the most grossly incompetent, psychologically deranged candidate in American history. It might have even been inevitable. Donald Trump is the end result of America's ferocious civic irresponsibly. He is the personification of what happens when the people are left to their own idiotic devices. That the process of free democratic elections must be maintained is without credible argument; but it sure as hell doesn't bode well for the future of this doomed republic.
That is the reason the electoral college has to be done away with. Until that happens, imbeciles like George W. Bush and Donald J. Trump are to be expected. It doesn't matter that they lost the popular vote. Those elections should have been landslides. That over a third of the country still mindlessly supports an uncouth moron like Trump is telling on too many levels to count. It really is quite funny when you think about it. Dark comedy indeed. Are you amused yet?
"We have met the enemy,
and they are us."
and they are us."
~
Walt Kelly's "Pogo"
The implosion is occurring before our eyes. Scores of administration officials have been fleeing like rats from this sinking ship. Vladimir Putin may be many things, but he's not an idiot. His goal was to weaken America by placing in the White House a genuine idiot - and quite possibly a paid agent in the service of his government. If I'm correct in my suspicions (and I believe that I am) this is the worst possible nightmare we could ever have dreamed of encountering. I'm not an advocate of the death penalty - and nothing is ever going to change that - but I think it is worth taking note of the fact that, sixty-five years ago in June, Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were strapped into the electric chair and executed for far less than (what it is becoming more-and-more apparent with each passing day) the president of the United States of America is culpable of. No misdemeanors here, kiddies. These are the highest of crimes.We're talking serious stuff here, campers.
As of this hour, we don't know all of the dirt that Special Council Robert Mueller has on this political thug, but what we do know should give us pause. And the fact that what is now apparent is only the proverbial tip of the iceberg is quite sobering. The coming year will prove to be catastrophic - not merely for the Trump administration - but for every man, woman and child who calls America "home". For the second time in my life, I will see a president removed from power in utter disgrace. Whether by resignation or impeachment, Donald Trump's hours as chief-executive are winding down. It might end this year, or perhaps early next. Whatever the scenario, it's a virtual certainty that, sometime in the very near future, we'll be dealing with President Mike Pence; a depressing thought, I know, but at least he's not certifiably insane - dumber than a sack of moldy grapes, yes, but not certifiably insane....or at least, I don't think he is. Let me get back to you on that one.
Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
SUGGSTED READING:
Mueller Has Trump & Company Pinned Down
by Jefferson Morley
This excellent piece was published early this morning on AlterNet's web page. A must-read if there ever was one.
https://www.alternet.org/muellers-wide-ranging-indictments-have-trump-co-pinned-down
tick....tock....tick....tock....
 |
| Tillerman |
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has been fired by Donald Trump. This is amazing. Although a piss-poor appointee to begin with (a former Exxon exec running the State Department? Are you freakin' kidding me???) the best that could be said of old Rex was, although he's the second worst secretary of state in American history, in the sea of utter incompetence and cluelessness that is the Trump administration, he was, at the very least, moderately adept at his job. Naturally - and for this reason alone - it was a foregone conclusion that the Donald would eventually give him the old heave-ho.
The wheels have now completely come off this disgusting administration. Are you finding this one/tenth as amusing as I am?
Early this morning, after nearly fourteen months on the job, Rex Tillerson FINALLY took a hard line on Russia. By mid-morning he was out of that job. I'm sure that it's all merely a coincidence, though.
Idiot Nation
posted by Tom Degan @ 10:02 AM
41 comments
41 Comments:
"He is the personification of what happens when the people are left to their own devices." ~ Mr. Degan
Truly. Perhaps we need more government control over the American people. Perhaps we should have the government "vet" the candidates so that only acceptable "big government" progressives can be eligible for our vote, regardless of whether they have a "D" or an "R" following their name. Right?
"His goal (Putin's) was to weaken America by placing in the White House a genuine idiot - and quite possibly a paid agent in the service of his government." ~ Mr. Degan
Good God. Have you moved on from alcohol and got a hold of J.G.'s stash of hallucinogenics sir? Putin never had the ability to actually sway the American election, let alone put that idiot in the White House. Any votes due to the very few Facebook and other "Russian-funded" schemes were probably absolutely minimal, if not entirely non-existent. You make it sound like Trump was a Russian plant that became their Manchurian candidate. Trump is a damned fool in so many ways, like his latest trade war he is embarking upon, but he is hardly a bought-and-paid-for puppet of Putin's. You simply feed into the hysteria and nonsense that further divides and destroys this country by repeating such rhetoric. In other words, you are doing PRECISELY what Putin wants by weakening America and our body politic. In other words, sir, you are acting as Putin's unwitting agent in this mess, with all due respect.
"it's a virtual certainty that, sometime in the very near future, we'll be dealing with President Mike Pence..."
To pull a rusty old saw from my dusty old toolbox, nothing is certain except death and taxes. And given this administration and the Congress that goes with it, even taxes aren't certain any more. Not if you're rich enough.
Yours very crankily,
The New York Crank
The Death penalty-loving, “Lügenpresse”-ranting, Orange Fuhrer and the Party of Trump with their legions of far Right bigots and ignorant stooges are tearing our country apart. Demeaning and vulgarizing the Oval Office is bad enough, but they are a great danger to domestic tranquility, equality, and justice.
Sometimes I envy Mr. Paine's sense of certainty. As in Trump is "hardly a bought-and-paid-for puppet of Putin's"
How does he know this?
Good question, since we have never been allowed to see his tax returns and documentation of his dealings with Russians. He's in a perfect blackmail situation with a porn star as it is. Why should we not suspect similar leverage from Putin? We KNOW Putin wanted Trump over Hillary. They even have billboards of the two of them in Russia. Does Mr. Paine know these facts?
Of course this no longer matters in the new "party of values", does it? I'm not sure what matters with them, other than their unifying hate for liberals, white nationalism, suspicion for minorities, paranoia of "big government", irrational fear of "gun grabbers" and authoritarian desire to deny women's reproductive rights and unchecked avarice.
Yes, the hate is palpable and deadly. White nationalist alt-right killers have left a trail of bodies in churches and schools. These people are not schizophrenics, but MAGA hat wearing haters.
We know Mr. Paine blames our "culture" for the violence, but can't see the deadly mixture of alt-right hate and firearms. He'd rather blame liberals, video games, and potheads or something. Until he admits to the growing hate, he will never understand.
The Parkland school shooter was a full hatted MAGAt, proud of his hate.
It's the hate, in case my point isn't clear. The MAGAt in the White House has brewed a culture of hate like this country has never seen.
It looks just like this:
"Alt-right group making violent threats against Berkeley bookstore"
http://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/video-alt-right-group-making-violent-threats-against-berkeley-bookstore/1012599041
“We’re gonna burn down your bookstore, just so you know that,” a man in a “Make America Great Again” hat screamed at bookstore employees.
The NRA has become a far Right voice of hate, openly attacking and demonizing liberals now. MAGAts and the Trump/NRA alliance are assuring the hate and deadly violence will continue. Of that, I am as certain as Mr. Paine is in his proclamation that Trump is under no influence from Putin.
"it's a virtual certainty that, sometime in the very near future, we'll be dealing with President Mike Pence..."
How many years has that prediction or the prediction of the GOP's demise been made on this site?
Talk about "dreamers"!
"Perhaps we need more government control over the American people." ~~ T. Paine
As opposed to the corporate control of the American people's government?
"Have you moved on from alcohol and got a hold of J.G.'s stash of hallucinogenics sir?" ~~ T. Paine
Impossible! I don't share -- unless it's somebody elses, "sir"... ;-)
"Putin never had the ability to actually sway the American election, let alone put that idiot in the White House." ~~ T. Paine
In today's world of networked electronic voting machines, how can you make such a claim? It wouldn't take much to tip an election one way or another. It's been proven.
I'm glad you agree he's an idiot.
"Trump is a damned fool in so many ways, like his latest trade war he is embarking upon, but he is hardly a bought-and-paid-for puppet of Putin's" ~~ T. Paine
The Congress and Supreme Court have been bought by corporate interests. What makes you so sure "that idiot" is immune from being on-the-take to Putin's oligarchy?
"You simply feed into the hysteria and nonsense that further divides and destroys this country by repeating such rhetoric." ~~ T. Paine
No, you've got it all wrong -- again. It's the corporatacracy and the resultant massive economic and judicial inequality that has divided and is destroying our republic. Why can't you figure that out?
Mr. Paine, due to your totally inaccurate and over-simplification of a very complex situation, please go to jail and do not collect your $200.
"...given this administration and the Congress that goes with it, even taxes aren't certain any more. Not if you're rich enough." ~~ The New York Crank
Nothing has been more obvious, to so many, and cared less about by those in power.
The plundering and looting of our nation's treasure and natural resources, and the taking away of our rights, continues in earnest under yet another Republican-controlled government. The race to the bottom persists -- and accelerates.
T. Paine, if you can't see by now that Putin DID influence our elections and that trump IS his puppet, you are wither, too stupid to walk among us, too naïve to be left alone, or you support the tin plated dictator wannabe currently squatting in the WH.
Which is it? Idiot, child, or traitor?
BTW, Trump is talking about being "president for life". Imagine Obama saying that.
"Imagine Obama saying that".
The moral relativism of con-servatism reveals itself in this simple statement. Few conservatives have the moral grounding to address this point.
If Obama had uttered 1% of the lies and hate spewing bile as Trump, he would NEVER have been elected. We all know this, too. Even TP and his sidekick MajorMAGAt know it, but won't admit it. They are far too authoritarian in nature to do so.
Besides, it doesn't matter in the least.
IOKIYAR.
This is the law of the land. Just like "It's OK if you are a Nazi" was in the Third Reich.
As we learned from Mr. Paine, "Trump is a damned fool in so many ways", but he is still a "stable president".
Does anyone remember when they gave the Black Guy such such deference?
I rest my case.
Just don't call them white nationalists. For they are all "very fine people". In fact, the fascists at Townhall are now declaring their cult to be the "normal Americans". This is the Trumpist equivalent of "Aryan supermen" and "subhuman mongrels" embraced by the Nazis.
Hell, yes! American fascism is here, and it is NOT going away.
Tom
How many times in the past 3 years have you predicted the end of the GOP?
How many times in the past 15 months have you predicted Trump wouldn't last his first term?
So Mozart, tell us how the Putin influence caused the Trump victory.
This political mess is the fault of the American people and their selfish, greedy, stupid character.
Look how Toilet Paper defends Trump as a stable fool, just the man we need for president. There were what - 16 Republicans running for the Republican nomination for president and they not only picked Trump, but with a fervor that we haven't seen since the 1849 gold rush.
I for one, wasn't surprised at all, especially given the people's choices for president and Congressional leaders over the last 60 years. Trump's character was not a surprise to the American people and certainly not by national election day.
When is Mueller going to spring his trap? I would not bet that Trump will be out of office within the year, or even before his term is up. There is a huge mess to go through before we get Trump removed for office, and don't expect Trump to resign like Nixon did.
Sinclair Lewis never wrote "When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in a flag." In fact, my search could find no one person attributable to that saying. It's believed that saying is a paraphrasing of the following:
This observation appeared in John Thomas Flynn’s As We Go Marching, published in 1944:
But when fascism comes it will not be in the form of an anti-American movement or pro-Hitler bund, practicing disloyalty. Nor will it come in the form of a crusade against war. It will appear rather in the luminous robes of flaming patriotism; it will take some genuinely indigenous shape and color, and it will spread only because its leaders, who are not yet visible, will know how to locate the great springs of public opinion and desire and the streams of thought that flow from them and will know how to attract to their banners leaders who can command the support of the controlling minorities in American public life. The danger lies not so much in the would-be Fuhrers who may arise, but in the presence in our midst of certainly deeply running currents of hope and appetite and opinion. The war upon fascism must be begun there.
Mr. Paine, the very next sentence in the section you quoted above specifically said that tampering with the f, democratic election process was unthinkable.
I'm waiting for the "conservative" elements like Clucky to come out and say that since the GOP decided not to continue "investigating" it means Trump is innocent.
You KNOW it's coming.
Mueller is doing it exactly right. He KNOWS he's got Trump for Obstruction, so he's putting that aside for the time being so he can get the entire collusion case included. The GOP KNOWS most of their congress is complicit, so they ended the "investigation" before they were forced to admit it.
"Putin DID influence our elections and that trump IS his puppet."
Drivel.
THank you Clucky, for that insightful and deeply intelligent comment. It brings us back to the debates, when your hero interrupted every 2 minutes with "Wrong" but was unable or unwilling to elaborate.
He's fired ANOTHER staffer, this time Rex Tillerson, who was NOT fired for calling him a "fucking moron", but was fired when he disagreed with El Duce over N. Korea.
I hope Trump goes and they put the fucking moron in prison there. I'd be willing to send the nukes then. (wink)
Mr. Mozart it amazes me that you think Trump colluded with the Russians despite no credible public evidence being shared to corroborate that "fact" and yet you think there was no evidence at all to support Hillary's corruption in Bengahzi, Uranium One, and the private email scandals. I guess some partisanship sees only what it wishes to see.
Mozart,
Like you would know an "insightful and deeply intelligent comment" even if it kicked you in the head.
NEW YORK — Jonathan M. Winer, the Obama State Department official who acknowledged regularly interfacing and exchanging information with the author of the largely discredited 35-page anti-Trump dossier, signed disclosure forms for his former firm to represent a Russian billionaire known as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s favorite oligarch.
Collusion?
Toilet Paper, after the Republican led Benghazi investigation (for over a year) ended the Republicans said there were no charges against Clinton, nor did they find any wrong doing on Clinton's part. The Republicans did say, publicly, the the investigation was to suppress Clinton's numbers at the polls. Leave it to a dishonest political hack like you to accuse Clinton without any evidence after your own party said there was nothing there. Mueller is not done with his investigation yet, but you support your Putin loving Trump.
Toilet Papre, were there WMD's in Iraq?
Toilet Paper, did the Clintons have Vince Foster Killed?
Mr. Paine, by you responding in a mature and polite manner to the Liberals who insult you repeatedly here makes me respect you. They may not know it but you are killing them with kindness! Having the wrong political views is one thing but having character is another.
Woodenman1954,
I agree Mr. Paine is a gentleman. Although he did have a particularly high tolerance for his sidekick calling me "Commie Dave". ;-)
I was soon after asked to leave, so that made it OK.
It amazes me that Mr. Paine thinks Trump didn’t colluded with the Russians, despite the lies from his stooges about contacts with Russians. Their lies to the FBI resulted in numerous indictments. Flynn was seated NEXT to Putin at a dinner, but Mr. Paine gives him the benefit of the doubt, too. Imagine if that were Obama or his national security adviser. HA. IOKIYAR. We get it.
Start with, “Russia, if you’re listening...” and add the rest up. Mr. Paine and the Trumpists take Trump at his word that this was a “joke”. Obviously the Russians were not so gullible.
Not only must Mr. Paine ignore Trump’s appeal to the Russians, he ignores the lies about contacts with Russians. Mr. Paine also ignores Don Jr. getting excited about meeting Russians for dirt on Hillary. This is exactly what collusion is. IOKIYAR. Nothing to see here...if you are willfully blind.
“No puppet! No puppet!”, from the man hiding his tax records from the public while being incapable of making a single negative comment about Putin.
“No, I don't think it's a witch hunt,” former Trump aid Sam Nunberg told ABC News. “It's warranted because there's a lot there and that's the sad truth.”
Mr. Paine sees nothing suspicious.
On the other hand, no evidence was found against Hillary by all the Republican inquisitions. Who cares, amirite?
Mr. Paine seems to have all the information needed to lock her up. He and Trump, that is.
That’s all it takes for the authoritarian personality. “Guilty, because I hate her, and I FEEEL she’s guilty.” This self-righteous hate trumps the Constitution and due process of law.
Good enough for con-servatives. I'll wait for for a conviction before I chant, "Lock her up!". We liberals are such bleeding hearts.
Meanwhile the rampant corruption of the Trumpists I noted above goes unnoticed to the authoritarian mind.
”I guess some partisanship sees only what it wishes to see.”
Mr. Paine is certainly correct on this.
Fun Fascism Fact: Mussolini’s 33 year old Foreign Minister was his son-in-law!
Remind you of anyone? Anyone at all?
James, are you referring to the following comment directed at Tom Degan?
"Have you moved on from alcohol and got a hold of J.G.'s stash of hallucinogenics sir?"
Yes, very mature and polite...and most "gentlemanly"! ;-)
James, if I didn't know better, I'd swear Mr. Paine or his very challenged sidekick hacked your account.
Woodenman, I know you get it my friend. You are one of the mature adults with the decency to discuss even contentious issues without resorting to sophomoric and vile behavior. I wish there were more folks like you on both the right and left. Perhaps then we could at least discuss and debate issues and maybe even find common ground to develop acceptable solutions to some of our nation's troubles.
You can be assured that I have great respect for your integrity and character too James. (That said, I still hope to persuade you away from the dark side of the force and over to the conservative side some day! You would make a great ally for good, my friend! lol!) :)
"...it was a foregone conclusion that the Donald would eventually give [Rex Tillerson] the old heave-ho.
The wheels have now completely come off this disgusting administration. Are you finding this one/tenth as amusing as I am?" ~~ Tom Degan
Tom, this is by far the most inept, most incompetent, most dishonest and most corrupt administration in the history of our republic.
Although I laugh each and every day over the antics of this clown, another side of me fears for the survival of this nation. I seek meaningful progressive change that permits true equality and justice for all, but we're heading down the darkest and most sinister path of corporate state fascism.
A demagogue like Donald Trump is the culmination of the very worst this up-to-now inverted totalitarianism has offered. Trump's the racist xenophobic white nationalist who connects the fascism of the past with the corporate variety that has operated mostly in the shadows the last few decades.
This is when things start getting very, very dangerous.
"The rich specificity of the emerging Trump-Russia narrative, found in the indictments of special prosecutor Robert Mueller, is now smothering the president’s defenses, overwhelming his counterattacks and depriving him of options and friends. No wonder Trump is in a terrible mood." ~~ AlterNet, March 12, 2018
Thank you for the link, Tom, and let's not forget that Stephanie Clifford's deadline has come-and-gone and her attorney has proclaimed "enough".
The revelations are sure to come, in what -- combined with Meuller's soon to be revealed high crimes and misdemeanors -- may be known as the "perfect Stormy Daniels". LOL
Poor, poor trump and his erstwhile supporters grasping at any possible lifeline spinning and spewing their lies and fabrications into one giant obfuscating ball. Ben fucking Ghazi such a staggering loss of life and treasure no wonder the republicans were so livid. They would never allow such a dishonorable occurrence to happen on their watch what with their fiscal probity and gold plated foreign policy chops. These paragons left us Iraq, dumbfucks, if any thing needs investigating how about Iraq, the party of stupid focuses on Benghazi. Trillions wasted in Iraq can any conservative tell me the price tag in Libya you fiscal fucknuts. The stupid it burns like a gas flare in the desert!!!
Poor, poor trump and his erstwhile supporters grasping at any possible lifeline spinning and spewing their lies and fabrications into one giant obfuscating ball. Ben fucking Ghazi such a staggering loss of life and treasure no wonder the republicans were so livid. They would never allow such a dishonorable occurrence to happen on their watch what with their fiscal probity and gold plated foreign policy chops. These paragons left us Iraq, dumbfucks, if any thing needs investigating how about Iraq, the party of stupid focuses on Benghazi. Trillions wasted in Iraq can any conservative tell me the price tag in Libya you fiscal fucknuts. The stupid it burns like a gas flare in the desert!!!
"I'll wait for for a conviction before I chant, 'Lock her up!'"~ Mr. Dubya
I have no doubt about that, Dave. I do, however, think it is implied that you are already chanting "Lock HIM up!", sir.
Again and again... and again... please note that I have stated that I think Mueller's investigation should continue to its conclusion and that if there is credible evidence of Trump colluding with the Russians more than a throw-away joke ("If you're listening...") then I think he should indeed be impeached, removed from office, and then lawfully prosecuted. If only militant leftists would hold Democrats similarly responsible!
I have no desire to provide cover for anyone if they are guilty of such crimes. That said, I always find it interesting how militant leftists suddenly become concerned about law and order and our government's spending once they are no longer in office, sir.
Mr. Froghair, as is typically the case, it is the cover up that is often most disturbing with Bengahzi. There are credible sources that detail what Ambassador Stevens and Secretary Clinton were doing with arms shipments via Libya to Syria there. Regardless, an attack on an American consulate and the killing of a U.S. ambassador is an act of war. If you would slow down for a moment and consider the geo-political ramifications of that incident, perhaps you wouldn't be so dismissive of it, sir.
As for Iraq, there were tons of asinine mistakes made there by Bush and then by Obama. That said, there were justifications for our international coalition's intervention there, including an assassination attempt on former President Bush. There were also unaccounted for WMD's there that inspectors could not find. The pro-longed and telegraphed build up of military intervention allowed Saddam to move and hide those remaining stockpiles. Some intelligence sources state that they were moved to Syria. Some small stockpiles of canisters of Ricin were discovered in Iraq regardless.
Despite all of this, our foolish and dangerous rules of engagement, inadequate troop numbers, poor planning for winning the peace after the fact, and then the precipitous draw-down of troops that created a power vacuum subsequently occupied by ISIS were all horrific consequences of politicians from both parties not listening to their intelligence operatives and military commanders in the field. There is culpability to be shared by both of our idiot parties, sir, that caused far greater loss of life than was necessary.
Remind you of anyone? Anyone at all?
Reminds me of Mozart.
Woodenman, I agree with your comments about Mr. Paine, I only wish I were able to be half the gentleman as he shows himself to be. I also have found you to be a liberal vs a leftist. I can debate and work with a liberal, because they and Conservatives many times share the same goal, just different means to achieve the goal.
The posts by Mozart, Davy (Tom's name, not mine) jG and the others who have posted in response to your post are leftist, they do not share the goals of liberals and conservatives. After all as Tom claims "Welcome to The Rant! Your very own electronic cesspool of naughty, left wing propaganda." Not liberal but left wing. Says it all.
I wonder if Mr. Paine or his faithful sidekick MajorMAGAt can explain these facts away:
1.
Mr. Paine says Iran has no need for nuclear power. Like Iran, the Saudis want nuclear power and our Republican friends want to help. After all, the Saudis don't have all that oil, amirite?
2.
Now that the sycophantic Republican traitors of the House have closed their investigation, we have this released by the loyal opposition:
“The minority staff of the House intelligence committee released the following report on Tuesday evening. On Monday, the committee's majority announced that it had concluded its inquiry into possible Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. election.”
"the Committee has learned... candidate Trump’s private business was actively negotiating a business deal in Moscow with a sanctioned Russian bank during the election period"
https://lawfareblog.com/document-house-intelligence-committee-minority-russia-investigation-status-report
Where are all the clear thinking conservatives when we need them?
Bonus points to win for Mr. Paine and MajorMAGAt:
https://www.rawstory.com/2018/01/trump-russian-tv-host-celebrates-white-house-refuses-enforce-new-sanctions/
‘Trump is ours again!’ Russian TV host celebrates after White House refuses to enforce new sanctions
Russia’s state television channel seems to be happy with President Donald Trump’s decision to not enforce sanctions against Russia that were overwhelmingly approved by both houses of Congress.
Julia Davis, who runs the Russian Media Monitor website, reports via Twitter that Russian TV show host Olga Skabeeva on Tuesday was positively gushing about the White House’s decision to not enforce new sanctions against her country.
“Seemingly, Trump is ours again,” said Skabeeva, according to Davis’ translation. “So far, he’s being quiet and not supporting the sanctions.”
Co-host Evgeny Popov seemingly agreed and told her, “Well, it seems that way.”
Dave, the Russian media is very much controlled by and is nearly a defacto part of their government. It is only slightly less controlled than it was during the cold war when Pravda was the media voice of the government. It is ironically not all that different than what the mainstream media has become here as willing accomplices of big progressive government.
Anyway, I would not be surprised if Russian media would be working hand-in-glove with the Putin regime to sow discord here in America, sir.
By the way, as I have also mentioned in the past, Iran's quest for nuclear "energy" that has been given tacit approval by many nations more concerned with greed than by reigning in a dangerous and terroristic regime, is cause for other Middle Eastern nations to also start seeking nuclear "energy" in an arms race created by the pernicious Kerry/Obama deal with Iran. Saudi Arabia, being a largely Sunni nation absolutely has stated that they want such weapons as a counter-balance to the largely Shia nation of Iran. Funny that you don't recall that fact that I have mentioned on more than one occasion, sir.
Last, I don't hold out any congressional committees getting to the bottom of anything of substance regardless of which party controls congress. The fact is that Hillary's campaign helped sponsor the false dossier from Steele with all sorts of nefarious Russian involvement, long before such charges of collusion came regarding the Trump camp. I think Putin is laughing his ass off at the discord and chaos he has caused in our government because of all of this.
When did MajorMAGAt become dictator, and given the sole power to define Liberal and Left? He is trying divide us, of course. He thinks we’re too stupid to know this.
Has anyone noticed that Tillerson was fired shortly after agreeing that Russians were behind the spy poisoning? Can't have any anti-Russia talk from Putin's Potomac Administration, can we?
I will let Mr. Paine defend his war. I will let him dishonestly try to blame the Black Guy as much as the man who LIED and STARTED the war. This is the best a pro-war true-believer mindset can imagine. It’s amusing how someone who trusted and believed Cheney would think he’s not on the dark side. That is exactly the term MR. TORTURE used.
We see Mr. Paine obediently regurgitates Trump’s lie that the invitation for Russia to interfere in our election as a “joke”. Mr. Paine can buy the lie and laugh all he wants, but the Russians took it seriously.
This makes me wonder how many of Trump’s lies he has swallowed. Not once have I seen Mr. Paine condemn Trump for being a liar. Why is this? It is the authoritarian follower’s way to not question authoritarian leaders.
He wonders when “militant leftists” would demand accountability from Democrats. They do. And they sure as HELL would do so if a Democrat invited Russia into our elections!!!
The militant, angry, authoritarian far Right are the greatest hypocrites to walk the planet. Look at how their religious leaders give Dear Leader a pass on his vile words and behavior. Yes, it must all be a “joke”, amirite? IOKIYAR. We get it.
Mr. Paine cares not to acknowledge the trail of lies about contacts with Russians. Mr. Paine cares not to acknowledge the indictments. Mr. Paine thinks the investigation is about “collusion”. It is not. It is about Russian interference in our election.
“Collusion” is not a legal term. Conspiracy is, and that is EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.
Obstruction of Justice is a legal term, and that is EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.
There is NO DOUBT that Trump’s people attempted to conspire with Russians to defeat Hillary.
There is NO DOUBT that Trump was engaged in business with Russians while running for president.
There is NO DOUBT that Trump refuses to release his tax records.
There is NO DOUBT that Trump gushed with praise for Putin, as he refuses to admit Russian interference.
There is NO DOUBT that Trump refuses to implement sanctions voted by a congressional majority.
There is NO DOUBT that the House Republicans are protecting their Authoritarian Leader from oversight.
There is NO DOUBT that the Republican Party has abandoned their Constitutional duty of oversight, and has chosen to protect their Leader instead of our country.
We all know damn well if Obama had done a tenth of this, there is NO DOUBT Mr. Paine would be howling “Lock him up!”
The radical Right wants to STILL keep putting Hillary up as their target of hate, and distraction from their corruption, treason, and evil they protect.
Dave, in your case Paine dropped the ball. Chuck should of been censored or banned but Paine was not strong enough.
The 21st century has not been good to the the US, we have had three presidents in a row that has harmed the country in different ways. We are in such a precarious position that any number of calamities could happen at any time. With an endless stream of idiotic actions coming from our civilian and military leadership you would think they all are eating from lead plates.
JG, I do not know about you but I thought Paine's line about your stash was the funniest damn line I ever read on the Rant. Who knew Conservatives had a sense of humor?
I guess I am a bad Liberal because I am able to defend a Conservative and criticize Liberals when I see fit.
Other than that I do not think you ever wrote a line that I disagree with, politically these are very possibly the end times. That is exciting and scary at the same time.
"...jG and the others who have posted in response to your post are leftist, they do not share the goals of liberals and conservatives." ~~ Majormajor (aka Chuck)
Chuck, I assume those shared "goals" are the propagation of the corporatacracy and the corporate state?
Yeah, you're right -- Republicans and Democrats are proponents of this, along with the permanent war economy. But you already know this.
That's why I'm no longer affiliated with either wing of the "corporate party".
James, I have my doubts whether Mr. Paine was taking a stab at injecting humor into the discussion. He was taking a jab at Tom because of his belief that he drinks too much while writing, while at the same time taking a potshot at me due to my stance that cannabis should not be illegal and users not criminalized.
As you observed, conservatives rarely have a sense of humor. The fact there are few professional comedians of the rightwing persuasion provides ample evidence of this. Lefties inherited the humor gene; rightwingers the authoritarian one. Both traits rarely exist in the same organism.
James, you're not a "bad liberal" -- just a bad judge of character. ;-)
For the eternal record: in 12 years and 771 different pieces, I have only written one of them while under the influence of alcohol. That was on December 29, 2006. So intoxicated was I, I decided to leave it as is; a reminder not to drink and write. Jack Kerouac and Hunter Thompson I ain't. Here's a link to read it if you please:
https://tomdegan.blogspot.com/2006/12/last-refuge-of-scoundrels.html
Have a grand day!
Would MajorMAGAt care to explain his statement about liberals and leftists now that Woodenman has agreed with JG? LOL!!!!
You guys and your cult amaze me. Crickets expected.
Mr. Paine did his best to weasel out of his lame “Iran doesn’t need nuclear power because they have oil”, but the Saudis legitimately need nuclear power. You just can’t expect these guys to make sense. You can’t believe them either. If you do, you surrender your free will and mind to a cult.
It (Russian media) is ironically not all that different than what the mainstream media has become here as willing accomplices of big progressive government.
Thanks, Rush, I mean Mr. Paine. No evidence cited, as usual. You seem to think we are just too stupid to remember the same media regurgitated “Dark Side” Cheney’s LIES about Iraq, ignored reporting policy issues in favor of Trump sensationalism and obsessed over Hillary’s emails. Yes, your BIG LIE ignores these and countless more facts.
As I’ve noted, this is the primary Big Lie of con-servatism. No coincidence it was the Big Lie of Nazis. Anyone who is not goose-stepping with their ideology is attacked, as they ignore or support the truly dishonest propaganda machinery of the radical Right.
Note for example Mr. Paine has not one word of criticism for Trump’s policy advisers Hannity and FOX and Friends. Hypocrisy? You bet. His authoritarian master war monger and torture fan Cheney insisted on FOX being on the screen in all of his hotel rooms.
Trump and FOX (R) are as tight as, or tighter, than Putin and his media, but IOKIYAR. Isn’t that right, Mr. Paine?
The German Nazis used the term “Lügenpresse”, or lying press, in their campaign to destroy journalism. Now American fascists cry “liberal media” and “fake news” when the truth threatens their agenda.
These are the devoted authoritarian fanatics of the fascist Right that have risen to frightening levels of influence in their war on our Constitution’s regulation of commerce and provision for the general welfare. They actively suppress voter rights, democracy, a free press, science, education, unions and minorities. Sounds like the Dark Side all the way.
What needs to be emphasized is their goal is nothing less than a one-party dictatorship. Now they have it. And like typical fascists they MUST scapegoat and blame everyone else as they dishonor our country and swindle the American people.
Mr. Paine and his sidekick MajorMAGAt will ignore all of my “NO DOUBT” points. All of them.
They MUST ignore them. They don’t conform to their cult beliefs, which are held as tightly as their religion. Mr. Paine and Randroid Paul Ryan are Catholics. That’s fine. But they are also far Right authoritarian true believers of all their Big Lies as the urge corporate government to strip benefits from the poor and coddle the rich. That blatant hypocrisy reminds me of Hitler’s army and their “God with us” motto.
MajorMAGAt is one of the most hateful and dishonest so-called Christians one can find. Note every Klansman is also a “Christian” and “very fine people” marched with Nazis. Trump’s “favorite book” is the Bible too. This is what they believe.
Of this, there is NO DOUBT.
It's amazing how Toilet Paper can ignore facts of any issue in favor of his false conspiracy theory opinions.
People can take the same facts and come to a different conclusion, but using false facts and unfounded accusations as Toilet Paper does to make his case, is as dishonest as it gets, especially when he writes about the issues on a regular basis. Toilet Paper never answers questions directly because he cannot, because he doesn't know a thing about what he's talking about. That is not a mature response to debate and discussion under anyone's definition. Lying is not a polite stance by anyone's definition.
I don't need to pull Toilet Paper's quotes of nastiness towards the commenters here on Tom's blog, we have all read them and been the victim of his immature statements. Woodman's comment is pure falsehoods.
Toilet Paper calls citizens who practice their legal rights, as murderers. That's not polite, or mature, but it is a nasty lie.
Toilet Papers position on WND's in Iraq are proven false statements and Toilet Paper has no provable evidence to back up his false statements, only his delusional, conspiracy theory opinions.
Bush's own Amb. Wilson told his president there were no yellow cake sales, or a nuclear program inside Iraq. That didn't line up with Bush's lies about mushroom clouds, so the Bush administration decided to publicly attack Wilson and his wife to try and discredit him. In attacking his wife the Bush administration outed Mrs. Wilson as a covert CIA operative. A treasonous act. The Bush administration went to the UH and had Colin Powell give false evidence to the world about Saddam's nuclear capability. It was proven by the US Army (after a 2 year search of Iraq) that there were no WMD's in Iraq and president Bush finally, publicly admitted that fact.
There is much more evidence, but it's sad we have to continue to list the facts against those who want to continue to lie about the truth, like Toilet Paper.
I do not have to accept Toilet Paper's lies, nor do I have to treat him with respect when he continues to be nothing but a liar and I have zero respect for Toilet Paper when he calls citizens practicing their rights as murderers.
Hey JG I like you to read this article and give me your opinion. I think we are very close to doing something catastrophic and nobody is thinking of the consequences.
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/48960.htm
James, I think Alastair Crooke is signaling a dire warning. The very sad prospect is you're right -- nobody within the traditional power structure is thinking about the consequences or ramifications. Honestly I don't believe the neocons, who are again firmly in power and running foreign policy, give a rat's ass.
I've believed for several years that the U.S. government is itching for a war with Russia -- notwithstanding the fear of BRICS. They know the collapse of the U.S. Dollar is imminent unless drastic action is taken to stop the "R" and the "C" in the acronym. Before that though, they have their sights on the "I". It's a race to see who circles the drain last.
We may be witness to the end of civilization as we know it. Very sobering, isn't it?
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