The Party of Putin is finally scrambling to whitewash their fealty to Putin and their dependence on Russian/NRA money. The only way for any semblance of American democracy to survive will be for Republicans to repudiate both Putin and Trump.
We won’t be holding our breath for the latter, but finally Trump’s idol has revealed his true darkness and evil.
There shouldn’t be any more lies about Trump not having ties to Russian banks and other business deals in the works. Clearly the Russian mob and their dirty money were welcomed in Trump Tower.
When Trump’s sycophantic Lindsay Graham calls for the “Caesar Solution” for Putin, we know Republicans’ love for Putin has taken a turn.
And I don't think there will be sales bump of those "I'd rather be Russian than a Democrat" t-shirts.
Ukraine is paying a terrible cost for standing against Putin. His nuclear weapons are his leverage for his bloody war to make Russia great again.
The US will also be suffering the consequences of Putin’s “war by other means” against us for years to come.
Putin won his war by other means against Britain when he helped push them into Brexit.
If you want to call this “genius”, then be sure to add “diabolical” to the word.
Lately I'm thinking Putin gave Trump his marching orders in Helsinki. The world saw the Big MAGAt standing with bowed head, and siding with Putin against our intelligence agencies.
It's not a stretch to assume more instructions were given in their secret meetings. He would know what would work best to divide and disempower the United States.
I’m convinced Putin likely told Trump to do him the following “favors”:
Let him have Ukraine.
Extort Ukraine to support his reelection.
Blame Ukraine instead of Russia for interfering in the 2016 election.
Call Democrats communists.
And to NEVER admit to losing the 2020 election.
This has to be Putin's favorite tool to destabilize and cripple American democracy.
Whether
by specific instructions or just suggestions, Putin got his way with Trump.
Posts
54 comments:
Tell us something we did not know.
Anonymous,
Thanks for adding nothing.
In the past 13 years..
Who was the President the last time Russia attacked Ukraine?
What was their party?
Who was the President when Russian didn't attack Ukraine?
What was their party?
Who is the President now when Russia is attacking Ukraine?
What is their party?
Who keeps buying oil from Russia, funding their war on Ukraine?
https://www.informationclearinghouse.info/57011.htm
For the first time in its history NATO is in full mobilization against Russia, looks like WW3 is starting soon.
Anonymous,
This your final comment as Anonymous.
Who was president when Ukraine revolted against the pro-Putin president represented by Trump crony Paul Manifort?
How many Trump cronies worked for Putin and his toadies?
Who was the president who said nothing when on 24 April 2019, Putin issued an executive order fast-tracking the process for obtaining Russian citizenship for residents of the disputed Donbas territories?
Trump had no objection to Putin's seizure of the Donbas, as Obama did when he took Crimea.
Woody,
It seems as if Putin is justifying NATO's existence all over again. Yes, the US was flexing its influence, as always. Neither US hands nor Putin's hands are clean. Still Putin is the aggressor. He mistakenly thought Trump had weakened all of NATO's resolve. He was NEVER under any direct threat of military invasion.
He's been seizing Ukraine all along. He realizes he can't do that to any NATO country.
Dave, you think it is worth starting a would war rather than giving Russia the national security they want? Is having Ukraine in NATO worth a nuclear war?
Woody,
No. But appeasement always leads to more aggression. Isolating Russia is the sane course.
If Putin thinks seizing an unwilling Ukraine is worth starting a nuclear war, HE is the problem. I hope Russians take him out.
He has justified the purpose of NATO, fairly or unfairly, like it or not.
I guess you did not read the article, there are Two sides to this story. The U.S has been the aggressor with the coup in Ukraine and militarizing all the surrounding NATO countries.
If we stayed out of Russia's back yard this would not have happened.
The same scenario will happen next with Taiwan, the U.S. is hopelessly addicted to confrontation and war.
Why is the US the aggressor and not Putin? Isn't war the ultimate aggression?
I know both sides of the story. I supported the idea Ukraine shouldn't join NATO and left neutral, without US or Russian control. Ironically, not being in NATO is the reason they'e been invaded. Nobody will help them.
One side is clearly more evil. Body counts matter.
I'm not arguing that the US is not a belligerent power. The govt. dances to the tunes of capitalists who want everything.
But Russia was NOT threatened. FEELING threatened is not justification for a war of aggression.
Putin was the aggressor in Donbas and the imperialist in Crimea. He damn well would have taken them even if his stooge wasn't overthrown. And the US didn't make that happen on its own. There was massive Ukrainian support.
I told you he wanted all of Ukraine. Now he's taking it, and it is NOT what Ukraine wants.
Now he is vicious dictator attacking a people and country that was NO threat to him.
Nobody owes him anything for the Soviet Union collapsing. To hell with him. He attacked our election in 2016 and got Trump to lie for him. As I said, to hell with him. Maybe WE should feel threatened by HIM?
It was stupid and naive of the first Bush administration to promise no NATO expansion. They should have considered the likelihood of a thug like Putin becoming a dictator.
If he sees the US as a threat, he has more than enough nuclear subs off our shores to wipe us out. Isn't that quite enough to "feel threatened"?
Should we start WW III over feeling threatened? No. And neither should he over Ukraine.
You're bamboozled if you think he's a pure innocent. He's a war criminal. This has always been about his desire for land and power. NOT security.
Do you really think Ukraine would invade Russia? Would you believe they's want to let the US start a war with Putin on their border? Not frickin likely.
And the US wouldn't invade Russia from Ukraine either. We're not threatening to invade Kalingrad from Poland. We're not threatening to invade Russia from Estonia or Latvia. And we were not threatening to invade from Ukraine.
What would you tell the Ukrainians? "Shut up and submit to Putin", won't go over well.
Where's your condemnation of the man murdering them by the thousands?
Bush/Cheney lied and said we were threatened by Saddam and started a war over it. It was wrong then, and what Putin is doing is wrong now.
Humans are somehow programmed for self-annihilation by allowing authoritarian rulers to lord over them.
First it was, "Let Hitler have the Rhineland." Then it was "Let Hitler have the Sudetenland." Then it was "Let Hitler have Austria and Czechoslovakia".
How well did that all work out?
Are you saying the world should just let every dictator take any country he wants if it shares a border and has the power to do it?
That appeasement would fail. Just like "Peace in our time" did with Hitler.
I think you have a few things out of place, Putin would never have taken Crimea if if the pro Russian government was not overthrown. There was no reason for it at all.
Putin is not taking over Ukraine, he is destroying the military and its bases to insure that they will no longer be able to attack the western part of Ukraine any more. He might insist on a new government as Zelensky is a U.S. puppet. He is making sure they never become part of NATO also.
"Should we start WW III over feeling threatened? No. And neither should he over Ukraine"
Every war the U.S got into after WW2 we did not feel threatened!
The U.S. played a big part in the reasons Russia went into Afghanistan, OBL was one of them. Same thing with Syria, Russia did not want another U.S. controlled country near them so they wiped out all the U.S. paid insurgents.
Now they are fighting another war because the U.S. wants a hostile country on Russia's border. The U.S. would not stand for Mexico to become a hostile Russian puppet state either.
Like it or not China, Russia and the U.S. all want a sphere of influence in their back yard but the U.S. thinks only they have that right, Russia is proving them wrong.
Woody,
It was the west's diplomatic failures and breeches of promise on NATO that make them culpable for inflaming tensions. Damn right it was provocative. But Ukraine was not hostile as in being an eminent military threat.
Encircling a country with an invasion force is both provocative and an eminent military threat. I told you he wouldn't be content with just Crimea and Donbas.
I would hope the West would let those areas vote, with UN election inspecters, to separate themselves from Ukraine as a peace deal. It's probably too late for any deal. Putin needs to be eliminated. The west was provocative, but he alone is the major threat, brandishing his nukes. This is intolerable.
I'm sorry you take Putin's side after his invasion. War is evil, and men who start wars are evil, even if they "feel threatened". This is the same failed ethos of "pre-emptive war".
"It was self defense, officer. I felt threatened." This is the new loophole in Gun Nut America, and now it applies to powerful countries and authoritarian leaders.
Let's take your example and say Putin was present in Mexico.
First of all, Mexico is NOT our "back yard". It is our neighbor's yard. Invading Mexico for the same paranoid reason of "feeling threatened" would be as evil as Putin's invasion.
Murdering tens or hundreds of thousands of Mexicans would NEVER be the moral or practical solution. Borders are borders, and no nation should have the right or power to dictate what goes on across non-hostile borders, especially by brute force of arms.
It may not be how it works, but we have to understand what is right and wrong, just and unjust.
I think Putin was wrong to invade Ukraine, killing thousands of people is a sin. I was pointing out that the U.S. and Nato has responsibility for this situation also. The MSM only blames Russia, we could have avoided it if we wanted to.
A look at the other side, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIW-IacnviQ
Woody,
OK, Putin is a sinner. A very, very, bad, evil sinner, and war criminal, since his “special military operation" was sent to "disarm and de-nazify" Ukraine. His false flag was hoisted with "requests" from his Donbas separatist cronies to "repel" an invasion by Ukraine.
Surprise. Putin is also a liar.
You're right about corporate media not telling the whole story. They're doing their corporatist duty to show their corporate bias in just about every issue, from the environment, climate change, energy, the war on drugs, crime, and most domestic and foreign policy.
Here's a good article that covers much of what we're talking about:
https://fair.org/home/calling-russias-attack-unprovoked-lets-us-off-the-hook/
I think Zelensky is an idiot, he has zero chance to win a war with Russia so all he is doing is prolonging the fighting.
He asks the U.S. for no fly zones, jet fighters and all sorts of things that will have the U.S. go to war with Russia.
The best thing he could do is surrender and sign the papers, he can do it now or two weeks from now after thousands more lose their lives.
Are there any other idiots who'd better just surrender to Putin before they are invaded?
Putin has reversed his and Trump's dream of disbanding NATO, and has justified its purpose now.
He is an evil dictator, you know. The blood is on his hands alone.
If you think he's justified for "feeling threatened", then we are justified to nuke him.
Madness, paranoia and lust for power. That is what he's all about.
I told you he wanted all of Ukraine...and more.
LONDON (Reuters) -Russia has told Ukraine it is ready to halt military operations "in a moment" if Kyiv meets a list of conditions, the Kremlin spokesman said on Monday.
Dmitry Peskov said Moscow was demanding that Ukraine cease military action, change its constitution to enshrine neutrality, acknowledge Crimea as Russian territory, and recognise the separatist republics of Donetsk and Lugansk as independent states.
Losing this war is not an option for Putin so he will take to what ever lengths it takes to win.
His conditions are not that onerous but the U.S. is considering sending planes and maybe troops to fight in Ukraine.
Weapons and men are pouring into Ukraine from 10 to 15 nations, if Putin starts feeling trapped all hell will break loose.
Too bad the world did not react like this when we went in on Iraq and Afghanistan and Syria.
At least the demand isn't for unconditional surrender. Ukraine should negotiate that deal with provisions of their own.
Ukraine should demand infrastructure reparations for Putin's destruction, and removal of Russian military from their border area as part of the deal. No more threats. No more encirclement.
Madness, paranoia and lust for power. That is what he's all about.
Would you say that those attributes applies to Bush, Obama, and Trump?
I view all of them as war criminals, about 2 Million dead and maybe 10 Million refuges.
At some point every powerful leader will prioritize his ambitions over human lives.
Trump has his own list of crimes and seditious behavior.
Bush and Obama followed the demands of bellicose advisors. The pressure from the Pentagon, big oil, and the MIC was overwhelming. And then there's Mr. "Dark Side" Cheney behind the Iraq war and torture.
Obama and Bush were swept up in the madness, but others more evil exacerbated it.
Cheney, Saddam, and Putin deserve to share a small cell in Hell for eternity.
Trump and his evil cronies deserve the same across the hall.
But who am I to judge?
https://www.informationclearinghouse.info/57032.htm
A compelling video. Putin explains exactly why he invaded Ukraine.
"I am an old-fashioned American citizen who believes in our traditional values of freedom, truth, and justice."
As Ukrainians valiantly fight to defend their nation against a Russian invasion, a Quinnipiac University national poll of U.S. adults asked people whether they would fight or flee if they faced that situation — the poll found that while a whopping 68% Republicans said they would remain and fight, just 40% of Democrats said they would stick around and fight. Among independents, 57% said they would stay and fight.
What would liberal Dave do?
I don't believe in polls, but I do know Republicans would be more likely to side with Putin.
"Can we give a round of applause for Russia?” – Trump-supporting Republican Nick Fuentes at AFPAC conference with MTG “Putin! Putin! Putin!” – Crowd chants
Liberal Dave is not on their side.
Let's not forget this:
Trump told the world that he believed Putin's version of events without presenting the American people a single shred of evident that this was the case.
And why has Trump never given the people of the US the transcript of his one-on one-conversation with Putin? What did they talk about? Not even the top military know.
Trump has always stated his admiration for fascist leaders like Putin, Bolsonaro, and Kim Jong-Un.
Right wingers whine about losing freedoms when they have to wear a mask in a pandemic. But Trump supports governments that take away rights and freedoms from their people as a matter of course. He even tells America that Putin is "a genius," "savvy," and "smart."
Can anyone imagine an American president saying such a thing about Hitler during WWII! And yet the Trumpublican Party has given Trump and his admiration for an international criminal a pass on his outrageous praise of Putin.
Trump, of course, is a functioning illiterate and malignant narcissist whose loyalty to America will always be suspect because of this treachery.
Shaw,
So true. A malignant narcissist is a polite term for sociopath. All he's ever cared about is himself.
Former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham heard Trump tell Putin in Osaka back in 2019, “OK, I’m going to act a little tougher with you for a few minutes, but it’s for the cameras, and after they leave, we’ll talk. You understand.”
I have to wonder if the note-taker/translator was silenced by death threats from Trump's mob.
We are beyond Trump now. Innocent people are dying in Ukraine.
We're not "beyond Trump" as long as Trumpism and his Big Lie are not rejected by the American people, and he's not held accountable for his crimes.
If he is above the law then there is no republic with equal justice under the rule of law.
The darkness of radical Right Trumpism is still suppressing truth and destroying our representative democracy.
The US is FAR from being "beyond Trump".
Give the justice system time to work. We are closing in on Trump day by day and he will not escape justice. When justice does catch up to him that will prove democracy is strong in America. Your "Chicken Little" perspective is to early, false, and paranoid.
Anonymous who sounds like Jerry,
I find it amusing that a person posting as "Anonymous" would call me paranoid.
I'm not claiming Trump will never face justice. The walls are slowly closing in.
https://www.npr.org/2022/03/10/1085016383/garland-says-the-jan-6-investigation-wont-end-until-everyone-is-held-to-account
"Garland says the Jan. 6 investigation won't end until everyone is held to account"
Attorney general Merrick Garland pledged that the Department of Justice would not shy away from Jan. 6 evidence that implicates Donald Trump or his inner circle.
"We are not avoiding cases that are political or cases that are controversial or sensitive," Garland told NPR. "What we are avoiding is making decisions on a political basis, on a partisan basis."
"Every FBI office, almost every U.S. attorney's office in the country is working on this matter," Garland said. "We've issued thousands of subpoenas, seized and examined thousands of electronic devices, examined terabytes of data, thousands of hours of videos. People are working every day, 24-7, and are fully aware of how important this is. This had to do with the interference with the peaceful transfer of power from one administration to another, and it doesn't get more important than that."
"We begin with the cases that are right in front of us with the overt actions and then we build from there, and that is a process that we will continue to build until we hold everyone accountable who committed criminal acts with respect to Jan. 6," Garland said.
If or when he is convicted, his cult will claim he's a victim who was framed, and go on regurgitating his Big Lie. His party will continue to suppress voter rights. They build unity through white resentment and hate for progressives. They are calling Democrats communists. The Republican Party has become radicalized into neo-fascism, built on a Big Lie and a thousand smaller lies.
The Electoral College will still inflict its antidemocratic damage, as will gerrymandering and the grossly disproportionate power of white conservatives in the Senate.
I'd love to hear your theory on how convicting Trump will prove democracy is strong. The Right is eroding voter rights and rigging for partisan control of elections all across the country.
You say my perspective is false, yet fail to indicate how it is false, or the truth that it misses.
Why not share some information that supports your claim? Surely you're not too paranoid to back up your words with evidence?
You mentioned Ukraine. Trump and the rest of Putin's cheerleaders have shown who they are
Trump crony Pompeo bellowed, “Do you think Americans give a fuck about Ukraine?"
Rep. Madison Cawthorn on Zelenskyy: “Zelenskyy is a thug. Remember that the Ukrainian government is incredibly corrupt and is incredibly evil and has been pushing woke ideologies.”
They are all authoritarians who identify with Putin more than democracy.
“When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” ~ Maya Angelou
Amazing, you claim to know what will happen, but you have been wrong about everything so far. And no, I am not Jerry, just another thing you have been wrong about. Your stupidity is glaring.
Why should I use a name? So you can attack me just as you have attacked Darrell, Jerry, and anyone else that disagrees with you.
It's obvious to see why you have been banned from so many blogs.
Call me whatever name you want. Here come the usual Dave insults - HA HA HA HA
If you are so concerned about anonymous why do you give that option? One click and you can eliminate anonymous. Your indignancy is false as are your predictions of what will happen.
Trump may elude conviction:
https://www.rawstory.com/doj-trump-prosecution-2656913269/
"A legal expert explains why a DOJ Trump prosecution might never take place"
Timothy Evans
Probably the number one question Democrats are asking themselves today, on the one-year anniversary of Merrick Garland's appointment to lead the Justice Department is: “Why hasn’t Attorney General Merrick Garland indicted former president Donald Trump?”
Given all of Trump's transgressions -- the Stormy Daniels payoff, the "perfect" call with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, pressuring Georgia election officials to "find" more votes for him, absconding with classified documents as he decamped to Mar-a-Lago - many are frustrated that he hasn't yet been in handcuffs.
But as former federal prosecutor Michael Stern writes in an opinion piece in today's New York Daily News, moving against Trump is a very, very complicated task. He writes: "I get why people are angry; I count myself among them. It’s fair to say that any ordinary citizen who committed similar offenses would have been swiftly indicted by the Justice Department. Want proof? Look at the 750 Capitol rioters who have already been arrested. They are minions compared to the man who instigated the attack and on whose behalf they acted — the man the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot recently referred to as a member of a 'criminal conspiracy'.”
Stern continues: "But, having worked as both a state and federal prosecutor and as a defense attorney, I know that there are Justice Department considerations in play beyond a simple analysis of whether there is sufficient evidence to indict Trump on criminal violations. Every competent prosecutor knows why Garland and the Department of Justice have not indicted Trump. I’m going to say it out loud."
His theory is that If Trump were charged with a federal crime, he almost certainly would not negotiate a plea deal, as is the case in 98 percent of U.S. criminal cases. Instead he would fight, go to trial and make every step of the process a platform to cast himself as a victim of a vindictive Biden administration. And he would use the spectacle as yet another money-making grift.
Another factor in DOJ's calculations: despite the mountain of evidence that would convict most people many times over, Trump would not be convicted. Criminal convictions require a unanimous verdict and on a 12-person jury, there are going to be Trump supporters.
Welcome to the justice system. Jury nullification is part of that system. That's why a white man was never found guilty of killing a black man in the South.
So you suggest your pessimism is reason to give up the prosecution? And what if you are wrong? People never thought a policeman could be convicted of killing George Floyd.
An honest, unbiased jury CAN be found.
Your problem is you have no faith in our government, or its justice system.
Anonymous Jerry,
I'm not the author Timothy Evans, just showing his reasonable point of view.
Did I suggest "my pessimism is reason to give up on prosecution"?
No. I didn't. Why do you put those words on me? You certainly cannot quote me to support your statement about me. This is so Jerry of you.
Look at your contradiction:
"Welcome to the justice system. Jury nullification is part of that system. That's why a white man was never found guilty of killing a black man in the South...An honest, unbiased jury CAN be found."
Why are innocent Black men executed? Should Blacks have faith in the justice system?
Tell me about your faith in our government and justice system again.
I say sometimes it works and other times it is pure travesty.
When will you Asinine Progressives wake up to the Fact ghat this ALL IS ON JOEY BIDEN.
Trump hasn’t been in office for 15 months. And you IDIOTS just can’t get yourselves to admit that you Elected A Moron. A sink, senile, delusional, vegetable and a Cackling Moron to be his Vice President!
Hi, Johnny.
I'm so grateful we finally have an authority on all matters in the political universe.
I'm sure your profound and broad knowledge is quite impressive, but how can we tell?
How can progressives wake up to the facts, when you won't show any evidence of them?
Or are you someone who can't grasp the difference between facts and beliefs?
Johnny BELIEVES best seems to be the case.
Saying something is a fact, and not giving evidence or reason to support it, tells us more about you than you think it does.
Your dismissive, hateful, and angry condescension and ad hominem attacks, and most telling, blaming Biden for Putin's war, indicate a true authoritarian personality.
Is that what conservatism has boiled down to under Trumpism?
Is this the knowledge you want to share?
Dave, I'm really getting confused these days with knowing what to call myself. I think being a concerned citizen doesn't cut it any longer. However, I sure get plenty of suggestions from the radical right. Johnny just added another one, "Asinine Progressive". The list keeps expanding by the week, including idiot, moron, libtard, communist, socialist, fascist or any combination of the above and many more. They really like to combine the ones ending with "ist" having one contradict the other. I guess it's whatever the word of the week is that they are required to use. I usually like to wear it as a badge of honor, giving them thanks and congratulate them on their extensive (bigly) vocabulary. It always comes from the ones who can't accept or debate facts honestly. Your acronym of "CRAP" lives on. It (CRAP) is a classic in my book. I'm just seeing, if you can remember that one. It still truly fits the bill of today's right wing, even more so.
The ignorance of the right is astounding with blaming President Biden for Putie's war. Will they sink any lower? They most likely will depending on what their media overlords, the Russian Propaganda Network (Faux Snooze), Newsmax, OAN etc. tells them to think.
I see that Johnny hasn't thanked you for the compliment yet. LOL
Tim,
Ah, yes. Before they were the Trump Cult, they were the Cult of Right-wing Authoritarian Personalities.
Now their Orange Fuhrer defines them, and tells them what to think. Trumpism requires blind faith in his sacred words. They believe his thousands of lies, mostly about how great he is, and how terrible anyone is who questions him. This includes Trump's Big Lie about the election. He lost, and his fragile ego and ignorant cult can't accept reality.
As we know, the cult will believe their authoritarian leaders no matter what. Words and their meanings are twisted beyond recognition to attack others, because accepted definitions won't fit their "doctrine of flexible reality". Reality won't change for them, so they need to keep spewing lies and new terms of derision and hatred to conform to their willful ignorance and bigotry. "Q" even brainwashed many of them to believe Democrats are not only communists, but pedophiles.
This kind of raging blind hatred unites them. Blaming antifa or the FBI for 1/6 didn't pan out for them, so many now believe 1/6 didn't even happen, and was staged. No lie is too outrageous, and that makes them evil and very dangerous.
They have been Putin's useful idiots and are helping him take this country down. Denying the reality that Biden won the election has been Putin's most useful weapon to undermine our democracy, weaken the republic, and stir instability. Blaming Biden for Putin's war is icing on the Kremlin's cake.
Bless their cold, dark, little "Christian" hearts.
Dave,
Trumpism has destroyed so many good people that were once decent and could think for themselves, at one time. They believe in absurd lies now. Relationships with them have been put on hold for the time being. It is truly a very sad thing. It's amazing how they can claim to be Christian and still hold the Orange One in such high esteem. One can only hope that they have a change of their "cold, dark, little Christian hearts" someday. Miracles can happen, if and when they see they've been totally duped by a conman. We'll see if they ever have the courage to admit they were wrong in supporting their idol.
JFK Jr. hasn't returned to the grassy knoll yet, either. How crazy can they get? Evil and dangerous, indeed.
Tim,
Unfortunately admitting to being duped or examining one's beliefs are very difficult for people, especially for the more authoritarian personalities. They just KNOW they're always right, and the "others" are the problem.
An excellent piece at the "Psy of Life" discusses how authoritarians like Putin and Trump are alike and the groupthink that supports them.
“Putin in Ukraine: Predicting a Personalist Ruler using Groupthink"
Groupthink:
Direct pressure on dissenters – Members are under pressure not to express arguments against any of the group’s views.
Illusion of invulnerability –Creates excessive optimism that encourages taking extreme risks.
Collective rationalization – Members discount warnings and do not reconsider their assumptions.
Belief in inherent morality – Members believe in the rightness of their cause and therefore ignore the ethical or moral consequences of their decisions.
Stereotyped views of out-groups – Negative views of “enemy” make effective responses to conflict seem unnecessary.
Self-censorship – Doubts and deviations from the perceived group consensus are not expressed.
Illusion of unanimity – The majority view and judgments are assumed to be unanimous.
Self-appointed ‘mindguards’ – Members protect the group and the leader from information that is problematic or contradictory to the group’s cohesiveness, view, and/or decisions.
Thanks Dave,
I checked out and saved the "Psy of Life" which was very interesting. It was truly educational reading it. The "Groupthink" surely gives me a better understanding of the authoritarian mindset. I can now see why the Trump cult members are so skewed in their beliefs and resistant to facts. It's no wonder they treat those that try to point out facts to them with such scorn. Their belief that Trump still won the election after all of this time says it all. Thanks again.
Tim,
Another characteristic of the authoritarian radical Right is their projection. They will label the left with every undesirable trait they posses.
My favorite is when they fall in lockstep conformity, calling us "sheep", as if we're the ones obediently falling in line and regurgitating the hate and lies from leaders and their propaganda.
Nothing says it like these quotes from Orwell's "1984" and Trump:
“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” – The Party (1984)
“Just remember, what you are seeing and what you are reading is not what's happening.” - Trump
Trump dictates their reality. His Big Lie about the "stolen election" is all the evidence needed to support this point.
Almost as dangerous is Trump adding fuel to his fire by calling Democrats communists. This is directly out of Hitler's playbook for demonizing opposition.
This is proof they are indeed fascists. If it quacks like a duck...
Dave,
These cult members like to tell us that "Don the Con" owns us. My respond to a guy that suggested Trump owns me was " just make sure you keep sending him your monthly donations". They really like to project "loser" on us too. Yup! Reading their comments about articles in the news, one can clearly see they are full of projection, deflection and lies. That's all they have. It's amazing how easily a factual debate or statement can trigger these poor, little snowflakes.
Walks like a duck, looks like a duck, it's a duck. I just have to wonder why the timid powers that be are afraid to call them out and use the F (fascism) word. A few have, but not enough of them thus far.
Democrats should take cues from Rick Wilson author of "Everything Trump Touches Dies" and former Republican strategist on how to beat Republicons in November. He has some great ideas.
Tim,
Trump's fragile ego refuses to accept defeat, so his cult will swallow his Big Lie.
Authoritarian followers will never question their authoritarian leaders.
The radical brainwashed Right can't handle the truth. They are so used to being fed what to believe they can't think, or seek information, for themselves.
Why should they. In their closed narrow minds they are certain they are right. They have all the answers. Just ask one. Most of their "answers" are just attacks on those of us living in reality.
There's a reason they invented and embrace the term "alternative facts". It's easier to accept that fabricated term than what they really are. Lies.
They are being indoctrinated to believe all those against Trump are "communists who hate America". The authoritarian personality will believe anything that elevates their opinion of themselves and demeans others. They are as socially primitive and tribal as humans can be.
They will claim to be Christians, but ignore and disrespect their Savior's guidance in order to hate us. They get high on their cult bonding and hatred. It makes them FEEL good.
This demonization and scapegoating has always been the essence of fascism. Hate and lies are always at the core.
This is why every white nationalist, Klansman, and neo-Nazi is a Trump supporter.
But LOOK! "Commies!"
Pavlovitz was referring to this sort of "Christian", or would it be "Christo-fascist"?
~~~~~
State Rep who wrote a plan to organize a mass killing of liberals to found a Christian theocracy in America just showed up in Poland with dozens of Ukrainian children he wants to bring to America for adoption.
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/former-wa-rep-matt-shea-accused-of-domestic-terrorism-working-to-secure-adoptions-for-ukrainian-children-in-poland/
"Former WA Rep. Matt Shea, accused of domestic terrorism, working to secure adoptions for Ukrainian children in Poland"
Dave,
The Mango Mussolini sure attracted the cream of the crop. Not! I've heard his deplorable base is slowly dwindling though. That's a good thing.
Dave,
Have you heard this one before "Klepto-leftist"? Recently, I got pinned with that one. I guess that Koch Industries is showing where their loyalties lie and are not going to leave Russia, like other major corporations. They are loyal to the almighty dollar.
Tim,
I bet your accuser has no idea what he's talking about. Ask him who taught him the phrase, and if he can give you a detailed explanation. And for fun, ask him what he thinks Critical Race Theory is.
I have no idea what a “klepto-leftist” is, but I do know what corporate kleptocracy is.
Where would capitalism be without government bailouts and corporate welfare? 55 of the most profitable companies in America paid no federal income taxes.
I paid more in federal income taxes in 2018 than Amazon, Chevron, Eli Lilly, Delta Airlines, Goodyear, and IBM combined.
The following is a list of the country’s largest publicly-held profitable corporations that paid no federal income taxes in 2018 on billions in U.S. income, according to ITEP analysis of 560 companies.
https://publicintegrity.org/inequality-poverty-opportunity/taxes/trumps-tax-cuts/you-paid-taxes-these-corporations-didnt/?gclid=CjwKCAiAlNf-BRB_EiwA2osbxQGuBxk_fro-mD1pqgXxNDKec5thRguEAau7oxg-Qv_kdaXXfSidqxoCvLoQAvD_BwE
And then let’s add real Red State Socialism for “klepto-conservatives”.
“Red State Socialism”
https://www.hollandsentinel.com/story/opinion/columns/2022/02/22/lynn-smith-red-state-socialism/6878371001/
“Republican-leaning states get more in federal dollars than they pay in taxes.”
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2012/jan/26/blog-posting/red-state-socialism-graphic-says-gop-leaning-state/
As Warren Buffett put it in 2011: “There’s been class warfare going on for the last 20 years, and my class has won.”
“The secret IRS files: Trove of never-before-seen records reveal how wealthiest avoid income tax”
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2021/06/10/propublica-tax-leak-irs-files-show-how-billionaires-pay-low-tax/7639768002/
Dave,
Warren Buffett nailed it. He also noted his secretary paid more in taxes than he did, I believe. The trump buffoons believe that CRT is being taught in schools, but yet I've not seen one define it yet. I've tried to educate many on "Red State Socialism" to no avail. Their skulls are too thick to believe it. Case in point, I knew a gal along with her young son who lived in Mississippi years ago. She told me at that time, if she made more than $3,000 she did not qualify for assistance of any type. It looks like the Red States don't like to give out the Federal dollars to their citizens in need, either. Federal dollars are meant to enable the cutting of taxes for the wealthy and corporations, I guess. California, New York and other Blue States are the real problems. You betcha!
As we find in almost every case, it is futile to reason with the closed minds of right wing authoritarian personalities who need to live in a world of "alternative facts".
We can tell them 1+1=2, but if Trump or FOX(R) tells them 1+1=3, they're going to say 1+1=3.
They have no clue how Orwellian their brainwashed minds are.
This is how a republic dies.
“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” – The Party (1984)
“Just remember, what you are seeing and what you are reading is not what's happening.” - Trump
“They have no clue how Orwellian their brainwashed minds are. (Stop the steal! Stolen election!) This is how a republic dies.”
Merriam-Webster
Republic: (2): a political unit (such as a nation) having such a form of government
b(1): a government in which supreme power resides in a body of citizens entitled to vote and is exercised by elected officers and representatives responsible to them and governing according to law
Merriam-Webster
Democracy:
1a: government by the people especially : rule of the majority
b: a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections
U.P. Tim said...
Currently living in the largest "I told you so" moment our country has ever seen.
U.P. Tim said...
Woman Picked Solely Because She’s a Black Woman Is Unable to Define ‘Woman’
Real UP Tim,
I know these recent posts are not from you.
Currently living in the largest "I told you so" moment our country has ever seen. Woman Picked Solely Because She’s a Black Woman Is Unable to Define ‘Woman'
I leave them here to show you how a radical Right white nationalist Trump-sucker plays his sick little game. This racist "Christian" troll has a history of taking other people's names at other blogs.
He goes by "Just the facts" at this other Trumpist's blog:
http://savingcommonsense.blogspot.com/
Stop in and say "Hi" for me. My old buddy Darrell doesn't like me any more, and is annoyed with my questions like, "So how DID Biden steal the election?"
Darrell banned me for "name calling", but he's good with his sidekick Just the Facts calling me a "racist commie". You understand the double standards of the radical Right. He also won't believe his buddy would steal your name, of course. Not that he cares.
Ironically, this troll's name is also Tim, and he lives in Fort Worth TX.
If he doesn't apologize here in this thread within a week, I'm going to give you his phone number and address so he can personally apologize to you.
If he pulls this stunt again, I might post his phone number here, beginning with 314-xxx-xxxx.
Ketanji Brown Jackson will join Justice Sotomayor as the BIGGEST MORON’S who have EVER SAT on the Supreme Court.
For your information:
In a HUGE loss for Republican Senators Tom Cotton, Ted Cruz, Lindsay Graham, and Josh Hawley, officials from the American Bar Association testify at Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson’s hearing that ALL of their accusations against her are false.
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