How much lower can Hegseth and Trump go? I think there will not be a definitve answer to that until both leave office, whenever and however that happens There is no animal more dangerous than a cornered one. My sense is that, like Hitler, Trump is willing to take America down with him rather than admit that he’s wrong.
Please tell me that headline was a rhetorical question!!! Pretty sure neither have reached total swamp bottom but seems to be a race. At least a few repubs are speaking out on this but of course will not cross line to totally tear into either one.
The headlines are like lasers pinpointing the treachery.
“US snubs international election monitors”
“Trump Closes Out a Brutal Week by Going to Putin for Help”
“Mass Outrage as Trump Cuts Deal With Putin”
“The Truth About Trump’s Oil Deal With Putin”
So trump is sending our money to prop up Putin’s dictatorship and pull what’s left of the American rug out from beneath the Ukrainians.
Treason? More reasons to impeach trump? Oh, clutch my pearls — try the 25th Amendment. It only requires the trump lackeys in the trump Cabinet to try to oust him. Lotsaluck, as we used to say in Cleveland.
What might work is a national recall law, modeled after the one Californians have used.
California voters can fire elected officials, including the governor, through a petition process. It needs the valid signatures of 12% of the total voter turnout from the last election. That gets it on the ballot and a simple majority in favor the recall pulls the official from office, long before they’d face re-election.
It’s obvious that impeachment and the 25th Amendment have no teeth when the craven wretches in Congress bow to an insane President. And a madman in the White House is a six-alarm fire. We cannot continue if the firefighters are afraid of getting singed. Armed revolt didn’t work with the Whiskey Rebellion — or the Civil War, for that matter — and there’s even less chance of that plan getting anywhere today.
A new Constitutional amendment, repealing the 25th, and putting in place a recall plan like California’s is what’s needed.
It sure surprised me. A former Army Captain, I had to know where to find many Army regulations ("ARs") when I was my Battalion (500 soldier unit) S-1 (personnel officer). That was a long time ago. So when I read the livestreaming of this violates AR 190-55, I didn't remember that one, everything is online now, I looked it up. And it sure enough, it does. So what he's proposing is illegal.
There’s no question that this public execution mirrors the depravity of this administration. As if everything involved in this case isn’t tragic enough, they have to add their actions to the pile. I don’t know when I’ve ever been so heartbroken over where the Trump Era is leading us. We used to at least pretend to be humane about killing people, whether in war or as the ultimate punishment for horrific crimes. As usual, this latest abomination ordered by Trump and Hegseth tells us much more about ourselves and what we stand for than it does about them. What are we becoming? What have we become????? Public executions tell us everything we need to know….and we should be both horrified and terrified. Who is next? What crimes will justify public executions? I fear that Justice Sotomayor’s assessment that unshackling the Presidency from all criminal responsibility under the guise of his function as President could lead to wanton persecution and destruction of his political enemies. Public executions are the first step toward reprisals and state-sanctioned political terror. G-D help us.
Thanks for writing this post, Steven. Ellen, your comments mirror my own feelings! The violence America has been exposed to during the last few days has been mind- numbing. In addition to the horrific idea of Hegseth staging a public execution, I am also very upset about ICE forces in New York shooting seven bullets into a vehicle with a 5-year old child crying in the back seat. The immigrant was apparently shot in the neck. I guess he was taken to the hospital for “medical care”, but the bullet still remained lodged in his neck when he was taken to detention. The governor and mayor have asked that ICE stand down while this case is investigated, Markwayne Mullins has refused. I feel like we are all living in a nightmare!
We learned a long time ago that there is no bottom for these people. Even if the public execution does not happen – – and I have to think there are all kinds of people putting together lawsuit right now to make it stop.
Just by having Hegseth propose it, and Trump looking and shrugging his shoulders, and no other cabinet member – – that I have seen – – calling it out for the horror that it is, this entire administration, and every single Republican, who does not denounce it, have lost any claim to any moral high ground ever.
In fact, just the opposite, they have sunk into the depths of a particular kind of hell. History will judge.
Vicious little boys tormenting animals. Call it what it is: out-of-control psychopaths. How long before there’s a bidding war for screen rights? Or events at state fairs where criminals or “losers” are drawn and quartered (look it up).
Video games modeled on the inquisition. “Sour Guts” candies, and on and on. The commodification of death and suffering. The monetizing of cruelty.
It is not just Trump/Hegseth Depravity. It is RFK Jr Depravity by using taxpayer money - United States money - to conduct a study withholding the hepatitis b vaccine from half the newborn babies in Guinea-Bissau to see if 6 weeks would be as effective. If a life saving vaccine is going to be given anyway, why take the chance of waiting? Because MengeleKennedy does not want to use American babies? Or is this another way to eliminate "others" from this earth? Trump Depravity is raining horror on Iran and helping Russia's war on Ulraine. All in the name of America - you and me. The Republicans who could stop all of the Depravity are gleefully lying to voters to continue the evil. Until Americans denounce Trump, his Cabinet and his Oligarchs we will continue to be a rogue nation and a scourge on humanity. If Hegseth and RFK and Trump do not spend time in prison, America is lost.
Trump has been plumbing new lows every day for over a decade. Not sure how much further he can go but he’s not done yet 🙈. His side kick is a dangerous moron.
It’s part and parcel of the campaign to 1) inure decent Americans (the majority of Americans) to violence, 2) cow most Americans into compliance and submission, and 3) spur and give cover to the small number of Americans who want to act out their hate in violence. Decent Americans must act individually but more importantly in community to demonstrate and demand decency to counteract these efforts.
I don’t recognize this country anymore, just don’t understand how people can be filled with such hate and feelings of superiority. There will be a day of reckoning, hope I’m still alive to witness it.
Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump share a demon-driven blood thirst. That they are two of the senior-most pols in the U.S. is a most shameful indictment of our country for “cruel and unusual”. There is no moral fiber remaining. Somehow this translates into each of those men feeling inadequate in their masculinity. No doubt Hegseth gets aroused from the mere thought of executing someone. The barbarians of old have returned.
“There is no telling to what extremes of cruelty and ruthlessness a man will go when he is freed from the fears, hesitations, doubts and the vague stirrings of decency that go with individual judgement. When we lose our individual independence ... we find a new freedom — freedom to hate, bully, lie, torture, murder and betray without shame and remorse." ~ Eric Hoffer
“All cruelty springs from weakness.” - Seneca
So true.
How much lower can Hegseth and Trump go? I think there will not be a definitve answer to that until both leave office, whenever and however that happens There is no animal more dangerous than a cornered one. My sense is that, like Hitler, Trump is willing to take America down with him rather than admit that he’s wrong.
They will go below any level you think exists. There is no bottom. None.
Please tell me that headline was a rhetorical question!!! Pretty sure neither have reached total swamp bottom but seems to be a race. At least a few repubs are speaking out on this but of course will not cross line to totally tear into either one.
I think they are reaching the pits of hell.
The headlines are like lasers pinpointing the treachery.
“US snubs international election monitors”
“Trump Closes Out a Brutal Week by Going to Putin for Help”
“Mass Outrage as Trump Cuts Deal With Putin”
“The Truth About Trump’s Oil Deal With Putin”
So trump is sending our money to prop up Putin’s dictatorship and pull what’s left of the American rug out from beneath the Ukrainians.
Treason? More reasons to impeach trump? Oh, clutch my pearls — try the 25th Amendment. It only requires the trump lackeys in the trump Cabinet to try to oust him. Lotsaluck, as we used to say in Cleveland.
What might work is a national recall law, modeled after the one Californians have used.
California voters can fire elected officials, including the governor, through a petition process. It needs the valid signatures of 12% of the total voter turnout from the last election. That gets it on the ballot and a simple majority in favor the recall pulls the official from office, long before they’d face re-election.
It’s obvious that impeachment and the 25th Amendment have no teeth when the craven wretches in Congress bow to an insane President. And a madman in the White House is a six-alarm fire. We cannot continue if the firefighters are afraid of getting singed. Armed revolt didn’t work with the Whiskey Rebellion — or the Civil War, for that matter — and there’s even less chance of that plan getting anywhere today.
A new Constitutional amendment, repealing the 25th, and putting in place a recall plan like California’s is what’s needed.
Love this idea of a national recall petition for an unfit president! Constitutional scholars, are you listening?
It sure surprised me. A former Army Captain, I had to know where to find many Army regulations ("ARs") when I was my Battalion (500 soldier unit) S-1 (personnel officer). That was a long time ago. So when I read the livestreaming of this violates AR 190-55, I didn't remember that one, everything is online now, I looked it up. And it sure enough, it does. So what he's proposing is illegal.
The illegality may be part of the appeal to these deviants. There's almost nothing they don't violate.
There’s no question that this public execution mirrors the depravity of this administration. As if everything involved in this case isn’t tragic enough, they have to add their actions to the pile. I don’t know when I’ve ever been so heartbroken over where the Trump Era is leading us. We used to at least pretend to be humane about killing people, whether in war or as the ultimate punishment for horrific crimes. As usual, this latest abomination ordered by Trump and Hegseth tells us much more about ourselves and what we stand for than it does about them. What are we becoming? What have we become????? Public executions tell us everything we need to know….and we should be both horrified and terrified. Who is next? What crimes will justify public executions? I fear that Justice Sotomayor’s assessment that unshackling the Presidency from all criminal responsibility under the guise of his function as President could lead to wanton persecution and destruction of his political enemies. Public executions are the first step toward reprisals and state-sanctioned political terror. G-D help us.
What are the next insanities from Trump and the over-hyped Hegseth? We are being ruled by the sickest dregs of society!
Indeed.. G-D help us
Thanks for writing this post, Steven. Ellen, your comments mirror my own feelings! The violence America has been exposed to during the last few days has been mind- numbing. In addition to the horrific idea of Hegseth staging a public execution, I am also very upset about ICE forces in New York shooting seven bullets into a vehicle with a 5-year old child crying in the back seat. The immigrant was apparently shot in the neck. I guess he was taken to the hospital for “medical care”, but the bullet still remained lodged in his neck when he was taken to detention. The governor and mayor have asked that ICE stand down while this case is investigated, Markwayne Mullins has refused. I feel like we are all living in a nightmare!
"If you want to control someone, all you have to do is to make them feel afraid.” ~ Paulo Coelho, "The Devil and Miss Prym"
We learned a long time ago that there is no bottom for these people. Even if the public execution does not happen – – and I have to think there are all kinds of people putting together lawsuit right now to make it stop.
Just by having Hegseth propose it, and Trump looking and shrugging his shoulders, and no other cabinet member – – that I have seen – – calling it out for the horror that it is, this entire administration, and every single Republican, who does not denounce it, have lost any claim to any moral high ground ever.
In fact, just the opposite, they have sunk into the depths of a particular kind of hell. History will judge.
Vicious little boys tormenting animals. Call it what it is: out-of-control psychopaths. How long before there’s a bidding war for screen rights? Or events at state fairs where criminals or “losers” are drawn and quartered (look it up).
Video games modeled on the inquisition. “Sour Guts” candies, and on and on. The commodification of death and suffering. The monetizing of cruelty.
Welcome to Hell.
It is not just Trump/Hegseth Depravity. It is RFK Jr Depravity by using taxpayer money - United States money - to conduct a study withholding the hepatitis b vaccine from half the newborn babies in Guinea-Bissau to see if 6 weeks would be as effective. If a life saving vaccine is going to be given anyway, why take the chance of waiting? Because MengeleKennedy does not want to use American babies? Or is this another way to eliminate "others" from this earth? Trump Depravity is raining horror on Iran and helping Russia's war on Ulraine. All in the name of America - you and me. The Republicans who could stop all of the Depravity are gleefully lying to voters to continue the evil. Until Americans denounce Trump, his Cabinet and his Oligarchs we will continue to be a rogue nation and a scourge on humanity. If Hegseth and RFK and Trump do not spend time in prison, America is lost.
Trump has been plumbing new lows every day for over a decade. Not sure how much further he can go but he’s not done yet 🙈. His side kick is a dangerous moron.
It’s part and parcel of the campaign to 1) inure decent Americans (the majority of Americans) to violence, 2) cow most Americans into compliance and submission, and 3) spur and give cover to the small number of Americans who want to act out their hate in violence. Decent Americans must act individually but more importantly in community to demonstrate and demand decency to counteract these efforts.
I don’t recognize this country anymore, just don’t understand how people can be filled with such hate and feelings of superiority. There will be a day of reckoning, hope I’m still alive to witness it.
They have hit the bottom and are swelling it with pride and ever widening harm.
Pete Hegseth and Donald Trump share a demon-driven blood thirst. That they are two of the senior-most pols in the U.S. is a most shameful indictment of our country for “cruel and unusual”. There is no moral fiber remaining. Somehow this translates into each of those men feeling inadequate in their masculinity. No doubt Hegseth gets aroused from the mere thought of executing someone. The barbarians of old have returned.
“There is no telling to what extremes of cruelty and ruthlessness a man will go when he is freed from the fears, hesitations, doubts and the vague stirrings of decency that go with individual judgement. When we lose our individual independence ... we find a new freedom — freedom to hate, bully, lie, torture, murder and betray without shame and remorse." ~ Eric Hoffer
Surprised? Nothing they plan or do at this point should be a surprise.