Totally agree. It’s sickening how the mainstream media has normalized this convention, as if it’s something out of the Eisenhower or Reagan era, instead of a fascist takeover of a major political party by those willing to overthrow free and fair elections and end American democracy if that’s what it takes to gain power for themselves and impose their will on the American people. The media is complicit in this assault on American democracy and the Constitution.
Anyone who has followed elections in recent decades knows that 109 days is plenty of time to allow for huge swings in momentum. But the Republicans don't seem to understand this. Their over-confidence seems to be morphing into arrogance and, even worse for them, complacency. If I can stretch a bit here and toss in a metaphor from boxing, this reminds me of the iconic fight between George Foreman and Muhammed Ali in Africa. Foreman was a fearsome fighter at the peak of his powers, and Ali was way past his prime. Everyone assumed Foreman would win. He dominated the early part of the match while Ali held back and remained on the defensive. Eventually Foreman tired out, and Ali suddenly came to life and unleashed a furious rally that won the match. I don't know if this story will fit, but we can hope, can't we?
I concur! The things that gall me the most are the Republican’s recent eschewing of Wall Street (their backers) in favor of their new populist ethos, and the conferring sainthood on Donald Trump after his lucky escape from an assassin’s bullet. If Trump was truly the G-D fearing person they say he is, then why has he brought on the likes of JD Vance whose human rights gene has gone missing? Why the populist decrying of their own monied backers like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel? We know, of course, that Wall Street stands to gain mightily from a Trump election if they decide to privatize Social Security and Medicare, so I suppose they’ll gladly take the insults if ultimate power comes their way.
I just pray we have the skill and will to fight back against the onslaught of disinformation and hero worship on display. It’s going to be very very tough. It’s going to be up to us. It’s going to be up to women and supporters of human rights. The courts are on a razor’s edge. If the G-D who is on the side of right and justice has (according to them) had a hand in all this, can somebody tell Him/Her/Them that He/She/They are rooting for the wrong side? If G-D can get this wrong, then how can we blame the Republicans who have fallen for all this tripe? Has some Wall Street billionaire bought Him/Her/Them off?
I’m waiting for a shoe to drop. Perhaps when Grump gets his sentence in NY? Maybe another woman will step forward and accuse him of a terrible deed? Or the truth of The 2025 Project starts to filter into the news cycles and voters become enlightened, incensed and engaged? Or when women’s rights groups, civil rights groups and LGBTQ organizations begin to rally behind Biden and Harris? Or the unions? I’ll take any or all of the above. VOTE BLUE!
Steven, thanks for cutting through the noise and lies. I'm not buying a word of their propaganda oozing from their bubble, it's expected. I also expect the Democrats to have diverse opinions about their path to victory. Take a breath, it will come together with a powerful push to Nov. 5th.
The RNC convention is a bad joke, everything they are preaching is a lie, and they just keep piling them on top. No, the GOP is not a “law and order party”, no, tfg is not America’s “last best hope”, no, the tfg presidency will not save us from criminal immigrants. The only people they are fooling are themselves. The rest of us are disgusted by their “unifying” rhetoric.
The "inevitability" bit coheres with the weird eschatology that has Trump - of all people! - in the role of some kind of virtuous redeemer.
We are so far down a dystopian, surrealistic rabbit hole and Through the Looking Glass, expect to see Alice, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the Mad Hatter and the Dormouse, Red Queen and the Cheshire Cat, with casting by Salvador Dali., music by The Doors.
Many thanks for the pushback, Steven. “Losing is an easy game,” as Ian and Sylvia sang. Winning takes more than bluster, or worse, whining. Dedication and resolve are called for.
The cloak of invincibility or inevitability is a strategy to convince people to submit in advance; to suppress not only voters but all activities around the election. It’s worse than unfortunate that the Dems are in disarray with mega-donors pushing grab bag of primary do-over ideas at the same time.
It also doesn’t bode well for future elections - if we continue to hold meaningful elections. Maybe we can’t expect mega-donors to be thinking about how many Dems will continue to work, donate & vote in elections - or how this looks to the rest of the world. But neither DJT’s base nor the Dems are numerous enough to win an election on their own. What we’re witnessing is not a lesson in how to attract & engage voters but desperation by scared rabbits pushing not serious or thoughtful plans.
2-3 days ago a mega-donor in my metro area announced she was withholding donations & endorse the ‘blitz primary idea.” She was embarrassed for not paying enough attention in the primary. I think she fell for the marketing and skipped over how “on the fly”, elitist and impractical it is. One of the crafters of the “vision” described the responses this way:
“The tone has very much been, ‘Oh my God, this is probably impossible, but what a great idea,’”
We’re well equipped with the policies,facts and successes to beat Trump/Vance, except that now the Democratic Party leadership of Schumer, Jeffries and Pelosi is reported to have told Biden to drop out. No candidate can go up against the Republicans without a united party behind them willing to defend against attacks and simultaneously broadcasting those policies, facts and successes. Instead we have a party fracturing in response to a debate and a media blitz. I have not heard any of these influential politicians propose a cogent path to victory with an alternative candidate, nor how the party and Biden can hope to recover from their attacks.
Totally agree. It’s sickening how the mainstream media has normalized this convention, as if it’s something out of the Eisenhower or Reagan era, instead of a fascist takeover of a major political party by those willing to overthrow free and fair elections and end American democracy if that’s what it takes to gain power for themselves and impose their will on the American people. The media is complicit in this assault on American democracy and the Constitution.
Considering the sophisticated mind bending being paid for by billionaires, we need to work a lot harder to keep our country. Thanks Steven.
Excellent, comprehensive and thoughtful post as usual. Thanks!
Anyone who has followed elections in recent decades knows that 109 days is plenty of time to allow for huge swings in momentum. But the Republicans don't seem to understand this. Their over-confidence seems to be morphing into arrogance and, even worse for them, complacency. If I can stretch a bit here and toss in a metaphor from boxing, this reminds me of the iconic fight between George Foreman and Muhammed Ali in Africa. Foreman was a fearsome fighter at the peak of his powers, and Ali was way past his prime. Everyone assumed Foreman would win. He dominated the early part of the match while Ali held back and remained on the defensive. Eventually Foreman tired out, and Ali suddenly came to life and unleashed a furious rally that won the match. I don't know if this story will fit, but we can hope, can't we?
Very well said, and quite right (as ever), Steven!
I concur! The things that gall me the most are the Republican’s recent eschewing of Wall Street (their backers) in favor of their new populist ethos, and the conferring sainthood on Donald Trump after his lucky escape from an assassin’s bullet. If Trump was truly the G-D fearing person they say he is, then why has he brought on the likes of JD Vance whose human rights gene has gone missing? Why the populist decrying of their own monied backers like Elon Musk and Peter Thiel? We know, of course, that Wall Street stands to gain mightily from a Trump election if they decide to privatize Social Security and Medicare, so I suppose they’ll gladly take the insults if ultimate power comes their way.
I just pray we have the skill and will to fight back against the onslaught of disinformation and hero worship on display. It’s going to be very very tough. It’s going to be up to us. It’s going to be up to women and supporters of human rights. The courts are on a razor’s edge. If the G-D who is on the side of right and justice has (according to them) had a hand in all this, can somebody tell Him/Her/Them that He/She/They are rooting for the wrong side? If G-D can get this wrong, then how can we blame the Republicans who have fallen for all this tripe? Has some Wall Street billionaire bought Him/Her/Them off?
Thank you, Steven! I surely needed this, this morning. 🙌
I’m waiting for a shoe to drop. Perhaps when Grump gets his sentence in NY? Maybe another woman will step forward and accuse him of a terrible deed? Or the truth of The 2025 Project starts to filter into the news cycles and voters become enlightened, incensed and engaged? Or when women’s rights groups, civil rights groups and LGBTQ organizations begin to rally behind Biden and Harris? Or the unions? I’ll take any or all of the above. VOTE BLUE!
Steven, thanks for cutting through the noise and lies. I'm not buying a word of their propaganda oozing from their bubble, it's expected. I also expect the Democrats to have diverse opinions about their path to victory. Take a breath, it will come together with a powerful push to Nov. 5th.
The RNC convention is a bad joke, everything they are preaching is a lie, and they just keep piling them on top. No, the GOP is not a “law and order party”, no, tfg is not America’s “last best hope”, no, the tfg presidency will not save us from criminal immigrants. The only people they are fooling are themselves. The rest of us are disgusted by their “unifying” rhetoric.
The "inevitability" bit coheres with the weird eschatology that has Trump - of all people! - in the role of some kind of virtuous redeemer.
We are so far down a dystopian, surrealistic rabbit hole and Through the Looking Glass, expect to see Alice, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the Mad Hatter and the Dormouse, Red Queen and the Cheshire Cat, with casting by Salvador Dali., music by The Doors.
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/12
The relevant texts, and two of "the philosophers' favorite books."
Hubris is never a good sign. I'm going to vote Blue because I love America and what the flag stands for -- e pluribus unum
Many thanks for the pushback, Steven. “Losing is an easy game,” as Ian and Sylvia sang. Winning takes more than bluster, or worse, whining. Dedication and resolve are called for.
The cloak of invincibility or inevitability is a strategy to convince people to submit in advance; to suppress not only voters but all activities around the election. It’s worse than unfortunate that the Dems are in disarray with mega-donors pushing grab bag of primary do-over ideas at the same time.
It also doesn’t bode well for future elections - if we continue to hold meaningful elections. Maybe we can’t expect mega-donors to be thinking about how many Dems will continue to work, donate & vote in elections - or how this looks to the rest of the world. But neither DJT’s base nor the Dems are numerous enough to win an election on their own. What we’re witnessing is not a lesson in how to attract & engage voters but desperation by scared rabbits pushing not serious or thoughtful plans.
2-3 days ago a mega-donor in my metro area announced she was withholding donations & endorse the ‘blitz primary idea.” She was embarrassed for not paying enough attention in the primary. I think she fell for the marketing and skipped over how “on the fly”, elitist and impractical it is. One of the crafters of the “vision” described the responses this way:
“The tone has very much been, ‘Oh my God, this is probably impossible, but what a great idea,’”
https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/07/democratic-donors-staff-memo-biden-drop-out-blitz-primary.html
We’re well equipped with the policies,facts and successes to beat Trump/Vance, except that now the Democratic Party leadership of Schumer, Jeffries and Pelosi is reported to have told Biden to drop out. No candidate can go up against the Republicans without a united party behind them willing to defend against attacks and simultaneously broadcasting those policies, facts and successes. Instead we have a party fracturing in response to a debate and a media blitz. I have not heard any of these influential politicians propose a cogent path to victory with an alternative candidate, nor how the party and Biden can hope to recover from their attacks.
Remember the 'BIG RED WAVE' of 2022? President Biden has the support of the grassroots people. Get out and VOTE!