George Orwell called it, some 75 years ago. It’s like they’re using 1984 as a guide.
“In the end the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it. It was inevitable that they should make that claim sooner or later: the logic of their position demanded it. Not merely the validity of experience, but the very existence of external reality was tacitly denied by their philosophy.”
This is increasingly serious. I fear that the more information that squeaks through to the public on Trump’s history with Epstein et al will make him more dangerous and inclined to attack anyone and anything that he perceives to be an obstacle to his dominance.
We all know he is flailing and failing. We also know that (to quote Katherine Hepburn in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”)…”We’re in trouble (to Monsignor Ryan). We’re in terrible, terrible trouble.”
Even without the Epstein / Maxwell story front & center we had book bans, erasing history, the conspiracy theories. This began a long time ago.
The economy was a bigger pillar in his election than immigration. Public opinion has moved from favorable to skeptical and disapproval. Those who think for themselves are a threat and tarnish his “legacy”. 🙃 He isn’t pushing for redistricting for the fun of it.
This reminds me of Trump’s first term when Covid was just beginning to really alarm Americans and there was a giant cruise ship filled with sick, infected cruise-goers. Trump gave one of those NONSENSE press conferences and said he was refusing to allow those people to leave the ship and was holding the ship at dock … because “If we don’t let them onto US soil then our COVID #s won’t go up.”
Trump both doesn’t understand math & science - or any other subject for that matter - with any real level of depth or curiosity AND he feels it is his prerogative to use the facts he is given in whatever way proves most helpful to HIM & his narrative of “the truth”.
In an alternate universe where he and his wife spoke to each other and lived in the same house; he would theoretically tell her not to get a lump in her breast checked by a DR. because if she doesn’t get a mammogram then she won’t have cancer.
With COVID, the more desperate things became, the higher the death tolls, the more he challenged the real science and harder he quashed the voices of the experts.
I know I am biased because of my education, training & career in medicine, science & statistics; but manipulating & outright yanking facts - and the experts in every field who spend their lives readying themselves to gather, understand, prepare & present facts to our President and our nation … will be the quickest route to our demise.
We can and should have disparate thoughts and opinions. It is good to consider all options when moving forward. But all of those disagreements must be based upon a shared set of factual truths.
The broadest analogy for economic statistics, weather information, truths about the history of this country … and all other information we Americans deserve to have:
There are many different ways to treat (or not treat) breast cancer. Those personal choices, ours to make and be protected. But we cannot devolve into a populace which doesn’t believe the oncologist and the tests which tell us if that cancer exists.
I started out as a civil engineer and ultimately became a program manager with the government (Army Corps of Engineers and NYC DOT). America cannot function in a non-fact based reality. People talk about Trump being crazy enough to start WWIII. What he’s doing now is just as bad. He’s destroying the foundation upon which society functions … insuring its collapse! THIS MUST BE OUR RALLYING CRY GOING FORWARD!
“Prevent Societal Collapse! Stop The Theft Of Reality!”
You know what really ticks me off (well, among a gazillion other things)? Why aren't the reporters who flock around Trump calling out his lies in real time and challenging him every time he opens that little cakehole of a mouth to utter another total fabrication?
Do these reporters not realize how they are abetting him in ripping up the fabric of our nation by becoming his echo chambers? Their irresponsibility is disgraceful.
Not many in the crowd are reporters & he chooses who he calls on. I’m beginning to believe there should be a broadcast of his “comments” on C-SPAN and no media there at all. Or for Leavitt. Good questions are met with “that’s nasty” or worse. When he does interviews, including ‘friendly’ ones, more falls out of his mouth.
Breitbart (had a seat before Leavitt announced anyone can apply), My Pillow Guy, Tim Pool (had a connection to a TN media company that took $$ from Russia), TikTok influencers, podcaster all were successful in becoming eligible.
It took 2 months after being banned for the AP to get an order to be reinstated (over Gulf of Mexico) & they were excluded anyway. The WH said that it wasn’t the AP’s turn. AP went back to court: — After a hearing in U.S. District Court in Washington on Friday, Judge Trevor McFadden said that he was “inclined to agree with the government” that the new policy was “facially neutral.” — Didn’t want to micromanage blah blah blah. Not too long ago WSJ journalist was pulled from a trip for the trump drawing article.
NPR put it this way: The administration is operating something of a pincer movement, applying pressure to all possible vulnerabilities. It quoted Peter Baker who is known to ask pointed questions. — “Having served as a Moscow correspondent in the early days of Putin's reign, this reminds me of how the Kremlin took over its own press pool and made sure that only compliant journalists were given access.“
Now is our moment—take action against this harmful government. Covering up a pedophile ring. Ignoring court orders. Blatant corruption. The poor, the needy, and children are being abused—by our government. In the streets we must protest outright crooks and the pedophiles until after their shooting us starts, until we go down or we oust tyrants. I made 54 protest signs, and will make many more to share. You will see something different in these signs! Help yourself to this second batch, and share them as far as you can.
Steven, that was a finely crafted rant, and I am sure that everyone in this community appreciates every word. I am not so much angry, as I am sad. Our country has a president who has perfected the lie, the cheat, and the steal to an art form, as well as having no self control. This is a very dangerous person who is above the law. It makes you wonder why our great country doesn't have a psychological qualification test for this all important position. I bet NASA could pull it off.
John, Good points. NASA probably could do it…but, who would believe the validity of the findings? Trump et al has poisoned any and all trust people have in anything related to the government. His philosophy…why tell (report) the truth when a good lie will do better. Cripes!!!What a way to live!
There really are reasons. It is not a requirement set out in the Constitution. SCOTUS ruled a long time ago you can’t add requirements without amending the Constitution. Then there is the problem of how a president elected with an unfriendly prior administration might implement things like that.
Thanks for pointing out the difficulty in attempting this. But we are seeing what can happen when there are no guard rails. I am looking at the presidency just like any other modern job, which would have threshold requirements. 1776 sounds like a long time ago, maybe a little update is in order.
OK, I’m looking for the doable. Besides, I taught Social Studies. I see it not so much as the Constitution failing as those with responsibility failing.
But do CEO’s have psychological tests before they are selected? I think that’s reserved for the minions in the form of employment tests.
There are no actual facts with Trump - just alternate ones where everything is rosy. Until people get hit hard in their everyday lives the cognitive dissonance will continue. After all, that’s how he got re elected in the first place.
When a pretend leader swims in a river of lies of his own making, bystanders and observers must not get caught up in the wake of those lies. Truth or fact are not bendable.
Steven, with Trump systematically removing or shutting down reliable sources of information from within the government, we need to figure out what other sources of sound statistics based information are available to us and to the people we trust to tell us what is going on. Brennan Center comes to mind, and I've read or listened to others, but I need help from people who have a better handle on this than I do. How do we go about sorting out good resources? Who are the investigators and academicians and organizations who can fill this role?
Brought to us by the same folks who pushed book bans; lied about what CRT meant; erased history and when in power removed inconvenient facts from federal websites.
We will remember DJT was impeached twice. We will remember these other truths. It is our duty to make sure truth is not forgotten.
No, I won't let the conman rule my fate and ruin this nation. But I also don't want a couple super-uber-rich oligarchs rule me either. I'm thinking the rich guys are getting nervous behind the scenes as 45/7 drills down into the economic life that they so depend on. They won't let him get away with complete destruction of the economy. But who will they install next as their patsy? That is scary too. We have to think past just that little conman/liar and be prepared for much worse. Before it gets better, which I believe will happen.
Barbara, as it stands…if tRump gets struck by Lightening (no such luck!) It’s Vance (sort of…out of the fire and into the Fry Pan) and he has his own set of wealthy Puppeteers, to quote you…just more “super-uber-rich Oligarchs.” With their own agenda. Then it’s…..Oh Hell what does it matter…and so on! The Magats have pretty much sealed our fate….unless….?
He may be failing but isn't it the people that purposely propped him up and let him be used as their punching bag, because they needed to see where the weaknesses are in congress, supremes? It's hard to believe 2025, Federalists & Heritage truly want to destroy the entire country? Is it because the land and location here is worth more for these handful of oligarchs who can live anywhere in the world so they really don't care what happens here...
You realize that even if a majority of the Cabinet and J D Vance did that, it winds up in Congress? If we pretend it would be successful, we wind up with Vance. He’s not going to toss their workplan aside.
We the people need to take collective action, like yesterday.
Article 25, Section 4:
“… transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President….”
Then the president can write the President pro tempore of the Senate & Speaker Johnson to say he is fully able to carry out his duties.
The Cabinet & VP have to again send “their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue …”
sigh, contemplate the economic state of the Soviet Union when it broke up. If centralized planning was part of the problem, consider what the inability to plan at all will bring.
That reminds me … Peter Baker has compared the way the WH took over the press corps and approval of press passes, combined with all the major networks were being investigated & banning major ‘legacy’ press for speech — to the Soviet Union’s methods.
I recently read this interview of Paul Krugman addressing the economic data & firing.
“How does someplace like Venezuela get to hyperinflation? ... someplace like Argentina get hyperinflation? And an important part of that is that they start ordering the statistical agencies to, you know, report nothing but puppies and rainbows. And so they go plunging ahead. And by the time they finally start, if they ever do, to admit that maybe, maybe we have a problem here, you're up at 80 percent inflation, right?"
"This is the playbook," he added. "We've seen it many, many times. And now I have to say, faster even than I expected, it's come to America."
George Orwell called it, some 75 years ago. It’s like they’re using 1984 as a guide.
“In the end the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it. It was inevitable that they should make that claim sooner or later: the logic of their position demanded it. Not merely the validity of experience, but the very existence of external reality was tacitly denied by their philosophy.”
I just finished re-reading 1984. Trump’s creating his own Ministry of Truth, Minitru in newspeak. I find this to be doubleplusungood.
This is increasingly serious. I fear that the more information that squeaks through to the public on Trump’s history with Epstein et al will make him more dangerous and inclined to attack anyone and anything that he perceives to be an obstacle to his dominance.
We all know he is flailing and failing. We also know that (to quote Katherine Hepburn in “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner”)…”We’re in trouble (to Monsignor Ryan). We’re in terrible, terrible trouble.”
Even without the Epstein / Maxwell story front & center we had book bans, erasing history, the conspiracy theories. This began a long time ago.
The economy was a bigger pillar in his election than immigration. Public opinion has moved from favorable to skeptical and disapproval. Those who think for themselves are a threat and tarnish his “legacy”. 🙃 He isn’t pushing for redistricting for the fun of it.
Someone suggested he is between Nero and Caligula.
This reminds me of Trump’s first term when Covid was just beginning to really alarm Americans and there was a giant cruise ship filled with sick, infected cruise-goers. Trump gave one of those NONSENSE press conferences and said he was refusing to allow those people to leave the ship and was holding the ship at dock … because “If we don’t let them onto US soil then our COVID #s won’t go up.”
Trump both doesn’t understand math & science - or any other subject for that matter - with any real level of depth or curiosity AND he feels it is his prerogative to use the facts he is given in whatever way proves most helpful to HIM & his narrative of “the truth”.
In an alternate universe where he and his wife spoke to each other and lived in the same house; he would theoretically tell her not to get a lump in her breast checked by a DR. because if she doesn’t get a mammogram then she won’t have cancer.
With COVID, the more desperate things became, the higher the death tolls, the more he challenged the real science and harder he quashed the voices of the experts.
I know I am biased because of my education, training & career in medicine, science & statistics; but manipulating & outright yanking facts - and the experts in every field who spend their lives readying themselves to gather, understand, prepare & present facts to our President and our nation … will be the quickest route to our demise.
We can and should have disparate thoughts and opinions. It is good to consider all options when moving forward. But all of those disagreements must be based upon a shared set of factual truths.
The broadest analogy for economic statistics, weather information, truths about the history of this country … and all other information we Americans deserve to have:
There are many different ways to treat (or not treat) breast cancer. Those personal choices, ours to make and be protected. But we cannot devolve into a populace which doesn’t believe the oncologist and the tests which tell us if that cancer exists.
Remember he also made some inane comment about 'injecting bleach'. And yet was elected again...
I started out as a civil engineer and ultimately became a program manager with the government (Army Corps of Engineers and NYC DOT). America cannot function in a non-fact based reality. People talk about Trump being crazy enough to start WWIII. What he’s doing now is just as bad. He’s destroying the foundation upon which society functions … insuring its collapse! THIS MUST BE OUR RALLYING CRY GOING FORWARD!
“Prevent Societal Collapse! Stop The Theft Of Reality!”
I think we need to the work on the first part to make it conform to what sticks as a rally cry. — “Stop The Theft of Reality!” is great!
You know what really ticks me off (well, among a gazillion other things)? Why aren't the reporters who flock around Trump calling out his lies in real time and challenging him every time he opens that little cakehole of a mouth to utter another total fabrication?
Do these reporters not realize how they are abetting him in ripping up the fabric of our nation by becoming his echo chambers? Their irresponsibility is disgraceful.
Not many in the crowd are reporters & he chooses who he calls on. I’m beginning to believe there should be a broadcast of his “comments” on C-SPAN and no media there at all. Or for Leavitt. Good questions are met with “that’s nasty” or worse. When he does interviews, including ‘friendly’ ones, more falls out of his mouth.
Breitbart (had a seat before Leavitt announced anyone can apply), My Pillow Guy, Tim Pool (had a connection to a TN media company that took $$ from Russia), TikTok influencers, podcaster all were successful in becoming eligible.
It took 2 months after being banned for the AP to get an order to be reinstated (over Gulf of Mexico) & they were excluded anyway. The WH said that it wasn’t the AP’s turn. AP went back to court: — After a hearing in U.S. District Court in Washington on Friday, Judge Trevor McFadden said that he was “inclined to agree with the government” that the new policy was “facially neutral.” — Didn’t want to micromanage blah blah blah. Not too long ago WSJ journalist was pulled from a trip for the trump drawing article.
NPR put it this way: The administration is operating something of a pincer movement, applying pressure to all possible vulnerabilities. It quoted Peter Baker who is known to ask pointed questions. — “Having served as a Moscow correspondent in the early days of Putin's reign, this reminds me of how the Kremlin took over its own press pool and made sure that only compliant journalists were given access.“
Now is our moment—take action against this harmful government. Covering up a pedophile ring. Ignoring court orders. Blatant corruption. The poor, the needy, and children are being abused—by our government. In the streets we must protest outright crooks and the pedophiles until after their shooting us starts, until we go down or we oust tyrants. I made 54 protest signs, and will make many more to share. You will see something different in these signs! Help yourself to this second batch, and share them as far as you can.
https://hotbuttons.substack.com/p/free-protest-signs?r=3m1bs
Steven, that was a finely crafted rant, and I am sure that everyone in this community appreciates every word. I am not so much angry, as I am sad. Our country has a president who has perfected the lie, the cheat, and the steal to an art form, as well as having no self control. This is a very dangerous person who is above the law. It makes you wonder why our great country doesn't have a psychological qualification test for this all important position. I bet NASA could pull it off.
Thank you, John. We also need psych tests for all the millions who are drawn to a sociopath to lead them.
John, Good points. NASA probably could do it…but, who would believe the validity of the findings? Trump et al has poisoned any and all trust people have in anything related to the government. His philosophy…why tell (report) the truth when a good lie will do better. Cripes!!!What a way to live!
There really are reasons. It is not a requirement set out in the Constitution. SCOTUS ruled a long time ago you can’t add requirements without amending the Constitution. Then there is the problem of how a president elected with an unfriendly prior administration might implement things like that.
Hi Ann,
Thanks for pointing out the difficulty in attempting this. But we are seeing what can happen when there are no guard rails. I am looking at the presidency just like any other modern job, which would have threshold requirements. 1776 sounds like a long time ago, maybe a little update is in order.
OK, I’m looking for the doable. Besides, I taught Social Studies. I see it not so much as the Constitution failing as those with responsibility failing.
But do CEO’s have psychological tests before they are selected? I think that’s reserved for the minions in the form of employment tests.
There are no actual facts with Trump - just alternate ones where everything is rosy. Until people get hit hard in their everyday lives the cognitive dissonance will continue. After all, that’s how he got re elected in the first place.
When a pretend leader swims in a river of lies of his own making, bystanders and observers must not get caught up in the wake of those lies. Truth or fact are not bendable.
Steven, with Trump systematically removing or shutting down reliable sources of information from within the government, we need to figure out what other sources of sound statistics based information are available to us and to the people we trust to tell us what is going on. Brennan Center comes to mind, and I've read or listened to others, but I need help from people who have a better handle on this than I do. How do we go about sorting out good resources? Who are the investigators and academicians and organizations who can fill this role?
Brought to us by the same folks who pushed book bans; lied about what CRT meant; erased history and when in power removed inconvenient facts from federal websites.
We will remember DJT was impeached twice. We will remember these other truths. It is our duty to make sure truth is not forgotten.
No, I won't let the conman rule my fate and ruin this nation. But I also don't want a couple super-uber-rich oligarchs rule me either. I'm thinking the rich guys are getting nervous behind the scenes as 45/7 drills down into the economic life that they so depend on. They won't let him get away with complete destruction of the economy. But who will they install next as their patsy? That is scary too. We have to think past just that little conman/liar and be prepared for much worse. Before it gets better, which I believe will happen.
Barbara, as it stands…if tRump gets struck by Lightening (no such luck!) It’s Vance (sort of…out of the fire and into the Fry Pan) and he has his own set of wealthy Puppeteers, to quote you…just more “super-uber-rich Oligarchs.” With their own agenda. Then it’s…..Oh Hell what does it matter…and so on! The Magats have pretty much sealed our fate….unless….?
Spot on!
He may be failing but isn't it the people that purposely propped him up and let him be used as their punching bag, because they needed to see where the weaknesses are in congress, supremes? It's hard to believe 2025, Federalists & Heritage truly want to destroy the entire country? Is it because the land and location here is worth more for these handful of oligarchs who can live anywhere in the world so they really don't care what happens here...
So which of his sycophantic, singularly unqualified, moronic Cabinet members will invoke the 25th Amendment? I won’t hold my breath.
You realize that even if a majority of the Cabinet and J D Vance did that, it winds up in Congress? If we pretend it would be successful, we wind up with Vance. He’s not going to toss their workplan aside.
We the people need to take collective action, like yesterday.
Article 25, Section 4:
“… transmit to the President pro tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, the Vice President shall immediately assume the powers and duties of the office as Acting President….”
Then the president can write the President pro tempore of the Senate & Speaker Johnson to say he is fully able to carry out his duties.
The Cabinet & VP have to again send “their written declaration that the President is unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office. Thereupon Congress shall decide the issue …”
https://constitutioncenter.org/the-constitution/amendments/amendment-xxv
I take your point, Ann. Believe me, I shudder at the thought of a Vance presidency.
I’m sure they all know what would happen to them if they tried it. (The Amendment requires a 2/3 vote in both House & Senate.)
sigh, contemplate the economic state of the Soviet Union when it broke up. If centralized planning was part of the problem, consider what the inability to plan at all will bring.
That reminds me … Peter Baker has compared the way the WH took over the press corps and approval of press passes, combined with all the major networks were being investigated & banning major ‘legacy’ press for speech — to the Soviet Union’s methods.
https://thehill.com/media/5163438-nyt-reporter-says-trump-handling-press-like-soviet-kremlin/
I recently read this interview of Paul Krugman addressing the economic data & firing.
“How does someplace like Venezuela get to hyperinflation? ... someplace like Argentina get hyperinflation? And an important part of that is that they start ordering the statistical agencies to, you know, report nothing but puppies and rainbows. And so they go plunging ahead. And by the time they finally start, if they ever do, to admit that maybe, maybe we have a problem here, you're up at 80 percent inflation, right?"
"This is the playbook," he added. "We've seen it many, many times. And now I have to say, faster even than I expected, it's come to America."
https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/politics/nobel-winning-economist-paul-krugman-warns-us-faces-venezuela-style-collapse-under-trump/ar-AA1JKRxh