“Evil always carries within itself the germ of its own subversion in that it leaves behind in human beings at least a sense of unease. Against stupidity we are defenseless.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
A hundred thousand thanks for amplifying Professor Snyder's enlightening post, which focuses our attention on the dangers represented by Trump&Co. Anyone who would deliberately provoke an attack on his own people is a danger to himself and others, which is the legal definition for a person who belongs in the locked ward of a psychiatric hospital. And this current war and decapitation of our national counter-terrorism task force is part of a pattern. Does anyone not see that ICE's illegal acts and the illegal deployment of National Guard troops and the Marines in Blue cities was at least in part meant to provoke violent resistance, which Trump could then exploit to postpone or eliminate our midterm elections? These are the actions of a madman.
Thanks Steven: Yes the internal security operations have been severely decimated leaving the nation in peril . The Iranian sleeper cells will be plotting actions against the infrastructure of the USA.. Leaders like Kash Patel, Markwayne Mullin and Tulsi Gabbard are not very well informed or qualified for the job.
So where are the Republicans in Congress who are against this insanity and why aren't they Impeaching and Removing the madman at the helm in the White House who continues to destroy our government, our peace, and our security?
truth.... and he will go to the ends of the earth to make sure we never see the evidence... the more he pushes with these hideous distractions the more brutal he must have been with those childrenn.. believe them when they were threatened with death and believe them when they say they never saw some girls again.... cadaver dogs now ...
This war and the chaos that accompanies is perfectly aligned with the authoritarian overreach that everyone around Trump is seeking. An attack on us from terrorist cells will allow a seamless transition to a fully formed authoritarian takeover of whatever functions are left within the government. The purge of democratic norms and laws will be complete. MAGA voters will not know what hit them, but it will be too late.
How much time does our democracy-on-life-support have? I think nobody knows. We all carry with us the hope that we can overcome this “shock and awe” attack on our American ideals, but even my Boomer generation has not yet seen the like. Many older ones in that political age and time demonstrated their opposition to the Vietnam war, but many of us were too young to do that.
We are in uncharted territory with this administration. I can only pray that we will have enough democratic leeway still available to us in the form of independent media and others who oppose this assault to stand up to it. The avalanche is coming and I pray we will not be buried under its weight. By joining hands and refusing to be separated from each other we may yet survive. Time, (the uncertainty of which) will tell.
Gosh, he forgot a word: when you go to war, some INNOCENT people will die. No one is surprised at his disconnection from reality or his inbred cruelty, but it will be difficult for some not to be shocked if we're hit by terrorists on US soil. It is a classic ploy he's using to take control of our govt. Mark March 28 as another "No Kings" rally and keep doing/voting/speaking up as often as possible. Please.
My money is on the crashing of the global economy. Trump will not be able to blame anyone else; he will try, but I don't think the average Joe and Jill will buy it. They will just know that gas prices are off the charts, food prices have soared, every day sundries are out of reach. No amount of moral reasoning or action is going to stop this lunatic. What will be the show stopper will be the economic mess of his own making. Add to this, the very real, very likely possibility of attacks on the homeland. It's clear that the gang that can't shoot straight didn't game out the other side's possible moves. What did he think would happen when he kicked the hornet's nest, unleashing state-sponsored terrorism everywhere? This war could be the denouement of what was once great about America: a beacon of democracy, an ally in the face of despotism, a nation based on the rule of law, a people who have stood on the right side of history. It's not just Iran that he is destroying. He is killing the best of us.
Trump welcomes a terrorist attack and other security failures so he can continue and intensify his attacks on other marginalized groups. He is so confused even though he projects confidence through specific statements and a casual nonchalance, almost bored disdain when questioned. “Am I making money?” “Does it look like I’m richer?” “Can I avoid consequences I don’t like?” “Can I be like a Caesar?”
Just like his vocabulary, diet, dress, and body image projection, “elementary” covers his entire persona. Leaders of the world should be very simple when communicating with him.
Isn’t the head of counter terrorism some white guy who’s out of college one year, and who’s only past job experience was as a grocery clerk. Obviously all these lunatics that Trump has hired are as incompetent as he is.
It should be evident to all that the only real winner of the horror that is being unleashed throughout the Middle East, with repercussions that are being felt across the world, is Putin. Note that this is happening when the Russian economy is in tatters: the only hope for Putin to be able to sustain his brutal war against Ukraine is to have huge increases in the price of oil (with scarcities in the international markets of this one commodity at his command).
Let this set to rest any doubt that the murderous, child molesting thug whom we have elected to the highest office in the land is a lackey of Putin's. What other conclusion is there to be drawn except that Trump is acting under Putin's orders to destroy our nation from within and to rain havoc upon the democracies of Europe? (Note, also, that Trump is brushing off the fact that Russia is providing intelligence to Iran in order to allow Iranian forces to target our assets.)
Those whom we have elected to office have failed us by remaining effectively quiescent in the face of this evil or by becoming complicit with the monster. It is absolutely vital therefore - as much for our wellbeing as of those around the world - that we, the People, rise up to remove Trump and his entire coterie from office.
Let's make a start by gathering on the 28th in our multimillions across the nation. Be aware, though, that Trump - as Timothy Snyder and Steven are warning us - could well use the occasion in order to foment violence and declare a state of emergency. We will need to stay calm and maintain the pressure. We have no choice but to bring this regime tumbling down and to hold those responsible to account.
I have been watching a series of historical and political videos on Iran/Persia. They deeply look at the history of this whole region of the Middle East. And the people and methods that made it what it unfortunately is today: religion vs. will of the people. Sound familiar anyone? America: right on target to fall into the same irreligious, power grabbing self righteousness of those religious fanatics who think their savior is jesus, NOT the intelligent people who recognize that the will of the people who continue to want freedoms of speech, thinking, and FROM religion. And the worst hypocrites are those like Hegseth, Trump and their pandering to religion to overcome their naivete, lack of perspective, and knowledge of history. Why is it always with America - shoot first, don't even bother to ask questions later? Just use force, and let the bombs fall where they may. What a great way to "rule" - just the ayatollahs without the religion here!
“Evil always carries within itself the germ of its own subversion in that it leaves behind in human beings at least a sense of unease. Against stupidity we are defenseless.” - Dietrich Bonhoeffer
A hundred thousand thanks for amplifying Professor Snyder's enlightening post, which focuses our attention on the dangers represented by Trump&Co. Anyone who would deliberately provoke an attack on his own people is a danger to himself and others, which is the legal definition for a person who belongs in the locked ward of a psychiatric hospital. And this current war and decapitation of our national counter-terrorism task force is part of a pattern. Does anyone not see that ICE's illegal acts and the illegal deployment of National Guard troops and the Marines in Blue cities was at least in part meant to provoke violent resistance, which Trump could then exploit to postpone or eliminate our midterm elections? These are the actions of a madman.
Thanks Steven: Yes the internal security operations have been severely decimated leaving the nation in peril . The Iranian sleeper cells will be plotting actions against the infrastructure of the USA.. Leaders like Kash Patel, Markwayne Mullin and Tulsi Gabbard are not very well informed or qualified for the job.
So where are the Republicans in Congress who are against this insanity and why aren't they Impeaching and Removing the madman at the helm in the White House who continues to destroy our government, our peace, and our security?
A good question. A question we keep asking over and over without answer.
It isn’t that hard to believe that Trump abused little girls. He hasn’t changed one iota.
truth.... and he will go to the ends of the earth to make sure we never see the evidence... the more he pushes with these hideous distractions the more brutal he must have been with those childrenn.. believe them when they were threatened with death and believe them when they say they never saw some girls again.... cadaver dogs now ...
Thank you, Mr. Beschloss.
This war and the chaos that accompanies is perfectly aligned with the authoritarian overreach that everyone around Trump is seeking. An attack on us from terrorist cells will allow a seamless transition to a fully formed authoritarian takeover of whatever functions are left within the government. The purge of democratic norms and laws will be complete. MAGA voters will not know what hit them, but it will be too late.
How much time does our democracy-on-life-support have? I think nobody knows. We all carry with us the hope that we can overcome this “shock and awe” attack on our American ideals, but even my Boomer generation has not yet seen the like. Many older ones in that political age and time demonstrated their opposition to the Vietnam war, but many of us were too young to do that.
We are in uncharted territory with this administration. I can only pray that we will have enough democratic leeway still available to us in the form of independent media and others who oppose this assault to stand up to it. The avalanche is coming and I pray we will not be buried under its weight. By joining hands and refusing to be separated from each other we may yet survive. Time, (the uncertainty of which) will tell.
Gosh, he forgot a word: when you go to war, some INNOCENT people will die. No one is surprised at his disconnection from reality or his inbred cruelty, but it will be difficult for some not to be shocked if we're hit by terrorists on US soil. It is a classic ploy he's using to take control of our govt. Mark March 28 as another "No Kings" rally and keep doing/voting/speaking up as often as possible. Please.
Outstanding Realism Steven
My money is on the crashing of the global economy. Trump will not be able to blame anyone else; he will try, but I don't think the average Joe and Jill will buy it. They will just know that gas prices are off the charts, food prices have soared, every day sundries are out of reach. No amount of moral reasoning or action is going to stop this lunatic. What will be the show stopper will be the economic mess of his own making. Add to this, the very real, very likely possibility of attacks on the homeland. It's clear that the gang that can't shoot straight didn't game out the other side's possible moves. What did he think would happen when he kicked the hornet's nest, unleashing state-sponsored terrorism everywhere? This war could be the denouement of what was once great about America: a beacon of democracy, an ally in the face of despotism, a nation based on the rule of law, a people who have stood on the right side of history. It's not just Iran that he is destroying. He is killing the best of us.
Trump welcomes a terrorist attack and other security failures so he can continue and intensify his attacks on other marginalized groups. He is so confused even though he projects confidence through specific statements and a casual nonchalance, almost bored disdain when questioned. “Am I making money?” “Does it look like I’m richer?” “Can I avoid consequences I don’t like?” “Can I be like a Caesar?”
Just like his vocabulary, diet, dress, and body image projection, “elementary” covers his entire persona. Leaders of the world should be very simple when communicating with him.
Isn’t the head of counter terrorism some white guy who’s out of college one year, and who’s only past job experience was as a grocery clerk. Obviously all these lunatics that Trump has hired are as incompetent as he is.
Miles Taylor's and Timothy Snyder's Substacks are the best source of news and reactions to the news. I've been a subscriber to them for months.
And Steven B. too!!
It should be evident to all that the only real winner of the horror that is being unleashed throughout the Middle East, with repercussions that are being felt across the world, is Putin. Note that this is happening when the Russian economy is in tatters: the only hope for Putin to be able to sustain his brutal war against Ukraine is to have huge increases in the price of oil (with scarcities in the international markets of this one commodity at his command).
Let this set to rest any doubt that the murderous, child molesting thug whom we have elected to the highest office in the land is a lackey of Putin's. What other conclusion is there to be drawn except that Trump is acting under Putin's orders to destroy our nation from within and to rain havoc upon the democracies of Europe? (Note, also, that Trump is brushing off the fact that Russia is providing intelligence to Iran in order to allow Iranian forces to target our assets.)
Those whom we have elected to office have failed us by remaining effectively quiescent in the face of this evil or by becoming complicit with the monster. It is absolutely vital therefore - as much for our wellbeing as of those around the world - that we, the People, rise up to remove Trump and his entire coterie from office.
Let's make a start by gathering on the 28th in our multimillions across the nation. Be aware, though, that Trump - as Timothy Snyder and Steven are warning us - could well use the occasion in order to foment violence and declare a state of emergency. We will need to stay calm and maintain the pressure. We have no choice but to bring this regime tumbling down and to hold those responsible to account.
I have been watching a series of historical and political videos on Iran/Persia. They deeply look at the history of this whole region of the Middle East. And the people and methods that made it what it unfortunately is today: religion vs. will of the people. Sound familiar anyone? America: right on target to fall into the same irreligious, power grabbing self righteousness of those religious fanatics who think their savior is jesus, NOT the intelligent people who recognize that the will of the people who continue to want freedoms of speech, thinking, and FROM religion. And the worst hypocrites are those like Hegseth, Trump and their pandering to religion to overcome their naivete, lack of perspective, and knowledge of history. Why is it always with America - shoot first, don't even bother to ask questions later? Just use force, and let the bombs fall where they may. What a great way to "rule" - just the ayatollahs without the religion here!
The U.S. deserves a regime change and I want to have a say in who replaces Baby Bonespurs.
All of this is dependent on whether or not unrigged elections can or will be allowed under the current regime, of course.
And if some country doesn’t bomb the bejesus out of us first.