America is truly in decline if this remains a competitive race. I say that with love for this country but also with a deep trauma regarding the last several years and how our system has enabled such a man because of the nation's inability to reckon with historical deficiencies.
Biden can do only so much to combat this because of handicaps of being on the other side politically and other handicaps. Less so his age lately as he is showing he is not sleepy Joe. But the Israel/Gaza war is a real negative with younger voters... those who don't realize that Trump would be worse and Trump, in fact, with his Abraham accords brought on or certainly helped bring the Hamas attack.
Biden needs help....the media..... surrogates..grass roots. That this is not about politics has to get across.
People just waking up need information and Truth. Our system has been gamed. WE never had such a threat. And we are being forewarned, we have experience of this man. This is a test on us.. the people. This experiment is about the people, the owners of "the system" and our involvement or not in it. If we the people do not act, then the system has failed. Don't give up and blame "the system" please...
PS. there are two standards being used-- one for Biden, one for Trump. Trump is clearly mentally unfit. Biden is not mentally unfit. That is the fire that needs to be put out.
Well said, minority rule has been enshrined in our constitutional order by design and that has been gamed by capturing the Supreme court through electorally unpopular presidents and appealing to fearful minority opinions. However, the American people also have to vote and make smart decisions. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to see if the latter will occur.
Yes, and the American people, so hard working towards "getting and spending" need to be awakened. On the surface, without even the interview or that 2025 agenda I don't know how people can be so oblivious. We are, it seems in the late stage of this. And structurally how do we change it? Are we stuck and destined to lose this experiment in democracy? Education is key.. I mean combatting ignorance, but how do we get through to people and turn the tide? Why does humanity have to learn the hard and painful way, if it learns at all? Pain and suffering seem to be prime movers... hitting home... because we are selfish beings. I hope I did not help to ruin your day.
Not at all. It's a consistent lesson in human history that democracy is a privilege. American exceptionalism is being disproven because one our flaws is believing we are immune to history. This feature is displayed in our nation's harmful way of ignoring racial politics or the way it is a prime motivator for many to dispel of democracy because of fear, hate, ignorance, or indifference.
Democracy IS a privilege, according to history. Prof Timothy Snyder writes, teaches, about this most recently and in his substack. We are indeed an experiment here.. a multicultural democracy. And we have flaws that have arisen in time that don't seem to have a way to get fixed structurally without violence and another revolution, pain and suffering. We just don't want to go through that, so addicted to "getting and spending" and "normality" and our "exceptionalism" in history. That makes us feel invulnerable, such that we prefer to stick our heads in the ground "it can't happen here". But there are bad actors and they are upon us. We are actually being threatened within. Democracy contains the ability for its own demise.
The DNC has got to rely heavily on massive paid advertising because nbc et al are for some unfathomable reason totally in the gop tank. It makes no sense to me.
It really makes parallels between Hitler's Germany and Totalitarian Trump's America without doing so directly. We can see the parallels outlined even though there are some differences. One thing that most people don't seem to mention is that Germany had only had a Democracy in the Weimar Republic. Prior to that they went from being little tribes to Small Kingdoms and Principalities, that grew to be led under a single monarch, but not really a government selected with the popular vote of all the people. With the Weimar Republic German women's right to vote swept in. It was also chaotic, and the Golden 20s were driven by people who no longer believed that one could plan for the future and instead spent to live in the moment. Still, you have your characters, and you can see who is paralleled in our times. Looking at the details of the militia and military are interesting. I am worried about the Trumpian militai rising up to do his bidding. The article is interesting as I am sure is the book. I started reading it in the Google Books where they offer 43 pages to sample.
Thanks for this. We ( this side.. the side that wants our democracy to continue) needs to retain a monopoly over violence regardless. It may come down to armed struggle. I hope not. But I was thinking, hoping, that our long experience with democracy, the evolution of it, and what we have been taught and teach our children will hold us in good stead. We have the story that prevailed. The issue and problem is that maybe a significant number may think that they have the story: the right to overturn this country like 1776. But then again what are they fighting for other than chaos.. one man's resentment, anger and retribution that purports to be for his followers? So I think the militia will rise up- plan on it, we must. But we must, like every rebellion in the past without good cause a resonating cause, put it down. I guess who gives the orders and who takes them is important... that is where leadership comes in.
You can see here that the Social Democrats support of the institution of democracy allowed Hitler to walk all over it without them denying him his right to do that at least not before it was too late. One can hope that our democracy, longer than Germany had at the time Hitler came to power of 15 years, will show more staying power. However, what tools do we have to support democracy against Totalitarian Trump if he is allowed to get enough votes to win the electoral college. Even if he does not win, will he just make the following 4 years as miserable as he has made these past almost 4 years? I hope not. I hope his deteriorating mind will not allow him to.
I believe we will have more staying power. We are not Germany, the German people. We have many Germanic people here but we are very multicultural and from the beginning. We are multi racial ethnic and religious. That is our strength.
The electoral college is a problem because it provides a way to game our system and it's in the Constitution. Regarding Trump losing, we’re going to have to find a way of dealing with the repercussions. Trump himself will not last. He’s losing it mentally already.
While we are not the German people there are lessons to be learned. What we are as multicultural still has a dominant culture that people are supposed to fit in to. At least that is what the Republicans want. If the youth vote comes out we are in good shape because they represent the most diversity. A lot of bots are working on the different groups to disengage them. Dems do best when more people come out to vote. Let us hope we can find ways to defy the bots.
"What’s most striking in the interview is that Trump, even after four years as president, has virtually no grasp on any policy issue beyond empty talking points, most of which are lies." Trump has run his business organization by doing whatever he wants, whenever he wants, and by ignoring the law whenever it suits his purpose so it's hardly surprising that he ran the country the same way. We also need to focus on the people around him as they are also malevolent and care only about their own power and greed. Some of what he talks about is what is fed to him from these people.
Please don’t underestimate how trump’s cruelty appeals to people. I’m related to some incredibly cruel people. One of the reasons they love trump is his cruelty. It’s as though they believe trump will avenge every unjust wrong & every slight they’ve ever received.
To my mind, that's why Kristi Noem "wrote" in her book about killing the puppy. Due to the VP sweepstakes, she wanted to make sure Trump knows she can be cruel.
I plan to buy the Time Magazine today, but your description of Trump and his behavior is ongoing - a continuation of uninterrupted holy terror. Mary Shelley, who is "best known for writing the Gothic novel called Frankenstein" had the foresight to envision Donald Trump. I look at the cover of Time and see an ugly and ignorant monster. Many Republicans look at Trump and describe him as attractive and smart. This immense difference of opinion best describes the boundless contemptuousness today between many Democrats and Republicans. It has cast a whirlwind of dissension across our nation and impacted many lives. I no longer wish to live in the beautiful mountainous region of Arizona where the climate is better than Phoenix, but the population leans steeply toward Trumpers. I no longer wish to go buy groceries and am faced with an endless line of pickup trucks flying Trump flags or worse with Swazastika stickers on bumpers. Just like tattoos became normalized so has a level of savagery in our country. At least one day a week, I face one or two empty beer cans in my yard. and yesterday I received a male cell phone message that said " Hi Elizabeth, Go outside. Thank you." I have come to think of this as a threatening warning that can no longer be ignored.
While the American media spotlight, ever enthralled by the sensationalism of the moment and entire days of media coverage based of the level of Trump's eyelids and his legal woes, a crucial and overlooked alarming danger continues to unfold in the United States.
The shadow cast by Vladimir Putin over the landscape of American democracy, and his influence and control over Trump grows larger and more treacherous by the moment. Because most of my career was spent in Russian-speaking countries, I have perspicuously visualized the progress of Putin's assault on the United States. Putin has even told the whole world of his intentions in a book (The Foundation of Geopolitics) published in Russia in 1997 where he lists his Presidential ambitions. This checklist includes the destruction of the U.S. from within by placing a man in power who is loyal to Russia - an operational model that mimics the USSR pattern - the era when Putin grew-up and was trained as a KGB spy.
Americans do not understand Putin's intentions or his methodologies - they only see Trump as the Republican leader. This lack of education, international experience, and isolationism is crippling our nation and is what we are seeing happening now. Our democracy hangs on the edge of a cliff and may be tipped in either direction this year. The resistance of Judge Merchan to jail Trump AND the SCOTUS delay in the "immunity" case are signs that WE - all of us - may be living in a dictatorship soon. I have lived in autocratic governments for many years, and do not wish to return. No one is safe. Putin's carefully planned strategies and his attempt to reshape the course of American politics and American lives is nearly accomplished.
Noah.. you are talking about mental illness, but in a form that many apparently don't see or recognize.
Part of those who don't are his enablers or the ill-intentioned power seekers, the more dangerous because they hold Trump up and are in for the ride, for themselves. If Trump loses, they will not be prosecuted. Those that are afraid of Trump will attach themselves to him, like Hitler, to save themselves should he win. They will not be prosecuted either for their votes.
I find it hard to believe that Trump can just win and take over as dictator.. even get confirmed. I am sure there will be violence. We have well over 200 years of experience and relative normality with this government.. at least HALF of us are not on board. We will not let this happen even if we go in the streets or take lessons from the college students now demonstrating.. get out there.
I am happy Time Magazine is featuring this. The NYTimes should stick their f--king neck out too... and WAPO and every other respected form of media.. including CNN ( MSNBC is already ).
Diabetics, elderly, disabled, those on social security. Medicare and Medicaid are fucked.
Can you imagine how much the price of insulin will be jacked up? All diabetes medications will be marked up hundreds of dollars.
Elderly and disabled will be penniless without SS and Medicare. Soon living on the streets. Eventually corralled up and imprisoned as indigents. Even those with retirement fundsl soon depleted as healthcare costs are raised one hundred percnt.
Minimal healthcare for these prisoners. They will just left to die, hastily.
Robert: No sure if you are speaking to my Substack post regarding the Time Magazine cover, but if you are I would be happy to provide you the background info on how Trump came to power - including the truth/evidence behind his connections with Russia.
You can read the transcript, as Aaron pointed out. Time has also posted their fact check of the interview. It's not as detailed as I might like, but it does cover a lot of ground.
Excellent and important read. Everyone is giving themselves a permission structure this year to wash their hands of the consequences of another Trump term. One of my far left friends told me that “no one will care except some white people” if/when Trump wins. The privilege of dissent. If he and others think THIS is fascism just wait until next year.
That Time would spend ANY time interviewing a known liar , facist, cheat, giving him exactly what he wanted front page and centered attention? WTF? ….NOT INTERESTED
I really like and appreciate this piece. My favorite line is, "It’s like interacting with a chatbot programmed by a fascist parrot."
I do think it's missing a crucial section on that fascist parrot, because, really, the simile works really well. One of the fascist parrots programming Trump is Stephen Miller. Clearly the entire lot at Heritage is too.
Despite this being about an interview with Trump I think we miss the forest for the trees when we focus on Trump. These aren't Trump's ideas, they're the ideas of neofascists he's mangling upon regurgitation. Focusing too much on Trump makes it seem like that one single tree is the problem with the evil forest.
America is truly in decline if this remains a competitive race. I say that with love for this country but also with a deep trauma regarding the last several years and how our system has enabled such a man because of the nation's inability to reckon with historical deficiencies.
Biden can do only so much to combat this because of handicaps of being on the other side politically and other handicaps. Less so his age lately as he is showing he is not sleepy Joe. But the Israel/Gaza war is a real negative with younger voters... those who don't realize that Trump would be worse and Trump, in fact, with his Abraham accords brought on or certainly helped bring the Hamas attack.
Biden needs help....the media..... surrogates..grass roots. That this is not about politics has to get across.
People just waking up need information and Truth. Our system has been gamed. WE never had such a threat. And we are being forewarned, we have experience of this man. This is a test on us.. the people. This experiment is about the people, the owners of "the system" and our involvement or not in it. If we the people do not act, then the system has failed. Don't give up and blame "the system" please...
PS. there are two standards being used-- one for Biden, one for Trump. Trump is clearly mentally unfit. Biden is not mentally unfit. That is the fire that needs to be put out.
Well said, minority rule has been enshrined in our constitutional order by design and that has been gamed by capturing the Supreme court through electorally unpopular presidents and appealing to fearful minority opinions. However, the American people also have to vote and make smart decisions. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to see if the latter will occur.
Yes, and the American people, so hard working towards "getting and spending" need to be awakened. On the surface, without even the interview or that 2025 agenda I don't know how people can be so oblivious. We are, it seems in the late stage of this. And structurally how do we change it? Are we stuck and destined to lose this experiment in democracy? Education is key.. I mean combatting ignorance, but how do we get through to people and turn the tide? Why does humanity have to learn the hard and painful way, if it learns at all? Pain and suffering seem to be prime movers... hitting home... because we are selfish beings. I hope I did not help to ruin your day.
Not at all. It's a consistent lesson in human history that democracy is a privilege. American exceptionalism is being disproven because one our flaws is believing we are immune to history. This feature is displayed in our nation's harmful way of ignoring racial politics or the way it is a prime motivator for many to dispel of democracy because of fear, hate, ignorance, or indifference.
Democracy IS a privilege, according to history. Prof Timothy Snyder writes, teaches, about this most recently and in his substack. We are indeed an experiment here.. a multicultural democracy. And we have flaws that have arisen in time that don't seem to have a way to get fixed structurally without violence and another revolution, pain and suffering. We just don't want to go through that, so addicted to "getting and spending" and "normality" and our "exceptionalism" in history. That makes us feel invulnerable, such that we prefer to stick our heads in the ground "it can't happen here". But there are bad actors and they are upon us. We are actually being threatened within. Democracy contains the ability for its own demise.
paid advertising works
then donating for it must.
The DNC has got to rely heavily on massive paid advertising because nbc et al are for some unfathomable reason totally in the gop tank. It makes no sense to me.
None of this makes sense to me.. from the get go.
MSNBC is absolutely not in the tank for the GOP. Please stop dumping all media in the same bucket.
A book that was mentioned on another Substack is Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power by Timothy W. Ryback. Here is a review of it in The New Yorker. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/03/25/takeover-hitlers-final-rise-to-power-timothy-w-ryback-book-review
It really makes parallels between Hitler's Germany and Totalitarian Trump's America without doing so directly. We can see the parallels outlined even though there are some differences. One thing that most people don't seem to mention is that Germany had only had a Democracy in the Weimar Republic. Prior to that they went from being little tribes to Small Kingdoms and Principalities, that grew to be led under a single monarch, but not really a government selected with the popular vote of all the people. With the Weimar Republic German women's right to vote swept in. It was also chaotic, and the Golden 20s were driven by people who no longer believed that one could plan for the future and instead spent to live in the moment. Still, you have your characters, and you can see who is paralleled in our times. Looking at the details of the militia and military are interesting. I am worried about the Trumpian militai rising up to do his bidding. The article is interesting as I am sure is the book. I started reading it in the Google Books where they offer 43 pages to sample.
Thanks for this. We ( this side.. the side that wants our democracy to continue) needs to retain a monopoly over violence regardless. It may come down to armed struggle. I hope not. But I was thinking, hoping, that our long experience with democracy, the evolution of it, and what we have been taught and teach our children will hold us in good stead. We have the story that prevailed. The issue and problem is that maybe a significant number may think that they have the story: the right to overturn this country like 1776. But then again what are they fighting for other than chaos.. one man's resentment, anger and retribution that purports to be for his followers? So I think the militia will rise up- plan on it, we must. But we must, like every rebellion in the past without good cause a resonating cause, put it down. I guess who gives the orders and who takes them is important... that is where leadership comes in.
None of that worked where Hitler was concerned. Read a review of the new book Takeover: Hitler's Final Rise to Power by Timothy W. Ryback. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2024/03/25/takeover-hitlers-final-rise-to-power-timothy-w-ryback-book-review
You can see here that the Social Democrats support of the institution of democracy allowed Hitler to walk all over it without them denying him his right to do that at least not before it was too late. One can hope that our democracy, longer than Germany had at the time Hitler came to power of 15 years, will show more staying power. However, what tools do we have to support democracy against Totalitarian Trump if he is allowed to get enough votes to win the electoral college. Even if he does not win, will he just make the following 4 years as miserable as he has made these past almost 4 years? I hope not. I hope his deteriorating mind will not allow him to.
I believe we will have more staying power. We are not Germany, the German people. We have many Germanic people here but we are very multicultural and from the beginning. We are multi racial ethnic and religious. That is our strength.
The electoral college is a problem because it provides a way to game our system and it's in the Constitution. Regarding Trump losing, we’re going to have to find a way of dealing with the repercussions. Trump himself will not last. He’s losing it mentally already.
While we are not the German people there are lessons to be learned. What we are as multicultural still has a dominant culture that people are supposed to fit in to. At least that is what the Republicans want. If the youth vote comes out we are in good shape because they represent the most diversity. A lot of bots are working on the different groups to disengage them. Dems do best when more people come out to vote. Let us hope we can find ways to defy the bots.
"What’s most striking in the interview is that Trump, even after four years as president, has virtually no grasp on any policy issue beyond empty talking points, most of which are lies." Trump has run his business organization by doing whatever he wants, whenever he wants, and by ignoring the law whenever it suits his purpose so it's hardly surprising that he ran the country the same way. We also need to focus on the people around him as they are also malevolent and care only about their own power and greed. Some of what he talks about is what is fed to him from these people.
Please don’t underestimate how trump’s cruelty appeals to people. I’m related to some incredibly cruel people. One of the reasons they love trump is his cruelty. It’s as though they believe trump will avenge every unjust wrong & every slight they’ve ever received.
To my mind, that's why Kristi Noem "wrote" in her book about killing the puppy. Due to the VP sweepstakes, she wanted to make sure Trump knows she can be cruel.
I plan to buy the Time Magazine today, but your description of Trump and his behavior is ongoing - a continuation of uninterrupted holy terror. Mary Shelley, who is "best known for writing the Gothic novel called Frankenstein" had the foresight to envision Donald Trump. I look at the cover of Time and see an ugly and ignorant monster. Many Republicans look at Trump and describe him as attractive and smart. This immense difference of opinion best describes the boundless contemptuousness today between many Democrats and Republicans. It has cast a whirlwind of dissension across our nation and impacted many lives. I no longer wish to live in the beautiful mountainous region of Arizona where the climate is better than Phoenix, but the population leans steeply toward Trumpers. I no longer wish to go buy groceries and am faced with an endless line of pickup trucks flying Trump flags or worse with Swazastika stickers on bumpers. Just like tattoos became normalized so has a level of savagery in our country. At least one day a week, I face one or two empty beer cans in my yard. and yesterday I received a male cell phone message that said " Hi Elizabeth, Go outside. Thank you." I have come to think of this as a threatening warning that can no longer be ignored.
While the American media spotlight, ever enthralled by the sensationalism of the moment and entire days of media coverage based of the level of Trump's eyelids and his legal woes, a crucial and overlooked alarming danger continues to unfold in the United States.
The shadow cast by Vladimir Putin over the landscape of American democracy, and his influence and control over Trump grows larger and more treacherous by the moment. Because most of my career was spent in Russian-speaking countries, I have perspicuously visualized the progress of Putin's assault on the United States. Putin has even told the whole world of his intentions in a book (The Foundation of Geopolitics) published in Russia in 1997 where he lists his Presidential ambitions. This checklist includes the destruction of the U.S. from within by placing a man in power who is loyal to Russia - an operational model that mimics the USSR pattern - the era when Putin grew-up and was trained as a KGB spy.
Americans do not understand Putin's intentions or his methodologies - they only see Trump as the Republican leader. This lack of education, international experience, and isolationism is crippling our nation and is what we are seeing happening now. Our democracy hangs on the edge of a cliff and may be tipped in either direction this year. The resistance of Judge Merchan to jail Trump AND the SCOTUS delay in the "immunity" case are signs that WE - all of us - may be living in a dictatorship soon. I have lived in autocratic governments for many years, and do not wish to return. No one is safe. Putin's carefully planned strategies and his attempt to reshape the course of American politics and American lives is nearly accomplished.
Elizabeth
www.democrazy2020.org
Thanks Elizabeth, appreciate your perspective and sharing some of your background, which sounds fascinating.
Noah.. you are talking about mental illness, but in a form that many apparently don't see or recognize.
Part of those who don't are his enablers or the ill-intentioned power seekers, the more dangerous because they hold Trump up and are in for the ride, for themselves. If Trump loses, they will not be prosecuted. Those that are afraid of Trump will attach themselves to him, like Hitler, to save themselves should he win. They will not be prosecuted either for their votes.
I find it hard to believe that Trump can just win and take over as dictator.. even get confirmed. I am sure there will be violence. We have well over 200 years of experience and relative normality with this government.. at least HALF of us are not on board. We will not let this happen even if we go in the streets or take lessons from the college students now demonstrating.. get out there.
I am happy Time Magazine is featuring this. The NYTimes should stick their f--king neck out too... and WAPO and every other respected form of media.. including CNN ( MSNBC is already ).
Diabetics, elderly, disabled, those on social security. Medicare and Medicaid are fucked.
Can you imagine how much the price of insulin will be jacked up? All diabetes medications will be marked up hundreds of dollars.
Elderly and disabled will be penniless without SS and Medicare. Soon living on the streets. Eventually corralled up and imprisoned as indigents. Even those with retirement fundsl soon depleted as healthcare costs are raised one hundred percnt.
Minimal healthcare for these prisoners. They will just left to die, hastily.
Maga is evil AF.
Thanks for this concise summary of what sounds like a long article. Excellent articulation of a self desiccating malevolent individual.
Yes, desiccating.
It leaves me wanting a similar analysis of the systems at work which historically brought such a person so much power.
Unchallenged capitalism and colonial genocide for instance accumulating wealth for white people and power positions for landed white males.
Thanks again!
Robert: No sure if you are speaking to my Substack post regarding the Time Magazine cover, but if you are I would be happy to provide you the background info on how Trump came to power - including the truth/evidence behind his connections with Russia.
Elizabeth
www.democrazy2020.org
It absolutely blows my mind how little Republicans and much of the American voting public gives a shit
“Remarkably incoherent.” It would be informative to read the actual transcript/view the video, as most media cleans up what he says.
The full transcript is linked in our piece, and it's also really easy to find from Time's article as well.
Yes.
“ a rambling speech”.
Sounds so benign.
You can read the transcript, as Aaron pointed out. Time has also posted their fact check of the interview. It's not as detailed as I might like, but it does cover a lot of ground.
Excellent and important read. Everyone is giving themselves a permission structure this year to wash their hands of the consequences of another Trump term. One of my far left friends told me that “no one will care except some white people” if/when Trump wins. The privilege of dissent. If he and others think THIS is fascism just wait until next year.
Thank you for sounding the alarm. Trump's no fool, but he certainly is malevolent. I expressed similar sentiments, but from a different perspective, so I hope you don't mind if I share: https://open.substack.com/pub/blackcollarcrime/p/a-plea-for-free-speech-in-america?r=30ufvh&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
Shorter version: the gop is an amalgamation of cretinous morons and evil disingenuous politicians.
That Time would spend ANY time interviewing a known liar , facist, cheat, giving him exactly what he wanted front page and centered attention? WTF? ….NOT INTERESTED
I really like and appreciate this piece. My favorite line is, "It’s like interacting with a chatbot programmed by a fascist parrot."
I do think it's missing a crucial section on that fascist parrot, because, really, the simile works really well. One of the fascist parrots programming Trump is Stephen Miller. Clearly the entire lot at Heritage is too.
Despite this being about an interview with Trump I think we miss the forest for the trees when we focus on Trump. These aren't Trump's ideas, they're the ideas of neofascists he's mangling upon regurgitation. Focusing too much on Trump makes it seem like that one single tree is the problem with the evil forest.
Where is Red Adair? We need him to put THIS fire out!
How does this scumbag have so much support in this country?! Has America really sunk this friggin low?! This shit is utterly frightening.