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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,388
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,388 |
Everything you mentioned requires rational thought, logic and the ability to distinguish reality from fiction. Crowds, according to Gustav Le Bon - (1900), are not swayed by nor do they act in consonance with such abilities. They behave at the level of their least rational member. And they only understand images (reason does not enter into the equation). For that matter, only the simplest of images. Trump serves up exactly that. It is supremely ironic that the system, the electoral college, designed to avoid rule by mob, has ended up promoting it.
"The liberals can understand everything but people who don't understand them." Lenny Bruce
"The cleverest of all, in my opinion, is the man who calls himself a fool at least once a month." Dostoevsky
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,088 Likes: 134
veteran
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veteran
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,088 Likes: 134 |
this is kinda sorta conspiracy type rambling but just as an intellectual exercise
if Mr Trump continues to appoint Generals to his cabinet, would that make for an easy takeover of government? Remember each of these Generals have a large resident military following. Suppose Mr Trump decides he needs to be Emperor Trump and concocts some story about an imminent Muslim existential threat. Would his Congressional apologists support him? Certainly his supporters would.
Just delirious rambling in a what if (Trump wins the election) world
ignorance is the enemy without equality there is no liberty America can survive bad policy, but not destruction of our Democratic institutions
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 18,003 Likes: 191
Moderator Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Moderator Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 18,003 Likes: 191 |
Ma_Republican posits: We just lived through 8 years of worst case scenario. I wonder, "in what universe?" In Trump world, yes. His followers refuse to acknowledge that the stock market rebounded to record highs, that 26 million Americans got health insurance and millions more have less expensive insurance, that unemployment has been cut nearly in half and is at "full employment rate" (5%), and that military involvement overseas has been reduced to pre-Gulf War levels. They respond instead to fantasies, to preferred narrative and magical thinking. "Climate change doesn't exist", "tax cuts stimulate the economy", "Obamacare is more expensive", "Obama created Al Qaeda." I'm as tired of fake politics as I am off fake news. Facts, my friend. Facts.
A well reasoned argument is like a diamond: impervious to corruption and crystal clear - and infinitely rarer.
Here, as elsewhere, people are outraged at what feels like a rigged game -- an economy that won't respond, a democracy that won't listen, and a financial sector that holds all the cards. - Robert Reich
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Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,088 Likes: 134
veteran
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veteran
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,088 Likes: 134 |
Just wait until the IRS starts to audit the Soros' [Foundation] [Open Society Foundation] What exactly do you believe the IRS would find when they audit the foundation? Could you be very specific about the "smoking gun" the IRS will find? Do you have a clue???? Here are some facts: The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant societies whose governments are accountable and open to the participation of all people. I should now conclude you do not advocate for citizen participation in government nor do you advocate for government accountability. Strange coming from a conservative Over the last 33 years, the Open Society Foundations had expenditures of more than $13 billion. Much of this spending has been directed at specific priority issues and regions for the Open Society Foundations such as:
$1.6 billion on democratic development in the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union; $737 million for public health issues such as HIV and AIDS, TB, palliative care, harm reduction, and patients’ rights; $214 million to fight discrimination and advance the rights of Roma communities in Europe; $2.9 billion to defend human rights, particularly the rights of women, ethnic, racial, and religious minorities, and often marginalized groups such as drug users, sex workers, and LGBTQ communities; $2.1 billion for education projects ranging from preschool to higher education reform; $1.5 billion to promote reform in the United States on issues such as criminal justice, drugs, palliative care, education, immigration, equal rights, and democratic governance. And no where can you find the foundation promoting any candidate for anything. In fact I will now conclude you are against human rights, public health, education, equal rights, etc. What are you FOR??????? Fascists???? O you got your wish. The truth is it sounds like you have never been for American democracy nor supported the Constitution. How does this relate to the IRS audit of "conservative" 501c4 applications. The job of the IRS is to actually audit groups applying for 501's. The conservative group Citizens United won the case for a certain configuration of PAC to allow for a 501c4. The IRS being able to read was alerted that many groups would apply for 501's including Tea groups which had been very vocal in their political advocacy against Pres Obama. It was personal and it was candidate oriented. This is exactly what is not allowed. That you can not comprehend that makes it incumbent on me to try and educate you to the difference between doing their job and actually targeting conservatives because of their political beliefs. I am certain both the Soros and Clinton foundation welcome you do the audits if that would assuage your personal hatred for anything you do not believe in.
ignorance is the enemy without equality there is no liberty America can survive bad policy, but not destruction of our Democratic institutions
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 12,005 Likes: 133
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 12,005 Likes: 133 |
This is very scary... The Trump transition team has asked for a list of Energy Department employees and contractors who attended United Nations climate meetings and worked on key Obama administration climate policies, including the social cost of carbon, according to a Bloomberg report.
You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the old model obsolete. R. Buckminster Fuller
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 47,431 Likes: 373
Member CHB-OG
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Member CHB-OG
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 47,431 Likes: 373 |
IRS ... Clinton Foundation I am absolutely sure they will be fine because they have been completely transparent for years. Exactly. Trump "Foundation"? Not so much. 
Contrarian, extraordinaire
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 47,431 Likes: 373
Member CHB-OG
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Member CHB-OG
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 47,431 Likes: 373 |
We just lived through 8 years of worst case scenario. 82 straight months of job growth. 14.4 million jobs added, unemployment peaked at 10% in 2010 and is now only 4.9% Average income for the bottom 99% grew 3.9% in 2015, the best growth in 17 years Obama has delivered a bull market for stocks and the housing market has finally recovered. Domestic oil production is way up, gas prices are way down. Oil imports are down 53 percent, and wind and solar power have quadrupled. Greger, please...  Tim is talking about having a black man as President - THAT is the worst case scenario in White Nationalist America. 
Contrarian, extraordinaire
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 47,431 Likes: 373
Member CHB-OG
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Member CHB-OG
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 47,431 Likes: 373 |
Perhaps you could supply some evidence of such claims? I certainly don't remember any such discussion. Or maybe it was because it never happened? Of course it happened!!!! Rightwing fake news organizations like dead Andrew's Breitbart (home of white nationalists and erectile dysfunctional males) and Fox News said that it happened and Matt Drudge linked to both articles. Hello... 
Contrarian, extraordinaire
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Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 18,003 Likes: 191
Moderator Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Moderator Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 18,003 Likes: 191 |
Republicans in general, and Trump in particular, dislike government agencies. Thus, when they have the opportunity, they destroy them. Of course, the rest of us depend on then doing what they're supposed to do. Unfortunately, their interests currently align with Trump's and Putin's.
A well reasoned argument is like a diamond: impervious to corruption and crystal clear - and infinitely rarer.
Here, as elsewhere, people are outraged at what feels like a rigged game -- an economy that won't respond, a democracy that won't listen, and a financial sector that holds all the cards. - Robert Reich
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 47,431 Likes: 373
Member CHB-OG
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Member CHB-OG
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 47,431 Likes: 373 |
Republicans in general, and Trump in particular, dislike government agencies. Thus, when they have the opportunity, they destroy them. Of course, the rest of us depend on then doing what they're supposed to do. Unfortunately, their interests currently align with Trump's and Putin's. A millennial in my vanpool thinks there will be a civil war between the "right" and the "left" during Trump's presidency. Not a racial civil war, but a political/ideological civl war. I think he's right. The "problem" is they have the AR-15s and we don't. 
Contrarian, extraordinaire
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