Hi Matt - off topic but crucially important. This morning citizen journalist - Tommy Robinson - of Great Britain was sentenced to 9 months of solitary confinement in Belmarsh prison for "contempt of court" for sharing a documentary with the public that the courts forbade. This man is a warrior for truth and for justice and his story is an inspiration for advocates of free speech. It would be wonderful if you could look into his current circumstances in light of your current reporting of censorship by European governments - https://www.rebelnews.com/tommy_robinson_sentenced_to_18_months_in_prison_will_serve_9
I don’t care who he is, (9) months in prison way too much. Judges and politicians need to get off their high horses, same goes for the J6 travesty; judges should not be above the law & need to fear being taken off the bench, and given a fair trial. The judges need to police themselves and not allow rogues.
As someone who had to stay in a Japanese city jail for 45 days awaiting bail in 2023, I've come to viscerally understand that the State and all of its enforcers and supporters are waaaaaay too casual about how easily they will put a person behind bars, so reading that someone will not only be imprisoned for 9 months but be facing the cruel and unusual punishment of solitary confinement for that period is just one more step on my road to full-fledged anarchist. These nation-states are anti-human monsters and to support them in any way can, IMHO, no longer be justified.
I believe only someone who has proven themselves to be a physical threat to others should even be CONSIDERED to be put behind bars. It's a horrible thing that this is happening, and exposes the hideous monstrosity of these so-called "authorities."
The problem is Tommy’s life would be gravely at risk in GenPop, and he will still be in danger of being given poisoned or contaminated food, as it is preparing by other prisoners. The prisoners in question who are a threat to Tommy are Muslims, angry that Tommy has been broadcasting law enforcement’s sweeping under the rug of the rapist Grooming Gangs in the UK for years. He has to try to get food brought in to him; last time, and he lost a massive amount of weight.
Walter, there's a growing chorus of regular readers wanting to know about the "horrifying picture" in the background when you're at home in Montana.
Guesses include elephant, the aforementioned "[non-specifically] horrifying picture", or my impression, which is an upside-down dead flamingo with its feet in the air next to an otter diving from a tree into the bog.
I'm seriously considering starting a betting pool...
It looks like surrealism to me, if there is one disappointment I have with being part of the right now, is that distinct Philistine attitude towards art.
I looked at the Highwaymen too. Doesn't seem to fit. Highwaymen seems like "outsider art" from tropical Florida. That painting seems more "sophisticated" (traditional European realism) and def. from more Northern climes!
I am taking a beating on this one lol. I guess what saying is a lot though obviously not all American conservatives tends towards liking Americana in art like screaming Eagles with American flags superimposed on them.
Not sure if you're talking to me, but if so, I mean you can be part of something called "the right" or you can just be yourself, like what you like, believe what you believe and know that you are RIGHT in doing so!
So love your surrealism or whatever art you like and turn your back on tacky screaming eagles etc. I do agree w/ you that many on "the right" are often a bit Philistiny when it comes to art, but not all of them!!
Addendum: and the left certainly has its share of tacky imagery that it celebrates. Think of the horrible Obama presidential portrait (or the even more horrible one of King Chas.!!) and any number of awful works of art get accolades just because the artist checks off DEI boxes!
Sure be yourself first and foremost, no argument there, but people do organize into groups to push back on bad things, and from what I can see a lot of the bad things are coming from the woke progressives now.
I like your upside-down flamingo/diving otter interpretation, but I see a dying Indian maiden (Sacajawea perhaps?) either bloodied or illuminated bright red from the setting sun. In either case it's obviously symbolic of the destruction of the (formerly) virgin wilderness by the rapacious white man of European descent!
News Site Known For Being Fiercely Critical Of US Foreign Policy Hacked, Removed From Web
The fiercely independent investigative news source Consortium News has been taken offline following what its editor has said is a major hack following a series of data breaches.
"Our web host has confirmed seven recent data breaches and now it appears that our site has been totally replaced. We have been hacked," the website announced on X, saying that it is working to restore the site. WikiLeaks also confirmed that the website has been completely removed, and current and archived historic articles are no longer accessible at this time.
Consortium News articles are frequently featured also on ZeroHedge. The long-running independent news source focuses on US national security affairs as well as foreign policy and geopolitics.
The website has remained a constant critic of Washington expansionism and military intervention abroad, and is a critic of Israeli military action. It also very closely followed and reported on the London extradition court proceedings of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
Throughout Monday morning users visiting consortiumnews.com would get a return of the following page:
You would hope, but who knows. Not everyone was a nerd in the 80s where this was drilled into you. Many of these people don't know "the cloud" is just fallible servers that can be hacked and erased.
Going to have to catch the replay, gents. I’m going out to watch The Creature From The Black Lagoon in 3-D while attempting to imagine a country that does not so closely resemble Hell.
I'd just like to thank both Matt & Walter for at least acknowledging the pain that has been inflicted on the working class. We don't want handouts; we just want our elected leaders to stop trying to crush us.
Our school system has masterfully ignored labor & the struggles & victories of the working class. I grew up in Pittsburgh & everybody's father worked in a mill of some kind. I was a few months from a union electrician's job when the apple cart went KERFLOOIE! So when I went to Pitt I took a few classes on labor history. If this place actually gave a shit about actual American history, every school kid would know about the Ludlow Massacre and the dozens & dozens of other incidents just like it.
Sadly the PTB have a really big eraser & a whole machine of trivial distractions to occupy us.
Hell, they made millions of Americans believe that gibberish spouting Joe was sharp as a tack.
And they've managed to turn their party of mass murder, bloodshed & censorship into the party of joy and none of their addle patted clientele seems to notice the irony in that magic act.
Hey guys, a few comments about this evening’s ATW. The present day MSG is both a different building and different location. Oops, there goes the only similarity with 1939 except both were a gathering of people, like other events including Bill Clinton’s 1990’s events.
Second, and this is hilarious, the Maddow juxtaposition with the Trump speaker and American Nazi speaker from 1939 is a seriously soiled Maddow moment. The Trump speaker is a Jew, Sid Rosenberg. Juxtapose this: a 1939 German nationalist and a NY Jew. Hilarious.
Last, the Trump movement is actually a resurrection of the Tea Party which went dormant for lack of a Trump figure. Mitt just didn’t have the mettle. Obviously there’s no Nazi movement; these folks have been concerned about the social and economic issues for several decades. The Democratic Party successfully suppressed them 2 decades ago, and now they’re pissed knowing DJT ain’t gonna let them go dormant again.
It’s one of those times when normies are coming to me with questions and takes on what’s going on. Great time for an ep because I’m running out of shit to say.
My aunt & uncle worked for Tyson in rural Arkansas for decades, & I know the working conditions were bad. It was still work, though -- and they were glad to have it. It is unconscionable that our scumbag politicians have (just as we've been saying) endeavored to replace us. It has nothing to do with race or ethnicity. It has to do with a desire to provide for ourselves and our families, without competing with illegal aliens. Forcing us to pay taxes to subsidize the employment of people who should not even be in this country -- who are literally taking jobs from Americans -- is evil.
Thank you for talking about how the elites used globalization to destroy the middle class and rationalize its endless foreign wars. Such behavior, no matter how much money is thrown at the MSM propaganda coverup, will catch up to you eventually. Too bad the DNC stole the nomination from Bernie and forced ordinary working Americans to support Trump because he mentioned bringing back jobs. He didn't. He cut taxes on the rich instead. Trump may be entertaining but he has no idea how to govern. That so many of us are voting for the lesser evil says it all about the state of our nation. I hope Matt and Walter will turn their attention to BRICS once the election is over. . . . if it ever is. Could all this domestic dysfunction be part of a strategy to keep Americans uninformed about what's actually going on in the world? If they knew, the U.S. would not be fighting a proxy war in Ukraine and financing a genocide in Gaza.
Trump's "tax cuts for billionaires" cut my taxes, & those of my working class adult children, as well. The fact that billionaires received a tax cut is irrelevant to me. I was able to keep more of my own money, & I like that.
The interest alone on our soaring national debt costs each of us $3,750. Taxes are necessary when your government is overspending, which is a major cause of inflation because the government has to print money to remain solvent. Trump's 2017 cuts benefited the rich much more than working Americans. Trump significantly reduced estate and corporate income taxes and lowered the rate the richest pay. It is not irrelevant when billionaires are favored because, among other things, inflation is hardest on working families. The rich barely notice how much a gallon of milk costs. I do and I don't like that.
I don’t give a crap about tax cuts for the wealthy. I care about tax cuts for myself, which I received under Trump. I think all government spending should be cut — especially all these endless wars. We should stop supporting the proxy war in Ukraine, which has only resulted in the deaths of more than 400K Ukrainians, & we should stop supporting Israel’s slaughter of Palestinians, & its ongoing efforts to expand hostilities throughout the area.
Agree on everything. I put a "Stop the Genocide" sign on my front door on October 9, 2023 (or thereabouts). Been pissing off most of my so-called friends ever since the 2014 Maidan coup mostly because none of them knew it had happened. Things went downhill after that, needless to say. As to the rich, I blame them for all of it. Money and power go hand in hand. I never thought I'd live to see wealth so concentrated in so few hands. Most people don't understand how the duopoly works, and WHY it works so seamlessly. One reason: rich people suck.
I never really cared how much money the wealthy have, because I don't see money as a finite resource. If Elon Muck has a lot of money, that does not directly affect my ability to earn. I like the idea of low taxes, because I figure individuals can find better uses for their money than the government can, because the government will only throw it away on endless wars and "science experiments" in which puppies are tortured, or other foolishness. If people are allowed to keep more of their own money, they may expand their businesses (hiring more people), innovate, or invest in other businesses.
Agree that many wealthy people suck, but I don't want to take their money from them. I'd just like for them to cease using their money to buy politicians who create policies that hurt Americans. We could tax them all into financial ruin, but that still wouldn't pay off the national debt -- and all the people to whom they're currently providing jobs, would then be out of work.
Interesting, BW. Are you sure that taxing the rich wouldn't eliminate the national debt? I did the math. It would. If anything, guys like Musk and Bezos and Gates would benefit from huge tax cuts not only because the debt is a huge threat to our economic stability and to the dollar as global reserve currency, but also because it would relieve them of having to decide who should receive their largesse (homeless Americans or starving Africans, for instance) through the (tax free) foundations they run. They could focus on what they do best (supposedly): design, advertiser and sell desirable products made and transported by reasonably compensated workers. Their tax dollars would NOT go to endless wars if they and their cronies didn't also use their money to bribe politicians to support these wars (end Citizens United!!!!) so as to make resource-rich places like Russia fair game for the sort of Western exploitation that Putin put an end to back in the 1990s. (Regime change in Russia is the ultimate goal of our proxy war in Ukraine.) Government should resolve conflicts through diplomacy, as the BRICS nations would prefer, not start wars (and orchestrate coups) for the benefit of defense contractors and giant corporations seeking to control other nations' natural resources.
Just left the livestream Matt. You might have a fascination with Rachel Maddow, but I don't. These long replays of her expounding on her absurd opinions is just tiresome and boring. Not what I follow for. Sorry, see you Friday.
Agreed. I love their astute commentary but the hate watching segments are pointless, like “let’s all get angry at something we know will be absurd”. It’s not productive and like scrolling 4chan (I wouldn’t do that either) doesn’t tell me anything disappointing about humanity I didn’t already know. I’m one that likes to look directly at the dark side more than almost every one I meet because I’m interested in Truth, but just to know what’s there, not to dwell there so long as to rot my own psyche in the process.
Agreed. Perhaps Matt is doing that to kill time until he reveals, with evidence, that Obama actually runs the government, contrary to Minsky’s premise above that we still have a democratic government. So far, Matt makes the statement that Obama’s in charge, but can’t back it up. A lot of people believe it, which makes their support for “strong man” Trump a lot easier to do.
Howdy Matt and Walt— first off can’t get enough of ATW. Having established this— let me explain Walt nearly caused me to choke on the Altoid (Cinnamon) while watching last night’s show! During the whacked out Madden fiasco— can’t remember whether Matt or Walt wondered how outreach for Women could go— anyway Vance and MTG would have a tea party. When Walt said JD would be surprised at how strong tea was— wait— the cookies are about to come out I couldn’t hold myself back. Not sure how I managed to keep my cool and break the mint free from the windpipe. I did and ready to pick up where it left off
Maybe Racket should remind folks to avoid not just eating/drinking while watching ATW— mints should be off limits as well
As always Racket is the undisputed best at showing what a joke the so called elite class is
Best Livestream to date, especially the last hour. I am in awe of Kirn’s and Taibbi’s intellectual veracity and their ability to recognize that they’ve been played for so many years. I love seeing Walter pissed. I wish I could be in Livingston next week, but alas the stars are not aligned!!
You're on to something Walter. This all appears like an enormous smokescreen full of inane details to keep the peasants busy and entertained until the hammer falls. There is something big coming like a mutiny on the Russian cruiser Aurora. The reality is that if the Establishment Elites fail, it will be perfectly natural for the "Trumpistas" to turn and become the barbarians led by Attila the Hun at the gates of the Swamp on the Potomac. The Federal Reserve has to be destroyed, or the country will collapse. It's either Trump's economy or a failed economy. We are going to change or be destroyed because we can't be a reality based country if we are shackled to the Internet through our phones and become peasnt slaves to fascist corporations. Reminds me of the turbulent times of the "Colorados" (the Red Ones) in Argentina.
We’re being set up to dispute the election results no matter who wins. But one thing is for certain - Rachel Maddow and MSNBC will dine out on this ginned up chaos for four more years. It will also serve as an effective smokescreen and noise-maker distraction to cover up whatever happens in Ukraine and Israel.
Hi Matt - off topic but crucially important. This morning citizen journalist - Tommy Robinson - of Great Britain was sentenced to 9 months of solitary confinement in Belmarsh prison for "contempt of court" for sharing a documentary with the public that the courts forbade. This man is a warrior for truth and for justice and his story is an inspiration for advocates of free speech. It would be wonderful if you could look into his current circumstances in light of your current reporting of censorship by European governments - https://www.rebelnews.com/tommy_robinson_sentenced_to_18_months_in_prison_will_serve_9
I don’t care who he is, (9) months in prison way too much. Judges and politicians need to get off their high horses, same goes for the J6 travesty; judges should not be above the law & need to fear being taken off the bench, and given a fair trial. The judges need to police themselves and not allow rogues.
Perfidious Albion gonna perfid!
As someone who had to stay in a Japanese city jail for 45 days awaiting bail in 2023, I've come to viscerally understand that the State and all of its enforcers and supporters are waaaaaay too casual about how easily they will put a person behind bars, so reading that someone will not only be imprisoned for 9 months but be facing the cruel and unusual punishment of solitary confinement for that period is just one more step on my road to full-fledged anarchist. These nation-states are anti-human monsters and to support them in any way can, IMHO, no longer be justified.
I believe only someone who has proven themselves to be a physical threat to others should even be CONSIDERED to be put behind bars. It's a horrible thing that this is happening, and exposes the hideous monstrosity of these so-called "authorities."
I’m so sorry. There have been anti-human monsters since the beginning of time. They are everywhere & will be until the end of time.
No one understands the depths of their evil until experiencing it first hand. You are here to give us insight. Thank you.
The problem is Tommy’s life would be gravely at risk in GenPop, and he will still be in danger of being given poisoned or contaminated food, as it is preparing by other prisoners. The prisoners in question who are a threat to Tommy are Muslims, angry that Tommy has been broadcasting law enforcement’s sweeping under the rug of the rapist Grooming Gangs in the UK for years. He has to try to get food brought in to him; last time, and he lost a massive amount of weight.
How awful! Britain=America. How depressing.
Walter, there's a growing chorus of regular readers wanting to know about the "horrifying picture" in the background when you're at home in Montana.
Guesses include elephant, the aforementioned "[non-specifically] horrifying picture", or my impression, which is an upside-down dead flamingo with its feet in the air next to an otter diving from a tree into the bog.
I'm seriously considering starting a betting pool...
Readers, reply with your best guess 🤔
I used to think it was a hellscape, but now I think it may just be a campfire, with sparks flying up into the trees.
It looks like surrealism to me, if there is one disappointment I have with being part of the right now, is that distinct Philistine attitude towards art.
The Right can like what it likes. They'll have to drag my surrealism from my cold dead fingers.
I always thought it looked like a landscape by one of the Florida Highwaymen painters.
I’ll have to look. I am always looking at these guys when they talk about lit; they light up
Never heard of them before! I scrolled through pages of pictures, but one article said there was like 200,000 pictures in the body of work. The moodiness fits. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=Florida+Highwaymen+painters&iax=images&ia=images
I looked at the Highwaymen too. Doesn't seem to fit. Highwaymen seems like "outsider art" from tropical Florida. That painting seems more "sophisticated" (traditional European realism) and def. from more Northern climes!
This is the fun part about never being able to see it clearly. We all see it entirely differently.
It's always looked kind of swampy to me. However, a Florida swamp does not seem very Walter-like. Unless of course he just likes the picture.
Glad to hear it.
Wait. So if I voted Republican, I wasn't supposed to like any art, or just surrealism?
I've always loved surrealism.
Me too ☺️
I am taking a beating on this one lol. I guess what saying is a lot though obviously not all American conservatives tends towards liking Americana in art like screaming Eagles with American flags superimposed on them.
It's never a good idea to stereotype people.
Meh, patterns of behavior are a thing.
Raven- there's "the right" and then there is "RIGHT!" I prefer to be the latter!!
What does that mean?
Not sure if you're talking to me, but if so, I mean you can be part of something called "the right" or you can just be yourself, like what you like, believe what you believe and know that you are RIGHT in doing so!
So love your surrealism or whatever art you like and turn your back on tacky screaming eagles etc. I do agree w/ you that many on "the right" are often a bit Philistiny when it comes to art, but not all of them!!
Addendum: and the left certainly has its share of tacky imagery that it celebrates. Think of the horrible Obama presidential portrait (or the even more horrible one of King Chas.!!) and any number of awful works of art get accolades just because the artist checks off DEI boxes!
Sure be yourself first and foremost, no argument there, but people do organize into groups to push back on bad things, and from what I can see a lot of the bad things are coming from the woke progressives now.
You’re wrong.
An unclear bare assertion, good stuff!
What do you think it looks like?
I like your upside-down flamingo/diving otter interpretation, but I see a dying Indian maiden (Sacajawea perhaps?) either bloodied or illuminated bright red from the setting sun. In either case it's obviously symbolic of the destruction of the (formerly) virgin wilderness by the rapacious white man of European descent!
Wow.
well, it's not the Grand Tetons, that's for sure,,,,campfire, maybe?
Nice dig at the geographical pedant! 🤠
Tardi-- I love this! I have to go look now!!
Monday, Oct 28, 2024 - 11:25 AM
by Tyler Durden
News Site Known For Being Fiercely Critical Of US Foreign Policy Hacked, Removed From Web
The fiercely independent investigative news source Consortium News has been taken offline following what its editor has said is a major hack following a series of data breaches.
"Our web host has confirmed seven recent data breaches and now it appears that our site has been totally replaced. We have been hacked," the website announced on X, saying that it is working to restore the site. WikiLeaks also confirmed that the website has been completely removed, and current and archived historic articles are no longer accessible at this time.
Consortium News articles are frequently featured also on ZeroHedge. The long-running independent news source focuses on US national security affairs as well as foreign policy and geopolitics.
The website has remained a constant critic of Washington expansionism and military intervention abroad, and is a critic of Israeli military action. It also very closely followed and reported on the London extradition court proceedings of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.
Throughout Monday morning users visiting consortiumnews.com would get a return of the following page:
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/wikileaks-news-site-known-being-fiercely-critical-us-foreign-policy-hacked-removed-web
I hope they have a back up and if they don't how to get to internet archive to recover lost articles.
Surely they have backups…
You would hope, but who knows. Not everyone was a nerd in the 80s where this was drilled into you. Many of these people don't know "the cloud" is just fallible servers that can be hacked and erased.
As a nerd from the 80s, I approve this comment.
Going to have to catch the replay, gents. I’m going out to watch The Creature From The Black Lagoon in 3-D while attempting to imagine a country that does not so closely resemble Hell.
Visiting the Black Lagoon should be a nice reprieve from today's political environment.
No matter how fast she runs, that creature just keeps gaining on her.
I LOVE the creature!!
It was a great way to spend the night, not too crowded either. Really cool what they can do with 3-D these days.
Julia Adams sure was sexy in that movie. I actually liked her better in her white shorts and halter top than in her white bathing suit.
She was on Perry Mason a few times!
I'd just like to thank both Matt & Walter for at least acknowledging the pain that has been inflicted on the working class. We don't want handouts; we just want our elected leaders to stop trying to crush us.
Our school system has masterfully ignored labor & the struggles & victories of the working class. I grew up in Pittsburgh & everybody's father worked in a mill of some kind. I was a few months from a union electrician's job when the apple cart went KERFLOOIE! So when I went to Pitt I took a few classes on labor history. If this place actually gave a shit about actual American history, every school kid would know about the Ludlow Massacre and the dozens & dozens of other incidents just like it.
Sadly the PTB have a really big eraser & a whole machine of trivial distractions to occupy us.
Hell, they made millions of Americans believe that gibberish spouting Joe was sharp as a tack.
And they've managed to turn their party of mass murder, bloodshed & censorship into the party of joy and none of their addle patted clientele seems to notice the irony in that magic act.
Hey guys, a few comments about this evening’s ATW. The present day MSG is both a different building and different location. Oops, there goes the only similarity with 1939 except both were a gathering of people, like other events including Bill Clinton’s 1990’s events.
Second, and this is hilarious, the Maddow juxtaposition with the Trump speaker and American Nazi speaker from 1939 is a seriously soiled Maddow moment. The Trump speaker is a Jew, Sid Rosenberg. Juxtapose this: a 1939 German nationalist and a NY Jew. Hilarious.
Last, the Trump movement is actually a resurrection of the Tea Party which went dormant for lack of a Trump figure. Mitt just didn’t have the mettle. Obviously there’s no Nazi movement; these folks have been concerned about the social and economic issues for several decades. The Democratic Party successfully suppressed them 2 decades ago, and now they’re pissed knowing DJT ain’t gonna let them go dormant again.
The US dollar is getting wasted on John Daniels at the 1921 4th of July party at the Overlook hotel. And it always has been.
Thank you Lloyd!
And here I sit “temporarily light”.
It’s one of those times when normies are coming to me with questions and takes on what’s going on. Great time for an ep because I’m running out of shit to say.
Snort
My aunt & uncle worked for Tyson in rural Arkansas for decades, & I know the working conditions were bad. It was still work, though -- and they were glad to have it. It is unconscionable that our scumbag politicians have (just as we've been saying) endeavored to replace us. It has nothing to do with race or ethnicity. It has to do with a desire to provide for ourselves and our families, without competing with illegal aliens. Forcing us to pay taxes to subsidize the employment of people who should not even be in this country -- who are literally taking jobs from Americans -- is evil.
Thank you for talking about how the elites used globalization to destroy the middle class and rationalize its endless foreign wars. Such behavior, no matter how much money is thrown at the MSM propaganda coverup, will catch up to you eventually. Too bad the DNC stole the nomination from Bernie and forced ordinary working Americans to support Trump because he mentioned bringing back jobs. He didn't. He cut taxes on the rich instead. Trump may be entertaining but he has no idea how to govern. That so many of us are voting for the lesser evil says it all about the state of our nation. I hope Matt and Walter will turn their attention to BRICS once the election is over. . . . if it ever is. Could all this domestic dysfunction be part of a strategy to keep Americans uninformed about what's actually going on in the world? If they knew, the U.S. would not be fighting a proxy war in Ukraine and financing a genocide in Gaza.
Trump's "tax cuts for billionaires" cut my taxes, & those of my working class adult children, as well. The fact that billionaires received a tax cut is irrelevant to me. I was able to keep more of my own money, & I like that.
The interest alone on our soaring national debt costs each of us $3,750. Taxes are necessary when your government is overspending, which is a major cause of inflation because the government has to print money to remain solvent. Trump's 2017 cuts benefited the rich much more than working Americans. Trump significantly reduced estate and corporate income taxes and lowered the rate the richest pay. It is not irrelevant when billionaires are favored because, among other things, inflation is hardest on working families. The rich barely notice how much a gallon of milk costs. I do and I don't like that.
I don’t give a crap about tax cuts for the wealthy. I care about tax cuts for myself, which I received under Trump. I think all government spending should be cut — especially all these endless wars. We should stop supporting the proxy war in Ukraine, which has only resulted in the deaths of more than 400K Ukrainians, & we should stop supporting Israel’s slaughter of Palestinians, & its ongoing efforts to expand hostilities throughout the area.
Agree on everything. I put a "Stop the Genocide" sign on my front door on October 9, 2023 (or thereabouts). Been pissing off most of my so-called friends ever since the 2014 Maidan coup mostly because none of them knew it had happened. Things went downhill after that, needless to say. As to the rich, I blame them for all of it. Money and power go hand in hand. I never thought I'd live to see wealth so concentrated in so few hands. Most people don't understand how the duopoly works, and WHY it works so seamlessly. One reason: rich people suck.
I like the idea of your "Stop the Genocide" sign.
I never really cared how much money the wealthy have, because I don't see money as a finite resource. If Elon Muck has a lot of money, that does not directly affect my ability to earn. I like the idea of low taxes, because I figure individuals can find better uses for their money than the government can, because the government will only throw it away on endless wars and "science experiments" in which puppies are tortured, or other foolishness. If people are allowed to keep more of their own money, they may expand their businesses (hiring more people), innovate, or invest in other businesses.
Agree that many wealthy people suck, but I don't want to take their money from them. I'd just like for them to cease using their money to buy politicians who create policies that hurt Americans. We could tax them all into financial ruin, but that still wouldn't pay off the national debt -- and all the people to whom they're currently providing jobs, would then be out of work.
Interesting, BW. Are you sure that taxing the rich wouldn't eliminate the national debt? I did the math. It would. If anything, guys like Musk and Bezos and Gates would benefit from huge tax cuts not only because the debt is a huge threat to our economic stability and to the dollar as global reserve currency, but also because it would relieve them of having to decide who should receive their largesse (homeless Americans or starving Africans, for instance) through the (tax free) foundations they run. They could focus on what they do best (supposedly): design, advertiser and sell desirable products made and transported by reasonably compensated workers. Their tax dollars would NOT go to endless wars if they and their cronies didn't also use their money to bribe politicians to support these wars (end Citizens United!!!!) so as to make resource-rich places like Russia fair game for the sort of Western exploitation that Putin put an end to back in the 1990s. (Regime change in Russia is the ultimate goal of our proxy war in Ukraine.) Government should resolve conflicts through diplomacy, as the BRICS nations would prefer, not start wars (and orchestrate coups) for the benefit of defense contractors and giant corporations seeking to control other nations' natural resources.
Just left the livestream Matt. You might have a fascination with Rachel Maddow, but I don't. These long replays of her expounding on her absurd opinions is just tiresome and boring. Not what I follow for. Sorry, see you Friday.
Agreed. I love their astute commentary but the hate watching segments are pointless, like “let’s all get angry at something we know will be absurd”. It’s not productive and like scrolling 4chan (I wouldn’t do that either) doesn’t tell me anything disappointing about humanity I didn’t already know. I’m one that likes to look directly at the dark side more than almost every one I meet because I’m interested in Truth, but just to know what’s there, not to dwell there so long as to rot my own psyche in the process.
Agreed. Perhaps Matt is doing that to kill time until he reveals, with evidence, that Obama actually runs the government, contrary to Minsky’s premise above that we still have a democratic government. So far, Matt makes the statement that Obama’s in charge, but can’t back it up. A lot of people believe it, which makes their support for “strong man” Trump a lot easier to do.
Speaking of despair in the central states, another friend lost a kid to OD. It seems like it's either suicide or accidental OD.
It's real out here.
Great discussion, guys, especially the part about how deindustrialization has led to all of this.
Howdy Matt and Walt— first off can’t get enough of ATW. Having established this— let me explain Walt nearly caused me to choke on the Altoid (Cinnamon) while watching last night’s show! During the whacked out Madden fiasco— can’t remember whether Matt or Walt wondered how outreach for Women could go— anyway Vance and MTG would have a tea party. When Walt said JD would be surprised at how strong tea was— wait— the cookies are about to come out I couldn’t hold myself back. Not sure how I managed to keep my cool and break the mint free from the windpipe. I did and ready to pick up where it left off
Maybe Racket should remind folks to avoid not just eating/drinking while watching ATW— mints should be off limits as well
As always Racket is the undisputed best at showing what a joke the so called elite class is
Thanks to everyone involved
I frequently have that experience watching ATW, and have spewed water all over my keyboard on more than one occasion.
Congrats on escaping death by Altoid.
Best Livestream to date, especially the last hour. I am in awe of Kirn’s and Taibbi’s intellectual veracity and their ability to recognize that they’ve been played for so many years. I love seeing Walter pissed. I wish I could be in Livingston next week, but alas the stars are not aligned!!
You're on to something Walter. This all appears like an enormous smokescreen full of inane details to keep the peasants busy and entertained until the hammer falls. There is something big coming like a mutiny on the Russian cruiser Aurora. The reality is that if the Establishment Elites fail, it will be perfectly natural for the "Trumpistas" to turn and become the barbarians led by Attila the Hun at the gates of the Swamp on the Potomac. The Federal Reserve has to be destroyed, or the country will collapse. It's either Trump's economy or a failed economy. We are going to change or be destroyed because we can't be a reality based country if we are shackled to the Internet through our phones and become peasnt slaves to fascist corporations. Reminds me of the turbulent times of the "Colorados" (the Red Ones) in Argentina.
We’re being set up to dispute the election results no matter who wins. But one thing is for certain - Rachel Maddow and MSNBC will dine out on this ginned up chaos for four more years. It will also serve as an effective smokescreen and noise-maker distraction to cover up whatever happens in Ukraine and Israel.