I’ll bet your cousin hasn’t had a particular part of his anatomy put through the wringer as many times as ol’ "here honey have a cigar" Bill has either right?
I hope that some point you guys will discuss usage of the word "fascist", If you haven't already.
I said something non-fawning about Kamala on my Facebook page, and one of my friends replied "she's better than fascism!"
Do people even know what the word means?
Edit to add: my question is actually serious. I prefer to engage my friends in a reasonable and conversational fashion, hoping that they will at least consider alternative viewpoints to their own.
It used to be according to Fascist Italy the merger between state and corporate power but we are seeing the centre left in Western countries involved in all kinds of these mergers. It is easier than ever to do now because corporate monopolies and duopolies control so much of the market and because governemnts are engaged in a serious effort to control "populism" and other nonfavoured ideologies amongst the ellte including the concept of free speech..
there does appear to be an actual strategy of accusing one's enemies of engaging in xx behaviour that you are engaging in - i never used to believe this, but pretty much every side does this now.
in the speech / media space, what dems are pushing for really is fascist - though i think rightoids accusing anyone left of center of being "communist" is still a worse offense, based on how ridiculous it is (ie socialist would be a far better term, but i'm not sure if the people accusing others of being communist understand the distinction)
and that's the saddest part of this all. THESE ACCUSATIONS WORK BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THESE BASIC WORDS MEAN ANYMORE
Also I will say in my country Canada the LIberal government used freezing people's bank accounts to stop a protest. They used the private sector to do this - public private state corporate union. And also very authoritarian with their enemies.
Considering the large numbers of actual Ukrainian fascists who were brought to Canada after WWII and incubated for their new owner's future use, real honest to God fascists might just have something to do with the Canadian government's behavior of late.
Well the Dems are definitely not socialist ie. they are invested in material redistribution of resources from the top 20-30 percent income to the bottom. There is a little bit of this but hardly socialitst. But what I see also from the centre left is a deep autoritarian turn that they always accuse their opponents of. Or how they always say they are saving democracy while being very antidemocratic. So I agree with you
The are not invested in it. My mistake. I don't believe the Dems are socialist but I think the centre left liberals are just about as radical on identity grounds as any socialist.
i really do wonder whether the identity politics thing is a tactical thing by big business to prevent increased taxation - because it's worked wonderfully.
I agree that the Dem/left tends more toward Fascism than the Republican right, but see my earlier comment for why I think the term should probably be eliminated from our political discourse.
sadly it's with what "sticks" seems to be the prevailing ideology / motive here. ie - if you can slather "communist" over your opponents, even if it isn't true - why not?
having studied political philosophy for almost all my adolescent and adult life i find that repulsive, but it seems to work - hence today.
who started this? is almost my question. lots of the current realpolitik really started with cheney, supposedly - though again gingrich really did a lot of shitty things in regards to clinton - so it could have been then
Not only is it incorrect, but the people calling her this are engaging in things that could be termed "fascist" - ie, state control of media, or how google / the big tech companies are no longer really private but an amalgamation of public/private that's really hard not to term "fascist" from a structural perspective.
Just as frustrating, if not more - the "communist" moniker used by cons. Harris may be many things, but a communist? No - and it's just offensive to utter such bullshit.
My guess is that this was think tanked out, and using these terms connects them with things more emotionally loaded - ie, harris may not be a communist, but there's enough baggage to the term that calling her such makes her look worse than if something more appropriate was used (ie neolib capitalist sellout cosplaying as a leftie) because of the previous cold war era brainwashing - I don't understand how anyone can be stupid enough to buy this bullshit, but apparently enough do so they use it.
said by people who probably couldn't define socialism versus communism - but lead by people who can, which shows the lack of character here.
To me calling harris a communist is a worse offense, because it's just farcically untrue - one can at least spin some - i repeat some - of t's statements to appear fascist. harris as a communist though? give me a break.
But this kind of trash thinking is coming from the same people who today are celebrating columbus, and basically ignoring how he used to cut off indian's hands if they didn't appear with any gold. or how they would pick a dozen daughters for the ride home, use them up, and then toss them in the ocean.
IE, the type of people that do this kind of stuff are trash to begin with.
i do have to admit though, seeing LOTS and i repeat LOTS of cons celebrate columbus day and basically ignore the bad shit he did really is disgusting. i mean people like jack poso and similar - it really is an eye opener.
(tldr: we're at the "call them every name in the book and see what sticks. it doesn't matter if it's true or not)
But Comblowus (Columbus) blundered into the Caribbean when he was looking for Asia, so he's a hero!
Seriously, though, despite the facts about Columbus you mention, I think we ought to let Italian Americans have their hero, and I have always liked Columbus day as a harbinger of autumn. And you have to give him some credit for the sheer balls of his expedition. Also, those who revere the indigenous as noble savages are either unaware of or deliberately ignore their barbarism, and the attack on Columbus from the left is a part of the overall project to destroy American mythology without providing a replacement.
Many researchers think Columbus was a Sephardic Jew. Whether than entered into anything he did or not is questionable.
There was no Italy nor Germany in the 15th century. Both countries (partially) appeared in the second half of the 19th century. Until then they were made up of independent cities and principalities.
To be fair, there are a few different ways of using the word, either strictly or loosely. The hall monitor in grade school might’ve reasonably been called a fascist, even if he wasn’t in cahoots with Big Business.
Robert Paxton, leading authority on fascism, defines it as follows. (This is from the Wikipedia summary. There’s more detail in his book “The Anatomy of Fascism.” The footnotes are in the Wiki article and link to his sources.)
In his 2004 book The Anatomy of Fascism, Paxton refines his five-stage model and puts forward the following definition for fascism:
Fascism may be defined as a form of political behavior marked by obsessive preoccupation with community decline, humiliation, or victim-hood and by compensatory cults of unity, energy, and purity, in which a mass-based party of committed nationalist militants, working in uneasy but effective collaboration with traditional elites, abandons democratic liberties and pursues with redemptive violence and without ethical or legal restraints goals of internal cleansing and external expansion.[17]
In 2021, Paxton wrote an op-ed for Newsweek in which he stated that he now believed Donald Trump was a fascist, after insisting for several years that he was instead a right-wing populist. Trump's incitement of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol was the deciding factor in him changing his view.[18]
In the future, please limit the MSNBC clips, especially Rachel Maddow. I really cannot listen to her, so I mute it and wait until it's over. We get it, she's awful. But like a car wreck, we don't need stop and gawk. Just take a peek and then speed off.
Well that take was excessive. Hectoring her base, at absurd length and detail, that with an economy blooming like a rose garden, the electorate inexplicably couldn’t smell the roses. The deep sadness projected here was a huge switch from her usual smug, mocking certainty. She genuinely doesn’t understand why Trump could win. Nor do her fans. So they are asking why the workers hate this paradise Dem apparatchiks created for themsleves?
It would be worth fact checking Maddow occasionally (Taibbi used to do finance well. What happened?) When adjusted comparing the 12 years of <2% annual inflation under Obama and Trump, and the 3 years of >6% annual inflation under Biden, the glowing Bidenomics lose most of their shine. Yes, inflation is back in the 2 to 3% range today, but inflation effects are cumulative. And the US dollar when Biden was inaugurated is worth less than 80 cents today. January 21, 2021 the Dow was at about 31,176; today it is about 42,000. With no change and inflation alone the Dow should be at 38,970; so it's really only increased about 7.8% in over three and a half years under Biden when corrected for inflation. That could be noise the way the stock market behaves.
I'm trying to wrap my head around the fact that the "news" media is gone. They are the actual opponent in this election. They are the debaters in the debates. The deciders of truth, triers of fact; PR cover for a cognitively impaired figurehead president, and when that became obvious to the world, summarily shoving him out of the way and on to their next role as obsequious handmaidens to the sham candidate; prosecutors of the other candidate and his running mate. They do it all. They fight with any challengers, RFK, Republicans, not just Trump or Vance, on -air, not even bothering to be polite. From this point on, even with Trump gone, they are wholly political, propaganda organizations with apparently no idea that they themselves are what they think they're fighting. "Fair" is such an important concept, in a liberal society. They've smashed it. I was in a carpet store yesterday and three men, in a metropolitan area suburb, were animatedly talking about how great it was that JD Vance "blew off" Martha Raddatz. The store owner agreed. There's no shred of credibility left, but it is sickening to watch.
Btw, on the streaming thing, Matt looks like he's in a hamburger bun.
No one wants to listen to Rachel Maddow, do they? I never have, wish you would not subject us to her. She uses a hypnotic confusion technique and is a miserable person who lies continuously or is so brainwashed she doesn't even know she is lying.
Reference your Maddow link. I usually give long-time military the benefit of the doubt, but I'd like to see Gen. Mark Milley investigated. How can anyone call Trump a bigger danger to the country than Biden?
Perhaps I'm too late for this comment to be read but there are some facts about the economy that really irk me that are being left out of the discourse of people like Rachel Maddow and the left generally, and that a lot of people don't seem to understand about why when they say the economy is great, it doesn't feel great:
"Inflation is down" - they are speaking of inflation as a RATE, but even if that dropped to 0%, all the prior price increases remain. We would need serious deflation, or much higher wage increases, for people to actually FEEL that prices were down, in reality.
"The stock market is booming". People like Michael Saylor or the All-In podcast guys would disagree. More and more, the stock market isn't about "profits" but is simply a hedge against inflation. The market is up 23% - well, my home and car insurance premiums are up 50%, food up close to 100%, professional services and contractors are giving me insanely expensive quotes for what used to be reasonably priced work (+100%). What we are seeing in the stock market is inflation, not profit, and arguably these numbers aren't even keeping up with real inflation. Regardless, it absolutely isn't real economic growth. In fact, many would argue that the economy is contracting, and the massive artificial infusion of printed money is what is giving the illusion of growth by propping up GDP numbers.
All of these numbers hide what is actually happening: money printing. Not only are my investments and wages not keeping pace with real inflation, but the other way that the "unlegislated tax" of money printing shows up is through tax brackets. Typically those tax brackets are only increased a small percentage each year - so while "wages are up" taxes are up EVEN MORE, as higher wages push people into higher tax brackets. For example, if someone's wages go from $15/hour to $30/hour, the amount of taxes they pay TRIPLES.
So, the citizen is hit with TWO hidden costs to cover the ridiculous government spending, one is inflation, and then by extension, increased wages lead to paying more in taxes. Both negate stock market gains and wage increases for anyone that I personally know. Rachel Maddow conveniently leaves this out of her discourse. Of course she's a piece of shit but she can't be so stupid either, as a millionaire, to not know the basics of how her own money moves in this economy, so I would be very surprised if she actually believes what she is saying about the state of the economy, as any teenager can understand tax brackets, percentages, and rates of change.
I'm late reading comments so letting you know that I appreciate your observations as this is what I was screaming at my laptop during RM's gaslighting. I'm in my seventies and I can assure anyone that the price of things never return.
Walter should create a possibly very profitable split screen podcast of his face watching cable TV or political ads. His facial expressions of disbelief, doubt and surprise as he watches political propaganda are priceless entertainment by itself. This is especially the case as Rachel Maddcow and others pontificate their propaganda.
You mentioned the word “fascist” in your title. I hafta ask you about that word.
I had hired a woman as a freelance writer and marketer (“Ann”) back in 2018 when we were both lifelong Demoncrats. We got along, and she did good work for me. I would hire her back.
I have since switched to Trump after long considering it over months. No-one turned me. My decision was an educated one. Now that I am ra-ra Trump, and have knowledge of the skullduggery of the Demoncrat Party since the 1990s, I won’t be returning to the Demoncrats. I told Ann that I am a Trump supporter.
Her response, although courteous, included calling me a “fascist.“ First, I think I have been insulted. Will her feeling I am a fascist get in the way of her doing topnotch marketing for me? Second, do I hire her even though she feels I am a fascist? Third, should I stay far, far away from Ann, sever our relationship, never speak to her again; that there are other fish in the sea and I will find a marketing person who supports Trump?
My marketing needs have to do with a home-based mom and pop artisan micro business.
I consider fascists to be mass-murderers. I am not a mass-murderer; therefore, I cannot be a fascist. In what sense could I possibly be viewed as a fascist? This is not jiving.
I am 72-year old fiscally and socially conservative and frugal woman, living in Wisconsin across a county road from a 115-year old family-farm, listens to birdsong and watches hawks, has a large cookbook collection, is teaching myself weaving from UTub videos, once a week drives into town “for supplies,” and who sincerely and humbly roots for the American working-class (mainly long-standing Whites). How is that fascist?
I think you should stick with her. You’re writing the checks, so you control the narrative, and you sound very reasonable. Next, you should both learn the meaning of the word Fascist. After “Communist” it’s the most misunderstood word in common use. Your syllogism regarding murder and fascism is not helpful. Remember that the crowds of people surrounding Mussolini a century ago didn’t consider it an epithet, they were proud members of a political party…right up until they hung Mussolini from a lamppost.
Next, I’d try to make her understand that today, the most basic expression of Fascism is not murder, but censorship, and that the Democratic Party is leading everyone else in that race to the bottom. In this regard you are absolutely in the right Substack.
And finally, UTub sounds like a great place to take a dip, just don’t stay in so long you start to wrinkle. Best of luck.
> leading everyone else in that race to the bottom
Who is everyone else? Non-Democrats?
> race to the bottom
Would you elaborate?
Perhaps do you mean ‘mediocrity’? Victor Davis Hanson (ancient and contemporary military historian; contemporary political commentator) said that Tim Walz is more mediocre than Kalama Harris, that Harris is more mediocre than Joe Biden, that Biden is more mediocre than Barack Obama.
For instance, Kamala Harris is ***NOT*** the kind of fraternity-party-girl-back-alley-pushover-flounder (short: frat girl pushover) that American citizens would want to bear witness facing off with Putin. Putin would pulverize Kamala Harris, flattening her with a bulldozer.
I don't know what to tell you, but a long time friend dumped me last week over my refusal to renounce Trump. She is Mexican, & reliably informed me that Trump hates both blacks and Mexicans. Her 2 gay adult children are reportedly "terrified" at what Trump may do to them if he gets into office. She does not believe that I am racist, nor that I hate gays, for which I should be grateful, I suppose.
At a certain point, it is simply not possible to discuss certain issues with someone this delusional. Yet I was willing to continue being friendly, meeting for lunch a few times a year, exchanging birthday gifts, etc.. just not discussing politics. She, however, cannot continue to be friendly, because I support a man who "threatens" her family.
> leading everyone else in that race to the bottom
Who is everyone else? Non-Democrats?
> race to the bottom
Would you elaborate?
Perhaps do you mean ‘mediocrity’? Victor Davis Hanson (ancient and contemporary military historian; contemporary political commentator) said that Tim Walz is more mediocre than Kalama Harris, that Harris is more mediocre than Joe Biden, that Biden is more mediocre than Barack Obama.
For instance, Kamala Harris is ***NOT*** the kind of fraternity-party-girl-back-alley-pushover-flounder (short: frat girl pushover) that American citizens would want to bear witness facing off with Putin. Putin would pulverize Kamala Harris, flattening her with a bulldozer.
Mike Benz facts are TRULY astonishing: Both Trump would be assassins have state security connections that must be resolved. Routh was DEFINITELY a link in a CIA chain – that is now 100% certain.
Note: Prosecutors requested an indefinite delay in Routh trial due to “complexities” of the case.. CIA, FBI, NSA, DHS, DoJ, DoD are so corrupt that they have to prove that they are not involved.
The Dark Truth About The Trump Assassinations | Who Is Really Trying To Kill Trump? With Mike Benz
benz is a proven liar who has embellished his state department experience - i would be vary vary wary of what benz says / does, even though I agree with almost everything he says (with the exception of his israel apologia) and that he's a great dancer - no he's not.
Who is the 90 year old in the picture above? He looks somewhat familiar. Have a 104 year old cousin who looks better than that guy.
I think he looks pretty good for an ex- president, Rosalynn is gone now, and he did say he just wanted to hang on till election day.
Did you see the video of the McDonalds cashier that thought Bill was Joe? Ha ha ha.
🤣🤣
They say you end up with the face you deserve!
Dorian Gray.
Welp, I’m screwed 😂
Eventually all sins show up on a face.
I’ll bet your cousin hasn’t had a particular part of his anatomy put through the wringer as many times as ol’ "here honey have a cigar" Bill has either right?
I hope that some point you guys will discuss usage of the word "fascist", If you haven't already.
I said something non-fawning about Kamala on my Facebook page, and one of my friends replied "she's better than fascism!"
Do people even know what the word means?
Edit to add: my question is actually serious. I prefer to engage my friends in a reasonable and conversational fashion, hoping that they will at least consider alternative viewpoints to their own.
It used to be according to Fascist Italy the merger between state and corporate power but we are seeing the centre left in Western countries involved in all kinds of these mergers. It is easier than ever to do now because corporate monopolies and duopolies control so much of the market and because governemnts are engaged in a serious effort to control "populism" and other nonfavoured ideologies amongst the ellte including the concept of free speech..
there does appear to be an actual strategy of accusing one's enemies of engaging in xx behaviour that you are engaging in - i never used to believe this, but pretty much every side does this now.
in the speech / media space, what dems are pushing for really is fascist - though i think rightoids accusing anyone left of center of being "communist" is still a worse offense, based on how ridiculous it is (ie socialist would be a far better term, but i'm not sure if the people accusing others of being communist understand the distinction)
and that's the saddest part of this all. THESE ACCUSATIONS WORK BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT THESE BASIC WORDS MEAN ANYMORE
Also I will say in my country Canada the LIberal government used freezing people's bank accounts to stop a protest. They used the private sector to do this - public private state corporate union. And also very authoritarian with their enemies.
@Bob
Considering the large numbers of actual Ukrainian fascists who were brought to Canada after WWII and incubated for their new owner's future use, real honest to God fascists might just have something to do with the Canadian government's behavior of late.
Well the Dems are definitely not socialist ie. they are invested in material redistribution of resources from the top 20-30 percent income to the bottom. There is a little bit of this but hardly socialitst. But what I see also from the centre left is a deep autoritarian turn that they always accuse their opponents of. Or how they always say they are saving democracy while being very antidemocratic. So I agree with you
"Dems are definitely not socialist ie. they are invested in material redistribution of resources from the top 20-30 percent income to the bottom. "
did you put in "not" on purpose or not?
The are not invested in it. My mistake. I don't believe the Dems are socialist but I think the centre left liberals are just about as radical on identity grounds as any socialist.
i really do wonder whether the identity politics thing is a tactical thing by big business to prevent increased taxation - because it's worked wonderfully.
I agree that the Dem/left tends more toward Fascism than the Republican right, but see my earlier comment for why I think the term should probably be eliminated from our political discourse.
sadly it's with what "sticks" seems to be the prevailing ideology / motive here. ie - if you can slather "communist" over your opponents, even if it isn't true - why not?
having studied political philosophy for almost all my adolescent and adult life i find that repulsive, but it seems to work - hence today.
who started this? is almost my question. lots of the current realpolitik really started with cheney, supposedly - though again gingrich really did a lot of shitty things in regards to clinton - so it could have been then
Exactly. With regulatory capture and NGOs funded by both government and billionaire philanthropists, it seems like we're already there.
Yes, Fascist is the new Racist. Just like Racist, the people using that word don't know it doesn't mean what they think it means.
No, and they don't care. Learning is scary!
(Tardigrade, for clarification, I agree with you the proverbial 110%. My sarcasm was aimed at the same people you aimed at.)
yep, it's absolutely maddening.
Not only is it incorrect, but the people calling her this are engaging in things that could be termed "fascist" - ie, state control of media, or how google / the big tech companies are no longer really private but an amalgamation of public/private that's really hard not to term "fascist" from a structural perspective.
Just as frustrating, if not more - the "communist" moniker used by cons. Harris may be many things, but a communist? No - and it's just offensive to utter such bullshit.
My guess is that this was think tanked out, and using these terms connects them with things more emotionally loaded - ie, harris may not be a communist, but there's enough baggage to the term that calling her such makes her look worse than if something more appropriate was used (ie neolib capitalist sellout cosplaying as a leftie) because of the previous cold war era brainwashing - I don't understand how anyone can be stupid enough to buy this bullshit, but apparently enough do so they use it.
said by people who probably couldn't define socialism versus communism - but lead by people who can, which shows the lack of character here.
To me calling harris a communist is a worse offense, because it's just farcically untrue - one can at least spin some - i repeat some - of t's statements to appear fascist. harris as a communist though? give me a break.
But this kind of trash thinking is coming from the same people who today are celebrating columbus, and basically ignoring how he used to cut off indian's hands if they didn't appear with any gold. or how they would pick a dozen daughters for the ride home, use them up, and then toss them in the ocean.
IE, the type of people that do this kind of stuff are trash to begin with.
i do have to admit though, seeing LOTS and i repeat LOTS of cons celebrate columbus day and basically ignore the bad shit he did really is disgusting. i mean people like jack poso and similar - it really is an eye opener.
(tldr: we're at the "call them every name in the book and see what sticks. it doesn't matter if it's true or not)
But Comblowus (Columbus) blundered into the Caribbean when he was looking for Asia, so he's a hero!
Seriously, though, despite the facts about Columbus you mention, I think we ought to let Italian Americans have their hero, and I have always liked Columbus day as a harbinger of autumn. And you have to give him some credit for the sheer balls of his expedition. Also, those who revere the indigenous as noble savages are either unaware of or deliberately ignore their barbarism, and the attack on Columbus from the left is a part of the overall project to destroy American mythology without providing a replacement.
Many researchers think Columbus was a Sephardic Jew. Whether than entered into anything he did or not is questionable.
There was no Italy nor Germany in the 15th century. Both countries (partially) appeared in the second half of the 19th century. Until then they were made up of independent cities and principalities.
He's from The Republic of Genoa, right?
They make damn good salami, those Genoans.
To be fair, there are a few different ways of using the word, either strictly or loosely. The hall monitor in grade school might’ve reasonably been called a fascist, even if he wasn’t in cahoots with Big Business.
As Mussolini himself said, Fascism is Corporatism.
https://www.britannica.com/topic/corporatism
But calling someone a "Corporatist" doesn't have the desired emotional impact as calling them a Fascist thanks to the Benito and Adolph association.
FDR's New Deal was a classic example of Corporatism/Fascism, and he was a pen pal and "great admirer" of Mussolini in the 1930's.
Robert Paxton, leading authority on fascism, defines it as follows. (This is from the Wikipedia summary. There’s more detail in his book “The Anatomy of Fascism.” The footnotes are in the Wiki article and link to his sources.)
In his 2004 book The Anatomy of Fascism, Paxton refines his five-stage model and puts forward the following definition for fascism:
Fascism may be defined as a form of political behavior marked by obsessive preoccupation with community decline, humiliation, or victim-hood and by compensatory cults of unity, energy, and purity, in which a mass-based party of committed nationalist militants, working in uneasy but effective collaboration with traditional elites, abandons democratic liberties and pursues with redemptive violence and without ethical or legal restraints goals of internal cleansing and external expansion.[17]
In 2021, Paxton wrote an op-ed for Newsweek in which he stated that he now believed Donald Trump was a fascist, after insisting for several years that he was instead a right-wing populist. Trump's incitement of the 2021 storming of the United States Capitol was the deciding factor in him changing his view.[18]
Is it just me or is Bill Clinton looking more and more like Dick Van Dyke every day?
In the future, please limit the MSNBC clips, especially Rachel Maddow. I really cannot listen to her, so I mute it and wait until it's over. We get it, she's awful. But like a car wreck, we don't need stop and gawk. Just take a peek and then speed off.
Well that take was excessive. Hectoring her base, at absurd length and detail, that with an economy blooming like a rose garden, the electorate inexplicably couldn’t smell the roses. The deep sadness projected here was a huge switch from her usual smug, mocking certainty. She genuinely doesn’t understand why Trump could win. Nor do her fans. So they are asking why the workers hate this paradise Dem apparatchiks created for themsleves?
.
I think Matt enjoys both Maddow and MSNBC, but hope springs eternal that he gets over his Democrat mind virus.
Someone caviling over Taibbi's "Democrat mind virus" has got to be the chud's chud. No?
As a sarcastic ass, maybe you should take the comment as sarcasm.
Or just a personal observation.
Do not even take a peek, please.
It would be worth fact checking Maddow occasionally (Taibbi used to do finance well. What happened?) When adjusted comparing the 12 years of <2% annual inflation under Obama and Trump, and the 3 years of >6% annual inflation under Biden, the glowing Bidenomics lose most of their shine. Yes, inflation is back in the 2 to 3% range today, but inflation effects are cumulative. And the US dollar when Biden was inaugurated is worth less than 80 cents today. January 21, 2021 the Dow was at about 31,176; today it is about 42,000. With no change and inflation alone the Dow should be at 38,970; so it's really only increased about 7.8% in over three and a half years under Biden when corrected for inflation. That could be noise the way the stock market behaves.
I have been "blocked from liking this comment," so I am telling you that I liked it.
I'm trying to wrap my head around the fact that the "news" media is gone. They are the actual opponent in this election. They are the debaters in the debates. The deciders of truth, triers of fact; PR cover for a cognitively impaired figurehead president, and when that became obvious to the world, summarily shoving him out of the way and on to their next role as obsequious handmaidens to the sham candidate; prosecutors of the other candidate and his running mate. They do it all. They fight with any challengers, RFK, Republicans, not just Trump or Vance, on -air, not even bothering to be polite. From this point on, even with Trump gone, they are wholly political, propaganda organizations with apparently no idea that they themselves are what they think they're fighting. "Fair" is such an important concept, in a liberal society. They've smashed it. I was in a carpet store yesterday and three men, in a metropolitan area suburb, were animatedly talking about how great it was that JD Vance "blew off" Martha Raddatz. The store owner agreed. There's no shred of credibility left, but it is sickening to watch.
Btw, on the streaming thing, Matt looks like he's in a hamburger bun.
No one wants to listen to Rachel Maddow, do they? I never have, wish you would not subject us to her. She uses a hypnotic confusion technique and is a miserable person who lies continuously or is so brainwashed she doesn't even know she is lying.
Rachel’s smugness and arrogance is similar to Obama’s
Much worse than!
I think she is both at the same time
A neuter, a null
Think “That’s Pat” from SNL.
Reference your Maddow link. I usually give long-time military the benefit of the doubt, but I'd like to see Gen. Mark Milley investigated. How can anyone call Trump a bigger danger to the country than Biden?
How can he call Trump a bigger danger to the country than himself?!?!?!....
Yes. Didn't Milley give the CCP a courtesy call regarding the election results and assuring there was no reason to fear?
He told the CCP he would let them know if the US were going to attack.
I believe THAT was not in Milley's job description! That call is what I consider treason since it was outside of the chain of command.
Perhaps I'm too late for this comment to be read but there are some facts about the economy that really irk me that are being left out of the discourse of people like Rachel Maddow and the left generally, and that a lot of people don't seem to understand about why when they say the economy is great, it doesn't feel great:
"Inflation is down" - they are speaking of inflation as a RATE, but even if that dropped to 0%, all the prior price increases remain. We would need serious deflation, or much higher wage increases, for people to actually FEEL that prices were down, in reality.
"The stock market is booming". People like Michael Saylor or the All-In podcast guys would disagree. More and more, the stock market isn't about "profits" but is simply a hedge against inflation. The market is up 23% - well, my home and car insurance premiums are up 50%, food up close to 100%, professional services and contractors are giving me insanely expensive quotes for what used to be reasonably priced work (+100%). What we are seeing in the stock market is inflation, not profit, and arguably these numbers aren't even keeping up with real inflation. Regardless, it absolutely isn't real economic growth. In fact, many would argue that the economy is contracting, and the massive artificial infusion of printed money is what is giving the illusion of growth by propping up GDP numbers.
All of these numbers hide what is actually happening: money printing. Not only are my investments and wages not keeping pace with real inflation, but the other way that the "unlegislated tax" of money printing shows up is through tax brackets. Typically those tax brackets are only increased a small percentage each year - so while "wages are up" taxes are up EVEN MORE, as higher wages push people into higher tax brackets. For example, if someone's wages go from $15/hour to $30/hour, the amount of taxes they pay TRIPLES.
So, the citizen is hit with TWO hidden costs to cover the ridiculous government spending, one is inflation, and then by extension, increased wages lead to paying more in taxes. Both negate stock market gains and wage increases for anyone that I personally know. Rachel Maddow conveniently leaves this out of her discourse. Of course she's a piece of shit but she can't be so stupid either, as a millionaire, to not know the basics of how her own money moves in this economy, so I would be very surprised if she actually believes what she is saying about the state of the economy, as any teenager can understand tax brackets, percentages, and rates of change.
I'm late reading comments so letting you know that I appreciate your observations as this is what I was screaming at my laptop during RM's gaslighting. I'm in my seventies and I can assure anyone that the price of things never return.
Biden/Harris economy has increased GDP by $2 trillion dollars and it only cost $5 trillion bucks.
Jim
Walter should create a possibly very profitable split screen podcast of his face watching cable TV or political ads. His facial expressions of disbelief, doubt and surprise as he watches political propaganda are priceless entertainment by itself. This is especially the case as Rachel Maddcow and others pontificate their propaganda.
It's nice to know that you gents will cringe for me so I don't have to.
I would rather engage in repeatedly ramming my thumb into my left eye than sit through a nano-second of a Rachel Maddow harangue.
You fellows have a nice time & try not to cramp up during a cringe.
You mentioned the word “fascist” in your title. I hafta ask you about that word.
I had hired a woman as a freelance writer and marketer (“Ann”) back in 2018 when we were both lifelong Demoncrats. We got along, and she did good work for me. I would hire her back.
I have since switched to Trump after long considering it over months. No-one turned me. My decision was an educated one. Now that I am ra-ra Trump, and have knowledge of the skullduggery of the Demoncrat Party since the 1990s, I won’t be returning to the Demoncrats. I told Ann that I am a Trump supporter.
Her response, although courteous, included calling me a “fascist.“ First, I think I have been insulted. Will her feeling I am a fascist get in the way of her doing topnotch marketing for me? Second, do I hire her even though she feels I am a fascist? Third, should I stay far, far away from Ann, sever our relationship, never speak to her again; that there are other fish in the sea and I will find a marketing person who supports Trump?
My marketing needs have to do with a home-based mom and pop artisan micro business.
I consider fascists to be mass-murderers. I am not a mass-murderer; therefore, I cannot be a fascist. In what sense could I possibly be viewed as a fascist? This is not jiving.
I am 72-year old fiscally and socially conservative and frugal woman, living in Wisconsin across a county road from a 115-year old family-farm, listens to birdsong and watches hawks, has a large cookbook collection, is teaching myself weaving from UTub videos, once a week drives into town “for supplies,” and who sincerely and humbly roots for the American working-class (mainly long-standing Whites). How is that fascist?
I think you should stick with her. You’re writing the checks, so you control the narrative, and you sound very reasonable. Next, you should both learn the meaning of the word Fascist. After “Communist” it’s the most misunderstood word in common use. Your syllogism regarding murder and fascism is not helpful. Remember that the crowds of people surrounding Mussolini a century ago didn’t consider it an epithet, they were proud members of a political party…right up until they hung Mussolini from a lamppost.
Next, I’d try to make her understand that today, the most basic expression of Fascism is not murder, but censorship, and that the Democratic Party is leading everyone else in that race to the bottom. In this regard you are absolutely in the right Substack.
And finally, UTub sounds like a great place to take a dip, just don’t stay in so long you start to wrinkle. Best of luck.
Oops. Wrong place.
KAMALA HARRIS
frat girl back alley pushover flounder
> leading everyone else in that race to the bottom
Who is everyone else? Non-Democrats?
> race to the bottom
Would you elaborate?
Perhaps do you mean ‘mediocrity’? Victor Davis Hanson (ancient and contemporary military historian; contemporary political commentator) said that Tim Walz is more mediocre than Kalama Harris, that Harris is more mediocre than Joe Biden, that Biden is more mediocre than Barack Obama.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VAjTCLHSOmg
For instance, Kamala Harris is ***NOT*** the kind of fraternity-party-girl-back-alley-pushover-flounder (short: frat girl pushover) that American citizens would want to bear witness facing off with Putin. Putin would pulverize Kamala Harris, flattening her with a bulldozer.
Thank you for taking time to reply.
Thanks!
Newsflash: The establishment is fascist. Some have R's after their names, some have D's. Try that on her.
You could call her an ignorant slut.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c91XUyg9iWM
I don't know what to tell you, but a long time friend dumped me last week over my refusal to renounce Trump. She is Mexican, & reliably informed me that Trump hates both blacks and Mexicans. Her 2 gay adult children are reportedly "terrified" at what Trump may do to them if he gets into office. She does not believe that I am racist, nor that I hate gays, for which I should be grateful, I suppose.
At a certain point, it is simply not possible to discuss certain issues with someone this delusional. Yet I was willing to continue being friendly, meeting for lunch a few times a year, exchanging birthday gifts, etc.. just not discussing politics. She, however, cannot continue to be friendly, because I support a man who "threatens" her family.
KAMALA HARRIS
frat girl back alley pushover flounder
> leading everyone else in that race to the bottom
Who is everyone else? Non-Democrats?
> race to the bottom
Would you elaborate?
Perhaps do you mean ‘mediocrity’? Victor Davis Hanson (ancient and contemporary military historian; contemporary political commentator) said that Tim Walz is more mediocre than Kalama Harris, that Harris is more mediocre than Joe Biden, that Biden is more mediocre than Barack Obama.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VAjTCLHSOmg
For instance, Kamala Harris is ***NOT*** the kind of fraternity-party-girl-back-alley-pushover-flounder (short: frat girl pushover) that American citizens would want to bear witness facing off with Putin. Putin would pulverize Kamala Harris, flattening her with a bulldozer.
Thank you for taking time to reply.
Great show, but PLEASE. Less Maddow.
And - a FULL story:
Mike Benz facts are TRULY astonishing: Both Trump would be assassins have state security connections that must be resolved. Routh was DEFINITELY a link in a CIA chain – that is now 100% certain.
Note: Prosecutors requested an indefinite delay in Routh trial due to “complexities” of the case.. CIA, FBI, NSA, DHS, DoJ, DoD are so corrupt that they have to prove that they are not involved.
The Dark Truth About The Trump Assassinations | Who Is Really Trying To Kill Trump? With Mike Benz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8p7Hui2OyJk
benz is a proven liar who has embellished his state department experience - i would be vary vary wary of what benz says / does, even though I agree with almost everything he says (with the exception of his israel apologia) and that he's a great dancer - no he's not.
Any data about "PROVEN liar"?
His analyses are VERY logical, convincing, balanced, and thoughtful.
Ad hominem attacks better illustrate who you are....
https://spacesdashboard.com/space/1zqJVqynNLAGB/mike-benz-from-proud-boys-to-frame-games-antisemitism
i believe it was one of these where they went into his character.
so fuck off -
he was at the state department desk he talks about all the time for less than three weeks - if you google around you'll find people going into this -
And - the point about “Proven lier” is where?
it's in the spaces i linked - you'll have to listen to it. it goes into it quite thorougly of how much of a pos the guy is.
please note: i wish this wasn't the case - i don't know what this guy's game is, but he's sketchy as hell.
Gee Bill is my age and this pic makes me feel like a young buck romping in the meadow…
That's Bill Clinton? Sheesh. I thought Hillary was aging badly!
Talk about "Rode hard and put up wet."