The recent ballot access challenges, political investigations, and canceled primaries are just an extension of a phenomenon we should have seen coming twenty years ago
Its fascinating how important signatures are when trying to get on a ballot, but are of no interest to the media, to the courts, and to incumbent D's and R's when they are on mail-in ballots.
"Looking back, it’s clear Trump’s unsanctioned run and win were the violations of “norms” Washington insiders were most furious about. Now, when politicians talk about protecting “democracy,” what they really mean is restoring those old barriers of entry.": It took you a while to reach this conclusion, Matt. Nevertheless, I would say that you 'nailed it'.
67 YO guy here who was going to vote for Bernie in 2016. When the Dems screwed him I voted for Trump, which I thought was ridiculous, but he ended up winning.
Turned out he was the best President of my lifetime.
I voted for the Nader/LaDuke ticket in 2000. I knew the DNC would do everything in its power to prevent a third party from threatening its hegemony again.
Matt, are you planning to cover CJ Hopkins’s triumphant acquittal at his thoughtcrimes trial on Tuesday?
I urge EVERYONE to immediately read the speech CJ delivered in court:
One of the most significant speeches on totalitarianism ever delivered, it is truly historic, legendary stuff and should be required reading for all. I hope CJ will be turning his experience into a play or at the very least a one-act that can be performed all over the world as “The Crucible” of our time and a reminder to what remains of free humanity for centuries to come.
I know you are a firm defender of free speech against censorship as well as a faithful friend of Substack, Matt, so I invite you and your readers to sign my thank-you card to Substack founders Hamish McKenzie, Chris Best, and Jairaj Sethi in the comments of this post:
They got plenty of hate for resisting pressures from the censorship bullies to compromise their commitment to free speech, so let’s shower them with some love and gratitude for choosing their principles over principal.
Excellent! Centrist Democrats are no different than the GOP. Both Parties are corporatists which is a clear definition of Fascism. Democracy and Capitalism are antithetical to each other and I wish Taibbi and other progressive writers would begin to focus on this educational point. One is a political system and the other an economic one-they are not the same. Reminds me, today, of the difference between Zionism, a political ideology, and Judaism which is a religion. Same confusion about different systems of ideology and beliefs and the practices they promote.
"These people reordered the geography of the world, blithely moved whole manufacturing sectors from one continent to another, started moronic wars that pointlessly killed millions and created millions more refugees, bailed out corrupt banks while whole regions went into foreclosure, and failed to accomplish much but a growing sense of foreboding and decline despite decades of promises to the contrary. Still, they feel sincere rage at the idea that they should have to earn votes."
That's the best example of the kind of insight Taibbi brings to bear on the corrupt.
This morning I signed up to canvass for getting RFK jr on the ballot in Minnesota. In the process, I was notified that I was not a registered voter. I have been registered to vote since 1970. I have been registered in Minnesota since 2010. What is going on?
Now you're doing a pair of pieces dear to my heart, as an Independent and third party voter. I love to mention that i'm a third party voter, and cue the screeching "you might want to revisit Bush v Gore!" My answer is the same every time - 12x more Democrats in Florida voted for Bush than voted for Nader. The response is generally woosh, and further pile ons.
I mention that I'm an Independent - "Independents are just Republicans embarassed to admit it." Ok, but you're fucked then and Dems should throw in the towel right now, as Indies are 40% of the electorate and Repubs another +/- 30%.
And of course, the perennial "a 3rd party vote is a vote for Trump". Actually, first of all, no, it's a vote for the candidate that i voted for. And second of all, you seem to be making the assumption that i somehow really think that Biden is better than Trump. Not so, I'm a double hater and we're a thing this election.
Just for fun, here's a list of some of the write in votes on the NH R&D ballots.
Who is the "we" who should have seen this coming, and what would the "we" have done? But anyways, democracy and its processes in America have always been disputed, and rightly so, as it's a facade. The managerial trick is to convince the people they have a voice, is it not? It will be easier when the AI oracles become the new facade, which in practice, at the human level, will likely be little different from the faceless European and Russian bureaucracies of the past.
Wow! Matt, the only meaningful stories are about transformation. This article is great because it tells us how you’re changing. You’re on a journey, and you’re taking us with you. You’re becoming a wiser man, with keener sight, which makes you a better writer and, more importantly, a more compelling soul.
The irony of the "Democratic Party" turning anti-democratic is precious. The party became completely anti-Democratic when the DNC announced no primary debates -- even as Biden kept framing Trump as "a threat to democracy" -- which is quite Orwellian.
And to your point about 2004, Kerry has now joined the Biden campaign. Meanwhile, Move-On has announced a $32 million investment in re-electing Biden by "generating enthusiasm" for him. Good luck on that!
The Democratic Convention will be a coronation of Biden -- no dissent, no opposition. Nobody will be allowed to state that the emperor has no clothes.
The devolution of the Democratic Party is disgusting and depressing. But maybe this is what the doctor ordered -- Trump gets back in the White House and maybe sanity and true democratic values will return and a revived party will rise from the ashes. One can hope, I suppose.
For decades now, I'm been watching most of my Dem-voting friends become more and more rabidly pro-fascism, while dutifully repeating the party line that the blame for all our problems lies with Republicans, stupid working-class people (all of whom are racist/homophobic/transphobic and sided with Van Halen during the big split with David Lee roth - surely) and pretty much anyone who wasn't the DNC nomenklatura they desperately wanted to please (and hoped to ascend to be) at all costs.
These DNC cultists happily repeat the Psalms about "defund the police" while supporting more police, more authoritarianism, more censorship, more oppression. They cry about omnipresent racism in movies and television shows (that are barely creative works, seriously) but the thought of actually doing something to improve day to day life for any fellow human never enters their Suburban Caucasian (like Yuppie so... Suckie?) minds - they participate in the Two Minutes Hate, they're one of the Good Guys.
Confronting them with some of these obvious questions like "How is it that you're against the war in Afghanistan and/or Iraq but you still support the Dems who voted for it???" would usually elucidate some non-answer about Bush and Diebold and a rigged election, or muttering about Republicans and obligatory notions of Hitler. It was as if the part of their brains which once held a cogent thought about their opinion on these issues (and those whose votes ostensibly made them happen) had been plastered-over with incoherent word-salad along the lines of "Democrat good, Republican bad; if you not with us you against us."
And now here we are, and it has only gotten worse on both "sides" if we can even call them that. This is what happens when people are gaslit and propagandized and pushed into the depths of despair on a massive scale - for profit. It's the bloody Stanford Prison Experiment where all the "progressives" are tripping over each other to get picked to be guards. Our system exists to keep a handful of so-called elites super-wealthy and in total control, while everyone else serves them and dies poor and afraid, with hate in their hearts for The Others.
The dirty little secret about Democrats is that they don't believe in democracy.
Its fascinating how important signatures are when trying to get on a ballot, but are of no interest to the media, to the courts, and to incumbent D's and R's when they are on mail-in ballots.
"Looking back, it’s clear Trump’s unsanctioned run and win were the violations of “norms” Washington insiders were most furious about. Now, when politicians talk about protecting “democracy,” what they really mean is restoring those old barriers of entry.": It took you a while to reach this conclusion, Matt. Nevertheless, I would say that you 'nailed it'.
67 YO guy here who was going to vote for Bernie in 2016. When the Dems screwed him I voted for Trump, which I thought was ridiculous, but he ended up winning.
Turned out he was the best President of my lifetime.
I voted for the Nader/LaDuke ticket in 2000. I knew the DNC would do everything in its power to prevent a third party from threatening its hegemony again.
Matt, are you planning to cover CJ Hopkins’s triumphant acquittal at his thoughtcrimes trial on Tuesday?
I urge EVERYONE to immediately read the speech CJ delivered in court:
• “The Verdict”: https://cjhopkins.substack.com/p/the-verdict
One of the most significant speeches on totalitarianism ever delivered, it is truly historic, legendary stuff and should be required reading for all. I hope CJ will be turning his experience into a play or at the very least a one-act that can be performed all over the world as “The Crucible” of our time and a reminder to what remains of free humanity for centuries to come.
I know you are a firm defender of free speech against censorship as well as a faithful friend of Substack, Matt, so I invite you and your readers to sign my thank-you card to Substack founders Hamish McKenzie, Chris Best, and Jairaj Sethi in the comments of this post:
• “On Fearing Freedom—Plus Thanking Substack for Standing up to the Censorship Bullies”: https://margaretannaalice.substack.com/p/on-fearing-freedomplus-thanking-substack
They got plenty of hate for resisting pressures from the censorship bullies to compromise their commitment to free speech, so let’s shower them with some love and gratitude for choosing their principles over principal.
Excellent! Centrist Democrats are no different than the GOP. Both Parties are corporatists which is a clear definition of Fascism. Democracy and Capitalism are antithetical to each other and I wish Taibbi and other progressive writers would begin to focus on this educational point. One is a political system and the other an economic one-they are not the same. Reminds me, today, of the difference between Zionism, a political ideology, and Judaism which is a religion. Same confusion about different systems of ideology and beliefs and the practices they promote.
Money quote-
"These people reordered the geography of the world, blithely moved whole manufacturing sectors from one continent to another, started moronic wars that pointlessly killed millions and created millions more refugees, bailed out corrupt banks while whole regions went into foreclosure, and failed to accomplish much but a growing sense of foreboding and decline despite decades of promises to the contrary. Still, they feel sincere rage at the idea that they should have to earn votes."
That's the best example of the kind of insight Taibbi brings to bear on the corrupt.
Thanks for all ya do, Matt.
This morning I signed up to canvass for getting RFK jr on the ballot in Minnesota. In the process, I was notified that I was not a registered voter. I have been registered to vote since 1970. I have been registered in Minnesota since 2010. What is going on?
Follow the money and #TagTheSponsor. Swamp Uniparty donors like Reíd Hoffman are funding Warmonger Nikki Haley. Democracy is when Democrats win: https://yuribezmenov.substack.com/p/tag-the-sponsor-dc-swamp-donors-candidate
Now you're doing a pair of pieces dear to my heart, as an Independent and third party voter. I love to mention that i'm a third party voter, and cue the screeching "you might want to revisit Bush v Gore!" My answer is the same every time - 12x more Democrats in Florida voted for Bush than voted for Nader. The response is generally woosh, and further pile ons.
I mention that I'm an Independent - "Independents are just Republicans embarassed to admit it." Ok, but you're fucked then and Dems should throw in the towel right now, as Indies are 40% of the electorate and Repubs another +/- 30%.
And of course, the perennial "a 3rd party vote is a vote for Trump". Actually, first of all, no, it's a vote for the candidate that i voted for. And second of all, you seem to be making the assumption that i somehow really think that Biden is better than Trump. Not so, I'm a double hater and we're a thing this election.
Just for fun, here's a list of some of the write in votes on the NH R&D ballots.
https://www.wmur.com/article/new-hampshire-primary-election-results-write-ins/46541337
“Still, they feel sincere rage at the idea that they should have to earn votes “
This is why Matt Taibbi is a one-man media powerhouse
Who is the "we" who should have seen this coming, and what would the "we" have done? But anyways, democracy and its processes in America have always been disputed, and rightly so, as it's a facade. The managerial trick is to convince the people they have a voice, is it not? It will be easier when the AI oracles become the new facade, which in practice, at the human level, will likely be little different from the faceless European and Russian bureaucracies of the past.
And don't forget what both US political parties have done to Julian Assange.
Wow! Matt, the only meaningful stories are about transformation. This article is great because it tells us how you’re changing. You’re on a journey, and you’re taking us with you. You’re becoming a wiser man, with keener sight, which makes you a better writer and, more importantly, a more compelling soul.
The irony of the "Democratic Party" turning anti-democratic is precious. The party became completely anti-Democratic when the DNC announced no primary debates -- even as Biden kept framing Trump as "a threat to democracy" -- which is quite Orwellian.
And to your point about 2004, Kerry has now joined the Biden campaign. Meanwhile, Move-On has announced a $32 million investment in re-electing Biden by "generating enthusiasm" for him. Good luck on that!
The Democratic Convention will be a coronation of Biden -- no dissent, no opposition. Nobody will be allowed to state that the emperor has no clothes.
The devolution of the Democratic Party is disgusting and depressing. But maybe this is what the doctor ordered -- Trump gets back in the White House and maybe sanity and true democratic values will return and a revived party will rise from the ashes. One can hope, I suppose.
For decades now, I'm been watching most of my Dem-voting friends become more and more rabidly pro-fascism, while dutifully repeating the party line that the blame for all our problems lies with Republicans, stupid working-class people (all of whom are racist/homophobic/transphobic and sided with Van Halen during the big split with David Lee roth - surely) and pretty much anyone who wasn't the DNC nomenklatura they desperately wanted to please (and hoped to ascend to be) at all costs.
These DNC cultists happily repeat the Psalms about "defund the police" while supporting more police, more authoritarianism, more censorship, more oppression. They cry about omnipresent racism in movies and television shows (that are barely creative works, seriously) but the thought of actually doing something to improve day to day life for any fellow human never enters their Suburban Caucasian (like Yuppie so... Suckie?) minds - they participate in the Two Minutes Hate, they're one of the Good Guys.
Confronting them with some of these obvious questions like "How is it that you're against the war in Afghanistan and/or Iraq but you still support the Dems who voted for it???" would usually elucidate some non-answer about Bush and Diebold and a rigged election, or muttering about Republicans and obligatory notions of Hitler. It was as if the part of their brains which once held a cogent thought about their opinion on these issues (and those whose votes ostensibly made them happen) had been plastered-over with incoherent word-salad along the lines of "Democrat good, Republican bad; if you not with us you against us."
And now here we are, and it has only gotten worse on both "sides" if we can even call them that. This is what happens when people are gaslit and propagandized and pushed into the depths of despair on a massive scale - for profit. It's the bloody Stanford Prison Experiment where all the "progressives" are tripping over each other to get picked to be guards. Our system exists to keep a handful of so-called elites super-wealthy and in total control, while everyone else serves them and dies poor and afraid, with hate in their hearts for The Others.