The two corporate party candidates are indeed emblematic of the dying empire and the lying liars that struggle to keep it afloat.
I will also share that when I taught high school (retired now) the students did find the minimum age requirement for president ageist. Really, it's hard to imagine an 18-34 year old doing a worse job than either Biden or Trump.
That's interesting. Still, the minimum age of 35 makes sense to me. Science has shown that our brains are still developing well into our 20s, for example. And there's nothing like experience, of living on one's own for a decade or two. It's hard for me to imagine a person in their 20s who'd be ready and mature enough to be president, though I concede the point that they could be better than Trump/Biden. But that's setting a low bar. :-)
Since the job essentially consists of being a celebrity spokesperson to explain the decisions of our corporate overlords to the rest of us, I can't really imagine that being in on the young side would disqualify a person. Despite what George W. thought, U.S. presidents are not the deciders.
I know, Lisa, but that shouldn't be the job. A real leader wouldn't stand for it. Maybe she or he might be assassinated as a result, but at least people might learn something about their rulers.
Ok I misunderstood and thought we were talking about facts on the ground. So a real leader, like Imran Khan for example, would be soft coup'd and imprisoned at the least, or assassinated if their followers were still rallying around them.
Yes, Ron Paul and Ralph Nader seem sharp. But would they be up for the physical demands of the presidency?
For me, it's not just about age. It's about getting new blood into the process. Too many politicians hang on until they're almost at death's door, e.g. Diane Feinstein.
We could use more people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. (The average age in the Senate. is 65.)
"Both men are symbols of a sclerotic empire in decline." Biden is, always has been, a forever war politician. He lusts gor interventions that feed the war machine. Trump is s me 1st egotist. Suspect he'd be more of an isolationist keeping America 1st and other nations and foreigh conflicts a very distant 3rd consideration. If you like genocide Joe vote him in and watch the theatre of global carnage. Vote Trump to apease his ego and yours. Or vote 3rd party for peace, diplomacy, and international rules of law as chiselled in the UN charter.
Vote 3rd party for peace, diplomacy, and international rules of law as chiselled in the UN charter.... and throw your vote away Jazzme. Cornell West? Are you kidding us?
Will not vote for genocide Joe. Won't vote Trump either. Trump is -probably- more of an isolationist than senile Joe. There's no war Biden ever stopped funding or rallied behind. He did end the forever war in Afghanistan after 20 years. Now backing Israel to the hilt... And stopped a very possible negotiated peace in Ukraine. Plus hes's sanctioning 1/3 of the world. He loves meddling in S. America and the Pacific. If anyone can get us close to nuclear war...it be Genocide sociopath Joe.
"Since World War II, during a supposed golden age of peace, the United States military has killed or helped kill some 20-million people, overthrown at least 36-governments, interfered in at least 86-foreign elections, attempted to assassinate over 50-foreign leaders, and dropped bombs on people in over 30-countries."
"Since 2001, the United States has been systematically destroying a region of the globe, bombing Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, and Syria. The United States has “special forces” operating in two-thirds of the world’s countries and non-special forces in three-quarters of them.
"The U.S. government provides weapons, military training, and/or military funding to almost every dictatorship and oppressive government on earth. See my 2020 book "20 Dictators Currently Supported by the U.S." "
Meddling you say.....and Trump is probably more of an isolationist you say....correctly.
Hopefully enough Americans can see this in 2024, and enough votes are received by the isolationist to mitigate the cheating at the ballot boxes by the meddlers.
I don’t like age being a proxy for mental acuity or disability. FDR was in a wheelchair and did a fine job. My 93 year old father is still sharp, and some can certainly handle the job into the early 80s. I think the real problem is the fact that our elected presidents are mere puppets of the security state. If people believed the President really ran stuff, they might think twice about voting for doddering fools. In other words, bring back democracy and the gerontocracy will cease to exist.
I don't like age being used in this way, but it's a common practice. You must be at least 18 to enlist in the military (17 with parental permission). You must be 21 to drink. Age is crude, but at least it's a clear criterion.
There's something to be said for "old" politicians being forced to step aside in DC, else we get Nancy Pelosi, Diane Feinstein, et al., hanging on into their 80s, refusing to step aside, while aides prop them up (esp. Feinstein).
Yes, there are probably more pros than cons to an age limit. But it really isn’t Biden’s age, per se, that is the problem. It’s that he clearly has dementia. I just think we should be clear about that.
Even if this is untrue, it would be too hilarious.
I'd like to see sleepy Joe stumble for a full hour and later see the crowd praise his eloquence, intellect and grasp of the US's Foreign Policy in Ukraine and Gaza.
This is a brilliant move from Russia's side.
Russia never stops to amaze me with their intelligent reactions.
For starters: The only way he got this nation out of The Great Depression was by getting it directly and deeply into in World War II.
Thus laying the foundation and groundwork for America's status today as a Bankrupt Debtor State, an Imperialist Warfare State, a Redistributionist Welfare State, and ultimately, an Autocratic, Oligarchic, Plutocratic, Patriarchal Deep State.
Bill: In December, 1933, the year FDR launched his New Deal to end The Great Depression, the Official Unemployment Rate was 24.9%. In December of 1938, the year before the official beginning of World War II, it stood at 19.0%; a drop of merely 5.9% in the 5 years of the New Deal.
By the end of 1940, the year the US began massive arms and equipment production and shipment to Europe, it stood at 14.6%. And by December 1942, a year after Pearl Harbor, it stood at 4.7%, on its way to the 1+% level until the War ended in 1945.
If getting the US into World War II was not the “only” way FDR got the US out of The Great Depression, then what were some of the other ways that amounted to barely over a 1% decrease per year of Unemployment before America’s Ruling Political Class got the War that it so desperately needed and wanted?
And if You wouldn’t saddle FDR with laying the foundation and planting the seeds for all of America’s status today as a Flailing, Failing Debtor/Warfare/Welfare/Deep State, then who WOULD You saddle with the parts of all that that FDR is NOT responsible for?
The only key element of The System and its Dominant Paradigm of government and governance that FDR was or is not directly associated with is the Federal Reserve System. Which was well taken care of by FDR Comrade-In-Crime Wilson with the stroke of a pen that brought The Fed into existence 20 years before FDR became President.
There's a case to be made (and Murray Rothbard stated it well in the book America's Great Depression) that Roosevelt's New Deal was Hooverism on steroids. So there was some ugly precedent, but I, too, would lay most of it at Roosevelt's feet.
That book ~ along with Henry Hazlitt's ECONOMICS IN ONE LESSON ~ should be required reading for every American still capable of thinking for her or himself.
We could have avoided war with Japan, but the problem remains that what Japan was doing in Asia was not unlike what Germany was doing in Europe. What would the world look like today if we had not intervened?
And what was Japan doing in Asia that was not significantly directed at and a response to what the US was doing to Japan at that time?
And what the world would look like if the US had not gotten involved in World War II is an interesting but meaningless question.
Was the United States ever in danger of being invaded, conquered, and occupied by either Japan or Germany? For that matter, was any of the "New World" ~ North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean ~ ever in any danger of invasion, conquest, and occupation by anybody?
You might want to ask the people of Korea, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea, Guam, East Timor and Nauru.
In response to your second question, the U.S. has never been in danger of being invaded and conquered by any nation. (Which begs the question, why are we so paranoid? But that's a separate issue.) But that doesn't answer the question, what would the world look like if the U.S. hadn't intervened? And since you think that's an interesting question, you might give it some real thought and maybe you won't find it so meaningless.
And what exactly was the United States' reaction and response to what Japan did in China and Korea? Virtually nothing.
After all, who cares when a bunch of Gooks go and kill, maim, plunder, rape, and enslave a bunch of Other Gooks?
But when Japan started looking at the British and French Colonies of East and Southeast Asia, and the American Colony of the Philippines, well them Japs just went a "Bridge Too Fricking Far," as somebody once put it.
And NOT because America was concerned about the Gooks in those Colonies under threat of Japanese encroachment, but because of who those Colony Gooks actually belonged to.
And as regards what the world would look like if the US hadn't gotten involved in WW II: In the past, i have given that question some serious, extended, real thought, and arrived at the conclusion that it is far more productive to think about what the world would look like today if the US hadn't done what it has been doing since the End Of WW II.
And then trying to figure out how to make it Stop doing what it has been doing since the end of WW II; and particularly since 9/11.
I look in the mirror "69" this Yr., myself, and yes I don't recognize who this older wardog is anymore, but my spirit is still young! I'm going out fightin-- though in my Line Firefighting its a young man's job. obviously. Why we have a Veterans buy back, and you can basically Retire as young as 55, or when you can economically afford to.. Biden had a grueling Foreign Trip to Ukraine as I rem. this past Yr. and did surprisingly well I thought. I'm apolitical, and also a Lifelong Dem. I know what comes with the territory in most Career Fields, and most are: "Youth will be Served". So now we have Joe Biden I heard Dr. Jill his wife likes the power plus Teaches Community College in Virginia. She also wants him to be a second term Prez..I see him winning as long as he doesn't make any significant mistakes in the months leading into the Election, and the Firefighter/ Medic in me also needs to say if he maintains a Viable, Palpable, Pulse...:o)
Let's state the facts. People typically decline after age 70, at least physically if not mentally. There are exceptions, but are any of them running this time around? In any case, it is much less likely for the elderly to be up to demands that will wear down anyone. The US federal government is too big, too powerful, too dangerous to be in the hands of anyone who is no longer in full possession of his or her faculties.
At my most cynical times, and today feels like one of them, I question how important is the President anyway - except as chief retail marketer for the military/industrial/intelligence/AIPAC complex. The notion of being the most "powerful (man - and eventually woman) in the world seems ludicrous if that is meant to suggest providing essential leadership for the country and the world.
Joe Biden by some accounts has been on vacation or away 40% of the time, with almost nothing scheduled when he is in the White House (and only between late morning to mid afternoon) - and yet the wars continue without his need to oversee them. Donald Trump ordered US troops out of northern Syria - but he was ignored and his decision slow walked. Ronald Reagan was clearly suffering from dementia in his second term, but the crimes of empire continued. And JFK was assassinated when he wanted to destroy the CIA.
You get to be the most powerful whatever when you do what you're told by those actually in charge. It shouldn't be this way, but it is.
Donald Trump ordered US troops out of northern Syria - but he was ignored, and his decision slow walked.
Trump ordered a rapid withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Somalia in the wake of his 2020 election loss. (On Veterans Day 2020, just four days after Joe Biden was declared the winner of the rigged 2020 presidential election.) But senior officials never followed through on the plan, according to testimony released by a Congressional Committee.
Trump ALSO resisted arming Ukraine, until the Ukrainian-American warhawk Vindman and numerous Deep State Russophobes like Hill used his attempt at delaying the arms to Ukraine to impeach him. - per Coleen Rowley, the former FBI special agent and whistleblower.
Donald Trump proposed the brilliant anti-neocon anti-war Col Douglas Macgregor as Ambassador to Germany, but the Senate blocked the nomination. On November 11, 2020, a Pentagon spokesperson announced that Macgregor had been hired to serve as Senior Advisor to the Acting Secretary of Defense. The Deep State ensured he held the post for less than three months. Trump also appointed him to the board of the United States Military Academy ~ the appointment was terminated by the unelected President Joe Biden.
The recent $95-billion assistance plan passed by the Senate, which includes cash for “Israel” and Taiwan, was opposed by Republican friends of presidential candidate Donald Trump. The reasons they provide for opposing the package are that the US cannot afford to help Kiev while federal deficits grow, Russia will triumph anyway, and the US must improve border security before sending further aid elsewhere.
Trumps proffering that the US reconsider the US's role in financing NATO has been laughed off by the usual suspects in the Deep State, MSM and the MIC
Will Trump have learned his lesson when he got continuously rolled as the 45th POTUS?
Will he surround himself with better people as the 47th POTUS?
Will he start firing people, starting with Victoria Nuland and all her warmongering buddies in the State department.
Will he get enough legitimate votes in 2024 to mitigate the Democrats cheating again?
When we look at Trump, Dennis, we should look at the entirety of his record:
1. He ordered a botched Special Forces raid on Yemen and then trotted out a grieving widow during his State of the Union early in 2017.
2. He ordered a military strike on Syria.
3. He killed a high-ranking Iranian general via drone, which could have led to war with Iran.
4. He made major increases to U.S. military spending.
5. He is arguably an even bigger supporter of Israel than Biden is.
6. When he was president, he surrounded himself with U.S. military generals like Mattis, McMaster, and Kelly. All three were failures.
7. His main criticism of NATO was that its members weren't spending enough on military weaponry.
Trump's record isn't promising. If he wins, his record suggests he will make few changes of any significance. Trump loves to boast of how big his nuclear button is. That kind of bombastic rhetoric is more than disturbing in a world that's getting more unstable.
If you're looking for a wiser, more measured, less imperial, U.S. foreign policy, I don't think Trump should be your man.
And don't forget how much America's National. Sovereign Debt increased while Trump was in the Oval Office. A legacy that will be remembered, especially when the Default happens.
So exactly HOW MUCH did the Trump Tax Breaks ~ approved, it should be noted, by the Congress of the United States ~ cost the government in Tax Revenue?
And how much did those Breaks contribute to Deficits during his term in office? As opposed to increases in Government spending ~ also approved by Congress ~ in virtually every category of spending?
And exactly how much has it contributed to the current National, Sovereign Debt of $34.3 TRILLION and counting?
Who is the realistic candidate for the 47th POTUS that you are thinking of that is more measured, less imperial, with a better U.S. foreign policy than DJT?
You are not going to ever get the whole loaf of bread we dream of, Bill.
But Trump is the ONLY candidate who gives you a chance of at least getting a few slices!
With Cornell West, Jill Stein, Dennis Kucinich, or any other 3rd party candidate you won't even get crumbs!
Dennis: In Your catalogue of all the things that Trump tried to do but was stymied, with the first two [re troop withdrawals from Syria, Afghanistan, and Somalia], You state that his orders were either ignored or followed very slowly by the military chain-of-command.
So my question for You then is: Why didn’t Trump ~ as Commander-In-Chief ~ FIRE those subordinates in that military chain-of-command for, if nothing else, obstruction and insubordination as the result of their failure to comply with an order from a superior?
Was it because his owners, operators, commanders, and controllers didn’t give him permission to do that?
And another question: Why did Trump wait until after Election2020 to order the end of America’s “Forever War” in Afghanistan and Somalia? Why didn’t he do it any sooner during his 4 years in the White House?
Again: Do You think it's because his owners, operators, commanders, and controllers told him to do it that way?
And finally, if there is an election this year and if Trump gets elected, do You think his owners, operators, commanders, and controllers this time in office will be any different from, or have a different agenda, than the folks who led him by the nose from 2017 to 2021?
Here's a more detailed look at that chain of events, Ray. The situation was and is not quite so simple and straight-forward as You make it out to be. And it still doesn't answer the question as to why it took Trump so long to end the Lost War In Afghanistan::
“President Biden’s choices for how to execute a withdrawal from Afghanistan were severely constrained by conditions created by his predecessor. When President Trump took office in 2017, there were more than 10,000 troops in Afghanistan. Eighteen months later, after introducing more than 3,000 additional troops just to maintain the stalemate, President Trump ordered direct talks with the Taliban without consulting with our allies and partners or allowing the Afghan government at the negotiating table.
“In September 2019, President Trump emboldened the Taliban by publicly considering inviting them to Camp David on the anniversary of 9/11. In February 2020, the United States and the Taliban reached a deal, known as the Doha Agreement, under which the United States agreed to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan by May 2021. In return, the Taliban agreed to participate in a peace process and refrain from attacking U.S. troops and threatening Afghanistan’s major cities—but only as long as the United States remained committed to withdraw by the agreement’s deadline.
“As part of the deal, President Trump also pressured the Afghan government to release 5,000 Taliban fighters from prison, including senior war commanders, without securing the release of the only American hostage known to be held by the Taliban.
“Over his last 11 months in office, President Trump ordered a series of drawdowns of U.S. troops. By June 2020, President Trump reduced U.S. troops in Afghanistan to 8,600. In September 2020, he directed a further draw down to 4,500. A month later, President Trump tweeted, to the surprise of military advisors, that the remaining U.S. troops in Afghanistan should be ‘home by Christmas!’
"On September 28, 2021, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Milley testified that, on November 11, he had received an unclassified signed order directing the U.S. military to withdraw all forces from Afghanistan no later than January 15, 2021. One week later, that order was rescinded and replaced with one to draw down to 2,500 troops by the same date.
"DURING THE TRANSITION FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, THE OUTGOING ADMINISTRATION PROVIDED NO PLANS FOR HOW TO CONDUCT THE FINAL WITHDRAWAL OR TO EVACUATE AMERICANS AND AFGHAN ALLIES. INDEED, THERE WERE NO SUCH PLANS IN PLACE WHEN PRESIDENT BIDEN CAME INTO OFFICE, EVEN WITH THE AGREED UPON FULL WITHDRAWAL JUST OVER THREE MONTHS AWAY.
"As a result, when President Biden took office on January 20, 2021, the Taliban were in the strongest military position that they had been in since 2001, controlling or contesting nearly half of the country. At the same time, the United States had only 2,500 troops on the ground—the lowest number of troops in Afghanistan since 2001—and President Biden was facing President Trump’s near-term deadline to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan by May 2021, or the Taliban would resume its attacks on U.S. and allied troops. Secretary of Defense Austin testified on September 28, 2021, ‘the intelligence was clear that if we did not leave in accordance with that agreement, the Taliban would recommence attacks on our forces.’”
Dennis: Do You have a source or sources for that very detailed, comprehensive survey of Everything that Trump did to Make America GREAT Again when dealing with matters of foreign policy, and all the resistance he encountered from within Swampland?
Or do You just know all that stuff off the top of Your head?
Ray, I agree that Orange Man's many campaign speeches are getting a little sick making.
He is the classic American bullshit artist!
And most Americans eat it up. USA USA USA We're No.1 We're No.1 We're No.1
But I do not agree that he "uses the Justice system to get those who don't kiss the ring."
You've got that backwards. It's the Democrats who are the masters of that game.
And BTW he has a majority of thoughtful reasoning minds who fall for his speeches along with the simply stupid religious speeches and sermons of their Pastors and Ministers.
Take care
EDIT: As for the two "wars". I believe if DJT had not have had his second term stolen, the Ukrainian proxy war would not have started. I also believe if he is reelected, he will get with Putin and end the "war" in 24-hours.
And as for the Gaza genocide he seems to be holding his cards close to his chest. Maybe hoping that the shitty little apartheid nation of Israel will have destroyed itself before he is the 47th POTUS, and Netanyahu is in prison. He has already dismissed the $91-billion aid package, and I think that, like me, he maybe thinks the Americans should mind their own business and let Israel and its Neighbours sort it out. I also think he is a rich man and has no need of AIPAC's bribes, nor need to fear them. And I could be all wrong!
I also think its way past time that the Yanks stop protecting Israel's crimes by vetoing UN Resolutions and stealing US taxpayers money to prop them up.
If Trump is "the classic American bullshit artist," Dennis, then why do You ~ who claim to hate Bullshit so much ~ love him?
And Trump is "holding his cards close to his chest" about the War in Gaza because his scriptwriters haven't told him what to say yet. But they will eventually, and when it does, it will probably go something like this:
"The only reason there is a war between Israel and those Muslims in Gaza and the West Bank is because i was robbed of being President in 2020. If that hadn't happen, this war would have never happened, and everybody would be living happily ever after.
Just like folks in Ukraine would be if i ~ instead of Weak Sister Biden ~ had been President when that whole thing started. Me and Mr Putin are "Birds of a Feather," as they say in the parlance.
And as Birds of a Feather, we can get our Shit together whenever we want to about anything; as long, that is, as we ~ as Presidents ~ can do anything that We want to because, well, Because we are Presidents.
Wait til You see how effectively that works in my upcoming trial that dares to challenge my assertion that, as President, i can do ANYTHING i want to because ~ as President ~ i am totally and completely IMMUNE from all those bullshit rule and regulations that say what government officials can and can not do.
Well.... not THIS President, You can bet Your sweet Bippy on that.
Jeff, you have always made the mistake of thinking I "love" Donald Trump.
I don't. He is a narcissist asshole. And listening to him speak is painful.
And I disagree with a lot of his platform.
Listening to his position on EV vehicles today ~ total disinformation, stoking luddite thinking.
But pragmatically he is the best choice to be elected as the 47th POTUS.
I know... I know... the best of two evils - or however the saying goes!
But it is what it is. This is the best America can do.
And frankly this Kiwi, bought up and educated in an egalitarian (socialist?) society, and was a Democrat for my 30-year working life in America, has become very disenchanted with the left, (if you can call it that in the US), since I retired in 2004. I don't want the America my kids and grandkids live in to go to shit like Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco.
Meanwhile, in Other News…: JULIAN ASSANGE’S FINAL APPEAL by Chris Hedges 18 Feb 24 [Extract]
“…The nearly 15-year-long persecution of Julian, which has taken a heavy toll on his physical and psychological health, is done in the name of extradition to the U.S. where he would stand trial for allegedly violating 17 counts of the 1917 Espionage Act, with a potential sentence of 170 years.
“Julian’s “crime” is that he published classified documents, internal messages, reports and videos from the U.S. government and U.S. military in 2010, which were provided by U.S. army whistleblower Chelsea Manning. This vast trove of material revealed massacres of civilians, torture, assassinations, the list of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay and the conditions they were subjected to, as well as the Rules of Engagement in Iraq. Those who perpetrated these crimes — including the U.S. helicopter pilots who gunned down two Reuters journalists and 10 other civilians and severely injured two children, all captured in the Collateral Murder video — have never been prosecuted.
“Julian exposed what the U.S. empire seeks to airbrush out of history.
“Julian’s persecution is an ominous message to the rest of us. Defy the U.S. imperium, expose its crimes, and no matter who you are, no matter what country you come from, no matter where you live, you will be hunted down and brought to the U.S. to spend the rest of your life in one of the harshest prison systems on earth.”
The best thing that could happen to America and for this Planet would be for both Biden and Trump to die in public so there is not even the slightest question ~ or even hint ~ of an assassination.
For example: Biden falling on the Air Force One boarding ladder and breaking his neck
And please don’t somebody tell me that it’s not nice to wish somebody dead; even ~ or especially ~ if they are War Criminals on an international scale.
Now THIS Truckers4Trump thing could get VELLY Intelllesting, as Charlie Chan once put it.
It will be particularly interesting to see if the NYPD contingent of Cops4Trump will do anything to step in and deal with the chaos that could very likely ensue if the Truckers are able to pull this off and disrupt the flow of food, medicines, and other life essentials to New Yorkers, and of whatever New York businesses ~ from Walmart to Ma & Pa ~ need to stay in business.
That's along the lines of what would happen if every American who is against the Wars in Ukraine and Gaza refused to file their federal income tax returns this year. And announced it publicly as they do it as individuals and families, and as individual businesses, and groups, organizations, and institutions of businesses.
Why can people mobilize for Trump, as they did on 1/6/2021, rioting in the Capitol, but they can't mobilize for better health care, or against the MICC, or for higher pay, or for the homeless and mentally ill?
Why do people mobilize because they perceive an injustice against a blowhard billionaire?
People need to come together for those who aren't privileged, not for the privileged.
There's so much anger and frustration in this country, yet it's so often misdirected and therefore neutralized. It's like slaves protesting because a rich slave owner is being punished by other rich slave owners.
"Why do people mobilize because they perceive an injustice against a blowhard billionaire?" This is the magic of Trump. He appeals to the downtrodden - which of course, is ironical. And he has it down pat! Look at the crowds he is drawing all over America 9-months before the election!
Name me one other current American politician who has more appeal to American's who shower after work - not before. And who will support his platform, irrespective of what it is.
I watched him today speaking to the UAW. He had them eating out of his hand with his not so hidden promise to literally ban Chinese car imports. Which is BS. He will never bring Detroit back to its last century glory. But he has people believing he will.
Excuse another Dale Carnegie mantra....."if you act enthusiastic you will be enthusiastic!"
And in each State, he plays on the same specific local fears. Steel making in Pennsylvania - you know the game! And it works. Same with The Farmers with their tractor protests in Europe. Very specific.
Wasn't Bernie the same in the 2016 election - but for the other tribe! His appeal was to the brainy college educated "socialist" types.
These guys make common people think they are coming together not for the privileged, but for themselves. The whole MAGA thing is even more relevant to Americans much more in 2024 than it was 5-years ago ~ as people perceive their country turning to shit. And it is!
As I have said before, in San Fransico, blue left-wing governance has made it literally impossible to perform a construction project in San Fran. And CA has destroyed the building of America's first High-Speed-Rail Train with its dozens of autocratic agencies, Red tape and bullshit! Driving costs into the stratosphere. Projects like the Golden Gate Bridge could never be done today. Or the Hoover Dam.
Correct me if i am wrong, Dennis. But You seem to be saying that Trump's appeal to Trumpatistas is based on the Bullshit that he so effectively tells and sells them.
And was America turning into Shit five years ago when "MAGA" was so important to at least some folks?
Five years ago was 2019, Year III of Trump's time in the White House. Was America turning into Shit then? And if it was, was that everybody else's fault But Trump's fault? Or did none of that happen until the White House was stolen from The Donald in 2020?
So that's the "magic of Trump," eh? His appealing nature to "the downtrodden."
Correct me if i am wrong, but i seem to recall that that was one of the keys to Hitler's magic, as well: his similar appeal to "the downtrodden" of post-World War I Germany.
And a significant number of Americans seem ready to ride right along with Trump's appeal today, especially if that means that THEY will no longer be those "downtrodden."
But there's a serious problem with all that. Specifically, how many Trumpatistas are actually "downtrodden" in any sense of the word? "Disgruntled" as The Hillary once infamously put it, no doubt; but 'Downtrodden"? And if they are, on what basis are they claiming it?
How many Trumpatistas are People of Color and/or living just above, at, or below the Poverty Line? Or don't have medical insurance? Or are working two and three jobs just to pay the bills and barely survive?
And finally and just out of curiosity: How much of that "red tape and bullshit" that killed the High-Speed Train and would make building a Golden Gate Bridge or Hoover Dam impossible today come from the government of the State of California? And how many come from the federal government?
My guess from the CA jobs I worked on.......80% the CA DOT, and too many "Greenie" CA State agencies, and 20% the Feds.
I recall our big Boss getting his panties all in a knot claiming that every time he called the CA DOT to resolve one of the many disputes, he ended up talking to a bureaucrat that could barely speak English.
Example: we were doing some demolition on an Embarcadero wharf involving a lot of concrete cutting with diamond saws. Water cooled. They insisted that we collect all the cooling water so that it would not pollute the San Francisco Bay! (This requirement was not in the Specifications that we based our estimate on - they just made up these new rules as we went along!) And of course, these disputes got leaked to the media, and we were branded as that greedy contractor who just wanted to run up the costs with EXTRA's!
And every day it got more ridiculous. Stop pile driving if we saw dead fish stunned by the hammer blows. Resolved by us agreeing to count the floating dead fish and keeping a log to be submitted! No kidding!
If by "We," Bill, You mean The American Peoples, You are absolutely correct.
And we have needed to wake up for a long, long time. Like since at least September 12, 2001, the day after 9/11.
And one guess as to why the January 6 folks weren't protesting for better health care, or higher pay, or help for the homeless and mentally ill is because the majority of them have health care, and enough pay to afford a trip to DC in early January. And could give a shit about the homeless and mentally ill.
The problem is that the American Peoples have apparently convinced themselves to think that ~ by changing who is in the Oval Office and/or up on Capital Hill ~ that that is actually, really going to change anything. For the better if its THEIR Guy or Gal who wins the election; and for the worse if its the OTHER Guy or Gal who takes office.
How can whoever gets into office in DC change anything when The American System of government and governance is set up the way it is so that Vested Special Interests can compete by bidding with big bucks for access to that government's legal power, administrative authority, and above all, its spending capacity and capability so as to advance those VSI's personal, organizational, or institutional agendas? And the highest bidder gets the Prize.
The simple fact of the matter is that anybody who is in DC and gets to stay there via re-election or advancement up the chain is there simply and only because they are following the orders of their owners and operators, commanders and controllers, and their handlers and script writers.
The problem also is that, not only is there "so much anger and frustration in the this country," but there are also wildly divergent, almost violently disagreed-upon views as to Why there is so much anger and frustration, and, more importantly, whose anger and frustration should be the top priority for being dealt with.
I think the idea is that every trucker just refuses to take a load from outa State to New York city. The "NYPD contingent of Cops4Trump" would be taken out of the picture. And no Federal Agency can "force" a private trucker to take a load. If you work for a big trucking Company - just call in sick.
Just think of the National Guard/AirForce taking in food, medicines, and other life essentials à la The Berlin Airlift from 26 June 1948 to 30 September 1949 to carry supplies to the people of West Berlin.
Heh. Yeah, but this time there will be hostile forces with guns, rockets, and live fire on the way into NYC [even by air], and then in the City itself.
And then Trump could offer himself as "The Peacemaker." And the "Bringer of Food, Medicine, and Other Life Essentials" to the suffering New Yorkers. Who knows, he might even get a Nobel Peace Prize for that.
Sounds like a great reality-tv episode, skit, and script, Dennis.
And a subsequent next step in November [assuming there is an election] is that Truckers4Trump will similarly boycott any State that does not declare Trump the winner of the election in that State.
So instead of taking out their anger about the Trumpian Fraud Verdict on the Judge who rendered the decision and on the people who run the City's legal system who made the whole case happen [how about a little "swatting," anyone???], Trucker4Trump chooses to take it out on the Peoples and Businesses of New York.
That sounds about right for a Trumpian strategy and tactic.
"MAGA Morons" may be entirely too optimistic a term for these folks. And "MAGA Maggots" too disrespectful of real Maggots on top of Dog shit and on spoiled meat.
As Dale Carnegie always said, “Remember that a man’s name is to him the sweetest and most important sound in the English language.”
Jeff, if you would use my name, Dennis, instead of addressing me as "MAGA Moron" or "MAGA Maggot", you would have a small chance of getting me to consider your point of view.
Your approach is guaranteed to get your opponent's even more determined to ignore you.
Among the several needed amendments to our constitution is one that places term limits (8 years max) along with mandatory retirement ages (70, maybe 75, but no more than that.) on all political and judicial offices.
And you can't accuse me of being an ageist because I'm 87 and probably in better health than either Trump or Biden.
The fact that they made provisions for amending it is proof the founding fathers intended the Constitution to be a living document. Times change, mores change, technology changes, nothing is constant. The Constitution should be flexible to accommodate change, but not so flexible that it becomes vulnerable to all the whims of the populace. It's hard to find the right balance and I think the process they set up was good then and I think it's still good. The main problem today is partisan polarization and a lack of cooperation. Politicians aren't interested in working together for the good of the people, they're only interested in catering to their patrons in order to keep their plush jobs.
There's another idea for an amendment. Remove the perks of office. Put them all in cubicles with desktop computers, remove their hot and cold running staff, expense accounts and free parking passes. Stop treating these assholes like princes.
I say if you are too old to fly a commercial airliner, you are too old to be President. And I'd glad apply the same age 65 restriction (though the house voted last year to raise it to 67) to every member of Congress and the Judiciary. Even the Episcopal Church's policy is for clergy to retire from full time work at 72. It would be one thing if wisdom came with age, but our leaders prove they only get more stupid and ridiculous as times passes.
The two corporate party candidates are indeed emblematic of the dying empire and the lying liars that struggle to keep it afloat.
I will also share that when I taught high school (retired now) the students did find the minimum age requirement for president ageist. Really, it's hard to imagine an 18-34 year old doing a worse job than either Biden or Trump.
That's interesting. Still, the minimum age of 35 makes sense to me. Science has shown that our brains are still developing well into our 20s, for example. And there's nothing like experience, of living on one's own for a decade or two. It's hard for me to imagine a person in their 20s who'd be ready and mature enough to be president, though I concede the point that they could be better than Trump/Biden. But that's setting a low bar. :-)
Since the job essentially consists of being a celebrity spokesperson to explain the decisions of our corporate overlords to the rest of us, I can't really imagine that being in on the young side would disqualify a person. Despite what George W. thought, U.S. presidents are not the deciders.
I know, Lisa, but that shouldn't be the job. A real leader wouldn't stand for it. Maybe she or he might be assassinated as a result, but at least people might learn something about their rulers.
Ok I misunderstood and thought we were talking about facts on the ground. So a real leader, like Imran Khan for example, would be soft coup'd and imprisoned at the least, or assassinated if their followers were still rallying around them.
I am 73!
I had a nightmare last night about getting a job offer. Luckily the alarm went off telling me to take my morning pill.
Anyone old as me has no positive motive to look for “work”
That assumes, of course, that they have some source of income or a stash of savings for food, shelter, and other basic Human Needs, doesn't it?
And if they don't, then what?
Work to 'survive' is not a "hygiene factor", not a motive.
It isn't? Why not and since when?
Isn't having enough proper nutrition and sufficient protection from the elements a hygiene factor? And why wouldn't that be a very powerful motive?
Ron Paul is 89-years-old.
Ralph Nadar is 90-years-old.
Ever watched him on his "The Ron Paul Liberty Report' - sharp as a tack.
Listened to Ralph lately on his "Ralph Nader Radio Hour" - still as brilliant as ever.
Both with platforms BV's readers could identify with.
Age is just a number eh?
Yes, Ron Paul and Ralph Nader seem sharp. But would they be up for the physical demands of the presidency?
For me, it's not just about age. It's about getting new blood into the process. Too many politicians hang on until they're almost at death's door, e.g. Diane Feinstein.
We could use more people in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. (The average age in the Senate. is 65.)
A suitable alternative to "None Of These Candidates" might be "Nobody Over Age 65 Anywhere in Swampland. Doing Anything"
"Both men are symbols of a sclerotic empire in decline." Biden is, always has been, a forever war politician. He lusts gor interventions that feed the war machine. Trump is s me 1st egotist. Suspect he'd be more of an isolationist keeping America 1st and other nations and foreigh conflicts a very distant 3rd consideration. If you like genocide Joe vote him in and watch the theatre of global carnage. Vote Trump to apease his ego and yours. Or vote 3rd party for peace, diplomacy, and international rules of law as chiselled in the UN charter.
*that's my take*
Vote 3rd party for peace, diplomacy, and international rules of law as chiselled in the UN charter.... and throw your vote away Jazzme. Cornell West? Are you kidding us?
Will not vote for genocide Joe. Won't vote Trump either. Trump is -probably- more of an isolationist than senile Joe. There's no war Biden ever stopped funding or rallied behind. He did end the forever war in Afghanistan after 20 years. Now backing Israel to the hilt... And stopped a very possible negotiated peace in Ukraine. Plus hes's sanctioning 1/3 of the world. He loves meddling in S. America and the Pacific. If anyone can get us close to nuclear war...it be Genocide sociopath Joe.
.
"Since World War II, during a supposed golden age of peace, the United States military has killed or helped kill some 20-million people, overthrown at least 36-governments, interfered in at least 86-foreign elections, attempted to assassinate over 50-foreign leaders, and dropped bombs on people in over 30-countries."
"Since 2001, the United States has been systematically destroying a region of the globe, bombing Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, and Syria. The United States has “special forces” operating in two-thirds of the world’s countries and non-special forces in three-quarters of them.
"The U.S. government provides weapons, military training, and/or military funding to almost every dictatorship and oppressive government on earth. See my 2020 book "20 Dictators Currently Supported by the U.S." "
https://davidswanson.org/warlist/
Meddling you say.....and Trump is probably more of an isolationist you say....correctly.
Hopefully enough Americans can see this in 2024, and enough votes are received by the isolationist to mitigate the cheating at the ballot boxes by the meddlers.
TRUMP 2024
Sorry Joe's a no go. And Trump. A felon that should be behind bars. If falons can't vote neither should they be POTUS.
Trump Protester Can’t Name One Crime Trump Has Committed! Jimmy Dore Live from Two Roads Theater.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQ0e73wS2zU&t=30s
If you really want to drive em nuts, ask them to give you three reasons why you should vote for Biden ~ but they can't mention Trump.
You can actually hear the blood in their brain start to boil. And of course they can NEVER do it!
"But, but... Orange Man bad!" 🙄
This is what happens when your brain functions on "Guilty until proven innocent."
I don’t like age being a proxy for mental acuity or disability. FDR was in a wheelchair and did a fine job. My 93 year old father is still sharp, and some can certainly handle the job into the early 80s. I think the real problem is the fact that our elected presidents are mere puppets of the security state. If people believed the President really ran stuff, they might think twice about voting for doddering fools. In other words, bring back democracy and the gerontocracy will cease to exist.
I don't like age being used in this way, but it's a common practice. You must be at least 18 to enlist in the military (17 with parental permission). You must be 21 to drink. Age is crude, but at least it's a clear criterion.
There's something to be said for "old" politicians being forced to step aside in DC, else we get Nancy Pelosi, Diane Feinstein, et al., hanging on into their 80s, refusing to step aside, while aides prop them up (esp. Feinstein).
Yes, there are probably more pros than cons to an age limit. But it really isn’t Biden’s age, per se, that is the problem. It’s that he clearly has dementia. I just think we should be clear about that.
"Russian Media sent REQUEST to interview Joe Biden. Great chance to hear US's "SUPERIOR" Message." hahahahaha!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ti1p1-X-4EU
Even if this is untrue, it would be too hilarious.
I'd like to see sleepy Joe stumble for a full hour and later see the crowd praise his eloquence, intellect and grasp of the US's Foreign Policy in Ukraine and Gaza.
This is a brilliant move from Russia's side.
Russia never stops to amaze me with their intelligent reactions.
TRUMP 2024
i'd like to see Trump stumble thru the same hour dealing with the same subject, and see how he does compared to Biden.
Same Team of Interviewers and Same Questions.
FDR did "a fine job" doing exactly what?
For starters: The only way he got this nation out of The Great Depression was by getting it directly and deeply into in World War II.
Thus laying the foundation and groundwork for America's status today as a Bankrupt Debtor State, an Imperialist Warfare State, a Redistributionist Welfare State, and ultimately, an Autocratic, Oligarchic, Plutocratic, Patriarchal Deep State.
Among other things.
Not the *only* way, Jeff.
And I wouldn't saddle FDR with all those issues.
Bill: In December, 1933, the year FDR launched his New Deal to end The Great Depression, the Official Unemployment Rate was 24.9%. In December of 1938, the year before the official beginning of World War II, it stood at 19.0%; a drop of merely 5.9% in the 5 years of the New Deal.
By the end of 1940, the year the US began massive arms and equipment production and shipment to Europe, it stood at 14.6%. And by December 1942, a year after Pearl Harbor, it stood at 4.7%, on its way to the 1+% level until the War ended in 1945.
[Source: https://www.thebalancemoney.com/unemployment-rate-by-year-3305506 .]
If getting the US into World War II was not the “only” way FDR got the US out of The Great Depression, then what were some of the other ways that amounted to barely over a 1% decrease per year of Unemployment before America’s Ruling Political Class got the War that it so desperately needed and wanted?
And if You wouldn’t saddle FDR with laying the foundation and planting the seeds for all of America’s status today as a Flailing, Failing Debtor/Warfare/Welfare/Deep State, then who WOULD You saddle with the parts of all that that FDR is NOT responsible for?
The only key element of The System and its Dominant Paradigm of government and governance that FDR was or is not directly associated with is the Federal Reserve System. Which was well taken care of by FDR Comrade-In-Crime Wilson with the stroke of a pen that brought The Fed into existence 20 years before FDR became President.
Brother, can you spare a dime?
Heh; sure. Do You have change for a dollar?
There's a case to be made (and Murray Rothbard stated it well in the book America's Great Depression) that Roosevelt's New Deal was Hooverism on steroids. So there was some ugly precedent, but I, too, would lay most of it at Roosevelt's feet.
Rothbard stated it very well, ikester8.
That book ~ along with Henry Hazlitt's ECONOMICS IN ONE LESSON ~ should be required reading for every American still capable of thinking for her or himself.
We could have avoided war with Japan, but the problem remains that what Japan was doing in Asia was not unlike what Germany was doing in Europe. What would the world look like today if we had not intervened?
And what was Japan doing in Asia that was not significantly directed at and a response to what the US was doing to Japan at that time?
And what the world would look like if the US had not gotten involved in World War II is an interesting but meaningless question.
Was the United States ever in danger of being invaded, conquered, and occupied by either Japan or Germany? For that matter, was any of the "New World" ~ North, Central, and South America and the Caribbean ~ ever in any danger of invasion, conquest, and occupation by anybody?
You might want to ask the people of Korea, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, New Guinea, Guam, East Timor and Nauru.
In response to your second question, the U.S. has never been in danger of being invaded and conquered by any nation. (Which begs the question, why are we so paranoid? But that's a separate issue.) But that doesn't answer the question, what would the world look like if the U.S. hadn't intervened? And since you think that's an interesting question, you might give it some real thought and maybe you won't find it so meaningless.
And what exactly was the United States' reaction and response to what Japan did in China and Korea? Virtually nothing.
After all, who cares when a bunch of Gooks go and kill, maim, plunder, rape, and enslave a bunch of Other Gooks?
But when Japan started looking at the British and French Colonies of East and Southeast Asia, and the American Colony of the Philippines, well them Japs just went a "Bridge Too Fricking Far," as somebody once put it.
And NOT because America was concerned about the Gooks in those Colonies under threat of Japanese encroachment, but because of who those Colony Gooks actually belonged to.
And as regards what the world would look like if the US hadn't gotten involved in WW II: In the past, i have given that question some serious, extended, real thought, and arrived at the conclusion that it is far more productive to think about what the world would look like today if the US hadn't done what it has been doing since the End Of WW II.
And then trying to figure out how to make it Stop doing what it has been doing since the end of WW II; and particularly since 9/11.
I look in the mirror "69" this Yr., myself, and yes I don't recognize who this older wardog is anymore, but my spirit is still young! I'm going out fightin-- though in my Line Firefighting its a young man's job. obviously. Why we have a Veterans buy back, and you can basically Retire as young as 55, or when you can economically afford to.. Biden had a grueling Foreign Trip to Ukraine as I rem. this past Yr. and did surprisingly well I thought. I'm apolitical, and also a Lifelong Dem. I know what comes with the territory in most Career Fields, and most are: "Youth will be Served". So now we have Joe Biden I heard Dr. Jill his wife likes the power plus Teaches Community College in Virginia. She also wants him to be a second term Prez..I see him winning as long as he doesn't make any significant mistakes in the months leading into the Election, and the Firefighter/ Medic in me also needs to say if he maintains a Viable, Palpable, Pulse...:o)
Never seen you smoother!
I couldn't agree more...:O)
Let's state the facts. People typically decline after age 70, at least physically if not mentally. There are exceptions, but are any of them running this time around? In any case, it is much less likely for the elderly to be up to demands that will wear down anyone. The US federal government is too big, too powerful, too dangerous to be in the hands of anyone who is no longer in full possession of his or her faculties.
At my most cynical times, and today feels like one of them, I question how important is the President anyway - except as chief retail marketer for the military/industrial/intelligence/AIPAC complex. The notion of being the most "powerful (man - and eventually woman) in the world seems ludicrous if that is meant to suggest providing essential leadership for the country and the world.
Joe Biden by some accounts has been on vacation or away 40% of the time, with almost nothing scheduled when he is in the White House (and only between late morning to mid afternoon) - and yet the wars continue without his need to oversee them. Donald Trump ordered US troops out of northern Syria - but he was ignored and his decision slow walked. Ronald Reagan was clearly suffering from dementia in his second term, but the crimes of empire continued. And JFK was assassinated when he wanted to destroy the CIA.
You get to be the most powerful whatever when you do what you're told by those actually in charge. It shouldn't be this way, but it is.
Donald Trump ordered US troops out of northern Syria - but he was ignored, and his decision slow walked.
Trump ordered a rapid withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Somalia in the wake of his 2020 election loss. (On Veterans Day 2020, just four days after Joe Biden was declared the winner of the rigged 2020 presidential election.) But senior officials never followed through on the plan, according to testimony released by a Congressional Committee.
Trump ALSO resisted arming Ukraine, until the Ukrainian-American warhawk Vindman and numerous Deep State Russophobes like Hill used his attempt at delaying the arms to Ukraine to impeach him. - per Coleen Rowley, the former FBI special agent and whistleblower.
Donald Trump proposed the brilliant anti-neocon anti-war Col Douglas Macgregor as Ambassador to Germany, but the Senate blocked the nomination. On November 11, 2020, a Pentagon spokesperson announced that Macgregor had been hired to serve as Senior Advisor to the Acting Secretary of Defense. The Deep State ensured he held the post for less than three months. Trump also appointed him to the board of the United States Military Academy ~ the appointment was terminated by the unelected President Joe Biden.
The recent $95-billion assistance plan passed by the Senate, which includes cash for “Israel” and Taiwan, was opposed by Republican friends of presidential candidate Donald Trump. The reasons they provide for opposing the package are that the US cannot afford to help Kiev while federal deficits grow, Russia will triumph anyway, and the US must improve border security before sending further aid elsewhere.
Trumps proffering that the US reconsider the US's role in financing NATO has been laughed off by the usual suspects in the Deep State, MSM and the MIC
Will Trump have learned his lesson when he got continuously rolled as the 45th POTUS?
Will he surround himself with better people as the 47th POTUS?
Will he start firing people, starting with Victoria Nuland and all her warmongering buddies in the State department.
Will he get enough legitimate votes in 2024 to mitigate the Democrats cheating again?
TRUMP 2024
When we look at Trump, Dennis, we should look at the entirety of his record:
1. He ordered a botched Special Forces raid on Yemen and then trotted out a grieving widow during his State of the Union early in 2017.
2. He ordered a military strike on Syria.
3. He killed a high-ranking Iranian general via drone, which could have led to war with Iran.
4. He made major increases to U.S. military spending.
5. He is arguably an even bigger supporter of Israel than Biden is.
6. When he was president, he surrounded himself with U.S. military generals like Mattis, McMaster, and Kelly. All three were failures.
7. His main criticism of NATO was that its members weren't spending enough on military weaponry.
Trump's record isn't promising. If he wins, his record suggests he will make few changes of any significance. Trump loves to boast of how big his nuclear button is. That kind of bombastic rhetoric is more than disturbing in a world that's getting more unstable.
If you're looking for a wiser, more measured, less imperial, U.S. foreign policy, I don't think Trump should be your man.
And don't forget how much America's National. Sovereign Debt increased while Trump was in the Oval Office. A legacy that will be remembered, especially when the Default happens.
Or, Dennis, is that all Congress' fault?
So exactly HOW MUCH did the Trump Tax Breaks ~ approved, it should be noted, by the Congress of the United States ~ cost the government in Tax Revenue?
And how much did those Breaks contribute to Deficits during his term in office? As opposed to increases in Government spending ~ also approved by Congress ~ in virtually every category of spending?
And exactly how much has it contributed to the current National, Sovereign Debt of $34.3 TRILLION and counting?
Got any numbers on that, Ray?
Who is the realistic candidate for the 47th POTUS that you are thinking of that is more measured, less imperial, with a better U.S. foreign policy than DJT?
You are not going to ever get the whole loaf of bread we dream of, Bill.
But Trump is the ONLY candidate who gives you a chance of at least getting a few slices!
With Cornell West, Jill Stein, Dennis Kucinich, or any other 3rd party candidate you won't even get crumbs!
TRUMP 2024
I would consider RFK Jr., Dennis. I think he's a superior choice to Biden and Trump.
Not going to happen Bill.
I liked him at first. But his long interview with Jimmy Dore put me off him.
Sadly, he has been wrongly branded as an anti-vaxxer!
Don't get my two lefty Doctor daughters started on that!
His stance on Israel ~ stick a fork in him for me, and millions of other voters.
His speech impediment is cruelly being used to smear him! Disgusting.
And - let's face it - he is not going to be able to overcome Hillary's employees who count the votes.
What do you think?
Negatives against Trump and Biden are so high that a third-party candidate like RFK Jr. may have a chance, slim though it is.
If I'm faced with Trump, Biden, and RFK, I'm going with RFK. As you said, there's no perfect candidate.
Dennis: In Your catalogue of all the things that Trump tried to do but was stymied, with the first two [re troop withdrawals from Syria, Afghanistan, and Somalia], You state that his orders were either ignored or followed very slowly by the military chain-of-command.
So my question for You then is: Why didn’t Trump ~ as Commander-In-Chief ~ FIRE those subordinates in that military chain-of-command for, if nothing else, obstruction and insubordination as the result of their failure to comply with an order from a superior?
Was it because his owners, operators, commanders, and controllers didn’t give him permission to do that?
And another question: Why did Trump wait until after Election2020 to order the end of America’s “Forever War” in Afghanistan and Somalia? Why didn’t he do it any sooner during his 4 years in the White House?
Again: Do You think it's because his owners, operators, commanders, and controllers told him to do it that way?
And finally, if there is an election this year and if Trump gets elected, do You think his owners, operators, commanders, and controllers this time in office will be any different from, or have a different agenda, than the folks who led him by the nose from 2017 to 2021?
Here's a more detailed look at that chain of events, Ray. The situation was and is not quite so simple and straight-forward as You make it out to be. And it still doesn't answer the question as to why it took Trump so long to end the Lost War In Afghanistan::
“President Biden’s choices for how to execute a withdrawal from Afghanistan were severely constrained by conditions created by his predecessor. When President Trump took office in 2017, there were more than 10,000 troops in Afghanistan. Eighteen months later, after introducing more than 3,000 additional troops just to maintain the stalemate, President Trump ordered direct talks with the Taliban without consulting with our allies and partners or allowing the Afghan government at the negotiating table.
“In September 2019, President Trump emboldened the Taliban by publicly considering inviting them to Camp David on the anniversary of 9/11. In February 2020, the United States and the Taliban reached a deal, known as the Doha Agreement, under which the United States agreed to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan by May 2021. In return, the Taliban agreed to participate in a peace process and refrain from attacking U.S. troops and threatening Afghanistan’s major cities—but only as long as the United States remained committed to withdraw by the agreement’s deadline.
“As part of the deal, President Trump also pressured the Afghan government to release 5,000 Taliban fighters from prison, including senior war commanders, without securing the release of the only American hostage known to be held by the Taliban.
“Over his last 11 months in office, President Trump ordered a series of drawdowns of U.S. troops. By June 2020, President Trump reduced U.S. troops in Afghanistan to 8,600. In September 2020, he directed a further draw down to 4,500. A month later, President Trump tweeted, to the surprise of military advisors, that the remaining U.S. troops in Afghanistan should be ‘home by Christmas!’
"On September 28, 2021, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Milley testified that, on November 11, he had received an unclassified signed order directing the U.S. military to withdraw all forces from Afghanistan no later than January 15, 2021. One week later, that order was rescinded and replaced with one to draw down to 2,500 troops by the same date.
"DURING THE TRANSITION FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, THE OUTGOING ADMINISTRATION PROVIDED NO PLANS FOR HOW TO CONDUCT THE FINAL WITHDRAWAL OR TO EVACUATE AMERICANS AND AFGHAN ALLIES. INDEED, THERE WERE NO SUCH PLANS IN PLACE WHEN PRESIDENT BIDEN CAME INTO OFFICE, EVEN WITH THE AGREED UPON FULL WITHDRAWAL JUST OVER THREE MONTHS AWAY.
"As a result, when President Biden took office on January 20, 2021, the Taliban were in the strongest military position that they had been in since 2001, controlling or contesting nearly half of the country. At the same time, the United States had only 2,500 troops on the ground—the lowest number of troops in Afghanistan since 2001—and President Biden was facing President Trump’s near-term deadline to withdraw all U.S. forces from Afghanistan by May 2021, or the Taliban would resume its attacks on U.S. and allied troops. Secretary of Defense Austin testified on September 28, 2021, ‘the intelligence was clear that if we did not leave in accordance with that agreement, the Taliban would recommence attacks on our forces.’”
Source: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/US-Withdrawal-from-Afghanistan.pdf ; EMPHASIS added.
Dennis: Do You have a source or sources for that very detailed, comprehensive survey of Everything that Trump did to Make America GREAT Again when dealing with matters of foreign policy, and all the resistance he encountered from within Swampland?
Or do You just know all that stuff off the top of Your head?
Ray, I agree that Orange Man's many campaign speeches are getting a little sick making.
He is the classic American bullshit artist!
And most Americans eat it up. USA USA USA We're No.1 We're No.1 We're No.1
But I do not agree that he "uses the Justice system to get those who don't kiss the ring."
You've got that backwards. It's the Democrats who are the masters of that game.
And BTW he has a majority of thoughtful reasoning minds who fall for his speeches along with the simply stupid religious speeches and sermons of their Pastors and Ministers.
Take care
EDIT: As for the two "wars". I believe if DJT had not have had his second term stolen, the Ukrainian proxy war would not have started. I also believe if he is reelected, he will get with Putin and end the "war" in 24-hours.
And as for the Gaza genocide he seems to be holding his cards close to his chest. Maybe hoping that the shitty little apartheid nation of Israel will have destroyed itself before he is the 47th POTUS, and Netanyahu is in prison. He has already dismissed the $91-billion aid package, and I think that, like me, he maybe thinks the Americans should mind their own business and let Israel and its Neighbours sort it out. I also think he is a rich man and has no need of AIPAC's bribes, nor need to fear them. And I could be all wrong!
I also think its way past time that the Yanks stop protecting Israel's crimes by vetoing UN Resolutions and stealing US taxpayers money to prop them up.
If Trump is "the classic American bullshit artist," Dennis, then why do You ~ who claim to hate Bullshit so much ~ love him?
And Trump is "holding his cards close to his chest" about the War in Gaza because his scriptwriters haven't told him what to say yet. But they will eventually, and when it does, it will probably go something like this:
"The only reason there is a war between Israel and those Muslims in Gaza and the West Bank is because i was robbed of being President in 2020. If that hadn't happen, this war would have never happened, and everybody would be living happily ever after.
Just like folks in Ukraine would be if i ~ instead of Weak Sister Biden ~ had been President when that whole thing started. Me and Mr Putin are "Birds of a Feather," as they say in the parlance.
And as Birds of a Feather, we can get our Shit together whenever we want to about anything; as long, that is, as we ~ as Presidents ~ can do anything that We want to because, well, Because we are Presidents.
Wait til You see how effectively that works in my upcoming trial that dares to challenge my assertion that, as President, i can do ANYTHING i want to because ~ as President ~ i am totally and completely IMMUNE from all those bullshit rule and regulations that say what government officials can and can not do.
Well.... not THIS President, You can bet Your sweet Bippy on that.
Jeff, you have always made the mistake of thinking I "love" Donald Trump.
I don't. He is a narcissist asshole. And listening to him speak is painful.
And I disagree with a lot of his platform.
Listening to his position on EV vehicles today ~ total disinformation, stoking luddite thinking.
But pragmatically he is the best choice to be elected as the 47th POTUS.
I know... I know... the best of two evils - or however the saying goes!
But it is what it is. This is the best America can do.
And frankly this Kiwi, bought up and educated in an egalitarian (socialist?) society, and was a Democrat for my 30-year working life in America, has become very disenchanted with the left, (if you can call it that in the US), since I retired in 2004. I don't want the America my kids and grandkids live in to go to shit like Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco.
"I am your warrior. I am your justice," he said in March 2023. "And for those who have been wronged and betrayed, I am your retribution."
I dunno what to make of that - DJT says some goofy things.
Every religion claim's that theirs is the only true God!
What evidence do you have that your religion is not of false apostles and deceitful workers transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ?
Just another false religion?
Why is your "Spirit of Christ" real and all the others are not?
When you understand why you dismiss ALL the other possible "Gods" and "Spirits", only then will you understand why we atheists dismiss yours.
"Religion poisons everything" - Christopher Hitchens
Take care Ray.
Meanwhile, in Other News…: JULIAN ASSANGE’S FINAL APPEAL by Chris Hedges 18 Feb 24 [Extract]
“…The nearly 15-year-long persecution of Julian, which has taken a heavy toll on his physical and psychological health, is done in the name of extradition to the U.S. where he would stand trial for allegedly violating 17 counts of the 1917 Espionage Act, with a potential sentence of 170 years.
“Julian’s “crime” is that he published classified documents, internal messages, reports and videos from the U.S. government and U.S. military in 2010, which were provided by U.S. army whistleblower Chelsea Manning. This vast trove of material revealed massacres of civilians, torture, assassinations, the list of detainees held at Guantanamo Bay and the conditions they were subjected to, as well as the Rules of Engagement in Iraq. Those who perpetrated these crimes — including the U.S. helicopter pilots who gunned down two Reuters journalists and 10 other civilians and severely injured two children, all captured in the Collateral Murder video — have never been prosecuted.
“Julian exposed what the U.S. empire seeks to airbrush out of history.
“Julian’s persecution is an ominous message to the rest of us. Defy the U.S. imperium, expose its crimes, and no matter who you are, no matter what country you come from, no matter where you live, you will be hunted down and brought to the U.S. to spend the rest of your life in one of the harshest prison systems on earth.”
Full article at https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/assanges-final-appeal .
The best thing that could happen to America and for this Planet would be for both Biden and Trump to die in public so there is not even the slightest question ~ or even hint ~ of an assassination.
For example: Biden falling on the Air Force One boarding ladder and breaking his neck
[ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwjmyZUA2O8 ]; and Trump choking to death on some campaign rally Junk Food made for him by some adoring MAGA Moron [as opposed to a MAGA Maggot] [ https://www.gq.com/story/trump-dining-opinion ].
And please don’t somebody tell me that it’s not nice to wish somebody dead; even ~ or especially ~ if they are War Criminals on an international scale.
People power!! TRUCKERS FOR TRUMP.
"Every Truck Driver Refuses to Deliver To New York after Trump $355 Million Verdict!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYP0lHxlaQo
Starts Monday 19th - in 12hrs now - too late to stock up!
This is not a physical blockade that can be broken up.
This is drivers refusing to deliver to NYC.
No way the Federal or State Government can force these drivers to drive.
Threats by the TRUCKERS FOR TRUMP for the same action in every state that is trying to take Trump off the ballet.
The Democrats will probably accuse DT of inciting this strike and take him to court.
TRUMP 2024
Now THIS Truckers4Trump thing could get VELLY Intelllesting, as Charlie Chan once put it.
It will be particularly interesting to see if the NYPD contingent of Cops4Trump will do anything to step in and deal with the chaos that could very likely ensue if the Truckers are able to pull this off and disrupt the flow of food, medicines, and other life essentials to New Yorkers, and of whatever New York businesses ~ from Walmart to Ma & Pa ~ need to stay in business.
That's along the lines of what would happen if every American who is against the Wars in Ukraine and Gaza refused to file their federal income tax returns this year. And announced it publicly as they do it as individuals and families, and as individual businesses, and groups, organizations, and institutions of businesses.
Why can people mobilize for Trump, as they did on 1/6/2021, rioting in the Capitol, but they can't mobilize for better health care, or against the MICC, or for higher pay, or for the homeless and mentally ill?
Why do people mobilize because they perceive an injustice against a blowhard billionaire?
People need to come together for those who aren't privileged, not for the privileged.
There's so much anger and frustration in this country, yet it's so often misdirected and therefore neutralized. It's like slaves protesting because a rich slave owner is being punished by other rich slave owners.
We need to wake up.
"Why do people mobilize because they perceive an injustice against a blowhard billionaire?" This is the magic of Trump. He appeals to the downtrodden - which of course, is ironical. And he has it down pat! Look at the crowds he is drawing all over America 9-months before the election!
Name me one other current American politician who has more appeal to American's who shower after work - not before. And who will support his platform, irrespective of what it is.
I watched him today speaking to the UAW. He had them eating out of his hand with his not so hidden promise to literally ban Chinese car imports. Which is BS. He will never bring Detroit back to its last century glory. But he has people believing he will.
Excuse another Dale Carnegie mantra....."if you act enthusiastic you will be enthusiastic!"
And in each State, he plays on the same specific local fears. Steel making in Pennsylvania - you know the game! And it works. Same with The Farmers with their tractor protests in Europe. Very specific.
Wasn't Bernie the same in the 2016 election - but for the other tribe! His appeal was to the brainy college educated "socialist" types.
These guys make common people think they are coming together not for the privileged, but for themselves. The whole MAGA thing is even more relevant to Americans much more in 2024 than it was 5-years ago ~ as people perceive their country turning to shit. And it is!
As I have said before, in San Fransico, blue left-wing governance has made it literally impossible to perform a construction project in San Fran. And CA has destroyed the building of America's first High-Speed-Rail Train with its dozens of autocratic agencies, Red tape and bullshit! Driving costs into the stratosphere. Projects like the Golden Gate Bridge could never be done today. Or the Hoover Dam.
Correct me if i am wrong, Dennis. But You seem to be saying that Trump's appeal to Trumpatistas is based on the Bullshit that he so effectively tells and sells them.
And was America turning into Shit five years ago when "MAGA" was so important to at least some folks?
Five years ago was 2019, Year III of Trump's time in the White House. Was America turning into Shit then? And if it was, was that everybody else's fault But Trump's fault? Or did none of that happen until the White House was stolen from The Donald in 2020?
So that's the "magic of Trump," eh? His appealing nature to "the downtrodden."
Correct me if i am wrong, but i seem to recall that that was one of the keys to Hitler's magic, as well: his similar appeal to "the downtrodden" of post-World War I Germany.
And a significant number of Americans seem ready to ride right along with Trump's appeal today, especially if that means that THEY will no longer be those "downtrodden."
But there's a serious problem with all that. Specifically, how many Trumpatistas are actually "downtrodden" in any sense of the word? "Disgruntled" as The Hillary once infamously put it, no doubt; but 'Downtrodden"? And if they are, on what basis are they claiming it?
How many Trumpatistas are People of Color and/or living just above, at, or below the Poverty Line? Or don't have medical insurance? Or are working two and three jobs just to pay the bills and barely survive?
And finally and just out of curiosity: How much of that "red tape and bullshit" that killed the High-Speed Train and would make building a Golden Gate Bridge or Hoover Dam impossible today come from the government of the State of California? And how many come from the federal government?
Got any specific numbers on that?
My guess from the CA jobs I worked on.......80% the CA DOT, and too many "Greenie" CA State agencies, and 20% the Feds.
I recall our big Boss getting his panties all in a knot claiming that every time he called the CA DOT to resolve one of the many disputes, he ended up talking to a bureaucrat that could barely speak English.
Example: we were doing some demolition on an Embarcadero wharf involving a lot of concrete cutting with diamond saws. Water cooled. They insisted that we collect all the cooling water so that it would not pollute the San Francisco Bay! (This requirement was not in the Specifications that we based our estimate on - they just made up these new rules as we went along!) And of course, these disputes got leaked to the media, and we were branded as that greedy contractor who just wanted to run up the costs with EXTRA's!
And every day it got more ridiculous. Stop pile driving if we saw dead fish stunned by the hammer blows. Resolved by us agreeing to count the floating dead fish and keeping a log to be submitted! No kidding!
If by "We," Bill, You mean The American Peoples, You are absolutely correct.
And we have needed to wake up for a long, long time. Like since at least September 12, 2001, the day after 9/11.
And one guess as to why the January 6 folks weren't protesting for better health care, or higher pay, or help for the homeless and mentally ill is because the majority of them have health care, and enough pay to afford a trip to DC in early January. And could give a shit about the homeless and mentally ill.
The problem is that the American Peoples have apparently convinced themselves to think that ~ by changing who is in the Oval Office and/or up on Capital Hill ~ that that is actually, really going to change anything. For the better if its THEIR Guy or Gal who wins the election; and for the worse if its the OTHER Guy or Gal who takes office.
How can whoever gets into office in DC change anything when The American System of government and governance is set up the way it is so that Vested Special Interests can compete by bidding with big bucks for access to that government's legal power, administrative authority, and above all, its spending capacity and capability so as to advance those VSI's personal, organizational, or institutional agendas? And the highest bidder gets the Prize.
The simple fact of the matter is that anybody who is in DC and gets to stay there via re-election or advancement up the chain is there simply and only because they are following the orders of their owners and operators, commanders and controllers, and their handlers and script writers.
The problem also is that, not only is there "so much anger and frustration in the this country," but there are also wildly divergent, almost violently disagreed-upon views as to Why there is so much anger and frustration, and, more importantly, whose anger and frustration should be the top priority for being dealt with.
"We, the slave owning males in this room!"
???
I think the idea is that every trucker just refuses to take a load from outa State to New York city. The "NYPD contingent of Cops4Trump" would be taken out of the picture. And no Federal Agency can "force" a private trucker to take a load. If you work for a big trucking Company - just call in sick.
Just think of the National Guard/AirForce taking in food, medicines, and other life essentials à la The Berlin Airlift from 26 June 1948 to 30 September 1949 to carry supplies to the people of West Berlin.
Heh. Yeah, but this time there will be hostile forces with guns, rockets, and live fire on the way into NYC [even by air], and then in the City itself.
And then Trump could offer himself as "The Peacemaker." And the "Bringer of Food, Medicine, and Other Life Essentials" to the suffering New Yorkers. Who knows, he might even get a Nobel Peace Prize for that.
Sounds like a great reality-tv episode, skit, and script, Dennis.
And a subsequent next step in November [assuming there is an election] is that Truckers4Trump will similarly boycott any State that does not declare Trump the winner of the election in that State.
So instead of taking out their anger about the Trumpian Fraud Verdict on the Judge who rendered the decision and on the people who run the City's legal system who made the whole case happen [how about a little "swatting," anyone???], Trucker4Trump chooses to take it out on the Peoples and Businesses of New York.
That sounds about right for a Trumpian strategy and tactic.
"MAGA Morons" may be entirely too optimistic a term for these folks. And "MAGA Maggots" too disrespectful of real Maggots on top of Dog shit and on spoiled meat.
As Dale Carnegie always said, “Remember that a man’s name is to him the sweetest and most important sound in the English language.”
Jeff, if you would use my name, Dennis, instead of addressing me as "MAGA Moron" or "MAGA Maggot", you would have a small chance of getting me to consider your point of view.
Your approach is guaranteed to get your opponent's even more determined to ignore you.
Thank You, Dennis; i will respond by email as this has nothing to do with anything under discussion here at Bracing Views. ~ jeff
Among the several needed amendments to our constitution is one that places term limits (8 years max) along with mandatory retirement ages (70, maybe 75, but no more than that.) on all political and judicial offices.
And you can't accuse me of being an ageist because I'm 87 and probably in better health than either Trump or Biden.
The Founding Fathers set the goalposts very high for due process to Amend the Constitution. Some purists argue that this is a good thing.
But many argue that it is a noose around Americans necks and the Constitution should be a "living" document.
Most often debated wrt 2A as you know.
The fact that they made provisions for amending it is proof the founding fathers intended the Constitution to be a living document. Times change, mores change, technology changes, nothing is constant. The Constitution should be flexible to accommodate change, but not so flexible that it becomes vulnerable to all the whims of the populace. It's hard to find the right balance and I think the process they set up was good then and I think it's still good. The main problem today is partisan polarization and a lack of cooperation. Politicians aren't interested in working together for the good of the people, they're only interested in catering to their patrons in order to keep their plush jobs.
There's another idea for an amendment. Remove the perks of office. Put them all in cubicles with desktop computers, remove their hot and cold running staff, expense accounts and free parking passes. Stop treating these assholes like princes.
I say if you are too old to fly a commercial airliner, you are too old to be President. And I'd glad apply the same age 65 restriction (though the house voted last year to raise it to 67) to every member of Congress and the Judiciary. Even the Episcopal Church's policy is for clergy to retire from full time work at 72. It would be one thing if wisdom came with age, but our leaders prove they only get more stupid and ridiculous as times passes.
"Both men are symbols of a sclerotic empire in decline.