An interesting take I heard on Biden's flub was that not only was he not to say "pause", he wasn't supposed to say "four more years". The coached audience was to say "four more years" after he said "imagine what we could do." He was then to pause for the cheering.
It makes sense to me as "four more years" isn't even a sentence. If he said "give me four more years" then only the flubbed "pause" makes sense.
Seeing the teleprompter transcript markings would clear this up, but I wonder if someone is trying to signal how bad he is out of sight.
I will not vote D or R in 2024 and going forward. I have voted almost exclusively third party since 2000. I mistakenly voted Obama once and will never vote Democrat or Republican. We desperately need to break the stranglehold of controlled opposition that the duopoly holds on our election system. It is neither free nor fair.
The 1860 election cemented the Republican Party's position as one of the two major parties in US politics, along with the already-established Democratic Party. Since this time, all POTUS have been affiliated with either of these two parties.
There have always been third-party or independent candidates running on the ballot on a nationwide, regional or state level. But no third-party candidate has EVER won a US election.
We have discussed why this is so more than once here on BV's. In summary: the US electoral system is too far "stacked", rigged if you like, against it. Duverger’s Law.
How could someone’s sincere expression of who they think is the best person to lead the country ever be “pissing in the wind”. People didn’t die for our right to vote to turn elections into rigged choices between two corporate puppets.
Sincere expressions and $2.00 will buy you a cup of coffee, June!
One has to be pragmatic. If you are voting for a candidate who has no chance of winning ~ what chance will you have in having an impact on anything at all?
A realistic person will vote for Trump - not wanting a senile cutout who is going to continue being led around by his nose by the Deep State. With Trump at least you have a chance of changing things. However small. With Biden, or a 3rd Party candidate you have ZERO chance.
Was your life worse under Trump 1.0 than under Genocide Joe? You're telling a big fib if you say yes!
And tell us...who is this 3rd party Candidate you have in mind?
Cornel West? ..pppppfffft RFKJr....they wonted let it happen! Who else?
I will be casting my vote for Claudia de la Cruz for President and Karina Garcia for Vice-President. They are the candidates of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. You can learn more about their campaign @ votesocialist2024.com
What exactly was "better" about America when Trump sat on the throne?
How'd the National Debt do? How did national "defense and security" budgets do? How many people died when he was in charge of America's COVID response? How many people were thrown out of work or lost their business because he deemed them "non-essential? How many Ukrainians were killed by Kyiv when he was POTUS MAXXIMMUSS XLV, and did absolutely nothing to stop it except to give Putin justification for his SMO? And to give America's MICC its greatest gift since Cheney/Bush the Lesser gave that same MICC 9/11?
And You already know the "third party candidate" i have in mind, so pull out Your copy and paste responses to "None Of These Candidates," Mr Merwood, and have Your fun.
Which Question did i fail to answer? Whether my individual, personal life was worse under Trump 1.0 than it is under Biden?
Your "turn" to ask that Question comes after You answer the Questions about:
Trump's Deficits, Debt, Defense Budgets, COVID Casualties [medical, economic, and financial], and Ukrainian and Russian Casualties [as in killed, maimed, orphaned, widowed or widowered, and/or rendered jobless, homeless, helpless, and hopeless Refugees].
The only thing i see that was in any way any different or better under Trump than Biden is that Trump didn't bankroll America's MICC by arming and equipping Israel for its activities in Gaza. But Biden certainly cashed in on what Trump let Zelenskyy and his Neo-Nazi Thugs in Kyiv do and get away with in Eastern Ukraine, killing 14,000.
Other than that, Biden 1.0 is virtually almost totally indistinguishable from Trump 1.0.
Wrong, Denny. The only wasted vote is the one for a D or R and expecting it to benefit US citizens and the world. I will always vote for the candidate whose policies support the working class and peace. Your obvious satisfaction with the status quo and resignation that it cannot change is the problem. It is not your fault; you've been conditioned as have we all. The difference is that I recognize the need for solutions and change. Please do me a favor and get out of the way, Denny.
This Law states that Plurality-rule elections, such as the American winner-take-all voting system, structured within single-member districts always results in a two-party system. Plurality Systems marginalize smaller political parties. Two Parties are an inevitable result of the American voting system. The same phenomena is observed in Japan and Italy.
This is the reason no third-party candidate has EVER won a US election. The United States needs to change to a version of the double ballot majority system and proportional representation to enable any chance of multipartyism. And dump the Electoral College. Only such a change will create electoral conditions that allow the development of more than two parties.
If you think you are going to CHANGE THE AMERICAN VOTING AND ELECTION SYSTEM, Wombat, have at it. I will not stand in your way. To understand the challenge you will be facing, think of repealing the Second Amendment. It will never happen!
I remember when having a cognizant President really was needed Truman, Ike, JFK, Johnson etc.etc. etc. Now you don't even have to be able to form, or speak in full Sentences! Now we have 2 lying, hateful, elderly men vying for Power-- they both should be thrown into the dumpsters of History, or dustbins take your pick...
I just finished listening to Alexander Mercouris going over the Chinese readout from Xi's meeting with Blinken. When you hear Xi and Putin speak from such depth of context, history and logic, there is just no comparison to US leadership. Can't wait to hear Alexander review the Chinese readout with Blinken and Wang Yi. At the time of his program today, that readout was not yet released.
True enough Dennis--People often ask where I stand Politically on Presidents I Vote the Man not Party. At this Pt. I think I'll Vote the one I hope & wish that he won't destroy Planet Earth...! :/ :o)
Always liked what Kurt Vonnegut said "The last thing I ever wanted was to be Alive when the three most powerful people on the whole Planet would be named Bush, Dick, & Colon" Fireman out...
For what the United States did ~ and is still doing ~ after 9/11 to the Peoples, Lands, Countries, and Nations of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, and Syria, among other places, Cheney/Bush the Lesser, Obama, Trump, and Biden need to be not only jailed as International War Criminals, but executed by Firing Squad or Hanging.
Along with every US Senator and Congressman or Congresswoman who voted to enable that 20+ War Crime called "The Forever War" to get started in the first place, and to then continue until Cold War II could be arranged with Russia and China.
You're the one, Mr Merwood, always quoting David Swanson on how many people the US has killed, governments it has overthrown, elections it has corrupted, etc. Which of the Presidents during that time period should NOT have been jailed/executed?
As You well know, voters in Nevada have had the "None Of These Candidates" option in all federal, state, and local elections since 1975; and not by writing it in, but simply by pulling a lever on a voting machine just like every other Candidate.
ln 2016, "None Of These Candidates" received 28,863 Nevadan votes, while Clinton took 539,260 and Trump got 512,058, a difference of 26,202. One wonders how those numbers would have changed if NOTC wasn't an option and all [or even some] those NOTCers voted for either one or the other.
And, on March 10, 2024, i posted this to Bracing Views:
It’s a shame Donald Trump wasn’t on the ballot for the Nevada Republican Primary held last month.
But it’s not hard to figure out Why. He would have had to compete with “None Of These Candidates” and very probably would have got his ass kicked, just like Nikki Haley did… :
NIKKI HALEY IS TROUNCED BY THE ‘NONE OF THESE CANDIDATES’ OPTION IN NEVADA’S REPUBLICAN PRIMARY by Michelle L. Price, Jonathan J. Cooper and Gabe Stern / Associated Press 7 Feb 24
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nikki Haley was swamped in Nevada’s symbolic Republican presidential primary as GOP voters resoundingly picked the “none of these candidates” option on the ballot in a repudiation of the former U.N. ambassador who is the last remaining major rival to front-runner Donald Trump.
Trump didn’t compete in Tuesday’s primary, which doesn’t award any delegates needed to win the GOP nomination. The former president is instead focused on caucuses that will be held Thursday and will help him move closer to becoming the Republican standard-bearer.
That leaves the results Tuesday as technically meaningless in the Republican race. But they still amount to an embarrassment for Haley, who has sought to position herself as a candidate who can genuinely compete against Trump. Instead, SHE BECAME THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE FROM EITHER PARTY TO LOSE A RACE TO “NONE OF THESE CANDIDATES” SINCE THAT OPTION WAS INTRODUCED IN NEVADA IN 1975.
AOC, having voted with all her other squad members on the Ukraine Slaughter and Destruction Fund, should make an extended trip to Ukraine and advocate for a world-wide green new deal. Her hypocrisy just on this point is so over the top. I'm pretty confident if the likes of her are to lead us into a sustainable future, we're doomed ... just sayin'.
The Tenth Amendment Center’s Michael Boldin introduces a podcast entitled Benjamin Franklin's RULES FOR BRINGING DOWN EMPIRES as follows... :
With some of his best satire and sharpest wit, Benjamin Franklin published an article in The Public Advertiser on September 11, 1773 - “Rules By Which A Great Empire May Be Reduced To A Small One.”
Much of it sounds pretty familiar to what we face now - once-again living under the largest government in history.
Like this one - Don’t let the people or the states defend against foreign enemies at their borders, and if that’s not enough, add a little gun control too.
Here’s how Franklin put that one:
“If any Colony should at their own Charge erect a Fortress to secure their Port against the Fleets of a foreign Enemy, get your Governor to betray that Fortress into your Hands.”
Then, adding the gun control, he wrote:
“If they should have lodged in such Fortress the very Arms they bought and used to aid you in your Conquests, seize them all, 'twill provoke like Ingratitude added to Robbery.”
Franklin’s sarcasm and wit, possibly unmatched by any writer of his time - really hammered home the big point:
“One admirable Effect of these Operations will be, to discourage every other Colony from erecting such Defences, and so their and your Enemies may more easily invade them, to the great Disgrace of your Government, and of course the Furtherance of your Project.”
Today, on the anniversary of Franklin’s death - some highlights from this great essay, sarcastically highlighting many of the grievances of the colonists, far beyond “taxation without representation.”
* Tax them into oblivion.
* Regulate them into oblivion.
* Shut down free speech and assembly.
* Keep your government armed with a massive militarized force, ready to put down any opposition.
* Lie to them - tell them you’re taxing them to “protect” them - but just waste the money, or use it to enrich your supporters.
* Ignore every complaint about your government - and change nothing.
* Let them know you can tax and regulate them more - if you want. It’s up to you.
* Assert the power over the people “in all cases whatsoever.”
All these, and more - should at least sound a little familiar to what they’re doing to all of us today.
Ultimately, all these are actions of a tyrant.
And to Benjamin Franklin, as he later proposed for the great seal of the United States, “REBELLION TO TYRANTS IS OBEDIENCE TO GOD.”
HOW TRUMP SAVED UKRAINE AID by Pedro L. Gonzalez / Contra 24 Apr 24
Republican Support For Assistance To Kyiv Was Circling The Drain. Then The Former President Proposed Making It A Loan And Rescued It
It’s been clear for a long time that, DESPITE ALL THE POPULIST PROCLAMATIONS, DONALD TRUMP’S VIEW ON AID FOR UKRAINE ALIGNS WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT POSITION: THE CASH MUST FLOW, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. THAT’S NOT WHAT HIS SUPPORTERS WANT TO HEAR, BUT AFTER THIS WEEKEND, THERE’S NO EVADING IT.
On Saturday, the House passed a massive aid package, shepherded against the opposition by Speaker Mike Johnson with House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries. It had the support of all Democrats but just less than half of Republicans and includes BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN “ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE” FOR UKRAINE IN THE FORM OF “FORGIVABLE LOANS.” THAT IS TO SAY, IT’S MONEY THAT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE REPAID. IT’S A FARCE, AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT.
But here’s the key detail missing from all the right-wing outrage on Twitter now: Johnson collaborated with the Democrats in the House to ram through this package at Trump’s behest.
The “loan” was Trump’s idea, and Trump told Johnson to get behind it. That’s why Johnson, for now, acts like he is bulletproof amid calls from other Republicans for his defenestration. JOHNSON KNOWS THAT THE LEADER OF THE PARTY IS IN HIS CORNER. INDEED, AS DEMANDS FOR JOHNSON’S HEAD RANG OUT, TRUMP DEFENDED THE SPEAKER IN AN INTERVIEW WITH RADIO HOST JOHN FREDERICKS.
“I THINK HE’S A VERY GOOD PERSON,” TRUMP SAID, AND DECLINED TO CRITICIZE HIM OVER UKRAINE FUNDING.
That was a lifeline for Johnson.
“Trump’s comments could help stave off a conservative rebellion against Johnson as [Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.)] continues to take aim at the Louisiana Republican’s policy decision, accusing him of supporting Democrat priorities,” Axios reported. And Johnson is doing just that—with Trump’s approval. Indeed, the D.C. insiders at Punchbowl News called Joe Biden the “winner of this Congress” on Monday.
Again, if you’re online—an awful place to be—you’re probably following people who either don’t know why all this is happening or don’t want to mention it. It’s easier to blame Johnson than tell hard truths, even though this should be an easy one to tell. All the evidence is right there.
The story starts in February, when Trump wrote on Truth Social that no money “in the form of foreign aid should be given to any country unless it is done as a loan.”
Regarding ELECTION2024 and the alleged, so-called “choices” American Voters will have
ASSUMPTIONS. It is assumed, first of all, that there will indeed even be an election in 2024; which, face it folks, at this point, no one can honestly, realistically, absolutely, positively guarantee.
And second, it is assumed that the choices presented to the American Voters will be, at most, some subtle but suitable variation of the present, as follows:
1. The corporatist, crony "democratic capitalist," neoconservative/neoliberal, post-modern "liberalism" and "conservativism" of the Carter-Reagan-Bush I-Clinton-Cheney/Bush II-Obama-Biden breed [which includes any "anti-Trump" Republicans intent on maintaining some semblance of a non-Trumped GOP].
2. The populist, nativist, neo-mercantilist, protectionist, proto-national socialism [with its attendant racist, sexist, xenophobic, patriotist wrapped-in the-Flag-mouthing-the Bible noise while wiping their asses with the Constitution] of Trump, Trumpatismo, the Trumpatistas, MAGAts, and its inevitable gaggle of Apprentice Emperor~Wannabe Spawns.
3. The noisy but intellectually, ideologically, and politically bankrupt and bereft neo-progressive, proto-democratic socialism of the "socialistic democrats" of the Sandersista/Warrenite, "Squad," Green New Dealer ilk, and their Spawn.
REVIEW OF RECENT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS:
In 2016, 38.6% of all Eligible Voters [EVs] did not vote for anybody to be President.
Of the 61.4% of EVs who did vote for President, Hillary Clinton got 48.2% of the votes, and Donald Trump took 46.1%.
Which means that only 29.6% of all EVs in 2016 voted for Clinton, and but 28.3% of them voted for Trump. Which means that only 57.9% wanted Either of them in the Oval Office, and that between 70.4% and 71.7% of eligible Voters wanted Neither of them, respectively.
In other words, 7 out of 10 Americans eligible to choose the next President of the United States eight years ago actively voted AGAINST both The Donald and The Hillary; or, said another, kinder, gentler way, did not actually vote FOR either of the two. So the actual final tally for the 2016 Presidential race was:
Not Voting 38.6%
Clinton 29.6 %
Trump 28.3 %
Other 3.5 %
If "Not Voting" had been represented at the Electoral College in that election, it would have collected 471 Electoral votes to Clinton's 51 and Trump's 15. [ https://brilliantmaps.com/did-not-vote/ ] In other words, "Not Voting" won in a landslide.
Fast forward to Election2020: 66.7% of Eligible Voters [EVs] cast their vote for President: Joseph Biden received 51.3% of the popular vote, and Donald Trump received 46.9% of that vote.
Which means that only 34.2% of all eligible American voters in 2020 voted for Biden, and but 31.3% of all EVs voted for Trump. Which means that only 65.5% wanted Either of them in the Oval Office, and that between 65.8% and 68.7% of eligible Voters wanted Neither of them, respectively.
So the final popular vote percentages for 2020 were:
Biden 34.2%
Not Voting 33.3 %
Trump 31.3%
Other 1.2%
Which, not merely incidentally, but very emphatically and categorically BELIES ANY CLAIM BY ANYBODY OR ANY PARTY, PERSPECTIVE, OR IDEOLOGY ~ BIDEN'S AND HIS, TRUMP'S AND HIS, OR ANYBODY ELSE'S AND THEIRS ~ HAS ANY KIND OF A "MANDATE" FROM ANYBODY TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT ANYTHING IN THIS COUNTRY.
In any event, if "Not Voting" won in a landslide in 2016, it was a bit closer in 2020: With 270 the magic number, "Not Voting" would have taken 278 Electoral College votes to Biden's 162 and Trump's 98.
People don't vote for lots of reasons. There are those who share Emma Goldman's sentiment that "If voting could actually, really change anything, it would be illegal." Or they remember Papa Joe Stalin's timeless admonition that "It's not who votes that counts; it's who counts the votes." Or, they can only concur I00% with George Carlin's "Don't vote. It only encourages the mother fuckers."
But one other reason folks don't vote is because there is no candidate that they can, in all honesty and sincerity, actually vote FOR, even if it is just AGAINST somebody or even Everybody else. So the question becomes: How can these people make that judgment and conviction known in a way that has any actual impact in the real world, which Not Voting does not and can not have?
How can these people make a vote of conscience, and thus give voice to their beliefs, desires, and intents? And, more importantly, how can they get their votes to count; Papa Joe's reminder notwithstanding?
One very simple and easy way to do that is to vote “None Of These Candidates.”
The best thing that could happen to this country and Planet is for both Biden and Trump to die of natural causes on national tv so there is no doubt that they were not assassinated.
Like Biden tripping and falling down the Air Force One stairway and breaking his neck, and Trump choking to death on a Super Whopper Cheese Burger while on a campaign stop.
In 2012, Jill Stein received 469,015-votes; 0.36% of the popular vote.
In 2016, she received 1.45-million votes; 1.07% of the popular vote.
In 2024, Stein received 2.32-million votes, 1.76% of the popular vote.
NOT, NOT REALLY. I JUST MADE THAT UP! LOL
*
In 2023 Stein announced she would help run Cornel West's 2024 Green Party campaign for POTUS. After the goofy Professor withdrew from the Green Party to continue his campaign as an independent, Stein launched her campaign for the Green Party's 2024 presidential nomination.....Oh dear!
An interesting take I heard on Biden's flub was that not only was he not to say "pause", he wasn't supposed to say "four more years". The coached audience was to say "four more years" after he said "imagine what we could do." He was then to pause for the cheering.
It makes sense to me as "four more years" isn't even a sentence. If he said "give me four more years" then only the flubbed "pause" makes sense.
Seeing the teleprompter transcript markings would clear this up, but I wonder if someone is trying to signal how bad he is out of sight.
Yes, exactly.
Yes, this seems most likely.
I will not vote D or R in 2024 and going forward. I have voted almost exclusively third party since 2000. I mistakenly voted Obama once and will never vote Democrat or Republican. We desperately need to break the stranglehold of controlled opposition that the duopoly holds on our election system. It is neither free nor fair.
I agree.
The 1860 election cemented the Republican Party's position as one of the two major parties in US politics, along with the already-established Democratic Party. Since this time, all POTUS have been affiliated with either of these two parties.
There have always been third-party or independent candidates running on the ballot on a nationwide, regional or state level. But no third-party candidate has EVER won a US election.
We have discussed why this is so more than once here on BV's. In summary: the US electoral system is too far "stacked", rigged if you like, against it. Duverger’s Law.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/america-isnt-really-set-up-for-third-party-presidential-bids/
You are pissing in the wind, hallucinating and wasting your vote if you think you are going to change this 164-year history Wombat. Sorry.
How could someone’s sincere expression of who they think is the best person to lead the country ever be “pissing in the wind”. People didn’t die for our right to vote to turn elections into rigged choices between two corporate puppets.
Sincere expressions and $2.00 will buy you a cup of coffee, June!
One has to be pragmatic. If you are voting for a candidate who has no chance of winning ~ what chance will you have in having an impact on anything at all?
A realistic person will vote for Trump - not wanting a senile cutout who is going to continue being led around by his nose by the Deep State. With Trump at least you have a chance of changing things. However small. With Biden, or a 3rd Party candidate you have ZERO chance.
Was your life worse under Trump 1.0 than under Genocide Joe? You're telling a big fib if you say yes!
And tell us...who is this 3rd party Candidate you have in mind?
Cornel West? ..pppppfffft RFKJr....they wonted let it happen! Who else?
I will be casting my vote for Claudia de la Cruz for President and Karina Garcia for Vice-President. They are the candidates of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. You can learn more about their campaign @ votesocialist2024.com
I know all about them. You are wasting your vote.
Any Party with the word "Socialist" in its name is dead on arrival in the US.
A death knell.
That's anathema in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave.
You are wrong.
What "changed" when Trump was President?
What exactly was "better" about America when Trump sat on the throne?
How'd the National Debt do? How did national "defense and security" budgets do? How many people died when he was in charge of America's COVID response? How many people were thrown out of work or lost their business because he deemed them "non-essential? How many Ukrainians were killed by Kyiv when he was POTUS MAXXIMMUSS XLV, and did absolutely nothing to stop it except to give Putin justification for his SMO? And to give America's MICC its greatest gift since Cheney/Bush the Lesser gave that same MICC 9/11?
And You already know the "third party candidate" i have in mind, so pull out Your copy and paste responses to "None Of These Candidates," Mr Merwood, and have Your fun.
Wow Mr. Moebus! Every sentence in you post is a question!
Except for the last snarky sentence. Which is how you have your fun!
My turn to ask a question. The same one you failed to answer.
Was your life worse under Trump 1.0 than it is now with Genocide Joe Biden on the throne?
Which Question did i fail to answer? Whether my individual, personal life was worse under Trump 1.0 than it is under Biden?
Your "turn" to ask that Question comes after You answer the Questions about:
Trump's Deficits, Debt, Defense Budgets, COVID Casualties [medical, economic, and financial], and Ukrainian and Russian Casualties [as in killed, maimed, orphaned, widowed or widowered, and/or rendered jobless, homeless, helpless, and hopeless Refugees].
The only thing i see that was in any way any different or better under Trump than Biden is that Trump didn't bankroll America's MICC by arming and equipping Israel for its activities in Gaza. But Biden certainly cashed in on what Trump let Zelenskyy and his Neo-Nazi Thugs in Kyiv do and get away with in Eastern Ukraine, killing 14,000.
Other than that, Biden 1.0 is virtually almost totally indistinguishable from Trump 1.0.
Wrong, Denny. The only wasted vote is the one for a D or R and expecting it to benefit US citizens and the world. I will always vote for the candidate whose policies support the working class and peace. Your obvious satisfaction with the status quo and resignation that it cannot change is the problem. It is not your fault; you've been conditioned as have we all. The difference is that I recognize the need for solutions and change. Please do me a favor and get out of the way, Denny.
Like you I'm not satisfied with the status quo, nor resigned that it cannot be changed.
But unlike you, I'm realistic. You have to face the facts my friend.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/america-isnt-really-set-up-for-third-party-presidential-bids/. This link presents the facts. Read it and weep.
Google "Duverger’s Law".
This Law states that Plurality-rule elections, such as the American winner-take-all voting system, structured within single-member districts always results in a two-party system. Plurality Systems marginalize smaller political parties. Two Parties are an inevitable result of the American voting system. The same phenomena is observed in Japan and Italy.
This is the reason no third-party candidate has EVER won a US election. The United States needs to change to a version of the double ballot majority system and proportional representation to enable any chance of multipartyism. And dump the Electoral College. Only such a change will create electoral conditions that allow the development of more than two parties.
If you think you are going to CHANGE THE AMERICAN VOTING AND ELECTION SYSTEM, Wombat, have at it. I will not stand in your way. To understand the challenge you will be facing, think of repealing the Second Amendment. It will never happen!
I remember when having a cognizant President really was needed Truman, Ike, JFK, Johnson etc.etc. etc. Now you don't even have to be able to form, or speak in full Sentences! Now we have 2 lying, hateful, elderly men vying for Power-- they both should be thrown into the dumpsters of History, or dustbins take your pick...
I just finished listening to Alexander Mercouris going over the Chinese readout from Xi's meeting with Blinken. When you hear Xi and Putin speak from such depth of context, history and logic, there is just no comparison to US leadership. Can't wait to hear Alexander review the Chinese readout with Blinken and Wang Yi. At the time of his program today, that readout was not yet released.
It is what it is my friend Fireman.
Thats why you MUST vote for the lying, hateful, elderly man who can speak a whole sentence.
You don't have any other choice!
Unless you take the George Carlin approach. I stay home!
TRUMP 2024
EDIT: I guess you could vote NOTC. Just another way of throwing your vote away.
True enough Dennis--People often ask where I stand Politically on Presidents I Vote the Man not Party. At this Pt. I think I'll Vote the one I hope & wish that he won't destroy Planet Earth...! :/ :o)
Always liked what Kurt Vonnegut said "The last thing I ever wanted was to be Alive when the three most powerful people on the whole Planet would be named Bush, Dick, & Colon" Fireman out...
hahahahahhhahahahhaha
They should both be thrown in jail.
Kindergarten thinking Jeff.
By your reckoning all American presidents would have been jailed.
For what the United States did ~ and is still doing ~ after 9/11 to the Peoples, Lands, Countries, and Nations of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, and Syria, among other places, Cheney/Bush the Lesser, Obama, Trump, and Biden need to be not only jailed as International War Criminals, but executed by Firing Squad or Hanging.
Along with every US Senator and Congressman or Congresswoman who voted to enable that 20+ War Crime called "The Forever War" to get started in the first place, and to then continue until Cold War II could be arranged with Russia and China.
You're the one, Mr Merwood, always quoting David Swanson on how many people the US has killed, governments it has overthrown, elections it has corrupted, etc. Which of the Presidents during that time period should NOT have been jailed/executed?
... not Biden ... not Trump ... not AOC (one-day) ... what's a voter to do
Vote "None Of These Candidates."
... and election goes Republican... we're all in impossible-situations-positions
An unproven if discredited system.
Wasting your time fiddling around at the fringes!
My turn to ask a question Mr. Moebus.
When has NOTC resulted in making a difference?
As You well know, voters in Nevada have had the "None Of These Candidates" option in all federal, state, and local elections since 1975; and not by writing it in, but simply by pulling a lever on a voting machine just like every other Candidate.
ln 2016, "None Of These Candidates" received 28,863 Nevadan votes, while Clinton took 539,260 and Trump got 512,058, a difference of 26,202. One wonders how those numbers would have changed if NOTC wasn't an option and all [or even some] those NOTCers voted for either one or the other.
And, on March 10, 2024, i posted this to Bracing Views:
It’s a shame Donald Trump wasn’t on the ballot for the Nevada Republican Primary held last month.
But it’s not hard to figure out Why. He would have had to compete with “None Of These Candidates” and very probably would have got his ass kicked, just like Nikki Haley did… :
NIKKI HALEY IS TROUNCED BY THE ‘NONE OF THESE CANDIDATES’ OPTION IN NEVADA’S REPUBLICAN PRIMARY by Michelle L. Price, Jonathan J. Cooper and Gabe Stern / Associated Press 7 Feb 24
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nikki Haley was swamped in Nevada’s symbolic Republican presidential primary as GOP voters resoundingly picked the “none of these candidates” option on the ballot in a repudiation of the former U.N. ambassador who is the last remaining major rival to front-runner Donald Trump.
Trump didn’t compete in Tuesday’s primary, which doesn’t award any delegates needed to win the GOP nomination. The former president is instead focused on caucuses that will be held Thursday and will help him move closer to becoming the Republican standard-bearer.
That leaves the results Tuesday as technically meaningless in the Republican race. But they still amount to an embarrassment for Haley, who has sought to position herself as a candidate who can genuinely compete against Trump. Instead, SHE BECAME THE FIRST PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE FROM EITHER PARTY TO LOSE A RACE TO “NONE OF THESE CANDIDATES” SINCE THAT OPTION WAS INTRODUCED IN NEVADA IN 1975.
Continued at https://apnews.com/article/nevada-2024-presidential-primary-biden-trump-haley-d731bf8ab1e7d4a7379c07d3a37b581b ; EMPHASIS added.
That answer Your question?
AOC, having voted with all her other squad members on the Ukraine Slaughter and Destruction Fund, should make an extended trip to Ukraine and advocate for a world-wide green new deal. Her hypocrisy just on this point is so over the top. I'm pretty confident if the likes of her are to lead us into a sustainable future, we're doomed ... just sayin'.
The Tenth Amendment Center’s Michael Boldin introduces a podcast entitled Benjamin Franklin's RULES FOR BRINGING DOWN EMPIRES as follows... :
With some of his best satire and sharpest wit, Benjamin Franklin published an article in The Public Advertiser on September 11, 1773 - “Rules By Which A Great Empire May Be Reduced To A Small One.”
Much of it sounds pretty familiar to what we face now - once-again living under the largest government in history.
Like this one - Don’t let the people or the states defend against foreign enemies at their borders, and if that’s not enough, add a little gun control too.
Here’s how Franklin put that one:
“If any Colony should at their own Charge erect a Fortress to secure their Port against the Fleets of a foreign Enemy, get your Governor to betray that Fortress into your Hands.”
Then, adding the gun control, he wrote:
“If they should have lodged in such Fortress the very Arms they bought and used to aid you in your Conquests, seize them all, 'twill provoke like Ingratitude added to Robbery.”
Franklin’s sarcasm and wit, possibly unmatched by any writer of his time - really hammered home the big point:
“One admirable Effect of these Operations will be, to discourage every other Colony from erecting such Defences, and so their and your Enemies may more easily invade them, to the great Disgrace of your Government, and of course the Furtherance of your Project.”
Today, on the anniversary of Franklin’s death - some highlights from this great essay, sarcastically highlighting many of the grievances of the colonists, far beyond “taxation without representation.”
* Tax them into oblivion.
* Regulate them into oblivion.
* Shut down free speech and assembly.
* Keep your government armed with a massive militarized force, ready to put down any opposition.
* Lie to them - tell them you’re taxing them to “protect” them - but just waste the money, or use it to enrich your supporters.
* Ignore every complaint about your government - and change nothing.
* Let them know you can tax and regulate them more - if you want. It’s up to you.
* Assert the power over the people “in all cases whatsoever.”
All these, and more - should at least sound a little familiar to what they’re doing to all of us today.
Ultimately, all these are actions of a tyrant.
And to Benjamin Franklin, as he later proposed for the great seal of the United States, “REBELLION TO TYRANTS IS OBEDIENCE TO GOD.”
The TAC podcast is available at https://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2024/04/benjamin-franklins-rules-for-bringing-down-empires/ .
The full text of Franklin’s RULES BY WHICH A GREAT EMPIRE MAY BE REDUCED TO A SMALL ONE by Benjamin Franklin, first published on September 11, 1773, is available at : https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Rules_By_Which_A_Great_Empire_May_Be_Reduced_To_A_Small_One .
HOW TRUMP SAVED UKRAINE AID by Pedro L. Gonzalez / Contra 24 Apr 24
Republican Support For Assistance To Kyiv Was Circling The Drain. Then The Former President Proposed Making It A Loan And Rescued It
It’s been clear for a long time that, DESPITE ALL THE POPULIST PROCLAMATIONS, DONALD TRUMP’S VIEW ON AID FOR UKRAINE ALIGNS WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT POSITION: THE CASH MUST FLOW, ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. THAT’S NOT WHAT HIS SUPPORTERS WANT TO HEAR, BUT AFTER THIS WEEKEND, THERE’S NO EVADING IT.
On Saturday, the House passed a massive aid package, shepherded against the opposition by Speaker Mike Johnson with House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries. It had the support of all Democrats but just less than half of Republicans and includes BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN “ECONOMIC ASSISTANCE” FOR UKRAINE IN THE FORM OF “FORGIVABLE LOANS.” THAT IS TO SAY, IT’S MONEY THAT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE REPAID. IT’S A FARCE, AND EVERYONE KNOWS IT.
But here’s the key detail missing from all the right-wing outrage on Twitter now: Johnson collaborated with the Democrats in the House to ram through this package at Trump’s behest.
The “loan” was Trump’s idea, and Trump told Johnson to get behind it. That’s why Johnson, for now, acts like he is bulletproof amid calls from other Republicans for his defenestration. JOHNSON KNOWS THAT THE LEADER OF THE PARTY IS IN HIS CORNER. INDEED, AS DEMANDS FOR JOHNSON’S HEAD RANG OUT, TRUMP DEFENDED THE SPEAKER IN AN INTERVIEW WITH RADIO HOST JOHN FREDERICKS.
“I THINK HE’S A VERY GOOD PERSON,” TRUMP SAID, AND DECLINED TO CRITICIZE HIM OVER UKRAINE FUNDING.
That was a lifeline for Johnson.
“Trump’s comments could help stave off a conservative rebellion against Johnson as [Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.)] continues to take aim at the Louisiana Republican’s policy decision, accusing him of supporting Democrat priorities,” Axios reported. And Johnson is doing just that—with Trump’s approval. Indeed, the D.C. insiders at Punchbowl News called Joe Biden the “winner of this Congress” on Monday.
Again, if you’re online—an awful place to be—you’re probably following people who either don’t know why all this is happening or don’t want to mention it. It’s easier to blame Johnson than tell hard truths, even though this should be an easy one to tell. All the evidence is right there.
The story starts in February, when Trump wrote on Truth Social that no money “in the form of foreign aid should be given to any country unless it is done as a loan.”
Continued at https://www.readcontra.com/p/how-trump-saved-ukraine-aid ; EMPHASES added.
Regarding ELECTION2024 and the alleged, so-called “choices” American Voters will have
ASSUMPTIONS. It is assumed, first of all, that there will indeed even be an election in 2024; which, face it folks, at this point, no one can honestly, realistically, absolutely, positively guarantee.
And second, it is assumed that the choices presented to the American Voters will be, at most, some subtle but suitable variation of the present, as follows:
1. The corporatist, crony "democratic capitalist," neoconservative/neoliberal, post-modern "liberalism" and "conservativism" of the Carter-Reagan-Bush I-Clinton-Cheney/Bush II-Obama-Biden breed [which includes any "anti-Trump" Republicans intent on maintaining some semblance of a non-Trumped GOP].
2. The populist, nativist, neo-mercantilist, protectionist, proto-national socialism [with its attendant racist, sexist, xenophobic, patriotist wrapped-in the-Flag-mouthing-the Bible noise while wiping their asses with the Constitution] of Trump, Trumpatismo, the Trumpatistas, MAGAts, and its inevitable gaggle of Apprentice Emperor~Wannabe Spawns.
3. The noisy but intellectually, ideologically, and politically bankrupt and bereft neo-progressive, proto-democratic socialism of the "socialistic democrats" of the Sandersista/Warrenite, "Squad," Green New Dealer ilk, and their Spawn.
REVIEW OF RECENT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS:
In 2016, 38.6% of all Eligible Voters [EVs] did not vote for anybody to be President.
Of the 61.4% of EVs who did vote for President, Hillary Clinton got 48.2% of the votes, and Donald Trump took 46.1%.
Which means that only 29.6% of all EVs in 2016 voted for Clinton, and but 28.3% of them voted for Trump. Which means that only 57.9% wanted Either of them in the Oval Office, and that between 70.4% and 71.7% of eligible Voters wanted Neither of them, respectively.
In other words, 7 out of 10 Americans eligible to choose the next President of the United States eight years ago actively voted AGAINST both The Donald and The Hillary; or, said another, kinder, gentler way, did not actually vote FOR either of the two. So the actual final tally for the 2016 Presidential race was:
Not Voting 38.6%
Clinton 29.6 %
Trump 28.3 %
Other 3.5 %
If "Not Voting" had been represented at the Electoral College in that election, it would have collected 471 Electoral votes to Clinton's 51 and Trump's 15. [ https://brilliantmaps.com/did-not-vote/ ] In other words, "Not Voting" won in a landslide.
Fast forward to Election2020: 66.7% of Eligible Voters [EVs] cast their vote for President: Joseph Biden received 51.3% of the popular vote, and Donald Trump received 46.9% of that vote.
Which means that only 34.2% of all eligible American voters in 2020 voted for Biden, and but 31.3% of all EVs voted for Trump. Which means that only 65.5% wanted Either of them in the Oval Office, and that between 65.8% and 68.7% of eligible Voters wanted Neither of them, respectively.
So the final popular vote percentages for 2020 were:
Biden 34.2%
Not Voting 33.3 %
Trump 31.3%
Other 1.2%
Which, not merely incidentally, but very emphatically and categorically BELIES ANY CLAIM BY ANYBODY OR ANY PARTY, PERSPECTIVE, OR IDEOLOGY ~ BIDEN'S AND HIS, TRUMP'S AND HIS, OR ANYBODY ELSE'S AND THEIRS ~ HAS ANY KIND OF A "MANDATE" FROM ANYBODY TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT ANYTHING IN THIS COUNTRY.
In any event, if "Not Voting" won in a landslide in 2016, it was a bit closer in 2020: With 270 the magic number, "Not Voting" would have taken 278 Electoral College votes to Biden's 162 and Trump's 98.
[ https://brilliantmaps.com/?s=Did+Not+Vote ]
CONCLUSION
People don't vote for lots of reasons. There are those who share Emma Goldman's sentiment that "If voting could actually, really change anything, it would be illegal." Or they remember Papa Joe Stalin's timeless admonition that "It's not who votes that counts; it's who counts the votes." Or, they can only concur I00% with George Carlin's "Don't vote. It only encourages the mother fuckers."
But one other reason folks don't vote is because there is no candidate that they can, in all honesty and sincerity, actually vote FOR, even if it is just AGAINST somebody or even Everybody else. So the question becomes: How can these people make that judgment and conviction known in a way that has any actual impact in the real world, which Not Voting does not and can not have?
How can these people make a vote of conscience, and thus give voice to their beliefs, desires, and intents? And, more importantly, how can they get their votes to count; Papa Joe's reminder notwithstanding?
One very simple and easy way to do that is to vote “None Of These Candidates.”
Thanks for sharing. We all should put Biden and Trump on pause. <<<<If only it were so>>>>
The best thing that could happen to this country and Planet is for both Biden and Trump to die of natural causes on national tv so there is no doubt that they were not assassinated.
Like Biden tripping and falling down the Air Force One stairway and breaking his neck, and Trump choking to death on a Super Whopper Cheese Burger while on a campaign stop.
I'll 🍺 to that.
Cheers
a place for those who are not sure they want biden?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDUb7-MPH48
In 2012, Jill Stein received 469,015-votes; 0.36% of the popular vote.
In 2016, she received 1.45-million votes; 1.07% of the popular vote.
In 2024, Stein received 2.32-million votes, 1.76% of the popular vote.
NOT, NOT REALLY. I JUST MADE THAT UP! LOL
*
In 2023 Stein announced she would help run Cornel West's 2024 Green Party campaign for POTUS. After the goofy Professor withdrew from the Green Party to continue his campaign as an independent, Stein launched her campaign for the Green Party's 2024 presidential nomination.....Oh dear!
2024 Presidential Election Map If Polls are Wrong AGAIN!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMnt2zFOOFw
Trump: 314 Electoral College votes. Biden: 224 Tossup: 0
It's going to be a landslide baby! MAGA!
Oh dear!
Stretching