“At the commencement of this year, the American Senate, the highest legislative body of the world, the wisest, greatest, and most magnanimous people that ever lived or ever will live, forgetting and neglecting the trifling local affairs which concerned their own limits, constituted themselves into a high court, and proceeded to try the nations of the earth for atrocious acts of despotism … we erect ourselves into a high court of indignation! We are to arraign at our bar the nations of the earth, and they are to pass in trial before us, and we are to pass judgment upon them.” John Parker Hale, a free soil Democrat from New Hampshire, spoken in 1850. The quote is from THE CYCLES OF AMERICAN HISTORY by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. (1986/1999) p.91. It seems to me that US politicians have never seen themselves and their country as equals to other nations. You can draw your own conclusions how this “old” sentiment has informed America’s foreign policy behavior not just since WW II. I agree with Bill’s essay, though I do have some different opinions on minor issues.
The US political class suffers from a severe case of American Messianism. It is also known as American Exceptionalism, the idea that the US is an "indispensable nation." Such an ideology is toxic in its very essence. Until it is dead and buried (as happened to similar toxic ideologies in Germany and Japan after their defeat in WW II), not a damn thing is going to change in this country.
Think how terrifically (now and in our history) we violate the commandment, "Thou shall not covet." We wanted the native's land, gold, silver, water and all manner of other natural resources. And we still war and kill for oil, rare earth minerals, "profits."
"Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!" Scrooge was contrite and thus redeemed. We never have shown a speck of contrition for our sins.
It has always bugged me that "Scrooge" is used as a pejorative. It suggests to me we prefer the unredeemed (since it asks nothing of us) over repentance. “And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge."
You provide a banquet of valid criticism. There really is so much wrong and for me this absurd empty talk while providing a monster with all he needs to keep up the slaughter is the lowest point America has reached. Though the clearing out of the American Indians was awful, it was seen at the time as in the interest of the country. Now, this crazy support of Israel is in no way a benefit to the country and yet is unbreakable. I remain astounded at our president declaring himself a Zionist, and neither Trump or Harris repudiating that! The political fear of saying anything against Israel should alarm to the point of terror every American.
You properly credit the USSR with the lion's share in defeating Germany (and also taking the majority of casualties), but the US emerged from WW2 with almost worldwide goodwill for being the arsenal it was. President Biden has finished off the very last shreds of that goodwill by being the arsenal of Israel. Most troubling to me is that it is Jewish and Palestinian Americans that are leading the protests against what Israel is doing. These two groups make up probably 4% of the population of the US. Where the hell are the rest of Americans?
Pride is the very last thing I feel about my country right now, I am ashamed of the US. The only good thing is that we have avoided going to war with Iran to protect our ethnic cleansing "greatest ally" whose leader treats us with contempt as he takes delivery of our weapons while he has done all he can to incite Iran to war. The man is insane, but the only superpower dare not stop him and even widespread protests against him in Israel have no effect. The US, the nation that exerts its authority all over the world is helpless against one man leading a tiny country. We are captive to Zionism! Astounding, incredible, outrageous, contemptable and at bottom due to the power of wealth in completely corrupting the US political system, something that neither Trump or Harris will address.
The Israeli dominance over U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East is astonishing. We hear about how horrible alleged Russian influence over our elections is when Israeli influence is 100 times more powerful and insidious. We're all supposed to ignore it or even accept it because Israel is our "ally." OK ...
i'm sorry. Bill, but i do not see anything that Israel is doing that is not in the very best interests of America's Ruling Political Class, and American strategic interests in that region as determined by that RPC.
That is one of the primary reasons Israel was created after WWII in the first place: to provide a Forward Operating Base for America's Deep State in the middle of all that Oil and other Resources.
jg, in fact there was great opposition to the US recognizing Israel, led by George Marshall, the Secretary of State at the time, but Truman, openly admitting he was bowing to the Jewish vote in the US, decided on recognition anyway. Truman was also greatly influenced by Zionist Chaim Weizman who became the first president of Israel. The book to read on this is "Against Our Better Judgement" by Allison Weir, not a long read and available from Amazon. Weir, BTW, started out as an American journalist who became alarmed at the influence of Israel and as a result dedicated her time to exposing the truth about it. She has a website that documents the statistics of what has happened over there, illustrating the vast difference in attention to Israeli deaths vs Palestinian deaths in the US press. The site is https://ifamericansknew.org/
The sad fact is that now that many Americans DO know about the slaughter going on, they simply don't care or have been so bathed in propaganda from Israel for so long that they buy the ridiculous statement that Israel is "defending itself" even though it has been aggressively taking the land from the natives for 76 years. But then we call our war department the "defense" department, so the Israelis are only copying what we pioneered.
Heh. Well 1948 WAS an election year, Clif. And Truman needed all the help he could get from Anybody at that stage of The Game; what with The Dixiecrats and Strom Thurmond and The Progressives and Henry Wallace taking votes away from him
And Marshall’s State Department certainly objected to recognition of Israel. But... .
But how did the folks over at the former War Department ~ recently re-christened, as You noted, the Department of “Defense” ~ and those guys over at the former OSS now re-birthed as the CIA, have to say about the matter? And both of those folks’ colleagues, cohorts, and compeers in the just getting seriously launched Military Industrial Secrecy Security Complex? Think Truman listened to them as much as he did the Zionists?
Like i said: That is one of ~ if not THE ~ primary reasons Israel was created after WWII in the first place: To provide a Forward Operating Base for America's then-nascent “Deep State” operating for the first time on a Global stage, and right smack in the middle of all that Oil and ready access to many other Resources.
In any event, Thanks for the book recommendation. In return, here’s an article that explores that whole issue:
And given how little the so-called American “Peace Movement” did for 20+ years regarding America’s so-called “Global” so-called “War On” so-called “Terrorism”; and what it has done over the last couple of years about America’s War with Russia in Ukraine, i’m not sure why anybody is surprised that the majority of Americans apparently do not give a Shit about what is happening in Gaza.
Why should they? Thru the magic of Deficit Spending, it’s not costing today’s Tax Payers a dime; while keeping the MICC gainfully employed and very profitable. And the only Americans who will ever get involved in the next time the US has “boots on the ground” in a combat zone will all be “Volunteers,” there by their own choosing.
And.., my all time fave Mark Twainism "Politicians and diapers have one thing in common, they both need to be changed regularly and for the same reason."
The American people must have a clear and sober understanding of the corrupt power dynamics in the Democrat Party. The recent gangster moves by the oligarchs who control the Democrats stripped away any pretense that any democracy is left in the Democratic Party.
And the sad fact is that with the US's no ID to vote, mail in ballots, first-past-the-post & winner-take-all voting in 50-states, and the anachronistic Electoral College with its Superdelegates, there is not even a theoretical chance a Third-Party candidate can be elected POTUS.
Until America changes its method of voting in its President, its stuck with its two-Party duopoly.
Voting for Dr. Jill Stein, running for the third time (!) now and never getting even close to 3%, is the definition of wasting your vote. As Ross Perot proved. Getting 19% of the vote. And ZERO Electoral College votes. It's a systematic failure of the US electoral system.
Why a third-Party Candidate has never won in 160-years!
Sorry. Stein can NEVER become the 47th POTUS.
If you want even a remote infinitesimal chance of America crawling out of the huge abyss that Biden administration has got the US into ~ the only rational vote is for TRUMP/VANCE.
Any other vote is a vote for more of the same. More War.
This is not rocket science folks! Stop over-thinking it.
Pragmatism, simple logic, and rational thinking suggests that voting the TRUMP/VANCE ticket is the ONE and ONLY answer of having any chance of stopping America's foreign wars.
Prove me wrong.
BTW, are any BV readers looking at the latest polling? Oh dear?
Trump can stay home for the next 2-months and let Cackles Harris hang herself.
Proportional voting (versus winner take all) would be a major improvement in the current electoral-college system. I've gone back and forth on doing away with the Electoral College - it is anachronistic, but results based only on direct voting means that CA, TX, FL, and NY probably drive the results. Based only on registered voters - and making huge assumptions - those four would give the edge to the Democrats permanently in Presidential elections.
In terms of wars, Trump would certainly be better on Ukraine. On China, it depends on who are the people talking to him. On Israel, he moved the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem - and he's made major promises to Miriam Adelson, and he has Jared talking in his ear. The Mideast remains a tinderbox no matter which of the two imbeciles winds up behind the desk in the Oval Office.
If only we could trust Kamala Harris, or the unelectable Jill Stein, to stop America's foreign wars. Kamala's record, if she has one, suggest a determined war position.
Who has the higher chance of stopping endless wars. NOTC, Stein, Harris, or Trump?
How about 0% - 0% - 5% -50%. Wadda yuh say?
And in case you had not noticed Tulsi Gabbard is not running for POTUS.
Going from 0.36% of the vote she got in 2012 and 1.07% in 2016 ~ to let us say 10% is not going to mean anything. Ross Perot got 19%!
And there is no way she is going to triple her vote to get 10% anyway! She has been trying for 12-years, running for a Party that has never got any traction in the US, or anywhere else! If Ralph Nadar could not do for the Greens, she has an iceberg's chance in hell.
Voting for her is anti-intellectual. Is there such a word? Is that insulting?
Off the Record--I for one am split Dennis , but I think you could be right although if I had to put real money mine not yours on a Winner at this juncture its Kamela. She's peaking at the right time, then we can all kick the bucket for better, or worse, and I think it's written in the stars for the first female President of these United States..! We're all gonna need some hair of the dog that bit us come New Years 2025!
I know it's funny and all but it's scaring the shit out of me!
Kamala Harris is a f*ckin airhead unburdened by what has been throughout the passage of time!
You really want HER for president? Are you out of your minds? The US cannot have a president who frequently tosses word salads and laughs inappropriately to meet with the leaders of foreign superpowers. For the safety and security of the whole World, and for the sake of all sanity, OH PLEASE, NO, NO ... JUST ... NOOOOO!!!
Now you're describing unhinged Trump. He lies when he says the exporting Country pays the tariffs. It's the American People who will pay more causing more inflation. He bankrupted his businesses 6 times but he didn't lose a dime. It's the contractors and suppliers who lost.
How you can support the most self obsessed braggart and serial LIAR is beyond comprehension!
My IAFF International Association of Firefighters Union is split right down the middle Dennis I've nevah seen that before! We've always supported staunch Democrats. Its going to be close you've heard it here first And, we just wrapped up our Convention this past wk. in Boston, Ma. Both sides spoke, and received well. Who is the most credible we'll see all too soon enough! Down the stretch they come 59 days and counting! You can paint the Town Red if your Boy wins Den...
Speaking of Musk/Trump in 2024, one can only wonder how far Mr Musk’s Brainchild will get when his Department of Government Efficiency [DOGE] folks show up at the Pentagon and over where the folks running the Secrecy/Security/Surveillance/Censorship/Propaganda/proto-Police State Panopticon are located... :
TRUMP ANNOUNCES PLAN FOR GOV'T EFFICIENCY COMMISSION TO CONDUCT FULL FINANCIAL AUDIT OF FEDERAL GOV'T
Former President Trump confirmed at the Economic Club of New York that he will create the Department of Government Efficiency.
"At the suggestion of Elon Musk, who has given me his complete and total endorsement, I will create a Government Efficiency Commission tasked with conducting a complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government — and making recommendations for drastic reforms."
One also wonders if Musk or Trump are aware of Management Guru Peter Drucker’s explanation that "Efficiency is doing things right, Effectiveness is doing the right thing".
And here’s a wire service take on the Musk/Trump DOGE:
TRUMP SAYS HE’D CREATE A GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY COMMISSION LED BY ELON MUSK TO AUDIT THE ENTIRE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT by Jonathan J. Cooper / Associated Press
5 Sep 24
PHOENIX (AP) — Former President Donald Trump said Thursday he would create a Government Efficiency Commission, an idea suggested by billionaire Elon Musk, who would lead it.
The commission is the latest attention-grabbing alliance between Trump and Musk, who leads companies including Tesla and SpaceX and has become an increasingly vocal supporter of Trump’s bid to return to the White House.
The Republican presidential nominee claimed that in 2022, “fraud and improper payments alone cost taxpayers an estimated hundreds of billions of dollars.” He said the commission would recommend “drastic reforms” and develop a plan to eliminate fraud and improper payments WITHIN SIX MONTHS, which he said would save trillions of dollars. [EMPHASIS added.]
“We need to do it,” Trump said. “Can’t go on the way we are now.”
Trump also promised to cut 10 government regulations for every new regulation implemented if he’s elected in November.
When You speak of the "bums in power," Dennis, are You including the Military Industrial Congressional Complex [aka the MICCIMATT], the Secrecy/Security/Surveillance/Censorship/ Propaganda/proto-Police State Panopticon, and the Federal Reserve among the "bums"? And that's just for starters.
Or just the people in the White House and up on Capital Hill?
"Up in New York, Judge Juan Merchan pretends to wrassle with whether or not to start Civil War Two by remanding Mr. Trump to Rikers Island on September 18 (I doubt that happens).
In the event, though, I believe Mr. Trump might simply say, “No thank you,” and go about his business running for president. That would be a counter-prank I’d be eager to see. Who gets in the act then? Federal marshals? The FBI (ha!)?
The Supreme Court term begins the first Monday in October. They could have something to say about the steaming pile of horseshit that was Alvin Bragg’s and Mathew Colangelo’s case. (Also, Weissmann’s, Eisen’s, Monaco’s, and McCord’s.)
Gawd knows where things might stand after next Tuesday’s great debate. The rules are pretty stringent. No candidates questioning each other. No audience. No confab with staff during commercial breaks. The mute buttons will be on.
Without her “I’m speaking” routine, Ms. Harris has. . . zotz.
All Mr. Trump really has to do is be polite for 90-minutes."
i'm sure his Handlers will attach a buzz collar to his Privates in case he wanders too far of topic, or forgets about questioning his opponent not allowed.
Donny isn't smart, but apparently, he is trainable.
What US policy, especially in the last 3 decades shows more than anything, is that the US does not negotiate anymore. We just try to dominate by force. World spanning empires that operate from a stance of arrogance and brute force can't last because that is unsustainable, unaffordable and totally immoral. You don't make any friends in the world that way, you just have subservient lapdogs and enemies.
Funny which leads me to Mark Twain once again "The dog is a gentleman I hope to go to his heaven not man's." "If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man." lastly: The more I learn about people the more I like my dog." :o) :/ " Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in."
Trump Takes Question After Question About the Economy and National Security. In a speech on his economic policies at the Economic Club of New York, Trump took questions from members on stage. WITHOUT A TELEPROMPTER
Imagine a President that is capable of answering difficult questions without a teleprompter or a written script written by someone else. Those economic questions were difficult, and Trump is smart and competent. Can you imagine Kamala's answers? She would have no clue about these questions.
"We can't have war". That's what he said! I'm so glad he's talking peace!
If you don’t support Trump at this point.....you're seriously insane.
When it gets down to the nut cutting ~ the 45th President can be cool, calm and collected.
Almost Putin like!
One of the best interviews Trump has done! This is what a REAL President looks and sounds like.
Given that "the blob's" agenda was to create that runaway Debt and make as much of the Economy as possible dependent on it as the Government is, i'd say that "the blob's" agenda is working out quite well for it.
And do You actually, really think that the Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans are the only ones totally and completely owned, operated, commanded, and controlled by that Blob?
“At the commencement of this year, the American Senate, the highest legislative body of the world, the wisest, greatest, and most magnanimous people that ever lived or ever will live, forgetting and neglecting the trifling local affairs which concerned their own limits, constituted themselves into a high court, and proceeded to try the nations of the earth for atrocious acts of despotism … we erect ourselves into a high court of indignation! We are to arraign at our bar the nations of the earth, and they are to pass in trial before us, and we are to pass judgment upon them.” John Parker Hale, a free soil Democrat from New Hampshire, spoken in 1850. The quote is from THE CYCLES OF AMERICAN HISTORY by Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. (1986/1999) p.91. It seems to me that US politicians have never seen themselves and their country as equals to other nations. You can draw your own conclusions how this “old” sentiment has informed America’s foreign policy behavior not just since WW II. I agree with Bill’s essay, though I do have some different opinions on minor issues.
Thanks, Karl.
The US political class suffers from a severe case of American Messianism. It is also known as American Exceptionalism, the idea that the US is an "indispensable nation." Such an ideology is toxic in its very essence. Until it is dead and buried (as happened to similar toxic ideologies in Germany and Japan after their defeat in WW II), not a damn thing is going to change in this country.
God in on our side, Charlie. And Jesus was an American.
Think how terrifically (now and in our history) we violate the commandment, "Thou shall not covet." We wanted the native's land, gold, silver, water and all manner of other natural resources. And we still war and kill for oil, rare earth minerals, "profits."
"Oh! But he was a tight-fisted hand at the grindstone, Scrooge! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous old sinner!" Scrooge was contrite and thus redeemed. We never have shown a speck of contrition for our sins.
Love the b/w version of Scrooge starring Alastair Sim. Brilliant movie.
We watch it every year! He is fantastic--supported by a great cast.
A pitch-perfect movie.
"I haven't taken leave of my senses, Bob--I've come to them."
Maybe Elon, Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, et al. might learn something here.
It has always bugged me that "Scrooge" is used as a pejorative. It suggests to me we prefer the unredeemed (since it asks nothing of us) over repentance. “And it was always said of him, that he knew how to keep Christmas well, if any man alive possessed the knowledge."
You provide a banquet of valid criticism. There really is so much wrong and for me this absurd empty talk while providing a monster with all he needs to keep up the slaughter is the lowest point America has reached. Though the clearing out of the American Indians was awful, it was seen at the time as in the interest of the country. Now, this crazy support of Israel is in no way a benefit to the country and yet is unbreakable. I remain astounded at our president declaring himself a Zionist, and neither Trump or Harris repudiating that! The political fear of saying anything against Israel should alarm to the point of terror every American.
You properly credit the USSR with the lion's share in defeating Germany (and also taking the majority of casualties), but the US emerged from WW2 with almost worldwide goodwill for being the arsenal it was. President Biden has finished off the very last shreds of that goodwill by being the arsenal of Israel. Most troubling to me is that it is Jewish and Palestinian Americans that are leading the protests against what Israel is doing. These two groups make up probably 4% of the population of the US. Where the hell are the rest of Americans?
Pride is the very last thing I feel about my country right now, I am ashamed of the US. The only good thing is that we have avoided going to war with Iran to protect our ethnic cleansing "greatest ally" whose leader treats us with contempt as he takes delivery of our weapons while he has done all he can to incite Iran to war. The man is insane, but the only superpower dare not stop him and even widespread protests against him in Israel have no effect. The US, the nation that exerts its authority all over the world is helpless against one man leading a tiny country. We are captive to Zionism! Astounding, incredible, outrageous, contemptable and at bottom due to the power of wealth in completely corrupting the US political system, something that neither Trump or Harris will address.
The Israeli dominance over U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East is astonishing. We hear about how horrible alleged Russian influence over our elections is when Israeli influence is 100 times more powerful and insidious. We're all supposed to ignore it or even accept it because Israel is our "ally." OK ...
i'm sorry. Bill, but i do not see anything that Israel is doing that is not in the very best interests of America's Ruling Political Class, and American strategic interests in that region as determined by that RPC.
That is one of the primary reasons Israel was created after WWII in the first place: to provide a Forward Operating Base for America's Deep State in the middle of all that Oil and other Resources.
jg, in fact there was great opposition to the US recognizing Israel, led by George Marshall, the Secretary of State at the time, but Truman, openly admitting he was bowing to the Jewish vote in the US, decided on recognition anyway. Truman was also greatly influenced by Zionist Chaim Weizman who became the first president of Israel. The book to read on this is "Against Our Better Judgement" by Allison Weir, not a long read and available from Amazon. Weir, BTW, started out as an American journalist who became alarmed at the influence of Israel and as a result dedicated her time to exposing the truth about it. She has a website that documents the statistics of what has happened over there, illustrating the vast difference in attention to Israeli deaths vs Palestinian deaths in the US press. The site is https://ifamericansknew.org/
The sad fact is that now that many Americans DO know about the slaughter going on, they simply don't care or have been so bathed in propaganda from Israel for so long that they buy the ridiculous statement that Israel is "defending itself" even though it has been aggressively taking the land from the natives for 76 years. But then we call our war department the "defense" department, so the Israelis are only copying what we pioneered.
Heh. Well 1948 WAS an election year, Clif. And Truman needed all the help he could get from Anybody at that stage of The Game; what with The Dixiecrats and Strom Thurmond and The Progressives and Henry Wallace taking votes away from him
[ https://www.britannica.com/event/United-States-presidential-election-of-1948/The-campaign ].
And Marshall’s State Department certainly objected to recognition of Israel. But... .
But how did the folks over at the former War Department ~ recently re-christened, as You noted, the Department of “Defense” ~ and those guys over at the former OSS now re-birthed as the CIA, have to say about the matter? And both of those folks’ colleagues, cohorts, and compeers in the just getting seriously launched Military Industrial Secrecy Security Complex? Think Truman listened to them as much as he did the Zionists?
Like i said: That is one of ~ if not THE ~ primary reasons Israel was created after WWII in the first place: To provide a Forward Operating Base for America's then-nascent “Deep State” operating for the first time on a Global stage, and right smack in the middle of all that Oil and ready access to many other Resources.
In any event, Thanks for the book recommendation. In return, here’s an article that explores that whole issue:
THE STATE DEPARTMENT TOLD TRUMAN NOT TO RECOGNIZE ISRAEL. HE DID IT ANYWAY: The Arab World Would Turn Against The U.S., Diplomats Warned The President, And Might Threaten Its Access To Oil, by Frederic J. Frommer: https://forward.com/news/546537/state-department-told-truman-recognize-israel-75-arab-jewish/ .
And given how little the so-called American “Peace Movement” did for 20+ years regarding America’s so-called “Global” so-called “War On” so-called “Terrorism”; and what it has done over the last couple of years about America’s War with Russia in Ukraine, i’m not sure why anybody is surprised that the majority of Americans apparently do not give a Shit about what is happening in Gaza.
Why should they? Thru the magic of Deficit Spending, it’s not costing today’s Tax Payers a dime; while keeping the MICC gainfully employed and very profitable. And the only Americans who will ever get involved in the next time the US has “boots on the ground” in a combat zone will all be “Volunteers,” there by their own choosing.
At least until The Draft is resumed, eh?
I am reminded of the War Prayer: https://www.americanyawp.com/reader/19-american-empire/mark-twain-the-war-prayer-ca-1904-5/ by Mark Twain, for those who think it proper to pray for the slaughter of children of God that He loves just as much as you or me.
And.., my all time fave Mark Twainism "Politicians and diapers have one thing in common, they both need to be changed regularly and for the same reason."
This Wednesday (9/11), I spoke with Burt Cohen for about an hour. We discussed this article and many other subjects.
You can listen to it here: https://keepingdemocracyalive.com/a-military-security-state-and-the-erosion-of-freedom/
The American people must have a clear and sober understanding of the corrupt power dynamics in the Democrat Party. The recent gangster moves by the oligarchs who control the Democrats stripped away any pretense that any democracy is left in the Democratic Party.
And the sad fact is that with the US's no ID to vote, mail in ballots, first-past-the-post & winner-take-all voting in 50-states, and the anachronistic Electoral College with its Superdelegates, there is not even a theoretical chance a Third-Party candidate can be elected POTUS.
https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/america-isnt-really-set-up-for-third-party-presidential-bids/
Until America changes its method of voting in its President, its stuck with its two-Party duopoly.
Voting for Dr. Jill Stein, running for the third time (!) now and never getting even close to 3%, is the definition of wasting your vote. As Ross Perot proved. Getting 19% of the vote. And ZERO Electoral College votes. It's a systematic failure of the US electoral system.
Why a third-Party Candidate has never won in 160-years!
Sorry. Stein can NEVER become the 47th POTUS.
If you want even a remote infinitesimal chance of America crawling out of the huge abyss that Biden administration has got the US into ~ the only rational vote is for TRUMP/VANCE.
Any other vote is a vote for more of the same. More War.
This is not rocket science folks! Stop over-thinking it.
Pragmatism, simple logic, and rational thinking suggests that voting the TRUMP/VANCE ticket is the ONE and ONLY answer of having any chance of stopping America's foreign wars.
Prove me wrong.
BTW, are any BV readers looking at the latest polling? Oh dear?
Trump can stay home for the next 2-months and let Cackles Harris hang herself.
Proportional voting (versus winner take all) would be a major improvement in the current electoral-college system. I've gone back and forth on doing away with the Electoral College - it is anachronistic, but results based only on direct voting means that CA, TX, FL, and NY probably drive the results. Based only on registered voters - and making huge assumptions - those four would give the edge to the Democrats permanently in Presidential elections.
In terms of wars, Trump would certainly be better on Ukraine. On China, it depends on who are the people talking to him. On Israel, he moved the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem - and he's made major promises to Miriam Adelson, and he has Jared talking in his ear. The Mideast remains a tinderbox no matter which of the two imbeciles winds up behind the desk in the Oval Office.
If only we could trust Trump to stop America's foreign wars.
Consider this video and article. Trump's record doesn't suggest a determined anti-war position.
https://zeteo.com/p/trump-anti-war-debunk
https://daniellarison.substack.com/p/trump-doesnt-oppose-endless-wars
I trust Tulsi Gabbard's stance far more than I trust Trump, who's been very inconsistent.
Missing the whole point again, Bill.
If only we could trust Kamala Harris, or the unelectable Jill Stein, to stop America's foreign wars. Kamala's record, if she has one, suggest a determined war position.
Who has the higher chance of stopping endless wars. NOTC, Stein, Harris, or Trump?
How about 0% - 0% - 5% -50%. Wadda yuh say?
And in case you had not noticed Tulsi Gabbard is not running for POTUS.
I'm boosting Stein's chances by voting for her. You should too!
Going from 0.36% of the vote she got in 2012 and 1.07% in 2016 ~ to let us say 10% is not going to mean anything. Ross Perot got 19%!
And there is no way she is going to triple her vote to get 10% anyway! She has been trying for 12-years, running for a Party that has never got any traction in the US, or anywhere else! If Ralph Nadar could not do for the Greens, she has an iceberg's chance in hell.
Voting for her is anti-intellectual. Is there such a word? Is that insulting?
OK then, irrational.
Yes, there is such a word! I guess I'm anti-intellectual. And I guess voting for Trump is very intellectual?
Not really. hahaha.
Just more intellectual than voting for any other choice.
Take care.
Watch the polls and weep. BTW, how is Jill Stein polling?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b23FBPunJJ4
Off the Record--I for one am split Dennis , but I think you could be right although if I had to put real money mine not yours on a Winner at this juncture its Kamela. She's peaking at the right time, then we can all kick the bucket for better, or worse, and I think it's written in the stars for the first female President of these United States..! We're all gonna need some hair of the dog that bit us come New Years 2025!
What's the opposite of "peaking", my friend Fireman?
"Tanking" - is that an American expression.
Kamela is going down in flames. Making an idiot of herself every time she speaks!
And campaigning in blue states, between hiding in her bus. GMAB
Trump is going to crush the nit wit. Every poll is overwhelming for Trump
The more people that come out and vote, and the turnout is going to be huge, the worse it will get for Cackles Harris.
It's a MSM hoax that Kamela is peaking.
Listen to Dr. Steve Turley explain it to you. Please.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUCNJwcxaMQ
She does laugh like a Hyena! :/ :o) We'll see...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMOpQVjCAk0
hahahahahahahaha!
This is 100% spot on!
I know it's funny and all but it's scaring the shit out of me!
Kamala Harris is a f*ckin airhead unburdened by what has been throughout the passage of time!
You really want HER for president? Are you out of your minds? The US cannot have a president who frequently tosses word salads and laughs inappropriately to meet with the leaders of foreign superpowers. For the safety and security of the whole World, and for the sake of all sanity, OH PLEASE, NO, NO ... JUST ... NOOOOO!!!
That is funny.
Kamala tends to unleash the laugh when she doesn't know how to answer. It's a "tell" or a nervous tic. It's also a form of distraction.
But you are NOT supposed to criticize it. FEEL THE JOY, Dennis! Ha!
Now you're describing unhinged Trump. He lies when he says the exporting Country pays the tariffs. It's the American People who will pay more causing more inflation. He bankrupted his businesses 6 times but he didn't lose a dime. It's the contractors and suppliers who lost.
How you can support the most self obsessed braggart and serial LIAR is beyond comprehension!
My IAFF International Association of Firefighters Union is split right down the middle Dennis I've nevah seen that before! We've always supported staunch Democrats. Its going to be close you've heard it here first And, we just wrapped up our Convention this past wk. in Boston, Ma. Both sides spoke, and received well. Who is the most credible we'll see all too soon enough! Down the stretch they come 59 days and counting! You can paint the Town Red if your Boy wins Den...
The Daleks we be:
Kill
Kill
Kill
That's our mantra
Does anybody know if PROJECT 2025 makes even the slightest mention of a DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY ?
Speaking of Musk/Trump in 2024, one can only wonder how far Mr Musk’s Brainchild will get when his Department of Government Efficiency [DOGE] folks show up at the Pentagon and over where the folks running the Secrecy/Security/Surveillance/Censorship/Propaganda/proto-Police State Panopticon are located... :
TRUMP ANNOUNCES PLAN FOR GOV'T EFFICIENCY COMMISSION TO CONDUCT FULL FINANCIAL AUDIT OF FEDERAL GOV'T
Former President Trump confirmed at the Economic Club of New York that he will create the Department of Government Efficiency.
"At the suggestion of Elon Musk, who has given me his complete and total endorsement, I will create a Government Efficiency Commission tasked with conducting a complete financial and performance audit of the entire federal government — and making recommendations for drastic reforms."
Full article at https://www.zerohedge.com/political/trump-announce-elon-musks-proposal-government-efficiency-commission .
For extensive background ~ particularly regarding Musk’s involvement with that same Federal Government, see the Wall Street Journal article linked in the Zero Hedge piece at https://www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-to-adopt-elon-musks-proposal-for-government-efficiency-commission-e5c05514 .
One also wonders if Musk or Trump are aware of Management Guru Peter Drucker’s explanation that "Efficiency is doing things right, Effectiveness is doing the right thing".
And here’s a wire service take on the Musk/Trump DOGE:
TRUMP SAYS HE’D CREATE A GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY COMMISSION LED BY ELON MUSK TO AUDIT THE ENTIRE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT by Jonathan J. Cooper / Associated Press
5 Sep 24
PHOENIX (AP) — Former President Donald Trump said Thursday he would create a Government Efficiency Commission, an idea suggested by billionaire Elon Musk, who would lead it.
The commission is the latest attention-grabbing alliance between Trump and Musk, who leads companies including Tesla and SpaceX and has become an increasingly vocal supporter of Trump’s bid to return to the White House.
The Republican presidential nominee claimed that in 2022, “fraud and improper payments alone cost taxpayers an estimated hundreds of billions of dollars.” He said the commission would recommend “drastic reforms” and develop a plan to eliminate fraud and improper payments WITHIN SIX MONTHS, which he said would save trillions of dollars. [EMPHASIS added.]
“We need to do it,” Trump said. “Can’t go on the way we are now.”
Trump also promised to cut 10 government regulations for every new regulation implemented if he’s elected in November.
Continued at https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-elon-musk-government-efficiency-commission-e831ed5dc2f6a56999e1a70bb0a4eaeb .
The 2024 Presidential election is an American Revolution
It is the opportunity for the American people to throw out the bums.
But that is the problem. 50% of the American people support the bums in power.
With another 5% having dreams about a successful Third Party. An impossibility of course.
TRUMP/VANCE/RFK Jr/GABBARD/MUSK 2024 is the ONLY chance for a revolution.
When You speak of the "bums in power," Dennis, are You including the Military Industrial Congressional Complex [aka the MICCIMATT], the Secrecy/Security/Surveillance/Censorship/ Propaganda/proto-Police State Panopticon, and the Federal Reserve among the "bums"? And that's just for starters.
Or just the people in the White House and up on Capital Hill?
"Up in New York, Judge Juan Merchan pretends to wrassle with whether or not to start Civil War Two by remanding Mr. Trump to Rikers Island on September 18 (I doubt that happens).
In the event, though, I believe Mr. Trump might simply say, “No thank you,” and go about his business running for president. That would be a counter-prank I’d be eager to see. Who gets in the act then? Federal marshals? The FBI (ha!)?
The Supreme Court term begins the first Monday in October. They could have something to say about the steaming pile of horseshit that was Alvin Bragg’s and Mathew Colangelo’s case. (Also, Weissmann’s, Eisen’s, Monaco’s, and McCord’s.)
Gawd knows where things might stand after next Tuesday’s great debate. The rules are pretty stringent. No candidates questioning each other. No audience. No confab with staff during commercial breaks. The mute buttons will be on.
Without her “I’m speaking” routine, Ms. Harris has. . . zotz.
All Mr. Trump really has to do is be polite for 90-minutes."
https://kunstler.com/clusterfuck-nation/ghosts-in-the-machine/
i'm sure his Handlers will attach a buzz collar to his Privates in case he wanders too far of topic, or forgets about questioning his opponent not allowed.
Donny isn't smart, but apparently, he is trainable.
What US policy, especially in the last 3 decades shows more than anything, is that the US does not negotiate anymore. We just try to dominate by force. World spanning empires that operate from a stance of arrogance and brute force can't last because that is unsustainable, unaffordable and totally immoral. You don't make any friends in the world that way, you just have subservient lapdogs and enemies.
And even subservient lapdogs can lash out when they've finally had enough...
Funny which leads me to Mark Twain once again "The dog is a gentleman I hope to go to his heaven not man's." "If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and man." lastly: The more I learn about people the more I like my dog." :o) :/ " Heaven goes by favor. If it went by merit, you would stay out and your dog would go in."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f92WNzXoabg
Trump Takes Question After Question About the Economy and National Security. In a speech on his economic policies at the Economic Club of New York, Trump took questions from members on stage. WITHOUT A TELEPROMPTER
Imagine a President that is capable of answering difficult questions without a teleprompter or a written script written by someone else. Those economic questions were difficult, and Trump is smart and competent. Can you imagine Kamala's answers? She would have no clue about these questions.
"We can't have war". That's what he said! I'm so glad he's talking peace!
If you don’t support Trump at this point.....you're seriously insane.
When it gets down to the nut cutting ~ the 45th President can be cool, calm and collected.
Almost Putin like!
One of the best interviews Trump has done! This is what a REAL President looks and sounds like.
Harris is an actor. Trump is a leader!!
"If you don’t support Trump at this point.....you're seriously insane." Thank you, Dennis. You've just given the best definition I've seen of TDS.
"If you prefer being insane, there’s always the current incarnation of the Democratic Party, dedicated to gaslighting the nation into ruin.
Of course, at this point — the point of extreme desperation ~ the Dems are just running interference for the distraught intel-Globalist blob.
The blob’s agenda has been thwarted, overwhelmed by runaway debt and drinking too much of its own propaganda Kool-aid.
A great deal of that has entailed the commission of crimes, which always implies the possibility of having to pay for them."
https://kunstler.com/clusterfuck-nation/ghosts-in-the-machine/
Given that "the blob's" agenda was to create that runaway Debt and make as much of the Economy as possible dependent on it as the Government is, i'd say that "the blob's" agenda is working out quite well for it.
And do You actually, really think that the Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans are the only ones totally and completely owned, operated, commanded, and controlled by that Blob?
You are insane because you are voting for more of the same. More war!
You skipped the part...."We can't have war"........wonder why you ignored that?
BTW, you have the typical MSM misunderstanding of the use of "TDS", Lt. Col.
A Trump supporter cannot have TDS by definition. Do your homework.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_derangement_syndrome
Read the first sentence.
How much longer are you going to have your head buried in the sand believing that a vote for "anybody but Trump" is a vote for no more war.
And are you going to sulk the entire 4-years of Trumps second term?
And do a Mitch McConnell..." Our main goal in 2016 is to get him out of office"
That's not how democracy works my friend.
And that's the trouble with America. They just cannot let go! As you are proving.
Are You actually, really claiming that a vote for Trump is a vote for "No More War"?
And if Trump supporters can't have TDS, then what do they ~ and You ~ have?
Membership in The Church Of The Orange One, The Blessed Corporal Bonespurs?
And save Your pontifications, Dennis: i have absolutely no interest whatsoever in doing what You call "debate."
Article about Harris and foreign policy: https://www.theamericanconservative.com/the-foreign-policy-establishment-licks-its-chops-for-harris