Robert Kuttner is co-founder and co-editor of The American Prospect. He writes occasional columns online called “Kuttner on Tap.”
Someone’s Crazy Uncle |
NBC redeemed itself, sort of, with moderator Savannah Guthrie, whose tough questioning of Trump put other media pushovers like Chris Wallace to shame. Best line of the night, maybe of the year: “You’re the president. You’re not, like, someone’s crazy uncle who can just retweet whatever.” But of course Trump is exactly like someone’s crazy uncle. That was floridly on display at last night’s town hall, and Trump did himself no favors with swing voters. Biden, who projected decency and honor, keeps gaining in the polls. But even if Biden wins big on election night, Trump and his allies at the state level will seize ballot boxes and challenge results in the courts. The bigger Biden wins, the more Trump will cry fraud. At that point, Trump has three ways to try to overturn the election. He will likely use them all. Way One: All of the suits eventually end up at the Supreme Court, which does a repeat of Bush v. Gore, state by state, basically calling winners. There will only be six or seven of these that matter—Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, and maybe Ohio if Biden wins in a blowout. Had Ruth Bader Ginsburg lived another three months, Chief Justice John Roberts might well have sided with the Court’s four liberals, and refused to allow Trump to win a second term in a coup. Now, Roberts will have to bring along one or more of the Trump appointees—either Neil Gorsuch, something of a Court institutionalist, or Brett Kavanaugh, or that pretend blank slate, Amy Coney Barrett. A long shot, perhaps, but not impossible. Way Two: Trump’s allies in state legislatures reverse the popular result and file competing slates of electors. Unless Democrats flip House majorities in three states in the incoming Congress, the House presumably votes for the Republican electors. Way Three: Violence. Regardless of the outcome, there will be millions of people protesting in the streets. Most of those inclined to violence will be from the Trumpian right, though a few far-lefties may add to the chaos. All of this gives Trump a pretext to invoke the Insurrection Act and call in the military. Takeaways: Trump can continue making a fool of himself, and Biden could win all of the swing states on Election Day; but we still can’t rest easy until January 20. Yet the bigger the win, the less likely it is to be overturned. I sure wish this were all safely in the history books instead of unfolding insanely day by day. |
If I were a betting man, I’d put all my chips on Way Three. There will be violence, there will be death. South American dictators in hell are lining up the snacks and beverages.
Any violence will be from the left as proven by the last four years.
The FBI says that white supremacists are the biggest threat to our society. Think Darryl Roof, who murdered 9 church goers after praying with them. The guy who mailed out bombs: a Trumper.
Agreed. The left is violent and the Democrats, with their typical gaslighting of voters, are attempting to claim the right is violent.
The left rioters killed a Trump supporter and stabbed a black Trump supporter in Portland Oregon. The left has killed a retired police officer and several other officers. Have you been to Portland, recently? It is a mess. It looks like France after WW2. There is broken glass everywhere and stores boarded up.
The left keeps talking about the KKK, but the KKK as a GROUP has done nothing violent as has BLM or antifa rioters, since the 60s. Do a search on a neutral search engine…..do not do the search on biased google.
The Stores in NYC boarded up their window in anticipation of a Trump win. They knew a Trump win would cause the left to become violent as usual. Notice
Notice, please, that there was no violence from the Trump supporters at the Washington Maga march, after the election.
All the violence came from the left, including attacking women with children in baby strollers, and hitting lone men on the head with baseball bats.
CNN and the legacy media has gaslighted old ladies and others into believing that Biden is an honest man. Still the main stream media suppressed the story about Hunter Biden and the Job Biden got him, as well as the pay offs the entire Biden family received.
If Biden was so honest, why did the media suppress the Hunter Biden/Biden family pay offs from foreign countries.
A recent poll of Biden voters showed that 30 to 40 percent said they would NOT have voted for Biden if they had heard about the Hunter Biden’s computer and the evidence of pay offs to the Biden family that was found on it.
Also the shopkeeper who turned in the laptop, had to close down his shop and flee the town due to violent threats from the Left and Democrat supporters.
BTW for those who are uninformed. Darryl Roof, was a mentally disturbed teenager who had been physically abuse by his father. Roof was NOT a member of the KKK. He only claimed he was.
The FBI, led by a Trump appointee, says the biggest source of domestic terrorism is rightwing groups and white supremacists.
Who sent bombs through the mail to Democrats? Trump zealots.
Who threatened to kidnap and execute the Governor of Michigan? Not Antifa or BLM. Trump extremists.
Who murdered peaceable church goers in Charleston? Dylan Roof, a racist. Not BLM or Antifa.
Diane;
And……you believe the FBI?
The FBI will turn on the democrats if it behooves them. Alas it may be too late.
I guarantee you that Harris will be president, after Blank-stare Biden steps down for health concerns. The weak old codger already fractured his ankle. The cover story is he hurt it playing with his dog….how cute. But, no. Biden likely fell down.
She likes to put people in jail. Particularly those who do not comply with her mandates.
Karma will likely be a beotch for the Democrats who voted Biden/harris.
I have a summer home in Switzerland, and duel citizenship in Ireland. My family will just leave and laugh our Butts off at all the whining democrats
Sara,
I suggest you leave for your country house in Switzerland at once. Or go to Russia.
Diane wrote: dianeravitch
“November 29, 2020 at 4:25 pm
The FBI, led by a Trump appointee, says the biggest source of domestic terrorism is rightwing groups and white supremacists.
Who sent bombs through the mail to Democrats? Trump zealots.
Who threatened to kidnap and execute the Governor of Michigan? Not Antifa or BLM. Trump extremists.
Who murdered peaceable church goers in Charleston? Dylan Roof, a racist. Not BLM or Antifa.”
Diane:
Trump appointees are meaningless. Any career political appointee is meaningless. The all hated Trump. Trump should have cleaned house as soon as he entered office. Trump, however was too new to the swamp. He actually believed some of career swamp dweller would do the right thing.
As for the threat to the Gov. of Michigan. Do your homework, and educate yourself. Trump stopped the attack, and the attackers were also on youTube denouncing Trump. You may be best served by expanding your horizons and reading both right wing and left wing news.
Also, MSNBC and all lame stream legacy media, slants the news to the left. If you want to be educated and objective you would watch right wing news, also.
I read and watch both sides.
Also Cuomo, likely put all the old people in Covid ill-equipped elder-care facilities rather than on the Mercy ship or the Javits center or the hospital set up in Central park, by religious organizations because he wanted to get these old people off the medicare rolls.
Aren’t you concerned about your most likely elderly parents, Diane? I am.
Sara,
My parents are not elderly. They are dead.
I am 82, and I thank God that moron lost the election. At last we have a president who will take action against the pandemic instead of hanging out on the golf course.
Your hero is a sore loser. Hillary lost by a sliver of votes and she conceded graciously instead of challenging the outcome. Trump lost by 6 million votes, and lost the Electoral College by 36 votes (which he called a landslide in 2016). I hope the NY courts lock him up.
Diane:
Well, you look excellent for someone who is 82. Attractive, too.
Still, I am glad you need not worry about your parents. I do worry about mine.
Cuomo, your democrat hero Governor, killed the elderly by refusing to place them in appropriate facilities. I believe Cuomo did that on purpose.
NYC is broke.
Cuomo figured killing off some sickly elderly would be more cost effective than actually taking care of them properly.
But seriously, lady, If you are 82, you should be concerned.
Stay safe, and please ensure you do not catch Covid19. If you live in a democrat run city.
Diane You wrote:
dianeravitch
November 30, 2020 at 12:23 pm
Sara,
I suggest you leave for your country house in Switzerland at once. Or go to Russia.
You are contradicting yourself. If you voted for a Biden/Harris administration, I believe it is you that would be happier in Russia.
But not to worry. The USA will be a Russian clone soon enough if Biden/Harris prevail.
Also, be careful when you speak going forward. Niether BLM nor Antifa will put up with lip from a anyone……Democrat or otherwise.
Remember Dual citizenship means one may travel back and forth between countries. I have not renounced my US citizenship.
Please, Sara, Russia and Trump are synonymous. If I were in Russia, I would be jailed as a dissident. Putin is one of the very few world leaders who has not congratulated Biden on his victory. Trump could protect himself from criminal prosecution for his many crimes if he defected to Russia. You would be welcome there. As a Jew and as an ardent believer in freedom of speech, and for other reasons known to regular readers here, I would be jailed.
Democrat fraud and violence trumped this election, but Trump will win once ballots are audited and the computer “glitches,” all miraculously in favor of weak Biden, are revealed.
Biden is ahead by five million votes. Every lawsuit Trump’s lawyers have filed has been thrown out by judges. There is zero evidence of fraud. Do you hold our democracy in contempt?
Savannah Guthrie did a remarkable job with the crazy uncle. Here is a sample from the transcript of the recent town hall.
–Savannah: (42:33)
On the subject of taxes, as you know, the New York times has obtained, it says years of your tax returns among other things, it says that you have debts of approximately $421 million that you have personally guaranteed, and that will come due in the next four years. The question is, on behalf of voters, who do you owe $421 million to?
–President Trump: (42:53)
Okay, first of all, let me answer. What they did is illegal, number one. Also, the numbers are all wrong, with the numbers they released. And just so you understand, when you have a lot of real estate, I have real estate, you know a lot of it. Okay? Right down the road, Doral, big stuff, great stuff. When I decided to run, I’m very underlevered, fortunately, but I’m very underlevered. I have a very, very small percentage of debt compared. In fact, some of it, I did as favors to institutions that wanted to loan me money. $400 million compared to the assets that I have, all of these great properties all over the world, and frankly, The Bank of America building in San Francisco. I don’t love what’s happening to San Francisco. 1290 Avenue of the Americas, one of the biggest office buildings.
–Savannah: (43:37)
Well do I hear you right? It sounds like you’re saying $400 million isn’t that much. But are you confirming that, yes, you do owe some $400 million?
–President Trump: (43:47)
What I’m saying is that, it’s a tiny percentage of my net worth.
–Savannah: (43:50)
That sounds like yes.
–President Trump: (43:51)
And you’ll see that soon because we’re doing things. We’ve given, I think it’s 108 or 112 pages of financial detail to elections, and we have to file as the president, as any politician, you have to file. Nobody ever looks at that. When they do, they see how incredible a company is, but more importantly, they see where this debt is. No, I don’t owe Russia money. I owe a very, very small… It’s called mortgages. People have a house, they put a mortgage.
–Savannah: (44:20)
Any foreign bank? Any foreign entity?
–President Trump: (44:21)
Not that I know of, but I will probably, because it’s so easy to solve, and if you’d like to do, I will let you know who I owe, whatever small amount of money. I want to say two things. Number one, it’s a very small amount of money. Number two, it’s very straight. It’s very, very straight, but it’s a tiny percentage of the worth. Did you ever hear the expression underlevered?
–Savannah: (44:43)
Yeah.—
SAVANNAH SHOULD HAVE SAID “UNDERLEVERED IS NOT A WORD” see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEPByRzosjA
–President Trump: (44:44)
I am extremely underlevered.
–Savannah: (44:46)
Well, here’s the thing. You could clear this up tonight by just releasing your tax returns yourself. That’s what I don’t understand. I think people are just wondering, you’re the only-
–President Trump: (44:53)
As you know, I’m under audit. It turned out that I am under audit.
–Savannah: (44:55)
Yes, but the IRS said… You are.
–President Trump: (44:55)
But they actually… Excuse me. No, no.
–Savannah: (44:58)
But the IRS says that doesn’t stop you from releasing.
–President Trump: (44:59)
But you accused me of not being under audit previously.
–Savannah: (45:02)
I did not.
–President Trump: (45:02)
And so did other people at NBC. And I am under audit.
–Savannah: (45:05)
You are.
–President Trump: (45:06)
So that one’s solved. That’s good. I am under audit. No person in their right mind would release, prior to working out the deal with the IRS. And I’ll go a step further. I’m treated very badly by the IRS. They treat me very, very badly. You have people in there from previous administrations that treat me very badly, but we’re under audit. It’s very routine, in many ways, but we’re under audit. They like to change the game, change the rules, do everything. You saw what they did with the tea party people. You saw what they did with the religious group.
–Savannah: (45:36)
But to be clear, there is no law or rule that prohibits you from releasing your tax returns.
–President Trump: (45:40)
No, except common sense, and intelligence, and having lawyers that say… Because I would love to release them, and as soon as we come to a conclusion, I will release them, and very gladly, but if you go to elections, and if you take a look, you’ll see 112, I think it’s 112, it talks about the income, which is rather massive. It talks about all of the properties. They have them listed. You can never learn more, but you know what happened? People went there. All the reporters went. There was a feeding frenzy. This was originally, when I filed it. And I filed it every year. I update it every year. My son is here. They run the company. I don’t run the company.
For even more absurdity, especially about Russia see
https://www.rev.com/blog/transcripts/donald-trump-nbc-town-hall-transcript-october-15
underlevered
LMAO
He meant “underleveraged” but he forgot the word because too many syllables.
Yeah, he used “underlevered” instead of “underleveraged” about thirty times. LOL.
Don’t misunderestimate him.
He is extremely underlevered.
Underweathered
Under audit
Underlevered
Underthought it
Underweathered
Underweared
And underwired
Underhaired
And underfired
Underlevered
Underlevered
Overstrung
Brain is severed
From his tongue
SomeDAM Poet: Brain is severed
From his tongue
We can learn a lot about Trump from the Wizard of Oz. He’s the accumulation of these characters:
The scarecrow had no brains, tin man had no heart, lion was a coward, and the wizard was a liar.
Excellent!
The Emperors new underclothes
Underlayered
Undertressed
Underweared
And underdressed
And the Wicked Witch of the West melted under audit
How about a little “Fired!” Scarecrow?
“I’ll get you my pretty. And your little Joe, too.”
Fly, Kellyane, Fly!
Underlevered
Overroided
Hair’s dishevered
Oath is voided
If it is obvious to the majority that Trump lost but he ends up being installed president for a 2nd term by voiding the election as was suggested by Robert Kutner, there will be a bloody Civil War. It may start slow and the early shooters will be Trump loyalists.
But Trump loyalists are not the only Americans that own firearms. In the end, Trump’s loyalists will be outgunned.,
According to a report in 2017 from the Pew Research Center, 30% of American adults own firearms. That’s is more than 60 million American adults.
Basically (there is a lot more data in the report):
41% of Republicans ( According to Gallup, 28% of voters are Republicans)
16 % of Democrats (27% are Democrats)
36% of Independents (42% are Independents)
https://news.gallup.com/poll/15370/party-affiliation.aspx
In 2018, there were 153.07 million registered voters.
Republicans = 42.8 million
Democrats = 41.3 million
Independents = 68.9 million
According to PEW, how many own firearms.
Republicans = 17.89 million and most of them are over 60 white men that are probably overweight and out of shape.
Democrats = 6.6 million
Independents = 24.8 million (the question is how many Independent voters are willing to die for Donald Trump vs how many are willing to die supporting the U.S. Constitution)
https://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2017/06/22/the-demographics-of-gun-ownership/
Gun sales in the US have reached historic highs with many first-time buyers.
The top month for sales this year came in June, following the late-May killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. (For graphics on surging gun sales, click tmsnrt.rs/316cbBP and tmsnrt.rs/3iY33FA )
Well, I agree, Loyd, that the left and democrat loyalists are far more violent than Trump supporters. We have already witnessed that with The Antifa and BLM riots.
Still, the left is emotionally weak.
In addition, The left can only fight in large massive groups.
So I think your post is wishful thinking.
Most domestic violence comes from white supremacists, according to the FBI. Like the nuts who wanted to kidnap the Governor of Michigan. Like the mass murderer in South Carolina, Dylan Roof. Like the fascist March in Richmond, where a young woman was killed. Like the Trump supporter who killed two unarmed people in Kenosha. Like the Trump supported who murdered 10 Jews in a synagogue in Pittsburgh.
Diane:
There was one woman killed in Charlotte. She was rioting and blocking the young man’s car. He said he was fearful and backed up. Oops the rioter got run over. The man is in jail, now. Unlike BLM and Antifa rioters who actually sought to attack people on purpose.
That’s what happens when a moron gets in the way of a massive vehicle. Did not her mama teach her to not play in traffic?
Again, Trump derailed the attack on the Michigan gov. & the attackers are on Youtube denouncing Trump. Please educate yourself.
Also, can you link to any GROUP VIOLENCE that has occurred after the 60s, related to to the kkk? Maybe a lone wolf, but not a group.
BTW: BLM riots occurred simultaneously all over the USA and the world. Trump rallies took place one at a time in one specific location.
One need not be Einstein to do the math on that one. It’s simple to surmise that of course the massive national riots by BLM and Antifa are larger super spreader event.
I am not even a math nerd and I can do the math on that one.
Also, Diane, the people did not select Harris. She lost the primary. Her polls approval numbers were less than one.
So, how is she VP. If you are okay with the Dems usurping the people’s voice and putting in Harris who will likely be president. ..then I feel sorry for the Dems, when they finally wake up to the fact they were duped.
Like I said. I have dual citizen ship and I will be in another country laughing my butt off when the poop finally hits the fan.
Still, it will be fun to see the Dems face their Karma.
Sara: “Like I said. I have dual citizen ship and I will be in another country laughing my butt off when the poop finally hits the fan.”
I doubt that you’ll be missed by many people on this site. You are throwing out hatred. Where exactly do you get your news?
Go somewhere else. Remember that famous jacket quote, “I don’t care. Do you?”
Sara will be welcomed in Russia and North Korea, where they too love Trump. Perhaps Saudi Arabia too.
Sara, did you see the Charlottesville video. The driver of the car charged into a crowd. Several people were thrown into the air. One decent young woman was killed. That’s murder.
You are either evil or dumb.
Carolmalaysia:
Tsk Tsk. I believe you are the hateful one. Telling people to go somewhere else simply for posting facts. Don’t foam at the mouth. It’s just words.
I understand the facts upset you.
Still weren’t you taught manners in school????? It’s ignorant to get angry and aggressive toward someone who holds a differing opinion. Did you NOT learn that Intellectual discussion is so much more…..well.. intelligent?
Is calm intelligent discussion or debate too emotionally taxing for you?
If you have a cogent argument….then present it Carol. Methinks thou dost NOT have the vaguest semblance of a efficacious counter argument, thus you cling to attacks Shame on you. How 4th grade. I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you can do better. Show me….I am all ears.
BTW: Who cares if you miss me or not. What a narcissistic assumption on your part.
Your empty feckless verbal attacks are inconsequential to me. Amusing but in the most boring way.
You do, however, realize that the internet has no borders. It’s limitless. Thus my dear, where ever I go, you do realize I can still post in the USA. I hope the concept that the internet has no bounds does not boggle the mind to much. Just because I leave the USA, does not mean I can not post in the USA.
Lastly the Democrats will eat their own in the end. The Democrats do so hate it when someone disagrees with them. You have proven that with your comments here. Even another Democrat, Like me.
Already BLM is howling at Joe that he is not rewarding them properly for helping to get him elected. So much for Joe’ calls for unity. Even BLM does not want to Unite with Joe.
It will be so amusing to sit in front of my fireplace in a land far far away and watch Biden wigging when BLM & Antifa turn on him.
Diane:
The video shows the car in a street. Like I said. Don’t play in traffic. It’s not an intelligent choice. Make good choices, as they say, and stay out of traffic.
But Diane, did you see the video where a Democrat drove up on the SIDEWALK, to plow down Trump supporters.
Did you see the videos where protestors at the Maga March recently were attacking mothers with babies in baby carriages? What cowards. And, bopping lone men with baseball bats on the head.
They were attacking lone men, in a mob, like a pack of wild hyenas. Do you know that hyenas eat the young of competitors in their own pack. Sounds like the coming purge from the Democrats.
These same rabid people will likely attack you, too. They hit first and ask questions later.
Also, in case you haven’t been paying attention…Where is the violence from the Republicans or Democrats that support Trump’s fraud investigation.
Oh that’s right…..There is and was none. The left is always the first to start a fight.
Will things be better under Biden. I doubt it.
Sara,
Since you insist that the car that killed a woman in Charlottesville was backing up or driving peaceably, I think you should watch the one-minute video of the car ramming into a crowd. Bodies flying, a young woman murdered.
https://www.rferl.org/a/us-charlottesville-far-right-extremist-terrorist-in-court/28674409.html
Perhaps you didn’t know that the man who drove the car pleaded guilty. Why do you insist he didn’t kill the young woman when he admitted he did and got a life sentence in jail?
https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/28/us/charlottesville-car-attacker-sentencing/index.html
I keep thinking the 2nd American Revolution may be just around the corner….
Exactly what I have been thinking. And it will come about because of a lot of Democratic women in Congress.
A good Revolution. One that quite literally revolves us back to our foundational values. This time we get to live them out and help millions more do the same. And yes, the feminine energy will have a hand in this realignment. Joined with good men, together the spirit will set to work and succeed. Get ready because everyone’s courage and elbow grease must be at the ready. This is what a 🌈 Rainbow Coalition looks like and acts like.
YES!
I think the Democrats are too weak to survive a revolution. Remember A republican freed the slaves.
If you are hoping for revolution, you may get your wish. But I bet the dems will not be happy.
Lincoln would never belong to Trump’s white supremacy racist party.
Senator Bernie Sanders:
In this, the most important election in the modern history of the United States, it goes without saying that during the next 17 days we have got to do everything possible to see that Donald Trump is defeated and Joe Biden is elected as our next president. Trump is the most dangerous president in the modern history of our country and we must defeat him by the largest margin possible on November 3.
But that is not enough. We must also fight hard to secure a Democratic majority in the Senate. If Republicans continue to control the Senate and Mitch McConnell remains majority leader it will be very difficult for us to do what has to be done, even if Biden is president and the Democrats remain in the majority in the House.
But accomplishing all of those things, as important as they are, is still not good enough. We must do even more.
In this unprecedented moment in American history we must make clear to the Democratic leadership and everyone else that we cannot return to the same old, same old establishment politics. We cannot continue to ignore the needs of tens of millions of working families. We cannot continue to accept a political system where billionaires buy elections and an economy which has more income and wealth inequality than at any time since the 1920s. We cannot accept a government where the very rich get much richer while a majority of Americans live in economic desperation.
We must think big, not small. Yes. In the richest country in the history of the world we can provide a decent standard of living for every man, woman and child.
Together, we must restore faith in American democracy, and the way that we do that is by fighting for a strong, progressive agenda that represents the needs of working people, and not just the billionaire class, lobbyists and wealthy campaign contributors.
Here is the simple truth:
The working class of this country is hurting like never before. As a result of the horrific coronavirus pandemic and the worst economic collapse in a century, millions of working people have lost their jobs and are struggling to put food on the table, pay their bills, and cover their rent or mortgage payments.
We are in the midst of an unprecedented moment in American history that requires an unprecedented response. No more “business as usual.” No more “same old, same old style of politics.” We need a grassroots movement which forges a new vision for America and creates a government based on the principles of justice, not greed.
As we approach the most consequential election of our lifetimes, let us not lose sight of the progressive agenda we must advance together — an agenda to create a government that works for all of our people, not just the wealthy few.
Now is the time for real health care reform. It is absolutely absurd that we are the only major country on earth that ties health care to employment status. How cruel is it that in the middle of a pandemic, as tens of millions of Americans have lost their jobs, they also lose their health care? We are going to take on the health insurance companies and end the international embarrassment of being the only major country not to guarantee health care for all. The time is long overdue for us to grant health care as a basic human right to every man, woman and child in this country. We need Medicare for All.
Now is the time to confront the climate emergency facing our country and the world. We do not have any time to waste in addressing the climate emergency facing our planet. According to the scientists we have only a few years to act before there will be irreparable damage. That is why we must fight for a Green New Deal if we are serious about saving our planet for our children and grandchildren. Further, by transforming our energy system away from fossil fuels, we can create millions of good-paying jobs as we move toward energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Now is the time for real criminal justice reform. We must invest in jobs and education, not more jails and incarceration. We must end the disgrace of the United States having more people in jail than any other country on earth — disproportionately Black, Latino and Native American.
Now is the time to reform our police departments and end the militarization of local police forces. If a police officer is involved in a killing, he or she must be held accountable, and those found guilty must be punished with the full force of the law. Every death of a person held in police custody must be investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Now is the time to take on the pharmaceutical industry and dramatically lower the prices of prescription drugs. As millions of Americans are painfully aware we pay, by far, the highest prices in the world for prescription drugs. While the pharmaceutical industry makes tens of billions a year in profits and gives their CEOs exorbitant compensation packages, one out of five Americans are unable to afford the medicine their doctors prescribe.
Now is the time for real economic reform, and an economy that works for all and not just the few. Before the pandemic began, half of American workers were living paycheck to paycheck. Now, as a result of the pandemic, that situation is even worse. When you have no job and nothing in savings, how can you pay for food, rent, health care, childcare, car payments, and other expenses? Yet, while so many working families are struggling, the billionaire class has never had it so good. In fact, just 467 billionaires had $731 billion in wealth gains during the first five months of the pandemic. That is obscene.
At a time of massive unemployment, starvation wages and enormous unmet needs, we need a federal jobs program that guarantees employment for all who are able to work. We can create millions of good-paying jobs by rebuilding our crumbling infrastructure, transforming our energy system away from fossil fuel and building the 10 million units of affordable housing that our country needs.
Now is the time to fundamentally alter our country’s approach to education. We need a universal, high-quality, affordable childcare system. We need to adequately fund public education so that every school district in the country, regardless of zip code, is able to attract high-quality teachers and provide reasonably sized classes. We need to make public colleges and universities tuition-free and cancel all student debt.
In my view, the lesson that must be learned from this challenging moment in American history is that we cannot rely on unfettered capitalism to protect us. The rich, the powerful and wealthy campaign contributors are doing just fine. Too many others are being left behind, struggling hard just to survive. The question now is whether, as a nation, we will finally learn that lesson and make the bold changes we desperately need in order to become a more just society.
Sisters and brothers, let us never stop fighting for the kind of country we know we can become. Let us go forward together and defeat Donald Trump, elect the most progressive Congress in American history, and create a government and an economy that works for all of our people, not just the few.
That’s our vision for the future, and that’s a vision worth fighting for. Please join us.
In solidarity,
Bernie Sanders
Reblogged this on David R. Taylor-Thoughts on Education and commented:
This whole thing is very scary. We are going to get dragged into a civil war because one man, one man thinks he is a dictator.
In the history of this country, there has never been a president so ungracious. When he loses, then he needs to grow a pair, accept the result and move on.
If he tries to claim a 2nd term by strong arming the SCOTUS, then what will stop him from trying to claim a 3rd or 4th or more.
The Gold Standard?
A pair of golden balls
Is what the Donald has
And country stands or falls
Depending on his waz
The Donald has the brazenness to call Biden and his family the epitome of corruptness. Isn’t there something about “the pot calling the kettle black”?
The pot calling the kettle black definition: something you say that means people should not criticize someone else for a fault that they have.
……………………….
Donald Trump joins ‘lock him up’ chant at Joe Biden in Georgia
‘Lock up the Bidens. Lock up Hillary. Lock ‘em up!’ Trump continued.
He had been prompted by ‘lock him up’ cheers from the crowd after he ripped Biden and his son Hunter. ‘That Biden family is corrupt. It’s a corrupt family,’ Trump said.
‘These are a bunch of bad people,’ he said.
It was just one highlight of an under-the-lights rally where the president even joked about leaving the country should he lose the race, where he trails in the polls, to Joe Biden.
In one riff after calling Biden the worst candidate in history, Trump mused: ‘I’m gonna say, I lost to the worst candidate in the history of politics I’m not gonna feel so good. Maybe I’ll have to leave the country. I don’t know.’
Trump used a lighthearted tone when making the comment, but it drew immediate attention online following a slew of reports on Trump’s debts and investigations of his business dealings coming out of New York that bring potential legal exposure should he lose and be forced to vacate the White House…
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8849147/Crowd-chants-lock-Donald-Trump-rails-against-Joe-Biden-Florida-rally.html#v-2712533930610802788
Carol,
Understand that Trump always projects. When he calls Biden “corrupt,” he means himself.
When he calls Pelosi “crazy,” he means himself.
Nailed it, Diane
I have more confidence in the American people, while vigilance is crucial, and the delay in counting mail-in ballot will mean we may have to wait a few days for final totals I do not see nation-wide conspiracy. Michigan has outlawed the display of weapons at polling sites, other states will follow, The early voting and mail-in votes are astronomical, aFro-American voters have turned out in unparalleled numbers, I see a landslide ….
Vote, remind friends and relatives to vote, contribute, volunteer on election day …not matter what Trump claims an overwhelming vote for Biden is the best response.
.
Any above scenario is a post Halloween horror show. It hurts my head to consider them. Vote, and encourage all your friends and family members to show up for democracy.
Did the White House conduct a superspreader event?
Photos from White House events nine days ago surrounding the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett show the president, his inner circle and top officials mixing and mingling indoors with no visible masks. NBC chief White House correspondent Hallie Jackson reports for In Depth TODAY.
https://www.today.com/video/did-the-white-house-conduct-a-superspreader-event-93145157587
I think the BLM and Antifa riots were actually a far larger superspreader event
As I recall, though, the Democrats called for the riots to continue.
What about the celebration and drinking in the streets that took place because the Democrats are convinced Biden won. It looked like a suprespreader event to me.
Anyone with a single brain cell could see that.
The biggest super spreader events were Trump’s maskless rallies. He killed Herman Cain and many others. The big motorcycle rally in Sturges, South Dakota, was another super spreader.
Diane:
Simply by the numbers it is impossible for ONE Trump rally to be a larger superspreader event than a NATIONAL RIOT. BLM also protested worldwide.
Do the math Diane. You have to be smart enough to see which is larger…..A national/wordwide BLM/Antifa riot, or ONE local rally.
Just in case you thought there were NO nut cases in Indiana, I’m sending this out. Valparaiso is about 30-40 minutes from my place in NW Indiana.
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[NWI Times] Trump supporters flood Valpo park in get out the vote rally
VALPARAISO — Trump fever was contagious at Saturday’s Porter County GOP rally.
Hundreds of his supporters flocked to Central Park to buy Trump merchandise and hear messages aimed at getting out the vote.
Jeff Hickman, of Valparaiso, said he voted for Donald Trump in 2016, in part because of the president’s views on immigration.
“He was a question mark then because he didn’t have any political background,” Hickman said, but has had a solid performance since then.
Ellyn Major, of Valparaiso, appreciates Trump’s support for the troops, but that’s not all. “What he has done for the economy is amazing,” Major said. The nation needs his economic expertise for the next four years, she said.
Eileen Hyatt, of Rolling Prairie, Illinois, said she appreciates Trump draining the swamp in Washington, D.C.
Todd Rokita, a Munster native running for Indiana attorney general, was effusive in his praise for Trump.
“This election is for all the marbles. This one determines as a country where we will be,” he said. “I’ve never seen anyone fight more than Donald Trump for America.”
“I’m running for attorney general so you and I can help Donald Trump defeat the deep state,” Rokita added. “We need someone in the Statehouse to help Donald Trump fight from the White House.”…
“Democrats have a long history of playing like they’re your best friend,” Kelly said. “Guess who’s been the biggest help in America the last three and a half years. My man, Donny J. Trump.”
Kelly praised Trump’s handling of the economy.
“We’re not an importer like we were,” he said.
If Trump is reelected, Kelly said, the president aims to help black entrepreneurs with his platinum plan. That would mean 500,000 new black-owned businesses and a $5 billion investment, Kelly said…
https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/elections/trump-supporters-flood-valpo-park-in-get-out-the-vote-rally/article_747aca4f-8429-52ac-90a6-74e2e084706b.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share
The only Democratic cities of Indiana I’m aware of are: Hammond, East Chicago, Gary, South Bend and Indianapolis. Did I omit any? 😐
Eddie: Munster should be on the Democratic list. I used to be a Democratic poll clerk in Munster.
Thanks, carolmalaysia. I omitted Whiting too. 😐
Eddie Munster should be on the Democratic list?
How about Herman?
There’s Mary Munster too. She’s the wife of Jay Bob Pritzker. 😐
Carol,
These people are crazy.
Diane: One Trump supporter is sending me messages about the wide spread fraud that is taking place in mail-in ballots. [Laura Ingram on Fox is not an expert.]
I posted this back to her and the reply to me was: WRONG. All Trump supports are nuts.
……………………………………..
Actual instances of voter fraud are extraordinarily rare:
President Trump’s Election Integrity Commission found no evidence of voter fraud and disbanded.
FBI Director Christopher Wray testified last month that his agency had “not seen, historically, any kind of coordinated national voter fraud effort in a major election, whether it’s by mail or otherwise.”
Federal courts don’t buy it: Judges have dismissed lawsuits in several states where the Trump campaign and the RNC have challenged mail-in ballots on grounds that voter fraud might occur.
A 2017 Brennan Center report examined 42 jurisdictions in the 2016 election and found voter fraud “exceedingly rare.” Of 23.5 million votes examined, election officials found 30 incidents (0.0001% of votes cast).
Q: what do Jimmy Carter and Donald Trump have in common?
A: Jimmy Carter made his fortune by farming nuts and Donald Trump made his fortune by being a nut.
Good one!
Way 4: The Electors of The Electoral College pull another 2016 in 2020. “Nobody” is discussing this. ☹️😮
Donald Trump, evangelical hero (LOL), reported by LGBTQ Nation:
During the lead-up to the election, then-candidate Trump held a meeting at Trump Tower with evangelical leaders who wanted to bless his campaign. They “laid hands” on the president, physically touching him while praying in a blessing that serves as part of their religious beliefs.
“Can you believe that bullst?” Trump asked Cohen after the group left according to Cohen’s new book. “Can you believe people believe that bullst?”
“I always assumed he was an atheist,” Barbara Res, a former executive at the Trump Organization, told Atlantic reporter McKay Coppins.
“He’s not a religious guy,” A.J. Delgado, who worked on his 2016 campaign, added.
In one encounter, Trump delighted in mega-church pastor Creflo Dollar’s quest to “scam” $60 million from his followers to buy a private jet.
“They’re all hustlers,” Trump said, adding that Dollar was “full of s**t.”
Of course, Delgado is wrong. Donald Trump worships Donald Trump. And money.
And money…for Donald Trump.
Bob Shepherd:
Vogue:
His sister is also mystified by his embrace by evangelical voters. When several high-profile evangelical figures—including Jerry Falwell Jr. and Franklin Graham—began supporting Donald Trump in 2016, Maryanne, who converted to Catholicism more than 50 years ago, reportedly asked her niece: “What the fuck is wrong with them?” According to Mary Trump, Maryanne then added, “The only time Donald went to church was when the cameras were there. It’s mind-boggling. He has no principles. None!”
Mary Trump thinks the past foretells the future. On the back jacket of the book, she writes: “Today, Donald is much as he was at three years old: incapable of growing, learning, or evolving, unable to regulate his emotions, moderate his responses, or take in and synthesize information.” Speaking again of his parents, she says, “Donald suffered deprivations that would scar him for life.”
I looked up Maryanne Trump Barry, because I wasn’t familiar with her. 😐😮
Trump is supported by the (Hel)LG(lee)B(e)T(ea)Q(anon )Nation
These are a SHORT list of all the happened up to the 15th week of Trump being president:
This is not normal
A guide to what the next president will have to unwind
By Amy SiskindOct. 16, 2020
Experts in authoritarianism advise keeping a list of things changing, subtly, around you, so you’ll remember. Days after the 2016 presidential election, I started a list. Each week, I chronicle the ways Donald Trump has changed our country. This selection, adapted from more than 34,000 entries — or about 1 percent of the total — focuses on the norms he and his administration have broken. The List offers us a road map back to normalcy and democracy.
In Human Rights Watch’s annual report of threats to rights around the world, the United States is listed as a top threat for the first time in 27 years, citing Trump.
Asked why he has availed himself of only four of 31 intelligence briefings, Trump responds, “I’m, like, a smart person.”
Within hours of Trump being sworn in, mentions of climate change, civil rights and LGBT disappear from the White House webpage. Four journalists are arrested while covering the inauguration protests.
Trump declares his Inauguration Day to be a National Day of Patriotic Devotion.
Trump tells lawmakers that 3 to 5 million illegal ballots cost him the popular vote. The next day, Spicer repeats the lie.
The State Department’s entire senior administrative team resigns.
The voter fraud expert chosen by Trump to conduct his voter fraud investigation was registered to vote in three states.
Kellyanne Conway cites the “Bowling Green massacre,” which never happened, in defending Trump’s Muslim ban.
Citing a petition signed by 1.5 million citizens, British officials announce that Trump will not be allowed to address Parliament during his upcoming visit.
Breaking seven decades of precedent, Trump says he will not include the chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers in his Cabinet.
Trump asserts voter fraud in a meeting with GOP senators, falsely claiming that busloads of people from Massachusetts voted in New Hampshire.
Shortly after the Senate confirms Betsy DeVos as secretary of education, the department removes a website of federal legal protections for disabled students.
U.S. intelligence agencies reportedly withhold information from Trump, citing concerns that it will be leaked or compromised.
Trump rescinds rules that provided protection for transgender students to use bathrooms corresponding to their gender identity….
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/outlook/siskind-list-trump-norms/
And many say they are still running up against attitudes on wearing masks that have hardened along political lines and a false notion that rural areas are immune to widespread infections.
Trump is totally responsible for the political line to not wear a mask.
Why isn’t this bothering his loyal followers? Are they still claiming that the rising numbers are false and are being propagandized just to make Trump look bad?
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Sunday, October 18, 2020 1:00 am
Rural areas being ravaged by virus
Seeing worst outbreaks per capita in nation
Associated Press
WESSINGTON SPRINGS, S.D. – Rural Jerauld County in South Dakota didn’t see a single case of the coronavirus for more than two months stretching from June to August. But over the last two weeks, its rate of new cases per person soared to one of the highest in the nation.
“All of a sudden it hit, and as it does, it just exploded,” said Dr. Tom Dean, one of just three doctors who work in the county.
As the brunt of the virus has blown into the Upper Midwest and northern Plains, the severity of outbreaks in rural communities has come into focus. Doctors and health officials in small towns worry that infections may overwhelm communities with limited medical resources.
And many say they are still running up against attitudes on wearing masks that have hardened along political lines and a false notion that rural areas are immune to widespread infections.
Dean took to writing a column in the local weekly newspaper, the True Dakotan, to offer his guidance. In recent weeks, he’s watched as one in roughly every 37 people in his county has tested positive for the virus.
It ripped through the nursing home in Wessington Springs where both his parents lived, killing his father. The community’s six deaths may appear minimal compared with thousands who have died in cities, but they have propelled the county of about 2,000 people to a death rate roughly four times higher than the nationwide rate…
https://journalgazette.net/news/us/20201018/rural-areas-being-ravaged-by-virus
Story from a friend: his buddy, Joe we shall say, did tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. He was wearing a mask in a store the other day when confronted with a taunting opponent of the mask. “What, are you afraid?” The man asked.
His response was blunt: I am a combat veteran with kills and you are an a——LR.
Good one, Roy!
Good move, Trump.
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The Hill:
Trump digs in on conspiracy theory over bin Laden raid
By Ellen Mitchell
President Trump is doubling down on his decision to retweet an unfounded QAnon conspiracy theory that Osama bin Laden is still alive, a move that threatens to alienate members of the military with the election less than three weeks away.
Modern countries that moved toward autocratic regime change did so through judicial chicanery. Civil war seems to have happened recently in places with autocratic regimes were in place.
This guy is a nut job!! Republicans do NOT burn down cities and use violence unless attacked. It is the liberal Democrats that will follow their people to slaughter! Don’t try and turn that in the history books! Wait, we don’t teach US history to our high schoolers for that reason!!!Good luck!
Did you really print that the violence would most likely come from the Trumpian right?? Seriously? There are 70,000,000 pissed off republicans right now and ZERO acts of violence. No riots. No looting. No burning. The reason for that is because Biden was declared the winner. It’s the LEFT that has been inciting violence for the last four years and the fact that you would print absolute LIES is exactly why we are happy the potus is fighting the election results. You don’t know the difference between truth and baloney and that’s why we know voter fraud was a HUGE part of this election. We’re responding like grown adults when the left has been notorious for acting like complete animals. Print the truth and stop spreading lies. You have a responsibility to the American people. Joe Biden has not won anything. The media does not decide election winners.
The FBI says rightwing white supremacists are the biggest threat to our peace and domestic tranquility.
Trump is losing it. He can’t imagine having lost the election. Tough SH*T! Being self-absorbed when people are dying from a pandemic that is spreading throughout the country is the epitome of worthless.
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CNN:
The most surreal feature of the suspended reality at the White House is still the behavior of the President himself. A leader who jealously dominated television coverage on the campaign trail and in office has not made public remarks for an entire week — even as his fate dominates Washington.
During that time, Trump has showed little interest in addressing the most important issue facing the country: the record-breaking climb in US coronavirus cases. On Thursday, the influential model from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation predicted that US deaths are likely to reach 438,941 by March 1. (The model found that the toll could be even higher — 587,000 deaths by March 1 — if states were to relax their restrictions and mask mandates).
But the President’s Twitter feed Thursday indicated that he was much more fixated on what he views as his mistreatment by Fox News, his once favored network, which he believes should be defending him more vociferously in the midst of the twilight zone that he has created by refusing to acknowledge Biden’s victory.
Trump sent or retweeted more than a dozen tweets critical of the network throughout the day Thursday, claiming the networks’ ratings “have completely collapsed” because “they forgot what made them successful, what got them there.”
“They forgot the Golden Goose,” Trump tweeted. “The biggest difference between the 2016 Election, and 2020, was @FoxNews!”
The President, whom CNN quoted sources as describing as increasingly “dejected” on Thursday, continues to tweet falsehoods about election fraud. But a week-and-a half after Election Day there are few signs that his campaign has convinced any court to take his complaints seriously. In this odd limbo between defiance and admitting defeat, the President is wavering between fighting on and a recognition that his hold on power is coming to an end, the sources told CNN.
Mary Trump Has A Surprise Prediction For Her Uncle’s Post-White House Plans
11/12/2020 11:33 pm ET Updated 1 hour ago
President Donald Trump is reportedly telling allies that he may run again in 2024, potentially announcing the move even before President-elect Joe Biden takes office in January.
But at least one person who knows him well is deeply skeptical.
Mary Trump, the president’s niece, told CNN’s Chris Cuomo that Trump’s talk of running again is just to feed his ego ― but he won’t actually do it for one simple reason.
“He will never put himself in a position where he can lose like this again,” she said.
In addition, she said, Trump would have to play a secondary role over the coming four years, something he’s not prone to doing.
She also speculated that some combination of age, health and the law could catch up with him over the next four years…
Article: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mary-trump-donald-trump-2024_n_5fadfdb6c5b663b496dab255?ncid=engmodushpmg00000006
Here is MORE GOOD NEWS!!
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The New York Times
BREAKING NEWS
Arizona certified Joe Biden’s victory and Wisconsin is expected to do so today, further undermining President Trump’s efforts to dispute his loss.
Monday, November 30, 2020 2:21 PM EST
In the end, Mr. Biden prevailed by over 10,000 votes in Arizona, mainly because of his strength in the state’s largest county, Maricopa, which has been trending Democratic in recent elections.
Wisconsin’s expected certification follows the conclusion of recounts, requested and subsidized with $3 million from President Trump’s campaign, in Dane and Milwaukee Counties which resulted in Mr. Biden adding 87 votes to his statewide margin.
Trump tweeted two hours ago that Arizona was holding hearings on major election corruption. He asked why FOX was not covering it. Is he totally delusional?
You still feel like that was good news? Actually, there’s been all but convictions that it was fraudulent news. Hope you’re enjoying your “Biden-Harris administration” ma’am!
Stuart: The Biden/Harris administration is certainly doing more to help this country than the Orange Virus.
Trump’s HUGE contribution during his administration was the 2017 tax cut for the wealthy and corporations.
What if We Actually Taxed the Rich?
By Robert Reich, Robert Reich’s Blog
02 April 21
Income and wealth are now more concentrated at the top than at any time over the last 80 years, and our unjust tax system is a big reason why. The tax code is rigged for the rich, enabling a handful of wealthy individuals to exert undue influence over our economy and democracy.
Conservatives fret about budget deficits. Well, then, to pay for what the nation needs – ending poverty, universal health care, infrastructure, reversing climate change, investing in communities, and so much more – the super-wealthy have to pay their fair share…
https://migrate.readersupportednews.org/opinion2/277-75/68641-focus-what-if-we-actually-taxed-the-rich