TRUMP EMBRACES ‘GREAT PEOPLE’ OF JAN. 6 — In a Sunday interview on Fox News with MARIA BARTIROMO, former President DONALD TRUMP spun up a new interpretation of Jan. 6: It was an act of “love,” a word he used repeatedly to describe the sacking of the Capitol. He portrayed ASHLI BABBITT essentially as a martyr — an “innocent, wonderful, incredible woman” — while floating a conspiracy that she was murdered by security for a “top Democrat.” In a throwback to Charlottesville, he called the rioters “great people.”

Categories Shame, Trump

67 Comments Post your own or leave a trackback: Trackback URL

beachteach says:

July 12, 2021 at 4:35 pm

Unfortunately I am not shocked by this from Donald Trump.

But Maria Bartiromo at one time built a reputation as a professional journalist. Now she is worth over $50 million and makes $10 a year on Fox…. complicit in this junk. I didn’t watch the interview, so correct me if I am wrong – but I doubt she tried to hold him to account.

Reply
dienne77 says:

July 12, 2021 at 4:57 pm

So what’s the excuse for why we need to pay attention to Trump’s rantings now? He holds no public office. But if you keep giving him attention, he just might again. I swear you liberals miss him.

And regarding the “insurrection” (sic): https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2021/07/10/violent-extremists-took-over-the-us-capitol-long-before-january-6/

Reply
- dianeravitch says:
  
  July 12, 2021 at 5:18 pm
  
  I guarantee you that Trump’s control of the Republican Party is not enhanced by anything I write here. His antics and vile behavior are worth noticing because his most rabid followers refuse to be vaccinated and endanger others. Also, unless he is in prison, he is likely to run for president in 2024. You have repeatedly urged me not to pay attention to Trump. I’ll continue to do so when he threatens our democracy.
  
  Reply
  - markstextterminal says:
    
    July 12, 2021 at 5:53 pm
    
    Thank you Diane.
  - NYC public school parent says:
    
    July 12, 2021 at 6:06 pm
    
    I don’t think it is a coincidence that those people saying “don’t pay attention” are the same one who claimed the Trump impeachment – both of them – were trumped up attacks on a president – Trump – who was no different than all the evil Democrat presidents in America.
    
    I don’t think it is a coincidence that those who are obsessed with telling Americans to totally forget about the violent insurrectionists who came awfully close to re-installing Trump are the very same ones who spent all of 2016 insisting that it didn’t matter whether a democrat or Trump appointed Supreme Court Justices – what mattered was “sending a message” to evil Democrats. (That’s going to take decades to undo).
    
    Is this the 15th or 20th time this poster has linked to an Australian, Caitlin Johnstone, who is extremely popular with right wing pro-Trump fanboys?
    
    That doesn’t mean Caitlin Johnstone is always wrong, but her obsession on attacking only those who criticize Trump with far more hatred and fear-mongering than she ever criticizes Trump and his Republican enablers makes it quite understandable why right wing racist fanboys like her. Also makes it understandable why those who devote themselves to normalizing the Republicans (don’t you know the Democrats are just like them?!) under the guise of “I really want America to be more progressive and that’s why i don’t care about the Supreme Court” link to her so often.
    
    Maybe this poster should try reading more of what Bernie Sanders and AOC say instead of what an Australian says.
  - Bob Shepherd says:
    
    July 12, 2021 at 10:27 pm
    
    Thank you, Diane!
  - John Ogozalek says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 9:58 am
    
    You make a good point, Diane, about Trump’s “followers” refusing to be vaccinated and endangering others.
    
    “The Buffalo News” did an interesting piece yesterday about why vaccination rates in some rural New York counties are so low. Initially, back in the winter, the blame was put on factors like the lack of vaccine access and slow or nonexistent internet.
    
    But now…
    
    But now, the focus is clear. A significant factor is politics. (I’d add the word “deranged” politics.) To quote:
    
    “National surveys have shown acceptance of the vaccine splits the public along party lines. Democrats are far more likely to be vaccinated, with 86% receiving at least one shot, compared to just 45% of Republicans, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Conversely, just 6% of Democrats say they aren’t likely to get vaccinated, compared to 47% of Republicans.”
```
 "The Buffalo News"  July 12, 2021 by Stephen T. Watson
```
    Absolutely, totally stunning -to me, at least.
    
    This, in the 21st century, in the richest, most powerful nation to have existed on earth.
    
    (BTW a journalist friend of ours in Japan finally got his much hoped for first dose of a COVID vaccine. Meanwhile, here in the U.S. we’ve been trying to entice citizens to get the shot with million dollar lotteries,free strip club visits and “joints for jabs”….big, pot stogies for people who get the shot.) People are begging for the vaccine worldwide and here in the U.S. of A. we can’t even give it away.
    
    Shameful.
    
    BTW New York State gets credit for having a significant percentage of its residents vaccinated. Yeah, that’s great. But if you search some of the localities by zip code the picture is different.
    
    Last month I got curious about my rural, Upstate New York school district so I used the NYS Health Department search page and started to plug in zip codes around me. When it comes to getting a first dose, some (though certainly not all) areas of my district are 40% or lower. That’s state of Mississippi levels. My hometown is at 35%.
    
    What this means for September in my school, well….who can predict the future? But it’s certainly NOT good news.
    
    Caveats: yes, I know that some people cannot get the vaccine for health reasons. Got that. And, sure, surveys like the one referenced above sometimes have flaws. But…
    
    And, getting back to the original point….
    
    Trump still matters. Because he (and the millions of people in this country who idolize him) are B-A-N-A-N-A-S.
    
    Even if this guy doesn’t run again, so many of his followers vote.
    
    P.S. I’d put the links to the article and original story on here but there are paywalls.
  - dianeravitch says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 11:37 am
    
    Thanks for sharing the poll that shows the partisan reaction to getting vaccinated. I heard it on the radio while driving, so didn’t have the source.
- beachteach says:
  
  July 12, 2021 at 5:54 pm
  
  He was interviewed by Maria Bartiromo. She is a Fox journalist who millions still hold in esteem. And he is praising insurrectionists and he has millions of people who hang on his every word.
  
  You think that’s not worthy of paying attention to?
  
  Reply
  - NYC public school parent says:
    
    July 12, 2021 at 6:12 pm
    
    “you liberals”… of course this person who says it isn’t worth paying attention to is a right wing troll. Who else uses words like “you liberals”? Certainly not real progressives like Bernie and AOC.
    
    DO NOT FORGET: “YOU LIBERALS”. This person is not a progressive. This person will probably continue to post in the hopes that we all forget that they revealed themselves with that sneering use of “YOU LIBERALS”. That is not how progressives speak. That is not how AOC or any of the squad speak.
    
    That is how right wing Trump supporters speak.
  - Linda says:
    
    July 12, 2021 at 6:20 pm
    
    Maria is typical of Trump’s promoters. She’s married to a Wall Streeter who graduated from Wharton. Her husband’s father was sued by his own mother.
    The fact some, who don’t have millions to loan him, think Trump is their champion shows stupidity.
  - beachteach says:
    
    July 12, 2021 at 6:40 pm
    
    They both probably had a good laugh after the interview knowing that they are lying and helping to spread conspiracies that keep the base wanting trump in office….. another admin like trump will help them earn $$$ from the corrupt policies that siphon $$ to the !%.
    
    Gross.
- NYC public school parent says:
  
  July 12, 2021 at 6:08 pm
  
  “you liberals”
  
  I believe this troll accidentally revealed himself. No progressive uses “you liberals” in that sneering way. But right wingers do.
  
  Reply
- LeftCoastTeacher says:
  
  July 12, 2021 at 8:36 pm
  
  Dienne, I always thought you were a liberal who disagreed with moderates. Now I see I was wrong. Thank you for your candor today.
  
  Reply
LaWanda Eckert says:

July 12, 2021 at 5:25 pm

How did we get saddled with this dangerous embarrassment?🤦🏻‍♀️

Reply
- Bob Shepherd says:
  
  July 13, 2021 at 12:47 am
  
  Superb question!
  
  Reply
- Bob Shepherd says:
  
  July 13, 2021 at 12:57 am
  
  My theory about that is that
  
  a) Trump’s handler in Moscow (the relationship between Trump and Russian intelligence goes back to the 1980s), Vlad himself, pumped enormous resources into a disinformation campaign to help his Agent Orange and hurt Clinton;
  
  b) the Repugnican establishment decided not to fight Trump because they figured, correctly, that with an idiot like him in charge, they could get anything they wanted in order to please their rapacious fat cat donors (they could pillage and plunder to their black-hole-like hearts’ content);
  
  c) the Dems were idiots who chose Clinton who simply wasn’t very popular, as all the polls showed;
  
  d) lots of blue-collar types who know nothing whatsoever about politics nevertheless knew that they were hurting and saw in Trump, partially due to that disinformation campaign, someone who cared about them, which is the role that Bannon had crafted for the elitist playboy quintessential spoiled rich kid turned dissipated, debauched adult who didn’t give a diddly squat about anyone or anything but himself.
  
  Reply
  - dianeravitch says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 1:02 am
    
    The only thing I disagree about is (c). Clinton won the nomination because she won the most votes in the primaries. I think she would have won the election if James Comey hadn’t reopened his investigation of her emails in the closing days of the campaign. The investigation turned up nothing.
  - Bob Shepherd says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 1:17 am
    
    Yes. I see your points, Diane. You make sense to me, as usual.
  - Joel Herman says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 9:21 pm
    
    Bob Shepherd
    
    Being a retired Blue Collar worker . It is a little more complicated than “Marxian economic determinism”. Undoubtedly millions of Blue collar workers saw their standard of living drop over the last 50 years, since re-tooling and automation (IN THE 1970s !!! ) decimated manufacturing and the Union movement. As new highly automated plants were built in the Right to Work South. This affected far more than manufacturing as that these workers competed for jobs in other industries that did not require college degrees like construction or retail …
    Of course trade policy did not help as millions of jobs that had remained a smaller part of the workforce , were then lost to Mexico and China .
    
    But when Clinton left office the economy was surging and that second wave of Job losses had not accelerated yet. Sure his name was on NAFTA and it was not helpful that my buddy O was pushing TPP down the throat of Blue collar workers and a 1000 mostly PROGRESSIVE organizations. O promising to pass it with REPUBLICANS in the lame duck no matter who won. (Even though I blasted the poor WH operators ear off daily in 16 to no avail asking if O was working for Trump. LOL )
    
    But that is where it gets complicated . The Republicans have been as Lofgren said in 2011 the “largest promoters of trade agreements and sub minimum wage Jobs , build a Wall then hire the most incompetent
    contractor to make sure that the flow of the undocumented is uninterrupted” And if you review Trump trade and border policy you see that is exactly what it was . Intellectual property rights for the poor corporations with banks of lawyers, accountants and economists who could not afford or did not have the skills to negotiate with China (BULL) were at the forefront. And nothing about labor standards While Canada called for an end of Right to Work laws and labor standards to be Central in negotiations and was told to drop dead by Trumps trade team. Who put quotas on only car imports that were so tough that the stock of Auto Manufacturers soared when they were announced. It took Progressives and Democrats to force any labor standards and heaven forbid environmental standards into NAFTA 2.0 .
    
    And then there was immigration policy . Trump was promising to deport all the immigrants including their American born citizen children . But here is the catch . He was promising to bring back all that sub-minimum wage labor needed , back on a modern Bracero program with no path to citizenship nor their Children. As well as no access to social services . A disposable wage slave to be returned at will. At the same time his appointments from the cabinet to the courts sought to decimate Unions and the working class . While progressives were the ones fighting new Trade Agreements and pushing pro labor legislation.
    
    Winded enough ; I had a sainted career as a union electrical foreman in NYC . 70 % of the Union construction trades Nationally supported Trump in 16 and I am not sure that dropped much in 2020 . In the years that I have been dealing with these Trumpanzees. Some extremely well off,earning twice + what a NYC Principal earns; the economics never came up.
    
    I had guys driving Toyota’s and Honda’s telling me about Clinton trade deals and buying American. None of whom showed up at the Union sponsored demos against TPP in 15 and 16. Union members justifying buying foriegn cars by saying they were assembled in America . True enough built exclusively non union as it was cheaper to ship 10,000 motors transmissions and… ,than a thousand cars .
    
    But here is the kicker almost everyone of them said this is about “American values” . I assure you none of those values were expressed by Emma Lazarus. None of those “American Values ” would have been taught in my K-U classes starting in 56 when I learned that Columbus sailed the Ocean Blue and Andrew Jackson was a hero.
    While I was never taught that the German Race laws under Hitler were
    modeled after the American Eugenics movement of the 1920s. Another time among several that “Good Americans ” straddling class lines acted like the “Good Germans” .
    
    “The Cruelty Is the Point” (By Adam Serwer) . The better part of 75 million Americans are as loathsome as the “Good Germans ” . Germans who watched their neighbors dragged off . Who knew exactly what was happening as the stench of human flesh and ash poured down on villages near the Camps. They are not idiots being deluded by Fox News and OAN. They like the Good Germans know the truth.
    
    It is past time that they be confronted for what they are instead of making excuses for them that allow them to justify their actions.
    As for those who threaten sedition or encourage it , a dark cell is in order starting with Trump . And as that the crimes from conspiracy with
    a foriegn power to encouraging a seditious riot were committed in DC .
    DC should be the venue for prosecution. Then again we are talking about Democrats aren’t we.
  - Bob Shepherd says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 9:52 pm
    
    Well, Mr. Herman, you are quite the historian! A pleasure to read, too!
    
    Then again we are talking abut Democrats, aren’t we? I know. A deeply compromised lot.
  - Joel Herman says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 10:03 pm
    
    dianeravitch
    
    It certainly did not hurt Clinton that the entire “Democratic Establishment ” from the DNC to the Black Churches and the Media from MSNBC to WaPo and the NY Times rallied against Sanders . Unions like the UFT being the first to endorse Clinton. Can we say with a straight face that Sanders was not the most PRO ACT !! pro labor friendly candidate since Henry Wallace had the nomination absolutely stolen in 44.
    
    The Black Political Class lining up behind Clinton with John Lewis seeing Hillary in DC while she was a Goldwater Girl and you would not expect him to see Sanders who was merely a college student willing to be locked up for Civil Rights. Of course the Black Intellectual Class from Alexander to West was out gunned .
    
    We saw a similar assault this election when consent was manufactured and insurance companies rallied support against M4All. Taking Warren and Sanders down . Remember Tim Ryans rant about those great Union Healthcare Plans as fewer and fewer workers are Union Workers and hundreds of thousands of those union workers have seen those health plans disappear from the 1800 out of 15,000 workers in my Union working for Spectrum who have been out on strike for over 4 years over Healthcare and Pensions being taken away. To the retired Teachers in NYC being forced off of the Union / City Supplemental and on to a Medicare Advantage plan. To those who were laid off in the Pandemic in 2020.
    
    So yes she did win because she fairly got more votes .
  - Joel Herman says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 10:19 pm
    
    Bob Shepherd
    
    No match for you, Greg and many others here. I must say you have brought my TDS to a boil with a bit of humor many times. Leaving me with little to add. Of course it is sadly not just Trump. He filled the space after the election of Obama opened the scab. A scab covering the infection festering since 1965 ,1954, 1865, 1789 or is that 1619.
  - Bob Shepherd says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 10:20 pm
    
    lol!!!!
Lloyd Lofthouse says:

July 12, 2021 at 5:26 pm

In Traitor Trump’s (TT) deranged mind, he desperately thinks he is sending a signal to his mindless MAGA mob to attempt once again the take over the government by force and reinstall him in the White House as America’s first president for life.

TT already set the month for this to happen, August.

In short, TT wants blood to flow in our capital so he can step up and take over. It’s obvious from examples of his previous behavior that he relishes using violence against anyone he perceives as an enemy.

TT’s arrogant ignorance is balancing barefoot on the edge of a razor blade here. He is that desperate to avoid the NY lawsuit coming after his corrupt businesses.

Article III, Section 3 U.S. Constitution says,

“Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.

“The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.”

https://constitution.findlaw.com/article3.html

At this time, Biden’s justice department has made no effort to go after TT’s crimes while he was president and afterward because of what Trump said and did to incite the attack on the US Capital January 6.

It is apparent to me that the Democratic leadership is allowing NY to go after Trump through his corrupt business practices, but justice is slow and August is approaching fast.

To convict TT for his crimes as president might limit a president’s power in the future because they could be dragged into court by Republicans for any perceived crime similar to TT’s.

I’m convinced that Bill Clinton’s impeachment was payback for what happened to Nixon.

Reply
markstextterminal says:

July 12, 2021 at 5:53 pm

I’ll need a shower after reading this.

Reply
- Bob Shepherd says:
  
  July 13, 2021 at 1:03 am
  
  Every time Trump opens his mouth.
  
  That speech was quite a Trump storm.
  Yeah, talk about full of Trump!
  What a pile of Trump!
  A Trumpload of nonsense.
  The guy has Trump for brains!
  Certainly stirred up a lot of Trump, though!
  But just imagine if he were reelected. We would be up Trump creek without a paddle. We’d be Trump out of luck, then!
  
  Reply
Joel Herman says:

July 12, 2021 at 6:48 pm

Trump needs some of the love the Capitol police received from the tourists .

Reply
- Bob Shepherd says:
  
  July 12, 2021 at 10:28 pm
  
  lol
  
  Reply
LeftCoastTeacher says:

July 12, 2021 at 9:00 pm

My beloved teachers union is in a bit of a spot these days. Some motions made by chapter chairs at area meetings calling on the union to denounce Israeli policy regarding Palestinians passed, and now the union is embroiled in a publicized debate over an insanely complex issue. The union board will vote on the motions in September. Oy vey. I am a chapter chair, and I support the Palestinians, and I’m Jewish. Friends on both sides are pulling on me to publicly take a side.

I think the best sound I can make is silence. The best action is inaction. I do not wish to add any fuel to the fire. I need to help protect the union that protects me by keeping my focus on fighting test prep and privatization, getting the district to spend funds on lower class sizes, salaries and benefits, counselors, and libraries. I intend keep my focus.

The same goes for how to react to Former President. Silence is golden. Let hollowed be his name. We need an infrastructure deal and we need to win in 2022.

Reply
- leftcoastteacher says:
  
  July 12, 2021 at 9:27 pm
  
  And speaking of class size, there is nothing in education more important. Smaller classes improve learning conditions, working conditions, increase the number of dues paying union members, and utilize classrooms that charter schools want for themselves. I guarantee Former President wants us to forget about class size. Guarantee.
  
  Reply
- NYC public school parent says:
  
  July 13, 2021 at 8:58 am
  
  Is that unusual for the teachers union to take a position on foreign policy? Has the union historically denounced positions of foreign governments?
  
  Reply
  - beachteach says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 9:38 am
    
    I had never heard of a local teacher’s union taking a political position on foreign, or domestic, policy…. or really even getting involved in local issues. At least not in my area.
  - Nichole Hersey says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 11:39 am
    
    A teacher’s union’s function is to protect the rights of a teacher and make sure of due process.
  - LeftCoastTeacher says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 12:16 pm
    
    Apparently, it’s happened in a couple places recently, San Francisco and Seattle. I’ve never heard of a union doing it. The NEA just recently, wisely rejected the idea. The divisive motions were made simultaneously at six area meetings. They were coordinated.
    
    And now, back to our regularly scheduled program.
Bob Shepherd says:

July 12, 2021 at 10:31 pm

How is this man (using the term loosely) not yet in prison? This is a shocking failure on the part of the DOJ and U.S. Intelligence. Trump is a crook, a serial predator, a traitor, and an idiot.

Reply
Nichole Hersey says:

July 12, 2021 at 10:41 pm

Talking about him gives him a voice. He’s irrelevant now.

Reply
- Bob Shepherd says:
  
  July 12, 2021 at 11:36 pm
  
  Unfortunately, no, he isn’t. An overwhelming majority of attendees at the recent CPAC wants him to run again, and he is in his clumsy, oafish way “hinting” (with a megaphone?) about his intentions to run again. He would be, in 2024, the same age Biden is now, though Trump, ofc, is in much worse shape mentally and physically, and one hopes that by that time, he would be in prison where he belongs, along with the rest of his slimy spawn.
  
  Reply
  - Nichole Hersey says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 3:23 pm
    
    The problem is he’s never going to prison. No matter what he does….
    
    People have been complaining since day one and finding dirt on this guy but somehow he just escapes it.
    
    My last response I don’t think was posted. Came up as waiting for approval. That was hours ago. 🤦‍♀️
  - Bob Shepherd says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 3:57 pm
    
    About his never going to prison: he certainly has proven to be the Teflon Don until now. Perhaps, via his association with Epstein, he just has too much dirt on too many people. Who knows? However, hope springs eternal.
  - Nichole Hersey says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 3:26 pm
    
    Oh I see it now. So weird. I originally posted something and it said waiting for moderation to be approved. It never popped up on my phone in the threads here until now. Strange.
  - Bob Shepherd says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 3:56 pm
    
    Ms. Hersey, WordPress throws posts into moderation for reasons that none of us can fathom. When that happens, the blog’s owner has to approve the post before it will appear. If Diane happens to be busy with other matters, this can take some time. Constantly having to check this has to be a real annoyance to her!
  - Nichole Hersey says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 6:56 pm
    
    Ha! That explains it. It’s like Facebook which censored me for saying my glasses were ugly. Haha
    
    Please please please call me Nichole.
    
    It would be nice to see him held accountable for actions, wouldn’t it. I wanted the second impeachment thing so he couldn’t run again. However we know how that turned out
- dianeravitch says:
  
  July 13, 2021 at 12:18 am
  
  Sadly, Nicole, Trump is not irrelevant. Ask Liz Cheney. Ask the Republican Senators who voted not to create an independent commission to examine the January 6 insurrection, the first time ever that the U.S. Capitol was stormed and taken over by American citizens with the encouragement of their President, who expected them to overturn the results of the election he lost. The entire U.S. Congress relocated into hiding places until the Capitol was secured. And you think Trump is irrelevant? Ignoring him is akin to ignoring a cancer in the body politic.
  
  Reply
  - Nichole Hersey says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 12:29 pm
    
    I agree with you on that respect (of course, 100%), but he’s never going to be convicted of ANYTHING.
    
    You know that saying that bad publicity is better than no publicity? When the personality under question is that of a narcissistic sociopath, this is what they strive for. Publicity. They feed off of it. Every time that idiot is mentioned in the media, it’s just another point for him allowing him more and more of the stage he desires.
    
    He’s out of office and should be fading away by now. The GOP should be working on grooming a “reputable” candidate that can win the conservatives if bozo tries to run again.
    
    These are my thoughts about 1/6/2021.
    
    He knew the angry mob was near Pence when he tweeted about Pence being weak. He knew that’d put Pence in danger. He also knew what had happened by the time he told the mob “Go hone WE LOVE YOU…”
    Unfortunately many people with wealth and power are above the law. He’s one of them. We as a people will NEVER be able to publicly prove or show that bozo had anything to do with 1) the organization of that mob, 2) the plight of that mob, or 3) influencing that mob to carry out its plan.
    
    Our system protects the privileged elite.
    
    This is just how I see things and I mean no disrespect towards you (or anyone else on here) I’m definitely not the most politically astute person on the planet 😂 . I’m just making assumptions based on what I’ve seen happen from the outside. Underline assumptions
  - beachteach says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 3:15 pm
    
    He will be convicted and sentenced to jail or prevented from ever running for, or holding office again. There will eventually be a consequence to this behavior.
- NYC public school parent says:
  
  July 13, 2021 at 2:49 pm
  
  Irrelevant?
  
  Republican state legislatures all over the country are passing laws trying to disenfranchise traditionally Democratic voters (i.e. non-white, urban) because of Trump’s rantings. Because of the big lie that the insurrection was not an insurrection but merely stopping a count so that the person who was “rightfully” elected with “legal votes” could continue to remain as president.
  
  Reply
Bob Shepherd says:

July 12, 2021 at 10:53 pm

I spent most of my life being generous toward others–giving them the benefit of the doubt. Seriously, people who knew me often remarked on this character trait of mine. But now, having seen the following that this ultimate slimeball–this coward, this traitor, this con artist, this criminal, this creep, this predator–developed for himself and continues to maintain, I have lost faith. Forty percent of the country and almost all our Republican politicians have proven themselves also to be idiots, slimeballs, or some combination thereof. Their protracted allegiance to the likes of Agent Orange–by far the most vile, sickening, deplorable, lowlife, despicable American public figure of my lifetime, is overwhelming evidence of this.

I often hear people pose the question, “How do we reach those Trump voters?” My take: you can’t. These people are irredeemably, irretrievably lost. They are ignorant enough to think that Critical Race Theory is an extreme danger to our country and to be fine with Trump telling people to take hydroxychloroquine and inject disinfectant. They are immoral enough to be fine with his causing, through his pandemic denial, hundreds of thousands of unnecessary American deaths, with his calling on border control personnel to SHOOT innocent asylum seekers, and to be just fine with separating children from babies, with his history of molesting women, with his past and continuing incitement of violence, over and over and over again, leading to people’s deaths.

Sorry, no making nice-nice with people who can look upon such filth as Trump and say, “Well, there’s my guy!” If you are one of these, I am NOT interested in being your pal. You sicken me. Me, I would rather concentrate on teaching their kids to loathe them and everything they stand for.

Reply
- Bob Shepherd says:
  
  July 12, 2021 at 11:04 pm
  
  cx: separating babies from their parents
  
  I get worked up –> typos. lol
  
  Reply
- beachteach says:
  
  July 12, 2021 at 11:16 pm
  
  The last 2-3 years have had a similar effect on me. I thought that our institutions, and general public would hold strong against extreme corruption like we see in other countries. And, for the most part, it has. But seeing people embrace Trump after 1 terms…. and seeing the reaction (or non-reaction) of most Republicans after his gross stunts . . . . I have lost my faith in leadership and a segment of our population. And I worry what could happen if we let it.
  
  During a walking field trip with young children an adult woman yelled out of a car window “Take off those masks” – the children heard it too. Without the likes of a Trump / Tucker Carlson (teachers are harming your kids if they make them wear masks) etc. that behavior would never had happened. This was 6 months after the election. The effects of propaganda is with us – and it should be discussed not completely ignored.
  
  All Fox would need to do is have Trump go on the air and tell his peeps to get vaccinated and tell them he and his wife and kids are vaccinated…. and brag about his role in the vaccine…. and we would have 80-90% vaccine rates in most areas. He should use his power for good.
  
  Reply
  - Bob Shepherd says:
    
    July 12, 2021 at 11:24 pm
    
    “I would probably feel otherwise if i believed that black Americans viewed statues of Jefferson like how ordinary residents of Soviet satellite states viewed statues of Stalin. I don’t think they do.”
    
    Well, FLERP, I think that you are wrong about this. I know that when I lived in Charlottesville, I cursed every time I looked out my back window and up the hillside at Monticello and every time I drove past the statue of the traitor Lee. And I saw numerous editorials penned by black people expressing the same disgust at the public veneration of these rogues.
  - Bob Shepherd says:
    
    July 12, 2021 at 11:27 pm
    
    Beautifully said, bethree!
    
    Use your powers for good.
    
    Great concluding line!
  - dianeravitch says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 12:27 am
    
    beachteach,
    The overwhelming majority of unvaccinated people are Republicans. Maybe public health officials should talk about “the Trump vaccine” to persuade them to get inoculated.
  - Nichole Hersey says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 3:29 pm
    
    Unfortunately I do not think he will ever be convicted or have any consequences for his actions. That’s a huge systemic problem this country faces and not just with him, but others who have gotten away with atrocities bc of wealth.
- Roy Turrentine says:
  
  July 13, 2021 at 7:02 am
  
  When Trump supporters bring you food when you are sick, as they have me last November when I had Covid, you are left with a strange disconnect. I wondered at this. How can you show such concern for me and ignore my ideas?
  
  The answer is that Trump’s support comes from a different set of beliefs concerning reality. His supporters have been coaxed and threatened into a parallel universe, where empirical reality is challenged, but authoritarian reality is accepted. What a scientist says about reality should be questioned, for they always change their minds. What an authoritarian figure says is safe, because he (pronoun choice is conscious) never changes his. This is very simply put a medieval way of thinking. A group of dominant figures maintain in society the right in the mind of the people to describe reality. This allows this group the right to create visions of witches and threats. Good, defined by a ruling class, battles evil, their opponents. Neutral or complex belief systems do not fit in. Deviance from the norm must be eradicated at all costs.
  
  Once you accept all this, you can bring your quirky neighbor a casserole and vote for an anathema. But I still do not get it.
  
  Reply
  - Bob Shepherd says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 9:16 am
    
    Roy, my experience has been more along these lines: I was teaching, among other things, a 12th-grade debate class. I had the students generate a bunch of debate topics that were in the news. One of the topics on the list the students came up with was transgender bathrooms. I made the mistake of reading their own list back to them in class. A trumpeteering, fundie FELLOW TEACHER went to my principal and demanded that I be fired because of this indoctrination of my students in the ways of Satan. 12th graders who, if they ever glanced at the news, would have, at the time, encountered the topic.
  - Bob Shepherd says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 9:17 am
    
    And re: being in a place where you have to interact with such people, I can only say, “I’m sorry. Consider moving to civilization. I manage here in FLor-uh-duh because I don’t get out and interact much any more.”
  - John Ogozalek says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 10:21 am
    
    Well said.
    
    “Medieval” is the word, Roy.
    
    And, of course, not the fun, let’s go to a Renaissance fair and see people play-joust sort of Medieval.
    
    No, the behavior is pre-Enlightenment. Trial by ordeal. Watch people burn. Go to a lynching. And, take pictures of the screaming human suffering, to boot.
    
    That base human impulse still exists. And, will exist, at least for the rest of my time on this planet.
    
    Exhibit A (and B, C, D, and way, way beyond): The Holocaust and the fact that anti-Semitism goes on and on and on.
    
    Each abyss of prejudice and hatred that exists out there….
    
    Sometimes boiling right down the road….or burning a hole in our living room rug as someone visits us.
  - Nichole Hersey says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 5:57 pm
    
    DianeRavitch,
    
    He planted such pseudoscience in the heads of his followers and it literally impeded containing the virus or acquiring herd immunity. Of course that’s my own opinion and not based on any science research.
  - dianeravitch says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 9:42 pm
    
    Your opinion is the same as Dr. Fauci’s.
    Many Trump voters are proud to be unvaccinated.
    If COVID continues, it will become a Republican disease.
  - Nichole Hersey says:
    
    July 13, 2021 at 9:57 pm
    
    It’s a shame really.
    
    I’d read lots of commentary on COVID-19 news posts on social media. The belief in pseudoscience by people who proclaimed they supported Trump was astounding Scary.
    
    Now get this. Of all my friends in person, Republicans and Democrats, I know of 2 that won’t get the vaccine. They’re both Democrats. Mind blown.
    
    But on a bigger scale more Trump supporters responded negatively to the vaccine. You could see it on Covid maps. (Even though RI had some abysmal numbers for a blue state)
Linda says:

July 13, 2021 at 1:08 pm

Nancy MacLean who exposed the Koch assault on democracy asks citizens to expose the Atlas Network.
“Atlas Network Pres. Alex Chaufen is also an Acton Institute (conservative religion organization) Trustee and Senior Fellow”. Attempting to draw a line between Catholic and evangelical church leaders and, the authoritarian takeovers of democratic societies enables the threat to continue.

Reply
- Linda says:
  
  July 13, 2021 at 1:18 pm
  
  Alex Chaufen graduated from Argentine Catholic University and was a professor there. He is a member of the Mont Pelerin Society which embraces Milt Friedman and Hayek’s views.
  
  Reply
Linda says:

July 13, 2021 at 1:45 pm

What does society do about the kind of stupidity that we can track in the example of Melinda Gates? She marries a man who decides he wants to participate in her openly discriminatory church (anti-woman). The church’s capitalistic, colonialist, authoritarian bent probably also appeals to Bill, as much as I speculate it does to Detroit’s Clark Durant.
At age 50 ish, after 25 years of burnishing the image of her church and husband, Melinda starts to lose sleep over gender inequality.
Meanwhile, her foundation tried to destroy the profession that has lifted the most women into financial independence.

Reply
- Bob Shepherd says:
  
  July 13, 2021 at 6:39 pm
  
  Meanwhile, her foundation tried to destroy the profession that has lifted the most women into financial independence.
  
  Spot on
  
  Reply
https://Scisco.Egemenerd.com/tricks-to-get-while-Taking-part-in-online-casino-4/ says:

August 12, 2021 at 2:59 pm

https://Scisco.Egemenerd.com/tricks-to-get-while-Taking-part-in-online-casino-4/

Trump Praises January 6 Insurrectionists on FOX News | Diane Ravitch's blog

Reply
Trump Praises January 6 Insurrectionists on FOX News | Diane Ravitch says:

November 20, 2021 at 8:33 pm

Arica Buttari

Politico reports: TRUMP EMBRACES â€˜GREAT PEOPLEâ€™ OF JAN. 6 â€” In a Sunday interview on Fox News with MARIA BARTIROMO, former President DONALD TRUMP spun up a new interpretation of Jan. 6: It was an act of â€œlove,â€ a word he used repeatedly to de…

Reply