I read this piece with growing exasperation, frustration, and anger. As a Veteran whose family has served our Military since the American Revolutionary War, I am still seething with anger over the Arlington caper. Not surprised. Trump has zero values and fewer guard rails for human decency and dignity. It was apparent to me "many moons ago" that Trump would walk on top of dead bodies, cold and some still warm, to celebrate himself.
Yet, Jared, you subtly touch upon the bigger issue; the over-arching challenge: The loss of America's soul. The MEDIA has become more like a three-ring circus of sensationalism than a messenger about things we should worry over and guard against. The MEDIA for the most part has failed to call out the multiple sins, infractions and destructions committed by the Orange Machiavelli. Congress has failed "we the people", Mitch McConnell being among the more prominent and egregious actors in this national tragedy. And, yes, this IS a tragedy. When one looks at the very, very small population of men who are in power over our great nation we must stop and take heed.
We must look at The Heritage Foundation as our enemy domestic. Their lead team of Roberts, Vought and Dans are not freedom riders in the traditional sense. They lust after power and control, wanting to twist and turn our republic into a white male heterosexist faux Christian dominion. The Federalist Society is equally sinister and power thirsty. That ONE man, Leonard Leo, could help to seat the Supreme Court with six right-wing lying ideologues tells a frightening tale about the concentrations of power that lurk in the shadows. They are exposed only AFTER their damage has been done.
In the past I have posted comments about my fear and dread over our republic’s future. The upcoming election really IS a choice between good and evil, democracy over fascist autocracy. Hopefully, enough of our citizens will catch on to what is at stake and make a mad dash to their polling booth.
I hear over and over that “the mainstream media” does a lousy job because they’re just after clicks and the resulting ad income. In truth, America’s *corporate* media is as much our enemy as the Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society. Lock, stock, and barrel they have been purchased and…transmogrified. No accident! They are as much a part of the attack on democracy as any other force in our country.
Your points are well taken. The Citizens United decision handed down by the Supreme Court was a stab in the back for the electorate. It opened the floodgates for undisclosed large-sum political donations. Yet, I still hang onto the impropriety of organizations such as The Heritage Foundation whose sole purpose is to drastically reshape the framework of our country, taking us into fascistic authoritarianism.
The attack on America’s democratic ideals and forms is (at least) 100 years old and has taken many shapes from KKK to fascist Bund to Tea Party to MAGA. The worldwide Recession of the 1920s-30s and the resulting crushing unemployment in America fueled the rise of the more liberal “activist government” policies of Franklin Roosevelt. And the wealthy class *hated* any form of government that supported workers and lessened capitalist profits. Their determination to destroy and recast the country in their favor was made right there. Today the ultra-rich are within a hand’s grasp of making their plans come true. This is, for most of us now, a life and death fight. Do not lose sight of the rights we stand to lose: Life, Liberty, and yes…even the Pursuit of Happiness.
I just read James Fallows on September 1: https://fallows.substack.com/p/election-countdown-65-days-to-go. People who like this will like that. Since we've gone from a crisis to an emergency, new measures could be order. Any merit in hook-ups where pundits combine forces to look at what to do? His piece is abominations of newspaper coverage, heavily NYT. If you got together, could you pressure for changes?
I read this piece with growing exasperation, frustration, and anger. As a Veteran whose family has served our Military since the American Revolutionary War, I am still seething with anger over the Arlington caper. Not surprised. Trump has zero values and fewer guard rails for human decency and dignity. It was apparent to me "many moons ago" that Trump would walk on top of dead bodies, cold and some still warm, to celebrate himself.
Yet, Jared, you subtly touch upon the bigger issue; the over-arching challenge: The loss of America's soul. The MEDIA has become more like a three-ring circus of sensationalism than a messenger about things we should worry over and guard against. The MEDIA for the most part has failed to call out the multiple sins, infractions and destructions committed by the Orange Machiavelli. Congress has failed "we the people", Mitch McConnell being among the more prominent and egregious actors in this national tragedy. And, yes, this IS a tragedy. When one looks at the very, very small population of men who are in power over our great nation we must stop and take heed.
We must look at The Heritage Foundation as our enemy domestic. Their lead team of Roberts, Vought and Dans are not freedom riders in the traditional sense. They lust after power and control, wanting to twist and turn our republic into a white male heterosexist faux Christian dominion. The Federalist Society is equally sinister and power thirsty. That ONE man, Leonard Leo, could help to seat the Supreme Court with six right-wing lying ideologues tells a frightening tale about the concentrations of power that lurk in the shadows. They are exposed only AFTER their damage has been done.
In the past I have posted comments about my fear and dread over our republic’s future. The upcoming election really IS a choice between good and evil, democracy over fascist autocracy. Hopefully, enough of our citizens will catch on to what is at stake and make a mad dash to their polling booth.
I hear over and over that “the mainstream media” does a lousy job because they’re just after clicks and the resulting ad income. In truth, America’s *corporate* media is as much our enemy as the Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society. Lock, stock, and barrel they have been purchased and…transmogrified. No accident! They are as much a part of the attack on democracy as any other force in our country.
Your points are well taken. The Citizens United decision handed down by the Supreme Court was a stab in the back for the electorate. It opened the floodgates for undisclosed large-sum political donations. Yet, I still hang onto the impropriety of organizations such as The Heritage Foundation whose sole purpose is to drastically reshape the framework of our country, taking us into fascistic authoritarianism.
The attack on America’s democratic ideals and forms is (at least) 100 years old and has taken many shapes from KKK to fascist Bund to Tea Party to MAGA. The worldwide Recession of the 1920s-30s and the resulting crushing unemployment in America fueled the rise of the more liberal “activist government” policies of Franklin Roosevelt. And the wealthy class *hated* any form of government that supported workers and lessened capitalist profits. Their determination to destroy and recast the country in their favor was made right there. Today the ultra-rich are within a hand’s grasp of making their plans come true. This is, for most of us now, a life and death fight. Do not lose sight of the rights we stand to lose: Life, Liberty, and yes…even the Pursuit of Happiness.
To me by far the worst thing that Trump has done to our society has been his contributing to the normalization of political violence.
Alas, I know only too well what Trump means, and I too want him to vanish from the public eye. Unfortunately, that’s unlikely to happen.
I just read James Fallows on September 1: https://fallows.substack.com/p/election-countdown-65-days-to-go. People who like this will like that. Since we've gone from a crisis to an emergency, new measures could be order. Any merit in hook-ups where pundits combine forces to look at what to do? His piece is abominations of newspaper coverage, heavily NYT. If you got together, could you pressure for changes?