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Bill, thanks as always for your efforts. But the sad truth is that those of us here who are vehement anti Trumpers have long been too aware of how autocrats are made and wouldn’t trade our freedom or anyone else’s for a few more coins in the purse. The rest of us here either don’t care or don’t have the capacity to understand what the new reality would be living under Trump ver.2. Sadder is that all we can do now is hope.

https://apple.news/AlAM8D-3JSmu6dcylu1Syfw suck shit and die penniless you seditious tnuc.

With all due respect to the very sincere and well intentioned people, I really think America needs to stop saying that they set the global standard for decorum, rule of law and democracy in the world. Yes once upon a time that was true, but American politics is now a clown show. Trump is the ring master, but the list is endless JD Vance, Mike Johnson, Lindsey Graham, Mitch McConnell… The Supreme Court, Elon Musk, The so called rule of law has been shown to be an illusion- if it wasn’t Trump would be in jail many years ago. Empires rise and fall, the American public are the biggest victims, it will hurt the rest of the world as well. Sorry Kamala but I disagree with your view that America still sets the standard. It’s incredible that in the past 25 years we have had 9/11, Global Financial Crisis, Brexit, and Covid. Yet the current American crisis feels like all of those pale in comparison.

Hi folks, Stupidity is not an excuse: Federal Appeals Court Rules Against ’Cowboys for Trump’ Founder in Jan. 6 Riot Case – IJR So sad - NOT Jerry Baumchen PS) You would think that eventually these idiots would conclude that Trump is just using them.

Yes and yes. When you go to a website frequented by a majority of trump supporters. There is an endless parroting of trump lies and policy. Tariffs are good and a source of free cash. Nobody recognizes them as a tax and a source of inflation. The courts don't work and poor Donald is a victim of the weaponization of the DOJ. On and on. There are exceptions to the trump cult and Liz Cheney comes to mind. But for every Cheney there is a Elon Musk. Which goes to show that eternal vigilance for the perversion of a good government is necessary. The need for a free press and free vote.

He needs to be behind bars.

Hi tk, In the words of the late Jackie Gleason: How sweet it is. Jerry Baumchen PS) I hope that they get the Florida condo also.

One good thing here is that they may have accidentally sabotaged their own get out the vote campaign. Because Trump fetishises wealth over principles, his GOP have diverted all their grassroots campaign funding that normally would have gone to local branches to coordinate their activists, to Musk’s PAC to run the entire national campaign. So instead of Republicans who believe in the cause going door to door, they’re paying (presumably) minimum wage temps to do it instead. And what do people left to their own devices at a temp job they don’t give a shit about do? They cheat! https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/oct/22/trump-ground-game-door-knock-hack-gps Donald Trump’s ground game in Arizona and Nevada may be undercut by canvassers working for America Pac using GPS spoofing to pretend they have knocked on doors when they haven’t, according to multiple people familiar with the practice and a leaked how-to-fake-location video. The ramifications for Trump may be far reaching, given America Pac has taken on the bulk of the Trump campaign’s ground game in the battleground states, and the election increasingly appears set to be decided by turnout.

In 1931, American journalist Dorothy Thompson interviewed Hitler. She thought little of him; a not very intelligent man with an obviously evil plan. The German people would not be fooled, she decided. “Imagine a would-be dictator setting out to persuade a sovereign people to vote away their rights!” she wrote, bemused by his foolishness. She was expelled by 1935, “in light of your numerous anti-German publications." She had become the enemy; the press. In 1937, she wrote about her experiences in Germany: “No people ever recognize their dictator in advance…. He always represents himself as the instrument for expressing the Incorporated National Will. When Americans think of dictators they always think of some foreign model. If anyone turned up here in a fur hat, boots and a grim look he would be recognized and shunned…. But when our dictator turns up, you can depend on it that he will be one of the boys, and he will stand for everything traditionally American.” In 1941 it became clear that the US would have to enter the war at some point - and the Nazis were the people we would be fighting. But how could the sensible, rational Germans she knew from her time in Berlin turn into Nazis? Who does that? “It is an interesting and somewhat macabre parlor game to play at a large gathering of one’s acquaintances: to speculate who in a showdown would go Nazi,” she wrote. “By now, I think I know. I have gone through the experience many times—in Germany, in Austria, and in France. I have come to know the types: the born Nazis, the Nazis whom democracy itself has created, the certain-to-be fellow-travelers. And I also know those who never, under any conceivable circumstances, would become Nazis . . . . .Kind, good, happy, gentlemanly, secure people never go Nazi. But the frustrated and humiliated intellectual, the rich and scared speculator, the spoiled son, the labor tyrant, the fellow who has achieved success by smelling the winds of success—they would all go Nazi in a crisis. Those who haven’t anything in them to tell them what they like and what they don’t—whether it is breeding, or happiness, or wisdom, or a code, however old-fashioned or however modern - go Nazi.” Later that year she observed that the man Hitler no longer really mattered; it was what he represented, the chance to save Germans and make Germany great again. “Chancellor Hitler is no longer a man, he is a religion. My offense was to think that Hitler is just an ordinary man, after all. That is a crime against the reigning cult in Germany, which says Mr. Hitler is a Messiah sent by God to save the German people…. To question this mystic mission is so heinous that, if you are a German, you can be sent to jail. I, fortunately, am an American, so I merely was sent to Paris. Worse things can happen….” (parts taken from Heather Richardson Cox's latest column)

trump loves ranking: 1; Himself 2. money 3: attention 4: power 5: pussy 6 .Mcdonald's , cheating /scamming others, fraud, cheating the system, lying, etc.

My feelings exactly, which is why I’m counting the days till Elon falls out of favour with Trump for stealing the limelight.

https://power.lowyinstitute.org/data/resilience/institutional-stability/political-stability/ It’s ok, the US is tied with Cambodia in 13th place, North Korea is at 17. I was actually surprised at how low the US is on the list (granted there will be other lists with different results)

Just got out of a taping of The Daily Show…I always kicked myself for not seeing Jon Stewart in his natural habitat before he retired the first time, so I figured I’d make it happen while the option’s on the table. Tim Walz was the guest and damn, he just came across as a real nice guy. Comparing him and Harris to the Trump show is just fucking sad. $5 says Fox spends half a news cycle on Walz’s stumbling a little on the phrase ‘Madison Wisconsin’ after the episode drops.

They made a movie about that.

Do you think Floridians will have to start wanting regular hurricanes?

Zephyrhills, the City of Pure Water, ran out of water last year. https://www.wusf.org/economy-business/2023-09-15/zephyrhills-brakes-growth-battles-water-woes 800 people per day are still moving to Florida

I think humans will survive for a while but humanity is questionable.

Hi Nigel, Re: It makes me wonder what the outcome of severe water shortages would be in major cities. My understanding is that an adult human can go about 30 days without food; and, about 3-4 days without water. Re: Unfortunately business and their cosy relationship with politicians exacerbate the problem. Nothing new in that. Re: I think there is lots we can do to help at a personal level. But, would it actually make a difference? IMO the solutions need to be on a global scale if humanity is to survive. I am doubtful. Jerry Baumchen

All part of the right wing rewriting history. Orban has had this angle for a year now. I don't know if this is right out of Putin's mouth. Or if his bum boys come about this on their own.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-18/coca-cola-karagullen-groundwater-explainer/103862298 Unfortunately business and their cosy relationship with politicians exacerbate the problem. This scandal blew up locally a few months ago. It makes me wonder what the outcome of severe water shortages would be in major cities. I think there is lots we can do to help at a personal level. I’ve got a swimming pool that is barely used and consumes thousands of litres a year. Grey water use in gardens, rain water tanks and generally being conservation minded all add up.

I share the logical end-point from which your post is coming….I wish I shared your confidence that the outcome will be logical. Seems almost certain that Harris will win the popular vote, but to Nigel’s point: the electoral college and GOP Tom-fuckery will likely result in a nail-biter. It’s a sad truth.