Ah, but as minorities in the brutally and murderously policed mass incarceration country called America would tell you….these are not liberals. They are genteel reactionaries, who are only a well placed camera away from going into full Karen mode. Much like Peloisi!
And Americans do believe in bombing their way over everything,, mass killing civilians, getting nowhere with it - then pretending it worked. See their failures Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Syria:
Americans believe in bombing their way ...? What? I'm an American and I don't believe in these things at all. I'm anti-war, pro-Palestinian, pro-Donbass. I'm against foreign intervention.
The day the US invaded Iraq, I heard the news over the radio in a restaurant. I flipped off the waitress who said she thought it was good news. I protested the Vietnam war. I was outraged by the US invasion of Afghanistan.Don't make generalizations about Americans. No matter who our rulers are (Israel?), many people here feel the same way I do.
Give the dude a break. I’m an AMERICAN. I agree even on more things than you say. I’ve been doing this since 1978 and I’m allowing him to say Americans this and Americans that. these are our tax dollars. This is the horrible bullshit that we allowed to happen -just admit it.
I'm sure you all never forget to sign and date all those lovely tax checks that strip the life blood right out of your body through your labor... no offence..
None taken. I don’t pay INCOME taxes I live below the poverty line for single person. ON PURPOSE, I MIGHT ADD, BUT I PAY PLENTY OF GODDAMN TAXES, STATE TAX ,SALES TAX, RETAIL TAX PLENTY OF TAXES. WHICH BY THE WAY, I APPROVE OF -I APPROVE OF PAYING TAX TO FUND THE THINGS THAT WE ALL WANT AND NEED. HOW THEY SPEND IT bugs the FUCK OUT OF ME AND THAT’S WHERE MY VOTE COUNTS THE MOST AT THE LOCAL AND STATE LEVEL..
Voting localy has some small effect but problematic too unless you can get the sheep to see past the scams and tricks .. Reading the pamphlet they send out is an excersise in Orwellian doublespeak...the lies and ommisions and feckless con artistry writin into them these people should all be in the docks at the hauge . But alas the illusion of choice is very appealing to the sheep.. They can pretend they did their civic duty and wear that little sticker for a day..
I have no illusions whatever about electoral politics. We did however get rid of two fascist school board members in my little Township. Your cynicism, while understandable is not all that much appreciated. I do what I can when I can that I have figured will actually work. Better to light one little candle, then to curse the darkness.
While I do not doubt your bonafides, not enough Americans with enough influence and authority care enough to actually do anything about war and empire.
And the oil...the SUV is thirsty to go to the mall to buy more high fructose corn syrup for their bloated brats that wont pass a physical test through the mic machine but they will take them anyway cause they gonna be getting desperate for cannon fodder soon enough..
Yet, for example, Hillary still was allowed to bomb Libya and destroy that nation-state. I'm an American who has also protested. Yet I haven't done enough to remove the Oligarchy from its position of privilege.
I accept responsibility for my failures.
You should too.
The Ritter podcast I referenced is full of complications on other subjects including how neocon greed is responsible for fomenting conflicts all over the world.
The solution is simple. Destroy the Oligarchy.
How to do it is complicated.
Sadly though, few want to identify who the Oligarchy is. People use euphemisms to talk about Oligarchs as if there are some on "our side" and some on "their side" (Biden supporters vs Trump Supporters for example). No recognition that the Oligarchy is a loosely organized mafia that only cares about its own greed. We don't discuss the system in which America operates.
It is disingenuous to suggest that average Americans have any impact on the oligarchs and their machinations. The ability to control that class was lost long ago.
From international movement, foreign influence peddling, bribery, blackmail and generally profiteering off of the pain and suffering f humanity they have buttressed their defenses on all fronts.
You said: The solution is simple. Destroy the Oligarchy. How to do it is complicated.
Yes it is complicated if not downright impossible, look at the results of the ICC case against Israeli genocide, similar cases against US war crimes have also failed to make a difference. I don't see how it can be ended without 1) a complete collapse of the dollar and 2) civil war.
Our nation is run by a criminal mafia who has used every tool at its disposal to prevent any challenge to its authority.
There is no more voting that matters..the systems so rigged in so many multiple ways i could list REAMS of examples from just my experiences.. just simple polling places that are more sparse in places they know will vote a certain way so that lines stretched blocks till people could not do it in 110 degree weather...PLANED by officials with a million excuses for why..and yet anyone with any savy knows exactly why ...ONE example of many sneaky underhanded tricks they use ..
No voting is a illusion and the only reason its encouraged so you sign and date the legal documents of the civil contract that you agree to abide by the dictates of their installed puppets ...two slices of the same shit sandwich
Well, we have to destroy the Oligarchy. There should be plenty of other options.
They are revealing themselves for what they are. Other nation-states are not following in their path. Putin and Xi are showing "other options". Would you prefer their choices to the Oligarchy?
Unfortunately it nearly always takes a war, revolution or massive economic collapse to get rid of a rotten regime - in other words things have to get worse before they get better. The UK is like the US - a very entrenched system of oligarchy, manufactured consent, fake elections and corporate manipulation with foreign policy set in motion by a very small number of politicians who are completely beholden to (or simply agree with) their financial backers who actually dictate policy.
revolution will be violent (civil war) not because the revolting class wants it, but because the ruling class will not be able to resist the use of their favorite tool.
How to do it (What needs to be done) is not complicated to understand …but easy to say, hard to do: Stop cooperating. There are more of us than them -stop buying into the bullshit of divide and conquer.WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE!!!
If they have no one to do their bidding, they can’t fucking do their shit. Period! that’s it that’s all. there’s a big effing reason why the WWW-workers of the world, and the wobblies were dismantled and made powerless. Socialism at the time was a legitimate thing and up-and-coming thing. There were socialist mayors all over this fucking country, and other people in power . And Eugene V Debs one of the MOST FAMOUS was put into prison for a bullshit reason, why he was economically, publicly everything but physically, (maybe) tortured and blacklisted and lied about and made impotent. Dude ran for president from prison and got 1 million votes in fucking 1920s! At about that same time, US Marine lieutenant, a decorated veteran of World War I , colonel Smedley Butler wrote a book called “WAR IS A RACKET”. All of this power and knowledge had to fucking be put to sleep and be done AWAY with -no way the empire was gonna put up with this crazymaking!And our predecessors were none the wiser. End of story.FOR NOW.
This is not what I meant and you know it. You must be the Emperor of the fucking world of the out of context specious posters. Zio fascist troll robot right wing goofball, idiot. Do you think I don’t know what you just did? I do go the fuck away, don’t listen to my podcast. Don’t post on my shit OK GTFO.
Thanks, Russian_bot. Wasn't really promoting, gave up that website in 2020. Not wanting to get involved, as you say. (Would have liked to watch the video, but have system issues and can't play it.)
sharing the US government web pages brings up suspicions of who you are really working for and against...propaganda and lies can only come out of the western institutions like the " justice" department... the nocon neoliberal get russia crowd.. red scare 2.0
Thanks for the information. Fortunately, I've never had any connection with Russia or any Russian individual But it's rather alarming that supporting DPR independence could be an indictable offense. Back in those days, we took freedom of speech for granted.
Gestapo is apt characterization of current security apparatuses in the West. A significant amount of intimidation has already gotten attention of the public and it's only going to get worse.
It's 1930s-40s Germany environment all over again, throughout the whole western world. The sycophantic part of population acts exactly like those informers back then. Denunciations are taking place as Jan 6 aftermath showed us and the "you won't recognize your neighbors, friends, colleagues, relatives" stage is already here.
They pick a puppet get a little sticker like they are in grade school and delude themselves they have any say.. voting stopped being relative a very long time ago...
Karl pomeroy: Such a great guy you are. Too bad about your lack of respect and compassion for women, particularly those abused by Trump, who you appear to find a good person.
You seem to imply karl is a trumper. Whether he is or not, it seems he is anti-Biden. In that case he would have lots of respect and compassion for women abused by Biden.
nice try, but this does not count as respect and compassion for women. Listening when they say they have been assaulted or when they have been treated in an unjust manner, speaking out against such comments as Trumps "grab em by the pussy" etc would be a way to affirm that you are a person who opposes the abuse of women.
southpark episode 100 - i'm european and i don't mind anyone saying europeans are a bunch of hypocritical, murderous, cowardly, empire-serving fascists. as far as outcomes go, there's no denying we are.
You do realise you are actually in the minority right? the mass of the mindless american proletariats don't give a shit about the rest of the world or even their own people and will vote for whoever taylor Swift points to.
I'm an American who has fought against the evils done by my government, it is a juggernaut that is almost unstoppable on the domestic front. If the media is to believed (it is not) then all Americans support our foreign wars, nothing could be further from the truth.
For those "dismantle Oligarchy/Deep State" solution offerers, at most proclaiming difficulty in implementing it (in large part because oligarchy and deep state are difficult to identify) I'd offer to focus instead on the media abuses, which are right here slapping everybody in the face. As a practical first step, that is. Who the media are is right here, in front of everybody. From the reporters up to the corporations leadership. So no more "difficult to identify" excuse, just the fight.
And now for the main difficulty, of the real kind - how do you, believers in the western democracy, go about it? So it's not just a self-patting "I went out to demonstrate" talk downing a beer in a bar after "the event"?
You have cut through the emotional and reactionary rhetoric and gotten to the heart of the problem.
Liberals do not exist in The “Democratic” Party, any more than Conservatives exist in The “Republican” Party. Both groups were chased out of those political parties years ago: and both of them want a permanent ceasefire, a fully functioning third party powerful enough to put true fear into the hearts of the ONE Party system that has enslaved Americans for over 100 years, and both despise what Biden and the country have been willing to tolerate. However, they fear what Trump will do (he has openly stated what he will do to what’s left of The US Government: and if installed again (?): will make The US an openly fascist nation and use its the full might of its military to begin WWIII.
(DEAREST Caitlin: TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY:
And quite LITERALLY TO the proverbial BANK. Question (?): are you prepared to do deal with that head on? You may need to do just THAT in short order should Mr Biden fail to take office in ‘25. Be VERY CAREFUL what you wish for.
Biden would keep the military fascists hidden and stamp out any such notions.
He’s also just issued an Executive Order condemning Netanyahu’s government settlements on The West Bank.
Of he can take office again : then he will take a much “harsher tone” towards Bebe and his Likud SS Execution /Death Squads. He will have nothing to loose. When, and but IF Bebe loses(???):
HE has everything to lose..(up to an including his life).
Thank for so eloquently revealing your true intentions Caitlin. Much appreciated.
Never heard so eloquent erudite and specious bullshit in such a long time -probably Ronald Reagan. The demographics in this country, of which you may or may not be aware, hold the likelihood that neither candidate if third parties are voted for will get enough to take office. What do you think will happen? If it doesn’t happen now it might happen later- let Trump do what fucking Trump will do. It can’t be any worse than genocide in Gaza. He can only just continue with Biden‘s doing. That’s the worst most horrible crime at present. Be careful what you wish for. I’m not careful I wish to stop the genocide. I wish to stop the killing.NOW.
if anyone would gauge the conscience of biden against trump even at a guess and glance Biden has ZERO compassion for anything or anyone.. I have more faith in Trump's desire for peace than Biden ever would even if Trumps a stupid blind zionist too..
If I'm interpreting your statement correctly you are supporting a Biden win this year, true? Your predictions of what Biden would do in his second term, are baseless, and certainly nothing in his past suggests he would take the moral high ground. Do you live in the states? Do you know how he pushed all the lies of our ME wars? Do you know of his corruption? Personally I don't trust anyone in public office who is in a position to do so, to stand up to Israel. That includes Trump, should he win. Biden condemns what Israel is doing in the West Bank? Where was his voice in the past in regard to the West Bank? Sixty percent of the land now belongs to Israel and they've been grabbing it for decades. It's been getting worse and worse over time as they build Jewish settlements. Jewish settlers have been killing Palestinians who reside there, or they throw them off their own land, and more often then not there are no consequences. Where was his voice on that issue during his long, long political career? I could go on and on, but no doubt you'll hold on to your fantasy about a self serving man who isn't even playing with a full deck.
Nicely put, Biden has had decades to make a difference in Israel but he has been corrupt for so long that he forgot what ethics and morals are actually used for in the world.
Thats a stretch to think he's ever had any ethics or even knows what they are ..i have watched his career for his whole life in government and he's been nothing but a scumbag through all of it
im sorry Patricia but you are regurgitating propaganda, Biden's America is fascist in every imaginable sense of the word. From experimental medical mandates to union busting, aggressive militarism to open corruption and degradation of the family and the youth of the nation, everything Biden has done has brought all of the worst fears about Trump to fruition. I remember before 2016 leftists claimed trump would start WW3, yet here is Biden bringing us to the brink. I remember claims that Trump would lead to bribery and corruption yet we have Biden crime family neck deep in bribery, blackmail and traitorous actions.
I am not a Trump fan boy but I am also clear eyed about the evils and corruption I see in the current administration - are you ?
Trump? Fascist? What do you base that on? He started no new wars during his term. He has never said he would start WWIII, nor is there any evidence he would. He has said he would end the fighting in Ukraine in one day. Is that starting WWIII? As the late anti-war.com founder Justin Raimondo would say, "Are you hallucinating?"
Redacted FBI files show that Israel helped Trump get elected. He is very close to Netanyahu. Sure, ending the war in Ukraine would be easy for him to do, given Republican opposition to that war. But he may not be willing to do the same for the war in Gaza, especially given his close connections to Netanyahu.
You need to do a little research about the allegations. They have to do with Roger Stone working directly with Netanyahu to do some illegal things to get Trump get elected. This isn't a matter of taking in 100,000 from AIPAC.
Everything that Trump has been accused of has been done by other politicians in the past, taking home top secret documents, yeah, every president and apparently VP has done that one,been accused of sexual impropriety, accused of cheating on taxes, the entire Biden family has done those two. In the end it is just another distraction from the crimes of this government.
So until there is some earth shattering revelation that this was out of the ordinary for American politics I will consider it just more noise.
Karl, you must be aware that he has raped many women. You surely have heard him say that he wants to be a "Dictator". (After all, a dictator won't be able to be unseated.) He has lied on his taxes and failed to pay his workers. He made three ridiculously right-wing judges appointed to the Supreme Court. They will be part of the process to tear down the regulatory state. There are so many reasons to hate Trump, but you seem to be ignoring all of them.
You are also ignoring what the democrats did to Trump which is they tried to remove an elected president from office. It matters not what you think of Trump to know that is unconstitutional. They also wanted a Biden win so they got some 50 CIA agents to say, hey, Hunter's lap top is just Russian disinformation. The democrats also turned Jan 6 into an insurrection, and if you know the definition of that word then you know how absurd that claim is, so lets call it for what it is, a riot. You seem to buy everything you read or hear that substantiates your hate of the man. Tell me did you buy the one where he hired people to go over to Russia and piss on the bed where Obama and his wife slept? Spare me your fear about the right, and be disturbed that the so called left in the democrat party no long exists. You don't have to be a Trump supporter to see what the democrats have become.
I have no love of neoliberals who are most of our government, along with the scary Republicans. So, no I’m not ignoring what they do to Trump - but I think he is a psychopath, senile old man. The same can be said for Biden.
He may be an old man but not nearly as senile as trump...trumps problematic but if you prefer Biden over him that's problematic for your level of awareness and intellect..why not a real candidate?? oh right none will ever be allowed except these clowns
Sadly , yes “russian_bot”, it is common knowledge, and can be verified many times over. However, the most prominent is that of E. Jean Carrol. The criminal statute was timed out, however (?), the Civil Court has no such limitations. When tried by a jury of his peers, Mr Trump was found to be “civilly liable” #GULITY for the molestation, assault, and rape (it was clearly defined as such); of Ms. E. Jean Carrol. He was therefore ordered to pay out 83.5 million dollars in recompense for his illegal assault, along with the pain, suffering and psychological suffering caused by the
rape.
He has also indicted, but not tried for almost 20 other assaults.
yet there was no evidence presented at the Carroll trial, she pressed no charges 30 years ago and has no witnesses or evidence of any kind. She is an obvious man hating opportunist funded by a billionaire that hates Trump.
Here you are being completely blind to the fact that the democrats and Biden have weaponized the judicial system against their political opponent and you find nothing wrong with that ?
That weaponization is fascist to its core yet you are fine it ? Why is that ?
I intended to be flippant. How can one prove something that happened long ago? Have you not been assaulted? Or feel like you have? Can you bring up a case right now against those assailants and claim similar rewards?
E. Jean Carroll, for one, who just was awarded $83 million . Others have not had such a big win against this monster. But if you read the stories of the many women who have complained about his misbehavior, and you consider the way women who are raped are treated on the stand, and by Mr. Trump. Many women would not make a public accusation. So, if they are, where there's smoke, there's fire.
"where there's smoke, there's fire." - sure. Has there been any smoke around you?
Anything can be said about anybody. If you were not just Jean Cushman commenting on Caitlin's forum but running for some position that mattered, you'd be accused with lots of things.
Are you familiar with Mark Twain's "Running for Governor"?
Where are the criminal charges for rape ? You just slandered a man as a rapist without evidence or conviction !
And you ignore the reasons to hate Biden, I have never seen a public figure as publicly creepy towards little girls and other mens wives as Creepy Joe Biden.
George W. Bush invaded Iraq and caused the death of half a million.. Biden, who has supported Ukraine since he was VP, has now allowed a half million Ukrainian soldiers to be killed by perpetuating US support. Tump killed about 13 people. Have you had a course in math? Half a million dead is a lot more than 13.
propaganda most of you all tend to consume has a two fold effect..fool fools and let intellectual and moral cowards have all the excuse and weapons they seek..
I guess Mr. Pomeroy that you do not see abuse of women as violent, perhaps fascist. He didn't stop any wars either. He encouraged hatred of immigrants. Not a great guy at all.
what has that question got to do with anything? Jeez. Sometimes you say things that make sense and then other times, like now, you sound like a real man bimbo.
Trump was an attractive successful man when he was younger. I'm sure a lot of women flirted with him. There is no proof he raped any of them, however, Trump's own wife is an immigrant. He never encouraged hatred of immigrants. He merely wants to stop illegal, get that, illegal immigration. I can't imagine why you react so to these minor issues, when the main issue here is war.
there is proof that he raped at least one woman and probably more. I react to his hatred of women because I am a human being who happens to be a woman.
"probably more" - probably the whole neighborhood. Probably the whole town. Probably the whole city.
And all out of hatred of women. He wants to rape women because he hates them.
Biden, on the other hand, takes a shower with his daughter. A loving doting father that he is. Do you think, Susan, he was teaching her math while in there? Like, counting balls in his junk? Maybe medicine, like blood rushing to his penis? What was it he was educating his daughter about, Susan?
Dear “Patricia” America is an openly fascist country already. Actions speak loud. Arming and helping genocide, for profit of its rich. Waging global wars of ideology and profit. Media reduced to propaganda. Legal system corrupted. Legislature corrupted by legalized bribery. It’s fascism.
They’ve simply tried to hang on to their popular definition of themselves. But, yes, American style fascism has taken national root since 1945. Now it’s out in the open.
The list of resources is endless on Trump's track record in the middle-east and his true intentions (not his stated intentions that he then walks back on by calling everything he disagrees as "Fake News") is endless.
American 'liberals' were discredited long ago when they signed up for the Forever Wars en masse. The Genocide & Ethnic Cleansing in Palestine is simply going to be the Final Nail in the Coffin:
US 'Liberals' will from now on be viewed as nothing more than War Crime Apologists whose 'opinions' are not worth the pixels they are typed upon.
Look up Phil Ochs “Love me, I’m a liberal” It dates back nearly 60 years now - American Liberalism has always been a vacuous empty identitarian sham, allowing people to feel morally superior while still supporting the status quo; American Liberalism was simply a way to abolish a real left wing movement in the states.
Not me. I loathe Trump with every fiber of my; however his election would force liberals to oppose the same policies that they now support when Biden does them. They’d need to finish eating brunch.
If Trump was in office supporting this Genocide or staring new wars, pussy hat wearing liberal ladies would be out protesting in the streets.
Herr Trump is a Fascist. His (likely) re-election would (will) represent a qualitative shift in US government and consolidate fascist cultural and political trends now gaining momentum in the US (and many other places in the world).
The women out there might speak to the impact of these changes, given that Trump appointed 3 Supreme Court judges that ruled that women are baby machines. That is just the beginning of what the White Christian Nationalists and their militia friends are gunning for - look to Israel to see what a fascist fundamentalist religious ethno-state looks like.
The next stop is now happening with vigilantes at the US-Mexican border supporting a State government in rebellion against federal authority. For those that breath the air, drink the water, and experience the natural world, the Heritage Foundation has an agenda for you, it's called "Project 2025" - you might want to read it and find out what "dismantling the administrative state" really means and what's coming to a place you live in:
Personally, I avoid the word “fascist” because, in part, it seems all political conversations eventually devolve to using it. But the main reason I don’t use it is because it has no clear meaning. Even Mussolini was sketchy about what the word meant. I think “corporatist” is a more accurate and understandable term. Corporatism is simply a system in which corporations and their principal owners rule (often disguised in the form of “public/private partnerships”). In a corporatist society, government is a tool of corporate interests. I’m pretty sure you’ve had plenty of experience with corporate capture of government environmental agencies. Not all of those agencies are captured to the same extent, and there are good and independent people working in all of them, but does anyone think—whether under Trump or Biden (or name any other modern president)—that the U.S. EPA is fully independent?
However, even if EPA was completely independent, the Supremacy Clause in the U.S. Constitution makes federal law dominant over state law, which, as you know, allows the feds to preempt any state environmental protection laws (in my experience) from exceeding federal environmental standards. One example is the acceptable level of mercury in drinking water set by EPA: because of federal preemption, states cannot establish a more stringent standard. Wouldn’t it be better if the federal government established a maximum (ceiling) for mercury rather than a minimum (floor), especially when local governments are quite capable of meeting the stricter standards? This, btw, could be done without violating the Supremacy Clause.
This is relevant to what is currently happening in Texas. I think if you look into it a bit further, you will see that the State of Texas is not rebelling against the U.S. Constitution (though that is the melodrama the corporate media is trying make of it); Texas is instead claiming that the federal government is not fulfilling its Constitutional and legal obligations to manage national borders and immigration. The assertion being made by Texas actually serves as a check and balance over federal overreach and, in the case of enforcement of border laws, also federal under-reach. I think the inherent conflict between federal and state rights is overall a very positive dynamic of the federal system.
BTW, contrary to what many believe, the principal issues of states' rights were not settled during the Civil War. Instead, Lincoln settled the matter militarily—a habit Americans still can’t seem to break when it comes to complex issues. I actually can find no reason—legal, moral, or Constitutional—that prevents a state from determining secession is in its best interest, especially when there is overwhelming evidence that the laws and treaties of the U.S. no longer serve the interests of the people of that state. (See that other founding document, The Declaration of Independence.) I personally believe that this resort to secession is nowhere more justified than with environmental laws and treaties. In the case of Texas, if it seceded, it may actually do a better job at border protection; however, it's environmental laws would no doubt be much worse than those established by EPA (due to the obvious supremacy of the oil industry in Texas politics). So I don't think secession is a cure all, though some states will eventually be forced to try it as The Western Empire collapses and as the federal government claims its inevitable position on the ash heap of history.
Jack - the term "fascist" has sufficiently defined characteristics to be applied and Trump checks all the boxes. There is a growing body of literature about this, and the characteristics are far broader than mere corporatism and economic policy, check out the curriculum or syllabus. Visit the academically curated website: New Fascism Syllabus’ “Interrogating The Present”:
Your statements on federal preemption of State environmental law are false and exactly backwards. Almost all federal environmental laws set the floor, with States allowed to set more stringent state regulatory standards. I've worked for 40 years in one of those states. Very few federal environmental law explicitly preempt State law and implied preemption emerges in limited situations, mostly involving the Commerce clause. You mention mercury: this state has stricter standards for mercury than US EPA (I was forced out of State government as a whistleblower on mercury science and regulation back in 1994, so know a little about all that).
Amazing that you falsely assert federal preemption of environmental laws and invoke the Supremacy clause, yet in the same breath claim that the State of Texas is not rebelling agains the Constitution! Pretzelk logic, my friend.
First, regarding federal preemption of state environmental law, I am happy to hear that you or your state never experienced it during your tenure. I assume your own experience with mercury was completely based on state law and had nothing to do with the Clean Air Act or Clean Water Act, in which the acts themselves describe preemption limiting state action because the federal government thought that too much variation in state environmental laws would harm polluting industries. Perhaps your state did not have politically powerful polluting private industries like oil, gas, coal, corporate agriculture, or manufacturing, and in which industry-owned legislators prevented setting standards more stringent than EPA. Obviously, every state is different with regard to environmental concerns and complexity. As I’m sure you know, this pattern of describing EPA authorities over states is the norm in most modern federal environmental law, which, on the positive side, is a better process than leaving supremacy rights of the federal government undisclosed or implied (as is often the case with immigration and border security), but it still does not completely prevent assertions by states of federal overreach or states’ rights.
With regard to your claim that “fascism” is a sufficiently settled term, I followed the link you provided, and here is how that website describes fascism:
“Fascism is not just a gross combination of horrific reactionary policies. It is a qualitative change in how society is governed. Fascism foments and relies on xenophobic nationalism, racism, misogyny, and the aggressive re-institution of oppressive “traditional values.” Fascist mobs and threats of violence are unleashed to build the movement and consolidate power. What is crucial to understand is that once in power fascism essentially eliminates traditional democratic rights. Fascism has direction and momentum. Dissent is piece by piece criminalized. The truth is bludgeoned. Group after group is demonized and targeted along a trajectory that leads to real horrors. All of this [took] dramatic leaps under the Trump Regime. History has shown that fascism must be stopped before it becomes too late.”
It seems to me that this statement is a mere mini-manifesto for the status quo that is tainted by TDS. (I am not a Trump supporter.) With regard to this quote, I personally fail to see any substantive differences between the Trump Administration and Biden's. This quote tells me almost nothing objectively useful about the economic or political principles of fascism. In fact, you could change the word “fascism” to “communism” in the quote and, except for the dig at Trump, it could be used on any anti-communist site.
Jack - Perhaps the lame state officials you are relying on use this as an excuse for inaction at the State level, but you are simply wrong on the preemption issue. Both Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act explicitly provide for States to adopt more stringent standards and permit requirements, and not necessarily solely on State law but on delegated federal law. The Supreme Court Clean Water Act case you are probably referring to involved inter-state and common law issues - https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/479/481/
Here is a Congressional Research Service primer on preemption for you to read:
In terms of you seeing no difference between Trump versus Biden, again, you just lack facts - I don't want to wast time on the ideological and cultural issues, but in limited terms of governing, here's two examples: check out Biden's Executive Order on reversing Trump Executive Orders on the environment: (yes, I know that most of it is rhetoric)
Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad
In terms of Fascism, you missed the content I was referring to - the Group "Refuse Fascism" has numerous podcasts with experts and activists involved in opposing fascsim that can explain things for you. Or you could refer to any of the writings (at CounterPunch) or books of historian Paul Street. Do more reading!
Of course, you seem completely unaware of Trump's actual policy agenda, which defined in detail by the Heritage Foundation's "Project 2025" radical Report, read it here:
Can you point out where they used the term, instead of plain "women"? If not, then it's your invention, insanely derogatory and deranged. Then the question is who's an asshole and a liar.
PS: When engaging with the troll "russian_bot", I use the following advice from George Carlin: "Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience." 😀
Don't wiggle. You said "Trump appointed 3 Supreme Court judges that ruled that women are baby machines". Where is that ruling? Where does "baby machines" appear in the text?
Or did you yourself invent the term? If you did and are that creative, I'll repeat my question - in that same context what would you call men?
Yep, both parties are fully “owned.” Same in Australia. Just an illusion of choice, we have no choice, paraphrasing George Carlin who was on the money 99.9%.
Ironically, the alternate website antiwar.com is totally anti-Trump, even though Trump is against war and proved that during his term. The only pro-Trumper at antiwar.com was the late Justin Raimondo, who founded the site. Justin used to say about his own people, "Are they hallucinating?" It's TDS, and no one knows the cause. (You'd think Caitlin could get to the bottom of this.)
Well, that tells you everything about "antiwar" isn't it.
Derangement syndrome condition is mysterious. When it hits somebody all you can do is step aside and let them strut their stuff. "Trump" is just one of the varieties.
If Justin was pro-trump then and after his death anti-war has become anti-trump we can safely assume that anti-war has been compromised and is no longer reliable.,
You're a "Software Engineer", you should know what it means.
I take it back. Recently you were asking a certain Master of Emojis how to find them on your computer. If you can't figure that out then you're not a software engineer - you're a fraud.
Here's your current profile in case you decide to change it - shitlib types like you do those tricks all the time:
"A wanna-be philosopher, an ANTI-Capitalist, ANTI-Imperialist & an ANTI-Colonialist. I'm also a Software Engineer, Data Analyst, & ironically an ANTI-Technologist & more importantly, a curious observer of human behavior & examiner of false narratives."
Like I said before - I use the following advice from George Carlin: "Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience."
Go ahead, beat me (and others) down into a pulp with your experience at "idiocracy". That's where you shine. Awesome job! Congratulations!
Why thank you so much for your intelligent and thoughtful analysis and reply. Much appreciated. Keep up the good work. May you someday conquer the world with your "experience" at "idocracy". I'm rooting for you.
Jews own BlackRock. With their trillions, they could buy a chunk of Germany and relocate Israel there. Give Palestine back to the Palestinians. OK. Is that a solution?
It's not just "liberals", so-called. You think most "conservatives" want any relief for the Palestinians anymore than "liberals" do? It is most "Americans" of whatever partisan persuasion who don't take a stand one way or the other. We've been raised on constant warfare, love of violence (video games, TV and movies), and with the "example" of most people not taking a stand on anything, or almost anything, sloughing off discussion of all such matters ("it's negative", "let's change the subject to something positive"), and usually if not always avoiding and denying what is really going on, especially if they convince themselves, as most do, that there is nothing they can do about it anyway, so they just move on to seeking to "survive," and to "get ahead" which you gotta be a crook to successfully do.
Most "Americans", and the people in most of the world for that matter, live in avoidance and denial of reality, because they've been indoctrinated and conditioned since they became conscious, to "live" that way. "That's what everybody is (or most people are) doing." Deny and avoid facing that the "Matrix" control grid, mass-insanity of most people, and "living" in nothing but a fantasy world, exists. The majority acts like "it's just the way the world is...", etc. To now completely change and reverse course, and truly face reality, and to now take a stand concerning reality, is too drastic a change for people who have been brainwashed and programmed all their lives to "live like the Jones'", to conform, and to not question the many evil ways in which the world operates, getting worse and worse every year.
It's not an excuse for not making that change no matter how painful it is, but the way the world really works is so bleak, with only a thin patina, or veil, covering over the reality of our mass-suffering world, so most people bury their heads in the ground in order to avoid the pain of facing it. THE TRUTH is what sets us free, not living in avoidance and denial, but "everyone is doing (the latter)"; and again, "there's nothing we can do about it anyway". So, once more, it isn't only "liberals" who "live" this way, it is the vast majority of people, especially the vast majority of "Americans" and other people of the Western, so-called "democratic" countries. Most people don't know what liberty, freedom and rights mean anymore, and actually believe that those who stand up for them "are in the wrong" and "deserving" of whatever ill-will and/or violence that is inflicted on them for doing so.
Do you think most people are going to break out of that mindset and entire way of "living"? Most of them are "living" like everything is "hunky-dory", or at least like it is "just the way it is", and they're not going to, "liberal" or "conservative", upset their "reality" by making such a complete, drastic change in their "lives" for a truly set-free life that faces just how extremely bad most things all around us are, and for becoming, as a result, a pariah to most people around them, and a so-called "threat" because they no longer conform to the status quo. For example, if they are UN"vaccinated", they have become "untermenschen", only worthy of wearing "a yellow star", and being separated from "decent" society, and/or being eliminated altogether. Most people have been permanently turned into cowards, and wouldn't become truly-brave if you paid them a significant sum of money to do such.
I get really angry and loud sometimes about what is happening in Palestine. Then I get chastised by the "pacifists". Some say they just can't listen. When I say that if people had spoken out when it was clear that a holocaust (genocide) was happening in Germany, they quietly nod, but they still do not go to any demos or read anything other than the mainstream news. It is sometimes difficult not to start yelling like a madwoman at this kind of behaviour. And these are not people with political power. They are regular people who don't seem to really get it.
I find myself Existentially challenged by it. 15,000+ children now. It's hard to grapple with. I suppose death is part of life, but is life really just random shit and nothing more than that?
Unfortunately, the world is full of "such" people. Most people are too pre-occupied with their own lives (for one reason or another), and prefer to remain in their own reality bubbles (for various reasons). Bringing awareness is always a challenge. I keep trying every day. On some days I am able to get through to people, on other days it leads to more frustration.
Don't get discouraged and continue fighting the good fight! (I am saying this as much to myself as I am to you).
"This is a crime which requires outrage and punishment, not empty crocodile tears."
This. Neoliberals just can't help but give cover to the war crimes of Israel. That's why I shed crocodile tears whenever their candidates get voted out of office. They deserve to lose and lose badly. The world can do much better without them and their corporate paymasters.
"Look into the eyes of the orphaned infant above and tell her you just aren’t up for it. That you are too busy. That you have some shopping to do. That you are too stressed out. That you are too bummed out. Buck up." https://mark192.substack.com/p/america-can-you-look-into-her-eyes
Reparations? How in the world will that work? 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza x (let’s say) a miserely $100,000 = $230 billion dollars. That’s just to repay their approximate personal losses, nevermind all their public infrastructure, assets and businesses! The amount of reparations would be in the trillions. Who’s going to make the Israeli’s pay for it? It’ll never happen. Gaza was “flattened”. I’d say it’s probably in worse shape than North Korea was after the Americans bombed it to smithereens. The Gaza situation is beyond comprehension and beyond any viable solutions for any foreseen time in the future. Israel purposefully made it that way. And they have thus far gotten away with it. It’s beyond genocide… it’s Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Chernobyl and Fukushima rolled into one. Never before in modern history have so many displaced, occupied people been subjected to such outright genocidal and abject misery on top of their existing misery. This is Dante’s Hell.
The first sentence of your next-to-last paragraph is something that I devoutly wish could happen. But I cannot see it happening all at once. And with the Biden administration bad and a Trump administration worse, it is hard to even conceive of a pathway toward it. The only person speaking out now is Bernie Sanders. Four years ago the Democratic moderates did not think he could beat Trump, so they (Buttigieg and Klobuchar) threw their support to Biden. Now it is Biden who is polling badly. The only person I can see saving us now is Sanders. (It is assumed that Kamala will do as badly or worse against Trump than Biden.) He has stayed out of primaries in deference to Biden and because he is a year older. However, he comes across as younger and feistier than Biden. The only way I can see a hope for Gaza is for the Democratic Convention, if Biden continues to poll badly and lose the young voters because of Biden's well known Zionism, to draft Sanders. The idea is not so far-fetched; in 2016 the republican party considered turning to Romney but the voters were adamant.
Bernie is nothing more than a shill for Genocide Joe. Period. He is a trap just like practically every candidate for president including Trump who is the biggest trap of all! Trump is stood up by Evangelicals the Zionist HORDE and he has development contracts for the stolen Palestinian land. He will do nothing for all these people who expect some sort of retribution for the crimes of this administration and Rhino's.
I agree about Trump. That is why I focused on Bernie, who at least has it right on Palestine/Israel. And at this point, given that he has the support of the young people who have given up on Biden because of Israel, Bernie might have a better chance of defeating Trump than Biden.
That whole crowd Bernie, AOC etc have already pledged their unending support for the Genocider Biden. In the end Bernie will bend over again and vomit out his supporters to the Zionist Nazis that control our government. Democrats and Republicans are nothing but ZioNazis and Evangelicals. They are the enemy of the entire world. Bernie too.
Sorry, Bernie caved into stepping aside for Hillary when he was the one who could have beaten Trump. Obama talked him into making that cowardly decision. Vote Jill Stein if you want no more wars and support for Palestinians.
Jill Stein is the answer. People, planet and peace. Energetically pro-Palestine and anti-war. Pro worker and pro meeting the climate crisis head on. The US needs her--the world needs her.
Yes. Surprised Bobby Kennedy hasn't been eliminated like his dad and uncle. But that's because MSM won't give him any air time. I'd vote for him, figuring, since he's smart, he could learn the truth about Israel and could be convinced to support healthcare for all. He, too, would stop these forever wars, close bases, bring those troops home to repair this falling-apart infrastructure. He's basically like his father, a decent man who has won many cases against poluters.
Well, do either of the proposed nomination folks (Biden and Trump) say they will shut the over 800 UNNECESSARY military bases around the world? Does either say the first thing they would do if elected is free all the whistle blowers beginning with Julian Assange. Bobby says these things among many other promises that the other two venal incompetents would never say. So, yes, he's stupid on Israel, but as I said he can learn. As for taking on corporations, polluters for some, all his working life, as an environmental lawyer, NO other president has EVER done that, AND he wins his cases. Trump and Biden don't give a shit about the environment...look at the permissions to build Biden has given, for one example, to the biggest plastics maker, Formosa, just the other day. Trump and Biden are so bad, electing a rock would be an improvement. Kennedy has a brain, they don't.
Have you listened t Jr.'s pro-Israel rants? He also explicitly said he will not support medicare for all and his vaccine work has him in total war with the medical complex so he would never be able to craft a medicare for all program. Yes, he won many lawsuits against polluters, but his environmental policy relies on market forces and capitalism, which are the sources of the climate crisis and ecological collapse. I was interested in him when he first announced and emphasized corporate capture of government as a key problem, but he's since run away from that message and policy. He also alluded to meetings with Pompeo (interview with Tucker), which was very disturbing.
Biden walks with that shuffle that Tim Conway used to do mimicking a very elderly person. Biden isn’t pretending to be very elderly, he’s positively fossilized.
All Presidents, for decades, have acquiesced to the Deep State. That is since that CIA bullet hit JFK in the head, spewing his brains over the trunk of the Presidential limo.
The answer is not Bernie. He stepped aside for Hillary when, in fact, he was the one who could defeat Trump. He appealed to the same voters as Trump and they preferred him. Obama called him in and for three hours convinced Bernie to foolishly step aside. Cowardly on Bernie's part. Vote Jill Stein if you want no more wars and support for Palestinians. Notice how the Dems and Repubs called her a "Russian asset" for going with a group of thirty to Russia on a peace seeking mission.
I don't know what you mean by "step aside" when Bernie carried his opposition to Hillary all the way to the Convention, when she had already won enough delegates for the nomination. If he had dropped out when he should have and campaigned for her with enthusiasm she would have won in November. And if Jill Stein had not run Hillary would have won on November. Whatever you think of Hillary she would have been better than Trump. The reason I bring up Bernie now is that I can't see anyone else actually getting the nomination at the Convention and beating Trump. And that is because he is right about the Gaza war.
The Ds are hooked on corporate cash flow. Sanders proved they could get as many campaign funds without corporate. The DNC found this very threatening to their skills as corporate fund raisers. They hosed Sanders as they would rather lose the election than have these skills become obsolete. Nothing has changed since.
Of course they knew he could beat Trump. The poll numbers in both 16 and 20 were clear. That’s why they sandbagged him; the donor classes pressed leadership with threats that they would back Trump over Sanders because of Sanders threat to reimpose glass-steagall and to enforce anti-monopoly law.
Yes, the collusion seems to run deep. There is only so much the general public is privy to. From my understanding, most politics/decisions are conducted in back-room deals - away from the prying eyes of the public. The idea of the "power elite" is to maintain their status quo and hegemony - to ensure that their interests will always supercede the interests of everybody else.
"It lets them express their progressive humanitarian feelings without actually taking a meaningful political position against what’s being done in their name with their tax dollars and with their tacit consent."
Shitlibs are nothing if not phony.
"If it was Jewish people enclosed in Gaza while any other ethnicity rained military explosives on them for four months, no liberal in the world would have trouble recognizing what they’re seeing and calling it what it is."
But that is also applicable to conservatives.
"Nothing has exposed the true nature of the Democratic Party like a Democrat president running for re-election during a US-backed genocide."
Actually, nothing has exposed the true nature of the Deep State like a titular president running for re-election during a US-backed genocide.
"By saying you want peace but refusing to say how you want the peace to come about, the “peace” you purport to support could mean anything."
Indeed, it is an empty sentiment.
"Merely flicking an intellectual thumbs-up to empty notions about a “two-state solution” is just more liberal psychological compartmentalization."
There must be a permanent ceasefire in Gaza in order to comply with the ICJ ruling. Not with Palestinians suffering under oppressive conditions, but as a place where all live with peace and equality. It is time for Pope Francis to do more than talk. He must go to Gaza and make a stand for peace and freedom.
I want to address the Trump and Biden bit. I have been shaking my head over the Argentines electing a rabid rightwinger who will take them back to 99 when they had four presidents in a couple months, an IMF default, people taking over their shuttered factories--how could people who'd been through that want to do it again? Then I read an analysis that gave me a clue--it boiled down to, they elected him in an election much like the one we Americans face in November. The Deep State seems determined that it will be Trump versus Biden, no other choices allowed. (Yes, there will be third parties, people like Cornel West and Jill Stein, and I'll vote for one of them--but it doesn't matter, the game is rigged so they can't win). If Trump wins, the world will howl and shake their heads--how could the Americans vote for that clown, especially after four years of his antics in office? If Biden wins, the world will howl and shake their heads--how could the Americans reelect Genocide Joe? The game is rigged.
Someone said we're responsible for Gaza because of our tax dollars, but do we get any say in that? Meanwhile, someone recently showed me the scabs all over his body and told me I really should get the shingles vaccine, so I got it set up for my husband and I to get the shots at WalMart. Yesterday my husband stopped by there, to find out that they demand insurance--we have only Medicare Part A, for any medical care but a hospital stay, you have to keep paying premiums for life. Alternatively he could pay cash for the two shots, totaling $520. How much, if anything, do you have to pay in your country? Drug companies regularly take patents for drugs developed almost entirely on the public dime, then charge 100 times the cost. These vampires are coming for YOUR healthcare system too--all it takes is bribes and lobbyists. The military lobby is even worse, and the fossil fuel lobby is the reason we get nothing but false solutions to climate change. This is not democracy. Absolutely key to this system is corporate media which work in collusion with government/corporations, to manufacture consent.
Ah, but as minorities in the brutally and murderously policed mass incarceration country called America would tell you….these are not liberals. They are genteel reactionaries, who are only a well placed camera away from going into full Karen mode. Much like Peloisi!
And Americans do believe in bombing their way over everything,, mass killing civilians, getting nowhere with it - then pretending it worked. See their failures Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Yemen, Syria:
https://www.brown.edu/news/2021-09-01/costsofwar
Americans believe in bombing their way ...? What? I'm an American and I don't believe in these things at all. I'm anti-war, pro-Palestinian, pro-Donbass. I'm against foreign intervention.
The day the US invaded Iraq, I heard the news over the radio in a restaurant. I flipped off the waitress who said she thought it was good news. I protested the Vietnam war. I was outraged by the US invasion of Afghanistan.Don't make generalizations about Americans. No matter who our rulers are (Israel?), many people here feel the same way I do.
Give the dude a break. I’m an AMERICAN. I agree even on more things than you say. I’ve been doing this since 1978 and I’m allowing him to say Americans this and Americans that. these are our tax dollars. This is the horrible bullshit that we allowed to happen -just admit it.
I'm sure you all never forget to sign and date all those lovely tax checks that strip the life blood right out of your body through your labor... no offence..
None taken. I don’t pay INCOME taxes I live below the poverty line for single person. ON PURPOSE, I MIGHT ADD, BUT I PAY PLENTY OF GODDAMN TAXES, STATE TAX ,SALES TAX, RETAIL TAX PLENTY OF TAXES. WHICH BY THE WAY, I APPROVE OF -I APPROVE OF PAYING TAX TO FUND THE THINGS THAT WE ALL WANT AND NEED. HOW THEY SPEND IT bugs the FUCK OUT OF ME AND THAT’S WHERE MY VOTE COUNTS THE MOST AT THE LOCAL AND STATE LEVEL..
Voting localy has some small effect but problematic too unless you can get the sheep to see past the scams and tricks .. Reading the pamphlet they send out is an excersise in Orwellian doublespeak...the lies and ommisions and feckless con artistry writin into them these people should all be in the docks at the hauge . But alas the illusion of choice is very appealing to the sheep.. They can pretend they did their civic duty and wear that little sticker for a day..
I have no illusions whatever about electoral politics. We did however get rid of two fascist school board members in my little Township. Your cynicism, while understandable is not all that much appreciated. I do what I can when I can that I have figured will actually work. Better to light one little candle, then to curse the darkness.
While I do not doubt your bonafides, not enough Americans with enough influence and authority care enough to actually do anything about war and empire.
Because that’s where the money is.
And the oil...the SUV is thirsty to go to the mall to buy more high fructose corn syrup for their bloated brats that wont pass a physical test through the mic machine but they will take them anyway cause they gonna be getting desperate for cannon fodder soon enough..
Yes, you protested.
Yet, for example, Hillary still was allowed to bomb Libya and destroy that nation-state. I'm an American who has also protested. Yet I haven't done enough to remove the Oligarchy from its position of privilege.
I accept responsibility for my failures.
You should too.
The Ritter podcast I referenced is full of complications on other subjects including how neocon greed is responsible for fomenting conflicts all over the world.
The solution is simple. Destroy the Oligarchy.
How to do it is complicated.
Sadly though, few want to identify who the Oligarchy is. People use euphemisms to talk about Oligarchs as if there are some on "our side" and some on "their side" (Biden supporters vs Trump Supporters for example). No recognition that the Oligarchy is a loosely organized mafia that only cares about its own greed. We don't discuss the system in which America operates.
It is disingenuous to suggest that average Americans have any impact on the oligarchs and their machinations. The ability to control that class was lost long ago.
From international movement, foreign influence peddling, bribery, blackmail and generally profiteering off of the pain and suffering f humanity they have buttressed their defenses on all fronts.
You said: The solution is simple. Destroy the Oligarchy. How to do it is complicated.
Yes it is complicated if not downright impossible, look at the results of the ICC case against Israeli genocide, similar cases against US war crimes have also failed to make a difference. I don't see how it can be ended without 1) a complete collapse of the dollar and 2) civil war.
Our nation is run by a criminal mafia who has used every tool at its disposal to prevent any challenge to its authority.
I have ONE question?
How did this supposed democracy become a war-mongering empire?
I suggest that the American people are complicit in the demise of your 'light on the shining hill!'
Since Reagan you all forgot to vote/you shopped till you dropped. You believed in the American Dream like it would last forever.
Plus PNAC.
There is no more voting that matters..the systems so rigged in so many multiple ways i could list REAMS of examples from just my experiences.. just simple polling places that are more sparse in places they know will vote a certain way so that lines stretched blocks till people could not do it in 110 degree weather...PLANED by officials with a million excuses for why..and yet anyone with any savy knows exactly why ...ONE example of many sneaky underhanded tricks they use ..
No voting is a illusion and the only reason its encouraged so you sign and date the legal documents of the civil contract that you agree to abide by the dictates of their installed puppets ...two slices of the same shit sandwich
"It is disingenuous to suggest that average Americans have any impact on the oligarchs and their machinations."
I see. You've given up. I don't hold that against you.
The dollar will not collapse in my lifetime.
I don't see Civil War on the horizon.
If you don;t see either solution I noted then we are destined for a lifetime of oligarch rule and never ending war.
diu pati American imperium
Well, we have to destroy the Oligarchy. There should be plenty of other options.
They are revealing themselves for what they are. Other nation-states are not following in their path. Putin and Xi are showing "other options". Would you prefer their choices to the Oligarchy?
Unfortunately it nearly always takes a war, revolution or massive economic collapse to get rid of a rotten regime - in other words things have to get worse before they get better. The UK is like the US - a very entrenched system of oligarchy, manufactured consent, fake elections and corporate manipulation with foreign policy set in motion by a very small number of politicians who are completely beholden to (or simply agree with) their financial backers who actually dictate policy.
revolution will be violent (civil war) not because the revolting class wants it, but because the ruling class will not be able to resist the use of their favorite tool.
How to do it (What needs to be done) is not complicated to understand …but easy to say, hard to do: Stop cooperating. There are more of us than them -stop buying into the bullshit of divide and conquer.WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE!!!
If they have no one to do their bidding, they can’t fucking do their shit. Period! that’s it that’s all. there’s a big effing reason why the WWW-workers of the world, and the wobblies were dismantled and made powerless. Socialism at the time was a legitimate thing and up-and-coming thing. There were socialist mayors all over this fucking country, and other people in power . And Eugene V Debs one of the MOST FAMOUS was put into prison for a bullshit reason, why he was economically, publicly everything but physically, (maybe) tortured and blacklisted and lied about and made impotent. Dude ran for president from prison and got 1 million votes in fucking 1920s! At about that same time, US Marine lieutenant, a decorated veteran of World War I , colonel Smedley Butler wrote a book called “WAR IS A RACKET”. All of this power and knowledge had to fucking be put to sleep and be done AWAY with -no way the empire was gonna put up with this crazymaking!And our predecessors were none the wiser. End of story.FOR NOW.
"If they have no one to do their bidding, they can’t fucking do their shit." -- this explains the open border and migration crisis.
This is not what I meant and you know it. You must be the Emperor of the fucking world of the out of context specious posters. Zio fascist troll robot right wing goofball, idiot. Do you think I don’t know what you just did? I do go the fuck away, don’t listen to my podcast. Don’t post on my shit OK GTFO.
I liked your rant here Bernadene
Thank you John
You have called out a singular definition that haunts us and continue to haunt us until we acknowledge it as the problem:
Namely the attempt to sidestep the pernicious oligarchy and how we have allowed it to control our government and enslave us in every way possible.
Respect, karl. I never click on self-promoting links but I did this one.
Hope you haven't got yourself involved as deep as apparently Omali Yeshitela did: https://rumble.com/v4arvyk-interview-omali-yeshitela-facing-15-years-for-pro-russian-propaganda.html
Thanks, Russian_bot. Wasn't really promoting, gave up that website in 2020. Not wanting to get involved, as you say. (Would have liked to watch the video, but have system issues and can't play it.)
Stay out of any trouble as that's part of your record now anyway and will be brought up if needed.
That link is from this week Greenwald's interview with Omali Yeshitela and his lawyer re this: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/us-citizens-and-russian-intelligence-officers-charged-conspiring-use-us-citizens-illegal
sharing the US government web pages brings up suspicions of who you are really working for and against...propaganda and lies can only come out of the western institutions like the " justice" department... the nocon neoliberal get russia crowd.. red scare 2.0
Thanks for the information. Fortunately, I've never had any connection with Russia or any Russian individual But it's rather alarming that supporting DPR independence could be an indictable offense. Back in those days, we took freedom of speech for granted.
Gestapo is apt characterization of current security apparatuses in the West. A significant amount of intimidation has already gotten attention of the public and it's only going to get worse.
It's 1930s-40s Germany environment all over again, throughout the whole western world. The sycophantic part of population acts exactly like those informers back then. Denunciations are taking place as Jan 6 aftermath showed us and the "you won't recognize your neighbors, friends, colleagues, relatives" stage is already here.
It's not hard to make 'generalizations' of Americans.
All one has to do is look up the voting records since Reagan........this is supposed to be a democracy?
They pick a puppet get a little sticker like they are in grade school and delude themselves they have any say.. voting stopped being relative a very long time ago...
It's all one big scam now...
Karl pomeroy: Such a great guy you are. Too bad about your lack of respect and compassion for women, particularly those abused by Trump, who you appear to find a good person.
You seem to imply karl is a trumper. Whether he is or not, it seems he is anti-Biden. In that case he would have lots of respect and compassion for women abused by Biden.
How do you think the scales would look?
nice try, but this does not count as respect and compassion for women. Listening when they say they have been assaulted or when they have been treated in an unjust manner, speaking out against such comments as Trumps "grab em by the pussy" etc would be a way to affirm that you are a person who opposes the abuse of women.
OK, I shall delete the above. Just trying to help. You sound really upset.
I am not upset. I even kind of appreciate that you maybe are trying. What I am saying is that is not the way to be supportive of anyone.
southpark episode 100 - i'm european and i don't mind anyone saying europeans are a bunch of hypocritical, murderous, cowardly, empire-serving fascists. as far as outcomes go, there's no denying we are.
You do realise you are actually in the minority right? the mass of the mindless american proletariats don't give a shit about the rest of the world or even their own people and will vote for whoever taylor Swift points to.
I'm an American who has fought against the evils done by my government, it is a juggernaut that is almost unstoppable on the domestic front. If the media is to believed (it is not) then all Americans support our foreign wars, nothing could be further from the truth.
You can fight the government until you're sick. And broke. How much is enough sacrifice for one individual?
For those "dismantle Oligarchy/Deep State" solution offerers, at most proclaiming difficulty in implementing it (in large part because oligarchy and deep state are difficult to identify) I'd offer to focus instead on the media abuses, which are right here slapping everybody in the face. As a practical first step, that is. Who the media are is right here, in front of everybody. From the reporters up to the corporations leadership. So no more "difficult to identify" excuse, just the fight.
And now for the main difficulty, of the real kind - how do you, believers in the western democracy, go about it? So it's not just a self-patting "I went out to demonstrate" talk downing a beer in a bar after "the event"?
"Their failures" are only if one is to hold them against their stated goals. Who says they stated them truthfully?
As far as Americans go - they're fine. They created chaos and havoc elsewhere while pocketing the profits.
Thank you Kudjoe:
You have cut through the emotional and reactionary rhetoric and gotten to the heart of the problem.
Liberals do not exist in The “Democratic” Party, any more than Conservatives exist in The “Republican” Party. Both groups were chased out of those political parties years ago: and both of them want a permanent ceasefire, a fully functioning third party powerful enough to put true fear into the hearts of the ONE Party system that has enslaved Americans for over 100 years, and both despise what Biden and the country have been willing to tolerate. However, they fear what Trump will do (he has openly stated what he will do to what’s left of The US Government: and if installed again (?): will make The US an openly fascist nation and use its the full might of its military to begin WWIII.
(DEAREST Caitlin: TAKE THAT VERY SERIOUSLY:
And quite LITERALLY TO the proverbial BANK. Question (?): are you prepared to do deal with that head on? You may need to do just THAT in short order should Mr Biden fail to take office in ‘25. Be VERY CAREFUL what you wish for.
Biden would keep the military fascists hidden and stamp out any such notions.
He’s also just issued an Executive Order condemning Netanyahu’s government settlements on The West Bank.
Of he can take office again : then he will take a much “harsher tone” towards Bebe and his Likud SS Execution /Death Squads. He will have nothing to loose. When, and but IF Bebe loses(???):
HE has everything to lose..(up to an including his life).
Thank for so eloquently revealing your true intentions Caitlin. Much appreciated.
Never heard so eloquent erudite and specious bullshit in such a long time -probably Ronald Reagan. The demographics in this country, of which you may or may not be aware, hold the likelihood that neither candidate if third parties are voted for will get enough to take office. What do you think will happen? If it doesn’t happen now it might happen later- let Trump do what fucking Trump will do. It can’t be any worse than genocide in Gaza. He can only just continue with Biden‘s doing. That’s the worst most horrible crime at present. Be careful what you wish for. I’m not careful I wish to stop the genocide. I wish to stop the killing.NOW.
if anyone would gauge the conscience of biden against trump even at a guess and glance Biden has ZERO compassion for anything or anyone.. I have more faith in Trump's desire for peace than Biden ever would even if Trumps a stupid blind zionist too..
If I'm interpreting your statement correctly you are supporting a Biden win this year, true? Your predictions of what Biden would do in his second term, are baseless, and certainly nothing in his past suggests he would take the moral high ground. Do you live in the states? Do you know how he pushed all the lies of our ME wars? Do you know of his corruption? Personally I don't trust anyone in public office who is in a position to do so, to stand up to Israel. That includes Trump, should he win. Biden condemns what Israel is doing in the West Bank? Where was his voice in the past in regard to the West Bank? Sixty percent of the land now belongs to Israel and they've been grabbing it for decades. It's been getting worse and worse over time as they build Jewish settlements. Jewish settlers have been killing Palestinians who reside there, or they throw them off their own land, and more often then not there are no consequences. Where was his voice on that issue during his long, long political career? I could go on and on, but no doubt you'll hold on to your fantasy about a self serving man who isn't even playing with a full deck.
Nicely put, Biden has had decades to make a difference in Israel but he has been corrupt for so long that he forgot what ethics and morals are actually used for in the world.
Thats a stretch to think he's ever had any ethics or even knows what they are ..i have watched his career for his whole life in government and he's been nothing but a scumbag through all of it
I truly wish you good fortune in the wars to come.
You will have need of that; especially in the NL you will inhabit in the not too distant future. May the odds be in your favor.
Your confidence in Biden is excessive.
Your suspicion of Trump is unwarranted.
Just another "lesser of two evils" argument that accomplishes nothing to destroy the Oligarchy and the single-party government.
You can't convince the TDS afflicted, Trump is everything they fear and hate and Biden can do no wrong !
Ain't it such a bizarre orwellian experience to witness how twisted and propagandized the liberal hive mind has become ??
im sorry Patricia but you are regurgitating propaganda, Biden's America is fascist in every imaginable sense of the word. From experimental medical mandates to union busting, aggressive militarism to open corruption and degradation of the family and the youth of the nation, everything Biden has done has brought all of the worst fears about Trump to fruition. I remember before 2016 leftists claimed trump would start WW3, yet here is Biden bringing us to the brink. I remember claims that Trump would lead to bribery and corruption yet we have Biden crime family neck deep in bribery, blackmail and traitorous actions.
I am not a Trump fan boy but I am also clear eyed about the evils and corruption I see in the current administration - are you ?
"but TRUMP!" - see liberal excuse no. 3.
Neoliberal playbook page 22 chapter 2 when nothing works blame "Trump!"
Neoliberal playbook page 2 - Accuse your enemy of the crimes you have committed before you are accused.
Trump? Fascist? What do you base that on? He started no new wars during his term. He has never said he would start WWIII, nor is there any evidence he would. He has said he would end the fighting in Ukraine in one day. Is that starting WWIII? As the late anti-war.com founder Justin Raimondo would say, "Are you hallucinating?"
Redacted FBI files show that Israel helped Trump get elected. He is very close to Netanyahu. Sure, ending the war in Ukraine would be easy for him to do, given Republican opposition to that war. But he may not be willing to do the same for the war in Gaza, especially given his close connections to Netanyahu.
Every president in my lifetime has had Israel help them get elected - why should Trump be any different ?
You need to do a little research about the allegations. They have to do with Roger Stone working directly with Netanyahu to do some illegal things to get Trump get elected. This isn't a matter of taking in 100,000 from AIPAC.
Everything that Trump has been accused of has been done by other politicians in the past, taking home top secret documents, yeah, every president and apparently VP has done that one,been accused of sexual impropriety, accused of cheating on taxes, the entire Biden family has done those two. In the end it is just another distraction from the crimes of this government.
So until there is some earth shattering revelation that this was out of the ordinary for American politics I will consider it just more noise.
Karl, you must be aware that he has raped many women. You surely have heard him say that he wants to be a "Dictator". (After all, a dictator won't be able to be unseated.) He has lied on his taxes and failed to pay his workers. He made three ridiculously right-wing judges appointed to the Supreme Court. They will be part of the process to tear down the regulatory state. There are so many reasons to hate Trump, but you seem to be ignoring all of them.
You are also ignoring what the democrats did to Trump which is they tried to remove an elected president from office. It matters not what you think of Trump to know that is unconstitutional. They also wanted a Biden win so they got some 50 CIA agents to say, hey, Hunter's lap top is just Russian disinformation. The democrats also turned Jan 6 into an insurrection, and if you know the definition of that word then you know how absurd that claim is, so lets call it for what it is, a riot. You seem to buy everything you read or hear that substantiates your hate of the man. Tell me did you buy the one where he hired people to go over to Russia and piss on the bed where Obama and his wife slept? Spare me your fear about the right, and be disturbed that the so called left in the democrat party no long exists. You don't have to be a Trump supporter to see what the democrats have become.
The same can sadly be applied to the so called “right” as well. The “left” wing and the “right” wing (?), are attached to the same damn bird.
Stop deflecting and pretending the crimes of the Biden administration don't exist.
I have no love of neoliberals who are most of our government, along with the scary Republicans. So, no I’m not ignoring what they do to Trump - but I think he is a psychopath, senile old man. The same can be said for Biden.
He may be an old man but not nearly as senile as trump...trumps problematic but if you prefer Biden over him that's problematic for your level of awareness and intellect..why not a real candidate?? oh right none will ever be allowed except these clowns
"he has raped many women" - is that a common knowledge? Could you share details?
Sadly , yes “russian_bot”, it is common knowledge, and can be verified many times over. However, the most prominent is that of E. Jean Carrol. The criminal statute was timed out, however (?), the Civil Court has no such limitations. When tried by a jury of his peers, Mr Trump was found to be “civilly liable” #GULITY for the molestation, assault, and rape (it was clearly defined as such); of Ms. E. Jean Carrol. He was therefore ordered to pay out 83.5 million dollars in recompense for his illegal assault, along with the pain, suffering and psychological suffering caused by the
rape.
He has also indicted, but not tried for almost 20 other assaults.
yet there was no evidence presented at the Carroll trial, she pressed no charges 30 years ago and has no witnesses or evidence of any kind. She is an obvious man hating opportunist funded by a billionaire that hates Trump.
Here you are being completely blind to the fact that the democrats and Biden have weaponized the judicial system against their political opponent and you find nothing wrong with that ?
That weaponization is fascist to its core yet you are fine it ? Why is that ?
Are you one of those 20?
I intended to be flippant. How can one prove something that happened long ago? Have you not been assaulted? Or feel like you have? Can you bring up a case right now against those assailants and claim similar rewards?
E. Jean Carroll, for one, who just was awarded $83 million . Others have not had such a big win against this monster. But if you read the stories of the many women who have complained about his misbehavior, and you consider the way women who are raped are treated on the stand, and by Mr. Trump. Many women would not make a public accusation. So, if they are, where there's smoke, there's fire.
"where there's smoke, there's fire." - sure. Has there been any smoke around you?
Anything can be said about anybody. If you were not just Jean Cushman commenting on Caitlin's forum but running for some position that mattered, you'd be accused with lots of things.
Are you familiar with Mark Twain's "Running for Governor"?
Where are the criminal charges for rape ? You just slandered a man as a rapist without evidence or conviction !
And you ignore the reasons to hate Biden, I have never seen a public figure as publicly creepy towards little girls and other mens wives as Creepy Joe Biden.
George W. Bush invaded Iraq and caused the death of half a million.. Biden, who has supported Ukraine since he was VP, has now allowed a half million Ukrainian soldiers to be killed by perpetuating US support. Tump killed about 13 people. Have you had a course in math? Half a million dead is a lot more than 13.
propaganda most of you all tend to consume has a two fold effect..fool fools and let intellectual and moral cowards have all the excuse and weapons they seek..
I guess Mr. Pomeroy that you do not see abuse of women as violent, perhaps fascist. He didn't stop any wars either. He encouraged hatred of immigrants. Not a great guy at all.
"He didn't stop any wars either" - did karl claim he did?
what has that question got to do with anything? Jeez. Sometimes you say things that make sense and then other times, like now, you sound like a real man bimbo.
"real man bimbo" sounds sexy. I hope it doesn't cause unnecessary arousals in the forum.
If you re-read karl's comment - where does he claim Trump stopped wars?
That’s a rather frequent claim for many in The GQP.
Yeah, but did karl claim it?
Trump was an attractive successful man when he was younger. I'm sure a lot of women flirted with him. There is no proof he raped any of them, however, Trump's own wife is an immigrant. He never encouraged hatred of immigrants. He merely wants to stop illegal, get that, illegal immigration. I can't imagine why you react so to these minor issues, when the main issue here is war.
there is proof that he raped at least one woman and probably more. I react to his hatred of women because I am a human being who happens to be a woman.
"probably more" - probably the whole neighborhood. Probably the whole town. Probably the whole city.
And all out of hatred of women. He wants to rape women because he hates them.
Biden, on the other hand, takes a shower with his daughter. A loving doting father that he is. Do you think, Susan, he was teaching her math while in there? Like, counting balls in his junk? Maybe medicine, like blood rushing to his penis? What was it he was educating his daughter about, Susan?
Trump is a fascist - your first curriculum:
This Happened Here
https://www.amazon.com/This-Happened-Here-Paul-Street/dp/1032150599
Paul Street's essays:
https://www.counterpunch.org/author/paul-street/
Do Biden next, you could name your book, Cocaine Cowboys of the White house or perhaps "BidenGate: How pedophilia runs rampant in D.C" !
Thanks again for the links!
Dear “Patricia” America is an openly fascist country already. Actions speak loud. Arming and helping genocide, for profit of its rich. Waging global wars of ideology and profit. Media reduced to propaganda. Legal system corrupted. Legislature corrupted by legalized bribery. It’s fascism.
They’ve simply tried to hang on to their popular definition of themselves. But, yes, American style fascism has taken national root since 1945. Now it’s out in the open.
True Patricia. Trump has been incredibly bad for the Middle-East and Palestine when he was in office.
Examples:
(1) Democracy Now->“Yet Another Declaration of War on Palestinians”: Rashid Khalidi on Trump’s Middle East “Peace” Plan [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qCcqyA__tk]
(2) Trump vows to help Israel finish Hamas and ban Gaza refugees from entering the US [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0CqwurerEQ]
(3) AlJazeera->Trump's Middle East plan and a century of failed deals [https://interactive.aljazeera.com/aje/2020/the-failed-deals-of-the-century/index.html]
(4) Trump’s reckless Middle East policy has brought the US to the brink of war [https://www.brookings.edu/articles/trumps-reckless-middle-east-policy-has-brought-the-us-to-the-brink-of-war/]
(5) Trump claims he made peace in the Middle East with Abraham Accords. That’s False. [https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2023/dec/05/donald-trump/trump-claims-he-made-peace-in-the-middle-east-with/]
(6) TheIntercept->https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2023/dec/05/donald-trump/trump-claims-he-made-peace-in-the-middle-east-with/ [https://theintercept.com/2020/10/29/trump-yemen-war-civilian-deaths/]
(7) AlJazeera->Analysis: Trump's Middle East plan: The farce, the fraud and the fury [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hbYJXQiyjA]
(8) WATCH: Senate votes to restrict Trump's war powers [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4C0wZNifpE]
(9) In one move, Trump eliminated US funding for UNRWA and the US role as Mideast peacemaker [https://www.brookings.edu/articles/in-one-move-trump-eliminated-us-funding-for-unrwa-and-the-us-role-as-mideast-peacemaker/]
The list of resources is endless on Trump's track record in the middle-east and his true intentions (not his stated intentions that he then walks back on by calling everything he disagrees as "Fake News") is endless.
LOL Biden also pledged his undying allegiance to israel and screw the USA people.
Trump will do the same as his son in law is a Mossad operative.
American 'liberals' were discredited long ago when they signed up for the Forever Wars en masse. The Genocide & Ethnic Cleansing in Palestine is simply going to be the Final Nail in the Coffin:
US 'Liberals' will from now on be viewed as nothing more than War Crime Apologists whose 'opinions' are not worth the pixels they are typed upon.
“Liberals” haven’t existed in The US for over 40 years now. These genocide apologists are
in fact , NEO Liberals. They spin and spout the liturgy but do not practice it.
They are Infidels in the truest sense of the word.
Look up Phil Ochs “Love me, I’m a liberal” It dates back nearly 60 years now - American Liberalism has always been a vacuous empty identitarian sham, allowing people to feel morally superior while still supporting the status quo; American Liberalism was simply a way to abolish a real left wing movement in the states.
Point ON S. L.
(For those interested)
If you wish to read (& listen!) to more of My commentary, here is my Main Stack:
https://thefallofthewest.substack.com
Thank You Kindly to everyone!
“BUT TRUMP!” - this applies fully to this forum.
Absolute majority of the commenters here are but-trumpers even if they'll squeal to "disagree".
Not me. I loathe Trump with every fiber of my; however his election would force liberals to oppose the same policies that they now support when Biden does them. They’d need to finish eating brunch.
If Trump was in office supporting this Genocide or staring new wars, pussy hat wearing liberal ladies would be out protesting in the streets.
Herr Trump is a Fascist. His (likely) re-election would (will) represent a qualitative shift in US government and consolidate fascist cultural and political trends now gaining momentum in the US (and many other places in the world).
The women out there might speak to the impact of these changes, given that Trump appointed 3 Supreme Court judges that ruled that women are baby machines. That is just the beginning of what the White Christian Nationalists and their militia friends are gunning for - look to Israel to see what a fascist fundamentalist religious ethno-state looks like.
The next stop is now happening with vigilantes at the US-Mexican border supporting a State government in rebellion against federal authority. For those that breath the air, drink the water, and experience the natural world, the Heritage Foundation has an agenda for you, it's called "Project 2025" - you might want to read it and find out what "dismantling the administrative state" really means and what's coming to a place you live in:
https://thf_media.s3.amazonaws.com/project2025/2025_MandateForLeadership_CHAPTER-13.pdf
Writing that "Trump is bad" is absurd and highly irresponsible. Just remember: you were warned.
Hi, Bill. You write, “Herr Trump is a Fascist.”
Personally, I avoid the word “fascist” because, in part, it seems all political conversations eventually devolve to using it. But the main reason I don’t use it is because it has no clear meaning. Even Mussolini was sketchy about what the word meant. I think “corporatist” is a more accurate and understandable term. Corporatism is simply a system in which corporations and their principal owners rule (often disguised in the form of “public/private partnerships”). In a corporatist society, government is a tool of corporate interests. I’m pretty sure you’ve had plenty of experience with corporate capture of government environmental agencies. Not all of those agencies are captured to the same extent, and there are good and independent people working in all of them, but does anyone think—whether under Trump or Biden (or name any other modern president)—that the U.S. EPA is fully independent?
However, even if EPA was completely independent, the Supremacy Clause in the U.S. Constitution makes federal law dominant over state law, which, as you know, allows the feds to preempt any state environmental protection laws (in my experience) from exceeding federal environmental standards. One example is the acceptable level of mercury in drinking water set by EPA: because of federal preemption, states cannot establish a more stringent standard. Wouldn’t it be better if the federal government established a maximum (ceiling) for mercury rather than a minimum (floor), especially when local governments are quite capable of meeting the stricter standards? This, btw, could be done without violating the Supremacy Clause.
This is relevant to what is currently happening in Texas. I think if you look into it a bit further, you will see that the State of Texas is not rebelling against the U.S. Constitution (though that is the melodrama the corporate media is trying make of it); Texas is instead claiming that the federal government is not fulfilling its Constitutional and legal obligations to manage national borders and immigration. The assertion being made by Texas actually serves as a check and balance over federal overreach and, in the case of enforcement of border laws, also federal under-reach. I think the inherent conflict between federal and state rights is overall a very positive dynamic of the federal system.
BTW, contrary to what many believe, the principal issues of states' rights were not settled during the Civil War. Instead, Lincoln settled the matter militarily—a habit Americans still can’t seem to break when it comes to complex issues. I actually can find no reason—legal, moral, or Constitutional—that prevents a state from determining secession is in its best interest, especially when there is overwhelming evidence that the laws and treaties of the U.S. no longer serve the interests of the people of that state. (See that other founding document, The Declaration of Independence.) I personally believe that this resort to secession is nowhere more justified than with environmental laws and treaties. In the case of Texas, if it seceded, it may actually do a better job at border protection; however, it's environmental laws would no doubt be much worse than those established by EPA (due to the obvious supremacy of the oil industry in Texas politics). So I don't think secession is a cure all, though some states will eventually be forced to try it as The Western Empire collapses and as the federal government claims its inevitable position on the ash heap of history.
Jack - the term "fascist" has sufficiently defined characteristics to be applied and Trump checks all the boxes. There is a growing body of literature about this, and the characteristics are far broader than mere corporatism and economic policy, check out the curriculum or syllabus. Visit the academically curated website: New Fascism Syllabus’ “Interrogating The Present”:
The Year Ahead and the New Fascism Syllabus
https://refusefascism.org/2024/01/21/the-year-ahead-and-the-new-fascism-syllabus/
Your statements on federal preemption of State environmental law are false and exactly backwards. Almost all federal environmental laws set the floor, with States allowed to set more stringent state regulatory standards. I've worked for 40 years in one of those states. Very few federal environmental law explicitly preempt State law and implied preemption emerges in limited situations, mostly involving the Commerce clause. You mention mercury: this state has stricter standards for mercury than US EPA (I was forced out of State government as a whistleblower on mercury science and regulation back in 1994, so know a little about all that).
Amazing that you falsely assert federal preemption of environmental laws and invoke the Supremacy clause, yet in the same breath claim that the State of Texas is not rebelling agains the Constitution! Pretzelk logic, my friend.
First, regarding federal preemption of state environmental law, I am happy to hear that you or your state never experienced it during your tenure. I assume your own experience with mercury was completely based on state law and had nothing to do with the Clean Air Act or Clean Water Act, in which the acts themselves describe preemption limiting state action because the federal government thought that too much variation in state environmental laws would harm polluting industries. Perhaps your state did not have politically powerful polluting private industries like oil, gas, coal, corporate agriculture, or manufacturing, and in which industry-owned legislators prevented setting standards more stringent than EPA. Obviously, every state is different with regard to environmental concerns and complexity. As I’m sure you know, this pattern of describing EPA authorities over states is the norm in most modern federal environmental law, which, on the positive side, is a better process than leaving supremacy rights of the federal government undisclosed or implied (as is often the case with immigration and border security), but it still does not completely prevent assertions by states of federal overreach or states’ rights.
With regard to your claim that “fascism” is a sufficiently settled term, I followed the link you provided, and here is how that website describes fascism:
“Fascism is not just a gross combination of horrific reactionary policies. It is a qualitative change in how society is governed. Fascism foments and relies on xenophobic nationalism, racism, misogyny, and the aggressive re-institution of oppressive “traditional values.” Fascist mobs and threats of violence are unleashed to build the movement and consolidate power. What is crucial to understand is that once in power fascism essentially eliminates traditional democratic rights. Fascism has direction and momentum. Dissent is piece by piece criminalized. The truth is bludgeoned. Group after group is demonized and targeted along a trajectory that leads to real horrors. All of this [took] dramatic leaps under the Trump Regime. History has shown that fascism must be stopped before it becomes too late.”
It seems to me that this statement is a mere mini-manifesto for the status quo that is tainted by TDS. (I am not a Trump supporter.) With regard to this quote, I personally fail to see any substantive differences between the Trump Administration and Biden's. This quote tells me almost nothing objectively useful about the economic or political principles of fascism. In fact, you could change the word “fascism” to “communism” in the quote and, except for the dig at Trump, it could be used on any anti-communist site.
I will stand by my previous statements.
Jack - Perhaps the lame state officials you are relying on use this as an excuse for inaction at the State level, but you are simply wrong on the preemption issue. Both Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act explicitly provide for States to adopt more stringent standards and permit requirements, and not necessarily solely on State law but on delegated federal law. The Supreme Court Clean Water Act case you are probably referring to involved inter-state and common law issues - https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/479/481/
Here is a Congressional Research Service primer on preemption for you to read:
https://www.everycrsreport.com/files/19990823_RS20280_12cc4002c20e5b77969ebad0af0e430cbb9ea372.pdf
In terms of you seeing no difference between Trump versus Biden, again, you just lack facts - I don't want to wast time on the ideological and cultural issues, but in limited terms of governing, here's two examples: check out Biden's Executive Order on reversing Trump Executive Orders on the environment: (yes, I know that most of it is rhetoric)
Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/01/27/executive-order-on-tackling-the-climate-crisis-at-home-and-abroad/
Here's another (ignore the LNG export issue and look at the rest:
https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/26/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-temporary-pause-on-pending-approvals-of-liquefied-natural-gas-exports/#:~:text=Today%2C%20the%20Biden%2DHarris%20Administration,the%20underlying%20analyses%20for%20authorizations.
In terms of Fascism, you missed the content I was referring to - the Group "Refuse Fascism" has numerous podcasts with experts and activists involved in opposing fascsim that can explain things for you. Or you could refer to any of the writings (at CounterPunch) or books of historian Paul Street. Do more reading!
Of course, you seem completely unaware of Trump's actual policy agenda, which defined in detail by the Heritage Foundation's "Project 2025" radical Report, read it here:
https://bwolfe.substack.com/p/were-shifting-focus-here-to-try-to
"women are baby machines" - are they? In the same context what do you call men?
Don't twist my words again asshole. That what the SUPREME COURT ruled. I am not calling them that you liar.
Is the expression "women are baby machines" your invention or is it in the Supreme Court ruling?
If it's your expression you are one of those who would:
- scrub out every woman under suspicion of having a fertilized egg
- punch every visibly pregnant woman in the belly to induce a premature stillborn
That's how hateful towards humanity you are, bill. But hey, you can read court rulings - that's something!
Can you point out where they used the term, instead of plain "women"? If not, then it's your invention, insanely derogatory and deranged. Then the question is who's an asshole and a liar.
Is it your term, bill?
Listen to Episode #183 - the year in review. Learn something, Moron:
https://refusefascism.org
Thanks for the link.
PS: When engaging with the troll "russian_bot", I use the following advice from George Carlin: "Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience." 😀
Don't wiggle. You said "Trump appointed 3 Supreme Court judges that ruled that women are baby machines". Where is that ruling? Where does "baby machines" appear in the text?
Or did you yourself invent the term? If you did and are that creative, I'll repeat my question - in that same context what would you call men?
You are such an establishment propagandist.
Your probably a secret genocide supporter !
Yep, both parties are fully “owned.” Same in Australia. Just an illusion of choice, we have no choice, paraphrasing George Carlin who was on the money 99.9%.
Ironically, the alternate website antiwar.com is totally anti-Trump, even though Trump is against war and proved that during his term. The only pro-Trumper at antiwar.com was the late Justin Raimondo, who founded the site. Justin used to say about his own people, "Are they hallucinating?" It's TDS, and no one knows the cause. (You'd think Caitlin could get to the bottom of this.)
Well, that tells you everything about "antiwar" isn't it.
Derangement syndrome condition is mysterious. When it hits somebody all you can do is step aside and let them strut their stuff. "Trump" is just one of the varieties.
If Justin was pro-trump then and after his death anti-war has become anti-trump we can safely assume that anti-war has been compromised and is no longer reliable.,
She already has gotten to the bottom of it.
"BUT NOT TRUMP!" - this applies fully to this forum.
Ping!
You're a "Software Engineer", you should know what it means.
I take it back. Recently you were asking a certain Master of Emojis how to find them on your computer. If you can't figure that out then you're not a software engineer - you're a fraud.
Here's your current profile in case you decide to change it - shitlib types like you do those tricks all the time:
"A wanna-be philosopher, an ANTI-Capitalist, ANTI-Imperialist & an ANTI-Colonialist. I'm also a Software Engineer, Data Analyst, & ironically an ANTI-Technologist & more importantly, a curious observer of human behavior & examiner of false narratives."
What a fucking gibberish that is. "Examiner" LOL!
Like I said before - I use the following advice from George Carlin: "Never argue with an idiot. They will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience."
Go ahead, beat me (and others) down into a pulp with your experience at "idiocracy". That's where you shine. Awesome job! Congratulations!
Say something of substance, weasel. It's easy to lick others' asses, arguing points in good faith - not so much.
Not surprising for a fraud like you. Software Engineer - my ass! Examiner of assholes, polisher of asses - that's more like your expertise.
Why thank you so much for your intelligent and thoughtful analysis and reply. Much appreciated. Keep up the good work. May you someday conquer the world with your "experience" at "idocracy". I'm rooting for you.
Ping!
Jews own BlackRock. With their trillions, they could buy a chunk of Germany and relocate Israel there. Give Palestine back to the Palestinians. OK. Is that a solution?
Even McCartney couldn't get Ireland given back to the Irish.
It's not just "liberals", so-called. You think most "conservatives" want any relief for the Palestinians anymore than "liberals" do? It is most "Americans" of whatever partisan persuasion who don't take a stand one way or the other. We've been raised on constant warfare, love of violence (video games, TV and movies), and with the "example" of most people not taking a stand on anything, or almost anything, sloughing off discussion of all such matters ("it's negative", "let's change the subject to something positive"), and usually if not always avoiding and denying what is really going on, especially if they convince themselves, as most do, that there is nothing they can do about it anyway, so they just move on to seeking to "survive," and to "get ahead" which you gotta be a crook to successfully do.
Most "Americans", and the people in most of the world for that matter, live in avoidance and denial of reality, because they've been indoctrinated and conditioned since they became conscious, to "live" that way. "That's what everybody is (or most people are) doing." Deny and avoid facing that the "Matrix" control grid, mass-insanity of most people, and "living" in nothing but a fantasy world, exists. The majority acts like "it's just the way the world is...", etc. To now completely change and reverse course, and truly face reality, and to now take a stand concerning reality, is too drastic a change for people who have been brainwashed and programmed all their lives to "live like the Jones'", to conform, and to not question the many evil ways in which the world operates, getting worse and worse every year.
It's not an excuse for not making that change no matter how painful it is, but the way the world really works is so bleak, with only a thin patina, or veil, covering over the reality of our mass-suffering world, so most people bury their heads in the ground in order to avoid the pain of facing it. THE TRUTH is what sets us free, not living in avoidance and denial, but "everyone is doing (the latter)"; and again, "there's nothing we can do about it anyway". So, once more, it isn't only "liberals" who "live" this way, it is the vast majority of people, especially the vast majority of "Americans" and other people of the Western, so-called "democratic" countries. Most people don't know what liberty, freedom and rights mean anymore, and actually believe that those who stand up for them "are in the wrong" and "deserving" of whatever ill-will and/or violence that is inflicted on them for doing so.
Do you think most people are going to break out of that mindset and entire way of "living"? Most of them are "living" like everything is "hunky-dory", or at least like it is "just the way it is", and they're not going to, "liberal" or "conservative", upset their "reality" by making such a complete, drastic change in their "lives" for a truly set-free life that faces just how extremely bad most things all around us are, and for becoming, as a result, a pariah to most people around them, and a so-called "threat" because they no longer conform to the status quo. For example, if they are UN"vaccinated", they have become "untermenschen", only worthy of wearing "a yellow star", and being separated from "decent" society, and/or being eliminated altogether. Most people have been permanently turned into cowards, and wouldn't become truly-brave if you paid them a significant sum of money to do such.
Wish I could give you a thousand likes for that one.
I get really angry and loud sometimes about what is happening in Palestine. Then I get chastised by the "pacifists". Some say they just can't listen. When I say that if people had spoken out when it was clear that a holocaust (genocide) was happening in Germany, they quietly nod, but they still do not go to any demos or read anything other than the mainstream news. It is sometimes difficult not to start yelling like a madwoman at this kind of behaviour. And these are not people with political power. They are regular people who don't seem to really get it.
I find myself Existentially challenged by it. 15,000+ children now. It's hard to grapple with. I suppose death is part of life, but is life really just random shit and nothing more than that?
Unfortunately, the world is full of "such" people. Most people are too pre-occupied with their own lives (for one reason or another), and prefer to remain in their own reality bubbles (for various reasons). Bringing awareness is always a challenge. I keep trying every day. On some days I am able to get through to people, on other days it leads to more frustration.
Don't get discouraged and continue fighting the good fight! (I am saying this as much to myself as I am to you).
You sound like a born activist. Go for it, Susan.
"This is a crime which requires outrage and punishment, not empty crocodile tears."
This. Neoliberals just can't help but give cover to the war crimes of Israel. That's why I shed crocodile tears whenever their candidates get voted out of office. They deserve to lose and lose badly. The world can do much better without them and their corporate paymasters.
Liberals don’t want peace. They want quiet.
Thank you John
Well spoken.
"America, Can You Look Into Her Eyes And..."
"Look into the eyes of the orphaned infant above and tell her you just aren’t up for it. That you are too busy. That you have some shopping to do. That you are too stressed out. That you are too bummed out. Buck up." https://mark192.substack.com/p/america-can-you-look-into-her-eyes
Reparations? How in the world will that work? 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza x (let’s say) a miserely $100,000 = $230 billion dollars. That’s just to repay their approximate personal losses, nevermind all their public infrastructure, assets and businesses! The amount of reparations would be in the trillions. Who’s going to make the Israeli’s pay for it? It’ll never happen. Gaza was “flattened”. I’d say it’s probably in worse shape than North Korea was after the Americans bombed it to smithereens. The Gaza situation is beyond comprehension and beyond any viable solutions for any foreseen time in the future. Israel purposefully made it that way. And they have thus far gotten away with it. It’s beyond genocide… it’s Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Chernobyl and Fukushima rolled into one. Never before in modern history have so many displaced, occupied people been subjected to such outright genocidal and abject misery on top of their existing misery. This is Dante’s Hell.
Well said Kati Kovacs! I just wish what you said wasn't so depressing... The reality is indeed stark.
We need a Peoples' Bank. That's how we can pay for this and more. Interested? Here's a prospectus:
https://x.com/DomeLord/status/1752263547076096168?s=20
As always, Caitlin, you say it better than any other journalist. You hit us in the gut. Brilliant.
The first sentence of your next-to-last paragraph is something that I devoutly wish could happen. But I cannot see it happening all at once. And with the Biden administration bad and a Trump administration worse, it is hard to even conceive of a pathway toward it. The only person speaking out now is Bernie Sanders. Four years ago the Democratic moderates did not think he could beat Trump, so they (Buttigieg and Klobuchar) threw their support to Biden. Now it is Biden who is polling badly. The only person I can see saving us now is Sanders. (It is assumed that Kamala will do as badly or worse against Trump than Biden.) He has stayed out of primaries in deference to Biden and because he is a year older. However, he comes across as younger and feistier than Biden. The only way I can see a hope for Gaza is for the Democratic Convention, if Biden continues to poll badly and lose the young voters because of Biden's well known Zionism, to draft Sanders. The idea is not so far-fetched; in 2016 the republican party considered turning to Romney but the voters were adamant.
Bernie is nothing more than a shill for Genocide Joe. Period. He is a trap just like practically every candidate for president including Trump who is the biggest trap of all! Trump is stood up by Evangelicals the Zionist HORDE and he has development contracts for the stolen Palestinian land. He will do nothing for all these people who expect some sort of retribution for the crimes of this administration and Rhino's.
I agree about Trump. That is why I focused on Bernie, who at least has it right on Palestine/Israel. And at this point, given that he has the support of the young people who have given up on Biden because of Israel, Bernie might have a better chance of defeating Trump than Biden.
That whole crowd Bernie, AOC etc have already pledged their unending support for the Genocider Biden. In the end Bernie will bend over again and vomit out his supporters to the Zionist Nazis that control our government. Democrats and Republicans are nothing but ZioNazis and Evangelicals. They are the enemy of the entire world. Bernie too.
Sorry, Bernie caved into stepping aside for Hillary when he was the one who could have beaten Trump. Obama talked him into making that cowardly decision. Vote Jill Stein if you want no more wars and support for Palestinians.
Jill Stein is the answer. People, planet and peace. Energetically pro-Palestine and anti-war. Pro worker and pro meeting the climate crisis head on. The US needs her--the world needs her.
Yes. Surprised Bobby Kennedy hasn't been eliminated like his dad and uncle. But that's because MSM won't give him any air time. I'd vote for him, figuring, since he's smart, he could learn the truth about Israel and could be convinced to support healthcare for all. He, too, would stop these forever wars, close bases, bring those troops home to repair this falling-apart infrastructure. He's basically like his father, a decent man who has won many cases against poluters.
What bullshit......RFK he will support the Zionists. Just because he is a Kennedy means nothing.
Well, do either of the proposed nomination folks (Biden and Trump) say they will shut the over 800 UNNECESSARY military bases around the world? Does either say the first thing they would do if elected is free all the whistle blowers beginning with Julian Assange. Bobby says these things among many other promises that the other two venal incompetents would never say. So, yes, he's stupid on Israel, but as I said he can learn. As for taking on corporations, polluters for some, all his working life, as an environmental lawyer, NO other president has EVER done that, AND he wins his cases. Trump and Biden don't give a shit about the environment...look at the permissions to build Biden has given, for one example, to the biggest plastics maker, Formosa, just the other day. Trump and Biden are so bad, electing a rock would be an improvement. Kennedy has a brain, they don't.
Have you listened t Jr.'s pro-Israel rants? He also explicitly said he will not support medicare for all and his vaccine work has him in total war with the medical complex so he would never be able to craft a medicare for all program. Yes, he won many lawsuits against polluters, but his environmental policy relies on market forces and capitalism, which are the sources of the climate crisis and ecological collapse. I was interested in him when he first announced and emphasized corporate capture of government as a key problem, but he's since run away from that message and policy. He also alluded to meetings with Pompeo (interview with Tucker), which was very disturbing.
Because RFKjr is nowhere near getting power. And besides, assassination is so over the top. Something like out of "Yes, Minister" is less messy.
She’s be “removed” and “disappeared” before she could make a move.
Biden walks with that shuffle that Tim Conway used to do mimicking a very elderly person. Biden isn’t pretending to be very elderly, he’s positively fossilized.
https://youtu.be/13oklol49ZY?si=_nCRTYQ9R05BpveF
The whole idea of orange man bad biden a lilttle less bad is the point if looking in the mirror same thing
A Trump administration worse?? What evidence do you have to back that up? Were there any new wars during Trump's term? Of course not.
"A Trump administration worse?? "
He was just terrible differently.
"Were there any new wars during Trump's term?"
Were any wars ended during Trump's term?
Of course not.
All Presidents, for decades, have acquiesced to the Deep State. That is since that CIA bullet hit JFK in the head, spewing his brains over the trunk of the Presidential limo.
karl asked "new wars", Realist. Not "old" or "existing" ones. Is English your native language?
Perhaps more to the point,
Is it the native “tongue” of those who wrote the algorithm for this site(?)…
That is the origin of the issue
What does any algorithm have to do with the issue of Realist bringing up something that was not in the original claim by karl?
You are a dense bastard.
The answer is not Bernie. He stepped aside for Hillary when, in fact, he was the one who could defeat Trump. He appealed to the same voters as Trump and they preferred him. Obama called him in and for three hours convinced Bernie to foolishly step aside. Cowardly on Bernie's part. Vote Jill Stein if you want no more wars and support for Palestinians. Notice how the Dems and Repubs called her a "Russian asset" for going with a group of thirty to Russia on a peace seeking mission.
I don't know what you mean by "step aside" when Bernie carried his opposition to Hillary all the way to the Convention, when she had already won enough delegates for the nomination. If he had dropped out when he should have and campaigned for her with enthusiasm she would have won in November. And if Jill Stein had not run Hillary would have won on November. Whatever you think of Hillary she would have been better than Trump. The reason I bring up Bernie now is that I can't see anyone else actually getting the nomination at the Convention and beating Trump. And that is because he is right about the Gaza war.
The Ds are hooked on corporate cash flow. Sanders proved they could get as many campaign funds without corporate. The DNC found this very threatening to their skills as corporate fund raisers. They hosed Sanders as they would rather lose the election than have these skills become obsolete. Nothing has changed since.
Of course they knew he could beat Trump. The poll numbers in both 16 and 20 were clear. That’s why they sandbagged him; the donor classes pressed leadership with threats that they would back Trump over Sanders because of Sanders threat to reimpose glass-steagall and to enforce anti-monopoly law.
Yes, the collusion seems to run deep. There is only so much the general public is privy to. From my understanding, most politics/decisions are conducted in back-room deals - away from the prying eyes of the public. The idea of the "power elite" is to maintain their status quo and hegemony - to ensure that their interests will always supercede the interests of everybody else.
Caitlin, I replied here twice. Apparently, it couldn't be printed. Rob
Are you saying there is censorship here, Rob? If so, I hadn't seen it.
"It lets them express their progressive humanitarian feelings without actually taking a meaningful political position against what’s being done in their name with their tax dollars and with their tacit consent."
Shitlibs are nothing if not phony.
"If it was Jewish people enclosed in Gaza while any other ethnicity rained military explosives on them for four months, no liberal in the world would have trouble recognizing what they’re seeing and calling it what it is."
But that is also applicable to conservatives.
"Nothing has exposed the true nature of the Democratic Party like a Democrat president running for re-election during a US-backed genocide."
Actually, nothing has exposed the true nature of the Deep State like a titular president running for re-election during a US-backed genocide.
"By saying you want peace but refusing to say how you want the peace to come about, the “peace” you purport to support could mean anything."
Indeed, it is an empty sentiment.
"Merely flicking an intellectual thumbs-up to empty notions about a “two-state solution” is just more liberal psychological compartmentalization."
Yes, it is a reaction insouciant people use.
Caitlin, thanks for another enlightening article.
There must be a permanent ceasefire in Gaza in order to comply with the ICJ ruling. Not with Palestinians suffering under oppressive conditions, but as a place where all live with peace and equality. It is time for Pope Francis to do more than talk. He must go to Gaza and make a stand for peace and freedom.
Please sign the petition and share widely.
https://chng.it/CRQ7qw4Gzn
Codepink:
https://www.codepink.org/cnngaza?utm_campaign=12_15_pali_update_alert_3&utm_medium=email&utm_source=codepink
Ceasefire Now
https://www.change.org/p/sign-and-share-this-urgent-petition-calling-for-a-cease
firenow-in-gaza-and-israel
These are a few small things we can do. If we can do more, let us do more.
I want to address the Trump and Biden bit. I have been shaking my head over the Argentines electing a rabid rightwinger who will take them back to 99 when they had four presidents in a couple months, an IMF default, people taking over their shuttered factories--how could people who'd been through that want to do it again? Then I read an analysis that gave me a clue--it boiled down to, they elected him in an election much like the one we Americans face in November. The Deep State seems determined that it will be Trump versus Biden, no other choices allowed. (Yes, there will be third parties, people like Cornel West and Jill Stein, and I'll vote for one of them--but it doesn't matter, the game is rigged so they can't win). If Trump wins, the world will howl and shake their heads--how could the Americans vote for that clown, especially after four years of his antics in office? If Biden wins, the world will howl and shake their heads--how could the Americans reelect Genocide Joe? The game is rigged.
Someone said we're responsible for Gaza because of our tax dollars, but do we get any say in that? Meanwhile, someone recently showed me the scabs all over his body and told me I really should get the shingles vaccine, so I got it set up for my husband and I to get the shots at WalMart. Yesterday my husband stopped by there, to find out that they demand insurance--we have only Medicare Part A, for any medical care but a hospital stay, you have to keep paying premiums for life. Alternatively he could pay cash for the two shots, totaling $520. How much, if anything, do you have to pay in your country? Drug companies regularly take patents for drugs developed almost entirely on the public dime, then charge 100 times the cost. These vampires are coming for YOUR healthcare system too--all it takes is bribes and lobbyists. The military lobby is even worse, and the fossil fuel lobby is the reason we get nothing but false solutions to climate change. This is not democracy. Absolutely key to this system is corporate media which work in collusion with government/corporations, to manufacture consent.
Well said Mary Wildfire! Two other words that come to mind when describing capitalism in the US are "vampire capitalism" and "vulture capitalism".
Pardon my ignorance, but are "God's chosen people." the "Master Race"?
Thanks in advance.