See also: "I did not have sexual relations with that woman!"
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The other day, I wrote that all Republicans lie, cheat, and steal.
But an even better, more concise way to understand what drives Republicans today, (and MAGA in particular) comes from the excellent journalist Adam Serwer:
"The cruelty is the point"
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BTW, on Kirk and Jimmy Kimmel, Serwer wrote:
"What happened to Jimmy Kimmel is not about one comedian who said something he should not have said. The Trump administration and its enforcers want to control your speech, your behavior, even your public expressions of mourning. You are not allowed to criticize the president’s associates. You do not even retain the right to remain silent; you must make public expressions of emotions demanded by the administration and its allies or incur its disfavor, which can threaten your livelihood. This is the road to totalitarianism, and it does not end with one man losing his television show."
"The cruelty is the point" describes both factions of the duopoly/uniparty. You haven't forgotten Biden started funding this genocide in Gaza first, pushed the Crime Bill into law back in the 90s, etc., have you? The entire corrupt system of government in the US is just plain cruel and exists to make the oligarchs even wealthier at the workers' expense. Free your mind--give up this R vs. D, Blue MAGA v. Red MAGA bullshit. Focus your energy on the true criminals, the oligarchs and their flunkies.
They are actually not much different on the bottom line. Democrat/Republican Both support all the efforts and everything the Genocidal Zionist do. Glad I did turn in my D voting card because I would have never thought I would live to see the day when the Democratic Party suppport a 2 plus year non stop Genocide of Humans.
This is sheer evil ,wickedness hatred and Racism, because I am sure the world would never allowed this to happen if the Palestinians were Europeans.
I used to be a dyed in the wool democrat for over 50 years but I started to remove the smoking mirrors in Obamas second term, and found out they are almost the same ,so I turned in my D voting card an changed my Affiliation to" N/A" No Affiliation. Then when I retired I moved to the Philippines in 2018.
I agree with Antonio Brownlowe that “the Republicans and the Democrats are not much different on the bottom line”.
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This is the problem with the idea that one must either belong to the “Blue Party” or the “Red Party”. If you’re a member of the Blues, then you must spend your time dissing the Red Party people. And if you belong to the Red Party people, then you must diss the Blues. And if you diss a Pol from the party you belong to, then you’re not a loyalist, you’re a traitor. For fucks sake! This is the best we’ve got? We really cannot do any better than this?
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Look at what is going on over in France today, for goodness sakes! And I do mean literally today: September 19th 2025. Today, the French put 300,000 people on the streets, and they called a general strike opposing the governments’ austerity policies. They could do that because they actually have a functioning political society that understands how to engage in political debate and discourse without reverting to a kindergarten mentality of “you’re for me or you’re against me.”
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France has a wide variety of political parties from all across the political spectrum. They have nationalists, communists, socialists, and what-you-ists. Lots of ‘em. When the French get together for family gatherings, usually those family members will often each belong to a different political party of their own choosing. And they debate with each other. They know how to do that without freaking out.
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At French family gatherings, if someone doesn’t belong to the same political party, they don’t tell each other – a la Michael Corleone to his brother, Fredo – “you’re going against the family.” They talk with each other. They listen. They debate. And they’re organized. Bloody organized. They’re able to field 300,000 people in the streets in one day and shut down the economy, and they are putting the necessary pressure on their government to force them to give up their efforts to transfer the people’s resources to the already mega-wealthy.
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About two hundred and fifty years ago, those guys over in France got their Republic just a few years after we did. Fast forward 250 years later, and all we’ve got to show for our efforts at democracy are two juggernaut parties, that, to any observer outside of this nation, look barely indistinguishable from each other; except for a few hotly disputed topics in our culture wars that, apparently, we are willing to fight to the death over.
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Apart from those narrow disputes in the culture wars, to anybody coming from a functioning political society with a wide spectrum of contested political views, the Dems and the Republicans look indistinguishable from each other. They both equally serve their paymasters, the American ruling classes that are the Corporatists, the Militarists, the Oligarchs, the Tech Bros, the Israel Lobby, and Wall Street. All the rest is mostly just political theater.
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Go into any supermarket in any American city today, and peruse the aisles. You will see dozens of different varieties of any given good on offer: cereals, coffee, cookies, toothpaste. You name it, you can find dozens of choices. Go into the voting booth, however, and what do you find? Two choices. That’s it? WTF is this? That’s the best we can do?
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In every other part of our lives, we’re able to come up with several dozen choices for everything, but in this one area, we are told only two choices are possible. And those two choices – except for the culture wars – are almost indistinguishable. I mean Coke and Pepsi offer more of a choice than do the Dems and the Republicans.
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And yes, I get that with Trump’s Nazification of the Republican Party, that’s a considerable re-branding on his part. That’s now a noticeable difference between the two parties -- uber-fascism versus old fashioned skullduggery -- but that isn’t a real policy change. That is just cranking up the fascism that was always under the surface all this time. Ask any of the unfortunate countries that “we” have invaded over the last 75 decades. They can tell us all about long-standing American fascism if we care to listen.
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Bear in mind, BTW, that it was the Dem’s craven unwillingness to offer a real alternative to the Republicans that gave such momentum to Trump’s takeover of the latter and his grab for the throne. Nevertheless, any viable alternative to an increasingly fascist future for our country surely will require of us a more thoughtful contemplation of political engagement than reverting to an “it is us or them” mentality and “either you are with us or you are against us,” for that is precisely what got us into this mess in the first place.
note: if you trace back the origins and 'ownership' of all those products in the aisles you often end up with just a few corporations (that 'choice' is also some kind of make believe).
I did the same thing but back in the first Clinton administration (after he threw the gays under the bus, and I’m not even gay - “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”). I’m probably 15 or 20 years older than you, but I turned in my D card back then and have not voted for an establishment approved candidate, D or R, ever since.
Ha ha Really Kevin ? if you are at least 15 years older than me, it means you have to be 90 years old or older I was born in the 1940's.Ha ha, are you?
Oops-I reread your comment and I see your 50 year comment. So you’re a bit older that me, I was born in 1960. I have some friends who were born in the late 40’s and they’re good guys and grew up in a time of great turbulence but also a great awakening, I think, among young people. I was raised in the liberal/democratic traditions of my family, and funneled into the Democrat party to vote the D’s throughout the Reagan and Bush senior years. Then Clinton came along, he gave me hope - soon to be crushed by the neoconservative takeover of the military in the 90’s which Clinton went along with, or didn’t have a choice as he was threatened with expulsion (Lewinsky affair, etc. - admittedly his own doing) but he opened my eyes to what was really happening in this country and it disgusted me. So I’ve been out ever since and I hear what you’re talking about now, the Palestinian issue, and I’m even more disgusted with this country than ever.
I am hoping to see a free Palestine and that Israel and their enablers get brought to justice .Before I expire. Palestinians are some of my Ancient Ancestors ,one big reason I cant stand these foreign Zionist occupiers that claim we don't and never existed ,and is trying to wipe us out on top of that with their Zionist Man made Creative Creationist lying and Mythology (4519 BC(Mota1)Ancient PALESTINE -SNP chain: 127.0-mtDNA:L3x2a2b-Y-DNA:E1b1a2b2--Genetic Distance: 5.948 Archeological ID-Mota1
THIS. When Rashida Tlaib can see eye-to-eye with Marjorie Taylor-Greene, it is NOT about Red vs Blue. It’s about getting the ziofilth out of our ruling class, BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE.
This is what Bernie Sanders purports to be doing, taking on oligarchy. But as Caitlin has written about him, putting him in another light, I ask : can he be serving two masters, or more?
One question has been on my mind since Kamala Harris‘ ill-fated rally in Dearborn, Mich. , when she railed at the anti-genocide protestors ”I’m speaking, I’m speaking“. She said something like ”we need to work on the issues We Can do something about“.
True however the acceleration of funding/weapons had meaning. The empire increased DOD/DOE spending on weapons 11% roughly at a time when interest rate payments to the wealthiest will be over 2 Trillion, 1 Trillion this year. Why? Maybe Rep. Cortez will save us or Kamala will ha. We are doomed my friend : (
Trump is not not going to stop until he and his White Supremacist Racist MAGA Cabal turns America into one the most Despicable Tyrannical Fascist State on Earth
Yes, it is quite impressive. And scary. It's like this was in the works for decades now, and the oligarchs finally said, "Let's stop hiding behind this pretend democracy crap and just be who we really are. The plebes are all browbeaten enough to put up with whatever we deal out to them."
This was inevitable. Frank saw it long ago. I don't know when or where he said this, but he died in 1993.
“The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater.”
Exactly right my friend, exactly. With six people owning as much as 50% of the bottom half of the evil empires wealth. It will be easy for them to crash and burn it down buying it back for 10% as they do from time to time.
What do you mean "until his... ...turns"? It's already a mostly despicable tyrannical facist state, has been for years - since idiots said America won WWII, which the fact is they came in after Nazi Germany was on its knees because resistance fighters were making it hard on them, and they had spread themselves too thin. Britain was almost on its knees fighting alone-again, except for resistance fighters (bless them). So, no, America was given the compliments because most were well aware that it might have been lost if they had not helped. You notice America talks about the 42-44 war, the rest of us talk about the 39-45 war. I met Americans that never went further than UK but still got medals, the British people were there for the duration and not one got a medal, but Americans were there long enough to court and marry British females. Ever wonder why when America starts a war, they make sure as many other countries as possible commit to being part of it first with their "Your either with us or against us" bullshit.
The Russians fought the war on the continent for many years whilst UK delayed the D Day landing. The Russians lost 20 million people fighting on the eastern front begging us to open a flank on the western front. We - USA and UK - rushed in when we saw Russia was winning and moving swiftly westward so we could determine the outcome of the war. We always ignore the suffering of the Russians in the war and the Chinese fighting against Japan...
As far as I’m concerned Davina, the Bastard Brits deserved everything they got because of what they did to the IRISH over the centuries. No skin off my ass if everyone there were speaking German now.
Churchill was a lush who dragged Roosevelt into WWII. And the latter knew damn well that Pearl Harbor would commence; otherwise, why’d he have most of our fleet moved beforehand?
Everything we stupidly unquestioning Amerikkkans have been taught about our involvement is a big fucking lie.
Tell me about it, Scotland was fighting to keep our country from English hands for decades. We're still trying to get our freedom back even though I don't live there now, here in Australia it's under the English thumb. No real freedom from England but at least Australia is far enough away to have a chance of freedom, but it's at the cost of being under the heel of the US, which has happened, I believe, as a way to get out from under England but would be jumping from the frying pan and into the fire.
Too many countries that colonised other countries do not want to give up that power while those colonised want their freedom, why can't they let go and let these countries live their own lives. Mistakes may be made but they'd be their own mistakes not wrong decisions by a colonial power.
It's like conglomerates, they just hate to let go of that feeling of power even knowing they are hated for it.
Just had contact from my young journalist friend in Gaza today, such a relief. She is well but very hungry today. Had no idea about the the flotilla on its way there, and asked where would they be landing, hoping they would spread out a bit so that Israel couldn't target those trying to reach the aid, I told her I hoped they would be spread out. Can't imagine fifty boats all waiting at one area to unload. I'll see if I can find out how they plan to do the unloading to let her know closer to the time.
She us such a beautiful soul that she prays for me when her life is so terrifying each day. I donate and screen shot my receipt so she knows when there is money there for her, and then she shares pots of food with people around her.
I know the journalist something for breakfast but it has to last them all day, as far as I can gather. I tend not to ask her about food when she's being starved because that would make it worse for her.
If I understand the meaning of impeachment, it’s a continuation of smoke and mirrors governance where one bogus faction tries to kneecap and humiliate a member of another bogus faction.
This whole system is corrupt, and that means that there is no good guys to cheer for.
My sense of western liberal capitalism in its death throes is that former true believers who once identified as progressives and conservatives and moderates are all in the same camp now, and they need to come together and oppose the tyrannical behemoth. I am ever hopeful that as long as there are elections in the empire, the numbers of voters who go outside the system-approved phonies continue to grow. Better not to vote than legitimize a pretender with private donors.
Amerikkkans are largely too stupid to venture beyond Ds and Rs. We had a viable choice in ‘24 and her name was Dr. Jill Stein.
We claim to want change but are too chickenshit to initiate it. All those mega donors to the mainstream candidates can’t force the population who to vote for. So…. Why the fuck did we?
For those of us who are not fooled by the Right-Left puppet show, it would be helpful to try to come up with some way to re-educate the MAGA, Trumpers, Patriotic idiots , and get them to come into the light of reason and reality. On second thought, forget it. It would be a waste of time.
"Your rulers want you punching laterally so you don’t start punching up."
Picking on others is just a convenient way to keep you from acting out your frustrations caused by the corrupt fascist system we're all living under. Do yourself and everyone a favor--start punching up. Punch a fascist! Eat the rich! Expose the pedophiles in power. But stop hurting other workers who are different from you in ways that really aren't any of your business to begin with.
Oh well., if If ISRAEL did not kill Charlie Kirk , it must be the usual suspect which is 'HAMAS/KHAMAS 'TERRORIST.
All the death destruction and Misery in the mid east was caused by 'HAMAS' misfired Rockets according to the always innocent Israeli IDF military that can never tell a lie because they are always the perpetual victim of an all anti semitic world.
Will Israel be erecting a Statue of Charlie Kirk in ISRAEL too like Trump is planning to do in America?
They are the two most Sick Devious, Demented States ever and the Premier Masters in the fine Art of Deceit and Deception.
Moshe Dayan ::(Israel Must Invent Dangers, and to do This It Must Adapt The Strategy Of Provocation And Revenge:: General Moshe Dayan
Those Zionist Nazi Terrorist in the Stolen Palestinian Lands calling itself Israel within a day had a mural of Charlie with a Halo up and fully Propagandized!!
So my first thought was "professional shooter." There are a few possibilities and mossad were up there. There are also plenty of dual US/Israeli citizens who have experience at shooting at children's necks, which would be skinnier than Kirk's neck, although not knowing much about Kirk i had no idea why they would ... only that it might be a false flag to distract from some other shit they had done or were about to do (and that still works). Once they caught the kid i accepted, OK. I was wrong. I need to watch that i don't start getting into conspiracies. Then I thought OK, right winger. I knew about groypers, didn't know they were critical of kirk, but it still seemed plausible based on how they are... then when the texts were released I thought, nah, non political- this was more about the kids reaction to Kirk based on personal factors in the kids own life, and brought up in a world with guns and shooting as a mode to resolve differences, he gravitated towards doing something like this. There were a few things that made me think something not right (eg - as a boomer i write overly long texts, a habit my grandson hates, and they wouldn't be as wordy as that, so how is that an exchange between two 22 yos? and circumstances would probably have dictated brevity anyway), but the most annoying thing was the apparent incompetence or deliberate incitement of speculation by the FBI. however, I basically accepted what was reported.
But then, with Netanyahu's "he doth protest too much!" I am starting to shift back to my original thought. Its not just his line of "twasn't me!" There's also how quick he was to point fingers, and other things he has said.
TBH i don't think we will ever find out. If israel is behind it, the FBI is too politically compromised to do a thorough investigation, and appears totally incompetent anyway. Tyler Robinson (if he is the killer) may have answers, but then there are a number of reasons why I don't think we will hear them - he may not know who hired him if thats what happened, and if he doesn't "suicide" to prevent a leak, he'll be staying silent to protect others. But regardless, the assassination has done its job. No one is noticing what is happening in Gaza, including Gaza City, and the mass starvation which is still ongoing, the UN report on genocide has been all but ignored, no one is asking questions about Doha, and no one is talking about the escalation of violence and talk of annexation of the west bank. Israel wins.
I mean, it didn't even occur to me to say Israel was behind this, I was more saying TPTB that wanted to cover the Epstein files were behind it, but watching Bibi melt down has made me wonder, tbh.
Early reports from people who lived near Robinson said there were cars with out of state plates visiting Robinson’s apartment in the days leading up to the shooting. No mention of that factoid since. Memory-holed. I don’t know how a live-in lover would not know something was up prior to the shooting. I’m inclined to think we’re being gaslit about almost every aspect of this murder. Why?
Yeah, i thought of that too. It seemed such a convenient distraction for a number of reasons - and both bb and Trump's regime are winning, with the US going into full authoritarianism and this dominating the news cycle (when there are other things happening in the US that the media should be focused on). Whichever way, as i said my first thought was a professional hit.
For what its worth, its very possible that because Kirk had ceased praising Israhell, Netanyahu et al certainly had him in their (gun) sights - but maybe totally unrelated to Israhell, Robinson just got in first?
And at EXACTLY 3:02 pm BOTH TRUMP AND BIBI POSTED that they were sorry he was dead! There's a 10 hour time difference between the stolen Palestinian Lands and DC!
Two things right off.... 1. A made up note that doesn't exist because of "'Our Intensive Investigation Techniques" (HA HA HA) and #2. An AI GENERATED IMAGE OF THE SHOOTER TOO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE HIM!!!! George Galloway caught that right away and super imposed the pictures over the original one they say was the shooter and THEY ARE NOT THE SAME PERSON!!!
You guys need to see this video with Max Blumenthal of the Grayzone. He has some information that Israel may have had something to do with his murder. He was getting threats after turning down money and a meeting with BeeBee Nutten-Yahoo and Bill Ackman. Supposedly they wanted him to repent and say nice things about Israel.
EVERYTHING Bibi says is the absolute truth! They are NOT doing a genocide, they are NOT starving Gazans, there is no restriction on humanitarian aid, every Palestinian has a HAMAS tunnel, every aid flotilla is HAMAS, and so on.
I'm assuming you meant this sarcastically. I say this because there are people stupid enough to believe every lie that Netanyahu says on face value (like certain members of my family, to my horror and shame).
It’s amazing how effective AOC has been at hoodwinking the so-called left. I never bought her schtick, having been conned by Bernie in 2016, and henceforth having my bullshit antennae fully engaged. She always exposes herself when the rubber meets the road, for example calling Jimmy Dore ‘dangerous ‘ when he was calling on her ‘Squad’ to force a vote on Medicare For All.
Not specifically, but i saw he said "islamists." blaming Qatar might have seemed like a good strategy in case they got too antsy about being attacked - it could retrospectively "justify" Israel's actions in the minds of the American public after they hadn't successfully killed the Hamas negotiators. I mean, Israel is so full of it that it fits with the kind of thing they might come up with.
Absolutely perfect characterization of what is happening in US Caitlin. Howard Zinn tried to tell us decades ago in People’s History of the United States.
Israel lies most of the time. Habitual violation of international law. Killing Kirk would be a straight forward job for Israel in gun loving USA. Easy to pop off an influencer who steps out of line and has the temerity to question anything Israel does. Never miss an opportunity to intensify fear in USA - or any other country. What the heck when it comes to international law?
Seriously?! It should be illegal to lie?! Take a look at the f*cking president of the United States, why don't you? Every word that comes out of his mouth is a lie!
A MAJOR misfire, dude. I was specifically referring to a statement that said it should be illegal to lie, one that was most likely made by a Trump supporter. My response to him was, if he's looking for liars, he has only to look no further than Trump himself.
My stand on Israel/Palestine is totally and unequivocally pro-Palestinian. And I don't appreciate you labeling me "Zio". Next time, don't be so quick to respond to a comment you don't understand.
I was wrong and I apologize. I missed your reference. Will do better in the future. And forgive me for the mis- labeling (Zio). Getting that would make my skin crawl as it did yours. The only thing I've done right by you is admit my mistake and apologize.
See also: "I did not have sexual relations with that woman!"
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The other day, I wrote that all Republicans lie, cheat, and steal.
But an even better, more concise way to understand what drives Republicans today, (and MAGA in particular) comes from the excellent journalist Adam Serwer:
"The cruelty is the point"
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BTW, on Kirk and Jimmy Kimmel, Serwer wrote:
"What happened to Jimmy Kimmel is not about one comedian who said something he should not have said. The Trump administration and its enforcers want to control your speech, your behavior, even your public expressions of mourning. You are not allowed to criticize the president’s associates. You do not even retain the right to remain silent; you must make public expressions of emotions demanded by the administration and its allies or incur its disfavor, which can threaten your livelihood. This is the road to totalitarianism, and it does not end with one man losing his television show."
https://archive.vn/y5Br5
Every day is like 1984 and there's no end in sight.
"The cruelty is the point" describes both factions of the duopoly/uniparty. You haven't forgotten Biden started funding this genocide in Gaza first, pushed the Crime Bill into law back in the 90s, etc., have you? The entire corrupt system of government in the US is just plain cruel and exists to make the oligarchs even wealthier at the workers' expense. Free your mind--give up this R vs. D, Blue MAGA v. Red MAGA bullshit. Focus your energy on the true criminals, the oligarchs and their flunkies.
Not to worry.
October 7th opened my eyes in ways I wold have never imagined.
I am forever grateful to Caitlin for learning about the term "empire manager".
They are actually not much different on the bottom line. Democrat/Republican Both support all the efforts and everything the Genocidal Zionist do. Glad I did turn in my D voting card because I would have never thought I would live to see the day when the Democratic Party suppport a 2 plus year non stop Genocide of Humans.
This is sheer evil ,wickedness hatred and Racism, because I am sure the world would never allowed this to happen if the Palestinians were Europeans.
I used to be a dyed in the wool democrat for over 50 years but I started to remove the smoking mirrors in Obamas second term, and found out they are almost the same ,so I turned in my D voting card an changed my Affiliation to" N/A" No Affiliation. Then when I retired I moved to the Philippines in 2018.
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I agree with Antonio Brownlowe that “the Republicans and the Democrats are not much different on the bottom line”.
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This is the problem with the idea that one must either belong to the “Blue Party” or the “Red Party”. If you’re a member of the Blues, then you must spend your time dissing the Red Party people. And if you belong to the Red Party people, then you must diss the Blues. And if you diss a Pol from the party you belong to, then you’re not a loyalist, you’re a traitor. For fucks sake! This is the best we’ve got? We really cannot do any better than this?
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Look at what is going on over in France today, for goodness sakes! And I do mean literally today: September 19th 2025. Today, the French put 300,000 people on the streets, and they called a general strike opposing the governments’ austerity policies. They could do that because they actually have a functioning political society that understands how to engage in political debate and discourse without reverting to a kindergarten mentality of “you’re for me or you’re against me.”
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France has a wide variety of political parties from all across the political spectrum. They have nationalists, communists, socialists, and what-you-ists. Lots of ‘em. When the French get together for family gatherings, usually those family members will often each belong to a different political party of their own choosing. And they debate with each other. They know how to do that without freaking out.
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At French family gatherings, if someone doesn’t belong to the same political party, they don’t tell each other – a la Michael Corleone to his brother, Fredo – “you’re going against the family.” They talk with each other. They listen. They debate. And they’re organized. Bloody organized. They’re able to field 300,000 people in the streets in one day and shut down the economy, and they are putting the necessary pressure on their government to force them to give up their efforts to transfer the people’s resources to the already mega-wealthy.
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About two hundred and fifty years ago, those guys over in France got their Republic just a few years after we did. Fast forward 250 years later, and all we’ve got to show for our efforts at democracy are two juggernaut parties, that, to any observer outside of this nation, look barely indistinguishable from each other; except for a few hotly disputed topics in our culture wars that, apparently, we are willing to fight to the death over.
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Apart from those narrow disputes in the culture wars, to anybody coming from a functioning political society with a wide spectrum of contested political views, the Dems and the Republicans look indistinguishable from each other. They both equally serve their paymasters, the American ruling classes that are the Corporatists, the Militarists, the Oligarchs, the Tech Bros, the Israel Lobby, and Wall Street. All the rest is mostly just political theater.
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Go into any supermarket in any American city today, and peruse the aisles. You will see dozens of different varieties of any given good on offer: cereals, coffee, cookies, toothpaste. You name it, you can find dozens of choices. Go into the voting booth, however, and what do you find? Two choices. That’s it? WTF is this? That’s the best we can do?
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In every other part of our lives, we’re able to come up with several dozen choices for everything, but in this one area, we are told only two choices are possible. And those two choices – except for the culture wars – are almost indistinguishable. I mean Coke and Pepsi offer more of a choice than do the Dems and the Republicans.
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And yes, I get that with Trump’s Nazification of the Republican Party, that’s a considerable re-branding on his part. That’s now a noticeable difference between the two parties -- uber-fascism versus old fashioned skullduggery -- but that isn’t a real policy change. That is just cranking up the fascism that was always under the surface all this time. Ask any of the unfortunate countries that “we” have invaded over the last 75 decades. They can tell us all about long-standing American fascism if we care to listen.
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Bear in mind, BTW, that it was the Dem’s craven unwillingness to offer a real alternative to the Republicans that gave such momentum to Trump’s takeover of the latter and his grab for the throne. Nevertheless, any viable alternative to an increasingly fascist future for our country surely will require of us a more thoughtful contemplation of political engagement than reverting to an “it is us or them” mentality and “either you are with us or you are against us,” for that is precisely what got us into this mess in the first place.
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note: if you trace back the origins and 'ownership' of all those products in the aisles you often end up with just a few corporations (that 'choice' is also some kind of make believe).
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Good point, Martin. Thanks. Sean.
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You are absolutely right.
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BTW, CarbonCopy, Prof. Rick Wolff -- of Democracy at Work -- has a lot of helpful comments to offer on this topic. Sean.
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I did the same thing but back in the first Clinton administration (after he threw the gays under the bus, and I’m not even gay - “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”). I’m probably 15 or 20 years older than you, but I turned in my D card back then and have not voted for an establishment approved candidate, D or R, ever since.
Ha ha Really Kevin ? if you are at least 15 years older than me, it means you have to be 90 years old or older I was born in the 1940's.Ha ha, are you?
Oops-I reread your comment and I see your 50 year comment. So you’re a bit older that me, I was born in 1960. I have some friends who were born in the late 40’s and they’re good guys and grew up in a time of great turbulence but also a great awakening, I think, among young people. I was raised in the liberal/democratic traditions of my family, and funneled into the Democrat party to vote the D’s throughout the Reagan and Bush senior years. Then Clinton came along, he gave me hope - soon to be crushed by the neoconservative takeover of the military in the 90’s which Clinton went along with, or didn’t have a choice as he was threatened with expulsion (Lewinsky affair, etc. - admittedly his own doing) but he opened my eyes to what was really happening in this country and it disgusted me. So I’ve been out ever since and I hear what you’re talking about now, the Palestinian issue, and I’m even more disgusted with this country than ever.
I am hoping to see a free Palestine and that Israel and their enablers get brought to justice .Before I expire. Palestinians are some of my Ancient Ancestors ,one big reason I cant stand these foreign Zionist occupiers that claim we don't and never existed ,and is trying to wipe us out on top of that with their Zionist Man made Creative Creationist lying and Mythology (4519 BC(Mota1)Ancient PALESTINE -SNP chain: 127.0-mtDNA:L3x2a2b-Y-DNA:E1b1a2b2--Genetic Distance: 5.948 Archeological ID-Mota1
Hi TRC…
THIS. When Rashida Tlaib can see eye-to-eye with Marjorie Taylor-Greene, it is NOT about Red vs Blue. It’s about getting the ziofilth out of our ruling class, BY ANY MEANS POSSIBLE.
👏💯🙏 Bears repeating a million times over!
This is what Bernie Sanders purports to be doing, taking on oligarchy. But as Caitlin has written about him, putting him in another light, I ask : can he be serving two masters, or more?
One question has been on my mind since Kamala Harris‘ ill-fated rally in Dearborn, Mich. , when she railed at the anti-genocide protestors ”I’m speaking, I’m speaking“. She said something like ”we need to work on the issues We Can do something about“.
I’ve always wondered what - exactly - this meant?
Why can’t we do something about this (Genocide)?
Gonna claim bullshit as Israel has been provided for decades by the United States.
True however the acceleration of funding/weapons had meaning. The empire increased DOD/DOE spending on weapons 11% roughly at a time when interest rate payments to the wealthiest will be over 2 Trillion, 1 Trillion this year. Why? Maybe Rep. Cortez will save us or Kamala will ha. We are doomed my friend : (
That would also include spending increases to Ukraine and restocking expired munitions.
Trump is not not going to stop until he and his White Supremacist Racist MAGA Cabal turns America into one the most Despicable Tyrannical Fascist State on Earth
Impressive how far they've come in exactly 8 months.
Yes, it is quite impressive. And scary. It's like this was in the works for decades now, and the oligarchs finally said, "Let's stop hiding behind this pretend democracy crap and just be who we really are. The plebes are all browbeaten enough to put up with whatever we deal out to them."
This was inevitable. Frank saw it long ago. I don't know when or where he said this, but he died in 1993.
“The illusion of freedom will continue as long as it's profitable to continue the illusion. At the point where the illusion becomes too expensive to maintain, they will just take down the scenery, they will pull back the curtains, they will move the tables and chairs out of the way and you will see the brick wall at the back of the theater.”
― Frank Zappa
Exactly! Many Years ago Orwell's Nineteen Eighty Four said it all. He just got the date a bit premature.
Oh, he was a little late in a few ways.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=k4a1xS_Qm1o&t=363
Exactly right my friend, exactly. With six people owning as much as 50% of the bottom half of the evil empires wealth. It will be easy for them to crash and burn it down buying it back for 10% as they do from time to time.
What do you mean "until his... ...turns"? It's already a mostly despicable tyrannical facist state, has been for years - since idiots said America won WWII, which the fact is they came in after Nazi Germany was on its knees because resistance fighters were making it hard on them, and they had spread themselves too thin. Britain was almost on its knees fighting alone-again, except for resistance fighters (bless them). So, no, America was given the compliments because most were well aware that it might have been lost if they had not helped. You notice America talks about the 42-44 war, the rest of us talk about the 39-45 war. I met Americans that never went further than UK but still got medals, the British people were there for the duration and not one got a medal, but Americans were there long enough to court and marry British females. Ever wonder why when America starts a war, they make sure as many other countries as possible commit to being part of it first with their "Your either with us or against us" bullshit.
The Russians fought the war on the continent for many years whilst UK delayed the D Day landing. The Russians lost 20 million people fighting on the eastern front begging us to open a flank on the western front. We - USA and UK - rushed in when we saw Russia was winning and moving swiftly westward so we could determine the outcome of the war. We always ignore the suffering of the Russians in the war and the Chinese fighting against Japan...
26 million which includes the civilian pop.
EXACTLY! And these ZioNazi Terrorist in our government won't even acknowledge that fact!!
As far as I’m concerned Davina, the Bastard Brits deserved everything they got because of what they did to the IRISH over the centuries. No skin off my ass if everyone there were speaking German now.
Churchill was a lush who dragged Roosevelt into WWII. And the latter knew damn well that Pearl Harbor would commence; otherwise, why’d he have most of our fleet moved beforehand?
Everything we stupidly unquestioning Amerikkkans have been taught about our involvement is a big fucking lie.
Tell me about it, Scotland was fighting to keep our country from English hands for decades. We're still trying to get our freedom back even though I don't live there now, here in Australia it's under the English thumb. No real freedom from England but at least Australia is far enough away to have a chance of freedom, but it's at the cost of being under the heel of the US, which has happened, I believe, as a way to get out from under England but would be jumping from the frying pan and into the fire.
Too many countries that colonised other countries do not want to give up that power while those colonised want their freedom, why can't they let go and let these countries live their own lives. Mistakes may be made but they'd be their own mistakes not wrong decisions by a colonial power.
It's like conglomerates, they just hate to let go of that feeling of power even knowing they are hated for it.
Hi Davina
The SCOTS are good people, and I’m rooting for them to secede!
Next time, I think it’ll be a Go.
That makes two more of us.
You looking after yourself, young lady?
Just had contact from my young journalist friend in Gaza today, such a relief. She is well but very hungry today. Had no idea about the the flotilla on its way there, and asked where would they be landing, hoping they would spread out a bit so that Israel couldn't target those trying to reach the aid, I told her I hoped they would be spread out. Can't imagine fifty boats all waiting at one area to unload. I'll see if I can find out how they plan to do the unloading to let her know closer to the time.
She us such a beautiful soul that she prays for me when her life is so terrifying each day. I donate and screen shot my receipt so she knows when there is money there for her, and then she shares pots of food with people around her.
I know the journalist something for breakfast but it has to last them all day, as far as I can gather. I tend not to ask her about food when she's being starved because that would make it worse for her.
Sorry didn't mean to go on like this.
It is already all of that but hidden under a smoke screen of democracy and freedom
Impeachment is indeed necessary...
If I understand the meaning of impeachment, it’s a continuation of smoke and mirrors governance where one bogus faction tries to kneecap and humiliate a member of another bogus faction.
This whole system is corrupt, and that means that there is no good guys to cheer for.
I am indeed forced to agree with you, due to the facts you've presented.
My sense of western liberal capitalism in its death throes is that former true believers who once identified as progressives and conservatives and moderates are all in the same camp now, and they need to come together and oppose the tyrannical behemoth. I am ever hopeful that as long as there are elections in the empire, the numbers of voters who go outside the system-approved phonies continue to grow. Better not to vote than legitimize a pretender with private donors.
Hi Unwarranted
Amerikkkans are largely too stupid to venture beyond Ds and Rs. We had a viable choice in ‘24 and her name was Dr. Jill Stein.
We claim to want change but are too chickenshit to initiate it. All those mega donors to the mainstream candidates can’t force the population who to vote for. So…. Why the fuck did we?
SPOT ON!!
Unfortunately, we are WAY BEYOND the 'impeachment' stage/state of affairs (IMHO)...
I think you mean the six people in the u.s. that own over 50% of the wealth will finish the Fascist State. Aldus smiles.
"Road to"? I think we're past the TOA...it's here. Now.
For those of us who are not fooled by the Right-Left puppet show, it would be helpful to try to come up with some way to re-educate the MAGA, Trumpers, Patriotic idiots , and get them to come into the light of reason and reality. On second thought, forget it. It would be a waste of time.
Well, there's an end in sight and it has look of total and final emptiness .
Also see please see: "I did not have sexual relations with that woman"
"Your rulers want you punching laterally so you don’t start punching up."
Picking on others is just a convenient way to keep you from acting out your frustrations caused by the corrupt fascist system we're all living under. Do yourself and everyone a favor--start punching up. Punch a fascist! Eat the rich! Expose the pedophiles in power. But stop hurting other workers who are different from you in ways that really aren't any of your business to begin with.
Well said TRC! ❤️🙏
Kill your television!
Oh well., if If ISRAEL did not kill Charlie Kirk , it must be the usual suspect which is 'HAMAS/KHAMAS 'TERRORIST.
All the death destruction and Misery in the mid east was caused by 'HAMAS' misfired Rockets according to the always innocent Israeli IDF military that can never tell a lie because they are always the perpetual victim of an all anti semitic world.
Will Israel be erecting a Statue of Charlie Kirk in ISRAEL too like Trump is planning to do in America?
They are the two most Sick Devious, Demented States ever and the Premier Masters in the fine Art of Deceit and Deception.
Moshe Dayan ::(Israel Must Invent Dangers, and to do This It Must Adapt The Strategy Of Provocation And Revenge:: General Moshe Dayan
Those Zionist Nazi Terrorist in the Stolen Palestinian Lands calling itself Israel within a day had a mural of Charlie with a Halo up and fully Propagandized!!
So my first thought was "professional shooter." There are a few possibilities and mossad were up there. There are also plenty of dual US/Israeli citizens who have experience at shooting at children's necks, which would be skinnier than Kirk's neck, although not knowing much about Kirk i had no idea why they would ... only that it might be a false flag to distract from some other shit they had done or were about to do (and that still works). Once they caught the kid i accepted, OK. I was wrong. I need to watch that i don't start getting into conspiracies. Then I thought OK, right winger. I knew about groypers, didn't know they were critical of kirk, but it still seemed plausible based on how they are... then when the texts were released I thought, nah, non political- this was more about the kids reaction to Kirk based on personal factors in the kids own life, and brought up in a world with guns and shooting as a mode to resolve differences, he gravitated towards doing something like this. There were a few things that made me think something not right (eg - as a boomer i write overly long texts, a habit my grandson hates, and they wouldn't be as wordy as that, so how is that an exchange between two 22 yos? and circumstances would probably have dictated brevity anyway), but the most annoying thing was the apparent incompetence or deliberate incitement of speculation by the FBI. however, I basically accepted what was reported.
But then, with Netanyahu's "he doth protest too much!" I am starting to shift back to my original thought. Its not just his line of "twasn't me!" There's also how quick he was to point fingers, and other things he has said.
TBH i don't think we will ever find out. If israel is behind it, the FBI is too politically compromised to do a thorough investigation, and appears totally incompetent anyway. Tyler Robinson (if he is the killer) may have answers, but then there are a number of reasons why I don't think we will hear them - he may not know who hired him if thats what happened, and if he doesn't "suicide" to prevent a leak, he'll be staying silent to protect others. But regardless, the assassination has done its job. No one is noticing what is happening in Gaza, including Gaza City, and the mass starvation which is still ongoing, the UN report on genocide has been all but ignored, no one is asking questions about Doha, and no one is talking about the escalation of violence and talk of annexation of the west bank. Israel wins.
Hmmm.
I mean, it didn't even occur to me to say Israel was behind this, I was more saying TPTB that wanted to cover the Epstein files were behind it, but watching Bibi melt down has made me wonder, tbh.
Early reports from people who lived near Robinson said there were cars with out of state plates visiting Robinson’s apartment in the days leading up to the shooting. No mention of that factoid since. Memory-holed. I don’t know how a live-in lover would not know something was up prior to the shooting. I’m inclined to think we’re being gaslit about almost every aspect of this murder. Why?
Yeah, i thought of that too. It seemed such a convenient distraction for a number of reasons - and both bb and Trump's regime are winning, with the US going into full authoritarianism and this dominating the news cycle (when there are other things happening in the US that the media should be focused on). Whichever way, as i said my first thought was a professional hit.
TOP ON THE LIST IS THAT FILTHY BUTCHER ALWAYS LIES!!!! That's all these Zionist Nazi Terrorist do is LIE LIE AND LIE SOME MORE!!!!
For what its worth, its very possible that because Kirk had ceased praising Israhell, Netanyahu et al certainly had him in their (gun) sights - but maybe totally unrelated to Israhell, Robinson just got in first?
Yeah, I don’t buy the ‘I shot him because he said mean things’. When Ben takes over TP, we’ll know
The shot hit in the neck, about five inches too low for a head shot, about six inches too high for a center mass shot.
It wasn't some amazing feat of marksmanship
I seem to recall the first news to confirm Kirk's death came out of Israel.
Thats interesting.
And at EXACTLY 3:02 pm BOTH TRUMP AND BIBI POSTED that they were sorry he was dead! There's a 10 hour time difference between the stolen Palestinian Lands and DC!
Two things right off.... 1. A made up note that doesn't exist because of "'Our Intensive Investigation Techniques" (HA HA HA) and #2. An AI GENERATED IMAGE OF THE SHOOTER TOO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE HIM!!!! George Galloway caught that right away and super imposed the pictures over the original one they say was the shooter and THEY ARE NOT THE SAME PERSON!!!
You guys need to see this video with Max Blumenthal of the Grayzone. He has some information that Israel may have had something to do with his murder. He was getting threats after turning down money and a meeting with BeeBee Nutten-Yahoo and Bill Ackman. Supposedly they wanted him to repent and say nice things about Israel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GceyZzZzYlc
Yes, why I support Max/Aaron with word and $$$$$$
EVERYTHING Bibi says is the absolute truth! They are NOT doing a genocide, they are NOT starving Gazans, there is no restriction on humanitarian aid, every Palestinian has a HAMAS tunnel, every aid flotilla is HAMAS, and so on.
I'm assuming you meant this sarcastically. I say this because there are people stupid enough to believe every lie that Netanyahu says on face value (like certain members of my family, to my horror and shame).
Yes, I would class it in Expert level sarcasm : ) I think to qualify expert level, the experts question the sarcasm hahahha. I love you hahahhaha.
“The [Prime Minister] doth protest too much”
Methinks… too 🤨
‘Your rulers want you punching laterally so you don’t start punching up.’ In a nutshell
It’s amazing how effective AOC has been at hoodwinking the so-called left. I never bought her schtick, having been conned by Bernie in 2016, and henceforth having my bullshit antennae fully engaged. She always exposes herself when the rubber meets the road, for example calling Jimmy Dore ‘dangerous ‘ when he was calling on her ‘Squad’ to force a vote on Medicare For All.
My bullshit antenna are up right now. And they’re quivering…
Did you hear the part of Netanyahu's speech where he blamed Qatari money? It is a setup to attack Qatar.
Not specifically, but i saw he said "islamists." blaming Qatar might have seemed like a good strategy in case they got too antsy about being attacked - it could retrospectively "justify" Israel's actions in the minds of the American public after they hadn't successfully killed the Hamas negotiators. I mean, Israel is so full of it that it fits with the kind of thing they might come up with.
I quite frankly don't care who did or didn't do it but I do know that the FBI is lying.
Absolutely perfect characterization of what is happening in US Caitlin. Howard Zinn tried to tell us decades ago in People’s History of the United States.
CJ>"Your rulers want you punching laterally so you don’t start punching up."
🎯🎯💯💯❤️❤️🙏🙏 THIS!
Thank you Caitlin (& Tim). Another fantastic article! Much love, as always! ❤️🙏
Of course they fuckin well did kill him!!!
Israel lies most of the time. Habitual violation of international law. Killing Kirk would be a straight forward job for Israel in gun loving USA. Easy to pop off an influencer who steps out of line and has the temerity to question anything Israel does. Never miss an opportunity to intensify fear in USA - or any other country. What the heck when it comes to international law?
Seriously?! It should be illegal to lie?! Take a look at the f*cking president of the United States, why don't you? Every word that comes out of his mouth is a lie!
If you want to clean house, start with your own!
In the world where "truth" is created by rulers every deviation from it is a "lie"
If you want to shush pro- Palestinian and anti-genocide readers, you've come to troll the wrong publication, Zio.
I think you mis-interpreted her comment.
Yes, I did
Yeah. I didn't understand it but took a leap. A misfire I guess.
A MAJOR misfire, dude. I was specifically referring to a statement that said it should be illegal to lie, one that was most likely made by a Trump supporter. My response to him was, if he's looking for liars, he has only to look no further than Trump himself.
My stand on Israel/Palestine is totally and unequivocally pro-Palestinian. And I don't appreciate you labeling me "Zio". Next time, don't be so quick to respond to a comment you don't understand.
I was wrong and I apologize. I missed your reference. Will do better in the future. And forgive me for the mis- labeling (Zio). Getting that would make my skin crawl as it did yours. The only thing I've done right by you is admit my mistake and apologize.
Thank you for that. I appreciate it!