For 50+ years of voting, I’d been frustrated by the Democratic Party’s timidity. POTUS says what this is: the possible end of American democracy thanks to our external foes & their internal US allies.
Now we must call the Trumpists what they are: traitors & collaborators. Criminals & supporters of violence & terrorism - both domestic & globally.
I've been having a running conversation with an attorney I know. He watches Fox and all he hears is negative BS about the president. They just kill him on the border issue. Yesterday, Hannity announced that the country's debt reached a new milestone...$33 billion. Do they place any blame on Trump's shoulders? Nope...it's all Biden and those democrats. I caught a snippet of Hannity a month ago when Joe and Jill were at the beach. They were holding hands. What was Hannity's comment? "There's Joe being held up by Jill". Anything...absolutely ANYTHING to make him look as bad as possible. And this attorney friend of mine? No matter what I say to him about the possibility of losing our democracy if Trump were to get another four years...he won't hear it. All he hears is what Fox tells him. We're in trouble.
Hannity may have, on a great day, 2 million viewers; out of a country of 330+ million.
I don't pay them any brain-width. The recent votes in WI and OH reveal how insignificant they are. As an aside, my hometown of Pittsburgh has elected another progressive, black female to the PA house. THIS is not the blue collar mid-west of our youth! WI, OH and PA, as well as GA and AZ, show the way country is trending (aside from the south and parts of rural US)
I live in Georgia and the county I live in (Cobb) has changed from deep red to blue over 30 years. . Instead o five white male county commissions we now now have five women commissioners, three of whom are Black. Other elected positions have seen more diversity. I agree with you.
How I so wish Stacey Abrams were around in a public position in order that she is recognized for all that she has done. What is your take here? And how about Fani Willis - what is the level of her support across the state?
I simply cannot believe GA, and AZ!, are in the modern stream of life in the US, and no longer predominantly reactionary!
Stacey Abrams is Howard University's first chair for race and Black politics which started last spring. I’m sure she will be involved in Biden’s reelection campaign. She’ll continue to be force in American democracy. Fani Willis is a highly respected district attorney and is the top prosecutor in in state’s largest county. The legal profession holds her in high regard, and even gov Kemp pushed back on a couple of state legislators who wanted her investigated (for doing her job). She is trumps worst nightmare. Not only has she written a sound indictment document, she is one of the most experienced DAs to use the RICO law of racketeering. I think she has wide support. But she knows that there are people out there that will use threats of violence to subdue and try to prevent the trial going forward. She took charge on this over a year ago when she sniffed Trump’s threats to her and others in her office. I’ve lived in Georgia since 1969 moving here to take a position as professor science education at Georgia State University located in central Atlanta. Where are you? AZ? All the best.
I appreciate your comment, Jack. I like having some sense of Ms Willis and her professional standing, beyond the media portrayal of her. Your view means as much as what I hear from trusted news sources, such as on PBS and the guests on MSNBC, such as professor Ruth 😃 ! ... I spend winter months in AZ, but spend most of my life near Portland, Maine.
Our exciting endeavor this autumn, in Maine, is a state wide referenda to buy out the two large private utilities (by floating bonds to cover the $13B cost) and turn our electric grid over to a consumer owned utility, such as is the case with hundreds of local utilities. We've seen some $20+M spent against us!
But, EVERYONE in Maine knows the Spanish multinational which owns our largest utility, and the nature of this corporatist, multinational foreign entity, that controls our decaying energy grid. They have previously lost referendums, and votes in our state legislature. This, rather, THIS! is the classic case of David and Debbie vs. Goliath. This campaign is called "The Pine Tree Amendment."
A major component of propaganda is the use of confirmation bias in the listener. Once people are polarized to hate those outside of their clan, it is easy for them to believe everything said against the outsider. Millions believed that Hillary ran a pedophile ring in the basement of a pizza restaurant because they WANTED to believe it. She had to have done it because she was considered an evil outsider. Fascism is loaded with wild conspiracies. It's all about nihilism and post-truth. It's a dangerous vortex that people get sucked into, that is based on emotion, not logic or facts.
There is a new history book coming out by NPR's Steve Inskeep that describes President Lincoln during the 1840's and 50's. The newspaper, the railroad, and then the telegraph were all new communications technology then, at a time with the country, just like today was uber divided. I'm hoping we learn something new, so that we can be all become the bridge that brings people like your lawyer friend back from beyond.
I filed an FCC complaint against Fox. Never heard back....I like the idea of uniting our voices. Should we then file FCC complaints against the podcasters, AM radio stations and other communications networks that spread lies. I'm all in. Can we file FCC complaints against X, Facebook, etc. Those are communications networks and need to be treated as such with rules/regs and also need to be broken up as they are monopolies. Just MHO.
I'm increasingly worried that one of the consequences of a busy world, which the pandemic seems to have accelerated, is our relationship to time and the desire to have someone else "take care of things." It makes it easier for autocratic leaders to be seductive, especially for the majority of folks who pay attention only at election time. Or as Ruth points out, the autocrat gives the nod to special interests that secures a loyalty. Trump has the religious right because of the Supreme Court, which now allows him to modify his statements about abortion (whereas before I remember him saying that the woman should be punished. This, despite being one of the most unreligious people in presidential history. But he has credibility and thereby votes of the religious right rather than Biden who goes to clearly goes to mass regularly. Trump certainly has tapped into those that are angry the world isn't what they hoped. I hope we pay attention to what other special interests he promises one thing to and who supports him. In some ways, this is how you build coalitions. In others, it's how you erode democracy.
Yes, Steve. I have been doing a deep dive into conservatism thanks to the writings of Heather Cox Richardson, Thom Hartmann, and Dr. Ben-Ghiat. There seems to be an underlying thread that tends itself to lead to where it is today. The "no compromise" attitude of the free marketers will kill a society. You cannot have free markets without regulation or allowing monopolies to develop. Reagan deregulated many of the protections to prevent monopolies leading to jobs leaving America and enriching the shareholders which lead to people like Boone Pickens that destroyed jobs and ruined some oil companies at the expense of working people. Conservatism seems to always be looking for the better deal for the share holders. Jack Welch is another one in business that screwed American workers.
Without a doubt, the advent of the neoliberal order, with its cruelty and push toward fascism has caused a broken middle class filled with anger. The radical Libertarians and the Mont Pelerin Society have pushed their neoliberal economics onto the politicians to the point of them mostly accepting that philosophy. Milton Friedman, James Buchanan and others didn't believe in democracy; they wanted a corporate state.
In the early 1970's there was a move to slow or stop the outsourcing of jobs with a proposed law called the Burke-Hartke Act. It could have prevented the mess we have today. Big business was very much against it, as was the US Chamber of Commerce. It was smashed by these folks before it ever got off the ground. It was the beginning of the end for our middle class. Not passing the Burke-Hartke was a massive mistake. Our buisiness elites are still not happy and want even more power. They want fascism and its cartel economy. Unions will be eliminated and businessmen will be de facto kings. Democracy is not even a consideration.
Yes, thanks for that article on Biden, Ruth. Unfortunately, in today's paper there was an article about the lack of progressive funding for political purposes. A real malaise, they say. That is quite concerning. As a political activist, I am hoping this changes. We will need both money and folks on the ground to make sure we do not have Trump back in power. I'm quite scared at the moment and look forward to hearing some positive words of yours on Sunday night to bolster myself. I know our local groups will be out there working hard; we take this seriously. But will it be enough?
We have been fighting WWIII for at least a few decades, and it's a mostly non-kinetic war on our information ecosystem. The authoritarians have created an extremely well funded, massive, continuous, disinformation campaign, funded by Putin, Russian oligarchs, China, and American billionaire plutocrats (among others). I don't think people realize just how big of a mismatch this is. We are David taking on Goliath.
I totally agree, I've been calling this WW3 for a while now, too. I believe Havana Syndrome type technology is also in play here. Check out James Giordano's lectures. He was one of the experts that advised the state department and the medical people about HS
Sep 20, 2023·edited Sep 20, 2023Liked by Ruth Ben-Ghiat
Biden speech impressed me also. He clearly communicated the extremely high stakes all nations in the world face with Russia's aggression. Obviously, (note to mainstream media), he is very capable of clear thinking and articulation despite his “age.”
Internationally, we have a deeply problematic track record of supporting authoritarian power when it has been supposedly in our interest. Our constant destructive interference in the political processes of Central and South America during the cold war, (the 1973 Chilean coup d'état with the overthrow democratic socialist Salvador Allende leading to the authoritarian monstrosity of the Pinochet dictatorship being one notable example), as well as our relatively recent disastrous invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan does significantly impair our credibility.
These events, as well as our frequent indifference to the horrors of civil conflict in their regions (who remembers the Second Congo War that resulted in over five million deaths?) does make the leaders of the global south like Lula da Silva deeply suspicious of our sincerity. Their wariness does have justification, but events have moved rapidly since and, regarding Ukraine, clearheaded thinking about dangerous events in Europe and not being distracted by America follies and injustices, past and present, is essential. The use of war in violation of international boundaries and norms must be stopped or no nation will be safe.
Our CIA has done serious damage to our reputation on the world stage. We are still seen as imperialists by many nations, and this has been used to sell fascism as a solution. But fascism has never solved anything. It is politics for the simple minded.
Kevin, agree with your comment, despite his age but maybe it has to do with his age. I’m older than President Biden and many of my friends are as old or older than me we don’t think old, although our bodies might not agree. I wrote my latest book, The Trump Files at age 81, and my good friend in Chicago who is 93 produces multimedia science programs for seniors, most of whom are younger than him . I don’t feel or act old, and I don’t think President Biden does either. we have work on attitudes, by talking about it.
Agreed, Ruth, President Biden is a bulwark against authoritarians. One would hope he would hear the plea from Australians to drop the prosecution of journalist, Julian Assange, hear the calls for the commutation of the sentence of Leonard Peltier, the American Indian activist wrongly incarcerated for 40+ years, and listen to the insistent requests from Climate Emergency groups to declare a climate emergency, stop approving more fossil fuel projects, and remove the billions paid annually to subsidize oil companies.
A few days ago I had myself a "Ruth Ben-Ghiat" day, while harvesting in my garden I listened to about 4 hrs of YouTube videos & trust me, they all age well tho Ruth doesn't age a minute! LOL...in all seriousness, it was refreshing & validating to hear the drumbeat of democracy while each different video made a unique point or points so the culmination was like peering into a master class on the subjects. Actually, I did this because so many podcasts are just rehashing the current drama of tfg & I was sick of it but wanted to listen to Ruth's Supreme wisdom on this topic. I actually never get tired of her insight & the time passed wonderfully.
Biden has been excellent. I’m grateful for his wise leadership. But dumbfounded a bit on the general lack of appreciation for it.
I guess the looming oligarchy, and associated lack of opportunity in many geographies reflects poorly on whomever is in charge. Many feel our economy and governance are broken, corrupted beyond repair. Of course, misinformation and false narratives do not help - those seeking to preserve and extend oligarchy are interested in tarring Biden.
Hoping America comes to its senses before the next election…
The press and media have a lot to with the public’s impression of Joe Biden. And for that matter, Donald Trump. The media tend to report sound bites, rather than reporting truthful stories. The day after the auto strike NBC ran a sound bite featuring Trump and his nonsense. Biden, on the other hand spoke in support of the striking auto workers, a far cry from anything Trump would think of.
This is such an excellent and important piece. “As a kleptocracy, it is a state that is dependent on repression, corruption, and propaganda for its operations,” sounds a lot like Texas, probably Florida too.
I have felt frustrated with President Biden because of where he chose to focus his policies. Yet, he is rather sharp and keen and has the savvy we need. Being underestimated can be used as an advantage.
It is so refreshing and necessary to be hearing praise for the work that Biden and his team of brilliant cabinet members are doing to save our democracy. I hope we will start to see a BIG jump in the favorable poll numbers of our current President, BIDEN!
I am reluctant to give weight to polls, they don't ever call me, an active voter for decades. I don't know if they measure emotion or information. It appears they are used as weapons in the information/disinformation cycle. Thank you for this article and the discussion of our imperative to take actions to protect the values of our democracy vs the oppressive criminality of the kleptocracy.
You stated that the autocrats complain about democracies and their desire to establish a new world order. That accusation is their confession of what they have planned. A few well placed autocratic leaning people in high places in a democracy can weaken it enough to take it down. In America the Lewis Powell Memo provides a plan and our right wingers are executing it. Project 2025 is a warning. It is not just for TFG, but any conservative POTUS.
History is screaming at us and I hope that what Winston Churchill said about Americans is true: We will try everything else, but in the end they end up doing the right thing.
For 50+ years of voting, I’d been frustrated by the Democratic Party’s timidity. POTUS says what this is: the possible end of American democracy thanks to our external foes & their internal US allies.
Now we must call the Trumpists what they are: traitors & collaborators. Criminals & supporters of violence & terrorism - both domestic & globally.
As Nicole Wallace once said "Democrats are more afraid of the republicans, than the repubs are of them.
I've been having a running conversation with an attorney I know. He watches Fox and all he hears is negative BS about the president. They just kill him on the border issue. Yesterday, Hannity announced that the country's debt reached a new milestone...$33 billion. Do they place any blame on Trump's shoulders? Nope...it's all Biden and those democrats. I caught a snippet of Hannity a month ago when Joe and Jill were at the beach. They were holding hands. What was Hannity's comment? "There's Joe being held up by Jill". Anything...absolutely ANYTHING to make him look as bad as possible. And this attorney friend of mine? No matter what I say to him about the possibility of losing our democracy if Trump were to get another four years...he won't hear it. All he hears is what Fox tells him. We're in trouble.
Hannity may have, on a great day, 2 million viewers; out of a country of 330+ million.
I don't pay them any brain-width. The recent votes in WI and OH reveal how insignificant they are. As an aside, my hometown of Pittsburgh has elected another progressive, black female to the PA house. THIS is not the blue collar mid-west of our youth! WI, OH and PA, as well as GA and AZ, show the way country is trending (aside from the south and parts of rural US)
I live in Georgia and the county I live in (Cobb) has changed from deep red to blue over 30 years. . Instead o five white male county commissions we now now have five women commissioners, three of whom are Black. Other elected positions have seen more diversity. I agree with you.
Jack, I'm happy to hear from a real Georgian!
How I so wish Stacey Abrams were around in a public position in order that she is recognized for all that she has done. What is your take here? And how about Fani Willis - what is the level of her support across the state?
I simply cannot believe GA, and AZ!, are in the modern stream of life in the US, and no longer predominantly reactionary!
Stacey Abrams is Howard University's first chair for race and Black politics which started last spring. I’m sure she will be involved in Biden’s reelection campaign. She’ll continue to be force in American democracy. Fani Willis is a highly respected district attorney and is the top prosecutor in in state’s largest county. The legal profession holds her in high regard, and even gov Kemp pushed back on a couple of state legislators who wanted her investigated (for doing her job). She is trumps worst nightmare. Not only has she written a sound indictment document, she is one of the most experienced DAs to use the RICO law of racketeering. I think she has wide support. But she knows that there are people out there that will use threats of violence to subdue and try to prevent the trial going forward. She took charge on this over a year ago when she sniffed Trump’s threats to her and others in her office. I’ve lived in Georgia since 1969 moving here to take a position as professor science education at Georgia State University located in central Atlanta. Where are you? AZ? All the best.
I appreciate your comment, Jack. I like having some sense of Ms Willis and her professional standing, beyond the media portrayal of her. Your view means as much as what I hear from trusted news sources, such as on PBS and the guests on MSNBC, such as professor Ruth 😃 ! ... I spend winter months in AZ, but spend most of my life near Portland, Maine.
Our exciting endeavor this autumn, in Maine, is a state wide referenda to buy out the two large private utilities (by floating bonds to cover the $13B cost) and turn our electric grid over to a consumer owned utility, such as is the case with hundreds of local utilities. We've seen some $20+M spent against us!
But, EVERYONE in Maine knows the Spanish multinational which owns our largest utility, and the nature of this corporatist, multinational foreign entity, that controls our decaying energy grid. They have previously lost referendums, and votes in our state legislature. This, rather, THIS! is the classic case of David and Debbie vs. Goliath. This campaign is called "The Pine Tree Amendment."
Good points!
A major component of propaganda is the use of confirmation bias in the listener. Once people are polarized to hate those outside of their clan, it is easy for them to believe everything said against the outsider. Millions believed that Hillary ran a pedophile ring in the basement of a pizza restaurant because they WANTED to believe it. She had to have done it because she was considered an evil outsider. Fascism is loaded with wild conspiracies. It's all about nihilism and post-truth. It's a dangerous vortex that people get sucked into, that is based on emotion, not logic or facts.
There is a new history book coming out by NPR's Steve Inskeep that describes President Lincoln during the 1840's and 50's. The newspaper, the railroad, and then the telegraph were all new communications technology then, at a time with the country, just like today was uber divided. I'm hoping we learn something new, so that we can be all become the bridge that brings people like your lawyer friend back from beyond.
Differ We Must by Steve Inskeep
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/670070/differ-we-must-by-steve-inskeep/
https://margaretsullivan.substack.com/p/american-crisis-ep-9-steve-inskeep#details
Radicalized by Max Kutner, is a really good podcast/case study in how several young men take the online bait and go down the rabbit hole.
Interesting correlation. I've read too that when the printing press was invented, 1500s, upheaval occurred ( Protestant Reformation also).
Maybe we need to start a national FCC complaint about Fox.
I filed an FCC complaint against Fox. Never heard back....I like the idea of uniting our voices. Should we then file FCC complaints against the podcasters, AM radio stations and other communications networks that spread lies. I'm all in. Can we file FCC complaints against X, Facebook, etc. Those are communications networks and need to be treated as such with rules/regs and also need to be broken up as they are monopolies. Just MHO.
Yes. We have yet to find a way to pierce the iron curtain right wing media use to keep viewers from being exposed to truth.
yes and he could step up to address Modi's autocracy: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/9/8/arundhati-roy-biden-macron-know-whats-going-on-in-india-but-wont-talk
I'm increasingly worried that one of the consequences of a busy world, which the pandemic seems to have accelerated, is our relationship to time and the desire to have someone else "take care of things." It makes it easier for autocratic leaders to be seductive, especially for the majority of folks who pay attention only at election time. Or as Ruth points out, the autocrat gives the nod to special interests that secures a loyalty. Trump has the religious right because of the Supreme Court, which now allows him to modify his statements about abortion (whereas before I remember him saying that the woman should be punished. This, despite being one of the most unreligious people in presidential history. But he has credibility and thereby votes of the religious right rather than Biden who goes to clearly goes to mass regularly. Trump certainly has tapped into those that are angry the world isn't what they hoped. I hope we pay attention to what other special interests he promises one thing to and who supports him. In some ways, this is how you build coalitions. In others, it's how you erode democracy.
Exactly!
Putin's strategy for Ukraine is to wait and help trump get elected.
I agree. This is a truly horrifying reality.
Will Putin drop a nuke to get Trump elected? Just because it is horrifying doesn’t mean we should shrink away from the idea.
Any republican at this point. He owns the party.
Yes, the GOP has embraced a sociopathic agenda, and the sad part of it is, that they don't recognize it as abnormal.
Yes, Steve. I have been doing a deep dive into conservatism thanks to the writings of Heather Cox Richardson, Thom Hartmann, and Dr. Ben-Ghiat. There seems to be an underlying thread that tends itself to lead to where it is today. The "no compromise" attitude of the free marketers will kill a society. You cannot have free markets without regulation or allowing monopolies to develop. Reagan deregulated many of the protections to prevent monopolies leading to jobs leaving America and enriching the shareholders which lead to people like Boone Pickens that destroyed jobs and ruined some oil companies at the expense of working people. Conservatism seems to always be looking for the better deal for the share holders. Jack Welch is another one in business that screwed American workers.
Without a doubt, the advent of the neoliberal order, with its cruelty and push toward fascism has caused a broken middle class filled with anger. The radical Libertarians and the Mont Pelerin Society have pushed their neoliberal economics onto the politicians to the point of them mostly accepting that philosophy. Milton Friedman, James Buchanan and others didn't believe in democracy; they wanted a corporate state.
In the early 1970's there was a move to slow or stop the outsourcing of jobs with a proposed law called the Burke-Hartke Act. It could have prevented the mess we have today. Big business was very much against it, as was the US Chamber of Commerce. It was smashed by these folks before it ever got off the ground. It was the beginning of the end for our middle class. Not passing the Burke-Hartke was a massive mistake. Our buisiness elites are still not happy and want even more power. They want fascism and its cartel economy. Unions will be eliminated and businessmen will be de facto kings. Democracy is not even a consideration.
Lewis Powell Memo.....
Also the roll back of the Glass-Stegnall Act....EPA, OSHA...
Anything that protected the working people and infringed on maximum profit
Yes, thanks for that article on Biden, Ruth. Unfortunately, in today's paper there was an article about the lack of progressive funding for political purposes. A real malaise, they say. That is quite concerning. As a political activist, I am hoping this changes. We will need both money and folks on the ground to make sure we do not have Trump back in power. I'm quite scared at the moment and look forward to hearing some positive words of yours on Sunday night to bolster myself. I know our local groups will be out there working hard; we take this seriously. But will it be enough?
We have been fighting WWIII for at least a few decades, and it's a mostly non-kinetic war on our information ecosystem. The authoritarians have created an extremely well funded, massive, continuous, disinformation campaign, funded by Putin, Russian oligarchs, China, and American billionaire plutocrats (among others). I don't think people realize just how big of a mismatch this is. We are David taking on Goliath.
and the Civil War as well.
Heather Cox Richardson - How the South Won the Civil War.
I totally agree, I've been calling this WW3 for a while now, too. I believe Havana Syndrome type technology is also in play here. Check out James Giordano's lectures. He was one of the experts that advised the state department and the medical people about HS
That is tragic given where we are. Will look for the article.
I wish I had kept it.
I saw it in Monday's (?) San Jose Mercury and I think it was either an AP or NYT reprinted article.
Biden speech impressed me also. He clearly communicated the extremely high stakes all nations in the world face with Russia's aggression. Obviously, (note to mainstream media), he is very capable of clear thinking and articulation despite his “age.”
Internationally, we have a deeply problematic track record of supporting authoritarian power when it has been supposedly in our interest. Our constant destructive interference in the political processes of Central and South America during the cold war, (the 1973 Chilean coup d'état with the overthrow democratic socialist Salvador Allende leading to the authoritarian monstrosity of the Pinochet dictatorship being one notable example), as well as our relatively recent disastrous invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan does significantly impair our credibility.
These events, as well as our frequent indifference to the horrors of civil conflict in their regions (who remembers the Second Congo War that resulted in over five million deaths?) does make the leaders of the global south like Lula da Silva deeply suspicious of our sincerity. Their wariness does have justification, but events have moved rapidly since and, regarding Ukraine, clearheaded thinking about dangerous events in Europe and not being distracted by America follies and injustices, past and present, is essential. The use of war in violation of international boundaries and norms must be stopped or no nation will be safe.
Our CIA has done serious damage to our reputation on the world stage. We are still seen as imperialists by many nations, and this has been used to sell fascism as a solution. But fascism has never solved anything. It is politics for the simple minded.
Kevin, agree with your comment, despite his age but maybe it has to do with his age. I’m older than President Biden and many of my friends are as old or older than me we don’t think old, although our bodies might not agree. I wrote my latest book, The Trump Files at age 81, and my good friend in Chicago who is 93 produces multimedia science programs for seniors, most of whom are younger than him . I don’t feel or act old, and I don’t think President Biden does either. we have work on attitudes, by talking about it.
Agreed, Ruth, President Biden is a bulwark against authoritarians. One would hope he would hear the plea from Australians to drop the prosecution of journalist, Julian Assange, hear the calls for the commutation of the sentence of Leonard Peltier, the American Indian activist wrongly incarcerated for 40+ years, and listen to the insistent requests from Climate Emergency groups to declare a climate emergency, stop approving more fossil fuel projects, and remove the billions paid annually to subsidize oil companies.
A few days ago I had myself a "Ruth Ben-Ghiat" day, while harvesting in my garden I listened to about 4 hrs of YouTube videos & trust me, they all age well tho Ruth doesn't age a minute! LOL...in all seriousness, it was refreshing & validating to hear the drumbeat of democracy while each different video made a unique point or points so the culmination was like peering into a master class on the subjects. Actually, I did this because so many podcasts are just rehashing the current drama of tfg & I was sick of it but wanted to listen to Ruth's Supreme wisdom on this topic. I actually never get tired of her insight & the time passed wonderfully.
I do the same thing for the exact same reasons =]
Oh boy that's a lot! I like that you were harvesting in your garden while you listened.
Biden has been excellent. I’m grateful for his wise leadership. But dumbfounded a bit on the general lack of appreciation for it.
I guess the looming oligarchy, and associated lack of opportunity in many geographies reflects poorly on whomever is in charge. Many feel our economy and governance are broken, corrupted beyond repair. Of course, misinformation and false narratives do not help - those seeking to preserve and extend oligarchy are interested in tarring Biden.
Hoping America comes to its senses before the next election…
The press and media have a lot to with the public’s impression of Joe Biden. And for that matter, Donald Trump. The media tend to report sound bites, rather than reporting truthful stories. The day after the auto strike NBC ran a sound bite featuring Trump and his nonsense. Biden, on the other hand spoke in support of the striking auto workers, a far cry from anything Trump would think of.
This is such an excellent and important piece. “As a kleptocracy, it is a state that is dependent on repression, corruption, and propaganda for its operations,” sounds a lot like Texas, probably Florida too.
Thanks, I will be expanding on this soon
I have felt frustrated with President Biden because of where he chose to focus his policies. Yet, he is rather sharp and keen and has the savvy we need. Being underestimated can be used as an advantage.
It is so refreshing and necessary to be hearing praise for the work that Biden and his team of brilliant cabinet members are doing to save our democracy. I hope we will start to see a BIG jump in the favorable poll numbers of our current President, BIDEN!
Thank you.
Thank you Ruth,
I am reluctant to give weight to polls, they don't ever call me, an active voter for decades. I don't know if they measure emotion or information. It appears they are used as weapons in the information/disinformation cycle. Thank you for this article and the discussion of our imperative to take actions to protect the values of our democracy vs the oppressive criminality of the kleptocracy.
Thank you Dr. Ruth!
EVERY ACCUSATION IS A CONFESSION.
You stated that the autocrats complain about democracies and their desire to establish a new world order. That accusation is their confession of what they have planned. A few well placed autocratic leaning people in high places in a democracy can weaken it enough to take it down. In America the Lewis Powell Memo provides a plan and our right wingers are executing it. Project 2025 is a warning. It is not just for TFG, but any conservative POTUS.
History is screaming at us and I hope that what Winston Churchill said about Americans is true: We will try everything else, but in the end they end up doing the right thing.