Thanks, Ruth…SO incredibly exciting! Rick Wilson mentioned another important thing this morning: F-16’s have FINALLY arrived in Ukraine. Could be a game changer.
Aviation corollary (F-16 Demo was AWESOME: it demonstrated one of the 50-year-old fighter's greatest assets: it is VERY difficult to see!):
I think the MAGA dam is breaking. More and more Rs are speaking out against the Mandarin Mussolini. My personal, unscientific observations follow.
Last week I attended Airventure, Oshkosh’s annual Experimental Aircraft Association’s airshow. Approximately 868,000 attended over the week. I saw NO MAGA hats. In the campgrounds I only saw two flags supporting Donald Grump. I only saw one vendor selling anything supporting the Christofascists.
Thanks so much for that ~~brings back memories of my Dad…the actual A48 Skyhawk he flew in Nam is at The Intrepid Museum. He loved to fly and would love the F16. He left us at 88 in 2017. That video of the F16 is awesome.
Kamala Harris WILL BE our next president. Finally, the pendulum is swinging back in OUR direction! Biden has already tee’d up Supreme Court reforms; Biden is such a champion! It feels so good to have hope and momentum once again! Buckle-up!
It's like a perfect chess play. Biden working 100% behind the scenes as candidate Harris comes forward onto the stage. The timing of 100 days is perfect for this. Go dems!
Such a good point. If any critic, anyone opposed to the cult of personality, anyone who opposes or asks serious questions, is pushed out of the party and can't win their primary, it creates this viscous cycle, and the entire GOP becomes more and more radical. It is definitely prostituting "leadership". In reality it is cult of personality. Other historians have pointed out, that throughout history, voter suppression and gerrymandering that bring radicals to power, only works for awhile, but as the extremism grows, the majority turn away from it, especially if it is and grows to violent events. I think that is why this extremism is so protracted and painful for us all to witness. The truth of J6 is not being told to large swaths of people. The truth about Project 2025 isn't reaching the same people. The truth that the powerful and corporations are in business with other Authoritarian oligarchs to enrich themselves at the people's and country's expense. The truth about climate is not being told. How bad does it have to get for people to wake up and see the lies that have been blinding them? This time from 1980 to present seems a like the lead up to the Progressive Era/1900 and also the time of FDR before WW2.
So agree, the insanity of after-birth abortions. That's something they do --- by denying or dismantling things like Head-Start, Obama care, SNAP food benefits and programs to help stabilize young families. Even food they like to deny. Send people begging from Food pantry to food pantry...
Pro-life is such a upside-down (as Ruth would say) garbage politics.
Guns -- and look what happened to Trump. And he isn't even psychologically moved or changed. Not a life-changing experience?
I think the debate comment, "post birth abortions" ....that is a call out to the Qanon and Pizzagate conspiracy's. That conspiracy was also leveled against Ukrainians by Russian Intelligence services to pit the Russian Speaking Ukrainians vs the Ukrainian speaking Ukrainians. Crazy how most scholars trace majority of the conspiracies' back to Russian FSB. And because it helps the GOP, none of the GOP "leadership" calls it out. Oh wait, Mitt Romney and Sen Jeff Flake did. One is out and Mitt has been sidelined/irrelevant to the MAGA QOP.
Demagoguery is emotionally based manipulation vs truthful honest inspiring leadership. One raises people to their potential by educating hard truths and inspiration. The other reduces people to fear, loathing the others (scapegoats), and increases social anxiety’s through uncertainty. We need leaders and media to call this out. I think Kamala and Pete are the best at this right now.
Regarding "no real leadership skills", fascism is all about raw power and raw force. This is why it attracts narcissists and sadists. Fascism is management by fear.
I’ve thought so much over the years about Dr. King’s remark that the arc of the moral universe bends towards justice, yet its meaning was never apparent to me because I could not reconcile it with what I saw. But today the energy around Kamala Harris’ campaign is giving me joyful clarity and allows me to see how actions, yours and mine, can and will bend that arc towards justice.
Same here. I wonder how Dr. King would have responded to the Reagan years -- but then I wonder, if Dr. King and RFK hadn't been assassinated, would "the Reagan years" ever have happened? Would Nixon ever have become president? For some 40 years if the arc of the moral universe was bending at all, it was bending away from justice. That changed when President Biden took office, and the change continues.
Not having Nixon as president, and especially not having Reagan, would have been wonderful. I have always had an intense dislike for Reagan, AND he was also the first to try to torpedo our country by using the Mandate for Leadership (today known as Project 2025). I join you in being happy to see the change.
New book by Jonathan Eig on Dr King. The FBI declassified troves of documents and phone recordings of Dr. King for years. Lots of new information in this new biography.
There were those during the JFK admin who hated him and RFK as well. Most of these were business titans that wanted a "hands off" policy toward business from government. RFK as AG went after some of these companies. But the Kennedys were not liked by former CIA director Allen Dulles either. We now know who eliminated JFK but the RFK assassination is not quite as clear. Both men were real assets to "we the people". I remember both of them and saw their elimination as a turning point in the nation, away from democracy. The book on this subject is called The Devil's Chessboard.
4 U.S. residents wrongly imprisoned in Russia -- including Marine veteran Paul Whelan since 2018 -- were released as part of a major multinational prisoner exchange the likes of which has not been seen since the Cold War.
Putin's puppy...or masters of diplomacy & leaders of the free world:
I would love to see Kamala Harris take down Putin. The idea puts a smile on my face. I am grateful that the wrongfully held prisoners are free, but I can see where Putin would see that process as a big win. I'm hoping that we can bring him down.
Ms. Ben-Ghiat, why did Putin hand the Biden/Harris team such a huge victory now? We know Putin wants Trump to win. He could have held on to the prisoners so that Trump could lambaste Biden/Harris for allowing them to languish. Trump could have promised that his so-called diplomacy would spring the hostages as soon as he was sworn in.
So, what was it that was more important to Putin than getting Trump re-elected?
Russia is not in good shape economically. The sanctions are hurting. It's one step up from a pariah state. The war in Ukraine is a continual drain on the state coffers, Russia's international reputation, and Putin's domestic reputation with everyone who believes his line that Ukraine is part of "Greater Russia." And, last but not least, he got back several useful assets who'd been convicted in Western courts, in exchange for hostages who weren't guilty of any crimes: IOW his hostage-taking paid off nicely.
It's also possible that he wasn't all that confident that Trump is going to win in November. The deal was apparently completed *before* President Biden announced he wasn't going to run for re-election, but I have no idea what the FSB was telling him about Trump's chances. Paul Whelan was arrested in December 2018, when Trump was in office and buddy-buddy with Vladimir, but the Trump administration wasn't in any hurry to get him back. Several of the other detainees are people that Trump & company don't like, e.g., journalists and dissidents, so it's not a sure thing that Trump would want them back, unless of course there was something in it for him.
He evidently has become less sure Trump will win; may have wanted his killers back; may have wanted to seem "moderate" or "reasonable" for economic reasons...for sure it had nothing to do with humanitarian or diplomatic sentiments.
So exciting that there is a momentum palatable on the streets, on buses and in town squares. You sense hopefulness. Thank you 1000x Ruth. And thanks for continuing to expand the knowledge globally to our friends and neighbors overseas. May freedom ring!
THANK YOU!!! for this post which expounds on SO MANY crucial issues if right now and lifts us forward to work for Kamala Harris. Priceless for our future. Thank you Ruth.
Thank you for your continued optimism and pragmatism, Ruth. My sons are so discouraged, even now, about where we are all headed in the world. About climate change and ruthless plutocrats, autocrats in power and war. They don't trust Kamala. I'm sad about that, but I understand it. 😔
Thanks, Ruth…SO incredibly exciting! Rick Wilson mentioned another important thing this morning: F-16’s have FINALLY arrived in Ukraine. Could be a game changer.
It will be, both offensively and defensively.
Aviation corollary (F-16 Demo was AWESOME: it demonstrated one of the 50-year-old fighter's greatest assets: it is VERY difficult to see!):
I think the MAGA dam is breaking. More and more Rs are speaking out against the Mandarin Mussolini. My personal, unscientific observations follow.
Last week I attended Airventure, Oshkosh’s annual Experimental Aircraft Association’s airshow. Approximately 868,000 attended over the week. I saw NO MAGA hats. In the campgrounds I only saw two flags supporting Donald Grump. I only saw one vendor selling anything supporting the Christofascists.
I was pleasantly surprised.
F-16 demo link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs9-xRfGsRY
Thanks so much for that ~~brings back memories of my Dad…the actual A48 Skyhawk he flew in Nam is at The Intrepid Museum. He loved to fly and would love the F16. He left us at 88 in 2017. That video of the F16 is awesome.
Seeing aircraft you have flown in museums is exhilarating, humbling, sobering, crazy!
Kamala Harris WILL BE our next president. Finally, the pendulum is swinging back in OUR direction! Biden has already tee’d up Supreme Court reforms; Biden is such a champion! It feels so good to have hope and momentum once again! Buckle-up!
It's like a perfect chess play. Biden working 100% behind the scenes as candidate Harris comes forward onto the stage. The timing of 100 days is perfect for this. Go dems!
The other side shows no real leadership skills!
It hasn't since John McCain passed away. Certainly Donald Trump exhibits no recognizable leadership skills. Bombast and lying do not count.
Charles … perhaps that’s the underlying reason Trump resorted to defaming pushing McCain out in the early days of trumps presidency.
McCain had a conscience but tRump does not, so John had to go. Fascists prefer to surround themselves with fellow reptilians.
Steve…love you comment! Liz
Thanks Liz! I'm very direct in describing these snakes.
Such a good point. If any critic, anyone opposed to the cult of personality, anyone who opposes or asks serious questions, is pushed out of the party and can't win their primary, it creates this viscous cycle, and the entire GOP becomes more and more radical. It is definitely prostituting "leadership". In reality it is cult of personality. Other historians have pointed out, that throughout history, voter suppression and gerrymandering that bring radicals to power, only works for awhile, but as the extremism grows, the majority turn away from it, especially if it is and grows to violent events. I think that is why this extremism is so protracted and painful for us all to witness. The truth of J6 is not being told to large swaths of people. The truth about Project 2025 isn't reaching the same people. The truth that the powerful and corporations are in business with other Authoritarian oligarchs to enrich themselves at the people's and country's expense. The truth about climate is not being told. How bad does it have to get for people to wake up and see the lies that have been blinding them? This time from 1980 to present seems a like the lead up to the Progressive Era/1900 and also the time of FDR before WW2.
We can't let our guard down before November. Full speed ahead.
100%!
Authoritarianism is a corrupt
form of pseudo “leadership” meaning it isn’t leadership as we know it today!
Misusing religion as a tool, too. All bad.
And guns. And the “post birth”, after birth abortion claims.
So agree, the insanity of after-birth abortions. That's something they do --- by denying or dismantling things like Head-Start, Obama care, SNAP food benefits and programs to help stabilize young families. Even food they like to deny. Send people begging from Food pantry to food pantry...
Pro-life is such a upside-down (as Ruth would say) garbage politics.
Guns -- and look what happened to Trump. And he isn't even psychologically moved or changed. Not a life-changing experience?
I think the debate comment, "post birth abortions" ....that is a call out to the Qanon and Pizzagate conspiracy's. That conspiracy was also leveled against Ukrainians by Russian Intelligence services to pit the Russian Speaking Ukrainians vs the Ukrainian speaking Ukrainians. Crazy how most scholars trace majority of the conspiracies' back to Russian FSB. And because it helps the GOP, none of the GOP "leadership" calls it out. Oh wait, Mitt Romney and Sen Jeff Flake did. One is out and Mitt has been sidelined/irrelevant to the MAGA QOP.
Demagoguery is emotionally based manipulation vs truthful honest inspiring leadership. One raises people to their potential by educating hard truths and inspiration. The other reduces people to fear, loathing the others (scapegoats), and increases social anxiety’s through uncertainty. We need leaders and media to call this out. I think Kamala and Pete are the best at this right now.
Exactly!
Regarding "no real leadership skills", fascism is all about raw power and raw force. This is why it attracts narcissists and sadists. Fascism is management by fear.
You’re exactly correct! Pseudo leadership says it all!
I’ve thought so much over the years about Dr. King’s remark that the arc of the moral universe bends towards justice, yet its meaning was never apparent to me because I could not reconcile it with what I saw. But today the energy around Kamala Harris’ campaign is giving me joyful clarity and allows me to see how actions, yours and mine, can and will bend that arc towards justice.
Same here. I wonder how Dr. King would have responded to the Reagan years -- but then I wonder, if Dr. King and RFK hadn't been assassinated, would "the Reagan years" ever have happened? Would Nixon ever have become president? For some 40 years if the arc of the moral universe was bending at all, it was bending away from justice. That changed when President Biden took office, and the change continues.
Not having Nixon as president, and especially not having Reagan, would have been wonderful. I have always had an intense dislike for Reagan, AND he was also the first to try to torpedo our country by using the Mandate for Leadership (today known as Project 2025). I join you in being happy to see the change.
New book by Jonathan Eig on Dr King. The FBI declassified troves of documents and phone recordings of Dr. King for years. Lots of new information in this new biography.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/08/books/the-new-definitive-biography-of-martin-luther-king-jr.html
https://www.amazon.com/King-Life-Jonathan-Eig/dp/0374279292
I tried to read that book and couldn't get through it.
Love President Biden! True patriot.
There were those during the JFK admin who hated him and RFK as well. Most of these were business titans that wanted a "hands off" policy toward business from government. RFK as AG went after some of these companies. But the Kennedys were not liked by former CIA director Allen Dulles either. We now know who eliminated JFK but the RFK assassination is not quite as clear. Both men were real assets to "we the people". I remember both of them and saw their elimination as a turning point in the nation, away from democracy. The book on this subject is called The Devil's Chessboard.
It is up to us to bring this nation back to civility - and to keep it here!
We can do it with the marvelous talent among us. VOTE like your life and freedoms depend on it!
4 U.S. residents wrongly imprisoned in Russia -- including Marine veteran Paul Whelan since 2018 -- were released as part of a major multinational prisoner exchange the likes of which has not been seen since the Cold War.
Putin's puppy...or masters of diplomacy & leaders of the free world:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRnapwKcpXI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuLHONhkHUg&list=RDNSUuLHONhkHUg&start_radio=1
What a day for democracy. That and the Olympics. Good energy.
I would love to see Kamala Harris take down Putin. The idea puts a smile on my face. I am grateful that the wrongfully held prisoners are free, but I can see where Putin would see that process as a big win. I'm hoping that we can bring him down.
Wonderful! Love you use of authoritarian gangsterism! If that doesn’t fit horrific things to a “T” perfectly I can’t think of anything else better!!!
Hope the term catches even more steam! Descriptive, short and rightfully negative.
Chilling the way you describe the ownership/ theft fetish of autocrats to include human bodies.
Ms. Ben-Ghiat, why did Putin hand the Biden/Harris team such a huge victory now? We know Putin wants Trump to win. He could have held on to the prisoners so that Trump could lambaste Biden/Harris for allowing them to languish. Trump could have promised that his so-called diplomacy would spring the hostages as soon as he was sworn in.
So, what was it that was more important to Putin than getting Trump re-elected?
Why do you think Putin "hand[ed] the Biden/Harris team such a huge victory"? It was a *deal*. Nobody got "handed" anything.
OK, then, why did Putin do a deal at a time when it would reflect well on the politicians and political party he wants to see defeated this November?
Russia is not in good shape economically. The sanctions are hurting. It's one step up from a pariah state. The war in Ukraine is a continual drain on the state coffers, Russia's international reputation, and Putin's domestic reputation with everyone who believes his line that Ukraine is part of "Greater Russia." And, last but not least, he got back several useful assets who'd been convicted in Western courts, in exchange for hostages who weren't guilty of any crimes: IOW his hostage-taking paid off nicely.
It's also possible that he wasn't all that confident that Trump is going to win in November. The deal was apparently completed *before* President Biden announced he wasn't going to run for re-election, but I have no idea what the FSB was telling him about Trump's chances. Paul Whelan was arrested in December 2018, when Trump was in office and buddy-buddy with Vladimir, but the Trump administration wasn't in any hurry to get him back. Several of the other detainees are people that Trump & company don't like, e.g., journalists and dissidents, so it's not a sure thing that Trump would want them back, unless of course there was something in it for him.
Thank you for your insightful analysis!
He evidently has become less sure Trump will win; may have wanted his killers back; may have wanted to seem "moderate" or "reasonable" for economic reasons...for sure it had nothing to do with humanitarian or diplomatic sentiments.
So exciting that there is a momentum palatable on the streets, on buses and in town squares. You sense hopefulness. Thank you 1000x Ruth. And thanks for continuing to expand the knowledge globally to our friends and neighbors overseas. May freedom ring!
THANK YOU!!! for this post which expounds on SO MANY crucial issues if right now and lifts us forward to work for Kamala Harris. Priceless for our future. Thank you Ruth.
Finally thought of the word I wanted to use - exhilarating ⭐️
QUESTION: Any chance the NYU Law School conference on AUTOCRACY may get to YouTube anytime soon?
Thank you for your continued optimism and pragmatism, Ruth. My sons are so discouraged, even now, about where we are all headed in the world. About climate change and ruthless plutocrats, autocrats in power and war. They don't trust Kamala. I'm sad about that, but I understand it. 😔
Jason It must be! I have a small piece of the original flight deck of the Intrepid. Intrepid is also a word that describes my Dad. Respect.
Thank you very much for this, Dr. Ben-Ghiat. I have so much gratitude for your knowledge and wisdom.👏😍👏
I'm an SF Bay Arean who knows VP Kamala Harris and is so excited and hopeful about her candidacy and the future of the USA.😍
However, I well know there is a lot of work to do to make her POTUS.