Welcome back to Lucid and hello to all new subscribers. Mark your calendars for our regular Friday Q&A on Jan. 20, 1-2pmET. Terrell Jermaine Starr has a conflict and will join us instead on Jan. 27. We may have another guest, or it will just be us. For those new to Lucid, these Q&As have created a special community. We talk about difficult issues (not surprising in a group on threats to democracy) but being together generates feelings of solidarity and resolve. If you would like to join us, you can convert your subscription to paid here:
Whenever the state melds with a privately owned media company or any privately owned company, in this case to disseminate propaganda and disinformation for a particular political party, it should be seen as an element of fascism.
I'm still waiting for the made-for-TV movie regarding Trump-Russia after we have all this crap behind us, hopefully. That episode could make for amazing comedy where it was revealed in court that Hannity was Michael Cohen's only other client besides the ones directly involved in the Stormy Daniels Hush money scandal. Michael Cohen is Trump's mobbed up attorney if you recall. Of course, Hannity is directly involved there too, seems to me, just as Trump's media mouthpiece, with their communications obscured via attorney-client privilege. Can't we just have some basic law enforcement?
Random other thought, if you're looking for inspiration, here is a neat finding of a long-running Russian misinfo site, 'like a fossilized T-Rex' preserves some propaganda for analysis and investigation. Check it out here:
Thank you, Ruth, for articulating the same feelings I have, and I'm sure many of us have on Lucid, and others in the global community. There is something very odd, staged, contrived, and intuitively wrong with this picture! Casually championing election deniers like McCarthy, Jordan, and others, as if to say, "Look America, this is all very normal. Don't worry, we've got this. White supremacy; voter suppression; denial of the rights of women, The LGBTQ Community, and people of color; anti-semitism; anti-anyone who is different; violent attempts to wrest democracy away from people; and climate/science denial are really not all that bad." This "Spectacle" engenders a very visceral response to the whole scene!
I found it nauseating that Hannity was broadcasting from the Capitol. Another aspect of the coup, in my opinion. As if to say, we own this place. They don't, and it shouldn't happen again. Not with Fox or any other news organization. (Not that they are a news organization....)
If a re-occupy the Capitol by meathead Sean Hannity gives us all a queasy feelings, how bout New Mexico QOP canidates paying others to shoot up the opposition canidates homes?
House committees appear problematic thus far. Kevin McCarthy is acting like Joe McCarthy. We should all feel uneasy. FBI stated no investigation into Rep Swalwell. 2 years of massive lies and propaganda coming.
I look at fascism as the world's greatest con job. Sell the people on a grandiose plan to restore the nation to its former glory, using patriotism, liberty, freedom and hero worship. It's like giving people chocolate candy, not telling them that the center contains cyanide. Unfortunately, our fascist believers are still enjoying the chocolate exterior and haven't figured out that they have been duped. Most of the GOP still hasn't figured this out yet and some of their reps are moving up in the House, eager to pass out more of the poison pill chocolate. Their witch hunt will begin soon, aided by fascist media.
You’re having the exact feelings I’m having. The crazies are retaking the government! Their objectives haven’t changed on bit. McCarthy has sold his soul to them. All in for Trumpism!
Oh, no...I wish I could unsee that clip of Hannity. Phew. This is exhausting. I am glad to have removed myself from social media. Just observing from t a local level, (my husband tells me what is going on, so it's filtered) it is entirely filled with complaining. I've watched the spiral for the past 5 years. People who seemed to be upbeat are now perpetually negative. For me, being able to filter this information (I still know much more of what is going than most people I know, by reading, watching news that I think is fair and balanced and listening to PBS/NPR and podcasts. Everything that is on Twitter, FOX and Truth Social ends in print and other forms of media. The one thing I look forward to the most, is connecting with all of the Friday and Sunday LUCID folks. I'd prefer we were all in a classroom, in each others physical presence, but alas that's not the world we live in. This Friday (who knows what will happen in the next 72 hours, I need to sanity of the group to ground me from the insanity of MJT, Gosar and Perry on the Homeland and Oversight committees. I don't know how many ways there are to say how worried I am. I wish I could illustrate the image I see from 2015 to present. The worry and the joy extremes have become further and further apart....
When Politics Becomes Spectacle. Essay Coming Tomorrow
Thanks Ruth! Looking forward to your essay!
Whenever the state melds with a privately owned media company or any privately owned company, in this case to disseminate propaganda and disinformation for a particular political party, it should be seen as an element of fascism.
I'm still waiting for the made-for-TV movie regarding Trump-Russia after we have all this crap behind us, hopefully. That episode could make for amazing comedy where it was revealed in court that Hannity was Michael Cohen's only other client besides the ones directly involved in the Stormy Daniels Hush money scandal. Michael Cohen is Trump's mobbed up attorney if you recall. Of course, Hannity is directly involved there too, seems to me, just as Trump's media mouthpiece, with their communications obscured via attorney-client privilege. Can't we just have some basic law enforcement?
Random other thought, if you're looking for inspiration, here is a neat finding of a long-running Russian misinfo site, 'like a fossilized T-Rex' preserves some propaganda for analysis and investigation. Check it out here:
https://twitter.com/jackabryan/status/1615097580400279552
Thank you, Ruth, for articulating the same feelings I have, and I'm sure many of us have on Lucid, and others in the global community. There is something very odd, staged, contrived, and intuitively wrong with this picture! Casually championing election deniers like McCarthy, Jordan, and others, as if to say, "Look America, this is all very normal. Don't worry, we've got this. White supremacy; voter suppression; denial of the rights of women, The LGBTQ Community, and people of color; anti-semitism; anti-anyone who is different; violent attempts to wrest democracy away from people; and climate/science denial are really not all that bad." This "Spectacle" engenders a very visceral response to the whole scene!
I found it nauseating that Hannity was broadcasting from the Capitol. Another aspect of the coup, in my opinion. As if to say, we own this place. They don't, and it shouldn't happen again. Not with Fox or any other news organization. (Not that they are a news organization....)
If a re-occupy the Capitol by meathead Sean Hannity gives us all a queasy feelings, how bout New Mexico QOP canidates paying others to shoot up the opposition canidates homes?
https://www.npr.org/2023/01/17/1149464953/new-mexico-shooting-politicians-solomon-pena
oh yes! can't wait.
good government is boring and should be that way.
Our constitutional remit- to live with some nobility, when to go to war and how go pay for all of it- is not a carnival of vulgar screaming..
House committees appear problematic thus far. Kevin McCarthy is acting like Joe McCarthy. We should all feel uneasy. FBI stated no investigation into Rep Swalwell. 2 years of massive lies and propaganda coming.
I look at fascism as the world's greatest con job. Sell the people on a grandiose plan to restore the nation to its former glory, using patriotism, liberty, freedom and hero worship. It's like giving people chocolate candy, not telling them that the center contains cyanide. Unfortunately, our fascist believers are still enjoying the chocolate exterior and haven't figured out that they have been duped. Most of the GOP still hasn't figured this out yet and some of their reps are moving up in the House, eager to pass out more of the poison pill chocolate. Their witch hunt will begin soon, aided by fascist media.
Oh my ... this is shocking. Horrified and Terrified....
... and am so glad that you sent out this information to all.
Thanks Ruth
You’re having the exact feelings I’m having. The crazies are retaking the government! Their objectives haven’t changed on bit. McCarthy has sold his soul to them. All in for Trumpism!
When did this happen? The link opened twitter, but not your tweet. I've looked at your page, and dont see it.
Oh, no...I wish I could unsee that clip of Hannity. Phew. This is exhausting. I am glad to have removed myself from social media. Just observing from t a local level, (my husband tells me what is going on, so it's filtered) it is entirely filled with complaining. I've watched the spiral for the past 5 years. People who seemed to be upbeat are now perpetually negative. For me, being able to filter this information (I still know much more of what is going than most people I know, by reading, watching news that I think is fair and balanced and listening to PBS/NPR and podcasts. Everything that is on Twitter, FOX and Truth Social ends in print and other forms of media. The one thing I look forward to the most, is connecting with all of the Friday and Sunday LUCID folks. I'd prefer we were all in a classroom, in each others physical presence, but alas that's not the world we live in. This Friday (who knows what will happen in the next 72 hours, I need to sanity of the group to ground me from the insanity of MJT, Gosar and Perry on the Homeland and Oversight committees. I don't know how many ways there are to say how worried I am. I wish I could illustrate the image I see from 2015 to present. The worry and the joy extremes have become further and further apart....