We are in trouble

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Apr 10, 2024 14:30:09 GMT -5 NastyWoman said:

Apr 10, 2024 14:04:45 GMT -5 djAdvocate said:

i didn't say never. i said i could not imagine it.

in 2016, i could not imagine an electorate stupid enough to permit the commander in thief to become president.

now, i can readily imagine it. i can even IMAGINE it happening again.

so, yes, when your situation changes, so does your imagination.

Let's get something straight: unless there is a drastic change in the "sheeple" not only can it happen again, it WILL happen again. Now whether it will be the orange paint addict or one of his (potentially even worse) followers who would get into the WH I can't say, but it will happen and it will be bad!

This was my point.  Back in 2016, I could ‘t believe that there were so many that were willing to accept the crap that came out about him.  This was crap that killed more than one presidential candidate, or a congressman’s career.  

Why are people so willing to accept him assaulting women, grifting the government, refusing to pay for services rendered to him, cheating on financial documents and being a patsy for Putin?  Any one of these are lousy, but string them together and you have a lifetime of a person who has the worst possible morals ever.  

He wasn’t kidding when he said he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and get away with it.  Why is this allowed?  Do those that back him have comparable morals?

[thyme4change]

Apr 10, 2024 22:22:08 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Apr 10, 2024 14:30:09 GMT -5 NastyWoman said:

Let's get something straight: unless there is a drastic change in the "sheeple" not only can it happen again, it WILL happen again. Now whether it will be the orange paint addict or one of his (potentially even worse) followers who would get into the WH I can't say, but it will happen and it will be bad!

This was my point.  Back in 2016, I could ‘t believe that there were so many that were willing to accept the crap that came out about him.  This was crap that killed more than one presidential candidate, or a congressman’s career.  

Why are people so willing to accept him assaulting women, grifting the government, refusing to pay for services rendered to him, cheating on financial documents and being a patsy for Putin?  Any one of these are lousy, but string them together and you have a lifetime of a person who has the worst possible morals ever.  

He wasn’t kidding when he said he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and get away with it.  Why is this allowed?  Do those that back him have comparable morals?

They are punishing us for electing a black man.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Apr 11, 2024 8:21:24 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Apr 10, 2024 22:22:08 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

This was my point.  Back in 2016, I could ‘t believe that there were so many that were willing to accept the crap that came out about him.  This was crap that killed more than one presidential candidate, or a congressman’s career.  

Why are people so willing to accept him assaulting women, grifting the government, refusing to pay for services rendered to him, cheating on financial documents and being a patsy for Putin?  Any one of these are lousy, but string them together and you have a lifetime of a person who has the worst possible morals ever.  

He wasn’t kidding when he said he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and get away with it.  Why is this allowed?  Do those that back him have comparable morals?

They are punishing us for electing a black man.

And coming *thisclose* to having a woman president following right after.  That's part of why he keeps harping on the popular vote I am sure.  How dare a freaking woman, and a woman wearing pant suits no less!, be a more popular public choice for president than Trump?  

Oh and allowing gays to get married.  That wasn't cool either.

[djAdvocate]

Apr 10, 2024 22:21:06 GMT -5 busymom said:

Apr 10, 2024 19:27:54 GMT -5 happyhoix said:

I was reading a New Yorker article about Trump and the unions. Trump is actually on record advising companies with unions to shut down their operations and move someplace (like the South) that is hostile to unions. Wait long enough for the people living around the original plant to get desperate, then close the Southern plant and re-open the original plant, this time as a non-union plant. Easy peasy, according to Trump. But the writer attending a rally with Trump at a non-union plant in Michigan, and then interviewed a Union member from another plant who attended the rally and who was so excited about Trump, convinced he really cared about regular Americans. She said she felt really confident with him as President because she trusted him to protect her job. 

I really don’t get it. 

     I know.  The strongest Trump supporter in my extended family is in a union.  I guess he missed the part about the GOP trying to get rid of unions.  

i think Democrats should run HARD on that.  most Americans are pro-union.  Trump is about as anti-union as a person gets.

[djAdvocate]

Apr 10, 2024 22:22:08 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Apr 10, 2024 14:30:09 GMT -5 NastyWoman said:

Let's get something straight: unless there is a drastic change in the "sheeple" not only can it happen again, it WILL happen again. Now whether it will be the orange paint addict or one of his (potentially even worse) followers who would get into the WH I can't say, but it will happen and it will be bad!

This was my point.  Back in 2016, I could ‘t believe that there were so many that were willing to accept the crap that came out about him.  This was crap that killed more than one presidential candidate, or a congressman’s career.  

Why are people so willing to accept him assaulting women, grifting the government, refusing to pay for services rendered to him, cheating on financial documents and being a patsy for Putin?  Any one of these are lousy, but string them together and you have a lifetime of a person who has the worst possible morals ever.  

He wasn’t kidding when he said he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and get away with it.  Why is this allowed?  Do those that back him have comparable morals?

he is a nasty POS, utterly unqualified to run any legitimate enterprise.

<micdrop>

[resolution]

Apr 10, 2024 22:22:08 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

Apr 10, 2024 14:30:09 GMT -5 NastyWoman said:

Let's get something straight: unless there is a drastic change in the "sheeple" not only can it happen again, it WILL happen again. Now whether it will be the orange paint addict or one of his (potentially even worse) followers who would get into the WH I can't say, but it will happen and it will be bad!

This was my point.  Back in 2016, I could ‘t believe that there were so many that were willing to accept the crap that came out about him.  This was crap that killed more than one presidential candidate, or a congressman’s career.  

Why are people so willing to accept him assaulting women, grifting the government, refusing to pay for services rendered to him, cheating on financial documents and being a patsy for Putin?  Any one of these are lousy, but string them together and you have a lifetime of a person who has the worst possible morals ever.  

He wasn’t kidding when he said he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and get away with it.  Why is this allowed?  Do those that back him have comparable morals?

I can't quite get the headspace that a lot of them are in, but sometimes it seems like they live in a completely different world. Last week we spent a few days with a really nice couple who were relatives of our relatives. The wife was friendly to me all week, but occasionally she would tell some political story that came out of nowhere.

For example she took her son to the health clinic and in the waiting area, staff were going person to person telling all the Mexicans that they would get free medical, but when they got to her son they told him he had to make a payment plan. Also three of her coworkers use abortion as birth control on a regular basis, and just last month one of them took a few days off and came back telling her oops, I had to have another abortion. And she recently quit her gym because there were transgender men that were planning to use the women's locker room. I told her that I thought transgenders were relatively uncommon, and asked if she thought there were really any in her area that were planning to use her locker room, but she insisted that she knew one transgender from work and she was certain that there were many more that she would encounter at the gym.

I have a hard time believing that she personally encountered all of these stories. Maybe she could have had a bad experience at a clinic with unprofessional workers, or maybe had a coworker that got an abortion and then bragged about it for some unknown reason, or maybe there is a rumor of a transgender person working for her company at another branch, but I don't see how all three things could happen to one person living in a rural, conservative area. But what benefit could she possibly have for making up these stories and then inserting them into unrelated, unpolitical conversations?

[azucena]

Along with all his moral failings, it's the mainstream acceptance of lying that really scares me.

Was visiting a different church last weekend. Out of nowhere the pastor starts the sermon with Christians are being persecuted. Transgenders are trying to replace Easter by having Biden move their national holiday. Whaaaaaaaattttttt? Even I know Biden didn't declare the first transgender day. Second, it's always been March 31 - it's Easter that moves around to follow the lunar cycle. No, just no. To top it off, the rest of the sermon had nothing to do with either topic. The pastor just had to get his dig in right upfront.

Spent the rest of the service playing tic tac toe and hangman with DD11.

[NastyWoman]

Apr 11, 2024 11:37:41 GMT -5 azucena said:

Along with all his moral failings, it's the mainstream acceptance of lying that really scares me.

Was visiting a different church last weekend. Out of nowhere the pastor starts the sermon with Christians are being persecuted. Transgenders are trying to replace Easter by having Biden move their national holiday. Whaaaaaaaattttttt? Even I know Biden didn't declare the first transgender day. Second, it's always been March 31 - it's Easter that moves around to follow the lunar cycle. No, just no. To top it off, the rest of the sermon had nothing to do with either topic. The pastor just had to get his dig in right upfront.

Spent the rest of the service playing tic tac toe and hangman with DD11.

If I had not long since fallen out with organized religion this would absolutely do it for me.

That fact that I would have to educate/detoxify my child because of the poison and lies spewed by a pastor during a church service I HAD TAKEN HER TO, would be not just a step too far, it would be at least a mile over the line! For me personally It would be a case of never again. 

Now, again in my opinion, the fact that young (pre)teens are present during this sermon is all the worse. These kids are just at that age where parents no longer know everything so they are especially vulnerable to others spewing these vile opinions. And I do believe they are a target audience by this so-called religious leader.

[azucena]

Apr 11, 2024 12:18:57 GMT -5 NastyWoman said:

Apr 11, 2024 11:37:41 GMT -5 azucena said:

Along with all his moral failings, it's the mainstream acceptance of lying that really scares me.

Was visiting a different church last weekend. Out of nowhere the pastor starts the sermon with Christians are being persecuted. Transgenders are trying to replace Easter by having Biden move their national holiday. Whaaaaaaaattttttt? Even I know Biden didn't declare the first transgender day. Second, it's always been March 31 - it's Easter that moves around to follow the lunar cycle. No, just no. To top it off, the rest of the sermon had nothing to do with either topic. The pastor just had to get his dig in right upfront.

Spent the rest of the service playing tic tac toe and hangman with DD11.

If I had not long since fallen out with organized religion this would absolutely do it for me.

That fact that I would have to educate/detoxify my child because of the poison and lies spewed by a pastor during a church service I HAD TAKEN HER TO, would be not just a step too far, it would be at least a mile over the line! For me personally It would be a case of never again. 

Now, again in my opinion, the fact that young (pre)teens are present during this sermon is all the worse. These kids are just at that age where parents no longer know everything so they are especially vulnerable to others spewing these vile opinions. And I do believe they are a target audience by this so-called religious leader.

FWIW, my family and I are in the process of moving away from my born and raised very conservative Lutheran Church Mo Synod for this reason. My kid happened to be singing in choir as part of school requirement.

We hope to find a church that fits our more progressive views on topics such as these or at least doesn't preach hate. My faith is still important to me.

[happyhoix]

Apr 11, 2024 11:05:21 GMT -5 resolution said:

Apr 10, 2024 22:22:08 GMT -5 The Walk of the Penguin Mich said:

This was my point.  Back in 2016, I could ‘t believe that there were so many that were willing to accept the crap that came out about him.  This was crap that killed more than one presidential candidate, or a congressman’s career.  

Why are people so willing to accept him assaulting women, grifting the government, refusing to pay for services rendered to him, cheating on financial documents and being a patsy for Putin?  Any one of these are lousy, but string them together and you have a lifetime of a person who has the worst possible morals ever.  

He wasn’t kidding when he said he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue and get away with it.  Why is this allowed?  Do those that back him have comparable morals?

I can't quite get the headspace that a lot of them are in, but sometimes it seems like they live in a completely different world. Last week we spent a few days with a really nice couple who were relatives of our relatives. The wife was friendly to me all week, but occasionally she would tell some political story that came out of nowhere.

For example she took her son to the health clinic and in the waiting area, staff were going person to person telling all the Mexicans that they would get free medical, but when they got to her son they told him he had to make a payment plan. Also three of her coworkers use abortion as birth control on a regular basis, and just last month one of them took a few days off and came back telling her oops, I had to have another abortion. And she recently quit her gym because there were transgender men that were planning to use the women's locker room. I told her that I thought transgenders were relatively uncommon, and asked if she thought there were really any in her area that were planning to use her locker room, but she insisted that she knew one transgender from work and she was certain that there were many more that she would encounter at the gym.

I have a hard time believing that she personally encountered all of these stories. Maybe she could have had a bad experience at a clinic with unprofessional workers, or maybe had a coworker that got an abortion and then bragged about it for some unknown reason, or maybe there is a rumor of a transgender person working for her company at another branch, but I don't see how all three things could happen to one person living in a rural, conservative area. But what benefit could she possibly have for making up these stories and then inserting them into unrelated, unpolitical conversations?

Yeah sounds like my mom back when Obama was running for office, claiming if he got elected they would bus black people from a nearby city out to her white suburb and let them move into her house.

Several ladies from her bridge group insisted it was going to happen.

🤨

[NastyWoman]

Apr 11, 2024 12:22:31 GMT -5 azucena said:

Apr 11, 2024 12:18:57 GMT -5 NastyWoman said:

If I had not long since fallen out with organized religion this would absolutely do it for me.

That fact that I would have to educate/detoxify my child because of the poison and lies spewed by a pastor during a church service I HAD TAKEN HER TO, would be not just a step too far, it would be at least a mile over the line! For me personally It would be a case of never again. 

Now, again in my opinion, the fact that young (pre)teens are present during this sermon is all the worse. These kids are just at that age where parents no longer know everything so they are especially vulnerable to others spewing these vile opinions. And I do believe they are a target audience by this so-called religious leader.

FWIW, my family and I are in the process of moving away from my born and raised very conservative Lutheran Church Mo Synod for this reason. My kid happened to be singing in choir as part of school requirement.

We hope to find a church that fits our more progressive views on topics such as these or at least doesn't preach hate. My faith is still important to me.

I understand and have a lot of respect for your efforts to find a congregation that is in line with your values! And to be fair: I fell out with the human part of religion, the so-called spiritual leaders, more than anything else. Funnily enough I was a young ten when that happened and, though I am quite sure he never meant to, it was my father who caused it without even one word about faith but a very clear comment to our parish priest. I was not even supposed to hear it but I was in the kitchen cleaning something up and there is that thing about little pots and big ears...

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Trump is what every racist, bigot, homophobe, sexist, etc etc giant POS wishes they could be.  He is their mouth piece saying everything they feel they have had to hide in the shadows over.  He has given a world stage to the poor misbegotten victimized white male in America.

He will make sure they stay at the head of the table with their boot on the rest of our backs.   Using crumbs scattered on the floor to keep others cooperating with them in exchange for said crumbs.

I've heard it be said that nobody has more to fear from equality than a mediocre white man.   Well Trump is the epitome of that.

Never mind a lot of those people are cutting off their noses to spite their face, something I have argued about multiple times with fellow women. 

As the book White Trash said as long as you can give them someone to feel superior too people will follow you.  That was a huge driving factor in the creation of Jim Crow.  The Southern Elite knew that if poor white Southerners joined together with the newly freed slaves it would mean the end of their privilege because that would be a HUGE voting block.

So they made sure the poor white Southern people had someone they were "better than" and would continue to vote for the elite because at least they aren't being treated like those guys over there.

To get rid of the Trump's in the world people have to be willing to open their eyes, realize their "privilege" is a lie and give it up.

I doubt that will happen in my lifetime.

[djAdvocate]

Apr 11, 2024 12:52:22 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

Trump is what every racist, bigot, homophobe, sexist, etc etc giant POS wishes they could be.  .

it just occurred to me that this might be what he means when he does his fake Jesus dying for your sins speech.  he is paving the way for all the POS-ians out there.

[NastyWoman]

Apr 11, 2024 12:52:22 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

I've heard it be said that nobody has more to fear from equality than a mediocre white man.   Well Trump is the epitome of that.

I have to disagree with (just) this part of your post. To call the orange paint addict a "mediocre white man" is an upgrade he neither deserves nor am I willing to give him that. He may be an idiot savant wrt to marketing himself but that is as far as I am willing to go.

[tallguy]

World-class marketer and conman.  Uniquely horrible at virtually everything else.

[busymom]

Apr 11, 2024 14:02:34 GMT -5 tallguy said:

World-class marketer and conman.  Uniquely horrible at virtually everything else.

    He's got the opposite of the midas touch.      Everything T touches turns to ****.  

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Even though I ducked out of organized (or any) religion 40 years ago, if I believed still, I would swear that Trump is the anti-Christ Revelations talks about.  

The fact that so many in organized religion suck up to him just befuddles my brain.  Isn’t he what they were warned about?

[Tennesseer]

Commentary: Trump’s big mistake

Casual political observers may not be aware that Donald Trump has taken on a new strategy — infusing Christianity into his movement and presenting himself as a Christ-like figure.

Images of Jesus Christ, hands resting on a beatific Donald, have been common at the former president’s rallies for months. The focus has now gone mainstream.

The sentiment is explicit in the recent video “God Made Trump,” posted to Truth Social. It portrays the former president as a vessel of a higher power. Recent rallies suggest that Trump has been chosen by God — determined to save America. Supporting pastors amplify this message to devout followers.

By all reports, the former president has never shown any devotion to a religious faith. On the contrary, every attempt to reveal his knowledge of the Bible or principles of Christianity is evaded. These facts do not come into play when the prize, perhaps too great to ignore, is the image of Jesus Christ, his hand reaching out to anoint Trump to Make America Great Again.

With religion already tied to many incendiary issues such as abortion, sex and gender, championing a religious identity is not politically wise. Pushing a faith-based position will hurt Trump’s campaign in the general election. While some Christians may accept his scheme, other devout Christians will liken Trump’s self-acclaimed bond to Christ as blasphemy and idolatry.

As in many of Trump’s schemes and choices, his decision to embrace religious clothing comes solely from his wish for ever more devotion.

As a behavioral psychologist, I have long contended that the former president’s addiction to attention, along with grandiosity and narcissism, is at the heart of his psychological dysfunction.

His aides repeatedly declare that Trump’s greatest exhilarations, his most substantial emotional highs, occur at his rallies. There, thousands, sometimes tens of thousands, adore his every utterance. There is little to exceed such a messianic experience, except, perhaps, standing next to God.

Rest of article here: Commentary: Trump’s big mistake

[Opti]

Apr 11, 2024 9:29:50 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

Apr 11, 2024 8:21:24 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

They are punishing us for electing a black man.

And coming *thisclose* to having a woman president following right after.  That's part of why he keeps harping on the popular vote I am sure.  How dare a freaking woman, and a woman wearing pant suits no less!, be a more popular public choice for president than Trump?  

Oh and allowing gays to get married.  That wasn't cool either.

I don't think he gave a crap about gays getting married. He's exploited that and abortion rights to get elected.

[djAdvocate]

Apr 11, 2024 19:32:36 GMT -5 Tennesseer said:

Commentary: Trump’s big mistake

Casual political observers may not be aware that Donald Trump has taken on a new strategy — infusing Christianity into his movement and presenting himself as a Christ-like figure.

Images of Jesus Christ, hands resting on a beatific Donald, have been common at the former president’s rallies for months. The focus has now gone mainstream.

The sentiment is explicit in the recent video “God Made Trump,” posted to Truth Social. It portrays the former president as a vessel of a higher power. Recent rallies suggest that Trump has been chosen by God — determined to save America. Supporting pastors amplify this message to devout followers.

By all reports, the former president has never shown any devotion to a religious faith. On the contrary, every attempt to reveal his knowledge of the Bible or principles of Christianity is evaded. These facts do not come into play when the prize, perhaps too great to ignore, is the image of Jesus Christ, his hand reaching out to anoint Trump to Make America Great Again.

With religion already tied to many incendiary issues such as abortion, sex and gender, championing a religious identity is not politically wise. Pushing a faith-based position will hurt Trump’s campaign in the general election. While some Christians may accept his scheme, other devout Christians will liken Trump’s self-acclaimed bond to Christ as blasphemy and idolatry.

As in many of Trump’s schemes and choices, his decision to embrace religious clothing comes solely from his wish for ever more devotion.

As a behavioral psychologist, I have long contended that the former president’s addiction to attention, along with grandiosity and narcissism, is at the heart of his psychological dysfunction.

His aides repeatedly declare that Trump’s greatest exhilarations, his most substantial emotional highs, occur at his rallies. There, thousands, sometimes tens of thousands, adore his every utterance. There is little to exceed such a messianic experience, except, perhaps, standing next to God.

Rest of article here: Commentary: Trump’s big mistake

i agree with this.  it will probably do him some small amount of good in evangelical stongholds (there are a few states that fall into this category), but it is a dead loser in the more secular states.  

[tbop77]

Which brings us to Sununu’s self-debasing interview. During the interview with Stephanopoulos, the governor admitted again that Trump had “absolutely contributed” to the attempted violent overthrow of the government. But he said he would support him anyway, repeatedly citing polls that showed support for Trump. The host pressed him again, and Sununu made clear that he was putting party over country.


By any measure, it was an embarrassing episode for Sununu. But here’s the point: It’s not just Sununu. This is what’s in store for the entire Republican Party.



In 2024, any Republican who backs Trump will be in the same position as Sununu. Every Republican at every level — up and down the ballot — will have to defend what Peter Wehner calls Trump’s “kaleidoscopic corruption.” All of it. Again and again.



On Sunday, Sununu merely held up a mirror for an entire party to see what it has become.


www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/chris-sununu-s-sad-capitulation-shows-what-s-ahead-for-republicans/ar-BB1lJOhP?ocid=msedgntp&pc=DCTS&cvid=e59c9c5771044487855a91ffcb23277f&ei=48

That any Republican can support Trump does indeed mean we are in trouble.