Politics What is happening????

Three Swing States Wave 'Red Flag' at Donald Trump in New Poll

Ok, y'know what says to me??? Not what TFA is focused on. (good, great moment, keep it up, BTW)

I infer from this...
It that the US has about 45% about of its population...that thinks its good to vote for a guy like Chump!!!
This is why we can't have nice things...

Now, I'm a GDI, I don't begrudge peeps voting for conservatives or what "was" the non-radical GOP...

It's in their view, judgement, decision making, they are voting for guy, who's a proven fraud, rapist, traitor (that's a coup, kids), draft dodger, tax evader, sex trafficker (rem he hung/bff with the pedo that "hung" himself, suuure), etc.
foreign influence and bribed by hostile nations (Russia, etc.), bribes by inappropriate/questionable nations (Saudis), bribes & gifts from rich folks, rick groups and influence peddlers.
AND he's an asshole to women, disabled, military, foreign born citizens, Jews, Muslims, good cops, good judges, and so many more over the decades.
AND most of the post-industrial nations and many others are scared and disgusted of him (oh yeah, fraud in NON-American nations, BTW)
AND impeached TWICE (* the GOP nixed the ouster)

Everything BUT direct murder...but he DID encourage the death/hanging of his VP...so even indirect murder. (like mob bosses do)

ALL of proven (though, not in courts...but evades and delays and appeals all this, so that's a BS excuse.)
Repeated, front page, in MOST news

45% think this is just fine.

Makes ya wonder why life is hard
and this IS throughout the world.

Almost half of the global population...POOR decision making and BAD judges of character.
Not a blip, not a mistake...but typically, a norm for them. Constantly.

That's fuckin' scary.

No, it's not you,
half the world IS ...not nuts, but certainly whacked.

 

Melania Trump was paid for a rare appearance at a political event. It’s not clear who cut the unusual six-figure check — CNN

I’m putting this here, because it’s not about the Chumps…
This is pervasive…worldwide.

The US didn’t help itself with the Citizens United SCOTUS ruling long ago.
Basically stating that money is “free speech”.
So we can’t regulate it.

And Chump, GWB and the GOP majorities gutted the voting rights act, PAC acts and more

And Chump and other politicians at all levels watered down every law still existing by ignoring or bypassing.
No one prosecuted, or went to court for it.
Or the GOP and other corrupt politicians, let them off if they did…or the appeals court reversed it
Or, or, or…
It’s all a joke now.

This pattern is happening globally

AND, there are new tech and methods that allow obfuscation galore. Casting a fog or distraction vs any actual monitoring or investigating.
Cryptocurrency, encrypted transactions to VIPs and influencers.
Layers of organization allowing anonymity
The equivalent of 3-card Monty games

Lack of transparency, documentation, or records
Like the Secret Service did and said…Oops, we lost it.
It was all deleted due to standard procedure and retention protocols.

Again and again, everyone “up there” and everywhere.
There’s no accountability or enforcement of it.
Lag of police, government, courts and more means it gets forgotten or watered down more.
Delay, delay, delay…

The media and public can’t handle the pace fast or snail slow, among all the distractions and other stories
And just the chaos of normal life and news.

The corruption and influence are NOT coming from “just” the usual suspects and standard baddies or Russia, China, NK, Terrorists, etc.
But also supposed allies with agendas and agents either way good or bad, to their advantage and needs for the moment or circumstance.

Also VIPs and Billionaires that hide behind layers of management and manipulation

Also internal groups, radicals and extremists of any philosophy and agenda
Or even opposition parties and standard lobbies and lobbyists

Basically all the above, IF they have the audacity to do it, lack of integrity and ethics to follow through and MANY VIPs that will take $$$, gifts, kickbacks, roles, etc.

AND not “just” the VIPs, but ANYONE that can and will influence them, even just a “nudge”.
Including wives and family, done with intent and collusion.

That senator from Jersey was the exception NOT the rule.
Most get away with it.
Most even rationalize it. (As if they aren’t doing anything bad)

We got to somehow get out of this corrupt hole ridden mess
It’s been happening for years, decades, centuries and millennia, yes
But the tech, globalization and rapid dynamic has made it untouchable.

We need a hero/heroine to clean house, take up the torch and convince others to make stronger laws
Then get police and courts to enforce.

Know anyone available???
Geez

 

‘Lying Used to Have Greater Consequences’:
A Fact Checker’s Dispatch From the War on Truth

Frankly, I think this is true ALL over the place, not "just" Chump, his cronies and politicians altogether.
But I think Business, Service, Utilities, etc. and so on...have made "spin" and saying whatever to CYA or get what they want to maximize profits, minimize costs and reduce any burden on themselves and give it to the public.
And I think the public too, suffers to a certain extent, although not has robust of lies, mostly masking their own inadequacies and to win an argument.

But it's overwhelming people and they don't know what to believe, so they believed what they WANT to believe, in the hopes this is the better truth...or at least the "reality" that wins and takes control.

Chump is an easy mark, essentially think almost anything he says is a lie and you won't be far from the "truth"...but he does brag what he'll do, if he wins...and strangely, that mostly is what he does try to do.
So there's a touch of the truth in him. About what HE wants.

Politicians are just more pervasive with their lies, they've always told lies, just to keep their office...but now, it's to satisfy the 24/7 news cycle and the need for instant news and be in the media, always.
People are also responding to the 24/7 media envion and doing CYA.

It's businesses that have changed the most...for the worst.
Anything to sell you.
Anything to get your money.
Anything to hide that they are adding fees and additional costs.
Anything to minimize liability or costing them.
Anything to provide decent support. (it's all bots, virtual and canned lines now)
Anything to prevent you from getting back your money. (bad product, bad service, etc and so on)
Anything to not ADMIT guilt or need to say sorry.
Anything to only say sorry, and NOT provide and additional support or fixes.
Anything to alter contracts in detail, anytime, in fine print...so get you to agree to anything to their advantage/your disadvantage and more $$$ and prevent ANY $$$ from them or any responsibility.
And oh so much more.

It's the new business model that everyone is using and MBAs are pushing.
To the point, it is SUCH a pleasure to get a human, to get support, to get a fix, to get it in a decent time, to get anyone to say, yes...we owe you, our fault.
Admit it, you feel it too...relief and surprise, to get what you PAY for as a CUSTOMER.
Hell, they even make you pay for your own payment to them...and push/spin/automate anything to get you agree to this. (or any actual REAL document, not ambiguous online or email)
Again and again, repeatedly, in any way shape or form, including formal talk to say this is the new policy and it is a necessity. (which is ANOTHER lie, because they can CHOOSE any rule they want)
Lies, More Lies and more damned Lies.

So people are worn and cracking.
Wouldn't you from that much burden and confusion...and constant trial and effort to get ANYTHING done.
(except sign up and sign a contract...or pay bills, those are REALLY easy and quick to process, they'll even do it for you...isn't that nice of them??? )

People are just overwhelmed from the chaos, to keep up and take a stand, time after time...catching EVERY ploy.
It's enough to make ya crazy.

 

Half of Americans see Donald Trump as a fascist: POLL

The problem is that it IS half...
And this isn't just a US problem...it is happening in much of the world, even modern Europe, who SHOULD know better. Right??? IYKYK...and you don't, study history more.

 

Say No to A Shock-Jock-in-Chief

This isn't just an American problem, it's global now.
But Chump is a good poster boy for an example what NOT to be...and citizens NOT to vote for...and NOT even consider.

NO, we do NOT care if y'all are angry and frustrated at the system.
This is grown up stuff, grow up!!!
Deal with it...vote well. Do your homework. This IS your one govt job.

Y'know how you fix the system???
You vote good people in, do NOT vote for narcissist, megalomaniacs and egomaniacs. LOUD mouths with only their loud crap in mind, to gain for them...NOT you.
KISS

 

IMHO...I think the pattern of disfunction I see all over the world is, "Too Little, Too Late"

People linger on issues.
The phrase, "If you see something, say something" people fail all the time. They don't pipe up... Don't wanna deal. Don't want attention. Don't want to get involved. And all the reasons...
And leaders... "It's not a priority" Don't want to take risk. Don't want to use resources. Don't want blame. Don't want to think to solve the problem. And all the reasons.
AND if someone does say something...they're often punished. Ego. Agenda. Inconvenience. Irritant. Many reasons leader don't award diligence and sincerity.

And media...it's about $$$, papers sold, clicks received, ads gained.

Often noting a concern or issue...oh that's nonsense, skepticism, disbelief...too MUCH benefit of the doubt, honoring a leader too much, displacement, distraction and so on... All the reasons for no escalation ...and delay.

So issues add up, fester, get worse, cascade, go viral, and so on...
A rot or infection that's ignored.

Even if it IS obvious and easy to address.

Like bad breath...uhh, did you brush your teeth??

Then denial...on top of everything...mental laziness. Lack of resources. fear of retribution. "Not my problem" Etc. and so on...all the reasons it is ignored. A gap not filled or threat left unchecked.
Too Little

By the time someone says things, it's Too Late.

Why not FIX IT??? especially for those who HAVE $$$ and resources. (those who don't, can't until they do)

Then people act shocked. "How could this happen?" "Closing the barn after the horse had run".

Bosses...AFTER the item fails or stolen, etc. Someone should address this.
Businesses...focus on the money making...NOT dealing with risk or holes or issues.
Criminal..."He was such a nice guy"
Right and privs...your DESIRE supersedes a NEED or a solution. (Guns, Abortion, Fraud, Corruption, etc.)
Admit failure. Stop being territorial.

Life would be so much better, if people leaped on it. ASAP.
If leaders encouraged escalation and remediation. ASAP and who to go to...even OUTSIDE their team or allies.
Let go of ego and agenda.

 

Donald Trump Is Exactly What America Deserves — HuffPost

Yep.

If you don’t fight
If you’re complacent
If you are too PC
If you linger

Do or die.

The Dems are dust
They just don’t know it yet.

The danger is real.

America is not Hollywood or NYC

Still cowboys and Indians
Still puritans

If Biden does dick, like his AG
Then kiss it goodbye

If you’re a pacifist, then you still.get harmed.
If you don’t fight until the end, you lose the game.
It’s a game of inches
It’s a war of attrition.

The gop plays hardball
The Dems play wiffleball

I only hope this is a lesson learned for the rest of the world.

Be careful and be well
There’s dragons in these parts.

 

SSDD
If it happened all the way back when, then we are no different than the ancients.
Lizard brains
So much for being modern...Nothing new under the sun.

 

A threat to Democracy
Not just to the US, but globally.

Karine Jean-Pierre Hits Fox Reporter With Brutally 'Honest' Reality Check On Trump — HuffPost

You thought DOJ staffers were in full-blown freakout before … — POLITICO

‘Tough to watch’: Why the Biden-Trump White House meeting was ‘pretty enraging' — MSNBC

 

Refuge In Kakistocracy

And so...perhaps some hope in an ironic way...
As someone said, clowns are better than jackboots.

Again, me....I'm reducing my footprint all over.
Including here.

I know what the Feds can do, all the way to the top...and that was during the Obama administration.
There's a reason I never accepted gigs at the NSA and such. And my few years stint at the DOJ, the level of intrusiveness was uncomfortable...and that's just for a Confidential project.

I also know what Chump will do...I saw it during the Pandemic, I have a long memory. And I heard about it from my contacts through the Fed Govt. (although, they couldn't say directly but confirmed things indirectly)
It was scary level stuff, just because he was in a panicky about the coming "plague". Fortunately, the Pentagon, Congress and other common sense insiders talked him out of it.

I can't imagine what it's going to be with him essentially getting a hall pass from Congress, new crazy cronies, no responsible ones now...and what he sees as a mandate from the voters. (most being fools, sad to say)
America has become a disappointment.
And the other industrial nations are every right to be VERY worried.

Heck, I'm not even worried about Putin.
Although he's gotten the best bang for buck bet from Chump. (But, he'll find it's actually a chance game of Russian Roulette )

Again, no nukes....everything else is negotiable.

Oh yes, and btw, the Civil War has already started...subtle, with families and relationships divided. It's all over the opinion pages.
Wife, hating that her husband voted against her interests. Family divisions happening.
The first Civil War was "brother against brother".
Well the 2nd is going to be broader and deeper.

and the weapons more powerful.

Can't wait to move to Portugal.
I'm going to leverage my nice govt money for my new degree to go abroad.
Be the digital nomad I've become.
Use the golden visa to get over the rainbow.

Because this ain't even Kansas anymore....
And the Wicked one isn't green, he's orange.