Growing evidence that Trump’s disregard for Mueller, fawning to Putin, war on respected media, claims of voter fraud, and complete disregard for truth is not just a President who needs to go, but a dictator who needs to be prevented
The Evidence Mounts: 1984 Is Possibly Near at Hand
For some time I have been concerned that ever so slowly, Trump has been preparing America for the moment that Mueller is fired, or when the 2020 election is cancelled because of voter fraud, or when hordes of activists are rounded up and called ‘enemies of the Nation.” He has already cast the media as being enemies of the people, as the article from Business Weekly below describes, but that is only icing, this cake has been in the oven for some time and now seems fully baked. Consider this, a very small sampling of Trump and his carefully crafted lies.
- Throughout his 2015-16 campaign Trump tweeted and taunted, dismissing each of his opponents with derogatory labels and slurs and goading crowds to chant “Lock her up.” At the time we were appalled but almost daily we have been faced another offense to democracy;
- Lies about three million fraudulent voters in 2016 and a commission investigation that had to be stopped as the evidence found undermined Trump’s claims, click here for a Chicago Tribune report on how this Commission had to be forced through court action to release the background documentation to the four Democratic members of the Commission;
- Hyperbolic lies about the extent of violence of new immigrants and MS-13 gangs designed to plant fear among his supporters and references to immigrants as animals;
- Erasing all reference to climate science from all government websites;
- Statements about Deep State bureaucrats who are out to undermine his administration;
- Collusion is not a crime and orders to the Attorney General to stop the hoax; and perhaps most laughably
- Claims that the Russians may not try to rig the 2018 midterms because they are fearful of Donald Trump who has been “far tougher on the Russians than any Democrat.”
All of this is designed to discredit any and all rational opposition and to promote himself as the sole adjudicator of truth in America. Read on.
Long Time GOP Strategist: A Canary in the Coal Mine
A Scene from George Orwell’s 1984
Schmidt went on to reference George Orwell’s “1984,” a dystopian novel about a totalitarian society, and described Trump’s allure as something “straight out of” that book. “When that happens, you’re no longer living in a Democratic republic,” Schmidt added. “Thirty-five percent of this country has checked out. They have joined a cult. They are obedient. They are obedient to the leader.”
And when 35% of the GOP has “checked out” and joined a cult, then we are in very deep trouble. As the rallies this past week have demonstrated, Trump has pointed to the media section of the rally and called them the enemy of the people; he has whipped his crowd into a frenzy where they flip off, turn thumbs down and swipe their hands across their necks, you can see the seeds of what may be next. Click here to read the full Business Insider report.
We have become inured to Trump’s onslaught on truth, his marginalizing and demonizing truth and his opponents, and his isolation of the US from our allies throughout the world. Politico assembled a 10-page summary of Trump lies. Scrolling through them is terrifying as you will find reminder after reminder of the scope of Trump’s absolute disregard for the truth. It is bad enough that we have a President who lies virtually daily, but his attacks on core institutions of democracy should send chills down our spine. The Department of Justice, the electoral process, Congress, science, the media, the onslaught is only escalating and, as described in one of the video’s below, the fear should be:
- What happens if he loses the Senate and the House in 2018?
- What happens when Cohen’s testimony proves collusion?
- What happens when he loses the 2020 election in a landslide or before that when a Congress impeaches and convicts him?
I found three very recent Bill Maher videos below. The first video includes the commentary from longtime GOP strategist Steve Schmidt. A small sampling of his commentary is cited above. The second video includes a lighter, but no less scary Bill Maher monologue from Friday night (the first three minutes is hilarious). Lastly is another panel that is perhaps most frightening of all as it includes a Trump apologist who is apparently willing to abide by almost any abrogation of the truth.
Over the past 18 months we have heard a weak-kneed opposition from the Democratic Party, but more frighteningly, we have seen the complete acquiescence of GOP leadership, elected leaders who we progressives may have no faith in, but who historically had some shred of decency. Fearful of becoming the target of bullying, the GOP has gone along with Trump even as he shreds the truth and supports a pedophile in an Alabama Senate primary. The extent to which the GOP will look the other way as Trump creates an alternative reality with Kool-Aid for his core supporters should be terrifying.
We are in deep and getting deeper. Suggestions?
In solidarity,
Paul & Roxanne
Maher with Steve Schmidt, GOP Strategist. The Canary in the Coal Mine
Maher’s Scary but Hilarious Monologue
Still More Terrifying Information on the State of Our Nation
Categories: Election, Political Reform & National Politics
By Reprinting Trump abhorrent actions, you are his fall guy spreading his garbage.
…. IF you have something to say, please just say it. It is impossible to not know the current Trumpisms.
…. If you have something to say, say it as a positive way to counter the sludge Trump preaches. BE a voice showing positive actions each individual can do!!
BE a voice for corrective action, not just Trump’s seconday bull horn.
Please stop being Trump’s secondary bull horn. It is tiring.
Thank you for the comment Lynn, but I am not sure it was fair. In July I wrote 14 posts with only three even referencing Trump, once about his tariffs and the opportunity it posed to win the midwest, one about his most recent tax giveaway and now today in what I think are all very important items worthy of readers considering. In June I didn’t write a single post about Trump and have tried to steer clear. Your comment about focusing on the positive was precisely the perspective of the other two July posts about Trump, how the Democrats have an opportunity to present a positive, contrasting message, something they are oddly reluctant to do. The other posts over the past two months have almost always been focused on positive policy alternatives being implemented throughout the country. I wonder if perhaps you toured the last few months posts you might want to reconsider your comment.
But if, not I always welcome input, so thanks much. Paul
When the ridiculous outcome to the 2016 presidential elections occurred my reaction was of deep concern for our already eroding democratic institutions. I told myself that I was being true to my nature to have catastrophic thoughts and that there would be enough principled Republican politicians to put an end to a rapid transition to a fascist state. Now every day fascism looks more probable, Republicans seek power over being true patriots, oligarchs including the Koch brothers and their like working with their international counterparts, the use of social media to undermine actual journalism and to divide and conquer most of the western world. Further, hope in the younger generations to rise up and help counter this plunge is dampened by the following info from Forbes:
Millennial support for populist and authoritarian candidates conforms to several recent studies showing widespread youth disaffection with the whole idea of democracy. Only about 30% of Americans born in the 1980s think it’s “essential” to live in a democracy. That’s compared to 75% of Americans born in the 1930s.
Paul and Roxanne thanks for this clarion call. I blame, mostly Republicans and their unholy alliance with money, Madison Ave and religious fanactics to have laid the foundation of minority control and fear mongering. Our only hope is for the majority of our populous who are true patriots to unite at the polls and vote against Republicans everywhere and stop arguing among ourselves. Save bickering among our allies for a time when and if this threat to democracy is defeated.
It could be that we will need the generals, rather than Congress, to free us from this Hitlerian monster.
I hadn’t thought of that, but I think you could be very correct. certainly this cowardly Congressional crew is not going to mount much of a challenge.
Well there you have it. That’s how it’s done.
The generals already chose their side, they sided with 45. It was kind of sickening how they peddled Kelly as the adult in charge. He buckled very quickly.
My suggestion would be to ask how no one saw this coming. The writing has been on the wall since at least 2014!!! No one saw how social media was distorted long before the 2016 election. No one is looking at how our local Corporate Media presented all of this. They normalized corruption, and presented this attack on our Democracy, as if it were just politics as usual. How about looking at who benefits from all of this.
How about asking why our local newspapers are promoting Gary Johnson, there are far fewer Libertarians, than there are Democratic Socialists. They used Libertarians to tip the scale on school funding. That is why it is as if people in this state have been under a spell.
No one is asking how Facebook might be interfering with the dissemination of a lot of factual information. That batch of fake Sites they are promoting, might have another agenda. A look at the underhanded tactics these social media giants have employed across the globe, could give insight in how it was used to facilitate the right wing takeover of our nation. New Mexico and Santa Fe was not immune, no one here said “Duh Wait a minute” back before the 2016 election. The Koch Brothers will be very generous with Johnson’s campaign. hoping to exploit the situation to their advantage. A lackluster democrat against a trump loving oilman.
Who Knew that progressive activism with corporate funding, would result in all of this. How about looking at how every News Outlet in New Mexico has covered this debacle. Why did no one see this coming, that should be the question. A few casual observations right here in Santa Fe, along with a comparison to alternative sources like the Guardian, Mother Jones, Professor Reich, Bernie Sanders, while following the antics of the Koch Brothers,and ALEC. No one noticed how Facebook used the appearance of truth, to offset fact based dialogue. Our local news presented right wing propaganda as fact, as if it were just another opinion. People are so duped and brainwashed that they still don’t want to face facts. There is nothing exceptional about Santa Fe, or New Mexico either.
Each and every small town newspaper in this state peddled 45 as if he were the only choice. Many of these newspapers were bought by religious fundamentalist types, so they could spread the gospel. Unlike you folks I have spoken to a few of those trump voters, no one ever asked why they were angry. They were duped, some were exposed to Fake News on Facebook. Facebook sold the targeting data, for the “Undecided.” There is still no action against Facebook. Politicians and so called “Activists” are still mindlessly using it. After all any kind of social movement can be monetized, and attract a corporate sponsor, or be used for self promotion. A few obscure outlets are discussing how they used Social Media to undermine elections across the globe, no one wants to admit it happened here.
When Fascism raised it’s ugly head around here, it was met with denial. I can go back decades. I remember how they suppressed the protests against Trump back in the 1980s, as he cleared people of color, and low income people out of Manhattan.. The NYT never really covered it, their advertisers were cashing in, so they chose not to.
Facts are boring, better to use fear based multi level marketing.
Alerting people to the encroachment of Fascism is a worthy endeavour. Too many “NICE” people, including Liberals and Progressives, refuse to face this reality. If we can not fully appreciate the dangers of violations of our Constitution we are in serious trouble. Example by example we are watching our democracy be compromised by the GOP Congress and the cult of Trumpian followers who have no awareness of history or the rule of law. Do not stop Waking up those who want to pretend a mid term election will be enough to save our Republic.