*** the DONALD J TRUMP IS OFFICIALLY A CONVICTED FELON thread ***

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Comments

  • Gern BlanstenGern Blansten Posts: 19,715
    2023
    yeah he took money for staying at his own place AFTER saying he wouldn't...then AFTER saying it was a minimal charge, etc., when receipts started popping up.

    I can't imagine the response from the right if Obama owned a golf course and went there every weekend
    Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)

    1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
    2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
    2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
    2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
    2020: Oakland, Oakland:  2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
    2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
    2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana
  • Halifax2TheMaxHalifax2TheMax Posts: 38,643
    2023
    yeah he took money for staying at his own place AFTER saying he wouldn't...then AFTER saying it was a minimal charge, etc., when receipts started popping up.

    I can't imagine the response from the right if Obama owned a golf course and went there every weekend
    You saw the reaction to Obama wearing a tan suit, yes?
    09/15/1998 & 09/16/1998, Mansfield, MA; 08/29/00 08/30/00, Mansfield, MA; 07/02/03, 07/03/03, Mansfield, MA; 09/28/04, 09/29/04, Boston, MA; 09/22/05, Halifax, NS; 05/24/06, 05/25/06, Boston, MA; 07/22/06, 07/23/06, Gorge, WA; 06/27/2008, Hartford; 06/28/08, 06/30/08, Mansfield; 08/18/2009, O2, London, UK; 10/30/09, 10/31/09, Philadelphia, PA; 05/15/10, Hartford, CT; 05/17/10, Boston, MA; 05/20/10, 05/21/10, NY, NY; 06/22/10, Dublin, IRE; 06/23/10, Northern Ireland; 09/03/11, 09/04/11, Alpine Valley, WI; 09/11/11, 09/12/11, Toronto, Ont; 09/14/11, Ottawa, Ont; 09/15/11, Hamilton, Ont; 07/02/2012, Prague, Czech Republic; 07/04/2012 & 07/05/2012, Berlin, Germany; 07/07/2012, Stockholm, Sweden; 09/30/2012, Missoula, MT; 07/16/2013, London, Ont; 07/19/2013, Chicago, IL; 10/15/2013 & 10/16/2013, Worcester, MA; 10/21/2013 & 10/22/2013, Philadelphia, PA; 10/25/2013, Hartford, CT; 11/29/2013, Portland, OR; 11/30/2013, Spokane, WA; 12/04/2013, Vancouver, BC; 12/06/2013, Seattle, WA; 10/03/2014, St. Louis. MO; 10/22/2014, Denver, CO; 10/26/2015, New York, NY; 04/23/2016, New Orleans, LA; 04/28/2016 & 04/29/2016, Philadelphia, PA; 05/01/2016 & 05/02/2016, New York, NY; 05/08/2016, Ottawa, Ont.; 05/10/2016 & 05/12/2016, Toronto, Ont.; 08/05/2016 & 08/07/2016, Boston, MA; 08/20/2016 & 08/22/2016, Chicago, IL; 07/01/2018, Prague, Czech Republic; 07/03/2018, Krakow, Poland; 07/05/2018, Berlin, Germany; 09/02/2018 & 09/04/2018, Boston, MA; 09/08/2022, Toronto, Ont; 09/11/2022, New York, NY; 09/14/2022, Camden, NJ; 09/02/2023, St. Paul, MN; 05/04/2024 & 05/06/2024, Vancouver, BC; 05/10/2024, Portland, OR;

    Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.

    Brilliantati©
  • Gern BlanstenGern Blansten Posts: 19,715
    2023
    yeah he took money for staying at his own place AFTER saying he wouldn't...then AFTER saying it was a minimal charge, etc., when receipts started popping up.

    I can't imagine the response from the right if Obama owned a golf course and went there every weekend
    You saw the reaction to Obama wearing a tan suit, yes?
    I kept wondering when the Dems or media would jump on that shit and they never did...likely because they figure his supporters are just simply too ignorant to understand the grift.
    Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)

    1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
    2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
    2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
    2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
    2020: Oakland, Oakland:  2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
    2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
    2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana
  • Halifax2TheMaxHalifax2TheMax Posts: 38,643
    2023
    yeah he took money for staying at his own place AFTER saying he wouldn't...then AFTER saying it was a minimal charge, etc., when receipts started popping up.

    I can't imagine the response from the right if Obama owned a golf course and went there every weekend
    You saw the reaction to Obama wearing a tan suit, yes?
    I kept wondering when the Dems or media would jump on that shit and they never did...likely because they figure his supporters are just simply too ignorant to understand the grift.
    They’ve successfully created and live in their own reality. The stupidity isn’t going to go away after POOTWH is gone. It’s going to get worse. 
    09/15/1998 & 09/16/1998, Mansfield, MA; 08/29/00 08/30/00, Mansfield, MA; 07/02/03, 07/03/03, Mansfield, MA; 09/28/04, 09/29/04, Boston, MA; 09/22/05, Halifax, NS; 05/24/06, 05/25/06, Boston, MA; 07/22/06, 07/23/06, Gorge, WA; 06/27/2008, Hartford; 06/28/08, 06/30/08, Mansfield; 08/18/2009, O2, London, UK; 10/30/09, 10/31/09, Philadelphia, PA; 05/15/10, Hartford, CT; 05/17/10, Boston, MA; 05/20/10, 05/21/10, NY, NY; 06/22/10, Dublin, IRE; 06/23/10, Northern Ireland; 09/03/11, 09/04/11, Alpine Valley, WI; 09/11/11, 09/12/11, Toronto, Ont; 09/14/11, Ottawa, Ont; 09/15/11, Hamilton, Ont; 07/02/2012, Prague, Czech Republic; 07/04/2012 & 07/05/2012, Berlin, Germany; 07/07/2012, Stockholm, Sweden; 09/30/2012, Missoula, MT; 07/16/2013, London, Ont; 07/19/2013, Chicago, IL; 10/15/2013 & 10/16/2013, Worcester, MA; 10/21/2013 & 10/22/2013, Philadelphia, PA; 10/25/2013, Hartford, CT; 11/29/2013, Portland, OR; 11/30/2013, Spokane, WA; 12/04/2013, Vancouver, BC; 12/06/2013, Seattle, WA; 10/03/2014, St. Louis. MO; 10/22/2014, Denver, CO; 10/26/2015, New York, NY; 04/23/2016, New Orleans, LA; 04/28/2016 & 04/29/2016, Philadelphia, PA; 05/01/2016 & 05/02/2016, New York, NY; 05/08/2016, Ottawa, Ont.; 05/10/2016 & 05/12/2016, Toronto, Ont.; 08/05/2016 & 08/07/2016, Boston, MA; 08/20/2016 & 08/22/2016, Chicago, IL; 07/01/2018, Prague, Czech Republic; 07/03/2018, Krakow, Poland; 07/05/2018, Berlin, Germany; 09/02/2018 & 09/04/2018, Boston, MA; 09/08/2022, Toronto, Ont; 09/11/2022, New York, NY; 09/14/2022, Camden, NJ; 09/02/2023, St. Paul, MN; 05/04/2024 & 05/06/2024, Vancouver, BC; 05/10/2024, Portland, OR;

    Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.

    Brilliantati©
  • tbergstbergs Posts: 9,643
    Yeah, that was great. He has a strong future as a leader in politics if he wants it.
    It's a hopeless situation...
  • Halifax2TheMaxHalifax2TheMax Posts: 38,643
    2023
    And we were told that it couldn’t happen here.

    https://www.instagram.com/reel/DA1OcOOslD_/?igsh=dmU2ZWtnc25wN3Zk
    09/15/1998 & 09/16/1998, Mansfield, MA; 08/29/00 08/30/00, Mansfield, MA; 07/02/03, 07/03/03, Mansfield, MA; 09/28/04, 09/29/04, Boston, MA; 09/22/05, Halifax, NS; 05/24/06, 05/25/06, Boston, MA; 07/22/06, 07/23/06, Gorge, WA; 06/27/2008, Hartford; 06/28/08, 06/30/08, Mansfield; 08/18/2009, O2, London, UK; 10/30/09, 10/31/09, Philadelphia, PA; 05/15/10, Hartford, CT; 05/17/10, Boston, MA; 05/20/10, 05/21/10, NY, NY; 06/22/10, Dublin, IRE; 06/23/10, Northern Ireland; 09/03/11, 09/04/11, Alpine Valley, WI; 09/11/11, 09/12/11, Toronto, Ont; 09/14/11, Ottawa, Ont; 09/15/11, Hamilton, Ont; 07/02/2012, Prague, Czech Republic; 07/04/2012 & 07/05/2012, Berlin, Germany; 07/07/2012, Stockholm, Sweden; 09/30/2012, Missoula, MT; 07/16/2013, London, Ont; 07/19/2013, Chicago, IL; 10/15/2013 & 10/16/2013, Worcester, MA; 10/21/2013 & 10/22/2013, Philadelphia, PA; 10/25/2013, Hartford, CT; 11/29/2013, Portland, OR; 11/30/2013, Spokane, WA; 12/04/2013, Vancouver, BC; 12/06/2013, Seattle, WA; 10/03/2014, St. Louis. MO; 10/22/2014, Denver, CO; 10/26/2015, New York, NY; 04/23/2016, New Orleans, LA; 04/28/2016 & 04/29/2016, Philadelphia, PA; 05/01/2016 & 05/02/2016, New York, NY; 05/08/2016, Ottawa, Ont.; 05/10/2016 & 05/12/2016, Toronto, Ont.; 08/05/2016 & 08/07/2016, Boston, MA; 08/20/2016 & 08/22/2016, Chicago, IL; 07/01/2018, Prague, Czech Republic; 07/03/2018, Krakow, Poland; 07/05/2018, Berlin, Germany; 09/02/2018 & 09/04/2018, Boston, MA; 09/08/2022, Toronto, Ont; 09/11/2022, New York, NY; 09/14/2022, Camden, NJ; 09/02/2023, St. Paul, MN; 05/04/2024 & 05/06/2024, Vancouver, BC; 05/10/2024, Portland, OR;

    Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.

    Brilliantati©
  • mickeyratmickeyrat Posts: 38,198
    _____________________________________SIGNATURE________________________________________________

    Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
    you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
    memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
    another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
  • mickeyratmickeyrat Posts: 38,198
    _____________________________________SIGNATURE________________________________________________

    Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
    you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
    memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
    another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
  • Gern BlanstenGern Blansten Posts: 19,715
    2023
    Lewandowski is out... Hilarious 
    Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)

    1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
    2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
    2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
    2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
    2020: Oakland, Oakland:  2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
    2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
    2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana
  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 Posts: 23,214
    2023
    Lewandowski is out... Hilarious 
    for real? what did he do?
    "You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry."  - Lincoln

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • njhaley1njhaley1 Posts: 739
    Lewandowski is out... Hilarious 
    for real? what did he do?
    Got caught telling the truth. Shame, really. 
  • Halifax2TheMaxHalifax2TheMax Posts: 38,643
    2023

    09/15/1998 & 09/16/1998, Mansfield, MA; 08/29/00 08/30/00, Mansfield, MA; 07/02/03, 07/03/03, Mansfield, MA; 09/28/04, 09/29/04, Boston, MA; 09/22/05, Halifax, NS; 05/24/06, 05/25/06, Boston, MA; 07/22/06, 07/23/06, Gorge, WA; 06/27/2008, Hartford; 06/28/08, 06/30/08, Mansfield; 08/18/2009, O2, London, UK; 10/30/09, 10/31/09, Philadelphia, PA; 05/15/10, Hartford, CT; 05/17/10, Boston, MA; 05/20/10, 05/21/10, NY, NY; 06/22/10, Dublin, IRE; 06/23/10, Northern Ireland; 09/03/11, 09/04/11, Alpine Valley, WI; 09/11/11, 09/12/11, Toronto, Ont; 09/14/11, Ottawa, Ont; 09/15/11, Hamilton, Ont; 07/02/2012, Prague, Czech Republic; 07/04/2012 & 07/05/2012, Berlin, Germany; 07/07/2012, Stockholm, Sweden; 09/30/2012, Missoula, MT; 07/16/2013, London, Ont; 07/19/2013, Chicago, IL; 10/15/2013 & 10/16/2013, Worcester, MA; 10/21/2013 & 10/22/2013, Philadelphia, PA; 10/25/2013, Hartford, CT; 11/29/2013, Portland, OR; 11/30/2013, Spokane, WA; 12/04/2013, Vancouver, BC; 12/06/2013, Seattle, WA; 10/03/2014, St. Louis. MO; 10/22/2014, Denver, CO; 10/26/2015, New York, NY; 04/23/2016, New Orleans, LA; 04/28/2016 & 04/29/2016, Philadelphia, PA; 05/01/2016 & 05/02/2016, New York, NY; 05/08/2016, Ottawa, Ont.; 05/10/2016 & 05/12/2016, Toronto, Ont.; 08/05/2016 & 08/07/2016, Boston, MA; 08/20/2016 & 08/22/2016, Chicago, IL; 07/01/2018, Prague, Czech Republic; 07/03/2018, Krakow, Poland; 07/05/2018, Berlin, Germany; 09/02/2018 & 09/04/2018, Boston, MA; 09/08/2022, Toronto, Ont; 09/11/2022, New York, NY; 09/14/2022, Camden, NJ; 09/02/2023, St. Paul, MN; 05/04/2024 & 05/06/2024, Vancouver, BC; 05/10/2024, Portland, OR;

    Libtardaplorable©. And proud of it.

    Brilliantati©
  • mickeyratmickeyrat Posts: 38,198
    _____________________________________SIGNATURE________________________________________________

    Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
    you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
    memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
    another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
  • josevolutionjosevolution Posts: 29,299
    jesus greets me looks just like me ....
  • josevolutionjosevolution Posts: 29,299
    2025
    Hey here is the plan finally this nation will get healthcare for all Americans! I knew he could do it in only 10 years 
    https://www.threads.net/@j.a.katy/post/DA2eNzexw24?xmt=AQGz_ecH9k52ebipPwXxA_4OIMa-ZRqTI-3vW_MDmTbNUQ
    jesus greets me looks just like me ....
  • Gern BlanstenGern Blansten Posts: 19,715
    2023
    LOL...what do you trumpsters think about trump not sitting for interviews now? Harris is all over the place and trump is running scared.

    Fucking hilarious. The hypocrisy of you people is astounding. 
    Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)

    1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
    2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
    2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
    2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
    2020: Oakland, Oakland:  2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
    2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
    2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana
  • Merkin BallerMerkin Baller Posts: 11,232
    edited October 8
    LOL...what do you trumpsters think about trump not sitting for interviews now? Harris is all over the place and trump is running scared.

    Fucking hilarious. The hypocrisy of you people is astounding. 
    They've pivoted to shitting on the outlets with whom Kamala is speaking. 

    There never won't be a shifting of the goalposts... the bar is constantly moving and being set (and reset) impossibly high for democrats so much so that they'll never clear it and yet there's no bar for republicans... it simply doesn't exist. 

    Example: 
    Trump's family is barred from running charities in NY due past scams, yet the covid relief fraud that happened in MN is somehow supposed to be problematic and disqualifying for Walz, despite him having no involvement... it's fucking bizarro world. 
  • Gern BlanstenGern Blansten Posts: 19,715
    2023
    LOL...what do you trumpsters think about trump not sitting for interviews now? Harris is all over the place and trump is running scared.

    Fucking hilarious. The hypocrisy of you people is astounding. 
    They've pivoted to shitting on the outlets with whom Kamala is speaking. 

    There never won't be a shifting of the goalposts... the bar is constantly moving and being set (and reset) impossibly high for democrats so much so that they'll never clear it and yet there's no bar for republicans... it simply doesn't exist. 

    Example: 
    Trump's family is barred from running charities in NY due past scams, yet the covid relief fraud that happened in MN is somehow supposed to be problematic and disqualifying for Walz, despite him having no involvement... it's fucking bizarro world. 
    It really is...and how is that fucker the nominee. Still makes no sense.
    Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)

    1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
    2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
    2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
    2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
    2020: Oakland, Oakland:  2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
    2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
    2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana
  • HobbesHobbes Posts: 6,419
    LOL...what do you trumpsters think about trump not sitting for interviews now? Harris is all over the place and trump is running scared.

    Fucking hilarious. The hypocrisy of you people is astounding. 
    They've pivoted to shitting on the outlets with whom Kamala is speaking. 

    There never won't be a shifting of the goalposts... the bar is constantly moving and being set (and reset) impossibly high for democrats so much so that they'll never clear it and yet there's no bar for republicans... it simply doesn't exist. 

    Example: 
    Trump's family is barred from running charities in NY due past scams, yet the covid relief fraud that happened in MN is somehow supposed to be problematic and disqualifying for Walz, despite him having no involvement... it's fucking bizarro world. 
    They move the goalposts more than Vanderbilt football fans.
  • Merkin BallerMerkin Baller Posts: 11,232
    edited October 8
    Hobbes said:
    LOL...what do you trumpsters think about trump not sitting for interviews now? Harris is all over the place and trump is running scared.

    Fucking hilarious. The hypocrisy of you people is astounding. 
    They've pivoted to shitting on the outlets with whom Kamala is speaking. 

    There never won't be a shifting of the goalposts... the bar is constantly moving and being set (and reset) impossibly high for democrats so much so that they'll never clear it and yet there's no bar for republicans... it simply doesn't exist. 

    Example: 
    Trump's family is barred from running charities in NY due past scams, yet the covid relief fraud that happened in MN is somehow supposed to be problematic and disqualifying for Walz, despite him having no involvement... it's fucking bizarro world. 
    They move the goalposts more than Vanderbilt football fans.
    'Memba when old age and dementia were problematic  for a presidential nominee? 

    I 'memba. 
  • Gern BlanstenGern Blansten Posts: 19,715
    2023


    Well that's interesting...gift article

    https://wapo.st/4gVDLqy

    As the coronavirus tore through the world in 2020, and the United States and other countries confronted a shortage of tests designed to detect the illness, then-President Donald Trump secretly sent coveted tests to Russian President Vladimir Putin for his personal use.
    Putin, petrified of the virus, accepted the supplies but took pains to prevent political fallout — not for him, but for his American counterpart. He cautioned Trump not to reveal that he had dispatched the scarce medical equipment to Moscow, according to a new book by Washington Post associate editor Bob Woodward.
    Putin, according to the book, told Trump, “I don’t want you to tell anybody because people will get mad at you, not me.”
    Four years later, the personal relationship between the two men appears to have persisted, Woodward reports, as Trump campaigns to return to the White House and Putin orchestrates his bloody assault on Ukraine.
    Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)

    1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
    2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
    2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
    2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
    2020: Oakland, Oakland:  2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
    2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
    2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana
  • Gern BlanstenGern Blansten Posts: 19,715
    2023


    So why isn't the war over? Seems like a good subject when on a phone call...or seven
    Remember the Thomas Nine !! (10/02/2018)

    1998: Noblesville; 2003: Noblesville; 2009: EV Nashville, Chicago, Chicago
    2010: St Louis, Columbus, Noblesville; 2011: EV Chicago, East Troy, East Troy
    2013: London ON, Wrigley; 2014: Cincy, St Louis, Moline (NO CODE)
    2016: Lexington, Wrigley #1; 2018: Wrigley, Wrigley, Boston, Boston
    2020: Oakland, Oakland:  2021: EV Ohana, Ohana, Ohana, Ohana
    2022: Oakland, Oakland, Nashville, Louisville; 2023: Chicago, Chicago, Noblesville
    2024: Noblesville, Wrigley, Wrigley, Ohana, Ohana
  • mickeyratmickeyrat Posts: 38,198
    bulwark newsletter today....
    Did We Underestimate the Threat?
    by William Kristol

    Yesterday, in this newsletter, I discussed the significance of the fact that many of the new oligarchs have eagerly joined forces with populist demagogues in our rising authoritarian movement. Also yesterday, in a brilliant piece at The Bulwark, Hannah Yoest discussed the significance of Trumpists’ unabashed and unapologetic use of fake imagery, in the tradition of authoritarian and indeed fascist movements of the 20th century.

    Yes, fascist movements. We in the anti-Trump camp have spoken a lot about the new authoritarianism. The question I want to raise today is whether authoritarianism captures the phenomenon we’re seeing. Or do we need to invoke the word fascism—or at least neo-fascism, or American-style fascism, or some other modification of that fraught and weighty tem?

    Many of us have already noted similarities between Trumpism and aspects of fascism. In discussing Trumpism, we’ve found it useful to consider works by thinkers like Julien Benda (The Treason of the Intellectuals, 1927), Hannah Arendt (The Origins of Totalitarianism, 1951), and Umberto Eco (Ur-Fascism, 1995).

    Such citations imply that there are real similarities—a real kinship—between what we’re seeing here and what earlier generations saw in 20th century Europe (and to some degree in the 20th century United States). But most of us haven’t quite said that what we’re seeing today really is a version of fascism. We see the cult of the leader and the strong man, the embrace of cruelty and bigotry, the demagoguery and the conspiracism, the weaponization of nostalgia for an imagined and exclusionary past, the eager embrace of lies and propaganda. But we’ve mostly stopped short of calling this fascism.

    One who didn’t stop short was Robert Kagan, who wrote a piece, “This is how fascism comes to America,” way back in May 2016.

    Kagan remarked then that Donald Trump, who had yet to win the nomination, had already “transcended the party that produced him.” And Kagan described what Trump stood for:

    What he offers is an attitude, an aura of crude strength and machismo, a boasting disrespect for the niceties of the democratic culture that he claims, and his followers believe, has produced national weakness and incompetence. His incoherent and contradictory utterances have one thing in common: They provoke and play on feelings of resentment and disdain, intermingled with bits of fear, hatred and anger.

    Kagan further explained that what Trump had tapped into “is what the founders most feared when they established the democratic republic: the popular passions unleashed, the ‘mobocracy.’” What we were seeing, Kagan said, was “the people in a democracy, excited, angry and unconstrained,” who “might run roughshod over even the institutions created to preserve their freedoms.”

    And Kagan did not flinch from his conclusion: “This phenomenon has arisen in other democratic and quasi-democratic countries over the past century, and it has generally been called ‘fascism.’”

    Kagan’s column—the whole thing—is worth re-reading in the context of what we have seen over the subsequent eight years, and with the more immediate knowledge of what we’ve experienced the past eight weeks.

    What we need to consider now, I think, is whether some of us were mistaken to be less bold, less candid, than Kagan. We wanted to be polite to our fellow citizens, half of whom were willing to support Trump. Many of them are going along with things they shouldn’t have gone along with, in our judgment. But they surely weren’t fascists. They were our neighbors. They were decent people. They were merely misled.

    But of course the phenomenon of decent people being misled also existed in 20th century Europe. And one has to add that as these movements swell, decent people can start to justify indecent things, sometimes even to revel in some of them.

    To be clear: I’m not suggesting that we all now need to scream the word fascism from the rooftops. I’m not suggesting that politicians fighting Trumpism use terms like fascism or neo-fascism or fascism-American-style. They need to win voters over, not antagonize them. So Kamala Harris needs to make her case on abortion rights, and Ukraine, and economic growth, and the peaceful transfer of power. She does not need to dive into deep and treacherous waters of political philosophy.

    But there is also a case for some of us not directly involved in electoral politics to strive for intellectual clarity. There is a case for coming to grips with what has happened, and what is happening. There is a case for overcoming some of our inhibitions against being impolite, and for seeing things as they are and calling them what they are.

    It’s striking that following the assassination attempts against Trump, his campaign condemns those who dare use the word fascism, even suggesting that doing so is a (deliberate?) contribution to attempts to kill him. But one can oppose violence directed against politicians and their supporters while still speaking clearly of the character of the threat Trump poses, and while seeking to understand the threat for what it is.

    Our promise to you: We’ll always tell you what we really think, whether it’s good news or bad news. We never pull punches.

    _____________________________________SIGNATURE________________________________________________

    Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
    you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
    memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
    another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 Posts: 23,214
    2023


    So why isn't the war over? Seems like a good subject when on a phone call...or seven
    because that book is all fake news.
    "You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry."  - Lincoln

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 Posts: 23,214
    2023

    who the fuck smiles with a photo of a victim of kidnapping?

    did he offer to autograph it as well?
    "You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry."  - Lincoln

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • njhaley1njhaley1 Posts: 739

    who the fuck smiles with a photo of a victim of kidnapping?

    did he offer to autograph it as well?
    For the low low price of $500.
  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 Posts: 23,214
    2023
    njhaley1 said:

    who the fuck smiles with a photo of a victim of kidnapping?

    did he offer to autograph it as well?
    For the low low price of $500.
    sounds about right
    "You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry."  - Lincoln

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • mickeyratmickeyrat Posts: 38,198

    who the fuck smiles with a photo of a victim of kidnapping?

    did he offer to autograph it as well?

    a prayer book....
    _____________________________________SIGNATURE________________________________________________

    Not today Sir, Probably not tomorrow.............................................. bayfront arena st. pete '94
    you're finally here and I'm a mess................................................... nationwide arena columbus '10
    memories like fingerprints are slowly raising.................................... first niagara center buffalo '13
    another man ..... moved by sleight of hand...................................... joe louis arena detroit '14
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