Please, pundits. Stop saying were are just used to all the illegal and corrupt things that Trump

[allgood33]

says and does. Stop telling us this is the new normal. IT IS NOT! Most Democrats find his abusive behaviors alarming and frightful. Only Trump MAGA followers consider his actions "normal." WE DO NOT. Stop telling us that we do. We are out there everyday fighting against this beast and his followers and we do not accept any of this bullshit as "normal." Media pundits who keep repeating this meme give support to this notion of normalcy.

Call it "alarming" "scary" "illegal" "unpatriotic" "aughoritarian" "dictatorial" " autocratic" "insane" or a dozen other terms that come to mind BUT STOP TELLING US WE HAVE COME TO ACCEPT HIS BEHAVIOR AND ACTIONS AS NORMAL!!! WE DO NOT!!

[MaryMagdaline]

1. K&R

[anarch]

2. agreed. Just because I have stopped reacting to every new outburst and lying screed

that the world is forced to hear about from this orange asshole, and I have tuned out any news about him (after checking each morning to make sure civilization is still mostly intact), and stopped even bothering to engage his idiot supporters in any way whatsoever...none of this means I have accepted this situation as "normal." Nobody should.

No more than you should consider it "normal" if you have, let's say, uninvited house guests (let's just for the sake of the analogy say they are one of your cousins and a bunch of his racist hillbilly meth-head associates), and they think it's funny to tie you to a chair and force you to watch as they steal your entertainment system, smear poo all over the furniture and walls, tear up your book collection, and are working up to burning your house down. Instead of just saying "oh well, I guess this is the new normal" in this situation, you should probably try to remedy the situation before the idiots actually burn the house down.

[RKP5637]

3. K&R!!!!! n/t

[Vinca]

4. In a way it's true, though. Every day there's an event that would have taken out a POTUS, but

with Trump it's the norm. If Republicans closed their eyes and pretended it was Obama rather than Trump, the moron would be long gone. It's as if we're trapped in a lousy reality show and can't get out.

[allgood33]

5. But the media should not be playing into this "new normal" meme. They should be

reinforcing notion to voters that Trump is insane and dangerous.

[Vinca]

6. Sadly, the media - both sides - is in it for the ratings. The meme of the week

seems to be "are Democrats overreaching." I don't know how we make the media completely honest when they're trolling for more viewers.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

11. I agree with you Vinca.

1.The media is there to report and to make money.
2.Trump knows this and is a master media manipulator. Just like in his book he didn't write, he said he throws balls up in the air constantly to confuse.
3. Republicans are faced with constituents who support trump. There is no benefit in trashing the hand that feeds them.
3. The general public still supports him since his approval is in the 40s and not nose diving.

So who is left? Who's job is it to stop these four forces? Gotta be us..the Dems. Yet we seemingly have no media strategy to combat the forces. No unified message. We don't really have a leader...but it would benefit all to regroup with some media/political experts and come up with a plan. Focus groups? Find out what people hate about trump the most and plan for a Dem to be on every network every day? Repeating over and over the main themes...his biggest crimes.

Dems don't realize this race will be very close if you look state by state. We have GOT to chip away at his approval ratings plain and simple.

[watoos]

21. Ratings and polls are right wing gimmicks.

You missed the main point about the M$M, it is complicit with the far right, it is owned by the far right. The M$M will not permit cable news anchors to change the narrative. The only way that Dems can compete with the right wing corporate controlled M$M is for someone like Tom Steyer or Bezos to start a truly progressive cable news channel. When msnbc news anchors stray from the far right narratives they get fired.

I don't subject myself to the far right M$M propaganda. I watch Nicolle Wallace, Rachel Maddow, and at times Don Lemon. Thank god for internet sites like DU and others. Thank god for progressive FM radio stations. I will take a ride in my car just so that I can listen to progressives speaking truth to power, not pushing left wing propaganda, merely speaking the truth.

[watoos]

16. I agree and disagree,

One of the main right wing talking points is that Democrats better not overreach. That one makes me laugh.
I disagree with "both sides" of the media. We don't have a side unless you are going to internet sites or listening to Sirius radio.
I disagree partially that the M$M is in it for ratings, that IMO is secondary. Of course they need to make money to keep running. The M$M is complicit with the far right. The M$M which includes msnbc and cnn push right wing talking points. msnbc and cnn may put a liberal slant to those talking points but they are still talking about what the far right wants them to be talking about. msnbc and cnn use the code words that the right has come up with.
msnbc and cnn routinely say; collusion, witch hunt, angry Democrats (who are really Republicans) Democrats' phony Steele dossier (it was originated by Republicans)

Cable news is owned by oligarchs who push the right wing agenda. Phil Donahue, Olbermann, Brashear, Ed Schultz, Harris/Perry, Dylan Ratigan were all fired by msnbc, they all had good ratings. They were making msnbc money but they were still fired. Why? They were fired because they strayed from the right wing narratives.

If we had an impartial M$M Trump would be impeached by now.

[lagomorph777]

31. and Trump voters are insane and dangerous. They should be ostracized.

[watoos]

35. I live among them,

arguing with them doesn't work, they are zombies. They vote against Democrats not for Republicans. Democrats have been demonized. Did you know that hard working Republican tax dollars go to fund welfare and food stamps for lazy Democrats, mostly minorities?

I shop at my local country stores and I noticed that the owner of one had one of my letters to the editor hanging on her wall. The letter was 10 years old. It was about shopping at small local stores and I gave her store a plug and about how I try to buy American made products.

The subject of Trump came up and she asked me, you didn't vote for Trump, did you? I said no. She says I did and things are great, I couldn't vote for Hillary, emphasis on Hillary. There is nothing to ostracize her about, she was convinced that Hillary was evil. Best for me to just buy my boots elsewhere.

[lagomorph777]

39. Voting with your $ is a powerful way to ostracize.

[procon]

7. Admittedly, Trump's daily behavior is so bizarre

that it becomes overwhelming. I can't keep up with all the shocking and outrageous things he says and does. There are increasingly more occasion when I feel my brain is just shutting down and I simply cannot process anything else that lunatic does from day in, to day out.

No, it clearly does not feel like normal times to me. It's like being a hapless observer to a 100 car pile up on the interstate. There's so much destruction you can't take it all in, and you can't focus because the massive devistation and sheer numbers of victims are beyond comprehension.

[Honeycombe8]

8. They are speaking truth. The public has become desensitized to the shocking behavior.

The public would become desensitized to anything, when faced with it day after day. That's why violent video games have an impact on young people. That's why children in war zones become desensitized to violence.

The media just reflects what's going on. It IS the norm for Trump to lie. That doesn't mean it's okay. It's just stating a fact.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

12. +1

[watoos]

22. It IS the norm for Trump to lie,

but we can't ever stop calling him out every freaking time he lies, my Ford.

[Magoo48]

9. It's difficult to remember this is not normal.

The constant barrage of lies and daily corruptions lullaby us into forgetting that the POTUS is crazier than a shithouse owl. The entire event is surreal. There is no hand rail with which to balance when exhausted, no spectacles which will clear our vision. We are settled into a smothering fog of war upon truth; it’s disorienting.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

13. I don't think he would get away with it if

The economy went South. Trump was lucky as hell to inherit Obama's ship. Then to reinforce it with an unpaid tax cut...he made the rich and corps happy.

Saw a Facebook post by and acquaintance of mine that sums up some of it. (Red state). She wrote that economy good, she, her family, and all if her friends have jobs, so what's the big deal? Why be against trump?

Who said, "It's the economy stupid" ?

[lagomorph777]

32. It's impossible for me to see any of this as normal. This would be normal in the 3rd Reich,

NOT IN AMERICA!

[Bernardo de La Paz]

10. Corruption must not be normalized! . . . nt

[Laura PourMeADrink]

15. But if we can't/won't indict and we can't/won't impeach

and we won't try 25th amendment...What can we do? Serious question.

Sealed indictments for post presidency? Do they have to be secret?

[lagomorph777]

33. Vote the Reptilian Party into oblivion.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

34. When it all comes out and tRump is ruined, we will get back to true normal.

There is a mass of tentacles all over the place; the corruption is that bad. But it will be exposed.

I don't know how or when it will play out, but when it does then tRump and his family and the criminal Republicon-Trump Party need to be made an example of, crushed by law and ballot box.

When the tide turns it may be quick. The trickle of Republicans abandoning tRump will become a flood, full of exculpatory denials ( "I had no idea laws were broken!" ).

Whether it happens before 2020 or not, Democrats still need to focus on choosing the best candidate and winning not only the popular vote but also the antiquated byzantine Electoral College.

That's what we can do.

[Scarsdale]

14. Citizens from other countries

do NOT think any of the tRump antics are "normal" They call it like it is - disgraceful. He has desecrated the office of president, and the WH to the point of destruction. No longer will it be an honor to become president and reside in this WH. The foul mouthed, low class orange ass has destroyed any semblance of pride in that position. We have the gop to thank for this. Every move and every statement from President Obama was scrutinized, then mocked by the gop. Along comes this Mafia wannabe, and they drool all over his obese, repulsive, uneducated, pompous, ugly orange personality. The gop should be ashamed of what they have done to the WH, the presidency, and the entire country.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

17. Agree. But they are all in because his approval still

decent. If that changes maybe they will too. Think it's good sign that up to 10 (per Paul) may vote against the idiotic emergency.

[Scarsdale]

23. The very thought of HIM

having decent approval ratings, is a disgraceful reflection on the people of this country. Approving of this clown? Why do decent politicians even run for the office, since the lower the character of a person, the more likely he is to be nominated by the tRump worshippers and of course RUSSSIA.

[watoos]

26. Who says his approval is decent?

Is 42% decent in decent economic times? What's the real number?

Statistics don't lie, let's say that Trump had 100 million Republican followers and 87% approved of the job he was doing. What if Trump now only has 80 million Republican followers but 87% approve of the job he's doing. I can make a good case using statistics that Trump's popularity with his base has not changed since he became president.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

37. Kind of into state by state approval. We need WI MI and PA

The last approval on them is 42%. Or a harder replacement. Or Texas, where he's at 41%

They are saying he can win if state in mid-40s.

RCP overall 44%

[Linda Ed]

41. A new poll from Quinnipiac University released Tuesday

A new poll from Quinnipiac University released Tuesday shows that a decisive majority of the country believes President Donald Trump committed crimes before entering office. According to the poll, 64 percent…

According to the poll, 64 percent of Americans said that he committed crimes prior to becoming president. Only 24 percent of people were willing to say they disagreed with this assertion.

This means even a large portion of Trump’s base of support — the 42 percent or so of the country that say they approve of his presidency — aren’t confident he’s innocent. The poll found that even 33 percent of Republicans who were surveyed think Trump committed crimes before his election.
https://www.alternet.org/2019/03/americans-overwhelmingly-believe-trump-is-a-criminal/

[Laura PourMeADrink]

43. Yes, I read that, great news. Anything that could

Drive down approval. We'll see what the next round of state by state comes out. Fingers crossed .

[dee135]

18. Of Course we need documents

I'm so tired of pundits complaining about the amount of documents requested. In a world pre-Trump, it wouldn't be necessary because Congress would be able to start with some basic truths; statements made by White House officials could be a starting point and be considered facts; In a post-Trump world NOTHING can be taken at face value due to the fact that everyone openly lies about everything so there is no starting point for basic facts.

Also, the reason the investigation is taking so long is because of all the delay tactics used by the administration; and when everyone is lying and giving contradictory statements, it takes much longer to determine exactly what the truth is. If the administration really wanted the investigation to conclude quickly, it would have cooperated immediately with investigators and provided truthful responses.

[PeeJ52]

19. We (me) are amazed that there isn't someone out there to lock this bastard up...

I just expect every day to see the Sergeant at Arms of the House or somebody, come to the White House and arrest this fake. This just can't go on any longer. He's crazy. Either he goes or I go. I can't take it any more. It's like we have no government at all. You don't know when he might give the order to his followers to just start killing anyone they think is a liberal and watches CNN or MSNBC or reads fake news. I don't feel it's safe to campaign for a Democratic party candidate. It is truly frightening.

[Scarsdale]

25. Well, Les Moonves said it best

when he was in charge at CBS "Trump might be bad for the country, but he is GREAT for ratings" How's THAT for an endorsement?

[world wide wally]

20. If I was in a media based job, I would be in survival mode and opposing the guy who

wants to stifle the press and I would be protecting my livelihood. Not making excuses for him.

[watoos]

27. Sorry to say that you would get fired.

Google Fox v Monsanto, if your TV producer tells you to lie on TV and you refuse, it is ok for them to fire you.

[littlemissmartypants]

24. I don't think any of it is normal. Nobody tells me how to feel and gets away with it.

I have been physically sick and terrified since I heard the election results.

What is aughoritarian?

[watoos]

28. I don't know what it is,

but it sounds like it describes Trump. Hang in there, better days are coming. The only way we lose in 2020 is if we fight among ourselves.

The main strategy right now of the far right is to get us disheartened and to get us to fight among ourselves.

I refuse. Not one of our presidential candidates is perfect but every one of them is way better than Trump.

[littlemissmartypants]

36. Thank you for the kind words, watoos.

I feel everything in my gut so I am in turmoil almost daily. I have been avoiding certain topics intentionally, but I must admit, my emotions are all over the place. I am so glad we finally have a focus on the future. Thanks again for being so kind. ❤

[BlueJac]

29. K&R

[lagomorph777]

30. They are trying to tell us we are "numb" to his crimes. BULLSHIT! BULLSHIT! BULLSHIT!

[FiveGoodMen]

45. Maybe they're really just telling us that THEY are used to this and don't care anymore.

[lagomorph777]

46. That is indeed what it looks like. Perhaps vacations are needed, or replacements.

[LiberalFighter]

38. It is important to identify specifically which pundits are saying it.

They need to be called out individually by name.

[lagomorph777]

47. Right you are. I'll take note next time which ones are doing this.

[Delphinus]

40. Yes!

Thank you. May they listen - my husband is getting tired of me asking the rhetorical question - "why aren't the MSM saying ... "

[LiberalLovinLug]

42. I hate the way the MSM likes to project the narrative with a seemingly innocuous question

Like "Is Hillary's email scandal a threat to national security?". "is Dean's campaign over after the "scream"?", "Did Al Gore claim he invented the internet, and will it cost him the election?"

And now, "Is this now the new 'normal'?"

NO!

[Nitram]

44. The fact that we are not surprised at Trump's latest disgrace does not mean we are not outraged.

The fact that we expect Trump to lie, cheat, steal, and cover-up crimes does not mean we want to see him spend the rest of hi life in prison paying for his crimes.