September 4, 2021

Two words made a huge impact on where we are as a divided nation: "Fake News."

Millions no longer trust viable news sources and instead embrace what their peers recommend or looks attractive. This strategy is not unique, is modeled after other previous autocrats, and has proven to be quite effective. The message is so tried and true that other autocratic leaders across the globe have been copying the resurrection by the one that made it popular again in the greatest democracy in the world. Accusations, actual charges, counts of impeachment, sexual assault suits, Covid, were all hoaxes and "fake news." Masks and vaccinations make you "look weak" and are dismissed openly, while embraced secretly. Military service is for "losers and suckers". It's OK not to disclose or pay taxes as an "elected" official and it's fine and dandy to mock, abuse, ridicule and threaten anyone who doesn't agree with the autocratic cult. "Lock her up," "Lock them up" all fire the bellies of the red meat "base". It's even OK to say elections are "rigged" and the outcome must be fraudulent. Based on what? Nothing. It's the huckster, con-artist carnival barker that has the biggest megaphone and today the message is amplified in seconds around the world.

Two words resonate with millions and you don't have to offer evidence or prove a damn thing. So easy. So effective. No soul or humanity required. Putin must be thrilled and Roy Cohn would be very proud.

August 27, 2021

After 20 months or so of the pandemic, I am saddened to state the following:

As a nation, approximately half of us have just said "fuck it." They opposed virtually every approach to the pandemic that would have us in a very different place today. No masks, no contact tracing, no vaccinations, no nothin'. Democratic hoax.

A similar group was fine with everything TFG did because he was "fighting for us", which is just laughable but they believed it and still believe it. This includes 4 years of intentionally destructive and divisive actions by Executive Orders, appointments of supporters who were the antithesis of the agencies they ran (by design), Supreme Court appointments and as many right-wing judges as possible in an effort to make sure that equality and basic human rights causes are cudgeled back to the 1960's, preferably much further. 35 years of Limbaugh and countless others who followed the model made this divisive brainwashing happen.

They bought into climate change as a hoax, alternative facts (WTF?) and turned their heads while watching police violence inflicted on POC. Many of them are total racists. I knew a bunch growing up. I ended some friendships.

What brought me to the point where I seriously doubt we will ever turn this around is the total, constant attack mode by what's left of the GOP. A viscous cesspool of rabid deniers and destroyers, mostly the ones in suits but also the increasingly dangerous AR crowd. This has been evident once again with the rapid pullout of Afghanistan, a war we should never have embarked on, like Iraq. 100,000 successfully removed, but yesterday's tragedy (and I'm not minimizing the loss of life for our soldiers or the Afghani civilians) will be the Benghazi they will hang their hat on for the next 3 years. And now comes the hatred for the refugees by TFG's "base" stoked by Fox and the right-wing radio "hosts" that haven't died yet. Lady Liberty is beyond tears.

If anything, I hope the regular folks; the enlightened that just want to work toward a moral and just society, raise families safely, promote education, equality and "Make Lying Bad Again" see how grave this really is, speak up, call it out and vote. It is anti-democratic and very dangerous. We have lost the ability (as a nation, not "us&quot to share sacrifice (of any kind) for the common good, and the 24/7/365 propaganda rhetoric is a constant poison to our society. My depression-era parents and WWII vet father would be appalled.

Thanks for listening and sorry to be a Gloomy Gus. I have teenagers who just want the same things I've articulated, so I have that, which is a lot. I just wish their future looked a little (OK a lot) brighter. No offense to anyone named Gus.

May 28, 2021

The reins on hate have been unleashed. Moral compasses, if they existed, have been buried.

Bannon, Miller, Gaetz, Greene, the "Don's " family and millions of the Orange Emperor's adoring "base" are gearing up for violence. The numbers and un-restricted armament could easily overwhelm local law enforcement. Your opinion and thoughts matter. Please chip in and tell me that's not our future. Thanks

April 16, 2021

I am in a constant struggle with all the electronic crap and "upgrades" that do nothing to improve

my life. Having to buy new printers, phones, hard drives, cloud crap, "life-lock" identity theft protection, phone, internet cable "plans" and contracts? (WTF), passwords in unlimited quantity, spam on phone and internet (despite "no call" registration), etc., etc. It is accelerating and in concert with the other, not insignificant daily issues (mass shootings, rising domestic terrorism, ongoing systemic racism, voter suppression, militarization of police (thanks W for starting that with Iraq war surplus to PD's and returning vets trained to kill becoming cops; sorry personal disdain for the Bush/ Cheney cabal).
NONE of this is improving the quality of our existence. We have a fractured society that is now subject to the propaganda/ misinformation reaching the heavily armed and dis-enfranchised by virtue of the multi media platforms. We can't even agree to wear masks in the face of a global pandemic, let alone agree on the basics like spending on infrastructure, education and the environment. Pitiful. I want my black, 8 pound indestructible rotary phone back (well maybe a "princess" touchtone)..... All done for now.

April 1, 2021

Looks like GOP will rally around their new God; the AR-15.

https://www.rawstory.com/lindsey-graham-ar-15/

March 28, 2021

Dr. Birx "very uncomfortable" in call with Orange Julius. link CNN. ie. He won with intimidation.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/28/politics/birx-trump-covid-very-uncomfortable-phone-call/index.html

How many other agency heads and elected officials did he do this to? I'd say Don the Con, crime boss did it DAILY if not every waking moment.

February 28, 2021

Thinking about systemic rascism, I realize it has always been who we are. Slaves, Irish, Chinese,

Poles, Italians, French, Jews, Hispanics. Let me re-phrase in the words I heard growing up. Niggers, Micks/Drunks, Slanty eyes/ Gooks, Pollacks, Dagos/Wops, Frogs, Kikes, Spics. And there are many more. Insert religious terms. Perhaps the worst was what we did to indigenous peoples, both in terms of genocide, forced movement, land confiscation, "treaty" abuses and mocking with so many derogatory names. It all perpetuates today.

Drumpf has ripped off the mask of racism and the worst is yet to come. I am ashamed of our history and fear for our future. We are who we have always been, only now heavily armed and brainwashed into thinking that "whites" are the only victims, entitled to be superior, and can now express their victimhood violently. Take a look at where you came from, "whites." Don't think it goes that deep.

February 21, 2021

I guess we all need to have guns in the background of our homes for all Zoom occasions.

Seems many repukes now consider this normal and somehow ego-enhancing, appealing to the millions of seditionists. I hope Garland does a full sweep after confirmation. We got a problem, and not just Houston.

February 13, 2021

Pence & McCarthy need to be called as witnesses. Unless this can be accomplished, no accountability

January 28, 2021

Rushbo at his worst today. Schumer telling Rachel that "climate" is his number one issue sent him

over the edge. Dems will control what you drive (electric cars), what you eat (no meat allowed), what job you have (? no Keystone pipeline?) and on and on. Thirty-five years of this totally fabricated fear-mongering, divisiveness and just plain bullshit has left us where we are. Totally fractured over lies and propaganda. It's non-stop and the hate silo has lots of new "personalities" who copied his model. Faux News made it into a network. Banned in parts of Europe as it is not legitimate news, but this crap dominates the airwaves in U.S. Look no further as to how we got here. Cult 45 is the culmination and they are far from done. We are at war, and they brought it. Let us hope sanity prevails.