Trump's presidency was so corrupt and now we see that the supreme court is corrupt. There are over 150 seditionist STILL in CONGRESS somehow untouched by the justice system. Few institutions left to respect. I mean -come on -the Catholic Church still allows priest to rape children with little or no consequence. The Mormon church just wanna battle in the Arizona courts and they do not have to report child abuse /child sexual abuse! There's something very sick about a society that allows the rich and powerful to do as they please even if it harms people -children -society at large.
I’m sorry I hadn’t responded to the essay on Rupert Murdoch. But my family too was affected by right wing propaganda. Tucker, Limbaugh, Coulter, OReilly, et al planted and maintained such toxic fear in my parents that they started to view their own daughters and grandchildren as the enemy, and where we lived as enemy territory and hellholes. They became much more religious as they became tribalized. They came to believe what they saw and heard on the TV or radio as truth, while denying our testimony and what they could see with their own eyes when they were with us.
My sisters and I have managed to maintain a fragile connection. But they are afraid to visit us. They label us bad parents and sinners because of our political affiliation. They gave up connection to their grandchildren’s lives and have isolated themselves in remote Wyoming. It’s a tragedy for our families and for them too. Their elder years could have been full of love and family. Instead it’s social isolation, lots of guns, and Tucker Carlson piped into their home at full blast.
I hope your optimistic vision is correct. We must find a way of countering the forces that are ripping apart the social fabric of our families and communities.
One glimmer of hope. Mom called Trump “a terrible person and sore loser” on the phone last week. OK! Progress!
Great effort today and I agree with just about everything. As an optimist, I see the country today where it has often been in the past - almost as bad as before the Civil War. There have always been fanatics, white supremacism, and just plain nut jobs in our culture because it is such a free country like no other. We must understand that about 25 to 30 percent of voters are MAGAS., and they do not understand that they can never win a national election and are beginning to lose local support because they are so, so irrational, and even some of the crazies are beginning to understand that. I think the Dems better start understanding that almost 50 percent of the voters are independents and are interested in freedoms - abortion rights, voting rights, gun control - not because they are Dems but because they are Americans. They don't understand what "wokeism" is all about, or Critical Race Theory (CRT), and there is nothing any of us can do to convince this MAGA minority that they are wrong. So, I believe we should get on California Governor Newsom's campaign to fight back against this ignorance. Voting and changing these red states to at least purple will be how we change these attacks on our freedoms. What the MAGAs don't understand that by continuing to perpetuate their lies they are losing whatever support they may have had. The MAGAs really should have taken control in the 22 elections, but they didn't, and with a national election in 24, they will be depleted to the point that Congress may actually be able to address gun control in a rational way. The same with abortion and voting rights and destroying the Citizens United decision and getting big money out of our elections and our Congress and legislatures. As I said, I am an optimist.
To see a little light at the end of tunnel we now find ourselves in is not naive but I do agree that it will a long dark and torturous journey. We must stop the growth of those who find it easier to just want to believe the MAGA lies. Our path should be to use every marketing and sales tool at our disposal to show where those lies lead to.
I think something needs to be done about voting in order for us to right this ship we call America. Gerrymandering - take a look at Jim Jordan's district for illustration - is getting out of hand. Voting suppression laws are also becoming rigid. All the issues we worry about along with the creeping of fascism by the GOP will get closer and closer unless we make everyone able to vote in fair elections. So far the GOP has been able to rig elections. I believe that without these techniques GOP would not be able to win any elections since their policies are so unpopular.
Thank you Steve for a very well thought out article not only outlining the problem but thinking about what we can do about it. There is another threat down the road that nobody talks about. While it is true that voting machines were not compromised in past elections to materially affect an outcome, the threat is still there and we shouldn’t relax. Can you imagine if the voting machines in one precinct were compromised in a future election what the psychological effect of such an event would have on those who fervently wish to flip an election? We need to continuously be vigilante in ensuring that voting machines are secure nationwide in all future elections and that compromises are quickly detected and addressed. Perhaps one way of doing that would be to have someone knowledgeable in cybersecurity such as Chris Krebs back in the administration ensuring our vigilance.
Steven, your writing is outstanding, and gives me hope that there is a way forward for the United States, albeit difficult. While I walk a path towards justice and fairness in my advocacy work, there are times when the ground does not seem secure. Corralling Trump is a tall task, as he incessantly preaches his doctrine on his Truth Social platform. His goal has always been to weaken and debilitate his foes, through intense and repeated verbal attacks. His drumbeat of negativity is incessant, and almost impossible to avoid in the media. FOX News extols Trump's outlandish claims, while centre and left-leaning sources cover Trump's litany of untruths. Fact checkers are pressed to keep up. The MAGA tent of alternative facts and fiction, offers a safe haven for those who blame conventional government and immigrants for their problems. Many followers knew Trump from his Realty Show TV days on The Apprentice, seemingly unaware that his touted business success was largely based upon falsified claims and records. They continued to watch him 'act' during his tenure in the White House. Trump appeals to their base instincts of territorial protectionism and biases. His fear-mongering of 'they (caravans of immigrants) are coming for you' fanned the flames of racism, and contributed to a spike in gun purchases, in a country that already has more guns than people. The MAGA fraternity cannot accept that the Harvard educated, Manhattan DA, Alvin Bragg, a man of colour, is prosecuting their idol. Trump also enlists Evangelicals to his cause, but his claim of Religious faith rings hollow. When asked, he is unable to recite any favourite Bible verse. His average, street level supporters do not circulate in the realm of country clubs and high-rise condos. Many are rural residents who believe Trump will lead them to 'the promised land'. I wonder if they know that, in a recorded video, their 'chosen one' said that 'stupid people' like him. Despite all the smoke and mirrors of distraction Donald Trump has created, he now finds himself ensnared in a tangled web of self-created lies and misrepresentation, from which there is no way out. We await the unravelling.
Steven, Fox News is a cancer on our body politic. The only way to deal with it is to cut it out! Unfortunately, like any cancer it has metasticized and spread into other areas all the way down to the local levels where we are now fighting book bans, reproductive care, and even means of voter suppression that have not been seen since the 60s.
Our system has become oligarchic (Russia anybody??), money and power and corruption are more the norm than the exception. But it is a bait and switch for those nihilistic, MAGA folks. It is the monied elite that grift off the fear, loss, and loathing of their supporters to keep their oligarchic lifestyles and distracts via the culture wars.
Until the wire fraud is consistently prosecuted, perjury (Clarence Thomas??) and the lies are called out and result in severe financial damage as we hope with Dominion, nothing will change. That is the core problem. Just enforce the laws we have. If we do this, we can stop cancer from spreading and cut it out where it exists.
I have some related questions about the continued cultish loyalty to the Orange One, which may have some sort of answer in...history.
Is it possible today to find a single citizen who now believes Nixon was innocent and was railroaded? Are there millions who believe this? What do we know about how long the continued belief in that high criminal persisted, and, related, the metastases continued to ripple through America?
I recall not long after that ouster asking many people if they had voted for RMN - some of whom I was fairly certain had. I couldn't find anyone who would admit it at the time. But my memory' likely faulty in that, and I was probably in a bubble. I'd bet there were many (millions?) who persisted in their loyalty. And still do.
This might give us a history-based idea how long these sorts of cultish loyalties can persist and continue harm our society. I will bet there are still those who believe in Jim Jones and would readily go stargaziing with Marshall Applewhite. I know Hitler still has his fans. Some of them American billionaires buying "Justices."
It'd be nice if some day a United Congress would pass an unvetoable bill that brought back the Fairness Doctrine, and imposed truth in advertising protocols for any outlet that wants to use the word 'news' in their media.
I do really like your writing. Have to say I nearly choked on my drink when I read who doesn't want to hear that their racism is okay....wow! Not this gal, that's for sure!
Your essay, Steven, speaks to the heart of perhaps the most fundamental and pressing issue that we face: the dichotomy between those of us who seek to ensure that this nation evolves in as moral a manner as possible, and those who - driven by ignorance, fear and superstition - would destroy democracy itself in their quest to retain power. The saving grace, if one is to be found, is that this fascist faction is in the minority. This faction, though, is still capable of wreaking untold damage.
But as to Trump: Putin's brilliance lies in having cultivated this horrible, little bigot - either wittingly on his part or unwittingly (but what's the difference?) - and unleashing him upon the national stage. Trump gives the evil minority legitimacy by encouraging them to amplify his vitriol to the point of open rebellion and violence. He must be held accountable.
The GOP has poisoned this country by supporting a liar, the NRA, every racist and Nazi and antisemite. They are not the party of patriotism but the party of the oligarchy. As long as their mega donors, corporations are happy with the lack of regulation and making them richer, they will continue their corrupt ways.
I have tried to understand the cult-like followers--to no avail! Those relationships to him are not fathomable! What is the appeal?
You may be correct Mr. Beschloss about the citizenry coming together. My sense is we may have a much different border in the future because the split is so ideological. It appears much like “irreconcilable differences” in any relationship. A lot will have to happen to bring us into a common fold! We have been kidding ourselves that we ever came together after the Civil War.
Trump's presidency was so corrupt and now we see that the supreme court is corrupt. There are over 150 seditionist STILL in CONGRESS somehow untouched by the justice system. Few institutions left to respect. I mean -come on -the Catholic Church still allows priest to rape children with little or no consequence. The Mormon church just wanna battle in the Arizona courts and they do not have to report child abuse /child sexual abuse! There's something very sick about a society that allows the rich and powerful to do as they please even if it harms people -children -society at large.
I’m sorry I hadn’t responded to the essay on Rupert Murdoch. But my family too was affected by right wing propaganda. Tucker, Limbaugh, Coulter, OReilly, et al planted and maintained such toxic fear in my parents that they started to view their own daughters and grandchildren as the enemy, and where we lived as enemy territory and hellholes. They became much more religious as they became tribalized. They came to believe what they saw and heard on the TV or radio as truth, while denying our testimony and what they could see with their own eyes when they were with us.
My sisters and I have managed to maintain a fragile connection. But they are afraid to visit us. They label us bad parents and sinners because of our political affiliation. They gave up connection to their grandchildren’s lives and have isolated themselves in remote Wyoming. It’s a tragedy for our families and for them too. Their elder years could have been full of love and family. Instead it’s social isolation, lots of guns, and Tucker Carlson piped into their home at full blast.
I hope your optimistic vision is correct. We must find a way of countering the forces that are ripping apart the social fabric of our families and communities.
One glimmer of hope. Mom called Trump “a terrible person and sore loser” on the phone last week. OK! Progress!
Until seditious members of Congress are dealt with I have a hard time believing the Department of Justice is doing their job.
Astounding but he's still claiming the election was stolen stolen stolen -who does not know this is all a lie???
Great effort today and I agree with just about everything. As an optimist, I see the country today where it has often been in the past - almost as bad as before the Civil War. There have always been fanatics, white supremacism, and just plain nut jobs in our culture because it is such a free country like no other. We must understand that about 25 to 30 percent of voters are MAGAS., and they do not understand that they can never win a national election and are beginning to lose local support because they are so, so irrational, and even some of the crazies are beginning to understand that. I think the Dems better start understanding that almost 50 percent of the voters are independents and are interested in freedoms - abortion rights, voting rights, gun control - not because they are Dems but because they are Americans. They don't understand what "wokeism" is all about, or Critical Race Theory (CRT), and there is nothing any of us can do to convince this MAGA minority that they are wrong. So, I believe we should get on California Governor Newsom's campaign to fight back against this ignorance. Voting and changing these red states to at least purple will be how we change these attacks on our freedoms. What the MAGAs don't understand that by continuing to perpetuate their lies they are losing whatever support they may have had. The MAGAs really should have taken control in the 22 elections, but they didn't, and with a national election in 24, they will be depleted to the point that Congress may actually be able to address gun control in a rational way. The same with abortion and voting rights and destroying the Citizens United decision and getting big money out of our elections and our Congress and legislatures. As I said, I am an optimist.
To see a little light at the end of tunnel we now find ourselves in is not naive but I do agree that it will a long dark and torturous journey. We must stop the growth of those who find it easier to just want to believe the MAGA lies. Our path should be to use every marketing and sales tool at our disposal to show where those lies lead to.
I’m surprised at how many minority individuals are for trump. What are they thinking!?
I think something needs to be done about voting in order for us to right this ship we call America. Gerrymandering - take a look at Jim Jordan's district for illustration - is getting out of hand. Voting suppression laws are also becoming rigid. All the issues we worry about along with the creeping of fascism by the GOP will get closer and closer unless we make everyone able to vote in fair elections. So far the GOP has been able to rig elections. I believe that without these techniques GOP would not be able to win any elections since their policies are so unpopular.
Thank you Steve for a very well thought out article not only outlining the problem but thinking about what we can do about it. There is another threat down the road that nobody talks about. While it is true that voting machines were not compromised in past elections to materially affect an outcome, the threat is still there and we shouldn’t relax. Can you imagine if the voting machines in one precinct were compromised in a future election what the psychological effect of such an event would have on those who fervently wish to flip an election? We need to continuously be vigilante in ensuring that voting machines are secure nationwide in all future elections and that compromises are quickly detected and addressed. Perhaps one way of doing that would be to have someone knowledgeable in cybersecurity such as Chris Krebs back in the administration ensuring our vigilance.
Steven, your writing is outstanding, and gives me hope that there is a way forward for the United States, albeit difficult. While I walk a path towards justice and fairness in my advocacy work, there are times when the ground does not seem secure. Corralling Trump is a tall task, as he incessantly preaches his doctrine on his Truth Social platform. His goal has always been to weaken and debilitate his foes, through intense and repeated verbal attacks. His drumbeat of negativity is incessant, and almost impossible to avoid in the media. FOX News extols Trump's outlandish claims, while centre and left-leaning sources cover Trump's litany of untruths. Fact checkers are pressed to keep up. The MAGA tent of alternative facts and fiction, offers a safe haven for those who blame conventional government and immigrants for their problems. Many followers knew Trump from his Realty Show TV days on The Apprentice, seemingly unaware that his touted business success was largely based upon falsified claims and records. They continued to watch him 'act' during his tenure in the White House. Trump appeals to their base instincts of territorial protectionism and biases. His fear-mongering of 'they (caravans of immigrants) are coming for you' fanned the flames of racism, and contributed to a spike in gun purchases, in a country that already has more guns than people. The MAGA fraternity cannot accept that the Harvard educated, Manhattan DA, Alvin Bragg, a man of colour, is prosecuting their idol. Trump also enlists Evangelicals to his cause, but his claim of Religious faith rings hollow. When asked, he is unable to recite any favourite Bible verse. His average, street level supporters do not circulate in the realm of country clubs and high-rise condos. Many are rural residents who believe Trump will lead them to 'the promised land'. I wonder if they know that, in a recorded video, their 'chosen one' said that 'stupid people' like him. Despite all the smoke and mirrors of distraction Donald Trump has created, he now finds himself ensnared in a tangled web of self-created lies and misrepresentation, from which there is no way out. We await the unravelling.
Steven, Fox News is a cancer on our body politic. The only way to deal with it is to cut it out! Unfortunately, like any cancer it has metasticized and spread into other areas all the way down to the local levels where we are now fighting book bans, reproductive care, and even means of voter suppression that have not been seen since the 60s.
Our system has become oligarchic (Russia anybody??), money and power and corruption are more the norm than the exception. But it is a bait and switch for those nihilistic, MAGA folks. It is the monied elite that grift off the fear, loss, and loathing of their supporters to keep their oligarchic lifestyles and distracts via the culture wars.
Until the wire fraud is consistently prosecuted, perjury (Clarence Thomas??) and the lies are called out and result in severe financial damage as we hope with Dominion, nothing will change. That is the core problem. Just enforce the laws we have. If we do this, we can stop cancer from spreading and cut it out where it exists.
Dear Mr. Beschloss,
I have some related questions about the continued cultish loyalty to the Orange One, which may have some sort of answer in...history.
Is it possible today to find a single citizen who now believes Nixon was innocent and was railroaded? Are there millions who believe this? What do we know about how long the continued belief in that high criminal persisted, and, related, the metastases continued to ripple through America?
I recall not long after that ouster asking many people if they had voted for RMN - some of whom I was fairly certain had. I couldn't find anyone who would admit it at the time. But my memory' likely faulty in that, and I was probably in a bubble. I'd bet there were many (millions?) who persisted in their loyalty. And still do.
This might give us a history-based idea how long these sorts of cultish loyalties can persist and continue harm our society. I will bet there are still those who believe in Jim Jones and would readily go stargaziing with Marshall Applewhite. I know Hitler still has his fans. Some of them American billionaires buying "Justices."
Can history be any sort of guide?
It'd be nice if some day a United Congress would pass an unvetoable bill that brought back the Fairness Doctrine, and imposed truth in advertising protocols for any outlet that wants to use the word 'news' in their media.
I do really like your writing. Have to say I nearly choked on my drink when I read who doesn't want to hear that their racism is okay....wow! Not this gal, that's for sure!
Your essay, Steven, speaks to the heart of perhaps the most fundamental and pressing issue that we face: the dichotomy between those of us who seek to ensure that this nation evolves in as moral a manner as possible, and those who - driven by ignorance, fear and superstition - would destroy democracy itself in their quest to retain power. The saving grace, if one is to be found, is that this fascist faction is in the minority. This faction, though, is still capable of wreaking untold damage.
But as to Trump: Putin's brilliance lies in having cultivated this horrible, little bigot - either wittingly on his part or unwittingly (but what's the difference?) - and unleashing him upon the national stage. Trump gives the evil minority legitimacy by encouraging them to amplify his vitriol to the point of open rebellion and violence. He must be held accountable.
The GOP has poisoned this country by supporting a liar, the NRA, every racist and Nazi and antisemite. They are not the party of patriotism but the party of the oligarchy. As long as their mega donors, corporations are happy with the lack of regulation and making them richer, they will continue their corrupt ways.
I have tried to understand the cult-like followers--to no avail! Those relationships to him are not fathomable! What is the appeal?
You may be correct Mr. Beschloss about the citizenry coming together. My sense is we may have a much different border in the future because the split is so ideological. It appears much like “irreconcilable differences” in any relationship. A lot will have to happen to bring us into a common fold! We have been kidding ourselves that we ever came together after the Civil War.