Wednesday, February 3, 2021

From America First to Hate America First in Two Weeks

 

  Joe Biden has been in the oval office for two weeks now and has already done an enormous amount of harm to the well being of America and our essential liberties.  Based on his slew of executive orders on his first day in office, Biden wasn’t so much about bringing the country together in unity, as his inauguration theme proposed, but rather he seemingly wanted to pacify the angry left-wing fringe groups that help make up way too much of his voter base.  It almost appears that the everyday blue collar working person that made up the majority of the Democrat base has become practically nonexistent these days.

    And what has Biden accomplished with his thirty plus executive orders, directives, and instructions for legislative priorities to the despicable Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer?  Well let’s look at what this administration has in store for America as sleepy Joe slams on the brakes, yanks the steering wheel to the left, and makes a sharp U-turn back into the sub-two percent GDP growth and infringements on constitutional rights that were hallmarks of the Obama administration.

    First off, Biden has made the stopping of the Keystone XL pipeline construction a huge priority in a nod to his environmental extremist base.  In doing so, he has already cost tens of thousands of jobs, many of which are union jobs that supposedly supported Joe.  Ironically, by stopping the pipeline from fields in Canada to refineries in Texas, Joe Biden has effectively made the cost of energy to go up in one fell swoop of his pen in the very near future. Of course, this will impact the poorest Americans with increased gas, heating, and energy prices.  Further, he has endangered the environment as that oil will now be put in trucks to transport across the country with far more inherent risks of accidents than what the pipeline ever posed.  To add insult to injury, Biden’s Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has already been floating the idea of a gas tax increase. 

    Second, as if that isn’t enough to kill jobs and increase energy prices, Biden plans on rejoining the Paris accords which hamstrings America in the name of negligible environmental gains at the cost of jobs and trillions of dollars, while China and India are able to still pollute with abandon.  Where is the upside for the planet with this, let alone America?  This is just one more example of Marxist policy and controls hiding under the guise of environmentalism.

    Third, illegal immigration is being supported by Biden as he halts construction on the border wall, works on a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, and looks to halt deportations.  I guess adding new Democrat voters somehow justifies ignoring a majority of Americans’ thoughts on this issue.  One does find it interesting to note that Biden wants to stop building a wall on our southern border to protect the nation from illegal aliens, but is fine with building a wall around the capitol to keep out American citizens.

    Fourth, as if giving illegal aliens citizenship and thereby voting rights isn’t enough of an affront to our republic, Joe and his Democrat Socialists want to make Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico into additional states, as these would-be perpetual Democrat strongholds and add four more Democrat/Socialist senators to the upper chamber.  A bill has already been put forth in the house regarding D.C. statehood accordingly. 

    The only problem with this is that Article I, Section 8 of our constitution provides explicitly for a national capital that would not be part of a state nor treated as a state, but rather a unique enclave under the exclusive authority of Congress — a neutral “district” in which representatives of all the states could meet on an equal footing to conduct the nation’s business.  Far be it for Democrats to actually abide by the constitution though.

    Fifth, with our nation floundering in enormous debt, “devout Catholic” Joe Biden thinks it is a good use of taxpayer dollars to federally fund more abortions, including on an international level.  It is morally repugnant enough to be killing our unborn children, let alone funding this with our tax dollars.  Why this is so vitally important to Biden, including doing this on an international scale is beyond ghoulish.  We are endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights to LIFE, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness -- unless you are an unborn child and devout Catholic Joseph Biden sits in the oval office.

    It doesn’t stop there though.  Joe thinks that biological males should be able to compete in women’s sports and transgender people should be able to serve in the military.  Despite the left’s anti-science view on the issue, there is indeed a biological difference between men and women.  Joe has insured that transgender men will now be dominating many women’s sports at biological women’s expense in the years to come.  Further, the fact of the matter is that there are typically many attributable psychological troubles that are attached to transgender individuals.  I think these people should be given our prayers and our help where possible, but putting them in highly stressful circumstances in the armed forces seems like an exceptionally bad idea to anyone that stops to consider the real-world ramifications of this foolish and potentially dangerous decision.

    Seventh, Joe Biden wants to do away with the falsely named “Muslim Ban” that President Trump expanded slightly from the existing program under the Obama Administration.  Trump simply wanted to eliminate immigration to America by people from certain Middle Eastern nations which were potentially hostile towards America and that we were unable to vet the backgrounds of the people coming here.  It was a measure to protect American citizens from potential terrorists.  Put America last again, Joe. 

    But Joe has agreed with the leftist rhetoric that it is xenophobic and hateful.  This is so much so that Joe also intends to re-engage with the leading state-sponsored terrorist nation of Iran in the egregiously and perniciously flawed Iran nuclear deal.  Joe thinks allowing Iran to thumb their noses at us as we literally pay them billions of dollars under Obama to continue their nuclear weapons program is a fine idea. 

    Ninth, Biden didn’t think we citizens were worthy of knowing before the election, as he specifically stated, what he would do regarding packing the Supreme Court of the United States.  Well, he has enacted a commission already to see what needs to be done to reform the court so that no constitutionally conservative opinion will ever be rendered from SCOTUS ever again. So much for co-equal branches of government.

    Tenth, the leftist minions mock the fact that Joe and the left want to take away legal firearms from citizens.  They aren’t necessarily trying to do this through a direct ban on guns yet, but I am sure the “more than ten round magazines” and the scary looking “military style” weapons will be the subjects of specific gun banning legislation soon.  The more immediate threat though is Biden’s stated desire to is repeal the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.  This law states that firearms manufacturers cannot be sued for the illegal use of their products by other people.  You see, the anti-gun left was trying to sue firearms companies for criminals illegally using guns.  They would not win these cases typically, but the burden on gun manufacturers having to defend against each lawsuit was potentially reaching the point of bankruptcy for some.  The legislation was passed to protect a legitimate, legal, and constitutionally recognized business from being attacked by people that simply did not like guns.  Biden wants to repeal this law and thereby jeopardize gun manufacturers to the anti-gun vultures on the left.  This gives him plausible deniability that HE didn’t take away your guns.  There simply weren’t companies left that could manufacture a weapon at a reasonable price anymore.  This is akin to car manufacturers being held responsible for the actions of drunk drivers.  Common sense has often been at war with the left though.

    There are dozens of other issues that Joe Biden has sought to do battle against in his first two weeks in office as well.  He isn’t just content to destroy America’s energy independence and the jobs that it created, but he wants to rejoin the China-lackey World Health Organization that was an accessory to the spread of the China virus we all know as Covid-19.  He also wants to disband the vitally necessary DOD Space Force Department.  He even is so threatened by the truth that he wants the 1776 commission disbanded.  It was created as a necessary truth alternative to the fictional accounts of the 1619 project.  As Colonel Nathan Jessup once said, evidently Biden cannot handle the truth.  And disparate ideas, grounded in truth, are definitely something the left does not want to contend with.  Far better to eliminate opposing viewpoints.  Bye bye free speech!

    So, in two short weeks we have gone from what was a rising America-first agenda, where the economy was growing, the nation was energy independent, our constitutional rights were relatively secure, and our nation and its borders and interests were protected to a hate-America agenda where Gitmo terrorists are offered Covid19 vaccines ahead of citizens, our borders are opened to illegals, and our tax dollars are being offered up on the altar of global Marxism… errr… I meant environmentalism.  Yep.  These next four years under the Big Guy, if he can cognitively last that long, will be one hell of a downward ride.  But America will know its place once again, under Biden, and it won’t be number one.

53 comments:

Anonymous said...

Blame Trump will be the response to your factual post by the weak minded liberals.

Darrell Michaels said...

Perhaps Anonymous.

It isn't the liberals I have qualms with, however. Liberals still believe in America and the constitution. They just have a different interpretation of how to go about it.

Leftists, on the other hand, are against the constitution and the rule of law, other than as a point of propaganda. They are for "fundamentally transforming America" by any means necessary. They are not for the rule of law, except when it helps their cause. They are for socialism/Marxism and anything that advances that agenda.

You can have a discussion and agree on principles with a liberal. A leftist though will consider you "an enemy of democracy" and will invoke all the cliche Nazi memes against you. They will engage in intimidation, marginalization, and cancel culture methods to shut up an naysayers. They are the modern unwitting minions of Marx and Alinsky.

Anonymous said...

Agree, or disagree with your rant, it is dripping with hate and anger.
Many Americans disliked Trump's policies, but America did vote for him as president. Millions of Americans dislike Biden's policies, but America did elect him president.
America felt it was time for a change.You disagree.
No presidential policies in my life time have destroyed America, yet, at the time both sides claimed they would, as you do now.
Your emotions are blocking logic and reality. I promise you America will be alive and well at the end of Biden's term.
I could factually dispute what you have said, but you would not listen. It's a waste of time to debate with a brick wall mind.

Darrell Michaels said...

Anonymous, thanks for your comment.

In the past, I might have agreed with you that both sides ramp up the rhetoric that the other side is destroying the nation, especially after elections. The results have been that the nation has survived.

There are significant differences this time though. The country has never been this divided and angry at the other side in my lifetime. Too many on the left have spent a majority of 2020 rioting/protesting and destroying cities. The right had a contingent of idiots that stormed the capitol. Both sides actually despise and hate the other.

Then when you have a new administration that is truly fundamentally changing the country through executive orders, directives, and legislation that seeks to undermine or infringe on rights, and upturn legislation that protected America, well yes... I think the country may very well be in its death throes.

The fact that Biden wants to pack the court and disenfranchise and/or dilute American citizens' votes with legislation and EO's suggest that they intend to change the process so that the left will hold power from here on out. If that ends up being the case, half of the country will not stand for it and another civil war could legitimately be the result. I pray not, but Biden's call for unity while insisting on conformity will only exacerbate the issue.

Anonymous said...

You seem to rely on reality that has not happened yet.
The country voted for Biden, and Biden made no secret about what he would do. Signing those orders is exactly what he told Americans he would. His "Rescue" plan is exactly what he told Americans he would do and they voted for him. Putting judges in place that reflects the philosophy of the majority party is usual. What do you think the Republicans have been doing for years?
You must be young and did not live through the violent riots of the 1960's and 1970's. Our situation now, is not unique.
"through executive orders, directives, and legislation that seeks to undermine or infringe on rights"
What rights are being infringed on?
Death throes?
You have a flare (flame) for the overly dramatic.
How is Biden disenfranchising, or diluting American votes by packing the court (which he hasn't done yet) or by signing EO's? What EO's has he signed that would hurt the vote?
America has been debating making Puerto Rico a State for 100 years. Nothing new there.
I agree with you that making D.C. a State would take a constitutional amendment, but I am in sympathy with those residents who have no representation. They should.

Anonymous said...

The Truth:
The vast majority of criminals who rob, rape, shoot and kill Americans in tens of Thousands each year, and the people who did almost of the rioting looting arson and assaults on cops in 2020, never wore MAGA hats.
Patrick J. Buchanan
Former Senior Adviser to three presidents

Dave Dubya said...

Darrell,
If you’d really prefer not to have a civil war, it might help if you didn’t promote the terrorists’ cause and falsely accuse those who disagree with as hating America. Trump lost. This fact is so disturbing to you, that you now side with Trump and the terrorists.

In an effort to adhere as close to the truth as I can, I need to inform you that you quoted something falsely attributed to a socialist. (A socialist wrote the “Pledge of Allegiance”.)

“In a time of deceit telling the truth is a revolutionary act.”

https://quoteinvestigator.com/2013/02/24/truth-revolutionary/

This serves as a clue to the nature of the rest of the content.

Let’s compare some other real quotes:

“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” Orwell 1984

“Just remember, what you are seeing and what you are reading is not what’s happening.”– Trump

"A generation of the unteachable is hanging upon us like a necklace of corpses." - George Orwell

I think Orwell nailed it.

From It’s OK If You’re A Republican (IOKIYAR) Exhibit 10,234.

You regard executive orders by Trump to dismantle Obama polices as justified, but Biden’s executive orders to reestablish the same policies is “tyranny”. Never mind the will of the majority of voters was behind both Obama and Biden, and NOT behind Trump. “Tyranny of the minority” is a conservative value.

Let's discuss your ten points, shall we?

Dave Dubya said...

First off: A State Department report concluded the Keystone XL project would require fewer than 2,000 two-year construction jobs and that the number of jobs would hover around 35 after construction. Hardly “tens of thousands of union jobs”.

As you promote the tar sands goop that would certainly spill onto Native American land and watersheds, we in Michigan remember the billion-dollar-plus Kalamazoo, Michigan, disaster of 2010, which energy company Enbridge admitted was tar sands oil. No truck accident could have caused such a devastating disaster.

Department of Energy data shows Keystone XL is primarily a Canadian export pipeline
https://www.nrdc.org/experts/anthony-swift/department-energy-data-shows-keystone-xl-export-pipeline

Second. The Paris Agreement is a non-enforceable agreement to limit air pollution that contributes to global warming.

Facts from Wiki: The Paris Agreement, with its emphasis on consensus-building, allows for voluntary and nationally determined targets. The specific climate goals are thus politically encouraged, rather than legally bound. The Paris Agreement's long-term temperature goal is to keep the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 °C (3.6 °F) above pre-industrial levels; and to pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 °C (2.7 °F), recognizing that this would substantially reduce the risks and impacts of climate change.

China has pledged to reach peak CO2 emissions by 2030, at the latest, and outlined other programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/submissions/indc/Submission%20Pages/submissions.aspx

In other words, no hamstrings attached. There is nothing “Marxist” about it, other than it gives the radical Right another boogie man to frighten their children, and gullible hateful adults.

Third. Biden is evil for not wasting money on a useless wall and for not brutally punishing asylum seekers and children. Very non-authoritarian. And who is responsible for the need for walls at the Capitol and White House? Gee, Trump and his terrorists can’t be blamed, amirite?

Fourth. Equal voting rights and representation are very bad. Only white conservatives should be allowed to vote and be represented. Otherwise, Marxism and socialism.

Fifth. Forget about the debt when it comes to $1.5 trillion in tax cuts for corporations and the rich. The Hyde Amendment prohibits federal funding of abortions. The right to life liberty and happiness would not apply to women forced to give birth to their rapist’s child. We must all submit to conservative religious beliefs that a zygote is a person. (Jesus never mentioned abortion.)

Sixth. Transgender people must know their place and stay there.

Seventh. Trump wanted to ban all Muslims from entering America. None of the 9-11 terrorists came from the countries under Trump’s ban. Muslim Americans residing in the U.S. have been cut off from their families and friends who are barred from entering the country..Immigrants are actually vetted. Radical Right domestic terrorists now present the greatest threat.

Eighth. We are NOT “paying” Iran billions of dollars. It was after Trump crapped on the Iran deal when they reactivated their program. Iran has never attacked another country, but the US has imposed crushing sanctions on them since they ejected the US imposed dictator Shah. No Iranian supported terrorist has killed anyone in the US. Saudis did, and they are best friends of Trump’s cartel.

Ninth. The Republican-packed Supreme Court doesn’t represent the will of the American people. Republican presidents won a majority vote in ONE of the past SEVEN presidential elections, yet they have seated 6 of the 9 Justices. McConnell lied about “letting the people decide” 8 months from an election, when denying Merrick Garland. He rammed through Barrett DURING an election. This is con-servatism’s idea of justice.

Dave Dubya said...

Tenth. American were free for 200 years before the plague of high capacity magazines in convertible semi-automatic weapons. They will be just as free without them. Common sense tells us drug dealers and the Oxycontin Cartel share part of the blame for overdoses and addiction. Negligent bartenders share part of the blame for selling to drunk drivers. Manufacturers of lethal weapons are the primary source for gun violence.

I’m a gun owner and I know two things. No wild game stands still for ten shots, and no self-defense ever required more than a ten round magazine, but who cares? But white conservatives get angry and have tantrums if manufacturers and dealers are held accountable. They “need” their precious toys and weapons of mass death, or tools of insurrection.

How many American children would be alive if there was no easy access to weapons of war? Sorry, kids. Gotta keep those school shooters well armed, because “freedom”, amirite?

After federal agents traced the guns used in the “Beltway Sniper” attacks back to Bull’s Eye Shooter Supply, they discovered that the retailer failed to keep required records of the gun sales and had lost more than 238 guns over the previous three years—guns that were supposed to be in their inventory. Victims’ families sued the snipers, Bull’s Eye, as well as the gun manufacturer, Bushmaster, arguing that the store was responsible for the shootings because of its negligent sales practices and that Bushmaster was responsible because it continued to supply firearms to the store despite the store’s known negligence.”
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/guns-crime/reports/2016/01/15/128949/immunizing-the-gun-industry-the-harmful-effect-of-the-protection-of-lawful-commerce-in-arms-act/

The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act is designed to give such dealers immunity. It is wrong.

If the “World Health Organization that was an accessory to the spread of the China virus” what about Trump and the covidiots who refused to wear masks, refused to promote masks, and mocked those who did wear them?

Dave Dubya said...

The reactionary “1776 commission” was an attempt to downplay the effects of slavery and racism in our history. A bigots dream. Thus, Trump liked it.

The American Historical Association wrote:

The AHA has issued a statement condemning the report from “The President’s Advisory 1776 Commission.” “Written hastily in one month after two desultory and tendentious ‘hearings,’” the AHA writes, “without any consultation with professional historians of the United States, the report fails to engage a rich and vibrant body of scholarship that has evolved over the last seven decades.” 46 organizations have signed onto the statement.

AHA Condemns Report of Advisory 1776 Commission (January 2021)

(Excerpt)

“...An apparent attempt to reject recent efforts to understand the multiple ways the institution of slavery shaped our nation’s history. The authors call for a form of government indoctrination of American students, and in the process elevate ignorance about the past to a civic virtue. The report actually consists of two main themes. One is an homage to the Founding Fathers, a simplistic interpretation that relies on falsehoods, inaccuracies, omissions, and misleading statements. The other is a screed against a half-century of historical scholarship, presented largely as a series of caricatures, using single examples (most notably the “1619 Project”) to represent broader historiographical trends.

Ironically, the report erases whole swaths of the American population-enslaved people, Indigenous communities, and women-the way the founders excluded those groups from the body politic in a wide variety of founding documents as well as actual public practice. In listing threats to the ideals of the nation, the report ignores the Confederate States of America, whose leaders, many clearly guilty of treason, initiated a civil war that claimed more than 700,000 lives-more American lives than all other conflicts in the history of the country combined. Instead, the authors focus on early 20th-century Progressive reformers and bizarrely suggest they were similar to Mussolini and other World War II European fascists. Of particular note is the implied condemnation of Progressive Era legislation-workplace health and safety legislation, regulation of the production of food and drugs, the elimination of child labor, and other social goods we take for granted today.

The report concludes with a full-throated assault on American universities, which, the authors claim, have produced what they call “deliberately destructive scholarship.” This scholarship is described as the “intellectual force behind so much of the violence in our cities,” including the “defamation of our treasured national statues.”


https://www.historians.org/news-and-advocacy/aha-advocacy/aha-statement-condemning-report-of-advisory-1776-commission-(january-2021)


And you wonder why I call you and the GOP enemies of democracy. I have made my case abundantly clear on this, and so do you. You want to cancel millions of American voters because you believe Trump’s lie.

Dave Dubya said...


Dear Darrell,

I understand why you don't want anyone to see my comments. I bring up truths that you would prefer to deny. Your angry lie-filled MAGA brain sees it as "hating America".

I get it. I understand authoritarian personalities.

Did you see the video of your fellow Trump supporters in Harrison Arkansas reacting to the white guy with a BLM sign? Very interesting.

“But BLM are the Real Racists!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltmlvk9GAto&feature=youtu.be

No racism there, nosiree. Just good conservative white patriots.

But America will know its place once again, under Biden, and it won’t be number one.

It was Trump, not Biden, who passed state secrets to Russians in the Oval Office, as he gloated about firing “nut job” Comey to stop the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. It was Trump, not Biden, who sided with Putin over our intelligence community in Helsinki.

It was Trump’s, not Biden’s, “zero tolerance” that deliberately separated children from parents and locked them in cages, traumatizing them for life. Maybe if they were fetuses they’d get more compassion? It was Trump, not Biden, who told cops to “not be so nice”. Cruelty was, and is, the point with authoritarians. There’s no conscience to bother them when it comes to the suffering of “others”.

It was Trump, not Biden, who incited a mob to insurrection with his Big Lie of a stolen election.

And let’s not forget all the racist hate groups who obeyed Trump’s orders to “march to the Capitol, fight like hell, stop the steal, and take our country back”. Loyal Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, 3%ers, racist cops and military goons and deranged Qanon and militia nuts followed their authoritarian leader’s commands.

It was under Trump, not Biden, that our history of peaceful transition of power was terminated. It was under Trump, not Biden, when fencing needed to be put up around the White House and Capitol.

It was Trump who made America the #1 banana republic. How great is that?

Better blame all those "leftists" and 81 million Biden voters for "hating America", amirite?

Yours in censorship,

Dave Dubya

Dave Dubya said...

"Gitmo terrorists are offered Covid19 vaccines ahead of citizens,"

Shall we assume you also don't want Trump's terrorists vaccinated? Didn't think so.

I realize how infuriated you are about this. May I suggest a common sense explanation? Viral infections in prisons spread to guards and staff.

Also the cost for hospitalization is exponentially higher than vaccinations. Whatever happened to "fiscal responsibility"?

I say vaccinate everyone. The same is true for Trump's terrorists.

It's like the radical Right WANTS more people to get sick and die. They refuse to wear masks and mock those who do.

Conservative compassion is indeed boundless.

Rain Trueax said...

Biden claimed he was a moderate-- clearly a lie given what he's been doing since he got the power.

He said he'd make his cabinet diverse but he only sees diversity in color as he has nobody who is not an extreme left winger that I can see. The left's idea of diversity isn't about thinking or ideas.

As bad as I thought Biden would be, he's worse and it's not over.

Dave Dubya said...

Darrell,
Do you know what projection is?

You accusation above is, "They will engage in intimidation, marginalization, and cancel culture methods to shut up an naysayers."

Just a reminder that you refuse to post most of my comments, while I have never refused any of yours. It epitomizes the unwillingness of the radical Right to engage in fair discourse. It is proof of intolerance.

And yes, Trump's cult of white nationalist brainwashed terrorists are enemies of democracy. It's incredible how you can dismiss and minimalize his goddamn insurrection!

Instead you promote their cause. Shame on you.

But then again, "A cult is not a cult to a cult".

And I bet you have no idea what that means.

Dave Dubya said...

Darrell, January 8:

"Dave, Trump was wrong to give encouragement and a wink and a nod to the protestors and delaying any attempt to rein them back. He was complicit."

Note the violent insurrectionists are called
"protesters".

Note BLM protesters were mocked as "peaceful", and they were. Some of us can separate criminal behavior from protesting. Darrell did not.


Darrell, January 19th:
"In 2020 I voted for President Trump because despite his many faults, like him, I love our country too."

Really? Does ordering a mob to march on the Capitol to disrupt congress and watching the insurrection on TV for hours and doing nothing about it show he "loves our country".

But I "hate America" for disagreeing with you and Trump, amirite?

Dave Dubya said...

Another America-hater?

Liz Cheney tells Fox News Sunday she won’t resign.

“People have been lied to. The extent to which President Trump for months leading up to Jan. 6th spread the notion that the election had been stolen or that the election was rigged was a lie and people need to understand that. We are the party of Lincoln, we are not the party of QAnon or anti-Semitism or Holocaust-deniers, or white supremacy or conspiracy theories. That's not who we are. We believe in conservative principles and conservative values. Somebody who has provoked an attack on the US Capitol to prevent the counting of electoral votes, which resulted in 5 people dying, who refused to stand up immediately...& stop the violence, that is a person who does not have a role as a leader of our party going forward.”

Says GOP must show it “can be trusted to handle the challenges this nation faces like COVID and that's going to require us to focus on substance and policy & issues going forward. But we should not be embracing the former president.”

Dave Dubya said...

If you dare...

From the “Powell Memo” to Murdoch and FOX(R), to Limbaugh, Alex Jones, ONN, Trump, Qanon, etc. These are examples of how America was being groomed by the Right’s propaganda machine for decades.
===

https://www.thebrainwashingofmydad.com/

The Brainwashing of My Dad


The truth behind the right-wing media machine that changed a father—and divided the nation

Ms Senko’s groundbreaking film examines the rise of right-wing media through the lens of her father, whose immersion in its daily propaganda had radicalized him. His new fanaticism rocked the very foundation of their family. She discovered that this phenomenon was occurring with alarming frequency in living rooms across America. The film reveals the consequences that this radicalized media is having on people, families, America, and the world.

THE VAST RIGHT-WING CONSPIRACY, CULT-REPUBLICANS AND DONALD J. TRUMP: HOW THE HECK DID WE GET HERE?

As filmmaker, Jen Senko, tries to understand the transformation of her father from a non political, life-long Democrat to an angry, right-wing fanatic, she uncovers the forces behind the media that changed him completely: a plan by Roger Ailes under Nixon for a media takeover by the GOP, The Powell Memo urging business leaders to influence institutions of public opinion -especially the universities, the media and the courts, and under Reagan, the dismantling of the Fairness Doctrine, and The Telecommunications 'Reform' Act signed by Bill Clinton.
As her journey continues, we discover that her father is part of a much broader demographic, and that the story is one that affects us all.

“Brainwashing” unravels the plan to shift the country to the Right over the last 30 years, largely through media manipulation. The result has led to fewer voices, less diversity of opinion, massive intentional misinformation and greater division of our country.

This documentary shines a light on how it happened (and is still happening) and leads to questions about who owns the airwaves, what rights we have as listeners/watchers and what responsibility does our government have to keep the airwaves truly fair, accurate and accountable to the truth.

Trailer:

Who am I kidding? You would NEVER DARE. Just as you would NEVER share the truth. Just as you would NEVER dare to question Trump's Big Lie.

Dave Dubya said...

Oh, the outrage! The Super Bowl was STOLEN!
The Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers stole it from them!
Not fair! Rigged! Fight like hell! Take back our Super Bowl!
Make Football Great Again!
If you disagree, you are an America-hating Marxist!

Dave Dubya said...


Country music singer Morgan Wallen was caught on video using the N word. What happened after that?

His sales rose 1,220% last Wednesday as compared to the day before.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/08/entertainment/morgan-wallen-record-sales/index.html

No racism in good white country music fans, nosiree. If you disagree, you are a Marxist who hates America.

Dave Dubya said...

Two in 3 Americans approve of President Biden’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, according to a poll by ABC News-Ipsos, with widespread support for his efforts to pass a relief bill.

All those Marxists really hate America, amirite?

Dave Dubya said...

Republican Charles J. Cooper, said that Republicans were wrong to assert that it is unconstitutional for a former president to be tried for impeachable offenses.

Yet another Marxist who hates America.

Darrell Michaels said...

Dave, you must be REALLY bored or have nothing better to do with your life. I have twenty comments of various lucidity of thought from you over the weekend.

That said, I don't champion the cause of terrorists. I champion free and fair elections and constitutional governance of our republic. Anyone that disagrees with you is by your own words, "an enemy of democracy." Anyone that disagrees with the organization of BLM is a racist according to you. Anyone that thinks Antifa uses fascistic tactics is a liar and authoritarian to you.

What does your side propose to do with champions of terrorist, enemies of democracy, racists, and authoritarians, Mr. Dubya?

And you accuse me of stoking a civil war?!? I guess your side is righteous and justified though, correct? ;)

Darrell Michaels said...

First, on the pipeline, I admit my source who is a union member may not have been as accurate as I first thought. That said, 1K are already cut for jobs. 8K of 11K that were supposed to be hired this year were to be further union members according to the Canadian company owning the pipeline. Those jobs are now gone. Further, the reduced energy prices that are most beneficial to the poor will necessarily rise as a matter of supply and demand. I have seen fuel prices up over 30 cents a gallon since Biden took office.

By the way, my wife who is a college professor would dock you for using wikipedia as a source. It is very unreliable in its veracity, not that CNN or the NY Times is any better.

Oh, and the "non-enforecable Paris accords", well... if it is not enforceable then why would anyone join? America will abide by it but China sure as hell won't. I guess it makes the left "feel" better that they are doing something though.

As for the border wall, it substantially cut down on illegal immigration and gave our border control a chance to see who was actually trying to come into our country. I can see why you would characterize that as useless, since all the left sees is future Democrats.

Despite all of the rhetoric and propaganda, abortion is the killing of an unborn human. That is an inarguable fact. The rest is simply justification. Taxpayer dollars, at the very least should not be used for something that most Americans regard as highly controversial at the very least. And you are pathetic if you actually think Jesus Christ would be in support of abortion. How do you even apply logic to that statement?

Next, in Dave's world, it is okay for men to compete as women in sports and displace biological women accordingly. Further, transgender people should be able to use the public restroom of their choosing and the hell with the privacy rights and possible safety of other women. Mighty tolerant of you!

You are a damned fool regarding Iran. They are sitting on a sea of oil, but want nuclear for "power" only, as they enrich their fuel well beyond levels needed for nuclear reactors. They were already refusing inspections long before Trump pulled us out of that horrific agreement. Iran has been responsible through their republican guard corps and proxies for direct killing of Americans and our allies in Iraq, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia. But Trump doesn't like them so they must be good, right?

As for SCOTUS, I agree that McConnell was wrong in not allowing a vote on the Garland nomination as I said even at that time. That does NOT justify packing the court now in order to ensure leftist legislation is not over-ruled for it un-constitutionality by the Supreme Court.

Dave Dubya said...

I'm surprised you let the comments through. Thanks.

Since you didn't offer any evidence to counter my points, I'll conclude they have a certain lucidity. (They do.)

"That said, I don't champion the cause of terrorists."

You certainly do. You support their deranged belief that Trump won, and the election was stolen.

I bet you would claim anyone shouting "Allah Akbar" and "Death to America" are championing the cause of terrorists.

If not, well, how open minded of you. ;-)

I disagree with a lot of people over a lot of things, but would never insist that disagreement means they are enemies of democracy. However the Insurrection was a terrorist act against our democracy. Anyone who promotes their lie is abetting their war on democracy.

It's not complicated.

By the way, I don't hate America, no matter what your fringe ideology tells you. The same applies to our people, Constitution and democratic Republic.

What I hate are willful ignorance, bigotry, racism and dishonesty. I try not to hate people as individuals. Some don't know any better.

It's Trump and other radical Right liars, racists and hate-mongers I feel hate for. NOT America. See the difference?

And the "hate" I feel isn't the kind that makes me wish them death or harm, unlike the Radical Right Trumpists feel for me and our democracy.

I'm sure none of this will be taken sincerely, and further accusations will be forthcoming.

That's OK. I can take it, and I know WHY it happens. Those special "beliefs" of the radical Right are quite visible to me and other rational informed people. And I don't know a single Marxist.

Oh, and you're not a Nazi, no matter how many Big Lies you believe. Although your beliefs do happen to closely align with other terrorist groups who stormed the Capitol. I've yet to see you condemn the Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, 3%er's, etc.

Combining that with your rage for BLM and people you think "hate America" might suggest a wee streak of white nationalism, though.

Two more things.

Nobody will be taking your guns.

Nobody will be taking you to a commie re-education camp.

I hope this can settle your fears down a bit.

Darrell Michaels said...

No Dave. You are wrong again. The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act does not provide immunity for dealers or manufacturers that are grossly negligent or complicit with illegal activities. That was specifically a part of the law.

Now the Democrats, with their proposed HR127 bill are looking to establish a database and requires private owners to register their firearms. The bill, when it is passed, will require a federal license and insurance for all gun owners. And of course it will restrict scary "military" style weapons, .50 cal ammunition, and magazines larger than ten rounds. Frankly I don't give a damn what Dave thinks Americans need to own or not own for their personal firearms, but just like everything else you are wrong about, you are wrong on this too. The left is indeed coming for our guns and the second amendment can be damned. One wonders if their will be exceptions for BLM or Antifa.

As for masks, unless you are using a N-95 or better mask, they do not work. But, it makes the left feel like they are doing something.

Dave Dubya said...

Your wife would understand if the wiki source IS the Paris Agreement itself.

Facts from Wiki: The Paris Agreement, with its emphasis on consensus-building, allows for voluntary and nationally determined targets. The specific climate goals are thus politically encouraged, rather than legally bound. The Paris Agreement's long-term temperature goal is to keep the increase in global average temperature to well below 2 °C (3.6 °F) above pre-industrial levels; and to pursue efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 °C (2.7 °F), recognizing that this would substantially reduce the risks and impacts of climate change

Wiki’s source:
https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/english_paris_agreement.pdf

Your point is taken on the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, but proving “proximate cause” would be barrier to those without massive amounts of money to take on the seller or manufacturer. See what an open mind can do?

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/109/s397/text

(5) QUALIFIED CIVIL LIABILITY ACTION-
(A) IN GENERAL- The term `qualified civil liability action' means a civil action or proceeding or an administrative proceeding brought by any person against a manufacturer or seller of a qualified product, or a trade association, for damages, punitive damages, injunctive or declaratory relief, abatement, restitution, fines, or penalties, or other relief, resulting from the criminal or unlawful misuse of a qualified product by the person or a third party, but shall not include--
(i) an action brought against a transferor convicted under section 924(h) of title 18, United States Code, or a comparable or identical State felony law, by a party directly harmed by the conduct of which the transferee is so convicted;
(ii) an action brought against a seller for negligent entrustment or negligence per se;
(iii) an action in which a manufacturer or seller of a qualified product knowingly violated a State or Federal statute applicable to the sale or marketing of the product, and the violation was a proximate cause of the harm for which relief is sought, including--
(I) any case in which the manufacturer or seller knowingly made any false entry in, or failed to make appropriate entry in, any record required to be kept under Federal or State law with respect to the qualified product, or aided, abetted, or conspired with any person in making any false or fictitious oral or written statement with respect to any fact material to the lawfulness of the sale or other disposition of a qualified product; or
(II) any case in which the manufacturer or seller aided, abetted, or conspired with any other person to sell or otherwise dispose of a qualified product, knowing, or having reasonable cause to believe, that the actual buyer of the qualified product was prohibited from possessing or receiving a firearm or ammunition under subsection (g) or (n) of section 922 of title 18, United States Code;


I don’t think it will be repealed. Remember I have firearms too.

Now about masks. They work. They have been proven to work. What do I mean by "work"?

They help the wearer somewhat. That has been shown.

While only the best will block a virus droplet, almost any covering will inhibit the SPREAD and dispersion of droplets from symptomatic or asymptomatic carriers.

It works like this:

You can easily piss on my leg when I'm wearing pants. You can't easily piss on my leg when your pants are zipped.

I hope that makes sense to you. It does to science.

Darrell Michaels said...

The 1776 report was done by distinguished historians, including the President of Hillsdale College, and members of the Heritage Foundation. I know that is enough to discredit it to you and the left though, even those these are not fringe right organizations.

From a message sent to me by Larry Arn, President of Hillsdale College:

"I was proud last year to accept President Trump’s appointment to chair the President’s Advisory 1776 Commission. Also appointed to the Commission was Victor Davis Hanson, the Wayne and Marcia Buske Distinguished Fellow in History here at Hillsdale. Matthew Spalding, dean of our Van Andel Graduate School of Government in Washington, D.C., served as the Commission’s executive director.

The Commission issued its 1776 Report this past Monday. The report calls for a return to the unifying principles stated in the Declaration of Independence. It quotes the greatest Americans, black and white, men and women, in devotion to these principles. It acknowledges the many ways we have fallen short of them even as it celebrates, following Abraham Lincoln, the influence for good that they exercised to the benefit of all. It acknowledges the way we fall short of them today and argues that it is only by returning to them that our current evils can be corrected. It calls for a civics education that fosters reverence for these principles, beginning with an accurate and honest teaching of American history. It is not a partisan document.

The Wall Street Journal, the New York Post, and other publications have made positive note of the report. The New York Times, the Washington Post, and other mainstream media organizations condemned the report, almost entirely for things it does not say. On Wednesday, the 1776 Commission was abolished by one of President Biden’s first executive orders.

I invite you to read the report here: https://info.hillsdale.edu/1776-commission"

I'd recommend you read it instead of relying on leftist media outlets to characterize it for you. I know you'd like to believe the hugely discredited (by many historians of all political persuasions) 1619 report instead that says America was founded on slavery and is a racist and horrible nation ever since. And you wonder why I think some leftists hate America. Hint: Its because many of the lefts actions and thoughts indicate that they do hate America.

Darrell Michaels said...

"Dear Darrell, I understand why you don't want anyone to see my comments. I bring up truths that you would prefer to deny. Your angry lie-filled MAGA brain sees it as 'hating America'."

Dear Readers, this is the sort of nonsense and worse that Mr. Dave Dubya submits constantly. He is bored and wants only to provoke and incite. Evidently he thinks that he has a constitutional right to say whatever filth, nonsense, and lies he wants on my blog. When I occasionally refuse to print some of the more nasty stuff, Mr. Dubya characterizes that as censorship. The irony is palpable coming from a leftist. I have published much of his rants so that you good readers can see the character of the person that personifies the leftist hate-America religion.

Now, moving on. Mr. Dubya,unlike you, I have no problem criticizing and condemning the right when they are wrong and have consistently done so over the years. Trump's nonsense in Helsinki is one of them. He was way out of line. He was also way out of line in pulling our troops out of Syria when he did to protect the Kurds. And although it was not up to the standard of inciting violence, Trump was wrong in his speech on 1/6. Now, one wonders when I will ever see the day that you ever have a disparaging word for a leftist, unless that leftist mistakenly drifts to the right momentarily that is.

Those children in cages of which you speak. Yeah Trump ended that. Those cages were built and used during the OBAMA/BIDEN administration.

The cops shouldn't be so nice? Yeah, they should continue to stand there as Antifa fascists throw bricks, blind them with lasers, and attempt to barricade them in police stations before lighting them on fire. If only the "racist" cops had been nicer. The idiocy is beyond compare here.

Darrell Michaels said...

Hi Rain. Well said and absolutely correct. Biden sees diversity as the color of a persons skin; the content of a persons character or ideas are not prerequisites to serve in this administration. Yes, sadly things are going to get far worse under this "moderate president".

Darrell Michaels said...

I disagree with Liz Cheney on several things there, but I think the party does a huge disservice to itself to punish her for her vote. That should be up to the voters to decide, and I suspect they will.

Darrell Michaels said...

" “Brainwashing” unravels the plan to shift the country to the Right over the last 30 years, largely through media manipulation. The result has led to fewer voices, less diversity of opinion, massive intentional misinformation and greater division of our country." ~ Dubya

Good lord. So what flavor is that Kool Aide you drink?

The country has hardly shifted to the right over the last 30 years as we have elected Clinton, Bush, and Obama. These were all big government leaders and an anathema to conservativism. And you THINK the media has been the cause?!?! CANT. STOP. LAUGHING. The overwhelming majority of the mainstream media is way left of center and partisan as hell accordingly. I know you don't think so though... just have another chug...

Darrell Michaels said...

"Republican Charles J. Cooper, said that Republicans were wrong to assert that it is unconstitutional for a former president to be tried for impeachable offenses. Yet another Marxist who hates America." ~ Dubya

I don't know if Cooper is a RINO, Marxist, or just ignorant. The purpose of impeachment is to remove a president from office. In case you missed it, Trump is out of office. He is therefore a private citizen now. If he has committed a crime, he should be charged under the law accordingly.

Perhaps we should impeach private citizen Dave Dubya too even though he isn't in office. I suspect the political theater would not be as grand though. It makes about as much sense nevertheless, although the left these days don't ever stop to consider what their anti-constitutional behaviors will bring them in the years to come as our republic crumbles under their socialism.

Darrell Michaels said...

FYI: I don't watch Fox news hardly ever anymore. I get my leftwing news from PMS-NBC.

Dave Dubya said...

Darrell,
Thank you again for opening up our discussion.

I’m hoping we understand how masks work now. They help. Ask Chris Christie and the Trump gang who mocked wearing masks. Yeah, they got infected. Herman Cain died from it.

”1619 report instead that says America was founded on slavery and is a racist and horrible nation ever since. And you wonder why I think some leftists hate America.”

Well, there’s your problem. Someone told you, “1619 claims America was founded on slavery and is a racist and horrible nation ever since”. You never actually read, did you?

I can be truthful and admit I haven’t read 1776. Better educated people than I am have read it, though, and I trust them more than people who think Trump won the election.

Here’s a good one for you. Larry “1776” Arn, President of Hillsdale College wants us to believe, “Challenges to American Principles: Slavery, Progressivism, Fascism, Communism, Racism and Identity Politics... is not a partisan document.” Now THAT’s hysterical! Something tells me Democrats are to blame for all of it. Not partisan, of course. LOL!

And slavery was the problem, NOT the Confederate States of America and its white slave owners. Got it kiddies?

The American Historical Association notes, Instead the authors focus on early 20th-century Progressive reformers and bizarrely suggest they were similar to Mussolini and other World War II European fascists...is the implied condemnation of Progressive Era legislation-workplace health and safety legislation, regulation of the production of food and drugs, the elimination of child labor... The report concludes with a full-throated assault on American universities, which, the authors claim, have produced what they call “deliberately destructive scholarship.” This scholarship is described as the “intellectual force behind so much of the violence in our cities,” including the “defamation of our treasured national statues.” The vast majority of targeted statues, as the AHA has noted before, honor either men who committed treason by violating oaths of office and taking up arms against the United States government, or whose main historical significance lay in their defense of slavery or other forms of white supremacy.

I mean, who can see anything partisan in that? Come on, man.

Seriously. When the state Department of Education Arn said his college "violated the standards for diversity," He complained, "because we didn't have enough dark ones, I guess".

Right THAT’s the guy to educate America about Slavery and its effects.

And more seriously. An overwhelming majority of historians condemn it. (Including the American Catholic Historical Association.)

The American Historical Association represents more than 12,000 members and serves historians representing every historical period and geographical area in a wide variety of professions

Written hastily in one month after two desultory and tendentious “hearings,” without any consultation with professional historians of the United States, the report fails to engage a rich and vibrant body of scholarship that has evolved over the last seven decades...Yet its condemnation of contemporary social movements ignores recent efforts to undermine the legitimacy of the very institutions enshrined in the Constitution itself.

46 organizations have signed onto the statement, including:
American Association for State and Local History
American Library Association
Georgia Association of Historians
National Coalition for History
National Council on Public History
New England Historical Association
Organization of American Historians
Phi Beta Kappa Society
Society for U.S. Intellectual History
Society of Civil War Historians
Southern Historical Association
Western History Association


But we should trust the guys who tell us Trump really won the election....

Dave Dubya said...

Dear Readers and jury members.

I stand accused of “nonsense and worse” for this statement.
I bring up truths that you would prefer to deny. Your angry lie-filled MAGA brain sees it as “hating America”.

Exhibit A: Have I been accused of being a leftist who hates America? Yes. See above.

Exhibit B: Is it true that I hate America? No. It is a preposterous and demeaning lie. That’s nonsense and worse. It is angry and demonizing.

Evidence for defense: Trump lost the election. Does trusting Trump’s Big Lie that he won the election indicate a lie-filled MAGA brain? More than just about anything else. This lie and Trump’s incitement were the motives of Trump’s insurrectionist mob.

Conclusion: I submit that believing Trump over state election certification boards, secretaries of state, observed poll workers, voters, multiple recounts, Romney and McConnell, Trump’s director of the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Christopher Krebs, lower courts, appellate courts, and the Supreme Court would absolutely require a lie-filled MAGA brain. It is an unquestioning belief, with no supporting evidence, in a leader of cult proportions. All objective evidence, Homeland Security, popular vote counts, electoral vote counts, certifications, and sworn statements indicate Trump lost the election. Darrell believes this is nonsense, but has provided no evidence to support Trump’s Big Lie andhis belief in Trump’s Big Lie.

Defense rests.

Thank you, Dear Readers and jury members.

Anonymous said...

This nation was built on slavery.
Our forefathers stole the land from the Native Americans and then murdered them in numbers to equal genocide.
To be considered a patriotic American you must be willing to die protecting the free choices of your fellow Americans, that you totally disagree with.
Biden has not packed the court and being he is an institutionalist he probably never will.
No doubt the oil companies will use the shut down of the pipe line as an excuse to raise prices, in reality pipe line, or no pipeline will not raise their costs at all. When the pipe line is finished it will employ 115 full time workers. All the boom that comes from the construction is very temporary. It seems ridiculous to shut down a project in the middle of construction.
You and Dave are America in miniature and the reason we will always be at each others throats and will never get any progress at all. Sad. You are both sad.

UnTrump said...

You do realize that while Trump bragged about something like 32% GDP growth, it had dropped 31%, the prior quarter, and was an unprecedented negative number for the year, right? Three 32% was annualized, which assumes that every quarter was like this one. It wasn't. Trump relied on the ignorance of the GOP in guess boasting, and was but disappointed. After a 30 year career in finance. Her cannot fool me. Did he trick you?

UnTrump said...

To all who post liberal comments here, specifically one: I find them aggressive, slanted, and unproductive. It is unfortunate. Many great points were made, but it was hard to pay attention, because they were thoroughly couched in anger. I just wrote a rebuttal to a raft of points in the original post, and then deleted it, in order to avoid being identified with your tone. They were really funny. Thanks for running it for me.

Darrell Michaels said...

"This nation was built on slavery. Our forefathers stole the land from the Native Americans and then murdered them in numbers to equal genocide." ~ anonymous

First, I thank you for your comment. Next, probably unsurprisingly, I disagree that the nation was built on slavery. Indeed, even at our founding there were many of the founding fathers that were vehemently against slavery, including Washington's VP, John Adams. This does not excuse or seek to minimize this evil institution as indeed much of the southern agrarian economy was dependent upon slave labor to function. The founders punted on this evil when they formed the nation out of necessity. We would not have become America if they had not. But even then Jefferson feared that God's wrath would eventually be realized for this evil and it was -- in 1861 with the civil war.

As for the native Americans, I acknowledge and am ashamed by the many incidents of murder and mistreatment of these people. Not to diminish this in any way, the native Americans were often at war amongst themselves before and after the coming of Europeans. Sadly, I think war and murder are simply a part of the human condition. That does not make what was done to them in any way to be right. Further, I think the truth of slavery and our Native Americans should absolutely be a part of our history that is taught. But a focus on only the shortcomings of America similarly does an injustice to all of the good that has come from our nation. Howard Zinn's characterization of America is slanted and does not tell the whole story of our history in context. Sadly, his book is too often used to teach our kids these days.

"To be considered a patriotic American you must be willing to die protecting the free choices of your fellow Americans, that you totally disagree with."~ Anonymous

I LOVE this and wholeheartedly agree with it. It is a principle I have indeed fought for through most of my life. Thank you for the reminder.

"Biden has not packed the court and being he is an institutionalist he probably never will."~Anyonymous

I pray that you are right; however, I see Biden as being very weak and beholden to the party. He has already established a commission to look at this, and I fear the worst in its findings. We shall see.

"You and Dave are America in miniature and the reason we will always be at each others throats and will never get any progress at all. Sad. You are both sad." ~ Anonymous

You are right, I am embarrassed to admit. For years I have tried to be civil and encourage discussion and debate without nastiness. I have not been very successful. Indeed, it was why I quit my blog for a long stretch of time. While I still will argue for what I think and believe, I will try to be Christian about it. I suspect it was you calling me out on my lack of a Christian mindset a short while back too. You are correct. I am often not a very good Christian and especially have a hard time with that turning the other cheek thing. I will prayerfully attempt yet again to strive for those Christian ideals in my writing. Again, I thank you for the reminder.

Darrell Michaels said...


UnTrump, I am glad to see you back, my blogosphere friend!

Now, let me humbly correct where you might have gone astray. Under Obama the economy never grew by greater than 2% for GDP. Obama said that this was the new normal. Trump came in and cut taxes and huge amounts of bureaucracy and regulations and the economy exceeded that growth until 2020 and the shutting down of the economy due to Covid19. Even then, we were rebounding to new records with the stock market by the end of last year once again.

If Trump's stock market was simply a continuation of Obama's, can you please tell me what Obama did to cause the stock market growth, sir? (Other than quantitative easings with taxpayer dollars or simply printing money out of thin air.) I ask this sincerely and am not trying to be snarky.

Further, while Trump's stock market reached record highs, the unemployment rates, particularly for people of color reached wonderful new lows in their rates. More Americans of color were lifted out of poverty under Trump than anything ever done under Obama, my friend.

As for Trump killing Americans with his political lies, I can only assume you are referring to Covid again. Correct? If so, can you tell me what you would have liked to have seen him do differently?

"To all who post liberal comments here, specifically one: I find them aggressive, slanted, and unproductive. It is unfortunate. Many great points were made, but it was hard to pay attention, because they were thoroughly couched in anger. I just wrote a rebuttal to a raft of points in the original post, and then deleted it, in order to avoid being identified with your tone. They were really funny. Thanks for running it for me." ~ UnTrump

UnTrump, PLEASE do rebut any of my points with which you take issue, sir. To do so with a funny and not nasty tone in particular would be a most welcome change and can be an example of how we should all behave in the sandbox! :)

Anonymous said...

"This nation was built on slavery" I so wish Africans had never been brought here. Imagine how happy we would all be if slavery hadn't happen.

Darrell Michaels said...

Anonymous, I suspect sarcasm and a little snark in this last comment.

Sadly, there is more slavery occurring today in the world than there was in the 19th century. It often involves sex trafficking these days and is rampant in some parts of the world.

By the way, early in America, we started out with indentured servitude. Slavery sadly evolved from it. During the slave trade in the west, only 5% of slaves from Africa came to America. 25% went to the islands of the West Indies and 60% went to Brazil.

In 1619, a Portuguese slave ship left Africa for Cuba. A storm brought it to Virginia. The ship needed food, supplies, and repair and traded twenty Africans for this. These twenty Africans were signed up under an existing indentured servitude contract, which stated if you work for 4 to 7 years, you will get 50 acres of land, tobacco seed, tools & a gun to work the land, and a new suit at the end of your contract. Most of the Africans lived and received their freedom dues after their contracts were fulfilled.

One of these men, named Anthony Johnson ended up with 1000 acres which he named Angola and called it "myne owne ground". His own plantation in Virginia.

Dave Dubya said...

I hope this won't be perceived as "couched in anger". It can be challenging to remain civil after being accused of hating America and telling lies without evidence to support the accusations.

I’m afraid Darrell’s understandings of Black unemployment rates and history of 1619 are inaccurate.

”More Americans of color were lifted out of poverty under Trump than anything ever done under Obama, my friend.”

Such a claim would require numbers, would it not?

Here are the numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

Aug. 2011 the Bush Recession produced black unemployment rate 16.7%

January 2017, the black unemployment rate was at 7.8 percent.

Trump and his true believers crow about a 3.4% drop.

Under Obama the black unemployment rate dropped 8.9%.

The Black president did the heavy lifting and got no credit from the racist Birther or his true believers.

The unsupported claim above is an example of just such bias or misinformation from the Right.

Dave Dubya said...

Let’s research the following “history” from Darrell, or was it from the “1776 Commission”?

In 1619, a Portuguese slave ship left Africa for Cuba. A storm brought it to Virginia. The ship needed food, supplies, and repair and traded twenty Africans for this. These twenty Africans were signed up under an existing indentured servitude contract, which stated if you work for 4 to 7 years, you will get 50 acres of land, tobacco seed, tools & a gun to work the land, and a new suit at the end of your contract. Most of the Africans lived and received their freedom dues after their contracts were fulfilled.One of these men, named Anthony Johnson ended up with 1000 acres which he named Angola and called it "myne owne ground". His own plantation in Virginia.”

First from History.com

https://www.history.com/news/american-slavery-before-jamestown-1619

In late August 1619, the White Lion, an English privateer commanded by John Jope, sailed into Point Comfort and dropped anchor in the James River. Virginia colonist John Rolfe documented the arrival of the ship and “20 and odd” Africans on board. His journal entry is immortalized in textbooks, with 1619 often used as a reference point for teaching the origins of slavery in America.

Slave traders forced the captives to march several hundred miles to the coast to board the San Juan Bautista, one of at least 36 transatlantic Portuguese and Spanish slave ships.
The ship embarked with about 350 Africans on board, but hunger and disease took a swift toll. En route, about 150 captives died. Then, when the San Juan Bautista approached what is now Veracruz, Mexico in the summer of 1619, it encountered two ships, the White Lion and another English privateer, the Treasurer. The crews stormed the vulnerable slave ship and seized 50 to 60 of the remaining Africans. After, the pair sailed for Virginia.
As noted by Rolfe, when the White Lion arrived in what is now present-day Hampton, Virginia, the Africans were offloaded and “bought for victuals.” Governor Sir George Yeardley and head merchant Abraham Piersey acquired the majority of the captives, most of whom were kept in Jamestown, America’s first permanent English settlement.

I cite Black Perspectives from the African American Intellectual History Society:
The Curious History of Anthony Johnson: From Captive African to Right-wing Talking Point
https://www.aaihs.org/the-curious-history-of-anthony-johnson-from-captive-african-to-right-wing-talking-point/

As one of the few documented Black landowners in 17th-century Virginia, his unique story has morphed into a manipulative trope used by right-wing activists...
In 1621, Johnson was delivered to Virginia’s shores as an African captive, simply called “Antonio.” By the mid-17th century, he became a landowner newly named “Anthony Johnson.”


Finally I cite this from Virtual Jamestown:
http://www.virtualjamestown.org/ajohnsonRP.html
Anthony Johnson was sold as an indentured servant to a merchant of the Virginia Company at Jamestown and arrived in 1621 aboard the James, listed as “Antonio, a Negro.” Originally captured and sold to Arab slave traders, he appears to have come from the Malange highlands of Angola. He was sold as an indentured servant to a white tobacco planter named Edward Bennett.

Maybe these more accurate statistics and historical facts will be allowed in this discussion.

Darrell Michaels said...

Mr. Dubya, first you keep insinuating that I censor you constantly. That is not the case. I have only sent your comments to the trash that were excessively nasty or abusive, sir. You have even made disparaging comments to other readers on my blog including Rain and Carrie in the past. I think you intentionally push the limits sometimes lately to see how much you can get away with, and then have been surprised when I do publish your comments.

As for Obama, when you are really deep in the hole, it is easier to reverse the unemployment trend at first. As unemployment gets lower in percentage, it becomes significantly harder to help those numbers.

As for the history of Mr. Johnson, I was taught that by one of my history professors years ago and dredged that up from my old class notes. He, by the way, was definitely a left of center guy. That said, I liked him very much and admired the fact that he taught history objectively and without bias. If only other teachers would follow his example.

Dave Dubya said...

"As for Obama, when you are really deep in the hole,"
No, sir. I gave you facts that accurately refuted your claim about Trump: "More Americans of color were lifted out of poverty under Trump than anything ever done under Obama, my friend.”

The facts are clear that your statement is false.

You have merely added qualifiers that were also not supported by facts. You're telling us it was "easier" for Obama to raise employment levels from the Bush Recession, even while dealing with total obstruction by Republicans.

I understand when the facts do not support your claims, you tend to deflect. I also understand your extreme reluctance to admit it when I am correct. Instead I typically hear simple contrary unsupported assertions. If you show facts and sound reason that dispute my statements I will accept them. Like I did regarding your point on the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act.

I'm don't know if you are affirming the accuracy of your old notes or accepting the established historical narrative. I'm sure your history prof was teaching you in good faith, like most still do. I refer to the good faith and historically accurate statements by the The American Historical Association and their thousands of members and fellow history organizations.

You see, there is nothing radical or false in my viewpoints here.

Darrell Michaels said...

Dave, I misspoke and stand corrected. By sheer numbers, Obama did help more people of color numerically from the recession early in his term. This is due to the sheer numbers of unemployed from that time though and not a triumph of any particular policy he enacted though. Trump, however, improved the trend, provided unprecedented funding to historically black colleges, and realized the lowest levels of unemployment for Americans of color under his administration.

With all due respect, the Obama administration was touting their success by the huge roles of people on governmental assistance that they were "helping". Trump marked success by low unemployment, those no longer living below poverty levels, and those able to buy a house for the first time. This was particularly so for people of color. Its why Trump saw large increases in people of color voting for him, despite being characterized as a racist.

As for my history professor, I see no reason to doubt the veracity of his data at this point. I do doubt and dispute the Howard Zinn school of history and the 1619 project which has been thoroughly savaged for critical inaccuracies by myriads of more objective historians accordingly, sir. Here is a good summary of its problems:
https://thefederalist.com/2020/07/27/how-to-disprove-the-6-most-outrageous-myths-of-the-1619-project/

Jerry said...

Most of the founding fathers were slave owners.
When I talk about "built" I mean free (slave) labor helped build the wealth of the country, especially in the South. Of course there was the literal "built" in that slaves built our infrastructure like the Capital. A free labor source was a HUGE boon for our economic growth.
Anecdotal stories mean little to the question of slavery since their reality was minuscule in number. Proving slavery is worse today only proves what barbarians we were.
You make a blanket statement saying Democrats/liberals are totally immoral. It depends on your definition of moral. The ACA was horribly written law full of waste, but in the end it did get health insurance to millions. I would not call that immoral. Republican tax cuts for corporations only enrich the corporations who don't pass that profits to their employees through pay raises, or extra benefits. Where is the morality in that legislation? Republicans want to cut taxes, but never cut spending leaving us outrageous debt. Where is the morality in bankrupting America? It was Democrats through the twentieth century who fought for legislation to secure rights for the people and they had to drag the Republicans kicking and screaming to join them.
Pay as we go is responsible government and Republicans never even tried to ask America to pay for its expenses.
I have no problem asking a person to show an ID to vote, but I have a big problem with Republican attempts to put obstacles in peoples way to vote.
If you want to judge legislation by what benefits the people of America (what I would call moral) Republicans lose hands down.

Dave Dubya said...

Thank you for accepting the BLS information. This is what I love about you, brother. Once in a while something gets through, even between us. Of course you add qualifiers that support your bias against Obama while bumping up the praise for Trump. Obama did help more people of color numerically... not a triumph of any particular policy he enacted though... touting their success by the huge roles of people on governmental assistance that they were "helping".

What does “helping” in quotation marks mean, anyway? Is this some snide condescension intended to minimize Obama’s record? I also notice that no actual quotes or source are ever given with that meme. Is it even real, or does it just feel good to repeat? Or was it regarding the stimulus that a number of Republican governors thanked him for? I don’t know. Do you?

That right wing meme amuses me. It is inaccurate of course. The employment numbers spoke of success for him. Trump needs to boast and demean to elevate his self-image. And is there a reason why providing for the general welfare under our Constitution shouldn’t be a measure of success? It is part of their job, after all.

I agree 1619 project is written from a biased perspective and there are legitimate questions about it. The same is true with the 1776 Commission, whether you admit it or not. It was written by Republican politicians, Republican activists and one military historian. I mean, Charlie Kirk??

A major point that got the hottest reaction was the claim the Revolution was fought to preserve slavery. This may be the case for a few slave owners, but hardly the cause for rebellion. The same author also claimed, “anti-black racism runs in the very DNA of this country”, which of course is biochemically impossible, but nonetheless racism is far from extinct.

Conservatives may argue there are no lingering effects or influences from slavery in the country today, but most Blacks would disagree. Systemic racism is very real to them, felt especially when interacting with white police officers. I think this is what annoys conservatives most. They’d prefer to downplay and deny racism and its effects.

Here’s a discussion you might find quite agreeable:

The essays that introduce the 1619 Project evince no familiarity with the massive body of work produced by generations of historians. The 1619 Project essays are not footnoted, nor are the readers provided with a bibliography. (Also true with the 1776 Commission.)
There is no question that compromises were made to secure the unity of the colonies in the struggle against Britain and, later, to achieve agreement on a constitution for the new United States of America. Historians may find fault, if they wish, with the morals of those who made these compromises. But they must still provide an accurate account of the historical context and political constraints which led to the decisions of the Founders. No such analysis is provided by the authors of the 1619 Project. Everything is explained in terms of the alleged racial hatreds of “white” people. That is the one constant in the 1619 Project narrative, which it applies to its discussion of the entirety of American history—from the 17th to 21st century.
The Founders compromised with the slaveholding southern colonies in order to establish and maintain national unity. But this does not alter the fact that the American Revolution was a monumental event that changed the course of world history.

https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2019/12/28/nytr-d28.html

Darrell Michaels said...

Dang it! Jerry, I just responded point by point to your comments and for whatever reason it was lost. I am not going to do so again. That said, I find myself in agreement with many of your excellent points. Further, if you are being honest, I think you will find many of those exact same faults with the Democrats as with the GOP. In the case of spending, even more so, my friend.

Dave Dubya said...

”The country has hardly shifted to the right over the last 30 years as we have elected Clinton, Bush, and Obama. These were all big government leaders and an anathema to conservativism.”
Note I used the word “Right” instead of the word conservative. They are not identical, just as you distinguish liberal from “Left”.
Reagan would be called a socialist by the Trump Mob. He opposed open carry and supported gun control like the Brady Bill. But he was also serving the Right. He busted unions and handed the regulatory henhouses to the corporate foxes. All Republicans do this. They never support Constitutional regulation of commerce. This is what I mean by the “Right”. The Right is similarly opposed to Constitutional taxes and provision for the general welfare, as all corporate policies oppose.
Voter registration and poll access have also been targeted by the Right,. The democratic rights of the people are not in the interests of the Right.
The same is true for Bush, and Trump. Even Obama had Wall Street shills in his Administration. The Right is all about making it easier for the wealthy and harder for the rest of us. Turns out there’s no such thing as a “trickle down” economy. It always trickles up. And exponentially.

"Obama economy never grew by greater than 2% for GDP.” Citation please. If I can support my claims with sourced numbers, why not you?

” (Covid) can you tell me what you would have liked to have seen him do differently?”
The same as I would like from any president. The truth. So many things. He dithered and minimized it for months before admitting how deadly and transmissible it is. He was horrible to the governor of Michigan and tweeted. “Liberate Michigan!” (from covid restrictions). What happened next? An armed mob swarmed the Capitol building and terrorists plotted to kidnap and kill the governor. This turned out be the rehearsal for his Big Lie Insurrection. He didn’t promote mask wearing. He politicized it and mocked those who did. He and his gang got sick. Served him right, but we’ll never know how many more were infected or died because of that dereliction of duty. To this day you believe masks don’t help. Wrong. So, so wrong. As I explained they work best to minimize the spread of infection. As a virus screen it matters how good the mask is. But they still help. This was learned back in 1918. Look it up. Finally he just gave up and replaced Fauci’s advice with the “Let ‘em get sick and die” herd immunity quack.

I take it you don’t know anyone personally who has been infected with covid. I wouldn’t wish it in on anyone.

Dave Dubya said...

As I noted, “Republican Charles J. Cooper, said that Republicans were wrong to assert that it is unconstitutional for a former president to be tried for impeachable offenses.”

You responded: ”I don't know if Cooper is a RINO, Marxist, or just ignorant. The purpose of impeachment is to remove a president from office. In case you missed it, Trump is out of office. He is therefore a private citizen now. If he has committed a crime, he should be charged under the law accordingly.”

In case you missed it, the OTHER purpose of impeachment is disqualification for future office. He was impeached as president. The Constitution mandates a Senate trial. Even I know this.

"The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments."

And:

"Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law"

As for Cooper, what does he know compared to you? RINO, Marxist, or just ignorant?

In 1985 President Reagan appointed Mr. Cooper to the position of Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Counsel.
In 1998 Mr. Cooper was appointed by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist to serve as a member of the Standing Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure of the Judicial Conference of the United States.He has over 35 years of legal experience in government and private practice, with several appearances before the United States Supreme Court and scores of other successful cases on both the trial and appellate levels. Mr. Cooper has represented some of the biggest names in American politics, including Attorney General Jeff Sessions in response to the alleged Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections, Attorney General John Ashcroft, and former National Security Adviser and United States Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton.

Jerry said...

I would cite an important difference. Democrats were willing to raise taxes to pay for their spending, except when not allowed by Republican majorities. As Biden is willing to do now. Disagree with the spending, but lets at least pay for it. 30 trillion debt is enough.
Mondale was right.