Something’s ROTTEN in America right now and, while I want to say you could understand it with the word TRUMP, the reality is there’s a significant percentage of Americans who aspire to the White Nationalist/Supremacist philosophy of neo-Nazi’s Trump, himself, is pushing. Is Trump the actual cause, or is he just the surface of the problem? Well, either way, what Trump represents in America is ROTTEN to the core. Listening to some of his supporters makes my stomach curl. As a former teacher I’m always wondering: “How could so many people be so STUPID?”
I’m coming from the perspective of someone whose father was in the Army during WW II. I’ve said this here several times, “Trump is coming closer to turning America into a fascist nation than Hitler ever did.” However, I still see this scheme to be much deeper than any of the aforementioned. For example, the Supreme Court has been right in the “cross hairs” of right wing republicans for years and, certainly, since the year 2000 the Court has been laying the groundwork for Trump. And, when you look closer you see the ROT has been permeating the republican party since the days of Newt Gingrich. (If my mother was still alive she’d say it was since the days of Herbert Hoover!)
Republicans have been slowly tilting farther and farther to the right since Gingrich introduced the “vote against everything” and “lie about everything” policy during the Clinton administration and, for me, the “icing on the cake” came when the SCOTUS “crowned” GW Bush/DICK Cheney as our president/vice president by refusing to allow a viable recount of the votes in Florida – with GW Bush’s brother Jeb conspiring to allow him to win an election where Al Gore got the MOST votes AND should have won the MOST Electoral votes had the Florida recount been allowed to go to a fair conclusion.
I started writing here about 15 years ago with the “main idea” being “we the people” need to vote republicans into the History books – this was well before Trump. I watched after Barack Obama won the presidency in 2008 how MANY very wealthy Americans – led by the now infamous “Koch Brothers” (only one “brother” is left) – ginning up America’s white nationalists by “sicking” the so-called “Tea Party” on “we the people.” And, if you’ve paid attention to recent American History you know Trump saw his “opening” to enter politics via the phony “Birther movement” which was “spawned” by America’s leading racists suggesting President Obama wasn’t born in America. Trump was the PERFECT LIAR to lead that disgusting racist campaign – designed to, in the words of Mich McConnell, make sure President Obama is a one-term president.
So, here we are – and it’s ROTTEN and getting rottener. (Not sure if that’s a word) For anyone who’s paying attention Trump is busy convincing everyone who believes he doesn’t read they’re wrong – it appears, if nothing else, he’s read Mein Kampf – Adolf Hitler’s “handbook.” I’ve been writing for several years about Trump’s (and the republicans’) use of Hitler’s “Big Lie Theory” and their constant use of PROJECTION – both “strategies” right out of Hitler’s chief of propaganda Joseph Goebbels’ lexicon. But, now Trump is getting less subtle – that is, saying the “quiet part out loud.”
Over the past few weeks Trump has been complaining about “immigration” and suggesting immigrants are “poisoning the blood” of Americans. OK, once again, right out of Mein Kampf. But, was this some kind of misstatement by Trump? Nope! He keeps doubling down, apparently, to make sure all of us liberals get our “panties in a bunch.” Now, I’ve been making the “Hitler” references when writing about Trump for years. Of course as I’m writing this, we’re seeing members of the so-called “liberal media” acting as if they’re in “shock” upon hearing these overt references to Hitler. In fact, not only are “immigrants poisoning the blood” of Americans, according to Trump, but, additionally, “liberals” – and anyone who’s a Trump opponent, are “Communist, Marxist, Fascist (Projection) vermin.” Yep, there he goes again, Hitler!
But, as I always say, with republicans there’s always more. Not only have I referred to Trump as a “fascist” but on MANY occasions I’ve compared him to a “Mob boss.” It’s almost as if he’s reading my blog and attempting to make me look good. Just the other day, as he was complaining about the 91 FELONY charges he’s facing he tried to compare himself to the infamous Al Capone. He referred to Capone (who had over 200 people MURDERED) as “The great Al Capone” suggesting it was “bullsh*t” he was facing more charges than Capone. Apparently, Capone was SMARTER than Trump. I’ve just finished reading “Proof of Conspiracy” by Seth Abramson and, to me, the book just “cements” how ROTTEN Trump really is. He’s (allegedly) committed WAY more crimes than the 91 he’s now indicted for in various courts!
He’s facing more charges than “the great” Capone because he’s been violating America’s laws with impunity since well before he came down that escalator back in 2015. According to Abramson’s book (which he documents with real evidence) the “conspiracy” to “win” the “White House” back in 2016 went much deeper than simply the Russians. Bottom line, Trump has no compulsion to accept help from foreigners/foreign entities – he’s said that publicly on multiple occasions. And, as Adam Schiff promised us – “he’s going to do it again.” We all KNOW he’ll do it again – likely as I’m writing this. Facebook and Xwitter are both open for misinformation business. Do you think Trump and his sycophants/co-conspirators won’t take advantage of that? Do you really believe they won’t be using AI?
Trump’s schtick of late – from what I’ve been able to tell based on the amount of time I’ve been able to force myself to listen to him before I get sick to my stomach that anyone would be such a LIAR – is an absurd attack on our “Southern border” and the “15 – 17 MILLION illegal immigrants” Biden has let into the country to ‘poison the blood’ of our “people.” Now, think carefully, is the problem really at our Southern border? Or, is the problem in our Southern Hemisphere? Why do you think so many people from Countries in Central and South America are willing to risk their lives to get to America? A reminder: we are a “nation of immigrants.” Virtually ALL of us! (OK, you want to exclude “Native Americans” – but, the reality is they “immigrated” here something like 10,000 years ago)
In fact, Trump’s grandfather immigrated from Germany in the late 19th century and Trump is a second generation immigrant married to a first generation immigrant with a son who’s a son of an immigrant. (Born while his father was CHEATING on his Mom) And, for those who believe Trump when he says he hasn’t read “Mein Kampf” – and, I tend to believe him – keep in mind one of his closest “advisors” is Steven Miller- and, I haven’t the shadow of a doubt Miller has read “Mein Kampf” and Miller is one of Trump’s speechwriters. They’ve discovered the Hitler references actually gin up their “base” and he’s likely to keep repeating “immigrants are poisoning our blood” for the immediate future until he discovers it’s causing him to lose voters. Then he’ll say “just kidding.” This election is going to be hotly contested and I can guarantee you, when Trump LOSES there will be more right wing violence.
Trump’s PROJECTION is a critical part of their (republicans) media strategy – and, with Americans who actually believe this pathological LIAR (and his sycophants) – it’s working. This next election will be decided by the outcome in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin. If either candidate wins all three they will be the next president. I believe Biden has a chance in several other “red” states because of, you guessed it, the abortion issue. Ohio, Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, and ???? Will women vote in large numbers? Then there’s the voter suppression efforts of the republicans. An appropriate example would be Wisconsin. In the 2022 Mid-terms a republican official bragged that republicans were able to block enough Black voters from turning out (in Milwawkee, I believe) to make the difference for Ron Johnson, one of the worst (and STUPIDEST) members of the Senate. I’ve been saying for years, with republicans “The end justifies the means.” It’s all about POWER!
As progressives (ie “liberals) we need to fully grasp the reality that Trump’s “base” across the South is made up of direct (close) descendants of the racist Southerners who were the proponents of “Jim Crow” laws and the years of LYNCHING African Americans – with members of the churches gawking in crowds cheering on the TORTURE of Americans because of the color of their skin. Should it surprise any of us what is going on right now in this country. I have a former friend I used to have breakfast with who, after we lost touch because he became angry about Trump LOSING the 2020 election (obviously, he bought the “stolen election” koolaid), I’m periodically reminded of stuff he said which I didn’t pick up at the time. He had actually adopted three Black children and the first thing which stuck wrong with my “craw” was comments he made about his (Black) daughter, which came across to me as overt racism.
Then I began, as I thought about him and prayed for him, remembering stuff he said which now makes me understand why he allowed himself to get sucked into Trump’s CULT. He, on several occasions, said “I don’t believe in democracy.” (I would always explain we live in a “democratic republic”) He said, more than once Trump’s followers were going to start a “civil war.” (going to far right websites?) And, the last thing I remember was him demanding I “prove” that Joe Biden had actually won the 2020 election. I explained the entire process to him which he interpreted as “bullying.” I even pointed out January 6th was nothing more than a ceremonial counting of Electoral votes. Well, little did I know what Trump had up his sleeve. (My former friend has never responded to an email since that date.)
The border “bullsh*t” is going to be a constant refrain between now and the 2024 election and Trump will continue LYING about our “it.” There IS a record number of immigrants attempting to cross our Southern border from all I can tell, but there is ALSO a record number of immigrants being “rejected” and sent out of the country. As I said above, the problem isn’t a “Joe Biden” problem, the problem is what the hell is going on in the Southern Hemisphere which causes so many people to want to leave their homes and risk their lives to immigrate here? And, why can’t Congress devise an immigration bill? It really is on them.
I do have to add that we NEED many of these immigrants to come here because they’re willing to work in places most Americans are not – like in the fields of America’s farmers. Remember, if you’re a Christian – I point this out repeatedly here – Christ said, “what you do FOR the least of these you do FOR Me. What you do TO the least of these you do TO Me.” In my mind, the “Christian Right” in America has made a “deal with the devil!” Trump is ROTTEN to the core!
Final Thought: Not a day goes by I don’t think about what is going on in Ukraine and Gaza/Israel. When I talk about how “Rotten” republicans are, just take a good look at our House of Representatives. They chose to take a THREE week break (I think it’s more like four weeks) without approving military and humanitarian assistance for Ukraine and without addressing the issue of Israel and the Palestinians. They remind me of Neville Chamberlain back in the early stages of WW II where he was appeasing Adolf Hitler and the Third Reich. Of course, we know how that turned out. (Or, at least, you SHOULD know) I’ve mentioned here Vladimir Putin reminds me of Hitler. (Maybe that’s why Trump is attempting to put himself in that same conversation) It’s DISGUSTING to me the republicans in the House who have been openly expressing their support for Putin. Voters MUST remember this next November!
When it comes to Israel, I “get” why “we the people” must be diligent in our support of the nation of Israel. However, that doesn’t, to me, mean we “must” be supporting Netanyahu. Netanyahu is CORRUPT similarly to Trump. He was attempting to “beat” the charges against him by subjugating Israel’s court system to his “government.” This is the classic playbook of a tyrant. Add to that the Israeli intelligence KNEW for up to a year the plans of Hamas’ surprise attack and FAILED to counteract what they KNEW was coming. (Netanyahu has actually supported Hamas in the past because he’s OPPOSED to the “two state solution.” I believe the Israeli people will rid themselves of Netanyahu as soon as this most recent war is “over.” (Until there’s a “two state solution” I don’t believe it will EVER be over – if then)
My point it it’s in Netanyahu’s interest to keep this devastation going on in Gaza as long as he can. However, in my mind, he’s just making his place in History worse. Most Israeli’s want the violence to end (I believe) and they want negotiations which return the hostages. Most Americans want the violence to end and to have the hostages released. There have now been over 20,000 Palestinians KILLED in Isreal’s “revenge” for October 7th – their point has been made. As far as I’m concerned it’s well past the point where the Israeli’s pull out of Gaza. Hopefully the U.N. can come in and help stabilize things and facilitate the reconstruction of all the destroyed infrastructure in Gaza. I believe just as Hamas will be accused of WAR CRIMES, unfortunately, so will the Israeli’s. I’ve had numerous conversations with my 34 year old son, and he’s become a supporter of the Palestinians as many of his online friends are as well. Biden has a lot of work to do to motivate these young Americans to understand the importance of them VOTING (for him) in the next election.
It’s all on the line for young Americans. Climate Change, Voting Rights, Civil Rights, the environment (things like clean water regulations, clean air regulations, etc.) Abortion access, Health Care (Trump still wants to eliminate “Obamacare” – ie “The Affordable Care Act”) Education, institutions like the Courts, the FDA, the CDC, institutions which Trump has claimed he’ll fill with “loyalists,” (The Supreme Court is already “stacked” for a generation – that alone should be enough to get young voters to the polls voting for Biden) I could go on and on, but “democracy” itself will be on the 2024 ballot (unless Trump gets “thumped” in the primaries – unlikely). Each election since 2018 I’ve referred to as “The most important election in my lifetime.” And, along those lines, nothing’s changed.
Just imagine where we’d be if democrats hadn’t taken control of the House in 2018, or where we’d be if Trump had managed to get re-elected in 2020. Republicans retaking the House in 2022 has created the WORST “do nothing” Congress in modern history after an historic first two years of Biden’s administration. The reality is 2024 IS the MOST important election in my lifetime – and, I don’t expect these right wing neo-fascists to go away even if (when) Trump is turned out to “pasture.” (Jail ???) Trump’s PROJECTION is so ROTTEN he’s convincing people Biden is turning America into a “third world country” while that is exactly his aim! The democrats messaging MUST improve! Stay tuned……