The Democratic Party is hoping to thwart an election rout by running against the expected Supreme Court decision on abortion. This is depressingly all that is left of its political capital.
When both halves of the duopoly are fascist, what is the purpose of flagging one side as being worse than the other? No solutions are possible with either party in charge and last I looked, Biden was agitating for war with Russia even harder than Shrub pushed for the great Iraq debacle (which we are still not allowed to investigate).
There is an opportunity to change everything. I'd love to say that all we have to do is stay home and not vote this fall, but both parties have proven that they're willing to govern without our consent.
Instead, stop shopping for nonessentials. Stock up on essentials. Let friends, neighbors and relatives know you've had enough. Stop participating in the system to the fullest extent possible. When the stock market craters...things will change.
there is an oppurtunity to change everything ... and it's simple. Democracy works. The vote is the corner stone of our democracyt ... It is the voice of the people.
Just ask Stephen Spoonamore - friend of Michael Connell (Karl Roves IT Guru; hired to steal 2000 & 2004 POTUS for GW Bush) ... Stephen Spoonmore has been screaming it to anyone who will listen, byt MSM, the Trusted News Initiative & DHS squashes any mention of Election Fraud ... WHY? because this is how they stole our Democracy
Stephen Spoonamore has repeated over & over & over again and again ... the best cure for Election Fraud is "Paper Ballots" ... "Paper Ballots" ... "Paper Ballots" ... "Paper Ballots" ... "Paper Ballots" ... "Paper Ballots" ... "Paper Ballots" ... "Paper Ballots" ... "Paper Ballots" ... "Paper Ballots" .
..... we need to torch every Electronic Voting Machine on the planet
Jill Stein had over 5% votes after the DNC stole 2016 POTUS Primary from Sanders; the 1% oligarchy that owns 'proprietary rights' to these Black Box Voting Machines decides who wins... people need to wake up. If you do not believe me - then check in with Stephen Spoonamore & Mark Crispin Miller ~ they've been warning us for decades.
There will NOT be paper ballots, just as there will be no ranked-choice voting. The 2 Parties ruthlessly control the system. Believe me, I'd love to see paper ballots, but it ain't gonna happen, no more than Med4All will happen in the current system.
Ireland got rid of their EVM's ... they proudly announced that they use them for scrap metal and now they rank in the top 10 'full democracies' on the planet ... USA ranks 26th as a 'flawed democracy' on the Democracy Index ... the Scandanavian countries all use paper ballots & it is why they were able to incarcerate their Wall Street Villain equivalents in the 2008 financial collapse --- because their Democracy works ... WHY can't we demand the same ?
We can demand the same. But far too many people in the US simply don't care. For instance, tens of millions of liberals went back into hibernation after Biden got elected. Even though Biden is demonstrably worse than Trump on everything, no matter. The US, as Caitlin Johnstone reminds us, has the most heavily propagandized citizenry on the planet. So, get ready for the 2022 football season! Go Bears!
In so many ways important to recognize we can no longer so easily join with the “system” in order to change it from within. Too many rank opportunists.
there are 2 fascist choices BECAUSE we used hackable EVM - We vote the 2 party system out & vote the 3rd Party --- which can ONLY win IF we have Paper Ballots (the 1% decide who wins via EVM).
Don't nail the coffin shut just yet -- we can change this by 2024 if we unite & refuse to use EVM made by "Dominion Voting Systems"... Diebold, etc --- to hell with the Oligarchic control over our elctions & their proprietary inner black box makings -- that voters do NOT have access to??? --- it's my vote & I want it counted for the 3rd Party we deserve & EVM block every election; they brainwash us all by saying 3rd Party is a "wasted vote" ... this is a lie ! It is not ... AND it's our ONLY way out of this Catch 22 ... ONLY if we have Paper Ballots !
Good to remind ourselves that we the people are in fact the source of power and riches the oligarch’s depend on. Also important to realize we the people are not the enemy and to clearly distinguish between the two. It’s planetary. If we respond with Nukes and gunships everybody loses. Revolution is possible but it will need to be intelligent and accurate.
Maybe it is high time for our bodies as ballots. True representative democracy. Set accessible places and times in neighborhoods throughout the country. Show up with easily recognisable colors or similar Identification for counting. Have a central meeting spot to collate and report to those who will listen and report. The revolution may not be televised but it may be understood. Safety in numbers.
Not a bad idea. Another option is to implement blockchain technology for voting. The blockchain is immutable and more importantly, all interactions with the blockchain are publicly verifiable by anyone with a computer or phone. Regardless, it doesn't change the fact that there are two parties with essentially the same corporate agenda that promotes war and the interests of a narrow band of elites . . . despite their platitudes saying otherwise.
only 12.6 countries in the world can qualify as a "Full Democracy" and they ALL - USE - PAPER - BALLOTS .... and no electronic voter counting machines -- This is not rocket science... it's the 1% outsmarting us into fascism via the use of EVM ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index
We already have a "Fool-Democracy". How we cast that vote for a pre-selected major party candidate, paper or otherwise, that does not / will not represent us should be obvious by now. Recall brand Obama - all hype and no change. Yet he's still a hero to the willfully blind Blue. We're toast.
I believe out only way out of this Catch 22 is to get a 3rd Party Candidate - ensure they get a verifiable 10% of the vote (>5% needed) and use Paper Ballots & do a recount so we have proof .... We need to break the 2 party system that has our democracy in a death grip.
These mechanics-of-voting ideas don't seem so great. Maybe it's joking. The discovery of Newtonian mechanics gave people the idea that humans as a whole are smarter than that actually are, and so ever since then we've accepted what's known as the Enlightenment. Marx and most other enlightenment philosophers thought that the basic problem is simply autocratic systems. Unfortunately the basic problem is that most humans are jerks, and the opiate of the masses is our assorted narrow expertises which make us think we're smart when in fact majority vote is kind of dumb. The workable voting option is not in the mechanics. Hopefully it is in some kind of modified Platonic autocracy which is what most people have thought for ages.
First of all the premise that “humans are jerks” is nonsense. Much of our philosophical thinking is wrong headed and misleading. Are we fully capable of talking or thinking our way into a convoluted impasse? Absolutely. There are answers and they are truly revolutionary. Since the alternative to common sense Is extinction it’s important.
you are over-thinking it ... K.I.S.S. --- paper ballots / hand counted - so the 1% Oligarchy that manufactures EVM can not assign their elcted King / Queen into office ... The Scandanavian countries did not fall for the EVM & the result is they actually have a democracy still ... USA ranks 26th as a "flawed democracy" due to $$$ in politics, MSM selling a candidate & EVM.
I don’t believe blockchain is a valid option based on what you cite - the corporate agendas. In order to know the desperate minds of the Corporatocracy all we need do is follow the philosophy and intent of their cheerleaders, the World Economic Forum. Klaus Schwab snd the WEF purport to be the rightful ideologues to rule the world. By reading their own list of participating corporations, institutions, and politicians we can see the scope. Once we realize the number of trainees they have placed throughout the world corporate, gov’t & institutional structures we get a crystal clear view of this epic insanity.
Few people who really understand the fundamental threat represented by the WEF and associates would discount their capabilities. That they are possibly insane, obviously kleptocratic tyrants, is observable.
Klaus Schwabb reminds me of Alfred Hitchcock ... narrating to the world the demise of all humanity, "You Vill own NOTHINK! and you Vill be happy! ... our worst nightmare.
As an 88 year old American student of American history and Chris Hedges' books, I don't think that "democracy" does work. I hope I'm not a "fascist" - whatever that means - but mankind is a big (unhealthy) organism and individually we are only tiny cells of it. After the American Enlightenment collapses like Chris Hedges predicts, hopefully something more hierarchical like China, and Plato, or maybe the Roman Church, will save mankind.
I can go on and on about this and I am writing some future posts about the subject. First, no real democracies have existed in "western" history for about the last 2,000 years. Thats not to say there weren't any. In fact there were. Read "The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow." For example, Native Americans had democracies. Republics are another matter. Those "democracies" have almost always been dominated by by the upper class. See e.g., Athens, Rome, Venice, Dubrovnik (one of the first republics to recognize the US) and the US, with many later versions modeled after the US. If we're going to play the Republic game (I don't think it works due to inherent corruption) we should at least have very small districts in which, on the federal level, you actually know you congress person. I come from the school of Why would I vote for you, if I don't know you? A very moderate proposition would be to repeal the Reapportionment Act of 1929 https://zero-sum.org/repeal-the-reapportionment-act-of-1929/ My main point is that either democracies must be small or republics must have many, many small districts in order to get to true government by the people. And I am completely opposed to any hierarchical solution because I believe in community and personal autonomy.
Thanks Dave and Elisabeth. My understanding, though I've only been there a few times since 1980 as a techie, is that China does have local democracy as you suggest as well as a hierarchy to governing the nation. It's also my understanding that America is an oligarchy with dark-side career managers. The idea of it being based on the ideas of a few gentleman-farmers a long time ago seems funny.
Gentlemen farmers who happened to be wealthy slave owners, at least in south. China is a complete fascist state just look at the COvID lockdowns in Shanghai going on right now.
Covid lockdowns make sense to me as a good example of survival of our unique mankind-organism being more important than what we are led to perceive as individual freedom.
It is funny some mistakes China has made. When I lectured there in 1982 I proclaimed that the banned rock and jazz are more valuable than the math I was teaching and I gave secret cassettes to a few of the students. When I returned in 1987 there was dancing everywhere like Fred Astaire to live Rolling Stones cover bands.
No ... I am perpetually perplexed on why he is so passive regarding the crimes of the DNC --- it baffles me. I tell myself stories, like perhaps they threatened to murder his grandchildren & Jane ? ... Who knows why. All I know is on 07/25/2016 when the DNC stole the Primary for Hillary, he appeared to have been in a scuffle (his shirt was untucked & he had a red mark on his face) .... I imagined he made Faustian pact with the DNC Neo-Lib-Devil !
Yes (in my opinion) you are right regarding democracy - unfortunately this is true all over the world (and yes mankind is an unhealthy organism, we have a big brain, but how do we use it?!?!)
Agree with the torching of the voting machines. Been convinced for awhile we the people have made a Faustian bargain with technology. The devil wears a suit and tie. Democracy can work. We have the framework. “It’s a republic if we can keep it.”
EXACTLY ! We can Keep it ... BUT we have to get paper ballots, and no "hackable" technology; Hand Counted - Paper Ballots -- The people must believe & know that the EVM are stealing elections. The cognitive dissonance surrounding this issue is a concrete wall .... We have to face the truth; 911 was an inside job, they are stealing our elections & Covid-19 was a "plandemic" .... If we do not wake up to the truth we are doomed.
We’re all politicians. It’s the rank, ruthless opportunists we need to root out. They’re everywhere these days. The guys who openly want to take over the planet have been training the rats everywhere. They will continue to support each other in their kleptocratic race to the bottom of the evolutionary ladder.
George Orwell has an essay called "Politics and the English Language" in which he says: The word Fascism has now no meaning except in so far as it signifies ‘something not desirable’.
Orwell has another essay called "What is Fascism?" which closes with him saying: All one can do for the moment is to use the word with a certain amount of circumspection and not, as is usually done, degrade it to the level of a swear word.
George Orwell has an essay called "Politics and the English Language" in which he says: The word Fascism has now no meaning except in so far as it signifies ‘something not desirable’.
Orwell has another essay called "What is Fascism?" which closes with him
saying: All one can do for the moment is to use the word with a certain amount of circumspection and not, as is usually done, degrade it to the level of a swear word.
Although “fascism” may not be the best word - it is one of our words and we had better own the existence of it. The first thing they do is steal our language. The definition of fascism may especially be the synergy of governments, corporations, institutions in attempting to impose tyranny. It is especially so today. Tyranny, kleptocrisy, Communist or Capitalist - it is still fascism.
Sounds like the original version of Godwin's Law. If conditions are such that fascism seems rampant, ban the use of the word fascism. I
I've read and like Orwell (more than some think I should). The fascism of his day was fresh and clearly defined but I can't help but suspect he'd have no trouble seeing the fascism hardwired into modern corporatist neoliberalism.
Of course but until we break free of the current system we appear to be in a head lock. Until we the people retake our responsibility for oversight and actually participate. Until then we may at least if possible choose those who have some record of supporting the Constitution. We can choose to elect non fascists..
Nice sentiment but the last time I tried to take direct action by working a 2016 Congressional campaign, the DNC made it crystal clear that they would not tolerate any dissent from party positions. If you try to reform the D's from the bottom up, you will be stepped on by people wearing very large boots.
The truth is that the Democrats can't pass Dr. Britt's 14 Definining Characteristics of Fascism test. Identitarianism (cultural studies that are very helpful but not if you weaponize them) is very hard to distinguish from a state-approved religion. D's worship cops (aka slave catchers) even harder than R's do (Dukes of Hazzard Republicans don't like cops anymore than Antifa does).
Just because they're censoring the internet so you can't tune in doesn't mean you can't drop out.
Many of us are remain drop outs who still take part. Depends on what we’re dropping out of & when & where we decide to reappear. Lots of foxes in these woods.
NOT if we are using Electronic Voting Machines ... manufactured by "Dominion Voting Systems " (code for Christian Fascism) ... they plan on forcing One World Relgion on us and they're calling is ChrIslam ... no joke - this is for real
The voting machines are part and parcel of the plans of these WEF kleptocrats who have long feasted at the heart of our system . Enough. The only way out of a serially abusive relationship is OUT.
the entire globe needs to dump their EVM into a pit & bury them all .... This is how the wolves in sheeps clothing have taken over ... They've made us believe we've been having "elections" since 2000 (Gore / Bush steal) ... Stephen Spoonamore did all he could to stop this. He was stifled and his friend Michael Connell (another IT Guru) agreed to rig the elections if 2000 in favor of GW Bush & 2004 in Ohio (where John Kerry actually won) to "help save the babies" ... Michael Connell was a devout Christian and father of 4 who believed he was doing the right thing and his plane exploded just prior to landing in Ohio a week before Christmas. He was to rtestify against Karl Rove for Electon Fraud (Rove paif him to rig EVM ; the only reason Dumbo the Elephant GW Bush won) : / Rove, Cheny, Bush, Wolfowit ... Lock them all up.
George Orwell has an essay called "Politics and the English Language" in which he says: The word Fascism has now no meaning except in so far as it signifies ‘something not desirable’.
Orwell has another essay called "What is Fascism?" which closes with him
saying: All one can do for the moment is to use the word with a certain amount of circumspection and not, as is usually done, degrade it to the level of a swear word.
Team R are corporate imperialist muppets. Team D are also corporate imperialist muppets, but with different takes on so-called "wedge issues" to get their respective partisans into the voting booths on Election Day.
Did not Noam Chomsky describe it thusly, that the Overton Window of acceptable political discourse is severely limited, but that vigorous debate is permitted within that narrow window?
Coke vs. Pepsi
What kind of diversity committee will make our oppressors sufficiently diverse?
I wish I could agree with Chris's opinion that we have a "...government that no longer functions on behalf of the citizenry, one that has been seized by a tiny cabal..."; but as I continue to research the history of the United States, I have come to the conclusion that our government has never functioned on behalf of the citizenry, as it was created by and for primary benefit of a tiny cabal. At times, the cabal has pretended to care about the citizenry, but this has been only when they feared rebellion, as when The Great Depression of the 1930's made attractive the option of communism. The socialist programs implemented by Franklin Roosevelt are credited for saving capitalism; and once the communist alternative, as it existed in the USSR, was eliminated, those who comprise the tiny cabal were, once again, free to take off their masks and continue their rampant exploitation of human beings and all else that exists in nature. This cabal of owner-rulers foments and relies on hatred and discord to create the highly profitable police and war machinery upon which they rely and feed. The Christian fascists mesh perfectly with the cabal's goals. The idiot "cancel and censor" mindset that has been embraced by Democrats is exactly the same fascism, just motivated by different values. It also meshes perfectly with the cabal's goals.
For that matter, watch how democracy and the welfare state were scrapped in Europe, once communism was no longer a threat and it was no longer necessary to bid for popular support.
Pretty wise. The founding ancestors were directly inheritors of the European corporatists - landed aristocrats almost to a person. They did come up with a bunch of great ideas for a nation based on we the people but forced by various concessions inherent to the art of the deal they understood it wasn’t yet a perfect union. They also lifted a bunch of the structure from Native Americans but blew the diplomacy. They feared the Native Americans and we all get owned by what we fear.
As a gay man, this latest revelation regarding the Supreme Court has me on edge more than ever. No doubt Obergefell v Hodges will be next to fall.
It amazes me how quickly things have been spiraling out of control since the beginning of the pandemic. I realize that wasnt the start of our descent but it certainly has been exacerbating our issues.
I've actually begun investigating options for other nations I could immigrate to.
We planned to retire elsewhere. Illness took finances and raising grandkids. It didn't happen but thats what is the best to do. We are doomed here grateful I'm old
"Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them."
We must root them out one by one or en masse. It’s going to take time. Their are great human beings out there who are perfectly capable of making the correct evolutionary decisions. No one said it would be easy. Someone did say however “We do these things not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”
Your so far off in your description of Christians. You see the old Christians of your childhood but you couldn't be further from the truth. Today's Christians do not want war as you describe. You pretend to act as if you know Christians Today but your lost as well as most of your analysis.
Try watching a extremely powerful church in Southern California at the following link before you attempt to describe a group of fascist that you have created in your mind.
I'm new to your writings and I even believe in many of your opinions regarding the war but this is not a Christian issue as more a neocon group of politicians leading America.
I am European and I find it deeply troubling that politics and religion are one and the same in this country and I think that the Evangelical belief system is married to the neocons (it is all about the money, e.g. I have mine, f**k you ... in a few words the words of Jesus are totally perverted)
Your ignorance of American Christians shows. It is not married to neocons in fact the majority of Christians even in California alone are 100 percent against wars. Your ignorance and speech shows just how ignorant you are and why your comments on the topic alone are ignored.
You can do what you want, I do not ask you to believe or not (I DO NOT believe in a flying coffee pot or whatever out there, but this is only my personal opinion). I find prayer breakfasts in the White House more than strange - religion should be an absolute private matter!
The inhabitants of the White House, while playing “Christians” on TV are not at all. Neither am I but there are certainly valuable philosophies and observations to be observed. In case we haven’t noticed there are no private matters. Big technocrats have it all stored in server facilities we pay for.
I agree with all that, one of the main reasons I am very glad to be old and leave this mess to more energetic people. All my friends with children worry very much about their future ... (as said, for me it is: our big brain wrecked it ...)
Hi! Can identify! Where I’ve finally come to is exactly at this impasse. I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time staring into space raking my self and us collectively over the coals. I’ve had some help from some extremely talented, resourceful people - and a few odd musicians of course. Often I find the truth the musicians hold to be more compelling than anything I can come up with in words.
But I don’t believe the fault is in our big brains or in Shakespeare’s stars. I believe we fall into deliberately deceiving ourselves and then work like heck to justify it. Often I see our civilizations themselves have done exactly this. “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
Yes. Ethics are ethics and transcend all systems of religion or dogma. It is the intent and spirit of the law that inspire. Inalienable rights given by our creator are easily misinterpreted.
he is talking about the evangelicals who want a christian theocracy in the US. They do exist and they are just as he has presented them. Yes, there are other kinds of christians but they are not the ones driving the car.
Ideally, When things start to break down because of the Christians he’s talking about, you’ll be fortunate to be a part of a community like the Christian’s you’re talking about.
I live in the Ohio Valley amongst these types of Christians and they are all hardcore Trump supporters. They ditched the Democrats when the steel mills closed down. There are millions throughout middle America and they are formidable and they vote.
All I am able to do at this point is nt make any non essential purchases pray meditate and try to not allow the fear take over. I'm 79 retired - dancer until d age took much away but still practice daily. I see no solution surely in my lifetime but whether my grandkids and great grandkids will be still living this horror or living at all
In the reader comment section, I've tried to submit similar comments about Christian fascism on various relevant NY Times stories. The moderator simply does not allow use of the F word.
This is so extremely hard to watch unfold. It has not been hard to forecast. But is is very hard to watch it now in real time as it approaches the crisis point that so many of us have seen coming for so very long. There were so many ways to avoid what is coming, so many things that could have been done. Obama was our last chance to avoid it and he betrayed the country, left us all at the mercy of the right, the christian fascists, the oligarchs. I can't tell who I hate more at this point, Obama or Trump, Clinton or Bush the second. McConnell or Clarence Thomas. It is a toss up. Maybe i hate them all equally. For abandoning us, for betraying their oath to the Constitution, for actively destroying this country I love.
But more than anything, I, like so many others now, am afraid. Afraid for what is coming, for the complete fascism we face as the christian right takes over, for the bloodbaths to come, for the meltdown of our country. I know now what it was like in Weimar Germany. And I look around and see my crazy liberal tribe being good Germans one and all. They did not stand up when they could have. Instead they will now learn just how stupid their pronoun focus and trigger warnings and "words are violence" are. I see no way out of where we are except for war out there and war in here inside our own country. I am afraid and i grieve.
Much more concerned about unchristian fascism in current world. Fascism is fascism no matter who supports it and the modern Corporatocracy fascists have an endless list of ideologue rationalization for their kleptocratic, tyrannical methods. I think it may be safe to say we may move on from Trump who is a symptom of what is wrong , not the cause. If the USA ever has elections again the American people are far more likely to elect a younger, more practical set of DC administrator politicians who have proven they can and do support the will of the people. No Democrat stands a chance.
Every time I read something you've written, the depth of my being screams 'and the truth will set you free'. And yet, I just feel a quiet sadness. So much potential in our diverse country, wasted. Thank you Chris, truly. Without your wisdom and voice, we would be totally lost.
You need to work on your reading comprehension. I wrote that IF it comes down to which group of fascists is going to rule, I will side with the Christians over the Woke. And yes I believe the Woke are fascists. We can argue all day over the precise definition, which hardly matters.
As for NOT being rules by fascists of one flavor or another, what is the action plan? Chris doesn't seem to have one, and neither do you.
Mark- The US has faced fascist take over of the government numerous times in the past. Overcoming the fascists, which you have still not proven you know the meaning of, as always will require Americans organizing, protesting and voting in to office law makers that are not working for the fascists.
It has been done before and it will need to be done again... My question remains to you. Do you even know what fascist is?
"These people believe this stuff, as they believe in QAnon or the election fraud that supposedly put Biden in office."
Chris Hedges.
I can usually agree with nearly all of Chris Hedge's enlightened perspectives. But not this one. Voting fraud as always been prevelant in the U.S.--just as it is in any other so called "democracy" around the globe. The manufactured Covid State of Emergency in the U.S. that allowed the executive branches of state governments to manipulate legislative branch established voting regulation was obscene and uncalled for. This basterdization of our established voting laws (while quentionable to begin with) brought voting fraud and manipulation to greater heights. It was evidenced in polling station video after polling station video. It was evidenced in polling worker affidavit after affidavit. None of these claims of polling fraud and corruption ever made the light of day in court. That fact is beyond coincidence to me. Given how close the voting was in the 2020 election, any rational human being should conclude that fraud could have very well thrown the election. And I am not talking about anything that happened after the electoral college process. Bear in mind that this post comes from someone that did not vote for Trump in 2020...and does not identify with the Christian Fascists Mr. Hedges characterizes. More the point, I was very nearly prohibited from entering my own polling station for lack of wearing a mask. If I did not have a copy of my State Law allowing me to legally enter my polling station without a mask on my face I would have prohibited to vote. Since I had the wherewithal to prevent this illegal tactic from coming to fruition, a crime was not committed. However, I am virtually positive that I was an exception to the rule in terms of not being bullied (illegal in itself)... and I have very good reason to believe others were illegally denied access to vote as a result of a an illegal polling practice I experienced first hand.
Chris, I challenge you to devote an episode of your blog to changing my position on 2020 election fraud to align with yours. In doing do, I urge you to use fact over empty rhetoric.
The massive planetary Covid fraud has been a manufactured crisis offering epic amounts of opportunities for increased control by these WEF -DAVOS associated kleptocrats who are determined to rule the planet. These fraudsters are looking for opportunities.
Did you read the court decisions in the voter fraud cases? The claims you speak of were most certainly dealt with. In Pennsylvania, where the Trump campaign had arguably the best case, the judge spent around 200 pages going through the evidence. Nothing even met the low standard to survive motion to dismiss.
Our ability to arrive at Truth is always bound, but in human (nonscientific) matters, the adversarial court system is the best thing we have, and these claims were presented in something like 60 courts of all stripes.
The best ways to control democratic outcomes are to limit ballot access, suppress voter interest, and control the media, and it's this latter part where Trump has the most legitimate beef.
What you present here amounts to nothing more than hearsay. In my opinion, the law of averages would dictate that at least one out of 60 court cases would stick. That's just the way it works in real life. However, if the information is suppressed...and the courts are being controlled by executive branches of the government (via oligarchs), then the law of averages may not apply.
Nonetheless, I am open to you pointing to any specific documents (links please) that detail the "like 60 courts" claim or the "200 pages" written by " the judge". What judge? What 60 court cases? I'd love to see the 200 pages. I doubt you can--or will.
I'm not sure why you would call this "hearsay". I'm suggesting that anyone can look at court opinions that are easily found and a matter of public record.
I've found that people who say that none of the court cases addressed the merits of the Trump campaign's claims haven't read the opinions (to be fair, most people don't usually read court opinions).
I'm not gonna bother with legal citations in a substack comment, so you are correct about that, but I bet if you google "Trump v Pennsylvania" you'd find that one, or a more general search would get you to someone who's aggregated links to all of the decisions.
I'm also not sure why you refer to "the law of averages". Court decisions aren't a matter of statistics.
As to the various state judiciary systems being "controlled" by the Federal executive branch, that would be a claim that would require at least a plausible explanation if not evidence (simultaneously violating both the separation of powers and federalism). Especially since most, if not all, of these cases were heard while Trump was the head of the executive branch.
I believe the reason you won't bother with a single objective citation is...there are none.
Outright dismissal of lawsuits are rarely an occurrence on this scale...and with such expeditiousness. None were heard, in my opinion, in an objective manner. Seems to me marching orders were handed down from the "establishment" and strictly observed. If you think the separation of powers has been consistently applied in the U.S., then you are far more naive than one can "plausibly" believe. To the contrary, I believe the reason these marching order were handed down is because there was TOO much merit to the fusillade of affidavits filed and the 'establishment' did not want to risk all out rioting by at least half the voting population. So the best thing to do is squash the notion quickly--and firmly. Covering it up was the easy part. Records can be immediately sealed for decades....and most people are stupid enough to believe whatever their government tells them (apparently, including you). Tell them to wear a face covering to avoid getting infected with a virus that laughs at most any available mask..and they will do it. Tell them to take an experimental drug to avoid getting infected with a virus, and most will do it, no questions asked---including by some otherwise very smart people like Noam Chomsky. So the law of averages applies here---and to all activity; including court cases.
I'll also remind you that Trump was president for roughly 3 months after the electoral college made the call on the 2020 election--and then only in a capacity as a lame duck with virtually no power to pursue action through the Justice Department. I couldn't care less about him losing the Presidency (out of the pot and into the frying pan comes to mind) , but I know one thing is for sure: there is no way 60 courts "of all strips" heard lawsuit cases of election fraud (based on a mountain of filed affidavits claiming so) objectivley within that 3 month period. Its simply not possible; particularly since most courts were still not operational due to continued State of declared " Emergency" involving the alleged pandemic. Or did you simply forget that inconvenient fact? Further, Courts of "all stripes" would have to include Appeal courts. If all cases were dismissed out of hand (as you, and perhaps CIA run Reuters or partisan run Bloomberg News claim) then what appeal courts did you find engaged in the matter? None. Or is an appeal court not a court with "stripes" in your book? Any way you look at it, your claims appear ludicrous.
I will add that Bill Barr, acting Attorney General for the Trump administration, refused to pursue any case of election fraud despite a mountain of filed affidavits-- in multiple states. I am not surprised because Bill Barr, nor Donald Trump really call the shots. In my opinion Bill Barr was told, -just as various State Attorney Generals were told what to do. That is: Lay off. Why? Because this would undermine the faith in our electoral and democratic "system" and likely result in anarchy. Which is probably correct. However, that doesn't mean there wasn't and overwhelming amount of evidence of rampant election fraud and irregularity. Quite frankly, I don't see that many election officials lying (under oath and penalty of perjury, mind you) about such instances of voting fraud and irregularities. Again, the law of averages applies.
Interestingly enough, what does Bill Barr do when stuck between a rock and hard place? He does what every other government official does in a similar situation of cognitive dissonance: he quits. In this case within two weeks. End of story.
ps - I know what Hedges meant when we wrote of "revoking" due process, but many readers won't and will use that as an attack on his credibility. Perhaps a different term, like "erosion" or "gutting" or "hollowing out" or "neutering" might serve better. "Revoke" has a strong legal denotation and connotation. Legally, Due process has not been "revoked".
As long as the people pulling the levers are members of the international Corporatocracy this will be true. Unless we the people take on our responsibility for our governments there will be no peace. Otherwise we may as well go down with the sinking ship of states.
"The Democratic Party’s hypocrisy and duplicity is the fertilizer for Christian fascism. Its exclusive focus on the culture wars and identity politics at the expense of economic, political, and social justice fueled a right-wing backlash and stoked the bigotry, racism, and sexism it sought to curtail. Its opting for image over substance, including its repeated failure to secure the right to abortion, left the Democrats distrusted and reviled."
IMHO both these dual-party Vichy-facades of faux-democracy are being played and manipulated by UHNWIs, 0.003%ers, and arrogantly self-appointed "Masters of the Universe" with dirty abandon, in order to ping-pong all elections all the time.
While Bernie was torpedoed twice in '16 & '20 --- and all the way back to the 1944 coup by DNC and OSS by blocking FDR's VP, brilliant socialist democrat, Henry Wallace --- it appears that the most recent device for manipulation of Bernie's '20 blocked run along with future torpedoing has outsized finger-prints of the DMFI PAC and other such organs going forward.
When both halves of the duopoly are fascist, what is the purpose of flagging one side as being worse than the other? No solutions are possible with either party in charge and last I looked, Biden was agitating for war with Russia even harder than Shrub pushed for the great Iraq debacle (which we are still not allowed to investigate).
There is an opportunity to change everything. I'd love to say that all we have to do is stay home and not vote this fall, but both parties have proven that they're willing to govern without our consent.
Instead, stop shopping for nonessentials. Stock up on essentials. Let friends, neighbors and relatives know you've had enough. Stop participating in the system to the fullest extent possible. When the stock market craters...things will change.
there is an oppurtunity to change everything ... and it's simple. Democracy works. The vote is the corner stone of our democracyt ... It is the voice of the people.
Just ask Stephen Spoonamore - friend of Michael Connell (Karl Roves IT Guru; hired to steal 2000 & 2004 POTUS for GW Bush) ... Stephen Spoonmore has been screaming it to anyone who will listen, byt MSM, the Trusted News Initiative & DHS squashes any mention of Election Fraud ... WHY? because this is how they stole our Democracy
Stephen Spoonamore has repeated over & over & over again and again ... the best cure for Election Fraud is "Paper Ballots" ... "Paper Ballots" ... "Paper Ballots" ... "Paper Ballots" ... "Paper Ballots" ... "Paper Ballots" ... "Paper Ballots" ... "Paper Ballots" ... "Paper Ballots" ... "Paper Ballots" .
..... we need to torch every Electronic Voting Machine on the planet
Paper ballots won't change the fact that there are usually only 2 fascist choices.
Jill Stein had over 5% votes after the DNC stole 2016 POTUS Primary from Sanders; the 1% oligarchy that owns 'proprietary rights' to these Black Box Voting Machines decides who wins... people need to wake up. If you do not believe me - then check in with Stephen Spoonamore & Mark Crispin Miller ~ they've been warning us for decades.
There will NOT be paper ballots, just as there will be no ranked-choice voting. The 2 Parties ruthlessly control the system. Believe me, I'd love to see paper ballots, but it ain't gonna happen, no more than Med4All will happen in the current system.
Ireland got rid of their EVM's ... they proudly announced that they use them for scrap metal and now they rank in the top 10 'full democracies' on the planet ... USA ranks 26th as a 'flawed democracy' on the Democracy Index ... the Scandanavian countries all use paper ballots & it is why they were able to incarcerate their Wall Street Villain equivalents in the 2008 financial collapse --- because their Democracy works ... WHY can't we demand the same ?
We can demand the same. But far too many people in the US simply don't care. For instance, tens of millions of liberals went back into hibernation after Biden got elected. Even though Biden is demonstrably worse than Trump on everything, no matter. The US, as Caitlin Johnstone reminds us, has the most heavily propagandized citizenry on the planet. So, get ready for the 2022 football season! Go Bears!
In so many ways important to recognize we can no longer so easily join with the “system” in order to change it from within. Too many rank opportunists.
there are 2 fascist choices BECAUSE we used hackable EVM - We vote the 2 party system out & vote the 3rd Party --- which can ONLY win IF we have Paper Ballots (the 1% decide who wins via EVM).
And that's why you will never see paper ballots.
Don't nail the coffin shut just yet -- we can change this by 2024 if we unite & refuse to use EVM made by "Dominion Voting Systems"... Diebold, etc --- to hell with the Oligarchic control over our elctions & their proprietary inner black box makings -- that voters do NOT have access to??? --- it's my vote & I want it counted for the 3rd Party we deserve & EVM block every election; they brainwash us all by saying 3rd Party is a "wasted vote" ... this is a lie ! It is not ... AND it's our ONLY way out of this Catch 22 ... ONLY if we have Paper Ballots !
Good to remind ourselves that we the people are in fact the source of power and riches the oligarch’s depend on. Also important to realize we the people are not the enemy and to clearly distinguish between the two. It’s planetary. If we respond with Nukes and gunships everybody loses. Revolution is possible but it will need to be intelligent and accurate.
Maybe it is high time for our bodies as ballots. True representative democracy. Set accessible places and times in neighborhoods throughout the country. Show up with easily recognisable colors or similar Identification for counting. Have a central meeting spot to collate and report to those who will listen and report. The revolution may not be televised but it may be understood. Safety in numbers.
Adding to my comment I made this a few days ago. https://zero-sum.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/VOTING-BAG-OF-DILDOS.jpg
No which is why we the people must see this through. See it through until we once again have oversight and choices.
Not a bad idea. Another option is to implement blockchain technology for voting. The blockchain is immutable and more importantly, all interactions with the blockchain are publicly verifiable by anyone with a computer or phone. Regardless, it doesn't change the fact that there are two parties with essentially the same corporate agenda that promotes war and the interests of a narrow band of elites . . . despite their platitudes saying otherwise.
only 12.6 countries in the world can qualify as a "Full Democracy" and they ALL - USE - PAPER - BALLOTS .... and no electronic voter counting machines -- This is not rocket science... it's the 1% outsmarting us into fascism via the use of EVM ... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Index
We already have a "Fool-Democracy". How we cast that vote for a pre-selected major party candidate, paper or otherwise, that does not / will not represent us should be obvious by now. Recall brand Obama - all hype and no change. Yet he's still a hero to the willfully blind Blue. We're toast.
I believe out only way out of this Catch 22 is to get a 3rd Party Candidate - ensure they get a verifiable 10% of the vote (>5% needed) and use Paper Ballots & do a recount so we have proof .... We need to break the 2 party system that has our democracy in a death grip.
These mechanics-of-voting ideas don't seem so great. Maybe it's joking. The discovery of Newtonian mechanics gave people the idea that humans as a whole are smarter than that actually are, and so ever since then we've accepted what's known as the Enlightenment. Marx and most other enlightenment philosophers thought that the basic problem is simply autocratic systems. Unfortunately the basic problem is that most humans are jerks, and the opiate of the masses is our assorted narrow expertises which make us think we're smart when in fact majority vote is kind of dumb. The workable voting option is not in the mechanics. Hopefully it is in some kind of modified Platonic autocracy which is what most people have thought for ages.
First of all the premise that “humans are jerks” is nonsense. Much of our philosophical thinking is wrong headed and misleading. Are we fully capable of talking or thinking our way into a convoluted impasse? Absolutely. There are answers and they are truly revolutionary. Since the alternative to common sense Is extinction it’s important.
you are over-thinking it ... K.I.S.S. --- paper ballots / hand counted - so the 1% Oligarchy that manufactures EVM can not assign their elcted King / Queen into office ... The Scandanavian countries did not fall for the EVM & the result is they actually have a democracy still ... USA ranks 26th as a "flawed democracy" due to $$$ in politics, MSM selling a candidate & EVM.
I don’t believe blockchain is a valid option based on what you cite - the corporate agendas. In order to know the desperate minds of the Corporatocracy all we need do is follow the philosophy and intent of their cheerleaders, the World Economic Forum. Klaus Schwab snd the WEF purport to be the rightful ideologues to rule the world. By reading their own list of participating corporations, institutions, and politicians we can see the scope. Once we realize the number of trainees they have placed throughout the world corporate, gov’t & institutional structures we get a crystal clear view of this epic insanity.
Few people who really understand the fundamental threat represented by the WEF and associates would discount their capabilities. That they are possibly insane, obviously kleptocratic tyrants, is observable.
Klaus Schwabb reminds me of Alfred Hitchcock ... narrating to the world the demise of all humanity, "You Vill own NOTHINK! and you Vill be happy! ... our worst nightmare.
As an 88 year old American student of American history and Chris Hedges' books, I don't think that "democracy" does work. I hope I'm not a "fascist" - whatever that means - but mankind is a big (unhealthy) organism and individually we are only tiny cells of it. After the American Enlightenment collapses like Chris Hedges predicts, hopefully something more hierarchical like China, and Plato, or maybe the Roman Church, will save mankind.
I can go on and on about this and I am writing some future posts about the subject. First, no real democracies have existed in "western" history for about the last 2,000 years. Thats not to say there weren't any. In fact there were. Read "The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow." For example, Native Americans had democracies. Republics are another matter. Those "democracies" have almost always been dominated by by the upper class. See e.g., Athens, Rome, Venice, Dubrovnik (one of the first republics to recognize the US) and the US, with many later versions modeled after the US. If we're going to play the Republic game (I don't think it works due to inherent corruption) we should at least have very small districts in which, on the federal level, you actually know you congress person. I come from the school of Why would I vote for you, if I don't know you? A very moderate proposition would be to repeal the Reapportionment Act of 1929 https://zero-sum.org/repeal-the-reapportionment-act-of-1929/ My main point is that either democracies must be small or republics must have many, many small districts in order to get to true government by the people. And I am completely opposed to any hierarchical solution because I believe in community and personal autonomy.
Thanks Dave and Elisabeth. My understanding, though I've only been there a few times since 1980 as a techie, is that China does have local democracy as you suggest as well as a hierarchy to governing the nation. It's also my understanding that America is an oligarchy with dark-side career managers. The idea of it being based on the ideas of a few gentleman-farmers a long time ago seems funny.
Gentlemen farmers who happened to be wealthy slave owners, at least in south. China is a complete fascist state just look at the COvID lockdowns in Shanghai going on right now.
Covid lockdowns make sense to me as a good example of survival of our unique mankind-organism being more important than what we are led to perceive as individual freedom.
It is funny some mistakes China has made. When I lectured there in 1982 I proclaimed that the banned rock and jazz are more valuable than the math I was teaching and I gave secret cassettes to a few of the students. When I returned in 1987 there was dancing everywhere like Fred Astaire to live Rolling Stones cover bands.
why I moved to Vermont .. hoping we have a chance to succede the union.
My wife, 3 kids, and I, moved from a good job in D.C. to Ontario in 1969,
though I'm the only one of us who shamefully still neglects to become Canadian.
I still drive down to D.C., etc, to argue. Does Bernie need to cooperate so much?
No ... I am perpetually perplexed on why he is so passive regarding the crimes of the DNC --- it baffles me. I tell myself stories, like perhaps they threatened to murder his grandchildren & Jane ? ... Who knows why. All I know is on 07/25/2016 when the DNC stole the Primary for Hillary, he appeared to have been in a scuffle (his shirt was untucked & he had a red mark on his face) .... I imagined he made Faustian pact with the DNC Neo-Lib-Devil !
Yes (in my opinion) you are right regarding democracy - unfortunately this is true all over the world (and yes mankind is an unhealthy organism, we have a big brain, but how do we use it?!?!)
Agree with the torching of the voting machines. Been convinced for awhile we the people have made a Faustian bargain with technology. The devil wears a suit and tie. Democracy can work. We have the framework. “It’s a republic if we can keep it.”
EXACTLY ! We can Keep it ... BUT we have to get paper ballots, and no "hackable" technology; Hand Counted - Paper Ballots -- The people must believe & know that the EVM are stealing elections. The cognitive dissonance surrounding this issue is a concrete wall .... We have to face the truth; 911 was an inside job, they are stealing our elections & Covid-19 was a "plandemic" .... If we do not wake up to the truth we are doomed.
Back to first principles l they do indeed exist.
Ireland uses their EVM for scrap metal & they now have fossil free energy - this is how a democracy works!
Q: "When both halves of the duopoly are fascist, what is the purpose of flagging one side as being worse than the other"
A: One possible reason; to provide narrative cover ("A vs B") for the necessary corruption and manipulation of democratic processes.
We’re all politicians. It’s the rank, ruthless opportunists we need to root out. They’re everywhere these days. The guys who openly want to take over the planet have been training the rats everywhere. They will continue to support each other in their kleptocratic race to the bottom of the evolutionary ladder.
George Orwell has an essay called "Politics and the English Language" in which he says: The word Fascism has now no meaning except in so far as it signifies ‘something not desirable’.
Orwell has another essay called "What is Fascism?" which closes with him saying: All one can do for the moment is to use the word with a certain amount of circumspection and not, as is usually done, degrade it to the level of a swear word.
George Orwell has an essay called "Politics and the English Language" in which he says: The word Fascism has now no meaning except in so far as it signifies ‘something not desirable’.
Orwell has another essay called "What is Fascism?" which closes with him
saying: All one can do for the moment is to use the word with a certain amount of circumspection and not, as is usually done, degrade it to the level of a swear word.
Although “fascism” may not be the best word - it is one of our words and we had better own the existence of it. The first thing they do is steal our language. The definition of fascism may especially be the synergy of governments, corporations, institutions in attempting to impose tyranny. It is especially so today. Tyranny, kleptocrisy, Communist or Capitalist - it is still fascism.
Sounds like the original version of Godwin's Law. If conditions are such that fascism seems rampant, ban the use of the word fascism. I
I've read and like Orwell (more than some think I should). The fascism of his day was fresh and clearly defined but I can't help but suspect he'd have no trouble seeing the fascism hardwired into modern corporatist neoliberalism.
Of course but until we break free of the current system we appear to be in a head lock. Until we the people retake our responsibility for oversight and actually participate. Until then we may at least if possible choose those who have some record of supporting the Constitution. We can choose to elect non fascists..
Nice sentiment but the last time I tried to take direct action by working a 2016 Congressional campaign, the DNC made it crystal clear that they would not tolerate any dissent from party positions. If you try to reform the D's from the bottom up, you will be stepped on by people wearing very large boots.
The truth is that the Democrats can't pass Dr. Britt's 14 Definining Characteristics of Fascism test. Identitarianism (cultural studies that are very helpful but not if you weaponize them) is very hard to distinguish from a state-approved religion. D's worship cops (aka slave catchers) even harder than R's do (Dukes of Hazzard Republicans don't like cops anymore than Antifa does).
Just because they're censoring the internet so you can't tune in doesn't mean you can't drop out.
Many of us are remain drop outs who still take part. Depends on what we’re dropping out of & when & where we decide to reappear. Lots of foxes in these woods.
NOT if we are using Electronic Voting Machines ... manufactured by "Dominion Voting Systems " (code for Christian Fascism) ... they plan on forcing One World Relgion on us and they're calling is ChrIslam ... no joke - this is for real
Introducing "Chrislam"
~ https://believersportal.com/one-world-religion-headquarters-to-open-2022/ ~
The voting machines are part and parcel of the plans of these WEF kleptocrats who have long feasted at the heart of our system . Enough. The only way out of a serially abusive relationship is OUT.
the entire globe needs to dump their EVM into a pit & bury them all .... This is how the wolves in sheeps clothing have taken over ... They've made us believe we've been having "elections" since 2000 (Gore / Bush steal) ... Stephen Spoonamore did all he could to stop this. He was stifled and his friend Michael Connell (another IT Guru) agreed to rig the elections if 2000 in favor of GW Bush & 2004 in Ohio (where John Kerry actually won) to "help save the babies" ... Michael Connell was a devout Christian and father of 4 who believed he was doing the right thing and his plane exploded just prior to landing in Ohio a week before Christmas. He was to rtestify against Karl Rove for Electon Fraud (Rove paif him to rig EVM ; the only reason Dumbo the Elephant GW Bush won) : / Rove, Cheny, Bush, Wolfowit ... Lock them all up.
George Orwell has an essay called "Politics and the English Language" in which he says: The word Fascism has now no meaning except in so far as it signifies ‘something not desirable’.
Orwell has another essay called "What is Fascism?" which closes with him
saying: All one can do for the moment is to use the word with a certain amount of circumspection and not, as is usually done, degrade it to the level of a swear word.
Team R are corporate imperialist muppets. Team D are also corporate imperialist muppets, but with different takes on so-called "wedge issues" to get their respective partisans into the voting booths on Election Day.
Different cheeks of the same ass.
Did not Noam Chomsky describe it thusly, that the Overton Window of acceptable political discourse is severely limited, but that vigorous debate is permitted within that narrow window?
Coke vs. Pepsi
What kind of diversity committee will make our oppressors sufficiently diverse?
Obamacare vs. Romneycare
Who needs any kind of care from these medical industrialists? We can learn to care for our own. No free lunch.
Unfortunately many of these couldn’t find it with both hands.
Yes, but cynicism will get us exactly no where.
And where has "vote blue no matter who" gotten us?
Realism isn't cynicism.
Time for former Democrats or two-party duopolists to figure it out. Being ruthlessly realistic but still grounded is not cynicism.
I wish I could agree with Chris's opinion that we have a "...government that no longer functions on behalf of the citizenry, one that has been seized by a tiny cabal..."; but as I continue to research the history of the United States, I have come to the conclusion that our government has never functioned on behalf of the citizenry, as it was created by and for primary benefit of a tiny cabal. At times, the cabal has pretended to care about the citizenry, but this has been only when they feared rebellion, as when The Great Depression of the 1930's made attractive the option of communism. The socialist programs implemented by Franklin Roosevelt are credited for saving capitalism; and once the communist alternative, as it existed in the USSR, was eliminated, those who comprise the tiny cabal were, once again, free to take off their masks and continue their rampant exploitation of human beings and all else that exists in nature. This cabal of owner-rulers foments and relies on hatred and discord to create the highly profitable police and war machinery upon which they rely and feed. The Christian fascists mesh perfectly with the cabal's goals. The idiot "cancel and censor" mindset that has been embraced by Democrats is exactly the same fascism, just motivated by different values. It also meshes perfectly with the cabal's goals.
For that matter, watch how democracy and the welfare state were scrapped in Europe, once communism was no longer a threat and it was no longer necessary to bid for popular support.
The same tiny cabal rules Europe, USA, Canada, etc. All are part of the Western capitalist empire.
It is certainly evident these fools believe they rule us. Such a conceit the believe so.
Pretty wise. The founding ancestors were directly inheritors of the European corporatists - landed aristocrats almost to a person. They did come up with a bunch of great ideas for a nation based on we the people but forced by various concessions inherent to the art of the deal they understood it wasn’t yet a perfect union. They also lifted a bunch of the structure from Native Americans but blew the diplomacy. They feared the Native Americans and we all get owned by what we fear.
As a gay man, this latest revelation regarding the Supreme Court has me on edge more than ever. No doubt Obergefell v Hodges will be next to fall.
It amazes me how quickly things have been spiraling out of control since the beginning of the pandemic. I realize that wasnt the start of our descent but it certainly has been exacerbating our issues.
I've actually begun investigating options for other nations I could immigrate to.
Clarence Thomas has said he wants to overturn gay marriage. I am sure a number of the others do as well.
We planned to retire elsewhere. Illness took finances and raising grandkids. It didn't happen but thats what is the best to do. We are doomed here grateful I'm old
"Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them."
-Barry Goldwater
he also said: the republican party has been taken over by kooks. The response, from a christian activist? Yes, it means kindred of our king.
Yes, they want a theocracy. They should be forced to live in a theocracy that isn't their kiing.
We must root them out one by one or en masse. It’s going to take time. Their are great human beings out there who are perfectly capable of making the correct evolutionary decisions. No one said it would be easy. Someone did say however “We do these things not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”
That was JFK.
Correct.
Unfortunately the things we’re afraid of tend to rule us. No fear.
Your so far off in your description of Christians. You see the old Christians of your childhood but you couldn't be further from the truth. Today's Christians do not want war as you describe. You pretend to act as if you know Christians Today but your lost as well as most of your analysis.
Try watching a extremely powerful church in Southern California at the following link before you attempt to describe a group of fascist that you have created in your mind.
I'm new to your writings and I even believe in many of your opinions regarding the war but this is not a Christian issue as more a neocon group of politicians leading America.
https://live.calvarycch.tv/
I am European and I find it deeply troubling that politics and religion are one and the same in this country and I think that the Evangelical belief system is married to the neocons (it is all about the money, e.g. I have mine, f**k you ... in a few words the words of Jesus are totally perverted)
Your ignorance of American Christians shows. It is not married to neocons in fact the majority of Christians even in California alone are 100 percent against wars. Your ignorance and speech shows just how ignorant you are and why your comments on the topic alone are ignored.
You can do what you want, I do not ask you to believe or not (I DO NOT believe in a flying coffee pot or whatever out there, but this is only my personal opinion). I find prayer breakfasts in the White House more than strange - religion should be an absolute private matter!
The inhabitants of the White House, while playing “Christians” on TV are not at all. Neither am I but there are certainly valuable philosophies and observations to be observed. In case we haven’t noticed there are no private matters. Big technocrats have it all stored in server facilities we pay for.
I agree with all that, one of the main reasons I am very glad to be old and leave this mess to more energetic people. All my friends with children worry very much about their future ... (as said, for me it is: our big brain wrecked it ...)
Hi! Can identify! Where I’ve finally come to is exactly at this impasse. I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time staring into space raking my self and us collectively over the coals. I’ve had some help from some extremely talented, resourceful people - and a few odd musicians of course. Often I find the truth the musicians hold to be more compelling than anything I can come up with in words.
But I don’t believe the fault is in our big brains or in Shakespeare’s stars. I believe we fall into deliberately deceiving ourselves and then work like heck to justify it. Often I see our civilizations themselves have done exactly this. “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
Hmn.... interesting.
Yes. Ethics are ethics and transcend all systems of religion or dogma. It is the intent and spirit of the law that inspire. Inalienable rights given by our creator are easily misinterpreted.
he is talking about the evangelicals who want a christian theocracy in the US. They do exist and they are just as he has presented them. Yes, there are other kinds of christians but they are not the ones driving the car.
Ideally, When things start to break down because of the Christians he’s talking about, you’ll be fortunate to be a part of a community like the Christian’s you’re talking about.
Simply don’t believe these are the formidable enemies here. There are many but these are not the ones we need to worry about.
I live in the Ohio Valley amongst these types of Christians and they are all hardcore Trump supporters. They ditched the Democrats when the steel mills closed down. There are millions throughout middle America and they are formidable and they vote.
It’s far from being just about Christians. Most real Christians are grounded and realistic as their original prophets.
to quote mark twain: there was a real christian once, they killed him as fast as they could.
Indeed.
All I am able to do at this point is nt make any non essential purchases pray meditate and try to not allow the fear take over. I'm 79 retired - dancer until d age took much away but still practice daily. I see no solution surely in my lifetime but whether my grandkids and great grandkids will be still living this horror or living at all
In the reader comment section, I've tried to submit similar comments about Christian fascism on various relevant NY Times stories. The moderator simply does not allow use of the F word.
Yes, interesting as we view the forums where our language is not yet completely stolen.
Maybe try using "f*scism"?
This is so extremely hard to watch unfold. It has not been hard to forecast. But is is very hard to watch it now in real time as it approaches the crisis point that so many of us have seen coming for so very long. There were so many ways to avoid what is coming, so many things that could have been done. Obama was our last chance to avoid it and he betrayed the country, left us all at the mercy of the right, the christian fascists, the oligarchs. I can't tell who I hate more at this point, Obama or Trump, Clinton or Bush the second. McConnell or Clarence Thomas. It is a toss up. Maybe i hate them all equally. For abandoning us, for betraying their oath to the Constitution, for actively destroying this country I love.
But more than anything, I, like so many others now, am afraid. Afraid for what is coming, for the complete fascism we face as the christian right takes over, for the bloodbaths to come, for the meltdown of our country. I know now what it was like in Weimar Germany. And I look around and see my crazy liberal tribe being good Germans one and all. They did not stand up when they could have. Instead they will now learn just how stupid their pronoun focus and trigger warnings and "words are violence" are. I see no way out of where we are except for war out there and war in here inside our own country. I am afraid and i grieve.
Much more concerned about unchristian fascism in current world. Fascism is fascism no matter who supports it and the modern Corporatocracy fascists have an endless list of ideologue rationalization for their kleptocratic, tyrannical methods. I think it may be safe to say we may move on from Trump who is a symptom of what is wrong , not the cause. If the USA ever has elections again the American people are far more likely to elect a younger, more practical set of DC administrator politicians who have proven they can and do support the will of the people. No Democrat stands a chance.
Every time I read something you've written, the depth of my being screams 'and the truth will set you free'. And yet, I just feel a quiet sadness. So much potential in our diverse country, wasted. Thank you Chris, truly. Without your wisdom and voice, we would be totally lost.
If it comes down to being ruled by Christian fascists or by the Woke fascists, I will take the Christian fascists all day long and twice on Sunday.
MarkS - Not me. A fascist is a fascist. If you are willing to accept fascism then you are the problem, not Woke People Not Trump supporters. Just YOU!
Do you even know what Hedges is talking about when he uses the term fascism? I would bet you don't..
You need to work on your reading comprehension. I wrote that IF it comes down to which group of fascists is going to rule, I will side with the Christians over the Woke. And yes I believe the Woke are fascists. We can argue all day over the precise definition, which hardly matters.
As for NOT being rules by fascists of one flavor or another, what is the action plan? Chris doesn't seem to have one, and neither do you.
Mark- The US has faced fascist take over of the government numerous times in the past. Overcoming the fascists, which you have still not proven you know the meaning of, as always will require Americans organizing, protesting and voting in to office law makers that are not working for the fascists.
It has been done before and it will need to be done again... My question remains to you. Do you even know what fascist is?
Which current office-holders are not working for the fascists?
Again, do you know what fascist mean?
Lets start there. If can give me the definition of fascist you are using i can tell you who works for whom
Just tell me, by your definiton. I agree to use your definition, whatever it is.
"These people believe this stuff, as they believe in QAnon or the election fraud that supposedly put Biden in office."
Chris Hedges.
I can usually agree with nearly all of Chris Hedge's enlightened perspectives. But not this one. Voting fraud as always been prevelant in the U.S.--just as it is in any other so called "democracy" around the globe. The manufactured Covid State of Emergency in the U.S. that allowed the executive branches of state governments to manipulate legislative branch established voting regulation was obscene and uncalled for. This basterdization of our established voting laws (while quentionable to begin with) brought voting fraud and manipulation to greater heights. It was evidenced in polling station video after polling station video. It was evidenced in polling worker affidavit after affidavit. None of these claims of polling fraud and corruption ever made the light of day in court. That fact is beyond coincidence to me. Given how close the voting was in the 2020 election, any rational human being should conclude that fraud could have very well thrown the election. And I am not talking about anything that happened after the electoral college process. Bear in mind that this post comes from someone that did not vote for Trump in 2020...and does not identify with the Christian Fascists Mr. Hedges characterizes. More the point, I was very nearly prohibited from entering my own polling station for lack of wearing a mask. If I did not have a copy of my State Law allowing me to legally enter my polling station without a mask on my face I would have prohibited to vote. Since I had the wherewithal to prevent this illegal tactic from coming to fruition, a crime was not committed. However, I am virtually positive that I was an exception to the rule in terms of not being bullied (illegal in itself)... and I have very good reason to believe others were illegally denied access to vote as a result of a an illegal polling practice I experienced first hand.
Chris, I challenge you to devote an episode of your blog to changing my position on 2020 election fraud to align with yours. In doing do, I urge you to use fact over empty rhetoric.
The massive planetary Covid fraud has been a manufactured crisis offering epic amounts of opportunities for increased control by these WEF -DAVOS associated kleptocrats who are determined to rule the planet. These fraudsters are looking for opportunities.
Did you read the court decisions in the voter fraud cases? The claims you speak of were most certainly dealt with. In Pennsylvania, where the Trump campaign had arguably the best case, the judge spent around 200 pages going through the evidence. Nothing even met the low standard to survive motion to dismiss.
Our ability to arrive at Truth is always bound, but in human (nonscientific) matters, the adversarial court system is the best thing we have, and these claims were presented in something like 60 courts of all stripes.
The best ways to control democratic outcomes are to limit ballot access, suppress voter interest, and control the media, and it's this latter part where Trump has the most legitimate beef.
Sure, I am aware and agree.
What you present here amounts to nothing more than hearsay. In my opinion, the law of averages would dictate that at least one out of 60 court cases would stick. That's just the way it works in real life. However, if the information is suppressed...and the courts are being controlled by executive branches of the government (via oligarchs), then the law of averages may not apply.
Nonetheless, I am open to you pointing to any specific documents (links please) that detail the "like 60 courts" claim or the "200 pages" written by " the judge". What judge? What 60 court cases? I'd love to see the 200 pages. I doubt you can--or will.
The devil's in the details.
I'm not sure why you would call this "hearsay". I'm suggesting that anyone can look at court opinions that are easily found and a matter of public record.
I've found that people who say that none of the court cases addressed the merits of the Trump campaign's claims haven't read the opinions (to be fair, most people don't usually read court opinions).
I'm not gonna bother with legal citations in a substack comment, so you are correct about that, but I bet if you google "Trump v Pennsylvania" you'd find that one, or a more general search would get you to someone who's aggregated links to all of the decisions.
I'm also not sure why you refer to "the law of averages". Court decisions aren't a matter of statistics.
As to the various state judiciary systems being "controlled" by the Federal executive branch, that would be a claim that would require at least a plausible explanation if not evidence (simultaneously violating both the separation of powers and federalism). Especially since most, if not all, of these cases were heard while Trump was the head of the executive branch.
I believe the reason you won't bother with a single objective citation is...there are none.
Outright dismissal of lawsuits are rarely an occurrence on this scale...and with such expeditiousness. None were heard, in my opinion, in an objective manner. Seems to me marching orders were handed down from the "establishment" and strictly observed. If you think the separation of powers has been consistently applied in the U.S., then you are far more naive than one can "plausibly" believe. To the contrary, I believe the reason these marching order were handed down is because there was TOO much merit to the fusillade of affidavits filed and the 'establishment' did not want to risk all out rioting by at least half the voting population. So the best thing to do is squash the notion quickly--and firmly. Covering it up was the easy part. Records can be immediately sealed for decades....and most people are stupid enough to believe whatever their government tells them (apparently, including you). Tell them to wear a face covering to avoid getting infected with a virus that laughs at most any available mask..and they will do it. Tell them to take an experimental drug to avoid getting infected with a virus, and most will do it, no questions asked---including by some otherwise very smart people like Noam Chomsky. So the law of averages applies here---and to all activity; including court cases.
I'll also remind you that Trump was president for roughly 3 months after the electoral college made the call on the 2020 election--and then only in a capacity as a lame duck with virtually no power to pursue action through the Justice Department. I couldn't care less about him losing the Presidency (out of the pot and into the frying pan comes to mind) , but I know one thing is for sure: there is no way 60 courts "of all strips" heard lawsuit cases of election fraud (based on a mountain of filed affidavits claiming so) objectivley within that 3 month period. Its simply not possible; particularly since most courts were still not operational due to continued State of declared " Emergency" involving the alleged pandemic. Or did you simply forget that inconvenient fact? Further, Courts of "all stripes" would have to include Appeal courts. If all cases were dismissed out of hand (as you, and perhaps CIA run Reuters or partisan run Bloomberg News claim) then what appeal courts did you find engaged in the matter? None. Or is an appeal court not a court with "stripes" in your book? Any way you look at it, your claims appear ludicrous.
I will add that Bill Barr, acting Attorney General for the Trump administration, refused to pursue any case of election fraud despite a mountain of filed affidavits-- in multiple states. I am not surprised because Bill Barr, nor Donald Trump really call the shots. In my opinion Bill Barr was told, -just as various State Attorney Generals were told what to do. That is: Lay off. Why? Because this would undermine the faith in our electoral and democratic "system" and likely result in anarchy. Which is probably correct. However, that doesn't mean there wasn't and overwhelming amount of evidence of rampant election fraud and irregularity. Quite frankly, I don't see that many election officials lying (under oath and penalty of perjury, mind you) about such instances of voting fraud and irregularities. Again, the law of averages applies.
Interestingly enough, what does Bill Barr do when stuck between a rock and hard place? He does what every other government official does in a similar situation of cognitive dissonance: he quits. In this case within two weeks. End of story.
Moral of the story: A leashed dog won't hunt.
"War is the chief occupation of the state."
Yes, as Randolph Bourne wrote:
War is the health of the State
https://www.panarchy.org/bourne/state.1918.html
ps - I know what Hedges meant when we wrote of "revoking" due process, but many readers won't and will use that as an attack on his credibility. Perhaps a different term, like "erosion" or "gutting" or "hollowing out" or "neutering" might serve better. "Revoke" has a strong legal denotation and connotation. Legally, Due process has not been "revoked".
As long as the people pulling the levers are members of the international Corporatocracy this will be true. Unless we the people take on our responsibility for our governments there will be no peace. Otherwise we may as well go down with the sinking ship of states.
As you correctly say, Chris:
"The Democratic Party’s hypocrisy and duplicity is the fertilizer for Christian fascism. Its exclusive focus on the culture wars and identity politics at the expense of economic, political, and social justice fueled a right-wing backlash and stoked the bigotry, racism, and sexism it sought to curtail. Its opting for image over substance, including its repeated failure to secure the right to abortion, left the Democrats distrusted and reviled."
IMHO both these dual-party Vichy-facades of faux-democracy are being played and manipulated by UHNWIs, 0.003%ers, and arrogantly self-appointed "Masters of the Universe" with dirty abandon, in order to ping-pong all elections all the time.
While Bernie was torpedoed twice in '16 & '20 --- and all the way back to the 1944 coup by DNC and OSS by blocking FDR's VP, brilliant socialist democrat, Henry Wallace --- it appears that the most recent device for manipulation of Bernie's '20 blocked run along with future torpedoing has outsized finger-prints of the DMFI PAC and other such organs going forward.
You write it better than anyone else. Thank You!