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Posted
17 minutes ago, immamac said:

This is just the preamble. Quit being such a puss. 

Aye aye. No puss here, bossmange. Este Beltalowda ready for duty 

Posted
1 hour ago, Dbeasy said:

Every day there is another red flag that pops up in the press about some action taken by Trump that is either alarming or meant to take away attention from elsewhere. We've talked in this thread and elsewhere about Project 2025, the fact he's doing what he said he would, facism, etc. I wonder whether a specific thread should be created to look much more at the really big picture of what is happening with our current government. This thread gets bogged down in daily shock theater, and I worry that there is a much broader and more concerning plan being implemented than some or most people realize. 

It may not make sense to separate out the conversation, but here is where my thoughts are headed. It had been years since I studied Hitler's rise to power. I went back and looked at via some readings and documentaries, not because I believe this administration is truly trying to implement a dictatorship or facism in the classical sense. We could all debate that. I wanted to understand how Hitler got into power with such tight control for over ten years, so that I could view this current extraordinary government situation through the eyes of a historical reference.

What's really concerning is how the Republican party and Trump have implemented over many years what I would term a "modern day version" of violence and actions to gain greater control over our country and government. We are all familiar with what they've done, but when you look at it in it's totality (Something About Mary reference), it makes you really wonder where this is headed. I feel like there is a massive surprise coming that is far bigger than Project 2025. 

A few of the parallels between Trump and Hitler's rise to power:

1. Propaganda, misinformation - both have used it extensively to dumb down the public. Some forget that the people voted Hitler into office. Trump's modern equivalent is Fox News and other conservative media, Elon taking over Twitter, his deal with Facebook, etc.

2. Violence and Convenient Partnerships - Hitler used the SA, SS, and SD organizations, which over time became more violent, to exert control and intimidate. He also partnered closely with the Conservative party to gain control. Trump uses MAGA and his technique of deny, deny, deny, double down, triple down, quaduple down, combined with misinformation and propaganda to quiet opposition. He also partners with the Conservatives, Proud Boys and other fringe organizations, just as Hitler did.

3. Consolidation of Power - Once in power, Hitler immediately took actions to consolidate power in the government, eliminating freedom of the press, and other actions. The banning of AP, one of the few true news organizations, from the White House is one tiny example of Trump trying to consolidate power. Trump's executive orders and public communications also are geared toward consolidation of power. We see something new every day.

4. Elimination of Rivals - This is where the conversation really gets interesting and why I think a standalone thread might have some value. In the Night of the Long Knives, Hitler eliminated and assassinated any and all opposition. The Army could have stopped Hitler, but he made them complicit in cutting down SA and his rivals. He then eliminated the conservatives. The only person left standing was Hitler, and he forced the military to vow allegiance to him and not the Constituion. Similarly, yesterday we saw Trump start making references to the President making all decisions for the Executive branch. And he put highly loyal morons in charge of critical government functions. Elon Musk and his billions are the modern day equivalent of the violent muscle. Trump doesn't have to assasinate anyone. He just uses Elon's muscle to silence all opposition, with politicians getting primaried. Note that once Hitler got what he needed from the SA and its leader Rohm, his close friend, he assasinated him, so that Rohm could not seize power from him. 

5. Radical Agenda - The SA wanted a revolution. Hitler wanted to exterminate races and invade countries. He used the SS, the reformed SA after the assassinations, and the military as his protection. Trump wants to get people out of the country and take over Greenland, Canada, Gaza, and the Panama canal. He also wants to grift as mch money as possible. What else is he really aiming for?

So the grand master questions in all this are the following:

1. What is the end game for Trump in all this? Is he a useful idiot and someone else has a much more sinister and hidden agenda?

2. Does Trump eliminate Elon, or vice versa? Because it will happen.

3. Are the radical right billionaires trying to implement something even more sinister than Project 2025?

4. What really are we headed for?

I'm starting to believe there is something much bigger at play than we've even seen to date. I know many people will say "duh" and shout about facism and dictatorship. I've considered that alarmist talk premature. However, is there some sort of plan to eliminate freedoms and opportunity for the people in a much more opaque way so that by the time people wake up it's too far along to stop? Will the third term conversation start to become real? Will a Supreme Court rubber stamp all of these illegal actions? The same happened with Hitler. The legal community justified his murdering of his opposition on the basis of it being a national emergency. Their Congress then passed laws to make it all legal, a Congress that had been intimidated into compliance. Sound familiar?

 

Many of the tech billionaires don't believe democracy is viable and authoritarianism is the answer.  See Curtis Yarvin and Peter Thiel.  Whether this is an honest belief, pure arrogance, or just wanting to shed government interference with profit-taking is more or less anyone's guess.

A fair number of conservative intellectuals advocate something called "common good" constitutionalism.  Although it is technically a theory of constitutional interpretation, it basically holds that authoritarians should tell the people what is good for them, that good being defined by allegedly Christian, mostly Catholic, teachings.  See Adrian Vermeule and Gladden Pappin.

Part and parcel of all of this is accruing power to the executive to rule by fiat and removing checks and balances from the other branches of government, at least until they get in line.

So, that's what underlies all of this.  I highly doubt Trump is even those plutocrats' ideal of a national leader, but he is a useful idiot.  I think Vance is more their type.

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Posted
1 minute ago, TwiceHorn said:

Many of the tech billionaires don't believe democracy is viable and authoritarianism is the answer.  See Curtis Yarvin and Peter Thiel.  Whether this is an honest belief, pure arrogance, or just wanting to shed government interference with profit-taking is more or less anyone's guess.

A fair number of conservative intellectuals advocate something called "common good" constitutionalism.  Although it is technically a theory of constitutional interpretation, it basically holds that authoritarians should tell the people what is good for them, that good being defined by allegedly Christian, mostly Catholic, teachings.  See Adrian Vermeule and Gladden Pappin.

Part and parcel of all of this is accruing power to the executive to rule by fiat and removing checks and balances from the other branches of government, at least until they get in line.

So, that's what underlies all of this.  I highly doubt Trump is even those plutocrats' ideal of a national leader, but he is a useful idiot.  I think Vance is more their type.

So someone who fucks couches is the ideal leader. 

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Posted
1 hour ago, Brisketexan said:

Captain Chaos?  Whatever.

Now, Captain Caveman....that dude had it going on, because hung out with the Teen Angels, including the cute curvy brunette in bell bottoms with the button nose....

captain-caveman-1977_L06.jpg

This is EXACTLY where my head went. Bravo. 

Posted
2 hours ago, TexArcher said:

I don't know where to put this, but I just learned that Teslas are now being called Swastikars, and I want to spread that, so here, take it and run free.

Yep, get your Swastikar now, built by Elon Muskolini aka Adolf Twitler! Biggest selection evarrrr!

Posted
38 minutes ago, NAVY said:

There won’t be anyone left at the Bureau of Labor Statistics run that calc. 

Can’t have a depression if you fire all the economists! See also, can’t have a bird flu if you fire all the scientists! 
 

/we are so fucked

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Posted
58 minutes ago, Surly Bevo said:

So the DoD has a week to come up with a plan to cut almost $300B out of the defense budget over the next five years.  I'm sure that will be done with a surgical scalpal-like precision 🙄 And look we spend a shit load on defense, probably way more than we should  BUT 300B is also A LOT of jobs, right here in America.  

Yea this summer is gonna be lit.  

now that the Nazis are completely in charge, it’ll be hard to say it’s the Democrats fault that things were done that ruined the country, but I have faith in MAGA that they will be told it’s Biden’s fault - and that will be the end of it. 

Posted
1 hour ago, Valmy77 said:

Well I will be delighted to be wrong. Maybe not Musk but his colleagues.

But time to hand wring about that next year.

The state government? The Feds don't enforce state laws.

I just don't have any faith in any non-Democratic run state to actually enforce their laws if they go against the Orange turd

Posted
55 minutes ago, jimmyjazz said:

So when does an employee who is laid off hit the unemployment calc?  When they file?

IMG_4159.thumb.jpeg.cfd56fb6084492cc41ab995c8264f8e9.jpeg

“File? You kidding me?  What file? We aren’t continuing that woke unemployment thing. We don’t have people to take your file, even if you slip it under the door.   I recommend they practice picking vegetables in California.”

Posted
2 hours ago, Pig Bellmont said:

Can anyone name one policy advancement in the last 4 weeks that doesn’t happen to align with exactly what Russia would want to achieve if it had control over US policy?

-Crippling of government agencies to sow distrust of government within the US

-blaming Zelensky for Russian invasion of independent and democratic nation

-publicly capitulating to Russian terms on keeping territories

-telling Europe we will not enforce their security problems 

-pledging to reduce our military by half 

-creating trade wars with our allies and China to isolate US influence

-DOJ reassigned or fired those in charge of enforcing sanctions against Russian oligarchs 

-DOJ disbanded task force on protecting our elections from international interference 

Its impossible to conclude anything other than Trump has sold out our foreign policy and standing in the world

and meanwhile he’s got a meme coin giving him the ability to accept limitless funds from anonymous international actors which I’m sure is a coincidence 

Yep. If Trump were deliberately running a Russian game plan, what would he be doing differently? AFAIK, the answer would be: Nothing.

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Posted
2 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Captain Chaos?  Whatever.

Now, Captain Caveman....that dude had it going on, because hung out with the Teen Angels, including the cute curvy brunette in bell bottoms with the button nose....

captain-caveman-1977_L06.jpg

This is a very clear 1, 2, 3, x situation (jt or non-jt method).

Posted
3 hours ago, TexArcher said:

I don't know where to put this, but I just learned that Teslas are now being called Swastikars, and I want to spread that, so here, take it and run free.

We also would have excepted Wank-Panzers or, my personal favorite, the Incel-Camino.

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Posted

I gotta tell you--I have four close friends or family members who have lost their jobs over the past three weeks.  Even in the depths of the Great Recession, I don't remember anything like that.

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Posted
4 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Well.  Y'all know what I think of kings.  It's what every good American thinks of kings.

giphy.gif?cid=6c09b952bb9tw6tv4cpl4gsiuy

If we have a new aspiring royalty, acting outside the confines of our existing laws.....then we're outside the confines of our existing laws.  Rule of the guillotine it is.

spacer.png

Posted
29 minutes ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Maybe she is finally pissed off. 4:50 is the shit that Democrats should start doing with ALL of this.

Yep. Just keep hammering away on that same consistent message over and over again across the spectrum of issues we'll be facing until it belatedly dawns on the dumbasses.

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Posted

Read the Twitter responses to Pence’s tweet. There were an avalanche of responses admonishing him for not knowing the history where the Ukraine provoked Russia repeatedly by breaking a treaty and moving towards nato membership, and doing other things to provoke them. There were even posts about Biden inviting Russia to invade. 

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Posted
3 hours ago, Francisco 2.0 said:

 

 

 

God bless the journalists who figured this out, but “This ICE attorney is an online white supremacist” has got to be the least surprising thing I’ve read today. 

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Posted
3 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

Now, Captain Caveman....that dude had it going on, because hung out with the Teen Angels, including the cute curvy brunette in bell bottoms with the button nose....

captain-caveman-1977_L06.jpg

 

3 hours ago, chainsaw said:

Wheelhouse

 

1 hour ago, HornOnTheBayou said:

This is a very clear 1, 2, 3, x situation (jt or non-jt method).

2a4a70d8-836e-4737-81f8-9af12a764211_tex

 

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Posted
57 minutes ago, Dbeasy said:

Read the Twitter responses to Pence’s tweet. There were an avalanche of responses admonishing him for not knowing the history where the Ukraine provoked Russia repeatedly by breaking a treaty and moving towards nato membership, and doing other things to provoke them. There were even posts about Biden inviting Russia to invade. 

Twitter is 85% bots. Don’t read replies. 

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Posted
5 hours ago, PenelopeWitherspoon said:

Adams can't say shit about Congestion pricing. That is a state matter, not a city matter.

The Time magazine is a mock up, but that is absolutely from the White House account.

the hudson river crossings are interstates which required approval of the biden adminstration

shitgibbon is on the reservation with this one

great idea - the ny subway system needs a trillion to catch up

bad idea - charging jersey for it - the jersey dem governor praised dotard this afternoon

Posted
4 hours ago, Surly Bevo said:

So the DoD has a week to come up with a plan to cut almost $300B out of the defense budget over the next five years.  I'm sure that will be done with a surgical scalpal-like precision 🙄 And look we spend a shit load on defense, probably way more than we should  BUT 300B is also A LOT of jobs, right here in America.  

Yea this summer is gonna be lit.  

the lifetime cost of the f35 program is TWO TRILLION

yes it's stealthy but it doesn't have supersonic supercruise - in fact it can only make mach 1+ dashes for about 80 seconds

can it hover? yes

does it have sigint platform capabilities beyond our wildest dreams? yes

is it any better than a f22 at basic air superiority?  absolutely not

ford-class carriers cost 13b each

the gerald was commissioned in 17

the jfk is coming this year

the enterprise has been laid down

we could cancel the doris miller, bush & clinton and take out another 50 billion over the next 5 years

the nimitz class is being decommissioned prematurely

do we need 10 floating death stars?

do we need f35s when the f22 is just as good and other technologies can handle the sigint?

 

 

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Posted
6 minutes ago, safe sex said:

Chris is a real one

Never heard of the guy (I haven't followed the NFL since the 1990s), but he's got my attention and respect now.

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Posted
3 hours ago, wood said:

Yep. If Trump were deliberately running a Russian game plan, what would he be doing differently? AFAIK, the answer would be: Nothing.

declaring gaza a real estate overseas us territory while foisting the palestinians off on to the egyptians and jordanians was not on vlad's bingo card

but it's starting to look like ukraine & gaza are intertwined - the zoneflood strategy has destablized all of europe and the middle east and only the shadow knows if there is even an endgame in mind for either situation other than to use the created chaos as opportunities to spike the football

but vlad would much rather get the bizarro-world orange man version of vlad's invasion without the gaza distractions

Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, Hagbard Celine said:

the hudson river crossings are interstates which required approval of the biden adminstration

shitgibbon is on the reservation with this one

great idea - the ny subway system needs a trillion to catch up

bad idea - charging jersey for it - the jersey dem governor praised dotard this afternoon

There were already tolls for assholes from Jersey coming in through the tunnels prior to congestion pricing. Oh, and fuck drivers from Jersey. They are a lot of the fucking problem and should stay out.

Edited by PenelopeWitherspoon


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