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The GQP: Trumpist Death Cult

Hugo Stiglitz

By Hugo Stiglitz
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aggie08
aggie08

This is such unbridled horseshit. I live in fucking California, and I'm not sure if I've ever seen a Fuck Trump shirt/flag/bumper sticker/whatever in person. I can't go a day without seeing Let's Go B

Jive Turkey
Jive Turkey

Did not have former Skid Row lead singer Sebastian Bach talking shit to MAGA cult members on my bingo card. But here we are.  

Ghost of LL
Ghost of LL

Yep. I was a George Will/Ronald Reagan/Al Laffer conservative.  I genuinely thought that if you cut taxes for the upper classes, then they would spend and invest and the economic result of that w

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Beau Vine

Beau Vine 55892

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2 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

Has Wimberley become this recently or was it always full of idiots?

The 2019 Pride parade broke a lot of brains, and made Cypress Creek Church into the main political power in town.  Up until then, everything was fine.  When we first moved there in 1999, wife and I both commented that within our first year, we had met more openly gay people in Wimberley than we did in 4 years in Honolulu.

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C-Man

C-Man 27831

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https://view.newsletters.cnn.com/messages/169110786764142aefac4ac54/raw?utm_term=169110786764142aefac4ac54

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Discourse Danger

Millions of Americans are immersed in a twisted world where language used to describe autocrats is being applied to America's democratic institutions. 

 

The draconian rhetoric, once reserved for the likes of tyrants and dictators, has become commonplace in right-wing media when referring to President Joe Biden and the elected government he leads. The dark and sinister language, normalized on mainstream conservative platforms such as Fox News, has been on full display this week during coverage of Donald Trump's third indictment.

 

The Biden White House is referred to as the "Biden regime." Federal law enforcement are referred to as the "Gestapo" and Biden’s "personal police force." Institutions such as the Department of Justice are referred to as "the Department of Injustice." The indictments against Trump are referred to as "political war crimes" and an "assassination."

 

Talk of imprisoning Democratic politicians — and even their families — in acts of revenge is par for the course. Even floating the outright execution of Biden, as Charlie Kirk recently did, is accepted in the warped world of MAGA Media, where the audience has been programmed through years of conditioning to welcome such vile rhetoric into their homes.

 

None of this is an exaggeration. It is the reality of what is being broadcast in millions of homes across the country.

 

It's all part of a larger trend that has dramatically disfigured the conservative media since Trump ascended to power. With the aim of portraying progressives as an evil force in America, right-wing media's most popular figures and outlets have casually appended despotic terms to Biden and his administration.

 

The extreme vernacular often flies under the radar, drawing eye rolls from those outside this alternate universe and receiving little media attention. But it shouldn't. Language carries with it serious consequences. And repeatedly conveying to millions of people that their democratically elected leader is a tyrant out to nefariously use the force of government to target and imprison his political opposition carries with it great risk.

 

"I think it's hard to overstate the dangers here: This language moves beyond mere demonization because it suggests a need for violent resistance," Charlie Sykes, a former conservative talk-radio host and an editor-at-large of The Bulwark, told me Thursday. "It's language that undermines the integrity, the democratic institutions, and the justice system itself. And there's a constant escalation without much concern where this leads or who might act on the idea that our opponents aren't just wrong — but evil, dangerous, and illegitimate."

 

Sykes smartly pointed out, "One does not argue, debate or disagree with the gestapo." Instead, "You go to war with them."

 

Each day gives way to evidence that the fact-defying repetition is working. A CNN poll published Thursday found that nearly 70% of Republicans and Republican-leaners said they believed Biden's presidential win was not legitimate, a staggering majority despite there being no evidence of widespread election fraud. Perhaps more alarming, about half of Republicans say they now have no confidence at all that elections reflect the will of the people.

 

Arguably, the rhetoric saturating mainstream right-wing media today is more extreme than the hyperbole used in the weeks leading up to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. In those weeks, just like now, right-wing media forces set the stage and gathered the tinder for Trump — who was happy to light a match to the gasoline-soaked kindling gathered before him on January 6.

 

At the very least, the poison pumped into the national discourse has maimed America's shared sense of democratic principles and contributed to profound polarization, dividing neighbors, friends, and families. But in the wake of Trump's third arrest, over an attempt to topple American democracy, and ever-intensified rhetoric, let's hope history does not repeat itself.

 

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RDCanecutter

RDCanecutter 26923

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Pence is old and slow and boring, but I bet if he got into a scuffle with a fat Trumpkin he'd get in one solid punch and crack that jaw like Buzz Aldrin. It'd be his one chance to catch fire in the primaries. Hell, I wouldn't vote for him in the general but I'd definitely slide into the Repub primary and vote for Trumpkin-Deckin Pence.

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Paul Wesley

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I just find it impossible to feel good about Mike Pence or (or Chris Christie) when - in 2023 - they get heckled by Trump's deluded, cult-like followers.  

It's like watching a horror movie where the monster goes out of control and kills the scientist who made it.  Those guys vigorously and willfully contributed to the creation of this American monster.

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Blotto

Blotto 24044

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2 hours ago, Paul Wesley said:

I just find it impossible to feel good about Mike Pence or (or Chris Christie) when - in 2023 - they get heckled by Trump's deluded, cult-like followers.  

It's like watching a horror movie where the monster goes out of control and kills the scientist who made it.  Those guys vigorously and willfully contributed to the creation of this American monster.

The entire GQP short of Cheney, Kinzinger and a couple others long since banished from the party, ALL built that monster. Why even bother with primary season when it will change nothing. 70% of their voting base believes the election was stolen and Trump should be president right now.

Everything between now and Nov 24 is just political theater to make money. It's Trump and Biden. I guess one or both of those fossils could drop dead, but otherwise, just enjoy the comedy of Trump emasculating the rest of the flaming bag of dogshit known as the Republican party.

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Bama Chick

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Nah

Cheney and Kizinger helped too - especially Cheney.

Just because they talk a big game and hate Trump doesn’t negate the fact that they voted like he wanted 97% of the time and still hold shitty views on everything BUT Trump and democracy.

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SydneyCarton

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On 8/3/2023 at 10:43 AM, Beau Vine said:

They're coming to Wimberley, too, and the four people remaining in Wimberley who aren't MAGAts are upset that they're using the public library.

 

On 8/3/2023 at 10:45 AM, Biff Tannen said:

Has Wimberley become this recently or was it always full of idiots?

My wife and I love wimberley. She would retire there in a second but I keep telling her it’s red AF now. Which I don’t think she entirely believes, because we only go there to visit, and the only couple we tangentially know there are a lesbian couple who have been together for 30 years. 
 

Ot is very weird to me that what essentially was an artistic, hippy little enclave (which is still core to its identity) has become this red fucking welt. 

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Hermanator

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On 8/4/2023 at 10:08 AM, C-Man said:

https://view.newsletters.cnn.com/messages/169110786764142aefac4ac54/raw?utm_term=169110786764142aefac4ac54

 

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Perhaps more alarming, about half of Republicans say they now have no confidence at all that elections reflect the will of the people.

Chances once trump is gone this will lead to most republicans becoming apathetic and not voting? Wouldn't be the worst thing ever

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C-Man

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https://www.cnn.com/2023/08/06/us/newbern-alabama-mayor-dispute/index.html

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Newbern, AlabamaCNN — 

Patrick Braxton accomplished something no Black man in his Alabama town had done in its 166-year history: he became mayor.

He told CNN he ran for office in 2020 to serve the fewer than 300 residents of Newbern, to connect them to help if they didn’t have enough food or to spread information on staying healthy in the Covid pandemic.

And when there were no other declared candidates, he won by default.

Patrick Braxton stands by the Newbern Town Hall, a building he says he's been locked out of.

But within weeks of his win, and before he got to take his oath of office, Braxton says he was dethroned in a secret scheme orchestrated by the former leadership, who he says did not want to hand over power to a Black mayor who was planning to appoint new council members.

His opponents “set in action a plan to thwart a majority Black City Council from taking office and to effectively prevent the first Black Mayor from exercising the duties and power of his new job,” according to a lawsuit filed by Braxton and the four residents he named as his council.

The lawsuit alleges the locks on the town hall were changed so Braxton could not get in, adding he was denied access to the post office box used for official mail, and a local bank would not let him see the town accounts.

 

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Biff Tannen

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Not sure where to put this really, but I'm sitting here listening to one of my "liberal" podcasts, ok, it's Pod Save America.  These are ex-Obama staffers, for those who don't know.  While they are clearly liberal, they (as far as I can tell) deal in logic and facts.  I mean, they literally explain the laws, the procedures, and how everything works in Washington, which is why I find it to be such an informative podcast.  They obviously point out how Trump and the Rs are either disingenuous, lying grifters or batshit crazy.  They back these claims up with evidence and facts.  And common fucking sense.

Meanwhile, I see things like Ben Shapiro, Joe Rogan, Fox News, Charlie Kirk, etc that CLEARLY deal in lies.  They just make shit up about how the government works, how laws are interpreted, etc.  They have no evidence, no facts, no nothing.

 

My question is:  Am I missing something here?  Am I wrong and being blinded by partisanship?  

I'm asking because I'm working on how to deal with certain family members and friends in the coming year leading up to the election.  My current strategy of "what the fuck is wrong with you?" or "are you some kind of damned moron?" isn't probably a viable option, if I really want to try and change their minds.

 

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atomheartbevo

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17 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

They obviously point out how Trump and the Rs are either disingenuous, lying grifters or batshit crazy.  They back these claims up with evidence and facts.  And common fucking sense.

Meanwhile, I see things like Ben Shapiro, Joe Rogan, Fox News, Charlie Kirk, etc that CLEARLY deal in lies.  They just make shit up about how the government works, how laws are interpreted, etc.  They have no evidence, no facts, no nothing.

17 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

My question is:  Am I missing something here?  Am I wrong and being blinded by partisanship?  

I'm asking because I'm working on how to deal with certain family members and friends in the coming year leading up to the election.  My current strategy of "what the fuck is wrong with you?" or "are you some kind of damned moron?" isn't probably a viable option, if I really want to try and change their minds.

 

Rogan, Shapiro, Kirk, Fox News, etc., push those lies for the financial grift, and also it's because it's what they want - every accusation is a confession kind of thing. If they talk about Biden using the government against his enemies, they know he's not actually doing that BUT they want Trump or whoever is in charge with an (R) next to their name to do that to their enemies.

Rogan, Shapiro, Kirk, etc., are also all very insecure when you listen to what they have to say.  Even Rogan acts like he thinks he's a dumbass, which is why he tries to play both sides, and why he buys into stupid conspiracy shit and then backtracks.

But don't underestimate the financial grift.  If this were 20-30 years ago, Rogan, Shapiro, Kirk, etc. wouldn't have the kinds of money-making opportunities that they currently do, because they would not be hired by any major or medium news outlets. The internet allows for these idiots to build up a following, but they wouldn't have pulled this off 30 years ago.

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Biff Tannen

Biff Tannen 46203

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1 hour ago, atomheartbevo said:

Rogan, Shapiro, Kirk, Fox News, etc., push those lies for the financial grift, and also it's because it's what they want - every accusation is a confession kind of thing. If they talk about Biden using the government against his enemies, they know he's not actually doing that BUT they want Trump or whoever is in charge with an (R) next to their name to do that to their enemies.

Rogan, Shapiro, Kirk, etc., are also all very insecure when you listen to what they have to say.  Even Rogan acts like he thinks he's a dumbass, which is why he tries to play both sides, and why he buys into stupid conspiracy shit and then backtracks.

But don't underestimate the financial grift.  If this were 20-30 years ago, Rogan, Shapiro, Kirk, etc. wouldn't have the kinds of money-making opportunities that they currently do, because they would not be hired by any major or medium news outlets. The internet allows for these idiots to build up a following, but they wouldn't have pulled this off 30 years ago.

ok, I agree, but I guess what I'm really trying to understand is how to counter the lies that these people put out.  Again, my initial reaction is just "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU AND HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY BELIEVE THIS NONSENSE!?!?!"

That doesn't seem productive.  I'm just starting Medhi Hasan's book about public speaking and debate, so I'm hoping that helps.  He is a smart motherfucker.

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Stilicho

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2 hours ago, Biff Tannen said:

ok, I agree, but I guess what I'm really trying to understand is how to counter the lies that these people put out.  Again, my initial reaction is just "WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU AND HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY BELIEVE THIS NONSENSE!?!?!"

That doesn't seem productive.  I'm just starting Medhi Hasan's book about public speaking and debate, so I'm hoping that helps.  He is a smart motherfucker.

It's not productive and I hope you have better luck at it than I did. I'm the outlier in the my family, the rest have all gone smooth-brained MAGA since he won in 2016.

We basically severed ties. Holidays get-togethers are conducted under a flag of truce / Romulan neutral zone-type situation.

We couldn't reach them in 2018 or 2020, so we just gave up. You're not really arguing from the same place as true believers. You can argue facts and logic, correlation and causation, cognitive dissonance and implicit bias, and none of it matters. 

It's who they've become. It's fundamental to them.

It's like some sort of all consuming drug / religion / tribal high. Their whole worldview has warped to a point where fanfiction keeps this high running at all costs. Even at the expense of their kids and grandkids. 

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conVINCEd

conVINCEd 21477

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20 minutes ago, Stilicho said:

It's not productive and I hope you have better luck at it than I did. I'm the outlier in the my family, the rest have all gone smooth-brained MAGA since he won in 2016.

We basically severed ties. Holidays get-togethers are conducted under a flag of truce / Romulan neutral zone-type situation.

We couldn't reach them in 2018 or 2020, so we just gave up. You're not really arguing from the same place as true believers. You can argue facts and logic, correlation and causation, cognitive dissonance and implicit bias, and none of it matters. 

It's who they've become. It's fundamental to them.

It's like some sort of all consuming drug / religion / tribal high. Their whole worldview has warped to a point where fanfiction keeps this high running at all costs. Even at the expense of their kids and grandkids. 

This.

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