THIS IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE TODAY
"...at least 3,000,000 votes were illegal"
Three million votes were illegal, that's what President Trump says.
That’s what the President of the United States of America says.
Or at least that’s what he insinuated with his Tweet this morning.
Look here, this is no longer Donald Trump. This is no longer some loudmouth from New York. This is the President. This is the President of the United States making an official statement – one that by law is now part of the official record. And he’s not just repeating an alt-fact conspiracy theory, he’s agreeing with it as evidenced by his statement “We must do better” and in the context of other statements he’s made before and after the election.
The President of the United States believes – and wants you, Citizen, to believe – three million people voted illegally in the very election which put him in power.
Three million.
Now presumably all three million of those alleged "illegal" votes were for Hillary Clinton, otherwise I doubt Trump would be sitting on his golden shitter complaining about it at 7AM.
Three million.
Funny how that's the exact amount he lost the popular vote by, isn't it?
Yeah, funny, and if this was anybody else you could dismiss it right there.
But it’s not anybody else, it is the President of the United States.
Three million illegal votes, that’s what he said.
And what does that mean?
It means that our democracy, the very foundation of our Republic, is so corrupted three million illegal votes were cast.
Three million.
That number is significant.
Based on recent history (Bush-Gore in 2000 was decided by < 500,000 votes, Bush-Kerry in 2004 was decided by 3 million votes, and Trump-Clinton was decided by < 3 million votes) three million is more than enough to change the very course of American history.
And the President of the United States believes three million votes were illegally cast in the very election which put him in power.
What does that really mean?
If true:
It means the very Republic is in jeopardy.
It means the presidency, the congress, the court, all of it is illegitimate from Washington right on down to the local dog catcher.
It means no matter how the election turned out – all elections local, state, and federal – no matter who won, the results cannot be trusted and must be declared invalid.
It means We The People – no matter our individual political affiliations – cannot, must not, trust in the legitimacy of our government.
It means that if three million votes were indeed cast illegally, then the recent election MUST be declared null and void in toto and the government of the United States must be dissolved. By force, if necessary, as conservatives are fond of pointing out by waving their assault rifles and the Declaration of Independence over their heads.
That, that right there, is what the President of the United States just said to America, whether he realizes it or not.
THIS IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE TODAY AND IT MUST BE RESOLVED IMMEDIATELY TO THE SATISFACTION OF ALL AMERICANS.
If the president is right, if there really were three million illegal votes, then the very Republic is in peril.
This issue must be resolved immediately, along with the alleged foreign interference in the same election, or no American can have confidence in the legitimacy of their government.
Congress must immediately task nonpartisan assets – an independent investigator or perhaps even a foreign agency such as the UN – to examine the veracity of the President's claim.
This isn't some bombastic billionaire yammering about a birth certificate, THIS IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES CLAIMING THAT THE VERY SYSTEM WHICH PUT HIM IN POWER IS CORRUPTED.
THAT MUST BE RESOLVED IMMEDIATELY.
This is the press's job.
This is why the press was given an enumerated right in the Constitution, this, right here.
This is the very moment when the press must step up and put their very lives on the line.
This, this right here, is no less than their duty to the Republic, to every American, to the World.
The press must step up now or forever give up their right to freedom.
President Trump based his claim on a conspiracy theory put forth by Alex Jones and Greg Phillips, he must be held to account.
HE MUST BE HELD TO ACCOUNT.
This should be the only question put to him by the press until it is resolved.
The President must be made to prove incontrovertibly that three million people voted illegally – OR – he must face the American people and admit that his Tweet was fecklessly irresponsible and incorrect and that the foundation of our Republic is sound.
A government of the people, by the people, and for the people can only exist if the people have confidence in its legitimacy.
THIS MUST BE RESOLVED.
The president must be hammered hard by the press, by you, by Congress, by every foreign power with an interest in freedom and democracy, and anyone who believes in just and fair elections, by the world.
Trump must be made to prove beyond any shadow of a doubt his statement. Or admit that he is wrong.
THIS IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE WE FACE AS A NATION, AS AMERICA, AND IT MUST BE RESOLVED ONCE AND FOR ALL
As I read your essay, I keep thinking about what is going on, right now, in Russia...Putin is arresting folks who he claims to be traitors to Russia...Someone in America may have outed them as CIA...I am scared....
ReplyDeleteProbably from the supposedly "false" Intel file. You know, the one with all the Russian ties and the incident of the hotel room? Putin doesn't like leaks. The fact that various people are disappearing means that the file was valid at least in parts. Especially if we can connect them to any of the places or names in the file.
DeleteThey could have simply ignored the reports and done nothing. That would have indicated the reports were invalid works of fiction. Instead they try to plug the leaks while verifying to the outside world that enough of it was true. Probably the official classified reports contain the names of who put in should go after. I find it curious that since the classified versions were given to the incoming administration and shortly after Putin starts plugging the leaks. Might be nothing. Might be a big something.
DeleteAs a side note, rereading Orwell's 1984, available free at archive.org. Should be on everyone's reading list.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/01/26/it-turns-out-trump-son-in-law-jared-kushner-is-also-registered-to-vote-in-two-states/?Tid=sm_fb&utm_term=.f2f00015691a
DeleteI hope that once Trumps starts reading all the social media shares of this story - that his son in law is registered to vote in two states, which is actually not illegal but one person voting in two states is definitely illegal, he'll drop the issue.
In regards to voting registration: People move, people die. Trump continues to make insanely outrageous statements to get uneducated Trump voters to believe every lie he says and keep his tv ratings numbers up. I'm also mildly curious how many of his followers read that statement and thought he was referring mostly, or only, to illegal immigrants.
... and it's working.
DeleteOh, it's not working with those of us who recognized him for what he was a year ago.
But I just had another conversation with someone last night, someone who isn't in our bubble, and he doesn't know, see, or believe most of what we take as commonly understood. When he hears things to #45's discredit, like what every sane person in the country is saying, he dismisses it as "liberal outrage" no different than his own fears when President Obama was elected.
I wish I was shitting you, but I'm not. We presented him with facts, figures, unbiased sources - and he just dismissed them all that easily. He's white, he lives in an almost all-white community, he's a working class American, and he thinks we're just being Chicken Littles no different than the 2nd Amendment nuts bitching about Obama taking all their guns.
Likely determined who they were through the process of elimination.
DeleteSomething tells me that the heathens, by which is a Trump supporter will not read this. They will garner the fact that you are from the deepest depths of hell and dismiss this is just rubbish? Then there are those that like Pence...We are so doomed.
ReplyDeleteAs a bona fide Pagan, who embraces the word Heathen, I can say I damn sure didn't support this Flaming Yam.
DeleteYou're one of "us", and we didn't vote for him either! And the people who did now have "proof" that the election was rigged, and that's how he won!
DeleteI would love to see Congress issue a subpoena to Trump on this.
ReplyDeleteThank you for describing how 'yuuuge' an issue this is.
That's not going to happen. One thing you can count on is that Republicans will put party over country, because they get their money through their party affiliation. Trump will be rock solid right up to the point that Congress calculate President Pence will be less of a liability, and at that point he will be out so fast he won't have time to pack.
DeleteIf the election is that tainted then we need to nullify the results and have a new election within a month.
ReplyDeleteRight on
DeleteI'm not holding my breath on that one.
DeleteThis was already tried when the legitimacy of several electors was to be challenged in congress. They needed, I think, one senator to add their name. Not a single senator backed the challenge. I lost all faith then.
DeleteThere was a challenge to the legality of MANY trump electors, and the challenge was to bmgo before congress before the electoral vote was ratified on 1/9. I believe they needed one single Senator (they had the required Representatives). No Senator backed the challenge! I lost a lot of faith that day
DeleteAgreed! 100%
DeleteHe's going to use this faux outrage to expand Crosscheck and purge as many minorities from the voting pool first.
ReplyDeleteNot just minorities. There's a reason that his "investigation" is only going to take place in states that Hillary won. He's going to disenfranchise as many Democrats as possible.
DeleteI cannot figure out why the Crosscheck purging is not at the forefront of this alleged fraud threat as a counter claim of real fraud. I am not seeing or hearing much and THAT besides Big Data and Comey did it.
DeleteAgreed wholeheartedly, but alas the folks who voted for him, the ones who honestly believe he is the Messiah this country needs.. Them, they just chalk it up to Left leaning media, and "Fake News". I have been around awhile, and I have never seen such willful and blatant ignorance. People so willing to pretend that this Pathological lair, consummate con-man, and demagogue, is anything but what he is. I don't know how many times during the campaign I heard "Well he has no idea how to run a country, but he will surround himself with really good people", yeah he sure did!
ReplyDeleteNow they are all sitting around, watching Trump's Ego bleed over his inauguration attendance, 3 million illegal votes, and the rest of his obsessions, and doing nothing but defending his neurosis.
What a world we live in...
Kevin, I wish there were a like button on the comments section because I couldn't agree more.
DeleteThe vast majority of Trump followers are also highly religious. They usually belong to fundamental Protestant or Catholic churches. They are a perfect target for s belief based politician like Trump. They have beenough indoctrinated from childhood to believe in an invisible judging god in the sky who rewards his followers and punishes his enemies.Also the miracle thing inculcates a belief based reality, no matter how improbable the invisible god must be believed, as well as his priests. So, Trump is their god, if he told them the end of the world was coming and give him all their monet and kill their children a good proportion will do it. Never underestimate religious hysteria.
DeleteAfter he, along with his billionaire cronies, has wrecked the economy and lied us into a war or two, they will do as they did with W. They will convince themselves that he was never a True Conservative™, and that he was a New York Cuck; a big spending wolf in sheeps clothing all along.
DeleteThey are never wrong, and they are never responsible, although they are certainly quick to blame others for their bad choices.
To the above "Anonymous",
DeleteI am a Catholic and I am vehemently against Trump and what he is and represents. I know many catholics who are against him as well. Please do not lump all catholics, or other christians into his ugly bucket.
Thank you.
Isn't it odd that, with three million illegal votes, presumably all for Clinton (though, breaking news, two of his advisers have been found to have voted twice), that the conspiracy couldn't manage to swing the states that would have given Clinton the EC?
DeleteInstead, they wasted them in states Clinton was going to win handily anyway?
And what about that "Clinton Foundation"? Selling American influence and God knows what else for personal enrichment. Trump came to Washington as an outsider. The rot from the thoroughly corrupt Clintonistas can be smelt a mile away. I know people are upset about Trump, but he's only been in office for a week. At least he won't be going around the world apologising on his knees to two bit dictators like the last guy.
DeleteThe Clinton Foundation: openly audited, has actual track record of a high % of its funds going to those who need them. Ranked high among such foundations. Trump Foundation: not ranked because *does not meet standards* of good charitable foundations. Trump's actual donations to his foundation--minimal. You, sir, are believing the lies you were told by Fox and Breitbart. The rot you smell was laid under your nose by the right wing, specifically to create the little stinky bubble in which you live.
Delete"He's only been in office for a week" is an excuse that works only if someone hasn't done anything good for a week. It doesn't work when someone has done many *bad* things in a week, including the topic of this post, declaring that the election *that he won* was rigged, and thus invalid. Fix your mind on that. The man who won the Electoral College vote has publicly announced to the world that the election was fraudulent. As the post said, this creates an emergency. He must either show proof, or recant the accusation. And to show proof, someone other than any political group in this country must oversee the investigation--and if it is proven, than everything he has done is invalid, because his election is invalid, and the Administration (and Congress) must dissolve the existing government and a new election must be held. That's what this is about.
If you wrote a fictional villain this clumsy, this oafish; your editor would strike it out as unbelievable.
DeleteLife is not only stranger than fiction, it's more horrible.
You failed to mention berating Nordstrom's for dropping his daughter's clothing/perfume/everything line.... Because that's what I want my President concerned with... Fashion and its importance to us little people
DeleteI think we can count on Trump dropping the whole thing with no explanation. he has done it before so why stop.
ReplyDeleteThis is my entire point, he must not be allowed to drop it. The press, the public, should hammer him on this until he either proves the statement or admits it was feckless and irresponsible. Period. No other questions until this is resolved. If the foundation of our republic isn't sound, then nothing else matters. Period.
DeleteI have created postcards so I can quickly send my feelings back to our Congress. I send these to Republicans without state locations. That way they can't be sure if it is a constituent or not.
DeleteI guess my inner cynic is showing but that is what I was trying to say in my previous post, WHO will hold him accountable:
DeleteThe public wont, either through willful ignorance, or just not caring.
The congress wont, they are quite content to just nod at whatever this idiot says, because they want to push through their agenda at all costs.
The press tries, but is written off as liberal left, fake news, or they are just grinding axes, by his voters.
His cabinet wont, because TRUMP, TRUMP!!
That leaves a few of us critical thinking adults, who see the danger in this. Hopefully that will be enough, but I have my doubts.
Good chance that if he is pushed relentlessay he may have a breakdown and become totally disassociated. Republicans can't hide him if he is a blithering idiot. Though there is the chance if he goes off the rails he could order a hit on Mexico....Sociopaths don't do well if you constantly reject their "reality".
DeleteMany Liberals are saying it shouldn't be done because it's about voter suppression. But it needs to be done to stop to Conservatives' constant repetition that the fraud exists. That repetition is what allows them to believe him.
DeleteI deactivated my facebook account on last Sunday after being told by my "conservative" friends and family (who voted for Trump) that I was "going off the deep end" or "losing it" because I've called out Trump in similar ways as Jim did here. I just can't go back there yet, because I will share this blog and ask someone, anyone, to acknowledge this man's ridiculous approach to life But it seems if you voted for Trump, and you ask him to be accountable for his proclamations of nonsense, you risk having to look yourself in a mirror and admit that you failed your fellow American. We really need a hero journalist to pound this guy relentlessly until he cracks. Does anyone like that exist though?
Delete"Republicans can't hide him if he is a blithering idiot".
DeleteThey've been doing it since he won the Republican nomination. There is no reason to believe they will stop trying to pass off a skunk as a cat now. I know many think they will eventually impeach him and put Pence in his place. To my mind the problem with that is if they are forced to throw him under the bus, everyone of them backed him as legitimate through the inauguration and they own him. Have you ever worked a job where the manager or supervisor was horrible but no matter how badly they performed corporate kept shoring them up and making excuses for them? I think the same ideology applies here. In the case of a business, it was corporate that put the loser in charge of the zoo to begin with, if they dump him/her they will have to take responsibility for making a bad decision when they should have known better. Every Republican Congressman, with very few exceptions backed Trump and they know they are going to have to make it work or be accused of backing a lame horse they knew would go sour.
I couldn't agree more with Jim. This accusation makes every single election from dog catcher to POTUS invalid especially if they do find a way to bolster the accusation.
Three Million votes and not a single arrest made, not a single indictment. According to Republicans, illegal immigrants have taken over the entire country, so to believe that these three million fraudulent votes occurred only in Blue states is patently ridiculous, if you believe it at all.
It is not only the duty of the Press but the duty of every American to flood their Congressman's offices with demands that they publicly produce the results of any investigation and begin making arrests and issuing indictments of those found to have voted fraudulently. In other words, show us proof beyond a reasonable doubt or STFU and if you do produce the proof, then you have only proven that no matter who you are in Gov., if you were elected in this last election, you were elected illegally.
This information is coming from ONE GUY. This guy has no proof, and it will take "months," to prove. But he will prove it. One guy.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I find dangerous.
That was a new consideration for me: Tweets are part of the "official record". It seems that by changing or deleting them that he may be in violation of the law.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-tweet-twitter-breach-congress-presidential-records-act-delete-typos-correct-archive-a7540366.html
Ok Jim, besides getting out and making ourselves heard, what can the average person do? I don't think sitting behind a screen and typing angry words is going to cut it. I don't really relish living in an Orwellian nightmare, and I did swear an oath. It was for the Census, but I said the words and it's really looking like it needs defending. So again, aside from making ourselves heard, what can we do?
ReplyDeleteCall your congresspeople. Even if they're Republicans and you don't think they'll listen. Tell them what Jim says right here, that this isn't just Tr*mp spouting off because of his bruised ego, this is POTUS questioning the entire electoral process, INCLUDING the election that put your representative and senators into office. How do they like being put under a cloud like this? For the sake of their own legitimacy, THEY must demand answers.
DeleteI live in Texas. My wife and I have called Senators Cornyn and Cruz as well as our Rep Lamar Smith. The senators' offices are almost impossible to reach but when we did they were not really interested in what we had to say. My wife talked to Lamar Smith's office and was listened too but the very next day Smith stands up in Congress and just about declares trump as the greatest human to ever walk the earth. We do not really not what else to do. We vote, talk to people around us, attend rallies, and call our senators and reps.
DeleteWhat else can we do? Giving money to the democratic party is a waste. We have given to local candidates directly but the democratic national party ignores Texas.
Please give me any other ideas.
Thank you,
I share the concern regarding Russia. This is very important, to be sure, but I have a nagging sense that this issue is designed to distract from the burgeoning story of Russian involvement in the election and post election policy decisions wrt Russia. I am also scared.
ReplyDeleteI agree that Russian subterfuge and involvement in a priority for us to investigate thoroughly and without being distracted. Thus, I think we should hit the Unpresident on both Russia and Voter Fraud. Confuse him with our laser focus.
DeleteI suspect this is part of a ploy to not only expand efforts like Crosscheck, but to push for national ID cards (you know, so we can all carry proof of citizenship around with us at all times).
ReplyDeleteOMG. That thought it terrifying. This is all terrifying! I can barely sleep at night. How is Congress and the Senate just ignoring all of this?
DeleteI agree with Harry.According to Greg Palast, Cross check was the difference maker this past cycle,more so than the Putin/Russia interference, and expansion of it will doom us all.
DeleteIt is sad that we have reached this point.
ReplyDeleteThe elected President of the United States is making contradictory and unsupported claims that (1) aim to solidify his "legitimacy" by claiming a popular vote via a conspiracy theory, and (2) delegitimise the electoral process altogether.
This is not altogether unexpected, as he continuously questioned the legitimacy in the runnup to the election.
As predicted, Mr. Trump has brought us to not one, but several constitutional crises in his first 30 days, and demonstrating by his growing track record as the actual President that he is utterly unfit to serve.
I do not know the way forward. Despite the obvious peril to our nation, and the very democratic system that has been unraveling the last eight years under the hyperpartisan republican party and the Senate Majority leader, Mitch McConnell, impeachment at this point is likely to provoke public unrest and armed insurrection the like of which we have never, never, ever seen, and which could tip us totally into a totalitarian state "in the name of public safety, and the preservation of our way of life". I shudder.
We must continue to speak truth to power, and hold all these people, actors and enablers alike, accountable for their actions and words. No more free pass; no 30 day trial. And only when the majority of those who actually voted for this travesty finally have the scales drop off their eyes and see him for what he is, could he be corralled by the congress, by the courts, and perhaps sent back into the abyss from which he came.
I would not count on the congress to show much spine early in the process.
First *seven* days. Yep; that's really all it's been. Seems longer, doesn't it?
DeleteI worry terribly that he's NOT going to drop this, that his "investigation" will consist of a task force of thousands of Spicer and Conaway clones charged to get "proof" of "fraud" or else face the Wrath of the Cheeto...sent specifically into the states that Clinton won to disenfranchise thousands of legit voters under specious evidence of "fraud" like being registered in 2 different places (which the Cheeto has cited as "fraud" though it's perfectly legal)...and I'm afraid that the Republican House and Senate will just let him do it...what's the downside, for them?
ReplyDeletehttps://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2017/01/26/it-turns-out-trump-son-in-law-jared-kushner-is-also-registered-to-vote-in-two-states/?Tid=sm_fb&utm_term=.f6b54ccb1061
DeleteI know. But when have facts mattered to this guy?
DeleteI wonder what the Trump Administration will do with the Real ID act?
DeleteCan you imagine the hue and cry if UN stepped in to investigate?
ReplyDeleteWhat amazes me is that the group who is saying they have this data, won't release it to be reviewed by the free press. They say they have documented hundreds of cases of illegal voting and that its just a symptom of 100s they fell aren't getting dealt with. They are saying that Obamacare put on millions of illegal immigrants into the voting rolls which is impossible because you can't get Obamacare if you're not a citizen. I am confused. They are saber rattling but they aren't sharing any data or proof beforehand and Trump is eating it up because of his ego has no bounds. LOL even if the government looks into it they will say it happened because the government is covering it up.
ReplyDeleteOne minor thing, w non-citizen can get some ACA coverage as a college student. But absolutely, that is no pathway to voter registration.
DeleteWe are at a crossroads people - People look at Jim and label him a "libatard" BUT this affects ALL Americans like he states. We all know and knew this. (Hopefully we all did). WE the People can not allow wreckless twits, er I mean tweets to go unchallenged. He is already alienating our closest neighbors mainly because of their skin color at the behest of his GOP Party. The Madness needs to stop NOW while we still have a Republic.
ReplyDeleteLike the thoughtless child he is, he's created a situation that he believes benefits him but hasn't thought through the consequences.
ReplyDeleteI would suggest the following narrative.
Trump and his cronies want to game the system and they're lying to you, the people, to accomplish this. They want the blood of your own wounds to be on your hands.
We have it on good authority that this is the strategy that has been discussed:
Trump & Co: We need to trim the Democratic voter rolls by a sufficient number to sway future elections. It would be especially good if we could find a way to target people who actually voted. We need an excuse, and this assertion that millions of people voted illegally will get the people behind us. If it makes them less confident in the government as a whole, that's gravy.
These people want to endanger everything you love and value to advance a personal agenda. They think you won't notice. They've gagged the people whose salaries you've paid to do work you are paying for to keep them from sharing the results of that work. They will do anything to keep the ability to do this.
What is probably most interesting in Greff claims, that group has "184 million voting records we’ve collected over time.", and he bases his claim about 3mln of fraudulent voters on analysis of those 184 million of voting records. I'll quote Gregg again "We have identified what we believe to be likely 3 million illegal voters. I’ve got 184 million records that we have applied an enormous amount of analytic capability to."
ReplyDeleteWell, first of all voting record, is the record that details the vote.
So if that is correct, it means, that they had 47 million voting records more, then there were actual votes case on the last elections.
Though it looks to me, that they have just the voter registry of the majority of the states which they may (or my not) analyzed. Of course the source of such information raises questions and concerns about the citizen's privacy (at least in 20 states there were hacking attempts on voters register according to DHS).
So even if their claim about 3mln illegal VOTERS is true, it doesn't equal to 3 MLN of illegal votes as Trump claims, due to the turnout. Even if we assume, that the illegal voters were appearing with the same turnout as legal ones, we are talking about 1,5Mln Votes that could be deemed illegal.
Usually such dupes are result of double registration (that is supposed to be checked and prevented on the federal level) and people who have double registration usually vote in one place (so even 1,5 Mln of votes is unlikely).
The next thing is that even out of those >1,5Mln votes, there is nothing that suggests, that they were voting differently, compared to the regular voters. So these claims doesn't mean that he won the poplar vote. Nope, he didn't.
We all know why Trump says this. Don't we? Our president has to be the biggest and best. Anything that detracts from this is wrong, or a lie. (In his mind.) So he is delusional, I think, that he really thinks this is true. Nothing else fits into his view of the world. So who is going to call him out? The press? They are all liars and evil. The Democrats... same story. The Republicans or other supporters? Not a chance. There is nothing to win, and much for them to lose by telling Trump he is delusional. A wink and a nod is the best we'll get from Paul Ryan.
ReplyDeleteI don't think anything can happen until the delusions/ stories from Trump get to the point where his supporters abandon him. (And that may never happen.)
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry to tell you that Jim probably can't change the comment you just posted. From what I understand, he doesn't have the time to proofread/edit the thousands of letters and notes he receives daily, if not hourly. Once you hit 'publish' here, you have to be prepared to see it in print. Tough, I know.
DeleteApologies, Anonymous. As Das Schmittchen noted, I'm pressed for time and didn't read you comment in detail before allowing it through. I've removed it. Again, apologies. // Jim
DeleteI read this insane tweet and I'm wondering. Might this just be part of a strategy to keep us all in a permanent state of upset and confusion? Every day there is a new "thing he said" to make us scream ourselves hoarse over.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment, it seems to me that Trump is playing his fiddle and we are dancing to his tune.
Exactly Katharina, my husband and I were just discussing this very thing. It's planned chaos so that no one can focus on any one thing long enough to do anything about it. They did exactly the same thing during the campaign, every day a new outrageous comment so that we forgot all about yesterday's outrageous comment. It worked. The press couldn't keep up with it either. This is definitely their plan & I'm not quite sure how we can combat it. Perhaps we all need to focus on the more egregious matters, the ones that are impeachable offenses and/or unconstitutional and leave the emotional ones aside (like the wall that will never be built). Things like his russian ties should be higher on our list to go after. Treason is certainly impeachable. Halting immigration based on religion certainly seems unconstitutional to me as well. Things like illegal voting is just a silly distraction...they have no proof of that whatsoever because it doesn't exist. It's just a waste of time getting ourselves wrapped up in that whole thing while there are other more important and dangerous issues to deal with. Much of what he is doing is intended to distract from his REAL vulnerabilities. I disagree that this illegal voting issue is the "single most important issue". There are far bigger issues that are actually far more dangerous that need to be addressed. We will play into their hands by going after this one.
DeleteExactly Katharina...couldn't agree more. We need to stop, regroup, and focus on one or two of the more egregious issues rather than falling for the daily distractions they are purposely feeding us to keep us from doing anything meaningful about the truly destructive ones.
DeleteJim-
ReplyDeleteI agree that his effort to delegitimize elections in general is fundamentally dangerous, and by implication, laying the groundwork for tyranny. Well said.
I'd like too see a follow up addressing the voter suppression efforts and on how many that may have disenfranchised, particularly in swing states and congressional districts. I'd also like to see you express your thoughts on the other side of the coin on your essay, 'What does it say/mean if he's wrong?'
Thanks for leading.
Anyone remember Nicolae Ceausescu, communist dictator and alround weirdo of Roumania? He was ousted in a military coup that rapidly shifted to some kind of civilian government during the same newscycle as the US affair in Grenada. As far as I know the military leadership refused his orders to invade the Soviet Union, which likely wouldn't have ended well.
ReplyDeleteMy point is the the current US president is rapidly, in just a week, approaching the point of no return where stakes become so high that things might happen.
I seriously wish it will be solved by legal means, through regular channels, because that kind of instability is risky for the entire world.
3 million voters.
Illegal voters.
For Hillary Clinton.
In California.
Speaking in his presidental capacity.
The man is not well.
(First comment, trying to get the Google+ account to work, had to retype twice, so my apologies for any misspellings)
This is ridiculous. Our president is a conspiracy minded, narcissistic, low information knee-jerker. He's an old reactionary, set in his views regardless of any evidence to the contrary.
ReplyDeleteWhich makes him at once easy to use, by people with various agendas and impossible to control.
The Winter Book is... Trump is out without a major success to convince people in charge -the money- that what looks like madness has method. That he can be harnessed.
How? His ego is too big for him to quit, so... Article 25 may be deployed.
Jim, I've got to believe that you saw this report, but am wondering why you didn't cite it?
ReplyDeleteOf course, you're not writing a term paper, required to cite every source, but it seems to go right along with your thesis.
https://www.thenation.com/article/the-economist-just-downgraded-the-us-from-a-full-democracy-to-a-flawed-democracy/
That actually happened under Obama primarily because government wasn't working .
DeleteIf so, seems like a further downgrade is due.
DeleteMAN OH MAN OH MAN OH MAN OH MAN.........How? Just HOW did we get to this situation? I know.....it's complicated.
ReplyDeleteBeen listening and re-listening to Dan Carlin's exceptional Hardcore History podcast series. I find some measure of solace in understanding that whatever is happening to our country and world today has historical precedents in the fall of the Roman Republic; the rise and destruction of great Persia; the unbelievably rapid wholesale destructiveness of the Khans followed by their equally rapid collapse; and his current podcast on the political use and control of nuclear weapons.
My favorite is Carlin's 'Blueprint for Armageddon' series on WW 1 from the baseline (and comedic) causes of the start of the conflict, through the improvements in war making capability and destructiveness from Napoleonic era tactics to 20th C industrial mass murder. What is striking was (and is) the ability of leaders to delude themselves that any conflict will be short, glorious and relatively painless because they see the endgame already in their heads (parades, awards and valor) before the first shot is even fired. Reminds me of how the US military planned to brush aside the NVA and VC with overwhelming weight of arms and technology, or how the Iraqis were supposed to thankfully shower our invading troops with flowers and kisses.
False assumptions and beliefs, corrupted communications, poor or misunderstood orders, events on the ground overwhelming all the above....these are the circumstances in that history reveals why we have seen our own story play out over and over again. Trump and Co are little different from historical cabals who rose to power (or slipped through the cracks) via a confluence of competing and sympathetic movements. Bad luck, bad timing and bad karma.
We face the choice as a nation as to how we pass through this Trumpian paradigm shift to perhaps regain a positive upturn in the political cycle and break out as an intact, more progressive and stronger nation. Or, be weakened and divided by internal and external forces to potentially be cut up and subsumed by the modern equivalent of the Huns, Vandals and Khans.
I made a New Years resolution to STOP reading the news and get outside, exercise more, see the beautiful things about the world. Almost a month into 2017 and I still sit here on the intertubes and feel like I am winding piano wire around my nether regions in some form of self-imposed "enhanced interrogation technique" so that I might find some slim glimmer of light amongst the gathering gloom. Gotta embrace the suck I guess.
Thanks Jim for voicing what so many of us feel. And for taking fire to reveal the overall goofiness of so many fellow citizens. Semper Fi - Tommy D
Ah - yes. Get outside, travel, hike. Yesterday we spent the afternoon hiking up to the place that the Japanese dropped a bomb on the Oregon coast in 1942. I was away from the internet for several hours. It was awesome, and I learned a little history.
DeleteMr. Wright;
ReplyDeleteI disagree with your post. I do not disagree with the sentiment, nor the accuracy and urgency of your statements.
Trump's allegations of voter fraud are, I believe, completely unfounded. From what I have read from various news sources (both domestic and foreign) is that voter fraud is, in the U.S., (mostly?) inconsequential.
Any investigation of voter fraud conducted by the current U.S. government is, I believe, a precursor to voter suppression. Trump's trumpeting of '3 million' illegal votes suspiciously close to the number of votes by which he lost the popular vote. Further, Trump's rhetoric is a louder echo of what the Republican party appears to have done (and is still doing) with respect to the creation / enforcement of voter ID rules, closing polling stations, limiting access to polling stations, restricting the time people have to vote, etc.
Simply put, Trump, and the Republicans who support him, appear to want to gerrymander the entire country such that their opposition is denied a voice.
If you have your way, I have no doubt that an 'investigation' will, in fact, 'resolve' matters. But not in the way that you envision. At least not under the current administration.
On that note, I look forward to what you might have to say in response, and I offer you my admiration, and the hope that you can persevere in fighting the good fight.
Best regards...
...scott
Well, my trust and faith rests with America's intelligence agencies and I have little doubt, given the massive travel of Trump's four highest ranking campaign managers and lawyer(s), that espionage charges and treason arrests, can't be far off.When your entire campaign apparatus spends three years in Russia, two years while you campaign, it's evident to common sense, something's not right. in fact it's evident espionage took place and to let it pass, the intelligence community would be stating to all of America, that going forward, all citizens who have prior knowledge that foreign governments will alter American elections, will not be prosecuted and that now, same citizens can sell information secreted by our government with impunity.
ReplyDeleteTwo things have become painfully clear to me ....
ReplyDeleteThe Republican Mantra is "We don't care who get fucked as long as we're doing the fucking"
and
Describe Donald Trump - A man who believes if he can't eat it, fuck it, exploit it or own it he sees no reason to understand it.
As I was reading, and agreeing with, your post, some idiotic commentator on tv was saying"we just have to get used to the fact that we have a different kind if President, now". I think I turned into Daffy Duck for a moment. Different, different? Different as in casually destroying the entire foundation of a Constitutional Democracy and then skipping away?
ReplyDeleteAgree completely, Jim. I would add more, but every time I start to peck at the keyboard so much starts flowing out that it becomes a post instead of a mere comment.
ReplyDeleteKeep it up! I'm just an average person, but I figure if I can see what is going here on then there are a LOT of people also aware.
We're hearing you!
Not sure if this has been asked but say we go through with this massive government funded investigation and it's discovered that he actually didn't win............What then? LOL
ReplyDeleteThen we are told we are wroooong. We are told that the press made it up and that a bunch of riggers in the inner-city cybered the results for them. Or something else irrational and distracting.
DeleteWhen you say "riggers", is that your Scooby-do voice?
DeleteBut of course, he doesn't believe it, because he believes nothing (but will use anything).
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, his faithful do believe it, and don't follow through to the implications. Ruled by passion, reason is lost on them.
The parallel with the Western Schism in the Catholic church is instructive. By undermining the legitimacy of the process of electing the Pope, the integrity and legitimacy of the whole Church was damaged.
There is some irony in the fact that our political leaders have largely ignored all irregularities in the past election (up to this point) in aid of an orderly and peaceful transition, trying to shore up the legitimacy of the President who has now undermined their efforts by his own official actions. They perhaps hoped to teach the pig to sing, and they got the result that should have been expected.
But really, Mr Wright, you are with some exasperation demanding that the Press and Government finally hold to account someone to whom they have cheerfully given a free pass since he declared himself a candidate. Unfortunately, our press and government have a very poor track record of holding anyone to account. Although they will go through certain motions if they find them expedient.
-- Eric Hammer
Gregg Phillips and Truethevote claim they are conducting an audit. How does an organisation like Truethevote gain access to the raw voting data to actually conduct an audit and what data is available? Can they tie votes to voters?
ReplyDeleteI am guessing this is another red herring. He tosses them out to distract us from things like muzzling the EPA. This one may be to deflect our attention from the upcoming phone meeting with Putin and his attempt to lift sanctions on Russia
ReplyDeleteI was able to get through to Senator Murray (WA) on this issue and also urged her to take a hard no stance against anything This Guy tries to do. I got a recording at Senator Cantwell's office and the voice mail is full. I'll keep trying.
ReplyDeleteGreg Phillips has ZERO evidence that 3 million illegal aliens voted in the last election. He threw that number out as what he EXPECTS to find in his analysis of data supplied by right wing voter suppression group, True the Vote.
ReplyDeleteHe made this claim back in November and will release his findings the day after Trump releases his tax returns which is planned for the day after never.
Trump is relying on Phillips for his number. Phillips pulled the number out of the thin air.
And the press will do ZIP about this. The press soundly proved that it is not up to the job of protecting our republic.
Part I
ReplyDeleteI may not be Inigo Montoya, but I don't think that means what you think it means, Jim. :)
What you seem to be saying is that we need to have new elections, now run by The Dept of Homeland Security, (thanks Obama) the very department that has abrogated Constitutional Rights for Americans and uses NSA spying to spy on every single American. The same Dept of Homeland Security whom the Georgia State Secretary of State, and then several other Secretaries of State, caught trying to *secretly hack* their elections systems. And not just once – they attempted *ten* intrusions.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/georgia-reports-attempt-to-hack-states-election-database-via-ip-address-linked-to-homeland-security-1481229960
And no – it is never “legitimate” for the Federal government to hack a State’s election system or to interfere in any way with elections in this country. Ever. NO.
What you seem to be saying is, it's not okay for allegedly Russia to tell on the DNC when they do bad things because the American public are just too judgy about election fraud to the tune of 7 million votes and are just too judgy about a candidate - HROD and the DNC - *purposely* elevating a maniac like Drumpf to use as a "pied piper" candidate to manipulate them - but it's perfectly okay for Homeland Security to hack our elections from within and for the DNC to commit massive, mathematically proven and witnessed election fraud?
Let that sink in a minute. I'll wait.
We can't have “new” elections Jim, because the *entire* system is corrupt to the core. The DNC have VoteBuilder software and Diebold machines and the RNC have Crosscheck and Diebold machines. And we certainly won’t have clean open and honest elections until we go back to paper ballots and hand counting & tabulating at the balloting places. Another better practice would be to outlaw calling any election until *all* ballots are received and counted and tabulated. That might take a few weeks. But that would be okay if it were truly open, transparent and honest.
We are going to see the Republicans declare Donnie mentally ill, remove him and install Mike Pence as President for Life with Bannon as his heirodule. That's the next step. Trump is not the problem or the danger - Pence and Bannon are and they are the guys who are writing these Executive Memoranda and who are making the policy. Donny's the sock-puppet.
And the DNC and HROD and her crew handed this country over to them and their Fascist machine when she had to cheat to *still* lose and cost George Soros $1.2 billion in the process.
And she did lose. She lost the Electoral College vote, *even* with all her hand-picked Electors. And, there *was* * no* “popular” vote because 46% of the Electorate refused to vote and because the DNC *purged* 7 million voters from the rolls in the Primary. De facto, there can be no “popular” vote when that significant a percentage of the Electorate either don’t vote or can’t. And the Presidency is not a popularity contest during rush on Fraternity row. So – just no.
Continue to Part II
If true, the homeland security hack of GA SoS was likely a white hat attack.
DeleteAnd no, it is not ok for the Russians to influence our elections. It is not ok for them to dump stolen emails of politicians. This time it was the DNC, next time it could be the RNC.
Speaking of which, there are reports from our IC that both the DNC and RNC were hacked yet only the DNC emails were weaponized. It begs the question, could the Russians extort GOP politicians with those hacked emails?
Kathleen, why the Hat tip to Obama ("thanks Obama") for the Department of Homeland Security, was that meant as irony? The Department was founded in November of 2002 and GWB was the President during it's creation.
DeletePart II
ReplyDeleteBut all this concern and outrage about Drumpf are a year late and $27 short.
And why would you ever advocate rewarding the very people who handed this country over to Fascists? Because that is what the result is when you allow HROD or any of the newly appointed Brock/Soros Third Way NeoLiberal Corporate Dems to have another bite at the apple. THOSE folks are the ones who *handed* this country over to Pence and Bannon and their merry band of Fascist thugs. The *leaked* - not hacked but *leaked* - DNC Podesta e-mails proved that the DNC and the Clinton campaign *purposely* elevated Trump as a "pied piper" candidate to be a comic foil and attempt to drive votes to HROD. Only the American People rejected her. It *doesn't matter* who leaked the e-mails and published them. Or it ought not, to any sane moral person. The only thing that *matters* is that it was the truth. So if the DNC didn't want to be caught then they ought not to have done it. It doesn't matter what the Republicans were doing. We all expect that kind of behaviour from them. But the Democratic Party is supposed to know better and *do* better. Anyone who wants to read up can start here and go thru all the links https://www.reddit.com/r/DNCleaks/comments/5qcqiy/i_realized_i_should_start_backing_up_my_claims_so/
Where was the outrage (not from you Jim but generally from the American public) during the Primaries when the DNC used VoteBuilder software, owned by then DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz's husband, to commit *election* fraud and *purge* 7 million voters from the rolls and then used the Diebold voting machines to flip votes to HROD? People stood right there and *watched* it happen. Where was the outrage at having our elections tampered with? Anyone who wants to know what people witnessed on the ground can start here and go thru all the links https://www.reddit.com/r/DNCleaks/comments/52y5e1/danrolle_is_tweeting_his_story_now/
And here https://www.reddit.com/r/DNCleaks/comments/52zpuj/dan_rolle_leaks_part_2_connecting_the_dots/
And here is the mathematical analysis https://richardcharnin.wordpress.com/2016/10/07/77-billion-to-one-2016-election-fraud/
And here
Where was the outrage when Roberta Lange, the Chair of the Nevada Democratic Party brought in brown-shirted armed cops to prevent delegates from voting and unilaterally declared HROD the winner before votes were ever counted? Why is it preferable that our elections be rigged from within and that we be willfully blind to it, than that the whole process exposed from without?
anyone who wants to know what people witnessed on the ground can start here and go thur all the links rhttp://heavy.com/news/2016/05/nevada-democratic-convention-what-happened-roberta-lange-delegates-election-fraud-videos-recount-denied/
Where was the outrage when the DNC at the National Convention used armed security to remove delegates so they couldn't vote and couldn't speak. True, the First Amendment only is supposed to protect the citizen from the State, but given that the DNC is tax-payer supported in the form of a free tax ride, I think there is an argument to be made.
But most importantly, where was the outrage when the Democratic Party - the party who are supposed to know better - *murdered* American Democracy in front of us and on camera?
Where. Was. The. Outage. ????? Where was the national cry for a new Primary election then?
Typig correction: Where. Was. The Outrage.????? Where was the national cry for a new Primary election then?
DeleteA few things here:
DeleteI'm an old Democratic Socialist who has been registered as a Dem since 1972. The shift to Third Way neo-liberal stances by leadership and so many citizens has been a drag. More than a drag really.
That being said, I'm tired of this tilting at windmills dealie from folks on my so-called side.
First and foremost- there is , as of now, no credible evidence the DNC purged 7 million voters. Or could actually do so. There are blog posts of the it-could-be-done-I-saw-it-in-the DNC-leaked-emails type but no real evidence. Nor any meaningful followup with election officials who oversee state voter rolls.
Also the Georgia dealie is far from sorted out. Personally it sets my hair on fire if I believe DHS as it points to an easily hackable state system- more so than GA's hysteria over a possible federal intrusion does at this point.
Taking these 2 items here , alone, as accepted facts and building on them is shaky.
Adding in the stuff about Ms Clinton not winning the popular vote because so many did not vote? Please.
Huge numbers, way too many, never vote. Plenty seem to have stayed home in disgust. Good on them for leaving it up to me and you and the other ~138900 who did vote. We're the ones who determine the popular vote. Not them.
Mr Wright-
This really is the most important thing to deal with right now. Thank you.
Jim, I agree with your approach. As long as we insist on POTUS proving his claims or admitting they were a sham, we should also insist that all 50 states be included in the investigation.
ReplyDeleteOut of curiosity, I downloaded the True the Vote Voter Fraud file which apparently the source that Greg Phillips is using to prove that 3 million illegal aliens voted in the last election.
ReplyDeleteThere are a total of 2019 cases listed going back to at least 2004. Just skimming through these, a substantial number were charges that were dismissed, so not real voter fraud.
But given that Phillips says he expects over 3 million cases of illegal aliens voting in the last election, I find it hard to understand how he is going to find them in this data since there were only a total of 46 records for the 2016 including primaries as well as the general election. Must be Republican math or they have another database that they share with their imaginary friends.
That is a good point, Mr. Stonekettle. I didn't think of Trumps tweet in your context as per your essay.
ReplyDeleteAgree with every word. Question is will the next Woodward and Bernstein step forward and slay this monster?
ReplyDeleteMattis needs to waterboard Trump... Live... on the Celebrity Apprentice. Then we will find out what Donny the Draft Dodger really believes. Right? Because... you know... it works. Right?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jim!
ReplyDeleteThere is no way this idiot will ever admit he is wrong. And this is just week one.
ReplyDeleteWhat if they find that those "Three Million" illegal votes were for Trump?
ReplyDeleteWhat happens if they do the investigation and they find that the three million illegal votes were for Trump? Does that mean we have to have a recount or an electoral college redo?
ReplyDeleteSo, if he continues to "double down" let's hope he says that "anyone registered to vote in two states should be punished/prosecuted/stripped of voting rites" or something equally outrageous. This action takes out Jared Kushner, Steve Bannon and his own daughter Tiffany and others in his inner circle.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, hope your words make it into the press pool so Sean Spicer gets this daily for every reporter in the room. And hope your whiskey stash gets you through your hate mail. Cheers!
Oh, so surprise!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jan/27/trump-voter-fraud-gregg-phillips-unpaid-taxes
The independent investigation should also include investigating the voter suppression that took place. While most Republicans know that what Trump is saying is extremely dangerous and destabilizing I believe there is a reason they are not pushing back as some did when he made similar claims during the election. They are hoping to use this to further suppress the vote of people who do not look like them or pray like them. The claim that people are registered in and voting in more then one state is moving this argument towards the further use of programs like Crosscheck which was already miss-used this election to wipe hundreds of citizens off the voter registries.
ReplyDeleteIs it time to consider the 25th Amendment yet?
ReplyDeleteHe doesn't give a shit about the percieve illegal votes. It's all about the fact that he didn't win the popular vote in addition to the electoral votes. It's not that fucking complicated. It's about his ego and he just can't accept the fact that not everyone in this country sees him as the savior of the country. It's part of his personalty disorder.
ReplyDeleteThis is just a side bar for Bannon and company work their slimy little effort to co-opt all media coverage except that which favors Donald.
Shit, if you have to ask the park services for multiple photos of past swearing in ceremonies because of your insecurities, you are simply giving credence to the fact that you are incapable of leading our country.
CS in Fl
Jim, thanks again for what you do. Once they control the press, we only have to visit history to see the eventual outcome.
I'm firmly of the belief that we are hitting the point of "put up or shut up" both for him and his supporters. My willingness to grit my teeth and let them rave has come to an end.
ReplyDeleteI have reached the point where my willingness to clench my teeth and ignore the ravings of this man and his supporters has crossed the limit of my gorge. "Put up, or shut up" is going to be my challenge, from now on.
ReplyDeleteAnd that got you a small donation to help you do what you do.
ReplyDeleteJim, I too, fear for the American Republic. I agree that he Trump must be called out. But it may not be the issue we can nail him on. He has a long history of tweeting, then backing off, and getting away with having done so. I agree he needs to have bullshit called, I agree if he is going to say things like that he must be called to account for them. I just fear that we are just seeing the tracer rounds, and that the bullets we don't see in this dark night are the really dangerous ones. Thise are the ones to seek out and keep safe from.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of those bullets in the dark which you rightly fear more than the tracer rounds. Like his attacks on the Free Press, which undermine the People's confidence in that Free Press.
DeleteHe is saying, to the American people, "You cannot trust your system."
While we, millions of us, recognized what he was doing, millions *more* believe him just enough that the cancer of niggling doubt grows. He knows, his regime knows, they will not make it through 2018 if we hold free elections.
Solution? Get enough of the American people to stop believing in their power to change through free elections. Get them to actively *choose* to allow government by fiat instead, "just for a little while."
I cannot stress this enough: this is Hitler's playbook. All the fricking way - Nazis, all the way down.
Trump must be made to prove beyond any shadow of a doubt his statement. Or admit that he is wrong.
ReplyDeleteTHIS IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE WE FACE AS A NATION, AS AMERICA, AND IT MUST BE RESOLVED ONCE AND FOR ALL
Impossible. Never going to happen. Nothing can make Trump do anything against his will. Not the Congress, the media, the people (really? Get real, for sure not the people). He is the C in C of the military and unless they stop him, all the above is just tongue wagging. R.I.P the Republic
Keep up the great work, you are one of the sane voices. I share your Facebook posts often (much to the dismay of my friends who are probably tired of my "read this, it's wonderful").
ReplyDeleteFeckless indeed. Until people like Jason Chaffetz @jasoninthehouse start taking their duties of governance and oversight seriously, there is no chance that Trump will be held accountable for his statements.
ReplyDeleteChaffetz has shown that he views his role as Chairman of Oversight as carrying water for his party. He desperately wants a House leadership position and won't do anything contrary to party wishes--I don't know if he can be moved by public opinion, but here is his contact info. He has the power to open investigations into all of these issues
WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE
2236 Rayburn House
Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: (202) 225-7751
Hours: M-F 9AM-6PM EST
PROVO, UT OFFICE
51 S University Ave.
Suite 318
Provo, UT 84601
Phone: (801) 851-2500
Well Jim - Do you think that Trump's very first SOF op went as expected? I can't second guess the troops on the ground, but this Yemen op seems like it was poorly planned wrt updated intel on the target. Maybe that's why Obama's admin held off pulling the trigger. If CENTCOM and SOCCOM were hot to trot, apparently it is Obama's fault anyway.
ReplyDeleteDidn't seem to bother Trump that US and civilian lives were lost, troops injured and a CV-22 destroyed. Which is far from normal for a well planned and informed operation. He did not ask for prayers for Chief Owens and the recovery of the injured at the Natl Prayer Bkfst, but he DID ask for prayers for the Apprentice ratings.
Spokes guy Spicer says that the raid was "very, very well thought out and executed" we got an "unbelievable amount" of intel and will save US lives and prevent future attacks on the homeland. So alrighty then.
Hope they don't make a habit of this sort of massively successful operation. SF guys and airplanes don't replace themselves by magic. Although maybe Trump thinks they do. Sadly - Tommy D
Jim, I used to be an avid follower on Facebook AND a donor. Then, after you moved to Florida, I complained to you twice about your negative descriptions of Southerners. You blocked me. I remain blocked.
ReplyDeleteBelle Books, the lady who writes Southern themed novels. Yes. I remember you.
DeleteAs I explained to you then, I married a Southern girl, I've been married to a Southern girl for more than 25 years. I spent a hell of a lot of time in the South. I moved to the South, to her home. She didn't ask me to, it was my idea, because I want her to be happy. I bought a house here. These are hardly the actions of somebody who hates the South.
My descriptions of the South were intended as harmless humor.
I told those stories specifically in a style emulating the late great Lewis Grizzard, a Southern humorist and a writer I admire greatly. The obvious butt of every joke was the same guy -- me, the fish out of water, the stranger in a strange land.
And the people who found those stories the funniest, the ones that those stories resonated the most with were ... Southerners. Like my neighbors, or the people down at the local restaurant who laugh at my jokes about the South and can't wait to tell the silly guy from Alaska more stories of Southern life. Or my readers, who jumped in with stories of their own Southern experience -- and other readers, Northerners, Foreigners, who responded by describing the oddities of their homes. And that was the entire point, conversation, we all had a laugh and learned a bit about each other.
But you didn't find those things funny or interesting or an opportunity to join in a discussion of differing cultures. You showed up one day in my social media feed with the implication that you speak for all Southerners and that the South was off limits.
This is not acceptable.
I don't tell you, Belle Books, what to write about. I demand the same courtesy in return.
I tried to explain the above, but you wouldn't hear it and you were determined to be offended. That's your choice.
So, you were blocked and remain blocked. // Jim
Aloha Mr Wright:
ReplyDeleteI'll be brief - I think you would enjoy this Jim. It's a long essay but you could put the audible verssion on for an hour if that worked better for you. It begins with the idea that Trump easily wins a second term - then shows how - and ends up more hopefully. The last line includes, "our finest hour"
Not only do I think it's "viral worthy" but that I think you would enjoy the writing as well as the message.
Regards -a long time reader and too rarely supporter
oops - I think I forgot something
Deletehttps://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/03/how-to-build-an-autocracy/513872/
Jim, I don't know whether or not you will ever be able to write another essay about this administration and keep it current. These clowns just cannot stop themselves from idiotic actions and statements that overwhelm me. Four years of this, holy fucking shit. I have to fight to stop myself from whatching this train wreck. Will we survive? My guess is yes, but at what cost?
ReplyDeleteCS in Fla.
Here's hoping we won't have to wait 4 years.
DeleteHi, two people I think very highly of referred me to your blog ~ I'm glad they did. This question in particular - the legitimacy of the election and our recourse as a people has been bugging me. I didn't start with the Presidents claim of 3 million illegal voters. I started with the Russian tampering of the election which I understand the president confirmed. If that's true, then the election is invalid. Why aren't we doing anything about that? What recourse is there? How do we take it forward? After reading your blog post, my question now is, is the Press taking this forward? How do we encourage them to do so?
ReplyDeleteHey Jim, Just donated to your starving blogger fund. Hope it buys you a couple sammiches. Now can you PLEASE set me up to be able to comment on Facebook posts? My inability to comment is causing massive spikes in my blood pressure. Thanks, Clare Powers O'Neill
ReplyDelete"We must do better" translates as "we need more illegal votes (for me) next time!"
ReplyDeleteSo yesterday Trump's Senior Advisor, Stephen Miller, appeared on many news outlets and made this comment during the course of discussions -
ReplyDelete"The powers of the President are very substantial and will not be questioned."
Wait a minute. "WILL NOT BE QUESTIONED". WTF. Hey, I know he was talking about the court's decision to not support Trump's executive order as originally put out, but what is this - WILL NOT BE QUESTIONED? What makes the President any more important than the Courts?
If these idiots had thought this out with some degree of intelligence, they could have crafted an order that would have been acceptable rather than a blanket ban.
Stephen Miller. Why do I get a vision of him, in a tailored uniform, standing next to another savior of the Aryan world high in the Bavarian Alps.
'Will not be questioned' Will this become the Modus Operandi for all things Trump?
CS in Fla