My plan had been to get the kids to be and then write about the rampant narcissism displayed by Donald Trump in the face of tragedy, but then I saw that Burt Lancaster’s 1946 film noir The Killers was on TV, and I decided that, for the good of everyone around me, I needed to just turn my brain off for the night, and stop thinking about the malignant psychology of our president… So you’re going to have to assemble your own post from the links I’ve provided above, OK? [This is kind of my version of Just Crack and Egg.] Or, if you’d like, you can just watch The Killers with me. Here’s the trailer.
OK, I know I said I wouldn’t be posting about Trump and his Grievance Tour of recent American mass murder sites, but, the movie’s over now, and I think you really need to see this one tweet from the White House Director of Social Media and Assistant to the President, Dan Scavino, which really encapsulates the spirit of the President’s visits to Dayton and El Paso.
51 Comments
Trump seems like a good mirror to hold up in front of the American people. He’s the embodiment of how sick this culture is and of the sort of damage it does to us all in varying degrees. I doubt very many people are capable of seeing that though, as everyone is screwed-up just enough in that Trumpian fashon so as to be unable to see how they are actually part of the problem, the cultural collapse which produces such a bizarre freak and props him up as something to focus on and admire in any way.
Though Trump was clearly ushered into office by individuals who are far more clever than the average American, Trump himself is a good approximation of what most Americans are like. He’s an embarrassingly stupid pile of steaming personality disorders. That’s essentially America now. All this mind-numbing television and social media has delivered the final blow to a collective consciousness already rendered severely challenged by the environment of hyper-consumerism and the collapse of formal and informal education and thoughtful, moral upbringing.
Remember when the economy was going to crash because Trump is so incompetent? Remember when Trump was leading us into nuclear war? Remember all that shit that hasn’t panned out? When you are wrong over and over and over and over maybe it’s time to reconsider your position.
This economy is a mess and getting worse fast. But that can’t be blamed on the president or any other individual. We’re collectively responsible.
Nuclear war is a very real possibility these days. And again wether or not it breaks out has little to do with any specific individual. Still, I’d feel a lot more comfortable if there were a sane, competent, adult in the Oval Office to deal with a crisis in real-time.
We’d all be better off if Trump turned his focus back to fucking porn stars and prostitutes.
IRobert is on a roll!
Facing off against the troll.
I do think HW has been more accurate in predicting how things play out than anyone else here has. I attribute that to his distrust of the bullshit mainstream media and consequently his unresponsiveness to its misguiding influence.
More accurate than me?
I never even predicted anything.
I just pine for Mayor Pete.
“I do think HW has been more accurate in predicting how things play out than anyone else here has.”
Thank you. Frankly I am light years ahead of the media. I do not consider that bragging. We all should be.
I know you haven’t made predictions, except that Mayor Pete might win, which is obviously a fantasy.
I was referring more to some of the comments which have been made by others in response to predictions by HW. Most folks here have had exaggerated responses and expectations.
The media is pushing a lot of BS narratives, for the sensational value of these things. Being suckered into joining them is bound to lead folks to eating crow. All HW has to do is call people out on some of those things and he’s ahead of the game.
IRobert has selective memory and his own perilously distorted lens.
I suggest you go back a year and reread HW’s many predictions.
I think part of the frustration people here have in dealing with HW, is actually displaced frustration they are feeling with being constantly manipulated and mislead by hype. Not all of it of course, but a good bit of it anyway.
Jean Henry, the king of selective memory, may have a point. However, I’m not saying HW hasn’t been wrong about a lot of things. I’m just saying his predictions have been more accurate than say, yours have been. Naturally, that a prettt low bar to clear.
I’m just saying his predictions have been more accurate than say, yours have been, Jean. Naturally, that a pretty low bar to clear.
HW may be buying into an alternative hype, but it’s allowed him to avoid the obvious pitfalls of buying into the popular bullshit that’s hyped in mainstream media.
Aloha iRobert, I find myself in agreement with you frequently, but in my doltish way I must disagree with, “This economy is a mess and getting worse fast. But that can’t be blamed on the president or any other individual. We’re collectively responsible.” Trump and his enablers decided on a Trade War with China, and sweeping economic sanctions on Iran and Venezuela. I don’t think US consumer share responsibility for those stupid moves. Powell at the Fed knows they have almost no ammunition in terms of interest rate cuts to juice the economy, so no monetary fix is likely to work. Trumps stupid venal tax cut for the rich has run its course, and has sucked the money away that could provide monetary stimulus. We live in a capitalist (kinda) economic system the hall mark is boom and bust. The bust is coming, but unlike 2008 we have already shot our wad before the bust arrives.
A point which I think is more important to make here is that it’s a gross overreaction to express hate toward HW and to suggest he is a racist and/or a nazi. He clearly isn’t that mindless.
The treatment HW has gotten here is clearly an exaggerated and displaced reaction to the shock and dismay folks have felt about the political situation in America. There’s no point in it and it’s not appropriate.
Why don’t you go back and read my predictions yourself, Jean? The only one I can think of that has been proven wrong is that the dem party would be in shambles by the 2018 election. My biggest hits include No Collusion, North Korea Peace and NXIVM/Raniere, Epstein, et al arrested.
DD, I agree with you about the moves of this administration being wrong and contributing to our economic problems. However, I do believe we all have far more responsibility as individuals than almost anyone will acknowledge. We don’t just vote on Election Day. We vote every time we purchase something. We vote every time we choose innaction or indifference. We finance all the things we claim to oppose and excuse ourselves with every lame excuse we can come up with. The vast majority of Americans put absolutely no thought into how they’re daily choices influence the cultural and economic structures.
“iRobert
Posted August 9, 2019 at 8:39 am | Permalink
A point which I think is more important to make here is that it’s a gross overreaction to express hate toward HW and to suggest he is a racist and/or a nazi. He clearly isn’t that mindless.
The treatment HW has gotten here is clearly an exaggerated and displaced reaction to the shock and dismay folks have felt about the political situation in America. There’s no point in it and it’s not appropriate.”
Wise words. The overblown hatred and smears actually hurt their cause. Only a teeny weeny percent Americans would align with what they try to do. That they are the majority is one of the illusory narratives that is being dispelled by the light of knowledge.
No President can rightfully claim responsibility when the economy is doing great, nor can be held accountable when the economy is in a recession. The Federal Reserve and the few other international Central Banks have complete control.
Aloha iRober, ” We vote every time we purchase something.” This platitude is a pretty common refrain but is not very helpful or accurate. Most (those of us who exist on the median income or below) spend the vast majority of resources on essentials like rent, food, transportation, health care and financial services . Of these “rent” is the only item that has not been monopolized by a small handful of companies. Our “discretionary” income would be what we have available to “vote ” with. Since most “discretionary” income in the US is processed by the top 10% they have the “vote”. The labor movement has known (and other movements have utilized this tool as well) that it is not what you buy, but what you boycott that has the ability to sway policy–that is why they keep trying to make that form of organized economic activity illegal.
I think we could have thoughtful disagreement here. But some folks are so frustrated, and feel so powerless to do anything constructive, they just lash out at the only targets they can find. It’s not a healthy way of expressing that frustration.
If we stopped excusing ourselves as powerless and begin making changes in our own lives, the lives of our loved ones and in our communities which bring us toward the ideals we envision, we will be less prone to hunting for scapegoats upon which to unload all our frustration.
Aloha EOS, “No President can rightfully claim responsibility when the economy is doing great, nor can be held accountable when the economy is in a recession. The Federal Reserve and the few other international Central Banks have complete control.” Another platitude so that the policy makers who are driving the economy into the ditch can avoid accountability. It is has been pretty definitely established that it was the elimination of Glass Steigal that did more than anything to cause the “financial” collapse in 2008. That was a bi-partisan decision to allow banks to become casinos. Bill Clinton is largely responsible (he championed the elimination of Glass Steigal rather than defending it). Since 2008 it has only been the juice that the Fed has kept providing to the Banks through QE and buybacks that has kept the economy moving. This slow down/ depression that is coming is the consequences of Trump’s economic wars. You can be like iRobert and blame bad decision making by your neighbors. It is so much easier to blame anonymous poor folks for our problems than actually confronting the stupidity and greed of our Masters. I know that neither me, nor anyone I know had jack shit to do with the coming depression. Maybe you guys caused it, but don’t blame the American people.
DD, I agree with you only in that the less advantaged economically have a greater challenge in reorganizing their daily lives and daily choices so that it effectively impacts. I strongly disagree that that challenge is insurmountable. We all do have the power to cut our use of fossil fuels, for example, dramatically. We all have the power to buy local produce exclusively. The benefits of doing that are many-fold. Most importantly, we would be able to get far more nutrients from far less volume, and we could avoid most of the poisons which are now in the larger food distribution system. We also have a great deal of impact in choosing where we live and how we connect with our neighbors. Those decisions collectively have dramatic impact on many aspects of our lives and on the larger cultural and political systems.
Claiming to be powerless is the first, and most critical step in being powerless. The powerful interests which are at odds with the interests of the individual, the family, and the community promote the notion of powerlessness among the poor and working class, to their own greater advantage.
Aloha iRobert, “hunting for scapegoats upon which to unload all our frustration.” I realize that happens here, and I’ve been guilty, but we all know that it is HW’s arrogance that drives people to want to knee cap him. But as far as the economy is concerned, I don’t think holding the policy makers accountable for failed policies is “hunting for scapegoats”. It was Obama’s refusal to hold the war criminals and the banksters accountable for there policies which have set us up for the looting and war mongering of the Trump folks.
People don’t want to confront the international reality. China and Russia and most of the rest of Asia is not going to play our game. They are busy building the financial structures so that they can separate the war mongering US from effecting their economies. Rather than engaging in continuing diplomacy to find ways through our disagreements the US has opted for coercion. China is not going to be pushed around. Trump has demonstrated through his repudiation of the Iranian deal and the withdrawl from the INF treaties that the US is not capable of keeping agreements that it reaches with other countries. I think if people want to look at a comparable time in US history it would be the 70’s. We jettisoned the gold standard to pay for our failed war in Vietnam. The next 10 years were spent creating new international financial systems built around the petro-dollar. As the world confronts climate change (just as an example) how much do you think oil is going to be worth? We have lost our two decade long war in Eurasia and so the hens are now coming home to roost. The Boltons and other war mongers will seek to up the ante thinking that the way out is more war. Nixon tried that as well with his invasions of Cambodia and Laos. That didn’t work out to well.
DD,
The two notions are not mutually exclusive. Of course our leaders have responsibility, and even more true is that the powerful economic interests are responsible. But that doesn’t mean those who do the vast majority of the consuming do not have power. Collectively, the consumer has considerable power and responsibility as well. Not realizing one has power, or not excerciaing that power, does not reduce the responsibility that naturally goes with it.
The economy is beating that ass. How is it not better now than in 2016? America is back to work with quality jobs coming back. I don’t trust that the stock market is not a deck of cards that could be destroyed at any time to usher in an even greater depression but for now it is way higher than ever. That helps regular working people with 401k’s. I know mine has gone up from the drubbing it took during the Bush and Obama years.
“iRobert
Posted August 9, 2019 at 9:13 am | Permalink
I think we could have thoughtful disagreement here. But some folks are so frustrated, and feel so powerless to do anything constructive, they just lash out at the only targets they can find. It’s not a healthy way of expressing that frustration.
If we stopped excusing ourselves as powerless and begin making changes in our own lives, the lives of our loved ones and in our communities which bring us toward the ideals we envision, we will be less prone to hunting for scapegoats upon which to unload all our frustration.”
You might be a bridge to sanity for someone. Much appreciated words of wisdom again from iRobert.
DD, I more or less agree with everything you’ve said. However, when I mentioned scapegoating, I was talking about individuals looking for other individuals and groups to scapegoat. Holding political leaders and economic powers accountable is not scapegoating, and I wasn’t saying it is. I just want to clarify that.
The average person has power far beyond what they are lead to believe and what they would imagine on their own. An individual can even go completely off grid if they put a lot of work into doing that. But of course that’s the extreme. Staying in the economy and in the culture and making daily choices which move toward the ideals does have an impact. When it feeds a subculture or counter-culture it has very measurable impact.
I think you’re forgetting about the accuracy I’ve displayed in predicting what a complete fucking cunt Warlord would be on any given day. I predict he will be again in just a minute.
Aloha iRobert, ” I strongly disagree that that challenge is insurmountable. ” Not sure who you are disagreeing with. I don’t think the challenges are insurmountable, I just don’t think your consumer change your purchasing patterns is going to be at all effective. Using the voting analogy, several million more people voted for Hillary, but we got Trump–because of built in mechanisms within the system, ie. monopoly pricing, restrictions on entry into commercial activity, and lack of financial capital to name a couple–all tend to ameliorate any effect that consumer purchase voting might have. I would look at financial graphs from 2007 and 2008. December 2018 to today is looking a lot like May 07 to early 08. Prices have become almost totally divorced from value once again.
that is just a dolts opinion though.
Bob The Rage Filled Internet Pussy
Aloha, Here is a reasonable analysis of our current economic issues.
https://www.globalresearch.ca/trump-regime-war-china-other-means/5685726
I have a group-building exercise we may want to try here on MM.com…
There is a 25 year old woman who has been secretly taking online courses through EMU who has to attend in person some final classes to graduate.
Her father does not know about her educating herself and would apparently be very opposed to the notion.
This young woman is seeking a place to live for the very short period of time she will need to complete her EMU education and graduate.
I propose that we here at MM.com band together and conspire with this young woman in her quest to obtain her college degree.
Who among the Christians, patriots and feminists here might be interested in helping?
There will be much crow to be eaten. That much is certain. The evidence that has been ignored and spun to this point will eventually get out. The douchebags who acknowledged “we get most of our money from Russia” will go to prison, if they’re lucky. If they are unlucky, strung up on a service station canopy. It’s not unlike the morons who thought the was no evidence of the earth being round, because they kept burning the scientists at the stake, but who eventually ate much crow too.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/08/09/impeachment-inquiry-trump-has-feared-is-here/
You haven’t eaten yours yet. You want it rotten? Ewww. “Oh it could still happen! After two years and three investigations we don’t have shit but that HW is really going to eat crow!”
iRobert,
Muslim families tend to be very supportive of higher education – even for females. (With some cultural exceptions)
The difficulty for this woman is that she has left the Islamic faith. Her immediate and extended family members may attempt to kill her. Some families will send the young person back to their home country to isolate them from an infidel environment or from others who feel obligated to kill her. Many families would compel the woman to marry a Muslim man in the foreign country, who would then keep her in the Islamic faith.
The woman desperately needs to complete her education so that she can support herself without the assistance of her family. There are a number of Churches in the Dearborn area that are very experienced helping people in this situation. I would encourage her to discreetly contact any church in Dearborn and they will know how to put her in touch with persons who have experience helping in this situation. Alternatively, she can post anonymously to this blog and can get assistance from a Christian ministry that is in this area.
http://www.ilovemuslims.net/
Please use discernment in sharing any additional descriptive information about this young woman.
IRobert– Has she sought help from EMU itself? I know they offer some social aid services to at risk students. Other possibilities are the SOS Crisis Shelter, which helps women and families facing domestic violence, and Jewish Family Services which provides refugee services to many Muslim and Middle Eastern clients. While this woman is not a refugee, they may be able to help her discreetly find the help she needs. Both groups know how to manage risk which, as EOS points up, is important. Neither would proselytize nor attempt to convert which may or may not be the case with Christian organizations.
I’m sure she can find housing in the area. Many homes open up to people in her situation. I have housed a few, but I’m no longer in the public transport range of Ypsi. If she has a car I can house her. And I’m sure we can find her safe harbor. Have her contact me directly. My contact info is easily discoverable.
While I’m happy to tell this woman, to be clear, I have no interest in group building exercises in this forum. This is why I asked you to have her contact me directly. I do not want to hear from you IRobert or any of the rest of this crew.
Help* not ‘tell’
Thank you EOS and Jean. I will pass on the information you’ve shared here. I think the group-building excerciae was a success already, Jean. I’m just glad we had a productive interaction here. I knew you and EOS would very likely have much more information than I do for this young woman, so I am genuinely appreciative.
Did you ever get the kids to be?
This was not a group building exercise, Robert. We did nothing together. I want nothing to do with you or the others. Period. Ever.
I’m happy to help someone in need but not if it in any way serves your agenda or ego.
Are we clear?
Well I think it was sonnice that we all could cooperate on doing something to help this woman. I’m going to brag around town how EOS, Jean Henry and I worked together in the sorority of unity. It’s going to inspire people to hear about it. I’ll make sure to tell people you didn’t see it as working together, but still I think it’s a nice example of how even individuals who loath one another can be cooperative in some way.
Sonnice and sorority were interesting typos/autocorrects. The words I meant to say were “so nice” and “spirit” I believe.
Now Jean, you know I’m going to tease you about us working together as long as it seems to annoy you, right? I just feel it only fair to confess that right off.
I hope everybody else here isn’t super jealous about what a great team JH, EOS and I have become.
IRobert — I get it. I’m just making the boundaries very very clear. I know such boundaries may seem silly to you, but then again you don’t use your real name here so…
IRobert — I get it. I’m just making the boundaries very very clear. I know such boundaries may seem silly to you, but then again you don’t use your real name here so…
I’m not going to let you spoil this incredible moment in team building, for me and for all the other commenters here that I am sure have been moved to tears seeing such an extraordinary example of cooperation among foes on this blog.
Christian charity at work:
https://www.revealnews.org/article/they-thought-they-were-going-to-rehab-they-ended-up-in-chicken-plants/amp/
That’s a good find, Jean. CAAIR seems like a pretty lucrative racket. I wonder what our new friend EOS thinks about it.