They want to hang her over emails. can you imagine if she were in putins pocket?

any other so-called principles are merely matters of convenience. they'll pretend to believe in them only as long as they serve the real principles of party loyalty, greed, and power.

Think about it. The former Republican Party working in consort with the FBI, Donald Trump, the Russian Oligarchs, and mass media to take control of a once proud nation called the USA.
It IS a coup

my late mom said that an attack would come from within our country rather than outside.

what the GOP wants, the destruction of the US democracy. Really, much of the GOP of today is a terrorist organization.

All they are about is amassing power and getting the desires of their corporate sponsors met. My paternal grandmother, a long-time Republican AND long time anti-communist, must be spinning in her grave.

of her day and "side." Research is showing that most people don't start with principles and goals and choose leaders to fit--the traditional assumption. Instead, people start by choosing a side, accepting the leader(s) who rises, and then, as called upon, adapt the leader's principles and goals.

We've just never had an election where one side demonstrated this dynamic so shockingly strongly.

Democratic leaders have stayed pretty consistent in principles and philosophy, which arose from Enlightenment thinking and thus are very old and mostly stable.

Republicans have seemingly gone batshit crazy, but no: they're merely adapting, as should have been expected, to the person who currently rose to leadership of their "team," Donald Trump. In part that's because conservatism as a political idea only formed about the 1950s (really?!, but turns out yes) and is based not on long established philosophies of governance but mostly on longing for security and mostly negative emotional reactions to change and differences among people and ideas.

And, of course, we live in an age of galloping change and diversification, so people naturally disposed to conservatism are not happy.

She died when I was 13. What I remember personally is that she had files and files of cards and articles on which she kept track of what countries at a given time had communist governments, what countries were pro-Soviet, etc. Beyond this I have to rely on anecdotal evidence. Her parents were Democrats, and she was a Democrat in her earlier days. She voted for Roosevelt at least once that I know of. I am pretty sure that she fell for the post- WWII red scares, and came to believe that the Republicans were the ones who would best contain communism. In other words, communism was the reason she came to be a Republican. Beyond that, in most ways she was quite moderate in her political viewpoints.

but if you check out that period you might find out that a lot of people were actually following the leader they chose when that leader was no longer satisfied with what was happening with the old party--while staying true to ideals.

Otoh, your grandmother may have been a truly independent thinker for whom her own principles and philosophies ruled, and leaders did not. Some people are like that. I like to think I am.

Republican liberal progressives followed leaders including Teddy Roosevelt (back) to the almost moribund Democratic Party when they couldn't win out over the business interests who'd been gaining increasing control of the Republican Party over the past quarter century. Principles or leaders? Probably either or both depending on the person.

At least I know I'm repelled by authoritarian leaders and appeals to intellectually-devoid populist resentments, and we do see some authoritarian leaders and followers on the radical left. It's mostly a lot of conservatives, though, who gravitate to seemingly "strong" leaders like metal shavings to a magnet.

Trump is mistaken by millions for strong, and many of us no longer wonder how it could have happened in Germany. We're watching "it."

nothing else matters but being a republican. nothing. some of them will say out loud that they're a christian first but it's clearly bullshit. i don't think i will ever be able to sort out in my mind how we got to this point either. i know, rw radio, fox news, watergate, reagan, bush...but how does that work that a person would rather leap off a cliff after trump than live in a civilized nation where no one is allowed to fall off the cliff? why is hate such a popular emotion?

i know the hate they inspire in me is not a pleasant thing, nor a healthy thing. but i do hate them oh yes i do.

And the really dangerous part of it is that he will inspire that hatred against with the rest of the world.

So they are the spiritual brothers to the Russians. They are perfectly ok with things like Pussy Riot going to prison for 20 years for "desecrating" that Russian Orthodox church. So it's not just party loyalty, greed, and power. It's also brutality against the "other".

they've always been all about greed and power, and the southern strategy, the thinly-veiled dog whistles of bigotry, misogyny, xenophobia, homophobia, etc., have all been the bone they throw to their rank and file to keep them focused on something other than the greed of the people at the top.

the bigotry has always been a cynical deal with the devil for them.


that said, perhaps they can no longer contain the beast and maybe they can't. we shall see. if they learn any lesson from trump's defeat, it should be that they can't form a majority with explicit bigotry. we'll see if they change their ways in 2020.

Their deal with the devil with the bigotry brought us Trump, because the establishment repubs are seen as "soft" on everything by their base. Taxes, the budget, gays, terrorism. They see too much compromise with the dems. So they nominate this idiot blowhard that promises no more compromise.

No experience needed. No prinicipals wanted. A crappy slogan and Hitler-esques rallies are all we need!

Any thoughts about the SEPTA strike?

I treat one of the lawyers and he isn't talking. My patients are antiTrump even the Rethugs for the most part.

this guy. I can image J. Edgar Hoover tolerating Trump. FFS, I just can't believe what's going on in the US now with a free pass. I wonder what's around the corner.

of an American candidate for president. I know people also said this about W, but as bad as he was, he didn't flirt with true fascism. Trump has a distorted view of the presidency; he believes that all he has to do is order something, and it must happen. That's magical thinking, a complete misunderstanding about how democracy works, or a dictator waiting to happen.

I think it's a combination of all three. And that is terrifying. But we can and will stop it.

That party is rotten to the core now with anti american, anti freedom thought.

I think is is well on the road to outright fascism and beyond redemption or rehabilitation.

Republicans are blowing off Trump's collusion with a former official of the KGB in such a cavalier manner. The Richard Mellon Scaife Clinton Smear Machine really did a bang up job back in the 1990's to make Republicans hate Hillary Clinton so much that they support a morally bankrupt Russian dupe like Disgusting Donald.

Family values? HA! Multiple divorces and famous for his adultery. Currently married to a woman who's got quite a bit of porn out there on the web right now. Not to mention the latest round of what he said on that van with Billy Bush, and all of the accusers that have come forward to illustrate that in that one case he is actually as good (or bad) as his word.

Speaking of his wife, how about that Xenophobia they're famous for, especially after all the bruh-ha-ha about Obama's birth certificate. Now they've fully embraced a first lady that's foreign born??

Sanctity of marriage? How many times have they spewed that line over the last couple decades?? Ref the first point with multiple divorces.

Or, how about that good ole fiscal conservativism.. How many Bankruptcies has he had now? How many businesses has he cheated?

Then there's that grand old party platform proclaiming experience.. How much did they SCREAMMMMMmmm that Obama wasn't qualified to be President because he'd only been a Senator for such a short period of time, and a community organizer.. Now, they flock around the Orange orangutan that has't done a fucking day of public service in his life!!!

You put it very succinctly, especially that last part about never having done one day of public service in his life. I hadn't thought of it that way before. It needs to be pointed out more often. Anything he's ever done has been self-serving because after all, he is a narcissist and that's their true hallmark.

And that's okay with the GOP.

than they do themselves. I can't remember who said it first, but I keep repeating it.

They have been intimidated out of their Party and the MSM can't seem to find any who are willing to speak outside of the few talking heads that didn't speak up loud or soon enough.

Or the jokes about the nuclear drills, "Bend over and kiss you a** goodbye."

The most lunatic redneck in our neighborhood drove an old Rambler because he spent a lot of good money on his fancy, lead-lined nuclear bomb shelter. They were big business for a while back then.

Never heard the "bend over and kiss your a** goodbye" meme, but Duck and Cover drills were a big part of our school days. Also recall the classroom lessons about the horrible Soviets who were bent on taking over our country and making us "Godless communists". A lot of textbook studies were focused on the MVD (can't even remember what that stood for, but clearly it was evil), and plenty of accounts of kids turning in their parents if they suspected they were anti-government. Plenty of folks in the area where I grew up were into building bomb shelters in their back yards. I learned that if an airplane flew overhead within earshot not in sight, that was a for certain sign the commies were about to drop a bomb. This was fresh on the heels of WWII, which produced enough horror stories of what happened during those years to traumatize people for decades. And then there were of course the McCarthy hearings...

Amazed that any of us grew up halfway sane. Maybe we didn't. Perhaps that's what's wrong with us today, although as I rapidly approach my 80th year on earth, I like to think I've learned and changed and would absolutely LOVE to have done with all the fear. Sometimes it's not so easy these days...

As we used to say back in the 60s--Keep the Faith, Baby!

Peace.

A lot of people in small towns are still not recovered from the haunting past of political paranoia. The cultural revolution of the 60s and 70s passed a lot of people by.
Fortunately those who don't change do eventually die. Had you heard that one?

I'm a few years older and can't believe it either. Although, I really think the cold war was just more warmongering and chest thumping (or shoe pounding).

Also Barry Goldwater.

My family was Republican as I was growing up because of the party's perceived strong stance on the Soviet Union.

Just a nation of Republicans.

Think about it. Trump has broken virtually every nonviolent law on the books. He openly cavorts with Russia. Nothing comes of it.
Even if they bring charges against Comey for violating the Hatch Act, the Republican Congress will never convict.

On the other hand, they will do anything within their power to put a 70 year old woman in prison because they don't like the email server she used even if no information was lost. Or maybe it's because she is a Democrat.

Its hard to believe our country has fallen this far

I was talking to another in our age range and commented this is not the America we grew up with. The system has been perverted and rerouted and is hardly recognizable anymore...........

My 90 year old Mother reminded me today that Benedict Arnold and Rosenbergs died because of their treason. DO you think we could at least put Trump and his conspiracy in prison for life?

...I'd like to have a lucid Joe McCarthy on this Earth for a few hours just to see the commy Assclown tRump, the Putin apologist.

and leave the rest of us alone.

sure to take an escape flotation device with you, because you'll be running from Trump's rule in weeks!

accept help from Russia and all of the white racists. They have been at this for at least 10 years or so but the presidency of Obama, just motivated the racists to fall in line with them.

This apathy about the Russian involvement. I just don't get it, It's actually very concerning to me. Do his followers just not believe it, or are they ok with letting Putin in? I have no clue, but it's just frightening.

that most of his followers couldn't point Russia out on a map. They're that stupid. These are the sort of people who probably watched his TV show and think he's a strong leader and brilliant businessman, even though he's neither.

International capital is calling the shots everywhere now

Will do ANYTHING to get elected

And I can't believe it either! durec

Most of them are despicable.

That basket is crammed full.

I remember "tailgunner" Joe, the Rosenburgs, and the blacklisting of many performers. WHAT THE F... has happened to this country?

of what is going on.

Now that we have the White House, they are just "better businessmen."

As Vladimir himself might say: конечно ("of course&quot

The KGB has officially infiltrated the FBI.

it either. I wasn't old enough to remember the Rosenbergs (for anyone who doesn't remember them, they were the couple who were executed for treason back during the Red Scare period). Executed. The thing that has me shaking my head in disbelief is that if this orange Manchurian candidate is actually elected, nobody will ever learn about his many and deeply disturbing ties to Putin and the other Russian plutocrats, because just like all other autocrats, he'll be ripping a page right out of his bud's playbook and will be sending anyone who speaks out about this into a gulag. This man has been compromised and the folks who'd so blithely vote for this guy because they think he's "a successful businessman" will make their country white again. Christ on a cracker. I'm shaking in my boots. And just when I thought this race might have been at heel, Comey pulls the stunt he did Friday and shrugs off the Trump investigation that may never see the light of day to return everyone into witch hunt mode. yet. again.

Remember that hot mic comment from Obama to Medvedev before the 2012 election? That never hurt Obama.

The Republicans are cozying up to what St. Ronnie called an "evil empire" and have nominated a clown too stupid to do the intro to "Death Valley Days" on TV.

brainwashed, stupid, clueless and naive. And many are on the take for $$$$$'s.

Imagine any Democrat of our lifetime with just about any one of Trump's behaviors, policy positions, business relations, or political statements. They would've been tarred, feathered, hung by their toes, denounced, mocked, and painted as enemies of America.

I just can't fucking believe these asshole Republicans put up with, much less vote, for this vile excuse for a human.

Trump is in a slim minority of one on his Russia views. I don't know of one other Republican or Democrat who shares his views on Russia. When did Putin impress him so much? Was it when they shot down a civilian airliner over Ukraine? When they invaded a country during the Olympics? When journalists mysteriously die? When their government takes over their private industries? Maybe it's when their jets get too close to our troops? Or when they hack our democratic institutions and corporations?

So yes, i agree. And to some extent you could argue some of it is old history. But not what I mention above-- that's all recent within the last four years.

I am also floored by the fact that so many in the Republican party, leadership even, haven't pulled their support of Trump, and even admit to voting for him.

I would think that they will have to answer for supporting him, in this and future elections.

country, damn cowards.

I never could understand just how Hitler rose to power in Germany but I am afraid I am witnessing here in my beloved America.

different times, different people, different locations, but basically it's the SOS! I'm stunned that many Americans are so damn gullible and naive as to vote for Trump and what he represents.

I read an article the other day comparing the rise of TRUMP to the rise of Hitler. They quoted Hannah Arendt saying that it wasn't that democracy was unhealthy in Germany when Hitler rose to power; it was more a result of a large number of citizens (undereducated and in an economically desperate situation) who responded to messages promising instant, dramatic change, all managed by a "superhero" of sorts who spoke to them in grossly oversimplified messages.

I WELL remember those ugly days when Herr Reagan was in the WH threatening the "evil empire."

But Repukes are the WORST hypocrites in the world. Imagine what they would do if a Democrat called a Republican a liar during a State of the Union speech. . .

I said it started in 2000 when the two parties switched colors.

Republicans used to be blue and Dems were red. The switch was to condition the anti-communists to stop saying, "better dead than red."

I know,....I'm evil.

I was a hockey player back then and he was one of my idols. I was a goaltender and he was the best in the world at the position. IMO he was the best of all time.

My how times have changed.

BTW I cheered FOR USA when they played the Soviets. I just had a ton of admiration for the way they played the game. That was not OK back then.

My mother thought communists were responsible for all the ills in the world - maybe even the dust bunnies under our beds. She would have built a bomb shelter if we could have afforded it.

The officially communist USSR may no longer exist, but not much else seems to have changed. Or if it did, it has gone back to the way it used to be.

that I thought Sting's lyric "Do you think the Russians love their children, too?" was a major breakthrough in how we might consider Russians in future... back in the Gorbachev era, long before the rise of Putin.

It is shocking to see the "party of national defense" shit all over their core principles... loyalty to the U.S. gov and national security.

Where is the House Un-American committee when they are finally really needed!!!

I can't believe it either. Everything has been turned upside down. Any hint of connection to Soviet Union when I was a kid was devastating. I remember duck and cover and kissing our asses goodbye. Even Nixon would be appalled at this guy. He may have been paranoid and crooked, but at least he was intelligent and qualified.

Obviously there has been tons of unpleasantness in past elections but this election is unprecedented by forcing all of us into a world we're unfamiliar with....the world of 'crazy'! It's hard to be calm at my age!

I saw these "narratives" to describe the liberals and conservatives in this country a few years ago, and I think it's pretty accurate. Notice how the conservative one focuses on liberals instead of a more general set of beliefs.

http://www.saturdayeveningpost.com/2012/08/21/in-the-magazine/trends-and-opinions/americas-painful-divide.html

Liberal narrative:

Once upon a time, the vast majority of human persons suffered in societies that were unjust, unhealthy, repressive, and oppressive. These traditional societies were reprehensible because of their deep-rooted inequality, exploitation, and irrational traditionalism. … But the noble human aspiration for autonomy, equality, and prosperity struggled mightily against the forces of misery and oppression, and eventually succeeded in establishing modern, liberal, democratic, capitalist, welfare societies. While modern social conditions hold the potential to maximize the individual freedom and pleasure of all, there is much work to be done to dismantle the powerful vestiges of inequality, exploitation, and repression. This struggle for the good society in which individuals are equal and free to pursue their self-defined happiness is the one mission truly worth dedicating one’s life to achieving.

Once upon a time, America was a shining beacon. Then liberals came along and erected an enormous federal bureaucracy that handcuffed the invisible hand of the free market. They subverted our traditional American values and opposed God and faith at every step of the way. … Instead of requiring that people work for a living, they siphoned money from hardworking Americans and gave it to Cadillac-driving drug addicts and welfare queens. … Instead of adhering to traditional American values of family, fidelity, and personal responsibility, they encouraged a feminist agenda that undermined traditional family roles. … Instead of projecting strength to those who would do evil around the world, they cut military budgets, disrespected our soldiers in uniform, burned our flag, and chose negotiation and multilateralism. … Then Americans decided to take their country back from those who sought to undermine it.

Look at Trump's past. Look at his business contacts. Trump has secrets.

meaning, there's so much to do entertainment wise to take people's minds off of serious issues, that the majority of people under 40 don't appreciate what you're saying! You're right, it would END a career for a politician, here, Republicans just say, "we're voting for our nominee! She's crooked!"


HUH!??! UGH...

that the republican party has no problem advocating for our adversaries. You're spot on. Years ago someone, anyone would have been run out of town on a spike for doing the same.

I think Trump's statement that "I could stand in the middle of 5th Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn't lose voters" is actually true.

And if had shot someone, I can just envision how it would have played out. The Republican noise machine would have been singing praises for Trump's "decisive" action. The FBI would have taken over the investigation and then, about a day later, would have issued a statement clearing him of any wrongdoing because {fill in excuse}. Some organization would have given him a medal.

It feels like we're stuck in a Philip K. Dick dystopian nightmare.

Unfortunately, it's not a nightmare. Trump is actually a candidate. His share of voters in national polls is just a few percentage points under Clinton's.

I think we "get" the reality we are faced with intellectually. But I don't think we "get it" at a core level. We see the numbers, but our reaction to what we see is "unbelievable." At some level, the core belief -- that Trump is so horrible that "everybody" must be able to see it -- remains intact. We are in a sort of collective denial I think is dangerous.

The electoral may looks solid, but state-level polls have been know to be way off the mark. Victory is not a certainty. Trump is horrible. But, unbelievable as it may be, there are a whole lot of people who enthusiastically support that horrible man. Perhaps enough to propel him to victory (particularly if too many overconfident Clinton voters don't bother to vote).

is backing the same candidate that Putin is backing. Infowars Jones is a bircher.

The birchers are backing a repug who is openly a puppet for Putin.

.... their "situational ethics".

Anyone who is still a Republican is bat shit crazy.

don'cha know?

I grew up when "The Day After" was a horror movie and Reagan said "We commence bombing Russia in five minutes".

Mondale was called a commie.

The Rethugs have zero soul.