Strategery

Endarkenment

So the supposedly Jesus-loving, flag-waving crowd feels a convicted felon, convicted rapist, bankrupt, tax cheat, philandering, con man is the best leader for our country and the example they'd like to set for the children. What a disgrace!

Republicans, don't preach another second about law-and-order, God, morality, right-and-wrong, or any of your other meaningless talking points. The Republicans are the party of stupid. They are the party of ignorance. They are the party of immaturity. They are the party of hypocrisy. They are the party of petulance. They are the party of greed. They are the party of misogyny. They are the party of racism. They are the party of homophobia. They are the party of transphobia. They are the party of cognitive dissonance. Republicans are non-thinking, spineless, windbags. 

But now let's talk about the apathetic American voter. In 2020, 66% of eligible voters went to the polls. Pathetic in it's own right. But, in 2024, what was deemed the most consequential election ever, even fewer voters turned out. Twenty million less people (as of this writing) voted for president in 2024 than in 2020. Embarrassing! 

Let's not forget about the media. Normalizing this insanity every step of the way. I'm not just talking about Fox News, Newsmax, and OAN. We all know they are full-of-shit shills. But all media outlets reporting on the Trump candidacy as if it were just any other. If anyone should have been continually sounding the alarm and raising questions about a cheating, traitorous, felon, it was our media. Instead, Trump got a pass. His incoherence and ramblings were largely ignored. The media overlooked the actual economic record of Biden/Harris and failed to correct the narrative that the economy was doing poorly. Everyone was focused on questioning Kamala and having her discuss specific policies. Meanwhile, Trump was allowed to ramble and dance at his rallies.   

I can't end this without mentioning the fact that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris entered office and ushered us out of the pandemic without pulling us down into a recession. In case you forget, Donald Trump had lost jobs, lowered the American standard of living, ignored the pandemic and told people to drink bleach. [Plus this, this, and this.] And, not only did the U.S. not enter a recession under Biden/Harris, our economy is leading the world - the stock market it up, GDP is up, wages are up, jobs are up, and inflation is down. As The Economist noted, The U.S. Economy is the Envy of The World. This is what the geniuses on the right have voted against and the apathetic slouches on the left decided not to vote for. Sad.

For Further Reading:
U.S. economic growth remains impressive. It’s the envy of the world, except at home
The American economy has left other rich countries in the dust
The U.S. Economy Reaches Superstar Status
The robust U.S. economy is leaving ‘other rich countries in the dust’
The envy of the world

This Is A Trump Problem

Recent comments from Keith Olbermann:

This is the America Trump wanted. This is the America Trump got. He was shot at by a gun-obsessed MAGA kid, with Trump signs in the front yard of his home, in a MAGA world in which stochastic terror threats are Trump's only campaign, only belief, only religion.

Republicans! Stop shooting at Trump!

This wasn't an MSNBC viewer and it wasn't a Democrat and it wasn't the fault of the corporate media and Biden's oratory didn't impact him and this didn't happen because I keep saying Trump is a Hitler. TrumpIS a Hitler. The Republicans trained the weapon on Trump and they fired.

And shame on Biden and the other Democrats and the eternally gullible media for falling for the promises of a Trump pivot. He said we need to unite the way the extraterrestrials put "To Serve Man" on their Twilight Zone cookbook. The moment the Democrats took the bait, he explained what his demands were: as part of "unity" he expects all criminal charges to be dropped against him immediately. He probably secretly hopes the Democrats will also nominate him.

Same fraud. Different con.

ALSO: Anybody see those photos of him as he screamed "Fight!" like a giant rabid rodent? When he let his true soul out? They were chanting that as the GOP convention yesterday. There is no joining of hands here. As always, when the Republicans mean unity, they mean everybody has to agree...to do what they say. Nice timing on delaying the Documents case, "Judge" Cannon, until the morning the GOP Convention opened, and dismissing it.

Bluntly, Biden should take presidential immunity and use it. What would Trump do in the mirror image of the assassination attempt? Less than four months before the election and the guy ahead in the polls gets shot at. And the Secret Service clearly screwed security into the ground. And we don’t know WHY a kid registered with the same party as the candidate would try to kill the candidate. And we don’t know WHY a local police officer confronted the shooter moments before the shots only to back away. And we don’t know why, most insanely of all, the kid had a cameo in a Black Rock commercial for retirement plans. And we DO know it is being investigated as an act of domestic terrorism. And you know, you KNOW, a Trump in charge would look at this and say ‘good enough excuse for me! I am declaring a national emergency and invoking the insurrection act.”

Do it, Joe.

AND: please, stop with the "violence has never had a role in America." Our politics is a river of blood. 20 of the 45 presidents have either been shot and killed in office, shot and wounded in office, shot and wounded while seeking to regain office, or the subject of shooting plots averted at the last minute or last hour. If we stopped lying to ourselves about how peaceful we are, maybe we could begin to fix our bloody story.

B-Block (27:52) SPECIAL COMMENT II: The conventional wisdom of the electoral effect of the assassination attempt against Trump is - as always - wrong. The attempted murder of a Republican gun nut by a Republican gun nut using a weapon Democrats tried to ban is no longer even the lead Republican story. It may have no impact on the election at all. Candidate victims in the past have always lost.

C-Block (41:30) THE WORST PERSONS IN THE WORLD: So many fascists said so many stupid things before the truth came out about who the shooter was, that the list today is literally EIGHTEEN PEOPLE LONG, climaxing with Chuck Todd, Lester Holt, Mike Johnson, Elon Musk, Mike Lee, Mike Collins, and J.D. Vance - who once compared Trump to Hitler (those Biden ads are gonna be lit)

Holiday Reading

Monarch butterflies bounce back in Mexico wintering grounds

The Media Needs to Stop Pretending that Elon Musk is a Wise Sage rather than a Grifter

When I First Saw Elon Musk for Who He Really Is

No Atheist Has Done This Much Damage to the Christian Faith

'Big Short' investor Michael Burry compares the market slump to a plane crash — and hints tumbling stocks and home sales remind him of the housing bubble bursting

The massive gap between rich and poor Americans costs the US economy more than $300 billion every year, study says

The Southern Baptist Horror

How America Sold Out Little League Baseball

Bad Economics

Screenshots of Wisdom

We Have A Pay Shortage

Note to media: 

Please stop reporting on a "skills shortage" or a "labor shortage".

We have a "pay shortage".

Weekend Reading

U.S. Herd Immunity

Rush Limbaugh captivated dads like mine and created America's modern fascist aesthetic

Newsmax Host Attacks Biden’s 12-Year-Old Dog Champ: “Looks Like It’s From a Junkyard”

Donald Trump Jr. Rips Teachers Unions In Front Of A Gun Wall; Critics Go Ballistic
The Green New Deal Threatens Republicans’ Bread and Butter, it’s Not Just Competition in the Battle of Ideas
The Failure of the Media in Responding to the Lying Right

Born to Run: U.S cannabis enters the sweet spot

LESSONS FROM MY 4-MONTH SOCIAL MEDIA BREAK AND WHY DIGITAL DETOX IS NECESSARY

Utilities Offer Yield and a Way to Play Green Energy. And Their Stocks Are Cheap.

Stop Giving Liars A Platform

2020 Takes Alex Trebek But Leaves Mitch McConnell

Fox 6 anchor Ted Perry apologizes for joking about the death of Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell

If Lou Dobbs, Sean Hannity, Brian Kilmeade, Steve Doocy, Laura Ingrahm, Tucker Carlson, et al, can pretend they are serious journalists bringing their viewers an honest take on the stories of the day, why can't a local news reporter express his view about a vile man, with a humorous quip, on his private Twitter account?

For context, Mitch McConnell is a piece of shit. He's a power-hungry, know-nothing that has done all he can to steal elections, take away health care, and generally make the lives of Americans more difficult.

Does anyone really think Ted Perry wants McConnell dead? Again, he's just using some humor to drive home the point that we're stuck with some very shitty people, while some of the good ones have passed away. Someone, anyone, argue that Mitch McConnell has done anything good for anyone but himself over his entire political career.

So, for those who can't deal in metaphors, maybe McConnell doesn't need to actually die. But he does need to be voted out of office. He's a terrible public servant. He's a miserable human being. Fuck Mitch McConnell! And fuck anyone that would defend that pile of garbage!

Midweek Reading

Foxconn's Buildings In Wisconsin Are Still Empty
The real reason Republicans ‘threw a fit in Wisconsin’

He Could Have Seen What Was Coming: Behind Trump’s Failure on the Virus

If the Postal Service Dies, So Does Democracy

DONALD TRUMP CAMPAIGN SUES WISCONSIN TV STATION OVER AD CRITICIZING HIS CORONAVIRUS RESPONSE

GOP was giddy for low-turnout vote

Trump berates media at jaw-dropping briefing

Voter suppression now has a white face in Wisconsin

GOP Congressman: Lawmakers Must “Put On Our Big Boy and Big Girl Pants” and Let Americans Die

Why the Supreme Court’s contentious Wisconsin election ruling looks even worse now

Treasury stalls delivery of 70 million coronavirus stimulus checks to put Trump’s name on them
Its Not Capitalism, its Crony Capitalism

Capitalists or Cronyists?

Some Companies Are Too Connected to Fail
A raging pandemic is showing the world how Republicans weaponize deficits and states’ rights against Democratic presidents

Tucker Carlson attacks Michelle Obama and says she’s trying to ‘destroy’ American democracy

Make America Informed Again

Not to pick on Rich Kirchen and The Milwaukee Business Journal, but is this, President Donald Trump Touts Economic Record At Downtown Milwaukee Campaign Rally, really journalism?

The article repeats all of Trump's lies and then, I guess for counterpoint, it gives a quote from Mayor Tom Barrett.

Reporting needs to have context. It's fine to recap the many claims Trump spewed at his rally, but the reporting on such should include context, corrections and details regarding the claims made by Trump. In this instance, it should have been pointed out that most of what Trump was claiming is not true.

Such as the claim the country is experiencing the lowest average unemployment rate in history. It's just not true. And, also, much of the low unemployment is due to policies undertaken during the Obama administration.

Trump made claims of wage growth and a blue-collar boom. Also, just not true. 

Wage growth is being held back by political decisions and the Trump administration is on the wrong side of key debates

Why aren't wages rising faster even with low unemployment? Trade war, weaker economy are among reasons

Weak job and wage growth weigh on these Trump states

The article then went on to list the many derogatory names Trump has for his opponents. Such a list would be fine if it were (dis)qualified with something about maturity, decorum and how unbecoming such behavior is for the office, but no such admonishment was included.

It went on reporting of Trump claiming the Make American Great Again strategy was the "greatest movement in the history of the country." Yet, no push-back on this either. Not equal rights, civil rights or women's rights. Make American Great Again isn't a movement. It's a lie and an embarrassment. 

The article closes with Pence parroting false or inflated job creation and wage growth claims.

US job creation slowed under Trump in 2019 to the lowest growth in 8 years

Job creation seen tapering off in December amid tight labor market and slower economy

US job creation in 2019 slowest in 8 years

A media that doesn't give context doesn't really present reality. This type of vapid regurgitation acting as reporting is why so many Americans are misinformed and we have an orange buffoon for president. Our media must do better. 

Tucker Carlson Is A Creep

Tucker Carlson is called out for being misogynistic, racist and homophobic.  Rather than apologizing or trying to move forward, instead he belittles other media figures, media organizations, etc.  He claims he is being persecuted by do-gooders looking for attention.  It has nothing to do with his behavior; which he describes as simply out of the mainstream and just a different point of view.  [Listen to the recordings.  Anyone with a brain would not claim this is just a point-of-view difference.  Carlson is clearly misogynistic, racist and homophobic.]

It's well-known Fox has been normalizing racism, hatred, cronyism, white nationalism and pretty much every other negative behavior...and then blaming everyone else when negative outcomes occur.

But, somehow, this is all Media Matters' fault.  Yes, you're the bad guy when you point out someone else's bad behavior.

Carlson also had the gall to claim Media Matters aligned with a political party and whined about how unsavory that is.  It's illegal for a media organization to align with one political party.  Um, hey Fox News guy, project much?

So ... much ... delusion.

Kellywise

Journalism Is Dead

A 7-part series on the making of a golf course?

Really?

Really, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel?

This is the in-depth, investigative journalism we need right now?

Mister Rogers Defending PBS To The US Senate

[source]

Journalism Versus Public Relations

The Press Is Supposed To Be Check On The President, Not The Other Way Around

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Get More: The Daily Show Full Episodes,The Daily Show on Facebook,The Daily Show Video Archive

Wisconsin's $2.2 Billion Deficit

State faces $2.2 billion deficit heading into 2015-17 budget cycle

So surprising this article surfaces just after the election. All we've heard over the past few months is how Wisconsin has been moving forward and Scott Walker had saved the Wisconsin economy.

Somehow, in the past few weeks, the media has discovered billions in deficits. How convenient for Scott Walker.

It was actually estimated at $1.8 billion back in September. Nary a peep was heard from the media (or the Democrats, for that matter) questioning Walker about this during the campaign.

Can anyone (other than the MacIver Institute or the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute) name something positive Scott Walker has done for Wisconsin during his time in office?

The Journal Sentinel's Fake Reality

Leave it to the Journal Sentinel to add in their usual big bowl of wrong following Tuesday's election.

Since Walker and the Republicans were victorious, it's up to the Democrats to "reach out and find common ground."

Yes, because the Democrats have been so unwilling to cooperate up until now? This false equivalency bullshit is so tired.

The idea that Democrats haven't been trying, forever, to negotiate on policy with the Republicans is ridiculous.

The Journal rants:

Pouting and stomping their feet doesn't work and will only drive them farther from state voters. That's a lesson they should have learned during the Act 10 days of protest when state senators fled for Illinois to delay a vote on the measure that effectively killed public sector unions in Wisconsin. Fist-shaking and name-calling wasn't effective then and isn't going to be very effective in the months ahead.

Has the Journal been paying attention to Republican politics for the last 40 years? The Republicans have been the party of pouting, stomping their feet, fist-shaking and name-calling.

The Democrats' claims against the Republicans for fraud, lying, deception, favoritism, cronyism, etc. have all been true.

The Republicans have manufactured a false reality for their constituents and the media has been a willing accessory.

The Journal continues:

Walker won, and not just because he ran a better campaign than Burke. At least 52% of voters like the governor and like his message better than they liked Burke's. They like balanced budgets. They like a healthier economy. And they think Walker and his fellow Republicans can deliver on those issues better than the Democrats can.

A balanced budget? A healthier economy? Republicans deliver [on these issues] better than the Democrats?

WTF?!

These claims are all demonstrably false! How can the Journal write such easily disproven drivel?

The Journal then attempts more revisionism:

Some of Walker's opponents argue that he has demonized public sector employees and teachers. He did not, although some of his supporters have.

So, it wasn't Scott Walker claiming unions [not Wall Street] destroyed the economy and teachers [not CEOs] are overpaid?

They continue with a 'Democrats are meanies' meme, "Many of Walker's opponents have demonized the governor and his supporters, comparing him to past dictators, for example, or charging that he is a puppet of the evil Koch brothers and big mining companies."

I guess the Journal would just like to ignore the fact that both of these claims are true. It seems their form of journalism has a real problem with calling it like it is.

Until Republicans and the Journal Sentinel can come to grips with reality, it looks like we will be faced with a continual string of false equivalencies and manufactured narratives.

The News