Watching these companies kow-tow to the incoming administration vs operating their businesses as they have been or were planning for is sickening. Trump will be a President—not a king, emperor, dictator or other autocrat. His bully-like demeanor & those groveling at his feet is shameful. How can parents teach their kids that bullying is wrong when the worst one, a convicted felon, will be running the Oval Office? nauseating
Definitely not class or honesty … but in terms of smarts hard to argue with their course of action from a purely power-based Machiavellian view. They all won. America lost.
With all due respect, I think that Joe Perticone may have missed something when writing "Congress Has Learned Nothing From Jan 6th". Tragically, Congress and others including Zuckerberg and Musk have learned a lot, namely that with the right supporters you can get away with anything including armed insurrection, trying to overturn an election and stealing highly classified documents. I would not be surprised if this inspires Don Jr. and JDV in the future.
I just called Van Orden's office (my congressman, unfortunately) to ask that he does not support rump's talk about using military to control Greenland and the Panama Canal. She said she hadn't heard anything about that. I said, "Have you seen The Guardian or the New York Times today?" The staff member laughed and I said, "Are you laughing because you think it's funny that we are talking about using the military to take someone's property or are you laughing because you think I'm a stupid, powerless constituent?" She said "I'm laughing because you think I don't know what's going on in the world." Ohhh kay!
Clearly, this staffer does know what is going on in the world and one best not speak a word that would displease Dear Leader // lest you pay the price!
Ann - the staffer, by indicating they DID know what was going on in the world, provided a 3rd option to your question: they laughed in that (possibly nervous) "oops, ya got me" way (see: kid caught with hand in cookie jar).
"I haven't seen/heard it" has been standard Republican congress person response since early in Trump's 1st term. Obviously preposterous unless they have been in a coma, but reporters seem to shrug it off and move on. Your staffer isn't used to being called on it, but unlike most journos your access doesn't depend on playing nice.
Good on you for challenging her, a good lesson that constituents are NOT to be bullshat (not sure if there's correct tense but you catch my drift). I suspect will take repeated lessons.
He's my rep, as well. He just sent out that he's on the Armed Forces committee in the House and my first thought was to write and tell him that he would best serve our country if he opposed any use of the military at protests. It's not clear to me that he will have the Armed Forces act in the best interests of the country.
What Congress and everyone else has learned again – as if we needed reminding – is that Trump, in his brazenness, shamelessness and utter contempt for the law and human decency, always doubles down.
All I can say is there is no going back. The America we knew has died and are feeling the tremors of the new country or countries forming. The asymmetry is untenable and we all know that MAGA will not rebalance willingly. The demographics of MAGA are too young to expect meaningful attrition from this mortal coil in the next few years. No, we are stuck with 50% of our population having the critical thinking and emotional skills of a toddler.
I think the answer is they weren't brought up - they were bought up with money (or something worse) and/or power. When you have men like McConnell, McCarthy, even Lindsey and the others say and know the right thing and have them flip 180 two days later, you know they've been threatened and/or bought.
Howard, I don't necessarily think they were "brought up" to be like that. I think it was a process over time as they surrendered without a whimper the will to fight for what is morally right, versus what is right for the Old Convicted Felon.
From my perspective, I have worked for and with people who are dishonest, unethical and lack integrity. They support what benefits them and will throw under the bus anyone who might be a threat.
After Lincoln keep the Union together in 1865, money took over the progressive Party of Lincoln beginning in the late 1800's and reaching a pinnacle now with the 'Trump/Musk' presidency and the billionaires club in charge. Our tradition of democracy is in danger. Democrats and a few standup Republicans have their work cut out for them in 2026 and beyond. Stay true to one's principles and work to save our democracy is all we can do.
Congress, at least on the GOP side of the aisle, have learned that they can attempt a coup when they lose and suffer no consequences. The Dems have clearly not learned that lesson.
The Dems think that following the rule of law and the Constitution, and not staging coups, is a better way to run a government. Frankly, I am glad that we have not reached the stage where both of our major parties feel they should stage a coup if they lose an election. We tried an extreme violation of norms 164 years ago, and it was a very traumatic and deadly experience some of us have learned is best avoided. The Dems do need to figure out a way to overcome the right-wing media oligopoly/Trump cult and win an election by appealing to voters, including men, who did not graduate from college.
"“It’s nice that Trump had an overwhelming win, which made it a lot easier for everybody.”
Pardon my French (no insult to the French intended, it is just a common expression), but Scott is spewing absolute Bullshit and he knows it. "Overwhelming my ass" (another common expression). The Old Convicted Felon received less than 50% of the popular vote, true, more than VP Harris, but anything but "overwhelming". Perhaps, to be fair, Senator Scott does not know the meaning of the word, which in and of itself should be disqualifying for an elected office.
Joe, next time you hear unadultered crap, please say so, not only to us, but to the fabricator.
David - many Republican politicos endeavor to emulate their leader's Big Lie in myriad little ways. Expressions like "Biden crime family" or "Russia hoax" seep into minds, or are pounded in, by repetition. It's a technique, taught & learned
I saw Troy at the movie theater by the mall in Tyson's Corner at the same showing as Dick, Lynne, and Liz Cheney (and their phalanx of Secret Service). I walked remarkably close by the Veep in the lobby, gobsmacked to be that proximate to one of the most powerful people in the world right after watching Orlando Bloom kill Brad Pitt. Dick rocked a marled gray blazer over a white oxford button-down, relatively new-looking jeans in a medium wash held in place by a belt with a buckle of not insubstantial mass, and the dopest cordovan cowboy boots sourced from the back of some reptile. I suspect he stays fresh to def via Lou Taubert's.
Congress has learned plenty. It, and we, have learned that Trump's criminality and state of mind defy and define reality - and that too many voters can be fed and follow the lies. The euphemism, "low information voters" hardly describes the truth of what spineless Republican Congress people have done to, not for, all of us. Trump lives in each moment which enables lying. Therefore, there is no reason for people with common sense to believe anything he says when he says it. He's throwing out contradictory ideas knowing the media and all of us will analyze and parse every word. This way the constant attention enables and expedites them. His M.O. works, so there is no reason for him to address truth, or have respect, dignity, and manners for other people.
I have already experienced the new regime at Facebook. I posted a SATIRIC picture of RFK and it was marked as fact checked and found to be "not factual."
"The content review team is moving from California to “Texas and other US locations” to reduce bias, because bias doesn’t exist outside of California or something."
Perticone writes about the “capitulation of Zuckerberg” as though it — and Dana White’s ascent to the board are a temporary — are “business decisions” to avoid the wrath of Donald Trump.
Wrong: whenever facts and opinions are considered equal -/ the hallucinatory effect is that lies become truth and reality is what the mob says.
History — from our own revolution through two upheavals in 18th and 19th century France, our own Civil
War, two
20th century wars and the 21st war against terror — proves (repeated) the power of lies over truth with terrible consequences for both millions of innocent lives and forms of government.
Meta has taken two giant leaps toward the formation of the American Oligarchy and, I fear, there is no going back.
Watching these companies kow-tow to the incoming administration vs operating their businesses as they have been or were planning for is sickening. Trump will be a President—not a king, emperor, dictator or other autocrat. His bully-like demeanor & those groveling at his feet is shameful. How can parents teach their kids that bullying is wrong when the worst one, a convicted felon, will be running the Oval Office? nauseating
i have cancelled my wapo subscription and am giving serious thought to giving up amazon.
i never touched facebook and i never will.
i am considering an electric car, but not a tesla.
these are minute actions but at least i can do them.
Good idea about the car. They have been known to explode in front of Don Don's properties.
That was a truck with help.
It was a joke. And it was a Tesla truck, thus a Tesla exploded in front of a Trump hotel.
Oh yes, most people laugh at exploding vehicles.
"...bully-like demeanor..." How so? What should his demeanor be?
Thoughtful and wise, not crazy and erratic.
Suitably generic. Too bad author Perticone didn't provide support for the claim rather than rely on the "everyone knows" approach.
Perhaps you can list details for the "bully-like demeanor"...
Zuck, Musk, Trump—living proof that bales of money bring neither smarts, class nor honesty. They can only buy up, not improve. Or even make sense.
Stories by Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott often made this point as well.
Definitely not class or honesty … but in terms of smarts hard to argue with their course of action from a purely power-based Machiavellian view. They all won. America lost.
With all due respect, I think that Joe Perticone may have missed something when writing "Congress Has Learned Nothing From Jan 6th". Tragically, Congress and others including Zuckerberg and Musk have learned a lot, namely that with the right supporters you can get away with anything including armed insurrection, trying to overturn an election and stealing highly classified documents. I would not be surprised if this inspires Don Jr. and JDV in the future.
Now that is a confrontation I would like to see. I'd even supply the popcorn.
Jan 6 2021 and 2025 taught me that we have one party that honors the will of the voters.
I just called Van Orden's office (my congressman, unfortunately) to ask that he does not support rump's talk about using military to control Greenland and the Panama Canal. She said she hadn't heard anything about that. I said, "Have you seen The Guardian or the New York Times today?" The staff member laughed and I said, "Are you laughing because you think it's funny that we are talking about using the military to take someone's property or are you laughing because you think I'm a stupid, powerless constituent?" She said "I'm laughing because you think I don't know what's going on in the world." Ohhh kay!
Clearly, this staffer does know what is going on in the world and one best not speak a word that would displease Dear Leader // lest you pay the price!
Ann - the staffer, by indicating they DID know what was going on in the world, provided a 3rd option to your question: they laughed in that (possibly nervous) "oops, ya got me" way (see: kid caught with hand in cookie jar).
"I haven't seen/heard it" has been standard Republican congress person response since early in Trump's 1st term. Obviously preposterous unless they have been in a coma, but reporters seem to shrug it off and move on. Your staffer isn't used to being called on it, but unlike most journos your access doesn't depend on playing nice.
Good on you for challenging her, a good lesson that constituents are NOT to be bullshat (not sure if there's correct tense but you catch my drift). I suspect will take repeated lessons.
He's my rep, as well. He just sent out that he's on the Armed Forces committee in the House and my first thought was to write and tell him that he would best serve our country if he opposed any use of the military at protests. It's not clear to me that he will have the Armed Forces act in the best interests of the country.
What Congress and everyone else has learned again – as if we needed reminding – is that Trump, in his brazenness, shamelessness and utter contempt for the law and human decency, always doubles down.
Every Democrat that voted for certification violated their oath to the constitution, which prohibits insurrectionists from holding office.
The Constitution : Hah! Get with the times - it's so 18th century! MAGA don't need no Constitution! (anybody remember 'emoluments'? They don't!)
All I can say is there is no going back. The America we knew has died and are feeling the tremors of the new country or countries forming. The asymmetry is untenable and we all know that MAGA will not rebalance willingly. The demographics of MAGA are too young to expect meaningful attrition from this mortal coil in the next few years. No, we are stuck with 50% of our population having the critical thinking and emotional skills of a toddler.
i honestly don't understand how these scummy republicans were brought up to be such disgusting people.
I think the answer is they weren't brought up - they were bought up with money (or something worse) and/or power. When you have men like McConnell, McCarthy, even Lindsey and the others say and know the right thing and have them flip 180 two days later, you know they've been threatened and/or bought.
Eva - you should claim royalties for "bought up, not brought up" 🙂
I'll gladly pay in Likes for such a great turn of phrase!
😁
Howard, I don't necessarily think they were "brought up" to be like that. I think it was a process over time as they surrendered without a whimper the will to fight for what is morally right, versus what is right for the Old Convicted Felon.
From my perspective, I have worked for and with people who are dishonest, unethical and lack integrity. They support what benefits them and will throw under the bus anyone who might be a threat.
Thank God none of them went into public service.
After Lincoln keep the Union together in 1865, money took over the progressive Party of Lincoln beginning in the late 1800's and reaching a pinnacle now with the 'Trump/Musk' presidency and the billionaires club in charge. Our tradition of democracy is in danger. Democrats and a few standup Republicans have their work cut out for them in 2026 and beyond. Stay true to one's principles and work to save our democracy is all we can do.
Watch/read this for a historical perspective. Start with the first episode
https://interactive.aljazeera.com/aje/2017/the-people-vs-america/phone/index.html
Fun fact: Trump’s electoral college margin in 2024 was 44th out of 60 since the founding. He’s roughly tied with presidents Van Buren and Garfield. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_United_States_presidential_elections_by_Electoral_College_margin
Congress, at least on the GOP side of the aisle, have learned that they can attempt a coup when they lose and suffer no consequences. The Dems have clearly not learned that lesson.
The Dems think that following the rule of law and the Constitution, and not staging coups, is a better way to run a government. Frankly, I am glad that we have not reached the stage where both of our major parties feel they should stage a coup if they lose an election. We tried an extreme violation of norms 164 years ago, and it was a very traumatic and deadly experience some of us have learned is best avoided. The Dems do need to figure out a way to overcome the right-wing media oligopoly/Trump cult and win an election by appealing to voters, including men, who did not graduate from college.
"“It’s nice that Trump had an overwhelming win, which made it a lot easier for everybody.”
Pardon my French (no insult to the French intended, it is just a common expression), but Scott is spewing absolute Bullshit and he knows it. "Overwhelming my ass" (another common expression). The Old Convicted Felon received less than 50% of the popular vote, true, more than VP Harris, but anything but "overwhelming". Perhaps, to be fair, Senator Scott does not know the meaning of the word, which in and of itself should be disqualifying for an elected office.
Joe, next time you hear unadultered crap, please say so, not only to us, but to the fabricator.
David - many Republican politicos endeavor to emulate their leader's Big Lie in myriad little ways. Expressions like "Biden crime family" or "Russia hoax" seep into minds, or are pounded in, by repetition. It's a technique, taught & learned
J AZ, Repitition is the mother of Retention, and the MF, who will take a useless oath (just as it was last time) in less than two weeks, knows it.
I saw Troy at the movie theater by the mall in Tyson's Corner at the same showing as Dick, Lynne, and Liz Cheney (and their phalanx of Secret Service). I walked remarkably close by the Veep in the lobby, gobsmacked to be that proximate to one of the most powerful people in the world right after watching Orlando Bloom kill Brad Pitt. Dick rocked a marled gray blazer over a white oxford button-down, relatively new-looking jeans in a medium wash held in place by a belt with a buckle of not insubstantial mass, and the dopest cordovan cowboy boots sourced from the back of some reptile. I suspect he stays fresh to def via Lou Taubert's.
Congress has learned plenty. It, and we, have learned that Trump's criminality and state of mind defy and define reality - and that too many voters can be fed and follow the lies. The euphemism, "low information voters" hardly describes the truth of what spineless Republican Congress people have done to, not for, all of us. Trump lives in each moment which enables lying. Therefore, there is no reason for people with common sense to believe anything he says when he says it. He's throwing out contradictory ideas knowing the media and all of us will analyze and parse every word. This way the constant attention enables and expedites them. His M.O. works, so there is no reason for him to address truth, or have respect, dignity, and manners for other people.
Need a new term, as you suggest - I like "wrong-information voters" (misinformed is way too kind).
I have already experienced the new regime at Facebook. I posted a SATIRIC picture of RFK and it was marked as fact checked and found to be "not factual."
Well duh, it's satire dummies!
I thought they had given up on fact checking.
"The content review team is moving from California to “Texas and other US locations” to reduce bias, because bias doesn’t exist outside of California or something."
From the article:
“Fact checking is shifting away from third parties and into a X/Twitter-style community notes method.”
Perticone writes about the “capitulation of Zuckerberg” as though it — and Dana White’s ascent to the board are a temporary — are “business decisions” to avoid the wrath of Donald Trump.
Wrong: whenever facts and opinions are considered equal -/ the hallucinatory effect is that lies become truth and reality is what the mob says.
History — from our own revolution through two upheavals in 18th and 19th century France, our own Civil
War, two
20th century wars and the 21st war against terror — proves (repeated) the power of lies over truth with terrible consequences for both millions of innocent lives and forms of government.
Meta has taken two giant leaps toward the formation of the American Oligarchy and, I fear, there is no going back.