At the risk of sounding like a broken record (again), ** what's happening now is what the great and good American people signed up for. **
Stop and think about the tremendous amount of damage that has been done already, and then consider that MAGA loves all of it. They love punishing the press. They love abandoning Ukraine. They love dest…
At the risk of sounding like a broken record (again), ** what's happening now is what the great and good American people signed up for. **
Stop and think about the tremendous amount of damage that has been done already, and then consider that MAGA loves all of it. They love punishing the press. They love abandoning Ukraine. They love destroying the very framework of our government from the inside. And they sure as fuck relish the idea of throw "dem illegals" in concentration camps. The consequences of all of this are going to reverberate long after Trump is worm fodder. The free world is never going to trust us again, and to be fair there's no reason why they should.
Thats the diehard MAGA base. There’s an equally large chunk of checked out people who shrugged and said “I don’t care as long as my pocket improves”. It won’t, but that attitude is what holds us back. The apathy is engineered, the selfish attitude is encouraged, the nihilism is cheered.
Tim, your wife is absolutely correct. Nothing will change until the MAGAs lose everything they hold dear. And its coming. Unfortunately, when it happens we will all lose. For the MAGAs I have this "you don't know what you got till it's gone" - Joni Mitchell
I was a Johny Fever guy. WKRP is one of the best and underrated sitcoms of all time! By the way, Lonnie Anderson from St Paul, Mn. is our home town girl. She still looks pretty good.
When I try to warn my MAGA coworkers and acquaintances that what Trump is doing is destroying America, the consensus response is not denial, but approval.
That's because your coworkers are unserious people. Whether they want to admit it or not, the reason why they've been able to be foolish up to this point is the Constitution has guaranteed their right to do so. Because of the dopamine hit they're getting from watching Trump be Trump, they haven't bothered to look at what has happened in the past when other countries underwent democratic backsliding and the consequences of that backsliding (see Germany circa early 1930s). I believe a core component of MAGA is lack of gratitude for their relative affluence.
Reality has a way of catching up with all of us. Your coworkers can deny what's happening all they want. When the water is at their waists, then their chests, then their chins, and then finally over their heads, they can deny that they're drowning, but they're still going to drown.
The water imagery prompts me to repeat something I've said before, in this space and in real life. Of all the "burn it all down, throw 'em all out, the government's all corrupt" nincompoops you know, not one stops to wonder whether the water they bathe in and cook with will make them sick, or whether the fire department will show up if their homes are burning. Uh, guys? That's GOVERNMENT. So their social trust isn't entirely evaporated; they're just hobbyists in a churlish subculture of ignorance and bratty defiance.
The thing that always gets me on the transgender athlete issue and all the gnashing of teeth about the horrors of men in women’s sports is that this same Heritage crowd has been attacking Title IX forever. Their official stance is that the government has no business mandating that colleges offer women’s sports. They don’t care about women’s swimming in the slightest and want it to go away entirely.
A MAGA campus is one where there is big money men’s sports and nothing else.
" I believe a core component of MAGA is lack of gratitude for their relative affluence."
Yes. As partially evidenced by the MAGAs complaining about the price of gas as they fill up their behemoth pickups, and the overall cost of living as they go out for their boat parades.
People experiencing financial hardship don't do that shit.
I know, right. Has there every been a moment that these guys have experienced a moment of cognitive dissonance? Did anyone ever hold a gun to their heads when they purchased a gas guzzling pickup truck? Of course not, but when you buy a gas guzzler, you're responsible for the gas. And what's hilarious is they believe that POTUS just has a switch he can flip to make gas prices reasonable.
At the same time, any government action to make the lives of Americans a little bit better is described as "socialism".
That's why they're unserious people. They may be chronologically adults, but in terms of outlook and mindsets, they're spoiled fucking children.
They are utterly unable to see how much of their financial hardship is self-made. they believe they are absolutely ENTITLED to a certain standard of living, and it's one that is far in excess of what is reasonable (especially when compared to the standard of living that most of the rest of the developed world enjoys, never mind the developing nations!).
That is scary, and for those of us not in a regional MAGA bubble, it’s easy to forget. Time will tell how much tolerance they have, but I’d guess more than we think, considering people went to their Covid deaths, gasping in total denial.
I have to be honest. I initially wanted the people to get what they signed up for but the pace at which we're turning into a Soviet satellite state has me terrified.
Unfortunately it’s the truth that the only time that these ignorant, willingly-brainwashed lemmings will understand what is actually happening is when it affects them personally. Unfortunately, that’s the only way to slightly reach them. They will have to lose their job or farm contract or Medicare or SSI or help from FEMA, etc. When something finally hits home they will wonder what happened and will be very confused. Maybe even deny that reality for as long as possible. Ultimately, that’s our only chance of the MAGAts realizing they were conned. But breaking through people’s cognitive dissonance (when they have to accept reality) can be a slow process.
I'm terrified as well, but at the end of the day the only way people are going to learn is through pain. And when government benefits that help MAGA are suddenly no longer there, that's when the pain will start in earnest. And I'm here for it.
Voters largely base their vote how whether something affects them personally. But I am surprised at how quickly people have become alarmed. In six months, people will really start feeling the "sting". Then Trump will be in the thirties. (approval). They are already about 43 to 45 and falling.
MAGA will never learn. It’s not about them. They are about 30 percent. It is the rest of the people who thought inflation was too high, or couldn’t vote for that woman, or just stayed home because “we survived the first time around just fine.” They, along with the rest of us, are the 70 percent. And these people sure are beginning to see—and about to see (and feel) a whole lot more.
Are you already seeing and/or expecting that this ´rest of the people´ is actually explicitly willing to admit that they made a mistake in voting for Trump (and/or other Republicans) AND are they willing and able to actively fight back in large enough numbers?
The problem with counting on a MAGA learning curve, is that many of these changes made by the newer, smarter cabal made are permanent, or much harder to reverse, like court rulings in their favor. Simply losing the institutional brain trust would be hard to reverse even if such action was taken now, or soon. After a few years? It’s overwhelming, exactly as intended.
Which is the point of Friday’s consumer boycott. One day is just a trial balloon, but it’s a start. I see a wider boycott/strike as the only strength we have; so far we can’t be imprisoned for not shopping.
I plan to follow the boycott, but I can’t help but think of how many people are unaware or unconcerned and will continue to shop on Friday? It needs to be huge to make a real impact. I’ll continue to do my part and spread the word, but color me pessimistic. I guess I’m too much like JVL.
Agree. I suspect that’s why it’s one day; an experiment. A trial balloon. I hope it’s a step on a path to a national strike, assuming things continue to become more dire. Maybe once the Friday boycott happens, the media will report on it? “Media” is a pretty big category and some of them are keeping their heads down in fear, while others are preaching to the converted. It really is a tough environment on the left, compared to the right’s media machine in lock step.
And I hope people make it an absolute consumer boycott. In typical liberal fashion, some are urging a carve out for small businesses. That defeats the purpose! And that’s what us liberals are fairly good at; bringing a snuggle blanket to a fight for survival. There will be pain either way; choose passive pain or active resistance pain. In this case, no pain = no gain.
It’s hard to do a “carve-out” for small businesses. There are many small business owners who voted for the current administration and are happy with what is going on. This was brought home for me when Trump was first elected. A very nice lady who owned a local yarn shop told me she couldn’t wait until we had a “real” First Lady (Melanie) in the White House! Needless to say I never went in that yarn shop again! I think it’s best to just be simple and NOT shop at all on the 28th.
I agree. I think the voices promoting a small business exemption to the boycott are having a typical knee-jerk “protect the little guy” moment, that’s almost a religious tunnel vision.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record (again), ** what's happening now is what the great and good American people signed up for. **
Stop and think about the tremendous amount of damage that has been done already, and then consider that MAGA loves all of it. They love punishing the press. They love abandoning Ukraine. They love destroying the very framework of our government from the inside. And they sure as fuck relish the idea of throw "dem illegals" in concentration camps. The consequences of all of this are going to reverberate long after Trump is worm fodder. The free world is never going to trust us again, and to be fair there's no reason why they should.
Thats the diehard MAGA base. There’s an equally large chunk of checked out people who shrugged and said “I don’t care as long as my pocket improves”. It won’t, but that attitude is what holds us back. The apathy is engineered, the selfish attitude is encouraged, the nihilism is cheered.
Start thinking "civil disobedience" Seriously
Whenever I feel myself wobbling about how bad things are I remind myself I’m a fully paid member of Team Good and Hard. It helps steady me.
As my wife often says, there needs to be a blood letting. We're all going to be impacted by it one way or the other. But we don't have a choice.
Tim, your wife is absolutely correct. Nothing will change until the MAGAs lose everything they hold dear. And its coming. Unfortunately, when it happens we will all lose. For the MAGAs I have this "you don't know what you got till it's gone" - Joni Mitchell
"Let the chips fall where they may. Waite a minute, I'm the Chip!" *Dr.Johnie Fever, WKRP in Cincinnati
“As God as my witness, I thought turkeys could fly.” Arthur Carlson.
Maybe my favorite quote from any sitcom ever, with Les Nessman describing the horror and the humanity on the ground.
I agree with you! I wonder if that promotion was Herb Turlock's idea?
Count my like as a double! WKRP reference!!! I’m a Bailey guy!
By the way, why that quote stayed with me is beyond me! Maybe it was so funny the way Hessman delivered it.
I was a Johny Fever guy. WKRP is one of the best and underrated sitcoms of all time! By the way, Lonnie Anderson from St Paul, Mn. is our home town girl. She still looks pretty good.
She really was brilliant in her role!
I always thought of her character as being a cross of Marilyn Monroe and May West.
When I try to warn my MAGA coworkers and acquaintances that what Trump is doing is destroying America, the consensus response is not denial, but approval.
That's because your coworkers are unserious people. Whether they want to admit it or not, the reason why they've been able to be foolish up to this point is the Constitution has guaranteed their right to do so. Because of the dopamine hit they're getting from watching Trump be Trump, they haven't bothered to look at what has happened in the past when other countries underwent democratic backsliding and the consequences of that backsliding (see Germany circa early 1930s). I believe a core component of MAGA is lack of gratitude for their relative affluence.
Reality has a way of catching up with all of us. Your coworkers can deny what's happening all they want. When the water is at their waists, then their chests, then their chins, and then finally over their heads, they can deny that they're drowning, but they're still going to drown.
Hell forkin' yeah Tim Coffey.
The water imagery prompts me to repeat something I've said before, in this space and in real life. Of all the "burn it all down, throw 'em all out, the government's all corrupt" nincompoops you know, not one stops to wonder whether the water they bathe in and cook with will make them sick, or whether the fire department will show up if their homes are burning. Uh, guys? That's GOVERNMENT. So their social trust isn't entirely evaporated; they're just hobbyists in a churlish subculture of ignorance and bratty defiance.
Not only do they not think about those things, but they fail to distinguish between state and federal interests.
Most of the "soaring crime" is a state issue--not federal.
Transgender athletes? WTF does the federal government have to do with that?
But the price of eggs? Definitely under the direct control of the president.
The thing that always gets me on the transgender athlete issue and all the gnashing of teeth about the horrors of men in women’s sports is that this same Heritage crowd has been attacking Title IX forever. Their official stance is that the government has no business mandating that colleges offer women’s sports. They don’t care about women’s swimming in the slightest and want it to go away entirely.
A MAGA campus is one where there is big money men’s sports and nothing else.
“hobbyists in a churlish subculture” 🤌
Haha, I can't stand 'em Kurt, cannot stand 'em.
" I believe a core component of MAGA is lack of gratitude for their relative affluence."
Yes. As partially evidenced by the MAGAs complaining about the price of gas as they fill up their behemoth pickups, and the overall cost of living as they go out for their boat parades.
People experiencing financial hardship don't do that shit.
I know, right. Has there every been a moment that these guys have experienced a moment of cognitive dissonance? Did anyone ever hold a gun to their heads when they purchased a gas guzzling pickup truck? Of course not, but when you buy a gas guzzler, you're responsible for the gas. And what's hilarious is they believe that POTUS just has a switch he can flip to make gas prices reasonable.
At the same time, any government action to make the lives of Americans a little bit better is described as "socialism".
That's why they're unserious people. They may be chronologically adults, but in terms of outlook and mindsets, they're spoiled fucking children.
They are utterly unable to see how much of their financial hardship is self-made. they believe they are absolutely ENTITLED to a certain standard of living, and it's one that is far in excess of what is reasonable (especially when compared to the standard of living that most of the rest of the developed world enjoys, never mind the developing nations!).
That is scary, and for those of us not in a regional MAGA bubble, it’s easy to forget. Time will tell how much tolerance they have, but I’d guess more than we think, considering people went to their Covid deaths, gasping in total denial.
Regional may be understating how widespread it is.
But statistically it’s nowhere close to a “mandate”. Some disengaged voters may wake up.
Very sad, but true.
I think large swaths of MAGA will start to catch on when the pain arrives at their doorstep. And it's going to be way too late.
I have to be honest. I initially wanted the people to get what they signed up for but the pace at which we're turning into a Soviet satellite state has me terrified.
Unfortunately it’s the truth that the only time that these ignorant, willingly-brainwashed lemmings will understand what is actually happening is when it affects them personally. Unfortunately, that’s the only way to slightly reach them. They will have to lose their job or farm contract or Medicare or SSI or help from FEMA, etc. When something finally hits home they will wonder what happened and will be very confused. Maybe even deny that reality for as long as possible. Ultimately, that’s our only chance of the MAGAts realizing they were conned. But breaking through people’s cognitive dissonance (when they have to accept reality) can be a slow process.
That UN resolution broke me. Fucking broke me. I'm having a rough week in general, but that sent me to previously undiscovered levels of sadness.
Me, too. And now the press shutout, another step toward our undoing.
I'm terrified as well, but at the end of the day the only way people are going to learn is through pain. And when government benefits that help MAGA are suddenly no longer there, that's when the pain will start in earnest. And I'm here for it.
Voters largely base their vote how whether something affects them personally. But I am surprised at how quickly people have become alarmed. In six months, people will really start feeling the "sting". Then Trump will be in the thirties. (approval). They are already about 43 to 45 and falling.
That is assuming MAGA people are able - or willing - to learn....
Different reactions to that pain are also possible - psychological or other.... Unfortunately....
MAGA will never learn. It’s not about them. They are about 30 percent. It is the rest of the people who thought inflation was too high, or couldn’t vote for that woman, or just stayed home because “we survived the first time around just fine.” They, along with the rest of us, are the 70 percent. And these people sure are beginning to see—and about to see (and feel) a whole lot more.
Are you already seeing and/or expecting that this ´rest of the people´ is actually explicitly willing to admit that they made a mistake in voting for Trump (and/or other Republicans) AND are they willing and able to actively fight back in large enough numbers?
The problem with counting on a MAGA learning curve, is that many of these changes made by the newer, smarter cabal made are permanent, or much harder to reverse, like court rulings in their favor. Simply losing the institutional brain trust would be hard to reverse even if such action was taken now, or soon. After a few years? It’s overwhelming, exactly as intended.
the signup sheet will thin out once the stock market goes belly up.
Which is the point of Friday’s consumer boycott. One day is just a trial balloon, but it’s a start. I see a wider boycott/strike as the only strength we have; so far we can’t be imprisoned for not shopping.
I plan to follow the boycott, but I can’t help but think of how many people are unaware or unconcerned and will continue to shop on Friday? It needs to be huge to make a real impact. I’ll continue to do my part and spread the word, but color me pessimistic. I guess I’m too much like JVL.
Agree. I suspect that’s why it’s one day; an experiment. A trial balloon. I hope it’s a step on a path to a national strike, assuming things continue to become more dire. Maybe once the Friday boycott happens, the media will report on it? “Media” is a pretty big category and some of them are keeping their heads down in fear, while others are preaching to the converted. It really is a tough environment on the left, compared to the right’s media machine in lock step.
I had not heard about the Friday boycott. Will look it up.
Indeed. I hope the Bulwark crew will highlight this the boycott and encourage their readers/listeners to participate.
And I hope people make it an absolute consumer boycott. In typical liberal fashion, some are urging a carve out for small businesses. That defeats the purpose! And that’s what us liberals are fairly good at; bringing a snuggle blanket to a fight for survival. There will be pain either way; choose passive pain or active resistance pain. In this case, no pain = no gain.
It’s hard to do a “carve-out” for small businesses. There are many small business owners who voted for the current administration and are happy with what is going on. This was brought home for me when Trump was first elected. A very nice lady who owned a local yarn shop told me she couldn’t wait until we had a “real” First Lady (Melanie) in the White House! Needless to say I never went in that yarn shop again! I think it’s best to just be simple and NOT shop at all on the 28th.
I agree. I think the voices promoting a small business exemption to the boycott are having a typical knee-jerk “protect the little guy” moment, that’s almost a religious tunnel vision.