This was not a content between Republicans and Democrats! This was the ultrawealthy taking control of the country and discarding democracy. This has been underway since Reagan was taught to to say "trickle down economics," and it's not difficult to trace the carefully planned steps, e.g., Citizens United, until greed won. Watch for more tax cuts for the wealthy, for abandonment of any supervision of large corporations, decimation of the IRS and the Justice Department, and corruption of the operating departments of the Federal government. Trump won because of the huge amounts of money, much of it spent behind the scenes, coupled with the economic ignorance of most of the American public. As one of my colleagues said, "They got to keep their guns, but they won't be able to afford any ammunition." Inflation if valuable to those wealthy enough to not care about the price of groceries, and we'll get plenty of it asap. The rich will get richer, and the rest of us will suffer. It's an old story, repeated once again, that depends upon a gullible public that's easily manipulated.
Nobody here at The Bulwark could have done more. Grateful for the immense work you’ve done. We will hang together as I feel lost in a sea of idiots and Nazis.
KH also did a masterful job in her campaign. I think I will give myself a couple days to mourn and be pissed off, and then I want to know - what do we do now? How can we help minimize the damage Trump will inflict? I really want to DO something.
How generous and smart to think that way. I want to do something, too, but what I am seeing is the fact that the laws themselves are now ephemeral, the courts will wither further, and good people will be persecuted. Apologies for the darkness, but I know you know.
My theme for the day: "Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard." H. L. Menken
On the positive side I am glad Trump (not happy) got the popular vote and wasn't elected by Electoral College nullification as in 2016. At least it seems that this is the democratic result for which we all longed. Not a good result but definitely the right one for a free and fair election.
On the negative side? Too many to list but we all know what they are anyway.
With the Senate in Republican hands and Trump in charge we can assume the filibuster rule will go away. Disempowering Senate Democrats completely. If the Republicans keep their House majority as expected then there will be nothing to prevent Trump from dismantling the administrative state.
Justices Thomas and Alito can now safely retire and be replaced by young Justices eager to take an ax to the all precedents they don't like and who will be on the court at least 40 years.
This is the curse of living in interesting times.
It will be interesting to see what shape resistance, if any, will take. A parade of women in pussy hats and performative protesting through the antisocial media platforms isn't going to cut it this time.
We have maybe 5 years left to start making a dent in global warming. That is gone when that lying, evil bastard wins. Nothing else matters if we kill the oceans and make our planet uninhabitable.
America just voted for extinction. We deserve it in our selfishness and stupidity. But the other species of Earth will go with us. The human race truly is a pathogenic virus on the planet.
20 years ago I remember reading we had about 10 years. I think it's already too late. The media consensus is that we can "adapt". We can't. Trump will be the final kill shot to the idea of dealing with it at all. I have no more faith in humanity doing the right things, even to save ourselves. No, I'm more sure than ever that humans deserve to go extinct, after this election. The problem is, we are taking everything else down with us.
Re: she should have gone on Rogan, hell no. He tried a power move on a WOC and she said nope. She is Madam Vice President and he is a bro podcaster. Has a huge audience, sure, but if you start out caving in to bros…well, that doesn’t say Strong Leader.
As a woman in her mid-40s, I would also like to point out, politely but pointedly (love you, Andrew) that no matter what she did or does, people will be telling her she’s wrong. She’s been pretty successful doing things her way, and if she’d spent her life listening to white male bros, she wouldn’t be anywhere at all.
Now that most people have voted, and the risk is minimal that a few fence-sitters take my comments as an excuse to not vote for Harris, I have been thinking of this irony often lately. Trump voters will feel much more pain under Trump 2.0 than if Harris wins. Much more than they felt under Trump 1.0 when many "guardrails" were in place. Yet they were more miserable than happy even then; they just blamed Democrats and GOP "guardrails." And miserable during Biden's term, even though Trump had more sway over GOP Congress than any former president, and SCOTUS gave them a win on Dobbs and "immunity." Bottom line is that the more Trump voters get their way, the more miserable they become. Like drug addicts. They will need to feel much more pain before a critical mass of them take responsibility and kick the habit, for their own health as well as that of their country.
What if they're too stupid, or "addicted", to even realize their own pain....??? They're satisfaction is based entirely on the pain of the "other".... i think you're underestimating the delusion involved.....
I have never thought of the analogy with drug addiction, but it is extremely on point. I think it extends to "fence sitters", in fact can be said to be more applicable to them. Their problem however comes from a different source,
Supporters of the GOP are always looking for a better high or rush, from Newt Gingrich on they have been looking for a bigger thrill. Opposing gay marriage was sitting around the campfire with mates smoking a joint. That was just fun. The Contract With America got them onto the hard stuff. Addiction came with the Tea Party. The rest as they say, is history. Expect that is for the bit that is happening today, that is.
Whereas the fence sitters It is a different problem they suffer. Fence sitters think they have two dealers, and the fence sitters before each deal (that is election), spend their whole time complaining to anyone who will listen that neither product is as good as it could or should be.
A lovely newsletter. It matched my emotional state perfectly. I was up this morning, due to Iowa, but now I'm worried again But it's been fun slogging through this season with all of you.
Bill Kristol, not Krystal (damn voice recognition and poor proofreading) has got it right. We must keep working to stay true to our principles and protect our democracy, which is a never-ending task.
The men who have served as president of the United States since Washington's time have exhibited varying degrees of honor, intelligence, character, and ability over time, but the trend since the 1960's has been, with some exceptions, generally negative - before finally fully dropping to zero in 2016, with the election of Donald Trump. It will be both ironic and fitting, therefore, if the last man to serve as president, Joe Biden, succeeds in restoring honor to the male-president tradition he represents by setting the stage for the first woman to become president - assuming Ms Harris beats the grotesque humonculus she's running against, who, if he still somehow succeeds, will represent the final, ineveitable disaster that as always been lurking as long as the male tradition has held sway.
One small pushback: The Democrats are already a responsible governing party. They have been able to get support into Ukraine in a responsible manner, they have passed reasonable legislation, and they generally have kept the government functioning, all while dealing with a party that can't admit that Trump lost the 2020 election, much less is a serial criminal.
Democrats always pull us out of ditches Republicans put us into -- mostly economic. And voters reward them by turning us over to Republicans again who put us back into the ditch. But this is the last time, I think. Trump plans to destroy everything and everyone and it will be quick under Project 2025.
If KH pulls it off, it is important to remember that most of the Trump sycophants like Rubio and Sununu want Trump to lose so they can take power back for themselves and their like-minded brethren. If they see the chance to end The Great MAGA Terror, it is hard to imagine them not doing it.
This was not a content between Republicans and Democrats! This was the ultrawealthy taking control of the country and discarding democracy. This has been underway since Reagan was taught to to say "trickle down economics," and it's not difficult to trace the carefully planned steps, e.g., Citizens United, until greed won. Watch for more tax cuts for the wealthy, for abandonment of any supervision of large corporations, decimation of the IRS and the Justice Department, and corruption of the operating departments of the Federal government. Trump won because of the huge amounts of money, much of it spent behind the scenes, coupled with the economic ignorance of most of the American public. As one of my colleagues said, "They got to keep their guns, but they won't be able to afford any ammunition." Inflation if valuable to those wealthy enough to not care about the price of groceries, and we'll get plenty of it asap. The rich will get richer, and the rest of us will suffer. It's an old story, repeated once again, that depends upon a gullible public that's easily manipulated.
"contest" not "content"... stubby fingers...
Nobody here at The Bulwark could have done more. Grateful for the immense work you’ve done. We will hang together as I feel lost in a sea of idiots and Nazis.
KH also did a masterful job in her campaign. I think I will give myself a couple days to mourn and be pissed off, and then I want to know - what do we do now? How can we help minimize the damage Trump will inflict? I really want to DO something.
How generous and smart to think that way. I want to do something, too, but what I am seeing is the fact that the laws themselves are now ephemeral, the courts will wither further, and good people will be persecuted. Apologies for the darkness, but I know you know.
My theme for the day: "Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard." H. L. Menken
On the positive side I am glad Trump (not happy) got the popular vote and wasn't elected by Electoral College nullification as in 2016. At least it seems that this is the democratic result for which we all longed. Not a good result but definitely the right one for a free and fair election.
On the negative side? Too many to list but we all know what they are anyway.
With the Senate in Republican hands and Trump in charge we can assume the filibuster rule will go away. Disempowering Senate Democrats completely. If the Republicans keep their House majority as expected then there will be nothing to prevent Trump from dismantling the administrative state.
Justices Thomas and Alito can now safely retire and be replaced by young Justices eager to take an ax to the all precedents they don't like and who will be on the court at least 40 years.
This is the curse of living in interesting times.
It will be interesting to see what shape resistance, if any, will take. A parade of women in pussy hats and performative protesting through the antisocial media platforms isn't going to cut it this time.
I couldn't even watch the Bulwark coverage last night, because I couldn't bear to see Tim and/or Sarah crying. I feel numb.
We have maybe 5 years left to start making a dent in global warming. That is gone when that lying, evil bastard wins. Nothing else matters if we kill the oceans and make our planet uninhabitable.
America just voted for extinction. We deserve it in our selfishness and stupidity. But the other species of Earth will go with us. The human race truly is a pathogenic virus on the planet.
20 years ago I remember reading we had about 10 years. I think it's already too late. The media consensus is that we can "adapt". We can't. Trump will be the final kill shot to the idea of dealing with it at all. I have no more faith in humanity doing the right things, even to save ourselves. No, I'm more sure than ever that humans deserve to go extinct, after this election. The problem is, we are taking everything else down with us.
Re: she should have gone on Rogan, hell no. He tried a power move on a WOC and she said nope. She is Madam Vice President and he is a bro podcaster. Has a huge audience, sure, but if you start out caving in to bros…well, that doesn’t say Strong Leader.
As a woman in her mid-40s, I would also like to point out, politely but pointedly (love you, Andrew) that no matter what she did or does, people will be telling her she’s wrong. She’s been pretty successful doing things her way, and if she’d spent her life listening to white male bros, she wouldn’t be anywhere at all.
Now that most people have voted, and the risk is minimal that a few fence-sitters take my comments as an excuse to not vote for Harris, I have been thinking of this irony often lately. Trump voters will feel much more pain under Trump 2.0 than if Harris wins. Much more than they felt under Trump 1.0 when many "guardrails" were in place. Yet they were more miserable than happy even then; they just blamed Democrats and GOP "guardrails." And miserable during Biden's term, even though Trump had more sway over GOP Congress than any former president, and SCOTUS gave them a win on Dobbs and "immunity." Bottom line is that the more Trump voters get their way, the more miserable they become. Like drug addicts. They will need to feel much more pain before a critical mass of them take responsibility and kick the habit, for their own health as well as that of their country.
What if they're too stupid, or "addicted", to even realize their own pain....??? They're satisfaction is based entirely on the pain of the "other".... i think you're underestimating the delusion involved.....
I have never thought of the analogy with drug addiction, but it is extremely on point. I think it extends to "fence sitters", in fact can be said to be more applicable to them. Their problem however comes from a different source,
Supporters of the GOP are always looking for a better high or rush, from Newt Gingrich on they have been looking for a bigger thrill. Opposing gay marriage was sitting around the campfire with mates smoking a joint. That was just fun. The Contract With America got them onto the hard stuff. Addiction came with the Tea Party. The rest as they say, is history. Expect that is for the bit that is happening today, that is.
Whereas the fence sitters It is a different problem they suffer. Fence sitters think they have two dealers, and the fence sitters before each deal (that is election), spend their whole time complaining to anyone who will listen that neither product is as good as it could or should be.
Okay...I will bite
What, specifically, do the Dems need to do to become in Kristol's mind..."a truly responsible governing party"?
Specifically, what does that look like and just who the hell are we being compared to?
Maybe John McCain's peers. But that would include Kristol's friend Sarah Palin, who was never a responsible governing party. So who knows.
I did get a break today, first time in months (other than Sundays & holidays). No campaign ads in the mail for me to take straight to the recycle bin!
2024: The year that Trump bet it all, on Leroy Jenkins.
At least he's not chicken!
A lovely newsletter. It matched my emotional state perfectly. I was up this morning, due to Iowa, but now I'm worried again But it's been fun slogging through this season with all of you.
Bill Kristol, not Krystal (damn voice recognition and poor proofreading) has got it right. We must keep working to stay true to our principles and protect our democracy, which is a never-ending task.
The men who have served as president of the United States since Washington's time have exhibited varying degrees of honor, intelligence, character, and ability over time, but the trend since the 1960's has been, with some exceptions, generally negative - before finally fully dropping to zero in 2016, with the election of Donald Trump. It will be both ironic and fitting, therefore, if the last man to serve as president, Joe Biden, succeeds in restoring honor to the male-president tradition he represents by setting the stage for the first woman to become president - assuming Ms Harris beats the grotesque humonculus she's running against, who, if he still somehow succeeds, will represent the final, ineveitable disaster that as always been lurking as long as the male tradition has held sway.
The only thing I am paying attention to are the words of the undecided voter.
The Current with Matt Galloway - Nov. 5, 2024: These U.S. voters were undecided. What made up their minds? https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-63/clip/16106336
Thank you for posting this - I've added the podcast to my listening list. On the subject of undecideds, they're quite intense.
Also watch Pete Buttigieg vs 25 Undecided Voters on Jubilee. It's eye opening.
One small pushback: The Democrats are already a responsible governing party. They have been able to get support into Ukraine in a responsible manner, they have passed reasonable legislation, and they generally have kept the government functioning, all while dealing with a party that can't admit that Trump lost the 2020 election, much less is a serial criminal.
Democrats always pull us out of ditches Republicans put us into -- mostly economic. And voters reward them by turning us over to Republicans again who put us back into the ditch. But this is the last time, I think. Trump plans to destroy everything and everyone and it will be quick under Project 2025.
Yes. This is the end of America. For real.
Unless Biden stops it.
Biden has absolutely NO way or power to stop anything; democratic presidents are administrators, not kings. There's nothing he can do.
If KH pulls it off, it is important to remember that most of the Trump sycophants like Rubio and Sununu want Trump to lose so they can take power back for themselves and their like-minded brethren. If they see the chance to end The Great MAGA Terror, it is hard to imagine them not doing it.