Please send us a lifeline…every institution is on life support and Trump will not hold another election by every means necessary. Will the Supreme Court go along with Trump’s plan? Or will time run out in 18 months? I am very afraid. Thanks for all you do!
Total bullshit analogy. The Democrats is MORE American than the DAMN Rethugs. And yes, we Dems call you all THUGS. And when you created that HATEFUL bill where you all WIPED OUT medical care for MILLIONS OF AMERICANS - even wiping out RURAL HOSPITALS and even diminished BIG CITY hospitals too. WHO DOES THAT? Thugs, that’s who. We Dems EXPECT IT NOW. That’s pretty sad to say. But YOU KNOW that’s true. What’s next? Well, I’m thinking you’re gonna LOSE YOUR BASE.
Stuart, I have great respect for what you’re doing at the Lincoln Project. How did the Republican Party evolve to nominate and support someone who would have been antithetical to who the Republicans claimed to be from Ford to GW Bush?
You have to look at the electorate that gave Trump the nomination in 2016, and elected him President. Go back to the roots of the 1964 Civil Rights act, and Voting Rights Act. The appeal to white voters as backlash to Blacks having significant electoral power for the first time.
Fast forward to 2008. For the first time in our history, a black man was elected President, for two terms. I give John McCain and Mitt Romney a pass as to appealing to racism; they didn’t.
We’re up to 2016. Democrats nominate a white woman, a long term target for abuse by the GOP. Hillary Clinton, the first woman ever nominated for President. The point is that Republican voters nominated Donald Trump, despite a boatload of GOP possible nominees.
He is a candidate, from his descent on his escalator, who used appeals to racism and misogyny to defeat Clinton. The GOP electorate was and is a white people’s party. A racist backlash helped to elect Trump. The Republican voters, or at least a significant portion embrace Trump, as the avatar for white people’s political power. The MAGA voters are the majority of the party. Running again in 2024 Trump gets 84% of the white vote, as he runs against a very accomplished black woman of Southeast Asian heritage, the sitting Vice President of the US, winning by 1.5%. The Democrats disarray with Biden withdrawing with only 107 days until the election.
The reasons that the GOP is what it is? the MAGA cult in which racism is embedded. Republican candidates live in fear of the MAGA base, and as Trump has consolidated his political power, fear of antagonizing Trump that would lead to their having a Trump supported primary candidate to run against. FEAR. The Republicans in power, at least in Congress, at least a majority of them, are COWARDS, and have demonstrated their amorality in the lust for keeping their power.
Integrity is the issue left by the wayside. Integrity is one of the most important issues in determining whom I vote for or hire or spend time with. I was blessed to be raised in a family where integrity, hard work, respect and helping others was modeled and encouraged every day. My Dad counseled us many times that chronic liars cannot be trusted with our health and safety and that of our family, our financial decisions, and our political votes. Chronic liars only care for themselves he told us and pointed them out to us. Question & research everyone he said. I remember when lying meant the end of a political career.
My maternal grandparents were republicans. Their grandfathers & great grandfathers and uncles were officers and non-coms who volunteered in PA & MI infantry regs in 1861 and fought until the end of the rebellion or until they died. Politics and religion was not discussed in my paternal family - they held strong personal views which occasionally were shared; however, my grandfather and my great aunt appeared to respect the right of everyone to do the same. My beloved paternal grandmother was known for feeding countless strangers during the depression who knocked on doors with their hats in hand asking for anything left over to eat. I know my Dad voted for General/President Dwight David Eisenhower both times. He arrived in Europe in time for the Battle of the Bulge, late 1944-1945, a member of a mortar company, who was so incensed at what he saw that he commented, "They dropped the bomb in the wrong place." My Dad like most non-coms in Europe during WWII, considered Eisenhower the soldier's soldier. Thank you for your commitment and all those of Lincoln Square and the associated groups for using your outstanding skills and wisdom to save our democracy. I was born a liberal democrat (lots of Quaker DNA), but a long time ago I voted for MI Republicans who were some of the first advocates for clean air, water and soil. The focus is saving the Rule of Law, the Bill of Rights, our Constitution and making it safe to disagree.
One of my 5th Great Grandfathers, Caleb Merrell, who fought in a MA infantry reg during the Revolutionary War and in the War of 1812, an early settler of Springfield Twp, Oakland, MI in the 1840s, is buried about an hours drive from where I live, along side of his wife, Sally Giles, whose father Col Giles also fought in the Revolutionary War. Hundreds of my great grandfathers and uncles fought in all the colonies except GA. I honor them and all my immigrant ancestors who settled New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and the Carolinas from 1609 thru the mid 1750s. Many came to escape religious persecution from government/state persecution of their religion - how ironic to again being fighting that battle with Christian White Nationalists.
Great podcast but I think it does miss an important point. Like Germany in the 1930’s the middle class is under great stress. People are not their best when they are struggling to get by.
They Dems offer status Cuomo or Socialist Mamdani. We desperately need a 3rd way.
I'm not a Republican, but both parties NEED to become more middle of the road. Both parties shunned middle of the road candidates and every last one of them quit, retired whatever. I also think there needs to some filters when we choose candidates anymore. If they would try harder to work for their constituents instead of themselves.
Yep, same here. Never again have to wonder what happened to a “civilized” country like 30's Germany. We are it in spades. I was raised by lifelong Republicans, and I watched many of these faithful FOX watchers become unrecognizable putty. My own mother before she died was beginning to question Trump's character but just couldn't bring herself to vote for “evil” Hillary. This was when I realized what propaganda can do, when my own mother couldn't see the lunatic forest for the demented trees in her lifelong party. You do, sir. MAGA must be excised from the body politic.
Great commentary! This is certainly one of the more rational political perspectives that I've seen lately on the internet. Thank you. I appreciate your insights into John Cornyn since I live in Texas. I have a pretty clear picture of Ken Paxton, but I am less familiar with Cornyn's history. Too bad he's gone to the dark side. Why not just retire? In my opinion, the state of Texas continues to sink lower and lower since Abbott's "leadership" has been horrible, lacking any sense of decency.
That was an excellent segment. Thank you. Please keep them coming because every morning I am shaking my head wondering how we got here too. How is it even possible for the United States of America to be so easily toppled & by someone so incredibly stupid no less? How is it possible to have an entire party become corrupted so much that they are willing to destroy the greatest country in the world for their own enrichment? How is it possible that they don’t seem to care what kind of country their children or grandchildren live in & grow up in, or what condition the planet will be in for their lifetime? How is possible that so many on the Supreme Court are corrupt and willing to sacrifice the country, democracy & the constitution? How is it possible that there is literally nothing the American people can do to stop this because one party controls all of congress, so our hands are tied? I could go on & on with these questions but thank you for this great segment.
Thanks for the history lesson. I think you’re right about racism as the fatal flaw in the Repub Party. It is time to change your tag line because you are posting now!
Trump's MO with every child and person who has spoken out against his behaviors is the same. They all say they and their families were threatened with violence or death. I am convinced the Republicans and some dems have been blackmailed and their lives threatened. Look at all the people who have met suicide who were about to testify against T-dump. Even Evana fell down stairs the day before her NDA ran out. There are a lot more than Epstein and Virginia Guffrey.
John Cornyn is one of my senators in Texas. Let's not forget he & McConnell could have ended this in 2020 and choose not to. What I would say to Senator Cornyn is if you cannot stand up against Trump & MAGA then just retire!
Please send us a lifeline…every institution is on life support and Trump will not hold another election by every means necessary. Will the Supreme Court go along with Trump’s plan? Or will time run out in 18 months? I am very afraid. Thanks for all you do!
Total bullshit analogy. The Democrats is MORE American than the DAMN Rethugs. And yes, we Dems call you all THUGS. And when you created that HATEFUL bill where you all WIPED OUT medical care for MILLIONS OF AMERICANS - even wiping out RURAL HOSPITALS and even diminished BIG CITY hospitals too. WHO DOES THAT? Thugs, that’s who. We Dems EXPECT IT NOW. That’s pretty sad to say. But YOU KNOW that’s true. What’s next? Well, I’m thinking you’re gonna LOSE YOUR BASE.
Love having you as a Vermonter Stuart. Hello from Barre. Used to live in Stowe where you now publish stuff.
Stuart, I have great respect for what you’re doing at the Lincoln Project. How did the Republican Party evolve to nominate and support someone who would have been antithetical to who the Republicans claimed to be from Ford to GW Bush?
You have to look at the electorate that gave Trump the nomination in 2016, and elected him President. Go back to the roots of the 1964 Civil Rights act, and Voting Rights Act. The appeal to white voters as backlash to Blacks having significant electoral power for the first time.
Fast forward to 2008. For the first time in our history, a black man was elected President, for two terms. I give John McCain and Mitt Romney a pass as to appealing to racism; they didn’t.
We’re up to 2016. Democrats nominate a white woman, a long term target for abuse by the GOP. Hillary Clinton, the first woman ever nominated for President. The point is that Republican voters nominated Donald Trump, despite a boatload of GOP possible nominees.
He is a candidate, from his descent on his escalator, who used appeals to racism and misogyny to defeat Clinton. The GOP electorate was and is a white people’s party. A racist backlash helped to elect Trump. The Republican voters, or at least a significant portion embrace Trump, as the avatar for white people’s political power. The MAGA voters are the majority of the party. Running again in 2024 Trump gets 84% of the white vote, as he runs against a very accomplished black woman of Southeast Asian heritage, the sitting Vice President of the US, winning by 1.5%. The Democrats disarray with Biden withdrawing with only 107 days until the election.
The reasons that the GOP is what it is? the MAGA cult in which racism is embedded. Republican candidates live in fear of the MAGA base, and as Trump has consolidated his political power, fear of antagonizing Trump that would lead to their having a Trump supported primary candidate to run against. FEAR. The Republicans in power, at least in Congress, at least a majority of them, are COWARDS, and have demonstrated their amorality in the lust for keeping their power.
Integrity is the issue left by the wayside. Integrity is one of the most important issues in determining whom I vote for or hire or spend time with. I was blessed to be raised in a family where integrity, hard work, respect and helping others was modeled and encouraged every day. My Dad counseled us many times that chronic liars cannot be trusted with our health and safety and that of our family, our financial decisions, and our political votes. Chronic liars only care for themselves he told us and pointed them out to us. Question & research everyone he said. I remember when lying meant the end of a political career.
My maternal grandparents were republicans. Their grandfathers & great grandfathers and uncles were officers and non-coms who volunteered in PA & MI infantry regs in 1861 and fought until the end of the rebellion or until they died. Politics and religion was not discussed in my paternal family - they held strong personal views which occasionally were shared; however, my grandfather and my great aunt appeared to respect the right of everyone to do the same. My beloved paternal grandmother was known for feeding countless strangers during the depression who knocked on doors with their hats in hand asking for anything left over to eat. I know my Dad voted for General/President Dwight David Eisenhower both times. He arrived in Europe in time for the Battle of the Bulge, late 1944-1945, a member of a mortar company, who was so incensed at what he saw that he commented, "They dropped the bomb in the wrong place." My Dad like most non-coms in Europe during WWII, considered Eisenhower the soldier's soldier. Thank you for your commitment and all those of Lincoln Square and the associated groups for using your outstanding skills and wisdom to save our democracy. I was born a liberal democrat (lots of Quaker DNA), but a long time ago I voted for MI Republicans who were some of the first advocates for clean air, water and soil. The focus is saving the Rule of Law, the Bill of Rights, our Constitution and making it safe to disagree.
One of my 5th Great Grandfathers, Caleb Merrell, who fought in a MA infantry reg during the Revolutionary War and in the War of 1812, an early settler of Springfield Twp, Oakland, MI in the 1840s, is buried about an hours drive from where I live, along side of his wife, Sally Giles, whose father Col Giles also fought in the Revolutionary War. Hundreds of my great grandfathers and uncles fought in all the colonies except GA. I honor them and all my immigrant ancestors who settled New England, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and the Carolinas from 1609 thru the mid 1750s. Many came to escape religious persecution from government/state persecution of their religion - how ironic to again being fighting that battle with Christian White Nationalists.
Great podcast but I think it does miss an important point. Like Germany in the 1930’s the middle class is under great stress. People are not their best when they are struggling to get by.
They Dems offer status Cuomo or Socialist Mamdani. We desperately need a 3rd way.
https://bsky.app/profile/truthmatters4.bsky.social/post/3lvua2dqcjk2l
I'm not a Republican, but both parties NEED to become more middle of the road. Both parties shunned middle of the road candidates and every last one of them quit, retired whatever. I also think there needs to some filters when we choose candidates anymore. If they would try harder to work for their constituents instead of themselves.
Yep, same here. Never again have to wonder what happened to a “civilized” country like 30's Germany. We are it in spades. I was raised by lifelong Republicans, and I watched many of these faithful FOX watchers become unrecognizable putty. My own mother before she died was beginning to question Trump's character but just couldn't bring herself to vote for “evil” Hillary. This was when I realized what propaganda can do, when my own mother couldn't see the lunatic forest for the demented trees in her lifelong party. You do, sir. MAGA must be excised from the body politic.
Great commentary! This is certainly one of the more rational political perspectives that I've seen lately on the internet. Thank you. I appreciate your insights into John Cornyn since I live in Texas. I have a pretty clear picture of Ken Paxton, but I am less familiar with Cornyn's history. Too bad he's gone to the dark side. Why not just retire? In my opinion, the state of Texas continues to sink lower and lower since Abbott's "leadership" has been horrible, lacking any sense of decency.
That was an excellent segment. Thank you. Please keep them coming because every morning I am shaking my head wondering how we got here too. How is it even possible for the United States of America to be so easily toppled & by someone so incredibly stupid no less? How is it possible to have an entire party become corrupted so much that they are willing to destroy the greatest country in the world for their own enrichment? How is it possible that they don’t seem to care what kind of country their children or grandchildren live in & grow up in, or what condition the planet will be in for their lifetime? How is possible that so many on the Supreme Court are corrupt and willing to sacrifice the country, democracy & the constitution? How is it possible that there is literally nothing the American people can do to stop this because one party controls all of congress, so our hands are tied? I could go on & on with these questions but thank you for this great segment.
Thanks for the history lesson. I think you’re right about racism as the fatal flaw in the Repub Party. It is time to change your tag line because you are posting now!
I enjoy listening to you. Thank you for all your hard work and contributions to our democracy.
Trump's MO with every child and person who has spoken out against his behaviors is the same. They all say they and their families were threatened with violence or death. I am convinced the Republicans and some dems have been blackmailed and their lives threatened. Look at all the people who have met suicide who were about to testify against T-dump. Even Evana fell down stairs the day before her NDA ran out. There are a lot more than Epstein and Virginia Guffrey.
Thank you, Stuart!
John Cornyn is one of my senators in Texas. Let's not forget he & McConnell could have ended this in 2020 and choose not to. What I would say to Senator Cornyn is if you cannot stand up against Trump & MAGA then just retire!
Why did they allow a known Democrat like trumps to even run? Money?