When I first heard Tulsi Gabbard's name--maybe 2016/2017--I wondered who in the heck she was. What I heard never seemed solid or positive. Now she popped up again as Director of National Intelligence. Shapeshifter indeed. Could she be a robot or an un-intelligent AI? Really where do these folks keep coming from. Thanks, Kristoffer. Good article as always. Take care.
Thank you for reading, Maxine — and you nailed it. From the beginning, something about Tulsi never quite added up. The branding kept changing, but the opportunism was constant. “Shapeshifter” is the perfect word… and yeah, at this point I’m not ruling out malfunctioning AI. Appreciate the kind words and your insight as always. Take care!
MSM(mainstream media) Missing the Nazi(Authoritarian) Playbook
It’s business as usual at MSM Just regurgitate to its audience what Cheeto said, what federal legislators said, recount the Gaza genocide and call it good The network getting close to calling the Nazi regime out for what it’s doing is MSNBC but even that network misses the point
Bernie Sanders and AOC called it the Oligarchy Protest Tour but the undercurrent of that tour is that the authoritarian takeover of the government is led by Cheeto BUT CHEETO IS ONLY THE TIP OF THE AUTHORITARIAN ICEBERG THE AMERICAN OLIGARCHY IS THE ICEBERG ITSELF And MSM and nonMSM eg Substack needs to use this in the context of news coverage
This is why there is such catering by the Nazis to give enormous financial favors to the top 5% of the electorate The Nazis have decided that the American people in this democracy don’t count and that the wealthy need to control the country Cheeto in his narcissistic way sees that he is the WAY and that his supporting oligarchy will
We see what has happened in the Authoritarian Deep South and how the voters have been disenfranchised so that the wealthy and well placed White Southerners have controlled the political narrative It seems like the Nazis are taking this Southern model nationwide by disenfranchising voters nationally
The key then is how do we the electorate respond to this oligarchic authoritarian takeover That’s for another time but it seems like Indivisible has its finger on the authoritarian pulse One Million Rising: Strategic Non-Cooperation to Fight Authoritarianism is worthwhile looking at
Dr. Bill, thank you—as always—for laying it out with clarity and urgency. You’re absolutely right that Tulsi is just a symptom, not the disease. The real story is the iceberg underneath: a deep-rooted American oligarchy that’s adopted authoritarian tactics while using figures like Trump (and now Tulsi) as front-facing avatars.
The mainstream media’s obsession with surface-level drama allows this authoritarian drift to go largely unchecked. Even when outlets like MSNBC almost get it, they stop short of naming the full scope of the threat. As you said, they call out Cheeto’s latest stunt but ignore how it’s tethered to a broader effort to erode democracy piece by piece—from Gaza to Georgia.
You nailed it when you tied this to the Southern model of political control. What’s happening in the Deep South—where elections are shaped by gerrymandering, voter suppression, and performative populism—is now being exported nationwide. And the catering to the top 5% while hollowing out real democratic participation? Textbook oligarchy.
Thank you for mentioning One Million Rising and Indivisible. I agree that strategic non-cooperation and collective resistance are going to be key in the months ahead. Appreciate you always pushing the conversation forward and giving readers a sharper lens. Grateful you’re in this space.
thanks Kristoffer for your insightful comments to expand on the threat of the rising oligarchy The well studied and established plutocracy that was developing in the 1970s with the wealth gap in the 2020s has become an exploitation of the country's political system
In thinking about the pre war Russian Federation the oligarchy was gaining momentum and capitulated to Putin when he came into power but then Putin chopped them off at the knees
Thanks so much, Pamela! That comment made me laugh out loud — “makes my teeth itch” is exactly the level of allergic reaction she deserves. Appreciate you reading and glad you enjoyed the piece!
With respect to MS Gabbard she's a Barbie with a white streak in her hair. All of "HIS" female underlings are "Barbies" from stem to stern. But yes you have given her the correct title...she's a con from the word go and we know what happens when the empire falls!
Thank you, PJ! That Barbie line with the white streak? Chef’s kiss. And you’re absolutely right—Tulsi’s been a con from day one. The wild part is her grifts are so unoriginal you can spot ’em from orbit. After this one dries up, she’ll pivot again—probably to some “wellness and war crimes” podcast tour. Appreciate you reading!
Thank you so much, Diane! I’m so glad it made you laugh—but honestly, the real credit goes to Tulsi. Like I said in the piece, she practically grifted this article into existence. It practically wrote itself. Grateful for readers like you!
"That’s not analysis. That’s astrological thinking with a security clearance." Chef's kiss!
When I first heard Tulsi Gabbard's name--maybe 2016/2017--I wondered who in the heck she was. What I heard never seemed solid or positive. Now she popped up again as Director of National Intelligence. Shapeshifter indeed. Could she be a robot or an un-intelligent AI? Really where do these folks keep coming from. Thanks, Kristoffer. Good article as always. Take care.
Thank you for reading, Maxine — and you nailed it. From the beginning, something about Tulsi never quite added up. The branding kept changing, but the opportunism was constant. “Shapeshifter” is the perfect word… and yeah, at this point I’m not ruling out malfunctioning AI. Appreciate the kind words and your insight as always. Take care!
MSM(mainstream media) Missing the Nazi(Authoritarian) Playbook
It’s business as usual at MSM Just regurgitate to its audience what Cheeto said, what federal legislators said, recount the Gaza genocide and call it good The network getting close to calling the Nazi regime out for what it’s doing is MSNBC but even that network misses the point
Bernie Sanders and AOC called it the Oligarchy Protest Tour but the undercurrent of that tour is that the authoritarian takeover of the government is led by Cheeto BUT CHEETO IS ONLY THE TIP OF THE AUTHORITARIAN ICEBERG THE AMERICAN OLIGARCHY IS THE ICEBERG ITSELF And MSM and nonMSM eg Substack needs to use this in the context of news coverage
This is why there is such catering by the Nazis to give enormous financial favors to the top 5% of the electorate The Nazis have decided that the American people in this democracy don’t count and that the wealthy need to control the country Cheeto in his narcissistic way sees that he is the WAY and that his supporting oligarchy will
We see what has happened in the Authoritarian Deep South and how the voters have been disenfranchised so that the wealthy and well placed White Southerners have controlled the political narrative It seems like the Nazis are taking this Southern model nationwide by disenfranchising voters nationally
The key then is how do we the electorate respond to this oligarchic authoritarian takeover That’s for another time but it seems like Indivisible has its finger on the authoritarian pulse One Million Rising: Strategic Non-Cooperation to Fight Authoritarianism is worthwhile looking at
Dr. Bill, thank you—as always—for laying it out with clarity and urgency. You’re absolutely right that Tulsi is just a symptom, not the disease. The real story is the iceberg underneath: a deep-rooted American oligarchy that’s adopted authoritarian tactics while using figures like Trump (and now Tulsi) as front-facing avatars.
The mainstream media’s obsession with surface-level drama allows this authoritarian drift to go largely unchecked. Even when outlets like MSNBC almost get it, they stop short of naming the full scope of the threat. As you said, they call out Cheeto’s latest stunt but ignore how it’s tethered to a broader effort to erode democracy piece by piece—from Gaza to Georgia.
You nailed it when you tied this to the Southern model of political control. What’s happening in the Deep South—where elections are shaped by gerrymandering, voter suppression, and performative populism—is now being exported nationwide. And the catering to the top 5% while hollowing out real democratic participation? Textbook oligarchy.
Thank you for mentioning One Million Rising and Indivisible. I agree that strategic non-cooperation and collective resistance are going to be key in the months ahead. Appreciate you always pushing the conversation forward and giving readers a sharper lens. Grateful you’re in this space.
thanks Kristoffer for your insightful comments to expand on the threat of the rising oligarchy The well studied and established plutocracy that was developing in the 1970s with the wealth gap in the 2020s has become an exploitation of the country's political system
In thinking about the pre war Russian Federation the oligarchy was gaining momentum and capitulated to Putin when he came into power but then Putin chopped them off at the knees
Tulsi Gabbard makes my teeth itch. Great piece.
Thanks so much, Pamela! That comment made me laugh out loud — “makes my teeth itch” is exactly the level of allergic reaction she deserves. Appreciate you reading and glad you enjoyed the piece!
With respect to MS Gabbard she's a Barbie with a white streak in her hair. All of "HIS" female underlings are "Barbies" from stem to stern. But yes you have given her the correct title...she's a con from the word go and we know what happens when the empire falls!
Thank you, PJ! That Barbie line with the white streak? Chef’s kiss. And you’re absolutely right—Tulsi’s been a con from day one. The wild part is her grifts are so unoriginal you can spot ’em from orbit. After this one dries up, she’ll pivot again—probably to some “wellness and war crimes” podcast tour. Appreciate you reading!
Thank you too Kristoffer!
Jeez; I'm wondering why this piece is so funny and well-written. Oh Kristoffer, it's you--I should have known!! Your fan, Diane
Thank you so much, Diane! I’m so glad it made you laugh—but honestly, the real credit goes to Tulsi. Like I said in the piece, she practically grifted this article into existence. It practically wrote itself. Grateful for readers like you!
Tulsi is trying to get out of Time Out! https://bsky.app/profile/opsan.bsky.social/post/3ls4pyaz3e226
Appreciate you reading it, opsan! That Time Out line got me 😂 thanks for the support.
Just an epic post. "meme burn"? an instant classic!
Thanks so much for reading, Geoff! Glad the ‘meme burn’ landed — that line cracked me up while writing it. Appreciate the love!
That's just GOLD Kris!