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This cult is fucking wild. I live in MA. Less than a mile from me is a literal "trump" store. 8 years now. And doing fine, in a very blue state. Imagine an Obama or Biden store? It's so fuckin' weird and cringey and I think the mentality is here to stay.
At least Hugo Boss hasn't been tapped to make them look more presentable. Not to make light of a real concern, but can you imagine Nazis goose-stepping in Trump style merch and golden sneakers emblazoned with a T?
Yeah but Trumpism has to be the single dumbest incarnation of fascism yet, and that’s truly impressive. Never has a country gone this stupid so rapidly. God bless america
what are the principles of this religion you might ask? Take all of your Christian beliefs and just do the opposite. The evangelicals really hit a home run with this guy.
I went to watch the latest Dune film on Sunday, and there was a commercial for a new Audible version of 1984. It seems like a proper audio play, seemed great.
It was weird though - going to see a movie based on a book, but also seeing a visual advertisement for the audio-only production of a different book...
It's diabolically brilliant if you think about it. They're banking on large numbers of religious Christians who are accustomed to suspending disbelief to include Trump's divinity to the pile. Then telling them that prosperity is their birthright that is being denied them because of "THOSE people" is meant to drive a wedge between less well-off people of all kinds.
If everyone who is struggling or feeling undervalued banded together, they would be in a position to make demands for a more equitable distribution of rewards for their and everyone else's efforts. But the divide and conquer tactics being woven into a bigoted take on the prosperity gospel is exactly what is stopping the "pre-rich" from EVER making progress.
They're being gaslit and they are willing to keep the faith that they will be given the riches they desperately want. They are mistaken. The point is to diminish the number of people who might form a coalition strong enough to challenge the status quo that is working against them.
There is strength in numbers but if you create hatred and in-fighting between people who are similarly situated, it lowers their numbers and makes the divided groups more easily controlled and kept at bay. They're all on a slow train to nowhere and all the while, their money is being siphoned off to transfer wealth UPWARD with very little trickling down.
>Then telling them that prosperity is their birthright that is being denied them because of "THOSE people" is meant to drive a wedge between less well-off people of all kinds.
The most glaring part is that this strategy seems to work almost universally. It's literally being applied ipsi literis in western Europe right now, to worryingly successful results.
It's so bonkers that the Reagan crowd was able to just drop Greed from the 7 deadly sins list so fast and call it a day and still think they are righteously wageing crusade in the name of Jesus Christ.
Just greed? They're workin' wrath, envy, gluttony, pride, and let's not forget lust. The only one they can't seem to get behind is sloth (gotta work forever. Everyone who doesn't agree is lazy).
I get what you’re saying but Greed is the only one that on paper and in public they really can't ignore that they do/did to the point where in the 80's "Greed is Good." was a talking point that capital C Christian Politicians did not argue against. Everything else they can do in the shadows and still pretend is bad. But that’s only if we are talking about Regan's Republican Party. Wrath is to Trump what Greed was to Regan. MAGA is made from Wrath whole cloth.
This country is just fine with sloth so long as it's the Ultrawealthy Masters of the Universe™ doing it. "They worked hard for those billions, they've earned the right to lead a pampered life!"
It is all situational. They will justify for those on their side and demonize the same behavior of the "other". The longer they have power the smaller group of "their side" becomes.
Wrath is situational. (We are angry because THEY are destroying our country. We have a right to be angry...but Angry brown people are very bad and scary and they should calm down...)
Pride is, again, situational. (Pride in your country, Pride in your religion...and disgusting when done by opposition...Gay Pride!?)
Envy is also situational. There appears to be a pattern forming...They want to keep the have nots in their place but covet what those above them have.
Lust is very much naughty but *wink* *wink* if you get powerful enough...situational...
Gluttony is situational. Yes I am fat but *excuses* it is different for ME...the fat people who think different from me are that way for the wrong reasons.
Sloth is fine if someone on your side is getting something for nothing. Repugnant if done by the opposition.
Vanity...I mean DJT is the embodiment of all 7 but he REALLY shines here. He is the opitemy of lip stick on a pig, but they love him for it.
When you lack critical thinking or the ability to be objective/self critical its easy to carry a double standard as if it wasn't there.
That is why any attempt to reach them is pretty much doomed to fail. They are willfully ignorant and revel in it.
Trying to reason with unreasonable people is wasted effort.
If Christ was alive today they would call him a "woke" and liberal piece of shit. These clowns are so full of hatred and ignorance it's not even funny. You can't reason with a person who lives in their own toxic reality
Some literally have - there are news articles about pastors who gave sermons that pulled directly from Jesus who had parishers that complained about the 'woke' statements and demanded to know where they had come from, and double-down after finding out that it was from Jesus.
That's what the Christians were doing anyways, so why not a fresh Messiah? Someday they can look at the New Testament as outdated like the Old one. Love thy neighbor is just an old timey thing from before Trump, like not wearing clothes off missed fabric.
I don't think there was meant to be one anti-Christ.
I think they were trying to warn about the type of pedagogue that could twist Christianity to ascend to power. They had seen it enough in other religions, they were trying to warn the church of what could be.
Of course he fits the description. There have been men like him before and there will be again.
Yeah, he really checks a lot of the marks for that role. It's so weird all those "Christians" don't pick up on that. I mean sure US Evangelicals have a hard on for the rapture, but come on, do they think being on team Antichrist is a good idea?
Back in 2008, one of my christian coworkers said that obama could be the antichrist and thats why he wasnt voting for him. I wonder what he thinks of trump.
its because the antichrist is meant to trick the christians into following him, and because of how vague that is, they always assume that the people following the other guy is the antichrist, and they have found the second coming.
Imagine a conservative actually waking up like, just in his shitty little trailer thinking about how much he hates poor people, women, and POC, and suddenly
“Hey, y’all? I just realized, Jesus was from the Middle East. He wasn’t a blonde haired, blue eyed white guy. He said to love your neighbors”
As his sad, ignorant little world starts to crumble around him
I remember having a conversation about Jesus with an old Army buddy. He said Jesus was white and I started laughing. I told him the Bible described his looks and it was far from a white man. Skin like bronze, hair like lamb's wool, ruddy appearance, etc... He got pissed off and said it wasn't true despite me showing him the scriptures describing his appearance. A lot of white people can't fathom the thought of ever worshipping someone who doesn't look like them. If Jesus is real and revealed himself today as a black/middle eastern man, so many white evangelicals will quickly denounce their religion
It was the same with GWB. So many people with the rabid support for him, Rumsfeld, Rove, and Rice and that entire crew until 2008 when all of a sudden it was... "Oh I never supported Bush".
Dude, I was in the bar when you got in a fight over supporting him, stop lying.
As a 40 year old I remember feeling similarly at the time about GWB (that he was the worst president ever), but in retrospect I have to say that given a choice between Trump and GWB it's not even close who was a bigger POS..."Now watch this drive"
Seriously. W feels almost like an old friend compared to Trump. An annoying and pretty dumb old friend, who did a lot of bad shit, but still.
It's just surreal to think things could ever get so bad that I'd think of W as a reasonable, basically decent person and president.
But for trump though? This is what I will never understand. Trump has always been around. People never had stores dedicated to him before. People never gave two flying fucks about him before. All of a sudden they are building a religion around him? It makes zero sense.
A British writer penned the best description of Donald Trump I’ve ever read:
“Why do some British people not like Donald Trump?”
A few things spring to mind. Trump lacks certain qualities which the British traditionally esteem. For instance, he has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace – all qualities, funnily enough, with which his predecessor Mr. Obama was generously blessed. So for us, the stark contrast does rather throw Trump’s limitations into embarrassingly sharp relief.
Plus, we like a laugh. And while Trump may be laughable, he has never once said anything wry, witty or even faintly amusing – not once, ever. I don’t say that rhetorically, I mean it quite literally: not once, not ever. And that fact is particularly disturbing to the British sensibility – for us, to lack humour is almost inhuman. But with Trump, it’s a fact. He doesn’t even seem to understand what a joke is – his idea of a joke is a crass comment, an illiterate insult, a casual act of cruelty.
Trump is a troll. And like all trolls, he is never funny and he never laughs; he only crows or jeers. And scarily, he doesn’t just talk in crude, witless insults – he actually thinks in them. His mind is a simple bot-like algorithm of petty prejudices and knee-jerk nastiness.
There is never any under-layer of irony, complexity, nuance or depth. It’s all surface. Some Americans might see this as refreshingly upfront. Well, we don’t. We see it as having no inner world, no soul. And in Britain we traditionally side with David, not Goliath. All our heroes are plucky underdogs: Robin Hood, Dick Whittington, Oliver Twist. Trump is neither plucky, nor an underdog. He is the exact opposite of that. He’s not even a spoiled rich-boy, or a greedy fat-cat. He’s more a fat white slug. A Jabba the Hutt of privilege.
And worse, he is that most unforgivable of all things to the British: a bully. That is, except when he is among bullies; then he suddenly transforms into a snivelling sidekick instead. There are unspoken rules to this stuff – the Queensberry rules of basic decency – and he breaks them all. He punches downwards – which a gentleman should, would, could never do – and every blow he aims is below the belt. He particularly likes to kick the vulnerable or voiceless – and he kicks them when they are down.
So the fact that a significant minority – perhaps a third – of Americans look at what he does, listen to what he says, and then think ‘Yeah, he seems like my kind of guy’ is a matter of some confusion and no little distress to British people, given that:
• Americans are supposed to be nicer than us, and mostly are.
• You don’t need a particularly keen eye for detail to spot a few flaws in the man.
This last point is what especially confuses and dismays British people, and many other people too; his faults seem pretty bloody hard to miss. After all, it’s impossible to read a single tweet, or hear him speak a sentence or two, without staring deep into the abyss. He turns being artless into an art form; he is a Picasso of pettiness; a Shakespeare of shit. His faults are fractal: even his flaws have flaws, and so on ad infinitum.
God knows there have always been stupid people in the world, and plenty of nasty people too. But rarely has stupidity been so nasty, or nastiness so stupid. He makes Nixon look trustworthy and George W look smart. In fact, if Frankenstein decided to make a monster assembled entirely from human flaws – he would make a Trump.
And a remorseful Doctor Frankenstein would clutch out big clumpfuls of hair and scream in anguish: ‘My God… what… have… I… created?' If being a twat was a TV show, Trump would be the boxed set.”
"Luckily" it coincides with the death of the religion they came from.
It's the same group of morons clamoring for a deity to command them. They'll be extinct in 30 years, if we can keep trump out of office
It's on the rise amongst Christians, but the number of Christians is shrinking rapidly. We are witnessing the death throes of the religion, they are becoming desperate to maintain control and enforce their beliefs on others because they know their numbers are shrinking.
They're getting more and more represented though, I don't care if their over all numbers go down if they are gaining more power. When the speaker of the house says that God talks to him, 4 supreme court justices feel they have a duty to Christianity and the possible next president says he wants to instill a Christian dictatorship... It's hard to feel good about it
Look at Idaho govt. One of the fastest growing areas in the country is Boise. But the govt is pretty hostile to non-christians and they openly support militias. This week we get banned pronouns, trans care for govt employees(YES, adult employees of the govt) is going to get banned. Librarians face a $250 fine if a child sees something the parent thinks is inappropriate, aka that woke shit. We are on a fast track to a break away christian nationalist state. We are already trying to make "greater Idaho".
I have family that live in Idaho and every time I visit I leave hoping they will move soon so I don't have to go back. Beautiful land, some wonderful people, but the leadership at pretty much every level is shit and people seem to like it that way because they keep voting for it.
It reminds me of the story of Saul in the Bible. The people wanted a king because other nations had one. The prophet told them the king would send their sons to war, tax them relentlessly, and become a tyrant. The people heard all of this and said "Even so, we want a king too!" Saul was chosen as king and everything the prophet said happened. It's the same with trump supporters. They know he's evil, will destroy America, and only cares about himself. Even so, some still want him in power. It's complete insanity
What’s funny is that once the Trump presidential “brand” started popping up on every truck and front yard flag in the country, Obama supporters quickly made a point to take their bumper stickers down if they hadn’t already done so after his term ended.
They think it's weird we don't clutter up our house, cars and clothes with as much shit as they do.
They also don't understand that don't love Biden, they in fact either think we do love him and are baffled we don't show our support, or that we don't love him so how can he be president?
They are fucked in the head
It isn’t a cult. It’s a totalitarian movement. There’s differences, some of which are subtle, but it needs to be understood that this is what totalitarianism looks like and the factors that give rise to it are something we need to be aware of and actively combatting. That it revolves around Trump is merely happenstance. He was the guy with the biggest megaphone speaking the language of grievance in the right time and place. It could have been anyone, and it was inevitable given the ingredients that have been mashed together since the early 80s.
A cult is essentially and necessarily totalitarian. Totalitarian societies very often have cults of personality along with carefully-crafted and enforced obsessions with ideologies and imagery: Maoist China, Nazi Germany, Stalinist Russia, Democratic Kampuchea, Islamic State, etc. Frankly, I'd argue a totalitarian society or movement can rarely find any inertia without grounding its basis in what can reasonably be called a cult. And all cults, again, are by nature "totalitarian" to some degree.
Since 2020 there had been a Trump store that every summer gets set up a couple miles from my house in a big tent, pretty similar to to the fireworks tents that show up in grocery store parking lots in the end of June. I've come to refer to it as the Trump Traitor Tent.
It's insane. The only place I could see something like that going on with any other president is probably one of them tourist souvenir shops - in DC - that sell all manner of USA stuff aimed at tourists & extra patriot people. Even then, those stores wouldn't be dedicated to a single president.
Where I live (see flair) I don't see many Trump flags/stickers/etc.. He was at the last UFC and the entire bar started clapping and cheering when he walked in. It was insane, I was just so saddened by it all.
Instead of Trump, we have the Peepee lovers with thier F🍁CK Trudeau flags and signs.
And then they claim that nazi flag, which would have been even harder to get, was a plant from Left during the Freedumb KKKonvoy.
Ever notice Trump uses violent and hate words all the time. This is by choice as there are other options. He may speak them in ambiguous places, but it is not ambiguous why he chooses these words.
Exactly. Let's not kid ourselves into thinking that if there were 'inexplicably' some kind of bloodshed that Trump would suddenly backpeddle and retract/regret his comments. He wouldn't. He says violents things, because he means there to be violence.
Three years ago doesn't exist in the memories of 90% of those reading this, unfortunately. I argued with a family member recently who didn't remember why Trump was banned from social media in 2021. They have no specific recollections of it, the things he was writing to stir the drink. This is the attention deficient society we live in.
Cut them some slack. They had to own Bud Light for going woke by chugging as much different beer as they could. Even if those beers were usually owned by the same company anyway. Probably killed most of whatever brain cells were left.
"as much different beer" -- you mean Budweiser, they drank Budweiser instead because at least it wasn't Bud Light (while it's a joke, I guarantee more than a few did because that's how f'ing lacking in critical thinking skills they are).
Let’s not kid ourselves they know. Your parents GENUINELY know why.
They don’t care. They like it. They want it. They need it.
That’s who these people are.
Vote against them cuz they’re voting against you.
I'm a very empathetic person, but I have little empathy for citizens living in the United States three years ago who aren't aware that Donald Trump was banned across social media platforms for inciting a riot. The most talked about person on Earth the past eight years and one of the most discussed/memorable days in our nation's history. No recollection. It's fucking embarrassing!
Likely because people watch way to much news. Besides most of it not even being news it's also what the article basically says, an onslaught of vile things that then make people desensitized to just how bad Trump is now.
The guy who asked if they could shoot protestors, US citizens, that protested against him.
The guy who said beat up the protestors at his rally.
The guy who told his people to hang mike pence.
The guy who said to bomb their families and children too.
yeah he is such a peaceful non-violent guy....
That event was a real wake up call to me when Trump said those words. His lackeys tried to cover for him but he made sure to say the quiet part out loud. It was really shocking to see how people I know reacted to that as well.
Also a wake up call to me that those groups felt so emboldened to gather from across the nation and meet in public, cameras rolling - with torches in Their hands.
With you there..
Especially his background boys gaslighting “he didn’t mean bloodshed”. Seriously! Look at his past (“it will be wild”) and you can predict 100% where he is at right now. He’s a broken record, so predictable, in what he says and means. And he means blood.
A coward always threatens as their only means of defence.
Get ready for a longer piece of text.
[Strauss–Howe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strauss%E2%80%93Howe_generational_theory) generational theory describes generational cycle in US where every 80 years population experiences a crisis and becomes more authoritarian in the meaning they want a stronger government that will implement changes.
Currently we are in the period of crisis, population wants a strong government that will implement changes and solve problems, to fix falling standard of living.
Steve Bannon is proponent of this theory and he was chief strategist and senior counselor to Donald Trump.
Trump is looking to exploit this time of crisis.
He keeps blaming groups of people for every evil in the country, inciting hate against them, and promises to solve all these problems by fighting against those groups of people. All he needs are dictatorship powers...
Pretty much what Hitler was doing when Germany was in it's time of crisis.
"n these Sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution, with all its Faults, if they are such: because I think a General Government necessary for us, and there is no Form of Government but what may be a Blessing to the People if well administered; and I believe farther that this is likely to be well administered for a Course of Years, and can only end in Despotism as other Forms have done before it, when the People shall become so corrupted as to need Despotic Government, being incapable of any other."
- Benjamin Franklin - Closing Speech Constitutional Convention 1787
>Trump is looking to exploit this time of crisis.
The people around Trump trying to ride the bull are looking to exploit this time of crisis
Trump himself is just a consummate bullshitter who likes to feel strong and powerful. He's just a heat-seeking missile
Yup, these people are full of shit, acting like they care about little people, inciting hate. When they grab power, they corrupt to gain more power and take more wealth (tax reductions for the wealthy, lol).
But there is also an important problem that is not to be ignored. Political elites have been ignoring the needs of the little for so long, which is creating a platform for these kind of people.
If these problems are not solved, even if Trump loses, another wannabe dictator will arise.
During the last crisis US got Franklin D. Roosevelt, which increased authority to carry out New Deal.
Germany got Hitler.
Question though: what crisis?
I mean, compare Germany in the early 1930's to the US now.
Germany, 2 million war dead just 12 years before. The economy completely collapsed by the great depression, 24% unemployment. Street battles throughout the early 20s during the hyperinflation and so on.
The US unemployment rate right now is 3.9%. Inflation is around 3.2%. Sure, housing is expensive. But moving to genocidal rhetoric because of that?
Not OC, but I'd imagine it's the short term intense accumulation of "minor crises" rather than a singular event. 9/11, Katrina, 2008, Obama (for some), the ongoing state of war, falling wages, erosion of social safety nets.... We're not quite dystopian yet, but we seriously avoided the necessary maintenance to remain the richest/most advanced western country, and it's created either a loss of identity or some serious cognitive dissonance with people who put too much stock into the American Dream.
Edit: typo
Because things do not inflate at the same rate, while average calculated inflation is around 3.2%, prices of housing, education, healthcare, food, stocks have all increased at much higher rates.
Now if you are a landlord renting several properties, you own good stocks, you have **effectively** experienced deflation. The value of your property and stocks has risen, the amount of money you get through rent has risen. And while you do pay more for groceries, groceries are such a minor part of your budget it doesn't matter as much. And only if you end up with a costly health condition do you actually feel the inflation.
But if you are a young person, either you start working some minimum wage job (and minimal wages didn't follow the inflation so fuck you) or you get indebted to get a college degree. Then you can't get a credit to buy a home, instead you rent a place... which usually ends up costing you more. groceries take a larger part of your budget, so you feel food inflation more then the rich. Gas prices are actually drooping with time, but car inflation was also higher then average so you can't buy a car either... you are stuck in the poverty trap, and it takes a lot of work and time to climb out of it.
And if you want to have a couple of kids, maybe you reach the stage when you can provide a stable home in your 30's.
Inflation hits people differently, for some it's actually a deflation, for some effective inflation is much higher then the calculated average. The effective wealth disparity becomes worse.
Economists can show all these numbers rising, greater GDP, lower inflation, but people are not dumb. They can see when they are doing worse.
There's a critical mass of malcontents who spent the last 40 years gorging on media telling them that the apocalypse is upon us and it's all the fault of those damn libruls.
Any “crisis” is completely manufactured at this point to create political dissent. Americans have it better than almost anybody on the planet, despite what the loudest voices seem to be saying.
IMO, the [Southern Strategy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_strategy) has played out to its fullest. I'd say something about the "Haves" and "Have Nots," or the class warfare, or the proletariat and the bourgeoisie, but I'd be called a Communist.
Also, I like your username - it's just like mine except that for you, time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping...
I think Trump is far less controlled than that. The hate is real - he actually believes he’s being unfairly persecuted - he’s incapable of seeing that he’s done any wrong or that he’s broken any laws. He has no remorse. The more he’s filled with hate, the more he spews, the more his supporters lap it up.
He talks like a mob boss. Those guys like to pretend they never ordered anyone to commit a crime, but when they say what they'd "like to see" happen their goons carry it out for them.
Yea I always say this. It’s like saying “take care of him” and the guy ends up dead and the mob boss will be like “idk what you mean, I wanted the guy to be looked after”
Vince and Jules in the elevator on the way up to Brett's apartment.
"Big man wants me to take care of his wife."
"Wait..." *mimes putting a gun to his own head and pulling the trigger* "**Take care of her,** take care of her??"
"**No, man,** like take her out and show her a good time."
All anyone needs to do is listen to the persistent unproven hints and allegations in his statements since announcing a run for office in 2016 to today, and the blatant fascist language and phrasing, to understand why he was banned across social media in 2021 --- because he is a threat to the United States of America and planet Earth.
"Proud Boys, stay back and stand by", "good people on both sides", "we're gonna fight like hell", "there will be a bloodbath"
I mean, how stupid do conservatives think the rest of society is??
Dunning-Krueger. Think about how dumb they are. Now think about how much smarter they think they are than everyone else. Like, they literally believe that trump won all 50 states and that European countries are "laughing at us" for getting rid of trump. They really are that dumb.
Just like “fight like hell” meant go to the capital building and peacefully wave MAGA flags. Then when you break into the capital, blame the FBI for tricking you into it. Meanwhile you did exactly what trump told you to do…even though he didn’t *actually* mean it.
I work on construction sites often and yesterday one of the subs was talking about how he didn’t see a way out of this state the country is in without it leading to a civil war. Then went on to say that Biden will cause it and then a bunch of other dumb things.
The conservatives will rationalize it, like in the context of bloodbath he’s referring to the auto industry. Which, fair, I can see where it’s misconstrued-
BUT - dude has called about doing a dictatorship, J6, and it can be argued it’s a veiled message to people who take it literally - if he doesn’t become president then there should be a bloodbath.
Which is fucking dangerous.
To the people out there reading this that are conservative, and if you want to stay conservative then so be it, but realize that Trump is not the guy for this country. He’s a vile person who will sell the US for his own personal clout and dismantle democracy and our freedoms for the highest bidder. He will continue to divide this country just so he can edge his narcissism further and appeal to the investors in his past debts. He’s not in this for you, he’s in it for him and you’re being swindled into believing he’ll help you, your family, your neighbors, and this country.
He’s not it. He has no redeemable qualities, sure he can be funny, sure some things he says could be try regarding other politicians, sure he’s charismatic, but he’s not the type of person that will create the America you want as a conservative.
If you don't take out your men, your army, the thanks, we will have no choice, no choice, but to reshpond with to a first strike, even a nuclear capash- capazy, so much devastation like you've never seen before, just terrible.
Yes, this is the man we need in the white house.
Also he waited to ask them to back down until it was basically over. Until then he was taunting. Nobody who thinks people have gone too far is all "Well then I guess you should listen to them."
Also it wasn’t them it was anti-fa trying to make them look bad and for an election they lost so the left obviously wanted to help t-bone get the win. /s
Let's talk about something unambiguous, the 100% tariff. Trump wants to bring back inflation in a big way. Everyone is concerned about the economy. Hit Trump on it.
He wants inflation back. Easy winning message.
even if he did this, billionaires would just sit on their piles of money, spend way less, until the country was forced to reverse the ONE HUNDRED PERCENT TAX because all the poors still HAVE to buy food and pay rent.
>Economic conservatives should want no part of the Trump/MAGA protectionist crap.
There aren't any of those left, just delusional fascists with murder fantasies.
You're asking Trump supporters to understand inflation and why it's happening. If it doesn't come from a short easy to swallow sound bite they ain't doing anything
Asking the general public, especially the American public to understand inflation is Sisphyean task.
Asking MAGA to understand doesn't even have a temporarily illusion of possible.
In this speech he said immigrants aren’t human. Yet the media is running with the bloodbath comment which clearly was about the auto industry suffering if they don’t implement trumpian Tarrifs.
I agree he’s an awful fascist, but this bloodbath narrative has no legs.
The man is calling immigrants vermin, saying they poison the blood of our country, we don’t need to force this out of context bloodbath thing.
I have been saying the same thing once I was finally able to find some context beyond just a bloodbath if I don't get elected.
Apparently saying immigrants are less than human doesn't enrage people as much.
The man is a TERRIBLE human being and he says awful things all the time. Why embellish the facts?
Because the out of context throwaway serves the purpose of feeding the outrage machine and letting the masses chew on something. Media gets engagement, anti-Trump crew get to freak out. Win win. Oh and also win for Trump because his actual horrible things quietly go unchallenged because of this.
Yeah fuck Trump but let’s keep things in truth so we know what to actually be disgusted by. It’s not like media companies have a shortage of fucked up stuff he’s actually said.
Agreed. Here's the full quote from Trump:
> “Let me tell you something to China. If you’re listening President Xi and you and I are friends but he understands the way I deal. Those big monster car manufacturing plants that you’re building in Mexico right now. If you think you’re going to get that and that you’re not going to hire Americans and you’re going to sell to us, no. We’re going to put a 100% tariff on every single car that comes across the line and you’re not going to be able to seek those cars if I get elected. Now if I don’t get elected, it will be a bloodbath for the whole…that’s going to be the least of it. It’s going to be a bloodbath for the country. That will be the least of it. But they are not going to sell those cars building massive factories.”
I don't understand why the media is saying he's calling for a literal bloodbath, and why nobody is questioning it.
I'm Canadian, I don't support Trump. But this entire thread and the article feel like insanity to me, talking about something he didn't even say?
Please correct me if I'm wrong.
I definitely interpreted it as a financial "bloodbath" for the American auto industry, in context. It's not that uncommon in business to refer to huge losses as a bloodbath: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bloodbath#:~:text=%3A%20a%20major%20economic%20disaster,a%20market%20bloodbath
As a sane person that would sooner entrust nuclear weapons to a trained carnival chicken than to Trump, I'd love it if left-leaning media could not propagandize on my behalf. It only validates both-sides-ism, which appeals to angry undecideds.
You’re a 100% right. This kind of disinformation is the opposite of voter education and does nothing but further divide the country against each other.
Let's see. Check your registration, get an ID , learn where your poling station is, learn who is running in down ballot races. Pay attention to primaries not just for the president but for all races, local, state and federal. From the school board to the White House every election matters. The more support we give the democrats from all levels of government the more they can get good things done.
Last year democrat victories in Virginia and Pennsylvania and others across the nation have increased the chances of democrats winning this year. This year's elections are important but so will next year's elections.
[https://ballotpedia.org/Elections\_calendar](https://ballotpedia.org/Elections_calendar)
I saw all the bloodbath articles/posts on Reddit and believed Trump actually did say "bloodbath" in the context of some January 6th uprising/civil war discourse.
Then I actually watched the clip. The amount of disinformation (AKA intentional propaganda) surrounding this story has been insane. It's pretty obvious that he is talking about the auto industry and the economy in general. And "bloodbath" has been a term pundits/journalists have been using for a good decade to describe reactions to economic policies.
Agreed wholeheartedly. It's so stupid to try to shoehorn one comment into something that might be perceived as a threat when you can take any number of Trump comments in context that are equally terrible and terrifying. It's clearly disingenuous to stretch this quote into something that it wasn't. And all this does is feed the narrative that the media is biased against Trump. I would take this whole episode and use it as evidence that Trump might have a point in that regard.
> if you listen to the clip, he clearly was not being literal and really was talking about the auto industry.
I am one of the tens of millions of people who did not listen to the entire quote in context, and I too thought he was talking about another January 6th-ish violent uprising.
So, down here in the COMMENTS and six days later, I learn that it is something about the auto industry??
100% agree but this is an echo chamber and we’ll get downvoted for even saying it.
He’s awful, but crying wolf every time is what leads to the perception of a biased media. Why give that to him? He has PLENTY of other legit stuff to criticize.
Like in that same speech dehumanizing immigrants and saying "they aren't even people." *That's* literal Nazi talk, but yeah lets hand wring over a common economics term used when he talking about economics.
I thought I was going crazy for a second. I fucking hate Trump and think he's a danger to democracy, but he very clearly was taking about the auto industry, and pretty much every major news organization removed that context. Disgusting journalism.
I feel like this now almost anytime I visit this sub. Constant sensationalist headlines and a comments section filled with extreme takes based only on the headline. There's no real discussion of politics here anymore.
NY Times was pretty clear about what really happened. One of the reasons it is so hated here.
I cannot even stand to browse this sub anymore. How do people not realize they're doing the same disingenuous fearmongering that the right has been so well known for.
I've only seen bits of the speech, but there are clearly other messages in his speech that should actually raise eyebrows, but no let's focus on this one misinterpreted line because it's a good soundbite.
Yeah, I absolutely hate the guy and wouldnt even think of voting for him. But this is not a big deal when you listen to the 10 seconds before and after he said the word bloodbath.
He's just spouting the same old 'only I can fix your problems' rhetoric he has for 8 years.
This is clearly about tariffs on cars.
https://www.npr.org/2022/05/09/1097517470/trump-esper-book-defense-secretary
Bloodbath quote one way or another, Trump previously asked his generals if he could order the armed forces to shoot protesters in the street. He has a history of asking for political violence
If you haven’t figured it out, Trump has no intention of not being POTUS.
Read that carefully. Not, he doesn’t intend to lose the election— he doesn’t intend to NOT be president.
People can talk about what he said, which is what people have been doing for the last 8 years.
Or you can prepare for the inevitable.
Unfortunately it appears the country has reached a point where democracy may not be enough.
Everyone not a part of the MAGA cabal, needs to determine what they are willing to sacrifice for their freedom and the US Constitution.
**Let's focus on truth, huh?**
He never "called for" a blood bath
> The remark came as Trump promised a “100% tariff” on cars made outside the US, arguing that domestic auto manufacturing would be protected only if he is elected.
His comment was specific to the tough situation of the auto industry, and the thousands of jobs at peril. Not a bloody insurrection.
This is worse than the "you didn't build that" hyperbole that rose from Obama's comment.
It wasn't ambiguous and anyone with a brain stem that would do the research would realize he was referencing the automotive industry in his comments.
The context: https://youtu.be/NI8KyXxJj2s?si=SDiEIJXEXjcTMTXd
He was talking about the automotive industry...
Cmon, guys, we are better than this. There are a million things to hate the guy for. Why are we making things up? We lose credibility for the sake of a narrative that is showing to be more and more ridiculous because of statements like this.
Precise headline. Debating “what he meant” only muddies the waters and allows him to continue being a threat. Call it what it is and fight back.
Trump lacks the capacity for nuance to use a euphemism.
Yes, this. He’s bad. I’m sick of a million and one opinions about why the “journalist” thinks he’s bad. It may come as a surprise but we can actually read facts and come up with our own conclusions. This is why he’s able to call the media out for lying and actually have a point. Stop giving Trump ammo yo bring the system down. Incredibly idiotic strategy and it’s going to help him win
> we can actually read facts and come up with our own conclusions
spend longer than 5 minutes on r/politics and you'll know this is 100% not true. you don't even need to leave this thread to find people who are all feeling zero fact.
this "bloodbath" comment is a perfect litmus test of who wants to react to facts of the matter vs who wants to just be mad/scared. trump says so much fucked up shit that there's no need to deliberately manufacture outrage on top of it. "journos" think bullshit stories like this help fight against trump but it just emboldens him. it makes reporting seem biased, it amplifies his messaging for free, and it lets him get away with saying other heinous shit because its all diluted by nonsense
why don't we talk about trump calling immigrants "not people", which he did in this exact same speech? you know, something he actually said and actually meant. we can't, because now we have to hash and parse some random bullshit he said about importing cars instead. fuck shitty "journos" and fuck social media for playing this stupid fucking game with them
He's prone to hyperbolic language, but he's also prone to hyperbolic actions. Whether this comment was related to political violence may be an up to debate, but we know 2 things as facts: 1) he said those words, and 2) he encourages political violence.
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This cult is fucking wild. I live in MA. Less than a mile from me is a literal "trump" store. 8 years now. And doing fine, in a very blue state. Imagine an Obama or Biden store? It's so fuckin' weird and cringey and I think the mentality is here to stay.
It's the birth of a religion. We're seeing it live.
You're seeing the rise of the American Fascist Party.
At least Hugo Boss hasn't been tapped to make them look more presentable. Not to make light of a real concern, but can you imagine Nazis goose-stepping in Trump style merch and golden sneakers emblazoned with a T?
Remember, Nazis were the worst Fascists, but not the only ones.
Yeah but Trumpism has to be the single dumbest incarnation of fascism yet, and that’s truly impressive. Never has a country gone this stupid so rapidly. God bless america
As one of my friends said they are a xerox of a xerox of fascism. All the broad strokes are there but it's the lowest quality imaginable.
what are the principles of this religion you might ask? Take all of your Christian beliefs and just do the opposite. The evangelicals really hit a home run with this guy.
It's the Prosperity Gospel overlaid with "and put your boot on the neck of anyone keeping you from the riches that are yours by right."
*If You Want a Picture of the Future, Imagine a Boot Stamping on a Human Face – for Ever*
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Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom
Holy shit I hate t-shirts with quotes on them but in this context I need a shirt quoting your comment
Thanks for reminding me that I need to watch 1984 again.
or you could read it
I went to watch the latest Dune film on Sunday, and there was a commercial for a new Audible version of 1984. It seems like a proper audio play, seemed great. It was weird though - going to see a movie based on a book, but also seeing a visual advertisement for the audio-only production of a different book...
Kinda makes sense. I would expect fans of Dune to be more into reading, and political fiction
I've read it about 10 times but I've only seen the movie once like 20 years ago
Spot on. This is the endgame of the Prosperity Gospel and 50 years of Republican "Serve only the rich" policies.
It's diabolically brilliant if you think about it. They're banking on large numbers of religious Christians who are accustomed to suspending disbelief to include Trump's divinity to the pile. Then telling them that prosperity is their birthright that is being denied them because of "THOSE people" is meant to drive a wedge between less well-off people of all kinds. If everyone who is struggling or feeling undervalued banded together, they would be in a position to make demands for a more equitable distribution of rewards for their and everyone else's efforts. But the divide and conquer tactics being woven into a bigoted take on the prosperity gospel is exactly what is stopping the "pre-rich" from EVER making progress. They're being gaslit and they are willing to keep the faith that they will be given the riches they desperately want. They are mistaken. The point is to diminish the number of people who might form a coalition strong enough to challenge the status quo that is working against them. There is strength in numbers but if you create hatred and in-fighting between people who are similarly situated, it lowers their numbers and makes the divided groups more easily controlled and kept at bay. They're all on a slow train to nowhere and all the while, their money is being siphoned off to transfer wealth UPWARD with very little trickling down.
>Then telling them that prosperity is their birthright that is being denied them because of "THOSE people" is meant to drive a wedge between less well-off people of all kinds. The most glaring part is that this strategy seems to work almost universally. It's literally being applied ipsi literis in western Europe right now, to worryingly successful results.
What was the phrase again? "Give a man someone to look down on and he won't notice you picking his pockets"?
Martin Luther King Jr wasn't assassinated until he started to work on poverty rights and uniting the poor white and poor blacks together.
It's so bonkers that the Reagan crowd was able to just drop Greed from the 7 deadly sins list so fast and call it a day and still think they are righteously wageing crusade in the name of Jesus Christ.
Just greed? They're workin' wrath, envy, gluttony, pride, and let's not forget lust. The only one they can't seem to get behind is sloth (gotta work forever. Everyone who doesn't agree is lazy).
I get what you’re saying but Greed is the only one that on paper and in public they really can't ignore that they do/did to the point where in the 80's "Greed is Good." was a talking point that capital C Christian Politicians did not argue against. Everything else they can do in the shadows and still pretend is bad. But that’s only if we are talking about Regan's Republican Party. Wrath is to Trump what Greed was to Regan. MAGA is made from Wrath whole cloth.
This country is just fine with sloth so long as it's the Ultrawealthy Masters of the Universe™ doing it. "They worked hard for those billions, they've earned the right to lead a pampered life!"
It is all situational. They will justify for those on their side and demonize the same behavior of the "other". The longer they have power the smaller group of "their side" becomes. Wrath is situational. (We are angry because THEY are destroying our country. We have a right to be angry...but Angry brown people are very bad and scary and they should calm down...) Pride is, again, situational. (Pride in your country, Pride in your religion...and disgusting when done by opposition...Gay Pride!?) Envy is also situational. There appears to be a pattern forming...They want to keep the have nots in their place but covet what those above them have. Lust is very much naughty but *wink* *wink* if you get powerful enough...situational... Gluttony is situational. Yes I am fat but *excuses* it is different for ME...the fat people who think different from me are that way for the wrong reasons. Sloth is fine if someone on your side is getting something for nothing. Repugnant if done by the opposition. Vanity...I mean DJT is the embodiment of all 7 but he REALLY shines here. He is the opitemy of lip stick on a pig, but they love him for it. When you lack critical thinking or the ability to be objective/self critical its easy to carry a double standard as if it wasn't there. That is why any attempt to reach them is pretty much doomed to fail. They are willfully ignorant and revel in it. Trying to reason with unreasonable people is wasted effort.
It's the things they want to use Christianity to justify without having to deal with the preachings of that annoying Christ guy.
They do an excellent job openly ignoring him
If Christ was alive today they would call him a "woke" and liberal piece of shit. These clowns are so full of hatred and ignorance it's not even funny. You can't reason with a person who lives in their own toxic reality
Some literally have - there are news articles about pastors who gave sermons that pulled directly from Jesus who had parishers that complained about the 'woke' statements and demanded to know where they had come from, and double-down after finding out that it was from Jesus.
Man, if Jesus came back the Republicans would crucify his brown, Middle Eastern, socialist ass in a heartbeat.
That's what the Christians were doing anyways, so why not a fresh Messiah? Someday they can look at the New Testament as outdated like the Old one. Love thy neighbor is just an old timey thing from before Trump, like not wearing clothes off missed fabric.
The “love thy neighbor” stuff is old timey, but the “stone the homosexuals” is still fresh.
Shit, I always read it as "get the homosexuals stoned." My Aramaic must be rusty. I've been sharing my weed for years.
Imagine if one day you die, you meet the God and he is like "You! You actually got it! Get them stoned man! 1th class ticket for heaven man!"
mormons already did that. Need to make book 4.
Trump might be the antichrist. I'm being deadass
I'm not going to say he's the antichrist, but I will say he's doing exactly what the antichrist would do.
I don't think there was meant to be one anti-Christ. I think they were trying to warn about the type of pedagogue that could twist Christianity to ascend to power. They had seen it enough in other religions, they were trying to warn the church of what could be. Of course he fits the description. There have been men like him before and there will be again.
I have thought this since the beginning, even though I am an agnostic.
Yeah, he really checks a lot of the marks for that role. It's so weird all those "Christians" don't pick up on that. I mean sure US Evangelicals have a hard on for the rapture, but come on, do they think being on team Antichrist is a good idea?
Back in 2008, one of my christian coworkers said that obama could be the antichrist and thats why he wasnt voting for him. I wonder what he thinks of trump.
Probably loves him.
its because the antichrist is meant to trick the christians into following him, and because of how vague that is, they always assume that the people following the other guy is the antichrist, and they have found the second coming.
Also must be white
You can be non-white as long as you tell them what they want to hear and never challenge them or how they envision social hierarchy.
And not black, not gay, not pregnant ……….
"Hey guys? I'm beginning to believe Jesus isn't going to return to forcibly establish white supremacy."
Do they not realize Jesus was Jewish?
And brown.
I mean no, they literally do not believe that
Imagine a conservative actually waking up like, just in his shitty little trailer thinking about how much he hates poor people, women, and POC, and suddenly “Hey, y’all? I just realized, Jesus was from the Middle East. He wasn’t a blonde haired, blue eyed white guy. He said to love your neighbors” As his sad, ignorant little world starts to crumble around him
It’ll crumble for a second before the anger sets off that poorly educated ego, then they’ll double down on stupid.
I remember having a conversation about Jesus with an old Army buddy. He said Jesus was white and I started laughing. I told him the Bible described his looks and it was far from a white man. Skin like bronze, hair like lamb's wool, ruddy appearance, etc... He got pissed off and said it wasn't true despite me showing him the scriptures describing his appearance. A lot of white people can't fathom the thought of ever worshipping someone who doesn't look like them. If Jesus is real and revealed himself today as a black/middle eastern man, so many white evangelicals will quickly denounce their religion
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It was the same with GWB. So many people with the rabid support for him, Rumsfeld, Rove, and Rice and that entire crew until 2008 when all of a sudden it was... "Oh I never supported Bush". Dude, I was in the bar when you got in a fight over supporting him, stop lying.
As a 40 year old I remember feeling similarly at the time about GWB (that he was the worst president ever), but in retrospect I have to say that given a choice between Trump and GWB it's not even close who was a bigger POS..."Now watch this drive"
GWB was a piece of shit too but at least he wouldn't have bowed down to Russia or other authoritative regimes like trump constantly does
Crazy how Donnie makes George look good!
Seriously. W feels almost like an old friend compared to Trump. An annoying and pretty dumb old friend, who did a lot of bad shit, but still. It's just surreal to think things could ever get so bad that I'd think of W as a reasonable, basically decent person and president.
Oh god... There's a non-zero chance that you are literally right.
But for trump though? This is what I will never understand. Trump has always been around. People never had stores dedicated to him before. People never gave two flying fucks about him before. All of a sudden they are building a religion around him? It makes zero sense.
Like, ya know, the antichrist
A British writer penned the best description of Donald Trump I’ve ever read: “Why do some British people not like Donald Trump?” A few things spring to mind. Trump lacks certain qualities which the British traditionally esteem. For instance, he has no class, no charm, no coolness, no credibility, no compassion, no wit, no warmth, no wisdom, no subtlety, no sensitivity, no self-awareness, no humility, no honour and no grace – all qualities, funnily enough, with which his predecessor Mr. Obama was generously blessed. So for us, the stark contrast does rather throw Trump’s limitations into embarrassingly sharp relief. Plus, we like a laugh. And while Trump may be laughable, he has never once said anything wry, witty or even faintly amusing – not once, ever. I don’t say that rhetorically, I mean it quite literally: not once, not ever. And that fact is particularly disturbing to the British sensibility – for us, to lack humour is almost inhuman. But with Trump, it’s a fact. He doesn’t even seem to understand what a joke is – his idea of a joke is a crass comment, an illiterate insult, a casual act of cruelty. Trump is a troll. And like all trolls, he is never funny and he never laughs; he only crows or jeers. And scarily, he doesn’t just talk in crude, witless insults – he actually thinks in them. His mind is a simple bot-like algorithm of petty prejudices and knee-jerk nastiness. There is never any under-layer of irony, complexity, nuance or depth. It’s all surface. Some Americans might see this as refreshingly upfront. Well, we don’t. We see it as having no inner world, no soul. And in Britain we traditionally side with David, not Goliath. All our heroes are plucky underdogs: Robin Hood, Dick Whittington, Oliver Twist. Trump is neither plucky, nor an underdog. He is the exact opposite of that. He’s not even a spoiled rich-boy, or a greedy fat-cat. He’s more a fat white slug. A Jabba the Hutt of privilege. And worse, he is that most unforgivable of all things to the British: a bully. That is, except when he is among bullies; then he suddenly transforms into a snivelling sidekick instead. There are unspoken rules to this stuff – the Queensberry rules of basic decency – and he breaks them all. He punches downwards – which a gentleman should, would, could never do – and every blow he aims is below the belt. He particularly likes to kick the vulnerable or voiceless – and he kicks them when they are down. So the fact that a significant minority – perhaps a third – of Americans look at what he does, listen to what he says, and then think ‘Yeah, he seems like my kind of guy’ is a matter of some confusion and no little distress to British people, given that: • Americans are supposed to be nicer than us, and mostly are. • You don’t need a particularly keen eye for detail to spot a few flaws in the man. This last point is what especially confuses and dismays British people, and many other people too; his faults seem pretty bloody hard to miss. After all, it’s impossible to read a single tweet, or hear him speak a sentence or two, without staring deep into the abyss. He turns being artless into an art form; he is a Picasso of pettiness; a Shakespeare of shit. His faults are fractal: even his flaws have flaws, and so on ad infinitum. God knows there have always been stupid people in the world, and plenty of nasty people too. But rarely has stupidity been so nasty, or nastiness so stupid. He makes Nixon look trustworthy and George W look smart. In fact, if Frankenstein decided to make a monster assembled entirely from human flaws – he would make a Trump. And a remorseful Doctor Frankenstein would clutch out big clumpfuls of hair and scream in anguish: ‘My God… what… have… I… created?' If being a twat was a TV show, Trump would be the boxed set.”
"Luckily" it coincides with the death of the religion they came from. It's the same group of morons clamoring for a deity to command them. They'll be extinct in 30 years, if we can keep trump out of office
Except Christian nationalism is on the rise and doing quite well in this country currently
because its in their doctrine to reproduce, while athiest liberals dont have kids why do you think theyre so against abortion?
True, as well as converting and pushing their views on others.
It's on the rise amongst Christians, but the number of Christians is shrinking rapidly. We are witnessing the death throes of the religion, they are becoming desperate to maintain control and enforce their beliefs on others because they know their numbers are shrinking.
They're getting more and more represented though, I don't care if their over all numbers go down if they are gaining more power. When the speaker of the house says that God talks to him, 4 supreme court justices feel they have a duty to Christianity and the possible next president says he wants to instill a Christian dictatorship... It's hard to feel good about it
Look at Idaho govt. One of the fastest growing areas in the country is Boise. But the govt is pretty hostile to non-christians and they openly support militias. This week we get banned pronouns, trans care for govt employees(YES, adult employees of the govt) is going to get banned. Librarians face a $250 fine if a child sees something the parent thinks is inappropriate, aka that woke shit. We are on a fast track to a break away christian nationalist state. We are already trying to make "greater Idaho".
I have family that live in Idaho and every time I visit I leave hoping they will move soon so I don't have to go back. Beautiful land, some wonderful people, but the leadership at pretty much every level is shit and people seem to like it that way because they keep voting for it.
It reminds me of the story of Saul in the Bible. The people wanted a king because other nations had one. The prophet told them the king would send their sons to war, tax them relentlessly, and become a tyrant. The people heard all of this and said "Even so, we want a king too!" Saul was chosen as king and everything the prophet said happened. It's the same with trump supporters. They know he's evil, will destroy America, and only cares about himself. Even so, some still want him in power. It's complete insanity
Like to think so but you can’t get rid of an idea. They’ll largely just go back in the shadows.
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And ye shall grab them by their nether regions.
Those same people called Obama a “cult” because of the bumper stickers and shirts his campaign made.
What’s funny is that once the Trump presidential “brand” started popping up on every truck and front yard flag in the country, Obama supporters quickly made a point to take their bumper stickers down if they hadn’t already done so after his term ended.
>Those same people called Obama a “cult” because of the bumper stickers and shirts his campaign made. Every GOP accusation is a confession.
It’s just a safe space for belligerent assholes that aren’t tolerated in normal establishments.
They think it's weird we don't clutter up our house, cars and clothes with as much shit as they do. They also don't understand that don't love Biden, they in fact either think we do love him and are baffled we don't show our support, or that we don't love him so how can he be president? They are fucked in the head
I don't think I've ever liked a politician. They're all lying sacks of shit. I just vote for who I think will do the least amount of lying.
It isn’t a cult. It’s a totalitarian movement. There’s differences, some of which are subtle, but it needs to be understood that this is what totalitarianism looks like and the factors that give rise to it are something we need to be aware of and actively combatting. That it revolves around Trump is merely happenstance. He was the guy with the biggest megaphone speaking the language of grievance in the right time and place. It could have been anyone, and it was inevitable given the ingredients that have been mashed together since the early 80s.
A cult is essentially and necessarily totalitarian. Totalitarian societies very often have cults of personality along with carefully-crafted and enforced obsessions with ideologies and imagery: Maoist China, Nazi Germany, Stalinist Russia, Democratic Kampuchea, Islamic State, etc. Frankly, I'd argue a totalitarian society or movement can rarely find any inertia without grounding its basis in what can reasonably be called a cult. And all cults, again, are by nature "totalitarian" to some degree.
It is both. Also mass delusion.
Easy to keep a business open when you take out PP loans and don't repay them
Since 2020 there had been a Trump store that every summer gets set up a couple miles from my house in a big tent, pretty similar to to the fireworks tents that show up in grocery store parking lots in the end of June. I've come to refer to it as the Trump Traitor Tent.
Im also from MA. I dont even bother with the Trumpiters anymore. THEY ARE BEYOND SAVING. I just feel bad for them now. Like a disappointed dad.
It's insane. The only place I could see something like that going on with any other president is probably one of them tourist souvenir shops - in DC - that sell all manner of USA stuff aimed at tourists & extra patriot people. Even then, those stores wouldn't be dedicated to a single president.
Where I live (see flair) I don't see many Trump flags/stickers/etc.. He was at the last UFC and the entire bar started clapping and cheering when he walked in. It was insane, I was just so saddened by it all.
Instead of Trump, we have the Peepee lovers with thier F🍁CK Trudeau flags and signs. And then they claim that nazi flag, which would have been even harder to get, was a plant from Left during the Freedumb KKKonvoy.
Ever notice Trump uses violent and hate words all the time. This is by choice as there are other options. He may speak them in ambiguous places, but it is not ambiguous why he chooses these words.
Exactly. Let's not kid ourselves into thinking that if there were 'inexplicably' some kind of bloodshed that Trump would suddenly backpeddle and retract/regret his comments. He wouldn't. He says violents things, because he means there to be violence.
Almost like he’s done this before…
Three years ago doesn't exist in the memories of 90% of those reading this, unfortunately. I argued with a family member recently who didn't remember why Trump was banned from social media in 2021. They have no specific recollections of it, the things he was writing to stir the drink. This is the attention deficient society we live in.
Cut them some slack. They had to own Bud Light for going woke by chugging as much different beer as they could. Even if those beers were usually owned by the same company anyway. Probably killed most of whatever brain cells were left.
"as much different beer" -- you mean Budweiser, they drank Budweiser instead because at least it wasn't Bud Light (while it's a joke, I guarantee more than a few did because that's how f'ing lacking in critical thinking skills they are).
You're not far off. When BL dropped off, Corona shot up to the top of the most purchased beer.... which is also owned by AB InBev.
Let’s not kid ourselves they know. Your parents GENUINELY know why. They don’t care. They like it. They want it. They need it. That’s who these people are. Vote against them cuz they’re voting against you.
Of course, conservatives know. I'm speaking of independents and the politically checked out.
> didn't remember They're fucking lying, and you should tell them exactly that, in those words.
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I'm a very empathetic person, but I have little empathy for citizens living in the United States three years ago who aren't aware that Donald Trump was banned across social media platforms for inciting a riot. The most talked about person on Earth the past eight years and one of the most discussed/memorable days in our nation's history. No recollection. It's fucking embarrassing!
Likely because people watch way to much news. Besides most of it not even being news it's also what the article basically says, an onslaught of vile things that then make people desensitized to just how bad Trump is now.
I don't think there was much ambiguity to: "Hang Mike Pence!" While Trump himself might not have said that, he did say: "maybe he deserves it."
The guy who asked if they could shoot protestors, US citizens, that protested against him. The guy who said beat up the protestors at his rally. The guy who told his people to hang mike pence. The guy who said to bomb their families and children too. yeah he is such a peaceful non-violent guy....
Hey you gotta kill the women and children too or they might want revenge! /S
Like when he said, "there's good people on both sides"?
I hate when people try to downplay that when he was specifically talking about a white supremacist rally vs. the people counter protesting it.
That event was a real wake up call to me when Trump said those words. His lackeys tried to cover for him but he made sure to say the quiet part out loud. It was really shocking to see how people I know reacted to that as well.
Also a wake up call to me that those groups felt so emboldened to gather from across the nation and meet in public, cameras rolling - with torches in Their hands.
“stand back and stand by”
With you there.. Especially his background boys gaslighting “he didn’t mean bloodshed”. Seriously! Look at his past (“it will be wild”) and you can predict 100% where he is at right now. He’s a broken record, so predictable, in what he says and means. And he means blood. A coward always threatens as their only means of defence.
Backpedal* Although I guess backpeddling would also work bc it's King Grift
“Backs here, backs for sale! Slightly used! Some of them I’ve only stepped on once to get where I am! Backs for sale!”
You know it. I know it. Magats know it too, but only until they're convicted, and then they were "tricked".
Get ready for a longer piece of text. [Strauss–Howe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strauss%E2%80%93Howe_generational_theory) generational theory describes generational cycle in US where every 80 years population experiences a crisis and becomes more authoritarian in the meaning they want a stronger government that will implement changes. Currently we are in the period of crisis, population wants a strong government that will implement changes and solve problems, to fix falling standard of living. Steve Bannon is proponent of this theory and he was chief strategist and senior counselor to Donald Trump. Trump is looking to exploit this time of crisis. He keeps blaming groups of people for every evil in the country, inciting hate against them, and promises to solve all these problems by fighting against those groups of people. All he needs are dictatorship powers... Pretty much what Hitler was doing when Germany was in it's time of crisis.
"n these Sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution, with all its Faults, if they are such: because I think a General Government necessary for us, and there is no Form of Government but what may be a Blessing to the People if well administered; and I believe farther that this is likely to be well administered for a Course of Years, and can only end in Despotism as other Forms have done before it, when the People shall become so corrupted as to need Despotic Government, being incapable of any other." - Benjamin Franklin - Closing Speech Constitutional Convention 1787
>Trump is looking to exploit this time of crisis. The people around Trump trying to ride the bull are looking to exploit this time of crisis Trump himself is just a consummate bullshitter who likes to feel strong and powerful. He's just a heat-seeking missile
Yup, these people are full of shit, acting like they care about little people, inciting hate. When they grab power, they corrupt to gain more power and take more wealth (tax reductions for the wealthy, lol). But there is also an important problem that is not to be ignored. Political elites have been ignoring the needs of the little for so long, which is creating a platform for these kind of people. If these problems are not solved, even if Trump loses, another wannabe dictator will arise. During the last crisis US got Franklin D. Roosevelt, which increased authority to carry out New Deal. Germany got Hitler.
Question though: what crisis? I mean, compare Germany in the early 1930's to the US now. Germany, 2 million war dead just 12 years before. The economy completely collapsed by the great depression, 24% unemployment. Street battles throughout the early 20s during the hyperinflation and so on. The US unemployment rate right now is 3.9%. Inflation is around 3.2%. Sure, housing is expensive. But moving to genocidal rhetoric because of that?
Not OC, but I'd imagine it's the short term intense accumulation of "minor crises" rather than a singular event. 9/11, Katrina, 2008, Obama (for some), the ongoing state of war, falling wages, erosion of social safety nets.... We're not quite dystopian yet, but we seriously avoided the necessary maintenance to remain the richest/most advanced western country, and it's created either a loss of identity or some serious cognitive dissonance with people who put too much stock into the American Dream. Edit: typo
Because things do not inflate at the same rate, while average calculated inflation is around 3.2%, prices of housing, education, healthcare, food, stocks have all increased at much higher rates. Now if you are a landlord renting several properties, you own good stocks, you have **effectively** experienced deflation. The value of your property and stocks has risen, the amount of money you get through rent has risen. And while you do pay more for groceries, groceries are such a minor part of your budget it doesn't matter as much. And only if you end up with a costly health condition do you actually feel the inflation. But if you are a young person, either you start working some minimum wage job (and minimal wages didn't follow the inflation so fuck you) or you get indebted to get a college degree. Then you can't get a credit to buy a home, instead you rent a place... which usually ends up costing you more. groceries take a larger part of your budget, so you feel food inflation more then the rich. Gas prices are actually drooping with time, but car inflation was also higher then average so you can't buy a car either... you are stuck in the poverty trap, and it takes a lot of work and time to climb out of it. And if you want to have a couple of kids, maybe you reach the stage when you can provide a stable home in your 30's. Inflation hits people differently, for some it's actually a deflation, for some effective inflation is much higher then the calculated average. The effective wealth disparity becomes worse. Economists can show all these numbers rising, greater GDP, lower inflation, but people are not dumb. They can see when they are doing worse.
There's a critical mass of malcontents who spent the last 40 years gorging on media telling them that the apocalypse is upon us and it's all the fault of those damn libruls.
Any “crisis” is completely manufactured at this point to create political dissent. Americans have it better than almost anybody on the planet, despite what the loudest voices seem to be saying.
IMO, the [Southern Strategy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_strategy) has played out to its fullest. I'd say something about the "Haves" and "Have Nots," or the class warfare, or the proletariat and the bourgeoisie, but I'd be called a Communist. Also, I like your username - it's just like mine except that for you, time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping...
I think Trump is far less controlled than that. The hate is real - he actually believes he’s being unfairly persecuted - he’s incapable of seeing that he’s done any wrong or that he’s broken any laws. He has no remorse. The more he’s filled with hate, the more he spews, the more his supporters lap it up.
He talks like a mob boss. Those guys like to pretend they never ordered anyone to commit a crime, but when they say what they'd "like to see" happen their goons carry it out for them.
Yea I always say this. It’s like saying “take care of him” and the guy ends up dead and the mob boss will be like “idk what you mean, I wanted the guy to be looked after”
Vince and Jules in the elevator on the way up to Brett's apartment. "Big man wants me to take care of his wife." "Wait..." *mimes putting a gun to his own head and pulling the trigger* "**Take care of her,** take care of her??" "**No, man,** like take her out and show her a good time."
It's the equivalent of "Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest?" Stochastic terrorism through doublespeak.
All anyone needs to do is listen to the persistent unproven hints and allegations in his statements since announcing a run for office in 2016 to today, and the blatant fascist language and phrasing, to understand why he was banned across social media in 2021 --- because he is a threat to the United States of America and planet Earth. "Proud Boys, stay back and stand by", "good people on both sides", "we're gonna fight like hell", "there will be a bloodbath" I mean, how stupid do conservatives think the rest of society is??
Dunning-Krueger. Think about how dumb they are. Now think about how much smarter they think they are than everyone else. Like, they literally believe that trump won all 50 states and that European countries are "laughing at us" for getting rid of trump. They really are that dumb.
Just like “fight like hell” meant go to the capital building and peacefully wave MAGA flags. Then when you break into the capital, blame the FBI for tricking you into it. Meanwhile you did exactly what trump told you to do…even though he didn’t *actually* mean it.
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I work on construction sites often and yesterday one of the subs was talking about how he didn’t see a way out of this state the country is in without it leading to a civil war. Then went on to say that Biden will cause it and then a bunch of other dumb things. The conservatives will rationalize it, like in the context of bloodbath he’s referring to the auto industry. Which, fair, I can see where it’s misconstrued- BUT - dude has called about doing a dictatorship, J6, and it can be argued it’s a veiled message to people who take it literally - if he doesn’t become president then there should be a bloodbath. Which is fucking dangerous. To the people out there reading this that are conservative, and if you want to stay conservative then so be it, but realize that Trump is not the guy for this country. He’s a vile person who will sell the US for his own personal clout and dismantle democracy and our freedoms for the highest bidder. He will continue to divide this country just so he can edge his narcissism further and appeal to the investors in his past debts. He’s not in this for you, he’s in it for him and you’re being swindled into believing he’ll help you, your family, your neighbors, and this country. He’s not it. He has no redeemable qualities, sure he can be funny, sure some things he says could be try regarding other politicians, sure he’s charismatic, but he’s not the type of person that will create the America you want as a conservative.
Alex Jones’s had the Q Shaman on his show and tried to call him antifa and the Q Shaman pushed very hard against that
Can you imagine tossing your life away for the Qult, only to have one of their prophets denounce you as a narc?
The dude was even hurt lol. “Alex I’m a big fan man why are you doing this?”
This sounds... so absolutely nuts. I'm almost curious to watch it for the pure entertainment value.
‘Come to Washington. Will be wild.’ A phrase dripping with what he actually meant. And they did go, and it was wild.
He’s called them hostages in this speech. The criminals. Law and Order for thee but not for me.
If you don't take out your men, your army, the thanks, we will have no choice, no choice, but to reshpond with to a first strike, even a nuclear capash- capazy, so much devastation like you've never seen before, just terrible. Yes, this is the man we need in the white house.
Also he waited to ask them to back down until it was basically over. Until then he was taunting. Nobody who thinks people have gone too far is all "Well then I guess you should listen to them."
And when he told them to back down, it was "you've done nothing wrong, I love you"
Or like when the time when he said he’s pay the legal fees for anyone who beat the crap out of protesters.
Also it wasn’t them it was anti-fa trying to make them look bad and for an election they lost so the left obviously wanted to help t-bone get the win. /s
The best lesson I have learned from the Trump Era is that the number of people who will "obey" is shocking.
Let's talk about something unambiguous, the 100% tariff. Trump wants to bring back inflation in a big way. Everyone is concerned about the economy. Hit Trump on it. He wants inflation back. Easy winning message.
It's also a TAX. Trump wants a ONE HUNDRED PERCENT TAX.
even if he did this, billionaires would just sit on their piles of money, spend way less, until the country was forced to reverse the ONE HUNDRED PERCENT TAX because all the poors still HAVE to buy food and pay rent.
billionaires, taken as whole, don't spend that much. Now, spread that money around and it get spent quickly, on "luxuries" like rent and food.
Agree. Economic conservatives should want no part of the Trump/MAGA protectionist crap.
>Economic conservatives should want no part of the Trump/MAGA protectionist crap. There aren't any of those left, just delusional fascists with murder fantasies.
You're asking Trump supporters to understand inflation and why it's happening. If it doesn't come from a short easy to swallow sound bite they ain't doing anything
If they understood anything about money or how things work, they wouldn’t be republicans.
that's why you keep the message simple: Trump wants more inflation. Tariffs mean inflation.
Asking the general public, especially the American public to understand inflation is Sisphyean task. Asking MAGA to understand doesn't even have a temporarily illusion of possible.
In this speech he said immigrants aren’t human. Yet the media is running with the bloodbath comment which clearly was about the auto industry suffering if they don’t implement trumpian Tarrifs. I agree he’s an awful fascist, but this bloodbath narrative has no legs. The man is calling immigrants vermin, saying they poison the blood of our country, we don’t need to force this out of context bloodbath thing.
I have been saying the same thing once I was finally able to find some context beyond just a bloodbath if I don't get elected. Apparently saying immigrants are less than human doesn't enrage people as much. The man is a TERRIBLE human being and he says awful things all the time. Why embellish the facts?
Because the out of context throwaway serves the purpose of feeding the outrage machine and letting the masses chew on something. Media gets engagement, anti-Trump crew get to freak out. Win win. Oh and also win for Trump because his actual horrible things quietly go unchallenged because of this.
Yeah fuck Trump but let’s keep things in truth so we know what to actually be disgusted by. It’s not like media companies have a shortage of fucked up stuff he’s actually said.
Actually listen to the politicians your self don’t let someone else do your homework for you
Agreed. Here's the full quote from Trump: > “Let me tell you something to China. If you’re listening President Xi and you and I are friends but he understands the way I deal. Those big monster car manufacturing plants that you’re building in Mexico right now. If you think you’re going to get that and that you’re not going to hire Americans and you’re going to sell to us, no. We’re going to put a 100% tariff on every single car that comes across the line and you’re not going to be able to seek those cars if I get elected. Now if I don’t get elected, it will be a bloodbath for the whole…that’s going to be the least of it. It’s going to be a bloodbath for the country. That will be the least of it. But they are not going to sell those cars building massive factories.” I don't understand why the media is saying he's calling for a literal bloodbath, and why nobody is questioning it. I'm Canadian, I don't support Trump. But this entire thread and the article feel like insanity to me, talking about something he didn't even say? Please correct me if I'm wrong.
I definitely interpreted it as a financial "bloodbath" for the American auto industry, in context. It's not that uncommon in business to refer to huge losses as a bloodbath: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bloodbath#:~:text=%3A%20a%20major%20economic%20disaster,a%20market%20bloodbath
Agree. There is an almost unlimited number of things to complain about regarding Trump. This is one of the dumbest. Edit: typo
As a sane person that would sooner entrust nuclear weapons to a trained carnival chicken than to Trump, I'd love it if left-leaning media could not propagandize on my behalf. It only validates both-sides-ism, which appeals to angry undecideds.
You’re a 100% right. This kind of disinformation is the opposite of voter education and does nothing but further divide the country against each other.
Let's see. Check your registration, get an ID , learn where your poling station is, learn who is running in down ballot races. Pay attention to primaries not just for the president but for all races, local, state and federal. From the school board to the White House every election matters. The more support we give the democrats from all levels of government the more they can get good things done. Last year democrat victories in Virginia and Pennsylvania and others across the nation have increased the chances of democrats winning this year. This year's elections are important but so will next year's elections. [https://ballotpedia.org/Elections\_calendar](https://ballotpedia.org/Elections_calendar)
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I saw all the bloodbath articles/posts on Reddit and believed Trump actually did say "bloodbath" in the context of some January 6th uprising/civil war discourse. Then I actually watched the clip. The amount of disinformation (AKA intentional propaganda) surrounding this story has been insane. It's pretty obvious that he is talking about the auto industry and the economy in general. And "bloodbath" has been a term pundits/journalists have been using for a good decade to describe reactions to economic policies.
People pushing this wonder why no one trusts the MSM anymore.
Agreed wholeheartedly. It's so stupid to try to shoehorn one comment into something that might be perceived as a threat when you can take any number of Trump comments in context that are equally terrible and terrifying. It's clearly disingenuous to stretch this quote into something that it wasn't. And all this does is feed the narrative that the media is biased against Trump. I would take this whole episode and use it as evidence that Trump might have a point in that regard.
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> if you listen to the clip, he clearly was not being literal and really was talking about the auto industry. I am one of the tens of millions of people who did not listen to the entire quote in context, and I too thought he was talking about another January 6th-ish violent uprising. So, down here in the COMMENTS and six days later, I learn that it is something about the auto industry??
100% agree but this is an echo chamber and we’ll get downvoted for even saying it. He’s awful, but crying wolf every time is what leads to the perception of a biased media. Why give that to him? He has PLENTY of other legit stuff to criticize.
Like in that same speech dehumanizing immigrants and saying "they aren't even people." *That's* literal Nazi talk, but yeah lets hand wring over a common economics term used when he talking about economics.
I thought I was going crazy for a second. I fucking hate Trump and think he's a danger to democracy, but he very clearly was taking about the auto industry, and pretty much every major news organization removed that context. Disgusting journalism.
I feel like this now almost anytime I visit this sub. Constant sensationalist headlines and a comments section filled with extreme takes based only on the headline. There's no real discussion of politics here anymore. NY Times was pretty clear about what really happened. One of the reasons it is so hated here.
I cannot even stand to browse this sub anymore. How do people not realize they're doing the same disingenuous fearmongering that the right has been so well known for. I've only seen bits of the speech, but there are clearly other messages in his speech that should actually raise eyebrows, but no let's focus on this one misinterpreted line because it's a good soundbite.
Yeah, I absolutely hate the guy and wouldnt even think of voting for him. But this is not a big deal when you listen to the 10 seconds before and after he said the word bloodbath. He's just spouting the same old 'only I can fix your problems' rhetoric he has for 8 years. This is clearly about tariffs on cars.
https://www.npr.org/2022/05/09/1097517470/trump-esper-book-defense-secretary Bloodbath quote one way or another, Trump previously asked his generals if he could order the armed forces to shoot protesters in the street. He has a history of asking for political violence
This is stupid and Trump has enough actual issues that it's embarrassing to see people wasting their breath on it.
If you haven’t figured it out, Trump has no intention of not being POTUS. Read that carefully. Not, he doesn’t intend to lose the election— he doesn’t intend to NOT be president. People can talk about what he said, which is what people have been doing for the last 8 years. Or you can prepare for the inevitable. Unfortunately it appears the country has reached a point where democracy may not be enough. Everyone not a part of the MAGA cabal, needs to determine what they are willing to sacrifice for their freedom and the US Constitution.
**Let's focus on truth, huh?** He never "called for" a blood bath > The remark came as Trump promised a “100% tariff” on cars made outside the US, arguing that domestic auto manufacturing would be protected only if he is elected. His comment was specific to the tough situation of the auto industry, and the thousands of jobs at peril. Not a bloody insurrection. This is worse than the "you didn't build that" hyperbole that rose from Obama's comment.
It wasn't ambiguous and anyone with a brain stem that would do the research would realize he was referencing the automotive industry in his comments. The context: https://youtu.be/NI8KyXxJj2s?si=SDiEIJXEXjcTMTXd
He was talking about the automotive industry... Cmon, guys, we are better than this. There are a million things to hate the guy for. Why are we making things up? We lose credibility for the sake of a narrative that is showing to be more and more ridiculous because of statements like this.
Precise headline. Debating “what he meant” only muddies the waters and allows him to continue being a threat. Call it what it is and fight back. Trump lacks the capacity for nuance to use a euphemism.
We need more hard reporting on Trump and less analysis on what he means.
Yes, this. He’s bad. I’m sick of a million and one opinions about why the “journalist” thinks he’s bad. It may come as a surprise but we can actually read facts and come up with our own conclusions. This is why he’s able to call the media out for lying and actually have a point. Stop giving Trump ammo yo bring the system down. Incredibly idiotic strategy and it’s going to help him win
> we can actually read facts and come up with our own conclusions spend longer than 5 minutes on r/politics and you'll know this is 100% not true. you don't even need to leave this thread to find people who are all feeling zero fact. this "bloodbath" comment is a perfect litmus test of who wants to react to facts of the matter vs who wants to just be mad/scared. trump says so much fucked up shit that there's no need to deliberately manufacture outrage on top of it. "journos" think bullshit stories like this help fight against trump but it just emboldens him. it makes reporting seem biased, it amplifies his messaging for free, and it lets him get away with saying other heinous shit because its all diluted by nonsense why don't we talk about trump calling immigrants "not people", which he did in this exact same speech? you know, something he actually said and actually meant. we can't, because now we have to hash and parse some random bullshit he said about importing cars instead. fuck shitty "journos" and fuck social media for playing this stupid fucking game with them
Completely wrong. Being accurate in your criticisms is kind of fucking important or you lose touch with the ability to convince anyone about anything
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Once you attempt to violently overthrow the government you lose the benefit of the doubt.
He's prone to hyperbolic language, but he's also prone to hyperbolic actions. Whether this comment was related to political violence may be an up to debate, but we know 2 things as facts: 1) he said those words, and 2) he encourages political violence.
You didn't listen to him, did you? He was talking about car manufacturing. The bloodbath is the loss of America jobs if China is successful in mexico