When considering the affluent white American demographic blithely ignoring the corrosion of democracy, I can't help but be reminded of the Martin Niemoller poem ("First they came for the Socialists....."). It's painful to witness the lack of concern by people like this and their inability (or refusal) not to recognize that they too will ultimately pay the ultimate price that others are already facing.
Right now, African Americans, other people of color, and undocumented people are the heat shield both protecting our democracy while illuminating its fleeting nature. And frankly, I'm tired of black people and those from other marginalized groups doing the heavy lifting for our democratic ideals that many white people take for granted. When will wealthy white Americans and for that matter many other people truly recognize what's at stake? (this is a rhetorical question, not one I expect a real answer for).
I am confident that we as a nation will pull through this mess, but it's much harder and will take much longer than necessary because of the massive complacency around us. We'll see what happens in the long run, especially when the confidently complacent themselves get smashed by the jack booted authoritarianism that Trump, Barr, Miller, et. al. are lusting for.
This is an excellent column. I saw Bob Woodard on 60 minutes last night and what he said was extraordinary. I made a comment on a WaPo article about Trump's visit to Nevada and a few men replied to comments I made and they were obvious members of Trump's cult (as Michael Cohen called it). They ranged from claiming that the virus is a hoax, that not many people have died from COVID-19, that Trump is the best president we've ever had (, I had replied to a comment that said he is the worst president we've ever had and that he was a POS), that democrats want socialism and Marxism to take over America, and numerous other comments by them. I replied to these men with facts and science-based information and eventually stopped replying to them because it was useless. However, the man who said it was a hoax didn't refute the information I gave him. Thank you for your hard work. I appreciate and enjoy your columns! 😍
Like you I believe tr$mp never says anything that's not a lie. So that got me thinking. Wonder if what he said to Woodward with respect to knowing about the corona virus in February is also a lie. Maybe he actually knew about it in 2019. (Jus sayin.) Why wouldn't he lie to Woodward as well. And who is the person who said something like democracy is the best form of government if you can keep it? Seems we're on the brink of losing it.
When Woodward speaks out you know "shit's gotten real".
"Many Americans, even now, tend to take democracy for granted. "
Truth. Most folks (around here anyway) seem to care more about things like high school and collegiate athletics and sports stats than working to do their civic duties and stay informed. And all those I know who were incessant cheerleaders for Trump and McConnell on social media in 2016 are no longer interested in discussions about politics.
He said that he didn't know if the facts Trump gave him were true. As a journalist who was writing a book, he had to verify the facts. Trump should have done the right thing and told us in February about the dangers of the virus. Many thousands of lives would have been saved if he had done this. Instead, he continued to lie and has continued to have super spreader rallies where people don't wear masks or practice social distancing, and he knows that his supporters could get the virus. He only cares about himself. I realize that you probably know these things but I needed to express them. I hope you and everyone else are voting this year, because our lives depend on it. Take care, Dan! 💜😍
I get so tired of people saying 'Trump should have' done this or said that. It's not in his nature and never has been. Might as well say my cat should bark at burglars. Trump's handling of COVID, as with everything else, the sadism is the point. Hurting people and even being responsible for their deaths feels good to him. He believes that's what real power is.
I was actually referring to the fact Woodward already wrote a book about Trump that was published in 2018; that was his opportunity to state the obvious. He had another opportunity to reveal Trump's duplicity in April or May, after his book went to press. He didn't.
And yes, our lives may literally depend on what happens over the next 50 days. Vote early and often.
Thanks for the clarification, Dan. He couldn't have discussed COVID-19 in his last book, because it didn't exist then. I don't remember anything about his 2018 book about Trump, but it sounds like you're saying that he didn't say that Trump was a liar. Don't do what Trump said to do, which is to vote twice (if I remember correctly, voting often happened in Chicago many years ago). .
When considering the affluent white American demographic blithely ignoring the corrosion of democracy, I can't help but be reminded of the Martin Niemoller poem ("First they came for the Socialists....."). It's painful to witness the lack of concern by people like this and their inability (or refusal) not to recognize that they too will ultimately pay the ultimate price that others are already facing.
Right now, African Americans, other people of color, and undocumented people are the heat shield both protecting our democracy while illuminating its fleeting nature. And frankly, I'm tired of black people and those from other marginalized groups doing the heavy lifting for our democratic ideals that many white people take for granted. When will wealthy white Americans and for that matter many other people truly recognize what's at stake? (this is a rhetorical question, not one I expect a real answer for).
I am confident that we as a nation will pull through this mess, but it's much harder and will take much longer than necessary because of the massive complacency around us. We'll see what happens in the long run, especially when the confidently complacent themselves get smashed by the jack booted authoritarianism that Trump, Barr, Miller, et. al. are lusting for.
This is an excellent column. I saw Bob Woodard on 60 minutes last night and what he said was extraordinary. I made a comment on a WaPo article about Trump's visit to Nevada and a few men replied to comments I made and they were obvious members of Trump's cult (as Michael Cohen called it). They ranged from claiming that the virus is a hoax, that not many people have died from COVID-19, that Trump is the best president we've ever had (, I had replied to a comment that said he is the worst president we've ever had and that he was a POS), that democrats want socialism and Marxism to take over America, and numerous other comments by them. I replied to these men with facts and science-based information and eventually stopped replying to them because it was useless. However, the man who said it was a hoax didn't refute the information I gave him. Thank you for your hard work. I appreciate and enjoy your columns! 😍
Like you I believe tr$mp never says anything that's not a lie. So that got me thinking. Wonder if what he said to Woodward with respect to knowing about the corona virus in February is also a lie. Maybe he actually knew about it in 2019. (Jus sayin.) Why wouldn't he lie to Woodward as well. And who is the person who said something like democracy is the best form of government if you can keep it? Seems we're on the brink of losing it.
When Woodward speaks out you know "shit's gotten real".
"Many Americans, even now, tend to take democracy for granted. "
Truth. Most folks (around here anyway) seem to care more about things like high school and collegiate athletics and sports stats than working to do their civic duties and stay informed. And all those I know who were incessant cheerleaders for Trump and McConnell on social media in 2016 are no longer interested in discussions about politics.
That is assuming any of these folks actually understand the concept of, "civic duty."
Demonstrably, they do not.
Took him long enough.
He said that he didn't know if the facts Trump gave him were true. As a journalist who was writing a book, he had to verify the facts. Trump should have done the right thing and told us in February about the dangers of the virus. Many thousands of lives would have been saved if he had done this. Instead, he continued to lie and has continued to have super spreader rallies where people don't wear masks or practice social distancing, and he knows that his supporters could get the virus. He only cares about himself. I realize that you probably know these things but I needed to express them. I hope you and everyone else are voting this year, because our lives depend on it. Take care, Dan! 💜😍
I get so tired of people saying 'Trump should have' done this or said that. It's not in his nature and never has been. Might as well say my cat should bark at burglars. Trump's handling of COVID, as with everything else, the sadism is the point. Hurting people and even being responsible for their deaths feels good to him. He believes that's what real power is.
I was actually referring to the fact Woodward already wrote a book about Trump that was published in 2018; that was his opportunity to state the obvious. He had another opportunity to reveal Trump's duplicity in April or May, after his book went to press. He didn't.
And yes, our lives may literally depend on what happens over the next 50 days. Vote early and often.
Thanks for the clarification, Dan. He couldn't have discussed COVID-19 in his last book, because it didn't exist then. I don't remember anything about his 2018 book about Trump, but it sounds like you're saying that he didn't say that Trump was a liar. Don't do what Trump said to do, which is to vote twice (if I remember correctly, voting often happened in Chicago many years ago). .