Twice now, America has refused to elect a woman, even though she’s been highly qualified, and the alternative was the worst specimen of a man you could imagine, right down to boasting about it.
Women are never good enough to qualify. Men are never bad enough to disqualify. That’s what America is.
It's crazy how people did everything to discount the women candidates but then propped up insane rhetoric and stances with others... I don't know how anyone who was a Trump support (or RFK) supporter could have talked down to Kamala or Clinton supporters yet it happened constantly. I heard the word "shrill" more than I ever have before during the 2016 cycles - it's weird how certain buzzwords kept being brought up.
One has to wonder how much of that is the misogyny of early Christianity carried on forever. There was a gospel of Mary, apparently, which got expunged from the New Testament (or just never included) and put in the back of the cupboard.
It's probably worth noting that early Christians came from Judaism. The Old Testament has many examples of "men over women".
Unfortunately, while Christianity certainly thrives on misogyny, so does most of the world, either through religion or not. Some men who call themselves atheists are incredibly misogynistic. Misogyny is a symptom, but religion alone is not the cause.
Misogyny was present before Christianity. Religion itself is just a way to wield power and influence over a population. Folk belief that came before religion is less so. However, as I say, religion doesn't seem to be the cause of misogyny. The need for power seems to be the genesis point. But you could spend your life going back through recorded history and never get a true answer.
I want to keep talking about it, but I’m so tired. Tired of trying to get people to see what’s happening. Tired of being a good listener so I can understand. It’s going to be a long four years.
Me too. I'm not even sure I want to read about it, but I still do. However.....
If you believe that at the heart of every atom of our being is energy, then extrapolate that idea out, then think about the bulk of what's taking your focus off the everyday world around you - your life, your family, your work, your delights - you may discover that your energy is in the negative.
I refuse to worry about what's going on everywhere. I hate what's happening in Gaza, and totally loathe the Trump/Netanyahu coalition on the possible next step; homelessness and its partner hopelessness makes me sad; violence appalls me. But I refuse to dwell on any of it.
I'm often challenged by others' attitudes, and find those occasions try me to the utmost with regard to tolerance and patience, but I do believe that until I can love everything that enters my life, I'm adding to the world's woes.
That may sound very woo-woo and head in the clouds - and well, so be it.
The only thing we CAN control is how we react. Sometimes we can be triggered into a knee-jerk reaction, but the adult in us (if we let it) steps in to remind us that "this isn't helping anyone, not even you".
When this happens to me, the next step can get me smiling: I look around - it may be a small child taking wobbly steps; or a tree of a gorgeous shape; a clear blue sky - something to appreciate.
I am tired of my friends who have fallen for these crazy things telling me that I AM the deluded one and I don't have a clue what is really going on. That ignorance is bliss saying has never rang more true, I suppose. Hang in there!
Absolutely and completely out of fucks here. Not a single one left to give. The stupididty contagion has spread to the point that it is successfully carrying out a coup upon the government of the most powerful military nation on earth. Soon to be second most powerful, when China begins eating their lunch.
Enjoy what we can, while we can, before the christofascist fuckwits bring on their "Rapture" and present us all to their imaginary invisible friend and his imaginary invisible skydaddy for judgemdent. (While the few scattered clusters of survivors get to relearn over generations about toxins, diseases, in-breeding, mutations and genetics. If there are any survivors of the planetary cooking.)
Meanwhile our Anti 3 Waters cooker Mayor Vince is refusing to follow Director of Health compulsory water Fluoridation rules of our water here in Whangarei, AFTER receiving the funds to add the infrastructure to our treatment stations.
We don't have 'natural fluoride' levels in our waterways, just like we don't have iodine (the reason we have iodized salt nowadays) or silicone (think white muscle disease in sheep) available in our soils. But oh no the 'It's not natural!' Brigade are screaming about brain damage & non peer reviewed studies from your part of the world David.
I always reply Arsenic is natural! to their rants.
Now our Drunkle Uncle is in on the act & trying to pass a bill to override the directive & allow Councils to do what they want!? Wtaf!? We have the highest tooth decay in children here in Northland & he's calling his own cooker base voters to add to the health woes.
Gee aren't we lucky having our own JFK junior in power ...not!
Totally agree with your comments re flouride. We put iodine in bread because goitre started to reappear. ( Too many of us using non iodised salt. ) Yet at the same time we would not put folate in bread to protect our children against neural tube defects. Mass medication the talk back hosts shrilled. Yet folate, vit B9 is in grains and destroyed by the milling process. Iodine was fine because do not like to have a goitre. The then National government did not want to be a nanny state!! Labour government in their last term just did it and there was no fuss that I heard. Our soils are deficient in Boron and Selenium not silicone. It was called bush sickness and is why much of the central North Island was planted in pine forest as sheep did not do well. We now add it to the soil or through salt licks for stock health.
Thanks for your comment Laurie yes agree 100% with all you wrote.
Whoops yes it is selenium not silicone we are lacking, especially in the volcanic plateau soils - my Ag Degree soil fertility papers were a few years ago 😆
Yes I agree too. Have you ever seen a muscle-bound horse? They can’t move. The vet gives them a shot of selenium and they can immediately start walking. It’s amazing to see. I learned in that moment just how important these trace elements are.
Ahh yes Mayor Tartarello. Never thought he would get the brain worms but here we are. This must’ve been his 3rd+ attempt at becoming mayor, frequently losing out to ‘anyone else?’ candidates. I wonder if he owed a favour to the squeaky wheel brigade, because i guarantee if you firstly explained how fluoridation works and then asked the average voter, they would probably vote these idiotic ideas out…. Then again…
Right-wing grievance politics and conspiracy theories both boil down complex problems into simple narratives with simple solutions, so I guess it's not surprising they've started to merge. I think human being in general don't deal well with complexity and randomness (and I include myself in this).
I don't want people to die, and I don't people to suffer unnecessarily, but I think a lot of people in this country have been treating politics as just something that happens on TV, not something that effects their day to day lives. There were still some guardrails left during the first Trump administration, so thing didn't get as bad as they could have, even with COVID. Maybe if the economy crashes and we actually have to deal with the actual consequences of putting a senile sociopath in charge, we'll be less likely to do it again.
It's an awful spot to be in, but we have no one to blame but ourselves.
I'm hopeful that if the economy crashes then Trump gets some sort of blame for it - preferably equal to the amount of damage he's actually responsible for.
However, I don't see that happening based on Trump's past experiences.
I suspect that instead, the economy crashing will be blamed on all the usual culprits (immigrants, deep state, wokeness, trans people, lefties, socialists etc) and he'll effectively manage to portray himself as the victim in all of this.
That reminds me of quite an apt Frank Turner lyric - appropriately from a song called 1933: “The first time it was a tragedy, the second time it's a farce. Outside it's 1933, so I'm hitting the bar. […] Be suspicious of simple answers - That shit's for fascists (and maybe teenagers). You can't fix the world if all you have is a hammer.” (Or something to that affect)
I went to dinner in Auckland, and met, for the first time IRL a troll. This lunatic dentist. Who went on rants about fluoride (ironic), missing planes, Russia/ukraine etc. And when challenged, "do you really believe that". He would chuckle and laugh, and then start off on something else.
A man who wears MAGA hats for a laugh.
Not that we can't take a joke. But some things are not funny. This level of stupidity, willful stupidly. Is dangerous.
Somethings are not funny. If you had promoted the current scenario in the USA to a T V producer he would have dismissed it out of hand as being totally unbelievable.
The shit show just keeps getting shittier. I feel like we’re living in an infomercial, “ But wait! There’s more!
“ The people that voted for Trump don’t have the slightest clue what they’ve done. I was reading an article this afternoon where the writer said he was told by a Trump supporter you have to break a few eggs to make an omelette. That really sums up the supporters view point. They will watch this dumpster fire grow and grow. They are like that cartoon of the dog sitting in the fire going this is fine.
I keep holding onto hope that this whole thing will implode on itself and people will come to their senses, but that just isn’t happening. Something has to give.
In the most recent Armchair Expert - Dax was acting like the whole mask thing was overblown in the first place despite the fact it clearly slowed down infections and kept the numbers from exploding all at once. In fact, the worst part of the pandemic was early on when every bed was filling up quickly and the problem surely would have been exacerbated if no one wore masks.
I can see why, if any, animosity exists between you too - he's too interested in making everyone happy so that they will listen to his podcast but we don't need to cater to idiots.
EDIT: To add I know Dax wants all the vulnerable boys to feel welcome and that's great but I don't think questioning mask efficacy is the way to do that. Doctors, nurses and hospital staff wear masks to avoid infections and diseases spreading from others - even conservative doctors like my Dad.
I didn't get Covid until last year for the first time and it certainly would have been worse several years ago had I not ever worn a mask or taken any precautions.
I’ve always been a firm believer in the idea that you can tell a lot about a person by how they treat animals (and children for that matter). You don’t have to be a big animal lover. You don’t even have to particularly like them or even have a pet. But if you can’t respect them, understand their role on the planet, or feel that just because we are the dominant species that they are ours to do with as we will, then that makes me more likely to put you in the “bad person camp”.
A simple sentiment but a very good one all the same.
Reminds me a little of a recent DarkMatter2525 video I watched on YouTube about the Red Pill movement - loosely paraphrasing here - that one key identifier of toxic masculinity is someone who uses their power to dominate others and takes pleasure in watching or causing others' pain.
On the wider horizon, he's not the worst. The worst is the fact that Trump via Hegseth just told Putin that Ukraine is his, and that the only country which ever invoked NATO Article 5 will no longer honour it so he's free to carry straight on through Ukraine and into Poland and beyond.
If the people in charge in Europe have any brains at all they're about to start tooling up massively, and it may even start a new nuclear arms race as countries closer to the front no longer have any assurance that the US will ultimately back them up against the newly expansionary USSR.
And don't get me started on USAID...
RFK can kill the poorer or more gullible Americans. Hegseth and Musk can kill millions around the world.
It is already triggering a giant defense spending spree here in Germany... check out Helsing AI for example (https://www.techinasia.com/news/mistral-helsing-partner-to-develop-ai-for-defense). Which I don't think is a "good" thing but dear god I am grateful for that right now, I guess? My work colleagues in the Baltics are ready to mobilize any minute. It is so fucking surreal.
I totally understand that! Especially if there are kids involved. I have personally decided I am not going anywhere. I already feel guilty for having left the US 7 years ago - Germany is my home now and I'm going to face whatever happens here.
My concern is that here in New Zealand the Coalition of Chaos is following the exact same playbook. This is rapidly retreating from being a safe hatch here. Everyone is so focused on the $hitshow over there they aren’t seeing the same thing is happening here.
I’m hoping that will be our salvation. We are Trump lite - all 3 coalition nightmares have hitched their wagons to MAGA to some degree. They can take the fall for it here.
People have to know that this neo liberal nightmare is a totally selfish, toxic ideology that wrecks lives and should be relegated to the same bin as Hitler. It’s a crime against humanity now. They all need to go down for it.
Exactly. And now we have Seymour using the phrase “Radical Leftists” to describe Labour. My eyes rolled so far back the did a somersault. Anyone using that phrase to describe relatively conservative left wing parties can never be taken seriously. The Trumpisms are infiltrating political language everywhere. It’s revolting.
Every day another one of the plonkers - Seyless, Winnie, Jones & gutless Luxon does something outrageous & we're all here going WTAF?!
Like those who voted in the orange turnip I really hope the Nact voters are feeling responsible for releasing the Craken because they damn well should!
Although I'm not a huge fan of the National party I feel like at least in the Key and English years there was a lot more sensible stuff than what's currently on display.
Like increasing (not cutting) spending during a recession.
Or increasing spending on bike lanes to encourage people to get out of their cars and improve their health (and reduce congestion).
We (NZ) have to spend somewhere in the region of $1 trillion dollars over the next 30 years upgrading our infrastructure we've neglected for the past 40 years.
Yet, we have a construction sector that's twiddling it's thumbs because it's running out of work and dragging down the economy in the process.
Now is the time to turn on the tap and start chipping away at some of these problems but instead the coalition is doing the exact opposite.
It's absolute madness what they're doing, going all out with their neoliberal nonsense like austerity and privatisation.
I, too, feel like I want it all to burn down to the ground. But it's a complex feeling. I can see the impending suffering of my mom who will likely lose access to the healthcare and disability payments she depends on to survive; not sure she'll fare well as an immune-compromised person in the next pandemic without vaccines either. And this breaks my heart, but also that's what my whole family voted for.
Anyway, genuinely feels like every day I realize someone I know and thought was normal takes their mask off and reveals themselves to be brainwormed. Not the scooby-doo reboot we need, but maybe the one we deserve.
I feel the same way, Alex. If you asked me eight years ago if I wanted the system to contain Trump or let him run rampant, it would've been a no-brainer. Now I'm not so sure.
I can understand the sentiment of wanting to burn it down, but I have to disagree with it politely. I say that, because this is what the Trump administration is attempting to do right now. They want to dismantle and burn things down....and here's the biggest issue with that...with NOTHING in place to build it back up.
I'm all for starting fresh, but we have to have a plan to do that before we just start lighting the fires. I completely realize this is much easier said than done, and I certainly don't have the answers, but it's also really crappy to just deconstruct without any valid reconstruction plans.
But then again, maybe it will take a complete collapse in order to force something new to happen. It will be an exhausting, albeit interesting, next few years. I'm going to have to continue to just keep spreading kindness in my little bubble, both in person and digitally. Hugs to ya'll!
It seems all part of the Curtis Yarvin idea of a “reboot”that they want to lead to a different kind of government… so I also don’t welcome it burning down.
Yeah, that whole destroy-everything-so-something-beautiful-can-rise-from-the-ashes narrative requires a far, far more optimistic view of human nature than I have.
I hear that the US politicians are being bombarded with phone calls from angry constituents who do not want their representative to support the nonsense that Trump and Elon are doing. Those politicians have taken little notice of the public before, but maybe this onslaught will have an affect.
To me the way to defeat the anti-VAX are in charge of Health is to create an organisation outside of government by people for people A Health trust. Remember when AIDS was new and the government was not doing anything drugs were developed in Mexico and a group got together and created a buyers club to bring medications in to the USA.
State could do it by creating their own public health system to go around the Insurance insurance companies to produce proper healthcare for their citizens or a wealthy individual could provide some working capital to get a citizens group up and running to buy the medications people need an employee doctors to treat and diagnose.
I feel there is enough anger and disgust at the current state of affairs, all it would take is someone with leadership skills to make it happen.
A big People powered movement would turn the tide and change the direction. People would then be able to see that supporting each other and being a community is much better than living in a doggy dog society.
I totally agree. More and more I believe that this is where change will come from. Building community through grassroots activism, joining unions, protesting, volunteering.
Have you seen the documentary on the Act Up group and how they achieved it? How to Stop a Plague I think.
There is an excellent Ezra Klein clip knocking around saying "don't believe him" and breaking down the constant onslaught of noise we have right now. It is designed to make us switch off.
Twice now, America has refused to elect a woman, even though she’s been highly qualified, and the alternative was the worst specimen of a man you could imagine, right down to boasting about it.
Women are never good enough to qualify. Men are never bad enough to disqualify. That’s what America is.
It's crazy how people did everything to discount the women candidates but then propped up insane rhetoric and stances with others... I don't know how anyone who was a Trump support (or RFK) supporter could have talked down to Kamala or Clinton supporters yet it happened constantly. I heard the word "shrill" more than I ever have before during the 2016 cycles - it's weird how certain buzzwords kept being brought up.
One has to wonder how much of that is the misogyny of early Christianity carried on forever. There was a gospel of Mary, apparently, which got expunged from the New Testament (or just never included) and put in the back of the cupboard.
It's probably worth noting that early Christians came from Judaism. The Old Testament has many examples of "men over women".
Unfortunately, while Christianity certainly thrives on misogyny, so does most of the world, either through religion or not. Some men who call themselves atheists are incredibly misogynistic. Misogyny is a symptom, but religion alone is not the cause.
But then, how many atheists were brought up by God-fearing (I was going to say God-bothering, lol) people?
Although I agree misogyny seems to be everywhere, I really feel it got its start through religions. I may be totally wrong, of course.
Misogyny was present before Christianity. Religion itself is just a way to wield power and influence over a population. Folk belief that came before religion is less so. However, as I say, religion doesn't seem to be the cause of misogyny. The need for power seems to be the genesis point. But you could spend your life going back through recorded history and never get a true answer.
Yes, a monumental waste of the present moment.
Is it really RFK Jr who's the Secretary of Health, or is it the brain-eating amoeba worm that's now controlling his body?
personally I would feel better if it was the worm who was the secretary of health.
100% agree with you!
An Alien brain parasite in Washington, just in case you haven’t seen this. It’s pretty brilliant. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4877736/
It may be the worm who has taken over his body and is now in charge
I want to keep talking about it, but I’m so tired. Tired of trying to get people to see what’s happening. Tired of being a good listener so I can understand. It’s going to be a long four years.
Me too. I'm not even sure I want to read about it, but I still do. However.....
If you believe that at the heart of every atom of our being is energy, then extrapolate that idea out, then think about the bulk of what's taking your focus off the everyday world around you - your life, your family, your work, your delights - you may discover that your energy is in the negative.
I refuse to worry about what's going on everywhere. I hate what's happening in Gaza, and totally loathe the Trump/Netanyahu coalition on the possible next step; homelessness and its partner hopelessness makes me sad; violence appalls me. But I refuse to dwell on any of it.
I'm often challenged by others' attitudes, and find those occasions try me to the utmost with regard to tolerance and patience, but I do believe that until I can love everything that enters my life, I'm adding to the world's woes.
That may sound very woo-woo and head in the clouds - and well, so be it.
Concentrate on what you can control I guess aye 💞
The only thing we CAN control is how we react. Sometimes we can be triggered into a knee-jerk reaction, but the adult in us (if we let it) steps in to remind us that "this isn't helping anyone, not even you".
When this happens to me, the next step can get me smiling: I look around - it may be a small child taking wobbly steps; or a tree of a gorgeous shape; a clear blue sky - something to appreciate.
I am tired of my friends who have fallen for these crazy things telling me that I AM the deluded one and I don't have a clue what is really going on. That ignorance is bliss saying has never rang more true, I suppose. Hang in there!
Absolutely and completely out of fucks here. Not a single one left to give. The stupididty contagion has spread to the point that it is successfully carrying out a coup upon the government of the most powerful military nation on earth. Soon to be second most powerful, when China begins eating their lunch.
Enjoy what we can, while we can, before the christofascist fuckwits bring on their "Rapture" and present us all to their imaginary invisible friend and his imaginary invisible skydaddy for judgemdent. (While the few scattered clusters of survivors get to relearn over generations about toxins, diseases, in-breeding, mutations and genetics. If there are any survivors of the planetary cooking.)
Meanwhile our Anti 3 Waters cooker Mayor Vince is refusing to follow Director of Health compulsory water Fluoridation rules of our water here in Whangarei, AFTER receiving the funds to add the infrastructure to our treatment stations.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/541677/whangarei-district-council-continues-to-hold-out-against-fluoridation-despite-government-directive
We don't have 'natural fluoride' levels in our waterways, just like we don't have iodine (the reason we have iodized salt nowadays) or silicone (think white muscle disease in sheep) available in our soils. But oh no the 'It's not natural!' Brigade are screaming about brain damage & non peer reviewed studies from your part of the world David.
I always reply Arsenic is natural! to their rants.
Now our Drunkle Uncle is in on the act & trying to pass a bill to override the directive & allow Councils to do what they want!? Wtaf!? We have the highest tooth decay in children here in Northland & he's calling his own cooker base voters to add to the health woes.
Gee aren't we lucky having our own JFK junior in power ...not!
Totally agree with your comments re flouride. We put iodine in bread because goitre started to reappear. ( Too many of us using non iodised salt. ) Yet at the same time we would not put folate in bread to protect our children against neural tube defects. Mass medication the talk back hosts shrilled. Yet folate, vit B9 is in grains and destroyed by the milling process. Iodine was fine because do not like to have a goitre. The then National government did not want to be a nanny state!! Labour government in their last term just did it and there was no fuss that I heard. Our soils are deficient in Boron and Selenium not silicone. It was called bush sickness and is why much of the central North Island was planted in pine forest as sheep did not do well. We now add it to the soil or through salt licks for stock health.
Thanks for your comment Laurie yes agree 100% with all you wrote.
Whoops yes it is selenium not silicone we are lacking, especially in the volcanic plateau soils - my Ag Degree soil fertility papers were a few years ago 😆
Yes I agree too. Have you ever seen a muscle-bound horse? They can’t move. The vet gives them a shot of selenium and they can immediately start walking. It’s amazing to see. I learned in that moment just how important these trace elements are.
Truth is - if we don't learn from history, we're bound to repeat it.
Ahh yes Mayor Tartarello. Never thought he would get the brain worms but here we are. This must’ve been his 3rd+ attempt at becoming mayor, frequently losing out to ‘anyone else?’ candidates. I wonder if he owed a favour to the squeaky wheel brigade, because i guarantee if you firstly explained how fluoridation works and then asked the average voter, they would probably vote these idiotic ideas out…. Then again…
Right-wing grievance politics and conspiracy theories both boil down complex problems into simple narratives with simple solutions, so I guess it's not surprising they've started to merge. I think human being in general don't deal well with complexity and randomness (and I include myself in this).
I don't want people to die, and I don't people to suffer unnecessarily, but I think a lot of people in this country have been treating politics as just something that happens on TV, not something that effects their day to day lives. There were still some guardrails left during the first Trump administration, so thing didn't get as bad as they could have, even with COVID. Maybe if the economy crashes and we actually have to deal with the actual consequences of putting a senile sociopath in charge, we'll be less likely to do it again.
It's an awful spot to be in, but we have no one to blame but ourselves.
I'm hopeful that if the economy crashes then Trump gets some sort of blame for it - preferably equal to the amount of damage he's actually responsible for.
However, I don't see that happening based on Trump's past experiences.
I suspect that instead, the economy crashing will be blamed on all the usual culprits (immigrants, deep state, wokeness, trans people, lefties, socialists etc) and he'll effectively manage to portray himself as the victim in all of this.
Bingo.
That reminds me of quite an apt Frank Turner lyric - appropriately from a song called 1933: “The first time it was a tragedy, the second time it's a farce. Outside it's 1933, so I'm hitting the bar. […] Be suspicious of simple answers - That shit's for fascists (and maybe teenagers). You can't fix the world if all you have is a hammer.” (Or something to that affect)
I went to dinner in Auckland, and met, for the first time IRL a troll. This lunatic dentist. Who went on rants about fluoride (ironic), missing planes, Russia/ukraine etc. And when challenged, "do you really believe that". He would chuckle and laugh, and then start off on something else.
A man who wears MAGA hats for a laugh.
Not that we can't take a joke. But some things are not funny. This level of stupidity, willful stupidly. Is dangerous.
Somethings are not funny. If you had promoted the current scenario in the USA to a T V producer he would have dismissed it out of hand as being totally unbelievable.
The shit show just keeps getting shittier. I feel like we’re living in an infomercial, “ But wait! There’s more!
“ The people that voted for Trump don’t have the slightest clue what they’ve done. I was reading an article this afternoon where the writer said he was told by a Trump supporter you have to break a few eggs to make an omelette. That really sums up the supporters view point. They will watch this dumpster fire grow and grow. They are like that cartoon of the dog sitting in the fire going this is fine.
I keep holding onto hope that this whole thing will implode on itself and people will come to their senses, but that just isn’t happening. Something has to give.
In the most recent Armchair Expert - Dax was acting like the whole mask thing was overblown in the first place despite the fact it clearly slowed down infections and kept the numbers from exploding all at once. In fact, the worst part of the pandemic was early on when every bed was filling up quickly and the problem surely would have been exacerbated if no one wore masks.
I can see why, if any, animosity exists between you too - he's too interested in making everyone happy so that they will listen to his podcast but we don't need to cater to idiots.
EDIT: To add I know Dax wants all the vulnerable boys to feel welcome and that's great but I don't think questioning mask efficacy is the way to do that. Doctors, nurses and hospital staff wear masks to avoid infections and diseases spreading from others - even conservative doctors like my Dad.
I didn't get Covid until last year for the first time and it certainly would have been worse several years ago had I not ever worn a mask or taken any precautions.
I’ve always been a firm believer in the idea that you can tell a lot about a person by how they treat animals (and children for that matter). You don’t have to be a big animal lover. You don’t even have to particularly like them or even have a pet. But if you can’t respect them, understand their role on the planet, or feel that just because we are the dominant species that they are ours to do with as we will, then that makes me more likely to put you in the “bad person camp”.
A simple sentiment but a very good one all the same.
Reminds me a little of a recent DarkMatter2525 video I watched on YouTube about the Red Pill movement - loosely paraphrasing here - that one key identifier of toxic masculinity is someone who uses their power to dominate others and takes pleasure in watching or causing others' pain.
On the wider horizon, he's not the worst. The worst is the fact that Trump via Hegseth just told Putin that Ukraine is his, and that the only country which ever invoked NATO Article 5 will no longer honour it so he's free to carry straight on through Ukraine and into Poland and beyond.
If the people in charge in Europe have any brains at all they're about to start tooling up massively, and it may even start a new nuclear arms race as countries closer to the front no longer have any assurance that the US will ultimately back them up against the newly expansionary USSR.
And don't get me started on USAID...
RFK can kill the poorer or more gullible Americans. Hegseth and Musk can kill millions around the world.
It is already triggering a giant defense spending spree here in Germany... check out Helsing AI for example (https://www.techinasia.com/news/mistral-helsing-partner-to-develop-ai-for-defense). Which I don't think is a "good" thing but dear god I am grateful for that right now, I guess? My work colleagues in the Baltics are ready to mobilize any minute. It is so fucking surreal.
My friends in Belgium are expecting Russia on their doorstep and are thinking about moving to NZ.
I totally understand that! Especially if there are kids involved. I have personally decided I am not going anywhere. I already feel guilty for having left the US 7 years ago - Germany is my home now and I'm going to face whatever happens here.
My concern is that here in New Zealand the Coalition of Chaos is following the exact same playbook. This is rapidly retreating from being a safe hatch here. Everyone is so focused on the $hitshow over there they aren’t seeing the same thing is happening here.
I’m hoping that will be our salvation. We are Trump lite - all 3 coalition nightmares have hitched their wagons to MAGA to some degree. They can take the fall for it here.
People have to know that this neo liberal nightmare is a totally selfish, toxic ideology that wrecks lives and should be relegated to the same bin as Hitler. It’s a crime against humanity now. They all need to go down for it.
Exactly. And now we have Seymour using the phrase “Radical Leftists” to describe Labour. My eyes rolled so far back the did a somersault. Anyone using that phrase to describe relatively conservative left wing parties can never be taken seriously. The Trumpisms are infiltrating political language everywhere. It’s revolting.
Agree, and you can see it mirrored in Australia too with Dutton quoting maga talking points all the time.
It’s just disgusting.
I just hope people see through Temu Trump and don't vote for him. He appeals to young, angry, racist white men though so it is a worry.
Yes exactly Annikakaes!
Every day another one of the plonkers - Seyless, Winnie, Jones & gutless Luxon does something outrageous & we're all here going WTAF?!
Like those who voted in the orange turnip I really hope the Nact voters are feeling responsible for releasing the Craken because they damn well should!
It's rather alarming how many are applauding the CoC's actions, though.
Here's hoping they're a minority, but they're exceedingly loud and very keen to keep pointing at Labour as the reason for allthingsbad!
Although I'm not a huge fan of the National party I feel like at least in the Key and English years there was a lot more sensible stuff than what's currently on display.
Like increasing (not cutting) spending during a recession.
Or increasing spending on bike lanes to encourage people to get out of their cars and improve their health (and reduce congestion).
We (NZ) have to spend somewhere in the region of $1 trillion dollars over the next 30 years upgrading our infrastructure we've neglected for the past 40 years.
Yet, we have a construction sector that's twiddling it's thumbs because it's running out of work and dragging down the economy in the process.
Now is the time to turn on the tap and start chipping away at some of these problems but instead the coalition is doing the exact opposite.
It's absolute madness what they're doing, going all out with their neoliberal nonsense like austerity and privatisation.
I, too, feel like I want it all to burn down to the ground. But it's a complex feeling. I can see the impending suffering of my mom who will likely lose access to the healthcare and disability payments she depends on to survive; not sure she'll fare well as an immune-compromised person in the next pandemic without vaccines either. And this breaks my heart, but also that's what my whole family voted for.
Anyway, genuinely feels like every day I realize someone I know and thought was normal takes their mask off and reveals themselves to be brainwormed. Not the scooby-doo reboot we need, but maybe the one we deserve.
I feel the same way, Alex. If you asked me eight years ago if I wanted the system to contain Trump or let him run rampant, it would've been a no-brainer. Now I'm not so sure.
I can understand the sentiment of wanting to burn it down, but I have to disagree with it politely. I say that, because this is what the Trump administration is attempting to do right now. They want to dismantle and burn things down....and here's the biggest issue with that...with NOTHING in place to build it back up.
I'm all for starting fresh, but we have to have a plan to do that before we just start lighting the fires. I completely realize this is much easier said than done, and I certainly don't have the answers, but it's also really crappy to just deconstruct without any valid reconstruction plans.
But then again, maybe it will take a complete collapse in order to force something new to happen. It will be an exhausting, albeit interesting, next few years. I'm going to have to continue to just keep spreading kindness in my little bubble, both in person and digitally. Hugs to ya'll!
It seems all part of the Curtis Yarvin idea of a “reboot”that they want to lead to a different kind of government… so I also don’t welcome it burning down.
Yeah, that whole destroy-everything-so-something-beautiful-can-rise-from-the-ashes narrative requires a far, far more optimistic view of human nature than I have.
I couldn’t get my head around Cheryl leaving Larry for Ted fictitiously, there’s no way I can process her marrying a brainworm cemetery in real life.
I’m really enjoying the style and tone of your pieces! Soothing to my distressed brain space. On point 💯
I’m also hoping for the worm re: RFK except nothing living should have to sustain itself with THAT 🤡🤢
Thanks, Tessa. It's my therapy too!
I hear that the US politicians are being bombarded with phone calls from angry constituents who do not want their representative to support the nonsense that Trump and Elon are doing. Those politicians have taken little notice of the public before, but maybe this onslaught will have an affect.
To me the way to defeat the anti-VAX are in charge of Health is to create an organisation outside of government by people for people A Health trust. Remember when AIDS was new and the government was not doing anything drugs were developed in Mexico and a group got together and created a buyers club to bring medications in to the USA.
State could do it by creating their own public health system to go around the Insurance insurance companies to produce proper healthcare for their citizens or a wealthy individual could provide some working capital to get a citizens group up and running to buy the medications people need an employee doctors to treat and diagnose.
I feel there is enough anger and disgust at the current state of affairs, all it would take is someone with leadership skills to make it happen.
A big People powered movement would turn the tide and change the direction. People would then be able to see that supporting each other and being a community is much better than living in a doggy dog society.
I totally agree. More and more I believe that this is where change will come from. Building community through grassroots activism, joining unions, protesting, volunteering.
Have you seen the documentary on the Act Up group and how they achieved it? How to Stop a Plague I think.
There is an excellent Ezra Klein clip knocking around saying "don't believe him" and breaking down the constant onslaught of noise we have right now. It is designed to make us switch off.