tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post8715633599587462684..comments2024-02-14T11:00:03.180-05:00Comments on Tom McLaughlin: Left & Right August 15, 2018Tom McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07691546351143209227noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-16673884909929032752018-08-21T21:57:08.725-04:002018-08-21T21:57:08.725-04:00The Salt Lake Tribune on Trump and Putin:
Both me...The Salt Lake Tribune on Trump and Putin:<br /><br />Both men sought and hold power by promising to make their nations powerful by making them pure. They both built their followings by promising to tilt the scales heavily in favor of the white Christians of the predominant — or previously predominant — ethnic group. They blame any instability on outsiders or unfavored groups — gays for Putin, Mexicans for Trump, Muslims for both — and at least pretend to honor conservative religious roots.<br /><br />When Trump excuses Putin’s acts of war and violence by noting, accurately, that the U.S. has some blood on its hand as well — Iran, Vietnam, Nicaragua, Chile — he gives off no indication of regret.<br /><br />Because the United States has a long history of democratic and balance-of-power institutions, Trump has yet to amass the level of have-that-person-killed authority that Putin has. Because Russia has no such institutional memory, Putin really is about as powerful as Trump wishes to be.<br /><br />But there are ominous signs. Far too many people in the United States are buying Trump’s snake oil.Sonnynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-15093721564013942102018-08-21T21:52:13.942-04:002018-08-21T21:52:13.942-04:00The following is from Madeleine Abright's new ...The following is from Madeleine Abright's new book "Fascism: A Warning"<br /><br />“We have never had a president, at least in the modern era, whose statements and actions are so at odds with democratic ideals,” she writes in her chapter on the US. “[Donald] Trump has spoken harshly about the institutions and principles that make up the foundation of open government, in the process he has systematically degraded political discourse in the US, shown an astonishing disregard for facts, libelled his predecessor, threatened to lock up political rivals, bullied members of his own administration, referred to mainstream journalists as enemies of the American people, spread falsehoods about the integrity of the US electoral process, touted mindlessly nationalistic economic and trade policies and nurtured a paranoid bigotry toward the followers of one of the world's foremost religions.”<br /><br />Sonnynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-33590303135821250162018-08-21T13:11:36.288-04:002018-08-21T13:11:36.288-04:00I get it. Plus, some issues are important enough ...I get it. Plus, some issues are important enough to ignore the rest. Who wouldn't trade our countries ideals for fascism if it means tax breaks for the rich and freedom to pollute without burdensome regulations?Briannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-53678883933531738932018-08-20T21:54:17.811-04:002018-08-20T21:54:17.811-04:00Hush down Brian, don't mention such things her...Hush down Brian, don't mention such things here. Some topics are so undeniably horrific that right wingers have to stick their heads in the sand and pretend they aren't happening, things that are so obvious that they can't be passed off as "fake news". Put yourself in their position. What is one to do when the political party you are championing starts in with with blatant fascist rhetoric like shutting down the free press? Or is acting like the little bitch to a hostile nation's thuggish leader? Or continuously acts like a bratty little baby on Twitter? Nothing but ignore it all and hide behind their bubble.Reality Checknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-26131633644327085632018-08-19T13:45:25.442-04:002018-08-19T13:45:25.442-04:00And you got Gino to wear his watch on his other wr...And you got Gino to wear his watch on his other wrist, so it's not flashing in the studio lights.Yay!CaptDMOnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20524196.post-26792771863906568232018-08-18T13:03:18.607-04:002018-08-18T13:03:18.607-04:00How can you discuss anything but the outright fasc...How can you discuss anything but the outright fascist actions by our Traitor-in-Chief??!!?? <br /><br />Trying to shut down the Free Press??!!??<br /><br />Any Trump toadies looking the other way at this travesty should be ashamed of their traitorous nature. Disgusting and dangerous. Our country matters less to them than admitting "their side" is a disgrace.<br /><br />Imagine if Obama tried to shut down Fox News, Breitbart, etc!!!!! You would be calling for his communist head!!!<br /><br />“Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost.”.<br />Thomas Jefferson<br /><br />"The freedom of the press should be inviolate. "<br />John Quincy Adams<br /><br />"Freedom of conscience, of education, of speech, of assembly are among the very fundamentals of democracy and all of them would be nullified should freedom of the press ever be successfully challenged."<br /> Franklin D. Roosevelt<br /><br />"Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech."<br />Benjamin Franklin<br /><br />"Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter."<br /> Thomas Jefferson<br /><br />"I am… for freedom of the press, and against all violations of the Constitution to silence by force and not by reason the complaints or criticisms, just or unjust, of our citizens against the conduct of their agents. "<br />Thomas Jefferson<br /><br />Briannoreply@blogger.com