Excellent post. Your a talented writer with your head screwed on straight (despite having voted for Biden... tsk tsk). You express what a lot of us feel but can’t eloquently convey. Keep up the good work!!
Brilliantly written. Right now we need an Edward R. Murrow-type person...someone highly respected on the side of the establishment who breaks with the elite mob and dares to speak the truth. Not a wishy-washy washed-up comedian like Bill Maher. Somebody with some real gravitas and respect.
Trump is a badass kid like David with his slingshot. He's doing pretty well with only a slingshot. But he needs some help. He needs somebody from the establishment to hold up a mirror to his compatriots and say, "Look at us. We have become the monsters."
This article highlights the issue I have with several of the Sam Harris types like the Weinstein bros, Taibbi, Greenwald, etc. (who by the way I all like and enjoy listening to). They understand how pernicious the lefts policies are becoming and even speak out against them but are not necessarily willing to put their money (or in this case their vote) where their mouth is.
In 2020, I came to the conclusion that there is one party who doesn’t play by the rules.
1. They mostly don’t debate, because words are violence
2. When violence is happening, if it’s in line with party goals, it’s a “mostly peaceful protest”
3. They frequently establish new definitions for words, allowing them to bend reality and/or sneak them in when people don’t actually understand their intent/meaning ie equity
4. They use number 3 to explicitly and untruthfully falsify the oppositions claims ie legal immigration vs illegal immigration
5. They seek to limit small farm/ranch food production through climate initiatives (and through purchasing farmland)
6. They purposely use the legislative branch of government to vilify the opposition (both parties are guilty of this in the past but I think it’s safe to say one party is doing it on a whole new level)
7. They believe that the highest honor bestowed on citizens of the country, the right to vote, doesn’t require a form of ID and to do so is racism.
I could go on, but these are some of the highlights of the past 5 or so years. In 2016, I voted third party. In 2020, I voted for the arguably most detestable and morally bankrupt president to ever set foot in the White House. In 2024, I’ll likely be doing the same and urge you to do so as well. Otherwise, I fear “1984” will become even more of a reality than it already is.
Very much looking forward to reading your work each week Sasha. We seem to be on the same wave length. The regime is word driven, and thinks that words are magic. Just saying them over and over makes them change to their truth. Redefining words for the regimes benefit…recession, peaceful protest, terrorist, insurrection, tolerance, woman, fascist. Hyperbolize. Inflate. Castrate. Dilute. Sam Harris and Michael Hayden are two examples of course but so are Bill Maher and Andrew Sullivan and many many more. What makes them think that a rational minded person will stop and agree that Trump really is the worst person in history, and is actually responsible for the death of more people than any other dictator ever or that his supporters are worse in action and deed than the Taliban, Al Queda, or ISIS? You are correct Sasha in saying this comes from people who are trying to dehumanize others. We all know, if left unchallenged how that will turn out. It is social madness that is running unchecked. We all must, individually, speak truth and never allow these lies to go unchecked. And we all must vote to rid our government of people who are espousing this madness. We must be brave and fight back against this insanity. Each one of us.
Incredibly insightful! What a breath of fresh air and a dose of reality. How different, new and novel, and yet you only described statements, actions and events accurately. What a tragedy that such honesty is so rare these days. You are a hero, my hero.
"Those who control our government, mainstream media, and the big tech companies see those who would voted for or support Trump as a clear and present danger to their power. They seem to believe they at the very top can go to war with the majority, and it’s somehow going to work out well for them. They seem unwilling to do the one thing they would need to do to stop Trump: offer the working class something better."
Thank-you so much for sharing your excellent writing and insights on a very important subject. I am at a loss to understand why the same people who suffer the most (urban blacks), support Dems. In Philly we have 1,200+ shootings a year and over 80% are black shooting black. And less than 20% arrest rate.
Been wanting to chime in since I read this 2 days ago. GREAT essay! You articulated pretty much everything I’ve been thinking/feeling the past few years, with great clarity and humor. I joined this Substack after hearing your talk with Chris Paul (who I also admire), and look forward to reading more. Like y’all I’m a former liberal who couldn’t take it anymore and jumped ship. I’m still not sold on Trump, but in the past when I voted ‘lesser of two evils’ I would vote Dem, and now that is reversed. Oh and thanks for the Coleman Hughes link, I wasn’t aware of him and it’s refreshing to see a young person (I’m 52) with their head screwed on straight. Keep up the good work!
"Propaganda must facilitate the displacement of aggression by specifying the targets for hatred."
--Joseph Goebbels
My friend has a protest sign with Trump pointing a finger at the audience, and it reads (may not be the exact words) "They don't want to destroy me, they want to destroy you". A representative government is supposed to work for the people to resolve their constituents' concerns. But an increasingly higher share of the constituents (perhaps, the majority of the country) and their concerns are labeled as too immoral to be represented. It's not just Trump supporters, but anyone who doesn't align with a certain set of views. New names are invented for them, regular words used as name calling. Terfs, alt-right, antivaxxers, antimaskers, conspiracy theorists, Christians, conservatives. During covid it became abundantly clear to anyone who tried to express their concerns to their local governments and school boards, that our government officials (except very few) don't represent us. Hundreds of people are expressing the same concerns during a meeting, and then those are dismissed as "misinformation" and "antiscience", and the board proceeds to vote the way they already planned to vote, against people's wishes. Trump was a weird case of a "Twitter president" when he re-twitted the concerns, sometimes issued executive orders, and then the media laughed how stupid those were.
If the election were tomorrow and my choice was Trump vs Biden or Harris, I'm voting Trump. That said, I don't like the man. I think if he had some class, he'd be a fantastic leader, but that's not going to happen. I don't like what the country has evolved into personality wise. I want someone mature, thoughtful, fair and strong leading our country. I don't want a Twitter baby playing "gotcha" every 5 seconds and that's how the Democrats and Trump all act. Shoving everything into each other's faces. Rubbing their noses in it. We're in a terrible place where "takedowns" are celebrated and being calm and rational is boring. If you haven't seen the movie "Idiocracy" just know we're living it.
But yeah, I would vote Trump. I think until they show something to charge him for that isn't akin to using tax dodging on Capone to get him (when you damn well know Biden, Pelosi, etc. have all cheated and used tax loopholes) I will vote for him.
But if DeSantis runs and will get our country back on a better path and doesn't act like a mealy mouthed 3rd grader hitting kids with water balloons at recess, I'm here for it.
I can't, in good conscience, vote Democrat any longer. There's too many policies I am opposed to even though I am with them on a woman's right to choose. That said, they've lost the thread completely and their crackdown on artistic expression has affected my ability to earn a living as I once was. I'm done with them. So done, I'd vote Trump. And I voted for Hillary so if you want a clear idea how far the Democratic party has fallen apart for folks like me in 6 years, there you go.
Excellent post. Your a talented writer with your head screwed on straight (despite having voted for Biden... tsk tsk). You express what a lot of us feel but can’t eloquently convey. Keep up the good work!!
Brilliantly written. Right now we need an Edward R. Murrow-type person...someone highly respected on the side of the establishment who breaks with the elite mob and dares to speak the truth. Not a wishy-washy washed-up comedian like Bill Maher. Somebody with some real gravitas and respect.
Trump is a badass kid like David with his slingshot. He's doing pretty well with only a slingshot. But he needs some help. He needs somebody from the establishment to hold up a mirror to his compatriots and say, "Look at us. We have become the monsters."
This article highlights the issue I have with several of the Sam Harris types like the Weinstein bros, Taibbi, Greenwald, etc. (who by the way I all like and enjoy listening to). They understand how pernicious the lefts policies are becoming and even speak out against them but are not necessarily willing to put their money (or in this case their vote) where their mouth is.
In 2020, I came to the conclusion that there is one party who doesn’t play by the rules.
1. They mostly don’t debate, because words are violence
2. When violence is happening, if it’s in line with party goals, it’s a “mostly peaceful protest”
3. They frequently establish new definitions for words, allowing them to bend reality and/or sneak them in when people don’t actually understand their intent/meaning ie equity
4. They use number 3 to explicitly and untruthfully falsify the oppositions claims ie legal immigration vs illegal immigration
5. They seek to limit small farm/ranch food production through climate initiatives (and through purchasing farmland)
6. They purposely use the legislative branch of government to vilify the opposition (both parties are guilty of this in the past but I think it’s safe to say one party is doing it on a whole new level)
7. They believe that the highest honor bestowed on citizens of the country, the right to vote, doesn’t require a form of ID and to do so is racism.
I could go on, but these are some of the highlights of the past 5 or so years. In 2016, I voted third party. In 2020, I voted for the arguably most detestable and morally bankrupt president to ever set foot in the White House. In 2024, I’ll likely be doing the same and urge you to do so as well. Otherwise, I fear “1984” will become even more of a reality than it already is.
Best article I have read this year.
So much truth in only 32 minutes. Keep 'em coming.
You speak for me.
Very much looking forward to reading your work each week Sasha. We seem to be on the same wave length. The regime is word driven, and thinks that words are magic. Just saying them over and over makes them change to their truth. Redefining words for the regimes benefit…recession, peaceful protest, terrorist, insurrection, tolerance, woman, fascist. Hyperbolize. Inflate. Castrate. Dilute. Sam Harris and Michael Hayden are two examples of course but so are Bill Maher and Andrew Sullivan and many many more. What makes them think that a rational minded person will stop and agree that Trump really is the worst person in history, and is actually responsible for the death of more people than any other dictator ever or that his supporters are worse in action and deed than the Taliban, Al Queda, or ISIS? You are correct Sasha in saying this comes from people who are trying to dehumanize others. We all know, if left unchallenged how that will turn out. It is social madness that is running unchecked. We all must, individually, speak truth and never allow these lies to go unchecked. And we all must vote to rid our government of people who are espousing this madness. We must be brave and fight back against this insanity. Each one of us.
Incredibly insightful! What a breath of fresh air and a dose of reality. How different, new and novel, and yet you only described statements, actions and events accurately. What a tragedy that such honesty is so rare these days. You are a hero, my hero.
"Those who control our government, mainstream media, and the big tech companies see those who would voted for or support Trump as a clear and present danger to their power. They seem to believe they at the very top can go to war with the majority, and it’s somehow going to work out well for them. They seem unwilling to do the one thing they would need to do to stop Trump: offer the working class something better."
100%
Thank-you so much for sharing your excellent writing and insights on a very important subject. I am at a loss to understand why the same people who suffer the most (urban blacks), support Dems. In Philly we have 1,200+ shootings a year and over 80% are black shooting black. And less than 20% arrest rate.
This is excellent. And they will never get it.
Powerfully written piece.
"Since we don’t have leaders like Eisenhower, this one will have to be up to us."
And once we the people rediscover our American national character, we'll recall who had the power all along.
and the batter steps up to the plate, here comes the pitch.....and BAM......home run. We appreciate you Sasha
Been wanting to chime in since I read this 2 days ago. GREAT essay! You articulated pretty much everything I’ve been thinking/feeling the past few years, with great clarity and humor. I joined this Substack after hearing your talk with Chris Paul (who I also admire), and look forward to reading more. Like y’all I’m a former liberal who couldn’t take it anymore and jumped ship. I’m still not sold on Trump, but in the past when I voted ‘lesser of two evils’ I would vote Dem, and now that is reversed. Oh and thanks for the Coleman Hughes link, I wasn’t aware of him and it’s refreshing to see a young person (I’m 52) with their head screwed on straight. Keep up the good work!
Trump is Al Czervik, and the Democrats are Judge Smails.
"Propaganda must facilitate the displacement of aggression by specifying the targets for hatred."
--Joseph Goebbels
My friend has a protest sign with Trump pointing a finger at the audience, and it reads (may not be the exact words) "They don't want to destroy me, they want to destroy you". A representative government is supposed to work for the people to resolve their constituents' concerns. But an increasingly higher share of the constituents (perhaps, the majority of the country) and their concerns are labeled as too immoral to be represented. It's not just Trump supporters, but anyone who doesn't align with a certain set of views. New names are invented for them, regular words used as name calling. Terfs, alt-right, antivaxxers, antimaskers, conspiracy theorists, Christians, conservatives. During covid it became abundantly clear to anyone who tried to express their concerns to their local governments and school boards, that our government officials (except very few) don't represent us. Hundreds of people are expressing the same concerns during a meeting, and then those are dismissed as "misinformation" and "antiscience", and the board proceeds to vote the way they already planned to vote, against people's wishes. Trump was a weird case of a "Twitter president" when he re-twitted the concerns, sometimes issued executive orders, and then the media laughed how stupid those were.
If the election were tomorrow and my choice was Trump vs Biden or Harris, I'm voting Trump. That said, I don't like the man. I think if he had some class, he'd be a fantastic leader, but that's not going to happen. I don't like what the country has evolved into personality wise. I want someone mature, thoughtful, fair and strong leading our country. I don't want a Twitter baby playing "gotcha" every 5 seconds and that's how the Democrats and Trump all act. Shoving everything into each other's faces. Rubbing their noses in it. We're in a terrible place where "takedowns" are celebrated and being calm and rational is boring. If you haven't seen the movie "Idiocracy" just know we're living it.
But yeah, I would vote Trump. I think until they show something to charge him for that isn't akin to using tax dodging on Capone to get him (when you damn well know Biden, Pelosi, etc. have all cheated and used tax loopholes) I will vote for him.
But if DeSantis runs and will get our country back on a better path and doesn't act like a mealy mouthed 3rd grader hitting kids with water balloons at recess, I'm here for it.
I can't, in good conscience, vote Democrat any longer. There's too many policies I am opposed to even though I am with them on a woman's right to choose. That said, they've lost the thread completely and their crackdown on artistic expression has affected my ability to earn a living as I once was. I'm done with them. So done, I'd vote Trump. And I voted for Hillary so if you want a clear idea how far the Democratic party has fallen apart for folks like me in 6 years, there you go.