4 hours ago, illinilaw08 said:

So, I'm reading In the Garden of Beasts right now, Erik Larson's (Devil in the White City) book about the American ambassador to Germany from 1933-1937.  I haven't ever really touched the subject of how Hitler came to power, and how he was able to obtain popular support in Germany for objectively inhumane and horrible policies.

In any event, as I'm reading, I note similarities between the events that Larson depicts (Nazi's attacking the "other" - in their case the Jews, their attacks on the press, and perhaps most startlingly, the number of instances of foreigners getting assaulted for not giving the Nazi salute during parades) and some of the things this administration has done (verbal attacks on immigrants - legal or illegal, attacks on the mainstream media as "fake news," and demonizing people for not standing during the National Anthem).

Note, I'm obviously not saying that Donald Trump is Hitler.  I don't bring these comparisons up to say that Donald Trump is about to start gas chambers for immigrants, or to invade the world.  Rather, I think it's important to note some of the similarities between Hitler's rise to power, and the authoritarian nature of President Trump's behavior in office. 

The flag stuff, the military parade, the demonizing immigrants, the attacks on the press.  The fact that he cozies up to Putin, and expresses admiration for Kim Jong Un and Duterte of the Philippines while attacking NATO and our allies.  This is really authoritarian stuff.  And this is the stuff that shouldn't be normalized, and that both sides of the aisle should be pushing back against hard.  This is the stuff that transcends my team vs. your team.  And we should be taking lessons from the rise of authoritarian leaders of the past (even, gasps, Adolf Hitler) to recognize the signs and push back against it.

 

Anytime we start throwing out names like Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Franco, Mussolini...the assumption is that it simply HAS to be an exaggeration.

6 hours ago, illinilaw08 said:

So, I'm reading In the Garden of Beasts right now, Erik Larson's (Devil in the White City) book about the American ambassador to Germany from 1933-1937.  I haven't ever really touched the subject of how Hitler came to power, and how he was able to obtain popular support in Germany for objectively inhumane and horrible policies.

In any event, as I'm reading, I note similarities between the events that Larson depicts (Nazi's attacking the "other" - in their case the Jews, their attacks on the press, and perhaps most startlingly, the number of instances of foreigners getting assaulted for not giving the Nazi salute during parades) and some of the things this administration has done (verbal attacks on immigrants - legal or illegal, attacks on the mainstream media as "fake news," and demonizing people for not standing during the National Anthem).

Note, I'm obviously not saying that Donald Trump is Hitler.  I don't bring these comparisons up to say that Donald Trump is about to start gas chambers for immigrants, or to invade the world.  Rather, I think it's important to note some of the similarities between Hitler's rise to power, and the authoritarian nature of President Trump's behavior in office. 

The flag stuff, the military parade, the demonizing immigrants, the attacks on the press.  The fact that he cozies up to Putin, and expresses admiration for Kim Jong Un and Duterte of the Philippines while attacking NATO and our allies.  This is really authoritarian stuff.  And this is the stuff that shouldn't be normalized, and that both sides of the aisle should be pushing back against hard.  This is the stuff that transcends my team vs. your team.  And we should be taking lessons from the rise of authoritarian leaders of the past (even, gasps, Adolf Hitler) to recognize the signs and push back against it.

 

I am a really big fan of Larson, especially White City.  Will have to check out this one. 

On 6/29/2018 at 11:43 AM, illinilaw08 said:

So, I'm reading In the Garden of Beasts right now, Erik Larson's (Devil in the White City) book about the American ambassador to Germany from 1933-1937.  I haven't ever really touched the subject of how Hitler came to power, and how he was able to obtain popular support in Germany for objectively inhumane and horrible policies.

In any event, as I'm reading, I note similarities between the events that Larson depicts (Nazi's attacking the "other" - in their case the Jews, their attacks on the press, and perhaps most startlingly, the number of instances of foreigners getting assaulted for not giving the Nazi salute during parades) and some of the things this administration has done (verbal attacks on immigrants - legal or illegal, attacks on the mainstream media as "fake news," and demonizing people for not standing during the National Anthem).

Note, I'm obviously not saying that Donald Trump is Hitler.  I don't bring these comparisons up to say that Donald Trump is about to start gas chambers for immigrants, or to invade the world.  Rather, I think it's important to note some of the similarities between Hitler's rise to power, and the authoritarian nature of President Trump's behavior in office. 

The flag stuff, the military parade, the demonizing immigrants, the attacks on the press.  The fact that he cozies up to Putin, and expresses admiration for Kim Jong Un and Duterte of the Philippines while attacking NATO and our allies.  This is really authoritarian stuff.  And this is the stuff that shouldn't be normalized, and that both sides of the aisle should be pushing back against hard.  This is the stuff that transcends my team vs. your team.  And we should be taking lessons from the rise of authoritarian leaders of the past (even, gasps, Adolf Hitler) to recognize the signs and push back against it.

 

"Those who cannot remember the past are doomed to repeat it." -George Santayana

This is a good time to read about Hitler, his sudden rise to power, quick extinguishment of political opposition, and slow erosion of social norms, brainwashing of the masses through propaganda, and creation of a common enemy through othering of the Jews. People like to say it's ridiculous to compare a modern day politician to Hitler, but what is one to do when the politician's actions bear a striking resemblance to Hitler's? Ignore it?

Yeah, the comparison is to 1933-39 Hitler and other fascist movements at the time, not post-Poland Hitler.

On 6/29/2018 at 5:07 PM, southsider2k5 said:

I am a really big fan of Larson, especially White City.  Will have to check out this one. 

It's a really good read.  Strongly recommended.

1 hour ago, illinilaw08 said:

It's a really good read.  Strongly recommended.

Isaacs Storm was also spectacular on the 1900 Galveston Hurricane.

? 

 

 

50 minutes ago, Big Hurtin said:

?

 

 

Wow, their incompetence knows no bounds. That is laughably sad.

On 6/26/2018 at 12:51 PM, Jenksismyhero said:

Reading through it now. He doesn't ignore it, but says it's not persuasive as other Muslim-majority countries (92% of the Muslim world) are not affected by the ban. Edit: he also points out that there are exceptions to the ban for the countries on the list, e.g. for nonimmigrant visas and permanent residents and those granted asylum. 

So far I think the decision is a good one, despite my opinion that the ban is dumb and unnecessary. The law needs to be changed if we don't want the President to have this kind of power.

Just coming in to say I am right with you on the bolded. I would add that the first two versions being struck down, I agreed with two, containing things like specific religious tests that were clearly unconstitutional. Much as I despise the ban and am well aware from what dark place it originates, I think the legal decisions around it have been correct.

 

13 hours ago, illinilaw08 said:

It's a really good read.  Strongly recommended.

His book Dead Wake on the sinking of the Lusitania was a good read, too.

Trump parroting a State News report the Iranian deal lead to 2500 Iranians gaining citizenship. Guess what Donald? Fake News. Fox News, the enemy of the people.

Trump asked aides about invading Venezuela last year: AP

Funny as hell that our brain dead President just casually brings up invading a country for no reason.  Years of just god awful destructive foreign policy has brought us to the point that a president could say something like that and not be looked at like he was out of his mind.

 

Pompeo heading to NK amid numerous reports denuclearizing is the opposite of what NK is doing. Could you imagine Trump's tweets if Hillary or Obama was in office and these reports were out there after they got back saying the nuclear threat was over? Funny Trump doesn't even mention it. Maybe Vlad told him not to.  

The festering boil, known as Scott Pruitt, has resigned.

Quite telling that Trump never fired the guy he appointed who turned out to be stealing, grifting, and screwing over the taxpayers since day one.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/06/politics/bill-shine-fox-news-donald-trump/index.html

more reverse swamp-draining...former Fox News exec/#metoo enabler/Ailes protege Shine hired by WH

Trump is purging immigrants who signed up for a path to citizenship from the armed forces 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-army-discharge-immigrant-recruits-citizenship-trump-administration-a8434166.html

 

Quote

The US Army has been abruptly discharging immigrant recruits and reservists who enlisted through a programme that promised them a path to citizenship, it has emerged.

Some of the recruits said they were given no reason for their discharge. Others, after pressing for an explanation, were told they were considered security risks because they have relatives abroad or because the Defence Department had not completed background checks on them.

 

They're also ramping up an office to strip naturalized citizens of their citizenship.

 

https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a22061884/denaturalization-task-force-trump-citizenship/

Edited July 6, 20187 yr by StrangeSox

5 minutes ago, StrangeSox said:

Trump is purging immigrants who signer up for a party to citizenship from the armed forces 

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-army-discharge-immigrant-recruits-citizenship-trump-administration-a8434166.html

 

 

 

Next up...Night of the Long Knives.

7 hours ago, caulfield12 said:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/06/politics/bill-shine-fox-news-donald-trump/index.html

more reverse swamp-draining...former Fox News exec/#metoo enabler/Ailes protege Shine hired by WH

Drain swamp, replace with cesspool.

President Donald Trump's resort, Mar-a-Lago, filed a request to the Department of Labor for 61 additional visas for foreign servers and cooks, according to a Job Order Records filed on Thursday and Friday.

 

Just a warning if you happen to be going to Mar a Lago. They are not sending their best.

Edited July 6, 20187 yr by Dick Allen

6 hours ago, Dick Allen said:

President Donald Trump's resort, Mar-a-Lago, filed a request to the Department of Labor for 61 additional visas for foreign servers and cooks, according to a Job Order Records filed on Thursday and Friday.

 

Just a warning if you happen to be going to Mar a Lago. They are not sending their best.

Maybe they’re all Eastern European beauties on “Einstein” visas?

Sleep well. Despite NK describi g their meeting with SOS Pompeo as cancerous,  troubling,  gangster like, that is just deep state fake news. Progress has been made on every issue, give Trump a Nobel Peace Prize, for he is a great and honorable man.

Quote

“I have broken more Elton John records. He seems to have a lot of records. And I, by the way, I don’t have a musical instrument. I don’t have a guitar or an organ. No organ. Elton has an organ. And lots of other people helping. No, we’ve broken a lot of records. We’ve broken virtually every record. Because you know, look, I only need this space. They need much more room. For basketball, for hockey and all of the sports, they need a lot of room. We don’t need it. We have people in that space. So we break all of these records. Really, we do it without, like, the musical instruments. This is the only musical – the mouth. And hopefully the brain attached to the mouth, right? The brain. More important than the mouth is the brain. The brain is much more important.”

That was Trump talking about Elton John at his rally in Montana. 

He has to be suffering from some sort of brain disease.  

WTF is that quote suppose to even mean? ?

1 hour ago, GoSox05 said:

That was Trump talking about Elton John at his rally in Montana. 

He has to be suffering from some sort of brain disease.  

That might the most nonsensical series of statements I have ever seen. What the hell records is he talking about?

2 minutes ago, lasttriptotulsa said:

That might the most nonsensical series of statements I have ever seen. What the hell records is he talking about?

The only thing that would make any sense is maybe Elton John played in that building and it was the record crowd.