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John McDonald's avatar

I attribute the success of the MAGA brand to the Republicans 40+ year effort to dumb down Americans. This has been successful beyond their wildest Dreams... Just the Fact that MAGA exists is one thing, but now they are going to remove the Department of Education, Exactly what you would expect a bunch of yahoo assholes to do to keep the country on top... IDIOTS

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Teri Gelini's avatar

I think "Deplorables " is a great description for these ignorant losers

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Marc R Hapke's avatar

Irredeemably deplorable

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Ethereal fairy Natalie's avatar

I like "ignoratti" a term I coined for them.

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Teri Gelini's avatar

Great term!

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meryl selig's avatar

Keep em stupid and unable to think logically or critically…. That is what they want. Started with Reagan

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Gone Girl's avatar

Precisely. Reagan is the grandfather of MAGA and white Christian Nationalists. I was 17 when he was elected snd and survived the Satanic Panic the GOP started. Everyone should always do their own research and use their critical thinking skills

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meryl selig's avatar

You are entirely factually correct. We could sort-of see it happening in real time, but the twisted fruits have become evident over the years

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Whineboy's avatar

Absolutely. Keep them ignorant and tractable. Misuse of capitalization as an example, hah.

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Progressive Donkey's avatar

💯💯💯

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Tamra Gallant's avatar

Great article, Earl. Now is the time for the Democratic Party to turn up the heat. Trump is on the ropes; pound him into the ground.

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D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

Thanks, and quite right, Tamra.

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Margaret's avatar

Not just Dems, but independents and ALL honest people in this country need to keep pointing out Shitler's evil.

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Tamra Gallant's avatar

Agree, Margaret. 👍✊

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Teri Gelini's avatar

Great suggestion

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Linda McGoey's avatar

Maxwell (who is in prison) herself agreed to go before Congress. Surprise? The thuglicans say no!

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meryl selig's avatar

I am not sure Dems have the will or skill to pound the Repubs…..

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Tamra Gallant's avatar

I hope the Dems in congress have the will because this moment in time is political campaign gold. We’ll soon find out if they have the skill, Meryl.

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Al Bellenchia's avatar

We’ll soon see if there’s any real leadership and guts on the Dem side. If they can’t take advantage of this….

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D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

There have been signs they are waking from their stupor on this issue.

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Al Bellenchia's avatar

Be still my beating heart…

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just me's avatar

We've seen. There is not. That's how we got this far down. GOP craves the bribes, while DNC meekly pretends it doesn't like them, but is fully addicted and never turns a single one down. I have inappropriate, sexist analogies running thru my head, but suffice to say DNC has left its kids, the voters, in harms way

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meryl selig's avatar

I am skeptical and cynical about Dems ability or energy to take advantage of the moment

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Al Bellenchia's avatar

Me too

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Cheese's avatar

I’m really looking forward /s to Justice Alito’s ruling that raping children is ‘within the remit of presidential actions’.

By looking forward I mean vomiting in advance.

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Sylvia Rahner's avatar

I'm sure T wishes he were in Russia, or that he could make the US like Russia where child porn is NOT illegal.

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Suzanne Whitaker's avatar

I’m still in disbelief that this is the thing that’s taking him down or going to take him down. All of this was and is so damn obvious to the rest of us. But whatev. I really, really hope this is the beginning of a quick end, be it by Kool Aid or whatever means!

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D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

I really didn't think his base had a line, Suzanne. I guess child rape was it ...

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Suzanne Whitaker's avatar

But was it actually child rape or the fact that the files would not be released after being told they would be and it was going to have those horrible child r*ping Dems in the file? Certainly not their dear leader! That’s what I want to know.

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D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

Fair point. Perhaps the biggest difference between the left and right. The left: "Release the damn file no matter who is in it." The right: "Don't release the file if a Republican is in it."

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Suzanne Whitaker's avatar

Exactly! We just wanna know the Truth! Not at all surprised slimy Clinton is in there but, to his credit, he has admitted to having some issues around his sex addiction. I am surprised about Al Gore, however.

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meryl selig's avatar

Right? Al Gore!

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Marc R Hapke's avatar

Al was probably there to work on a documentary. We should ask him. Or maybe that was when he was having issues with Tipper.

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Suzanne Whitaker's avatar

Lol! Maybe. Perhaps “An Inconvenient Truth”? ;)

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Ethereal fairy Natalie's avatar

Earl, they only want the files released, because they believe the client list is all dems, like they have been told. Plenty of christian nationalists pedo stuff gets swept under the rug.

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Teri Gelini's avatar

Agree

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Terry's avatar

My mindset is the same as yours, in this statement in your essay, "... but with the help of a pathetic American electorate filled with tens of millions of non-voters ..."

This is from CNN's vote tally: Biden in 2020: 81,284,000 votes, Harris 2024: 75,017,613, Trump 77,302,580.

If only those Biden voters had shown up ...

I therefore have equal distain for Democrats who stayed home, as Republicans who voted against their best interests.

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D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

Agree completely, Terry.

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Cheese's avatar

Sexism is one hell of a drug

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Marc R Hapke's avatar

Especially when compounded by racism

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Sylvia Rahner's avatar

I would have bet my life on America never electing a Black woman; electing a Black man was already a major outlier, but a Black woman was a goal too far.

Sadly I was correct.

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Joe Colacino's avatar

D. Earl, Thank you! After reading all the pundits with their various scenarios as to why Trump and his goons won’t release the Epstein files, your reporting was a breath of fresh air. While others pull punches, you kick ‘em in the balls. If people read the lawsuit Katie Johnson v. Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein, which was dismissed, it will all be clear. Ms. Johnson was 13 when she was allegedly raped by these two monsters. As an adult, she gave heart wrenching testimony in 2016.

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Pamela S.'s avatar

The Felon has become a real liability and I wouldn’t be surprised if the “shadow presidents” are about ready to kick out his props and stand vance up in his place.

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Sylvia Rahner's avatar

Haha, there's a high-rise window or balcony somewhere waiting just for him!

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Ann Anderson's avatar

I had to scan that so-called paragraph of Trump's twice (my eyes! they burn!) to be sure I read what I thought I read: He just disavowed a third of his base if you figure that's the approximate share of MAGA that won't take hoax for an answer. "My PAST supporters"? "Weaklings." Let's see how that plays in Peoria.

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Marc R Hapke's avatar

Project 2025 tells him he won't need their votes in '26 and '28. Remember, he said you won't have to worry about voting again. Making voting seem a chore like jury duty.

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Ann Anderson's avatar

Project eat fast food for a lifetime sez he won't live that long

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Fred's avatar

Glad to see them all imploding. If they had done any research 10 years ago they would have known their guy is a 1st class BS artist. But since they believe everything he told them, that was good enough for them. And now they’re disappointed. Shame on them and their shame has pulled us Americans farther apart. We’ll persevere but it’s gong to take strength and will be exhausting. Never give up and stay determined to return America back to a country for all Americans

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Marian Goldsmith's avatar

Sorry to contradict you Fred though I think I know and understand and agree with what you mean. But since I believe words (language) count and like to play with them I have to say those folks aren't "first class" BS artists they are "last" in my thinking. Without "art" or "class." [Sorry if I offend you. I couldn't resist.]

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kdsherpa's avatar

WOW. He is now officially COMPLETELY AND TOTALLY INSANE.

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Ronald R Thompson's avatar

Great article! trump is on the way out, hopefully soon, but I caution everyone, we must be strong and do the right thing, as outlined in our law, and rules and regulations. I do not trust any Republican leader or anyone who voted for trump, and I do not give a crap about any narrative, strategy, perspective, or criticism from my Democratic Party, or any church/religion. We can do this and we have been successful for over 250 yrs. I agree with Mr. McDonald. Education is the key. Keep learning and keep loving. thanks

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Barb Caffrey's avatar

You're right, Earl. I think it's obvious who has the most to lose if the Epstein file is released, and that person's initials are D, J, and T.

I wish Hillary Clinton had said that the person with those above initials was himself deplorable, rather than his followers. (She was right, but it didn't help her.) He has the full basket of depravity, callousness, cruelty, brazenness, holier-than-thou syndrome, and so many more things that it would take too long to list.

Kamala Harris was right on the nose when she said what this person occupying the White House would do once in power. I wish more of the US had listened to her. (I did, and I voted accordingly. But to be fair, I never would've voted for the individual occupying the WH as I felt he, himself, was so far beyond deplorable that I couldn't come up with the words to describe it.)

The POTUS cannot force a resignation of the Fed Chair. It's not possible unless Jerome Powell himself gives up the seat. I hope he will never do that. He's been right thus far about how to handle the various situations in the country and how all of that is messing with the monetary system. (No one's perfect, but Powell gets it right at least 90% of the time and is right on the money when it comes to accelerating both a depression and stagflation if he did what POTUS wanted.)

Ultimately, we need to continue to witness, protest, and do whatever we can to let the rest of the world know we're not OK with this as American citizens. (I look forward to your post regarding the Good Trouble protests tomorrow with great interest!)

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Sylvia Rahner's avatar

Powell's term is up in about a year, so he will have to leave then.

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Don Buckter's avatar

Word perfect, Earl. Thank you!

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Jan Duello's avatar

I read your column regularly, but this is one of your best!! Thank you.

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D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

Thank you, Jan.

Very kind.

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Diane Rose Halstead's avatar

The Demented One has been caught with his diaper-loaded pants down (eewwww)! After screaming for years about the Epstein files, even his addled brain remembers, “Aren’t I in a bunch of pictures with pretty young things…?” Ooopsie!

“Nothing to see here, look, over there, two new Russia Hoax investigations…”

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D. Earl Stephens ✍️'s avatar

Damn shame, isn't it?

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