tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-242134462024-03-19T00:05:32.922-05:00jobsangerTed McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.comBlogger44733125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-3372818185757436792024-03-19T00:05:00.001-05:002024-03-19T00:05:00.132-05:00Keep Voting And Never Give Up!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FazS5NeLyh4V6_ZdT_kT7vqLhPV-VeazFWkt0pC2Vtlq67lGuAFUI89TABu54EunN9i_aETaOia9TVQWxWeElETL3nT2JyoCzagFQa4LBVfAs5pLpNNctebFLVecodTej9qjR7ay3nXFAK55JSTOxV3yADTTWAbSbkxa-CT-77X2sYbv9Y_KlQ/s700/Gadson-Birch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="677" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-FazS5NeLyh4V6_ZdT_kT7vqLhPV-VeazFWkt0pC2Vtlq67lGuAFUI89TABu54EunN9i_aETaOia9TVQWxWeElETL3nT2JyoCzagFQa4LBVfAs5pLpNNctebFLVecodTej9qjR7ay3nXFAK55JSTOxV3yADTTWAbSbkxa-CT-77X2sYbv9Y_KlQ/s16000/Gadson-Birch.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-31812146392883187802024-03-19T00:04:00.001-05:002024-03-19T00:04:00.132-05:00How Americans View Other Countries<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUJGNCwM65fXUDLFWiNipxOrD7n6mPw84ZAOO5jYWI00gz3t2LUbW2dRMtplIuOGK9keM_ighrkkVZmCBXAiC3zXt_3YkJ1S5nKzDiz7Mz1EbvLk9tsz1lNKvEhdRDzPitNMtwsbrQpvwE_cMIuYSejT40URVl7SmSsQ1u9vDroTo1SZBY3D1Zg/s875/countries.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipUJGNCwM65fXUDLFWiNipxOrD7n6mPw84ZAOO5jYWI00gz3t2LUbW2dRMtplIuOGK9keM_ighrkkVZmCBXAiC3zXt_3YkJ1S5nKzDiz7Mz1EbvLk9tsz1lNKvEhdRDzPitNMtwsbrQpvwE_cMIuYSejT40URVl7SmSsQ1u9vDroTo1SZBY3D1Zg/s16000/countries.png" /></a></div><br />The chart above is from the <a href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/612170/americans-china-nation-top-foe-russia-second.aspx?utm_source=alert&utm_medium=email&utm_content=morelink&utm_campaign=syndication">Gallup Poll</a> -- done between February 1st and 20th of a nationwide sample of 1,016 adults, with a 4 point margin of error. <p></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-69882465923019846042024-03-19T00:03:00.001-05:002024-03-19T00:03:00.136-05:00A Second Trump Term Would Be Better (For Racists)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOGloYaSshtr8hKsOMSDIuOIrZvgx-z1H9WFX-c_9bRkqtoXWkVYZzvOxDJ4GLcsWtnpi6w4H0uEBQRv3hgSL1RQ3mncbAOnX6dTiMUSjibxZMTsjxifwkBt33QuVpTeGSzYWp_1JSguy3g7zVNPq8VjRymtGeYbQY9gmLY0w11GPFSHpW9mVnQ/s720/2%20bill%20day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghOGloYaSshtr8hKsOMSDIuOIrZvgx-z1H9WFX-c_9bRkqtoXWkVYZzvOxDJ4GLcsWtnpi6w4H0uEBQRv3hgSL1RQ3mncbAOnX6dTiMUSjibxZMTsjxifwkBt33QuVpTeGSzYWp_1JSguy3g7zVNPq8VjRymtGeYbQY9gmLY0w11GPFSHpW9mVnQ/w640-h480/2%20bill%20day.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Political Cartoon is by Bill Day at <a href="http://Cagle.com">Cagle.com</a>.<br /> <p></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-31052248608529315182024-03-19T00:02:00.001-05:002024-03-19T00:02:00.125-05:00Trump Would Cut Social Security - Biden Would Save It<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiintmryBIsKrIvQTXOwHwA4ADcUM3IqlRHecIbI4PRSRRmK5Qw1xqV5itiJKN6a9P6mubmM_iR8VGIbmFwkyykXG6qfZoYIk4alN-utd3Acd0cYrzJ7mn9fzEyGKp1yoQFAPoffJlXSIFk3P9dtaYoLuf5txKDDNVmOhj-4RL6X2p10Rq8JWYUfQ/s700/social%20security.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="462" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiintmryBIsKrIvQTXOwHwA4ADcUM3IqlRHecIbI4PRSRRmK5Qw1xqV5itiJKN6a9P6mubmM_iR8VGIbmFwkyykXG6qfZoYIk4alN-utd3Acd0cYrzJ7mn9fzEyGKp1yoQFAPoffJlXSIFk3P9dtaYoLuf5txKDDNVmOhj-4RL6X2p10Rq8JWYUfQ/s16000/social%20security.jpg" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://robertreich.substack.com/p/the-biggest-contrast-in-the-upcoming?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=365422&post_id=142651719&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=ezrq&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email">Robert Reich explains</a> why Trump and The GOP want to cut Social Security, and how Biden and the Democrats would save it. Here is part of what he writes: <p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">During a typically rambling and incoherent interview last week, Trump <a href="https://www.mediamatters.org/social-security/mainstream-media-have-no-excuse-keep-falsely-saying-trump-opposes-cuts-social" rel="">admitted</a> he would cut Social Security and Medicare if reelected. “There is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting and in terms of also the theft and the bad management of entitlements.”</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">Trump has tried to walk back the remarks, saying that when he used the word “cutting” he didn’t actually mean “cutting,” and that Social Security has a lot of waste. (In fact, Social Security is well managed, and theft or fraud is </span><a href="https://www.crfb.org/press-releases/fact-sheet-how-much-waste-fraud-and-abuse-there-social-security" rel="" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">rare</a><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">.)</span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">But there’s no question Trump and his Republican allies want to cut Social Security and Medicare.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Here’s why. At the heart of their economic agenda — at least the portion they’re sharing with their super-wealthy backers — is another giant tax cut for the super-wealthy and big corporations. </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">The problem is that this tax cut would cause the federal budget deficit to explode — as did their last tax cut for the wealthy — </span><em style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">unless </em><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">Social Security and Medicare are cut. (Remember that as president, Trump repeatedly included cuts to Social Security and Medicare in his official budget proposals.)</span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">This is why Trumpers have been ramping up calls for cuts in Social Security (or raising the age of eligibility, which is the same thing). . . .</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;">In their annual report, the trustees of the Social Security Trust Fund said that Social Security will be able to pay full benefits for another decade but thereafter faces a significant funding shortfall. Unless something changes, after 2034 it will be able to pay only about 80 percent of scheduled benefits. . . .</span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">The problem isn’t that the giant baby-boom generation is sucking up too many Social Security benefits. The Social Security trustees </span><em style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">anticipated</em><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"> the boom in boomer retirements. This is why Social Security was amended back in 1983, to gradually increase the age for collecting full retirement benefits from 65 to 67. That change is helping finance the retirements of boomers (like me). </span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">So what did the trustees </strong><em style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">fail </strong></em><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">to anticipate in 1983 when they raised the retirement age for collecting full benefits? Answer: the degree of income inequality in 21st century America.</strong></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><br /></strong></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">Put simply, a big part of the American working population is earning </span><em style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">less </em><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">than the Social Security trustees (including me) anticipated decades ago — and therefore paying less in Social Security payroll tax.</span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Had the pay of American workers kept up with what had been the trend decades ago — and kept up with their own increasing productivity — their Social Security payroll tax payments would have been enough to keep the program flush.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">At the same time, a much </span><em style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">larger </em><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">chunk of the nation’s</span><em style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"> total </em><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">income is going to the top than was expected decades ago. . . .</span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">As the rich have become <em>far</em> richer, more and more of the total income earned by Americans has become concentrated at the top. Therefore, more and more total income <em>escapes</em> the Social Security payroll tax.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">The obvious solution to Social Security’s funding shortfall, therefore, is to lift the cap on income subject to the Social Security payroll tax, so the super-rich pay more in Social Security taxes.</span></strong></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></strong></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">To make sure it’s the super-rich — and not the upper-middle class — who pay, it makes sense to eliminate the cap altogether on earnings in excess of, say, $400,000.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">As it happens, Biden’s plan does exactly this. </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">So there you have it: Trump and his regressive mouthpieces want to cut Social Security so they can give another giant tax cut to the super-rich. </span></strong></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></strong></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Biden wants to save Social Security by having the super-rich — who have become far richer over the past several decades — pay more Social Security taxes.</span></strong></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span></strong></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">The contrast couldn’t be more obvious or more important.</span></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-51656204529016746492024-03-19T00:01:00.001-05:002024-03-19T00:01:00.129-05:00March Madness In Russia<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6k4GpJMdXhw1MQrljxXNZEvq2oXSDAjl8UgVXcchsfXPkiKC7yFi33hJvvq7VVHge5G0Rs2C25yysTwm7tKio5VKJA6yVKxpdyvplHz2kdsAGdR13F_8nA9FoK1LQMwoJ57of0lxDGrJzsqqwND9X3ZrzoKtkxMkCM5kjCgiCk_Xc6eLF-xf_w/s715/3%20clay%20jones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="715" height="486" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS6k4GpJMdXhw1MQrljxXNZEvq2oXSDAjl8UgVXcchsfXPkiKC7yFi33hJvvq7VVHge5G0Rs2C25yysTwm7tKio5VKJA6yVKxpdyvplHz2kdsAGdR13F_8nA9FoK1LQMwoJ57of0lxDGrJzsqqwND9X3ZrzoKtkxMkCM5kjCgiCk_Xc6eLF-xf_w/w640-h486/3%20clay%20jones.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Political Cartoon is by Clay Jones at <a href="http://claytoonz.com">claytoonz.com</a>.<br /> <p></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-63223940978306240672024-03-19T00:00:00.001-05:002024-03-19T00:00:00.137-05:00It's Time For The U.S. To Appreciate Its Largest Minority<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgksoVX3lTfZnf-KSXgJO1dL_s0BCK1Z7B-L8-1dSD5W0ZXFPSspuqaIgAf_0dLF9xrgC4B9UVRjpdvSZ1EYGds_dDV8ufzvQxMuGKc71T-Poub71iPmdmUNfboStZTNw4WKMni5q-DYNHxZg-Hko-kJUIxQque2jmhfkn8xVL8qpJ3mCmx1HELRA/s700/hispanic%20americans.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="452" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgksoVX3lTfZnf-KSXgJO1dL_s0BCK1Z7B-L8-1dSD5W0ZXFPSspuqaIgAf_0dLF9xrgC4B9UVRjpdvSZ1EYGds_dDV8ufzvQxMuGKc71T-Poub71iPmdmUNfboStZTNw4WKMni5q-DYNHxZg-Hko-kJUIxQque2jmhfkn8xVL8qpJ3mCmx1HELRA/s16000/hispanic%20americans.jpg" /></a></div> <br /><p></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-4202129144332579612024-03-18T00:05:00.001-05:002024-03-18T00:05:00.131-05:00The Albatross Around The GOP's Neck<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirSUybE6n0VEBy_u7N1FYVh4UhKmPcgGh4J916-ipZ6Wh5OqAn4u1T_33HoaahP5aCo1ztx_oUiAlxozt7qfo6zC9FsKx63_SOlx8gd3DwFsdMpjDaYE_Br5UG61lPZPNGvz21l9TQRCj13zf-dxldPU-Vzc3bjXl6dtT3jpnhg2h_8nCaV1XBIA/s700/abortion%20issue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="466" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirSUybE6n0VEBy_u7N1FYVh4UhKmPcgGh4J916-ipZ6Wh5OqAn4u1T_33HoaahP5aCo1ztx_oUiAlxozt7qfo6zC9FsKx63_SOlx8gd3DwFsdMpjDaYE_Br5UG61lPZPNGvz21l9TQRCj13zf-dxldPU-Vzc3bjXl6dtT3jpnhg2h_8nCaV1XBIA/s16000/abortion%20issue.jpg" /></a></div> <br /><p></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-28241301754279296452024-03-18T00:04:00.001-05:002024-03-18T00:04:00.137-05:00Faith In The Economy Is Still Low But Slowly Increasing<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMtGcqllUXAzTAZD3SQX2mgChmfIWhJwltrQojr82VBFodR22yMyYmMOZGZtOogrhQFz04wP0jILdYUX7vwnS7IJg8Uks3GtXz-fiCdRHVPPfjFPQ7ZqLyncPl8DxXDoL7WrzDKAdvxFJxhKyOQAdQ4q48J55d6u1vDIsu5RjgvRU9yitHgdbfQ/s700/cbs-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="429" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivMtGcqllUXAzTAZD3SQX2mgChmfIWhJwltrQojr82VBFodR22yMyYmMOZGZtOogrhQFz04wP0jILdYUX7vwnS7IJg8Uks3GtXz-fiCdRHVPPfjFPQ7ZqLyncPl8DxXDoL7WrzDKAdvxFJxhKyOQAdQ4q48J55d6u1vDIsu5RjgvRU9yitHgdbfQ/s16000/cbs-1.png" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKOZEWVkiFnfSFqkXaZe4ai4Q13Fc4IgvlnEbmCQo5PKKSZk-F4Xe8R5oem8SuZTO3livycvdiqTPwbj0zvFPQrjEhW1CAvJ0LOAnVBKHFwnOWhK7uQ_4EY19JixP2ACuGiTOwcdObpmso1_nvQGU3loLhQO5HinmczFnIW9USwgURPfY8ZhKPA/s700/cbs-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="465" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKKOZEWVkiFnfSFqkXaZe4ai4Q13Fc4IgvlnEbmCQo5PKKSZk-F4Xe8R5oem8SuZTO3livycvdiqTPwbj0zvFPQrjEhW1CAvJ0LOAnVBKHFwnOWhK7uQ_4EY19JixP2ACuGiTOwcdObpmso1_nvQGU3loLhQO5HinmczFnIW9USwgURPfY8ZhKPA/s16000/cbs-2.png" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>The charts above are from the<a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/poll-state-of-the-union-divided-economic-outlook-improving/"> CBS News / YouGov Poll</a> -- done between February 28th and March 1st of a nationwide sample of 2,159 adults, with a 2.8 point margin of error.</p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-21649377608185990002024-03-18T00:03:00.001-05:002024-03-18T00:03:00.133-05:00The Incredible Shrinking GOP Tent<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPH_3OOeGdbeq8332VmkxL0qXi4Rd82MbQG5yE6SrDGxMuxALC2t_h12Cef9sJPTUsV2XRtau8h2YeFsXI_hAimEI8hrXs-pZ4oXbFs5NRJhS_PWk4qvvw8M5PHABI5XwAtQRxfAeDEEWyckQiywH2q7PoMuqGX4FiAdaIY6UUr_TAm6oazL7xg/s699/6%20marshall%20ramsey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="699" height="496" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPH_3OOeGdbeq8332VmkxL0qXi4Rd82MbQG5yE6SrDGxMuxALC2t_h12Cef9sJPTUsV2XRtau8h2YeFsXI_hAimEI8hrXs-pZ4oXbFs5NRJhS_PWk4qvvw8M5PHABI5XwAtQRxfAeDEEWyckQiywH2q7PoMuqGX4FiAdaIY6UUr_TAm6oazL7xg/w640-h496/6%20marshall%20ramsey.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Political Cartoon is by Marshall Ramsey in <i><a href="https://mississippitoday.org">Mississippi Today</a></i>.<br /> <p></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-56107342587008330572024-03-18T00:02:00.001-05:002024-03-18T00:02:00.144-05:00Trump Threatens Violence If He's Not Elected<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgx2fnlH52qDTTaq6q7-PUamZR6nU0Iw650uueKu-EytUhBv1gMcNqfGbJ4mbrwvL31JNXPIau2HNmDOZBUI1IKxgNLHHE1XsT2h9OUQCgJXaIKzCTWUuD4lzgrQdjOMv6QenYRyAQuqxz1zouMSA_LG2zg9gqMSlf0Ol9IQfwkfLCs3iGXt-94w/s700/trump:violence.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgx2fnlH52qDTTaq6q7-PUamZR6nU0Iw650uueKu-EytUhBv1gMcNqfGbJ4mbrwvL31JNXPIau2HNmDOZBUI1IKxgNLHHE1XsT2h9OUQCgJXaIKzCTWUuD4lzgrQdjOMv6QenYRyAQuqxz1zouMSA_LG2zg9gqMSlf0Ol9IQfwkfLCs3iGXt-94w/s16000/trump:violence.png" /></a></div><p><br /></p><a href="https://robertreich.substack.com/p/trump-is-out-of-his-mind-and-desperate?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=365422&post_id=142680563&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=ezrq&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email">From Robert Reich</a>: <p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">At a rally today outside the Dayton International Airport in Vandalia, Ohio, Trump warned that “if I don’t get elected, it’s going to be a blood bath … for the country.”</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">He also warned that if he didn’t win, “I don’t think you’re going to have another election, or certainly not an election that’s meaningful.”</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">In the rest of the speech he repeated his false claims that the 2020 election was stolen, which have been utterly discredited. </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">He praised the people serving sentences in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol — calling them “hostages” and “unbelievable patriots,” commending their spirit, and promising to help them if elected in November. </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">He cast migrants as threats to American citizens — claiming without evidence that other countries were emptying their prisons of “young people” and sending them across the border. “I don’t know if you call them ‘people,’ in some cases,” he said. “They’re not people, in my opinion.” He later referred to them as “animals.”</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Trump is clearly desperate. He knows that his future freedom and his fortune both depend on winning in November. He has no qualms about turning Americans against Americans to achieve this goal. Apparently he is even willing to fuel violence, a second civil war. </span></strong></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></strong></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Yesterday, Trump’s own former Vice President, Mike Pence, showed enough integrity to refuse to endorse Trump. If other current and former Republican officials had an ounce of integrity, they would do the same. Today’s disgraceful performance should be a wakeup call, if they still need one. </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">The rest of us must do everything in our power to ensure that this monster never again comes close to the Oval Office.</span></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-54981635859795567142024-03-18T00:01:00.001-05:002024-03-18T00:01:00.164-05:00New RNC Budget Wheel<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWF9kQPHe4foPB0xaViUruWudOPRGfYx5D5JKyWDl2lvcmDcEGl_cxmx676e9buPhyphenhyphenu8v2O5bxdt4sTBmSed3eV7s85HoVK8bteH5n5OkBqd5SBWkhy-FO3i37AJxbVKXZ8zVljh2007ZvtsXUFRpC-f8PpPc_m0Gop5B3uvJartYT0YMJeeoNA/s750/2%20clay%20jones.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="566" data-original-width="750" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxWF9kQPHe4foPB0xaViUruWudOPRGfYx5D5JKyWDl2lvcmDcEGl_cxmx676e9buPhyphenhyphenu8v2O5bxdt4sTBmSed3eV7s85HoVK8bteH5n5OkBqd5SBWkhy-FO3i37AJxbVKXZ8zVljh2007ZvtsXUFRpC-f8PpPc_m0Gop5B3uvJartYT0YMJeeoNA/w640-h482/2%20clay%20jones.png" width="640" /></a></div>Political Cartoon is by Clay Jones at <a href="http://claytoonz.com">claytoonz.com</a>.<br /> <p></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-91108341651893612642024-03-18T00:00:00.001-05:002024-03-18T00:00:00.143-05:00Thousands Of Russians Protest Putin's Fake Election<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwMeVRlqONPrUIq0SAhIAs2IwNCwk9SOKarmNiQK9OWtvrtTJzS9s76SJGxEeiBVoUrdIzzhoRMwOU9vD99wNnVObYFN6PtHKIBZvsmzTpfBQv1kkumok3otCW0VpsdPC807AKm-3HOgZxR37YJ3V-1k3BrLdXy8ICeLj3ZgqzqYvaY6Ja-PmE-A/s700/russia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwMeVRlqONPrUIq0SAhIAs2IwNCwk9SOKarmNiQK9OWtvrtTJzS9s76SJGxEeiBVoUrdIzzhoRMwOU9vD99wNnVObYFN6PtHKIBZvsmzTpfBQv1kkumok3otCW0VpsdPC807AKm-3HOgZxR37YJ3V-1k3BrLdXy8ICeLj3ZgqzqYvaY6Ja-PmE-A/s16000/russia.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-91454052159072615902024-03-17T17:10:00.001-05:002024-03-17T17:10:15.223-05:00jobsanger Turned 18 Years Old Today<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HZqKE8gwlIafsMCAVMa54BKQlIHmq00qUm_CtwGOgTrOBBuAk-a2yGLVhkMTon7ndzm3jxZ-QrjoqVC7zvLz3CNZT09nuu31IooE7niGCkifDpUk9bHDv7Iq8gOwPhUGzRkWt0Gg-PdKDhHOKdG79hyphenhyphenrQz2K92jbUUGqOsg3YDsSLY0ml8Jbhw/s700/18.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="521" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HZqKE8gwlIafsMCAVMa54BKQlIHmq00qUm_CtwGOgTrOBBuAk-a2yGLVhkMTon7ndzm3jxZ-QrjoqVC7zvLz3CNZT09nuu31IooE7niGCkifDpUk9bHDv7Iq8gOwPhUGzRkWt0Gg-PdKDhHOKdG79hyphenhyphenrQz2K92jbUUGqOsg3YDsSLY0ml8Jbhw/s16000/18.png" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;">This blog turns 18 today. I have enjoyed writing it since March 17 of 2006, and I'm not done yet. Currently, it has received 11,237,926 page views.</span><p></p><p><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;">I want to thank all of my readers -- especially those who drop by on a regular basis. I will do my best to keep your interest.</span></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-89231066691564860172024-03-17T00:05:00.001-05:002024-03-17T00:05:00.133-05:00It's No Surprise That He's A Trumper<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk8uMEzc0M3S_jlezQ6NYh-q95LczYlXXT0n7yngNwmQ9IJX9TtfLIWr3MmKolZhZftKDhs7LeQlHSkJIFBThlGtuRBIjcLqGXT0D8v9fLNbIcZmjMI2HBcBdloaYI0H5yCOFJx9oRf5zGyrjo3eh9KeYhTIIr__e20brwiQTcdK2Td-hJlERRbg/s700/hur:trump.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="628" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk8uMEzc0M3S_jlezQ6NYh-q95LczYlXXT0n7yngNwmQ9IJX9TtfLIWr3MmKolZhZftKDhs7LeQlHSkJIFBThlGtuRBIjcLqGXT0D8v9fLNbIcZmjMI2HBcBdloaYI0H5yCOFJx9oRf5zGyrjo3eh9KeYhTIIr__e20brwiQTcdK2Td-hJlERRbg/s16000/hur:trump.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-61341032166860554142024-03-17T00:04:00.001-05:002024-03-17T00:04:00.136-05:0080% Say Religion's Influence Is Declining In The U.S.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqj4qV3-m-hV_sKmZ7mVhDUwKJUe4D9BWspArSE4aiys4spMVp5pwz0iC0vpqxgd-JvaYYp6uIXdmIA_p23TOp1FeUAcBAk8aFEFedvrRhWqn237N99sGs4VqzBCnJufhogHdkU7_jUha3Bamj7TRCO8X2GoGSdBnUrfPg_UItj2q-DlkOihEvxg/s740/pew-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="740" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqj4qV3-m-hV_sKmZ7mVhDUwKJUe4D9BWspArSE4aiys4spMVp5pwz0iC0vpqxgd-JvaYYp6uIXdmIA_p23TOp1FeUAcBAk8aFEFedvrRhWqn237N99sGs4VqzBCnJufhogHdkU7_jUha3Bamj7TRCO8X2GoGSdBnUrfPg_UItj2q-DlkOihEvxg/s16000/pew-1.png" /></a></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnBXNCSyj-8CuN6dcqrAz7GG9k08pPMOLeeTcAlTrYnqTtjrG6ubtNzwvice-5RCs8-HxFEqOV42f9L_H8L8InsrpDGt45gurB73oaINV8ECH3c4W-MpVUI7RoGznbyHjd2y-hNnmsUwXxqnX_DJUFvaNQA2mQyOUIxdCT63dqPGfWrsnoe8qpg/s700/pew-4.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="665" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVnBXNCSyj-8CuN6dcqrAz7GG9k08pPMOLeeTcAlTrYnqTtjrG6ubtNzwvice-5RCs8-HxFEqOV42f9L_H8L8InsrpDGt45gurB73oaINV8ECH3c4W-MpVUI7RoGznbyHjd2y-hNnmsUwXxqnX_DJUFvaNQA2mQyOUIxdCT63dqPGfWrsnoe8qpg/s16000/pew-4.png" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMj8NQy81lorGj8jb7Nv7baZx8RY81eySOKKPGGT09FNf9vO6QbxPptzpDyjpJqgewU_Z-x4JzNDb4kes5qZ36fADqM6SXLZPE1YKXAHUm3Rp6rqFKlQZuwi1jAj6C_CXySgOelf8NcEURdOIWOetgYKZnGER-lBNdUNTB-cV_nlGQWodfy0FLBA/s700/pew-3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMj8NQy81lorGj8jb7Nv7baZx8RY81eySOKKPGGT09FNf9vO6QbxPptzpDyjpJqgewU_Z-x4JzNDb4kes5qZ36fADqM6SXLZPE1YKXAHUm3Rp6rqFKlQZuwi1jAj6C_CXySgOelf8NcEURdOIWOetgYKZnGER-lBNdUNTB-cV_nlGQWodfy0FLBA/s16000/pew-3.png" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnk1_EmQ-AOQ-p1zi-SAHt461dM5dTxPR8FYYqaAZ-5aIRg9oH4D-0fMVOLzXuSPC2vvCF8IR7T2hmmH2Yrj1tRcj3uoWu4NR68ZnYfjvt5elt7g0j1FAIiOyhemlupypt6WLakfBfioYtcjYJTEHHe2aQ_0ZCuOlew-O41phOJTt-U9RahH0p2Q/s700/pew-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="614" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnk1_EmQ-AOQ-p1zi-SAHt461dM5dTxPR8FYYqaAZ-5aIRg9oH4D-0fMVOLzXuSPC2vvCF8IR7T2hmmH2Yrj1tRcj3uoWu4NR68ZnYfjvt5elt7g0j1FAIiOyhemlupypt6WLakfBfioYtcjYJTEHHe2aQ_0ZCuOlew-O41phOJTt-U9RahH0p2Q/s16000/pew-2.png" /></a></div><br />The charts above are from a<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2024/03/15/8-in-10-americans-say-religion-is-losing-influence-in-public-life/?lctg=971339"> Pew Research Center </a>survey - done between February 13th and 25th of a nationwide sample of 12,693 adults, with a 1.5 point margin of error.<p></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-41842890491718028082024-03-17T00:03:00.001-05:002024-03-17T00:03:00.154-05:00Not An Improvement!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAphMLVGvrublRC37ec9T4gieGco3SI4W1IL4oBWqHjs60q1wEzuwimMw61tIGaujrBFXpHY4Kty4wTv-jZGl1F6-G9vbReOQor90Kd0guRVxRWv0aT2flQ8sdLa2Os-3Rysg2svALHUflREK7ItOCJ3Kr9fu9tB85JN96it-mUPQjkfjcGql1w/s797/2%20bill%20bramhall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="797" height="434" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAphMLVGvrublRC37ec9T4gieGco3SI4W1IL4oBWqHjs60q1wEzuwimMw61tIGaujrBFXpHY4Kty4wTv-jZGl1F6-G9vbReOQor90Kd0guRVxRWv0aT2flQ8sdLa2Os-3Rysg2svALHUflREK7ItOCJ3Kr9fu9tB85JN96it-mUPQjkfjcGql1w/w640-h434/2%20bill%20bramhall.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Political Cartoon is by Bill Bramhall in the<i><a href="https://www.nydailynews.com"> New York Daily News</a></i>.<br /> <p></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-28348261078765509292024-03-17T00:02:00.001-05:002024-03-17T00:02:00.181-05:00Media Should Report Trump's Growing Dementia/Paranoia<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTyuUxVzPK8NcjgZEDLuqMQT2L4xV9_kyUPFvqDSqpnGbx1R2geeX8vx1SnhFluk7kJSmSVT82YALnBDFQ9HIBRyaKITkOinTN6i-ycISxkyd8LvYuSOpV0ayP8qauOwLvlA15h8bNNa-bIEDrvKMHNN5RjxbmQBLcPlZ0wXRQ9Ubv5ZFr52q6xQ/s700/dementia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTyuUxVzPK8NcjgZEDLuqMQT2L4xV9_kyUPFvqDSqpnGbx1R2geeX8vx1SnhFluk7kJSmSVT82YALnBDFQ9HIBRyaKITkOinTN6i-ycISxkyd8LvYuSOpV0ayP8qauOwLvlA15h8bNNa-bIEDrvKMHNN5RjxbmQBLcPlZ0wXRQ9Ubv5ZFr52q6xQ/s16000/dementia.jpg" /></a></div><br />The media loves to report on President Biden's age. But they need to report more on Donald Trump increasing dementia and paranoia (which is far more dangerous to this country's future). Here is part of what Robert Reich<a href="https://robertreich.substack.com/p/what-about-trumps-age"> has to say</a> about it:<p></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong>What if Trump really thinks he’s being persecuted? What if he has a persecution complex? What if he </strong><em><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">believes</strong></em><strong> his paranoid fantasies?</strong></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span></strong></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">Trump is not facing nearly the same scrutiny for his age as is Joe Biden, yet Trump </span><em style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">should </em><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">be — especially as to increasing signs of dementia.</span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Biden is sane. He’s getting major bills passed. He’s negotiating with world leaders.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">But Trump — who has a </span><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-mocked-father-for-alzheimers-mary-trump-book-claims-2020-6" rel="" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">family history of dementia</a><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"> — is increasingly incoherent and unhinged. </span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">He has confused Biden with Obama so often that he’s had to put out a statement that the slips have been </span><a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/111482667285702469" rel="" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">intentional</a><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">.</span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"> </span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">In September, Trump suggested that the way to prevent wildfires in California’s forest lands is to keep them damp. Here are his exact </span><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-suggests-bizarre-plan-dampen-forests-prevent-wildfires-california-2023-9" rel="" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">words</a><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">: </span></span></p><blockquote style="border-left: var(--size-4) solid var(--background_pop); caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; margin: var(--size-20) 0; padding: 0px;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; line-height: 1.6em; margin-left: var(--size-20);"><span style="color: #38761d;">“They say that there’s so much water up north that I want to have the overflow areas go into your forests and dampen your forests, because if you dampen your forests you're not gonna have these forest fires that are burning at levels that nobody’s ever seen.”</span></p></blockquote><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Hello?. . .</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">In October, Trump </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBhCe4MKuTg" rel="" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">warned</a><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"> his supporters that Biden will lead America into World War </span><em style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">Two.</em></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><em style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></em></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">He has also claimed that Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militant group, is “very smart.” That whales are being killed by </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/26/trump-whale-wind-turbine-renewable-energy-misinformation" rel="" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">windmills</a><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">. That he won </span><a href="https://news.yahoo.com/trump-claims-won-50-states-152719454.html" rel="" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">all 50 states</a><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"> in 2020. That </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBhCe4MKuTg" rel="" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">he defeated Barack Obama in 2016</a><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">. That the outgoing chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff should be </span><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/09/trump-milley-execution-incitement-violence/675435/" rel="" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">executed</a><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">. That MSNBC’s parent company is guilty of </span><a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/4221310-trump-pledges-to-investigate-msnbc-parent-for-threatening-treason/#:~:text=Trump%20pledges%20to%20investigate%20MSNBC%20parent%20company%20for%20'threatening%20treason',-by%20Rachel%20Scully&text=Former%20President%20Trump%20pledged%20to,%2C%20things%2C%20and%20events.%E2%80%9D" rel="" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">treason,</a><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"> and will “</span><a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/4221310-trump-pledges-to-investigate-msnbc-parent-for-threatening-treason/#:~:text=Trump%20pledges%20to%20investigate%20MSNBC%20parent%20company%20for%20'threatening%20treason',-by%20Rachel%20Scully&text=Former%20President%20Trump%20pledged%20to,%2C%20things%2C%20and%20events.%E2%80%9D" rel="" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">pay.</a><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">” And that he will </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/05/us/politics/trump-fox-news-abuse-power.html#:~:text=Pressed%20during%20a%20Fox%20News,most%20extreme%20comments%20so%20far." rel="" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">only be a dictator on “Day 1”</a><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"> of a new term.</span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">The most telling evidence of Trump’s growing dementia is found in his paranoid thirst for revenge, on which he is now centering his entire campaign.</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">On November 11, he pledged to a crowd of supporters in Claremont, New Hampshire, that: </span></p><blockquote style="border-left: var(--size-4) solid var(--background_pop); caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; margin: var(--size-20) 0; padding: 0px;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; line-height: 1.6em; margin-left: var(--size-20);"><span style="color: #38761d;">“We will root out the communists, Marxists, fascists and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country, that lie and steal and cheat on elections and will do anything possible — they’ll do anything, whether legally or illegally, to destroy America and to destroy the American dream.”</span></p></blockquote><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Are these the words of a sane person? Or of an aging paranoid megalomaniac? Even if it’s unclear to which category Trump belongs, shouldn’t this question be central to the coverage of his campaign for reelection? </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">When I’ve asked members of the media why they’re not covering the increasing signs of Trump’s dementia, they say it’s “old news.”. . .</span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">But just because Trump has shown mental instability in the past doesn’t make his mental problems any less relevant now that he is seeking reelection. They’re </strong><em style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">more </strong></em><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">relevant. He appears even more delusional and unhinged than before. </strong></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></strong></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">If Biden’s age is fair game, why aren’t Trump’s age and apparent mental decline? </span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br /></span></p><p style="caret-color: rgb(64, 64, 64); font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="color: #38761d;">Biden may appear frail at times, but he’s rational. The growing evidence of Trump’s dementia and paranoia, on the other hand, poses a potential danger to the future of America — if he’s reelected. At the least, the media should be investigating and reporting on it.</span></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-34762757865428033212024-03-17T00:01:00.001-05:002024-03-17T00:01:00.144-05:00Casting Call For A Trump Vice-President<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0C88YDEzTF_eHADDrUTNsaQ1H7P8YJKPcVGU4a8-9yzzxiSOSGF5vLWMTAbiZRn-2NV5rNEud3-UKTM1-p7g985-lQOFnzFbhge_vNS-0_qqE6zIr0sPD-x-EwrsE6BusqRsD5n-hUNuB8nmyDJ4QTIXEUIzAPIInbnqQAhF7c-ACD3Ve72Oew/s640/1%20matt%20wuerker.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="532" data-original-width="640" height="534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr0C88YDEzTF_eHADDrUTNsaQ1H7P8YJKPcVGU4a8-9yzzxiSOSGF5vLWMTAbiZRn-2NV5rNEud3-UKTM1-p7g985-lQOFnzFbhge_vNS-0_qqE6zIr0sPD-x-EwrsE6BusqRsD5n-hUNuB8nmyDJ4QTIXEUIzAPIInbnqQAhF7c-ACD3Ve72Oew/w640-h534/1%20matt%20wuerker.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>Political Cartoon is by Matt Wuerker at <a href="http://Politico.com">Politico.com</a>.<br /> <p></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-33627854845043369202024-03-17T00:00:00.001-05:002024-03-17T00:00:00.250-05:00Would You trust A Billionaire More Than China Owning TikTok?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhtZPXYqYr1M0bTkrAb1LJ0obSXerTSKQeLKlhmhWR7n4gDGvWgSaFggQYq-YAieF_hpdubUl9KawybhzTSC7Biei16K-13I3driN6EvQuhZlrvTHIDdPSkQRt0gxldKcPrrhNC-TkXMZ6rFsnsgxOyqTemS57lLd2Tl3T5uKWi1XYldU_kT5jQ/s700/tik%20tok.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhtZPXYqYr1M0bTkrAb1LJ0obSXerTSKQeLKlhmhWR7n4gDGvWgSaFggQYq-YAieF_hpdubUl9KawybhzTSC7Biei16K-13I3driN6EvQuhZlrvTHIDdPSkQRt0gxldKcPrrhNC-TkXMZ6rFsnsgxOyqTemS57lLd2Tl3T5uKWi1XYldU_kT5jQ/s16000/tik%20tok.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-45993843926731668782024-03-16T00:04:00.001-05:002024-03-16T00:04:00.144-05:00Social Security & Medicare Are On The November Ballot<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4Cogk6SUlPvhIraU9q2EngWtg5bicyC0KWy0wuLEPLj4Z88a3m_oQooP1WkVOTApLgXtG7-CPwN5rZAC1f3wjiyGeVxA1vXZwn4tc_Oo8ZnhKI1kfHGswasuXTow37yItrDa9-Q4BHFAA6p5UIcPID3nE9YVcwmbfnFaowzRUc8ct5SLqNZeUA/s700/social%20security.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC4Cogk6SUlPvhIraU9q2EngWtg5bicyC0KWy0wuLEPLj4Z88a3m_oQooP1WkVOTApLgXtG7-CPwN5rZAC1f3wjiyGeVxA1vXZwn4tc_Oo8ZnhKI1kfHGswasuXTow37yItrDa9-Q4BHFAA6p5UIcPID3nE9YVcwmbfnFaowzRUc8ct5SLqNZeUA/s16000/social%20security.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-86413375383843004642024-03-16T00:03:00.001-05:002024-03-16T00:03:00.242-05:00Are You Better Off?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQT0yiha1NLNoGTOWo78dSAg0i5Th3SMKOcbKF6bsiUmaEomVnoB2-OqMuykbKTVgakJGVja42KhxPF9NVNfFRBqqtw5YTKciccWNE3qzGUfIM4icHbQ5hBU-HEgrYzVJNJ1wdYaAcJ4FLzCLRc3brskPcay2cIMuU_NbaowFy9fXL_JLFZlNNg/s716/2%20clay%20jones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="716" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxQT0yiha1NLNoGTOWo78dSAg0i5Th3SMKOcbKF6bsiUmaEomVnoB2-OqMuykbKTVgakJGVja42KhxPF9NVNfFRBqqtw5YTKciccWNE3qzGUfIM4icHbQ5hBU-HEgrYzVJNJ1wdYaAcJ4FLzCLRc3brskPcay2cIMuU_NbaowFy9fXL_JLFZlNNg/w640-h482/2%20clay%20jones.jpg" width="640" /></a></div> Political Cartoon is by Clay Jones at <a href="http://claytoonz.com">claytoonz.com</a>.<br /><p></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-45715497948806641222024-03-16T00:02:00.001-05:002024-03-16T00:02:00.136-05:00Many Are Blaming The Wrong Party For The Unfair Economy<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZ4y0ON-SIboB86yZh5SJ5FKScje_n6c6l6gb7crT70642GmoAinDzivEgXXurGAwCFEuWiLLx3_D_qaHEgiZSq-yWFSHLAhNWdVff_kgbmuy5tp9TbkUgchkIR5wCo_Vb8TEj5aCvsVIF88TW7s23O7Ro5Xumgi6j-em8P5LIHlYGNhnVrNWUQ/s700/wealth%20distribution.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMZ4y0ON-SIboB86yZh5SJ5FKScje_n6c6l6gb7crT70642GmoAinDzivEgXXurGAwCFEuWiLLx3_D_qaHEgiZSq-yWFSHLAhNWdVff_kgbmuy5tp9TbkUgchkIR5wCo_Vb8TEj5aCvsVIF88TW7s23O7Ro5Xumgi6j-em8P5LIHlYGNhnVrNWUQ/s16000/wealth%20distribution.png" /></a></div> <br /><p></p><p>Many workers are unhappy with the economy - especially rural workers. They see the rich getting richer while they struggle with an inadequate wage that isn't keeping up with inflation. And they are right. We have a very unfair economy!</p><p>But too many of them don't understand why the economy has become so unfair. They believe the lies Republicans are telling them.</p><p>Republicans tell them that undocumented immigrants are stealing their jobs. Not true. Those immigrants are taking the dangerous, no benefits, low-paying jobs that Americans don't want. And those immigrants have actually helped the economy by taking those jobs and spending much of the money they earn in this country - boosting the economy. They also pay sales, property, and income taxes (and don't get refunds like citizens).</p><p>Republicans tell them that inflation is caused by the budget deficit. Even Republican officials don't believe this, because during the Trump administration they added more to the deficit than during any other administration.</p><p>The biggest lie of all is the economic theory Republicans have followed (Trickle-Down economics). Republicans say the answer to our economy is to make sure the corporations and the rich have low taxes and are allowed to make more money. They claim if the rich have more the extra money they have will "trickle down" to the rest of Americans, and everyone will benefit.</p><p>But that has never worked, and won't work in the future! While it has been successful in fattening the bank accounts of the rich and the profits of corporations, almost nothing trickles down to anyone else.</p><p>In fact, this economic theory is the reason our economy has become so unfair. It has caused a massive redistribution of wealth from the working and middle classes to the rich. The rich now hog all of rising productivity. Before the GOP was able to institute the "trickle-down" theory, rising productivity was shared by all, giving workers a decent living and creating a large and vibrant middle class.</p><p>But thanks to the GOP economics, the working class is struggling to keep up with inflation and the middle class is shrinking.</p><p>We can fix the economy and make it fair again, but not as long as the GOP has the power to keep their flawed economic theory in place.</p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-13369258978290366762024-03-16T00:01:00.001-05:002024-03-16T00:01:00.138-05:00Another Dysfunctional Family Photo<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsvY656EHqsbzkOK8LmM9dXPFl4ncmy8gywAJJAFuO07uUjdpiSfB3_cGKa5Rs6b3A0weE-zRlzqJ_Zew8ZOkS_BccQNz29WcEqNi0mjopQ5A7vPXOUJzD0lMlfiP9hvtvqxAp89_At3pgeGaIw1KF5esGs7dTd8m2clnKFxWFMLQXpNl0VhxRQ/s658/1%20ann%20telnaes.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="658" data-original-width="654" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMsvY656EHqsbzkOK8LmM9dXPFl4ncmy8gywAJJAFuO07uUjdpiSfB3_cGKa5Rs6b3A0weE-zRlzqJ_Zew8ZOkS_BccQNz29WcEqNi0mjopQ5A7vPXOUJzD0lMlfiP9hvtvqxAp89_At3pgeGaIw1KF5esGs7dTd8m2clnKFxWFMLQXpNl0VhxRQ/w638-h640/1%20ann%20telnaes.png" width="638" /></a></div>Political Cartoon is by Ann Telnaes in <i><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com">The Washington Post</a></i>.<br /> <p></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-38395357894134512062024-03-16T00:00:00.001-05:002024-03-16T00:00:00.139-05:00Stupefyingly Stupid<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUO6DaAdVwzQQAePVgeiEN7pxkLDU4Xk6Dc8M7lOFujmY62xLwUQRDuFULzHnzY0Wy3tJ_3t6B4jSMaJSogZaXBG-lDEwaCeVoVY0oDaz18oAaytstdl3LZIzZ0khk7mOr2x9zcNN3kPUmNHhyg9LDKwCouUA8-hKd7Wm8lHJ14_iPHPT53p8e8A/s700/trump%20stupid.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUO6DaAdVwzQQAePVgeiEN7pxkLDU4Xk6Dc8M7lOFujmY62xLwUQRDuFULzHnzY0Wy3tJ_3t6B4jSMaJSogZaXBG-lDEwaCeVoVY0oDaz18oAaytstdl3LZIzZ0khk7mOr2x9zcNN3kPUmNHhyg9LDKwCouUA8-hKd7Wm8lHJ14_iPHPT53p8e8A/s16000/trump%20stupid.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24213446.post-45124221032264651102024-03-15T00:07:00.001-05:002024-03-15T00:07:00.173-05:00Hur's Report Was Intentionally Misleading!<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3w71PrDOv0y8TZaP9j6yWxAJN2dqpFuwRgOJYfmVJS1LX4baPemdTMUtTi1eLzFxZGr5Egi35WevVTZaNrEdshUZppf0w_R86PcThASwVz_ixpjUfkEektVuiAYqgzRQblErucEoofzsMik1J9IGsqsKtKtvt-24PJRiC_aH6gzCEHgp0vBKPqA/s700/hur%20misled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="572" data-original-width="700" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3w71PrDOv0y8TZaP9j6yWxAJN2dqpFuwRgOJYfmVJS1LX4baPemdTMUtTi1eLzFxZGr5Egi35WevVTZaNrEdshUZppf0w_R86PcThASwVz_ixpjUfkEektVuiAYqgzRQblErucEoofzsMik1J9IGsqsKtKtvt-24PJRiC_aH6gzCEHgp0vBKPqA/s16000/hur%20misled.jpg" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Ted McLaughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15035498835671628943noreply@blogger.com0