I predict the complete collapse of American political systems before the end of the year. What the result will be I have no idea, but what can't go on won't go on. And the pace of things is picking up - like hurtling toward the horrific end of a haunted house movie.
As a fan of horror movies, and also someone who has very much NOT been a fan of Jon Stewart since before he left TDS (the first time), I very much appreciated this essay. Great work, as per usual.
I can't follow the atrocities daily any longer. I have to pace my gazing into the abyss. It's been gazing back at me and I don't like the feelings it inspires or the intrusive thoughts it generates.
The haunted house analogy to trump's fascism is a good one. Maybe that explains why so many Americans voted for him in 2024, after his first disastrous regime, and his instigating the J6 insurrection to deny the presidency to the winner of 2020 - Joe Biden. J6 alone should have been a deal breaker with every American, and why it wasn't, I can't fathom. Sure, the economy wasn't great, but it was improving. What the hell was it in trump's first regime, his life before politics, and what he said while campaigning that made anyone think that he would make things any better? OK, that last may have convinced some suckers to vote for him, but if they had remembered 2017-2021, and how much a failure he was as a businessman (he bankrupted casinos!), they should have been more skeptical of his rhetoric. And then I get back to J6, because things weren't that bad under Biden, but too many Americans thought they were 1920s Germans - carting money in a wheelbarrow to the store just to buy a loaf of bread. But this guy, sure he's bad, but what he says gives me good vibes! I'm gonna vote for him!
Sorry for the rant, but I just don't get ANYONE voting for that piece of shit, unless they are stupid, racist, and misogynist.
The pricktator gets the benefit of legitimacy because of willfully credulous pundits afraid to anger their millionaire and billionaire owners. The millionaire and billionaire owners would really love those Republican tax cuts and regulatory capture. And of course, the pricktator's maladministration gives them plenty of Chaos Click$.
As this one asshole from CBS said (was it Moonves?), "[Pricktator] is bad for America, but great for CBS!"
Sarah Kendzior’s writing published in books Like ‘They Knew “ and ‘Hiding inPlain Sight : the invention of Donald tRump and the Erosion of America would place the mantle of Cassandra on her also. Informative books. Well worth the read.
Because Murc's Law is Cruise Control for Cool, only Democrats have to be subject to accountability. So it's fine for people like this to play in our faces.
This house has been haunted a long time, all my life. I've been seeing the ghosts forever. I was a teen when we had an aging actor, taking advice from his wife's astrologer, that was a big one. Then the next one started a war, I saw that poltergeist too. I yelled about it and got nowhere. I've been yelling "ghost, right there!" ever since. Occupy Wall Street, Iraq 2, (the OG electric boogaloo) BLM, but still we do nothing to get rid of the ghosts. Obama, the only Dem president I actually liked, immediately upon taking power, turned around and said, "ghosts? I don't see any ghosts". That's when I knew we were cooked. I'm just the mouse in the corner of the haunted house now, trying to keep my head down so I don't get murdered by the malevolent spirits that have completely taken over. I don't even have hope for a ghost free house anymore. One where we can all live together in harmony. A house where everyone participates for the general welfare of all humans. A house with medical care for all, free education all through any professional degree you can get, a UBI, a political system that works for the benefit of the people, free of lobbying and grift, a defunded police force, what we have neither protects nor serves and is unnecessary. I want to go to that house.
Your experiences and observations of the haunted house harmonizes and /or mirrors to a great degree my own experiences . The level of despair / hope I felt has also risen and fallen similarly in alignment with yours. While I may have actually been naive to believe things would get noticeably better in my lifetime I still believe fascism did not have to be realized. Fascism was not inevitable . It was a choice.
I predict the complete collapse of American political systems before the end of the year. What the result will be I have no idea, but what can't go on won't go on. And the pace of things is picking up - like hurtling toward the horrific end of a haunted house movie.
As a fan of horror movies, and also someone who has very much NOT been a fan of Jon Stewart since before he left TDS (the first time), I very much appreciated this essay. Great work, as per usual.
Excellent SER. I’m always reminded of Pogo. “We’ve seen the enemy and it is us”.
Excellent essay, Stephen!
Thanks!
The road to fascism is paved with people telling you to stop overreacting.
I can't follow the atrocities daily any longer. I have to pace my gazing into the abyss. It's been gazing back at me and I don't like the feelings it inspires or the intrusive thoughts it generates.
The haunted house analogy to trump's fascism is a good one. Maybe that explains why so many Americans voted for him in 2024, after his first disastrous regime, and his instigating the J6 insurrection to deny the presidency to the winner of 2020 - Joe Biden. J6 alone should have been a deal breaker with every American, and why it wasn't, I can't fathom. Sure, the economy wasn't great, but it was improving. What the hell was it in trump's first regime, his life before politics, and what he said while campaigning that made anyone think that he would make things any better? OK, that last may have convinced some suckers to vote for him, but if they had remembered 2017-2021, and how much a failure he was as a businessman (he bankrupted casinos!), they should have been more skeptical of his rhetoric. And then I get back to J6, because things weren't that bad under Biden, but too many Americans thought they were 1920s Germans - carting money in a wheelbarrow to the store just to buy a loaf of bread. But this guy, sure he's bad, but what he says gives me good vibes! I'm gonna vote for him!
Sorry for the rant, but I just don't get ANYONE voting for that piece of shit, unless they are stupid, racist, and misogynist.
The pricktator gets the benefit of legitimacy because of willfully credulous pundits afraid to anger their millionaire and billionaire owners. The millionaire and billionaire owners would really love those Republican tax cuts and regulatory capture. And of course, the pricktator's maladministration gives them plenty of Chaos Click$.
As this one asshole from CBS said (was it Moonves?), "[Pricktator] is bad for America, but great for CBS!"
amen, Stephen. sucks being a Cassandra, you know the truth and nobody believes you.
Sarah Kendzior’s writing published in books Like ‘They Knew “ and ‘Hiding inPlain Sight : the invention of Donald tRump and the Erosion of America would place the mantle of Cassandra on her also. Informative books. Well worth the read.
I've been reading her stuff for a long time.
"Beutler didn’t explain how the screenshot is “out of context.”
Exactly. Its a fucking screenshot. you'd BETTER make fucking sure 'context' is explicitly included in it.
Because Murc's Law is Cruise Control for Cool, only Democrats have to be subject to accountability. So it's fine for people like this to play in our faces.
Infuriating
I wish I could get a read on who actually believes their gaslighting back-walking
"I imagine her later reading a newspaper with the headline, “Demonic Forces Slaughter Suburban Family. Black Housekeeper Vindicated.”"
WIN!
LOL!
This house has been haunted a long time, all my life. I've been seeing the ghosts forever. I was a teen when we had an aging actor, taking advice from his wife's astrologer, that was a big one. Then the next one started a war, I saw that poltergeist too. I yelled about it and got nowhere. I've been yelling "ghost, right there!" ever since. Occupy Wall Street, Iraq 2, (the OG electric boogaloo) BLM, but still we do nothing to get rid of the ghosts. Obama, the only Dem president I actually liked, immediately upon taking power, turned around and said, "ghosts? I don't see any ghosts". That's when I knew we were cooked. I'm just the mouse in the corner of the haunted house now, trying to keep my head down so I don't get murdered by the malevolent spirits that have completely taken over. I don't even have hope for a ghost free house anymore. One where we can all live together in harmony. A house where everyone participates for the general welfare of all humans. A house with medical care for all, free education all through any professional degree you can get, a UBI, a political system that works for the benefit of the people, free of lobbying and grift, a defunded police force, what we have neither protects nor serves and is unnecessary. I want to go to that house.
Your experiences and observations of the haunted house harmonizes and /or mirrors to a great degree my own experiences . The level of despair / hope I felt has also risen and fallen similarly in alignment with yours. While I may have actually been naive to believe things would get noticeably better in my lifetime I still believe fascism did not have to be realized. Fascism was not inevitable . It was a choice.
sigh...right there with ya
It breaks my heart that we are here.
beautifully said