I appreciate your eloquent contrast between the careful treasuring of traditional values of genuine conservatism and the boundary-breaking, bullying spirit of Trumpism. The fire that burned down Altadena was uncontained for far too long, leading to incalculable and tragic destruction. The spirit of the current administration feels like being in that kind of uncontrolled fire with no end in sight. We so need a sane conversation about what the boundaries should be in our society -- from the balance of powers to the tensions between law and freedom, individual goods and the common good. Conversations that can't be had at the level of shout or a roar. Conversations that just feel uncool to someone in the grasp of the fires of rage or vengeance or greed or lust. And then we need for those conversations to be common enough to influence decision-makers. It feels impossible right now, but all fires do burn out eventually...I am just so sad about everything that may be destroyed in the process.
As always, Dave, you offer an extraordinarily well-written and deeply thoughtful essay. It’s balanced and objective too—something far too rare these days. This retired teacher of English gives it an A+.
The right spent decades trying to meet the left halfway. The left wouldn't have it. Trump tried to work with the embedded power structure in his first term and all he had to show for it were two fraudulent impeachment attempts and a slew of show trials with made-up charges.
Trump simply knows who he is dealing with now and is acting accordingly.
I hope you are doing well, now. Have you got a new home? Are you settled down?
I've hung in there with you through thick and thin, and I don't know where my Dave has gone?
I fact checked some of your talking points, only to find them inaccurate. I miss your openness and ability to embrace common sence and other thought processes without the foul language.
Life has been rough for you. I hope things start to "open" up for you to reflect on what really matters, and the wisdom of "knowing" finds its way back into your soul.
It is interesting to read your comments now and contrast them with the ones you made in his first term. I guess a lot has happened in your own life that could possibly have shifted the direction of your loudhailer, but that's the great thing about humans - we are free to change our minds whenever the wind blows directly from the latrines in our direction.
I think that the flux we are seeing in your country now is indicative of the way society self balances itself. I don't think that Trump is anything more than a catalyst for that change. I don't think he is trying to become a dictator more than he is trying to be known as the man who changed the world. He's a capitalist, first and foremost. He rewards hard work and he abhors slackers. You only need to have watched a couple of episodes of The Apprentice to learn what he's all about.
On the subject of dismantling the government, I can't offer more comment other than to ask if that is a good thing or not? I think it is a good thing. There are too many free loaders riding the gravy train (everywhere in the world) and it's time that people started actually earning their keep.
' nuff said from me. And thanks for your work, I appreciate it even if I don't agree with it.
I'm pretty much where I always was. A moderate conservative who is EXTREMELY biased toward truth-tellers. Donald Trump has always been a bullshitter, exaggerating everything at all times. But when he took a turn into telling HUGE lies, like the one that supposed a plethora of poll-tinkering done by the good everyday citizens who bother to do election work, he lost my support. I OPPOSE DISHONEST PEOPLE.
But even worse was when Trump's 'stop the steal' minions, frustrated with the absolute lack of evidence, turned their attentions to derailing the COVID vaccine efforts. ONLY because those vaccines were now in the hands of Democrats under Joe Biden ... well that was something much worse than lying. That was fucking MANSLAUGHTER. Near as I can tell, about 300,000 unvaxxed Americans, mostly so-called 'conservatives', died miserable deaths when a vaccination would have prevented serious illness. And the one single human being on Earth, who might have been able to talk sense to them, was the fully vaccinated and boosted Donald J Trump.
But he let them die in ICU units all over the country, because he was too cowardly to risk his own popularity. That's the guy that you want to trust? And now, this fat orange con-man has put an anti-vax conspiracy theorist in charge of our nation's health programs?
Dude, I don't know your name, but you need to wake the fuck up.
Ah! There he is! As I was reading your wonderful opinion, I was thinking your rubicon was Jan 6. The whole Covid unvaccinated is a concept of which I was unaware.
As long as you are being honest, maybe change your self-description from, “Proudly post-partisan” to something more accurate?
I found “Blue Collar Logic” as I got tired of hearing the ubiquitous propaganda on all legacy media sources stating “Trump bad.”
You called it as you saw it. That was all I wanted. Not folks who were in the tank for Trump and certainly not those who could see no value in the guy.
The only thing I knew about Trump was that he wasn’t a politician. I grew up in the LAUSD and attended (illegally) JFKHS in Granada Hills. My 12th grade sociology(?) teacher made a statement at the beginning of the first class, “Politicians will promise anything to get elected. Once elected, they will do whatever the donors want to get re-elected.” At that very moment, 17 years old in 1977, I thought, “That’s BS! I’m out!” I didn’t vote until Perot ran in ‘92. My favorite candidates are successful business people. I voted for Trump all three times. I make $100K a year fixing medical equipment. I’ve done house painting and am currently prepping our rental for interior paint. My wife bought the place in ‘95 and she makes more than me. She has a four year degree, and wants Pete Buttigieg to be pres. I was expelled from community college for poor academic performance. Said I was on my 40 year plan to get my 2 year degree. That is how long it actually took. Got me an AS in electronics.
My brother, you are generalizing on MAGA. To expand your perception, please take a look at Dennis Quaid interviews with PBD, Shapiro, or Dave Rubin. Will you apply your MAGA generalizations to a Hollywood Actor?
I had to look up your term “Manichean”. And yeah, I’m idealistic. As much as it is in my nature to consider things black and white, I understand there is nuance, details and depth. The further one digs, the more complicated things get.
So, I would encourage you to set aside your vehemence of Trump. Consider the possibility that this flawed human, who has had success in a number of ventures, and failures (though he may not admit it) in many others, is doing what he thinks will truly restore American prosperity. He has for decades complained to nearly every talk show host - Phil Donahue, Sally Jesse Rafael, Oprah, Larry King and others that the U.S. is being screwed financially by every other country. When asked, “Will you run for president?” His answer was (for decades), “No. I’m having too much fun. And it is a very ugly business.”
My dear leftie friend (and best man at our 1999 wedding), says what you say. “Trump just wants power.” Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But I can’t see a guy taking financial losses, suffering lawfare, and an assassination attempting or two just for more power. The fact that he has selected cabinet members who have all suffered the boot of politicized intel and DOJ systems is a good indication that he wants to restore the power to the people.
But that’s just my take. I appreciate reading yours. Thank you for sharing! I sent a couple bucks for your replacement hobo dojo. Need to find a laptop and upgrade my membership. I appreciate your voice.
I am not an American, just an observer from afar. Very afar. And trust me, I am wide awake on matters that matter.
My opinions on covid and the vaccines that came with it are probably not something you'd want to hear, but here I am, 5 years later, unvaccinated and somehow "miraculously" still alive. Had I taken the vaccines I can say assuredly I probably would not be here today because of my own genetic pre-disposition to heart disease. I just said no and I had every right to say no. That said I was vilified by friends and members of my own family for adopting this stance. I know many people who were forced to take the jab or lose their jobs. Why would I put my health at risk if these so-called rushed vaccines were so effective at helping the susceptible not succumb to covid? The lack of logic on the mandated vaccines baffled me. Still does.
RFK is not an anti-vaxxer. You need to dig a little deeper into the truth of the matter where he is concerned and stop taking as fact the things that MSM says about him. I'd suggest watching his episode on JRE (#1999) and listen carefully to what he says about the entire vaccine industry. That industry exists because of systemic failures in your American health and legal systems. That industry is sucking the life out of humanity, Dollar by Dollar. Big pharma is not there for your health. They are there because "protecting" your health is very big business.
You don't need to have a college education to see that there are major health issues being experienced by the youth of today, especially where autism is concerned. How many autistic or mentally challenged kids did you know in the 20th century? I didn't know many, but today I know of one in nearly every family, including my own extended family. There's something very wrong going on in the pharmaceutical industry and in my opinion RFK is the right guy to sort it out.
As for Trump, I don't apply much credence to the opinions of people who cannot write down or say his name without attaching accompanying derogatory remarks. All I need to know about those people is what they broadcast when in discussion on the man. Sad really.
I do not believe DJT has ever studied neoclassical liberalism conservatism, or progressivism. Liberals generally hold that the government is responsible for providing people maximum freedom (even at the cost of others' freedom). I do not see Trump focused on individual freedom so much as he is on economic independence. It is a useful to question the political labels people adopt. What era is DJT most likely trying to conserve? What era of US politics/economics do you look back on as traditional? I will have to disagree with you on the RINO bit until Trump starts pushing the hedonistic principles of liberal freedom. No modern liberal would say you cannot do ______ unless it is to enhance class warfare. Look at drug use, single parent homes, murder rates by jurisdiction, and abortion if you think liberals advocate restraint.
Where did I say that liberals advocate restraint? Nowhere. I said that actual conservatives do that. Trump's spent his whole life as a hedonistic libertine.
Wish I’d have written that
Me too, Dale. Dave writes superbly.
I appreciate your eloquent contrast between the careful treasuring of traditional values of genuine conservatism and the boundary-breaking, bullying spirit of Trumpism. The fire that burned down Altadena was uncontained for far too long, leading to incalculable and tragic destruction. The spirit of the current administration feels like being in that kind of uncontrolled fire with no end in sight. We so need a sane conversation about what the boundaries should be in our society -- from the balance of powers to the tensions between law and freedom, individual goods and the common good. Conversations that can't be had at the level of shout or a roar. Conversations that just feel uncool to someone in the grasp of the fires of rage or vengeance or greed or lust. And then we need for those conversations to be common enough to influence decision-makers. It feels impossible right now, but all fires do burn out eventually...I am just so sad about everything that may be destroyed in the process.
As always, Dave, you offer an extraordinarily well-written and deeply thoughtful essay. It’s balanced and objective too—something far too rare these days. This retired teacher of English gives it an A+.
Well said again Dave.
The right spent decades trying to meet the left halfway. The left wouldn't have it. Trump tried to work with the embedded power structure in his first term and all he had to show for it were two fraudulent impeachment attempts and a slew of show trials with made-up charges.
Trump simply knows who he is dealing with now and is acting accordingly.
I hope you are doing well, now. Have you got a new home? Are you settled down?
My dearest Dave,
I've hung in there with you through thick and thin, and I don't know where my Dave has gone?
I fact checked some of your talking points, only to find them inaccurate. I miss your openness and ability to embrace common sence and other thought processes without the foul language.
Life has been rough for you. I hope things start to "open" up for you to reflect on what really matters, and the wisdom of "knowing" finds its way back into your soul.
You're a good man. Please take care.
It is interesting to read your comments now and contrast them with the ones you made in his first term. I guess a lot has happened in your own life that could possibly have shifted the direction of your loudhailer, but that's the great thing about humans - we are free to change our minds whenever the wind blows directly from the latrines in our direction.
I think that the flux we are seeing in your country now is indicative of the way society self balances itself. I don't think that Trump is anything more than a catalyst for that change. I don't think he is trying to become a dictator more than he is trying to be known as the man who changed the world. He's a capitalist, first and foremost. He rewards hard work and he abhors slackers. You only need to have watched a couple of episodes of The Apprentice to learn what he's all about.
On the subject of dismantling the government, I can't offer more comment other than to ask if that is a good thing or not? I think it is a good thing. There are too many free loaders riding the gravy train (everywhere in the world) and it's time that people started actually earning their keep.
' nuff said from me. And thanks for your work, I appreciate it even if I don't agree with it.
I'm pretty much where I always was. A moderate conservative who is EXTREMELY biased toward truth-tellers. Donald Trump has always been a bullshitter, exaggerating everything at all times. But when he took a turn into telling HUGE lies, like the one that supposed a plethora of poll-tinkering done by the good everyday citizens who bother to do election work, he lost my support. I OPPOSE DISHONEST PEOPLE.
But even worse was when Trump's 'stop the steal' minions, frustrated with the absolute lack of evidence, turned their attentions to derailing the COVID vaccine efforts. ONLY because those vaccines were now in the hands of Democrats under Joe Biden ... well that was something much worse than lying. That was fucking MANSLAUGHTER. Near as I can tell, about 300,000 unvaxxed Americans, mostly so-called 'conservatives', died miserable deaths when a vaccination would have prevented serious illness. And the one single human being on Earth, who might have been able to talk sense to them, was the fully vaccinated and boosted Donald J Trump.
But he let them die in ICU units all over the country, because he was too cowardly to risk his own popularity. That's the guy that you want to trust? And now, this fat orange con-man has put an anti-vax conspiracy theorist in charge of our nation's health programs?
Dude, I don't know your name, but you need to wake the fuck up.
Ah! There he is! As I was reading your wonderful opinion, I was thinking your rubicon was Jan 6. The whole Covid unvaccinated is a concept of which I was unaware.
As long as you are being honest, maybe change your self-description from, “Proudly post-partisan” to something more accurate?
I found “Blue Collar Logic” as I got tired of hearing the ubiquitous propaganda on all legacy media sources stating “Trump bad.”
You called it as you saw it. That was all I wanted. Not folks who were in the tank for Trump and certainly not those who could see no value in the guy.
The only thing I knew about Trump was that he wasn’t a politician. I grew up in the LAUSD and attended (illegally) JFKHS in Granada Hills. My 12th grade sociology(?) teacher made a statement at the beginning of the first class, “Politicians will promise anything to get elected. Once elected, they will do whatever the donors want to get re-elected.” At that very moment, 17 years old in 1977, I thought, “That’s BS! I’m out!” I didn’t vote until Perot ran in ‘92. My favorite candidates are successful business people. I voted for Trump all three times. I make $100K a year fixing medical equipment. I’ve done house painting and am currently prepping our rental for interior paint. My wife bought the place in ‘95 and she makes more than me. She has a four year degree, and wants Pete Buttigieg to be pres. I was expelled from community college for poor academic performance. Said I was on my 40 year plan to get my 2 year degree. That is how long it actually took. Got me an AS in electronics.
My brother, you are generalizing on MAGA. To expand your perception, please take a look at Dennis Quaid interviews with PBD, Shapiro, or Dave Rubin. Will you apply your MAGA generalizations to a Hollywood Actor?
I had to look up your term “Manichean”. And yeah, I’m idealistic. As much as it is in my nature to consider things black and white, I understand there is nuance, details and depth. The further one digs, the more complicated things get.
So, I would encourage you to set aside your vehemence of Trump. Consider the possibility that this flawed human, who has had success in a number of ventures, and failures (though he may not admit it) in many others, is doing what he thinks will truly restore American prosperity. He has for decades complained to nearly every talk show host - Phil Donahue, Sally Jesse Rafael, Oprah, Larry King and others that the U.S. is being screwed financially by every other country. When asked, “Will you run for president?” His answer was (for decades), “No. I’m having too much fun. And it is a very ugly business.”
My dear leftie friend (and best man at our 1999 wedding), says what you say. “Trump just wants power.” Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. But I can’t see a guy taking financial losses, suffering lawfare, and an assassination attempting or two just for more power. The fact that he has selected cabinet members who have all suffered the boot of politicized intel and DOJ systems is a good indication that he wants to restore the power to the people.
But that’s just my take. I appreciate reading yours. Thank you for sharing! I sent a couple bucks for your replacement hobo dojo. Need to find a laptop and upgrade my membership. I appreciate your voice.
Be well, brother!
Dave M.
I am not an American, just an observer from afar. Very afar. And trust me, I am wide awake on matters that matter.
My opinions on covid and the vaccines that came with it are probably not something you'd want to hear, but here I am, 5 years later, unvaccinated and somehow "miraculously" still alive. Had I taken the vaccines I can say assuredly I probably would not be here today because of my own genetic pre-disposition to heart disease. I just said no and I had every right to say no. That said I was vilified by friends and members of my own family for adopting this stance. I know many people who were forced to take the jab or lose their jobs. Why would I put my health at risk if these so-called rushed vaccines were so effective at helping the susceptible not succumb to covid? The lack of logic on the mandated vaccines baffled me. Still does.
RFK is not an anti-vaxxer. You need to dig a little deeper into the truth of the matter where he is concerned and stop taking as fact the things that MSM says about him. I'd suggest watching his episode on JRE (#1999) and listen carefully to what he says about the entire vaccine industry. That industry exists because of systemic failures in your American health and legal systems. That industry is sucking the life out of humanity, Dollar by Dollar. Big pharma is not there for your health. They are there because "protecting" your health is very big business.
You don't need to have a college education to see that there are major health issues being experienced by the youth of today, especially where autism is concerned. How many autistic or mentally challenged kids did you know in the 20th century? I didn't know many, but today I know of one in nearly every family, including my own extended family. There's something very wrong going on in the pharmaceutical industry and in my opinion RFK is the right guy to sort it out.
As for Trump, I don't apply much credence to the opinions of people who cannot write down or say his name without attaching accompanying derogatory remarks. All I need to know about those people is what they broadcast when in discussion on the man. Sad really.
I do not believe DJT has ever studied neoclassical liberalism conservatism, or progressivism. Liberals generally hold that the government is responsible for providing people maximum freedom (even at the cost of others' freedom). I do not see Trump focused on individual freedom so much as he is on economic independence. It is a useful to question the political labels people adopt. What era is DJT most likely trying to conserve? What era of US politics/economics do you look back on as traditional? I will have to disagree with you on the RINO bit until Trump starts pushing the hedonistic principles of liberal freedom. No modern liberal would say you cannot do ______ unless it is to enhance class warfare. Look at drug use, single parent homes, murder rates by jurisdiction, and abortion if you think liberals advocate restraint.
Where did I say that liberals advocate restraint? Nowhere. I said that actual conservatives do that. Trump's spent his whole life as a hedonistic libertine.
Larry Flint said it best ...."a man fycks just ONE chicken and right away you turn negative"
Thanks again for taking the time to write. I do appreciate your thoughts and perspective. Thank you! I say this next part mostly to be funny.
I wish we had a mandatory vaccination for TDS.
May your guitars ever be in tune, Nate Johnson