Trump's America

[River]

Barr said something weasely about not anticipating, so if you want to be cynical, expect something unanticipated.

[RoseMorninStar]

The 'Boogaloo Bois' militia movement (mostly heavily armed white men of a libertarian bent who wish to incite a race war) have co opted the Hawaiian shirt as their unofficial uniform. They were out in force outside the Trump rally but had to leave due to their weapons.

Due to ticket demand, Trump had expected huge crowds in Tulsa which never manifested. Steve Schmidt (former?) Republican strategist, tweeted tonight that the Trump administration was (t)rolled by teens across America who evidently organized and ordered hundreds of tickets to Trumps rally, with no intention of attending.

As for the SDNY/Berman/Barr/Trump thing.. weird. On the bright side Berman should be completely free to testify on Wednesday.

[Túrin Turambar]

Holding that rally, on a day after the U.S. recorded something like 33,000 new COVID-19 cases, was one of the most deranged things I've ever seen. They couldn't have had a better super-spreader event if they planned it.

[RoseMorninStar]

I don't know what you've heard about the rally Túrin, but Trump claims he's done such a wonderful job with COVID. He said if only we'd slow down testing there would be fewer cases--later saying he was joking. It sure didn't sound like he was joking. With about 120,000 dead I don't think the president should consider it a 'joking' matter. He called it the 'Kung Flu' and he said he had 19 other names for it. (We're already seeing a rise in violence against Asian Americans). But his crowd ate it up. What a mess.

[elengil]

I don't know what you've heard about the rally Túrin, but Trump claims he's done such a wonderful job with COVID. He said if only we'd slow down testing there would be fewer cases--later saying he was joking. It sure didn't sound like he was joking. With about 120,000 dead I don't think the president should consider it a 'joking' matter. He called it the 'Kung Flu' and he said he had 19 other names for it. (We're already seeing a rise in violence against Asian Americans). But his crowd ate it up. What a mess.

And once again we have the baffling double-speak and cognitive dissonance. If COVID is a hoax, why attack Asian Americans? If COVID is real, why dismiss it? I really wish our brains didn't allow for this kind of thing, I really do.

[RoseMorninStar]

I don't know what you've heard about the rally Túrin, but Trump claims he's done such a wonderful job with COVID. He said if only we'd slow down testing there would be fewer cases--later saying he was joking. It sure didn't sound like he was joking. With about 120,000 dead I don't think the president should consider it a 'joking' matter. He called it the 'Kung Flu' and he said he had 19 other names for it. (We're already seeing a rise in violence against Asian Americans). But his crowd ate it up. What a mess.

And once again we have the baffling double-speak and cognitive dissonance. If COVID is a hoax, why attack Asian Americans? If COVID is real, why dismiss it? I really wish our brains didn't allow for this kind of thing, I really do.

Trump only understands division and chaos, as bullies do. If he can divide, he can conquer. That is who/what he is appealing to. He rambled on about himself. Recounted satirical material from a far right wing conspiracy site about Biden as fact. Lies and division.

[Sunsilver]

I saw a campaign ad for Biden today. It showed him speaking at a rally. The speech was all about unity and working together. He and his people obviously know what will appeal to those who are sick and tired of Trump.

I think the text came from this speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GmWa3WCo9k
Edit: yup, 7 minutes in!

[River]

Holding that rally, on a day after the U.S. recorded something like 33,000 new COVID-19 cases, was one of the most deranged things I've ever seen. They couldn't have had a better super-spreader event if they planned it.

Thankfully the crowd was smaller than anticipated. The arena was not full and there was no overflow. It's not likely to end well but it won't be as bad as it could have been if more locals were willing to indulge. But yes, this event definitely brings Trump into "danger to self and others" territory. If he weren't surrounded by grifting enablers he'd probably be under some sort of medical supervision.

[RoseMorninStar]

Suny, THAT is a speech by a leader. When I hear something like that I cannot help but think of how far we have fallen.

They are calling Trump's 'speech' at his rally the Emptiesburg Address.

[Sunsilver]

They are calling Trump's 'speech' at his rally the Emptiesburg Address.

I can no longer stand to listen to him talk. If he's said something totally unbelievable, like when he rebuked a reporter for asking what assurances he could give to people who were frightened by the COVID virus, I MIGHT give it a listen, but that's about it.

[Dave_LF]

Holding that rally, on a day after the U.S. recorded something like 33,000 new COVID-19 cases, was one of the most deranged things I've ever seen. They couldn't have had a better super-spreader event if they planned it.

It's one thing to tell other people to act like COVID is no big deal because, after all, who cares if someone else dies to help your election prospects? But Trump is now acting like it's no big deal for him either. I seriously question what's going on in his head. Has he truly gone into full denial mode, and no one's even trying to stop him? If so, with a schedule that includes crowded events in Oklahoma, Arizona, and Florida, he's got a pretty good chance of catching it. And while he's not the candidate I voted for, I don't really want to add questions about who's in charge to our pile of problems (let's not even talk about what happens if Pence catches it too. *Why* are both of them attending these rallies together?? That's a dumb idea even without a plague). The only other explanation I can think of is that he had it already without telling, and that's why he did his two weeks of HCQ.

[RoseMorninStar]

It would be my guess that Trump is not unlike some celebrities I've read about who surround themselves with sycophants and 'yes-persons' (their influence and money allow them to get away with this). They refuse to hear anything they don't like nor do they wish to deal with hard realities so everyone around them sugar-coats everything they say and they come to live in a bubble. An illusion of reality of their own making. Magical thinking, to be able to wish things away or that the power of one's own mind can change the facts.

Trump's father was a follower of Norman Vincent Peale and the family attended his church when Donald was little. Peale's book, 'The Power of Positive Thinking' made a huge impression on Trump and it seems he lives by those principles without the tempering of reality and believes our thoughts alone are determinative.

[Sunsilver]

Mary Trump, the president's niece, says Trump is a sociopath and suffers from narcissistic personality disorder. He also has a long undiagnosed learning disability, which would certainly explain why he doesn't keep up with briefings or do anything that requires a lot of reading.

Gee, I think we kind of figured some of this out already...sociopaths don't care if others die, or care about their feelings

Mary has a doctorate degree in clinical psychology, so she should know what she's talking about and has observed.

[RoseMorninStar]

I don't have a doctorate in clinical psychology and I figured it out long ago. It's that obvious.

[River]

I don't have a doctorate in clinical psychology and I figured it out long ago. It's that obvious.

I had this labmate in grad school who was a horrible handful. Shortly after she left I found the DSM criteria for NPD and started checking off boxes. Only ones I could check were the ones I would have had to be in her head to answer. Trump reminded/reminds me of her. Also, my former uber-boss worked for someone who also likely had NPD. Trump reminded/reminds him of that person. If you survive that particular poison you never forget the taste.

[RoseMorninStar]

Yeah.. I've experienced 2 such people and you're right, River.. the disruption, chaos, and how they poison everything stays with a person. Unfortunately there are a good many people they can con while they are 'useful' to them.

[RoseMorninStar]

I wasn't sure what thread to put this in.. but this is as good as any I suppose.

There's been a lot going on in Portland. Protests against racial injustice and police brutality. Presumably unidentified Federal officers in unmarked vehicles taking people off the street and detaining them with no warrants or charges. Tear gas and rubber bullets filled with lead are being fired into the crowds. Then came the 'wall of moms' forming a human wall to protect the young protesters, the moms were also gassed by Federal agents. Tonight it is the 'dads with leafblowers' blowing the chemical tear gas back at federal agents and using hockey sticks to scoot tear gas canisters back from whence they came.

These are some interesting times.

[elengil]

Tonight it is the 'dads with leafblowers' blowing the chemical tear gas back at federal agents and using hockey sticks to scoot tear gas canisters back from whence they came.

These are some interesting times.

Half of me wants to cheer, the other half is terrified of the kind of response that will happen "Now that the public has escalated..." And to be clear, what I mean is if they use those violent tactics against people doing nothing, what will they do when people do even the smallest thing?? Unfortunately hokey sticks won't redirect bullets - rubber coated or otherwise. I'm not sure at what point the government is going to realize that they've so lost this, I hope it's soon.

I am glad to see the increases in crowds and resistance to what the police and feds are doing. (which, incidentally, Beau also talked about and said that is exactly the reaction that can be expected to these tactics because there is literally a handbook that says 'do not do this because you will lose and the public will win', which is why it is absolutely insanely stupid for the government to be doing what they're doing since all they're accomplishing is a growing galvanization against the government)

[River]

Then came the 'wall of moms' forming a human wall to protect the young protesters, the moms were also gassed by Federal agents. Tonight it is the 'dads with leafblowers' blowing the chemical tear gas back at federal agents and using hockey sticks to scoot tear gas canisters back from whence they came.

These are some interesting times.

Apparently DHS is shocked and confused that the protesters would find a countermeasure and I'm shocked and confused at their shock and confusion. But they're ICE agents. I guess they assumed the people of Portland would be as defenseless as migrant children. I'm also worried about what comes next. Standing up to bullies is a dicey business.

[elengil]

Oh look, it's a surge.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53507660