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marmar
marmar's Journal
marmar's Journal
March 27, 2024
(Detroit Free Press) Mayor Mike Duggan on Tuesday enthusiastically kicked off the 30-day countdown until the NFL draft, leading a news conference at the future center of the event in downtown Detroit.
Hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to attend the NFL draft April 25-27, an event whose formal footprint will stretch from Campus Martius south to Hart Plaza, although pockets of festivities will happen across downtown — including a block party in Greektown and tailgating in Eastern Market. The event will be free to the public.
In an announcement to hype up Detroiters, Duggan and other civic officials provided an update on what to expect, including a series of road closures set to happen as early as this week and a reminder for all NFL draft visitors to download the OnePass mobile app, which will allow entry into the official event area and offer detailed information on all planned activities.
"Things will be taking place throughout the city of Detroit, and everyone will be able to enjoy it," said Eric Larson, CEO of the Downtown Detroit Partnership. ..............(more)
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2024/03/26/nfl-draft-detroit-duggan-onepass-app-closures/73103959007/
Duggan unveils Detroit NFL draft plans: Road closures, mobile app, stage construction
(Detroit Free Press) Mayor Mike Duggan on Tuesday enthusiastically kicked off the 30-day countdown until the NFL draft, leading a news conference at the future center of the event in downtown Detroit.
Hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to attend the NFL draft April 25-27, an event whose formal footprint will stretch from Campus Martius south to Hart Plaza, although pockets of festivities will happen across downtown — including a block party in Greektown and tailgating in Eastern Market. The event will be free to the public.
In an announcement to hype up Detroiters, Duggan and other civic officials provided an update on what to expect, including a series of road closures set to happen as early as this week and a reminder for all NFL draft visitors to download the OnePass mobile app, which will allow entry into the official event area and offer detailed information on all planned activities.
"Things will be taking place throughout the city of Detroit, and everyone will be able to enjoy it," said Eric Larson, CEO of the Downtown Detroit Partnership. ..............(more)
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/nfl/lions/2024/03/26/nfl-draft-detroit-duggan-onepass-app-closures/73103959007/
March 26, 2024
(Michigan Advance) Michigan is among the best in the nation when it comes to the administration of elections.
That’s according to the Elections Performance Index (EPI), which ranked Michigan at second in the nation when comparing election administration policy and performance from one federal election cycle to the next. Released on Friday by the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, the report scored Michigan at 88% on the EPI, second only to New Mexico, which also scored 88%. Rounding out the top five were Colorado (87%), Vermont (87%) and Nebraska (87%).
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson noted the improvement the state had seen since 2018.
“When I first took office, Michigan’s elections were ranked 31st in the nation, today we are number two,” said Benson. “We’ve reached this incredible achievement thanks to the outstanding work of Michigan’s clerks and poll workers, who administer safe, secure, and accurate elections. I’m grateful to the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, for its data-driven work to improve elections across the country. We won’t rest until Michigan is ranked number one.” ..................(more)
https://michiganadvance.com/briefs/mit-report-ranks-michigan-second-in-election-administration/
MIT report ranks Michigan second in election administration
(Michigan Advance) Michigan is among the best in the nation when it comes to the administration of elections.
That’s according to the Elections Performance Index (EPI), which ranked Michigan at second in the nation when comparing election administration policy and performance from one federal election cycle to the next. Released on Friday by the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, the report scored Michigan at 88% on the EPI, second only to New Mexico, which also scored 88%. Rounding out the top five were Colorado (87%), Vermont (87%) and Nebraska (87%).
Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson noted the improvement the state had seen since 2018.
“When I first took office, Michigan’s elections were ranked 31st in the nation, today we are number two,” said Benson. “We’ve reached this incredible achievement thanks to the outstanding work of Michigan’s clerks and poll workers, who administer safe, secure, and accurate elections. I’m grateful to the MIT Election Data and Science Lab, for its data-driven work to improve elections across the country. We won’t rest until Michigan is ranked number one.” ..................(more)
https://michiganadvance.com/briefs/mit-report-ranks-michigan-second-in-election-administration/
March 26, 2024
SPOKANE, WA – Usually, the most upsetting part about exiting the NCAA Tournament is losing before you want to. That wasn’t the case for Utah women’s basketball.
Head coach Lynne Roberts revealed in her postgame press conference after the Utes lost to Gonzaga in the second round of the NCAA Tournament that her team experienced racism toward the beginning of their trip that forced them to move hotels.
“Our team hotel was in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, which is not very close,” Roberts said. “It’s 35-40 minutes, so that was a little strange, but whatever. We had several instances of some kind of racial hate crimes towards our program and it was incredibly upsetting for all of us.” ........................(more)
https://kslsports.com/513670/racist-incident-dampens-utah-wbb-ncaa-tournament/
Racist Incidents Dampen Utah Women's Basketball's Time In NCAA Tournament
SPOKANE, WA – Usually, the most upsetting part about exiting the NCAA Tournament is losing before you want to. That wasn’t the case for Utah women’s basketball.
Head coach Lynne Roberts revealed in her postgame press conference after the Utes lost to Gonzaga in the second round of the NCAA Tournament that her team experienced racism toward the beginning of their trip that forced them to move hotels.
“Our team hotel was in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, which is not very close,” Roberts said. “It’s 35-40 minutes, so that was a little strange, but whatever. We had several instances of some kind of racial hate crimes towards our program and it was incredibly upsetting for all of us.” ........................(more)
https://kslsports.com/513670/racist-incident-dampens-utah-wbb-ncaa-tournament/
March 26, 2024
(Guardian UK) Abortion is back at the US supreme court, with arguments on Tuesday in the first major case on the issue since a 6-3 majority ruled in 2022 to overturn Roe v Wade and end the national right to abortion – a decision that unleashed abortion bans throughout the country as well as a political backlash that Democrats hope will serve them in the coming presidential election.
At issue in the case is the future of mifepristone, a drug typically used in US medication abortions. The rightwing groups that brought the case are seeking to roll back measures taken by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expand the drug’s availability in recent years.
A decision in their favor would apply nationwide, including in states that protect abortion access, and would likely make the drug more difficult to acquire. The loosening of restrictions on mifepristone have helped mitigate the impact of post-Roe abortion bans; if those restrictions are reimposed, abortion rights groups anticipate it will become significantly more difficult to access abortions in the US.
“More than 60% of abortions in the US are medication abortions, so that would impact a substantial number of people, whether you live in a protective state or a restricted state,” said Nicole Huberfeld, a health law professor at Boston University’s School of Public Health. ..................(more)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/26/us-supreme-court-abortion-pill-case-mifepristone
US supreme court to hear first major abortion case since Roe decision
(Guardian UK) Abortion is back at the US supreme court, with arguments on Tuesday in the first major case on the issue since a 6-3 majority ruled in 2022 to overturn Roe v Wade and end the national right to abortion – a decision that unleashed abortion bans throughout the country as well as a political backlash that Democrats hope will serve them in the coming presidential election.
At issue in the case is the future of mifepristone, a drug typically used in US medication abortions. The rightwing groups that brought the case are seeking to roll back measures taken by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expand the drug’s availability in recent years.
A decision in their favor would apply nationwide, including in states that protect abortion access, and would likely make the drug more difficult to acquire. The loosening of restrictions on mifepristone have helped mitigate the impact of post-Roe abortion bans; if those restrictions are reimposed, abortion rights groups anticipate it will become significantly more difficult to access abortions in the US.
“More than 60% of abortions in the US are medication abortions, so that would impact a substantial number of people, whether you live in a protective state or a restricted state,” said Nicole Huberfeld, a health law professor at Boston University’s School of Public Health. ..................(more)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/26/us-supreme-court-abortion-pill-case-mifepristone
March 26, 2024
There appears to be no end of breaks for a spoiled rich boy who has never done a decent thing in his 77 years
By AMANDA MARCOTTE
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED MARCH 26, 2024 6:00AM (EDT)
(Salon) As anyone who listens to him can attest, Donald Trump may be the most self-pitying person on planet Earth. Pretty much all the man does is whine and cry about how he's the victim of an imaginary "witch hunt." In reality, his list of transgressions is staggering. If he were any other person, he would have been sentenced to prison many times over with no real hope of release: Sexual assault. Decades of fraud. Attempted extortation of a foreign leader. Stealing classified documents. Flagrant acceptance of what very much looks like bribes. Attempting to overthrow democracy. Inciting a violent riot that got people killed. I'm sure readers can list a dozen more, but let's get to the point: It's absolutely bananas that Trump isn't in prison yet.
....(snip)....
And yet, simply because he was born a white guy with inherited wealth, the world conspires to endlessly provide Trump with all the breaks. Not only is this spoiled brat shielded from the consequences of his actions, but his privilege continues to catapult him into a world of luxury and flattery, even as all he does is leave a trail of ruin in his wake.
The latest "are you kidding me" example: On Monday, right before Trump finally got the tiniest taste of the justice he deserves for committing decades of criminal fraud in New York, he got bailed out by the state's appeals court. The judgment against Trump was nearly half a billion, due to a court case that demonstrated he wouldn't have two nickels to rub together but for his lifetime of fraud. In order to appeal the case, Trump had to first put up the full amount as a bond, which is standard. So Trump went on Truth Social to petulantly claim he had $500 million in cash (even though his legal filings said otherwise). Then in a stunningly undeserved act of mercy, the appeals court reduced the amount of his bond to $175 million and gave Trump 10 more days to find a benefactor to pay it for him.
....(snip)....
Trump's entire life has been defined by the willingness of other people to coddle the rich white boy. Right now, that's manifesting in legal leniency, as most prosecutors and judges have hesitated to show Trump even 1/100th of the justice that would face anyone else who acts like him. This is most obvious, of course, when looking at the attempted coup and the Capitol riot. Over 1,200 people have faced federal charges for Jan. 6, but Attorney General Merrick Garland dragged his feet for years on charging Trump. Yes, Garland eventually hired special prosecutor Jack Smith, and he brought charges, but it's looking like it's way too late to get the trial done by the election. ...............(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/03/26/loves-to-play-the-victim--ny-appeals-bailout-shows-hes-the-most-coddled-person-alive/
Trump loves to play the victim -- NY appeals court bailout shows he's the most coddled person alive
Trump loves to play the victim — NY appeals court bailout shows he's the most coddled person aliveThere appears to be no end of breaks for a spoiled rich boy who has never done a decent thing in his 77 years
By AMANDA MARCOTTE
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED MARCH 26, 2024 6:00AM (EDT)
(Salon) As anyone who listens to him can attest, Donald Trump may be the most self-pitying person on planet Earth. Pretty much all the man does is whine and cry about how he's the victim of an imaginary "witch hunt." In reality, his list of transgressions is staggering. If he were any other person, he would have been sentenced to prison many times over with no real hope of release: Sexual assault. Decades of fraud. Attempted extortation of a foreign leader. Stealing classified documents. Flagrant acceptance of what very much looks like bribes. Attempting to overthrow democracy. Inciting a violent riot that got people killed. I'm sure readers can list a dozen more, but let's get to the point: It's absolutely bananas that Trump isn't in prison yet.
....(snip)....
And yet, simply because he was born a white guy with inherited wealth, the world conspires to endlessly provide Trump with all the breaks. Not only is this spoiled brat shielded from the consequences of his actions, but his privilege continues to catapult him into a world of luxury and flattery, even as all he does is leave a trail of ruin in his wake.
The latest "are you kidding me" example: On Monday, right before Trump finally got the tiniest taste of the justice he deserves for committing decades of criminal fraud in New York, he got bailed out by the state's appeals court. The judgment against Trump was nearly half a billion, due to a court case that demonstrated he wouldn't have two nickels to rub together but for his lifetime of fraud. In order to appeal the case, Trump had to first put up the full amount as a bond, which is standard. So Trump went on Truth Social to petulantly claim he had $500 million in cash (even though his legal filings said otherwise). Then in a stunningly undeserved act of mercy, the appeals court reduced the amount of his bond to $175 million and gave Trump 10 more days to find a benefactor to pay it for him.
....(snip)....
Trump's entire life has been defined by the willingness of other people to coddle the rich white boy. Right now, that's manifesting in legal leniency, as most prosecutors and judges have hesitated to show Trump even 1/100th of the justice that would face anyone else who acts like him. This is most obvious, of course, when looking at the attempted coup and the Capitol riot. Over 1,200 people have faced federal charges for Jan. 6, but Attorney General Merrick Garland dragged his feet for years on charging Trump. Yes, Garland eventually hired special prosecutor Jack Smith, and he brought charges, but it's looking like it's way too late to get the trial done by the election. ...............(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/03/26/loves-to-play-the-victim--ny-appeals-bailout-shows-hes-the-most-coddled-person-alive/
March 25, 2024
Trump now hypes her as a January 6 martyr, but when he was told of Babbitt's death, there was "no, like, reaction"
By AMANDA MARCOTTE
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED MARCH 25, 2024 6:00AM (EDT)
(Salon) Nine people died as a result of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection that Republicans pretend was a "normal tourist visit." Four rioters and five police officers lost their lives during the attack or in its immediate aftermath, in ways that likely would not have happened but for the Capitol riot. This death toll is rarely discussed in the media coverage of the attack, likely because journalists don't want to argue with gaslighting fascists who want to get into bad faith debates about whether the assault "caused" the heart attacks and suicides that took lives. But there is one death that no one can deny was due to Jan. 6: That of Ashli Babbitt, the QAnon-believing insurrectionist who was shot by a Capitol police officer as she attempted to lead a charge of rioters to run down fleeing members of Congress.
Instead of erasing her death in their efforts to pretend the riot was "peaceful," Donald Trump and his goons have turned the 36-year-old conspiracy theorist into a MAGA martyr. As with much of Trump's campaign antics, it calls back to the tactics of the Nazis, who turned a murdered scumbag named Horst Wessel into a fallen fascist hero honored in iconography and song. Babbitt is even easier to prop up as a sympathetic figure, she was both pretty and female.
....(snip)....
So really, it should be bigger news that recently released testimony from a White House valet shows that Trump's reaction when told about Babbitt's death was utter indifference. It's buried in a New York Times report on this recently released transcript of an interview the anonymous valet did with the House committee investigating Jan. 6. The Times reporters are more focused on the valet's recollections of how Trump told his vice president, Mike Pence, that it would be "a political career killer" if Pence refused to steal the election for him. In passing, however, they also mention Trump did not care about Babbitt's killing — and the timeline suggests he understood perfectly well at the time that Babbitt was to blame for her own death.
....(snip)....
That Trump did not actually care about Babbitt's death, outside of fears that it made him look bad, is not a surprise to most Salon readers, journalists, or anyone who is honest about Trump's utter lack of morality. Perhaps this is why this revelation isn't getting more press attention. There's a tendency in the jaded press to assume "everyone" knows that Trump has never in his life cared about anyone but himself. But not all voters know that Trump is for-real sociopathic, and they may be surprised to find he reacted to a deluded woman dying for him like normal people react to stepping on an ant. ...............(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/03/25/newly-released-transcripts-reveal-a-maga-betrayal-donald-never-cared-about-ashli-babbitt/
Newly released transcripts reveal a MAGA betrayal: Donald Trump never cared about Ashli Babbitt
Newly released transcripts reveal a MAGA betrayal: Donald Trump never cared about Ashli BabbittTrump now hypes her as a January 6 martyr, but when he was told of Babbitt's death, there was "no, like, reaction"
By AMANDA MARCOTTE
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED MARCH 25, 2024 6:00AM (EDT)
(Salon) Nine people died as a result of the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection that Republicans pretend was a "normal tourist visit." Four rioters and five police officers lost their lives during the attack or in its immediate aftermath, in ways that likely would not have happened but for the Capitol riot. This death toll is rarely discussed in the media coverage of the attack, likely because journalists don't want to argue with gaslighting fascists who want to get into bad faith debates about whether the assault "caused" the heart attacks and suicides that took lives. But there is one death that no one can deny was due to Jan. 6: That of Ashli Babbitt, the QAnon-believing insurrectionist who was shot by a Capitol police officer as she attempted to lead a charge of rioters to run down fleeing members of Congress.
Instead of erasing her death in their efforts to pretend the riot was "peaceful," Donald Trump and his goons have turned the 36-year-old conspiracy theorist into a MAGA martyr. As with much of Trump's campaign antics, it calls back to the tactics of the Nazis, who turned a murdered scumbag named Horst Wessel into a fallen fascist hero honored in iconography and song. Babbitt is even easier to prop up as a sympathetic figure, she was both pretty and female.
....(snip)....
So really, it should be bigger news that recently released testimony from a White House valet shows that Trump's reaction when told about Babbitt's death was utter indifference. It's buried in a New York Times report on this recently released transcript of an interview the anonymous valet did with the House committee investigating Jan. 6. The Times reporters are more focused on the valet's recollections of how Trump told his vice president, Mike Pence, that it would be "a political career killer" if Pence refused to steal the election for him. In passing, however, they also mention Trump did not care about Babbitt's killing — and the timeline suggests he understood perfectly well at the time that Babbitt was to blame for her own death.
....(snip)....
That Trump did not actually care about Babbitt's death, outside of fears that it made him look bad, is not a surprise to most Salon readers, journalists, or anyone who is honest about Trump's utter lack of morality. Perhaps this is why this revelation isn't getting more press attention. There's a tendency in the jaded press to assume "everyone" knows that Trump has never in his life cared about anyone but himself. But not all voters know that Trump is for-real sociopathic, and they may be surprised to find he reacted to a deluded woman dying for him like normal people react to stepping on an ant. ...............(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/03/25/newly-released-transcripts-reveal-a-maga-betrayal-donald-never-cared-about-ashli-babbitt/
March 25, 2024
Forensic psychiatrist on physical signs of Trump's mental decline: "Changes in movement and gait"
"His walk appears wide-based," Dr. Elizabeth Zoffman notes of Trump. "He has developed a swing of his right leg."
By CHAUNCEY DEVEGA
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED MARCH 25, 2024 5:45AM (EDT)
(Salon) Donald Trump’s obvious public challenges with speech, language, and thinking are continuing to get worse. At a recent rally in Ohio, the former president continued to act like a broken computer, going off on odd tangents, rambling, muddling his speech, and saying, “Joe Biden won against Barack Hussein Obama, has anyone ever heard of him? Every swing state, Biden beat Obama but in every other state, he got killed.”
....(snip)....
In an attempt to better understand what we are witnessing with Donald Trump’s behavior, I recently spoke with Dr. Elizabeth Zoffman, a forensic psychiatrist and an Associate Clinical Professor of Forensic and General Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Zoffmann shares her evidence-based preliminary conclusion that Donald Trump is displaying a range of behaviors that suggest cognitive challenges if not impairment. The former president appears to be suffering from Behavioral Variant Fronto-Temporal Dementia, Dr. Zoffmann concludes, and needs to be evaluated by neurologists who specialize in the condition.
What do you see when you look at Donald Trump through a clinical lens?
My observations are garnered from viewing the phenomenon of Mr. Trump for the past decade. Also, observations from viewing old videotape interviews and coverage of Mr. Trump as a younger man form part of my impression that Mr. Trump might benefit from a thorough evaluation by a neuropsychiatrist with expertise in neurodegenerative disorders. My observations are as follows:
.....My clinical experience and these collected observations are congruent with the diagnostic criteria for Behavioral Variant Fronto-Temporal Dementia (FTD). People presenting with such a cluster of observations should undergo expert assessment. This diagnosis is often largely based on external observations and collateral reporting from others close to the person. Early in the disease, the individual may be aware of changes, but as frontal lobe deterioration progresses the capacity for self-awareness diminishes. Unlike Alzheimer’s Disease, people with FTD have intact short-term memory and can easily score full points on screening tests like the MMSE and MOCA. ..............(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/03/25/forensic-psychiatrist-on-physical-signs-of-mental-decline-changes-in-movement-and-gait/
Forensic psychiatrist on physical signs of Trump's mental decline: "Changes in movement and gait"
Forensic psychiatrist on physical signs of Trump's mental decline: "Changes in movement and gait"
"His walk appears wide-based," Dr. Elizabeth Zoffman notes of Trump. "He has developed a swing of his right leg."
By CHAUNCEY DEVEGA
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED MARCH 25, 2024 5:45AM (EDT)
(Salon) Donald Trump’s obvious public challenges with speech, language, and thinking are continuing to get worse. At a recent rally in Ohio, the former president continued to act like a broken computer, going off on odd tangents, rambling, muddling his speech, and saying, “Joe Biden won against Barack Hussein Obama, has anyone ever heard of him? Every swing state, Biden beat Obama but in every other state, he got killed.”
....(snip)....
In an attempt to better understand what we are witnessing with Donald Trump’s behavior, I recently spoke with Dr. Elizabeth Zoffman, a forensic psychiatrist and an Associate Clinical Professor of Forensic and General Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia. Dr. Zoffmann shares her evidence-based preliminary conclusion that Donald Trump is displaying a range of behaviors that suggest cognitive challenges if not impairment. The former president appears to be suffering from Behavioral Variant Fronto-Temporal Dementia, Dr. Zoffmann concludes, and needs to be evaluated by neurologists who specialize in the condition.
What do you see when you look at Donald Trump through a clinical lens?
My observations are garnered from viewing the phenomenon of Mr. Trump for the past decade. Also, observations from viewing old videotape interviews and coverage of Mr. Trump as a younger man form part of my impression that Mr. Trump might benefit from a thorough evaluation by a neuropsychiatrist with expertise in neurodegenerative disorders. My observations are as follows:
* Changes in speech patterns with many fewer and simpler words (decline in vocabulary) with fewer adjectives and adverbs.
....
* Changes in movement and gait. His walk appears wide-based and he has developed a swing of his right leg. He appears glued to the floor when he “dances” for his audience. If caught on camera standing still, he appears unnaturally immobile.
.....My clinical experience and these collected observations are congruent with the diagnostic criteria for Behavioral Variant Fronto-Temporal Dementia (FTD). People presenting with such a cluster of observations should undergo expert assessment. This diagnosis is often largely based on external observations and collateral reporting from others close to the person. Early in the disease, the individual may be aware of changes, but as frontal lobe deterioration progresses the capacity for self-awareness diminishes. Unlike Alzheimer’s Disease, people with FTD have intact short-term memory and can easily score full points on screening tests like the MMSE and MOCA. ..............(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/03/25/forensic-psychiatrist-on-physical-signs-of-mental-decline-changes-in-movement-and-gait/
March 23, 2024
Trump's love letters to MAGA: Campaign emails forge a cult bond
Trump campaign emails have become quite phallic and psychosexual
By CHAUNCEY DEVEGA
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED MARCH 22, 2024 5:45AM (EDT)
(Salon) When I think about Donald Trump, I usually visualize Larry ‘Lonesome’ Rhodes, Andy Griffith’s character in Elia Kazan’s 1957 film “A Face in the Crowd.” Rhodes is a master manipulator, the embodiment of the wrongness of mass media and consumerism, and a fake populist everyman.
But Donald Trump is also many other things. Like other fascist leaders, demagogues, and “great men of history” he is a symbol more than a human being. For his MAGA people and other followers, Trump is a messiah. He is a force for vengeance and destruction. And as I have explained before, he is also their teacher, preacher, father figure and a type of lover.
....(snip)....
In this recent fundraising email, which is quite phallic and psychosexual, Trump speaks about how he somehow felt the MAGA love grow “ten times stronger!”:
....(snip)....
Ultimately, Trump’s use of fake love is a way for him to manipulate his followers and their deep need for validation, meaning, affirmation, community, and belonging in a society where loneliness and social atomization are a public health emergency. As others have observed, Trump’s political rallies fulfill that function as a type of church tent revival, traveling roadshow carnival, and fascist family reunion and bacchanal. .................(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/03/22/love-letters-to-maga-campaign-emails-forge-a-bond/
Trump's love letters to MAGA: Campaign emails forge a cult bond
Trump's love letters to MAGA: Campaign emails forge a cult bond
Trump campaign emails have become quite phallic and psychosexual
By CHAUNCEY DEVEGA
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED MARCH 22, 2024 5:45AM (EDT)
(Salon) When I think about Donald Trump, I usually visualize Larry ‘Lonesome’ Rhodes, Andy Griffith’s character in Elia Kazan’s 1957 film “A Face in the Crowd.” Rhodes is a master manipulator, the embodiment of the wrongness of mass media and consumerism, and a fake populist everyman.
But Donald Trump is also many other things. Like other fascist leaders, demagogues, and “great men of history” he is a symbol more than a human being. For his MAGA people and other followers, Trump is a messiah. He is a force for vengeance and destruction. And as I have explained before, he is also their teacher, preacher, father figure and a type of lover.
....(snip)....
In this recent fundraising email, which is quite phallic and psychosexual, Trump speaks about how he somehow felt the MAGA love grow “ten times stronger!”:
THIS IS PRESIDENT TRUMP:
Now is the time to help me SAVE AMERICA and chip in
I’LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU!
Has Biden ever told you that?
NOPE! NEVER!
I’ll always love you because you never stopped loving me.
Through the hoaxes, the Witch Hunts, the arrests, YOU STUCK BY MY SIDE!
Even when they were taking my mugshot, I FELT YOUR LOVE GROW TEN TIMES STRONGER!
True MAGA Patriots like you are the only reason I’m still standing.
I’ve just got one thing to say:
I’LL NEVER STOP FIGHTING FOR YOU.
I need you to take your support to the next level, and show every single Democrat that the MAGA movement is STRONG AND POWERFUL
SAVE AMERICA
Together we will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
May God bless you.
....(snip)....
Ultimately, Trump’s use of fake love is a way for him to manipulate his followers and their deep need for validation, meaning, affirmation, community, and belonging in a society where loneliness and social atomization are a public health emergency. As others have observed, Trump’s political rallies fulfill that function as a type of church tent revival, traveling roadshow carnival, and fascist family reunion and bacchanal. .................(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/03/22/love-letters-to-maga-campaign-emails-forge-a-bond/
March 23, 2024
(Michigan Advance) New data released by the federal government, the number of Americans enrolled in health care plans related to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has hit an all-time high both nationally, and in Michigan.
The information, released Friday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), said that based on 2023 and early 2024 enrollment data, 45 million people are currently enrolled in Marketplace or Medicaid expansion coverage under provisions of the ACA, the highest total since its inception.
In Michigan, the data indicate more than 1.4 million residents have ACA coverage, also a record. The number of Michiganders without any health insurance has plummeted since 2013 when it stood at 11%, but is now down to just 4.5%, a more than 40% decrease.
Marcie Paul, a Michigan resident, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer several years ago. She credits the ACA with helping to save her life. .......................(more)
https://michiganadvance.com/2024/03/23/breaking-records-1-4m-michiganders-have-aca-coverage-state-uninsured-rate-plummets/
Breaking records, 1.4M Michiganders have ACA coverage, state uninsured rate plummets
(Michigan Advance) New data released by the federal government, the number of Americans enrolled in health care plans related to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has hit an all-time high both nationally, and in Michigan.
The information, released Friday by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), said that based on 2023 and early 2024 enrollment data, 45 million people are currently enrolled in Marketplace or Medicaid expansion coverage under provisions of the ACA, the highest total since its inception.
In Michigan, the data indicate more than 1.4 million residents have ACA coverage, also a record. The number of Michiganders without any health insurance has plummeted since 2013 when it stood at 11%, but is now down to just 4.5%, a more than 40% decrease.
Marcie Paul, a Michigan resident, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer several years ago. She credits the ACA with helping to save her life. .......................(more)
https://michiganadvance.com/2024/03/23/breaking-records-1-4m-michiganders-have-aca-coverage-state-uninsured-rate-plummets/
March 22, 2024
Trump campaign emails have become quite phallic and psychosexual
By CHAUNCEY DEVEGA
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED MARCH 22, 2024 5:45AM (EDT)
(Salon) When I think about Donald Trump, I usually visualize Larry ‘Lonesome’ Rhodes, Andy Griffith’s character in Elia Kazan’s 1957 film “A Face in the Crowd.” Rhodes is a master manipulator, the embodiment of the wrongness of mass media and consumerism, and a fake populist everyman.
But Donald Trump is also many other things. Like other fascist leaders, demagogues, and “great men of history” he is a symbol more than a human being. For his MAGA people and other followers, Trump is a messiah. He is a force for vengeance and destruction. And as I have explained before, he is also their teacher, preacher, father figure and a type of lover.
....(snip)....
In this recent fundraising email, which is quite phallic and psychosexual, Trump speaks about how he somehow felt the MAGA love grow “ten times stronger!”:
....(snip)....
Ultimately, Trump’s use of fake love is a way for him to manipulate his followers and their deep need for validation, meaning, affirmation, community, and belonging in a society where loneliness and social atomization are a public health emergency. As others have observed, Trump’s political rallies fulfill that function as a type of church tent revival, traveling roadshow carnival, and fascist family reunion and bacchanal. .................(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/03/22/love-letters-to-maga-campaign-emails-forge-a-bond/
Trump's love letters to MAGA: Campaign emails forge a cult bond
Trump's love letters to MAGA: Campaign emails forge a cult bondTrump campaign emails have become quite phallic and psychosexual
By CHAUNCEY DEVEGA
Senior Writer
PUBLISHED MARCH 22, 2024 5:45AM (EDT)
(Salon) When I think about Donald Trump, I usually visualize Larry ‘Lonesome’ Rhodes, Andy Griffith’s character in Elia Kazan’s 1957 film “A Face in the Crowd.” Rhodes is a master manipulator, the embodiment of the wrongness of mass media and consumerism, and a fake populist everyman.
But Donald Trump is also many other things. Like other fascist leaders, demagogues, and “great men of history” he is a symbol more than a human being. For his MAGA people and other followers, Trump is a messiah. He is a force for vengeance and destruction. And as I have explained before, he is also their teacher, preacher, father figure and a type of lover.
....(snip)....
In this recent fundraising email, which is quite phallic and psychosexual, Trump speaks about how he somehow felt the MAGA love grow “ten times stronger!”:
THIS IS PRESIDENT TRUMP:
Now is the time to help me SAVE AMERICA and chip in
I’LL ALWAYS LOVE YOU!
Has Biden ever told you that?
NOPE! NEVER!
I’ll always love you because you never stopped loving me.
Through the hoaxes, the Witch Hunts, the arrests, YOU STUCK BY MY SIDE!
Even when they were taking my mugshot, I FELT YOUR LOVE GROW TEN TIMES STRONGER!
True MAGA Patriots like you are the only reason I’m still standing.
I’ve just got one thing to say:
I’LL NEVER STOP FIGHTING FOR YOU.
I need you to take your support to the next level, and show every single Democrat that the MAGA movement is STRONG AND POWERFUL
SAVE AMERICA
Together we will MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
May God bless you.
....(snip)....
Ultimately, Trump’s use of fake love is a way for him to manipulate his followers and their deep need for validation, meaning, affirmation, community, and belonging in a society where loneliness and social atomization are a public health emergency. As others have observed, Trump’s political rallies fulfill that function as a type of church tent revival, traveling roadshow carnival, and fascist family reunion and bacchanal. .................(more)
https://www.salon.com/2024/03/22/love-letters-to-maga-campaign-emails-forge-a-bond/
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