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geniph

(12,591 posts)
62. The oligarchy thought they could control him
Sat Aug 31, 2024, 08:01 PM
Aug 31

The oligarchs have spent the last 50 years trying to convince ordinary Americans that they shouldn't care about politics. "both parties are the same" "voting doesn't make any difference" "they're all crooks" etc., ad nauseum. Yes, there are crooked politicians and bought-and-paid-for politicians, but the majority of people who go into politics do it for the best of reasons. Most really want to solve a problem, and help people. The trouble is the way our elections are financed: so long as every election is a financial horse race, where you have to raise a minimum $ amount to even be considered a viable candidate, well, ya gotta dance with them whut brung ya. If lobbyists and PACs financed your campaign, then you're probably going to feel obligated to them. We need full public campaign financing, and we need to get corporate money out of politics.

Ahem. Got off on a tangent there. Sorry, it's a sore point ever since I ran for office myself, 20 years ago. Back to my main point, though - what media do you ever see that *doesn't* vilify the "career politician," the "professional politician"? Why is it bad for politicians to actually know how to do their jobs? We have House members now, and even some Senators, who have not a clue how legislation becomes law. When the professional politicians are voted out (or resign in disgust), then you get a cageful of howler monkeys screeching and flinging feces.
^YOU ARE HERE^

Politics is exactly as good as the people involved in it. When people abdicate from their responsibility to be a part of the process, then you get a clownish fuckstick like TFG. When only the extremes are voting, you get nutcases elected. Every citizen has a responsibility to cast an informed vote. Many countries actually require voting, and tax those who do not cast a ballot, because democracy dies when the citizenry doesn't care enough to work to keep it alive.

In other words, apathy is the cause of MAGAtry.

I agree with everything you wrote. RandomNumbers Aug 31 #1
My brother-in-law summed this up perfectly with this snark-quote: markpkessinger Aug 31 #33
You are dead on. bottomofthehill Aug 31 #2
So many mericans' were incensed that a Black man became President they voted NoMoreRepugs Aug 31 #3
I imagine a few of them were incensed that a highly qualified woman... Different Drummer Aug 31 #22
K&R. Well said! Different Drummer Aug 31 #4
He appealed to that dark place they always tried to hide from themselves.. He made it ok to go there Joinfortmill Aug 31 #5
Bullseye Ways Sep 1 #63
So many believed the image of him that the TV show "The Apprentice" created for him. brush Aug 31 #6
Or anyone in Atlantic City and the environs... PCIntern Aug 31 #10
Yep, AC knows. He cheated quite a few vendors for his failed casino ventures. brush Aug 31 #13
I know you are right about that megapuzzler Aug 31 #15
I'm from NY Dave says Aug 31 #24
When he refused to make his tax returns public.. kentuck Aug 31 #25
Well said. Hard to fool NYers. We no bullshitters when we hear them. brush Aug 31 #27
Add The Apprentice image to . . . pat_k Aug 31 #35
You have hit it on the head..... Butterflylady Aug 31 #40
I only ever thought he was the worst door to door vacuum salesman. Lie upon lie upon lie. IA8IT Aug 31 #7
In 2015 enigmania Aug 31 #8
Exactly. He released those people from the sewer where they had been living. Different Drummer Aug 31 #23
It's not just him: the whole GOP lined up to brown-nose him. struggle4progress Aug 31 #9
Yes. Those were the worst. kentuck Aug 31 #12
In 2015, I thought he ran for publicity with no chance to win. Then, Conway/Bannon convinced him to go racist Silent Type Aug 31 #11
How come people never bring up Russian election interference displacedvermoter Aug 31 #26
I don't because when all is said and done, we could have won despite Comey, etc., had there been no protest. Silent Type Aug 31 #34
You are probably wrong there displacedvermoter Aug 31 #36
Naw, 50 K votes made the difference in Electoral College. And there were lots of Susan Sarandon types who Silent Type Aug 31 #37
Naw displacedvermoter Aug 31 #46
Exactly. The Russian disinformation campaign attacked Hillary relentlessly... AZ8theist Aug 31 #49
Many Republicans would have been better to have followed Comey's example... kentuck Aug 31 #39
Completely agree with all you've said n/t DemonGoddess Aug 31 #43
Support for HIM says a lot about THEM. ProudMNDemocrat Aug 31 #14
Apprentice made him look like a smart Tree Lady Aug 31 #16
"I am more beautiful than her." viva la Aug 31 #17
The country was purposefully divided by AM hate radio central scrutinizer Aug 31 #18
He brought a lot of people out who know nothing about the founding principles of this country, crud Aug 31 #19
Thank you for that observation. For a long time I've thought about making a post comparing tRump robbob Aug 31 #20
He has absolutely no conscience. everyonematters Aug 31 #21
"At best, he was a Grade B stand-up comedian." J_William_Ryan Aug 31 #28
For starters, many Americans are impressed by wealth and celebrity, Ocelot II Aug 31 #29
The Conservatives Who Sold Their Souls for Trump pat_k Aug 31 #30
he was on teevee. he's famous. he was racist. a lot of people couldn't handle obama. pansypoo53219 Aug 31 #31
"Common People" saw Trump as a TV personality, no_hypocrisy Aug 31 #53
pied piper of morons. he was also pimped by the teevee gnewz. golden squirrel. hillary was ols squirrel + grandma squirl pansypoo53219 Aug 31 #60
Pure marketing, no substance. no_hypocrisy Aug 31 #61
You can be a trump supporter or an American birdographer Aug 31 #32
It's clear when you think of how American politics works. Mr.Bill Aug 31 #38
The same way they could like Reagan or GW Bush. LisaM Aug 31 #41
They both presented differently, though. Unlike TFG, both had been so-called career politicians, Ocelot II Aug 31 #47
W and Reagan both gave me the creeps, especially Reagan. LisaM Aug 31 #58
Same here - I didn't find either of them charming or attractive, Ocelot II Aug 31 #59
I noticed his male supporters seemed to be... surfered Aug 31 #42
Trump has given too many Americans the green light to act on their worst impulses dlk Aug 31 #44
I wasn't. Saddened, yes, surprised, no Warpy Aug 31 #45
I've said it before and I'll say it again. disappearingboy Aug 31 #48
Living in the klanhandle of Floriduh, I can't say my fellow "citizens" surprised me at all. retread Aug 31 #50
Right on. I voted for Clinton but had this crazy idea that Trump might play it well while cashing himself in. brewens Aug 31 #51
I found the appeal to Trump to be just mind-boggling because Jmb 4 Harris-Walz Aug 31 #52
Merely watching 5 minutes of the apprentice, shows us who he is....A sleazy conman. Clouds Passing Aug 31 #54
Awarding him a second term is better than eating crow. Shermann Aug 31 #55
A complicit media Keepthesoulalive Aug 31 #56
I was never in doubt that he'd appeal to the traitor bigots Zoomie1986 Aug 31 #57
The oligarchy thought they could control him geniph Aug 31 #62
I absolutely got the appeal Cosmocat Sep 1 #64
I blame his followers. zanana1 Sep 1 #65
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