I'm a progressive, and I don't agree with the new executive order. AND in no way shape or form will I vote for anyone but President Biden. I really don't think it will even take effect, after all as you mentioned the courts have already struck down a similar EO from trump. It's a chess game; I don't think Biden ever expected it to go in effect. I do like that Biden is coming out swinging, if the option is losing our democracy - I prefer people who will fight to keep it.
Me too. I'm an immigration proponent big time. I think immigration is the backbone of this country. The EO is stupid, but as you say, it's probably just part of a larger chess game he is playing, and, besides, I pretty much hate his Gaza policy, too.
But there's still no choice here. Presidential candidates have to play the centrist game in order to win. That's not their fault. And Dems have much broader constituencies to fret over than do Republicans.
We need to be sure Biden wins, and then we can hold his feet to the fire with a bit more authority over things we care about, and start building a better bench. With Biden, the door will always be open. Trump will shut the door to everyone who isn't criminally inclined.
I hate the Gaza policy and have for decades, but I have been actually surprised at some recent events regarding it - withholding arms that could be used in Rafa, abstaining from a UN vote that went against Israel, and saying out loud what we all think - Netanyahu is dragging out the war to stay in power. But something even more interesting happened when Iran launched an attack against Israel, Jordanian fighters helped shoot down Iranian drones, and Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria all opened up their airspace to allow fighters to shoot down drones. They all helped to defend Israel! That is an amazing thing the US managed to accomplish, and yes I give credit to Biden.
Oh, and it's been said that keeping a democratic coalition intact is like herding cats.
Great points on the herding of the coalition! And, obviously, this doesn't happen under the convict in chief, who would be doing photo ops with Netanyahu, each in bulldozers plowing through Palestinian refugee camps.
Yeah, when people come at me with comments like Bidens complicit in "genocide" I always point this out. If they truly want to see "genocide," they can help elect trump and get a front row seat.
I suspect that the term "Genocide Joe" originated in an old building in St. Petersburg, Russia, home of Putin's cyber warrior team. Sad how quickly some people picked it up.
Including in my little backwoods village where it's blasted on a wooden fence for all tourists and locals to see as they slow down for a school zone. My (Jewish) husband and I attended what was billed as a Solstice gathering, and all the people in the crowded room, most under thirty, chanted "From the River to the Sea."
He is🤦♀️ He could and should cut off aid and weapons to Israel but he's not. He takes money from AIPAC and that's a foreign entity interfering in our elections and they've been doing it for years.
He's not, and, except for offensive weapons which he has already done, he can't. Lot's of members take money from AIPAC, and, at least legally, it's not a foreign entity. Now if you want to have a conversation about the crimes in Gaza by Israel, we can have it. I've served in the middle east, although not in the area around Israel. But I have strong opinions about how the Palestinians have been treated for decades by Israel.
Every presidential candidate takes aid from groups like this. If you don't like it, you'll need to work at electing congress critters who are willing to do something about PACs.
Also, AIPAC is based in Washington. It is NOT a foreign entity.
No they actually don't. Progressive policies are popular NATION WIDE. Gun control. Universal healthcare. A living wage. Abortion rights. High taxes on the wealthy. Social Security. Medicare. SNAP benefits. Look up what MLK said about "centerists". Gentle reminder, the Dixicrats still exist.
OK so under a dictatorship, which Trump will implement, there is no .longer a free press, the cornerstone of a democracy. The NYT seems too stupid to realize that they will have to publish what Trumps wants to see if they want to stay in business. Or maybe they are practicing? Whatever, the reduction of one of the most famous newspaper in the country to bootlicker is shameful.
Yes, Magga Haberman has become just one of the disappointments at The NY Times. It infuriates me that they won’t allow any comments when an article exposes even an inkling of Republican malfeasance - they don’t want the push back from their readers - most of us intelligent and well aware of their bias. Why on earth they want the criminal ex president back in the White House is unfathomable to me.
Start at circa minute 18:12 to get the history of Maggie Haberman, told by Stephanie Kopf who has done extensive research on her relationship with the Trump and Kushner family, starting with her mother's involvement. "Maggie Haberman was in the bag for the bag man. She would write anything we told her to write."
"Access journalism has kind of taken over journalistic integrity in many instances in these big outlets like the New York Times." Listen to about minute 30:18.
See my note at 23:00 hours, EDT, Friday, 06/07/2024. Came upon a full page portrait of Donald Trump in an interactive post by Maggie Habermann, two others, entitled “If Trump Wins.” It is entirely a summary of Project 2025.
I want to think that Biden knows fully well that his asylum EO is illegal, and that he's just trying to cynically borrow some right wing talking points because the American people have gone stupid on the immigration question.
But the courts have drifted so far to the right that it might not matter that it's illegal.
What would it take for Biden to, in the spirit of his new found toughness, go Dark Brandon and say, "FU. We can absorb immigrants into this country. Your housing is expensive because you keep electing Republicans who empower private equity ownership across huge swaths of the housing market, and one of about five major apartment companies is probably running your apartment complex." ???
Democratic messaging is terrible. This place and Jay's pages and a few others are exceptions to that rule. But the core part of the party, the part that should be fixing this stuff, is strangely silent on these issues.
After Biden wins, we need to start attacking these problems with more gusto and honesty.
I'm not sure that the messaging is that bad. I'm with you that the EO is a ploy. It may get him elected, I'm ok with that. I'm thinking there will be a blue wave and then the Democrats can move forward on a more nuanced immigration policy and are able to pass it.
If you tell everyone that it's a fake or a time waster to get past the election, they aren't going to vote for him. So it's best not to.
"Don't mistake kindness for weakness." I often used this phrase with staff who crossed lines. They got the picture. We, too, are getting Biden's strengthening stance. Tough times call for tough measures. You go, Joe!
I like Dark Brandon. I don't agree with him on everything (including the executive order - being an immigrant, and having a VERY up close and personal knowledge of our immigration system) - but I do like it when he gets sick and tired of being the teddy bear.
IMO Netanyahu will never go for a cease-fire. For three reasons. (1) he’s holding onto power and if he goes for a cease-fire, he knows that he may be on the outs. (2) his plan is to eliminate any two state solution. He wants all Palestinians gone so he will keep bombing. (3) he’s holding out for a Trump win. He’s hoping Trump wins. He knows that Trump will let him do what he wants to do and if Trump wins there will be no Palestinian state.
@Jay Kuo, very hot essay. Thank you for telling the truth. I do not abide Biden Bashing by anyone! (Not that you did but the comments are a real clusterfuck), not your fault. BIDEN MUST WIN. And he will do what it takes to keep our fragile Democracy from being trashed by the Convict in Chief. He’s been forced to heavy duty fighting on behalf of those who are the real patriots in this nation. Those engaged in the alarmingly confused comments are focusing on singular issues and ignoring the Big Picture (title, I forgot!) The alarmists will thank Biden when we win and hold onto our freedoms in November; I am not naive enough to think the win will come without chaos and possibly significant violence. We will navigate through tumultuous times with Biden as COMMANDER IN CHIEF of this ship of state. 🕊️
Thank you! Biden winning is not up for debate. And to place the blame on him for any single issue at this time is irresponsible. I lean towards the idea that the EO has been knowingly done to show that he is trying to do something about this issue and that this EO (remarkably similar to the clown’s) cannot stand up in court. I also think that many do not grasp (willfully or through ignorance) that the war crimes against Gazans are not the only danger in this war or the region. I believe that Biden has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to end this while also trying to maintain what little stability there is in the region. Houthis in Yemen attacking shipping, Israel and Iran exchanging drone attacks. Completely pulling US support would have sent signals to Iran and others in the region that we were done. And that could have brought a dangerous escalation. Enlarging the war in that region would not have been helpful for Palestinians either. It would very possibly have escalated the indiscriminate attacks against them by Israel. And, make no mistake, Arab or Muslim support for Palestinians is based more on hatred of Israel and not on true compassion and concern for the actual human beings they are. Most of that region has treated Palestinians like dirt unless they can use them for their hatred of Israel. If this continues and Herr Pumpkinfuhrer wins (which is absolutely possible if people don’t vote or vote for a 3rd-er instead of Biden) the consequences for Palestinians will be even more devastating. I get that we SHOULD be voting for candidates who have a set political platform and the same concerns we have. But this election, the ONLY issue that matters at the ballot box is whether we want to elect a man that will lead the US back towards being a country that will place value on all its citizens and their needs. The other choice is to become a nation run by ignorant fascists who do not care about the people. This is not a normal election. We do not have the luxury in 2024 of “punishing” Biden by not voting for him because of how he has handled any specific situation. If we want to have the “luxury” of choosing a president in 2028 based on his or her stances on issues dear to us, the ONLY choice on November 5th is to vote for Biden.
I keep trying. Soon will be working a phone bank for Democrats Abroad to offer help to people who may not know how to register to vote from outside the United States. I will do as much as I can to help keep fascism out of the US.
I wasn’t so much bothered, but wondering. I married a Swede, have been here 20+ years and I know sometimes I’m not as clear in writing as I was. I so want the US to be able to choose a president based on policy. This year it isn’t possible. And typically, I would say that most choices for voting should not be based on one issue (although that certainly depends upon the issue) But in 2024 it feels, to me, like if we ever want to get to that point we cannot let Herr Pumpkinfuhrer win. And I know I have guilty feelings that I’ve “gotten out” and fell like I’ve abandoned people I love. Who are all wonderful and try to convince me that marrying a Swede two decades ago and moving for life is not abandonment. I won’t lie, Sweden and much of the EU is having challenges from the far right. I’m scared of what a MAGA win would do for politics elsewhere. It will have an impact. Thank you for your support!
I’m happy for you that you found love wherever; am aware that far right challenges are arising globally. Have been concerned about the EU as well. Don’t clearly understand the dynamics other than population growth, climate issues.
People everywhere seem to want more, more and yet there is less for anyone with billionaires exploiting the needy, the people who have been fighting for equity in wealth and resources for years to no avail. It is a sad and challenging era.
Many with the means are leaving the USA or so I read. The people who read the tea leaves and understand the threat to our everyday existence. I am happy to live simply but even that is shrinking as I age and retirement monies disappear. The elderly and disabled are a group with unmet needs, shrinking insurance and healthcare. You would be shocked at the cost of food for example. I sense the good times are behind us no matter the outcome of 2024.
Of course, a win by trump is out of the question. He would simply drive nails into the coffins of freedom everywhere.
The world has laid a burden at the feet of President Biden and could not have chosen anyone else equal to the task, some errors notwithstanding. I will be a freedom fighter as long as I can but my time is limited due to health issues that will only get worse over time. I feel the need to leave this beautiful planet 🌎 at least as well as I found it but my impact is miniscule. Somehow that just moves me forward, gives me purpose in living the best life I can. Enjoy Sweden, 🇸🇪, your family. We two are rare I think in understanding the global nature of our lives. I have always believed that but so many here are focused on self. Perhaps the example of Trump has corrupted the entire population. I just want him gone so I can enjoy a tiny bit of peace 🕊️. Good luck!
I’m not sure why you think I’m attacking anyone. My point was that many are attacking Biden based on one issue, the border, the war in Israel, are the two most obvious. I certainly don’t think these issues are unimportant. But I do believe that choosing to not support Biden could give Trump the WH again and neither of those problems will get better under a MAGA administration. It’s cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face. I would not say fear rules my heart, but I will absolutely admit to being afraid. Afraid for the people I love in the US, afraid for the US and for the world. If you would like to enlighten me as to what phrase or phrases were an attack, I would appreciate it.
I don’t disagree with most of what you say. And THAT is what is so truly scary. I live in Sweden now and just voted in the EU election and it was like I think it should be. I had a good idea where I would lie on the spectrum, but I looked at many issues to help me decide. In the coming election the US, all I know is that there are some things that I would like to see the Democrats (not just Biden) focus on . I don’t match their policies 100%. But I do know that there is nothing I agree with MAGA on. I hope and pray that we can change the US. Not back to pre-2016, but to a country that really is great with true equality and justice for all. Anyway, I 100% get your point and fears. I know we are not alone in this. Also, I really wanted to understand if I’d written “incorrectly”. I sometimes feel like my writing in English has become less precise or accurate since I’ve become fluent in Swedish. 😉
Trump won’t “argue” anything. He’ll whine, lie and confuse. He’ll try to bully and intimidate. Biden absolutely needs to walk off the set if the moderator can’t keep Trump quiet during Biden’s time to respond.
Until Biden cuts off aid and weapons to Israel, he will remain complicit in the genocide. Biden's answer to Republicans bulkshit of Democrats being soft on crime in 1994 led to his crime bill which is responsible for the mass incarceration of POC. So it doesn't surprise me that instead of an executive order to properly fund and hire the personnel needed to handle the awful backlog, which has existed forever now🙁 He went with the inhumane and racist option like he did in 1994.
He can't sign an executive order to fund more personnel to handle the backlog, that's the problem -- the House of Representatives controls the budget. There was money in the border package that the Republicans agreed to (and then Trump tanked) to add more personnel, immigration judges, etc., but he can't do much along those lines with just an E.O.
Actually I'm pretty sure he can. He managed to go around Congress TWICE to ship weapons to Israel. If he can do that, he can get the funding that's been desperately needed for YEARS.
You must be forgetting that the republicans started whining when he refused to send bombs to Israel that could be used offensively in Rafah; falsely claiming it was he same thing trump got impeached for - Denying aid already approved by congress. Andy is right, an EO can redirect policy, but not funds. Only congress can allocate funds.
I don't care. The Republicans whine about everything all of the time. By the by, the border has been UNDERFUNDED FOR DECADES. That's not soley the fault of the Republicans. If you think it is, I have a bridge for sale in Brooklyn. Biden could get funding. Mind you, 4 years after the attempted coup, there are still 147 seditionitists working in Congress. Why??? Why wasn't Roe codified in 50 YEARS??? Why do we still not have universal healthcare??? It's not all the Republicans' fault.
I agree with everything you just said, and the democrats are not perfect (I went to school right next to that bridge, but I never bought it). But Biden can't do something that has not been funded. For example, when trump moved the immigration courts from civil to criminal, Biden changed them back. The money for the courts was already there, he just issued an EO moving them back to civil court where they belong. The 147 seditionists are a bit more problematic, since their votes and comments are protected by the Speech and Debate clause. Look at Rep. Scott Perry, the FBI seized his cell phone, but the courts restricted much of what they got because the Speech and Debate clause protects members of congress.
All I ever hear is why the Democrats CAN'T do anything. Yet I see the Republicans doing whatever the fuck they want and get away with it. Look at Abbott and DeSantais, both are guilty of human trafficking and murder, crickets from the DOJ. Why??? Why has the border remained UNDERFUNDED FOR DECADES??? Do you not wonder about this stuff?
Seriously? Who do you think is doing all the dirty work behind the scenes on Roe. Dark money from the hard right has been funding candidates they can buy for decades.
Seriously, the Democrats had 50 years to codify it. We still don't have universal healthcare, the border is still underfunded. We have a corrupt SCOTUS which the Democrats are doing fuck all about. Just like they let McConnell get away with his bullshit.
The arms transfer you refer to here was not new funding. Congress controls the purse strings. If Biden could have hired a ton of new immigration judges to process asylum claims, which is where the real hangup is, he would have done so by now but the Republicans won't sign off on the funding.
Bullshit. It's just like using the filibuster as an excuse. The border has been UNDERFUNDED FOR DECADES. That's not all the Republicans' fault🙄 The Democrats could fix things but they don't. There's ALWAYS AN EXCUSE. ALWAYS.
You suggested he could use an E.O. to add personnel, but he can't. That's not an excuse, that's just a fact. Hate on Biden and the Democrats all you want, but on that specific point, you are mistaken.
No I'm not. The supreme court got away with overturning a free and fair election. McConnell got away with his bullshit over the SCOTUS picks. The Democrats had 50 years to codify Roe and didn't but McConnell packed SCOTUS with 2 extremeists in 5 years🙄 Do not tell me the Democrats can't do anything when Republicans sure get away with a ton of bullshit and we still don't have universal healthcare, the border is still underfunded, women lost bodily autonomy, 147 traitors are still working in Congress. The Republicans must have supe powers that the Democrats don't, right? 🤣
I may be too cynical but... could the new EO have been done, knowing it would be stayed by lawsuits. This makes Biden looks tough on the border, nothing really changes, but should there be D majorities in Congress an actual border bill can get written and passed. One that has better protections and better funding for more judges and administration so that people aren't waiting for 10 years for a determination. It could be a way to get everything that Ds need.
Immigration is the problem from hell and will go on being such until some real bipartisanship happens. Our immigration laws were written for a different era and they can't work while the pressures of climate and failing states make us/USA a magnet. Besides, we don't even fund the legal snarl we've got. I hate it that Biden has to make a futile gesture while what we need is a real solution, but our political dysfunction precludes that. Humans suffer. And re-electing Biden remains essential if we're to live to fight another day.
As you say, Biden needs to take the gloves off, and so do the rest of us in our own ways. As you state, "Few can ignore the obvious bias against Biden in the Times’s headlines, whether they are highlighting his age or downplaying his economic and legislative achievements." As I recall, they did the same with Clinton and Trump. He got something like twice as much play as she did, and the appendage "deeply flawed candidate" was used as if it was her first name, including in the New Yorker.
Taking a tougher stance and focusing on key issues doesn’t mean we will get what is promised or even have a quality of life. The war machine takes it all and we are endlessly bankrupted by medical bills and corporate greed while the middle class has been erased from existence. Voting for either option does nothing for actual people. Other countries are toughening THEIR borders to keep US out. And rightly so. The United States is a disease on humanity. I hope I don’t live to see Election Day.
If you want to vote in 2028 you have to vote Biden in 2024. It's really that simple. I hope you do live to see Election day and vote for our democracy.
2028 won’t be any better. This system is too broken. The people need to exercise their constitutional right to form a new government. Things aren’t going to get better for anyone until then.
There will be no voting in 2028 unless Biden wins 2024 and another Democrat wins in 2028. Trump and the MAGAs are doing what they can to destroy our democracy. Biden is our only hope- like him or not.
I’ve heard this since Reagan. Nothing ever gets fixed and now it’s all broken. And the DNC is sucking corporate cock and taking AIPAC money just like the RNC. Nothing changes without real representation and it simply doesn’t exist in any candidate currently running. I even ran for city council in my town and was outgunned by a corporate funded smear campaign. The ONLY way to fix ANYTHING is to dismantle the government with a constitutional, citizen led movement and to form a totally new government before the constitution is completely dismantled (any day now). We won’t last until November and this is not hyperbole. It’s fact.
This is a very dark view. Like Steve Bannon who wants to burn everything down and recreate it how he imagines it. No matter how many people die in the process. I am pretty sure he assumes he will not be collateral damage. My view isn't that dark. There are goods happening on all levels and there are good people working on it. Best to find a group like that and join them to also do good things. Since bad news sells better it just usually drowns out the good things in our media cycle. And if all fails go for a walk in nature and take in how amazing it all is.
I have been an activist since I was 17. I’m now 59. I devoted my life to gay rights, worker rights, women’s rights, AIDS activism, the unhoused, and animal welfare. My peers all died in the gay plague, I have been run out of towns, arrested, stabbed, beaten, shot, been fired, evicted, had my home burned down, my pets slaughtered, and still get death threats as recently as this week because I protested the murder of Palestinian friends with US weapons (I’m Jewish, and have now been booted from my synagogue). I feel I have wasted my life trying to heal a broken world. I currently am in nature to get a breath, but I have no retirement, no savings, and I have one working arm, going blind, have been turned down for disability 4 times. What is going to get better, ever? I went bankrupt over medical debt. I hope to die on a glacier in the next couple of weeks because I’ve been denied asylum in Canada and will avoid deportation by dying here. Dark view? Absolutely. It’s called experience and stark reality.
Asher, it sounds like you dedicated your life to helping others and trying to change the world. That is a big task and you spread yourself too thin. It is now time to save yourself. I hope you made some friends along the way. Please use them and get support and help from them you need now. Do you have access to counseling? You sound like you are so stuck that you need a different perspective. Also talk to a financial advisor and a social worker. There might be options you haven't considered. You don't need to do all of this alone. You owe it to yourself to lean on others and get the help you need. The world just might surprise you. Good luck and all the best. Just calling it quits is not an option. If all fails please call 988 or text to 988 before you give up.
I have a psychiatrist, a therapist, and a pharmacist. I have a social worker, and unfortunately, also live in the US. There is no drug strong enough to erase reality.
Can't speak for the electorate, but between his failure re: Gaza and tougher-than-Triump executive order re: immigration I'm inching closer to a 3rd party vote.
I don’t think I’m seeing the Strongman thing. I still see Biden as the kind sensible adult in the room. He just fed up with the bullshit like the rest of us! I don’t agree with the EO, but I get why they are doing it. Our case for sensible immigration and funding the process is falling on deaf (or maybe they just can’t hear us for their yelling) ears. I think a big part of the problem is the DNC and DCCC’s messaging. The only thing I’m hearing from them is “Here, take this fake survey that will only be sent if you give us money” Not to mention most surveys and polls are manipulated to get the answers they want not perhaps some ideas on real solutions.
I'm a progressive, and I don't agree with the new executive order. AND in no way shape or form will I vote for anyone but President Biden. I really don't think it will even take effect, after all as you mentioned the courts have already struck down a similar EO from trump. It's a chess game; I don't think Biden ever expected it to go in effect. I do like that Biden is coming out swinging, if the option is losing our democracy - I prefer people who will fight to keep it.
Me too. I'm an immigration proponent big time. I think immigration is the backbone of this country. The EO is stupid, but as you say, it's probably just part of a larger chess game he is playing, and, besides, I pretty much hate his Gaza policy, too.
But there's still no choice here. Presidential candidates have to play the centrist game in order to win. That's not their fault. And Dems have much broader constituencies to fret over than do Republicans.
We need to be sure Biden wins, and then we can hold his feet to the fire with a bit more authority over things we care about, and start building a better bench. With Biden, the door will always be open. Trump will shut the door to everyone who isn't criminally inclined.
I hate the Gaza policy and have for decades, but I have been actually surprised at some recent events regarding it - withholding arms that could be used in Rafa, abstaining from a UN vote that went against Israel, and saying out loud what we all think - Netanyahu is dragging out the war to stay in power. But something even more interesting happened when Iran launched an attack against Israel, Jordanian fighters helped shoot down Iranian drones, and Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Syria all opened up their airspace to allow fighters to shoot down drones. They all helped to defend Israel! That is an amazing thing the US managed to accomplish, and yes I give credit to Biden.
Oh, and it's been said that keeping a democratic coalition intact is like herding cats.
Great points on the herding of the coalition! And, obviously, this doesn't happen under the convict in chief, who would be doing photo ops with Netanyahu, each in bulldozers plowing through Palestinian refugee camps.
Yeah, when people come at me with comments like Bidens complicit in "genocide" I always point this out. If they truly want to see "genocide," they can help elect trump and get a front row seat.
I suspect that the term "Genocide Joe" originated in an old building in St. Petersburg, Russia, home of Putin's cyber warrior team. Sad how quickly some people picked it up.
Disinformation is our greatest enemy.
Including in my little backwoods village where it's blasted on a wooden fence for all tourists and locals to see as they slow down for a school zone. My (Jewish) husband and I attended what was billed as a Solstice gathering, and all the people in the crowded room, most under thirty, chanted "From the River to the Sea."
He is🤦♀️ He could and should cut off aid and weapons to Israel but he's not. He takes money from AIPAC and that's a foreign entity interfering in our elections and they've been doing it for years.
He's not, and, except for offensive weapons which he has already done, he can't. Lot's of members take money from AIPAC, and, at least legally, it's not a foreign entity. Now if you want to have a conversation about the crimes in Gaza by Israel, we can have it. I've served in the middle east, although not in the area around Israel. But I have strong opinions about how the Palestinians have been treated for decades by Israel.
Every presidential candidate takes aid from groups like this. If you don't like it, you'll need to work at electing congress critters who are willing to do something about PACs.
Also, AIPAC is based in Washington. It is NOT a foreign entity.
No they actually don't. Progressive policies are popular NATION WIDE. Gun control. Universal healthcare. A living wage. Abortion rights. High taxes on the wealthy. Social Security. Medicare. SNAP benefits. Look up what MLK said about "centerists". Gentle reminder, the Dixicrats still exist.
I don't see anyone here arguing those points.
I agree with you. Elect Biden/Harris. Defeat Felon Don. Live to fight another day.
OK so under a dictatorship, which Trump will implement, there is no .longer a free press, the cornerstone of a democracy. The NYT seems too stupid to realize that they will have to publish what Trumps wants to see if they want to stay in business. Or maybe they are practicing? Whatever, the reduction of one of the most famous newspaper in the country to bootlicker is shameful.
Maggie Haberman (NYT) has been in the pockets of the Trump’s all along. I don’t trust her.
Yes, Magga Haberman has become just one of the disappointments at The NY Times. It infuriates me that they won’t allow any comments when an article exposes even an inkling of Republican malfeasance - they don’t want the push back from their readers - most of us intelligent and well aware of their bias. Why on earth they want the criminal ex president back in the White House is unfathomable to me.
Exactly. You would think they would realize that with the loss of readership. I quit.
Start at circa minute 18:12 to get the history of Maggie Haberman, told by Stephanie Kopf who has done extensive research on her relationship with the Trump and Kushner family, starting with her mother's involvement. "Maggie Haberman was in the bag for the bag man. She would write anything we told her to write."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cyivmfj5zjE&t=1087s
"Access journalism has kind of taken over journalistic integrity in many instances in these big outlets like the New York Times." Listen to about minute 30:18.
See my note at 23:00 hours, EDT, Friday, 06/07/2024. Came upon a full page portrait of Donald Trump in an interactive post by Maggie Habermann, two others, entitled “If Trump Wins.” It is entirely a summary of Project 2025.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/06/07/us/politics/trump-policy-list-2025.
FYI, it’s a weekend ender if you have not engaged in this rotten to the core MANDATE FOR LEADERSHIP previously.
Link not working here, see post. Sorry. Works there.
NYT has always had it out for Democrats. They hated the Clintons with a passion especially Hillary. So this is just who they are.
I want to think that Biden knows fully well that his asylum EO is illegal, and that he's just trying to cynically borrow some right wing talking points because the American people have gone stupid on the immigration question.
But the courts have drifted so far to the right that it might not matter that it's illegal.
What would it take for Biden to, in the spirit of his new found toughness, go Dark Brandon and say, "FU. We can absorb immigrants into this country. Your housing is expensive because you keep electing Republicans who empower private equity ownership across huge swaths of the housing market, and one of about five major apartment companies is probably running your apartment complex." ???
https://news.gsu.edu/2024/02/26/researchers-find-three-companies-own-more-than-19000-rental-houses-in-metro-atlanta/
Democratic messaging is terrible. This place and Jay's pages and a few others are exceptions to that rule. But the core part of the party, the part that should be fixing this stuff, is strangely silent on these issues.
After Biden wins, we need to start attacking these problems with more gusto and honesty.
I'm not sure that the messaging is that bad. I'm with you that the EO is a ploy. It may get him elected, I'm ok with that. I'm thinking there will be a blue wave and then the Democrats can move forward on a more nuanced immigration policy and are able to pass it.
If you tell everyone that it's a fake or a time waster to get past the election, they aren't going to vote for him. So it's best not to.
"Don't mistake kindness for weakness." I often used this phrase with staff who crossed lines. They got the picture. We, too, are getting Biden's strengthening stance. Tough times call for tough measures. You go, Joe!
I like Dark Brandon. I don't agree with him on everything (including the executive order - being an immigrant, and having a VERY up close and personal knowledge of our immigration system) - but I do like it when he gets sick and tired of being the teddy bear.
IMO Netanyahu will never go for a cease-fire. For three reasons. (1) he’s holding onto power and if he goes for a cease-fire, he knows that he may be on the outs. (2) his plan is to eliminate any two state solution. He wants all Palestinians gone so he will keep bombing. (3) he’s holding out for a Trump win. He’s hoping Trump wins. He knows that Trump will let him do what he wants to do and if Trump wins there will be no Palestinian state.
If trump loses the election that would throw his plan into disarray.
@Jay Kuo, very hot essay. Thank you for telling the truth. I do not abide Biden Bashing by anyone! (Not that you did but the comments are a real clusterfuck), not your fault. BIDEN MUST WIN. And he will do what it takes to keep our fragile Democracy from being trashed by the Convict in Chief. He’s been forced to heavy duty fighting on behalf of those who are the real patriots in this nation. Those engaged in the alarmingly confused comments are focusing on singular issues and ignoring the Big Picture (title, I forgot!) The alarmists will thank Biden when we win and hold onto our freedoms in November; I am not naive enough to think the win will come without chaos and possibly significant violence. We will navigate through tumultuous times with Biden as COMMANDER IN CHIEF of this ship of state. 🕊️
Thank you! Biden winning is not up for debate. And to place the blame on him for any single issue at this time is irresponsible. I lean towards the idea that the EO has been knowingly done to show that he is trying to do something about this issue and that this EO (remarkably similar to the clown’s) cannot stand up in court. I also think that many do not grasp (willfully or through ignorance) that the war crimes against Gazans are not the only danger in this war or the region. I believe that Biden has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to end this while also trying to maintain what little stability there is in the region. Houthis in Yemen attacking shipping, Israel and Iran exchanging drone attacks. Completely pulling US support would have sent signals to Iran and others in the region that we were done. And that could have brought a dangerous escalation. Enlarging the war in that region would not have been helpful for Palestinians either. It would very possibly have escalated the indiscriminate attacks against them by Israel. And, make no mistake, Arab or Muslim support for Palestinians is based more on hatred of Israel and not on true compassion and concern for the actual human beings they are. Most of that region has treated Palestinians like dirt unless they can use them for their hatred of Israel. If this continues and Herr Pumpkinfuhrer wins (which is absolutely possible if people don’t vote or vote for a 3rd-er instead of Biden) the consequences for Palestinians will be even more devastating. I get that we SHOULD be voting for candidates who have a set political platform and the same concerns we have. But this election, the ONLY issue that matters at the ballot box is whether we want to elect a man that will lead the US back towards being a country that will place value on all its citizens and their needs. The other choice is to become a nation run by ignorant fascists who do not care about the people. This is not a normal election. We do not have the luxury in 2024 of “punishing” Biden by not voting for him because of how he has handled any specific situation. If we want to have the “luxury” of choosing a president in 2028 based on his or her stances on issues dear to us, the ONLY choice on November 5th is to vote for Biden.
Kate, love your thoughts! Keep up the good fight! We’re in it for the long term win.
I keep trying. Soon will be working a phone bank for Democrats Abroad to offer help to people who may not know how to register to vote from outside the United States. I will do as much as I can to help keep fascism out of the US.
You are a really good person. Citizen? Abroad? Good luck with your phone banking. You’re a hero, ❤️🇺🇸
I wasn’t so much bothered, but wondering. I married a Swede, have been here 20+ years and I know sometimes I’m not as clear in writing as I was. I so want the US to be able to choose a president based on policy. This year it isn’t possible. And typically, I would say that most choices for voting should not be based on one issue (although that certainly depends upon the issue) But in 2024 it feels, to me, like if we ever want to get to that point we cannot let Herr Pumpkinfuhrer win. And I know I have guilty feelings that I’ve “gotten out” and fell like I’ve abandoned people I love. Who are all wonderful and try to convince me that marrying a Swede two decades ago and moving for life is not abandonment. I won’t lie, Sweden and much of the EU is having challenges from the far right. I’m scared of what a MAGA win would do for politics elsewhere. It will have an impact. Thank you for your support!
I’m happy for you that you found love wherever; am aware that far right challenges are arising globally. Have been concerned about the EU as well. Don’t clearly understand the dynamics other than population growth, climate issues.
People everywhere seem to want more, more and yet there is less for anyone with billionaires exploiting the needy, the people who have been fighting for equity in wealth and resources for years to no avail. It is a sad and challenging era.
Many with the means are leaving the USA or so I read. The people who read the tea leaves and understand the threat to our everyday existence. I am happy to live simply but even that is shrinking as I age and retirement monies disappear. The elderly and disabled are a group with unmet needs, shrinking insurance and healthcare. You would be shocked at the cost of food for example. I sense the good times are behind us no matter the outcome of 2024.
Of course, a win by trump is out of the question. He would simply drive nails into the coffins of freedom everywhere.
The world has laid a burden at the feet of President Biden and could not have chosen anyone else equal to the task, some errors notwithstanding. I will be a freedom fighter as long as I can but my time is limited due to health issues that will only get worse over time. I feel the need to leave this beautiful planet 🌎 at least as well as I found it but my impact is miniscule. Somehow that just moves me forward, gives me purpose in living the best life I can. Enjoy Sweden, 🇸🇪, your family. We two are rare I think in understanding the global nature of our lives. I have always believed that but so many here are focused on self. Perhaps the example of Trump has corrupted the entire population. I just want him gone so I can enjoy a tiny bit of peace 🕊️. Good luck!
I’m not sure why you think I’m attacking anyone. My point was that many are attacking Biden based on one issue, the border, the war in Israel, are the two most obvious. I certainly don’t think these issues are unimportant. But I do believe that choosing to not support Biden could give Trump the WH again and neither of those problems will get better under a MAGA administration. It’s cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face. I would not say fear rules my heart, but I will absolutely admit to being afraid. Afraid for the people I love in the US, afraid for the US and for the world. If you would like to enlighten me as to what phrase or phrases were an attack, I would appreciate it.
I don’t disagree with most of what you say. And THAT is what is so truly scary. I live in Sweden now and just voted in the EU election and it was like I think it should be. I had a good idea where I would lie on the spectrum, but I looked at many issues to help me decide. In the coming election the US, all I know is that there are some things that I would like to see the Democrats (not just Biden) focus on . I don’t match their policies 100%. But I do know that there is nothing I agree with MAGA on. I hope and pray that we can change the US. Not back to pre-2016, but to a country that really is great with true equality and justice for all. Anyway, I 100% get your point and fears. I know we are not alone in this. Also, I really wanted to understand if I’d written “incorrectly”. I sometimes feel like my writing in English has become less precise or accurate since I’ve become fluent in Swedish. 😉
Trump won’t “argue” anything. He’ll whine, lie and confuse. He’ll try to bully and intimidate. Biden absolutely needs to walk off the set if the moderator can’t keep Trump quiet during Biden’s time to respond.
Until Biden cuts off aid and weapons to Israel, he will remain complicit in the genocide. Biden's answer to Republicans bulkshit of Democrats being soft on crime in 1994 led to his crime bill which is responsible for the mass incarceration of POC. So it doesn't surprise me that instead of an executive order to properly fund and hire the personnel needed to handle the awful backlog, which has existed forever now🙁 He went with the inhumane and racist option like he did in 1994.
He can't sign an executive order to fund more personnel to handle the backlog, that's the problem -- the House of Representatives controls the budget. There was money in the border package that the Republicans agreed to (and then Trump tanked) to add more personnel, immigration judges, etc., but he can't do much along those lines with just an E.O.
Actually I'm pretty sure he can. He managed to go around Congress TWICE to ship weapons to Israel. If he can do that, he can get the funding that's been desperately needed for YEARS.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/biden-administration-sidesteps-congress-arms-sale-israel-rcna131661
You must be forgetting that the republicans started whining when he refused to send bombs to Israel that could be used offensively in Rafah; falsely claiming it was he same thing trump got impeached for - Denying aid already approved by congress. Andy is right, an EO can redirect policy, but not funds. Only congress can allocate funds.
I don't care. The Republicans whine about everything all of the time. By the by, the border has been UNDERFUNDED FOR DECADES. That's not soley the fault of the Republicans. If you think it is, I have a bridge for sale in Brooklyn. Biden could get funding. Mind you, 4 years after the attempted coup, there are still 147 seditionitists working in Congress. Why??? Why wasn't Roe codified in 50 YEARS??? Why do we still not have universal healthcare??? It's not all the Republicans' fault.
I agree with everything you just said, and the democrats are not perfect (I went to school right next to that bridge, but I never bought it). But Biden can't do something that has not been funded. For example, when trump moved the immigration courts from civil to criminal, Biden changed them back. The money for the courts was already there, he just issued an EO moving them back to civil court where they belong. The 147 seditionists are a bit more problematic, since their votes and comments are protected by the Speech and Debate clause. Look at Rep. Scott Perry, the FBI seized his cell phone, but the courts restricted much of what they got because the Speech and Debate clause protects members of congress.
All I ever hear is why the Democrats CAN'T do anything. Yet I see the Republicans doing whatever the fuck they want and get away with it. Look at Abbott and DeSantais, both are guilty of human trafficking and murder, crickets from the DOJ. Why??? Why has the border remained UNDERFUNDED FOR DECADES??? Do you not wonder about this stuff?
So sick of the bullshit excuses. McConnell tilted SCOTUS in only 5 years but the Democrats couldn't codify Roe in 50???
Seriously? Who do you think is doing all the dirty work behind the scenes on Roe. Dark money from the hard right has been funding candidates they can buy for decades.
Seriously, the Democrats had 50 years to codify it. We still don't have universal healthcare, the border is still underfunded. We have a corrupt SCOTUS which the Democrats are doing fuck all about. Just like they let McConnell get away with his bullshit.
The arms transfer you refer to here was not new funding. Congress controls the purse strings. If Biden could have hired a ton of new immigration judges to process asylum claims, which is where the real hangup is, he would have done so by now but the Republicans won't sign off on the funding.
Bullshit. It's just like using the filibuster as an excuse. The border has been UNDERFUNDED FOR DECADES. That's not all the Republicans' fault🙄 The Democrats could fix things but they don't. There's ALWAYS AN EXCUSE. ALWAYS.
You suggested he could use an E.O. to add personnel, but he can't. That's not an excuse, that's just a fact. Hate on Biden and the Democrats all you want, but on that specific point, you are mistaken.
No I'm not. The supreme court got away with overturning a free and fair election. McConnell got away with his bullshit over the SCOTUS picks. The Democrats had 50 years to codify Roe and didn't but McConnell packed SCOTUS with 2 extremeists in 5 years🙄 Do not tell me the Democrats can't do anything when Republicans sure get away with a ton of bullshit and we still don't have universal healthcare, the border is still underfunded, women lost bodily autonomy, 147 traitors are still working in Congress. The Republicans must have supe powers that the Democrats don't, right? 🤣
Triggered much🤣
Where's the edit button🙁
*Bullshit not bulkshit🤦♀️🤣
I may be too cynical but... could the new EO have been done, knowing it would be stayed by lawsuits. This makes Biden looks tough on the border, nothing really changes, but should there be D majorities in Congress an actual border bill can get written and passed. One that has better protections and better funding for more judges and administration so that people aren't waiting for 10 years for a determination. It could be a way to get everything that Ds need.
Or maybe I'm just tired.
Immigration is the problem from hell and will go on being such until some real bipartisanship happens. Our immigration laws were written for a different era and they can't work while the pressures of climate and failing states make us/USA a magnet. Besides, we don't even fund the legal snarl we've got. I hate it that Biden has to make a futile gesture while what we need is a real solution, but our political dysfunction precludes that. Humans suffer. And re-electing Biden remains essential if we're to live to fight another day.
As you say, Biden needs to take the gloves off, and so do the rest of us in our own ways. As you state, "Few can ignore the obvious bias against Biden in the Times’s headlines, whether they are highlighting his age or downplaying his economic and legislative achievements." As I recall, they did the same with Clinton and Trump. He got something like twice as much play as she did, and the appendage "deeply flawed candidate" was used as if it was her first name, including in the New Yorker.
Taking a tougher stance and focusing on key issues doesn’t mean we will get what is promised or even have a quality of life. The war machine takes it all and we are endlessly bankrupted by medical bills and corporate greed while the middle class has been erased from existence. Voting for either option does nothing for actual people. Other countries are toughening THEIR borders to keep US out. And rightly so. The United States is a disease on humanity. I hope I don’t live to see Election Day.
If you want to vote in 2028 you have to vote Biden in 2024. It's really that simple. I hope you do live to see Election day and vote for our democracy.
2028 won’t be any better. This system is too broken. The people need to exercise their constitutional right to form a new government. Things aren’t going to get better for anyone until then.
There will be no voting in 2028 unless Biden wins 2024 and another Democrat wins in 2028. Trump and the MAGAs are doing what they can to destroy our democracy. Biden is our only hope- like him or not.
The DNC created this crisis. But won’t give us a progressive. Just a warmongering “moderate” who is basically Reagan.
Please stick around and help Dems win. Then we have time to fix all this shit.
I’ve heard this since Reagan. Nothing ever gets fixed and now it’s all broken. And the DNC is sucking corporate cock and taking AIPAC money just like the RNC. Nothing changes without real representation and it simply doesn’t exist in any candidate currently running. I even ran for city council in my town and was outgunned by a corporate funded smear campaign. The ONLY way to fix ANYTHING is to dismantle the government with a constitutional, citizen led movement and to form a totally new government before the constitution is completely dismantled (any day now). We won’t last until November and this is not hyperbole. It’s fact.
This is a very dark view. Like Steve Bannon who wants to burn everything down and recreate it how he imagines it. No matter how many people die in the process. I am pretty sure he assumes he will not be collateral damage. My view isn't that dark. There are goods happening on all levels and there are good people working on it. Best to find a group like that and join them to also do good things. Since bad news sells better it just usually drowns out the good things in our media cycle. And if all fails go for a walk in nature and take in how amazing it all is.
I have been an activist since I was 17. I’m now 59. I devoted my life to gay rights, worker rights, women’s rights, AIDS activism, the unhoused, and animal welfare. My peers all died in the gay plague, I have been run out of towns, arrested, stabbed, beaten, shot, been fired, evicted, had my home burned down, my pets slaughtered, and still get death threats as recently as this week because I protested the murder of Palestinian friends with US weapons (I’m Jewish, and have now been booted from my synagogue). I feel I have wasted my life trying to heal a broken world. I currently am in nature to get a breath, but I have no retirement, no savings, and I have one working arm, going blind, have been turned down for disability 4 times. What is going to get better, ever? I went bankrupt over medical debt. I hope to die on a glacier in the next couple of weeks because I’ve been denied asylum in Canada and will avoid deportation by dying here. Dark view? Absolutely. It’s called experience and stark reality.
Asher, it sounds like you dedicated your life to helping others and trying to change the world. That is a big task and you spread yourself too thin. It is now time to save yourself. I hope you made some friends along the way. Please use them and get support and help from them you need now. Do you have access to counseling? You sound like you are so stuck that you need a different perspective. Also talk to a financial advisor and a social worker. There might be options you haven't considered. You don't need to do all of this alone. You owe it to yourself to lean on others and get the help you need. The world just might surprise you. Good luck and all the best. Just calling it quits is not an option. If all fails please call 988 or text to 988 before you give up.
I have a psychiatrist, a therapist, and a pharmacist. I have a social worker, and unfortunately, also live in the US. There is no drug strong enough to erase reality.
Can't speak for the electorate, but between his failure re: Gaza and tougher-than-Triump executive order re: immigration I'm inching closer to a 3rd party vote.
I don’t think I’m seeing the Strongman thing. I still see Biden as the kind sensible adult in the room. He just fed up with the bullshit like the rest of us! I don’t agree with the EO, but I get why they are doing it. Our case for sensible immigration and funding the process is falling on deaf (or maybe they just can’t hear us for their yelling) ears. I think a big part of the problem is the DNC and DCCC’s messaging. The only thing I’m hearing from them is “Here, take this fake survey that will only be sent if you give us money” Not to mention most surveys and polls are manipulated to get the answers they want not perhaps some ideas on real solutions.
Very good.