Jul 20, 2023·edited Jul 20, 2023Liked by George Takei
I would like to add that there is also what I think of as messaging amplification. The media outlets and polling research outlets certainly do all influence the minds and perceptions of vast numbers of people, to be sure, but those factors do not operate alone. One of the things that I am realizing as I dig down into and dissect the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025, is that the messaging projection capabilities of its "Advisory Board" members is a nearly incalculable factor, even, phenomenal in its reach and scope. The fact that nearly every single one of its members is some type of foundation, institute, alliance, council, project, etc. coupled with the fact that all, to the best of my current understanding, are non-profit organizations lends them something of a cloak against media coverage or consideration as a factor in influencing the minds of Americans everywhere of all political persuasions in many case in the most unrealized of ways.
At this point in time I have gone through and read over half (36) of the 68 organizations' 'Mission/About Us' statements as I compile them all together into one source document. Unsurprisingly and in-spite of the many claims of non-partisanship on their parts, they are all decisively conservative and anti-democratic and in many cases openly anti-Biden. Plus many of the organizations have strong ex-Trump administration officials or employees either leading them, on their boards, or working as experts in support of them and by extension Project 2025.
I really cannot stress strongly enough how serious and endangering to a free and liberal American Democracy this effort by the Heritage Foundation and its Project 2025 participants poses for all American citizens.
I have to say, Robert, that I'm in awe of your wanting to dissect this Project 2025. I downloaded it, not expecting the 1000 page volume that followed! Not sure I'll have the time to even peruse it, with everything else going on in my life right now. But, if I may, a word of caution; Heritage, et al, are experts at mind control, and as you dig deep into this manifest, do so with a trusted loved one nearby, who can periodically pull you out, douse you with cold water, and remind you of the real world surrounding you. Vaya Con Dios.
The 1000 page PDF is the “trick” which if I need to delve into it I will use the magic hot key crtl-f to search my way through for specific information.
Otherwise I am dissecting the project by way of looking around the trick and observing the sleight of hand taking place with all of the various “assistants” who are busy creating the distractions, and going about their business of supplying all the personnel required to fill the magician’s hat. 🎩
In short terms the whole of the project is intended to create a Presidential Administration that will act as a funnel to insert movement conservative “change agents” throughout all of Government at every reachable level so as to permanently ensure a decisively hard core Christian nationalist structure that will be nearly unalterable.
It is truly a genuine hydra-headed spectre type of organization and operation that everyone who is concerned about securing a free American democracy should be made thoroughly aware of and mobilized to resist against with all urgency.
The Republicans know what time it is. The question now is do the Democrats know what time it is?
And yet, as I pound the drum more and more fervently, I'm met with disbelief, or outright scorn. I'm called a "chicken little", and those who choose to remain blinded by the tricks of the magician's hat swear the sky is not falling. That he is just an entertainer, not to be taken seriously; it's the "real politicians" we need to fear. I'm running out of steam here. Especially here in Ohio, where, if you are familiar, a blatant attempt at outright fascism is on the ballot come August, and people are actually defending it!! They don't seem to understand what it entails. To them, it is all about abortion, which it most certainly is NOT! It's exasperating, which is why I'm so grateful to your willingness to expose the distractions. Hopefully, it won't be too late.
Understood. What needs to happen is our ranks must be filled with more drummers, fifers, and flag bearers, then and only then might the average citizen pay heed to the warnings we are waving about in defense of our and consequently their freedoms.
It is difficult to awaken an apathetic, complacent, sleeping giant. Fortunately a great many younger citizens are basically aware of the dangers, what they need is to be directed towards a better understanding of how the dangers are being perpetrated.
Thus my efforts here at Substack as small and singular as they are hopefully will become a very real catalyst for creating the initiative needed to wake everyone up.
With help from interested individuals such as yourself I can connect with others to create a counter movement.
I'm with you, and trying as much as my old bones will allow. But what I'm finding is SO MUCH apathy from the youngsters. They just don't care!! I know there are some, but at least around here, they are few and far between. As long as they have their video games, and an internet connection, nothing else seems to matter. They have no long-range outlook, and everything is someone else's problem, not theirs. I don't know how to get through. Ever Ukraine doesn't resonate. "That's over there, it won't happen here". How do you counter that? I just don't know
The apathy that you have in view is endemic to the situation as a whole and applies to all age groups in varying measures. so with that in mind it is important to identify those individuals whom you have some type of good connection with, who demonstrate some measure of concern, and most importantly are willing to at least discuss the issues in whatever ways that they might understand in some relatable way; upon singling these individuals out of the morass of complacency then comes the work of directing their attentions' to the real behind the scenes problem of larger movement of conservative efforts as they are being coordinated and directed by the genuinely intelligent individuals who operate within, through, and from the vantage points they hold via Think Tanks in general, whether they are foundations, institutes, alliances, councils, etc, etc.
In the context of Substack the simplest activity anyone can do to help promote, encourage, support and create awareness of these problems is to Share posts that focus on these problems. In other word talk about it within the Substack context that you have access to whether via Notes or Posts or as mentioned via Shares. If you think someone might be interested in learning more about these things then suggest that they might want to subscribe to me so that they can then at least be exposed to these issues as I am trying to bring to everyone's awareness.
The more people who respond to my work the more I am encouraged and driven to produce more information for all to share in and learn from.
I have only been working with Substack for just under three months and am only now just getting fully underway.
Jul 20, 2023Liked by Amelia Mavis Christnot, George Takei
Dealing with reality has never exactly been the GOP’s forte, especially if the good news is coming via the (shudder) Democrats. Discrediting or disbelieving any accomplishments that don’t fit the narrative is all they got left.
Jul 20, 2023Liked by Amelia Mavis Christnot, George Takei
I blame the main stream media for the disconnect, as well. They can't seem to help themselves pushing gloom and doom while only talking to trump supporters. On the night the good news on jobs, inflation and pay came out, the news anchor said, good economic news today, or is it? Give me a break. This coming from the same media that let's trump and the Republicans slide on everything. I've had it with all of them. Until they stop with the both sides crap, they are danger to our country and complicit in the damage already done.
As a nation, we should demand the return of the Fairness Act or something similar. While not all journalists fall into this trap, far too many work for outlets owned by larger companies that are after the dollar and nothing more. Or, as George Carlin said, the corporate overlords. The result is decidedly unbalanced and biased reporting that is often full of false or problematic comments.
Case in point, the recent CNN debacle with TFG's "town hall."
It’s unclear whether the FCC would have jurisdiction over the content of cable and internet media, however. The Fairness Doctrine would only apply to licensed airwaves broadcasts, I believe.
But new legislation with the notion of the Fairness Doctrine in mind, could go a long way towards clearing the media landscape of bias and disinformation. Given that Congress is not the FCC, we're back to those old checks and balances again.
I like the comparison with the hysteria over the burning cities during the BLM protests. I live under three miles from the Seattle protests (as the seagull flies--there's a lake you have to get around first). I walked my neighborhood in the evening; nary a burning building nor even a whiff of smoke.
I am a zealous First Amendment advocate, but something needs to be done about the right-wing media constantly broadcasting outright lies. A few defamation suits isn't doing it. Could there be a private right of action given to citizens that is broader than defamation? I know, I know--the problem of standing. But the court seems to be bent on destroying that--could we use that to our advantage?
How about the tort of outrage brought by people who have to watch their relatives sucked into a silo PREDICATED on lies? That already allows a kind of "third party" standing, though it is of course really hard to prove, particularly the damages.
Thank you for speaking the truth. Sadly, the mass media (even the ones that aren't straight GQP propaganda outlets) fixate on bad news and even when they bother to repeat something positive, they feel the need to put some GQP blowhard on screen to spew unchallenged lies (basically bothsiderism . . .).
They "reported" breathlessly on the "shocking" rise in egg prices for weeks, then went silent when prices went back down (and never bothered to even do amateur-level journalism to discuss the reason behind the rise (culling the herds due to disease . .).
In a sense of "missing the forest for the trees", I submit that the "economy" will not be considered back to normal until all the debris left behind has been cleaned up. What about all of the homeless STILL on our streets? What about all of the VACANT buildings we see in our everyday lives? Maybe the ECONOMY had cleaned up, but what about all of the POLLUTION that has been left behind? The public sees the HERD OF ELEPHANTS in the room that the policy makers turn a blind eye to.
There’s a disconnect between what is being reported and what I see around me. Every shop I enter is advertising for help. I called my clinic to cancel a dr appt and was on hold for 40 minutes; they apologized by saying they were short staffed. My health care clinic provider just laid off 350 employees; when I call to make an appt, it usually takes one to two months to get one. I want to be a big fan of Bidenomics but where is the proof in the pudding? As a retiree I’m on a fixed income so a lot of it is irrelevant but the things I have to pay for haven’t come down in price. The only thing that keeps me blue is that I have a firm conviction that it’d be way worse if the GOP were in charge.
I see that disconnect as well. I still see empty storefronts, public spaces in disrepair, a dearth of consumer goods made in the USA, and lack of choices and quality available with the preponderance of and domination of the economy by large business. The statistics do not reflect the quality of our lives, maybe this is by design. No doubt that we are better off with Bidenomics than what the Republicans have been pushing but it still seems to me we could be doing so much better improving our individual lived experience.
New subscriber here - great explanation as usual from Jay. Wondering if there are any economist-type folks who can answer a question. On occasion I look at a loony right wing FB page that a relative follows, just to see what nonsense they’re spewing. This was their take on the economy: “Breaking Down the 3% Inflation Myth.
First, inflation rates are calculated year over year and that is not the number that the administration is talking about. To get to the 3% figure they are using month-to-month calculations, which have never been a part of the rubric.
Second, did your gas suddenly drop to pre-Bidenomics prices? I thought not. It's still up around double the price of gas prior to the assassination of the American energy sector by the puppet masters of the Biden administration.”
Any thoughts as to WTF they’re saying about monthly vs yearly inflation? Yes I know it’s likely BS; and I’m unlikely to wrap my brain around it. Still just curious.
I would like to know where people are shopping that prices are so high. I shop Walmart online and they are pretty good at keeping prices down. When everyone was complaining about eggs, I was getting cartons of 18 eggs for $1.77. I just got groceries today, and eggs were $1.80 for 18. But, I get the Great Value white eggs. I quit buying the cage free, free range, brown eggs, which cost nearly 4 times as much. Milk has gone down, paper products have gone down. Coca-Cola has gone down. International Delight Coffee Creamer has gone down. Plus, Walmart has a few perks if you are a Walmart+ customer..free Paramount+ for example. And you can also collect coupons for your next online shopping trip.
I would like to add that there is also what I think of as messaging amplification. The media outlets and polling research outlets certainly do all influence the minds and perceptions of vast numbers of people, to be sure, but those factors do not operate alone. One of the things that I am realizing as I dig down into and dissect the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025, is that the messaging projection capabilities of its "Advisory Board" members is a nearly incalculable factor, even, phenomenal in its reach and scope. The fact that nearly every single one of its members is some type of foundation, institute, alliance, council, project, etc. coupled with the fact that all, to the best of my current understanding, are non-profit organizations lends them something of a cloak against media coverage or consideration as a factor in influencing the minds of Americans everywhere of all political persuasions in many case in the most unrealized of ways.
At this point in time I have gone through and read over half (36) of the 68 organizations' 'Mission/About Us' statements as I compile them all together into one source document. Unsurprisingly and in-spite of the many claims of non-partisanship on their parts, they are all decisively conservative and anti-democratic and in many cases openly anti-Biden. Plus many of the organizations have strong ex-Trump administration officials or employees either leading them, on their boards, or working as experts in support of them and by extension Project 2025.
I really cannot stress strongly enough how serious and endangering to a free and liberal American Democracy this effort by the Heritage Foundation and its Project 2025 participants poses for all American citizens.
Looking forward to hearing more.
I have to say, Robert, that I'm in awe of your wanting to dissect this Project 2025. I downloaded it, not expecting the 1000 page volume that followed! Not sure I'll have the time to even peruse it, with everything else going on in my life right now. But, if I may, a word of caution; Heritage, et al, are experts at mind control, and as you dig deep into this manifest, do so with a trusted loved one nearby, who can periodically pull you out, douse you with cold water, and remind you of the real world surrounding you. Vaya Con Dios.
The 1000 page PDF is the “trick” which if I need to delve into it I will use the magic hot key crtl-f to search my way through for specific information.
Otherwise I am dissecting the project by way of looking around the trick and observing the sleight of hand taking place with all of the various “assistants” who are busy creating the distractions, and going about their business of supplying all the personnel required to fill the magician’s hat. 🎩
In short terms the whole of the project is intended to create a Presidential Administration that will act as a funnel to insert movement conservative “change agents” throughout all of Government at every reachable level so as to permanently ensure a decisively hard core Christian nationalist structure that will be nearly unalterable.
It is truly a genuine hydra-headed spectre type of organization and operation that everyone who is concerned about securing a free American democracy should be made thoroughly aware of and mobilized to resist against with all urgency.
The Republicans know what time it is. The question now is do the Democrats know what time it is?
And yet, as I pound the drum more and more fervently, I'm met with disbelief, or outright scorn. I'm called a "chicken little", and those who choose to remain blinded by the tricks of the magician's hat swear the sky is not falling. That he is just an entertainer, not to be taken seriously; it's the "real politicians" we need to fear. I'm running out of steam here. Especially here in Ohio, where, if you are familiar, a blatant attempt at outright fascism is on the ballot come August, and people are actually defending it!! They don't seem to understand what it entails. To them, it is all about abortion, which it most certainly is NOT! It's exasperating, which is why I'm so grateful to your willingness to expose the distractions. Hopefully, it won't be too late.
Understood. What needs to happen is our ranks must be filled with more drummers, fifers, and flag bearers, then and only then might the average citizen pay heed to the warnings we are waving about in defense of our and consequently their freedoms.
It is difficult to awaken an apathetic, complacent, sleeping giant. Fortunately a great many younger citizens are basically aware of the dangers, what they need is to be directed towards a better understanding of how the dangers are being perpetrated.
Thus my efforts here at Substack as small and singular as they are hopefully will become a very real catalyst for creating the initiative needed to wake everyone up.
With help from interested individuals such as yourself I can connect with others to create a counter movement.
I'm with you, and trying as much as my old bones will allow. But what I'm finding is SO MUCH apathy from the youngsters. They just don't care!! I know there are some, but at least around here, they are few and far between. As long as they have their video games, and an internet connection, nothing else seems to matter. They have no long-range outlook, and everything is someone else's problem, not theirs. I don't know how to get through. Ever Ukraine doesn't resonate. "That's over there, it won't happen here". How do you counter that? I just don't know
The apathy that you have in view is endemic to the situation as a whole and applies to all age groups in varying measures. so with that in mind it is important to identify those individuals whom you have some type of good connection with, who demonstrate some measure of concern, and most importantly are willing to at least discuss the issues in whatever ways that they might understand in some relatable way; upon singling these individuals out of the morass of complacency then comes the work of directing their attentions' to the real behind the scenes problem of larger movement of conservative efforts as they are being coordinated and directed by the genuinely intelligent individuals who operate within, through, and from the vantage points they hold via Think Tanks in general, whether they are foundations, institutes, alliances, councils, etc, etc.
In the context of Substack the simplest activity anyone can do to help promote, encourage, support and create awareness of these problems is to Share posts that focus on these problems. In other word talk about it within the Substack context that you have access to whether via Notes or Posts or as mentioned via Shares. If you think someone might be interested in learning more about these things then suggest that they might want to subscribe to me so that they can then at least be exposed to these issues as I am trying to bring to everyone's awareness.
The more people who respond to my work the more I am encouraged and driven to produce more information for all to share in and learn from.
I have only been working with Substack for just under three months and am only now just getting fully underway.
Dealing with reality has never exactly been the GOP’s forte, especially if the good news is coming via the (shudder) Democrats. Discrediting or disbelieving any accomplishments that don’t fit the narrative is all they got left.
They are a party without ideas.
I blame the main stream media for the disconnect, as well. They can't seem to help themselves pushing gloom and doom while only talking to trump supporters. On the night the good news on jobs, inflation and pay came out, the news anchor said, good economic news today, or is it? Give me a break. This coming from the same media that let's trump and the Republicans slide on everything. I've had it with all of them. Until they stop with the both sides crap, they are danger to our country and complicit in the damage already done.
As a nation, we should demand the return of the Fairness Act or something similar. While not all journalists fall into this trap, far too many work for outlets owned by larger companies that are after the dollar and nothing more. Or, as George Carlin said, the corporate overlords. The result is decidedly unbalanced and biased reporting that is often full of false or problematic comments.
Case in point, the recent CNN debacle with TFG's "town hall."
It’s unclear whether the FCC would have jurisdiction over the content of cable and internet media, however. The Fairness Doctrine would only apply to licensed airwaves broadcasts, I believe.
But new legislation with the notion of the Fairness Doctrine in mind, could go a long way towards clearing the media landscape of bias and disinformation. Given that Congress is not the FCC, we're back to those old checks and balances again.
Rein them all in, I say.
I find it worrisome that less than half of Democrats (47% per your citation) think that Biden is handling the economy very well. Worrisome indeed!
Spot-on analysis. More evidence that facts just don’t matter any more in this hyper-partisan world we exist in.
I like the comparison with the hysteria over the burning cities during the BLM protests. I live under three miles from the Seattle protests (as the seagull flies--there's a lake you have to get around first). I walked my neighborhood in the evening; nary a burning building nor even a whiff of smoke.
I am a zealous First Amendment advocate, but something needs to be done about the right-wing media constantly broadcasting outright lies. A few defamation suits isn't doing it. Could there be a private right of action given to citizens that is broader than defamation? I know, I know--the problem of standing. But the court seems to be bent on destroying that--could we use that to our advantage?
How about the tort of outrage brought by people who have to watch their relatives sucked into a silo PREDICATED on lies? That already allows a kind of "third party" standing, though it is of course really hard to prove, particularly the damages.
No easy solutions where the First Amendment is concerned, I’m afraid. We have to teach our society to better fight off disinformation.
I just hope we can do it in time, before ALL information becomes disinformation at the whim of Der Whoever.
Thank you for speaking the truth. Sadly, the mass media (even the ones that aren't straight GQP propaganda outlets) fixate on bad news and even when they bother to repeat something positive, they feel the need to put some GQP blowhard on screen to spew unchallenged lies (basically bothsiderism . . .).
They "reported" breathlessly on the "shocking" rise in egg prices for weeks, then went silent when prices went back down (and never bothered to even do amateur-level journalism to discuss the reason behind the rise (culling the herds due to disease . .).
"Who do you feel does a better job handling the Economy, the Democrats or the Republicans?" will be a key question for low-info voters come Nov. '24.
In a sense of "missing the forest for the trees", I submit that the "economy" will not be considered back to normal until all the debris left behind has been cleaned up. What about all of the homeless STILL on our streets? What about all of the VACANT buildings we see in our everyday lives? Maybe the ECONOMY had cleaned up, but what about all of the POLLUTION that has been left behind? The public sees the HERD OF ELEPHANTS in the room that the policy makers turn a blind eye to.
There’s a disconnect between what is being reported and what I see around me. Every shop I enter is advertising for help. I called my clinic to cancel a dr appt and was on hold for 40 minutes; they apologized by saying they were short staffed. My health care clinic provider just laid off 350 employees; when I call to make an appt, it usually takes one to two months to get one. I want to be a big fan of Bidenomics but where is the proof in the pudding? As a retiree I’m on a fixed income so a lot of it is irrelevant but the things I have to pay for haven’t come down in price. The only thing that keeps me blue is that I have a firm conviction that it’d be way worse if the GOP were in charge.
I see that disconnect as well. I still see empty storefronts, public spaces in disrepair, a dearth of consumer goods made in the USA, and lack of choices and quality available with the preponderance of and domination of the economy by large business. The statistics do not reflect the quality of our lives, maybe this is by design. No doubt that we are better off with Bidenomics than what the Republicans have been pushing but it still seems to me we could be doing so much better improving our individual lived experience.
New subscriber here - great explanation as usual from Jay. Wondering if there are any economist-type folks who can answer a question. On occasion I look at a loony right wing FB page that a relative follows, just to see what nonsense they’re spewing. This was their take on the economy: “Breaking Down the 3% Inflation Myth.
First, inflation rates are calculated year over year and that is not the number that the administration is talking about. To get to the 3% figure they are using month-to-month calculations, which have never been a part of the rubric.
Second, did your gas suddenly drop to pre-Bidenomics prices? I thought not. It's still up around double the price of gas prior to the assassination of the American energy sector by the puppet masters of the Biden administration.”
Any thoughts as to WTF they’re saying about monthly vs yearly inflation? Yes I know it’s likely BS; and I’m unlikely to wrap my brain around it. Still just curious.
I would like to know where people are shopping that prices are so high. I shop Walmart online and they are pretty good at keeping prices down. When everyone was complaining about eggs, I was getting cartons of 18 eggs for $1.77. I just got groceries today, and eggs were $1.80 for 18. But, I get the Great Value white eggs. I quit buying the cage free, free range, brown eggs, which cost nearly 4 times as much. Milk has gone down, paper products have gone down. Coca-Cola has gone down. International Delight Coffee Creamer has gone down. Plus, Walmart has a few perks if you are a Walmart+ customer..free Paramount+ for example. And you can also collect coupons for your next online shopping trip.