Forgotten Promises

How did Trump do it.

Scholars continue to wonder how Trump came to power. All they have to do is look at Hitler’s rise to power.  Simply put, he appealed to the emotions of a people.  He took advantage of a people seeking a change from the present. This is why he castigated Obama every chance he got when he was running for office. He continues these attacks since becoming President. He is bound and determined to convince his followers/supporters that every policy decision the Obama Administration made was bad for America. He painted himself as a picture of a Master Fixer, and quick as one could blink an eye, all ills plaguing America would be resolved/taken care of.  Of course, using Hitler tactics, he is very vague in the policies he intends initiating to bring his promises to fulfillment/completion.  As with Hitler, Trump knows to whom he has to appeal.  He knows fully well that there are a significant number of Americans who are easily led. Through the power of persuasion and an appeal to their innermost feelings, he can convince them to accept anything he says as logical, no matter how illogical and untruthful. Trump knows as Hitler did that propaganda must be popular and it intellectual level must be adjusted to the most limited intelligence of those it is addressed to.   

Why do you think Trump continually rant about the Deep State? He is talking about what he sees as the existing Government-a government that he is, according to his followers, ordained to bring down and replace it with some vague idealist form of Governing.  Overthrowing the government, using tactics utilized by Hitler and the Third Reich, is this way Trump goes about things. Creating distrust, anger, class warfare, racism, and unreal-ism is what he does best.  As with Hitler, Trump, utilizing a very effective propaganda machine that drilled into the minds of a people so much mistrust of the government, that they were willing to see changes, any kind of changes, good or bad.  Trump has sown a seed of distrust of the Press, of the Courts and judges, of Congress etc. At this point, his followers’ are brainwashed to the point that they think he is the only one they can trust-that he has all of the answers to all their questions. Trump’s response to the Stock Market ebbs and flows is an indication of how far he is removed from reality. He struts when the market goes up; taking a bow. When it goes down, he says he had nothing to do with it, and everyone and everything else is to blame.

All of the predictions made about Trump during the Republican Debates are coming true. All of the predictions made about Trump during Hillary Clinton’s debate with Trump is coming true. What more evidence does America need to see- to understand that Trump is unfit to Govern America?

Republican Crap Detectors Destroyed

How easily the Fascist wing of the Republican Party hijacked, and indeed, took over the minds of millions of Americans, is a mystery. Nazi Propaganda Minister Goebbels, theorized about how to successfully utilize Propaganda to do just this.  How he arrived at this conclusion, to some folks, is still a mystery. What did he see in people and their behavior that suggested mind-manipulation would be effective?  Goebbels surmised that what was distinctive about the Nazis was “the ability to see into the soul of the people and to speak the language of the man in the street. Think for a moment, where Trump was most successful in his campaign for President of the United States. He went into the Corn and wheat fields. He went into the areas of closed factories, and said he would reopen them. He went into coal producing areas and promised a resurgence of the coal industry. Trump campaigned with the following message? “You are the forgotten working class. Your jobs were outsourced  overseas. Remaining jobs are being taken by immigrants”

Trump campaigned in select areas with one thing in mind. People in these areas could be easily manipulated and his rhetoric would not be questioned. He realized that all he had to do was keep broadcasting the rhetoric and messages that conservative talk radio and fox had been feeding their listeners a steady dosage of, for several years. All he had to do was stay on message. These outlets had trained their listeners to accept Trump and the Republican platform empty promises and lies, as factual.  Talk Radio and Fox disabled their audiences Crap Detectors by appealing to their feelings rather than their thoughts. Thinking in these quarters became a thing of the past.  Both outlets were able to convince their audience that they no longer had to think for themselves.  According to Goebbels, another core part of Nazi grand theory was the dethronement of reason and the celebration of emotion. Nazism felt rather than thought, and therefore the nature of its propaganda appeal was also to feeling rather than thinking. If you take a look at what takes place in a Trump rally, then go back and look at films of a Hitler  rally, one has to see how much they are alike-what appeals to their audiences. His message and Hitler elicits the same response of the crowd and mirrors each other. As with Goebbels and Hitler, Trump uses the same tactics. He knows how his followers really feel about racism. All he has to do is give them a platform to relieve this built-up passion. According to historian Neil Gregor, the principal objective of Nazi propaganda was “to absorb the individual into a mass of like-minded people, and the purpose of the ‘suggestion’ was not to deceive but to articulate that which the crowd already believed. As Trump Spokesperson Kelley Ann Conway said; there are alternate facts. This is the life that Trump lives. Unreality has become his and his supporters reality.

Look like bird does not make soup

Fascism

How Hitler conquered Germany

The Nazi propaganda machine exploited ordinary Germans by encouraging them to be co-producers of a false reality.  Written by Nicholas O’Shaughnessy.

Some of my thoughts mirrors those of this writer.

I, along with many so called thinkers often opine about the constant outpouring of lies and half-truths broadcasted over every available propaganda platform, 24 hours per day; especially those which appeal to those with Fascist leanings. Trump and his handlers learned a long time ago that their message did not have to appeal to the intellectual masses. Instead, aim it at the emotional and mental world of the easily influenced and poorly educated. The message does not have to be understood by thinkers.  The message must appeal and support the preconceived notion of those to whom it is aimed. In other words, an outlet for these emotions. Trying to understand what Trump is doing from an intellectual perspective is almost, if not, totally impossible. It just does not make sense!

If you go back and look at what Hitler and his folk’s messages were, and how they were disseminated to the masses, what Trump is doing becomes clearer. It mirrors what Hitler did. Repetition is the order of the day. No matter whether truthful or not, just keep saying the same thing every day. Those getting his messages out to the public, must be of the same mindset and attitude. Keep feeding them the same garbage, sooner or later they will learn to enjoy the taste.

Years ago, what the Republican propaganda machine is doing was once called Brainwashing-total repetitive, outpouring of ideas and messages. These messages are easily transmitted to even more people over the Internet. The airwaves are saturated with republican leaning ideas. This propaganda apparatus has penetrated the so-called Christian broadcasting networks; including Radio, Television, and the Internet. It appears to be especially acute in the Midwest. The repeated exposure to this propaganda is bound to have an effect on the thinking and reaction of many people.  Given time, many people become weaken by the persistence of the message, and eventually give in and accept the ideas being perpetuated.

Finally, Trump and his propaganda machine aligns exactly with that of the Third Reich. This is how Goebbels put it. “The mass mind was dull and sluggish, and for ideas to take root, they had to be constantly re-seeded: recognition, comprehension, retention, and conviction are different stages in the cognitive process, and repetition can facilitate them. It is important to remember, therefore, that what Nazi propaganda also offered was the dubious benefit of sensory exhaustion. The citizen was not a target to be persuaded so much as a victim to be conquered, ravished even. They wanted internal commitment, not just external compliance. The understanding of the intellectuals.¹⁸”Goebbels also said this”. It is true that we had only one thing to say, and we yelled and screamed and propagandized it again and again with a stubbornness that drove the ‘wise’ to desperation. We proclaimed it with such simplicity that they thought it absurd and almost childish. They did not understand that repetition is the precursor to success and simplicity is the key to the emotional and mental world of the masses. We wanted to appeal to the intuitive world of the great masses, not the understanding of the intellectuals.

Giving credit where credit is due

America was warned about the eventual Meltdown of the Stock Market during the rein of the Trump administration.  Of course, Trump and his supporters said nothing was further from the truth. Well here we are. Trump is not totally to blame for the meltdown. However he is responsible for creating false and unsustainable Stock Market numbers. Remember how he pressured Chairman Powell causing him to make unnecessary maneuvers and adjustments in the Federal Reserve?

Trumpsters, you gave Trump credit for the increase in the Stock Market. I agree, he should be given credit. Now, if he has that kind of control of the Stock Market, then it stands to reason that he be given the same consideration when the market is in decline. Please do not exonerate him from the decline of the Stock Market. If you give him credit for the sunshine, then give him credit for the thunderstorm. I watched as he gave indirect hints to his Wall Street buddies to buy or sell stock. He indicated he had made a great Trade deal with China. This was untrue, but it caused a surge in the Stock market. I am waiting for him to say something that will stabilize the market. This situation is exactly what many voters were afraid of. They knew he was ill-prepared to deal with issues of this sort. Didn’t many people say that there would be a meltdown of the Market? Well, here it is. He is ill-prepared, and is not surrounded with people who can guide him and America through some very troubling and uncertain times. Of course, Trump will do as he always do, deny any responsibility for the downward spiral of the Stock Market. Just wait, he will take credit as soon as the market heads in a different direction. More troubling is that his rabid supporters are unwilling to hold him responsible for the direction the Stock Market is currently headed, despite lauding over him, and suggesting his decisions were driving the market when it was posting daily record highs. Folks, stop being selective, when it comes to holding Trump responsible. Remember, he said he could do anything he wants to do as President. AG Barr and his Republican enablers agrees with him. I am sure he wants the market to head in a different direction. So Master Trump, speak the word! Say the magic words that will get you and your supporters that which they are breathlessly waiting for.

While America Slept

In 1940 John F. Kennedy wrote a book titled While England Slept.  In this book, Kennedy suggested England did not do enough to prevent WWII. He was of the opinion that England ignored the actions of Hitler until it was too late-too late to reel him in. So here we are in 2020 with the same situation. While America slept, the groundwork was laid for Trump to come to power.  The Groundwork was laid by Conservative Talk Radio. In 1988 a blowhard named Rush Limbaugh come on the scene with a show on AM radio.  At first, he seemed somewhat moderate in his political views. Most people thought he just had a good get-rich scheme to rip off his listeners and sponsors. This may have been true until his show was hijacked by hard-line Conservatives, with especially troubling racist tendencies and beliefs. Still America slept.

As with Hitler and his rise to power, Trump rose to power, because people did not take him seriously nor did they take his handlers seriously, until it was too late. While America slept, Limbaugh,  Boortz,  Savage, Levin, Gallagher, Ingram, Cunningham, Herman Cain, O’Reilly, and other blowhards were greasing the skids for Trump. Still America slept. Fox cable news showed up in 1996 and eventually became the prime conservative propaganda apparatus; thanks to Rupert Murdoch. Sean Hannity got  on board the Fox train in 2009; on board with O’Reilly to become a team of an outstanding Republican Propaganda apparatus. Still America slept. America never thought of what these folks had in mind; the unthinkable idea that an individual with the behavioral characteristics of Trump would be assisted in his effort to become President of the United States.   Still America slept.

The potential power of these media hosts was unthinkable when Limbaugh took to the national airwaves by storm in 1988. But over three decades, Conservative Talk Radio and FOX used the special bond they forged with their audiences to reshape the Republican Party in its current image. For millions of listeners, the change has been electrifying. For excommunicated moderates, this show hasn’t been entertaining in the least.  Still America slept.

During the 2016 Presidential campaign/debates, viewers and listeners heard and saw an individual (Trump) as some loudmouth that did not have a chance of being elected. Little did the masses know that this was exactly who Conservative Talk Radio and Fox Cable News had in mind when they unleashed their propaganda apparatus prior to 2016. Beating the drum in its  own way for the ascendance of Trump was the Salem Broadcasting System. This outlet showered its listeners with copious helpings of religious banter and propaganda, especially suited for Trump. Still America slept.

For a fleeting moment, millions of Americans thought the impeachment inquiry and trial would wake up America. Not so, I am afraid. So while America slept, Trump and the Republican Party cult, without an amendment, changed the United States Constitution. Sleep on folks, do not bother to wake up long enough to register, go to the polls and vote.

Trump is unfit to be President

Wonder who is Trump’s Theo Morell? Morell was Hitler’s personal doctor and he kept Hitler doped up on all kinds of drugs, especially during the last years of his  administration.  Morell kept this fact hidden from the German population. Who is Trump’s personal Doctor? To whom is he obligated to, besides Trump?  Is his personal doctor, in any way, obligated to make public, Trump’s medical condition-mental and physical? At what point is he obligated to tell the truth about Trump’s health; mental and physical?  To whom should he confide in regarding these urgent and obvious matters? Should Americans know the truth health of its President? America is back at the door of another impeachment inquiry. Obviously Trump is delusional and has lost touch with reality. No amount of drugs will make him fit for office.  Those who continue to support him, no matter his behavior, are suffering from a bit of the same disorder. Is, in fact, all lawmakers under the same obligations as the President when it comes to upholding the laws of this Nation? Presidents swear to Preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. It is within congressional powers to remove him from office when it becomes plainly and painfully obvious that a President is unfit, physically and mentally to fulfill his oath to this Nation.  In fact, it is their duty to remove him from office utilizing their constitutional Authority. Failing to do so, they should be removed from office.

Stench in the White House

When I just a boy growing up on a farm in Randolph County Alabama, I had hunting dogs. Every now and then one of them would come back to the house reeking of skunk Urine. In other words, he had gotten too close to a skunk. Those of you who know anything about skunks, know you can recognize them by their stripes as well as their smell. This one dog I had tangled with a skunk more than once and the results were always the same. Lo and behold, we now have a skunk in the White House. He reeks of dishonesty, lying, disregard for the laws of this nation, common decency, racketeering and adherence to expected norms of the President of the United States. When he was campaigning for the office of President, his true colors and smell were laid bare,especially his propensity for taking liberty with the truth. Many of his competitors were aware of his character-flaws, and made light of them during the Republican Debates. Nothing has changed about Trump since the election, except he has become more bold in his disregard for common decency and the US constitution. One question begs to be answered- why have the same Republican Lawmakers who tried to get away from the Trump stench during the debates, suddenly decide they will stay close to him no matter how bad he stinks up the place? What does he offer that make this stench more tolerable and acceptable? These same lawmakers, go back into their States and districts, dripping in skunk juice picked up in the Trump atmosphere. Their supporters, hate this smell, but are willing to hold their nose and continue to follow the fellow with the Skunk stripes. You know, black and white. He is out there in plain sight spraying this awful odor and proudly displaying his stripes. We now have most Republican Lawmakers, not only willing to put up with the stench, but proudly wearing the Black and White Stripes as well.

Donald Trump A Very Sick man

Donald Trump’s current behavior leaves little doubt regarding his mental state. He is totally unhinged and has lost control of his senses.  Those who take advantage of his mental state must be held accountable for their actions. Who are these folks-businesses-media outlets and Corporations taking advantage of his state of mind? The Corporations who convinced him he was right giving them huge tax breaks bear a lot of responsibility for his actions. Right wing Talk Radio takes advantage of his erratic behavior and makes no sense narrative, to increase their listener-ship and sponsorship and spread their propaganda. Fox outlets takes advantage of him strutting out and making all kinds of stupid remarks and constant lying.  Sean Hannity, Lou Dobbs, Laura Ingram, Mike Gallagher, Rush Limbaugh, Mark Levin, Neil Boortz and other Right Wing Talk Radio propaganda machines are especially troubling, since they spend hours covering for him, even in situations where they know he is wrong, and or lying.  These outlets created the platform for Trump to be elected President of The United States. Trump’s immediate family is wrong for allowing him to continue to make a fool of himself and harm the United States Democracy. They are close enough to him to see he has little or no control of his senses/behavior. To them, he is just another way to make money/little else. Those who claim allegiance to their religious beliefs have discarded most of their claimed beliefs in favor of supporting Trump.  So-called Republican Lawmakers seem totally under control of Trump and are willing to sit back and do nothing, no matter what he does. Certainly there is little doubt that he has something on Devin Nunes of California. They created the current situation by not doing any oversight of the Trump Administration. Why, you ask? Some say they are afraid of losing support back home.

Trump and his followers/supporters are quick to question the patriotism of almost anyone who disagrees with them. Douglas MacArthur had this to say about Patriotism.  Duty, honor, country: Those three hallowed words reverently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be, what you will be. They are your rallying point to build courage when courage seem to fail, to regain faith when there seems to be little cause for faith, to create hope when hope becomes forlorn.

Now you have Trump proudly floating around the word treason without having a clue the true meaning of the word as spelled out in the US Constitution. Lord Byron penned the following. There is no traitor like him whose domestic treason plants the poniard within the breast that trusted in his truth.

If there is any effort from the Right to rein in Trump, those professing to be real Christians must step up and defend their beliefs-beliefs contrary to the actions of Trump. This is a very difficult task. Why, you ask?  First, they must relieve themselves of their bigotry.  Oliver Holmes penned the following. The mind of a bigot is like the pupil of the eye; the more light you pour upon it, the more it contract.

Finally, According to Logan Smith.  How it infuriates a bigot, when he is forced to drag into light his dark convictions. Most Trump supporters refuse to admit that he is a very sick and deranged man who, due to his illness and propensity for doing wrong/illegal things needs to be removed from office.

 

L.C. Thornton

 

30 September 2019

Republicans elected Trump.

Most of the blame for Donald Trump’s behavior lies squarely in the lap of the Republican party. Why? Simple-Republican voters elected him. He could not vote and elect himself into office. Many Republican lawmakers have known Trump for a long time and know him well. They know his reputation as a cheat, scoundrel and habitual liar. Disregarding and ignoring this knowledge, they convince those who put them in office that Trump would be an excellent President. Some even proclaimed that Trump was sent by God. They convinced millions of Republican voters that Trump was the answer to all of their ills.
Trump came on the spot, proclaiming that if voters elected him, he would solve all of the ills of this nation. He was going to undo everything the Obama Administration imposed on America. Republican voters were blindsided by Trump and Republican Lawmakers. Many Republican voters were unsure if Trump was the right person to run this nation, but their fears were lessened by the messages broadcasted by Republican lawmakers. Add Fox and Conservative Right Wing Talk radio and you have the recipe for the disaster we have in the White House.
There continues to be lingering questions. How did Trump convince Republican lawmakers to support him for President? How has he convinced them to continue to support him, despite obvious reasons to withdraw their support? What has he done to cause Republican Lawmakers to totally cease and abstain from their Constitutional responsibility of Congressional Oversight?
It is easy to see how Trump managed to get the support of his staunch supporters. He appealed to their sense of losing things to which they are entitled . He talked about them being forgotten. He talked about how the Obama Administration had shunned them and did not have their best interest in mind. Those fearing their jobs being overtaken by the hoards coming across our southern border were consumed by Trump’s rhetoric. Remember, he was going to build the wall, and Mexico was going to pay for it.
Trump was going to make America great again. Never once did he tell them what era, decade, or century he felt America was at its greatest. Trump talked about cutting taxes, and at the same time drawing down the national debt. Republican lawmakers knew he was lying, but failed to tell America voters he was lying. When Trump’s behavior is questioned, Republican lawmakers quickly come to his defense and words like non-support for the President, patriotism, loyalty and treason are tossed into the equation.
Millions Americans arrived at the conclusion that the election of Trump to the Presidency of The United States, was a mistake, but were willing to sit back and hope he would grow to be Presidential. Never mind the fact that one can not do what they do not know how to do. He does not have the intellect, attitude and aptitude to behave differently than he does on a daily basis.
It is unclear why voters felt Trump could do little damage to the American way of life in four years. Wrong! He has done a lot of damage in two years. If he is removed from office prior to the end of his term, look who is waiting in the wings-Pence. Some say he is worse than Trump because he puts a Christianity spin on many of his decisions is instrumental in causing many Christians to forgo their beliefs to support Trump, Entirely too many of the Christian faith are disregarding his behavior, behavior characteristics they, at one time deemed as disqualifications to hold the office of President of The United States.
Republican voters, you are the main reason Trump is President. You are the main reason there is so much corruption in the White House. You are the main reason so many people associated with Trump have been convicted of wrongdoing and will serve time in jail.  Try as you may, you cannot ignore the fact that you put him in office.
Entirely too many Trump supporters have taken on the Trump attitude, which is, I am never wrong, and everything is always someone else fault. For the sake of America, admit you made a mistake, and go about the business of righting many of the wrongs Trump has imposed on this Nation.

A sad day for truth

Trying to figure out what motivates Donald Trump and his followers presents real challenges. One must dig deeply into their behavior from a Christian perspective to arrive at an understanding of their thought process.  Understanding their support despite him having so many short-comings/character flaws deserves, indeed requires deep-thinking to come to an understanding of this behavior. Attributes that right-thinking people feel should disqualify him from the office of President of The United States and their support appear to drive his behavior. What motivates Trump and continues to drive and support his behavior is certainly puzzling and deserves close scrutiny. Trying to figure out what motivates him by watching cable TV, and surfing the Internet is probably a waste of time, given the fact that much of his behavior is designed to get media coverage and deflect from issues that must be addressed.
Let us look at Trump’s behavior from the perspective of Blaise Pascal, (1623-1662) a man who spent many years looking at what motivate men from a christian perspective. In his writing Mind on fire Article 48, he penned the following. The characteristic of human nature is to love oneself and consider only one’s self. But what else can it do? It cannot help its own love being inconsistent and miserable. It wants to be great and see that it is only small. It wants to be happy and finds it is wretched. It wants to be perfect and see itself full of imperfections. It wants to be the object of other people love and esteem and sees that its faults deserve only their dislike and contempt. Finding itself in this predicament, it reacts in the most unjust and criminal passion imaginable. For it conceives a deadly hatred for the truth that would rebuke and convince it of its faults. It would like to eliminate this truth, and not being able to destroy it, it represses it as much as it can in the consciousness of itself and of others. So it takes every precaution to hide its own fault from itself and others, and cannot bear to have them pointed out or even noticed.
Pascal continues: Unquestionably it is an evil to be so full of faults, but it still greater evil to be full of them and yet unwilling to acknowledge them, since this results in the further evil of deliberate self-delusion. We do not want others to deceive us. But at the same time we do not think it is right for them to think well of themselves more than they deserve. It is therefore not right either that we should deceive them or want them to esteem us more than we deserve.
There must be an awakening in the mind of Trump supporters. An awakening to the fact that his carelessness with the truth has dire consequences-consequences, many yet untold and unrealized. The realization that lies have consequences applies to everyone, including so-called liberals.