Trump & the GOP aren’t going to change their methods. Not that they could, but why change what has worked so well? What must change is the Democratic response to outright lies, incomplete facts, false equivalencies, etc. Democrats at all levels must confront GOP lies, identify them as lies, state the truth, and always ask voters the question, “Why is this GOP candidate misleading you?”
Silence is not always an admission of guilt, but just as bad, it can be an opportunity for someone to steamroll you, so Democrats need to speak up, but not jump into the gutter with the GOP. Will truth & facts always work? No, because hard-boiled Trumpers seem akin to born-again whatevers or paranoids … all that is said or done is interpreted to fit their “agenda” or it’s all just more proof that they are right or it’s the “but-what-about” switch in direction.
But there is hope for others who bought into Trump’s fake populist message or have found GOP lies & antics unsavory. There are the facts of no better health care replacement & even higher premiums, no control of prescription costs, a tax bill that will give them next to nothing, no real increases in hourly wages or better jobs, GOP plans to cut Social Security & Medicare, the ballooning Federal deficit, & on and on. There is no need to even mention impeachment, just show them the facts of how their lives are not getting better & are likely to get worse under the GOP. These are facts, economic facts, that people always listen to.
2
I fear that this national election (2018) may be the last one. I listened to Fox News (I try to listen to both sides) but there was so many lies, so much ginning up the fear factor that I had to shut it off after 20 minutes. Where are grown ups? Where are the so-called responsible leaders? Why is no one willing to call out the lies? I fear that with John McCain's death, we have seen the end of that kind of honesty and decency.
For this country to succeed, we need an informed citizenry in civics, science, history, government, politics, and more. We need a responsible media, too, that is willing to be more than punditry and opinion.
With the fear factor operating at an all time high, I won't be surprised when future elections are cancelled, or when elections are only held in districts that support the current rulers. Nazi Germany cancelled elections; Communist Soviet Union, China, East Germany, and Poland held elections, but there was only one name and one party on the ballot, and those who voted were watched by the KGB and Stasi. Trump feeds on fear, and so does his base.
I think our 242 year old experiment is over. Since we no longer seem to be one country, perhaps we should let the South secede. They can discriminate against anyone who isn't a rich, white, male Christian and keep King Trump. New England, NY, and CA can be a separate country and we can elect someone who wants to work for everyone, not just a few people.
1
Despite Trump saying explicitly at several rallies that “a vote for [candidate X] is a vote for me”, he will no doubt try to weasel out of responsibility for what will hopefully be a catastrophic GOP midterm result.
Let’s hope that more Democrats do in fact “catch the fever” if it turns out that this shameless lying and race-baiting allows them to retain control of Congress. My contribution: Many people said that during that two-hour private meeting in Helsinki, Trump and Putin had gay sex. Which of course Putin surreptitiously recorded. It could very well be.
1
Not absolute "peak" - not yet.
Don't forget the BOMBS Frank. Let's wait for Trump or someone else in the GOP to say a Democrat sent the bombs.
"Democrats are calling out the mendacity. But are they also catching the fever? The behavior of some of them in response to Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court suggested so." Not a small point. We love to talk big, make big theoretical accusation, denounce wholesale, but wrecking a man's life for political gain is not a small thing. Read Arthur Miller. We have very little to take with us, finally just our names. Kavanaugh was found guilty as accused as mobs surrounded the Supreme Court and stalked the halls of congress demanding to drag him out to be strung up. This was encouraged by the Democrats. The mob was not denounced by you or by any members of the liberal media. He was called a rapist, who drugged and attempted to kill his prey. This was done to delay the nomination and for no other reason. I still can't sleep at night knowing that our politician are capable of such practices. It is good of you to remind NYT readers that such acts were committed by the Democrats.
As much as I despise Donald Trump and what he is doing to this country, it has become clear that the biggest problem isn't Trump himself. America's clear and present danger lies in the sheer number of uneducated, mindless and violent thugs who blindly follow his every word. Make no mistake, this country is headed for another civil war. One way or another, Trump will leave office one day. But the ignorance and hatred that he has stirred up is only getting started.
2
If you are young and educated begin to look overseas for jobs. Get out while you can.
This article is disappointing. There is nothing here that hasn't been reported or dissected elsewhere. C'mon, Mr. Bruni. How about some new insights or a path to a solution.
I'm waiting for the Democrats to begin turning Trump's anti-Caravan rhetoric into a bid for the Hispanic vote. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz aren't entitled because of their heritage, are they?
Would that we could avoid all the latest blah blah blah and just get the election over with.
Trump killed truth. The rule of law, the Constitution of the United States, the Bill of Rights and the ideals of democracy in America are just collateral damage. Welcome to the Age of Lies, brought to you by the greatest liar in US history: Donald Trump. I hope you Republicans enjoy your reign of terror on the truth, and even more, I hope you get a taste of the results. Too bad the rest of us must suffer alongside you.
2
With the obsessive media coverage of Trump he has succeeded brilliantly to get his fake news message out. 24 seven as the media reports repeatedly and repeatedly every single liehe makes.
I am most reminded in these times of Neil Postman’s brilliant book “amusing ourselves to death” where he clearly shows that today Journalism and news is a form of entertainment.
Looking at the so-called news being broadcasted I’m left with the feeling that the news media today is trapped in some sort of symbiotic relationship with trump that they can’t let go of. It is Very clear That Trump is dominating the relationship to everybody’s detriment .
I believe the equation to be simple. Trumpism engulfed the GOP as ideology and principles of governing. The Democrats have stuck pretty much to their set of principles and policies, the polar opposite of Trumpism on every single issue.
The midterms offer a stark choice. One dystopic and Orwellian and the other upbeat with a forward lean toward progress for the common good rather than partisan gain.
The wave and migrant march background noise. Pull the lever for hope or some dark vision of universe.
When Mr. Trump started talking about how the Democrats are responsible for the 'caravan', I ginned up my lie detector and started thinking that since, as others in this thread have mentioned, the only political advantage is on the Republican side of the fence, it's more likely that if anyone north of the border was involved, it would be Republicans. I honestly don't believe either side has any involvement but once the door is opened, many demons escape.
4
Great article, Mr. Bruni. Let us not forget: Republicans have been campaigning with fear-mongering, lies, and hate for decades now so that they have finally elevated it to an art form. Trump, their carnival-barker-in-chief, clearly revels in this sort of rhetoric.
My fervent hope is that all those who are disillusioned with the Democrats will realize that, at this point, they are our best hope for returning this country to rational, civil political discourse, and a government that legislates by negotiating in the best interests of all.
Vote straight Democratic in November, all up and down the ticket!
3
As Trump so frequently points out when he's stumping for Republican candidates: A vote for _________ is a vote for me. Sadly with today's Congressional Republicans that is true. What Trump stands for, the bigotry, the hate, the divisiveness is what the voter is voting for when they vote Republican.
3
@Michael Kelly
Trump & the GOP have finally, after so many years, found a trickle-down that actually works, it just has nothing to do with economics.
2
I find it annoying that Bruni must resort to the false equivalence of "both sides do it" in this article. Why does he have to knock Michael Avenatti? At least Avenatti fights back hard against Trump. Then Bruni comes up with an obscure story about Joaquin Castro and a far out conspiracy theory regarding Jared Kushner, that I've never before, and I am a political junkie, who follows news events very closely. Even in the NY Times, if Trump and the Republicans are guilty 99% of the time for some bad thing, like lying, it has to be pointed out that Democrats do it too, even if it's only 1% of the time. Can anybody think of one Democratic Governor, or Democratic state legislature majority in a blue state that is currently engaging in massive voter suppression like passing restrictive voter ID laws, purging registrations from voter rolls, or closing polling places in non-Republican districts? No? That's because there are none. Look however, at what's happening in North Dakota and Georgia right now with voter suppression. I've had conservatives tell me that Democrats also abused the filibuster and gerrymandered too, but again, the facts show that it's a matter of degrees. The Republican have done both of those to a much, much higher level than Democrats.
6
June 16th of 2015, the day that the Flim Flam Man descended The Golden Elevator announcing his candidacy that led us from respected world leader to non-stop blabbering about America & Americans being cheated.
Yes, there really were actors paid $50 to cheer the Reality President. How many accolades of The Donald which made it to his campaign videos and broadcast TV - were paid for?
"The Trump campaign failed to pay the $12,000 bill from Gotham until about a month after a complaint had been filed with the FEC. .. essentially means that Gotham floated credit to the campaign for those four months.."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/01/20/even-the-firm-...
The company that hired those actors to go ga-ga was finally paid, but what about everyone who believed, cheered, and is waiting for promised wage increases?
Don't wonder, they're getting stiffed. The stock market rose for those with stock, tax revenues stayed in the pockets of the wealthy, increased deficit spending stimulated the economy, those with pre-existing conditions remain targeted, and Donald Trump, The Showman, has one TV Spectacular after another.
Those happy to jeer a caravan - ignore proposed Republican plan: corporate-sponsored migrants and more temporary work visas. New pathways to labor sources DOES NOT BENEFIT wage earners. Voting Republican is tantamount to running away and joining a circus.
6
Civility, decorum, good manners, thoughtfulness and empathy have, like Elvis, left the building. We are searching for new standards and new leaders to pave the way forward and not having much success. Thankfully, I am in advanced years and don't have to endure angst much longer.
1
Frank Bruni is projecting. The dishonesty and chaos are from the left. And what NYTimes and the rest of the MSM doing is accusing the right of what the Democrats are guilty of. November 6 is coming and they are nervous since majority of Americans do not approve of the left’s behaviors. Unfortunately money cannot buy this election no matter how much Hollywood and the Silicon Valley would like to think.
3
@Alan Wong you forgot to mention the Koch brothers and Sheldon Adelson and waves of "dark money" supplying the Republican propaganda machine.
1
And now the pipe bombs in the mail. Or will they be dismissed as Democratic "false flag" attacks?
2
@BKLYNJ - That's already happening!
What we are seeing is a tried and true strategy perfected in the Jim Crow south, whereby a well to do minority almost always won control of the State and local gov’ts through lies, deceit, fear-mongering, false promises, big time voter suppression, and thuggery. It is a strategy based on the concept that you don’t win wars by acting “fair” or adhering to norms of social civility. And to them, elections are wars, fought for the spoils.
3
Why change a winning strategy? It works for them and we are all the worse for it.
3
For Democracy to work, the populace needs to have understanding or objective reality. The GOP survives by undermining any objective truths. When they succeed, Democracy dies.
2
Also never listen, watch or read 45.
3
Just this morning a "friend" shared on social media a post about Democrats that contained out and out lies. I called her out on it and she replied that she really isn't political. Yet she, like many others continue to believe the lies that Trump and the conspiracy theorists put out there. Before Trump was elected I felt he would bring out all the haters. We are seeing this now as well as candidates continuing the lies, instilling more fear, more hate. There is no more rational discussion of ideas, no more compromise. I truly hope the pendulum will swing to a saner political environment, but at this point doubt that will happen any time soon.
6
911 happened because of 7 terrorists. What are the chances of having 7 terrorists mixed in with over 10.000 people invading us?
It’s astonishing that in order to defend Trump’s lie about middle eastern terrorists being in the caravan, you make up facts about its size and about it being an invasion.
Let’s be real: it’s about 2000 men, women and children on foot, a thousand miles away, all of whom will be stopped at the border because we can see them coming from literally a thousand miles away.
Terrorist threat from that is zero.
5
@Marika - Oh, please. These are refugees, men, women, and children seeking peace and freedom, just as millions of immigrants have sought here over the last 250 years. We already have a process to screen them and accept only those who can be verified as refugees. They are literally walking more than two thousand miles to get here, and only a couple of thousand will complete that journey. They're not a threat in any way. Where is your empathy?
4
@Marika think about just how challenging to an Arabic speaker with limited English language skills trying to disappear into a crowd of Central American peasants fleeing for their lives from drug cartels. Think about how hard it might be to learn idiomatic Spanish, not to mention Mayan and other indigenous languages spoken by these folks and ask yourself, just how's that bad boy going to blend in. It's nonsense. Just as it's nonsense to blame bankrupt Venezuelan leftists. They can't buy food there with their uselessly inflated currency, let alone fund thousands of penniless refugees on the remote chance that they might somehow get into the USA. Republican lies are altogether too easy to recognize as just that. Don't be a sucker for them.
1
"I’ve seen bad before, but not this."
Oh, yeah?
Just wait until after Trump and his mob win the mid-terms.
Then you'll see how bad bad can be.
2
I don't understand it personally, but there is a slow-burn of fear and paranoia in this country. We're told we can't trust technology. We're told immigrants will rape and kill us all. We're told that China is out to destroy us and Russian operatives are hiding behind every shadow. We're told we can't trust our allies in Europe because they're in bed with our enemies in the Middle East. Speaking of which, we're told the Middle Eastern terrorists are trying to blow us up every day of the year. The fearmongering never ends. There's always another enemy out there waiting to scare up some votes.
A lot of us apparently believe every bit of it. I know people who stockpile weapons and food in their bomb shelters. They have 'bug out' bags at work and at home 'in case'. A lot more of us (probably most) believe some of it and take the rest with a grain of salt. Only a very few see it all for what it really is: propaganda to stir up hatred and win elections.
Personally, I'm just tired of it all. I don't care about any of it; I just want to live in peace.
2
"Fears and lies" is a powerful strategy which originated with Lee Atwater's vicious campaign tactics. President Trump has embraced this strategy (because it seemed to work in 2016) and he's pushing the button repeatedly in the hope that it will spark outrage and more votes in the short-run.
However, it is a toxic brew that is eroding our nation's ability to work together, compromise, and think about the long-term.
2
I'm with Michele Obama on the character of campaigning, with this caveat. We don't and shouldn't trade slander for slander, but we should speak truth to abuses of power. Example: the treatment of asylum seekers as criminals, and the separation of families with no plan for re-uniting them. More importantly, Democrats need to be clear about their goals for improving the lives of ordinary wage earning Americans. Get granular about ending special treatment for the taxation of investment income. If the standards for taxing wages should be good enough for everyone. Talk about specifics with respect to teacher pay and school funding. Get real about our decaying infrastructure, and propose job producing solutions. Make education and retraining displaced workers as important as ending the absurd treatment of student debt as exempt from bankruptcy law. Healthcare needs to be universally available and affordable, and we should start by fixing the ACA so it can handle the load of millions of newly insured patients. There a lot more we can say and do than simply yell at Republicans about their bigotry and their intolerance. They're doing a great job of demonstrating exact that without wasting airtime telling people.
1
FDR: "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."
GOP: "The only thing we have to sell is fear itself."
17
Sadly, Mr. Bruni, you largely ignore the fear and lies emanating from the Democrats. You and your paper are better than that, and by doing so, you and your paper account for much of what has turned our political process into the cesspool it has become. For our sake and yours, some ruthless objectivity, please. You may lose some "friends," but you will find refreshing and rewarding -- and intellectually honest.
2
@kj.... "largely ignore the fear and lies emanating from the Democrats."....Instead of claiming that the Democrats are pushing fears and lies, why don't you tell us what they are? There is and continues to be among Republicans this fairy tale of false equivalency. Let me just state it flat out - in all the previous history of our country there has never been a President who has pressed half as far in pushing his agenda with fears and lies. There is no equivalency to the abomination we now have in the White House; and Republicans own him.
18
Belief is much stronger than knowledge - it is backed by emotion. That is the strength of the republican base - religious fanatics and under educated blue collar types from the fly over states. Why bother learning or discerning when blind faith is much more expedient and cannot be overturned by annoying facts?
Besides, belief feels so much better than having to waste time and energy weighing the value of an argument.
3
The Republican Party systematically engages in a concerted campaign fomenting and inciting fear, hatred, and suspicion through innuendo and double entendre. Recognizing the GOP’s iron clad grip of control and power is significantly eroding, the GOP desperately seizes the initiative by spewing incredibly false claims intended and designed to frighten their shrinking base to flock to the polls. Falsehoods of immigrant takeovers, the diminishing of their American way of life, the presence of individuals who don’t read, write, or speak the King's English. Fending off the blue wave that is calculated to inundate the House, the closer election day draws near, the more extreme and reckless the acts of subterfuge and heinous conduct to preserve their way of life. The Republican Party is the victim of its own device. Their 1968 Southern Strategy, is no longer a viable approach. The massive influx of multi cultural, racially and ethnically diverse, and multi immigrant and religious individuals who significantly contribute to the defense and the prosperity of America are here to stay. The GOP refuses to accept this fact. The party of Lincoln is now the party of right wing Caucasian extremists of privilege as well as those lacking higher education and confined to blue collar jobs. Their sole salvation is their racial complexion that accords them their privilege, accompanied with their belief they are better than anyone else. This is a dangerous forecast, which will end. Race matters.
5
It seems to me the best defense against lying is to be truthful.
2
In Washington there is a ballot measure to tax soda pop. The ads in oppositions suggest that they are trying to tax meat, dairy products and certain beverages. Gee, I wonder which they are? The lies are shameless indeed.
2
Republicans and Trump are not inventing something new with their lies. They are simply taking advantage of what's already there: the white fear and hate against the world that is becoming increasingly nonwhite. All attempt to apease and assuage will fail just as Chamberlain's, and Lincoln's initial attempt to preserve the union, failed. This thing will take its natural course and we will just have to prepare to win the war.
3
Frank, you wrote "the midterms aren’t just a referendum on which direction the country will go. They’re also a test of where the limits of decency and shamelessness are drawn."
I disagree. We already know where the limits of decency and shamelessness are drawn. There are no longer any limits.
The midterms are, instead, a test of how gullible and lacking in civic awareness many American voters are. Perhaps the Republican campaign to defund public education is really just a plot to create enough ignorant voters to guarantee a GOP majority for as long as possible before their tired party crashes and burns.
Hopefully, the USA won't crash and burn along with them.
8
Penning editorials that fan fear and spread lies about political opponents is a cheap stunt, and, exactly what I expected to see in this column.
1
I wish pundits and Democratic politicians spent more time pointing out and ridiculing the nuttiness of the Republicans' fears.
2
It’s high time all candidates running for office tell the people what they stand for and what policies and programs they support. And STOP the attack ads! Are they afraid to state what they will back in their state or in Congress?? Apparently they do not have the courage of their convictions. Attack ads should be banned.
4
As a well-practiced con artist, Trump is masterful at controlling the narrative. He has only been in office less than 2 years, and has managed to get his story/Big Lie out and widely accepted--as false, negative, and destructive of democracy as it is.
Of course, Trumpism is not negated by the GOP (although it really is an anathema to true conservatives), but is (wink-wink) reinforced and embellished by Republican candidates and amplified by Fox and right-wing media. And Trump's narrative is now about the only story in town--nothing but a bad movie playing in an endless, depression loop!
So where is the opposition and a alternative compelling narrative to counter Trump and the right-wing fear and lies narrative?
Why is Trump's false information, destructive narrative, and despicable behavior burying the Democrats?
Why can't the Democratic Party get a foothold to provide a much more positive and constructive narrative that unites, rather than divides, Americans?
Actually, I think the Democratic Party has gone missing for years when it comes to PR, grooming candidates from the local level on up, seizing the narrative, and offering leadership.
Obama did his part, but he seemed to be all alone while the Clintons, Pelosi, and Schumer were out fund-raising and making deals in the back room.
4
Of course our Republican president doesn't even know when Congress is in session. Michael Steele and Reince Preibus must be so proud. Well, at least Putin is dancing with happiness.
5
We are on a precipice. Stern Republican overlords, your friends and family even, are looking down on us Democratic children with a disapproving look. It is an emergency! It is dire! They think they are the divine authority here because they are not afraid of dispensing "tough love" which is the only love that Christians who claim to be Republicans exhibit anymore. Too much tough love actually equals hate. Well, you are not the boss of me just because you are deeply fearful and feel entitled. I will not relinquish my grasp on reason or dilute my tried and true American values for you as you go blindly swinging on the very things that have made America great in the past. You don't get to destroy my country through your stupidity. That you cannot see how you are suckling fascism embarrasses me for you. That even your children will pay the price makes me pity your mental state. If I were a Republican my motto would be this: Kill everybody including my own family and future generations and let God sort 'em out. The lemming mentality. But I'll say one thing. It must feel great to be right 100 percent of the time on everything. Republicans are gorging like a pig on pie in the sky. And no, Democrats are not for open borders. Nor are we rioting over Sanctuary Cities. Nor are we...insert your Republican lie here.
5
Trump's rallies are entertainment events akin to a WWE match. Trump plays his part, the crowd cheers, everyone goes home, turns on the TV to watch their action hero perform more. It's entertainment. The only way this changes is if his base gets hit in the wallet. People are positively reacting to Trump because of the Great Recession; it's been uphill since then. (Thanks, Obama!) But, a big jolt downhill and Trump's base turns. It's not "the culture, stupid", it's still is "the economy. stupid".
6
@PE....Have you followed the exploding budget deficit? The down turn, thanks to the Trump corporate tax cut, is on its way.
2
You talk in your article about " where the limits of decency and shamelessness are drawn " . There are no limits and no bottoms . But we should not be surprised . We knew his mendacity quite well . We knew about The Access Hollywood Tape and we knew about Charlottesville . And of course he is imitated . After all he is President and we are not . The worse part is that those that were in the administration out of a sense of duty , possibly trying to constraint him, are leaving .We are left with the true believers and the opportunist . God save America ! .
3
"If telling a fib or two will help save one innocent unborn, well isn't doing that worth it?" I believe this is the rational behind the wholesale abandoning of the truth. Honesty is a luxury only the liberal can afford.
2
In Pennsylvania, Scott Wagner (R) who is running for Governor, released a campaign add where he boasts that he will step on his opponents face with golf spikes. It is somewhat frightening that he thinks this will garner him votes. It is very frighting to think that it might.
9
Avenatti stands up to Trump and this is a great service today, when most cower in front of this weak so-called president.
The real issue is with US citizens who tolerate such actions. Obvious lies seem to have no effect on voters, and in fact seem to help the candidates.
Someone once said "I have seen the enemy and it is us"
7
@Maisoni
That was Pogo.
I agree with a commentator much earlier -- the "Michael Avenatti, anyone?" quip needs an detailed explanation. Defending Daniels so publicly was honorable. Defending Swetnick was honorable. Taking Trump to task every night on CNN, MSNBC has been a breath of fresh air. What is it, exactly, that Mr. Bruni thinks is wretched about Avenatti's behavior? Earlier commentator said 100 more Avenatti's -- I agree. Bruni, please explain.
3
If the Republican Strategy is fear and lies, then the Republicans stole the idea from the Democrats playbook.
Great essay, Frank. You've nailed it. You verify my fear that trump has validated the lie as a means of communication to his poorly educated followers. There is nothing we can do about that. Trump lies; his followers believe him.
Democracies depend on an educated public. Heartlanders who support trump are poorly educated because no educated person would stand and listen to the repetitive drone from a lying idiot. So trump-supporting candidates employ mendacity as a campaign tool that works with their ill-thinking voters.
But Fox Noise has become the official propaganda organ of the trump party. This is completely irresponsible, but it is a market share for Fox which they will not give up. All Fox has to do is repeat what trump tells them.
It's scary right now. This nation has moved significantly to trump fascism thanks to the poorly educated heartland trump voter. Thinking voters need to take back the heartland.
6
Now a strategy used consistently and successfully used in the past has been is being resurrected by the GOP.
The recent pipe bombing campaign, directed for the most part at progressives, is a kind of bonus for the GOP. The party's unofficial inaction in response to those particular attacks will serve to strengthen the loyalty of the GOP "fringe" - the inconveniently violent, angry, intolerant, gullible population that is fast becoming the Republican mainstream.
The GOP previously implemented this strategy in their non-reactions to the "Birther" movment. A few official denunciations were made, but the effective policy was to passively support the campaign with unofficial nod, nod, wink, wink gestures. The Birthers were given free rein by the Alt.right media and in blustery town hall meetings.
Here come the nods and winks again, alongside the official, token wrist-tapping. What does the GOP have to lose?
Indeed, the pipe bombings could be seen as a form of Free Speech. If you doubt this seemingly outrageous re-interpretation of the First Amendment, take it up with the Supreme court.
1
Word has it that President Trump is going to add Ebola to the immigrant caravan mix today. Terrorists among them. MS13 and rapists among them.
It only makes sense for Trump to bring out the tried and true golden oldies that worked wonders in past elections. Bring back the 2014 midterm Ebola scare.
And if that doesn't get the base whipped up even more, why not recast 2010's midterm Death Panels scare in a new 2018 version. Where the Ebola ridden immigrant caravan of terrorist and MS13 gang rapers is coming to kill everyone.
It would be the Trump Circus's finest moment in the fear mongering arena.
5
Trump accuses democrats of being wild eyed trouble makers, but who is encouraging violence which translates into bombs to Obama, Clinton, and Souros? Who is cheering on assaults on journalists? Who has incited unrest in every tweet he posts? Who is ignoring fundamental human rights, the rule of law, and actual truth?
Hmmm.
3
You know, whether it is, as in this case, Democrats claiming all the virtue in the world and ascribing to their opponents all the evil, or the Republicans doing the same, it doesn't matter, you look foolish to everyone else. The world is not made up of just Democrats and Republicans. A plague on both Houses. Also, it's boring and unseemly.
1
@krnewman false equivalence. No Democrat is ascribing general, undefined "evil" to all Republicans, they are properly denouncing foolish and cruel policies, like caging children. A plague on black and white thinking in a world of subtlety.
@vandalfan Did you read the headline?
Fear and Lies - The Republican Strategy.
Always have been. Back in the day the John Birch Society accused the Eisenhower Administration of harboring communists.
7
Sigh... how do you even begin to fight this when the target audience is ready and willing to blindly believe it and a presentation of the actual facts is immediately dismissed as "fake news"...
What has happened to critical thinking.. This depresses me so much.
6
Open borders will doom any country. False accusations without due process will doom a country. Fake news will doom many countries. Not accepting election results will doom a country. So, we throw around the term doom here and provide little support for what we say. If you hate a man, be honest, say it. If you hate his policies, be honest, say it. But if you just want to rant because your candidate lost 2 years ago, no one wants to hear it any more.
2
@redzonedog Like racism, extreme, dangerous, scary, misogyny, xenophobia, sexism, radical, treason, unfit, and illegitimate, the word lie has been so overused as to have become meaningless. Stating a preference for Obama's progressive policies or opining that Trump's tax plan was unnecessary are just too bland, trite, banal, and honest for today's politicians, journalists, commentators, and voters. We need new adjectives just in case life takes our path in a decidedly more sour direction from the current course.
1
Shamelessness is an understatement. All this dreck, lying, and negativity is, in my opinion, part of why people tune it and our republic's highest duty - voting - out. Just VOTE!
4
Yes, democracy is messy. Yes, Donald Trump is different. Yes, a lot of dirt gets stirred up around election time.
But when you get right down to it things are going pretty well. The economy is humming along. Peace has broken out with North Korea. What's not to like about prosperity and peace?
Donald Trump is a showman and a pragmatic dealmaker. That's unusual in a politician, but pretty common in the business world. And though there are no guarantees, I think it's going to work well in a president.
Better than people like Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi. And Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan. Those people are skilled enough at what they do. But they don't lead the country to greatness. Donald Trump, it seems, does.
1
@John Smithson: You think "things are going pretty well"? I can't imagine how you come to that conclusion. "Peace has broken out with North Korea"? Really, when did that happen? Trump and the Republicans have loaded us with debt so the 1% could get yet another tax cut they didn't need. I don't see the prosperity and I don't see the peace. That person is constantly exhorting his followers to hate every one with a different opinion than theirs. Trouble is brewing everywhere.
2
Nothing has really changed with N Korea. Trump has created a situation with Iran that is dangerous. Yes, we definitely need to deal with Iran but Trumps actions are simply dangerous. Russia? Simply look at Trumps facial features at his meeting with Putin when they came on stage and then afterward. Look at the results so far with the Mueller investigation.
The economy looks stronger, but it is built on a house of cards. The repeal of regulations will allow actions that will destroy our economy. That happened in 2008 and other times in our history. Our economy will crash due to it.
The dismantling of the EPA will have lasting effects on our environment and trouble for our climate.
Trump has embraced leaders who are authoritarian. As he has said he admires what they can do. Is this the government you want? I don't. My father and multiple family members fought to prevent that 75 years ago. I later served in a capacity to prevent the USSR from attacking. Were we wasting our time and lives?
3
@John Smithson.... "The economy is humming along. Peace has broken out with North Korea."....See there is the problem. An uniformed electorate. Have you been following the budget deficit since Trump was elected? And absolutely nothing has changed with North Korea except for a Trump photo op. Geeez!
Politicians lie. Go figure. If every politician that lied would magically be impeached, you know what we would be left with. Your point is that they lie and scheme "more" somehow and "worse" somehow and even though they all do it, the Republicans do it "worse" somehow. I would alter that perspective to say that the Republicans do it "better" somehow if results are the prize. For example, you mention “multiple women” had contacted him to say that they had been assaulted by Brown - while the obvious template was the Kavanaugh fiasco brought on by Democrats the result of which are Kavanaughs confirmation and that due to the backlash the Democrats will probably not take back the Senate. The Republican strategy including dirty tricks is working while the Democrats are struggling to get a foothold in what should be a slam dunk blue wave. Where is the leadership, the strategy and the excitement on the left? Say what you will about Donald Trump, but it is undeniable that he is a leader that rallies his troops effectively. Who on the left does the same?
2
Kavenaugh fiasco ... brought on by the Democrats? Try listening to all the reporting, and it will be obvious that it was in actuality brought on by the Republicans. I am not saying the Democrats made me feel proud. McConnell refused to bring to a vote the candidate Obama brought forward. The early comments by the Democrats to vote no was in protest to that.
The proceedings on Kav was that the Democrats sincerely questioned his personal biases to be fair on the court. The FBI investigation was a sham. The Rep made the whole process a spectacle. I know you don't agree, but I feel strongly my comments are fair and accurate.
3
@Time2play
Agreed. The Dems properly pursued their Constitutional due diligence in vetting K, the GOP SJC did not, nor did they have any intention of doing so per McConnell’s statement to GOP supporters, “… We're going to plow right through it and do our job.” Unfortunately, he clearly saw his “job” as securing the confirmation, not assuring that K was properly qualified & suitable … the GOP did not care what was said or done by, or dug up about their nominee. Then the Dems let themselves get played by the fake politicizing and posturing outrage of Trump, MCConnell, Graham, & Grassley when they failed to stand up for themselves. The Dems were right, but let the GOP control the ensuing conversation.
The truth has died in America. Its demise has destroyed our system of government and our own individual integrity as a society. We need to remember that politicians ultimately do and say things we have allowed, and a lying president elected by our failed system is acting as an infection spreading everywhere, not only among other politicians but inside our own homes. The divisions in our country are sharp, hostile and utterly complete, and this is because we lacked the tools we needed, in the summer of 2016, to stop an election that was clearly sabotaged. Add that to our failure to have any established, nonpartisan system for vetting presidential candidates, and it became easy to install an authoritarian who governs with lies, over 5,000 of them documented to date. With this massive plane crash of a democracy in place, it's probably too late to restore what has been destroyed.
2
Avenatti acted wretchedly? Really?
Both sidesism is a really insidious form complicity.
4
All you have to do is read the comments section of any newspaper (including this one) and you can see the Russians are hard at work. But at this point our own political discourse is so toxic that they hardly matter any more. I guess they got what they wanted.
1
Sorry Mr. Bruni, I think you have it backwards.
1
Fear and lies... the Big Lie, over and over again.
This is nothing less than an outright assault on our democracy, our nation, and really an attempted coup by the darkest forces of the extreme right-wing.
It CAN happen here! And it IS!
Unless drastic steps are taken by all decent people in the USA and anyone who values our democracy to combat this clear and present danger
5
Since the late 70-ties, when I discovered what way the US wanted to go, the start of the greed is good era, I have been worried about what was going on. Partly that was because politicians in my country fell for the idea that they should do the same. Partly because I could see that many people were going to suffer because of that kind of (not) caring for each other. I was attacked then and accused of anti Americanism. Why did I not get angry about North Korea, or Cuba, or some other anti capitalist country. Now the situation in your country is worse than ever, it seems. What's next? The US is now the most dangerous country in the world. I really hope that all of you here vote at November 6. That is important even for us here in my tiny country
6
In my own district, NY's 19th, republican super PAC's are questioning the patriotism of the Democratic candidate while mentioning 9/11. Other ads they are running are/were obviously racist. So, yes...the gloves are off. The republicans will say and do anything to win, and not just little lies, but despicable lies.
Telling lies has become the new Trumpian standard.
Lying about what they've done with heath care and the affordable care act.
Lying about their plans for Medicare and Social Security funding.
Lying about immigrants and the caravan. Cutting aid to central American countries in need and then blaming Democrats when people are hungry and desperate.
Lying about climate change and science.
Lying about sexual assault and who is damaged more by it...the large number of victims of actual assaults or the tiny number of victims of false accusations.
Lying about terrorism and its roots and contributors.
Lying about the tax cuts and the deficit.
I've reached the point where I can't listen to republicans anymore. I mute the sound whenever their commercials come on...I mute the sound whenever they are speaking on a news program. Since every word out of their mouths is a lie, why would I want to hear it? I have lost all respect for republicans and their base voters.
Time to:
VOTE OUT ALL REPUBLICANS
6
The Republican Strategy? WIN, and keep America on the right path!
“He has insinuated that deep-pocketed Democrats paid the migrants — which makes zero sense, because images of them are more likely to help anti-immigration Republicans than their Democratic adversaries.”
Logically, what does make sense is for anti-immigration Republican operatives to have paid them.
2
Two weeks to go, Frank. Republicans, Trump in particular, are nowhere near "peak shamelessness". In fact, Trump has NO shame, so there's no "peak" (probably that should be 'deepest') shame in him, ever.
2
I never thought I'd live to see American politics so dragged through the gutter. It's as if the election of Donald Trump has given license to every lie conceivable, the bigger the better. My Republican ancestors must be rolling over in their graves in bitter agony at what they are hearing from the Grand Old Party.
4
Unfortunately, Democrats seem unable or unwilling to frame the issues using facts, and this enables Trump to continue to define the Dems as the villains.
When’s the last time you heard a Democrat plainly say that:
A). The party does not support unregulated immigration into the US.
B). The balance of Mexican immigration to the US has actually skewed negative. And the trend in illegal border crossing has trended downward.
C). Immigrants typically take jobs that Americans won’t take.
D). Given current deficit trends, Republicans will absolutely cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid payments.
E). Republicans will (as promised) do away with the ACA mandate and pre-existing conditions clauses, leaving millions without affordable healthcare.
F). Continued tax cutting overwhelmingly benefits the wealthy and hastens the cutting of the above “entitlement” programs.
F). Current trends mean increases interest rates will rise, causing economic growth to slow, hurting jobs and wages.
Democrats must not fear speaking to these issues in plain, direct terms. They spend too much time talking about Trump’s endless flaws. They are too reluctant to confront these issues directly, for fear of offending certain elements of the party. If they continue to do so, they just let Trump continue to incite the worst aspects of the electorate’s animal spirits.
5
Lying? The repubs lie all the time, 7 days a week, 48 hours a day. What’s that? How can they lie 48 hours a day? Easy, they lie about lying.
5
In our district we have both candidates for the House trying to outdo the other in misleading ads full of untruths. Neither will get my vote.
1
I disapprove of my fellow Democrats cheerleading on behalf of illegal foreign nationals who’ve unilaterally decided that our sovereign borders and laws don’t apply to them. I disapprove of my fellow Democrats continuously thwarting what should be a zero tolerance policy towards migrant invasions. I disapprove of American taxpayers having to house, clothe, feed, educate, and provide healthcare for millions of these foreign nationals illegally parked on our soil while we struggle to provide for our own families.
I’ve had it with illegals exploiting our porous borders and American taxpayers. Hence, my vote for the other side...albeit reluctantly.
That "arc of history", the one that, while long, "bends toward justice", well, it's got a mighty big kink in it right now. The GOP has, for literally decades, long before Trump, understood that appeals to the electorate's gut wins. The Democrats, albeit naively, to their credit still base their appeal to reason, fairness, and the power of truth. Now, knowing that, where does it leave us, and where does it lead? I fear the answer like never before in my nearly seven decades.
7
The loss of an election has made the left unhinged. For all the doom and gloom and talks of Trump being a demagogue, etc,etc, the truth is the majority of Americans of all races and genders are living an improved life due to a booming economy compared to the previous administration's reign and that credit goes to the President and his policies In the end when you cut through the left's smokescreen of "dog whistle's" , " fake racism and homophobia" , the quality of life is great for most people unless you are someone that obsesses over the fact you lost an election and the result is you're probably going to continue losing. Try enjoying the the great economy and appreciate that you have a President that has put the rest of the world on notice that he's looking out for his country's best interest. After all that's what we hired him for.
2
I was telling my spouse last night, after paying the bill for our solar panels, how deprived our country has been due to lack of foresight on the part of the Republican Party since Ronald Reagan. Jimmy Carter, 40 years ago, put solar energy & wind energy as priorities. Reagan took panels off White House & took away incentives. Clinton saw the black hole economically that health insurance costs were for American families, but Republicans fought tooth n nail to kill any solution. Obama brought US economy from brink of collapse, Republicans are putting it back on the fast track to ruin. In a rational universe this would not be happening. We have in this country not only an opioid epidemic but, more so, an epidemic of self-destruction and stupidity.
10
If you have to lie about your own policy positions - that’s the GOP on health care, Social Security and Medicare, to start with - pretty good indicator your policies aren’t good for most people.
Unfortunately, catching on to that requires some measure of attention, critical thinking and/or getting your info somewhere other than state-run TV (aka Fox News.) a disturbingly large portion of our electorate falls outside this bucket of awareness.
6
Trying to understand the American way of doing things is not easy these days. You seem to be polarising yourselves into two camps with nothing in the middle.A bit like us I suppose as the middle way is hardly heard here now the Liberals are out in the cold whereas not long ago they were part of our Government. Yet we have more so called socialism in our set up than you do especially when it comes to medical care and we dont moan about that apart from its inadequacies occasionally. The comment 'Making America great again' is laughed at here. It would certainly be laughed at here in the form of Making Britain Great Again. We dont go in for that boastfulness thank goodness ! Though the
repercussions of Brexit do suggest that some are trying to cash in on that feeling.... not that people here are following Brexit very closely. That demonstration the other day in London was a one off by people wanting to maintain the status quo: they lost the vote on whether to stay in Europe but it is a reflection of our attitude to protest that it all passed off peacefully ! No water cannons etc here. It will be interesting to see how your midterm elections pan out. Your Supreme Court being affected by a Judges political view would NEVER be allowed here: it is a HUGE flaw in your Constitution. So you are left with your mid terms to keep a balance in your political world. Good luck ! Tony Ireland.
7
Thanks to Trump, the truth appears to be dead in this country. One of his minions, Kellyanne Conway, even put a name to it, alternative facts. That is one of the dumbest oxymorons and the fact that it originated with a chief presidential spokesperson is absurd. Of course, Trump himself only rarely speaks the truth and only then by accident.
4
Trump inherited an economic train going about 90 MPH from President Obama, watched as it increased in speed to close to 100 MPH, then boasted that he alone was responsible for the train going from 0 to 100 MPH.
And if the train derails Trump will find a way to blame those Democrats. No surprises there. But what DOES surprise me and continues to surprise me is how gullible and uninformed much of the country is about issues that directly affect them.
A reader commented in this section that the Founding Fathers believed that Democracy could only work with an involved and informed electorate. We have neither. That is what scares me the most.
7
Worry all you want about the Russians planting fake messages in social media to divide the American populace.
What is really doing in this nation morally, spiritually, and behaviorally is the self-serving amoral Trump, the morally dissolute GOP, their ruthless oligarchic big backers. Add in the Truth-No-Longer-Matters Fox (not) News and right-wing media.
And Kyle Kondik is right: role modeling is a very powerful way to elevate or break down behavior.
How about this news story reported on NPR, the BBC, and elsewhere:
"A man accused of groping a woman on an aircraft has told US police that President Donald Trump had said it was OK to grab women."
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45958023
Here are the results of a study in role modeling done decades ago by Albert Bandura, the psychologist credited with developing social learning and role-modeling theory:
Role models engaging in bad behavior and perceived as being rewarded for it are more likely to be copied or imitated by others than if they observe role models engaging in positive behavior and are perceived as rewarded for it.
There is some evidence that role modeling is the most effecting kind of social learning, which is why it is so important parents and teachers behave appropriately in front of children, and why mentoring and role modeling are widely used in business and medicine to train neophytes--but you better screen the role models first.
Dispiriting Democrats is a GOP tactic of voter suppression
7
What I truly fear is what will happen when an event occurs which is truly, rather than fictionally, fearful, like an environmental disaster or a significant terrorist incident or a financial meltdown or ....
Hunker down as it's only likely to get worse.
5
Fear, lies and, you forgot, hate. The GOP campaign trademarks.
4
The decency deficit and the lie excess lies on the Democrats.
Its very simple ... they are almost exploding in hate.
Take the case of Brett Kavanaugh and the ad-hominem attacks
on him. Attacks with absolutely no validity.
The actually support crime ... illegal immigration.
And it goes on and one. These are not Republican lies ... they are the truth. Illegal immigration is illegal. That's the truth. Illegal immigrants are committing crime (the crime of illegal immigration and using false documents.)
The Democrats are shameless.
3
Republican “strategy” is the oldest known to mankind: fear and hatred. It is a relatively easy thing to stir up the emotions of people who want or need simple solutions. This morning we’ve seen bombs placed at the homes of Soros, Clintons and Obamas and now at CNN headquarters. But around the country there have been incidents where ordinary individuals have been threatened or killed because of political disagreements! When the President of a nation doesn’t have the desire to sow comity he plants destruction. What a poison he is! No wonder Putin and Kim love him. The question is why there are ordinary Americans who think he’s great and why fellow Republicans think so too. Enamored of authoritarian government? Don’t like the press? So their solution is to “blow up” the “enemy.”
7
Shamelessness and decency got thrown out the window completely when Newt Gingrich, who was having an affair with an intern, rallied to impeach a President for lying about having an affair with an intern.
5
It’s only about winning. Nothing else matters. Truth, integrity, empathy, and compassion are not part of their character as a party or as individuals. They have all drunk from the poisoned well.
2
Stop writing endlessly about Trump. Write about Democrats and what they stand for. Report Trump’s endless and obvious lies as lies and don’t use euphemisms. Unless he says or does something of substance, don’t waste our time. The nyt, along with msm, I’d doing it again!
6
Just remember, everybody: if Republicans carry the House and Senate, you can kiss health care, Social Security, Medicare, the Voting Rights Act, and any remaining EPA regulations goodbye.
These people are champing at the bit to undo every piece of progressive legislation since FDR.
Listen, folks. Mitch McConnell has already gone on record: the only way to bring down the deficit--now hemorrhaging thanks to recent tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy-- is to eviscerate entitlements. And the Kavanaugh debacle proves that this man, execrable cynic though he may be, knows how to ram legislation through the Senate.
Maybe when people see their monthly Soc. Sec. benefits slashed; when they see their their copays, coinsurance, and deductibles for medical care spike; when they see their names expunged from voting rolls; when they wake up to find the water they drink undrinkable and the very air they breathe unbreathable--well, maybe then people will take to the streets. But by then it will be too late.
When the first "national emergency" arises--and the fear-mongering Leader has already so described the column of refugees making its way through Mexico--watch out! He will call for "emergency measures" to meet the fabricated crisis. To capitalize on national security concerns, he will issue an American version of the Reichstag Fire Decree to suspend civil liberties and muzzle the press he so detests.
If we do not learn from the past, we are doomed to repeat it.
9
When powerful politicians proclaim their opponents to be incarnations of evil and everything their followers might fear, the result is the encouragement of vigilantism. If conditions are as bad as the GOP says, and "no one" seems to be doing anything about it, there are plenty of fools who will take it upon themselves to "save" the nation through political violence.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/24/nyregion/clinton-obama-explosive-devi...
4
"I’ve seen bad before, but not this. The midterms aren’t just a referendum on which direction the country will go. They’re also a test of where the limits of decency and shamelessness are drawn."
A couple of weeks ago the world laughed at Trump when he spoke to the UN General Assembly. America , are you really no better than the Trump-Kushner crime families and their GOP abettors ?
The rest of the world is not fooled that easily.
MAGA , dump ALL Republicans and make sure that Mueller gets the resources to complete his job which will send Trump & Kushner to jail.
9
WHEN, Lord, WHEN, is this nightmare going to end? The audience seen in the background of the photo accompanying this Op-Ed, scares me even more than the vacuous, lying, dangerous demagogue who is the focus of their admiration. Can someone please tell me what the definition of "GREAT" is, in the dictionary that the Trump people use for a reference?
5
When I cast my vote I do so because I am engaged with my neighbours, my community, my province, and my country. I listen to the policies from all parties and decide where my vote belongs. I lean left and have always indentified with a message of hope and reject politics of fear. No matter the party, the moment any candidate goes on the attack with fear-mongering I question their commitment to our country as a healthy, open and tolerant nation.
Witnessing your president speak at his rallies I feel fear mixed with disgust. I watch as he takes pleasure in his power to rip your country apart for sport. He knows exactly what he is doing to your democracy and he does not care. Worse, his party, the party he now owns, silently stands by protecting their jobs and not their country.
If this hatred has taken root and whether it is too late to undo remains to be seen. While November 6th is supposed to signal the direction for your country, I still worry. Trump will double down no matter the outcome, and it will only get worse to ensure the win in 2020, either way it's troubling.
9
@Holly: I'm with you on this. I lived in Prince Edward Island for 5 years as a permanent resident (I'm now a dual citizen) and never saw anything in the Canadian political discourse to compare with this. I was not overly impressed with Prime Minister Harper but I never thought he was trying to divide and destroy the country. I do not believe this with Trump. I also felt that whether the Conservatives, Liberals or New Democratic Party were in charge in Canada, the nation was still in good hands. I simply do not feel the same way concerning Republicans. I will never vote for one again in my life.
1
Which party has a tolerance for terrorism? Was it a Democrat who just planted bombs in the homes of Soros, The Clintons and The Obamas? Appalling lies and hatred coming from Trump and his magas.
6
If Republicans "fear" anything, it's that the Democrats, if enough are elected, will destroy the economic recovery Trump and the GOP have engineered. They "fear" losing the jobs they just got.
They might "fear"--or, more likely, be repelled by--a return to being sneered at by elected Democratic politicians who think those who aren't Democrats are stupid, ignorant, uncivil, deplorables incapable of understanding what's "best" for themselves. Those sneering Democratic politicians don't even come close, they don't even bother pretending to come close, to representing the interests of the people they hold in such contempt.
So, really, it's not "fear." "Fury" might be a better word. Or outrage. Or a reflected return of the contempt the Left seems always to show the non-Left.
Just an observation, but it looks to me like many of those of the Left just don't get it that there are millions of reasonable, rational, people who just don't agree with the Left's world view, and no amount of sneering condescension from the Left is going to get any more agreement.
1
@Henry Miller
You're saying that republicans are fine with voter suppression, mass incarceration of people of color, lying about their position on affordable health care and especially the elimination of preexisting conditions, the retreat from clean air and water, and allowing pollution of the environment just to make a buck, and the continued warming of the planet, the selling of public lands?
I guess you're waiting for the rapture.
And you want the democrats to support all this and more?
Wow, just wow.
5
@Henry Miller,
Economic recovery that Trump and the GOP have engineered? What on Earth are you talking about? The world didn't start on January 20, 2017. And Trump and the GOP had nothing to do with the recovery; you can thank Obama, who righted the ship in the face of GOP obstruction.
When the economy tanks again, and it will thanks to the tax cuts that went primarily to the 1% and Trump's trade wars, who will you blame then?
3
MADA - Make America Decent Again
Vote Democratic 2018 and 2020
5
Trump has schmoozed a lot of people with his Deep State stuff. And yet, if the Deep State were as powerful as he says, then he must be part of it, or how else would he still be governing? He is governing because they let him, and encourage him. He is a more direct route to the corporate mafia's aims..complete control through militarized police, tracking of people's communications and our money. This is no joke. I don't see the end of wars, or the ending of NAFTA. All I see is more of what we've had in the past, only on steroids. While I voted straight Democrat unless that Democrat didn't seem progressive enough, I will be surprised if they win, the system is so rigged. The powers that be prefer Trump. They get more power and money with him. And the great unwashed have no idea how badly they've been snookered.
6
I'll agree 50% with you, since Trump isn't intelligent enough to think such things up on his own. Could be that Kushner primes him daily in the events and words to use. After all, he has a teleprompter placed in front of him at all times; even then he gets disoriented pronouncing bigly words he can't grasp.
2
@Someone haha..like the bigly words..I think Trump is sly like a shark..just smells the blood and goes for it. I find him personally repugnant.
"Peak shamelessness"? Somehow, as bad as all this is, I doubt we're at the peak.
2
Some Democrats believed they could start to turn the tide against Trump and his allies this year. Now it appears obvious that this will take many years and many elections. That depends on Democrats retaining enough power and energy to prevent the demise of reasonably fair elections.
It took the Koch’s and their allies thirty years and hundreds of millions (maybe more) to get to where they are today. They have had to accept Mr. Trump to finally reach the mountain top. To some of them, it must be a slightly bitter victory.
What helped the Koch’s and friends was that the Democrats never suppressed them. The Democrats have a tougher fight.
2
@Thomas Legg I laugh when I read comments that indicate that Democrats don’t gerrymander. Approximately 60% of California’s voters vote Democrat yet 75% of California representatives are Democrats. Democrats are over represented by 15% in a state that claims to have fair redistricting.
2
Thanks for the chuckle. You left out the part that the majority voted Trump out. The electoral college put in place by a long losing republican party is easily bribed and yet no one looks at these electives and where they are today within Trump's administration. I'm truly flabbergasted at the lack of research from voters...
1
In my life time of voting starting with Nixon... Fear and Lies have always been the Republican Strategy. The difference that trump and his cult are no longer Republicans, they are Nationalist Fascist very much like Mussolini!
6
How do we get our fellow citizens who are buying these lies and who are swallowing every falsehood broadcast by Fox News to understand that they are being duped? In the three years since he began his campaign, Trump has been incredibly effective in getting people to accept his lies and fear mongering. In my adult life, I have never experienced a situation like we have now - seemingly intelligent people willing to accept blatant lies or willing to dismiss them as "just talk". As soon as you point out the utter falseness of Trump's statements, the response is "Obama lied, too!" I mean at this point, we're not even in the same ballpark to have an intelligent discussion. We're on different astral planes!
2
Suspicious packages have been sent to Obama, Clinton and George Soros. Will Trump denounce this? I doubt it very much. He thrives on chaos. CNN offices were also targeted. Trump is an instigator and dangerous to our democracy. The Republicans are too timid to speak up or they agree with him which is much worse.
1
Mr. Bruni, you and Don Lemon are two of my constant reminders that there's still hope for truth in today's America. I don't always agree with Mr. Lemon on racial matters but on most issues you guys show me there's still some sanity left in a America that is being attacked at it's borders not by a bunch of Mexcan rapists and murderers and (OMG) terroists hiding among them but instead a horde of Trump's Zombies.
The Republican Party is now an addiction to its followers. Trump's constant lying feeds his follower's fears and prejudices and triggers endorphin and dopamine responses in the brain similar to opiates. The Republican Party drunk on power and lies has moved out of the normal democratic discourse of this country. Republicans! Either don't vote in this election or vote Democratic and move the Republican Party back into normal intelligent conversation that benefits all its' citizens.
5
How about Trumps encouragement of violence against his"enemies".
Bombs placed at the home of Obama and Clinton. O'Rourke yard signs burned. A republican senator body slams a reporter.
No comments from the perp-at-large??
3
The manic followers of Donald Trump remind me of a famous speech that Adolf Hitler made in pre-war germany.
The crowd were lemming like too.
Free speech has always been two prong.
2
I would add their successful manipulation of the media to their list of tricks. They are using the time honored approach of gaslighting with the goal of causing Democrats to doubt their own agenda.
Consider how much ink was spilled on the Clintons' every financial transaction and investment, on their inability to immediately turn over every last financial document pertaining to Whitewater, on "auctioning off the Lincoln bedroom", on the phony "uranium" scandal and accusations that foreigners who contributed to the Clinton foundation - which does valuable good work, were buying access to the State Department.
Now contrast that with Trump's frauds, bankruptcies, self dealing and refusal to release his tax returns.
It's as if we are back in high school and the cool crowd maintains it's dominance and elitism by pointedly ignoring or failing to react to anything somebody outside their circle says.
When it's only Democrats reacting to Trump's financial misdeeds, it makes them look partisan. Journalists play right into Republican's hands when they reject Elizabeth Warren's narrative that the system is rigged in favor of the wealthy as being too harsh or partisan. In fact the biggest issue we face today, per Paul Volker, is becoming a plutocracy, and the fact that enormously wealthy people don't believe in gov't and paying taxes.
Trump is the embodiment of greed and entitlement, and the belief that he can buy/lawyer his way out of anything.
There is NO equivalence between Republican lies and ANYTHING the Democrats did in regard to Kavanaugh.
10
@Valerie Elverton Dixon In regard to what? Denigrating someone that has never actually been criminally accused of a crime that allegedly occurred 30+ years ago? Democrats showed that they were pandering for votes. For both sides it’s all about winning at all costs. What happens when Democrats do take back government? Are they going to be responsible and leave due process or are they going to pander to a movement and eliminate some of our most important constitutional rights?
@John,
Democrats on the committee weren't looking to prosecute Kavanaugh with a crime. They were hearing about his character. Blasey Ford herself said she wasn't there to determine whether such behavior was disqualifying. She then proceeded to recount some fairly typical behavior one might expect from drunk, hormone crazed teen aged boys - and the kind of behavior that one of the participants has admitted to probably doing and not remembering in his own autobiography.
Kavanaugh responded with a shrill partisan attack, proceeded to lie about his drinking history, acted as if his athletic excellence made him LESS likely to behave in such a way, when we see ALL THE TIME athletes behaving badly towards women, acted as if his calendar proved he couldn't have been at such a gathering, when in fact his calendar confirms and afternoon of drinking with the same people Blasey Ford said were at the gathering, denied ever mixing socially with girls from the school she attended, when in fact he did and attempted to turn it into a referendum on other accusers who were not Christine Blasey Ford, as opposed to one on the groper in chief who nominated and defended him.
Republicans closed ranks, and rallied around our liar in chief, even after he attacked Blasey Ford. THEY are and were the problem.
None of this would be sustained, let alone met with any measure of success, were it not for the "corroboration" and outright support provided by FOX News. This enabler of lies and hypocrisy is the far greater guilty party.
6
The Nazification of America starts with the death of truth.
9
The solution is very simple, vote democrat and Make America Sane Again.
4
His supporters are willing to accept Trump's lies. Fear and hate trump truth.
3
Sorry, Frank, the Democrats have already been there and done that. They've been insulting, degrading, mocking the country and a sizable portion of them for decades - with the occasional timeout when a Democrat is elected president.
No, there won't be any compromise, no reconciliations, not "make-up's" with the Left.
It's all on.
2
Lazy, and incurious haters are the target audience of the lying Trump political clones. And why shouldn't they copy the presidents model of lie and deny, it hasn't hurt the president at all.
Shape shifting the Khashoggi murder to "the worst cover up I have ever seen" the president is essentially saying the murder was okay with him, but a little inconvenient.
11
Right on! For well over a year now I've thought this latest must surely be the absolute peak of shamelessness but shortly found out I was wrong - shamelessness was once again taken to new heights. The Republican play book has been and continues to be "be afraid, be very afraid." Yes, there are real threats out there, but to the Republicans I say, "Give me a break. How gullible do you think we are?" Yes, elections matter - let's demonstrate this loudly and clearly this time - let's "be prepared, be very prepared."
3
Why do you people feel you have to throw in "both parties do it" when that is a lie. Singling out avenatti as representative of the Democrats is pitiful. Such junk detracts from a litany of evil by the right wing.
3
I have read all of this. I know this. My anxiety level leads me to an almost dysfunctional state. I work the polls, volunteer, vote. I realize angst, fear and the throbbing of this message is important. Can any of you write with hope and not despair? I am dying inside here folks.
7
@citizen Things aren’t half as bad as Trump or the Democrats make them out to be. Americans live a very privileged life, this is why we have so much time to ponder all of the issues we do.
1
@John
Not for long.
Never doubt Trump can go lower. I'm pretty sure he hasn't "peaked" yet. Not with two weeks to go.
4
Fear and lies. Yes, that's been the republican strategy at least since the 70's.
3
I don't Think there is any secret to the fact that they are attempting to destroy democracy. They prefer Plutocracy and Kleptocracy. They have been emboldened to be open about it.
5
We're seeing America's democratic essence evaporating.
Yes, we have democratic trappings: elections, rallies, political demonstrations and promising candidates here and there.
But the political system has slumped into an amoral state, one in which lies and distortions are freely employed to win.
What has become of the duty to put the American people's wellbeing ahead of partisan wars?
Donald Trump is the embodiment of our lost democracy. Do we collectively have the wisdom, clarity and sense of purpose to rescue it?
One fears not, given what we are seeing.
5
Have we reached the point where the failure of the way we have structured our education system has resulted in a part of our population that isn't able to discern truth from lies? We've left funding and standards for education up to the states resulting in educational discrepancies between states and localities willing to fund education and those that won't. We need national standards and federal funding with state support. Our democracy is at risk.
2
Forty years ago, the GOP's lies and distortions would have been ineffective, and they'd have been banished from office in short order for being McCarthy-esque demagogues. What makes it possible today is Fox "News", which ensures that the lies are not exposed, and that the "base" remains fearful and ignorant of the facts. "Enemies of the people" indeed.
17
I've already voted here in red, red Idaho - a straight Democratic ticket!
7
@Pat Boice And I have voted here in South Carolina, straight Democratic ticket. One can only hope enough people do the same.
1
And the Dems have been any better?? Both parties engage in ridiculous lies and falsehoods. Have you seen the T.V ads?? You can be Mother Theresa and the ads would make her look like a phony. both parties ads make their opponent look evil and corrupt. As the old saying goes "politics ain't beanbag" and the Dems give as good as they get. Look at what they did to Brett Kavenough based only on uncorroborated allegations.
2
Mobsters Are Grifting America... as only Trump can do... Chief Grifter
2
I believe it was a line from a movie that once said: “never bring a knife to a gunfight”. Political races have never been predominantly marked by courteous and respectful behavior, from any particular party. Oh, they may begin that way. But they soon devolve into unsubstantiated claims, gross exaggerations, and finger-pointing. Few are the politicians that can rise above that inclination. So when you have the nation’s politician-in-chief turning everyday events into a no-holds-barred street fight, the door will open wide to any type of unacceptable behavior.
3
Would the caravan still be a thing with Republicans if it was composed of pretty white people ?
1
@Doug Hill Immigration isn’t a race issue. It’s a resources and environmental issue. Immigration strains infrastructure, resources, etc and creates 4 times as much emissions as the immigrants would have created in their native countries. Republicans may not care about global warming but Democrats pretend to. If they actually did then they would be concerned about immigration as well.
2
''The Republican Strategy of Fear and Lies'' is just a warmup for 2020.
Trump's blatant disregard for the constitution, abetted by McConnell, should be a siren warning about further destruction of our norms and reputation for decency.
What they fear and cannot stop is the lessening of white male dominance and to stop the loss, anything goes.
Promises made, and impossible to keep, should be of concern to those who yell and scream and applaud at Trump's rallies. Who pays for these extravagant theatricals held at safe venues, sops to Trump's demand for attention ?
And how long will it take for these sycophants to wake up and smell the coffee?
3
The Republicans could claim, and they'd be right, to have created the biggest deficit in history!
First time in a strong economy!
In a rising interest rate environment which makes it-wait for this- "perhaps the most serious economic challenge our country has faced".
No Pinocchio's.
3
What makes you think anyone is afraid of Hondurans?
Suggesting that they respect our laws does not in any way infer fear.
Fear is like gasoline for the Democrat political machine, but don't expect others are similarly afflicted.
2
Trump’s full-throated embrace of nationalism calls to mind George Orwell’s essay, “Notes on Nationalism,” in which he writes:
“By ‘nationalism’ I mean first of all the habit of assuming that human beings can be classified like insects and that whole blocks of millions or tens of millions of people can be confidently labelled ‘good’ or ‘bad’. But secondly — and this is much more important — I mean the habit of identifying oneself with a single nation or other unit, placing it beyond good and evil and recognising no other duty than that of advancing its interests. Nationalism is not to be confused with patriotism. Both words are normally used in so vague a way that any definition is liable to be challenged, but one must draw a distinction between them, since two different and even opposing ideas are involved. By ‘patriotism’ I mean devotion to a particular place and a particular way of life, which one believes to be the best in the world but has no wish to force on other people. Patriotism is of its nature defensive, both militarily and culturally. Nationalism, on the other hand, is inseparable from the desire for power. The abiding purpose of every nationalist is to secure more power and more prestige, not for himself but for the nation or other unit in which he has chosen to sink his own individuality.”
4
Like with a genocide, our national response it too late and weak. This is the challenge to our bureaucratic citizens.
1)
Organizations have little to no accountability to the democracy. The economy has overthown the republic.
2)
Organizations have little to no ethics for behavior and no enforcement of violations to the constitution let alone consequences for violence against human citizens, or human dignity.
We need a code of behavior for all corporate citizens who vote with dollars but cannot be incarcerated.
1
All I can say is that it is unforgivable what Don Trump and his Republican toadies have done to this country. I don't know how we ever recover from this assault on the truth and facts. The Republican Party does not want to govern - they want to rule. If people don't get out and vote for Democrats this November, it may be game over for democracy in the USA.
7
This is Groundhog's Day, the sequel. The Dems fall for it every time too. The Rpeublicans take it up to the next level and Dems are surprised that Repubs went even lower than they did last time. Dems need to wake up, anticipate the dirty tricks and move quickly to call it out when it happens.
There should be national commercials calling out people like Hawley, Zeldin, and KEmp for the dirty tricks they play. Newspapers needto be held accountable if they are goingto publish op-eds which aren't fact checked. We need to anticipate the dirty tricks and have a plan to counter them if we're ever going to win. e've got to get ahead of the curve and not play defense all the time.
Go sinister or go home. Besmirch first, worry about the fact checkers later. Or don’t worry about them at all. That’s Trump’s ethos, and nothing would make him happier than the devolution of American politics from a contest of ideas to a contest of inventions.
Democrats should win first and feel bad about it second. All this hand wringing about engaging in politics as it exists now is why they continue to lose all the time. Always be attacking. Never be explaining.
1
I despair for our country.
There are so many people who are so ignorant -- and proud of their ignorance -- that objective facts have become irrelevant. If I believe something, it must be true, and don't try to confuse me with your so-called facts; I have plenty of my alternative facts to support my belief.
When people can -- seriously -- state that the president, secretary of state and one of her aides are leading cannibalistic, Satanic rituals involving the torture, molestation and murder of children in a pizza parlor AND have millions of people BELIEVE THAT THIS IS TRUE -- is there any hope at all?
I have never been so glad to not have children as I am today.
5
We are rending ourselves asunder.
And Putin is giggling.
3
So Avenatti and Castro are the equivalent of the Trumpists. Surely you jest.
3
I truly hope that we are not as bad as the Republicans are betting we are.
2
As a Democrat what is frustrating is that several of the issues Trump holds are very valid. For example immigration. Neither party addressed this issue for decades. Now Trump has taken the lead, and the Democratic party fails to have a credible response or program. This is also true for blue collar workers. Both parties ignored this issue, Trump picked up on it and the Democratic party talks about retraining programs. Protecting U.S. industry (tariffs) is another very legitimate issue that Trump took the lead on. The Democratic party avoids discussing this issue, despite there being very sensible positions, it is ignored by my party.
Rather than focusing on Trump's abhorrent behavior, it is time to address those issues that he has owned, which has maintained his support with many working class and older voters.
5
@GLO Democrats view the people you mentioned as Republican voters. They don’t care to address their issues. The message is clear. Your jobs aren’t coming back and you are a bunch of deplorables. How humane a message is that going out to families who have lost manufacturing or coal jobs and have no other means to support their families?
1
@John
Thank you John. Any elected official, regardless of political stripe, is to serve all citizens. How we (both sides of the aisle) seem to have forgotten about that.
Is any American really stupid enough to believe that Donald Trump is afraid of the future. He has money. Lots and lots of money. What he's actually telling his supplicants is 'You be afraid. You vote for me because I know that you have to be afraid, because you don't have my money.'
1
Trump's lies have become so absurd anyone who believes them can rightly be labeled a moron. He plucks figures out of his fevered imagination for job numbers, arms deals with the Saudis, employment totals, unemployment totals and crowd estimates. He paints Central American refugees as terrorists. Then he says the Dems want to give them Rolls Royces? Who in their right minds would believe such claptrap?
5
Ridiculous article and point of view! It is actually the Liberals who are fear mongering. They say things like Trump is like Hitler and he is out to build racism and eliminate health care for the poor and middle class. What a load of tripe!
You should be more concerned that waves of Mexicans, South Americans and Central Americans are trying to force themselves into our nation whether we want them or not.
Democrats should, but don't, concern themselves with intelligently modifying US Immigration laws if they want more immigrants allowed into our nation, instead of funding and building armies of them to invade the US. How ridiculous is that?
These days we are bombarded by extremist politics on both sides and it needs to stop! We need some intelligent middle grounded ideas, taking the best from each party and getting rid of the absurd demands of each. We need to work together instead of in-fighting. But the lackluster media helps to build the frenzy of radicalism to sell their wares. It's disgusting.
Virginia Wolfe would have stated something like, "How do I get through all the verbal garbage to find the Truth?" and she'd be right!
2
Mr Bruni. Yes, please, just stay in your bunker. It's not perfect out here, but all is good. We'll let you know when it's safe to come out....
1
In an editorial with Gail Collins yesterday, Bret Stephens blithely repeated the popular opinion that Dems shouldn't just run on "rage" at Trump.
Perhaps not. But what struck me was that Stephens didn't seem to have any "rage" at what Trump, and his party, are turning this country into.
I guess it's enough for them that they're getting tax breaks and other things they want?
The problems of truth, character, approaches to policy, corruption, and so on are so enormous right now, it's hard to think of anything else.
I don't understand Republicans who DON'T seem enraged at corruption, sucking up to Russia even as it undermines our elections again, and—yes—blatant lies that corrupt our national actions.
3
@Tokyo Tea We will see how much Democrats care about corruption soon. The Democratic candidate for Governor of Florida is himself caught up in a corruption scandal. Will he be voted in? We shall see. I do agree about Trump though. I was not and will not be a Trump voter.
2
Ironically the true enemy of the people is trump and the Republican Party.
Un-American as anything I’ve ever witnessed.
That they can do this to our nation says it all.
As Malcolm Nance said in his book, if Hitler and Stalin had had social media they would have ruled the world. This despicable party is heading in the same direction as those tyrants.
3
Sheez, again with the false equivalency!! There is no comparison between the parties here, not the same league, not even the same galaxy. Whats next? Hillarys emails? Oh wait, the NYT and its columnists have already grossly played that up.
And why do you insist on calling the tax cut for the wealthy and corporations a tax overhaul? I know this is opinion, but can we at least use accurate descriptions?
2
The Republicans have been like this for 50 years. Remember the Southern strategy and Willie Horton and the claims a few elections ago in the mid-south that, if the Democrats were elected, they would take away people's bibles? At least Goebbels admitted he was lying, which is more than what the Republicans will admit
2
And today I read about pipe bombs being sent to the homes of George Soros, Clinton and Obama.
If someone gets hurt or killed, the blood will be on Trump’s hands.
And on the hands of Republicans who continue to Trump and his shameful, hate based speech.
8
This Shameless man took the We out of America.
2
Well, I was okay with your piece Mr. Bruni until you just had to mention two Democrats that overstepped the boundaries of decency. Two Democrats while the entire Republican party of stinking corruption, lies, deceit, and infamy, with an egotistical moron for president, continues to spout nonsense, divide the country, and destroy democracy in the process.
3
Maybe, as Bertold Brecht suggested, we need to elect a new people. The real problem is that many Americans are racist, sexist ignoramuses who love the lies that the Republicans pour on them. It's a small consolation that the reddest states tend to be the poorest and less educated, and their denizens are the ones most hurt by right wing policies. Richly deserved.
2
It’s interesting that the party that is most concerned with climate change doesn’t see the need to limit illegal and legal immigration. Studies have shown that an immigrant’s carbon footprint increases four fold once in the US. If the increase in emissions from immigrants alone were a country then it would rate 10th in the world in emissions at over 482 million tons. This data is several years old and likely much higher now.
2
Two Honduran Caravans: why now? Could simply be that desperate people do desperate things, but the coincidence of two caravans just before the midterms suggests nefarious Rs at work (again).
DJT screams that the Ds are responsible, but what do Ds have to gain by providing the provocateur-in-chief with such red meat for the Base? Nothing.
3
It's a shame that if Republicans simply told the truth, they would not be able to win. It's a shame that if we had a real democracy, in which everyone's vote counted 1 for 1, Republicans would not be able to win. It's a shame that if more people simply turned out to vote, Republicans would not be able to win. Dear Republicans, let's even the playing field, have actual debate on facts and truth and let the best ideas win out. Let's have a real Democracy for a change. Big government is not the answer to everything, but neither is big business.
3
Trump and the Republican party are telling us that we're not a nation of well-informed voters. Today's world is complicated, and nearly half of voters are too lazy to inform themselves. It's just easier to blame immigration, liberals, etc. for the ills of the country.
1
I refuse to be afraid.
The baffling irony is that - despite the US economy thriving, illegal immigration historically low, zero terrorist attacks and no wars - at the core of Trumpism is primal, existential FEAR.
Can you even imagine if one or two of those above conditions changed for the worse??
2
Oh, yes, the caravan. Was it George Soros and Sheldon Adelson that teamed up to orchestrate this parade.
By the way, who pays for those shameless signs at the POTUS45 rallies. And who is paying for the temps who are running the country, while he is acting his schtick or playing golf.
Were those his Saudi friends we saw in the caravan.?
Could this be another of Roger Stone's productions,
2
This article was doing great. Mr. Bruni gave us some campaign lies that I had not heard about designed to hurt individual candidates in close fights. He summed up the fear-mongering that Trump is trumpeting. And he mentioned the patently false claims being made by Republicans about health care and other issues.
Then he blew it. He had to suggest that Democrats should not have tried to block the Kavanaugh appointment to the Supreme Court and he accused Democrats of having come down with the Republican fever. Apparently he could not stop himself from stepping on his own message. I am so close to the edge of the despair that I will feel if we do not manage to win the House and get to exercise some checks on 45. Mr. Bruni almost sounded the right note, then it all turned sour.
4
I don't disagree that the Republicans have been particularly mendacious in this election cycle, but I when I compare it to the half-truths and insinuations of cycles past--the racism, the distortions on health care, the insinuations about lax security and unpatriotic Democrats--I'm sorry to say that it doesn't track as an outlier. It's a progression.
My first major memory of Republican distortions on health care was when First Lady Hillary Clinton was working on a task force to suggest universal healthcare for the US. Republicans did everything they could to sink it, including propaganda and lies. For the most part, the press just wrote down both sets without taking the important step of comparing Republican claims to the facts of the proposal. While the lies were occasionally exposed, the propaganda did its work such that people had a negative reaction even when they found out the truth.
GOP lies have gotten more brazen, yes, but this isn't a recent development or a sudden thing. I've been saying for decades that the GOP only has power as its priority. Their intense oversight of Obama compared to their nearly-nonexistent oversight of Trump provides stark perspective.
5
Cover Warren's proposals for the economy, cover Sherrod Brown, give Beto O'Rourke room to make the case? Why give all the space to Trump's lies?
http://www.jobz.pk/government-jobs/
4
Trump, the Grifter from Queens, the king of failed businesses, along with his racist, nativist and bullying antics, has lowered the bar that defines a toxic campaign to a new low. And he is cheered by the gullible masses.
Those gullible masses may some day realize they have been played.
What has Trump done to our country? He has not made anything great again save his ego.
2
The problem is that Mr. Bruni's jejune Democratic Party and its supporters such as himself have themselves swerved so far out of the political universe that in comparison Trump is in fact more normal on a number of issues. Let's take just the first two of Mr. Bruni's examples to illustrate.
First, the "mob" accusations, and let's assume the bad actors "disrupting some Republicans' meals" are indeed just "scattered protesters." Well, there aren't any Democratic leaders who even will say that such scattered bad acts are wrong, and of course Mr. Bruni is also an apologist for them. Mr. Bruni is an opinion maker, and therefore also fair game for protest. Assuming he has a family, let's see how he would like 50 people screaming at him and his family out to eat, with increasingly threatening volume. He'd be tweeting for the police SWAT team for help in .2 seconds is what would happen.
Second, the caravan. If 1,000, or is it 7,000 people just show up at the U.S. border, are we obligated to take in all of them? How about 700,000 or 70 million? The perfect solution to that issue, however, is obvious. Let the Caravan (now 2 of them) in. Only, the transition facilities will be built in Beverly Hills and all around Mr. Bruni's residence.
We can take in a lot of immigrants. We can't take in everyone. What is Mr. Bruni's actual policy and would he enforce it if adopted by Congress? None and no are the apparent answers to those questions.
2
Since 2016, Americans have demonstrated their dumb enough to believe this slop dished out by Trump, Fox News, and Republicans in general. I'm afraid there's little we can do about it. Americans do not read The Times in great numbers.
This presidency is an obscenity. Abetting or enabling it in any way is immoral. It’s as simple as that.
Shun Republicans. They have earned nothing less.
2
It works. They always lie and win. This year won't be any different.
Liars win when lies are believed. Americans believe liars over the truth.
This is what happens when we allow propaganda, the good germans believe all kinds of lies.
3
Avennatti? Really, Mr. Bruni? Please stop with the false equivalencies. You throw out the name of a lawyer who is unaffiliated with the Democratic party (as far as I know) except for presumably being a Democrat - just to have "something" to compare with virtually every "public" Republican, from the president to Congress Critters, to Governors down, behaving atrociously? Just stop.
3
I visit America less and less these days.
Yesterday the mood was palpable. If I knew I would able to get up again I would have lain down and kissed the ground when I got home. I hope we can find a way to get the refugees to Canada where the jobs are waiting and start fixing the nations of Central America that are so broken.
Mexico's middle class is growing and America is needing a new animal to replace the eagle. May I suggest the lemming?
It is time for simple truths like Mexicans are no longer headed north and the gods are looking for more deserving nations to bless.
Why not? It works extremely well for Trump and the rest of the 'family values' party! Normally, that lies are hard to keep up with would deter most at least some of the time, but never so with Trump! He is the master of the art of lying, and never bothers to even be consistent with his lies! They just so easily roll out of his tongue! Gotta admit, if it was not disturbing and enraging, it would be irresistibly amusing!
1
With Halloween looming, what else can we expect from a President who views his base as a group with a 6th grade mentality, a group that he believes will naively succumb to the fear mongering and lies woven into his campaign rhetoric. Hopefully Trump is underestimating the ultimate wisdom of the crowd.
Only a political party so desperate and unpopular would come up with the endless voter suppression attempts to cheat it's way into staying in power. And only the most unpopular President would finally admit in a pique of honesty that he was a Nationalist, but walked it back some when he claimed never to have heard of White Nationalism. Yeah, right, Mr Trump.
At least, Mr Bruni, your paper is calling out all these lies in this opinion piece. I sometimes can't tell if your paper takes the threats against democracy that Trump and party have mobilized, or if the NYTs prefers to lecture the Democrats on how to do what they are doing. Your paper isn't offering much support. But thankyou for this. The people deserve the truth.
1
He’s not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured."
--- Trump on McCain
“I like Presidents who weren’t captured by White Nationalists.”
--- Stanton on Trump
4
It's no wonder that American citizens are angry when the NYT and other MSM insist that every economic migrant who wants to crash the gate is actually a refugee who should be admitted to the U.S., given endless public assistance and then citizenship and the right to "reunite the family" in this country. The U.S. is not an idea or ideal -- these things can be quickly changed with no consequence. It is a sovereign nation with limited resources and is being overrun by the world's excess population. Yes, I am scared that the most important media organization in the country sees a Honduran mother of eight children breaking our laws and immediately determines that I should be financially responsible for them.
2
It really bothers me how trump is using his presidency to attack democrats every day. Normally when a president wins an election he pretends to represent all of us. Not only is he a trash talker but I think he and his zombie army in the legislative branch are actually making laws to hurt democrats in both blue and red states.
He’s a despicable human being who has no business being a president of anything. God help us all.
3
NY Times: Please stop wasting so much ink reporting Republican lies and fearmongering. Sure, it provides a brief cathartic release for your readers, but it has little educational value. The interests of the public, and our country, would be much better served by a detailed, fact-based, reporting of the Democratic Party’s policies. While it will not sway Republican loyalists, it may convince undecided voters that a vote for the Democratic candidate is a vote for their own self-interest.
4
In the geography of the human brain, Republicans would reside in the amygdala - the fear center, and Democrats would occupy the site of reason, planning, impulse control known as the prefrontal cortex. The PFC develops full potential through a personal experience with a safe, loving, supportive and overall nurturing environment, while the amygdala subsumes and dominates the PFC through neglect and abuse of human beings.
The Republican brain is on full display.
2
You say: Go sinister or go home. Besmirch first, worry about the fact checkers later. Or don’t worry about them at all. That’s Trump’s ethos, but that's also exactly your ethos in your embrace of giving the racism of the odious Charles Murray an honorable platform. Toy also double down in your regular attacks on black people. So to me your frank trump Bruni, a close cousin to Stephens and wehner.
13 days. The time has come to realize that you have got every vote available from the pool that can work out a syllogism, now what's left comes down to gut, id, in short- emotion. The GOP knows it. There is no choice but to fire back with fire, cool headed rebuttal of 25 different points is...
a losing proposition.
What wins, then? Well, not letting the Caravan dominate the endgame to start. Avoiding the Caravan is impossible since it catches eyeballs for NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN (& the front page o f the Times, even). How to knock that train off the rails? Takes too long to find out who and why it started off... but the Prez opened the door on "speculation" by talking heads on Sunday Yakkityyaks….as in, who cui bono really. It is a godsend for GOPers...so maybe some Oligarch arranged to invest some chump change to keep GOP in power everywhere.
TWO...Trump will be dumped soon by Mitch et alia. They do not want his baggage in 2020. Dem candidates can bring that to news by saying "we have spent too much time on Trump, he will be gone in favor of Pence because Mitch et alia..." If enough Trump core hear that they may punish Mitch's establishment candidate.
Last, use web adjuncts (TROLLS) to "amplify" those two things. If it really worked for "Russia" the rules have not changed. You'd be an idiot not to play the game as it is played.
In CA in the 90s a Dem ran for gov, with a robot head ad; a Prop to end contingency met with ad: wolves ripping sheep. Dem lost by 14. Wolf by 20...
@M. J. Shepley
meant to add an ad that should be done (ran out of characters)-
the ad is TV, split screen, one side the women protesting Kavanaugh, the other the men in the midnight southern torch march. Voice over, simple: "which is more frightening? Which mob is more likely to use assault rifles to block rail and high ways? more likely to take over government building? Shoot it out with police?"
It is a good ad for an adjunct, not party, like PFAW or such.
specially given today's breaking news...
Vladimir Putin uses nefarious deeds to further his agenda. He immediately blames his opposition, blindsiding them. The Russian propaganda machine narrates this pretzel logic to the citizens who now have a boogeyman to blame for their problems. As a huge fan of Vlad, "lyin con-Don" has siezed on some of these strategies to great success. I'd look at Republican dark money to see who might be funding the migrant caravan. it sure seems convenient 2 weeks before election.
1
Frank, you depict how you’d feel if all you did was listen to Trump. You say you’d be terrified and holding on to your cyanide capsule. Well, I am listening to you and the truth...and I am terrified. Trump supporters find in him their only hope. I’m desperately looking for hope in a national Democratic counter figure to Trump. I find comfort in the office holders and candidates I support, but I’m pleading for the Democrats to find a national leader who is powerful, positive and charismatic to offset Trump. Where is the Democratic splash?! Why doesn’t the Democratic Party grab attention away from Trump by turning the tables completely and stop complaining about him till we are blue in the face? That broken record has us nauseated; we already know he’s nuts like a rabid fox. Where is a colorful, unified, clever, empathic, forward Democratic message? (What does Mr. Perez do anyway?) I am looking for the press to present the same positive Democratic message. I am looking for the Democrats to reach out to Trump’s supporters without shaming them. In the meantime, I will vote and support what I believe but I am really terrified by this behemoth trumpian disease like a blog movie come to life. So ok, we’re aghast. We know this. Now, what other message do we want to put out there like yesterday?
1
They took our jobs.... palm to the face
It seems the Republican strategy is to rely on the stupidity, gullibility, and lack of memory of the American people. They may be right.
I also think that And Corey Stewart, the Republican challenging Senator Tim Kaine in Virginia, went out of his way to opine that Jamal Khashoggi, the Washington Post contributor murdered in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, “was not a good guy himself.”
But that doesn't mean you can kill him and chop him up.
2
Referencing Democrats and Kavanaugh here is giving in to Republican lies and smears. The Trump fear machine weaponized and twisted the Kavanaugh nomination. Most Americans saw through it, especially women.
Trump's litany of imaginary boogeymen at his rallies is much like the Great Ebola Panic according to which we all should be dead by now. Instead great medical research and amazing dedicated humanitarian efforts controlled the disease.
Trump's current proud boast of being a nationalist is chilling combined with his racist attacks on immigrants and bigotry again LGBT people and compliments of white supremacists as well as not immediately repudiating Duke's endorsement.
In his White House office is a photo of Fred Trump, arrested in 1927 for refusing to disperse from a large 1000 strong KKK rally and who shared an attorney with the other 6 arrested. Donald Trump Jr. tweeted out a Pepe the Frog image.
Trump's trampling of the truth, decency and rights as he ricochets from one red state to another at taxpayer expense is an escalation of his attacks pitting his followers against all others.
My devout hope is that his rally audiences are a tiny aberration, and that the great majority of Americans remain decent people who care about their families and about those of other colors, religions, or gender and will not follow the blaring white nationalist echoes of bigotry and hate.
1
The president* can barely read and write. But you have to love the Tea Party ads supporting Obamacare.
“Trump’s habit of pushing the boundary on truthfulness has almost been a permission slip for everyone else to push that boundary,” — permission slip from the NYT, among others.
1
How very, very sad that we, the American people, have come to this. "The truth is whatever I say it is, when I say it."
Come on, America! Wake up! VOTE VOTE VOTE
Sure it wasn't Feinstein who "dropped the bomb" on Sherrod Brown? It's consistent with her recent behavior--more and more addled each day.
Yes, the republicans lie,
they don't believe in science,
they do believe that party dogma must be observed with jihadist fervor,
they believe trickle down works,
they believe Trump did it and don't care,
they don't believe in math,
they do believe in walking away from allies,
they don't believe Kavanaugh and don't care,
they ... well, you get the point.
Remaining people of intellect and moral character who somehow find yourself lost in this morass of republican party turpitude, .... repent. Save what is left of your conscience.
Vote the republican bums out of every office in the next two elections. You still have time not to be branded in future histories as America's equivalent of the 1930s "good Germans."
2
I can only hope hat my fellow Americans are to smart to buy into this craziness and just go out and make an educated vote. Vote for the candidate who going to represent you. Don't watch TV READ. every newspaper you have to pay for, get off of Facebook and these other social media outlets.
Don't be afraid to be alive and get involved. FDR said the only thing you have to fear is fear itself and fight for your rights cause no one else will.
VOTE for all the rest of the people who would be murdered for having their own thoughts and voting.
You are not going to be invited to have a beer with any of these white nationalist so be fearless and vote.
1
Gutter politics, republicans at their finest. When I first heard the ad for French Hill here in Arkansas I honestly thought I was being punked. The disgusting, vileness of it was shocking but hardly surprising. Mr. Trump has unleashed a dark force of utter ugly people to feel free to say and act in a manner that is shameful. They have no shame. I am so embarrassed and ashamed of who and what our country has become. Can you imagine trying to explain to ones children/grandchildren why you would stoop so low in running for office, how proud you are of being a member of a party who would degrade themselves in such a manner. There is a rot in this country and it starts with the rot at the top. Have some self respect and ask yourself why you would act this way.
All this, ALL THIS, from the collective "angry white man" (can you say "mob"?) who seethed for 8 years over a black man in the White House. I thought it would take a full generation to put George Bush behind us - I'm truly not sure if this country will ever be and behold the "promise of America" ever again, to each other if not the world.
1
America expressed disenchantment with the political status quo 2 years ago by electing Trump, and the experiment of a populist demagogue as president is proving wilder than ever imagined. Trump's assault on truth is hardly surprising, given how his supporters voted for him out of fear and anger, rather than hope.
More troubling, furthermore, is that the Democrats aren't offering voters hope themselves at present; they are merely reacting to Trump's sermons of falsehood, rather than proactively refuting them. The Democrats have so far failed to recognize the altered political landscape since 2016, thinking that this only an ephemeral dream. Trump provides his supporters false hope instead of facts, yet this in concert with what they want. Democrats can also offer voters real hope through positive change. It's likely too late for the midterms, but this must be the goal of Democrats in 2020.
I disagree with Mr. Bruni regarding the Democrats' fight to prevent Brett Kavanaugh from being elevated to the Supreme Court. Kavanugh is as unfit to serve on the court as Trump is to occupy the Oval Office, and though we haven't heard a peep out of Kavanaugh since the confirmation process ended, just wait until the midterms are over and the Republicans - bolstered by what increasingly looks to be an even stronger majority in the Senate - embark on their announced program of slashing Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security to pay for last year's tax cut and the new one Trump hopes to pass for his billionaire buddies. Democrats tried to protect us. They did exactly what the situation demanded, except in one respect: they were played when it came to the FBI investigation. The Republicans never had any intention of allowing the FBI to conduct a genuine investigation by interviewing the 40 witnesses who came forward of their own accord. They hamstrung the FBI so it could conduct no more than a sham investigation, which then allowed Trump to triumphantly proclaim that Kavanugh had been "found innocent" and to come out smelling like a rose. The Democrats were hamstrung by their own decency. We believe in process, principles and institutions. Trump and the Republicans do not. For them, it's all about winning, by any means necessary. The Democrats have a better vision for this country. Why aren't they sending their best spokespersons to these battleground states?
3
It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing..
All this lying, cheating, stealing, fearmongering... to what end? To maintain power? Is that the best we can do with the ideals for which we fought? Undo human rights for a few votes in Montana? Rally citizens to cheer like a mob prompted by nonsense and insults? Make things up to avoid the threat of a dissenting opinion? Undo progress in public health, economic fairness and environmental protection for a few extra dividends for a few wealthy donors?
I thought America was made of sterner stuff- may the Founders' vision of collective wisdom prevail and restore our government to its purpose.
2
The Republican lies are undemocratic and frightening. Worse, about 40% of Americans believe and support them.
2
So, be that as it may, has the Times investigated how these people came together, who is providing the funding, and logically, how long would it take them to reach the border. Simple questions. What are the answers?
1
Trump proved you can lie and win. the genie is out of the bottle!
1
Tommy Flanagan and Morgan Fairchild 2020. Yeah that’s the ticket!
The Republicans are in power but totally out of step with America. That's what feeds their desperation (as well as their voters' sense of aggrievement). Without manipulation and lies, the Republicans are nothing but losers--literally, they'll lose if they don't lie, and they know it. Let's also acknowledge for a moment that the Republicans have always been the party that spreads lies about what they hate and fear: women, people of color, non-Christians, gays, immigrants, science, taxes and so on. It's a long list. And Frank, I noticed you tried to "both sides" this at the close of your column. Enough already with that; the Democrats aren't even in the same league with the Republicans when it comes to propaganda and lies.
3
How XXth century you are.
Elections are decided by machines, so trustworthy the need no audit trail.
You enter one vote. Usually, one vote is tabulated. For what candidate? Wrong question.
No proof. None is needed!
Th Courts stated that it was all a-ok. The Computer security experts strongly disagree, as they have repeatedly over the years. But they have no standing, you see.
The rest is window dressing. The machines will, in the immortal words of the Diebold CEO, "deliver the votes to th he GOP".
How much advance warning do you need? Apparently 10 years is not enough.
Oh weh.
Everything’s worse since Trump & GOP gained power- more illegal immigration, massive deficits, huge tax cuts to wealthiest, more catastrophic natural disasters, massive scandals, trade wars hurting farmers, climate change destroying farms & cities, stock markets plunging, hateful racism spearheaded by Trump/GOP. When will we stop paying for the sins of Trump & GOP?
Democrats need to stop whining and start winning. This is DC. This is politics. Everyone lies.
Frank, I am surprised you think “Middle Easterners” is a proxy for “terrorists”. I think it is, first, a proxy for “muslims” and then, by extension, for “terrorists”.
As to allegations about who is funding the “caravan”: my astute 87 year old mother mused two nights ago that the caravan is likely to have been instigated by Republicans themselves as a great way to stoke fear and loathing among their base. Although time is running out, could the NYT please investigate?
3
re Khashoggi: Sky News had an intensive discussion yesterday listing Khashoggis support for Al Qaeda and other groups hostile to USA interests. The reporter explained that Khashoggi had no pro-West sentiments but was essentially a Moslem who supported one Moslem faction against another. Hence the support for Saudi Arabia amongst many Moslem countries. Be this as it may, let us not sanctify the man. And let this also not detract from the horror and open brutality of his murder. Extremism breeds even worse extremism Let this also be a lesson to extremist Western movements. A bomb at George Soross home and violent outbursts against Republicans attending restaurants are potentially the tip of an iceberg..
Fortunately this will be over, soon. Unfortunately it will start again after it is over. We are trapped in a never ending cycle of lies and deceit, attempting to force rotten, greedy pigs upon us to run our affairs. The great experiment is over and done. It failed. Stick a fork in it, the turkey is done.
1
The Republican Party and its morally depraved spawn - Donald Trump - are the end-products of decades of ideological inbreeding by the right, and both express the right's ugliest and most recessive traits.
Corrosive meanness of spirit and repulsive political sadism are now Republican features, not aberrations. Small wonder that fear-mongering and pathological lying comes so naturally to them.
My God, how can anyone vote for this vileness?
2
Only two works can truly save us: Joe Biden
Yes, indeed, it's demagoguery time in America, happens every election time, but as always Frank Bruni only recognizes the transgressions of the side he hates.
Bruni wasn't particularly upset by leftist hyperbolic hysteria about how our police were literally hunting down blacks on every street corner to kill them for kicks (even when that led to multiple ambushes of police officers by distraught blacks). He didn't seem too concerned about all the coat-hangers and the over-wrought "war on women." He wasn't too concerned about cries of a "wave of gun violence," when both gun violence and gun ownership has declined dramatically in America over the last thirty years. How about that basket of deplorables, anyone? Etc., etc.
Your demagoguery is evil, but mine, well,... we don't call it demagoguery, I guess, especially if it works. And the problem for the Democrats is that Trump's demagoguery seems to be working a lot better than theirs' does.
" With two weeks to go, the midterms have reached peak shamelessness. "
NOT EVEN CLOSE ! ! !
The worst is yet to come....
2
it has been said/written before:
spread POSITIVE messages about people
who [f]actually stem the tidal wave of lies.
DEFY. DON'T AMPLIFY.
The mantra of demagogues through time: “Never let the public rest.”
I betcha—he’ll call out the National Guard, day before elections, to “secure the border” and flex toughness. (Create fear, then heroically quell it.)
It’ll be breaking-news reported, and then commented: “a new New Low.” Taking us just a little further down this sorry road.
Are our media (and Trump’s opposition), as in 2016, assisting him—even if unwittingly?
I sometimes listen to self-hypnosis audios, trying to reverse my bad habits. They all say, you can’t reprogram your mind with a negative (eg, “Don’t eat fattening foods.”). Our subconscious drops the “don’t” as not really actionable—and holds onto the rest, as an affirmation.
Trump says: Inferior hordes are coming for your lives!
Media fact-checkers, and Democratic messaging, say: Inferior hordes are NOT coming for your lives!
Winning!
Rufus T. Firefly, beloved leader in Duck Soup is the trump slapstick impresario. His Boltonesque mustache a gag line for guffaws. The Marx Brothers, The Three Stooges, Abbot and Costello’s share the trump passion for gooberish dead pan comedy. Often, their cheap thrills, impishness and twists on societal norms gather applause. Their vaudevillean backdrop a description for trump insight.
The perfect optics in which to view trump stage presence. The outlandish whoppers of disinformation a byproduct of his formative years. To know trump is to watch comedic 1930-1950’s B&W silents and talkies.
However, he’s not that funny, this is not a comedy show and you wonder if Birth of a Nation, is around the corner.
1
The outrageous film was both a critical and commercial failure at the time of its release - audiences were taken aback by such preposterous political disrespect, buffoonery and cynicism at a time of political and economic crisis, with Roosevelt's struggle against Depression in the US amidst the rising power of Hitler in Germany. (This film quote, spoken by Groucho, was especially detested: "And remember while you're out there risking life and limb through shot and shell, we'll be in here thinking what a sucker you are.") Insulted by the film, fascist Italian dictator Mussolini banned the film in his country.
Some of its clever gags and routines were taken from Groucho's and Chico's early 1930s radio show Flywheel, Shyster & Flywheel
=====
http://www.filmsite.org/duck.html
Manage
The President stated when confronted for evidence of middle eastern terrorists infiltrating the migrant caravan, he stated there isn't any proof, and countered with, there isn't any proof there isn't.
Imaging the following exchange in court: Ladies and gentlemen of the jury. We don't have absolute certainty that the defendant killed his wife, however we don't have proof he didn't kill his wife, therefore its reasonable for you to believe he did kill his wife.
After reading this (and seeing the side-by-side pics of Manchin with abortion supporters and opponents), I'm starting to get the feeling that politicians are less interested in the plights of their constituents and more focused on a sociopathic need to retain power regardless of whom they trample to secure it. Am I treasonous?
In this country lies work for a politician. Party does not matter. Nothing new there. Pundits should stop pretending the Trump "lie" phenomenon is new. It is not. Our history is shot through with the spoils of lies.
Of greater concern should be the issue of what does that say about Americans and the arbiters of truth and their churchly kin and those who willingly and gleefully receive a known liar?
VOTE!
1
Any chance that Democrats might cease this handwringing over their opponents' well-known shamelessness, and instead expend every last drop of sweat to get their supporters to the polls? I've had it up to eyebrows with this incessant whining from Bruni and similar hysterics. As if we didn't already know that Republicans were fully capable of this, or that politics is a blood sport. Get off your duff, grab every friend and friendly acquaintance you have, and do everything you can to compel them to vote. That is all that matters!
From the NYT comments I read today and yesterday, it’s clear that the leftists and socialists who don’t oppose illegal immigration are flipping out because they understand that this caravan has most likely turned the blue wave (if there was going to be one) into a trickle. Why? Because the majority of Americans on both sides of the aisle want illegal immigration stopped.
We will take our “collective lizard brains” as the recent NYT editorial described those who will vote for Trump, and do just that. By the way, this lizard brain put me through Columbia University’s graduate program.
2
Maybe it would be better if Bruni did go into the cave at least till after the election and maybe longer (pills optional, but recommended). Everyone can be cute. The Republicans are probably responsible for some of the accusations made by Mr. Bruni. But if fear and falsehoods are the issue, the Democrats have been at it at least since Hillary choked and really much longer. Let's look at a few of the Democrat positions and lies. Barack Obama and the Democrat party maintained prior to his taking office that the American nation had every right to control its borders and the entry of "illegal aliens" [His Words] into this country and the right to deport those who entered the country illegally. But that was then and now they have chosen the strategy of flooding the country with poor immigrants who would be reliant on the welfare state and thus the Democrats on the way to a clear electoral majority. And Bruni and the whole lefty press is amnesic and is silent about the masses now marching on the southern border. They should instead be marching to Pelosi's place where she will house and feed them. Or the lies of silence by his Democrat compatriots who look the other way when the storm troopers of the left assault others at meetings, parades, public demonstrations and burn, smash and destroy public and private property. Then they accuse the conservatives of violence. I relish Dems wasting their time with his propaganda, while Republicans campaign.
2
Too much Fox Fake News in your comments.
When trump talks about middle easterners being in the caravan I can’t help but think of the Khashoggi affair. No terrorist would be so dumb as to travel with a media storm. And yet both stories only seem possible or imagined by a donald trump.
What I’m saying is I think trump may have masterminded the killing of Khashoggi in a Saudi consulate? I’m not kidding.
I know this was a great article about the absurd and dangerous level the republicans have sunk and I don’t mean to sink to the same level but I think when it relates to trump there is no level too low when it relates to him. I mean this is the same man who slept with a porn star when his wife was sitting at home pregnant with his child.
1
In another universe, dividing the country with such easily impeachable lies would be impeachable offenses.
The Russians only have to look to their chosen US president, their partner in mendacity, their meddler in chief, for fodder to feed further division.
The White House is occupied by the paranoid style, gravely descended. Authoritarians follow and widen the heated fissure.
1
Hey, would one of you poorly educated (trump's words not mine) trump supporters please ask the old liar to release his taxes.
Surly the audit is done by now.
3
Mr. Bruno is the only reporter of NYT, as far as I am aware, who can analyze the culinary background and differences, if any, between the Good and the Bad, as defined by NYT.
Pray, enlighten us!
The average American has much more to fear from the enacting of an unconstrained Republican agenda than they do of any Latino gangs, or 'unknown Middle Eastern men' in the midst of the caravan. We have our own domestic terrorist that should strike true fear in the heart of our people, and his name is Mitch McConnell, and our own domestic terrorist organization known as GOP.
1
Frank, explain this to me. Trump seems much more fired-up about the laughable, botched cover-up of a Journalists death, than the actual torture and Murder. Is that because he’s able to deny, Lie, Deny HIS way out of any “situation “??? So Far.
VOTE. VOTE. And VOTE.
3
It is much more reasonable to think that some moneybag Republicans are funding the Caravan, just as they funded the fake grass roots Tea Party years ago, because only their party benefits from it's existence.
3
Frank....don’t forget hate. That’s what they do best.
4
Actually, Mr. Bruni, the midterms two Tuesdays from now are, in reality, the 2020 presidential elections. Donald Trump is running unopposed--in his party and as yet-to-be-named Democratic challenger.
All the litany of lies that you recount here--I know you're limited by a word count (aren't we all?) don't begin to explain the atavist pull that some of this country cherishes for the president. I think it's clear that Republicans are quite aware of the rolling hand grenade that their president is--and are fearful of the explosion of shrapnel, nails, glass and all manner of defacing and disfiguring dynamics inside the thing.
But his "base" relishes this kind of street right. They are not genteel nor introspective nor collegial. They fancy that they are warriors for the Right and they see Trump as the key to their time. And the once-honorable Republican Party is helpless to combat it. Nay why would they?
Many on The Hill are both afraid and excited about November 6th. The results will either confirm what they knew to be true about the president (and by extension themselves) or it will unlock the deeper vaults of extremism from which a minority of the population can exact its tyranny over the majority.
The president is orchestrating lynch mobs, not rallies. His incendiary comments are expressly designed to unscrew the loosening lids of racism and sexism and misogyny and white resentment. It's Trump's final throw. And The Republicans know it.
That's why they're all in.
5
With regard to the caravan, the refugee problem is only going to get worse, not better - because of the Trump administration's refusal to address climate change. Hurricanes don't care about border walls. Climate refugees are already destabilizing countries around the world.
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/10/24/1806772/-Hurricane-Willa-has...
In almost every way imaginable, Trump and the Republican Party are weakening America, making us more divided, and less able to face the coming challenges. We are going to need more international cooperation, not less. It is criminal malfeasance at the very least.
5
Scientists have found that Conservative voters brains are wired differently than Progressives. While Progressive are more open minded (and better educated & well traveled) Conservatives brains are wired to be more anxious which explains why they "cling to guns, god & religion" to provide them with a salve for stability, structure and clear answers even to complex & ambiguous circumstances. Conservatives like things told in black & white, whereas Progressives are okay with grey areas. This corresponds to brain styles that are either concrete & sequential (Conservatives) or abstract random (Progressives). Again education & environment/lifestyle play a part in this brain development as younger minds prefer concrete or black and white answers while fully developed brains can deal with more abstract or grey areas where answers are not so facile. GOP politicians exploit their bases's easily anxious brains by using fear tactics to win political races emphasizing xenophobia, strong security (guns) and unquestioning patriotism. The liberalness of Progressives including open mindedness about sexual orientation, mores and work ethic is actually a trigger to GOP voters as it strays outside of their neat & tidy psychological borders of being "good". https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/calling-truce-political-wars/
2
This country as a democracy is doomed. It really is. A democracy is dependent upon a well-informed citizenry. The founding fathers (and some of them were highly influenced by their wives, i.e., Abigail Adams, so we essentially had founding mothers as well) knew this to be true and had faith that with a well written constitution that the people would follow, would use facts in their debates, and would compromise when doing so was in the best interests of "we the people." Trump and his gang of sheeplike followers, including hundreds of them running for offices at various levels of government, had no interest in facts as we all know. It is a sad, sad truth: Trump and his thugs have made this country so very, very not "great again." They have brought us to a point where, by 2020, we may no longer have a democracy. Wait until he declares that there is no need for a presidential election in 2020. Mark my words: that is exactly what he intends to do!
238
@eric
Democracy? This country is a republic. Again uneducated liberals who just say something enough until you think it’s true, spread it as “news”. “Mark” your words? Probably not.
1
@eric It will only be doomed if the Communist left regains power and continues it momentum of destroying and rewriting the US Constitution by erasing the freedoms contained therein.
1
@eric Stop! When reasonable people, people who base their worldview on facts, start engaging in the same doomsday predictions that lack actual evidence it makes us all sound exactly like the alternate facts contingent. This kind of thinking comes from the same place as "they are planning to come to our homes and take away all our guns". Just stop.
2
If Trump can speculate wildly with no evidence, I suggest the caravan was organized and paid for by some secret Republican slush fund. The timing of it is too coincidental to be believed.
4
Business as usual, this country is built on lies.
3
"Democrats are calling out the mendacity. But are they also catching the fever? The behavior of some of them in response to Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination to the Supreme Court suggested so." Why is Bruni is pulling a "fine people on both sides"?
Which Democrat was telling what lies regarding Kavanaugh? None. All the lying, and there was a bank-full river of it, was done by Kavanaugh, Trump, and their Congressional lackeys. And of what misbehavior was Michael Avenatti guilty? Defending a porn star, who happens also to be a human being with rights, who won her case in court? Bringing forth Julie Swetnick's story of gang rape, with Kavanaugh at least a complicit onlooker and possibly a perpetrator, a story that she asked to be investigated by the FBI, which was busily engaged not in an investigation but a cover-up for said liars?
It's ok to just chastise the Republicans if they did all the dirty deeds; you don't get more credibility points by creating a false "balanced viewpoint." When it comes to lying, indecency and shamelessness, today's Republicans have created new lows, new measuring sticks, indeed, whole new categories. Give them the full credit they so richly deserve.
3
This leadership now in the White House has so little respect for their Nation, they will parsimoniously omit truths in their descriptions of their opponents in the midterms. They baldly lie regarding events attributed to the Donkeys. In turn, they insult those that recognize the fabrications while underlining the obsequiousness of their mob of ignorance that subscribe to Trump’s lies.
2
“He’s not a war hero. He was a war hero because he was captured. I like people who weren’t captured.
--- Trump on McCain
“I like Presidents who weren’t captured by White Nationalists.”
--- Stanton on Trump.
4
For trump to sit at his desk and tell reporters that the murder of jamal was a botched job, sloppy, completely not planned right, you would think he had personal experience and knowledge of murders. Where are the bodies buried, Trump?
1
Republican polling shows that racially charged immigration issue tremendously helps them with white voters and is a KEY talking point in the scary themed ads of its candidates.
The so called big caravan from central America seems to be very suspiciously timed to coincide with midterm elections. It may probably be dramatically scheduled to arrive on US borders just before the November 6th with helpful media running non stop images from border to help Trump/Republican party gin up their base and scare enough white voters to go vote for Republicans to save this country from the alien mobs led by MS-13 gangs, infiltrated by Muslim terrorists, bent upon creating chaos, murders and lawlessness and end of white civilization!
90
@Freesoul Yeah I think it's a Republican set up. They're nuts enough to do it as a false flag operation.
@Freesoul Let’s talk about immigration and how it’s an environmental nightmare for the US. Immigrants who enter the US have a carbon footprint 4 times higher on average than they did in their native countries. This alone had added 482 million tons of emissions by 2008. I imagine that number is much higher now. It’s interesting that this does not seem to be an issue for Democrats but environmental groups have shown concern.
@Freesoul
Are you saying that MS13 isn't really a problem or that terrorists coming across the border isn't a problem? Or are you saying that 10,000 people crashing the border is not a problem? Democrats have said nothing about this. Once again, "whiteness" is the big issue to loser liberals because they have nothing to run on except identity politics.
Does it occur to us that if anyone is funding the caravan of refugees it is the GOP? They have far more to gain from the press coverage of the caravan than the Democrats. When trump hints that the Democrats are doing this, it seems more like a wink and a nod that HE is in fact behind it. It’s been his M.O. in the past.
3
And how about this...
Georgia’s Republican Governor Candidate Brian Kemp just got caught telling the truth on a hot mic, bashing high voter turnout...he said that he is very concern that people exercise their right to vote.
I'm sure you're extremely concern and scared Mr. Kemp, as well as you should be.
4
A very sad time when I have to listen to my 81 year old brother, who knows he will die soon, tell me he has given up hope in America's future.
I for one, will not give up hope that Truth will win on Nov 6th.
The War on Truth cannot be allowed to win in America.
Honest Christians know the meaning of Truth and Hope.
I hope honest Christians rally for Truth on Nov 6th -- not lies.
4
@Paul
I will be 84 next week, and I sincerely hope that I can outlive, if not Trump himself, at least his presidency.
1
This Republican strategy of lies, fear and generally evil and misanthropic behavior (towards everyone who is not a straight white male) has worked to increasing perfection for a long time, in particular the past 20+ years (aided since then by the propaganda machine of Fox News et. al). So why should they stop now? I see no evidence yet that the Democrats are sufficiently capable and competent to do anything to slow them down.
2
Trump says he is already the greatest President.He boasts that we have the greatest military, the greatest business sector, the greatest economy, and on and on.
But against a caravan of Central American refugees walking towards our border, America is quaking and helpless, in mortal danger of being overrun, our families murdered, our jobs stolen, our economy ruined. It’s so bad, these people, we may have to send in the 82nd Airborne to block the march northward.
Pure, unalloyed demagoguery by a master of the dark arts of fear-mongering.
216
@PaulB67 Ahhhh! The migrants are coming, the migrants are coming! What, whaaat if they make it all the way to Delawaare? How I will I protect myself and my cat? Is it too late to build a bunker? I'm so scaaared.
I think I'm going to dress up a a poor migrant and go to a conservative neighborhood for Halloween. I'll wear a GoPro so I can capture the fear on their face.
1
@PaulB67
Think about this: ten years after the Great Recession, we have an economy that is humming along: low unemployment, strong growth. Yet Trump and the Republicans are running a campaign not based on accomplishments, but based on stoking fear.
The US has a population of 350 million and Trump is branding a caravan of 1,000 Central American migrants as a major threat to the US. Anyone with an ounce of common sense would dismiss this outright, yet Fox News and the GOP keep pushing these lies.
When you have nothing to campaign on, campaign on fear because in many cases fear is irrational, so a logical argument can't undo stoked fears.
@PaulB67 May I share your final sentence? It is very well-expressed.
Bruni is right but here’s the problem: The people who are believing all the lies do not expose themselves to anything but fox news, commercials, and conservative talk shows. The only advantage to being very old is that I won’t have to face the terrible future that all our kids are going to live through.
3
“If I listened only to Donald Trump and those Republican candidates who follow his example, I would be petrified. I would be living in a bunker. I would have cyanide capsules at hand.”
With their trusted ‘news’ network reporting uncritically this exact message 24/7, it’s no surprise that so many Republicans are driven by fear and misinformation. Fox’s serial drama ‘Dark-Skinned Caravan’ is effectively achieving this objective. I question whether Democrats can effectively counter without a similar propaganda arm, not that I’m wishing for such.
3
I agree with everything Mr. Bruni said, but the sad truth is that I fear that the strategy of lies and fear-mongering combined with a strong economy will work for the party of Trump. I fear his base will turn out in force to protect America against those imagined threats, and they will retain control of the House and expand their margin in the Senate.
The other day I was watching Fox News (you have to know what the other side is thinking about) and Shep Smith was (amazingly for Fox) pointing out that the caravan was 1,000 miles away from the US, and was composed of people simply fleeing violence and crushing poverty in hope of a better life. Someone tweeted him something to the effect of "We're not buying your story, Shep. The President says they are criminals and terrorists coming to the US, and we're not letting them in. He has intel and you don't". Smith replied something like "No he doesn't. He doesn't have intel, he has politics". A truthful comment that I am afraid fell on deaf ears.
Sad!
226
@WDL The heart of the matter is that his base is a fraction of the vote-eligible public. They will turn out - but what matters is whether or not the rest of us will do our civic duty, or if we're content to turn it over to the Know-Nothings.
4
When you can't win the argument on the facts, you have to make stuff up.
If all you've done for ten years is try to take away people's health care, make it possible for corporations to donate unlimited amounts to politicians, pass unpopular tax cuts for the 1%, eight years after taxpayers bailed out those reckless banks (and tell those same taxpayers that you are going to cut their medicare and social security to pay for it)-
Then you have no argument, and you must lie.
Lie about treason, terrorists in caravans, non-existent votes (for pre-existing conditions), voter fraud, sexual assault, etc.
This is the expression of complete moral vacuity.
"I support Trump", they say. Which Trump do they support?
The one who said "everyone" would have "beautiful healthcare", before trying to gut the ACA? The one who (right after promising that the tax cut was for the middle class) said to his rich friends at Mar-a-Lago, "I just made you a lot of money?"
The one who shifts at every wind?
There is never going to be a wall, there is never going to be something called "Trumpcare", and there isn't going to be a tax cut before the election, either.
So, is it really just about fear? You can only believe in "the terrorists in the caravan" if you are the type of person who could accept the absurd kind logic that created the Birther lie- that somehow terrorists would fly down to Honduras, walk thousands of miles through South America, and forcibly enter the US through Mexico.
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Apparently Bruni doesn’t remember the Democratic ad showing Paul Ryan pushing Granny off the cliff with “America the Beautiful” playing in the background. Then there’s the vintage anti-Goldwater ad showing a small child picking the petals off a daisy followed by the countdown to nuclear Armageddon. Attack ads? Fear mongering? Dems could give a master class on the subject.
1
A very sad time when I have to listen t my 81 year old brother, who knows he will die soon, tell me he has given up hope in America's future.
I for one, will not give up hope that Truth will win on Nov 6th.
The War on Truth cannot be allowed to win in America.
Honest Christians know the meaning of Truth and Hope.
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Fear and hatred are powerful motivators. Conversely, love and tolerance are inherently non-combative. As a call to arms, fear and hatred reign supreme and that is why the Republican Party promotes it. The Democratic Party had better wake up to this, focus their messaging on the threat to democratic government that the Republican Party represents, and generate some fear of their own regarding the fate of our constitutional democracy under Republican control. A democracy that is led by a political party that lies, cheats, and steals its way to political control is a democracy headed for extinction.
The Democrats can take back the House or the Senate, but it is too late. The damage has already been done. With the new conservative Supreme Court, we are in for thirty years of backward evolution, heading toward a second Dark Ages in America. However, this might turn out to be a blessing in disguise. In the near future, we will program the human mind in the computer using a "survival" algorithm, which will provide irrefutable proof of how we have tricked our minds with our ridiculous beliefs about just exactly what is supposed to survive - producing minds programmed de facto for destruction. When we understand this, we will begin the long road back to reason and sanity.
See RevolutionOfReason.com
For those who fear a Democratic mob running wildly through the streets, overthrowing all manner of law and order, please take comfort in the words of Oklahoma's favorite son, Will Rogers. "I do not belong to an organized political party. I am a Democrat."
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Would you expect anything different from a president well known to cheat at golf. In his mind that's winning. And apparently, the Republicans think so also.
This election will say more about the America people than anything else, and the world is eagerly watching to see if this fiasco of a country can determine a blowhard liar.
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Fear and lies work. It is unfortunate but true -- the so-called "blue wave" is likely to crash upon the rocks of ignorance and hate.
One should not underestimate the ability of Trump to soil anything he touches.
1
Actually, nearly all the things Trump says have turned out to be largely true. For example, there is a photograph of the caravan in The NY Times itself. It's the Democrats who are scared and resorting to hysterical tactics.
2
I don't want to see Trump's face or hear his lies for one more second. Let Fox News be the only ones to show up at the Sarah Huckabee Sanders Show and those riots called rallies.
Why would anyone ask Kellyanne Conway a question and then repeat it on the news? Every time the real press hears another Republican lie pick up your pencils and cameras and walk out the door.
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“(The midterms) are also a test of where the limits of decency and shamelessness are drawn.”
I thought we already failed that test in 2016.
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Mr Bruni, thanks for another fine piece, with which I agree wholeheartedly. But that sort of reflects my concern -- is there anyone reading this who doesn't already largely agree with you? Citing absence of facts and outrageously unfounded opinions isn't what it used to be!
Such vitriol is notunknown in this country. Consider the rhetoric heard between 1850 and 1860. Of course , next came the Civil War. God help us.
If someone as wealthy as Soros had funded the migrant caravan, they migrants would have much better clothing and transportation. This lie is so obviously false that it signals plausibility is no constraint.
It is real surrealistic to stand on the side and see how your country is reaching a new lower rock-bottom every day.
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Let's not make the mistake that people actually believe any of this malarkey. Like the wonderful comparison (in this paper a year ago or so) to pro wrestling, the fans don't believe what they see and hear. The show simply provides them with an outlet for their bloodlust. Similarly, GOP supporters don't believe the lies. The lies simply give them permission to parade their venality and vote as they always intended. The lies function like the hood worn by the klan. It doesn't hide who they are, it only masks their shame.
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Am I the only one who finds it suspicious that the "caravan" of desperate Central Americans is wending its way toward the border just in time for the midterms? If this group is somehow supported financially by an outside agent, who is most likely to have provided such support? Well, who stands to gain the most from it? Aren't the Republicans the ones who are cashing in on this event? Do I have to spell it out for you?
Of course, I am the one who suspected Karl Rove of feeding Dan Rather the bogus letter that brought down Rather's broadcasting career. So maybe I am just paranoid.
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Frank. Your article reminds me of 2012 when Obama ran against Romney and Ryan. I recall “fear” in the form of adds “throwing granny off a cliff in her wheelchair” and lies in the form of Harry Reid stating Romney had not paid taxes while on the Senate floor (a point he later confirmed was totally made up). What goes around indeed comes around.
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Just judging from the amount of threats supposedly coming from that Democratic mob, you would think that Republicans are the snowflakes instead of the Democrats. It must be a terrible thing to be so scared of your own shadow that you vote in a way that threatens your own wellbeing. I'm glad I'm a Democrat, that I know the truth of all that Mr. Bruni covers. The threat of Republicans taking away everything I have fought for as a woman of some years keeps me fired up and ready to go. Beware of old ladies with a cause.
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Frank, with all his scams failing Trump is on a very vicious, ugly and dangerous game of embracing White Nationalists to get the required votes for his equally crooked Republican teammates.
Knowing all about Trump and what he can do to make his party win in the midterms, we Americans should be quite aware of his mindset and how low he can go to win in his life.
His book "Art of the Deal" gives a lot of hints to us as to how low this con man and a snake oil salesman will go to clinch any deals.
Maybe he was successful by stooping to the lowest levels to make money like we saw him filing bankruptcy five or six times in his lifetime to acquire his enormous wealth.
We also saw him even before Mr. Mueller has completed his investigation about how he won his one and only elections of his life by first shamelessly asking for our worst enemy Russia's help in collecting his opponent Hillary's campaign related emails.
Next we learnt that he sent those campaign infighting related emails to Wikileaks to malign Hillary's reputation among her female voters so that after reading those chaotic emails from John Podesta, her campaign manager, they stay out or vote for Trump and other third party candidates.
No wonder Mr. Mueller is going to charge Roger Stone, his campaign manager for handing over those stolen emails he received from the Russian hackers like Guccifer 2.0 working in their G.R.U. Unit supervised directly by Putin and handing over to Julian Assange of Wikileaks.
Go figure !
Right! Bad people on both sides. Until after the election, Bruni is off my reading list.
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Trump recently claimed his low ratings in a poll of other countries (especially low among our allies!) indicates that they realize they can no longer "rip off the US." Um, no. It reflects their recognition that a country they once admired for her ideals and achievements has elected a mentally unstable ignoramus to its highest office. They are waiting anxiously to see if the America they admired will show up at the polls on Nov. 6. Please, please vote!!
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Hostile "protesters," assaulting people in diners for doing their jobs doesn't scare us. (Though it bothers me that you apparently see nothing wrong with it) But it does scare us that it is a sitting U.S congressperson fomenting this type of violence against people who may be her constituents.
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How can the Democrats fight a caravan of unwitting fools? How do you oppose politicians with no goal but remaining in power at all costs? No matter what happens in November these questions will persist.
The Democrats have created a humanitarian crisis. We have homeless veterans on our streets. We have so many people struggling to pay the rent since our factories were closed and the jobs sent to Mexico and China under Democratic trade policies. Detroit filed for bankruptcy just a few years ago. We have tent colonies in nearly every major American city now, because low skilled people cannot find work. And now, these migrants are marching towards the United States and they’re carrying Honduran flags. They’re not coming here for Donald Trump. They’re coming for all the Democratic promises. They talk like they have jobs lined up for when they get here. The reality is, these people, if admitted to the United States, will starve on the streets, turn to crime, or go on public assistance. What has Nancy Pelosi done?
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@Voice of Reason. Of all the factors and all the people to blame....somehow it is the female MINORITY party leader who is to blame? And why oh why are people in such fear of refugees?
Fear and lies have been GOP bread and butter as long as I've been alive. The radical Right has no bottom.
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Yawn!!! Bruni points out the standard excesses of any campaign season and the alights on his side of the fence - finger pointed.
Where is the complete destruction of American democracy that we've all been promised so many times? Where is the end of America as we know it? Well, it's not here in this campaign and it's not now in this country.
The pendulum has swung a little... Relax, get over it. Go get em tomorrow.
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Fear, Lies and Scapegoating....it's ALWAYS been the republican play book.
Leadership?
Respect?
Honor?
Those have no place in my former party.
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My new favorite is when Trump claims the Saudis just executed the worst cover-up in history. For my money, the worst in history was his cover-up of the Stormy Daniels pay-off.
Umm I wonder what he will say when the republicans retain their control? The fear tactic worked? Could it be just maybe the dems are to far left and the center is closer to the stinking republicans? Maybe this new Republican Party is shaping up to be the New Democrat Party. Wow mind blown!
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You and too many Dems are making the classic Dem mistake of fighting passion and craziness with logic. Logic never gets the job done because impassioned voters have already turned off the logic circuits. You have to fight passionately. Here's a hint: There is no advantage to Dems to fund the caravan but plenty for the Russians. Tell me the caravan isn't a campaign dirty trick worthy of Lee Atwater. Make that your rallying cry for the next 10 days.
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Thank you for the details. But really, what did you expect?
New York liberals living in their bubble need to come up for air. The Fear and loathing articles only serve to drive conservatives to the polls earlier and earlier. I don't know about you...but signs of early voting, sometimes 2x and 3x should be a wake up for democrats
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Caution . . . Don't even dip a toe in false equivalence.
Castro's passing along a theory was not good, but the theory was indeed plausible. At the root of it is Kushner's apparent bro'friend relationship with MBS and the vile response of our president to the murder of a Washington Post journalist.
And mentioning Avenatti is an unnecessary concession. Avenatti is an opportunist to be sure. But I am unaware of any dishonest behavior. His aggressive trolling of Trump is good theater and based on the truth, as has been revealed by Michael Cohen and others. Even his wandering into the Kavanaugh confirmation was based on accusations that, while not confirmed, have not been rebutted. His wandering was probably strategically stupid, but not even in the same category as the Republican efforts to slander, lie and suppress votes.
In order for the U.S. to solve problems we must have a problem solver at the helm of the ship. Presently we have a problem creator backed up by a Congress full of other problem creators.
In addition to the bonfire of civil unrest Trump and the Republican Party are fueling with divisive rhetoric, Trump is creating instability in government operations due to his $1 Trillion Dollar deficit, a 1% growth in tax revenue, a 4% spending increase, and a $20 Trillion Dollar interest payment. Ask yourself how long our government will continue to function on borrowed funds from China and why we are giving tax cuts to entities that do not need them?
Large segments of our nation are under a life threatening strain to make ends meet and are threatened by cuts to the welfare upon which their health, safety, and well-being depends. Instead of dealing with this national emergency, Trump and the Republican Party are marginalizing the victims of intense poverty with divisive political rhetoric and starving them out of existence while accusing them of being bad people not worthy of government aid.
I hope in raising your awareness of this emergency that you will know that we need your help and that means going to the polls and electing Democrats who will not turn a blind to the emergencies playing out in every single state. We cannot stand by and allow Trump and the Republican Party to starve entire communities out of existence. No way will I do that and I hope you won’t either.
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Just got off the phone after talking to my son. A lawyer, living and working in Washington D. C. My! what a downer.
My son has no hope--and precious little use for people who do. "Pie in the sky!" he jeers.
The people whose utter mendacity, Mr. Bruni, you have exposed in such horrifying detail--
--these people are supported by millions of OTHER people. These people (my son says) are incorrigible and unteachable. They go through life wearing blinkers.
Eventually (he says)--even as ferocious hurricanes ravage the United States--
--as ocean waves go swirling down Broadway--
--as medicare and social security are deftly but ruthlessly slashed--
--they will go down their primrose path, dancing to the beguiling tune piped by our Pied Piper in Chief and his cadre of followers and hangers on.
Myself--yes, I DO have hope. I DO hope the lies are exposed--the frauds unmasked--the deceptions stripped away. I DO cling to--
--how to say this?--
--to the unexpected.
Not like Mr. Micawber--"something may turn up."
No--but rather in the sense: the unexpected almost invariably turns up. Things seldom go altogether as foretold. The unpredictable often bedevils the predictions of the wise, the learned, the sagacious.
'Cause you GOTTA have hope. Right, Mr. Bruni?
How else to deal with the pitiful lies, frauds, deceptions you have dragged into the light?
Maybe you could write my son a letter.
Or maybe I could.
Thanks for your piece.
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Thank you for this. Brought tears to my eyes. I feel the same.
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@Susan Fitzwater
And therein lies one of the principle reasons why Dems will once again lose. Far too many of those on the Left think the reason they continue to lose is because voters are stupid, unreachable, deplorable because they won’t embrace the Left’s liberal agenda, you know, for their own good. Actually, many people are just smart enough to realize that open borders, sanctuary cities that take federal tax dollars but won’t help enforce federal laws, higher individual and business taxes, and discounting the idea that a person is innocent until “proven” guilty IS NOT for their own good. And the Dems keynote mid-term issue of healthcare? You only need back on prior Dem promises and policies related to healthcare to see how that’ll work out. Lies about keeping your doctor, lies about premiums going down, lies about how it would be funded. Deception from the day ACA passed.
@Susan Fitzwater: I believe your son is right and hope is as much a blindfold for the reasonable as idiocracy is for the ignorant base. I vote. But two weeks from now I expect to have life ripped out from under us - everything we've believed in, worked for, expected, looked forward to, gone - for good. When reading The Road, The Handmaid's Tale, 1984, the list is long - it no longer is fiction. It's here and it's knocking at the door like the grim reaper.
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When the elected representatives become the ruling class, we no longer have a democracy. We have an oligarchy. This is what we have. An oligarchy.
Campaign finance reform. Now.
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Both parties have acted wretchedly? Frank please don't enter that false equivalence into the narrative. That's exactly the kind of message that makes voters throw up their hands and stay home. Michael Avenatti is not affiliated with the Democratic Party! He's a lawyer defending a woman who was paid money by the Presedent to hush up their affair. His beef is with Trump. He is not in the same league as Donald Trump, Fox News and the GOP.
3
If ever Trump gains full power over his country, he will then let it to itself, financially and morally depressed. He would have won, it's all that count for him.
In a local race in Massachusetts the GOP candidate is saying a DEM candidate does not live in his district tho he grew up here and lives at his parent's home when he is not two hours (or more given traffic and weather) drive away at the state capital. So spreading misinformation is at the local election level as well.
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"To prevent a blue wave on Nov. 6, the president and his puppets are traveling audaciously far from the truth and shockingly deep into the gutter. I’ve seen bad before, but not this. The midterms aren’t just a referendum on which direction the country will go. They’re also a test of where the limits of decency and shamelessness are drawn."
If we vote to keep Trump and Republicans in power...if we vote to allow THIS (Trump and Republican ANYTHING IS FAIR GAME behavior) - then we as a country deserves what we get.
Specters and fear will make America Great Again. Really? Or so says our lying president. I don't know if Trump and the Republicans or their screaming followers make me sicker. They will scream us out of justice and equality for all, health care, protecting the environment, and anything that borders on humanity. I guess that's the way they want to live.
One writer claims 'we are only in the 'foothills of shamelessness'. We are running toward the mountain.
There is no workable both-sides-do-it response to what Donald Trump and the Republican Party are now engaged in. It's straight-up demagoguery -- lies, fear-mongering, propaganda, vilifying adversaries, creating scapegoats, stoking resentments, disenfranchising voters. We're past the point where arguments for equivalence between the political parties make sense. It's time for pundits to give up their quest.
5
Use of the word "inventions" at the end of Frank Bruni's otherwise on-point commentary is far too generous to Donald Trump. "Deceptions" is closer. "Misrepresentations and outright lies" is closer still.
1
How can we navigate this terrain, without a map, that is scattered with lies? How does the beacon of truth travail the smoke and mirrors of lies? More importantly, who are we and what kind of world do we wish for ourselves, all other citizens of this planet and most importantly our children?
I worry, justifiably, that the United States is on a path to destroy this Democracy as well as the planet. G-d, aren't I thinking the same thing that the Republicans are thinking. But I read, I observe and I ask, who is protecting the truth? Is there no way left to discern the truth from the lies?
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What a sad waste of time !! The voters that NEED honest information and clear points of view do not read the NYT. It looks like we are preaching to the converted here.
What about finding a way to reach out to those who don't read newspapers or are fed lies by Fox news. Why don't we focus on sharing facts with all those Americans who are shielded from them? Let's start writing about ways to educate people. Let's focus on making a difference not by pointing out to Trump's lies but by allowing more and more people to come to the same conclusion by themselves thanks to the info that they receive.
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the GOP has lost any semblance of integrity. Their lies should be easy to counter by simply revealing the substantiated truth. Are the Democrats doing this effectively? Well, sort of but seem to leave a lot to the press. I'd like to see a veritable blitz of Democratic ads doing this because in life truth, integrity and honesty matter.
Trump manipulates the media along with Fox "news". He creates a crisis such as the caravan from Central America and then the media rushes in to cover it. Instead of reporting the growing deficit, the lack of health care, the future attack by the GOP on Social Security and Medicare and his withdrawal from the nuclear treaty, the media is deflected to Trump's agenda. He instills fear and falsehoods to rally his base prior to the election.
There is no mention how theTrump family has used his office to enrich the family's wealth.
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Frank, we have the likes of you and the NYT to blame for much of it. We are getting an overdose of "fear and lies" from both parties. The strategy we need on both sides is serving our entire republic, not just the left or the right.
We need legislators who can negotiate and work together for a common good. Our goal cannot be "our way or the highway." The only road that works is the one that posted with, "Going Our Way?"
1
Mr. Bruni's column gets it backwards. He and the Progressives are the ones promoting fear -- fear of Trump, fear of tax cuts, fear of old white men, etc. And they have no stronger grasp on the truth than do their friends on the other side of the political spectrum.
What he and the Progressives are actually worried about is another political failure at the polls. Hence, the need for a new narrative to rationalize their loss.
A lot of rationalization in this article. Sinema despises her own state, but because someone accused her of treason, that somehow doesn't matter. A migrant caravan is trying to illegally enter the country by force, but because someone speculated that George Soros had funded it, that somehow doesn't matter. A "renegade PAC" said that Democrats would begin lynching again if they won. Joe Biden made a similar comment a few years back, on a national stage, with Frank Bruni's tacit blessing. People are so unashamed these days of denouncing their own rhetoric when used by others.
Most bizarre moment in the article, was seeing Bruni denounce Sherrod Brown being accused of sexual assault without evidence. Didn't we just determine that evidence isn't needed in such cases? The Republicans might have a right to complain about this, but Bruni certainly doesn't.
@Duke of Zork
A lot of conspiracy-theory based nonsense in your post. The "Scareavan" (thank you, Stephen Colbert) is not "trying to illegally enter the country by force" and in the reality-based world poses no threat to the United States. The odious obfuscation on the parts of Jim Gaetz, Martha McSally and Jim Renacci are not the truth. You're repeating lying nonsense that employed by Trump and Fox News. People who fall for these obvious, intelligence-insulting scare tactics should be ashamed of themselves. Mr. Bruni's op-ed is spot-on.
I would love for the NYT, WaPo, and the rest of the news ourlets, including OpEd writers, to stop with the balance for balance’s sake. There is only one party that is ruining discourse. Regular, sane people exist on both sides of the political spectrum, but the only sanity left in government politics resides in the Democratic Party. There is no equivalence between Dem misdeeds and Republican Party subversion and gaslighting of our shared sense of reality.
2
Mr. Bruni, you are correct about the new lows being achieved by the Republican Party when it comes to truthfulness. However, these lies only have currency if they are embraced by enough of the electorate to win elections. The sad, single truth among all the lies is that the behavior you describe has led the Republican Party to win control of the Presidency, the U.S. Senate, the U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Supreme Court, and two thirds of all state legislatures and governorships. In doing so, and enacting voter suppression laws, gerrymandering districts, intimidating legal immigrants, and funding it all with unleashed corporate campaign funds, they likely have established control of government for as long as the current government form exists in America. More to the point, even if the opposition is enable to muster the 65% necessary to "win" power back, there is every reason to believe that the Republicans will declare the election invalid and refuse to cede power. Why do you think there are accusations of terrorism, treason, and "mob rule"? They are just setting the stage...
3
Wake up, good Trump Republicans. "He made the trains run on time" won't cut it. It's high time to start caring about what the president says and does. Once upon a time, the world was wrecked by on-time trains and lies like these. Lies and fear. Lies and racism and xenophobia. Lies and demonizing the Constitutional free press. The dishonest immoral corrupt president is setting the example that his servile loyalists are following. Good lord. Fist fights between Kelly and Lewandowski outside the Oval Office? The Trump Republican tax-cut-for-the-rich is causing trillion dollar deficits. And the Trump Republicans are using their own tax-cut deficit to justify their plans to decimate Social Security and Medicare and health care. This is a bi-partisan thing. The wellbeing of the nation is at stake.
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Actually, he' snot running the trains on time, either. @Robert
@Rat Lauer
Thanks for your reply. It is simply not true that the tax cuts resulted in a surplus. I'm not against deficits per se. President Obama rescued the nation from the last Republican economic crash. He did so despite opposition from the Republicans who wanted to make him look bad. Such rescues always require government spending.
Rat Lauer wrote:
"The tax cuts resulted in a tax revenue surplus. The deficit has to do with runaway spending on both sides.. Did not hear your side screaming when Obama doubled our debt in 8 years."
What this coming election will tells us is how far we as a nation have drifted into politics of "bread and circuses." We too often forget, when talking about our forefathers---the ones that wrote the constitution---that they were highly educated men with backgrounds able to craft a document and a style of governance that reflected thoughtfulness. The largest danger to our Republic now is a populace consumed with watching and responding to all forms of social media that promote thoughtlessness.
From my vantage point the strategy works just fine. Look who's in control of all three branches of government.
3
Thanks Frank. I always read your columns, although I have stopped reading most others, and don't click on political 'stories' anymore.
I am not American, and so can do nothing about the nightmare of cognitive dissonance and dystopian events that have overtaken your country.
"...a test of where the limits of decency and shamelessness are drawn." Something tells me those limits have barely been plumbed.
I enjoyed your fashion column, I hope you did. I hope it was a bit of comic relief, and not too uncomfortable.
I can't imagine how journalists like yourself sit down every day with the latest headline outrages, and far more importantly with the below the radar bombs that are destroying both your society and world order. It has appeared that the daily outrages are about as much as anyone can fathom, and the bombs are exploding in a forest where there is no one to hear them.
Best wishes. You are about the only reason I keep my NYT's subscription at this point.
1
In order to cast his party as "for the working class," the President is offering the last minute promise of a middle class tax cut. I wonder if Mexico is going to pay for it or if he is going to blame the deficit this would create on the Obama administration.
1
If the only voters that turn out are the ones that believe all these patten boldface lies then the country deserve what it gets. If the informed voters don't vote due to apathy then they are in no position to complain.
Would-be demogogues have always been with us, but at some point we need to place the blame where it belongs, namely the large swath of the American electorate that’s chosen sink into victimhood and accept all kinds of crackpot explanations for its dissatisfaction with life.
When you’re living in coal country these past 25 years, waiting for coal to come back rather than moving, getting retrained, etc., i suppose there’s a certain appeal in blaming it on those who “gave away the store”. And Trump stands ready to feed this sense of victimhood.
When you’re a Senatorial candidate in Massachusetts, some 1500 miles from the Texas/Mexico border, you can stoke the same sense of victimhood in a certain large percentage of the voters by playing the anti-immigration card (despite the fact that immigration is not a factor in our white-hot labor market).
Why not tap the deep vein of racism that our better angels kept suppressed for much of our recent history? After all (as Trump’s noted), it’s working...
In an earlier time, the vast majority of the audience would have dismissed such candidates’ low-road appeals, but no more. Victimhood has replaced both critical thinking and self-reliance. Our democracy is much the worse for these developments.
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This is politics. What did you expect with Drake’s so high? The object is to win over your constituency and get them to vote. Fortunately, politics is war...by other means. Let’s keep that in mind on Nov 6. And on Nov 7 the sun WILL rise whatever the outcome.
"I would be convinced that the scattered protesters disrupting some Republicans’ meals were the advance guard of a violent liberal mob about to wrest control of the country."
I would be convinced that they are the "polite" thought-police cohort of the masked Berkeley "free-speech" street-thugs inspired by Trotsky and Marcuse--which is all that the losers have left.
At least they're not spitting in their food yet. After the "blue wave" disappears and the House and Senate remain in the hands of the GOP?
1
Once a Republican named John McCain refused to go "gutter" in a moment which many Republicans blamed (incorrectly, in my view) for his defeat to Barack Obama. That moment restored some hope in me that there could be a "loyal opposition".
That hope has been obliterated in the last two years.
Democrats will never sink as low as Republicans because they fundamentally believe in fair play (in the form of equal pay, worker rights, gender and sex equality, etc.). On the other hand Republicans position themselves on the side of righteousness and in a twisted rationalization believe that whatever they do to win is fine because they’re on the “right” side. In other words it’s okay to lie and cheat. Read John Dean’s book, “Conservatives Without Compassion” for an explanation.
2
The biggest tip-off for me to lies is the use of the third person is their description. Killers always describe their actions by saying "the gun just went off" as if it had a mind of its own.
Mr. Trump always coats his whoppers with the "fact" that "people are saying" something and the vagary of "time will tell" and "we'll see".
While it is theoretically possible for Middle Easterners to be woven into the fabric of the glacial caravan moving north, it is just as likely to have it contain Norwegians.
People are saying...
3
This all feeds into my "It's not the steak, it's the sizzle" theory of America. Often a one minute movie trailer is more exiting than than the movie itself. If you've seen the trailer you've seen all the best bits of the movie. Trump throws out a slogan or statement, any statement, and everyone goes nuts. His supporters lap it up (e.g., "Lock her up", "Mexico will pay for the wall", "Watch out for the socialist mob", etc.) while the press dwells on it. Everyone pays attention. Add to this the fact that in our 2018 cell phone world the average American attention span is about twenty seconds and you have the president you have. Also, even if facts don't support any of the perceived Republican enemies (the mob, Muslims, immigrants, Canadians, left-handed persons), my theory posits that people rally around the negative much better than they rally around the positive. Trump's sizzle factor is off the scale. His steak factor is zero.
2
What I would simply like to know is when did all these Republican candidates stop beating their spouses?
The problem is that Trump's cult, consisting of 35% of the electorate, don't care one bit about all his lies. Their response is usually a shrug of the shoulders followed by the phrase, "All politicians lie." Then they'll use the false equivalence that "Obama said you can keep you doctor," as if one misstatement by Obama makes up for over 5000 lies told by our current president in less than two years. Perhaps it wouldn't be the worst idea in the world if Democrats matched Trump lie for lie and made as many outrageous, unsubstantiated claims as he does. Fight fire with fire. Then this country would be in total chaos, instead of the half-chaos we now experience.
Timing it turns out is everything. A blue tsunami talked about this summer is at best now a trickle and appears to be ebbing rapidly. First the ground shakes. Then water recedes exposing the ocean floor before the tidal wave arrives destroying everything in its path.
Our October surprise [tidal wave] turns out to be a caravan.
Sinclair Lewis' quote that Fascism [authoritarian and nationalistic (the new magical word) right-wing system of government] will come wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross is here - right now. And the sham accuser and faithful advocate of the practice is our current President. All the examples are simply follow the leader tactics that unfortunately work.
Fear & Lies - it is working - biggly! Why? Some percentage of the supposedly 'informed voters' [oh how I despise that phrase] buy this tripe.
2
Trump “has paid no penalty for his whoppers over the years.”
This is the deadly virus that Trump has infected our democracy with: a lack of accountability and consequences for inconsiderate, inappropriate, immoral, and in some cases, likely illegal acts.
Time will tell if we have an antidote we can inject in time to recover.
I am not hopeful.
2
Two thoughts. Why do Democrats HAVE to walk back misleading statements, but Republicans do not? Why don't Democrats just "leave it out there and move on?" Secondly. I would suggest to Democrats to suggest to the country that IF Soros and his peers are financing the caravan, the Republicans counter that "effort" with one of their own: have the Kochs et al pay the folks in the caravan MORE to turn around. So much cheaper than building a wall. And you could do what stinking rich people do: hide the money in Mexican banks and make it look like the Mexicans are paying for it. The reason that doesn't happen is because having a caravan is so much better for Republicans than getting rid of it.
1
What seems to be lost on the liberal media is that most Americans don’t want this caravan of migrants coming here, regardless of whether-or-not MS-13 or Middle Easterners are in it. What is further lost on the liberal media is that this caravan probably wouldn’t exist if the Democrats were united with Republicans in opposing these groups. Right now, the Democrats are mostly staying silent and the liberal media isn’t asking them the hard questions.
1
If you think this is bad, if you think lying and slithering in the gutter is bad, if you think fear mongering is bad, you haven't seen anything yet, you haven't thought about just how really bad Trump and Republicans are capable of going.
America is no longer a democratic republic. It ended in the first days of the Trump presidency when Republicans in Congress renounced their oaths of office and joined a despot to form an autocracy. Republicans plan to keep power, keep control of government despite the will of the people; America is a republic in name only.
Name calling, fear mongering, lying, are disgusting tactics of a disgusting excuse for a political party. But disgusting is not as far as they will go.
Do you think Trump will not create a fake emergency (like exaggerating the threat of immigrants) to declare martial law? Oh you thought Kelly or some other sane person hiding in the Administration would stop him? Think again.
Republicans are prepared to do what it takes to keep power. The end justifies the means and the means are not limited to name calling and lying. Shutting down polling places in Democratic areas, purging Democrats' names from voter roles, manipulating voting machines, intimidation at the polls are some of the tactics they will not rule out.
Trump and Republicans will give up control of the US government from their dead cold hands.
4
You neglected to mention the Florida Governor's race where racist robo-calls are being made by individuals posing as the Black candidate. America is a decaying nation, and politics is but one example of the erosion in character. Our leaders no longer represent the brightest and best- just the opposite. Our student's academic ranking consistently falls. The idea that hard work over a lifetime will lead to success is laughed at, with everyone seeking instant wealth and recognition. The masses are far more concerned with lottery results than political news. We are no longer embarrassed to spout racist, sexist or homophobic views. And most importantly, as you observe, truth is not important. Trump is not the problem, or the cause of the problem. He is merely a symptom of decay.
2
How can we trust leaders (our president!) that do nothing but lie? And not just once or twice but every day all day day in day out.
We need to be able to trust our leaders, our president especially. How can we do that if he does nothing but lie?
I called Senator Collins' office yesterday, for the first time since her vote went for Kavanaugh. The staffer politely listened to me as I told my concerns about Trump's lying. She basically hung up on me when I said that if Collins does not stand up for the truth, if she does not condemn this man's lies, she is complicit.
Complicit. It has an ugly ring to it. Just like describing oneself as a 'nationalist' has an ugly ring to it.
It's time for Republicans to stand up for what is right. We teach our children from a very young age, not to lie. No one taught the president and his Republican supporters I guess. In Trump's world it's 'the end justifies the means' no matter what it does to our country.
If we do not stop him on November 6, I truly fear for my country. We can't survive these lies. Trust will become something quaint from our past.
Our first president said, "I cannot tell a lie". Our last president (if he wins, I predict he's the last American president and first American dictator) cannot tell the truth and doesn't even care.
It makes me crazy. And incredibly sad.
2
The more Trump makes fun of people and makes his opponents look utterly ridiculous, with his shrugs and eye rolling and hand maneuvers, the more his crowd roars.
He gets it. We don’t.
He loves the cameras, he loves the drama, he loves, loves, loves those who love, love, love him. And they do love him.
Now doesn’t that sound like others in history? The others in history were led by their leader, not necessarily good sense, or morals, or truth. The leaders who even led them to demise, but their loyalty was more important to both parties than anything else. It was easier than opposing that leader in many ways. It takes the followers less energy to go along with rather than question reason, perhaps safer in their own right.
We’re the ones who are wary of the likes of the Donald Trump show - his supporters love the show, they love being in the midst, and like other even cult leaders, Trump knows the game, knows the temperament and psychological needs of those that follow him, and he uses it to the hilt. And they love it. It does something for them, it’s fireworks in their mind, and Donald uses and ignites the dynamite.
I truly believe, too, he only does it for himself, not them, and just walks back to Air Force One laughing his head off about his show.
1
I am not as worried as you are Frank. Trump is at 35 percent in the polls, heard it on TYT. And get this, he only has 3 percent of black voters' support. Kanye probably helped there!
Even on Fox, who interviewed Independents about immigration and the caravan, Trump got slammed. Boy did the interviewer scramble to try and keep up GOP scary talking points over what these reasonable independents said.
Trump has the evil Christian far right and the white supremacists and the old white people who watch only Fox.
He has denigrated every race except whites, and even some of them.
I think the GOP has played it's last hand. And the candidates who are emulating Trump...I do not think they are going to do as well as they think.
Most Americans are not swayed by rabble rousers for long. Most Americans from all economic levels have what my Mom used call "good horse sense" And I think there are plenty of Trump voters who are beginning say neigh.
4
Without honesty and without decency there can be no open elections, no rational dialogue for formulating policy, and no effective democracy.
The Republican Party’s strategy of lying about their policies such as being against the ACA, their intention for cutting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and passing a tax cut that favors mainly the extreme wealthy and the corporate elite and raises the deficit by 1.5 trillion is not only reprehensible but suggests that they feel that voters are ignorant and have no memories. Then they attempt to smear the Democratic Party as being for terrorism and open borders and portray the Democratic Party as a violent mob. This is equally destructive and is the methodology of Despots and
Fascists that campaign with lies and propaganda.
We cannot stay as a democracy if one party doesn’t
adhere to a reasonable code of honesty and treats the opposition with respect as opponents not enemies.
The Republican Party is shameless and believes in voter suppression and deception. Trump calls himself a Nationalist. Is he saying that he and his corrupted power hungry Republican
Party have become a fascistic Nationalistic Party like the Nationalist Socialists of Germany in the 1930s.
In their methodology of lies, scapegoating,
anger, resentment , division, and dishonest propaganda they seem to be following that path!
Just pathetic! Where are true Patriots to reject this odious political behavior?
1
I don't know how we ever recover from this. Even with the expulsion of Trump. It feels like so many bridges have been burnt that there is no return to some state of rational discourse between parties and identities.
The cowboy hat wearing Greg Gianforte's grotesquery is just so pure: the wealthiest of House Denizens has inspired this crazed president's bragging about violently driving a weakling reporter to the ground and breaking his glasses, for asking an impertinent question----about health care.
These alienated Republican people love this. Just like they love World Federation of Fake Wrestling. They have lost their grip on reality. Bullying is a selling point. These kind of people never root for the underdog. Pack mentality.
You turn this corner and it's difficult to come back because interior guilt will not allow confronting one's base behavior. You are embarrassed about it and so you defend it.
We are in a really bad spot.
2
By many measures the economy is great! 87% of Republicans (87%!) favor the President and his policies; 45% of Americans agree and they are concentrated in the Red States. That, coupled with gerrymandering and vote suppression, mean the Democrats have a very steep hill to climb to victory - to take the House or the Senate and provide a check on who many consider the worst President in our history. Until the Red States feel devastating economic pain, and until they realize Democrats are not the enemy (is that even possible in the face of Fox “news”?!) there will be no backlash against Trump and his party. I am not at all optimistic for any Democratic victory in November.
1
“Renacci offered no names, no details, no way for anyone to look into the matter. He just dropped the bomb and moved on.”
Sounds strangely like the Kavanaugh hearings, only the Republicans and Trump do it better than the Democrats which is really the point of this article. Sounds like the blue wave has turned into a slop bucket.
@Ed
Dr. Blasey Ford did not "drop the bomb and move on"; she questioned by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The scope of the FBI investigation in this matter was severely limited by the White House. Jim Renacci is a shady character whose behavior during the campaign has been so odious that even the state Republican Party is reluctant to provide funds for it. There is no comparison between the two situations.
Most Ohioans know what a crook Jim Renacci is, and to compare him with Dr. Blasey Ford is foolish.
"I would be convinced that the scattered protesters disrupting some Republicans’ meals were the advance guard of a violent liberal mob about to wrest control of the country."
This is a terribly disingenuous thing to say. Republican Steve Scalise was very nearly killed by a distraught Democrat and Bernie Sanders supporter, James Hodgkinson. Republican Rand Paul suffered multiple broken ribs at the hands of his neighbor, another Democrat who disagreed with Rand Paul's legislative agenda. One of the women who accosted Jeff Flake on the Senate elevator is, in fact, on the George Soros payroll. Please acknowledge that some of your fellow Democrats are guilty of exactly what Republicans are charging.
Last night I watched the movie “Idiocracy”.
It seemed liked a look into the future.
That place where trumpism will end up.
1
Leave democracy to people who can reason. Yea, don’t we wish. That would eliminate a good number of already-elected officials and more than a few recently-appointed judges.
One wonders at the power of education. How is it that a mostly literate electorate cannot reason their way out of a pick-up truck with the gate down?
2
Blaming Democrats for the caravan may be a lie designed to stoke fear, but it is simple and probably effective. There are many Americans, including independents crucial to Democrats on Nov. 6, who are probably unnerved by the images of a wave of humanity heading toward the U.S.
IMHO this is a huge threat to Democrats. The question is why they do not recognize it and do not push back hard on this blame being cast by Trump and the Republicans.
Democrats need to hammer home their own simple message in response: Trump and the Republicans are in power, and are responsible for the caravan. They have burned and ignored our foreign allies, and they are responsible for a foreign policy that did nothing to prevent this caravan from forming in the first place.
7
@Dan88 "Blaming Democrats for the caravan may be a lie..."
And it will remain so, until Democrats forcefully denounce this invasion force.
@Mike Thank you for unintentionally underscoring my point: Even with control of the Presidency and both chambers of Congress, all Republicans do with respect to their failures is point fingers at Democrats, who are out of power.
The caravan is Trump and Congressional Republicans' responsibility, not Democrats.
@Dan88 Who is paying for this traveling road show?
In decrying the trend towards lies and negative spin, Mr. Bruni doesn't point out that it works.
In 2016, a Reality Show Con Artist who played to our racist and misogynistic resentments because he knew how deeply those resentments lay, was elected President. Or maybe I missed the point of introducing his campaign by claiming Mexicans are rapists.
The grifter in chief and the Vichy GOP have long counted on Americans to be as stupid and resentful as we are and they win elections.
The Russians have shown that Social Media only amplifies our ignorance and gives it a greater platform. And isn't is all so entertaining as well?
In the 40's, 50's and 60's, we worried the creation of the nuclear bomb was going to be the human races undoing.
Now it is clear that the Internet and Social Media, by shortening our attention span, promoting entertainment over information and propagating lies and ignorance at a rapid pace is a far more dangerous weapon.
5
@Mike N It all starts and ends with television. I've worked in that industry for years and it's about one thing and one thing only. Selling something. And with Fox, Rush etc., the domination is complete.
1
And of course news organizations are happy to oblige Trump by keeping the caravan as the lead story as it moves step-by-step as if the border is about to collapse any moment and the country will be lost. Political coverage should lead with the issues that the middle class care about - jobs, infrastructure and healthcare. Please don't feed the Trump lie machine - tbh I am sick of all the winning.
9
I am headed for the bunker with my cyanide pills in hand myself, but it is because there doesn't seem to be a darn thing that can be done about any of this mendacity. Worse, Mr. Trump seems to be getting more popular all of the time. His "base" is growing larger and stronger, and the rest of us just keep whining about how bad it is with no plan of any kind to turn this thing around. At this point, I sincerely doubt there is going to be any "blue wave" at all, and Trump and his multitudes are going to be gloating and escalating their attacks on everything that is worth living for.
Commenter, jrinsc, the number one readers' pick at this time, succinctly listed some of our devastating crimes of cleansing. The unwanted, the dirty, the worthless, and the uncivilized 'others' are currently within the reach of their assassins: it's their neighbors, colleagues and bosses; law enforcement and the politicians. Many people in the USA, in other countries and residents in stateless places are all in the soup. Fear, hatred, ignorance, scapegoating, acts of cruelty and violence are in the flow. A lust for power, for control and for money grow the mob. The more it grows the more difficult it is to break the cycle. Fear and hatred gained steam under Reagan, Wallace, Nixon, Clinton, Gingrich ... you name the devils that stirred the pot. Racism, misogyny, homophobia and ethnocentrism have never gone to sleep and are not difficult to arouse. Can we the people stop what appears to be more 'final solutions'?
I'm getting really tired of this despicable political stereotype depicting Democrats as well meaning saints out to save America from Republican tyranny. Wasn't it Maxine Waters, a Democratic Member of Congress, who encouraged other disgruntled Democrats and liberals to harass Republicans and conservatives in restaurants and where they shopped?? I'm not particularly fond of Ted Cruz but chasing him and his family out of a restaurant recently is wrong. And the pundits wonder why so many people abstain from voting.
Here's a headline that will never appear in the Times: The Democratic Strategy: Harassment and Frustration.
So this is the current state of American politics. Sad.
1
One of my favorite lies being told by repubs running are their stances on health care and pre-existing conditions. All the members of congress who voted to appeal the ACA and all the others (governors, atty generals, etc.) who refused Medicaid funds and/or have filed lawsuits blocking the ACA, are now out there touting how they "believe in coverage for pre-existing conditions." They must really think the voters are stupid. This is an issue that affects everyone and they can't lie their way out of this.
As an African American, all I get is fearmongering from the Democrats always telling me the sky is falling and it's going to fall even worse with Trump. Nothing but fear and I don't buy it.
1
When was the last time that half of the country considered the other half enemies because of irreconcilable differences in decency, humanity, and truth? The answer is both obvious and tragic. The hatred of “the other” and the indecency and inhumanity of slavery led to a Civil War, the death and disfigurement of close to one million Americans, and social and political unrest which persists some 150 years after the War was waged. In case anyone has not noticed, we are in the middle of a cold civil war, made possible by battles fought every minute of every day on television and social media web sites. The longer this craziness is allowed to go on, the closer we get to real physical violence in this country, and the more protracted will be the recovery. We need a second Reconstruction now, and the mid term elections would be a good start.
1
"Women and children hit hardest"
"Kicking old people out of their homes"
Age old Democrat fear mongering.
@Larry
That is silly.
I have listened to the Republicans and they want to scare us into voting for them.
But they shout one thing and do another, the things they do frequently hurt the most vulnerable in our country then tell those folk they are protecting them.
Right now I am having a hard time as I am also very disappointed with the Democrats.
But I truly believe if the misrepresentations lies and fear mongering stop including the nonsense spewed out by both parties then maybe we have a chance to get things done. I do mean things that will help the greatest number of folk.
I am old and tired but I have fear for where my country is headed and that's sad.
The more the Republicans spew nonsense the more I think the Democrats are a better choice.
Trump no longer bothers with truth and his toadies just follow him along.
I am petrified, although I don't quite yet live in a bunker or have cyanide capsules at hand.
1
@mjbarr
I understand but I have less in front of me than behind.
What's happening is frightening.
Your catching the fever claim is only helping them. You are his publicist.
Imagine that, a politician overstating his case and trashing the opposition unfairly. Frank, people aren't as stupid as you think they are. Often when the case for something is overstated, it's not that people believe everything coming out of the politicians mouth, but there is a ring of truth in just about everything. So even if a caravan of migrants coming to gang rush the border is an overstatement, it can serve as a reminder of where each party stands on an issue. Neither Dems or pre-Trump Republicans cared about border crossings from Mexico. That bothers many Americans and Trump is reminding them where he stands.
1
The Democratic Party should sponsor all of Trump’s rallies.
The more MAGA crowd attends them, the better. And the bigger the lies they swallow, the better. For these are the same crowd who deal with Trump’s idiocy.
When their “entitlements” are taken away in exchange for more tax cuts for the 1%, it will be a joy to watch.
@Opinioned! "The Democratic Party should sponsor all of Trump’s rallies."
It would be better to emulate his rallies, but, that seems unlikely.
It is disheartening to watch a once great nation reduced to this, where the US is not perfect, no country is, it has produced some of the greatest scientist, innovators, universities, research and much more. Where it once had dignity, it is no longer true. The republicans embracing nationalism through lies, paranoia and instigating fear is ignorance at best, why then does it seem to be a winning strategy? I hope good prevails over this evil, we have been here before.
3
In American politics more than anything else money talks. Just to take another extremely brutal example look at the horrible cynicism displayed about the very recent Saudi Arabia's investment conference: Trump's America is in total denial, making pusillanimous excuses to sell its wares to credulous people about Khashoggi's assassination - not to mention Saudi Arabia's; the journalist dissented, let's silence his voice forever, and get on with business. So why the GOP closes ranks and toes the party line? Enormous "emoluments" to use an understatement. Corruption is rampant under the counter, and Trump is using the carrot and the stick at leisure.
3
Two friends of mine, one in Georgia and one in Texas, literally saw their electronic ballots change as they reviewed them, with some of their votes shifting from Democrat to Republican. Naturally, they reported the incident and the individual machine was “taken offline for recalibration. One friend, a rabbi, said in his forty-four years of voting he’d never seen anything like it.
2
Trump's rhetoric about leftist mobs is his most dangerous yet.
The intent of his lie is to lay the groundwork for taking forceful action, by him or his militias, against these "mobs", if and when the time comes to remove him from power.
Our historically remarkable experiment in self-government will then soon meet it's demise. Gifted to all Americans by the founding fathers in 1789, they intended to protect ordinary citizens from the ravages of autocratic rule.
We can witness today, all over the globe, how the absence of the world's strongest democracy, which used to attempt to make the world safe for democracy, is poised to collapse from within at the hands of the Republican party.
To better understand the historical context of what's happening today, one need look no furthur than pre-1938 Germany.
I had always believed that human beings were smarter than this. Now I'm no so sure.
4
The Republicans have completely suspended reality. After spending years trying to undo the Affordable Care Act, which protected all of us, with pre=existing conditions, one GOP candidate said "It's absurd to think that I do not support the coverage of pre-existing conditions". The Attorney General in Missouri, who is a part of a lawsuit against the ACA, has an ad that uses his child's genetic disorder to convince everyone that the coverage of pre-existing conditions is and has been important for him. There is no limit to the Republicans' dishonesty.
All over this country, they make shameless efforts to suppress the vote. They have taken Donald Trump's personal philosophy, one can lie. cheat or steal to win. Trump said that we would get tired of winning. I, for one, am very tired of his winning. When Trump wins, this nation and the world, for that matter, are the losers. "Make American Great Again" is the biggest lie of all.
2
It occurred to me yesterday that Trump's strength is that he is a little mad (not as in angry). Like other leaders in history who have risen to power like he has, knowing how to rustle discontent in the masses, he simply doesn't care. His power is his lack of caring. It gives him the ability to focus in a laser-like way. It gives him utter confidence. The masses thinks he's in this for them. Other politicians, on both sides, are running around in circles, not knowing what or when he'll do next. Eventually we will see where his lack of feeling and hunger for power will collide. His supporters will feel betrayed, his opponents will see what they've been afraid of all along.
1
For any candidate to make these outlandish claims work they need to have voters who believe them. Donald Trump and the GOP have cultivated these gullible voters. If the democrats don't at least take the house things in this country will get worse. Truth will be a thing of the past.
2
Republicans haven't flip-flopped on pre-exisiting conditions, they are lying artfully. I haven't heard anyone in the press ask one of the liars if they will require insurance companies to charge the same premiums for folks with pre-existing conditions. It does no good to require insurers to cover pre-existing conditions if they can charge much higher, unaffordable premiums for those who have them, which is exactly what Republicans would do in the unlikely event that they would do what they say.
Trump and his fellow Republicans are serial liars. Unfortunately, most Trump supporters are either too stupid to see it, or they simply don't care about their lies.
6
I hope that every liberal celebrity, anyone with a platform and social power, anyone who holds any sway with the young people of this country, with women, with people of color, every mindful YouTube star and rock idol, movie heartthrob and sports star, will drop everything for the next two weeks and work overtime to encourage their own base to get out and VOTE. Vote not just for anyone, but specifically for the candidates in their states who will turn this ship of fools around. It may be our only chance. Remember: Trump is not the only one with a base.
2
the gop tax cut for billionaires is a failure.their accomplishments in two years are zero. trump's 'beautiful' border wall,at mexico's expense, was another of his fairy tales, to excite his supporters. it will never be built and mexico wont pay a cent for it,trump knew it all along. trump and the GOP tried to repeal affordable care and lost. affordable care remains under serious threat. people with pre-existing conditions and very sick people are at greater risk than ever before, and so are poor people.trump and the gop are lying about pre-existing conditions. they will repeal affordable care and coverage for pre-existing conditions if they are not defeated in the mid-term election. social security and the safety net are also at risk. the stock market has gone nowhere. bonds have tanked. interest rates are rising. costs are rising for companies because of trump's tariffs and they are passing them on to consumers. auto and home sales are down. companies are seeing revenue fall, also because of trump's tariffs, and their growth is slowing as well as the effect of the tax cuts wears off. inflation is around the corner and so is a recession. trump and the gop are using their 2016 tactics again, inciting fears about race and immigration. the gop is suppressing black voters in states like georgia, NC and wisconsin. there is no need for an id in california where people vote by mail. blacks are being disenfranchised using voter ids as an excuse, in states that have GOP legislatures
1
The Republicans have put two judges credibly accused of sexual harassment (and one of assault) on the Supreme Court. They give tax cuts to their benefactors blowing up the deficit and do nothing for the average working person except give lip service. They scream about keeping us safe while doing nothing for infrastructure and guns which actually would make us safer. Their foreign policy is incoherent and dangerous and their intellectial leaders are disavowing the party. Their current president is a nonstop liar also credibly accused of sexual assault who installed unqualified family members in key positions in government. What is the appeal to vote for them other than nostalgia?
2
Republicans have been lying for years before Trump they did it with dog whistles, now with Trump it’s just blatantly laugh out loud lying and their base eats it up. As disgusting and dangerous as Trump is his supporters are much more scary. Without Fox News and 40 percent he is just a failed casino owner, my god who goes bankrupt running a casino and not just once.
The programing on Fox is aimed at a 5th graders knowledge of the world, and that is probably being magnanimous. The dumbing down of America is nearly complete. This will not end well for any of us and most likely will hit is supporters hardest who are not trust fund babies. The world economy is complex and Trump and his supporters do not handle complexity well if at all. Beware the man offering simple solutions to complex problems.
4
Bread and circuses are the standard way to win an election. The GOP has figured out how to do it with just the circus.
I don't know what to say of our nation. We believe the lie, and when the truth smacks us in the face we blame the wrong guy.
We will see migration, not as a reaction to economic despair and the tougher policies in the US, but as a Democratic plot. When we lose healthcare, because we didn't realize our employer could fire us, or could go belly up, or that we were already on an ACA plan, we will blame the Democrats. When we have to work until we are 75, to "save" Social Security, but cannot because age discrimination is a protected privilege, we'll blame the Democrats. And we'll never give Obama the credit that Trump is taking for the economy.
As nation, we have chose stupid as our model. We like how stupid sounds and we run with it.
2
I once believed that Republican lying would eventually catch up to them. That once American voters realized they had been duped all along would vote Republicans out of existence. I no longer believe that. Republican supporters (not just their base) have known for some time that this lying is just tactical. And they don't really care, even when Republicans do things that hurt these same supporters. They don't care. For whatever reason - it doesn't matter what that reason is.
We will never convince Republican voters to support Democrats. The only way to defeat them is to outnumber them at the voting booth. Fortunately, we Democrats outnumber Republicans. But we have this nasty habit of finding something else to do on election day. This year would be an especially bad time to perpetuate that habit.
6
I have been able to enjoy a comfortable retirement in large part because of Social Security and Medicare, both products of the Democratic Party. After their trillion dollar tax cut for rich folks the next move by the Republicans will be to slash those programs. The Republicans never, ever propose any program that would benefit the average Americans. Trump's main thrust has been a border wall to keep the brown people out of the country which is just a dog-whistle form of racism that greatly pleases his base. That would have zero effect on my life. Trump probably sees it a an equivalent to Hadrian's Wall that would highlight his image for years to come. That is, if anybody ever told him about Hadrian's Wall.
1
Mr. Bruni, you are an excellent example of the meme, "Everybody wants to be an American, until it's time to do American....stuff."
Stuff like securing the borders. Even Democrat voters must realize, there is a very large economic and security burden placed on the US, with an immigration policy that invites invasion. The government will have less to spend on Americans in need and as the immigrants are allowed into the country, they will displace low skilled, low wage Americans.
Stuff like cutting regulation, to spur economic growth, (this is a two-fer), to relieve income inequality. How do you fix income inequality, if only a few people have incomes.
Stuff like, renegotiating trade deals. Let me know if you've heard this before. They need us more than we need them. If that is true and it is, why are our products taxed going in to their countries, but their's come in with no tariffs? And, why is it bad to renegotiate trade agreements, when there are changes in the market?
And talk about fears. Telling your readers and Democrats as a whole, Republicans want to prevent minorities from voting is just stupid. If what Trump says is true, more minorities than ever are working and improving their economic lives.
MAGA, you early voting Americans.
Trump lies so much that I can't hear it anymore and the worst of it is he gets away with it. Step back for a moment and think about how his lying is tolerated by millions. How low we have descended as a nation and his behavior is applauded!
2
Pretty funny, 12 months of unhinge unruly behavior is suddenly a GOP strategy? Caravan? If they were Russians, the wall would already be built!
The most vicious lie of all is this perception the left pushes that the only way the Republicans win is through lies, voter suppression, corporate money, uninformed voters, or foreign interference (take your pick it’s always something). In other words, when the left wins, they win, but when the right wins, they cheated. Once the left and it’s shills regain power, it will be a dangerous time for the first amendment and our democracy.
@Scott L
In Georgia, the Republican candidate for governor is running his own election and he is using every trick in the book to suppress Democratic votes. That's an undeniable fact.
4
Citizens United, anyone?
We need to limit campaign contributions to next-to zero and get corporate and PAC money out of politics altogether to stop the onslaught of nonsense and lies filling our airwaves and mailboxes. We are becoming a nation of mindless zombies, buffeted between horror stories and fairy tales, mostly coming from the GOP side of the divide.
In short, Republicans are killing the USA, if it isn’t quite dead already.
4
The modern GOP that has enabled Trump and has allowed the lies to occur. When will the GOP stop the nonsense and do what is best for America, not its rich supporters? Apparently, being a politician is a great job, because a lot of people want to lie in order to get those positions. Lobbyists need to be curtailed, because that is the ultimate reward. After time in office, a plush job as a lobbyist awaits these sickos. I had not idea there were so many conspiracy theorists and uneducated people around me until the GOP took control over the government. Now, the right has license to do anything and it is simply shameful.
1
Why must nearly every editorial identify some grave wrong committed by the GOP and stretch to find some equivalence in the Democratic Party? We are here, at this inauspicious moment in history, because our esteemed media has been cowardly in calling out GOP offenses. Michael Avenatti is not a party leader. He does not hold government office. To compare his perceived offenses to Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan et al, GOP leaders who control the reigns of power, is just plain irresponsible.
9
This is not just about Trump and his lies du jour. It is about Sarah Sanders standing at the podium and dissembling as she tries to justify his lies. It is about any number of high officials in Trump's Administration as they all scurry about desperately attempting to provide questionable alternative facts to prove Trump is not lying. And, finally, it is about the base which believes the lies, cheers when Trump utters them, and then repeat them ad nauseum.
This whole situation is just plain disgusting.
1
President Trump declared himself a Nationalist. Is anyone surprised he and his acolytes are using textbook Nationalist tactics? He has even stated since he is a nationalist he is a patriot, two things that do not go together relative to American and democratic ideas.
Fear-mongering, stirring hate (xenophobic demagoguery), scapegoating, lies, undeserved blame, conspiracy theories all make some feel empowered because of their race, what they claim is their country’s heritage, culture, or identity. American men and women have not given their lives for this type of heritage, culture, or racial identity. Americans have fought for the essential idea of One Nation, One People, Equality of citizenship and Justice under the law for All People. Americans fought Nationalism in two World Wars because it threatened democracy.
Patriotism reveres preservation of American democracy.
Trump’s agenda is anti-democratic. His supporters may not care or may delude themselves into thinking the same American, democratic, and human values apply, albeit only to them (which is the antithesis of democracy).
Democracy is inherently and historically, inevitably inclusive. This has been what Americans have fought for. Trump supporters need to wake the heck up.
3
Is there a clause in the contracts for NYT columnists that states they must always write "both sides do it?" Frank lists a multitude of examples of the Republicans using scare tactics, then offers one example of something a Democrat said on CNN which he later walked back.
If anything, that exemplifies the difference between the two parties and shows that both sides don't do it. Democrats get called out for making a baseless charge and walk it back. Republicans get called out (sometimes), then double down and continue telling more lies. But, like Trump, they never face any consequences for telling the lies.
5
Is it a rule that you can't write a piece about what Republicans are doing without putting in some token Democratic misbehavior? What are you referring to in the Kavanaugh hearings? Why is it impossible to state the simple truth that Trump has brought out the worst in a party that already leaned plutocratic and that party is a threat to the country as we knew it?
1
@RAC Which party are you referring too?
Lie is all Trump and the rest of GOP have. Just look at Rick Scott, Dean Heller, Steve Chabbot, Martha McSally, Scott Walker et al. all claims to vote for them because they will protect pre existing condition.
I had never seen an ad from any of the GOP running for senate or house, touting GOP's tax cut for the rich nor repeal and replace Obamacare.
There have always been desperate candidates for office who have slandered their opponents, but the practice was fairly limited by the angry downside the mud-throwing contender usually faced from the voters.
The 2018 midterms are very different, and the Republicans are the worst offenders in the libel and slander department.
The lenience for liars may reflect a dumbing down of the American electorate, ironically occurring in the so-called information age. The seeming success of lying as a strategy may also be a symptom of the coarsening of some Republican voters, who may enjoy the dirt.
In past years, the use of campaign slander also was limited by private pressure, and sometimes public censure, from respected members of the same political party as the candidate telling the lies.
Today, of course, the head of the Republican party is Donald Trump, a man with no limit on how many lies he tells or how vicious he is willing to be. Trump would never tell a boldly lying, body-slamming Republican to clean up his act.
Donald Trump leads by example. The Trickle-Down Theory.
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RE: "They’re also a test of where the limits of decency and shamelessness are drawn."
As I have said over and over - there are really only two bedrock principles of the Republican party:
1. Might makes right.
2. The end justifies the means.
All else is simply window dressing, spin and PR to provide rational sounding cover.
This is easily observed in the supposed long term principles of the party that were easily discarded, like obstacles that never existed, to reveal the naked truth of power and the desire to see others harmed. Since all is subservient to the two underlying principles there answer is, there are no limits.
2
Less than 2 weeks of fear and threats left, just continue to resist and then vote!
3
I believe it all comes down to optimism and pessimism.
A person with a more hopeful, optimistic viewpoint on life - even when bad things happen - tends toward liberalism. The ultimate example of a liberal view is the U.S. itself. It is was a hopeful, optimistic, fraught with uncertainty to be sure, endeavor. Fear and cynicism are not the foundations of our Declaration of Independence or Constitution.
On the other hand a person with a fearful, pessimistic viewpoint on life - even when good things happen - tends toward conservatism. Since they believe all will go wrong the only logical way is greed, hoarding, and excluding others. Hope and optimism are not tolerated in conservative circles - which is why Obama's campaign message of hope was ridiculed and derided by conservatives
7
There is a lot of truth in this.
Evangelicals-the folks who broke away from mainline Protestantism after the Revolutionary and Civil Wars -believe in prederterminism, so there is nothing they can change, it’s all going to come to a terrible end with the rise of the Antichrist, and they will be rewarded after the Rapture. This GOP narrative of bad and evil and paranoia feeds that, and that’s why so many get on board with it. Is it irrational, yes, but rationality has never played a role in Evangelical beliefs. Add in one issue voters (abortion), and the dumbing down of our education system to that of performing well on standardized test versus learning critical thinking and that explains how these fear tactics are successful.
The sooner Dems realize that they cannot appeal to higher thinking or rational thought to sway these voters, and instead focus on getting voters out to vote so that enough Dems are in power to address issues like voter suppression, vote hacking, gerrymandering, lobbying/donations/pacs, and the infernal electoral college, then and only then will balance occur.
When more than 3 million voters choose a candidate and that candidate does not win, there is a serious problem with our system. Trump is right about one thing-the system is rigged in a manner of speaking, and the GOP benefits the most.
1
There was one person who claimed to be a nationalist, a certain Austrian dictator.
7
The media once again, by failing to act as a gate keeping filter, is complicit with Donald Trump's mid terms campaign strategy.The saturation coverage of the " caravan" , is an implicit,ongoing Trump campaign commercial.
4
Fear and loathing gets votes. Here in flyover country, the do nothing Congress has no record to run on other than the "tax cut" and the tariffs are hurting. The last 6 weeks, all the "accomplishments" ads or solutions ads have disappeared, entirely replaced by attack ads against the opponent.
4
Here in Central NY people say that they like what Trump is doing for the country. One woman said that there are help wanted signs in all the businesses. Another said that the economy has never been better here. Last night the evening news featured a report on how the unemployment rate has dropped.
The truth is that Central NY is still in trouble. It's likely that people will continue to leave the region for better opportunities. The economic miracles are happening elsewhere.
When this cycle ends, as it inevitably will, regions like this will be in even worse shape than they were in 2008. The Trump administration's policies make that certain. In this booming economy, we lag behind; when the bust comes we will fall into the pit of despair.
9
This election is more than just politics, party and policies. It is about whether we take the shine of Democracy off of America completely.
If we think Donald has taken us beyond the pale, look into a future where he believes he has a mandate to totally and independent of any knowledge or advisement to take America anywhere he wants to. He was dictator of the Trump empire, and neither knows nor wants to learn how to continue the blossoming of a Democracy that has (altho admittedly sometimes in bits and starts) grown in almost 250 hears.
As he has so succinctly stated, HE is on the ballot...and many of his hanger-ons have adopted his policy, even so far as to try to draw Hillary back into the pudding.
If one fears for America rather than fearing "the other", a vote for Democrats seems the only way to go. At least, whether one agrees with them or not, they are less inclined to let Trump finish his taking down of our nation with a wrecking ball, both nationally and internationally, and we might then begin to rebuild the devastation he has wrought.
10
It is sickening to watch Trump inflict punishment on his own base, taking pleasure in watching them blindly follow him as he pulls the rug out from under them. Honesty, decency, respect and kindness - this nation needs to return to these basics.
Trump is glad he gave 62+ % of last year's trillion dollar tax cuts to folks within the upper 1% of income, and glad to enact additional cuts earlier this year and to have proposed this week to give another huge tax cut to these same blokes.
Although he failed to repeal Obamacare, over the past two years Trump and Congress enacted many measures that raised premiums 20 percent over what they would have been if they didn't cut out such protections.
Trump’s tariff policies force working-class families to pay lots more to buy groceries and other products.
Trump's policy to remove requirements for more efficient cars require that working-class families pay more for gas.
Trump's environmental and worker protection policies removed many regulations that require industry to protect human health and the environment, resulting in shorter worker lifespans and increased rates of cancer and other life-threatening diseases.
Hopefully the American electorate wakes up, change their 'lifestyle' for 15 minutes, and go to the polls.
Hopefully, turnout on November 6th will break records, especially among women voters.
And hopefully, Trump and his actions to support and benefit only the rich will hit a brick wall and be properly pushed back.
13
"Armageddon in the hunched form of a pregnant Honduran woman limping toward the only hope that she has."
Honduras is what it is today because of things done to it by the US. It is a right wing coup, followed by right wing terror and murder. It crippled an already troubled country. And so she limps away.
Who in the US did that? Sec of State Hillary Clinton, personally and specifically against the opposition of the whole hemisphere, all its nations and this paper too.
This was long in the making. The tragedy is not just Trump. He is just the latest step in a long downward spiral driving that woman to limp away.
Fix that, anyone? No. Not a word. Just fear Trump, for him saying we should fear that poor woman. And claim virtue for his harming her, by his driving home what Democrats did to her.
Fear? Lies? There is no monopoly of those.
Hate? Heartlessness? No monopoly.
I don't see a word about doing something for Honduras, doing something so this poor woman does not need to limp across a continent seeking succor from what was done to her home.
9
@Mark Thomason
Yea, Hillary was responsible for the right-wing coup, in 1954.
Where do you get this stuff?
@Mark Thomason
Then you take her in and care for her....the rest of us want her to approach citizenship the correct way
@matty -- The coup in 2009.
I am dismayed that a significant portion of the electorate buys this dishonesty. It is not clear to me if they really believe these transparent falsehoods, or if they, with a wink and a nod, are partners in the dishonesty. The birth certificate episode was revealing. When presented with Obama's birth certificate and a contemporaneous newspaper announcement, they just turned up the bizarre a couple of notches to give life to this fraud for another year or two. The daily lies by this president don't seem to affect the willingness of his followers to believe his pronouncements on the campaign trail. I think they are not following the content but rather the person.
21
@HM
This summer I held protest signs on Fountain Square here in Cincinnati. My signs asked questions: Do the lies bother you?, Is the press the enemy?, Do you share the President's values?. Do you believe the President?
I was shocked by how many people made the comment, " All politicians lie. So what.". It became obvious where we have gone. The truth matters not.
The Liar-in Chief is undoubtedly as happy as a " bug in a rug". He (and Putin) have achieved their goal. To quote our great leader, " I've heard people have been saying... ".
What lie will be told next?
1
The Republicans have been laying the foundations for this moment in time with relentless propaganda, fear mongering and lies via decades of talk radio, Fox News, scorched earth politics and now social media. The problem is fear and lies work and they work well. We as Americans naively thought this could not happen here but we were wrong and now we are at war with ourselves and the outcome is in much doubt. What happens in two weeks will not decide the war but is a most critical battle.
33
Trump has been lying since he acquired language as a toddler.
The story isn't about his lies anymore. It's old.
The real story is the Republican party completely closing ranks around Trump and his lies.
The real story is that Trump's cabinet has been filled with Koch-backed and Senate-approved functionaries who've rolled back, cancelled, parceled out, turned over, gifted - done everything they've ever wanted on behalf of corporate America.
The real story is that the GOP-controlled Congress robbed the 90% in order to give the 10% everything they've been dreaming of since the civil war: going back to a time when labor was free and profits beyond imagination, with no responsibility to the state or community.
The real story is that the window for our collective freedom is closing.
The real story is that democracy, as we imagined our nation to embody, was only a mirage. Oligarchy was always baked into the constitution and it is now about to be its main feature.
The real story is that money in politics has completely corrupted our politics.
The real story is that we've fooled ourselves into believing that a non-existent center and bi-partisanship are what's best for us. No. Not now. Not for a long time to come. Dealing with the devil is what brought us to this low point.
The Republican strategy doesn't matter. What matters is what we, the public, insist Democrats do from here on out.
--
'Things Trump Did While You Weren’t Looking' https://wp.me/p2KJ3H-2ZW
44
The real story is that the DemocraticParty has failed because it doesn’t know what its message is and it keeps nominating unelectable candidates.
Rima--you mean Trump lied about those finger paintings he did as a toddler in nursery school? Good to know.
America is not a democracy. America is a constitutional republic.
@sharon5101
Please, Sharon, read a government textbook. A constitutional anything is a subcategory of types of democratic governments.
"Indeed, the United States might be labeled a constitutional federal representative democracy. But where one word is used, with all the oversimplification that this necessary entails, “democracy” and “republic” both work. "
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2015/05/13/is-t...
Oh, you gullible people! So the 2018 mid-terms result in the Republicans holding on to Congress. And everyone expresses shock, dismay--just as they did in the 2016 election when polls showed Clinton with a wide lead. What you're failing to see is that districts can be flipped via electronic vote machine manipulation and few will be the wiser. Voters can show up at the polls and find they are not registered--either because Russian hackers removed them or the Republicans did. In at least 7 states, there is no way to verify that your vote was counted or counted as cast. In 24 states restrictive ID laws, changing polling sites, fewer polling sites, shorter hours, and other tactics will be taken to keep you from voting. Wake up America! Put the media spotlight on your state representative and election official. Demand transparency and accountability. Join lawsuits to regain your rights.
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@Ann
The relatively few electronically-connected voting machines in use currently are reportedly manufactured by companies that are partly controlled by George Soros, so if there is indeed any such manipulation of vote totals -
- as HAS been suggested in European elections where Mr. Soros has been kown to invest in one side -
- your progressive would definitely seems to be the lucky ones helped out.
Any shenanigans discovered would surely be investigated by the Deep Staters in the DoJ within the next 75 years. Plus snow days....
@Ann: My daughter and several of her friends registered in Palm Beach County before the 2016 election and all was well. They showed up to vote and all were denied.
I know the Russians took them off the roll. They didn't vote at the same time so they didn't know what had happened to each other and none of them did anything to challenge it.
Yes, we are a gullible lot, aren't we?
1
Just repeat - "Trump is lying". Nothing more need be said.
20
Donald Trump must have experienced his own personal traumas to explain why he is the way he is, and I can't even begin to imagine what damaged him so much in his formative years. But what do the rest of the Republican people (McConnell, Ryan, etc.) have as explanations for their blind idolatry? And how do the Evangelicals face their God every day given their support for a draft-dodging, thrice-married, multi-adulterous, debt-evading used building salesman?
63
Maybe deep down the Evangelicals know there is no god so they risk nothing. They are just selfish and cruel people, as many of us have suspected for a long time.
@Sylvia Poole
Trump`s mental disorder defined by the DSM-5 in Symptoms of Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD). These are comprised of persistent manner of grandiosity, a continuous desire for admiration, along with a lack of empathy. Like autism the flaw occurs in the womb in the complex growth from zygote to mature fetus. It is assessed/signified by the existence of any 5 of the next 9 standards/behaviors (American Psychiatric Association, 2013):
1/ A grandiose logic of self-importance.
2/ A fixation with fantasies of infinite success, control, brilliance, beauty, or idyllic love.
3/ A credence that he or she is extraordinary and exceptional and can only be understood by, or should connect with, other extraordinary or important people or institutions.
4/A desire for unwarranted admiration.
5/ A sense of entitlement.
6/ Interpersonally oppressive behavior.
7/ No form of empathy.
8/ Resentment of others or a conviction that others are resentful of him or her.
9/ display of egotistical and conceited behaviors or attitudes
A person needs to exhibit only 5 of the 9 standards/behaviors for this disease. Trump hits every mark in spades. He can not , never has, been able to change.
More controversial is the number of mental health experts who are joining the chorus on this assessment. The world laughed at him when he spoke to the UN General Assembly this month. He was surprised by the laughter.
" The usual contradictions of fascist rhetoric. We’re superior, but victims. We’re in charge, but our opposition is to blame for everything. We’re winning, but be afraid all the time."
Tweet earlier today from Garry Kasparov
83
Scary. Do you think i might be able to get a European citizenship? Even though my relatives came here a hundred years ago?
I’d like to say my relatives chose the wrong country.
Fear and Lies, just like 2010 midterm.
That was the election when the GOP Tea Party was running around with their hair on fire screaming about DEATH PANELS and how Obamacare was going to be a govt takeover of health care and everyone would die.
Yep. Same bill that when called by it's official ACA name was liked by the same people who hated Obamacare.
Yep. Same bill that finally got health insurance guaranteed for people with preexisting conditions.
And don't forget the 2014 midterm when the GOP/TP was predicting end of times because the CDC dared to treat one Ebola patient here in the U.S. instead of shipping them back to Africa.
The GOP traffics in fear and their base seems to like it. Or at least respond to it every bit like Pavlov's dogs.
25
Is there something new here? Just more of the same.
5
Republicans, right this moment, are running ads against their own records of voting over and over again to nix the Obama Care provision preventing Insurance companies from denying coverage if you have a pre-existing condition.This is the same Republican Congress that voted 70 times to repeal Obama Care and is currently conducting lawsuits in multiple states like Florida, Wisconsin, and Arizona, to let insurance companies deny coverage to those of us with a pre-existing condition. A huge majority of Americans now support Obama Care and so the feckless Republicans decided to run on LIES.
23
@Emma Jane
I have multiple preexisting conditions which prevent me from obtaining coverage without ACA. Problem is, the premium is twice what it used to be; deductible is close to $10k and premium is almost as much as my house payment. Neither, alternative is helpful to me.
Peak shamelessness? I'm guessing based on past performance that this is a false summit. We have yet to plump the depths of shamelessness we will eventually see.
8
It is not the Republican lies that I fear, it is the American voters who believe the lies. After close to a decade of "Repeal Obamacare" being THE single most powerful rallying cry for the Republicans, after the Tea Party, after Ted Cruz attempting to shut down the government to kill it, Republicans now claim "I have always voted to protect your healthcare, my Democratic opponent will take it away."
And a large portion of my fellow citizens will believe the lie, and vote Republican so that they can keep their Obamacare.
54
@ImagineMoments
Like the bumper sticker says -
"Critical Thinking: The Other National Deficit"
The house and senate could be won if only a single prominent Democrat came out and said " I am against illegal immigration".
If not, then anything is possible.
The majority of Americans do not want to be flooded with with illegal immigrants. Failure to grasp this fact lost us the last election, and it will this one too.
12
Scientella. I understand politicians have not done their job and worked for responsible immigration reform. Politicians love to talk but hate to work. But that does not explain the inhuman treatment of immigrant families fleeing violent abuse and death only to be torn apart by US policy. It does not explain the dismantling of environmental regulation or the denial of science. It does not explain the disregard of women’s reproductive rights or the right not to be harassed. Or for working class people unable to make a living wage in the day of billion dollar CEOs. Republicans have embraced a dark and cruel world. Resist. Vote.
9
@scientella, Of course you don't want to be 'flooded with illegal immigrants'. So the following two facts should reassure you: 1) immigration into the US has been steadily falling for the last few years which means there simply is no flood. 2) All it takes to stop 'illegal' immigrants is to process people properly and efficiently at the border. Luckily, the US has one of the most stringent border control set ups in the world.
1
Have you stopped buying strawberries, tomatoes or pretty much any produce that requires manual labor that nobody wants to do for such lousy pay? If you want to be against “illegal immigration” then please educate yourself beyond the slogan - why people come is one aspect, and not easily solved. These people, just like you, get only one chance for a decent life for themselves and their children, so they take it. You were by mere accident born somewhere, so get of the moral soapbox about the “illegals”. Second, cheap labor is the building block of capitalism - you want cheap stuff? Then do not be surprised that foreigners are exploited to give you that cheap stuff. If you do not like “illegal immigration” insist on decent wages for everyone. Finally, middle and upper class people can pay lawyers and fixers who will get them into any country “legally”. “Illegal immigration” and “legal immigration” are not a result of some fair system but whatever money can buy.
1
Glad this columnist found two rather feeble examples of Democrats' supposedly playing foul. Both-siderism! They all do it! No, the Republicans have debased our system and our culture. Both sides do not do what they do. Trump lies. He does not "misspeak" or "deviate from the truth" or "lean to falsehoods"! I read all three of those recently. Give us all a break. One party has zero ideas, zero programs to move this country forward, zero integrity. That is the Republican party. Shameless, mendacious, vicious. And Congressman Castro was correct, just for the record: Kushner, who has absolutely no qualifications for the tasks Trump assigns him, and is not fit for a security clearance, gave the Saudi crown prince a list of names of his enemies drawn from top-secret documents available to Trump. The prince had many of those people killed or imprisoned. Khashoggi was one of the names. Fact.
32
No matter how dishonest and discouraging, this is the only world we have, and we have to push back. Here's another collaborator in the Trump/Koch/etc. etc. etc. tower of lies:
Sinclair News's takeover of heartland news has been an all too successful plan to make a lot of money while silencing independent reporting. "The Growth of Sinclair’s Conservative Media Empire The company has achieved formidable reach by focussing on small markets where its TV stations can have a big influence." https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/10/22/the-growth-of-sinclairs-co... (real crimes in there, but with the collaboration of Trump, ethical worries are becoming too "PC" to matter).
11
There used to be Republicans who cared about the country, who had sincere ethical reasons for being conservatives. As a registered Independent I was never one of them, but many of my South Carolina relatives voted that way. Now I'd vote for Bill Cosby if that would mean ejecting Trump from the Oval Office, especially if Pence followed him out. My current view of Republican politicians is that they're greedy, mean, heartless, and of course stupid--because they've chosen to follow a bogus POTUS whose performance in office has been disastrous and threatens to be destructive to the nation. Can we also accuse them of treason?
19
In 1932 FDR said "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself." He said it because Hoover could not run for re-election based on his record as President during 1928-1932. So Hoover was running on words to the effect that if Americans think Hoover did a bad job, wait til they see the disaster the Democrats are going to cause.
6
I understand that you have limited space but you really should have mentioned the charge that Bob Menedez slept with underage girls in Costa Rica. To lay credence to the claim it touts an "FBI Affidavit". Once filed the FBI certainly looking into the matter as much as they could -- which was not much since the affidavit contains scant details and no names to follow up on.
The Washington Post did an exellent job of debunking this, see link later. Unfortunately, with this bomb being dropped after an ad campaign regarding the Senator's indictment for corruption any other charge carries greater shock value -- and by the way, after a hung jury the prosecutor declined to refile the charges which usually means that later discussions with the jurors indicated that they were more inclined toward a not guilty verdict.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/10/17/theres-still-no-evide...
5
@Kim
He's from New Jersey. Enough said.
Thats politics. As someone once said if you can't stand the heat get out of the Kitchen. It's interesting to see how this Caravan thing has rattled Democrats. Suddenly they can see their chances of winning the House maybe going away or having a smaller advantage. And it may cost them in Arizona , and Texas . And it was Democrats who have called for the abolition of ICE and for Open Borders. So not a reach to point out the difference between Republicans and Democrats on the border and immigration.
14
@prpgk1
Democrats have never called for "open borders". This is just another Trump & Republican lie, told to scare voters.
Fear mongering & lies (like suddenly supporting pre-exisiting conditions in health care) is all Republicans have left.
Certainly their honor & decency is gone.
1
Do tell us exactly which Democrats have ever advocated for open borders. Sensible immigration laws do not equal open borders and this lie is getting old.
1
@prpgk1: Can you please name me one Democrat who has called for 'open borders'? Also, ICE needs to be restructured, not abolished and most Dems feel that way, not total abolishment.
1
The moral decay of the Republican party is extremely depressing. The GOP offers nothing constructive and has become a mouthpiece for the sorriest human specimen ever occupy the White House. Future generations will look at this sad period in US history and wonder what possessed so many Americans to fall in thrall of a corrupt con man and support a party that is doing the bidding of the richest men in the planet. Perhaps after November 6 there will be a return to some normalcy but the fact that this is far from certain is frightening.
34
But why limit yourself to the truth when the fabled base will believe anything? Today I click baited my way onto a charismatic site that had an article saying that if you heard someone claim to be a Christian and who didn't support Trump, you might have found one of the actors George Soros hired to discredit the movement. (How does The Onion compete with this?)
49
Fast forward to 2020. Trump, facing certain defeat seizes upon an unsubstantiated claim propagated by Vlad the eMailer that millions of undocumented immigrants were snuck into the voter lists. It’d be a perfect excuse to delay the election to give his newly minted FBI chief time to vet the lists. Check-mate, no?
9
The Republican campaign is straight forward. Follow the leader. Personal attacks on your opponent. Tailor your message to frustrated or insecure white voters. Play the theme that barbarians are at the gate.Personal or degrading comments about your opponent are OK. Ignore truth or facts when convenient.All as detailed in the the best seller by Trump. The Art of Winning Elections.
12
I do not know or understand my country. I am overwhelmed to find out that I don’t belong here. What happened?
53
It's partly that some people get all their information from Fox News, but it's also partly that many people see only information from friends and sources that agree with them and their friends.
I just got a new operating system on my computer that included a "news" application that said it would curate my news stories so they would all be from sources that I know and love. Such applications, and people's reliance on their own sides' news sources in general, are making it nearly impossible for people on different sides to determine what the actual facts are. I find this truly frightening.
25
Mr. Bruni echoes my sentiments. The present situation is intolerable. We have elected a dangerous and incompetent man as president. I would note that if we did not have a flawed electoral system this would not have happened. Why flawed? Democracy means rule by the majority. But our electoral system has certified as winner one whose opponent had about 3 million more votes. Within many states --the state legislatures are picked by a minority of voters; at times losers have a massive amount more votes than the winner. This is possible because of gerrymandering (which Gorsuch and C. Thomas joined other Repub. Justices to rule is entirely within the state's domain, untouchable by Federal rules). Voter suppression also plays a role. Consider the case of Georgia for example. And another Republican strategy: the Census question on citizenship is aimed at discouraging those with migrant roots from participating; this will lead to undercounting poorer areas, diminishing their political power. Also, they will probably be afraid to go and vote. Why give Sessions an opening to come in with his brutes to deport relatives? Let's be a real democracy. Make it more difficult for a person to gain the presidency if he/she does not have a majority of votes among the contenders. Perhaps an amendment ---after we get rid of Republican dominance--to say winners need both a majority of electoral vote and a majority of all voters.
8
The electoral college is the current rule. And under that rule democrats are disincented to campaign in the flyover states that they are likely to lose. Republicans are disincented to campaign in the costal states they would likely lose. The presence of the electoral college distorts the popular vote in a way that is not liable to truly represent the popular sentiment. Why would a Democrat in a deep red state bother to vote for president in the system with the electoral college. Why would a Republican in a deep red state like CA or NY bother to vote for president in the system with the electoral college. With these distortions, does the popular vote really tell us anything meaningful?
The electoral college was created for good reasons to assure highly concentrated populations centers don’t end up speaking for all of us. But if we collectively decide that this is no longer important, then let’s see how a true popular vote comes out. See that candidates have to campaign in all 50 states. Then let’s count the popular vote and understand what that tells us.
But until then, the constant cry about the popular vote of any past campaign is a red herring.
Let’s get rid of the outdated corrupt electoral college. We Each get one vote everywhere in the country. Majority wins.
So, the Left does not like the taste of their own medicine? Golly!
It is perfectly clear to me why the Left are hysterical over Donald Trump: he hits back. Republicans have never done that before.
That is why there will be no Blue Wave in November, and that is why Trump will be re-elected in 2020.
12
@Haim Extreme and not so extreme right wing republicans have been behaving this way for many decades. The racism and demonization of foreigners and political opponents goes back to the Civil War and before. The vicious lying and dirty tricks just as long. This has nothing to do with hitting back.
15
@Haim Oh, but Mueller will get him, wait and see. I am also against the corporate democrats, they do what their donors want. I am sure you would like the progressives, they do not take big donations and cannot be bought and therefor only serve regular people, like me and you and did you know that even 61 percent of republicans want Medicare for all.
Let us let all the corrupt politicians go, shall we? And let us little people stop supporting the rich. Let us have our tax dollars support what we need instead. The entire poor GOP is in bed with the wealthy and they do not want to wake up, they love the bribes too much. Vote for those who will not take legal bribes!
5
The civil war was fought to bring an end to slavery. Lincoln, a Republican at the time, was president.
Just sayin’.
I think it is time the media call Mr. Trump a liar- not fear the use of that word. He's a demagogue, not a showman. We are veering towards fascism in this country as propaganda takes center stage, scapegoating, name calling, locking up "undesirables" (immigrants).
The president flies around the country "rallying his base".
The press and all media should be alarmed.
26
The most frightening thing about the cynical operations of DJT and his enablers is that the 42% don’t care about their amoral character and immoral behavior.
8
@Leslie Dee
No we don’t, as long as he gets his job done.
I'm not a believer in conspiracy "theories" but if one of the political parties engineered the migrant caravan it would more logically be the Republicans as they have by far the most to gain from the coverage.
18
@TOM: The theory that the caravan came from Soros and the wicked dems grew out of the 'conspiracy' that these brown-skinned hordes were coming to specifically vote in the midterms(!). I don't know if that's still being floated but I heard it for a good two days last week.
2
Democrats are just lying by omission...Letting people think they will support Medicare for all (even though less than half do) and not running on open borders which they clearly support.
8
Why do Democrats want open borders? What is reason, how will it benefit them? Or do they want open borders just to aggravate Republicans?
Our immigration system is broken Republicans and Democrats share the blame. Telling lies about immigrants is not going to fix anything. It gets fixed by Congress doing its job.
1
Democrats complaining about anonymous and uncorroborated charges? I seem to remember something like that from democrats on the judiciary committee.
6
And what do we say about those who believe all this nonsense (I have another word but doubt The Times would permit it)? Do they believe it all or do they just delight in the fact that Trump says what they truly believe? I have no respect for an individual I know is lying to me. I don't find it funny. When it continues, I avoid the person.
The pundits lament the lack of civility that now exists between the two tribes, I understand that but I hope they understand that I have no time for those who delight in being lied to. They are as a false as their lead prophet.
Begin a conversation with them? No thanks.
8
The modern GOP has one way of winning elections: Lie and smear and cheat and lie and smear and cheat and lie and smear and cheat. Trump's success has emboldened the rest of the party to throw away the dog whistles and grab some bullhorns.
There is not one single scintilla of decency left in the Republican party.
25
Yeah, of course it's bad but politics has always been contact sport. Historically, this is almost tame. The stakes are higher so the bombastic charges are lower by proportion but it really reinforces subliminal thoughts or "gives permission" to vote a particular way.
Voters are clear about what matters to them. How a politician gets there doesn't really matter. Trump's base believes he delivers what they want. "The Circus" showed a gathering of McSally supporters, almost all older women. She swooned over Trump, they cheered. Are they all manipulated fools?
How about the swift boat campaign? Willie Horton? Every election cycle has something disgusting. George Bush lied about WMDs and went to war. The Bush family hired the dirty tricks; Donald Trump does his own, most of his lies don't even make sense but his base approves of his policies or he'd be tossed out. Fingers crossed.
6
Stephen Miller was interviewed about his immigration tactics when the child separations were in full swing. He mentioned he had a number of events ready leading into the midterms.
I don’t want to be a conspiracy theory but, but this refugee caravan is mighty timely.
The fear, uncertainty, and doubt being down by Trump and his minions is breathtaking. I honestly can’t believe folks stink it up. What is going on in folks’ lives right now that is driving the behavior?
The Democrats need to figure it out mighty fast, or we’re doomed as nation founded on honorable principles.
15
It worked before. It will probably work again. BTW I'm sure its just a coincidence that the Honduran march to the US border occurred 2 weeks before the election rather than 2 weeks after.
16
Your first mistake was in thinking President Tangerine Daddy’s Money can even define the words decency or shame. And it’s totally going to work. Republicans will pick up multiple seats in the senate and will hold the house. Wait, the polls say blue wave right? Nah. Polls can’t tell a potential voter they’ve been struck from the rolls or their registration was denied for some typo. Of those who can vote, Republicans know exactly how to capture it. Fear Works and Lies Work. Republicans are launching ICBM’s of misinformation while Democrats are arguing over how to re-engineer a better trebuchet of facts. The ICBM’s will obliterate them.
2
Democrats and the media are missing the point by refuting or objecting to Trump's specific lies about the caravan and other things. Trump's "lies" are dog whistles designed to appeal to his prejudiced base and confirm their prejudices. So, even if you refute the specific "lie," you leave intact the core of prejudicial beliefs, such as that Mexicans and Latin Americans are violent, dangerous drug dealers who are coming here to take "our" jobs and freeload of "our" social services like education.
5
Republicans have completely submitted to Trump’s consistent siren call of “us vs THEM.” He’s willing, from time to time, to change what “us” means, but only at the platform of mobs carrying torches and pitchforks. He’s perfectly willing to adjust his rhetoric to remain in the spotlight as their leader - with whatever Nationalist dog whistles as are necessary - even to the point of blatant exaggeration and outright lies. Is it any wonder that others who want to stay in power will follow suit?
As a former republican, I can only hope that democrats can field reasonable candidates, with reasonable solutions to our collective problems. I long to believe that, after being dragged through the mud for two years, the majority of us would love a cleansing bath.
12
The US seems to be run by a lying president and a congress afraid to confront this president about anything.
Our best hope is to have enough Democrats elected to at least have a Democratic majority in the House if not also in the Senate.
11
"Fear & Loathing & Lying" (as O'Donnell coined it this evening)
Trumpers: we don't care, we love it, we can't get enough of it!
There's no fixing this whether or not there's a Blue Tsunami.
15
@Rw: I believe this country needs to separate itself. This marriage cannot - and should not - be saved. I, for one, am feeling quite abused with three years of non-stop Trump lying and being hateful, day after day.
Put ourselves into regions and see who wants to deal with whom.
The Great Experiment is over. 45% support these lying, nefarious people called Republicans. Let them have their own regions and govern themselves and let us govern ourselves without their religion and their lies.
1
Our culture of corruption the Republicans . The religious organizations love them and are really fake religions if they support all these lies and the pollution of the planet they support. I was glad to see Colorado has a anti fracking ballot the decent people want to save there drinking water from the culture of corruption GOP who are letting the oil companies drill right next to there houses and pollute their wells with toxic chemicals they send down in the ground. I hope it gets passed other wise Colorado will end up like Dimok Pa a small country town in North east pa that allowed the frackers to come . Now they got permanently damaged water wells and can't sell there homes. HMO had a report on this several years ago. I would rather be a Democrat and save the environment instead of destroying it like the Republicans do.
4
Trump governs with the ethics of a mob boss and the tactics of a baboon pack alpha male. Yet roughly a third of our fellow Americans either tolerate or support this wretched, mendacious human being.
This is a sad commentary on how low the moral integrity of this nation has sunk. Even if we give Trump credit for a good economy (which is an exaggerated claim), it is no excuse for accepting this depraved individual as the face of our nation.
I shudder at the thought of a generation growing up with this morally bankrupt man as a role model for success.
16
Time was when candidates spoke about what they stood for and what they wanted to accomplish if elected. Now it is shadowy, spooky, attack ads providing nothing by fright. Ads placed by PACs, not the campaigns of the candidates. Thank you Supreme Court and their Citizens United decision, offering fist amendment rights and unlimited purses to corporations to engage in the politics of fear. Not facts, not hope, not ideas, not solutions. Just fear.
Happy Halloween.
15
We must distinguish between Republican strategies and the tactics they use to implement. For example, their strategy is to appear to favor health care for pre-existing conditions. Their tactic is lying about their position. Their strategy is to keep Democrats from voting. To implement this strategy, they have a variety of tactics including fear, a variety of methods designed to disenfranchise voters (ID laws, phony election date mailings, inconvenient polls in poor areas, throwing voters off rolls.) The Democrats need to find tactics to combat every Republican tactic. Strategies alone are not enough.
357
@lvzee Democrats are panicking. Their strategy to win the election is coming apart. It's been one blunder after another. The messy judicial hearings, calls to impeach, the Heidi Heitkamp apology, Elizabeth Warren DNA tests, mobs harassing politicians, Hillary & now the Caravan fiasco. But here's what's amazing...really beyond belief. The establishment press is panicking too. You can see it in their tone, their posture, their slant. They were all in for the lets teach Trump a lesson in the midterms. Two months ago victory for the Democrats seemed assured. As as safe as a bet could be. Suddenly everything has shifted. Two weeks to go and the momentum is totally in Trump's favor. Unbelievable. How is this possible? He had the entire establishment doing everything possible to bring him down. Yet against all odds he's winning. He's telling his people that Dems want open borders. Get out and vote or else. Vote for Republicans or you will be overrun. Democrats are angry but Trump voters are scared. Scared beats angry every time. Immigration is THE hot button issue for his base. GOP voters will turn out in huge numbers...pretty much guaranteed with the caravan dominating the news every day until we vote. This ongoing drama will motivate not just the conservative base, but fair-minded Independents who are mad that Democrats don't have the guts to address our immigration problems head on. In 2016 Trump's victory broke the left's heart. The 2018 midterms will break their spirit.
2
@lvzee, for instance, organizing buses to take voters to the polls--unless election officials claim it's illegal to do so (as in Georgia the other day--they objected to the participation of a--gasp--Democratic party member in organizing the non-partisan bus trip and, I suspect, the buses' pro-voting decorations).
2
@Bill Brown, your notion of "fair-minded" on immigration is un-American, mean, and disgusting.
1
"I’ve seen bad before, but not this. The midterms aren’t just a referendum on which direction the country will go. They’re also a test of where the limits of decency and shamelessness are drawn."
I'm with you on that one, Frank. I can't recall ever seeing such negative and false campaign ads, inuendo, smearing, and just bald-face lies.
I could join in the crowd, to say if anyone is funding this stupid caravan it's Republican plutocrats (not the president, clearly, he's way too cheap). It seems as if the "hoardes" will arrive precisely on November 5, say, at 8:00 PM for prime time.
Or will the president stage a barbarians at the gate moment when he and his allies stand behind border patrol in some live reality TV version of Keep 'em out.
And did you note Mike Pence, slavish to the hilt, saying it's impossible to not find middle eastern men in groups of at least 7,000 people? I think Pence should brush up on his math and his geography: the "caravan" is far from 7000 and they're coming straight from Honduras, which I don't recall reading was a safe harbor for terrorists in waiting.
Even though I voted today, November 6 can't come soon enough. It's hard to think of how Republicans will outdo themselves, but I'm sure they will find a way.
69
Peak shamelessness? I fear that we're only in the foothills.
447
@Erik Yes, I fear the same. It was just today that he outright declared himself a 'nationalist' and we know what dog whistle he was using there.
11
@Erik I couldn't agree more. The worst is yet to come
4
@Erik
I share your fear. If this is what we are seeing in the mid-term elections, the run-up to the 2020 presidential election is going to be horrific. We have never had a president so willing to lie with every breath nor have we had a major political party so willing to do the same thing.
To rework an old joke: "How can you tell Trump / a Republican is lying? Easy: his lips move!"
3
WHY WHY WHY doesn't the Times give coverage to Democratic candidates who DO have ideas, decency, solutions? Cover Warren's proposals for the economy, cover Sherrod Brown, give Beto O'Rourke room to make the case? Why give all the space to Trump's lies?
1577
@teach Great comment! We, myself included, are so use to complaining and wringing our hands over all the negative that we forgot how to “ accentuate the positive.” We will attain better success by letting it be known all the good that our candidates are not only capable of but also will actually fight for...for all for us, the people who count.
2
I tend to agree with you, but I have been noticing a slightly different trend here at the Times. Sure, there's the accusatory style of story or op-ed piece about how dangerous Trump is, and even some apologist style of stories in the opinion pages. But what I really miss, is just what you said, the truly wonderful things that Democrats like Beto or Stacey Abrams are doing to further the national conversation. Instead, there are many op-ed pieces about what Democrats are doing wrong.
2
@teach --- The media is doing this election the exact same thing they did in 2016. Focused solely on Trump's outrages to the exclusion of all other news.
Free advertising for Trump worth billions.
5
Again, and this cannot be stressed enough, every Democrat must vote to curtail this demagoguery. Putin's declaration that our exceptionalism is over, is just the latest and greatest by-product of the Trump Administration. He must be checked by at least one house of Congress, or it will become a fact that we are going to lose our position of leadership in the world.
29
In a different time and place, the enemies of the people were Jews, homosexuals, gypsies, Communists, degenerates, the so-called "feeble minded," and a free press. In another time and place, the enemies of the people were Abolitionists, free African-Americans (or the insurrectionist enslaved), Jews, the Irish, women suffragettes, and a free press.
And now, the enemies of the people are Democrats, liberals, migrants, "Islamic terrorists," African-Americans, and as always, a free press. And to hear it now, people who support liberal causes in this country actually SUPPORT terrorism, zero immigration policy, and the destruction of the United States.
When we go back and read 19th century American history, or the history of Germany in the 1920s and 30s, we ask ourselves, "How could those people believe such crazy things?" Well, here we are: different lyrics, same song.
1322
@jrinsc Well stated. Maybe these "migrants" are paid for by dark money. Funny how poor people can afford to start a 2000 mile journey with small children on foot in the numbers shown. Maybe a few would try it but not 5,000. I have heard a report from a Honduran source that many have turned back. It wouldn't be the first time a right wing or Russian op tried to disrupt a democratic election.
1
@jrinsc
So true.
We have the ability to save ourselves from this by simply voting. But will we?
2
@jrinsc
You're comparing 19th century America to 20's and 30's Germany? Communism wasn't a real danger?
MABA-Make America Bad Again
2
Perhaps the unknown Middle Easterners that Trump imagined in the caravan of migrants are really another 15-member Saudi Arabian hit squad, sent by Mr. Bone Saw to keep the Trump family in line ...
12
People who believe Fox News believe the lies from Trump. Fox News needs to be illegal -- the fairness doctrine was useful to prevent media spewing lies.
40
Here is a coward in action:
“Politicians, operatives and hustlers in both parties have behaved wretchedly — Michael Avenatti, anyone? — but it’s Republicans especially who have outdone themselves.”
Both sides do it?
You went out of your way to play.
Coward.
Cowed Coward.
And this started with lock her up and Trump decides if he accepts election results. 2016.
Coward. Nothing new here.
14
Trump's sleaziness is rubbing off on everything and everyone. These are sad days!
14
I will keep saying it: Trump operates at the level of a (less sophisticated) Nelson Muntz, so treat him like one. What do schoolyard bullies do? Wikipedia says “For an act to be considered bullying it must meet certain criteria. This includes hostile intent, imbalance of power, repetition, distress, and provocation.” Trump? Check, check, check (!), check, and check (!). He is a bully, with the third-grade mental acuity to match.
What works against the bully? Let me dissuade you of the typical nonsense: ignoring the bully doesn’t work, trying to ‘outsmart’ the bully doesn’t work, ‘tattling’ doesn’t work, and most certainly whispering behind the bully’s back doesn’t work. What works? Confront the bully, publicly and forcefully. If the bully is bigger and stronger than you, then find a friend or two. If the bully brings his posse, get a bigger one. Tell the bully to his face that his nonsense isn’t going to fly anymore. He will whine bitterly, because bullies are always the loudest complainers when things aren’t going their way, only to accuse others of being ‘special snowflakes’ when things are. Why? Because the bully is liar, a jerk, a hypocrite, and a pathetic excuse for a human being. The bully’s words are utterly worthless – he must be made to realize that everyone else understands this. Do not relent. The bully serves no sympathy, only his victims.
Mean? I don't care. I am bloody sick of this nonsense – why are we being forced to relive elementary school drama?
46
"Peak" shamelessness? We don't know that. Watch.
4
My own little problem is that I'm beginning to actually hate..., hate my America. Land of my birth. I no longer have that little flutter when I see the flag. The flag I played Sousa's trumpet calls to as Cadet Trump marched past in review when we were both young students at NYMA. I no longer feel we are a beacon upon the hill. This next election might well determine if America will exist as a Democracy in twenty years. I no longer respect you America. What are you going to do to regain my respect? I dare you to regain some decency...
80
@John Bolog Racism and other isms are powerful and people will choose this over their own best interests.
...but while you’re here, could you possibly give us a clue about why he went to NYMA, and how he distinguished himself while he was there?
2
@John Bolog
" I no longer feel we are a beacon upon the hill."
That beacon is on top of the world`s largest jail.
Well, if Frank Bruni thinks the caravan of migrants is some sort of intelligence psyop, he must be dismissed as a conspiracy theorist and deplatformed along such conspiracy theorists as Alex Jones.
3
@Thomas Busse Hearing what you want is a feature of the problem. If you re-read, and don't insert what you want to hear, you will read that Bruni is stating that there are zero Middle Eastern (read "Muslims") in the caravan. It exists but it is a group of hispanic people trying to escape murder and mayhem and they still think that we are a Christian country that adheres to the new testament. wake up.
1
Frank, just a tad ironic that you're castigating the opposition for proclaiming the End of the World. That's been a loudly liberal prognostication since the morning of November 9, 2016.
6
Yeah there’s been a lot of hyperbole. Although Hawaiians thought they were being bombed thanks to unnecessary tough guy talk. And then we have the president cozying up to a brutal murderer and dictator - with nothing to show for it. Let me know when North Korea surrenders its only bargaining chips. And of course there is the debasing of the presidency, the constant lying, the verbal attacks on victims of sexual assault, female reporters (“you don’t think; you never do) - all of this from a person himself accused of sexual assault and exhibiting venomous comments towards women who have the courage to confront him. Not to mention we are going backward on the environment (lowering air and water quality standards; ignoring climate change - I’m sorry, do you have kids? Do they drink water and breathe air?). And no national or state or local strategy to reduce gun violence - nor any protection of basic access to health care and preventing bankruptcy. But, hey! Look at the stock market over there! It’s money above all else - and short term monetary gains at that. Yeah it’s not the end of the world, you’re right. But it’s an abdication of values and decency. Any Republican or conservative has no right to talk about family values or the “coarsening” of the culture any longer - that ship has sailed. Your acquiescence and surrender to Trump and his lies and bullying and indecency clearly show where you stand. No more lectures on values from conservatives please. It’s all about money.
22
When, how, why did America become not great.
I’ve always thought America was / is great...
America became not great with the appearance of ridiculous red hats.
16
Having a prolifically pathological liar as POTUS has infected the entire political class of the Right; and now is threatening to slowly ooze its way Leftwards.
This in a year in which the governing party has ballooned the post-recession federal debt over the $1 billion dollar mark, and stands poised to eliminate pre-existing condition protection from the ACA.
The only beneficiaries of this buffoonery have been professional comedians.
7
The fact that fear and lies work does not say much about us as Americans.
29
The all out coordinated assault has begun. Be prepared folks for consistent messaging of half truths for the next two weeks. It should be easy to report on DJT’s failings, the MSM always goes over the top and exaggerates his ample flaws while giving no credence to “some” accomplishments. The Kavanuagh fiasco for the Dems was a disgrace to an honorable, respected, and good person. You will reap what you sow.
2
The Democrats will not substantially win, thanks to people like Frank Bruni.
6
As often has been noted, our Democracy is ours alone to lose, and lose it we will if we persist in cascading down our fatal slope of mediocrity into inconsequentiality. That this ramp largely has been built by Republicans matters little when Democrats, whether out of a sense of frustration or a charge toward ambition, flock to pave it. The final destination does not shift.
1
"Ugly American" is a pejorative term used to refer to perceptions of loud, arrogant, demeaning, thoughtless, ignorant, and ethnocentric behavior of American citizens mainly abroad, but also at home.
- from Wikipedia
Behold the new "reality" that Trump has created with his infectious brand of ugly. Our country has become a sideshow to be pitied, jeered at, scorned, feared, and exploited.
The common civilities that make our society pleasant are becoming passé. Baser instincts and prejudices, once controlled in public, are displayed by many with pride. The angel on one shoulder has been gagged and hogtied by the devil on the other.
I've heard that war brings people together. It's time for a war against ugliness.
3
Bruni in 1 respect. And, speaking of unfortunate, I'm a little wary of concluding that the midterm elections have "peaked" out in "shameless."
Democrats and the media are missing the point with their obsession with challenging and refuting Trump's "lies". Each "lie" is just a dog whistle confirming his ignorant followers' core of prejudicial beliefs. For example, Trump doesn't mean that everything or anything he says about the caravan is literally true. He could care less. Whatever he says about the caravan is simply meant to confirm his base's core beliefs that Mexicans and Latin Americans are dangerous drug dealers who come here to take "our" jobs and social benefits like education without paying for them. Democrats and the media "refute" Trump's "lies" about the people actually in the caravan without attacking the core ignorant prejudicial beliefs about Mexicans and Latin Americans generally. Like past immigrants, they are coming here for a better life, and will make the US a stronger and better place.
1
@Bill Ejzak. Most of the migrants in the caravan will not find jobs or if they do, they will be so low paying that their social costs (schools, healthcare, welfare, prison, food stamps, WIC, rent subsidy, etc) will not be covered. They will not earn enough even to pay income taxes. The costs they will incur but won't be able to defray, will be passed on to the rest of us in the form of higher health insurance premiums and taxes. IMO they should be turned back. We have plenty of poor people already.
This is why Rudy Giuliani is the perfect henchman for The Donald (and perhaps where The Donald learned it). While he was mayor, Giuliani tried to terrify the City of New York, making us believe that there was a terrorist behind every mailbox. This was his excuse for closing off City Hall from the citizens of New York and banning any gathering there . . . except of course for people he agreed with, a tactic that cost him tens of thousands of dollars in fines when he could find no court to agree with him. Rudy is back there somewhere whispering in Trump's ear, depend on it.
9
The Republicans are scared of losing majorities in both houses of Congress. Trump is despicable, a disgrace, but Republicans have never gotten the policies and legislation that the far right has wanted before. He’s the golden goose as far as they are concerned. If they lose the majorities in the Congress, all of that goes away.
The tax cut was unnecessary and it will produce deficits so large that the choice will be between raising taxes or ending Social Security and Medicare and Medicaid and negotiating federal pensions away, too. The dreams of the reactionaries can be fulfilled if Republicans retain control.
So any means necessary to win is the Republicans’ strategy.
4
I agree with Bruni's general point, as with the recent Times article about the "death of shame." But it is unfortunately diluted with hints at that old false equivalency, dutifully but by now wretchedly (to borrow a word) given its place in the piece. Avenatti, to my mind, has not "behaved wretchedly" but with spine and determination. It's about time to say to wimpy Democrats--good-bye! Republican mendacity is so bad it would take a head-start of light years for Democrats to come even close, let along "catching" up.
3
The last line is a keeper, but I'd revise "contest of inventions." That's too nice. Contest of lies is how I'll phrase it.
1
Remind the red hat side that the caravan is theirs. For 50 years they wanted the anti-union cheap labor and eagerly encouraged poor foreign nationals to come here to work.
Since Trump they took a turn. Now it's a big raving party. Reality TV style. Viral video all the way. It's a TV Trump sensation. The caravan is much the same as a Trump rally.
Trump branded.
12
Someone should give the caravan MAGA caps. They’ll be welcome with open arms and given the vote if they can get to the Southern States quick enough!
I strongly second the commenter that says to Op Ed writers and Times in general--just stop writing about the this horrific man--He thrives on any press, and it helps keep him at the center of attention, which he loves. I am tired of hearing that trump is an immoral liar. We all know that. There is really no more to add.
Let's focus on Democrats and the issues they are trying to work for. What is the Democratic platform? Who are the people making a difference? Let's start talking about some of the Democratic stars out there. Lets start talking about the positive things Democrats want to bring to this nation and how Democrats have contributed in the past. Enough trump.
Vote to Restore Sanity.
19
For Republicans, the midterm election is simply a liars' contest.
And the truth about liars' contests?
The first contestant doesn't stand a chance. Every lie must top all the ones told before.
1
If nature abhors a vacuum then politics won't tolerate it. When true leadership is missing, into the vacuum will rush someone to take control. Trump is filling the void by default because Democrats in another example of self sabotage refuse to talk about it. The caravan is an humanitarian crisis with possible economic, border security, & crime implications that we can't begin to contemplate. It's a visual that reminder our immigration system isn't working. If you say Trump is using scare tactics to exploit the situation so be it. That's what politicians do. The caravan is real. The threat & fears voters are feeling are real. Because if we accept these 7000 more will come possibly replicating the Syrian migrant crisis of 2016 when 1 million refugees flooded Europe. Democrats also demagoguing this issue too...they say it isn't a problem. It is. Pelosi & Schumer are actively undermining their party by instructing their members to NOT talk about this crisis...that is unforgivable. So it's come down to who do you trust more. Democrats who refuse to talk about it. Or Trump who won't stop talking about it. This caravan issue is something that keeps happening and has to be addressed. Trump got elected because of immigration. Voters are going along with him because they have no where to go. Being anti Trump isn't an agenda which will persuade independent swing voters. The Democrats have allowed Trump to have a free pass on this issue...their policy is just to resist & amnesty.
6
@Bill Brown - I agree completely. Dems should run on the complete failure of republicans and Trump on the immigration issue. Where's the wall? Two years and a trillion dollars in tax cuts, but no wall? Trump got nothing from this congress. Dems should run on the wall- not a real wall but real border security and a sane immigration policy and DACA and amnesty and healthcare and protecting social security. Heck, Trump 2020 could be as much of a stooge for democrats to control as republicans. He doesn't care. He'll sign anything.
7
@Bill Brown Most of the migrants in the caravan will not find jobs or if they do, they will be so low paying that their social costs (schools, healthcare, welfare, prison, food stamps, WIC, rent subsidy, etc) will not be covered. They will not earn enough even to pay income taxes. The costs they will incur but won't be able to defray, will be passed on to the rest of us in the form of higher health insurance premiums and taxes. IMO they should be turned back. We have plenty of poor people already.
2
Trump lied about Tax Cuts, Health Care, and Infrastructure to get elected. Today he hit the reset button to get re-elected, starting with Tax Cuts. He should actually do the work to turn around his lies on the first set before he launches the second set.
4
What would Johnny Carson say?
President Trump has sent Vice-President Mike Pence to two of the most vital foreign countries in current US politics: Oklahoma and Alabama. The VP told small crowds the Sooner we take care of this the better for Okies and Pinocchios. The crowd shouted its approval. Said they wanted to raise Pence's salary, for his honesty, from tuppence to a quid.
In other late breaking news, President Trump has declared that he will send the US Army, not the US Reserve Army, to stop the Central American migrants from entering the US. The US Army may not be able to answer the call, as it is currently bivouacked in Honduras.
4
Lies don't matter to a Trump supporter. I know lots of them.
All they care about is stopping immigration.
Period. That's it.
Build the wall and stop immigration. They are very serious about this and if it takes lies then they will lie. They don't care.
This is what the democrats and the media still don't really understand but stopping immigration is what the base is all about.
10
@William
You are absolutely right, Trumpsters are mostly single-issue voters.
4
So where's the wall? Trump could have said to McConnell: "You want these judges? You get me this wall." He didn't. If there's no wall by 2020, Trump is toast. I guess that's the good news.
3
@William. I would say, stopping immigration (especially the immigration of poor people) and outsourcing/globalization are the big issues.
Trump is a self-described (white) nationalist not only trading in vicious unfounded lies, he's also training Republicans who used to keep their dirty dealings at least partially under wraps - to be loud proud of their racism and illicit power grabs.
Back when the GOP lied and swift-boated John Kerry - Republican lies and dog whistle politics came one at a time, every few months. Now these Trump and GOP troll farm-disseminated lies are thundering out like climate change-induced superstorms - one after the other after the other. We're deluged in swamp water.
Get out the vote, democrats. Keep the focus on local issues that matter to constituents.
Let's make the United States great again.
8
As a senior citizen, I am beyond grieved by the state of our nation. I was fortunate, and I know it. I grew up in a small town in Pennsylvania where everybody knew one another and nearly everybody seemed to care about the common good. Today, I barely recognize my country or my fellow citizens, many of whom apparently think the depraved, cynical, racist, lying, thieving, self-aggrandizing philosophy and behavior of Donald Trump is good for our nation. It will take a long time to recover from this madness, but I search for reasons to be positive, for the sake of my children and my grandchildren. They deserve to have the opportunities, optimism, and future I was blessed with. Otherwise, we are lost.
121
I somehow doubt peak shamelessness has been reached. What would such a peak look like? Roomy enough for earth's human population? Would we have a commanding view of the broken landscape so far below, at last bereft of any sign of decency? I prefer the hitting bottom metaphor. When we think that we have reaching that lowest low we'll discover that we're only stuck on the reeking surface of a gelatinous and impossibly thick layer of sludge protecting an unreachable gilded base where Trump and his ilk dwell in an airless and mirrored luxury.
Might be an interesting sociological experiment to run a national poll which calls out attention to Trump’s lies by having people vote on the biggest lie Trump has mouthed just in the last week.
That could end up being a fun way of both diminishing Trump’s toxic impact and publicly ridiculing him.
My vote on his biggest lie would be the one where he calls Ted Cruz “beautiful”.
Knowing how much Trump craves recognition, I’d give him the “lipstick on a pig” award for that lie...
11
The Republican Party's strategy of Fear and Lies seems to be in sharp contrast to the Democratic Party's strategy of Lies and Fear.
2
I suspect that the whole caravan deal is a "hoax" (to use the President's preferred excuse) of his own making. Regrettably, the US Government has a vast record on organizing undercover movements like this all across Latin America and the world. The timing, so close to the midterm elections and the international rhetoric that has followed is revealing. Someone should investigate who incited this. If proven, it is unacceptable and shameful to play with the suffering of real people and their circumstances for political gain. This hurts and should not be tolerated!
4
Polemical Trump essays have become a remunerative industry. Witness the number of books coming out weekly with little to zero effect. In report after report, the press ignores or glosses over the impact the Great Recession still has on the daily economic well being of Blue and White collar working Americans. Why?
Economic insecurity has lead to the popular discontent and incivility one sees today that Trump is greedily mining for personal financial gain. Central American rapist, murderers, thieves and terrorists are to blame for misguided GOP policies Yet the press is acquiescent and weak or like Fox and Sinclair Broadcasting enablimg.
Case in point: The Khashoggi murder. Sad how timid White House reporters don’t have the guts to demand from Trump serious answers on Saudi Arabia’s government’s Khashoggi assassination. For starters, though the list is as long as Trump’s two years in the White House
Reading about events that lead to WWI, can’t help but sense terrible parallels to today’s leadership, from the US to Hungary, Poland, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Philippines and soon, it seems, Brazil
5
It seems to me the problem in our country is education.
Anyone with a minimal amount of education or common sense sees Trump for the carnival barker he is.
78
@V --- AMEN!!!!!
@V
And Putin has achieved his primary goal.
1
@V "it seems to me the problem in our country is education."
Unfortunately the evolution of our species from Homo Africanus , Homo Erectus , Homo Habilis , etc did not emphasize the development of Critical Thinking genes. In fact just the opposite happened. The sheeple were more likely to breed than the Nerds.
Evolution of our species continues (even if the silly fundamentalists disagree) but even in this age of information the pace of changing our DNA/brains is slow. Religion , the belief in fairy tales , is still a powerful force today. A powerful enough tool to be used to start wars.
I am sorry learning about George Soros, who had done so much for spreading democracy around the world.
But, who gains from underwriting the caravan costs ? Trump and the white nationalists who support him and his anti-democratic views and policies.
So let’s be very clear who is likely to be providing $$ for the caravan— it’s not Democrats because they have nothing to gain, but Trump and the GOP clearly do. It’s called realpolitik, and clearly it is working for some Trumpists.
12
We are in the post-truth world.
Democrats would rather self-righteously bellyache and avoid this post-truth world than get with the program. The reality is we're living in a post-truth world and if you argue with reality, reality always wins. That's why Democrats have lost the country - they won't face the reality that we are in a war. Trump and the Republicans have dropped a nuclear bomb on the country. In war, truth is the first casualty.
Democrats won't lie because lying is wrong, they say, but fear and lies make a winning combination - that's reality.
Democrats have to use fear and lies to win or else they will continue to lose. Nothing wrong with using the fear of fascism, and all that implies, to motivate turnout. For example does anybody not believe that a fascist state would have work camps for liberals? If you look at historical fact, death camps are more likely.
When someone lies to you they've given you license to lie to them. The Republicans want to get rid of Social Security, Medicare, health care, unemployment insurance, and anything else that benefits the People. They are currently working on tax giveaway 2.0 to raid the People's treasury again. The so-called pro-life movement will soon have their way with women.
These are facts, not lies.
Yet you don't hear this coming from the Democratic Leadership. They're so weak that they won't even tell the truth, much less lie.
The Democratic Leadership is too weak to resist fascism - get rid of them.
7,000 are marching out of Honduras. While I don't doubt the heartfelt desire of the sheep in this march, I have to wonder about the sheepdogs. Honduras is an American right-wing dream, realized. Acting on behalf of the 'War on Drugs', we, that is, the United States, have turned Honduras, more than any other country, into the kind of place the Chicago-school free-market economists would have loved. The result: if these 'sheep' turn right: the gangs will kill them. If they turn left: the government will kill them. So, they turn up: and thereby get the MAGA folks in America voted Back into office.
My message to the American middle-class: take a Good Look at those people in the Honduras march. That's YOU, if the American GOP gets its way.
8
Please stop with the nonsense that it's both sides to blame. I'm tired of it. The President of the United States is a Republican and he lies every single day and has since he has been in office. He lies about small things and big things. He is tiring us out. He does it to make not want to care anymore. He's a very dangerous man and the Republican Congress and Senate supports him every step of the way. They are just as responsible.
Besides the lies, the President of the United States is constantly attacking our justice department and through his lies is causing citizens to distrust the FBI. He is obstructing justice in plain sight almost on a daily basis.
The Republican President attacks individual citizens, he attacks companies (Harley, Amazon). I have never known a President to do this, but he does it every day so that it just wears you down. It's so common coming from him that people expect it.
What is happening today in this country is not normal. There are very serious problems and the problem is coming from one party. It is the Republican party who lies and obstructs.
Our Democracy is on the line, and it's not Joaquin Castro who apologized or the showboat Cavanatti. No, it's the unapologetic Republicans who lie and stir up the worst fears of the American people.
Wake up! It's not both sides. We are under attack and it's the Republican Party who is attacking us.
271
@John Sheldon
Very well said, John. Well said indeed.
A B-movie actor, Ronald Reagan, started us down the road that’s led us to our current crisis. His tag line in 1980 was remarkable in that it came from someone trying to become our Chief of State.
“Government is NOT the answer to our problems. Government IS the problem.”
The anti-government conservative movement that surged forward from that time has culminated in our current dimwitted pathological president and paralyzed congress.
After two years of Trumps lies, chaotic decision making, incoherent speeches and general mismanagement —> one thing is clear.
Donald Trump is NOT the answer to our problems. Donald Trump is OUR problem.
10
@John Sheldon, you're making a distinction between a few random cases that have no great importance and a determined strategy that promises to overturn what democracy we have and instill fascistic ideas in the electorate. That is too subtle even for the generally insightful Bruni in this column. I hope he will follow Charles Blow's lead in writing about our existential crisis, which comes from only one side.
4
@John Sheldon
Hey New York Times,
Put this comment on the front page.
And more like it every single day.
If the Editorial Board won't point out the problem, let your readers do it for you.
Great comment Mr. Sheldon.
I too, am very worried.
Vote.
1
Trump has been a liar, a conman, an adulterer, and a debtor all his adult life and he wins the presidency of the United States. That's a sign to all that a person can be one of the slimiest people to ever live and end up in the White House. Why not be despicable if it gets you what you want? We are far from being the Christian nation the Republicans pretend we are.
24
It is clear that the majority of those who comment here have no love for our current President. They express their feelings very elegantly.
Most negative comments seem to focus on his personality rather than specific policies or action taken by his administration.
I give his administration a plus on taking progress made previously in the economy and taking aggressive policy. Agree or disagree many people are doing better.
I have specific problems with both some of his policies and most of his personality but if more are doing better money wise and jobs are being created and large investments being made in our country I’m not sure that that is not good for us on the whole.
We have an opportunity to replace him in 2020.
2
@Reasoned44
You can be doing better money wise but still be very uneasy about the country's direction.
3
@Reasoned44 Economic booms are always temporary. But when leaders destroy the faith of the governed in their own government, that is a permanent loss. When they deepen and solidify divides that already exist, those too become permanent. When they play only to the emotions of the people, people stop thinking and start voting and acting only from emotions.
14
@Reasoned44
What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?
Especially as we’re actually losing the whole world for a very minor and transient bump in current income at the cost of everything that was good in America.
Trump hasn't the judgment to evaluate a deal beyond the immediate transaction - that's why he's had six bankruptcies.
3
The new Nationalist Republican Party has found an audience willing to believe all these tales, to scare them and make them fearful of these invented threats to their security. For a subset of the population this tactic is working.
Some 40% of the voters are cowering in fear, letting a psychopathic liar guide their lives. They have lost their moral courage to assuage these fears. The Fake Christians are willing to overlook the acts of someone who violates every one of their scared commandments, for what they believe is in their best interests. As history has shown us, this moral cowardliness is a path to personal destruction. They may gain 30 pieces of silver for selling their soul, and will have to live with their own hatred afterward.
Dishonest Donald the Mad's followers, are a pack of swine, dishonest, self centered, unpleasant, rude, untrustworthy rabble. They think of themselves as the true parrots with flags flying from their cars. Those farmers with the family values giving up their children's future, not questioning the motives of him. For them it is a short term gain, they are unable to look ahead, mesmerized by the rhetoric of a pathological believing in his infallibility to give them what they want. They rail against Liberal Socialist ideas, but turn around and take our tax money to help them evade the economic consequences of their political choices.
That is hypocrisy, just plain moral cowardliness.
40
And sadly, both work quite well
Isn't it easy to lie , if you can cheat your way to win? Trump model proves it to rest of the world.
Trumps have lied since their birth and won..
Why not rest of the GOP.
What they realize is that this is not just money; this is our country and it will fall, it will fall big and we may not know how to recover.
7
a very powerful column with the exception
of "the pregnant Honduran woman limping
toward freedom." we must be humane
to the immigrants without trying to take
in everyone with a hardluck story and the
more liberals make it about personal
tragedies and not about vetting them and
letting in a few at a time(assuming they are
willing to go to the back of the line) the
more Trump and his supporters will jump
on us and use it to their advantage. we are
a compassionate country and always will
try to help the disenfranchised and the
oppressed, but we cannot let everyone in.
we must realize this hard fact and say it.
8
@Frank. The time to stop letting them in, is 'now'. Requesting asylum is a cynical manipulation of our laws and practices. No Central American country is oppressing a group to the point of providing grounds for asylum at this time. I don't understand why these loopholes aren't closed.
1
VOTE! DEMAND THAT your friends and neighbors vote.
Then do that deeper thing, that thing from which politics arise: change the culture.
One rarely hears people seriously discuss why they believe what they do, but this is necessary to change the culture. How we think is more important than what we think.
8
@Slipping Glimpser There is no point in discussing religion with an atheist. People live by their beliefs for as long as their lives go along smoothly. It is only in a personal crisis that some, but not all, come to believe in something else. Conversation cannot change beliefs.
1
Any kind of truth in politics died November 8, 2016 with the election of Donald Trump as president. He has buried it. Lying is in on both sides of the political spectrum as you pointed out Frank. Along with the lying there is active voter suppression, the Russians are still interfering in our election process, and people are being mailed notices with wrong dates given for things like the last day for mailing in a ballot.
What will we have when the votes are counted? An honest election with believable results? Did we have one in 2016? How would we even know with certainty that our votes counted? Who is in charge of the process - a political hack like the one in Georgia running for governor who is actively engaged in voter suppression? I am dispirited right now, does it show? Of course I will vote. I will vote a straight Democratic ticket because I like their lies better.
Decency in politics left in the limousine with President Barack Obama and Michelle on January 20, 2017 when Trump was sworn in. Oh how I miss them both right now. Was it really just less than two years ago that whenever we heard the intelligent, informed, moral man whom we elected President speak, we didn't cringe or want to hide our heads in embarrassment or shame? Seems like eons.
73
@Diana Honestly, I think the George Bush election was far worse. A state with irregularities run by his brother and a decision by Justices put on the SC by his father gave him the election. Donald Trump did win fairly by our electoral standards. He triumphed over 16 others by sheer verbal force. I doubt he's the first bully to live in the White House. Most of us miss Obama greatly but he's probably the exception to decency in our highest office. Clinton? Decency? Reagan and Iran Contra, Nixon? Michelle says she's not running, but a girl can dream.
2
@Diana, scattered lies from Democrats don't in any way compare with a systematic campaign of nastiness, fear, and constant lying from Republicans. The Democratic Party is no threat to our democracy. The Republican Party is a terrible threat, whose magnitude we could not have imagined until it came out from under cover under Trump.
7
@Diana: I wonder if Michelle is the only person in America who could beat Donald Trump? I know she would laugh out loud at the prospect - but, oh, I want them both back!
2
Anyone who takes the time to put two and two together can see that the republicans have only hatred, fear, lies, spin, anger, homophobia, racism, sexism, and greed to sell their apocalyptic view of America if they don't win the midterms.
The Democrats on the other hand speak about genuine hope highlighting America's ideals, Healthcare with actual language about safeguarding people with 'preexisting conditions'.
The characteristics which shape a Democratic view are based in the ideals of leadership, equality, fairness, character, honesty, empathy, kindness, civility, ethics, and honor.
This mid-term election could not be clearer. The Republicans offer an isolated and divided America full of fear and mistrust.
The Democrats offer America a way out of this despair where our collective energy is put towards the common good of all our citizens. Vote for the future, not the past.
56
I'm not really sure what purpose this opinion serves. Who are you trying to convince exactly? Anyone paying attention is at least vaguely aware of all these happenings. I don't see how listing talking points on a week's worth of political degradation is helping anything.
None of the names listed here are on my ballot. This information is completely irrelevant to me. I know I'm going to vote. I have a reasonably good idea how I'm going to vote. The only thing columns like these accomplish is ruining the last good parts of Fall before Winter.
I feel like there must be a better way to use the white space.
6
@Andy Agreed. But we read it anyway, right?
1
Always wondered how The National Enquirer stayed in business. People prefer made up drama. That's how "reality TV' has infected U.S. politics.
20
Yes, so many lies! It is disheartening to think anyone accepts the constant barrage of "fake" news from Trump. It is very troubling to hear Trump accuse Democrats of promoting the caravan of migrants. Frightening and deeply disturbing is Trump's reaction. Send the military to block the caravan. Would that there might be an ounce of compassion in Trump! He might ask the Mexican president what we as Americans can do for these migrants? Few will make it to the U.S. border. What could we offer the Mexicans? ... tents, water, food, medical assistance and maybe even interview some families and drive them to our border and housing. "But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” so that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin." (Hebrews 3:13) We have the hardened heart of a president and GOP offering no basic human compassion, no mercy for people fleeing violence. Can we as America do no more than cause more pain and suffering?
11
Grow up Frank. If you think Democrats aren't running their own fear campaigns, distorting opponents records and outright lying about any number of things you are either naive or consciously deaf and blind.
8
Republicans are all about fear and lies, but what about Americans? Are we that fearful or dependent on lies?
3
Agreed, Mr. Bruni. And, as I've already said in this newspaper today: If you just got off a plane from Mars and read about what's happened to your country and your planet since you left them a couple of dog years ago, you'd think it came from the National Enquirer instead of The New York Times.
Nope, you can't make this stuff up.
Yes, it's all true. Amoral abnormality has become the new normality. Meh.
Just another day in the swamp.
Drain it November 6th.
Vote.
17
When haven't fear and lies worked well for the Republicans in the past 40 years?
17
@JR Without fear and lies, the Republican party would have vanished. Do the math. This is a party that exists solely to enrich 1% of the country's population, and impose economic insecurity on the rest of us, by shredding safety nets, stealing the benefits we've paid for all our lives, and undermining livable wages. That's its only purpose for being -- to transfer the wealth of the nation, the fruits of everyone's labors, into a few hands, who in turn use their money to keep in office politicians who will continue to enrich them, to run America as a kleptocratic oligocracy fronted by a tyrannical autocrat. In a democracy, this is obviously not a good business model. So to avoid the messy brutality other kleptocratic oligocracies use to stay in power, the Republican party has to keep tricking over half of the population into voting for them, by drawing on racism, sexism, religionism, xenophobia, economic envy, tribal resentment, homophobia, and other “other-group” hatreds that are always latently available for recruitment when poverty desires a scapegoat. Thus, they can continue to give away our public coffers to the uber-rich while both the poor and the wealthy cheer. Republicans lie because that's the only way their party can survive.
Those who know world history know how bad it can get. Republicans count on ignorance of world history, and acceptance of their bald-faced lies by the ill-informed or mal-motivated, to get away with it as long as they can.
2