Republicans: continued

[Sean Hayden]

Just take the example of Facebook. The donation to Trump’s inauguration is seen as pay to play, and it’s noted that this didn’t happen under Biden. But what about the fact checkers? That wasn’t done to appease Republicans! -lol- And how much more did that cost than the million given here?

[Sean Hayden]

I guess I’m just offering the boring and admittedly annoying pov that regarding the relationship between corporations and government, we’re still seeing business as usual…

[Tero]

Pramila outlines exactly what the 119th congress will do to the MAGA voters.
https://www.threads.net/@debschlem1/pos ... ArfCfCNaqw

[Brian Peacock]

I guess I’m just offering the boring and admittedly annoying pov that regarding the relationship between corporations and government, we’re still seeing business as usual…

It's the only game in town.

[pErvinalia]

It's not going to change. The population is too stupid.

[macdoc]

20 years on...still relevant

Political scientist Dr. Lawrence Britt recently wrote an article about fascism ("Fascism Anyone?,
" Free Inquiry, Spring 2003, page 20). Studying the
fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia), and Pinochet (Chile), Dr. Britt found they all had 14
elements in common. He calls these the identifying characteristics of fascism. The excerpt is in accordance with the magazine's policy.
The 14 characteristics are:
1. Powerful and Continuing Nationalism
Fascist regimes tend to make constant use of patriotic mottos, slogans, symbols, songs, and other paraphernalia. Flags are seen everywhere, as are
flag symbols on clothing and in public displays.
2. Disdain for the Recognition of Human Rights
Because of fear of enemies and the need for security, the people in fascist regimes are persuaded that human rights can be ignored in certain cases
because of "need." The people tend to look the other way or even approve of torture, summary executions, assassinations, long incarcerations of
prisoners, etc.
3. Identification of Enemies/Scapegoats as a Unifying Cause
The people are rallied into a unifying patriotic frenzy over the need to eliminate a perceived common threat or foe: racial , ethnic or religious
minorities; liberals; communists; socialists, terrorists, etc.
4. Supremacy of the Military
Even when there are widespread domestic problems, the military is given a disproportionate amount of government funding, and the domestic
agenda is neglected. Soldiers and military service are glamorized.
5. Rampant Sexism
The governments of fascist nations tend to be almost exclusively male-dominated. Under fascist regimes, traditional gender roles are made more
rigid. Opposition to abortion is high, as is homophobia and anti-gay legislation and national policy.
6. Controlled Mass Media
Sometimes to media is directly controlled by the government, but in other cases, the media is indirectly controlled by government regulation, or
sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship, especially in war time, is very common.
7. Obsession with National Security
Fear is used as a motivational tool by the government over the masses.
8. Religion and Government are Intertwined
Governments in fascist nations tend to use the most common religion in the nation as a tool to manipulate public opinion. Religious rhetoric and
terminology is common from government leaders, even when the major tenets of the religion are diametrically opposed to the government's policies
or actions.
9. Corporate Power is Protected
The industrial and business aristocracy of a fascist nation often are the ones who put the government leaders into power, creating a mutually
beneficial business/government relationship and power elite.
10. Labor Power is Suppressed
Because the organizing power of labor is the only real threat to a fascist government, labor unions are either eliminated entirely, or are severely
suppressed .
11. Disdain for Intellectuals and the Arts
Fascist nations tend to promote and tolerate open hostility to higher education, and academia. It is not uncommon for professors and other
academics to be censored or even arrested. Free expression in the arts is openly attacked, and governments often refuse to fund the arts.
12. Obsession with Crime and Punishment
Under fascist regimes, the police are given almost limitless power to enforce laws. The people are often willing to overlook police abuses and even
forego civil liberties in the name of patriotism. There is often a national police force with virtually unlimited power in fascist nations.
13. Rampant Cronyism and Corruption
Fascist regimes almost always are governed by groups of friends and associates who appoint each other to government positions and use
governmental power and authority to protect their friends from accountability. It is not uncommon in fascist regimes for national resources and
even treasures to be appropriated or even outright stolen by government leaders.
14. Fraudulent Elections
Sometimes elections in fascist nations are a complete sham. Other times elections are manipulated by smear campaigns against or even
assassination of opposition candidates, use of legislation to control voting numbers or political district boundaries, and manipulation of the media.
Fascist nations also typically use their judiciaries to manipulate or control election

[JimC]

Certainly many of those characteristics resonate well with Trump et al...

[Tero]

personality_of_colt
1habout an hour ago
"No disaster aid for you, California, until you fix all the things we just totally made up." - Republicans in...
https://www.threads.net/@personality_of ... jlXeMpE4BQ

[Tero]

All assholes.

[pErvinalia]

I can't take anyone called Tommy Tuberville seriously.

[Tero]

ALL THE WOKE STUFF!
aaron.rupar
6m6 minutes ago
Rep. Scott Fitzgerald on federal aid to California: "There's a lot of members that aren't there yet on just exactly what this would look like ... I'm sure there is gonna be some things tied to any aid that's gonna make it's way to California."

[L'Emmerdeur]

I seriously doubt that this is going to make any difference to the Republican bootlickers in the US Senate who will decide whether Kennedy is confirmed.

'"How can he be trusted?": RFK Jr. accused of felony election fraud for voting from New York residence "at which he does not legally reside," watchdog group says'

Donald Trump‘s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services “knowingly” violated New York’s Election Law by voting from the New York address, according to Accountable.US, which describes itself online as a “nonpartisan, 501(c)3 organization that shines a light on special interests that too often wield unchecked power and influence in Washington and beyond.” The left-leaning group filed its complaint on Monday, Jan. 6, and sent out a press release on Wednesday announcing it.

...

New York law states that any person who “knowingly votes or offers or attempts to vote at any election, when not qualified; or … Votes or offers or attempts to vote at an election … in an election district or from a place where he does not reside” is guilty of committing felony voter fraud. Accountable.US. notes how this has come up as a problem for Kennedy in the past.

“The issue of Mr. Kennedy’s residence was recently litigated in New York courts as a core question in a dispute about his ability to appear as a candidate for President of the United States on New York ballots,” the group’s complaint says. “In August 2024, the Albany County Supreme Court found that Mr. Kennedy did not legally reside in his claimed New York address under New York election law. … The address at issue in that case is the same one that public records show he voted from in the 2024 November general election.”

For that case, the court held that “petitioners have demonstrated by clear and convincing evidence that the Katonah address listed in the nominating petition was not Kennedy’s residence under the election law,” according to the Accountable.US complaint. It noted that in the “15 months that Kennedy claimed the Katonah address was his residence, he admittedly only spent one night there and that was after he filed his nominating petition and after the media had questioned his stated residence,” the complaint says.

[Brian Peacock]

A mere adminstrative slip up.

[Woodbutcher]

The Canadian firefighters in California are there to finally annex the state and make it a Canadian province.

[macdoc]

I'm all in on that.