A storm of Republican lies. It was another week of chaos in the US, one deliberately created by Donald Trump and his MAGA followers, aided by the devastating impact of Hurricane Helene
But if you only watch Fox news, you hear a completely different story. It’s hard to believe how many lies they spew out about FEMA and the government response.
Do you think "normal" Republicans can start their own party and leave the crazies behind? Something similar happened in Switzerland a while back. Of course we have about 16 parties in government so it wasn't as big a deal.
I think the republicans will try to somehow get back their own party. In a two party system, no party can affort to split their votes. Once Trump is out of politics (het is not 78 I think) the MAGA movement may collapse since it is so much tied to him. On the other hand, the differences between the 'classic' republicans and the populist ones seems so large that it's hard to imagine how these differences can heal. If history is any guide here, the arguments would run against splitting the party. It has been tried in the 1860s but the offspring of the party withdrew their candidate at the last moment to avoid splitting the vote in what was already a two party system, and they tried again to split the party some ten years later. Perhaps the best warning to follow this path is the fight between Theodore Roosevelt (the strongman type Trump admires, even though he had a positive environmental record) and Taft. It led to a split vote and the election of Wilson. My best guess is that the traditional conservatives form a kind of grouping, now identifiable since they publicly announced voting for Kamala Harris and they hope to become sufficiently strong to take over their own party again when the MAGA cult collapses under its own weight as fascism has a reputation of ending that way. Leaders like Trump won't just retire, they draw everyone with them on their steep fall to the bottom, leaving the ashes for the now dissident tradition Republicans to phoenix up again.
We need you to go on tour in the US for the next 30 days and if there were a way to arrange some speaking engagements around the country, you would be doing a great service to the people here struggling to understand how the followers of the cult leader swallow all the lies and disinformation.
I would love the debates, but this is for the Americans and not for me. I wouldn't like an American flying in to my country just before the elections to tell us what's wrong with us. My role is to observe from a large distance and share my findings with whomever likes to read them, not to campaign. Besides, our debating style in Europe doesn't work in the US. We give candidates time to think, formulate, listen to each other, and find compromises. Trench warfare never led to much progress in Europe.
You're right, of course. And we have folks here campaigning for a better way forward. I do think there's a place for international discourse on big ideas like the climate crisis and the same is true for other issues in the U.S. in the areas of education and health care, neither of which is as good as in some other financially well-off countries.
21 hrs ago·edited 20 hrs agoLiked by Alexander Verbeek 🌍
"And the beat goes on." Lara Trump and Az Senator Kelly on Sunday Face the Nation. The astronaut, fighter pilot and Gabby's husband versus the Face of MAGA's. Lara smiles into the camera repeating every lie stated here, while defiantly talking over Dana Bash who is trying to correct her. Previously Lara energized the crowd in Pennsylvania with: This race is no longer Republican vs Democrat; it is now good versus evil. Trump echoed her words, "We have an evil world. We have a very sick world." Making it "us versus them," using the playbook of White Christain Nationalism.
By labeling immigrants as evil and "the others," the Trump Cult does not have to look at them, just deport "their kind". A way to feel no compassion, guilt or decency. Why should they? They are not worthy of it. The Rocky Horror show continues.
In the face of losing everything, seeing your future dissolve in your hands and being told your government is withholding emergency funds is the real "evil" here. It is now when compassion is needed the most. It is now when only kindness makes sense anymore. It is now we see Kamala and our government rise.
In the most consequential election in our lifetimes, 30 days out, we ask "where are the helpers"? Oh, they are here, and their voices can be heard above the storm. We must listen. We must act. Nuestras voces se alzaran. Muchas gracias for your voice, Alex.
Fascism thrives on 'us versus them', fear, violence, chaos, and blind faith in a leader. Looking at the last week, it's astonishing to see how evil their leaders are; I didn't find any sympathy for the plight of the victims, only abuse of the most volatile who have lost everything. Trump is even more mean, aggressive, and totalitarian in his views and ambitions than he was during previous elections. If elected, his reign will be fare more consequential for the history of the US; it's the road not to travel.
Yikes, Alex. Have we all just checked our common sense in the broom closet? Waiting for jury verdicts, I always relied on the decency & character of the jurors. That option is no longer available to us. We are adrift in a tsunami of lies with no lifeboat.
You certainly included everything that’s wrong with the GOP. In addition you’ve made abundantly clear how our planet is suffering and will continue to suffer if the orange man who is completely devoid of empathy, compassion and feeling is elected. He acts like a robot…
I simply can’t wrap my head around the incessant stream of lies that come out of one of the candidates for president. It is truly a shameful and disgusting episode in our
political history.
Thank you for clarifying that there are sympathetic
caring people in our present administration who have a hellish job cleaning up the mess from Helene.
But they’re tackling it in every way humanly possible. I feel incredibly powerless because I would like to offer my sympathies to those who have lost everything while I sit here comfortably writing to you…
(I feel guilty.)
Thank you for such a well-written history lesson from someone whose native land is not America.
Thank you, Anne. In my writing, I try to show the Americans a view from Europe. This physical distance, the different history, forms of government, and other approaches and mentality, all make that I hopefully can add an outsider perspective.
Factually stated.
No paper towel tossing by this administration. Action, caring, efficiency and empathy.
This is what’s critically needed when disasters occur. A quick and caring response for those in urgent need.
When you’ve lost everything, including loved ones in some cases, knowing someone cares means everything.
This nightmare should show voters who they can depend on when the unthinkable happens.
It isn’t Trump.
But if you only watch Fox news, you hear a completely different story. It’s hard to believe how many lies they spew out about FEMA and the government response.
"I see pictures of her helping out, listening to the stories of survivors, and hugging a woman who just lost her husband in the flood."
I only remember the orange guy throwing rolls of paper towels at citizens of Puerto Rico.
One of our own experienced the devastating impact of a storm out sized because of climate change. FEMA is working.
Vote.
Yes, and so are most of the Republican governors involved.
Wow, you packed a lot into that. Thank you.
Also time for members of congress to speak up and call out the lies that Trump tells, I feel.
I hope everybody can get relief from the devastation caused by natural desasters as fast as humanly possible.
I hope someday the Republican party will get back to normal. I would not have believed it myself ten years ago that I would ever write these words.
Do you think "normal" Republicans can start their own party and leave the crazies behind? Something similar happened in Switzerland a while back. Of course we have about 16 parties in government so it wasn't as big a deal.
I think the republicans will try to somehow get back their own party. In a two party system, no party can affort to split their votes. Once Trump is out of politics (het is not 78 I think) the MAGA movement may collapse since it is so much tied to him. On the other hand, the differences between the 'classic' republicans and the populist ones seems so large that it's hard to imagine how these differences can heal. If history is any guide here, the arguments would run against splitting the party. It has been tried in the 1860s but the offspring of the party withdrew their candidate at the last moment to avoid splitting the vote in what was already a two party system, and they tried again to split the party some ten years later. Perhaps the best warning to follow this path is the fight between Theodore Roosevelt (the strongman type Trump admires, even though he had a positive environmental record) and Taft. It led to a split vote and the election of Wilson. My best guess is that the traditional conservatives form a kind of grouping, now identifiable since they publicly announced voting for Kamala Harris and they hope to become sufficiently strong to take over their own party again when the MAGA cult collapses under its own weight as fascism has a reputation of ending that way. Leaders like Trump won't just retire, they draw everyone with them on their steep fall to the bottom, leaving the ashes for the now dissident tradition Republicans to phoenix up again.
Thank you. Makes sense.
Alexander,
We need you to go on tour in the US for the next 30 days and if there were a way to arrange some speaking engagements around the country, you would be doing a great service to the people here struggling to understand how the followers of the cult leader swallow all the lies and disinformation.
I would love the debates, but this is for the Americans and not for me. I wouldn't like an American flying in to my country just before the elections to tell us what's wrong with us. My role is to observe from a large distance and share my findings with whomever likes to read them, not to campaign. Besides, our debating style in Europe doesn't work in the US. We give candidates time to think, formulate, listen to each other, and find compromises. Trench warfare never led to much progress in Europe.
You're right, of course. And we have folks here campaigning for a better way forward. I do think there's a place for international discourse on big ideas like the climate crisis and the same is true for other issues in the U.S. in the areas of education and health care, neither of which is as good as in some other financially well-off countries.
"And the beat goes on." Lara Trump and Az Senator Kelly on Sunday Face the Nation. The astronaut, fighter pilot and Gabby's husband versus the Face of MAGA's. Lara smiles into the camera repeating every lie stated here, while defiantly talking over Dana Bash who is trying to correct her. Previously Lara energized the crowd in Pennsylvania with: This race is no longer Republican vs Democrat; it is now good versus evil. Trump echoed her words, "We have an evil world. We have a very sick world." Making it "us versus them," using the playbook of White Christain Nationalism.
By labeling immigrants as evil and "the others," the Trump Cult does not have to look at them, just deport "their kind". A way to feel no compassion, guilt or decency. Why should they? They are not worthy of it. The Rocky Horror show continues.
In the face of losing everything, seeing your future dissolve in your hands and being told your government is withholding emergency funds is the real "evil" here. It is now when compassion is needed the most. It is now when only kindness makes sense anymore. It is now we see Kamala and our government rise.
In the most consequential election in our lifetimes, 30 days out, we ask "where are the helpers"? Oh, they are here, and their voices can be heard above the storm. We must listen. We must act. Nuestras voces se alzaran. Muchas gracias for your voice, Alex.
Fascism thrives on 'us versus them', fear, violence, chaos, and blind faith in a leader. Looking at the last week, it's astonishing to see how evil their leaders are; I didn't find any sympathy for the plight of the victims, only abuse of the most volatile who have lost everything. Trump is even more mean, aggressive, and totalitarian in his views and ambitions than he was during previous elections. If elected, his reign will be fare more consequential for the history of the US; it's the road not to travel.
Yikes, Alex. Have we all just checked our common sense in the broom closet? Waiting for jury verdicts, I always relied on the decency & character of the jurors. That option is no longer available to us. We are adrift in a tsunami of lies with no lifeboat.
And increasingly a stirring up of hatred, it’s preparing the ground for violence.
You certainly included everything that’s wrong with the GOP. In addition you’ve made abundantly clear how our planet is suffering and will continue to suffer if the orange man who is completely devoid of empathy, compassion and feeling is elected. He acts like a robot…
I simply can’t wrap my head around the incessant stream of lies that come out of one of the candidates for president. It is truly a shameful and disgusting episode in our
political history.
Thank you for clarifying that there are sympathetic
caring people in our present administration who have a hellish job cleaning up the mess from Helene.
But they’re tackling it in every way humanly possible. I feel incredibly powerless because I would like to offer my sympathies to those who have lost everything while I sit here comfortably writing to you…
(I feel guilty.)
Thank you for such a well-written history lesson from someone whose native land is not America.
Thank you, Anne. In my writing, I try to show the Americans a view from Europe. This physical distance, the different history, forms of government, and other approaches and mentality, all make that I hopefully can add an outsider perspective.