It was clear that the tariffs were illegal and could have been stayed by the Supreme Court pending resolution. Instead, there was no stay and the court slow walked it for nearly a year allowing this illegal accumulation of corporate wealth,
So how is it then that Trump just increased tariffs on autos from the EU, to 25 percent? He's still doing it, I believe using a different authority than the one thrown out by the Court?
I believe a president can impose higher tariffs on sectors of the economy for a period of time to allow the American sector to adjust to the competition. I realize I am on "thin ice" and ask for additions or corrections.
It was only ever another of tRump's fabulist swindles. With this Court and DOJ in his hip pocket, he will never face trial and punishment for his multiplicity of crimes...
Understood. However, I believe he's already being punished (not acknowledging it, but feeling it) and I believe that eternity is a long time to be punished in a manner suited to his 'misdeeds.'
And I much more just want to be done with this nasty bit of life lessons and be able to move on to working on making this A More Perfect Union.
Totally agree that the Supreme Court “enabled” Trump by postponing its ruling. In addition, the “illegality” of the tariffs was not a “flaw,” but a FEATURE. Trump REVELS IN BREAKING THE LAW — ordinary rules, societal norms, and constitutional & statutory law. How else can he prove to everyone (including the Supreme Court) that - as president - he is above the law and can do anything he wants!?!
ABA Program. Blowing The Whistle: False Claims Act Litigation in the Age of Tariffs
In this program, experienced litigators will discuss whistleblower and False Claims Act litigation issues through the lens of recent developments in tariff and trade law. Attendees will learn to spot key FCA issues that also apply in a wide range of industries,
And still MAGA and crew believe that those tariffs were paid by the countries shipping stuff here. Democrats should hammer these rebates to companies hard. Companies receiving the rebates will not lower prices much, they’ll pay down debt, maybe buy back shares just like they did with their tax breaks and COVID money.
I wish more people would think about what Democrats are up against when they criticize them for "poor messaging". Republicans not only have their own cable news network, but it is often amplified by the MSM. Think of the Biden bashing or now the difference in reception by newspapers and TV to the Tea Party protests versus No Kings, for instance. But that's just older folks.
Younger people get their news online - social media, podcasts, influencers, etc. X is still the behemoth and owned by a Trump supporter (to put it mildly). Truth Social, of course. All those other things like Rumble and Telegram for the more hardcore. Joe Rogan with the most popular podcast, the whole "manosphere" that the MSM is also fascinated with. (Do they even know there are still feminists out here, too?)
It's hard to break through, and then there's the fact that a message, no matter how perfect, isn't going to counteract the attitudes that Hillary Clinton specifically identified when she said "deplorables" namely "racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic.". About half, she said, only she was wrong. Try "all" in at least one of those permutations.
(Where I live, I am outvoted two to one by MAGAs.)
That's it, there is no perfect message. People turn into the right wing media to get confirmation of their world view. They feed on it. There is no prying the scales from their eyes. The consequence is that they will live out their anger driven miserable lives blaming Democrats while the world passes them by and it will always be someone else's fault. We will suffer the consequences as well unless we overwhelm them at the ballot box (not likely in red states) or maybe the economics will.
"Maybe the economics will" is something I've been thinking about in terms of where I live. There were stickers of Joe Biden all over the gas pumps by the dollar amount, of him grinning foolishly and pointing, "I did this". And they wouldn't come off either, as I tried.
Yet, I'm not seeing anything like that now even though unlike Joe, Trump actually DID "do this".
Will people recognize this and make Republicans pay? I suspect not. They will go along with Trump saying he needed to shut down Iran's nuclear capabilities as the threat was imminent, even though it wasn't, and he didn't. And they will believe him now that when IRAN stops blocking the S of H, gas prices will drop like a stone. Only they won't.
We're voting for governor and senator, here in MI, and we are replacing a retiring Dem Senator, so it will be a big loss if we don't stay Dem.
I think if the fall election was now Democrats would win big. But November is forever in political time and people have very short memories. Who knows what things will be like then? Maybe gas will go back down and it will be a distant memory. We had the ICE surge here in Minnesota early this year and I already feel it's becoming a distant memory for many people.
Ironically available on Amazon. Unironically available many other places. I have seen them around and you can tag your neighborhood 100x if you like for just $3.99
Karen, you know the Trump regime doesn't operate that way. It's a great dream but it's as likely as Mar-a-Lago imitating Atlantus and collapsing into the sea. It's a fanciful thought!
Even the stupidest of stupidest press secretaries thought the same about tariffs, until she did some reading or had some correction passed to her. People just don't get tariffs. The exporter does not pay them. The importer does, then passes off the excessive tax to guess who? The company they are importing for, who then passes the higher price to the consumer- us. That in turn, creates higher prices for items, creates possible layoffs, as the company cannot sell their high priced goods, etc etc etc. Get it Karoline?
Thank you! You are the first person I’ve seen point this out, and it’s been driving me crazy! Those wealthy corporations didn’t pay the tariffs - we did! Yet everyone seemed to see it as a win when the govt was ordered to refund tariffs to them. Furious!
For some reason, I don't think this will make a difference to the MAGA nuts. It does however justify, for all the right reasons, throwing out the current administration. VOTE them out!
It will not make any difference to a MAGA voter as you suggest, because they have aligned themselves to what they perceive to be a strong enforcer and to admit he has flaws or makes mistakes is to admit to themselves that they are flawed as well.
Aha! But, Camille, do you think they know even that they have flaws? It’s scary to imagine, but I’m becoming convinced that whatever you and I perceive as obvious flaws like lying, or stealing or ignoring laws, they’ve chosen to see as pluses and as proof of power.
Funny you mentioned this, but I did a lot of research recently (and had a few useless written debates before that) to understand the Trump supporter and why it is difficult to change their minds. Hopefully you’ll indulge me—it only took me about 15 months to discover this nugget!
I found information that made it clear that Trump supporters look at the exact same evidence we do, yet see a completely different reality. The perception that their specific demographic group is losing its traditional cultural or economic status prevents them from looking for a traditional politician, so they look for an enforcer. The rhetoric that resonates most strongly with this group involves promises to crush political enemies or framing out groups as existential threats. It is the psychological comfort of having a strong man who promises to restore the social hierarchy to its rightful order that appeals to them. This is what we are working with.
If you debate a conservative, republican or MAGA, they usually immediately deploy absolute denial and labeling the evidence as fabricated, regardless of the source. Others utilized whataboutism, instantly deflecting to the perceived crimes of political rivals to balance their internal moral ledger, and some simply rewired their own values on the spot. Individuals who previously claimed high moral standards suddenly stated that character and personal morality no longer mattered in a leader, only the policies did. They didn't abandon the leader; they bent their own reality to protect their ego.
These voters feel a profound sense of belonging to a traditional idealized American identity, but as society rapidly diversifies and changes, they feel their unique cultural status is being erased. Their extreme unwavering loyalty is a highly disciplined, hyper organized, psychological attempt to cling to a savior figure who promises to maintain order and protect their identity from being watered down and their brain interprets opposing facts as a literal physical threat to their existence. The amygdala, the brain's threat detection center, fires up exactly as if a wild animal was attacking them in the woods.
They aren't consciously ignoring your logic, their brain has literally bypassed its logical processing centers to prioritize defending their identity. They double down because, neurologically speaking, admitting they were wrong about the leader feels exactly like destroying a piece of themselves.
So, in my opinion, it is a waste of time to try to convince MAGA’s to change their minds, but democratic leaders can and should promote policies that will improve their economic status while also helping the rest of us and more liberal policies. They should be strong minded and focusing on young voters and ones who typically sit out elections because I don’t know how you change such hardwired psychological coping strategies. However, if the MAGA's suddenly start seeing improvements in life: better income, healthcare, affordable housing, etc. they may shut up long enough for the progressives to get some serious stuff done, and then they can implement protective laws so that what we are living through, we and our children/grandchildren never have to live through again.
Sorry, this isn't the readers digest version of such a good question, but it makes sense to me why nothing he does ever makes any difference to them.🙂
There’s a lot of prejudice on Cape Cod. When I was a child here in summer time, & from NYC otherwise, I asked my father why there were no people of color here other than the wonderful but not well off native Indians. Portuguese yes, as farmers mostly and business people…. lots from the Azores as former whalers. It was a quietly restricted place. However, we were not allowed to go anyplace that was restricted Ever. Not ever! When fairly recently Brazilians arrived to take jobs no one seemed to want to do, I could feel prejudice simmering. Other immigrants came to fill summer jobs as well as the tourists flocked across the two bridges. Now? Those jobs are wanting… fear does not fill
stomachs or merchants needs. Many of us here deeply like our Brazilian neighbors who work harder than most of us who were either born here or visit. What ought to be banned? Prejudice. I welcome immigrants just like my relatives who came here to Plymouth escape tyranny of a king.
It has taken me a second Trump administration to fully understand the level of racism, xenophobia and misogyny, etc. that we are dealing with. I grew up on Long Island, so I had friends who were Asian, Indian, Black, Puerto Rican and White and didn't grow up in an exclusively white community.
I do remember thinking when the George Floyd riots were happening in MN, that this was going to be the start of something big, but I didn't realize it was going to be big in actually turning back the clock, as I see now. I don't think the minds of conservatives are going to change in that respect--they've been indoctrinated far too long. I do believe the minds of young children and young adults can be taught compassion, diversity and equality, but that's going to take a lot of time and effort and decent education. I don't profess to know how to solve it all; I've only gotten so far as to understand where it stems from and why I shouldn't waste anymore time on trying to reason people out of something they didn't reason themselves into.
Camille. absolutely. There’s some glimmer of maybe hopeful news here in my area on Cape Cod, that apparently has a bigger percentage of magas than in the rest of MA.: flags & pro t signs are fewer and fewer. I haven’t knocked on their doors to find out why, but suspect it may be the unpopular Iranian war. And thank you for your analysis.
First, lucky you for being on the east coast (displaced born and bred east coaster, stuck out west longer than intended), and I am surprised that folks on Cape Cod would put out Trump signs in a blue state. You're probably right about the Iranian war having some effect.
I live in a predominately republican neighborhood much to my chagrin, and saw 2 big signs finally disappear recently, but after a brief conversation with one of them, the ideology that Trump is getting rid of criminals and keeping them safe (their words not mine) made me realize, they didn't change their minds, they just didn't want to advertise it. I asked how one of them supports a known pedophile and they said he is not a pedophile. I quickly lost interest because I no longer have the capability to interact with willfully ignorant folks who vote against their own interests and don't consider reason and sanity in their decision-making, but racism is still a powerful motivator.
Camille, you can replace "conservative, republican or MAGA" with "liberal, democrat or progressive", post it on conservative outlet, and get the same response. This is because both sides are so deep in their own ideological bubbles they refuse to admit to any flaws on their side. In this forum, for example, have you ever seen any "autopsy" from The Contrarian staff as to any faults on the Democrats' side for their 2024 loss?
I don't know, I would like to hope that if the Contrarian sees flaws in the party that need to be addressed that they would, but I certainly don't rely on any one source for my substack news. I definitely think the democrat party has flaws...horrible messaging, milquetoast approach to standing up to atrocities, taking corporate money, misappropriated funds, trying to stay centrist as opposed to progressive and more. They really do need to learn from the 2024 loss and that worries me too.
But I wouldn't say they are the same as the republicans, not by any stretch of the imagination.
"I don't know, I would like to hope that if the Contrarian sees flaws in the party that need to be addressed that they would, but I certainly don't rely on any one source for my substack news."
The Contrarian doesn't talk about the flaws in the Democratic Party - the only flaws they want to highlight are those of Trump (of which there are many) or Trump-adjacent topics. It has been that way since this Substack started. And, to my knowledge, almost all of the other subscribers fail to offer any push back to whatever the topic is. The same holds true for the conservative outlets - the vast majority of the subscribers are "bobbleheads". They come for affirmation of their worldview/ideology. Anything outside of the "group think" is immediately dismissed.
"They really do need to learn from the 2024 loss and that worries me too."
Allegedly the head of the Democratic Party has a final "autopsy" on the 2024 campaign but hasn't released it.
"But I wouldn't say they are the same as the republicans, not by any stretch of the imagination."
Each party has their own issues to deal with, and the Repubs are just as bad at not airing their flaws as the Democrats.
Excellent piece. Here's hoping it's gets spread around and the democrats use it in messaging to the American public so more people recognize how the Trump administration is further enriching the already rich and screwing everyone else.
Yes, messaging is critical even if it never sways the hardest-core MAGAites. It needs to sway the young voters and mobilize all the rest to get out and vote. As I just wrote, posts like this one actually write headlines for the news outlets and talking heads!
And, these taxes will not go away. When the knife is in, they don't pull it out. Now it is conflated with the manufactured crisis du jour. Now we can have the pleasure of paying higher prices to keep Iran from having a nuclear weapon. Corporate America thanks you.
Like 2008 when the bailouts for the banks letthem profit 2x, once with recordprofits,then again with bailouts when homeowners lost their homes to foreclosures and communities lost residents and the tax base that keeps them afloat.
Historically it appears that market prices that go up seldom, if ever, go down, e.g., consider post COVID price changes. Prices find a newer plateau just below what was the highest price or use shrinkflation to deliver less at the same price. In the same vein, companies, instead of returning to consumers the money consumers paid in the form of higher prices resulting from Herr Trump’s tariffs, use returned tariff money for stock buy backs. It is a pattern they learned to use whenever the Government cuts taxes. Don’t look for Company Comfort. Milton Friedman gave companies their marching orders: businesses exist to generate profits for shareholders. The pressure is always on Consumers to consider purchases wisely, shop where they must and not as often if possible. Other costs like medical costs, the costs of energy and transport, and the price of homes are going from ridiculous to crazy. The cavalier lack of concern by the Trump Family Crime Syndicate about affordability is driving the American family into greater debt. Are Americans willing to consider making changes to reverse this? What are those changes?
That is a pleasant thought, though the writing will only be widely read by those who recognize what it finds. There is a chasm between those of us who believe facts and those who believe lies.
The party formely known as "Republican" has been screwing low and middle income Americans for over a hundred years. It has existed for the purpose of increasing the wealth of those corporations and people who are already wealthy. It's called "neoliberalism". The WH Beast & his billionaire puppeteers have simply taken that plan to new, astronomical heights. The peasants of the MAGA Voodoo Cult accept it because the Beast endorses and feeds their race & religious bigotry.
It was clear that the tariffs were illegal and could have been stayed by the Supreme Court pending resolution. Instead, there was no stay and the court slow walked it for nearly a year allowing this illegal accumulation of corporate wealth,
The SCOTUS is a partner in crime for this regime Richard, it's part of the nightmare we are going through.
So how is it then that Trump just increased tariffs on autos from the EU, to 25 percent? He's still doing it, I believe using a different authority than the one thrown out by the Court?
I believe a president can impose higher tariffs on sectors of the economy for a period of time to allow the American sector to adjust to the competition. I realize I am on "thin ice" and ask for additions or corrections.
Maybe he forgot the SCOTUS thrown out his brilliant idea Thomas.
It was only ever another of tRump's fabulist swindles. With this Court and DOJ in his hip pocket, he will never face trial and punishment for his multiplicity of crimes...
He will face punishment...eternally.
I want him to face punishment in the here and now just to be sure.
Understood. However, I believe he's already being punished (not acknowledging it, but feeling it) and I believe that eternity is a long time to be punished in a manner suited to his 'misdeeds.'
And I much more just want to be done with this nasty bit of life lessons and be able to move on to working on making this A More Perfect Union.
100%
Indeed. If the tariffs were so illegal, why was the supreme court action so slow?
because they also are criminals, stealing democracy one BS ruling at a time
Totally agree that the Supreme Court “enabled” Trump by postponing its ruling. In addition, the “illegality” of the tariffs was not a “flaw,” but a FEATURE. Trump REVELS IN BREAKING THE LAW — ordinary rules, societal norms, and constitutional & statutory law. How else can he prove to everyone (including the Supreme Court) that - as president - he is above the law and can do anything he wants!?!
May be a window of opportunity.
ABA Program. Blowing The Whistle: False Claims Act Litigation in the Age of Tariffs
In this program, experienced litigators will discuss whistleblower and False Claims Act litigation issues through the lens of recent developments in tariff and trade law. Attendees will learn to spot key FCA issues that also apply in a wide range of industries,
https://www.americanbar.org/events-cle/mtg/web/456662716/?login
And still MAGA and crew believe that those tariffs were paid by the countries shipping stuff here. Democrats should hammer these rebates to companies hard. Companies receiving the rebates will not lower prices much, they’ll pay down debt, maybe buy back shares just like they did with their tax breaks and COVID money.
Democrats are not believed by MAGAs. If they don't hear it on Fox News, it's not true.
These people read Truth Social as their daily dose of "reality".
You got that part right!
I wish more people would think about what Democrats are up against when they criticize them for "poor messaging". Republicans not only have their own cable news network, but it is often amplified by the MSM. Think of the Biden bashing or now the difference in reception by newspapers and TV to the Tea Party protests versus No Kings, for instance. But that's just older folks.
Younger people get their news online - social media, podcasts, influencers, etc. X is still the behemoth and owned by a Trump supporter (to put it mildly). Truth Social, of course. All those other things like Rumble and Telegram for the more hardcore. Joe Rogan with the most popular podcast, the whole "manosphere" that the MSM is also fascinated with. (Do they even know there are still feminists out here, too?)
It's hard to break through, and then there's the fact that a message, no matter how perfect, isn't going to counteract the attitudes that Hillary Clinton specifically identified when she said "deplorables" namely "racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamaphobic.". About half, she said, only she was wrong. Try "all" in at least one of those permutations.
(Where I live, I am outvoted two to one by MAGAs.)
That's it, there is no perfect message. People turn into the right wing media to get confirmation of their world view. They feed on it. There is no prying the scales from their eyes. The consequence is that they will live out their anger driven miserable lives blaming Democrats while the world passes them by and it will always be someone else's fault. We will suffer the consequences as well unless we overwhelm them at the ballot box (not likely in red states) or maybe the economics will.
"Maybe the economics will" is something I've been thinking about in terms of where I live. There were stickers of Joe Biden all over the gas pumps by the dollar amount, of him grinning foolishly and pointing, "I did this". And they wouldn't come off either, as I tried.
Yet, I'm not seeing anything like that now even though unlike Joe, Trump actually DID "do this".
Will people recognize this and make Republicans pay? I suspect not. They will go along with Trump saying he needed to shut down Iran's nuclear capabilities as the threat was imminent, even though it wasn't, and he didn't. And they will believe him now that when IRAN stops blocking the S of H, gas prices will drop like a stone. Only they won't.
We're voting for governor and senator, here in MI, and we are replacing a retiring Dem Senator, so it will be a big loss if we don't stay Dem.
I'm dreading this election.
I think if the fall election was now Democrats would win big. But November is forever in political time and people have very short memories. Who knows what things will be like then? Maybe gas will go back down and it will be a distant memory. We had the ICE surge here in Minnesota early this year and I already feel it's becoming a distant memory for many people.
Trump "I did this" stickers.
Ironically available on Amazon. Unironically available many other places. I have seen them around and you can tag your neighborhood 100x if you like for just $3.99
https://us.amazon.com/100pcs-Trump-Stickers-Donald-Merchandise/dp/B0DVSW4WD8/ref=pd_lpo_d_sccl_1/136-3356718-2955612?pd_rd_w=Ztdis&content-id=amzn1.sym.4c8c52db-06f8-4e42-8e56-912796f2ea6c&pf_rd_p=4c8c52db-06f8-4e42-8e56-912796f2ea6c&pf_rd_r=54NND5J9Q6BRW9W9G1QZ&pd_rd_wg=kejDS&pd_rd_r=dceba659-19e6-4053-872e-37d8a2017e94&pd_rd_i=B0DVSW4WD8&th=1
Maybe not having $1700 for summer vacation or Christmas because of the tariffs paid by the consumers will cramp them enough to focus on the facts.
Grr.
If only the government had instead sent checks to the poorest 10 or 20% of the US population.
That's a hoot. Instead, the government cut Medicaid, SNAP, Planned Parenthood and other funding that helps the poorest of the U.S. population.
Karen, you know the Trump regime doesn't operate that way. It's a great dream but it's as likely as Mar-a-Lago imitating Atlantus and collapsing into the sea. It's a fanciful thought!
fanciful but beautiful !
Even the stupidest of stupidest press secretaries thought the same about tariffs, until she did some reading or had some correction passed to her. People just don't get tariffs. The exporter does not pay them. The importer does, then passes off the excessive tax to guess who? The company they are importing for, who then passes the higher price to the consumer- us. That in turn, creates higher prices for items, creates possible layoffs, as the company cannot sell their high priced goods, etc etc etc. Get it Karoline?
Thank you! You are the first person I’ve seen point this out, and it’s been driving me crazy! Those wealthy corporations didn’t pay the tariffs - we did! Yet everyone seemed to see it as a win when the govt was ordered to refund tariffs to them. Furious!
For some reason, I don't think this will make a difference to the MAGA nuts. It does however justify, for all the right reasons, throwing out the current administration. VOTE them out!
It will not make any difference to a MAGA voter as you suggest, because they have aligned themselves to what they perceive to be a strong enforcer and to admit he has flaws or makes mistakes is to admit to themselves that they are flawed as well.
Aha! But, Camille, do you think they know even that they have flaws? It’s scary to imagine, but I’m becoming convinced that whatever you and I perceive as obvious flaws like lying, or stealing or ignoring laws, they’ve chosen to see as pluses and as proof of power.
Funny you mentioned this, but I did a lot of research recently (and had a few useless written debates before that) to understand the Trump supporter and why it is difficult to change their minds. Hopefully you’ll indulge me—it only took me about 15 months to discover this nugget!
I found information that made it clear that Trump supporters look at the exact same evidence we do, yet see a completely different reality. The perception that their specific demographic group is losing its traditional cultural or economic status prevents them from looking for a traditional politician, so they look for an enforcer. The rhetoric that resonates most strongly with this group involves promises to crush political enemies or framing out groups as existential threats. It is the psychological comfort of having a strong man who promises to restore the social hierarchy to its rightful order that appeals to them. This is what we are working with.
If you debate a conservative, republican or MAGA, they usually immediately deploy absolute denial and labeling the evidence as fabricated, regardless of the source. Others utilized whataboutism, instantly deflecting to the perceived crimes of political rivals to balance their internal moral ledger, and some simply rewired their own values on the spot. Individuals who previously claimed high moral standards suddenly stated that character and personal morality no longer mattered in a leader, only the policies did. They didn't abandon the leader; they bent their own reality to protect their ego.
These voters feel a profound sense of belonging to a traditional idealized American identity, but as society rapidly diversifies and changes, they feel their unique cultural status is being erased. Their extreme unwavering loyalty is a highly disciplined, hyper organized, psychological attempt to cling to a savior figure who promises to maintain order and protect their identity from being watered down and their brain interprets opposing facts as a literal physical threat to their existence. The amygdala, the brain's threat detection center, fires up exactly as if a wild animal was attacking them in the woods.
They aren't consciously ignoring your logic, their brain has literally bypassed its logical processing centers to prioritize defending their identity. They double down because, neurologically speaking, admitting they were wrong about the leader feels exactly like destroying a piece of themselves.
So, in my opinion, it is a waste of time to try to convince MAGA’s to change their minds, but democratic leaders can and should promote policies that will improve their economic status while also helping the rest of us and more liberal policies. They should be strong minded and focusing on young voters and ones who typically sit out elections because I don’t know how you change such hardwired psychological coping strategies. However, if the MAGA's suddenly start seeing improvements in life: better income, healthcare, affordable housing, etc. they may shut up long enough for the progressives to get some serious stuff done, and then they can implement protective laws so that what we are living through, we and our children/grandchildren never have to live through again.
Sorry, this isn't the readers digest version of such a good question, but it makes sense to me why nothing he does ever makes any difference to them.🙂
all brought about by wealth inequality
Camille & Patricia,
There’s a lot of prejudice on Cape Cod. When I was a child here in summer time, & from NYC otherwise, I asked my father why there were no people of color here other than the wonderful but not well off native Indians. Portuguese yes, as farmers mostly and business people…. lots from the Azores as former whalers. It was a quietly restricted place. However, we were not allowed to go anyplace that was restricted Ever. Not ever! When fairly recently Brazilians arrived to take jobs no one seemed to want to do, I could feel prejudice simmering. Other immigrants came to fill summer jobs as well as the tourists flocked across the two bridges. Now? Those jobs are wanting… fear does not fill
stomachs or merchants needs. Many of us here deeply like our Brazilian neighbors who work harder than most of us who were either born here or visit. What ought to be banned? Prejudice. I welcome immigrants just like my relatives who came here to Plymouth escape tyranny of a king.
It has taken me a second Trump administration to fully understand the level of racism, xenophobia and misogyny, etc. that we are dealing with. I grew up on Long Island, so I had friends who were Asian, Indian, Black, Puerto Rican and White and didn't grow up in an exclusively white community.
I do remember thinking when the George Floyd riots were happening in MN, that this was going to be the start of something big, but I didn't realize it was going to be big in actually turning back the clock, as I see now. I don't think the minds of conservatives are going to change in that respect--they've been indoctrinated far too long. I do believe the minds of young children and young adults can be taught compassion, diversity and equality, but that's going to take a lot of time and effort and decent education. I don't profess to know how to solve it all; I've only gotten so far as to understand where it stems from and why I shouldn't waste anymore time on trying to reason people out of something they didn't reason themselves into.
Agree with all you've said! Thanks for taking the time to share it!
Camille. absolutely. There’s some glimmer of maybe hopeful news here in my area on Cape Cod, that apparently has a bigger percentage of magas than in the rest of MA.: flags & pro t signs are fewer and fewer. I haven’t knocked on their doors to find out why, but suspect it may be the unpopular Iranian war. And thank you for your analysis.
First, lucky you for being on the east coast (displaced born and bred east coaster, stuck out west longer than intended), and I am surprised that folks on Cape Cod would put out Trump signs in a blue state. You're probably right about the Iranian war having some effect.
I live in a predominately republican neighborhood much to my chagrin, and saw 2 big signs finally disappear recently, but after a brief conversation with one of them, the ideology that Trump is getting rid of criminals and keeping them safe (their words not mine) made me realize, they didn't change their minds, they just didn't want to advertise it. I asked how one of them supports a known pedophile and they said he is not a pedophile. I quickly lost interest because I no longer have the capability to interact with willfully ignorant folks who vote against their own interests and don't consider reason and sanity in their decision-making, but racism is still a powerful motivator.
Camille, you can replace "conservative, republican or MAGA" with "liberal, democrat or progressive", post it on conservative outlet, and get the same response. This is because both sides are so deep in their own ideological bubbles they refuse to admit to any flaws on their side. In this forum, for example, have you ever seen any "autopsy" from The Contrarian staff as to any faults on the Democrats' side for their 2024 loss?
I don't know, I would like to hope that if the Contrarian sees flaws in the party that need to be addressed that they would, but I certainly don't rely on any one source for my substack news. I definitely think the democrat party has flaws...horrible messaging, milquetoast approach to standing up to atrocities, taking corporate money, misappropriated funds, trying to stay centrist as opposed to progressive and more. They really do need to learn from the 2024 loss and that worries me too.
But I wouldn't say they are the same as the republicans, not by any stretch of the imagination.
"I don't know, I would like to hope that if the Contrarian sees flaws in the party that need to be addressed that they would, but I certainly don't rely on any one source for my substack news."
The Contrarian doesn't talk about the flaws in the Democratic Party - the only flaws they want to highlight are those of Trump (of which there are many) or Trump-adjacent topics. It has been that way since this Substack started. And, to my knowledge, almost all of the other subscribers fail to offer any push back to whatever the topic is. The same holds true for the conservative outlets - the vast majority of the subscribers are "bobbleheads". They come for affirmation of their worldview/ideology. Anything outside of the "group think" is immediately dismissed.
"They really do need to learn from the 2024 loss and that worries me too."
Allegedly the head of the Democratic Party has a final "autopsy" on the 2024 campaign but hasn't released it.
"But I wouldn't say they are the same as the republicans, not by any stretch of the imagination."
Each party has their own issues to deal with, and the Repubs are just as bad at not airing their flaws as the Democrats.
Thank you for the reply.
Another scam ripoff brought to us by the king of tariffs.
Excellent piece. Here's hoping it's gets spread around and the democrats use it in messaging to the American public so more people recognize how the Trump administration is further enriching the already rich and screwing everyone else.
Yes, messaging is critical even if it never sways the hardest-core MAGAites. It needs to sway the young voters and mobilize all the rest to get out and vote. As I just wrote, posts like this one actually write headlines for the news outlets and talking heads!
The statistics about how $150 billion could benefit social services are staggering. Thank you for this excellent piece!
And, these taxes will not go away. When the knife is in, they don't pull it out. Now it is conflated with the manufactured crisis du jour. Now we can have the pleasure of paying higher prices to keep Iran from having a nuclear weapon. Corporate America thanks you.
Like 2008 when the bailouts for the banks letthem profit 2x, once with recordprofits,then again with bailouts when homeowners lost their homes to foreclosures and communities lost residents and the tax base that keeps them afloat.
AND……he’s STILL tariffing!
MAGAts want to believe their Great White Hope Dope.
Big White Daddy. Clinging to the fundamentals they thrive on, racism and misogyny.
Historically it appears that market prices that go up seldom, if ever, go down, e.g., consider post COVID price changes. Prices find a newer plateau just below what was the highest price or use shrinkflation to deliver less at the same price. In the same vein, companies, instead of returning to consumers the money consumers paid in the form of higher prices resulting from Herr Trump’s tariffs, use returned tariff money for stock buy backs. It is a pattern they learned to use whenever the Government cuts taxes. Don’t look for Company Comfort. Milton Friedman gave companies their marching orders: businesses exist to generate profits for shareholders. The pressure is always on Consumers to consider purchases wisely, shop where they must and not as often if possible. Other costs like medical costs, the costs of energy and transport, and the price of homes are going from ridiculous to crazy. The cavalier lack of concern by the Trump Family Crime Syndicate about affordability is driving the American family into greater debt. Are Americans willing to consider making changes to reverse this? What are those changes?
Thank you. I hope that your well-written analysis will be widely read.
That is a pleasant thought, though the writing will only be widely read by those who recognize what it finds. There is a chasm between those of us who believe facts and those who believe lies.
Thank you! We’ll just have to work to make sure that there are enough of us.
Of course SCOTUS couldn’t have made an expedited ruling via “shadow docket” lest they offend their handlers!
The party formely known as "Republican" has been screwing low and middle income Americans for over a hundred years. It has existed for the purpose of increasing the wealth of those corporations and people who are already wealthy. It's called "neoliberalism". The WH Beast & his billionaire puppeteers have simply taken that plan to new, astronomical heights. The peasants of the MAGA Voodoo Cult accept it because the Beast endorses and feeds their race & religious bigotry.
Governing for the 1%.