Welcome to a discussion about the upcoming 5th Revolution in the US, which I’ve titled the “Revenge Revolution.” For more about the Revenge Revolution and the author, Entry #1.  Periodically I write a “sense check” to assess whether a revolution in the US is possible or whether the entire exercise is based on a statistical aberration — i.e., a roughly 50-year cycle between major upheavals in the US. Entry #430 was the most recent “sense check.”

BEGIN ENTRY #460. This entry might seem like a variation of recent entries. Just hear me out. The issue is too important to discuss just once or twice. I think, without fear of exaggeration, that our democracy rests on addressing this issue satisfactorily.

Since starting the blog in late 2013, the purpose has been to discuss issues that might contribute to/diminish the likelihood of a 5^th US revolution.  Blog topics have ranged from those of personal interest – the impact of macro and micro-economics, e.g. – to cultural issues – the impact of religion on attitudes toward government, e.g. 

During the last nine years, what has been most surprising to me is how a large segment of the population has become swayed to believe in and enthusiastically support ideas that are completely bogus, and often 180° from reality.  One would like to believe that more education would help people avoid this seeming brainwashing. However, apparently not the case.

A substantial portion of those “believers,” – let’s assume 50% to minimize the error – is relatively well educated, including some with advanced degrees. Why are supposedly more knowledgeable people falling into the liars den?  Why are people who supposedly have more understanding of the process of critical thinking continuing to believe claims that are so outlandishly false that they would punish their children for saying something similarly false?

Who are these people? Do they have a certain profile?  Yes, most are white, descendants of western Europeans, and overwhelmingly Christian, especially fundamentalist, and virtually all Republicans.

The world according to Garp – growing ascension of radical protestants – is one where “My religion is the only answer. Government must be based on my religion. All education needs to be based on my religion. If you are not a believer in my religion, you must be punished.“

The religious right seems to support any candidate for political office who promotes their religion. The candidate can be corrupt, living in a way counter to the basic tenets of their religion, and even can be promoting that democracy be abolished. All those traits are OK as long as “my religious beliefs are forced on the population.“

 Based on demonstrated behavior, most Republicans in 2022 would seem to support even Charlie Manson for president, as long as Charlie promised to continue to change laws and pack the courts to ensure that fundamentalist Christian beliefs are implemented.

One might argue that the example of supporting Charlie Manson is too extreme. However, if you think too extreme, I ask you to consider why Republicans enthusiastically support Trump, who has a long history of lying and corruption, over the FBI, the whitest and most conservative agency in the federal government.  In addition, every director of the FBI under every administration, Republican and Democratic, has been a well-established Republican.  (Read the last sentence again.)

Why do Republicans enthusiastically support Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lindsay Graham, Mark Meadows, Ron DeSantis and a host of known liars and then chastise Liz Cheney for having the temerity to uphold her oath to Constitution?  Support the US Constitution rather than Trump?  How dare she!

Republicans have repeatedly demonstrated they would rather flush logic down the toilet and continue to support the religious cult. When cults conquer logic, the only solution to restore logic, and the solution is never pretty, is to squash the cult. END ENTRY #460.

Other Topics. Interested in more info about climate change, what’s required to electrify a fleet of cars/trucks, what it was like to work day-to-day with Lee Iacocca and an array of other topics? Visit another page of this website, https://usrevolution5.com/jrd-thought-comments/

Welcome to a discussion about the upcoming 5th Revolution in the US, which I’ve titled the “Revenge Revolution.” For more about the Revenge Revolution and the author, Entry #1.  Periodically I write a “sense check” to assess whether a revolution in the US is possible or whether the entire exercise is based on a statistical aberration — i.e., a roughly 50-year cycle between major upheavals in the US. Entry #430 was the most recent “sense check.”

BEGIN ENTRY #459: Let’s see, this past week the FBI raided Trump’s club/residence in Florida, Mar-a-Lago, and recovered at least 11 boxes of material that were illegally transferred from government property. Earlier in 2022, Trump returned to the government 15 boxes of material that had been illegally transferred from the White House. The return of the material occurred only after an injunction forcing Trump to do. One of Trump’s lawyers signed a letter indicating the 15 boxes represented all information that needed to be returned. Oops.

Some of the boxes, how many to be determined, contained files marked “Confidential,” “Top-Secret” and “TS-SCI,” which indicates files are only to be viewed in a preestablished security location.

Without any evidence, Trump claimed all the information held at Mar-a-Lago had been “declassified.“ As a result, he had a right to possess. Some Trump staffers and supporters claimed Trump had a standing order to “automatically declassify any documents that left the White House.“ 

I hate to inform Trump and supporters but there is a procedure for declassifying documents.  Part of that procedure includes “restamping” each page of the document as “Declassified” and providing other documentation.  In typical Trump fashion, no support was provided for the claim that all documents were declassified.

In parallel, Trump and supporters blamed Attorney General Garland and the FBI, which is headed by a Trump appointee, of either continuing the long-standing “witch hunt” against Trump or setting up the raid to keep Trump from running for office again. In either case, the AG, DOJ and FBI are all corrupt and according to some Trump supporters, should be tried for treason.

Other Trump supporters, Jim Jordon (R-OH) being one, asked, “What’s the big deal about Trump having the documents? All the documents were declassified.“ Jimmy you’re such a hypocrite and a liar to boot.

The radical right began to spout that anyone connected with the raid – the judge who signed the order, the FBI agents who conducted the search, and AG Garland, who personally signed off on the raid – should be assassinated.

Where were Republican members of the US House and Senate once the raid became known? Spineless, of course, save Liz Cheney and a couple of others. The so-called leaders of the country were afraid of the great wizard of Mar-a-Lago.  Some spineless Republicans were concerned that efforts to prosecute Trump for any one of several crimes connected with material would just aggravate his followers and upset little Donnie.

Unless I’ve been asleep for the last 50 years, appeasing Trump won’t change behavior. He’s always been a liar, a jerk and thought he was above the law.  Being elected president exaggerated the behavior, especially disregard for the law. Among his many inane comments are, “Where is my Roy Cohn,“ and “Why aren’t my generals more like Hitler‘s?“ 

Sill Republicans in the House and Senate continue to bow to the great con man. Republicans, I hate to tell you, Trump is a real estate developer.  Trump doesn’t care one iota about you or the Republican Party. The Donald focuses only on two things: (i) stoking his ego; (ii) making more money. Every interaction is viewed by Trump as a transaction that can stoke his ego and make more money.

Republicans, you have been and continue to be mere chattel in a series of transactions. Like chattel, you will be discarded when no longer needed for the transaction.

I’ve heard people say, you can’t expect others to change if you insult them. That might be true. However, anyone who still believes what Trump says and believes he is being unfairly targeted by DOJ and the FBI, or whatever this week’s claim is, deserves to be insulted.

If you still support Trump, you are either brainwashed and/or incredibly stupid. Go look in the mirror and ask yourself, if a close relative or close friend behaved the same way as Trump, would I continue to support that person? And forget the save the sinner comment. Trump has been and will continue to be scum who has no regard for other people, for the law or for any tenets of most religions. END #459

Other Topics. Interested in more info about climate change, what’s required to electrify a fleet of cars/trucks, what it was like to work day-to-day with Lee Iacocca and an array of other topics? Visit another page of this website, https://usrevolution5.com/jrd-thought-comments/