What IS the "MaGA Mind"?

What IS the "MaGA Mind"? First, it's got to go.

[By the way, the "a" is in lowercase for "america" because of the dishonesty and disrespect Trump and his contingent offer to our America.]

There's also a poll on X (Twitter) about Donald Trump being tried for his actual crimes and what his punishment should be upon conviction. Life? Death? Too soon?

The 'MaGA Mind' refers to the mindset cultivated by Donald Trump and his supporters, characterized by a distorted perception of America, grounded in fear, authoritarian tendencies, and binary thinking.

The internet was built as a place where everyone could have equal footing.

What a fucking mistake THAT was! Because we are NOT equal.

Too many of us are delusional, mentally, or socially ill (racist, MaGA, etc.).

To give equal footing to THAT, was a HUGE mistake.

AS we're seeing now! THEN? We added in algorithms to skew it further, and with autocrats with billions purchasing our social media, altered our realities, with an agenda.

Sigh...

So, there's a lot to cover. I'll be jumping around a bit. For more hit my previous blogs. Also, Rachel Maddow's podcasts should be required for ANY and ALL Americans before they think all is hopeless or fall into MaGA-type nonsense.

We have two "Americas" here. One that is real and seen by the world. The other, is believed to exist by the MaGA supporter. One that is dark and terrible, crumbling and awful, filled with enemies and fear.

See also, Donald Trump's mental defect and TOC for the authoritarian (oddly same as Christian's "AntiChrist"!). Also: Humans default psychologically to "binary thinking" and sociologically to autocracy. Thus in the fight or flight (or freeze) mode to fear cliquishness, tribalism, and emergency protocols are all initiated by authoritarian triggers. 

Also this:
Marc E. Elias @marceelias
“I think we are going to see mass refusals to certify the election” in November, says Democratic election lawyer Marc Elias. “Everything we are seeing about this election is that the other side is more organized, more ruthless, and more prepared.”

It’s not that everyone who is a binary thinker falls for those things, but the "scripts" we run in our mind are. " Rolling Sone article

OK then...

Humans are susceptible to "sloppy thinking" and Donald Trump/autocracy uses that to his advantage. Autocracy itself uses many interesting techniques I've spoken to many times. Aside from logic traps or binary thinking ("this or that" when the offer OF "this or that" is disingenuously stacked).

One is what magicians call "forcing techniques":

Forcing Techniques: A variety of methods to make a participant believe they have freely chosen an option when the choice is actually predetermined. This can include:

Classic Force: Making the participant choose a specific card through practiced timing and technique.

Equivocation: Also known as the magician’s choice, where the magician guides the participant to a specific outcome regardless of their choices.

Timing Forces: Creating a sense of urgency or distraction to make the participant choose a specific option.

But that is not our America. That's not our democracy. That's not our democratic Constitutional Republic. These are messy things that appear dysfunctional and broken because of so many voices and beliefs that come together and iron out progress as we all see it. Not just as one group sees it believing they know best. That is an autocracy, a theocracy, a monarchy, a kleptocracy, or an oligarchy. 

US Government: While often categorized as a democracy, the United States is more accurately defined as a constitutional federal republic. What does this mean? “Constitutional” refers to the fact that government in the United States is based on a Constitution which is the supreme law of the United States. The Constitution not only provides the framework for how the federal and state governments are structured but also places significant limits on their powers. “Federal” means that there is both a national government and governments of the 50 states. A “republic” is a form of government in which the people hold power, but elect representatives to exercise that power.

Yes, the US is a constitutional federal republic: governed by a Constitution, power shared between federal & state govs, and led by elected reps. While not a direct democracy, it embodies democratic principles through elections and citizen participation.

Saying it is a democracy is still correct and others saying we're just a "Constitutional Republic" are using a phrase long used in the seditionist underground of Ultra Right Wing extremists. It's "cool" by their thinking to differentiate. But it's just a whistle call.

What we have is far better, messy as it can be, easily claimed to be broken by more "perfect" forms of social management. As Winston Churchill so aptly put it:

‘Many forms of Government have been tried and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed it has been said that democracy is the worst form of Government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.…’ - Winston S Churchill, 11 November 1947

Or as Ben Franklin put it before him. Monday, September 17, 1787: The Convention Today. The day began with a prepared speech from Franklin (PA) who, eighty-one years old and painfully afflicted with gout and kidney stone, was unable to read it himself and delegated that task to Wilson (PA)

“In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution, with all its faults, if they are such; because I think a General Government necessary for us, and there is no form of government, but what may be a blessing to the people if well administered; and believe further, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government.”

Donald Trump is here, now to be that despot, to tear down what Franklin and the other frame for us, a new country, a "Great Experiment" of states under a federal system. One we should not "game" or play against our best interests to despoil into a "despotic government", such as Trump and his MaGA GOP intend.

The Trump America is a horror fantasy manufactured by a Republican Party that was ripe for an authoritarian to overtake it and plunge it into darkness and disrepute. 

"MaGA Mind"? Well? It is not what you think. You likely think it is a label for a group that supports Donald Trump and the propaganda and bizarre things he propagates out to his masses, to our media he discredits so brazenly, all in his inimitable, dumbed down, juvenile, and droll-like way.

But it IS just a brand. 

Donald Trump is a branding agent. He is branding and selling...Donald Trump. He is "selling" authoritarianism, he is "selling" Christian nationalism, he is "selling" authoritarianism and Fascism. 

All of which are pushing our "over there" and what is "right here" in front of us all. It is a kind of "magic", social engineering, manipulation, and mass hypnosis.

I have to refer back to my short sci-fi dystopian story I wrote in 1984 first published in a horror quarterly on the east coast of America in 1990. "In Memory, Yet Crystal Clear". You may have seen me mention this story before. It's a good example of how insidious what Donald Trump is doing. 

It offers the feeling of what I'm intellectually trying to say. Especially those in the MaGA "cult" who can understand better by reading such things, rather than in a rational assimilation. Which is never going to happen They cannot turn on their "tribe', their "cult", their "political" party, their 'brothers in arms", or their fantasy they "see" as their and all of our, reality.

The MaGA mindset conflates, obfuscates distracts, and outright lies. It actuates a stage long previously set up by grievance, religion, and an ability to believe through faith what does not exist. Or is unseen, or disbelieved by others. Nothing offers strength to the fantasy as much as a force to push again, an "Other" who are disbelievers. Or as Islam considers them as, "infidels". 

It's a brand that builds within one's mind a barrier that demands it not be infiltrated with knowledge, information, or facts, All reality served up by media or non-believers must be lies by the "Others". Thus we hear of "alt facts". Something so ludicrous that it openly displays the damage and delusion. But not to the "believer", not to the "MaGA Mind".

Here are some additional basic elements and labels of MaGA Mind:

1. Centralized Power: Concentration of power in the hands of a single leader or a small group, often bypassing democratic institutions.
2. Suppression of Dissent: Limiting freedom of speech, press, and assembly; punishing or silencing political opponents and critics.
3. Propaganda: Use of media to spread the regime’s ideology and to manipulate public opinion.
4. Control Over Judiciary: Undermining judicial independence to ensure legal outcomes favor the regime.
5. Erosion of Democratic Norms: Disregard for rule of law, checks and balances, and electoral integrity.
6. Surveillance: Monitoring and controlling the population through extensive surveillance programs.
7. Militarization: Increased use of military and police forces to maintain control and suppress opposition.
8. (Christian) Nationalism: Promoting a strong nationalistic sentiment, often at the expense of minority rights and international cooperation.
9. Scapegoating: Blaming societal problems on marginalized groups or foreign entities to unite the populace against a common enemy.
10. Economic Control: State intervention in the economy to maintain power and control over resources.
11. Censorship: Controlling information by restricting access to non-state-approved media and suppressing critical voices.
12. Manipulation of Elections: Rigging or undermining electoral processes to ensure the regime’s hold on power.
13. Patronage: Distributing state resources and benefits to loyal supporters to maintain their allegiance.
14. Cult of Personality: Elevating the leader to a near-mythical status through state-sponsored adulation.
15. Legalism: Using laws to give an appearance of legality to actions that subvert democratic principles.
16. Fear: Instilling fear in the populace through threats of violence, imprisonment, or other reprisals against dissenters
17. Undermining Civil Society: Weakening independent organizations and institutions that could challenge the regime's authority.
18. Criminalization of Opposition: Labeling political opponents as criminals, terrorists, or enemies of the state.
19. Religious Manipulation: Exploiting religious beliefs and institutions to legitimize the regime's authority, justify policies, and suppress opposition.

This can involve:

• Religious Nationalism: Promoting a specific religion or religious identity as central to the national identity, often marginalizing other religions or secular viewpoints.
• Clerical Alliances: Forming alliances with religious leaders to gain their support and influence over the population.
• Divine Justification: Claiming divine right or support for the regime’s actions and leadership.
• Suppressing Religious Dissent: Persecuting religious groups or individuals who oppose the regime.
• Legislating Morality: Enforcing laws based on religious doctrines to control personal behavior and societal norms.
• Religious Propaganda: Using religious rhetoric and symbols in state propaganda to invoke a sense of moral righteousness and loyalty.

These tactics serve to consolidate power by aligning the regime with religious authority and using it to influence or control the populace.

Now, tell yourself that you do not see how Donald Trump and his MaGA mindset are not what is described above. See what is right there laid out plain and simple before us. Reality is not fun, not easy and it can hurt. Especially when leaving a cult or cult-like group for the bright sun of reality. 

But are we children, as Trump wishes, easily led, pliable for his own purposes to suppose his narcissism, his deepest pleasures? Or for us, for ourselves, not himself?

It is the formula for an authoritarian state.

Read Timothy Snyder's "On Tyranny". 
And just try not to see Donald Trump all through it. You will fail.

But you can succeed, we all can, just by clearly seeing the "Emperor's New Clothes" of Donald Trump, have never ever existed.

He is the charlatan we can all see.

The "MaGA Mind" is not just a political stance; it represents a dangerous shift toward authoritarianism that threatens the very fabric of our democratic society. It leverages fear, binary thinking, and manipulative techniques to create a distorted view of reality, undermining the principles of our democratic constitutional federal republic.

We can keep our country but as Franklin said, it will take Effort.

Educate yourself and others, read and share, and stay informed. VET your information. Check and double-check it. Dig deep when it sounds either too good to be true, or just simply ridiculous.

Engage in our political process, vote, contact your representatives...share.

Support our Democratic institutions, join organizations, and speak up to protect our free speech before it's gone

Foster community and dialogue by building bridges and combatting disinformation.

Advocate for accountability by demanding justice and promoting transparency.

We all have a role to play. The future of our democracy depends on our collective efforts to uphold our values and principles. By staying informed, engaged, and active, we resist the slide toward authoritarianism and ensure that our government remains of the people, by the people, and for the people. The People. US. ALL of us.

Let us not be swayed by the illusions and disillusions of the "MaGA Mind." Instead, reaffirm our commitment to a just, fair, and democratic society where every voice is heard and respected.

Together, we can indeed preserve this great experiment of democracy that our founders envisioned.

Stand up. Speak out. Act now.

Certainly Vote, it's the least any of us can do. However, this time we may have to take other action if Trump's claims of subverting our electoral process play out.

Our government has to start acting now about this new, but also old threat. 

This conservative activist Republican Party has created an overbalanced activist conservative SCOTUS that is going to require a reset of some short, a correction to balance the court. Liberal and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, need to work together and for decades Republicans have pushed for this situation hoping for, and working toward minority rule. 

I touched on this indirectly in my horror sci-fi novel, "The Unwritten", Vol. II of my Anthology of Evil series. In that universe, there is a horrendous Religious War where Science won. There was then a huge Science War where again, science won. We don't want to go through that here.

Let's...not.

But that is where we're headed if America doesn't correct these illiberal imbalances back to where both sides can once again work together

We must let them know we demand action. So that on that day of swearing in, next January 2025 of our new POTUS, America will continue on from the point of our founding over 200 years ago, rather than begin a new day of Trump-led authoritarianism. Losing our right to vote so many died to protect and not simply be left by the fascist wayside of the road once known as America.

Cheers! Sláinte!

Walkabout Thoughts #64

My thoughts, Stream of consciousness, rough and ready, while walking off long Covid and listening to podcasts…August 24, 2023, Thursday

Weather for the day… 59° starting out, 71° when I got home overcast

Podcast Pod Save the World about Prigozhin

So the Republican “debate” last night, and Putin’s murder of one of his top Wagner guys like Prigozhin and his inner circle yesterday, forces me out of entertainment mode and back into this bullshit.… so here I go…

It is interesting to note about the Prigozhin assassination, and his inner circle, can't forget them, and the emotion of their friendly Russian general who had known about the military action toward Moscow recently, while Putin was at a World War II Memorial concert (where's the Ukrainian drones guys?) about the Russians fighting the Nazis. Which couldn’t be a more patriotic event for Putin to be at while he’s cleaning house. So while I’m saying this could be an accident or whatever, it seems to be a very well orchestrated, high-level militaristic type statement. By Putin. 

We need to remind Russia of what Prigozhin  said that the stated purpose of this war as being... bullshit.

I don’t think I ever mentioned about my son's girlfriend, who for the past year's been going through serious medical problems. I may have mentioned it briefly at some point in the past. But she’s had like 12 surgeries and the doctors have been consistently perplexed. There’s been multiple doctors and several hospitals involved. And they kept saying she could go home at a certain time and the next thing you know she’s in another surgery and the last four months have been intense. I would think it looks like a potential high value lawsuit for what, in confidence? It’s been a Russian novel tragedy except, luckily, happily, she is somehow still alive. We’re hoping they have fixed everything by now. I was telling him he should’ve been writing a journal to write a book or a movie about all this because I’ve never heard anything like this in all my life. We went through something bad with my younger brother back in the 70s where they thought he had one thing or another. Then leukemia and finally they settled on liver cancer. Which he finally died of two weeks before his 15th birthday in 1975. I did note that if his girlfriend today had been ethnic, black or Mexican or minority in America, she may well be dead months ago from what we’ve seen in the statistics for healthcare in America. Not to mention how poor our national record is regarding childbirth. Overall. And what the hell is that all about? Greatest technical medical care but some pretty bad health insurance and access. Let's not even get into mental health, which a specific conservative base seems to be suffering badly from.

I do believe we need unions. I do think they can be problems at times. I do think we need national healthcare. I do know the argument that America has such advanced medical procedures, but would argue not such great health care in many ways. I would take a step down from being a medical leader, if we could get everyone healthcare, yet stop having such poor statistics in certain areas in our healthcare.

Here’s the thing, the Republican bullshit, the autocratic nonsense... you establish a government to protect the people. When you decide to become the party of big business as the Republicans have, you’re blindsiding yourself about your citizens. And this nonsense about take care of the businesses and the money will trickle down to the citizens, is bullshit as we’ve seen proven time and time again. Enough magical thinking about economy. I get that we can’t just take care of people and ignore business, but we really truly need to re-balance.

How is it that Ukraine are a bunch of Nazis and so Russia attacks them... when Russia uses the Wagner group, named after the composer who was Hitler’s favorite composer, and their functional general commanding the troops in Ukraine has Nazi tattoos and signs his name with a double lightning bolt? The insignia of the Nazi SS? It’s kinda like listening to Trump talk in America where he starts saying things about how bad the Democrats are about bad things they do, when it’s all the exact shit that Trump’s been doing. The similarities and parallels between the Republican Party and Russia are now too stark anymore to ignore.

As Putin tries to absorb the Wagner group into the Russian military are we going to see Wagner guys in Belarus cross the border to Poland? Will they abandon Putin as Russia should have 10 or 15 years ago?

This is a good point about Wagner forces coming to the rescue of those who have recently executed a coup in Africa. What are they thinking? And how is that coup going to play out without their support? That being said, we really need to stop this imperialist, authoritarian bullshit that’s infecting and creeping like mold throughout the world.

So I’ve been trying to learn to use things like Siri on my iPhone 11. I think I’ve gotten good at Alexa now, so when I’m out and about I’ve been trying to use my iPhone for what its capabilities are. So here I am walking, doing my 5 miles, and I asked Siri a question. The stupid thing says, "Here check this out." Like I can read it when I want to hear it, like I do with Alexa most of the time. It’s really annoying.

I’m just wondering about Wagner group's leader, the late Prigozhin, and if he has adult children, who might take over his wealth. I wouldn’t be interested if they were to undermine Putin for murdering their dad? Did you know he once wrote a children's book? It takes place in a land of tiny people. Hmm, Gulliver's Travel's any?

Let’s be clear that Putin loves to associate himself with Russian heroes, who fought off the German Nazis in World War II. Yet he has brought under his wing Russian neo-Nazis like the Wagner group to fight against his made up stories of Ukraine, saying how they are a neo-Nazi country. Because some exist there, as they do here and certainly in RUSSIA. Ukraine has a Neo Nazi issue not as bad as Russia, or America. We both have more. And if you think otherwise, there’s your Russian propaganda. Sadly so similar to Republican propaganda.

One Ukrainian advisor linked in social media to the song Highway to Hell.

Seems interesting to me that with this attack against the Wagner group, having taken out their leadership, and demoting their friendly top Russian general, suddenly we hear reports of decent advances against Russian forces by Ukraine.

There’s an old saying about the oval office that presidents are forged on the anvil of the oval office. Or something like that. 

1. "The presidency acts as a crucible of leadership, where the heat of responsibility shapes the character of those who hold the office." [Trump has no character, or just bad character]

2. "The Oval Office is where leaders are both tested and tempered, revealing their true mettle." [And we've seen Trump's, unworthy of either the title or office]

3. "In the crucible of the presidency, leaders are refined by the demands of the office, emerging as either strong statesmen or faltering figures." [Donald Trump, faltering figure]

Here’s the thing you need to let that happen when you take over as POTUS. Liking someone, because they refuse to be anything but themselves, as with Trump and his Trump cult, is not how the White House or our government work. That’s the road to authoritarianism in the demise of democracy and the loss of any version of the people’s voice in our government. I mention this because if we ended up with a Republican POTUS again, especially in 2024, as long as it’s not somebody like Trump or Vivek, who is a Trump sycophant. Or worse Trump, his own first criminal, vile self. If that elected Republican allows himself to be molded into the office and doesn’t just stick only to their desires and beliefs and agenda as a drug, as it is for the current Republican authoritarian electorate, then we have a chance as a country. If however, we just get another Trump moron, well, then we’re fucked.

So if a republican, other than Trump or Vivek, gets elected, I’m not gonna panic right away. It depends on if they evolve into a POTUS or just another authoritarian jackal, relying on toxic capitalism and their own desires of  self aggrandizement and wealth building.

Podcast: Vivek wants to make a deal with Putin to take part of Ukraine and make a deal to separate his military from China, and so on. Which presumes the Putin is a rational actor in such dealings when he is not. He is very rational, but in a toxic capitalistic, toxic East Orthodox Christian, corporate thinking way, to win at all costs regardless of what damage it does to anyone. Much like the Republican Party now. Win at all costs. It’s just not the answer. Not to mention that puts American in imperialistic position with another imperialistic country, Russia. Where we’re making deals with them about a third-party country we have no business making deals for. We have got to stop this agro bullshit around the world. Like China, moving into international ocean waters and claiming it for themselves. And so on.

Podcast is over so I switched to The Whistleblowers. Episode, The Call is Coming From Inside the White House. Actually, it’s the screams coming from inside the Republican Party and America, in that we cannot allow another Trump type as POTUS ever again. And that’s what this podcast is about. Two people who worked under Trump and finally couldn’t take what a criminal he was anymore, especially after Trump’s insurrection.

The Podcast is hosted by former DHS official turned anonymous whistleblower and “Blowback” author Miles Taylor the guy who was that Anonymous character inside the Trump White House. He hosts, White House communications director Stephanie Grisham and congressman Denver Riggleman were once darlings of the GOP

What is the problem with authoritarianism in “strongmen“, they can get things done on the turn of a dime. In government that’s always dangerous. People don't get that. I didn't get that years ago until it was explained to me.

While at times you need to act instantly as with natural disasters. Overall, the government needs to think things out. Carefully, completely, then evoke change. Review, revise, re-evoke. While non-authoritarian leaders and democracy is slower and messier, it’s that way for a reason. So more voices are heard and enabled and less bullshit is and less criminals are. While with criminal authoritarian types like Trump, it feels good to his electorate. Once in office, they were vastly dangerous to the nation, the government, our Covid response, information, actual information, correct information, updating as better comes out, dissemination to the public, and our democracy. and our citizenry.

Here’s the thing about democracy and why Republicans want to kill it. You speak up about what you like and don’t like and you vote for it and you may be protest for, or about it, or whatever. But you don’t overtake the government to force your beliefs into everyone else, especially when you’re minority, especially when you’re a toxic minority. OK MAGA?

Let me say this again, politicizing a pandemic is a level of idiocy that's unquantifiable

I'd just like to mention something about GPS. I’ve always been a power user on computers, a first adopter. I would learn software without the manuals, because I could acquire it for free. Back when I was poor, trying to break into IT work. Let’s not talk about that… And Paypal, I was one of the first adopters, as soon as I heard about it. Online banking, I’ve been doing that since I had my USAF check electronically transferred to my USAF credit union in the late 70s. Many feared the technology. When one time, no one got their paycheck on time, and it took a while because they all had it mailed to them, mine was in on time as usual. So I used GPS the first opportunity that came to me and it was more of a nightmare typically than not using it. Today, occasionally it goes wrong, but I’m finding that most of the time when I disagree with it, I’m wrong. And I’m happy to be, because that means it's far more functional.

Stephanie in the podcast nails it about what is the deal with Trump? Her attraction, as she says, wasn’t Trump as much as the audience who were really into things that Trump was doing. She found that intoxicating, apparently. And that’s the thing, because if MAGA looks at Trump, any human being would have to find him disgusting. But when you look at the element of FUN they are having because of him, that’s a whole other cult joy unto itself.

As she notes in the podcast, a very good podcast by the way, at some point she realized that the Trump campaign was a movement and he was going to win in 2016. I think I would say it was much like Bernie. What’s the difference between the two and why did Trump win? Because Bernie evokes the best of us and the best in us. While Trump evokes our dark side that never gets purchase or daylight, and as always, society pushes it down. But he releases that demon because he wants the freedom to be a criminal. And so he won. And that is his attraction. Foul as it is.

“Magical thinking was just the norm in this White House” referring to the Trump administration.

On why the stopped press briefings in the Trump administration. “Because he’s the most accessible president in history.“ Stepping back from that comment and looking at it rationally with a critical eye, it was because Trump's a narcissist, plain and simple... and a psychopath at that.

Reports by people who have been with Trump make him sound bipolar. But I don’t see how he could be that, because we’ve seen him so often that he would’ve been completely manic at some point. But it is very narcissistic, that way he is. My ex-wife was like that. We had an argument one time when I said that the world, life is shades of gray. She said, No, it’s not. It’s black and white. Which points out her binary thinking. I started to play chess in maybe sixth grade. I had to learn to think moves ahead. She had trouble with that, as narcissists do. (No, WE generally believe she's a narcissist, this isn't just an ex-husband's view, we've had 2 decades to evaluate, compare notes and discuss). They can only think in conditions of themselves. They play act, confusing you, to adjust you to supply them with what they want. But when it comes to the bigger picture, they get lost and angry. They’re either extremely happy to manipulate you into maintaining doing what they want from you or they're extremely angry with you to chastise you for not doing or being what they want, or need from you. At some point I realized I was living in hell. With our two kids. And Stephanie on the podcast, describes something similar in working closely with Trump. It's the Id, controlled, but running things.

Yay, I finished 5 miles for the day, that’s two walks in a row within three days after like a month or more, a couple months where I had a lot of no walking at all or very little. Ankle is holding up good now too, it’s just sore. Sweet.

Cheers! Sláinte!

Walkabout Thoughts #14

My thoughts, while walking off long Covid and listening to podcasts...a blog designed and meant to be freely associating, on the run, and not perfectly edited:

 
Weather for the day… 41° and overcast.

Podcast for the day is Rachel Maddow‘s excellent, "Ultra" podcast, episode five

Instagram post for the day

A woman on the "Ultra" podcast asked a question I've wondered about myself. What’s the difference between hatred and detesting? For myself without realizing it, I’ve seen it as hatred being an emotional, loss of control. While detesting is more cerebral. My grandmother told me when I was a child never to hate. Period. She was an amazing person, and an old country, Slovak Catholic. Such as I was raised, until about ninth grade. My point in bringing this up is, I’ve seen too many on the far right hate Nancy Pelosi. Hate Democrats. Hate "Libtards". I find the far right in their attempt to destroy our democracy and replace our country with authoritarianism to be, if not hateful, detestable. But I’m not out of control in my dislike. It’s an objective dislike of bad ideologies and attempts to inject theocracy into our democracy. So my point is… If you hate the other side, you’ve already lost, if not the war, reality. When I was in martial arts, beginning in fifth grade, I was told day after day, "There is no room for anger or hate in a fight, because then you’ve lost, even if you win. Be professional, be a martial artist. Fight tactically, objectively. Think! Because hate and anger cloud the mind." So how do I know I’ve been on the right track, politically speaking, for years now? Because years ago I started running into those on the right who, hated. It was irrational. frequently based on fantasy, conjecture, thought that should be based on fact, but was nowhere near it. Don’t hate. Act. Act based on facts and evidence. Because we are adults. I have never reacted well to authoritarianism. I’ve never reacted well to fear being pushed on me. Since childhood, I have faced my fears, because I had plenty to face. I was bullied as a kid. At a new school every year or two. Small for my age until I shot up in 10th grade to over 6'. So I don’t like bullies. Which is why I disliked Trump from his first day of campaigning to become POTUS. Anyone who tries to inject fear into you or the equation, could be your enemy. Never be fearful. Be aware and reactive. Better however, to be proactive. But that takes too much for to much of America. Trust but verify. Conquer yourself first and you’ll never need to conquer others. Then if you ever find a need to conquer others, then you know, you're “the Other“. You have become, the Enemy.

So where DOES all that hate come from on the right? It comes from popular beliefs in myths, and disinformation. It comes from Republican leadership, who saw that... just as Russia saw it...easily weaponized, easily expanded upon what already existed, in order to divide, with the eventual hope to conquer. Or very least, as Putin sees it, inject chaos. As Trump sought and still does. To inject chaos and reap the benefits as too many are distracted. So they make America chaotic, distracted, vulnerable.

How do people get into authoritarianism? How did they get into Nazism? Or neo-Nazism? Or want to be a Nazi? Or denied-Nazism, which is typically, actually Nazism? It’s because of their unrelieved anger and frustration. Anger and frustration that is given a controlled release valve. Controlled consciously and carefully, by others. First they get involved for fun, for the exhilaration, the catharsis, the release. Which is then quickly controlled by others. It is manipulated. Exploited. Subverted. At that point you have in, as in our case today in America, Trump control MAGA. Ladies and gentlemen, because these are binary people by implication in decree, through protestations (against the "Other" and ever more so for this behavior...) and for ignorant beliefs supporting authoritarian, fascism, until finally at very least "wannabe", Nazis.

About congressional “franking“ (check out either Rachel's "Ultra" podcast, you'll thank yourself... or perhaps this pdf free book published in 1944, "Black Mail"). That really needs to be monitored. Anything sent out by someone in Congress about things like Trump's stupidly ridiculous "big lie", that are anti-democracy, that are antigovernmental, while this one is difficult because some antigovernmental stuff is what Congress is there for. Self examination and correction.  Those things should be monitored and disallowed to be sent out, IF deemed incorrect and judged anti-American. The public should be notified. The free ride needs to be over. Free speech when Weaponized, not necessarily monetized, needs to be monitored. This is not to say, censorship, or to the break the Constitution‘s First Amendment. But it needs to be, if not controlled, made publicly aware with great clarity based in fact, evidence, and reality. Because if no one else is doing it, someone has to protect the US Constitution against unhealthy, ultra right (or destructive ultra left) wing types who weaponize free speech against America and against our US Constitution. At this time, considering what the ultra and even moderate (in their silence) right wing are doing, there ARE no corresponding left wing type actions.

I always wondered why one of my favorite directors names is, "George Roy Hill". Why the "Roy"? Apparently, there was someone in Congress named George Hill. One time secretary to Representative Hamilton Fish of New York. That alone might explain it. For some of this you’ll have to listen to Rachel Maddow‘s, “Ultra“, episode five. Ultra apparently stands for "ultra right wing". A term more ubiquitous in Europe. But saying today, "extremist are far right wing", is simply no longer descriptive of them. But "ultra" sure as hell is.

It’s past time right now, to review what "Frank" disseminated information is being sent out and which members of Congress, most especially the ultra right wing, Trump Republicans, MAGA congressionals, to see what they’ve been doing these past six years and correct, or at very least, blast that information out to America, and the entire planet, if it has been being abused. IF those in Congress have been abusing it to send out anti American propaganda. After the Trump administration, we have got to be careful and continue to review the abuses, until we know all of them. In order to protect ourselves. And our democratic Republic.

So, I have now finished and published my book, “Suffering Long Covid“. I’ve written my next book which I’m now editing on the history and format, to explain my filmic poem and award winning historical documentary “Pvt. Ravel‘s Bolero“. After that I need to finish the DVD that I’ve already started creating for that film. But then what? I bought equipment to digitize my family's home films from the 1950s, 60s and 70s. But I also have some of my grandfather's films from the 1940s, 50s and 60s. He used to travel the world. Much of the time, for the US Army, setting up diesel engine shops around the world, training locals, and then moving on and doing it elsewhere, and in another country. He spent time in India, I think Cambodia, definitely Vietnam and then came home in the 60s to retire. I have his passport. He also traveled Europe during a very interesting time, around World War II. So I’m thinking about doing a documentary on him. Very interesting guy, who my older brother, seven years my senior, and myself both tried, but neither of us could get much information out of our grandfather. He would just say, "You don’t wanna hear about that, it’s not that interesting." Now, I’ve been fascinated about investigative work since I was as young as I can remember. I loved those detective and espionage shows from the 1950s and 60s, and so on

My mother first introduced me to James Bond films with his first, "Doctor No", when it came out. She took me to the Community Theater on 50th St. and M St., in Tacoma, Washington. She had grown up half a block away, after being relocated from Brooklyn, New York, where she was born. When her and her older sister our mother, were transplanted by my grandfather. So I have to wonder. With my father having been a construction electrician. My mother having been a housewife, with some kind of ADHD, or something, because I grew up with it. I have to wonder if I got my interest in investigative work and espionage from my grandfather? I always assumed it was from ingesting so much of that kind of TV in my formative years. But why did I take the test for the Tacoma police department at 19? Why did I join the OSI in the USAF? Why did I enter the USAF as law enforcement? This could just be a very interesting documentary. But I have a lot of work yet to do, to get to that point.

Back to the loser seditionist Donald Trump. He needs to lose his Secret Service protection. That may be premature at this point, until it’s proven that it should be yanked from him. But what can be and should be proven about the man, needs to have nothing to do with our US government in having American citizens paying someone who so overtly tried to damage our country, and kill US citizens. The man has hundreds of thousands of American deaths on his hand from having on purpose or misused his office and purposely fumbled the COVID-19 pandemic medical ramp up.

My second podcast for the day is from a Pod Save America episode, “Between Barack and A Hard Place.”

Today’s walk it seems will be only four miles. I know I said on my last walk that it’s good to achieve your goal, which is five miles for me. But we also need to listen to our body. And my body today is telling me five miles is going to be too much and I’ll regret it. Sure I could push myself. But I’m not gonna be stupid about it. Be smart.

That's it for the day! Cheers! Sláinte!