Their arrogance is truly breathtaking. But underneath it all, “these people just aren’t very bright and things got out of hand,” to quote Leo McGary. They believe they won’t be held accountable and somehow don’t understand that their actions have consequences in the real world that they cannot brush off. Their whole lives are sheltered from reality by the bubble in which they live. But you want to play in the big game, those illusions can shatter quick. Welcome to the first taste of real life, y’all. I think they are actually bewildered by the fact that anyone thinks they did anything wrong. They are so out there that there is no reality to them that they don’t create themselves.
The other night Anand was listening to Michael Cohen rag for an hour on how Trump does not have any standards for running the US, and he would never allow one of his companies to be so-o poorly run. So, remember, except for extracting money from us the taxpayers, and other countries, Trump does not give a DA--! about this country.
Now we see what happens when you lose DEI - which originally gave us Colin Powell - and merit and just go by TV looks and (presumed) loyalty. The trouble with enforced loyalty, though, is that you don't really know who's loyal and who isn't. Just imagine what this chat would be like if the terrific cancelled General Brown had been on it. Not to mention that he's the biggest expert in the world on the Pacific and crucial to anything in that area, including Taiwan. Pretty sure he wouldn't be sending emojis and acting like the mean frat boys we got instead. The level of discussion in the chat is appalling.
Do we have permission to use this (Trump's DEI: Disorder. Entitlement. Impunity) on our April 5th protest posters? Many thanks for your inspired reporting.
As people they have lost their way. They never learned the importance of empathy and compassion. POTUS is only comfortable around people who are incompetent and insecure just like him.
Apparently Trump does not care of the negative optics of having nothing but billionaires appointed by him to tell the rest of us how we need to live, and to steal from us.
As for the rest of the world, I attended a democracy forum of Europeans yesterday where these young leaders of protests in several different countries were basically discounting the US as a place for support of democracy. In fact, they lumped the US ie Trump-Musk, together with Russia as spreading disinformation, trying to prop up right wing groups and support their overthrow of democracies with money too. That is what the US has been reduced to in some of the world in 2 months and 6 days of Trump being in office.
We're on a similar thought mission. I'd tentatively come up with:
Drunk (on Koolaid - but with allusions to Hegseth's addiction - and all of theirs to power)
Egomaniacal
Invested (as in vested interests, corruption, conflict of interest, everything the opposite of public service)
But i like yours better, for being broader - and mine are adjectives, which isn't as good a "swap." I do think they have so many attributes to choose from in their toxic brew that probably there's a near infinite set of alternate "DEI"s they are showing 'favoritism' to...
Excellent reframe. And thx for THE BRIEF. Was feeling overwhelmed by all the virtual interviews, articles. Too much to keep up. So many of us are so busy, can't watch long interviews, however useful and wise. Started stacking up and joined my pile of "too much". Really appreciate the written NUTSHELL briefs of each interview. The political and world situation is exploding in complexity, and our community and communication vehicles need to stay as streamlined as possible. Thx for considering how.
YES this really says what twisting it DOES! I am going to use a version of this on one of my April 5th signs.. trump dei = DIE. Division / Inequity / Exclusion
And., speaking of their lame and toxic paste-overs, while DEI has been turned into an earthquake of upheavaling real people's lives, the one that perhaps enrages me most linguistically is "woke." They've supplanted being woke (aspirational) with being a joke (asinine). They've (and i give most blame to Trump even if De Santis hoisted it up highest - on his own petard) blasphemed a word whose slang meaning captures a really beautiful spirit, the flip side of more infamous 4-letter words, this one to capture, quite simply, being awake to -- and pro-active in the face of -- injustice.
The MSM seem to have forgotten, at least no one i read ever mentions it, that Trump began in 2015-16, in his rallies, with his first 'foot' into the snake oil tent, his first 'hook', being "political correctness." He assailed it by tortuously redefining it ... down from a simple matter of humane mutual respect for others, honoring how they themselves wish to be summoned, a matter of decency and politeness ... into its rude opposite ... And it was that same us vs. them bitterness that his snake oil sought to stir up in vulnerable 'lost in spirit' potential disciples when he resurfaced the same basic appeal but he'd already slain any mutually acceptable connotation for "political correctness" by the time "woke" surfaced in his orbit and became the new fixation for the same ole stirring of hatreds.
In conversation, Ta-Nehesi Coates book, "Between the World and Me," was mentioned yesterday. I have been re-reading it today. Written in 2015 as a letter to Mr. Coates son. Once again I believe it is a most important read for everyone. As is "The Message" and all of his books.
It's Beautiful and it is painful at once. Ta-Nehesi Coates is a brilliant writer. This is my third reading. Each time I find new authors to explore as he discusses the essential Black Writers we all should know but pitifully may not.
I knew going in that we would be a different country. Like almost everyone I underestimated or missed the dimensions of what is now happening. Your ridicule provides a temporary digression from the reality of their relentless attacks on our rights, entitlements and identity.
Their arrogance is truly breathtaking. But underneath it all, “these people just aren’t very bright and things got out of hand,” to quote Leo McGary. They believe they won’t be held accountable and somehow don’t understand that their actions have consequences in the real world that they cannot brush off. Their whole lives are sheltered from reality by the bubble in which they live. But you want to play in the big game, those illusions can shatter quick. Welcome to the first taste of real life, y’all. I think they are actually bewildered by the fact that anyone thinks they did anything wrong. They are so out there that there is no reality to them that they don’t create themselves.
The other night Anand was listening to Michael Cohen rag for an hour on how Trump does not have any standards for running the US, and he would never allow one of his companies to be so-o poorly run. So, remember, except for extracting money from us the taxpayers, and other countries, Trump does not give a DA--! about this country.
If trump’s companies are so well run, why has he declared bankruptcy half a dozen times?
On another note, I’m not sure why anyone has any interest in listening to Michael Cohen.
Now we see what happens when you lose DEI - which originally gave us Colin Powell - and merit and just go by TV looks and (presumed) loyalty. The trouble with enforced loyalty, though, is that you don't really know who's loyal and who isn't. Just imagine what this chat would be like if the terrific cancelled General Brown had been on it. Not to mention that he's the biggest expert in the world on the Pacific and crucial to anything in that area, including Taiwan. Pretty sure he wouldn't be sending emojis and acting like the mean frat boys we got instead. The level of discussion in the chat is appalling.
Toni Morrison was absolutely correct!! What we have is the swamp!
"...A lot of hot air in the hope you don’t notice."
And, oh but we notice. Do we ever. Emperor's Clothes. (Imperial being another "I" candidate, btw.)
Do we have permission to use this (Trump's DEI: Disorder. Entitlement. Impunity) on our April 5th protest posters? Many thanks for your inspired reporting.
As people they have lost their way. They never learned the importance of empathy and compassion. POTUS is only comfortable around people who are incompetent and insecure just like him.
Apparently Trump does not care of the negative optics of having nothing but billionaires appointed by him to tell the rest of us how we need to live, and to steal from us.
As for the rest of the world, I attended a democracy forum of Europeans yesterday where these young leaders of protests in several different countries were basically discounting the US as a place for support of democracy. In fact, they lumped the US ie Trump-Musk, together with Russia as spreading disinformation, trying to prop up right wing groups and support their overthrow of democracies with money too. That is what the US has been reduced to in some of the world in 2 months and 6 days of Trump being in office.
Signal chat shows their DEI is preferential treatment for unqualified, lying white men lacking character and integrity.
We're on a similar thought mission. I'd tentatively come up with:
Drunk (on Koolaid - but with allusions to Hegseth's addiction - and all of theirs to power)
Egomaniacal
Invested (as in vested interests, corruption, conflict of interest, everything the opposite of public service)
But i like yours better, for being broader - and mine are adjectives, which isn't as good a "swap." I do think they have so many attributes to choose from in their toxic brew that probably there's a near infinite set of alternate "DEI"s they are showing 'favoritism' to...
Excellent reframe. And thx for THE BRIEF. Was feeling overwhelmed by all the virtual interviews, articles. Too much to keep up. So many of us are so busy, can't watch long interviews, however useful and wise. Started stacking up and joined my pile of "too much". Really appreciate the written NUTSHELL briefs of each interview. The political and world situation is exploding in complexity, and our community and communication vehicles need to stay as streamlined as possible. Thx for considering how.
Anand! Disorder. Entitlement. Impunity. Anat will be very pleased with you!
“Piss poor” management is the only way to describe it.
DEI is now DIE
Division
Inequity
Exclusion
YES this really says what twisting it DOES! I am going to use a version of this on one of my April 5th signs.. trump dei = DIE. Division / Inequity / Exclusion
And depression, entropy, inferiority
And., speaking of their lame and toxic paste-overs, while DEI has been turned into an earthquake of upheavaling real people's lives, the one that perhaps enrages me most linguistically is "woke." They've supplanted being woke (aspirational) with being a joke (asinine). They've (and i give most blame to Trump even if De Santis hoisted it up highest - on his own petard) blasphemed a word whose slang meaning captures a really beautiful spirit, the flip side of more infamous 4-letter words, this one to capture, quite simply, being awake to -- and pro-active in the face of -- injustice.
The MSM seem to have forgotten, at least no one i read ever mentions it, that Trump began in 2015-16, in his rallies, with his first 'foot' into the snake oil tent, his first 'hook', being "political correctness." He assailed it by tortuously redefining it ... down from a simple matter of humane mutual respect for others, honoring how they themselves wish to be summoned, a matter of decency and politeness ... into its rude opposite ... And it was that same us vs. them bitterness that his snake oil sought to stir up in vulnerable 'lost in spirit' potential disciples when he resurfaced the same basic appeal but he'd already slain any mutually acceptable connotation for "political correctness" by the time "woke" surfaced in his orbit and became the new fixation for the same ole stirring of hatreds.
You're absolutely right about how they twist language. Therefore, I propose this: MAGA: making assholes gaslight again.
In conversation, Ta-Nehesi Coates book, "Between the World and Me," was mentioned yesterday. I have been re-reading it today. Written in 2015 as a letter to Mr. Coates son. Once again I believe it is a most important read for everyone. As is "The Message" and all of his books.
I should probably pick up Between the World and Me again, too. Thank you for the reminder.
It's Beautiful and it is painful at once. Ta-Nehesi Coates is a brilliant writer. This is my third reading. Each time I find new authors to explore as he discusses the essential Black Writers we all should know but pitifully may not.
I knew going in that we would be a different country. Like almost everyone I underestimated or missed the dimensions of what is now happening. Your ridicule provides a temporary digression from the reality of their relentless attacks on our rights, entitlements and identity.
Elect a clown, expect a circus. A sadly unfunny circus in this case.