Trump scam cost MAGA devotees over $4B

[Some Schmo]

Hey, MAGA board members. Does this outright theft help your understanding of the overall grift happening? Is there any possible way you can admit this is a scam?

You know, it's funny... it doesn't bother me nearly as much that Trump scams his fans as all the other criminal activity with which he fills his day. His fans asked for it, and if they're dumb enough to participate, all I can do is point and laugh.

I reserve my sympathy for the real victims: everyone else.

[Doctor CamNC4Me]

Hey, MAGA board members. Does this outright theft help your understanding of the overall grift happening? Is there any possible way you can admit this is a scam?

You know, it's funny... it doesn't bother me nearly as much that Trump scams his fans as all the other criminal activity with which he fills his day. His fans asked for it, and if they're dumb enough to participate, all I can do is point and laugh.

I reserve my sympathy for the real victims: everyone else.

The dollar has lost 11% of its value since Trump’s inauguration. I don’t expect that metric to mean much to the MAGA faithful. To the rest of us, this is a deeply alarming development and a real canary in the coal mine moment.

I have little hope the GOP will right the ship.

[Some Schmo]

The dollar has lost 11% of its value since Trump’s inauguration. I don’t expect that metric to mean much to the MAGA faithful. To the rest of us, this is a deeply alarming development and a real canary in the coal mine moment.

I have little hope the GOP will right the ship.

I have no hope for the GOP. They ARE the problem.

I have little hope Democrats can fix everything the GOP has broken.

[Res Ipsa]

The dollar has lost 11% of its value since Trump’s inauguration. I don’t expect that metric to mean much to the MAGA faithful. To the rest of us, this is a deeply alarming development and a real canary in the coal mine moment.

I have little hope the GOP will right the ship.

I have no hope for the GOP. They ARE the problem.

I have little hope Democrats can fix everything the GOP has broken.

I don't think that fixing what's broken is the best goal. We have to, forgive the irony, build back better.

[Some Schmo]

I don't think that fixing what's broken is the best goal. We have to, forgive the irony, build back better.

This has been Buttigieg's message recently, and I agree. I'm just not sure we can improve on what we have without stabilizing it first. How do we restore faith in our institutions? How do we trust Supreme Court again? Or Congress? Or the accuracy of elections?

Part of the problem is that nobody can trust the GOP, and they have no interest in fixing themselves (let alone try to improve).

I don't know. The problems are obviously bigger than I am.

[Res Ipsa]

I don't think that fixing what's broken is the best goal. We have to, forgive the irony, build back better.

This has been Buttigieg's message recently, and I agree. I'm just not sure we can improve on what we have without stabilizing it first. How do we restore faith in our institutions? How do we trust Supreme Court again? Or Congress? Or the accuracy of elections?

Part of the problem is that nobody can trust the GOP, and they have no interest in fixing themselves (let alone try to improve).

I don't know. The problems are obviously bigger than I am.

We made a fundamental mistake. We built institutions and guardrails, thinking they were strong and they would protect us. We had it backwards. Guardrails don't hold themselves up -- we have to hold them up. Our institutions mostly work, but they are fragile and need us to protect them. We got lazy and relied on guardrails and institutions instead of defending them.

Going forward is too big for one person. It's not too big for us together. But it will take work and probably sacrifice. If we can't rely on our election systems, we have to protect their reliability. We have to do what right-wingers have, so far, kicked our asses at: taking over local, county and state government. We need to control the election machinery top to bottom. Then we have to run fair elections.

We failed to protect the Supreme Court from corruption. When Trump nominates syncophatic replacements for Alito and Thomas (who most certainly will resign this presidential term), we have to raise holy hell. Put several million people on the streets of Washington D.C. Shut the City down. If necessary, national strike. Let those on the right wing know that we will not accept permanent minority rule. And we have to press Congress to enact and enforce a code of ethics for the Supreme Court.

Or pick the fight now over voting rights and gerrymandering. We don't have to put up with needing to win a national election by 4% in order to have a majority in Congress. Put a million people on the streets in the capitals of states that are whitewashing their voting districts.

There are more of us than there are of them. That's why they a gerrymandering so hard. That's why they try to make it harder for people they think won't vote for them to vote. There are a ton of grass roots organizations that are organizing with a long term goal of using people power to turn things around. Find one and get involved. One thing is for sure -- if we rely on other people to fix this, it will never get fixed.

[canpakes]

Hey, MAGA board members. Does this outright theft help your understanding of the overall grift happening? Is there any possible way you can admit this is a scam?

[Gunnar]

I don't think that fixing what's broken is the best goal. We have to, forgive the irony, build back better.

This has been Buttigieg's message recently, and I agree. I'm just not sure we can improve on what we have without stabilizing it first. How do we restore faith in our institutions? How do we trust Supreme Court again? Or Congress? Or the accuracy of elections?

And, perhaps, just as important, what and how long will it take to restore whatever respect, goodwill and/or trust we have heretofore enjoyed even from our closest allies and friends, let alone the rest of the world. Trump has turned us into a pariah even with some of our closest allies.

[Gunnar]

I still can't help hoping and wishing that Trump's and even Vance's huge disapproval rating will turn out to be enough to result in non-GOP majorities in both the Senate and House after the midterm election, resulting in the ousting of Mike Johnson and replacement by a competent and sane, non-GOP Speaker, and enough angry and sane Senators to ensure the impeachment and conviction of both Trump and Vance, leaving us with a competent and sane President. Unlikely, probably, but I think there is at least a good chance of Republicans losing their majority in the House, resulting in Mike Johnson being ousted as Speaker. This would almost certainly be an improvement!

[I Have Questions]

This has been Buttigieg's message recently, and I agree. I'm just not sure we can improve on what we have without stabilizing it first. How do we restore faith in our institutions? How do we trust Supreme Court again? Or Congress? Or the accuracy of elections?

And, perhaps, just as important, what and how long will it take to restore whatever respect, goodwill and/or trust we have heretofore enjoyed even from our closest allies and friends, let alone the rest of the world. Trump has turned us into a pariah even with some of our closest allies.

America would do well to separate itself from Trump. He’s toxic in terms of having a mutually beneficial, trust based relationship with an ally. Ditch him and turn him (and his cabal of money grubbing lunatics) into a pariah, and America has a chance of rebuilding global relationships - but a lot of goodwill has been eroded in a very short time. America has significantly fewer friends now than it had during the Obama administration.