Well, Samantha, I spent 2 years writing 60+ articles warning about Trump, and that wasn't easy. Now I'm considering writing another book, and that's not an easy thing to do.
So I don't think I "caved" or took "the easy way out." But I'm done for now.
How can America find peace of mind when this creep is lurking in the shadows? This is THE worst to have ever happened to our wonderful nation and he’s gloating over it. This disgusts me. Everything about him makes me want to puke. He face, his mannerisms, his voice. And now his choices.
it's always been there, Samantha; except now it's in control, got the levers of power; like cancer, now it will spread. America has injected itself with cancer - and the cowards in Senate and House won't lift a finger to fight it. Evil seems to be triumphant. But maybe it will burn itself out, and America can start anew. Like a drunk or addict hits rock bottom and starts anew. But for now, these will be evil (and insane) times. We all have to find inner strength. Live a life of purpose or satisfaction or interest without Trump in our heads.
But how? One has to be the same if not worse to fight the enemy, He is deplorable. How many are there who are that vile and will stoop that low? He needs to be squished like a hard bodied cockroach beetle.
But "the people" gave him Absolute Power, and his Supreme Court gave him Absolute Immunity, and the Republican Senate of Cowards will give him his Insane Clown Posse to sell out and burn down America from within. My question is: Why? Why is he doing this? And why are they letting him?
I think others with some Power think like us, and maybe they're planning somehow to STOP this madman before he destroys America.
That would put JD Vance in charge (or the people who control him) and I don't think he could be worse than Trump.
So all we can do, Samantha, is let History play itself out. And in the meantime, for myself, I'm going to find some peace and sanity in my own life. For starters, I've made a reading list - with zero politics.
No Senator is going to listen to me, and while there are many who are saying we have to fight, I don't know what I can do to stop this madman and his insane clown posse. Maybe write a book - but we've got 1984 and the Handmaid's Tale and It Can't Happen Here and all those books that warned about this, well, they didn't stop it. Not sure another book is gonna stop anything.
So I think the only thing I can do is find a way to find peace of mind in this malignant Trump World (that the American people chose to elect to power) without going nuts.
That's why I added the link to the Tao Te Ching at the end of my final post "That's All Folks"
I hope people don't let Trump destroy their sanity. He's got the power over the country now. But he no longer has power over me.
I know the battle must go on, but after 2 years of fighting Neo-Fascism here, I'm very tired. I'm old and sick and this newsletter was good therapy - fighting the good fight - and I'm glad that you and others will carry on the battle.
Americans just elected a malignant psychopath, surrounded by drooling sycophants. My very first post here was a review of Sinclair Lewis's "It Can't Happen Here" (1935) and yet it did happen here.
No, please don't go! Come back and re-join this Substack community. We need an umbrella to counter right-wing MSM. Your voice is important! We need solidarity and truth, such as you bring.
truth is, i'm 78 and have been fighting cancer for several years, as is my wife.
We've both been involved in political campaigns since our teens, and this time I couldn't do much more than use this keyboard to contribute to the cause.
If you cruise through the archive, you'll many dozens of articles, many of which took a week of reading and writing and editing before posting. (Some others I just banged out on a sleepless night)
So it took a toll, and with this very disappointing outcome, I feel quite drained.
I think by the time the 2026 mid-terms roll around, Americans will realized they've made a huge mistake, and then (if i'm still here) I'll probably re-engage and add my 2¢ to the conversation.
But for now, I'll leave the site up but (apart from some thank you posts) it's time to step back from this political whirlwind, and refresh my life with the people and interests that filled it before: music, chess, gardening (I'm lucky to own some land near a forest reserve), spend stress-free time with my wife and kids and granddaughter and Googey our beloved old dog (who never heard of Donald Trump and is better off for it - (she's too busy sniffing tree trunks and wondering who dared to pee here on my tree).
So thanks again for your kind words. There is a wonderful Substack community that I have enjoyed engaging with - even with Trump-supporters like GandolfGrey and FrankLee - but after any battle there's a time to withdraw and refresh and rethink and renew.
So it's been a great experience, but I'm tired. And yes, disappointed at our loss.
But I was also a school coach for many years, and had enough wins and losses that it didn't matter any more - it was helping my students enjoy the game and fulfill their talents.
Well, your kind words set me off there.
But to everything there's a season; and the Election 2024 season is over. I gave it my best shot; we all did. Now we lick our wounds, analyze what happened, get rested up, and plan for the future.
I think i'll post a pic of my dog. And some thank yous.
I understand completely. Your words are a treasure of love and devotion to truth and justice. I wish you and your wife good health, defeat all setbacks, enjoy life, pet Googey often. Thank you for everything you've ever written. And said. Peace to you, and a wonder filled life to you and those you love. Will hear from you at the midterms!
"This election was a crushing defeat for political lawfare, critical race theory, woke campuses, biological males in women’s sports, genital mutilation of teenagers, the Ivy League, the legacy media, and Hollywood. But it was also a defeat for the neoconservative Never Trumpers, including Liz Cheney as well as all the former Trump officials who turned their coats and backed Harris. And it was a victory for SpaceX, for Starlink, for Polymarket, for Bitcoin, for Anduril, for Palantir, for Marc Andreessen, for Joe Lonsdale, for Joe Rogan, for The Free Press—in short, for the new generation of builders whose autistic-virile qualities Musk exemplifies."
wow, Frank, you see the world in such stark contrasts: all those bad people and ideas on the left, and all those good people and ideas on the right.
And of course these are generalizations and stereotypes: surely you know that there are mixes of good and bad, smart and dumb, success and failure in EVERYONE.
No one is infallible, no is "good" or "bad", we're all just people with a whole mish-mash of experiences and prejudices and talents and characteristics and we all muddle through based on our nature and nurture, and some get lucky breaks in their genes, and some have climb Everest for the smallest gains.
America is full of PEOPLE, Frank. Not rulers and slaves. Not goods and evils. Not perfects and imperfects. Just this century's crop of run-of-the-mill human beings, who have the same pluses and minuses of every generation through thousands of years.
Through the pandemic I read the massive 11-volume Durant's Story of Civilization, and we're just another chapter in the same old story.
Demonizing and dehumanizing people you disagree with will accomplish nothing.
The old story is the Rich get Richer and More Powerful; and the rest of us get by. And most unfortunate of us really struggle. And then we all die and the next generations take up the same old story.
King Midas had all the gold and power in the world, but everything he touched died, and he had a very sad life. Some nameless farmer a thousand years ago lived a quiet life of struggle but got his family through it, and enjoyed a warm meal and smoked his pipe in the evening and loved his wife and kids. Who had the better life? Who was the happier person? Who was the "better" person?
We're all just a bunch of assholes doing our little dance across the stage, and if I turn left when you turn right, well, so be it. It doesn't mean a thing. The show goes on. And the mighty all fall in the end.
My wife has the best coping strategy of all: she says we just happen to be living through this chapter of history, and so we react to it. But it's just another chapter in the history books.
Frank, I've actually enjoyed our dialog over the last couple years, and I think it's something special that you and GG, who both disagree with just about everything I wrote here, were there from Day One and continue to put in your 2¢ worth. I appreciate that. And wish you well out there in Hopelessly Woke-land. But in the end, we're all food for worms. Or ashes in the ocean.
I'll be signing off this week, but it's been cool to know you. (Even if you're wrong about everything. But that's ok, it shows you're human. Like the rest of us.)
Take care Frank
From Abe, the Top Libtard in the Ruling Global Elite, and keeper of Hunter Biden's laptop.
Some words of solace and hope from Mark McKinnon, the Republican strategist (with the hat) who also called for a Kamala blow-out:
"I was wrong. Way wrong. I really thought the passion and enthusiasm I saw in you and so many other women across the country would power Kamala Harris to the presidency. Alas, it was not to be.
I don’t mind being wrong. I’ve been wrong many times over the years. But what kills me is to see your hope —which was my own hope too—crushed once again. You thought you wouldn’t recover from the shock of 2016, and then Kamala Harris gave you a life preserver. And now it just got cut loose, setting you back out to sea.
You can’t be blamed for asking: What else do we need to do? If not now, when? If voters choose a guy with this history over such an experienced and accomplished woman, then can we ever break the glass ceiling? And I wouldn’t blame you for losing hope and faith in your ability to affect positive change in our society.
I say this as a father, one who cares the world for you: As you have seen in so many other aspects of your lives, the pendulum often swings, over and over. And sometimes it just takes an incredibly long time. Progress is never linear, forward, or constant. But damn. It shouldn’t be this hard either.
So how did we get here? While it’s impossible to discount misogyny and race, there’s more to the explanation. Elections at their core are about change versus the status quo. Do voters like the way things are going—or not? And if they don’t, they’re inclined to change horses. Exit polls from last night suggest that about 7 in 10 voters felt the country was headed in the wrong direction. That’s an impossible headwind to overcome for anyone who was part of the leadership at the wheel the last four years.
While the election of a woman president didn’t happen now, that doesn’t mean you won’t see it happen. It is, in fact, inevitable, even if it feels such a long way off today.
Yes, I know you’re going to be down for a while. Depressed. Pissed. Frustrated. The worst part is that you are so familiar with these feelings. And as bad as it was eight years ago, you assumed at least you’d never have to feel them again so soon, in the same way.
In the near term, this is your world, not mine. It is an evolving world in which I can stand back and offer praise and hope and solidarity—but which you will have to navigate in your own way.
It may be dark for a while. The divide may seem wide and the pain perhaps insufferable. But you will soldier on and survive. And after the darkness—I know this from experience—a healing light will come again. And I’ll be there for you."
Fascism is based on simple answers to complex problems.
Nothing is that simple - half of the US are "ruling class elites" and the other half are "the people" - half the population rules the other half? If you're looking for a ruling class, how about Elon Musk and Adelson and the other super wealthy who gave hundreds of millions of dollars to Trump (and expect rewards in return) - they're the Ruling Class. Repubs are the party of Billionaires, and they just bought themselves more tax breaks.
So those who voted for Trump are "the people" and those that didn't are "the ruling class" - I thought you were smarter than that, Frank.
But then again, fascism is based on simple solutions to complex problems. Those bad "ruling" class folks are ripping off "the people" - hey, that sounds like Karl Marx (didn't realize you were a communist), so the People rise up and take over from the ruling class? And Trump on his golden toilet is suddenly "the people". Naw, that's all bullshit.
People cared more about saving a buck at the gas pump (Big Gouging Profits for Oil Companies) than preserving Democracy and Freedom.
Or maybe America can't stand the thought of a black woman president.
How about those for simple answers.
Well I better get down off my ruling class golden toilet (oh wait, that's Trump who has the golden toilet) take a ride in my Rolls Royce.
Ok, so your position is that there is not any monolithic ruling class elite group that supported Harris, but there is a monolithic group of racist, misogynist fascists that voted for Trump.
So that is the reason that Trump won... that a large group of racist, misogynist fascists... well over 50% of the electorate based on the popular vote... wanted Trump because they want fascism.
I think that is just a sign that you don't really understand the electorate from your elite ivory tower.
I think you are a sore looser and throwing a tantrum.
JD Vance said it:
"The entire modern Democrat party grew up in an era where there was consensus. They grew up in a high social trust era. A lot of them are trying to reimpose that social trust from the top, not recognizing that social trust came organically from the way American society worked. If you have people trying to reimpose it from the top, it degrades the very thing you're trying to create.”
well Frank, you've got lots of "class" theories (you sound like a Marxist), but if you want to quote JD Vance, he's the guy who called Trump "America's Hitler". JD Vance said that. But that was before he was invited into the Ruling Class of Trump's Billionaire Club.
Sure there's a "ruling class elite group" - today they're meeting at Mar-a-Lago to divide the spoils. And ain't nothing coming your way Frank. The conman has conned the nation yet again. And his Tariffs will bankrupt everyone. Enjoy the economics of Trump's Ruling Class Elites.
I don't think that you get it my Substack friend. I think you may never get it. Just about everything you just claimed about Trump and this election is overwrought media lies and emotive hyperbole.
One of the aspects of human nature that is both a blessing and a curse is to always want more. We reset our expectations based on where we are today and forget about what we were before. The blessing of this is that we always pursue that next step in higher phycological needs... and as we progress individually, we benefit the whole of society. Why would Musk cover the world with cheap and reliable Internet communications and build reusable self-landing rockets when he was already and multi-millionaire and could have retired in his 30s for a life of leisure?
The key for being a good human in this position of privilege (and we all are based on what our lives where like historically) is to maintain that perspective and be thankful for it, and to also understand that our selfish pursuits at the top of the social and economic hierarchy can have a destructive impact for those below us.
I think too many well off liberals pay lip service to caring about the lower classes as a form of virtue signaling to mask their greed craving more... more social and economic status. The do light up on the moral filter of harm/care, but it is their own feeling of harm and care that drives them, and so they project it as being for others when it is not. Changes in the economy have allowed a filtering of more wealth and power to liberals, and they have exploited it to become our ruling class that pushes attempts to subjugate the lower classes into their control (for their own good)... when it is really a move to eliminate the competition of upstarts to get a seat at the liberal ruling class social hierarchy table.
Musk does not file patents. He keeps his technology development open. That is an example of more enlightened and moral behavior from the top.
JD Vance said it well...
"The entire modern Democrat party grew up in an era where there was consensus. They grew up in a high social trust era. A lot of them are trying to reimpose that social trust from the top, not recognizing that social trust came organically from the way American society worked. If you have people trying to reimpose it from the top, it degrades the very thing you're trying to create.”
Democrats have become the party of elites, and those elites have been complicit in a giant attempt at top-down control of lower classes for elite's own selfish reasons. The people see it and put and end to it. It is really that simple.
talk to me 2 years when Trump's tariffs have driven consumer prices through the roof and reciprocal tariffs from other countries have bankrupted American farmers and producers (while Trump and his ruling class friends got super wealthy) and let's see at mid-terms 2026 how the people like hyper-inflation? You know that absolute power corrupts absolutely, and Trump's got absolute power. You think he's gonna use it for YOU? Dream on. The people gave the power to the new Ruling Class - Donald Trump and his billionaire buddies. They're at the top of the hierarchy table, not you. Or me. Or the People.
Trump and his billionaires are the new Ruling Class. Period
I think I can safely say that millions of us are in mourning today, and we despair that our country has come to this. As for me, I've reached the shocking realization that most people - at least here in the U.S. - are not basically good. It's a devastating realization.
But here we are; the "American people" have spoken, and as Nina says in her article, "this is who we are."
Except not all Americans are that way. So that gives me hope for the future. And in 2 years Americans may say "OMG what did we do" and throw the whole fascist Republican party out in the mid-terms.
For now, though, we all need to find solace and joy in our own lives, and let history play itself out. Because it's out of hands. We did what we could; we fought the good battle. And sometimes Evil triumphs, for a while. And then the arc of justice swings back. Our time will come.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Cheryl. We're all in pain; but it will pass. Find the good in life.
Yea. Eat your mush and shut the hell up with all your complaining you less elite people!
If you would just stop watching Fox News, you would know that the US economy is doing well. And fast food isn't good for you anyway, so stop complaining that the prices have doubled since Joe Biden came to power from the White House root cellar that holds other vegetables.
if the US economy is doing well, what's all this about "it's the economy, stupid"? Then why was Trump's big issue "oh the economy's so bad"? Sounds like you're having it both ways.
I think you should take solace in knowing that you had no choice but to support a very weak candidate. With a strong candidate it might have gone the other way.
Trump was not a dictator last time, and if anything he has mellowed.
But you know the ancient saying: absolute power corrupts absolutely. And Trump now has absolute power.
Thanks for your support from Day One; even though we're on different sides of the political spectrum, we always engaged in civil discourse, and that alone is something to be proud of.
Good luck to you and your family.
I'm leaving this newsletter business to others now; gonna go back to my quiet life of retirement, chess, music, gardening, and enjoying my family.
it's a terrible disappointment but now we have to find solace and comfort wherever we can.
Thanks for being an ongoing contributor here. Maybe in 2026 I'll fire it up again for the midterms, but for now, it's about finding enjoyment and fulfilment in a life apart from this ugly political arena.
The very good news is that we have 4 more years before American foreign policy (Ukraine) finally gets us nuclear bombed back to the stone age. Just how close an ally Putin really is the subject of speculation, but he's in close contact with Musk. We all have lessons to learn, just as Germany did. This video is about a dream that is for the 2024 election, not 2020 when it was given: https://youtu.be/h2H0E_vZqzs
ANYONE WHO H AS THE FACE OF EVIL M U S T B E DONE AWAY WITH !
YOU CAVED. YOU TOOK THE EASY WAY OUT AND STOPPED QUESTIONING!
Well, Samantha, I spent 2 years writing 60+ articles warning about Trump, and that wasn't easy. Now I'm considering writing another book, and that's not an easy thing to do.
So I don't think I "caved" or took "the easy way out." But I'm done for now.
Gonna find some peace of mind.
How can America find peace of mind when this creep is lurking in the shadows? This is THE worst to have ever happened to our wonderful nation and he’s gloating over it. This disgusts me. Everything about him makes me want to puke. He face, his mannerisms, his voice. And now his choices.
Some "blame" has to fall on the 85 MILLION eligible voters who didn't bother voting! They were too busy I guess.
They don't deserve to call themselves Americans.
It won't burn itself out. THEY HAVE to be decapitated. All of 'EM!
Evil has entered the theater of America.
it's always been there, Samantha; except now it's in control, got the levers of power; like cancer, now it will spread. America has injected itself with cancer - and the cowards in Senate and House won't lift a finger to fight it. Evil seems to be triumphant. But maybe it will burn itself out, and America can start anew. Like a drunk or addict hits rock bottom and starts anew. But for now, these will be evil (and insane) times. We all have to find inner strength. Live a life of purpose or satisfaction or interest without Trump in our heads.
But how? One has to be the same if not worse to fight the enemy, He is deplorable. How many are there who are that vile and will stoop that low? He needs to be squished like a hard bodied cockroach beetle.
CAN’T WAIT THAT LONG. HE HAS TO BE GONE NOW!
WE CAN’T RISK LOSING LIVES WITH HIS ADMINISTRATION.
TIME TO LOOK THAT SON OF A BITCH IN THE EYE AND TELL HIM TO FUCK OFF. STAND UP TO HIM YOU FRUGGIN’ WHIMPS. HE’S AN INCOMPLETE MAN.
I feel the same way, Samantha.
This is an American Tragedy.
And the warnings were there.
But "the people" gave him Absolute Power, and his Supreme Court gave him Absolute Immunity, and the Republican Senate of Cowards will give him his Insane Clown Posse to sell out and burn down America from within. My question is: Why? Why is he doing this? And why are they letting him?
I think others with some Power think like us, and maybe they're planning somehow to STOP this madman before he destroys America.
That would put JD Vance in charge (or the people who control him) and I don't think he could be worse than Trump.
So all we can do, Samantha, is let History play itself out. And in the meantime, for myself, I'm going to find some peace and sanity in my own life. For starters, I've made a reading list - with zero politics.
No Senator is going to listen to me, and while there are many who are saying we have to fight, I don't know what I can do to stop this madman and his insane clown posse. Maybe write a book - but we've got 1984 and the Handmaid's Tale and It Can't Happen Here and all those books that warned about this, well, they didn't stop it. Not sure another book is gonna stop anything.
So I think the only thing I can do is find a way to find peace of mind in this malignant Trump World (that the American people chose to elect to power) without going nuts.
That's why I added the link to the Tao Te Ching at the end of my final post "That's All Folks"
I hope people don't let Trump destroy their sanity. He's got the power over the country now. But he no longer has power over me.
Thanks for all you have done.
I'm not giving up, I'm not giving in, and I'm sure as f#ck not gonna shut up.
I'm gonna reread Project 2025 to give people more details about the plan.
thanks Bob
I know the battle must go on, but after 2 years of fighting Neo-Fascism here, I'm very tired. I'm old and sick and this newsletter was good therapy - fighting the good fight - and I'm glad that you and others will carry on the battle.
Americans just elected a malignant psychopath, surrounded by drooling sycophants. My very first post here was a review of Sinclair Lewis's "It Can't Happen Here" (1935) and yet it did happen here.
https://kamala4prez.substack.com/p/it-cant-happen-here
I may fade away, but I'm glad there are still gladiators like you to carry on.
And heroes like White Rose to emulate
https://whiterose.substack.com/p/introduction
I too am exhausted. But Marines aren't spectators.
Take all the time you need and know that you have my profound respect and thanks.
I'll carry on, and I'll be here if you need anything.
thanks Bob
https://open.substack.com/pub/billionairbear/p/when-the-door-shuts?r=1g5bw0&utm_medium=ios
thanks Bear
I left a note on your site
No, please don't go! Come back and re-join this Substack community. We need an umbrella to counter right-wing MSM. Your voice is important! We need solidarity and truth, such as you bring.
thank you for those kind words, Rain
truth is, i'm 78 and have been fighting cancer for several years, as is my wife.
We've both been involved in political campaigns since our teens, and this time I couldn't do much more than use this keyboard to contribute to the cause.
If you cruise through the archive, you'll many dozens of articles, many of which took a week of reading and writing and editing before posting. (Some others I just banged out on a sleepless night)
So it took a toll, and with this very disappointing outcome, I feel quite drained.
I think by the time the 2026 mid-terms roll around, Americans will realized they've made a huge mistake, and then (if i'm still here) I'll probably re-engage and add my 2¢ to the conversation.
But for now, I'll leave the site up but (apart from some thank you posts) it's time to step back from this political whirlwind, and refresh my life with the people and interests that filled it before: music, chess, gardening (I'm lucky to own some land near a forest reserve), spend stress-free time with my wife and kids and granddaughter and Googey our beloved old dog (who never heard of Donald Trump and is better off for it - (she's too busy sniffing tree trunks and wondering who dared to pee here on my tree).
So thanks again for your kind words. There is a wonderful Substack community that I have enjoyed engaging with - even with Trump-supporters like GandolfGrey and FrankLee - but after any battle there's a time to withdraw and refresh and rethink and renew.
So it's been a great experience, but I'm tired. And yes, disappointed at our loss.
But I was also a school coach for many years, and had enough wins and losses that it didn't matter any more - it was helping my students enjoy the game and fulfill their talents.
Well, your kind words set me off there.
But to everything there's a season; and the Election 2024 season is over. I gave it my best shot; we all did. Now we lick our wounds, analyze what happened, get rested up, and plan for the future.
I think i'll post a pic of my dog. And some thank yous.
I understand completely. Your words are a treasure of love and devotion to truth and justice. I wish you and your wife good health, defeat all setbacks, enjoy life, pet Googey often. Thank you for everything you've ever written. And said. Peace to you, and a wonder filled life to you and those you love. Will hear from you at the midterms!
Thanks Rain, and best wishes to you too.
Hope I'm still around for the midterms, and maybe by then America will wake up from the Trump Trance. We'll see.
Meantime, I've got a Trump-free life to live.
Cheers
"This election was a crushing defeat for political lawfare, critical race theory, woke campuses, biological males in women’s sports, genital mutilation of teenagers, the Ivy League, the legacy media, and Hollywood. But it was also a defeat for the neoconservative Never Trumpers, including Liz Cheney as well as all the former Trump officials who turned their coats and backed Harris. And it was a victory for SpaceX, for Starlink, for Polymarket, for Bitcoin, for Anduril, for Palantir, for Marc Andreessen, for Joe Lonsdale, for Joe Rogan, for The Free Press—in short, for the new generation of builders whose autistic-virile qualities Musk exemplifies."
wow, Frank, you see the world in such stark contrasts: all those bad people and ideas on the left, and all those good people and ideas on the right.
And of course these are generalizations and stereotypes: surely you know that there are mixes of good and bad, smart and dumb, success and failure in EVERYONE.
No one is infallible, no is "good" or "bad", we're all just people with a whole mish-mash of experiences and prejudices and talents and characteristics and we all muddle through based on our nature and nurture, and some get lucky breaks in their genes, and some have climb Everest for the smallest gains.
America is full of PEOPLE, Frank. Not rulers and slaves. Not goods and evils. Not perfects and imperfects. Just this century's crop of run-of-the-mill human beings, who have the same pluses and minuses of every generation through thousands of years.
Through the pandemic I read the massive 11-volume Durant's Story of Civilization, and we're just another chapter in the same old story.
Demonizing and dehumanizing people you disagree with will accomplish nothing.
The old story is the Rich get Richer and More Powerful; and the rest of us get by. And most unfortunate of us really struggle. And then we all die and the next generations take up the same old story.
King Midas had all the gold and power in the world, but everything he touched died, and he had a very sad life. Some nameless farmer a thousand years ago lived a quiet life of struggle but got his family through it, and enjoyed a warm meal and smoked his pipe in the evening and loved his wife and kids. Who had the better life? Who was the happier person? Who was the "better" person?
We're all just a bunch of assholes doing our little dance across the stage, and if I turn left when you turn right, well, so be it. It doesn't mean a thing. The show goes on. And the mighty all fall in the end.
My wife has the best coping strategy of all: she says we just happen to be living through this chapter of history, and so we react to it. But it's just another chapter in the history books.
Frank, I've actually enjoyed our dialog over the last couple years, and I think it's something special that you and GG, who both disagree with just about everything I wrote here, were there from Day One and continue to put in your 2¢ worth. I appreciate that. And wish you well out there in Hopelessly Woke-land. But in the end, we're all food for worms. Or ashes in the ocean.
I'll be signing off this week, but it's been cool to know you. (Even if you're wrong about everything. But that's ok, it shows you're human. Like the rest of us.)
Take care Frank
From Abe, the Top Libtard in the Ruling Global Elite, and keeper of Hunter Biden's laptop.
I love you and love your wife more!
Some words of solace and hope from Mark McKinnon, the Republican strategist (with the hat) who also called for a Kamala blow-out:
"I was wrong. Way wrong. I really thought the passion and enthusiasm I saw in you and so many other women across the country would power Kamala Harris to the presidency. Alas, it was not to be.
I don’t mind being wrong. I’ve been wrong many times over the years. But what kills me is to see your hope —which was my own hope too—crushed once again. You thought you wouldn’t recover from the shock of 2016, and then Kamala Harris gave you a life preserver. And now it just got cut loose, setting you back out to sea.
You can’t be blamed for asking: What else do we need to do? If not now, when? If voters choose a guy with this history over such an experienced and accomplished woman, then can we ever break the glass ceiling? And I wouldn’t blame you for losing hope and faith in your ability to affect positive change in our society.
I say this as a father, one who cares the world for you: As you have seen in so many other aspects of your lives, the pendulum often swings, over and over. And sometimes it just takes an incredibly long time. Progress is never linear, forward, or constant. But damn. It shouldn’t be this hard either.
So how did we get here? While it’s impossible to discount misogyny and race, there’s more to the explanation. Elections at their core are about change versus the status quo. Do voters like the way things are going—or not? And if they don’t, they’re inclined to change horses. Exit polls from last night suggest that about 7 in 10 voters felt the country was headed in the wrong direction. That’s an impossible headwind to overcome for anyone who was part of the leadership at the wheel the last four years.
While the election of a woman president didn’t happen now, that doesn’t mean you won’t see it happen. It is, in fact, inevitable, even if it feels such a long way off today.
Yes, I know you’re going to be down for a while. Depressed. Pissed. Frustrated. The worst part is that you are so familiar with these feelings. And as bad as it was eight years ago, you assumed at least you’d never have to feel them again so soon, in the same way.
In the near term, this is your world, not mine. It is an evolving world in which I can stand back and offer praise and hope and solidarity—but which you will have to navigate in your own way.
It may be dark for a while. The divide may seem wide and the pain perhaps insufferable. But you will soldier on and survive. And after the darkness—I know this from experience—a healing light will come again. And I’ll be there for you."
The ruling class lost, and the people won. It is that simple.
Fascism is based on simple answers to complex problems.
Nothing is that simple - half of the US are "ruling class elites" and the other half are "the people" - half the population rules the other half? If you're looking for a ruling class, how about Elon Musk and Adelson and the other super wealthy who gave hundreds of millions of dollars to Trump (and expect rewards in return) - they're the Ruling Class. Repubs are the party of Billionaires, and they just bought themselves more tax breaks.
So those who voted for Trump are "the people" and those that didn't are "the ruling class" - I thought you were smarter than that, Frank.
But then again, fascism is based on simple solutions to complex problems. Those bad "ruling" class folks are ripping off "the people" - hey, that sounds like Karl Marx (didn't realize you were a communist), so the People rise up and take over from the ruling class? And Trump on his golden toilet is suddenly "the people". Naw, that's all bullshit.
People cared more about saving a buck at the gas pump (Big Gouging Profits for Oil Companies) than preserving Democracy and Freedom.
Or maybe America can't stand the thought of a black woman president.
How about those for simple answers.
Well I better get down off my ruling class golden toilet (oh wait, that's Trump who has the golden toilet) take a ride in my Rolls Royce.
Ok, so your position is that there is not any monolithic ruling class elite group that supported Harris, but there is a monolithic group of racist, misogynist fascists that voted for Trump.
So that is the reason that Trump won... that a large group of racist, misogynist fascists... well over 50% of the electorate based on the popular vote... wanted Trump because they want fascism.
I think that is just a sign that you don't really understand the electorate from your elite ivory tower.
i don't live in an ivory tower, but I know that your "monolithic ruling class elite group" is named Trump and his billionaire buddies.
I think you are a sore looser and throwing a tantrum.
JD Vance said it:
"The entire modern Democrat party grew up in an era where there was consensus. They grew up in a high social trust era. A lot of them are trying to reimpose that social trust from the top, not recognizing that social trust came organically from the way American society worked. If you have people trying to reimpose it from the top, it degrades the very thing you're trying to create.”
well Frank, you've got lots of "class" theories (you sound like a Marxist), but if you want to quote JD Vance, he's the guy who called Trump "America's Hitler". JD Vance said that. But that was before he was invited into the Ruling Class of Trump's Billionaire Club.
Sure there's a "ruling class elite group" - today they're meeting at Mar-a-Lago to divide the spoils. And ain't nothing coming your way Frank. The conman has conned the nation yet again. And his Tariffs will bankrupt everyone. Enjoy the economics of Trump's Ruling Class Elites.
Yeah, calling him Hitler did not work.
I don't think that you get it my Substack friend. I think you may never get it. Just about everything you just claimed about Trump and this election is overwrought media lies and emotive hyperbole.
One of the aspects of human nature that is both a blessing and a curse is to always want more. We reset our expectations based on where we are today and forget about what we were before. The blessing of this is that we always pursue that next step in higher phycological needs... and as we progress individually, we benefit the whole of society. Why would Musk cover the world with cheap and reliable Internet communications and build reusable self-landing rockets when he was already and multi-millionaire and could have retired in his 30s for a life of leisure?
The key for being a good human in this position of privilege (and we all are based on what our lives where like historically) is to maintain that perspective and be thankful for it, and to also understand that our selfish pursuits at the top of the social and economic hierarchy can have a destructive impact for those below us.
I think too many well off liberals pay lip service to caring about the lower classes as a form of virtue signaling to mask their greed craving more... more social and economic status. The do light up on the moral filter of harm/care, but it is their own feeling of harm and care that drives them, and so they project it as being for others when it is not. Changes in the economy have allowed a filtering of more wealth and power to liberals, and they have exploited it to become our ruling class that pushes attempts to subjugate the lower classes into their control (for their own good)... when it is really a move to eliminate the competition of upstarts to get a seat at the liberal ruling class social hierarchy table.
Musk does not file patents. He keeps his technology development open. That is an example of more enlightened and moral behavior from the top.
JD Vance said it well...
"The entire modern Democrat party grew up in an era where there was consensus. They grew up in a high social trust era. A lot of them are trying to reimpose that social trust from the top, not recognizing that social trust came organically from the way American society worked. If you have people trying to reimpose it from the top, it degrades the very thing you're trying to create.”
Democrats have become the party of elites, and those elites have been complicit in a giant attempt at top-down control of lower classes for elite's own selfish reasons. The people see it and put and end to it. It is really that simple.
talk to me 2 years when Trump's tariffs have driven consumer prices through the roof and reciprocal tariffs from other countries have bankrupted American farmers and producers (while Trump and his ruling class friends got super wealthy) and let's see at mid-terms 2026 how the people like hyper-inflation? You know that absolute power corrupts absolutely, and Trump's got absolute power. You think he's gonna use it for YOU? Dream on. The people gave the power to the new Ruling Class - Donald Trump and his billionaire buddies. They're at the top of the hierarchy table, not you. Or me. Or the People.
Trump and his billionaires are the new Ruling Class. Period
I think I can safely say that millions of us are in mourning today, and we despair that our country has come to this. As for me, I've reached the shocking realization that most people - at least here in the U.S. - are not basically good. It's a devastating realization.
I read a post that blasted Americans for not appreciating how good they have it compared to the rest of the world. And there's a lot of truth in that.
https://www.americanfreakshow.news/p/the-unforgiven
But here we are; the "American people" have spoken, and as Nina says in her article, "this is who we are."
Except not all Americans are that way. So that gives me hope for the future. And in 2 years Americans may say "OMG what did we do" and throw the whole fascist Republican party out in the mid-terms.
For now, though, we all need to find solace and joy in our own lives, and let history play itself out. Because it's out of hands. We did what we could; we fought the good battle. And sometimes Evil triumphs, for a while. And then the arc of justice swings back. Our time will come.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Cheryl. We're all in pain; but it will pass. Find the good in life.
Yea. Eat your mush and shut the hell up with all your complaining you less elite people!
If you would just stop watching Fox News, you would know that the US economy is doing well. And fast food isn't good for you anyway, so stop complaining that the prices have doubled since Joe Biden came to power from the White House root cellar that holds other vegetables.
if the US economy is doing well, what's all this about "it's the economy, stupid"? Then why was Trump's big issue "oh the economy's so bad"? Sounds like you're having it both ways.
I supported Trump, but not here to gloat.
I think you should take solace in knowing that you had no choice but to support a very weak candidate. With a strong candidate it might have gone the other way.
Trump was not a dictator last time, and if anything he has mellowed.
GG, I hope you're right.
But you know the ancient saying: absolute power corrupts absolutely. And Trump now has absolute power.
Thanks for your support from Day One; even though we're on different sides of the political spectrum, we always engaged in civil discourse, and that alone is something to be proud of.
Good luck to you and your family.
I'm leaving this newsletter business to others now; gonna go back to my quiet life of retirement, chess, music, gardening, and enjoying my family.
Stay well, my friend.
You too Abe!
I feel nothing but despair. Best I can do is checkout watch Quincy, Rockford Files, Streets of San Francisco… my favorites. You get idea.
I should have never re watched the Darkest Hour last week. Love you & your family. Thank you!
thanks Julie
it's a terrible disappointment but now we have to find solace and comfort wherever we can.
Thanks for being an ongoing contributor here. Maybe in 2026 I'll fire it up again for the midterms, but for now, it's about finding enjoyment and fulfilment in a life apart from this ugly political arena.
All the best to you
Abe
The very good news is that we have 4 more years before American foreign policy (Ukraine) finally gets us nuclear bombed back to the stone age. Just how close an ally Putin really is the subject of speculation, but he's in close contact with Musk. We all have lessons to learn, just as Germany did. This video is about a dream that is for the 2024 election, not 2020 when it was given: https://youtu.be/h2H0E_vZqzs
we'll all have to find comfort and solace in our own faith and family and enjoy the gifts of life.
In time, this too will pass.
For me, I find comfort in the ancient words of the Tao Te Ching
https://gillmore.ca/products/tao-te-ching-by-lao-tsu-translated-by-gia-fu-feng-jane-english-1997-25th-anniversary-edition
Best wishes in our uncertain future.
Thank you. I love the Tao too. It is correct -- I could write a book on how Christianity and Buddhism explain the same reality in very different ways.
Thank you for sharing what your wife said. Ultimately that is really all we can do.