The #QAnon Conciousness Phenomena

It also looks to me like The Democrat party is self destructing, but it is hard to know how Democrat voters see it. I think it will take a few more election cycles to see what is going to happen.

However, I think the deep state / shadow government (the people behind the elected officials) are using the Democratic party as a disposable tool. They want to regain the power they lost when a non-establishment candidate won in 2016 and they have nothing to lose. If they don't get power back the Democrat party is useless to them anyway. So they are using in a last ditch effort, trying to get back power, and they don't care if they destroy it in the process.

Another theory is that there is very low participation rate in the primaries and only the most extreme leftists Democrats vote in them. The means the candidates are forced, over the years, to adopt more and more extreme positions in order to win the party nomination. The result of all those years of selecting for more and more extremist candidates has led to the current situation where they are alienating the moderates and seeming to commit political suicide.

And Trump has to some extent stolen the middle ground which is also forcing the Democrats further left to distinguish themselves from the Republicans.

I also think a big part of the problem for the Democrats is that for more than a generation the left has stunted their intellectual development by replacing free speech with political correctness and they no longer have the ability to think rationally. It is not conducive to maintaining the popularity of a movement.

Mark Lilla, professor of humanities at Columbia University:

"As a teacher, I am increasingly struck by a difference between my conservative and progressive students. Contrary to the stereotype, the conservatives are far more likely to connect their engagements to a set of political ideas and principles. Young people on the left are much more inclined to say that they are engaged in politics as an X, concerned about other Xs and those issues touching on X-ness. And they are less and less comfortable with debate."​

...


"Heterodox Academy was founded in September 2015 to call attention to this trend [lack of conservatives in academia] and the problems it is causing for scholarship, particularly in the social sciences and related fields (such as law and public policy)."

https://heterodoxacademy.org/problems/
American universities have leaned left for a long time. That is not a serious problem; as long as there are some people with a different political perspective in every field and every department, we can assume that eventually, someone will challenge claims that reflect ideology more than evidence.

But things began changing in the 1990s as the Greatest Generation (which had a fair number of Republicans) retired and were replaced by the Baby Boom generation (which did not). As the graph below shows, in the 15 years between 1995 and 2010 the academy went from leaning left to being almost entirely on the left. (The 12% in the red line for 2014 is mostly made up of professors in schools of engineering and other professional schools; the percent conservative for the major humanities and social science departments is closer to 5%. For more data on these trends and the rising imbalance, seeGross & Simmons, 2007;Inbar & Lammers, 2012; see latest study,Langbert et al. 2016, here; see many older links here).

HERI-graph-left-tilt.png

Data from Higher Education Research Institute, based on a survey of college faculty conducted every other year since 1989. Plotted by Sam Abrams.

Heterodox Academy was founded in September 2015 to call attention to this trend and the problems it is causing for scholarship, particularly in the social sciences and related fields (such as law and public policy). The word heterodoxmeans “not conforming with accepted or orthodox standards of beliefs.” We chose that word to contrast with “orthodoxy,” which refers to conforming with accepted norms and beliefs. Orthodoxy has religious connotations, but it can be applied to any view that becomes dogma or dogmatic, such as “orthodox Marxism,” “social constructionist orthodoxy,” or “free market orthodoxy.”

Jonathan Haidt: Universities Are Digging Their Own Graves


In his book The Once and Future Liberal: After Identity Politics, Mark Lilla, professor of humanities at Columbia University, a liberal, explains how progressive students have been intellectually damaged by identity politics:
(Excerpt by Ed Driscoll)
https://pjmedia.com/eddriscoll/2017/09/15/lilla-after-identity-politics-review/)
As a teacher, I am increasingly struck by a difference between my conservative and progressive students. Contrary to the stereotype, the conservatives are far more likely to connect their engagements to a set of political ideas and principles. Young people on the left are much more inclined to say that they are engaged in politics as an X, concerned about other Xs and those issues touching on X-ness. And they are less and less comfortable with debate.

Over the past decade a new, and very revealing, locution has drifted from our universities into the media mainstream: Speaking as an X…This is not an anodyne phrase. It sets up a wall against any questions that come from a non-X perspective. Classroom conversations that once might have begun, I think A, and here is my argument, now take the form, Speaking as an X, I am offended that you claim B. What replaces argument, then, are taboos against unfamiliar ideas and contrary opinions.


Adam MacLeod wrote in Undoing the Dis-Education of Millennials
http://newbostonpost.com/2017/11/09/undoing-the-dis-education-of-millennials/
I teach in a law school. For several years now my students have been mostly Millennials. Contrary to stereotype, I have found that the vast majority of them want to learn. But true to stereotype, I increasingly find that most of them cannot think, don’t know very much, and are enslaved to their appetites and feelings. Their minds are held hostage in a prison fashioned by elite culture and their undergraduate professors.


According to Camilla Turner writing in telegraph.co.uk:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...ive-taught-schools-fuels-anxiety-young-women/
"Dr Joanna Williams, a lecturer in higher education at Kent University ...
... said that if girls are instilled with a mindset of victimhood at a young age, it can set them back later in life. “When women go out into the world of work and experience obstacles, rather than persevering they think ‘oh these are the insurmountable barriers I was told about'."

...

Dr Williams said that the narrative continues at university where students are told that there is a "rape culture" or some kind of "epidemic" of sexual assault on campus.
...

“It is very difficult for women to present themselves as powerful, strong and capable if they think they need to be wary and anxious," she said.


4:25
Camille Paglia: “It’s really started at the level of public school education. I’ve been teaching now for 46 years as a classroom teacher, and I have felt the slow devolution of the quality of public school education in the classroom.”

...

“What has happened is these young people now getting to college have no sense of history – of any kind! No sense of history. No world geography. No sense of the violence and the barbarities of history. So, they think that the whole world has always been like this, a kind of nice, comfortable world where you can go to the store and get orange juice and milk, and you can turn on the water and the hot water comes out. They have no sense whatever of the destruction, of the great civilizations that rose and fell, and so on – and how arrogant people get when they’re in a comfortable civilization. They now have been taught to look around them to see defects in America – which is the freest country in the history of the world – and to feel that somehow America is the source of all evil in the universe, and it’s because they’ve never been exposed to the actual evil of the history of humanity. They know nothing!”

~2:04
Camille Paglia: My generation of the 1960's, when I arrived in college in 1964 there were parietal rules in place so that the women in my dorm had to sign in at 11:00 at night. The men could run free. It was my generation that rose up and said that we wanted to be treated equally and we want freedom. And the colleges said the world is a dangerous place. You could be attacked you could be raped. We said, "Give us the freedom to risk rape. Freedom is much more important than protection and safety. And that's what young people have given up today.

~5:59
Christina Hoff Sommers: And right now the fashion is the identity politics, intersectionality, this is all the rage, and its the premise of this theory it's the idea that all the oppressions intersect with one another and form this matrix of oppression. And so young people in a typical gender studies class now learn that they inhabit a society that is this matrix of oppression and depending on your identity you might be advantaged so you have unearned privilege or you might be burdened because of your race or maybe your disability or your gender or preference and on and on. But underneath it all is this assumption that the United States is a white supremacist imperialist capitalist patriarchal oppressive society. And in order to liberate ourselves we have to, I don't even know what they want to do - because it's all - maybe blame one another and form - have little feuds, on social media and on campus.
 
I was watching Trump's rally and I was wondering how he developed his speaking style. He doesn't speak like most politicians. When you listen to the local pols that speak at the rallies they often use a style many politicians use where they are obviously trying to get the crowd excited. Trump's style is a more subtle. Then I remembered I had heard that Trump's family attended the church where Norman Vincent Peale was a minister. I am wondering if Trump is influenced by Peale's speaking style. (I'm not referring to the prose style, but to aspects of the delivrey: pitch, tone of voice, dynamics, and tempo.)

Here is a recording of Peale


I just finished reading "The Art of the Deal" written by Trump in 1987. In reading the book I can see where he got the skills he uses in politics and governing. The book discusses some the the real estate deals he made. These deals involved coordinating many individuals and organizations including business partners - people and corporations, architects, lawyers, building contractors, financiers, state and city government agencies. He had to persuade financiers to lend him money, he had to persuade partners to join him and support his plans, and he had to persuade sometimes multiple city and state government organizations such as zoning boards to approve his plans, casino licensing boards to allow him to operate casinos, and other government authorities to grant tax breaks. He had to attract commercial and residential tenants to his properties and customers to his casinos which involved sales, marketing, publicity and persuasion - he learned the value of both good and bad publicity. He had public feuds. And he had several projects going on at any given time. He is a fighter who will stand up as a matter of principle even when caving in would be better for him financially.

All that by 1987. It is no wonder that by 2016 he was most able candidate in the race.
 
Last edited:
Do you know anything about this guy - is he 'far right' in the sense of being pro-Trump, or is he 'far right' in the sense of being a sinister individual?

David

Mitchell is a conservative not a neo-nazi. He has an internet TV show somewhat like Alex Jones. He is a bit of a self promoter. I don't trust him unless, like with any other source of information, I can verify what he says from other reliable sources.
 
Last edited:
https://www.sfchronicle.com/opinion...aking-up-to-the-duplicity-of-the-13337404.php

"What most non-Latinos don’t grasp is that Latinos are ambivalent about illegal immigration. They have a front-row seat not just to the pain of deportations, but also to how many immigrants commit crimes or abuse social services.

In 2016, an astounding 29 percent of Latinos voted for Trump.

And now, two years into his presidency, polls show that his support among Latinos is somewhere between 33 and 41 percent. That’s insanely good for a president who is so bad on issues that Latinos supposedly care about."​
 
Do you know anything about this guy - is he 'far right' in the sense of being pro-Trump, or is he 'far right' in the sense of being a sinister individual?

David

You quoted my post on Bill Mitchell but I don't know where you got far-right from, maybe here...

http://news.trust.org/item/20181028230046-ovczz
Far-right Bolsonaro wins Brazil presidential race

If you were wondering about this post I don't really know. I assume anyone who is a conservative is called Hitler/Nazi by the media so if they say far-right I assume he is a centrist or conservative. But I don't really know anything about him. But it is interesting because there seems to be an international trend Brexit, Trump, Bolsonaro, and others.
 
Last edited:
Do you know anything about this guy - is he 'far right' in the sense of being pro-Trump, or is he 'far right' in the sense of being a sinister individual?
Bill Mitchell is your standard pro-Israel NeoCon Republican Retard.

His shtick is to be a Trump cheerleader no matter what. He supported Trump's bombing of Syria.

The "far-right" hates Mitchell's guts, and rightly so.
 
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1055634399050563584.html?refreshed=yes
July 7, 2018: New York Times editorial calls for Dems to “take a page from The Godfather” to “go to the mattresses” to stop Trump’s Supreme Court nominee.
July 6, 2018: CNN analyst justifies violence against Trump supporters
July 6, 2018: Long Island Man Threatened to Kill Supporters of Republican Congressman, Trump: Police
July 6, 2018: Florida man attacked over Trump flag in yard.
July 6, 2018: Woman threatens to stab Alan Dershowitz in heart.
July 5, 2018: Founder of #WalkAway campaign refused service at camera store.
July 5, 2018: Trump supporter wearing Make America Great Again hat allegedly assaulted in burger joint (video at link).
July 3, 2018: Nebraska GOP office vandalized.
July 3, 2018: EPA head Scott Pruitt harassed at restaurant.
...

Here is a longer list of 573 instances.
https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1057324510473527302.html

1) October 21, 2018: Obama’s former deputy secretary of state, Philippe Reines says harassment of McConnell and his wife “is fine”

2) October 20, 2018: Angry Leftists Harass McConnell, Wife at Restaurant: ‘Why Don’t You Get Out of Here?’
3) October 19, 2018: New York Man Charged With Threatening Two Senators Over Kavanaugh Support

4) October 18, 2018: Dem operative for Soros-funded group arrested for ‘battery’ against Nevada GOP candidate’s campaign manager
5) October 17, 2018: TN Restaurant owner’s life threatened for renting space to GOP’s Marsha Blackburn

6) October 17, 2018: Portland Antifa tells 9/11 NYPD widow “YOUR HUSBAND SHOULD FUC*ING ROT IN THE GRAVE”
7) October 17, 2018: Professor calls for harassing Republicans at restaurants, sticking ‘fingers in their salads’
8) October 16, 2018: Person claimed ricin was in letter sent to Senator Collins home
9) October 16, 2018: Left-wing comedian gets physical with Trump supporter at Hooters

...

562) March 12, 2016: Man tries to tackle Trump at campaign rally.

563) March 11, 2016: Chicago Trump Rally Cancelled, Police Officer Attacked by Anti-Trump Protesters, Ambulance blocked
564) March 9, 2016: Trump billboard removed due to repeated vandalism in West Town IL.

566) March 8, 2016: 3 arrested for pulling gun on Trump supporter

567) March 1, 2016: Former Daily Show contributor Larry Wilmore “jokes” about killing Trump.
568) February 29, 2016: FL: Trump Volunteers Brutally Assaulted & Body Slammed While Campaigning

569) February 24, 2016: NYT columnist Ross Douthat “jokes” about assassination attempt on Trump

570) January 26, 2016: Protesters Threw Tomatoes at Donald Trump at a Rally in Iowa
571) January 9, 2016: Donald Trump’s campaign headquarters in Mass. vandalized

572) November 19, 2015: ‘Black Lives Matter’ Activist Calls for Donald Trump’s Assassination

573) September 1, 2015: Texas teen says Donald Trump is the reason he was attacked at bus stop

https://bigleaguepolitics.com/i-spe...st-violence-because-cnn-says-it-doesnt-exist/

"I Spent 6 Hours Tweeting About 573 Instances Of Leftist Violence, Because CNN Says It Doesn’t Exist
Oct 30, 2018 By Peter D'Abrosca
...
Some leftists, desperate to defend their party’s bruised reputation have complained that many of the instances are not “actual violence” against right wingers. Indeed, some instances are death threats against right wingers, famous Hollywood types calling for assassination of right wingers and instances of theft or vandalism of personal property of right wingers.

This is a rich criticism from the political left, considering that their news networks constantly lecture President Donald J. Trump about his “rhetoric.”

But more importantly, to those leftists attempting to make this distinction, I ask: Which of the items on this list would you want to happen to you? The answer is none."​
 
If you were wondering about this post I don't really know. I assume anyone who is a conservative is called Hitler/Nazi by the media so if they say far-right I assume he is a centrist or conservative. But I don't really know anything about him. But it is interesting because there seems to be an international trend Brexit, Trump, Bolsonaro, and others.
Apparently Bolsonaro is a climate sceptic!

David
 
President Trump criticized the left-wing fake news media for spreading division and he defended his followers again at the Ft Myers Rally:



0:46

"Before going any further I want to take a moment to address the horrific shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. It was terrible. Eleven Americans were brutally murdered in an evil anti-semitic attack. Yesterday I traveled to Pittsburgh to meet with the families and first responders. And I especially want to thank rabbi Jeffrey Myers he was terrific. He was terrific. Fine man. We grieve for the families of the fallen and we send our eternal gratitude to the law enforcement officers who sustained severe injuries taking down the gunman. They were incredible. They were incredible. They were incredible. Could have, been, as bad as it was, and it was bad, it could have been far worse. They were unbelievable. And they got there fast.

We pledge our resolve to remove the vile poison of anti-semitism and so many other problems from our world. And we reaffirm our unbreakable solidarity with the Jewish people. Thank you.

Yesterday's visit to Pittsburgh was about coming together as a nation to comfort and to heal. After this day of unity and togetherness I came home and sadly turned on the news and watched as the far-left media once again used tragedy to sow anger and division. Sadly they took a small group of protesters far away from where we were, because we could not have been treated better, the first lady and myself. But we're representing the presidency and they did everything in their power to try to play it up and push people apart. That's what's happening, they're pushing people apart. It was fake and it was make-believe what they said. I came home look forward to seeing it and it was sad. And when we talk about division this is a big part of the division right there.

The far-left media has spread terrible lies and stories about the Trump administration and the tens of millions of people who make up our great movement the greatest political movement in the history of our country. The greatest. The greatest. The greatest movement in the history of our country and they don't even refute that fact. It is possibly the greatest political movement anywhere. I can't think of anyplace else. It's because of you. The movement is you, and it's about you, not me, it's about you.

I am proud of the fact that my administration has boldly revitalized our nation's historic bond with Israel and moved the US Embassy to Jerusalem. And remember many presidents have promised to do that. Many many many presidents, "we are going to move the embassy to Jerusalem" and then they don't do it. The reason is it is not an easy thing to do. I've done it and by the way the embassy is already built it's already open and it came in 1 billion dollars less than people thought. They should like that. They should really like it.

We've taken aggressive measures against the terrorist groups that seek the slaughter of innocent people all around the world for lots of different reasons. It's terrible.

We've taken unprecedented action to confront the regime in Iran. And we have ended the horrible one-sided Iran nuclear catastrophe. And Iran is a much different country today than the country that started off at the beginning of our administration almost two years ago.

We have forcefully condemned hatred, bigotry, racism, and prejudice in all of its ugly forms.

But the media doesn't want you to hear your story. It's not my story, it's your story. And that's why 33% of the people in this country believe the fake news is in fact, and I hate to say this, in fact, the enemy of the people. The left-wing media doesn't want to solve problems they want to stoke resentment. It has to stop. They believe that progress isn't good for profit or for whatever reason it is they're playing their game.

Our movement is about safe homes, great jobs for every citizen. Our movement is about love for our fellow Americans. Our movement is for everyone and belongs to anyone who wants to build a better future. You can do it right here in the USA, right here."
 
This year is the first year I feel a sense that the outcome of the midterm election directly affects my wellbeing so I am voting in the midterms out of a sense of self interest rather than civic duty or team spirit. My sense of urgency is higher than it was in 2016. .

Yeah, me too.

In fact, with one exception where a girl kind of coaxed me into voting since I was with her when she went, I've never even voted. But in this case I cannot not vote. And I'll vote right-wing across the board, most likely.

(And for those that don't know, I called myself a "radical leftist" for a good decade and a half . . . but now, though I would've never guessed a few years back, all the breathing room, tolerance, support of free speech, freshness, and sanity is on the (new) right . . . imo.)
 
Yeah, me too.

In fact, with one exception where a girl kind of coaxed me into voting since I was with her when she went, I've never even voted. But in this case I cannot not vote. And I'll vote right-wing across the board, most likely.

(And for those that don't know, I called myself a "radical leftist" for a good decade and a half . . . but now, though I would've never guessed a few years back, all the breathing room, tolerance, support of free speech, freshness, and sanity is on the (new) right . . . imo.)
I think the whole left-right axis has somehow rotated - politics has changed but the names of the parties remained the same.

If this is your first time voting for a long time, do check that you are properly registered to vote - I don't know the details because I am not American.

David
 
I think I remember someone saying on the forum here that people who voted for Trump were fools, they would be disappointed because Trump could not be trusted to keep his campaign promises - he had changed positions so many times in the past.

I have to say that person was wrong. Here is a partial list of Trumps accomplishments.

Economy
  • Cutting taxes
  • Reducing regulations
  • Lowest Black unemployment
  • Lowest Hispanic Unemployment
  • Black and Hispanic poverty rates at historic lows.
Health Care
  • Right to try
  • Eliminating the Obamacare individual mandate
  • Reducing costs of prescription drugs
Trade Policy
  • USMCA closed the loophole in NAFTA that let China, Europe, and other countries "sneak" their products into the US through Mexico and Canada
  • Tariffs on dumped steel and aluminum, restoring the US steel industry an issue of national security.
  • Tariffs on Chinese imports as leverage for a reciprocal trade agreement.

Immigration and Border Security
  • US-Mexico border wall is under construction
  • Ended catch and release
  • Enhanced vetting of refugees
  • Arresting and deporting MS-13 gang members
Nominating Judges
  • Appointing Justice Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court
  • Appointing Justice Gorsuch to the Supreme Court
  • Many other federal court judges appointed
Veterans

  • Allowing veterans to use any doctor
  • VA accountability law (ability to fire staff at VA hospitals)
Military
  • Rebuilding the Military
  • Wiping out ISIS
  • Making other NATO countries pay their fair share
Foreign Policy
  • Stopping nuclear weapons tests and missile tests in North Korea
  • Sanctions back on Iran
Cultural issues
  • Speaking out against and standing up to the fake news media.
  • Speaking out against and standing up to the political correctness bullies.
My only concern when voting for Trump was his trade policies but what he has done is so far is not anything I object to. I am not against reciprocal trade agreements (or using tariffs as leverage to get them), or tariffs to protect industries of importance to national security.

At this point I have to say that I have gotten more satisfaction from voting for Trump than from any other vote I have cast.
 
Last edited:
President Trump Gives Remarks on Lowering Drug Prices


5:27
We are not going to reward companies that constantly raise prices, which in the past has been most companies. Frankly Alex, [Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar] used to run one of them so nobody knows the system better than Alex. That's what we needed. Our, and a very successful one, our plan will end the dishonest double-dealing that allows the middleman to pocket rebates and discounts that should be passed on to consumers and patients. Our plan bans the pharmacist gag rule which punishes pharmacists for telling patients how to save money. This is a total ripoff and we are ending it. We are getting tough on the drug makers that exploit our patent laws to choke out competition. Our patent system will reward innovation but it will not be used as a shield to protect unfair monopolies.

6:54
We will also demand fairness overseas when foreign governments extort unreasonably low prices from U.S. drug makers. Americans have to pay more to subsidize the enormous cost of research and development. In some cases medicine that costs a few dollars in a foreign country costs hundreds of dollars in America for the same pill with the same ingredients in the same package made in the same plant and that is unacceptable. You can look at some of the countries, their medicine is a tiny fraction what the medicine costs in the USA. It's unfair and it's ridiculous and it's not going to happen any longer. It's time to end the global freeloading once and for all.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/theapo...prices-will-have-a-major-impact/#6e9d64212691

The Trump Plan To Reduce Prescription Drug Prices Will Have A Major Impact

 
President Trump announced plans to:
  • Deny asylum to anyone who enters the country illegally.
  • Deny asylum to caravan members - they should have accepted asylum from Mexico.
  • End catch and release - illegal immigrants and asylum seekers will now be housed in tents instead of being released when there is insufficient space in permanent facilities. It also sounded like they will provide facilities where children can be housed with their parents so they will not have to be released - this will end an incentive to bring children across the border illegally.

Article and video of the president's announcement:
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-caravan-remarks-at-the-white-house


(The video here is of lower quality but has the Q&A with reporters at the end.)
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news...mp-speech-immigration-live-stream/1849944002/
 
11/1/18 Columbia Missouri


5:14
"The Republican agenda is the mainstream agenda of the American people. It's how we all got here. The greatest movement in the history of politics in our country. It's about you not about me. The Democrat agenda is the agenda of the extreme far left. They've gone crazy folks. They've gone totally loco. Republicans are the party of all Americans. We welcome citizens from all walks of life and embrace freedom of thought, freedom of speech, and freedom of everything else. The Democrats are the party of rigid ideology and total conformity. They demand absolute agreement and they dismiss, demean and demonize anyone who questions their radical ideas. Did you ever see anything like what's going on? You can't have dinner, can't have dinner. Do you see what they're doing to our people? I mean see what they're doing to people that represent our thought. And we're being so nice we're being so nice, and let's stay being nice, right? We'll stay being nice because we are tough as hell. We're going to stay nice. We're going to stay nice."​
 
I think the whole left-right axis has somehow rotated - politics has changed but the names of the parties remained the same.

If this is your first time voting for a long time, do check that you are properly registered to vote - I don't know the details because I am not American.

David
Yeah, I happen to be registered because I just had to renew my license last week.

And yeah, you're right. Ten years ago I would've never believed that all the oxygen and breathing room would be on the right . . . along with a real fight for free speech, a sense of tolerance, and the pro-worker stance (opposed to the new anti-worker, immigration stance of the left). And the right has just become the cooler of the two groups with folks like Gavin McInnes, Jordan Peterson, Dave Rubin, and a ton of others. Who would've ever guessed?
 
Back
Top