Paul Krugman asks the depressing question that's been percolating in my mind...

[catbyte]

Link to tweet

You know, it would be one thing if American democracy had been overthrown by sinister super villains. In fact, the guys who seized power are tacky, lowlife crooks. What does that say about us as a nation? https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/10/us/politics/rudy-giuliani-ukraine-associates.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage …

[gratuitous]

1. What does it say about us as a nation?

That there is a dedicated cadre of citizens whose identity is so wrapped up in "winning" political disputes that they will sell out the Constitution, the nation's security, and their fellow citizens. That selling out will be cheap and hard.

[Mopar151]

5. That a substantial % who wish they had something to sell out!

And those shitlizards will sell you out for a pittance.........

[empedocles]

7. Cadre's [plural]. From the Courthouse to the White House, industry lobbies,

hate groups, . . . . , . . . , . . .

[roamer65]

14. It makes secession and joining Canada look better and better.

C’mon northeastern border and Great Lakes states. Let’s go!

[malaise]

2. the guys who seized power are tacky, lowlife crooks.

A perfect description.

[Pantagruel]

3. The "lowlifes"

were embraced by the GOP. It's those enablers that need to be held to account.

[MyOwnPeace]

6. Yeah!!!!

We're looking at YOU, MOSCOW MITCH!!!

[bdamomma]

4. Russia had him lined up

for a long time, and some people were played into thinking he was their saviour. They were waving Russian flags too and didn't even know it.

[catbyte]

8. Let's hope they're finally starting to realize that he doesn't give a fuck about THEM.

[bdamomma]

9. nope not at all

bush didn't either, these rich guys that come from money don't give a shit.

President Obama was humble, articulate, compassionate and intelligent, god I miss his speeches.

[Mme. Defarge]

10. Ouch!

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

11. As a nation we dropped the ball on...

education. There are plenty of other fumbles but this is what makes us understand what’s going on. The effort that the republicans put into eviscerating our educational system since the 80’s and probably before, worked. We now have a majority of people that think critical thinking is something negative. This is one of the systems we must change. Then with renewed intelligence and understanding we can proceed on fixing other systems.

Better educated people would not have fallen for the ruse of trump.

[Brawndo]

17. You are exactly right!

The propaganda of anti-intellectualism and the defunding of public education are the root problems. We must counter that if there's to be a hope of regaining a well-informed electorate.

[moondust]

19. +1

I was just thinking along those lines. The great "dumbing down" with the defunding of schools, underpaying/undervaluing teachers, private religious/indoctrination "schools," homeschooling, etc., seem to have worked pretty well for Republicans. Add to that the hypnotizing and distracting effects of electronic gadgets everywhere all the time and it's starting to look like a nation of zombies. No big wonder how a corrupt old clown conned his way into the White House using racism and bullshit.

[Newest Reality]

12. I have contemplated that.

It would not be a popular notion to consider that we are seeing the nation's collective Id emerging like a specter arising from the Freudian shadow of America.

That would be a systemic view of many underlying facets, (which I am sure that some could list) that would have contributed to it. It may just be metaphorical, but you do have to wonder, considering the scope and gravity of it, now.

It may not appeal to our biases though from the us/them paradigm we are encouraged to hold.

[Midnightwalk]

13. Liz Cheney was saying something a day or two ago

You know she’ll be running in either 2020 or 2024 assuming trump doesn’t go for a trifecta.

And I think republicans will vote for her. We need to rid ourselves of trump but the national disease is still raging

[Wounded Bear]

15. It's sad, but he has a point...

What it says is that not enough people really care enough to vote intelligently.

That let's those who vote stupidly "win."

[maxsolomon]

16. It means that propaganda works. Even crude, obvious propaganda.

RW Radio, Fox, Sinclair have created a nation of suckers, and Trumputin knows how to play suckers.

[Blue_Tires]

18. They're low-rent morons and small change gangsters

and that's why I never understood why Dems were so *scared* of them or thought them invincible the first couple of years...

Much smarter guys that Donnie over the course of history have been toppled from power in disgrace; it only takes the fucking will to make it happen...