Today, the Washington Post ran a story by Claire Parker explaining that most Canadian truckers oppose the so-called “Freedom Convoy” protests. Almost all Canadian truckers are vaccinated and resent the protesters, whose shutdown of international borders has “had a very significant negative impact upon our professional driving community,” according to Stephen Laskowski, the president of the Canadian Trucking Alliance.
What do right-wing Republicans have in common with Putin? Lying incessantly to create false realities. Of course Putin is much more strategic and adept at it. Republicans also increasingly seem to strive for Putin's success at killing political opponents. All they lack, at least for now, is the power to carry out their wishes.
How as a nation have we come to the point that politicians can flippantly call for execution of those whom they dislike — with no repercussions? It's madness.
I will never understand their obsession with Hillary and how voters on the right actually buy into such a transparently shallow cheap political trick. The ratio of press coverage from the right to *actual* wrongdoing uncovered is staggering. Benghazi, email server, now this - countless hours of air time and hearings and nothing to show for it in the real world outside of their false narrative.
Paul Krugman wrote Feb. 14 “In reality, there don’t seem to have been many truckers among the protesters at the bridge (about 90 percent of Canadian truckers are vaccinated). Last week a Bloomberg reporter saw only three semis among the vehicles blocking the Ambassador Bridge, which were mainly pickup trucks and private cars; photos taken Saturday also show very few commercial trucks.“ I find it reason for optimism that real truckers worry about things like bad roads, access to bathrooms, and getting paid what they are owed.
You, Professor, are simply THE BEST at taking monumentally complicated issues and summarizing and communicating them with clarity and understanding. I am addicted to reading your cogent digests. Thank you so much for your supreme, daily efforts on the behalf of sanity in a challenged democracy.
You missed an important point in the "cyber spying" story, HCR (easy to do it's so confusing) but the White House material they examined was from the Obama Administration, nothing about the Trump Administration. the RW BS about "spying on Trump" is entirely made up, i.e., a LIE.
“Spreading false stories depends on making sure the truth is inaccessible.”
What a horrifying realty check!
On one hand, much of what we think we know comes via people we’re led to trust. I get that and lament that many people are unwittingly being led astray - like frontier bison being driven over a cliff.
Like many, I haven’t the time or wherewithal to do the research Heather does. But every day I read and absorb what she writes re our history, how it connects to the present, and where it may lead to in the near future. Heather is certainly educated, insightful, articulate and steady. But she’s earned my trust because I believe her to be a person of good character. When that’s absent in others - regardless of their positions or status - I tune them out.
Let’s see…we’ve got Canadian truckers saying it isn't them protesting but a rogue group of right-wingers. Then we’ve got Barr again, who appoints a smart-ass lawyer to check out what Russia was doing re: cybersecurity but instead, he goes after a competent cybersecurity expert to try and prove his research wrong. Do I have that right? Then, Hillary is the scapegoat, once again, about investigating TFG’s dealings with Russia and their oligarchs. They just cannot stand an independent strong woman, can they? Last but not least, Eric Prince and the Devos family name miraculously is brought up. My my, the Repubs have bern so busy spreading themselves with Liar Jam that I am surprised they haven’t tripped over their own feet. But, they will… eventually. The drums are beating a little harder now. The walls are closing in. Let this happen first before Putin invades Ukraine.
Appreciate the summary of all the shenanigans. It is good to have it in the open so we see how well the lies and ploys work. It is such horrible behavior, rotten ethics, and slimy And Immoral if not criminal acts. I am beginning to think the word “cult” accurately defines the well funded Trumpers. One can only hope the moderate Right gets a grip, locates their spines and states what their actions have truly done to our democracy. I unclench my jaw when I see your columns- I know I will get the truth and it can’t be ignored anymore. Thank You!
Thank you, Dr. Heather, for continuing to illuminate the many threads in current events. I am grateful that you are still writing when your original thought was to get us through the last year of 45's reign of incompetence, ignorance and gaslighting. It puzzles me how despite all the exposures of wrongdoing he is still backed by the Republican party.
The off putting thing about Hillary is that she’s smart and powerful—right wing men hate powerful women who dare to think they have a right to change the narrative—
Thank you, Dr. Richardson, for sorting out the multiple messes in the news today. This, along with TC’s coverage of Ukraine news today in his Substack post, completes the sum of what I need to know. I can maybe get to bed by a decent time this morning!
As a youngster in World War II it was only natural that we all worked together on the home front while our military fought against the Axis enemy. Rationing, scrap metal and paper drives—personal sacrifice was integral to our war effort. In my family, we had American, British, and French military come to our home and my mother and us kids packed boxes for American POWs (prisoners of war).
Naively, I expected the same American unity in the Pandemic War. WRONG! Trumpistas and others pursued a virulent anti-vax and anti-mask campaign. Some major Republican donors seemed to have open check books for this sabotaging of a science-based assault on multiple viruses. I had difficulty understanding why there wasn’t a 100% effort to provide short-term financial assistance to those devastated by the pandemic and to contain the virus and get America swiftly back on track.
I have a visceral instinct that this deliberate obstructionism was associated with an anti-Pandemic War. The ‘Freedom Convoy’ seems part of this sleazy sabotage. There is scant evidence that the Mother Truckers spontaneously organized and blocked the economy in Ottawa and on the key US/Canada bridge. An arsenal was discovered in Alberta. Funds, mostly from the United States, flowed to support these Mother Truckers.
This does not seem to be a ‘populous’ movement. (A large proportion of Canadians are appalled by it.) Though it was proclaimed ‘anti-vax,’ a great majority of American truckers are vaccinated and also opposed to the deceptively-named Freedom Convoy.
Fox News is providing expansive coverage to these organized disruptions. Some prominent Republicans are openly supporting these illegal activities in Canada, the United States, and elsewhere. A significant portion of the Freedom Convoy funding seems to be coming from some conservative American fat cats and some fringe ‘Christian’ groups.
In World War II the activities described above would be called traitorous. What should these be called in the Pandemic War?
Well, Rats!! I just typed and lost a long comment. Cliff's Notes: First reading I thought things had gotten so bad that even HCR was reduced to nothing more than headlines. Even as a new subscriber, I know better. She always pulls the individual events together under a single, often new umbrella. I drank a large mug of tea and read it again. Paragraphs 1-4, lies/false story about th "freedom convoy." 5 and six begin "The story." Next paragraph, "A security expert took the story." Etc. Etc. A masterful, clear, reasoned essay that doesn't alarm but inspires thought. I have no idea what else I could ask for. My news life and, in fact, my mornings in general, have been changed. I confess to being a nerdy English teacher, but I love this stuff.
I'll have a "Nothing Burger," well done, with all the trimmings, but hold the "aria fritta." Thanks for that one, Peter. I'm with Judge Luttig: It's time for Americans (including Republicans) with respect for the truth to take a stand and shut the Trump Clown show down once and for all before this insanity gets out of hand and the Republican gangsters trying to destroy democracy actually start executing their enemies. We are a nation of laws, are we not? Well, let's apply them and bring all the miscreants to justice. We know who they are. Allowing them to go on and on and on with their gaslighting, posturing, and criminal machinations sets a bad example for future generations. If this is not who we are, then it's time to stop the madness now!
What do right-wing Republicans have in common with Putin? Lying incessantly to create false realities. Of course Putin is much more strategic and adept at it. Republicans also increasingly seem to strive for Putin's success at killing political opponents. All they lack, at least for now, is the power to carry out their wishes.
How as a nation have we come to the point that politicians can flippantly call for execution of those whom they dislike — with no repercussions? It's madness.
I will never understand their obsession with Hillary and how voters on the right actually buy into such a transparently shallow cheap political trick. The ratio of press coverage from the right to *actual* wrongdoing uncovered is staggering. Benghazi, email server, now this - countless hours of air time and hearings and nothing to show for it in the real world outside of their false narrative.
Paul Krugman wrote Feb. 14 “In reality, there don’t seem to have been many truckers among the protesters at the bridge (about 90 percent of Canadian truckers are vaccinated). Last week a Bloomberg reporter saw only three semis among the vehicles blocking the Ambassador Bridge, which were mainly pickup trucks and private cars; photos taken Saturday also show very few commercial trucks.“ I find it reason for optimism that real truckers worry about things like bad roads, access to bathrooms, and getting paid what they are owed.
You, Professor, are simply THE BEST at taking monumentally complicated issues and summarizing and communicating them with clarity and understanding. I am addicted to reading your cogent digests. Thank you so much for your supreme, daily efforts on the behalf of sanity in a challenged democracy.
Thank you Professor, for your reverse engineering effort to sort out the actual ingredients of this evil gumbo.
You missed an important point in the "cyber spying" story, HCR (easy to do it's so confusing) but the White House material they examined was from the Obama Administration, nothing about the Trump Administration. the RW BS about "spying on Trump" is entirely made up, i.e., a LIE.
Thank you dear sister Heather.
“Spreading false stories depends on making sure the truth is inaccessible.”
What a horrifying realty check!
On one hand, much of what we think we know comes via people we’re led to trust. I get that and lament that many people are unwittingly being led astray - like frontier bison being driven over a cliff.
Like many, I haven’t the time or wherewithal to do the research Heather does. But every day I read and absorb what she writes re our history, how it connects to the present, and where it may lead to in the near future. Heather is certainly educated, insightful, articulate and steady. But she’s earned my trust because I believe her to be a person of good character. When that’s absent in others - regardless of their positions or status - I tune them out.
Let’s see…we’ve got Canadian truckers saying it isn't them protesting but a rogue group of right-wingers. Then we’ve got Barr again, who appoints a smart-ass lawyer to check out what Russia was doing re: cybersecurity but instead, he goes after a competent cybersecurity expert to try and prove his research wrong. Do I have that right? Then, Hillary is the scapegoat, once again, about investigating TFG’s dealings with Russia and their oligarchs. They just cannot stand an independent strong woman, can they? Last but not least, Eric Prince and the Devos family name miraculously is brought up. My my, the Repubs have bern so busy spreading themselves with Liar Jam that I am surprised they haven’t tripped over their own feet. But, they will… eventually. The drums are beating a little harder now. The walls are closing in. Let this happen first before Putin invades Ukraine.
Appreciate the summary of all the shenanigans. It is good to have it in the open so we see how well the lies and ploys work. It is such horrible behavior, rotten ethics, and slimy And Immoral if not criminal acts. I am beginning to think the word “cult” accurately defines the well funded Trumpers. One can only hope the moderate Right gets a grip, locates their spines and states what their actions have truly done to our democracy. I unclench my jaw when I see your columns- I know I will get the truth and it can’t be ignored anymore. Thank You!
Thank you, Dr. Heather, for continuing to illuminate the many threads in current events. I am grateful that you are still writing when your original thought was to get us through the last year of 45's reign of incompetence, ignorance and gaslighting. It puzzles me how despite all the exposures of wrongdoing he is still backed by the Republican party.
Thank you, and rest well!💜
The off putting thing about Hillary is that she’s smart and powerful—right wing men hate powerful women who dare to think they have a right to change the narrative—
Thank you, Dr. Richardson, for sorting out the multiple messes in the news today. This, along with TC’s coverage of Ukraine news today in his Substack post, completes the sum of what I need to know. I can maybe get to bed by a decent time this morning!
As a youngster in World War II it was only natural that we all worked together on the home front while our military fought against the Axis enemy. Rationing, scrap metal and paper drives—personal sacrifice was integral to our war effort. In my family, we had American, British, and French military come to our home and my mother and us kids packed boxes for American POWs (prisoners of war).
Naively, I expected the same American unity in the Pandemic War. WRONG! Trumpistas and others pursued a virulent anti-vax and anti-mask campaign. Some major Republican donors seemed to have open check books for this sabotaging of a science-based assault on multiple viruses. I had difficulty understanding why there wasn’t a 100% effort to provide short-term financial assistance to those devastated by the pandemic and to contain the virus and get America swiftly back on track.
I have a visceral instinct that this deliberate obstructionism was associated with an anti-Pandemic War. The ‘Freedom Convoy’ seems part of this sleazy sabotage. There is scant evidence that the Mother Truckers spontaneously organized and blocked the economy in Ottawa and on the key US/Canada bridge. An arsenal was discovered in Alberta. Funds, mostly from the United States, flowed to support these Mother Truckers.
This does not seem to be a ‘populous’ movement. (A large proportion of Canadians are appalled by it.) Though it was proclaimed ‘anti-vax,’ a great majority of American truckers are vaccinated and also opposed to the deceptively-named Freedom Convoy.
Fox News is providing expansive coverage to these organized disruptions. Some prominent Republicans are openly supporting these illegal activities in Canada, the United States, and elsewhere. A significant portion of the Freedom Convoy funding seems to be coming from some conservative American fat cats and some fringe ‘Christian’ groups.
In World War II the activities described above would be called traitorous. What should these be called in the Pandemic War?
The right's web of lies is beyond belief! Thank you, Heather, for unraveling the threads and allowing us to grasp all the why's and wherefores!
Well, Rats!! I just typed and lost a long comment. Cliff's Notes: First reading I thought things had gotten so bad that even HCR was reduced to nothing more than headlines. Even as a new subscriber, I know better. She always pulls the individual events together under a single, often new umbrella. I drank a large mug of tea and read it again. Paragraphs 1-4, lies/false story about th "freedom convoy." 5 and six begin "The story." Next paragraph, "A security expert took the story." Etc. Etc. A masterful, clear, reasoned essay that doesn't alarm but inspires thought. I have no idea what else I could ask for. My news life and, in fact, my mornings in general, have been changed. I confess to being a nerdy English teacher, but I love this stuff.
I'll have a "Nothing Burger," well done, with all the trimmings, but hold the "aria fritta." Thanks for that one, Peter. I'm with Judge Luttig: It's time for Americans (including Republicans) with respect for the truth to take a stand and shut the Trump Clown show down once and for all before this insanity gets out of hand and the Republican gangsters trying to destroy democracy actually start executing their enemies. We are a nation of laws, are we not? Well, let's apply them and bring all the miscreants to justice. We know who they are. Allowing them to go on and on and on with their gaslighting, posturing, and criminal machinations sets a bad example for future generations. If this is not who we are, then it's time to stop the madness now!