That's the last quote — the parting shot — in a NYT article titled "Trump’s Dire Words Raise New Fears About His Authoritarian Bent/The former president is focusing his most vicious attacks on domestic political opponents, setting off fresh worries among autocracy experts."
How could you be a specialist in political rhetoric and not realize that war rhetoric is very common in political speech about domestic matters? There's the war on poverty, the war on drugs, the war on crime, and we're endlessly fighting and battling in political campaigns and in governing after the victories have been won in battleground states.
A Google search for "the use of war metaphor in political speech" gets over 13 million hits. For example, here's "The Rise Of The War Metaphor In Public Policy" from The Hoover Institution (back in 2019). Excerpt:
How could you be a specialist in political rhetoric and not realize that war rhetoric is very common in political speech about domestic matters? There's the war on poverty, the war on drugs, the war on crime, and we're endlessly fighting and battling in political campaigns and in governing after the victories have been won in battleground states.
A Google search for "the use of war metaphor in political speech" gets over 13 million hits. For example, here's "The Rise Of The War Metaphor In Public Policy" from The Hoover Institution (back in 2019). Excerpt:
Wars need enemies and weapons. Generals and czars must be commissioned to lead them. Battlefields are identified, tactics developed, and victory defined. When Jimmy Carter declared “the moral equivalent of war” on energy consumption, he transformed this domestic challenge into a matter of national security as he called for sacrifices and spoke of imposing sanctions. The war on drugs quickly transformed our nation’s schools into literal battlegrounds over drugs. The war on crime brought military equipment into our nation’s cities and police forces. Without question, declaring war on a domestic problem dramatically transforms both the way policy is made and how it is carried out....
That NYT piece — "Trump's Dire Words" — follows the conventional wisdom that Trump is an extreme outlier. Ironically, he's treated the way an enemy is treated in wartime. I agree that we should pay attention and be alert about authoritarianism, but I don't think that is achieved by assuming that Trump and Trump alone is the threat. Indeed, a talented and savvy authoritarian would do better speaking more like — just to pick the obvious gentle, affable voice — Barack Obama.
Posts
87 comments:
"A talented and savvy authoritarian would do better speaking more like — just to pick the obvious gentle, affable voice — Barack Obama. "
One of the bands I worked with, Consolidated, was always warning of Friendly Fascism, NOT mean words from the likes of Donald Trump.
Joe Biden calls half the country extremists, but TRUMMMMMMPPPPPP!!!
Shorter Althouse: "And you, a professor at Texas A&M University who has researched political rhetoric."
One of the bands I worked with, Consolidated, was always warning of Friendly Fascism
Somebody wrote a book about that once.
Maybe Althouse should put up an Amazon link?
Ann Althouse just destroyed the entire academic reason for the existence for this TAM professor.
Nice work.
Trump’s Dire Words Raise New Fears About His Authoritarian Bent
Just once I'd like to see an article like this give a full account of what they consider Trump's authoritarian policies.
Trump is pushing back against an unaccountable and partisan deep state. Trump seems to be the only guy expecting people in government to lawfully do their jobs to improve life for Americans. He isn't using social media to curtail freedom of speech, mandating pronouns, banning natural gas stoves, leaving the national borders unprotected or prosecuting people based on ideology.
"Fears about authoritarian bent" coming from the side whose chosen "President" is unilaterally using wartime emergency powers to essentially ban current-technology-level gas furnaces in America in defiance of the duly-elected Congress' wishes and the country not actually being at "war."
How could you be a specialist in political rhetoric and not realize that war rhetoric is very common in political speech about domestic matters?
Just because you have a PHD and work for liberal university doesn't mean you are a "specialist" let alone and "expert". These bought and paid for credentials now mean you are completely full of shit and are willing to publish left wing propaganda so you can keep your cush job in the Ivory Tower college system.
Saying being promoted on Twitter: "If printing money solved poverty, then printing college degrees would fix stupidity.
So lame.
Trump uses immature and tired name-calling.
it's the left who use rhetoric that causes harm. namely - LYING.
The threat of [current Republican candidate] is so great that we must cast aside all legal/social/moral inhibitions and exterminate [current Republican candidate]. Because we are so good.
Yes and his most ardent supporters are amplifiers of war rhetoric as evidenced in many comments on this blog. However, the Democrats and the ardent far left do the same thing. It's not like Trumperism sprouted from a virgin womb in a vacuum. It's a natural consequence of American political environment of the twenty first century.
"I will fight this fight. I will stand in this breach."
- Joe Biden
The following = All A-OK with the collective obedient left-wing American media(D).
Biden Riefenstahl. Seig heil. As long as Democrats are able to call half the nation Nazis - while acting and appearing as Nazis - it's all cool.
This isn't creepy at all!
Open SOUTHERN border - illegal border crossings - at tax payer expense - without our permission.
I'd call that AUTHORITARIAN.
Go to Jennifer Mercieca Twitter page. It's FLOODED with Trump is Hitler bullshit. She's a typical anit-Fascist...Fascist. Just like ANTIFA.
This is nothing more than Trump Derangement Syndrome and hatred of the American working class that supports him. Typical Liberal University PHD. Nothing more.
Althouse. My compliments. You break the mold.
Jeez, the amount of projection from the left about "things Trump will do", which is just a list of things the current administration is doing, is off the charts.
Unsurprising. She works with a score of wealthy leftist foundations and entities paid for by California, Texas, and U.S. taxpayers.
One wonders how much time she actually spends in the classroom teaching, which we pay her to do.
Here is a typical quote: "We’re once again debating whether or not Trump is literally or figuratively Hitler. Don’t debate that.
... Trump is just like Hitler, but that’s not what he thinks we’ll think when we think about Trump and Hitler. He thinks we (the peaceful non-Hitler lovers) will be scared. And he thinks that his followers—the ones who are already scared to death of all of the violent chaos and instability in the world, terrified that their nation is already being 'invaded' by immigrants, and who are absolutely certain that violent crime is rampaging in their communities—will embrace him as the 'strong leader' who will protect them and do what needs to be done to secure their safety.
'So what if that’s Hitleresque?' they’ll ask. 'Maybe we need a Hitler?' they’ll wonder. 'Trump is our Hitler!' They’ll think when they vote."
I would think that calling some of your students Hitler-lovers would carry some academic consequences at Texas A&M.
Ann stumbling dangerously close to conclusions without confirmation from WaPo and NYT…
Blah. Blah. Blah. NYT propaganda all day. War metaphors are as old as the human race and older than that. All sorts of green and diversity rhetoric has a militaristic vibe, with ANTIFA in black terrorist masks, with "from the river to the sea" rhetoric, and with Saint Greta presented as a new Joan of Arc (who was mixed up in military combat). Shall we look at how Greenpeace and its followers have waged de facto war against those who kill whales and wildlife?
NYT staff (and those suffering from TDS generally), fail to accept or understand the difference between public rudeness/bluntness and authoritarianism. Trump punched down to his opponents, but at the same time he was shocked that he had to reauthorize spending for historically black colleges every year and wanted to make spending permanent. And then Biden introduced 1,000 new laws as mere "agency rule updates" and is getting shut down by court after court after court. He's a more complete, but more polite, authoritarian.
"Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war. With the cross of Jesus, going on before!"
https://hymnary.org/text/onward_christian_soldiers_marching_as
Woke dogma? Christian militants? What's the difference?
"Trump’s Dire Words Raise New Fears About His Authoritarian Bent"
Projection again. It seems that's all the left has to work with.
Joe Biden calls half the country extremists, but TRUMMMMMMPPPPPP!!!
Note the casual assumption that what Presidents "normally" do is prepare the nation for war against another nation. Spoken like the Democrat she undoubtedly is. "Show me the nation, and I'll show you the casus belli!"
Interesting that the Times points at Trump, even though just last Friday Joe Biden invoked his Presidential wartime powers to push ... wait for it … heat pumps. This is part of the ongoing efforts of this administration to eliminate gas furnaces and appliances in people’s homes.
You'd think a fiece Marine like Howie would be very upset by a guvmint and military turned against its citizens....censoring through by controlling social media, kicking out enlisted for avoiding an experimental jab, standing together to deny the validity of Hunter's laptop in an election year.
But no, he's dropping to the feinting couch over the tone in comments.
Semper Fudd!
Rhetoric is used to persuade and motivate by appealing to a person's reason and emotions. Dramatic metaphors are useful in achieving that objective. War provides a dramatic metaphor in trying to persuade and motivate someone, which is always the bottom line in a political campaign. There's nothing special about Trump in any of that. So how is that news to anyone?
Geez Louise. I remember Sarah Palin getting in a lot of Dim hot water over her use of a crosshair image. And all of the Barackisms "punch back twice as hard" "they bring a knife, we bring a gun" etc.
Reagan legally fired federal employees illegally striking under the guise of their ATF union. Quelle horror!
GWBush got from Congress a bipartisan Authorization to Use Military Force before attacking Afghanistan after 9/11.
Trump followed the dictates of the courts whenever his policies were (oft temporarily) under injunction, and again when he lost his election challenges.
God help people like the linked author should an actual authoritarian right winger ever arise, who lives up to the prog hype about their evil intentions and Hitlerian behavior.
"How could you be a specialist in political rhetoric and not realize that war rhetoric is very common in political speech about domestic matters?"
No, please, not another variation on "how could they." It has been blessedly absent for a long time now.
Anyway, she doesn't "not realize"; as a good prog, she just targets warlike rhetoric selectively. It's different when deplorables do it. As everyone realizes.
it isn't necessarily lack of knowledge at work here.
Starting about ten years ago I decided that Hanlon had it backwards, when speaking of the press. "Never attribute to stupidity that which can be explained by malice."
Though I will concede that profound lack of knowledge about the last 50 years has been common among the 25-35 year old folks I know.
The MSM attack on Trump has been on-going for 24/7/365 for over 7 years now. Every word or action by Trump is somehow bad, and is attacked. Now, its "Trump's authoritarian rhetoric" over cleaning up the DOJ which was part of the "Resistance" to him 2017-2020.
The D's and the MSM can call Trump every name in the book, and make threats of violance and its somehow OK. We just had some MSM Personality called "Brownstein" call for Trump to be "eliminated".
Again, its tiresome to even write this. Because its been the same Leftwing MSM hate against Trump and his supporters for over 7 years. They lie, misrepresent, insult, take things out of context endlessly and constantly.
You'll notice that except for Mr. V all the dumb clowns that show up to the Republican debates NEVER call out the MSM. Neither did McCarthy and neither does McConnell. They're perfectly happy being 2nd class citizens. Trump is not.
The MSM attack on Trump has been on-going for 24/7/365 for over 7 years now. Every word or action by Trump is somehow bad, and is attacked. Now, its "Trump's authoritarian rhetoric" over cleaning up the DOJ which was part of the "Resistance" to him 2017-2020.
The D's and the MSM can call Trump every name in the book, and make threats of violance and its somehow OK. We just had some MSM Personality called "Brownstein" call for Trump to be "eliminated".
Again, its tiresome to even write this. Because its been the same Leftwing MSM hate against Trump and his supporters for over 7 years. They lie, misrepresent, insult, take things out of context endlessly and constantly.
You'll notice that except for Mr. V all the dumb clowns that show up to the Republican debates NEVER call out the MSM. Neither did McCarthy and neither does McConnell. They're perfectly happy being 2nd class citizens. Trump is not.
Oh for the Rush Limbaugh days when he would roll 5 minutes of tape of Democrats promising to "fight fight fight" for this or that political cause. Screeching, abrasive, hilarious recordings of these people. They all do it, but progressives do it ever so much more so they have to project like this lady, their violent rhetoric onto Trump and pretend he's breaking some unspecified unspoken unwritten "rule" of politics. And they will never realize, given their piss-poor reasoning skills, that their very anti-Trump rhetoric is some of the best agitating for Trump that exists. It far outweighs the speeches he can make, the TV time he gets. And it so over-the-top that even SNL has pretty much thrown in the towel, unable to keep up with Democrats doing parodies of themselves every day all day.
"Professor of political rhetoric!" The devil you say!
The problem is Trump uses it better than his opponents.
I heard one congressman say Trump should be elim***ted.
Joe and Mika were REALLY in on the coordinated Trump is Hitler thing this morning.
"In a 2nd term, Trump will imprison, he will execute whoever he is allowed to imprison, execute, drive from the country. Just look at his past. It’s not really hard to read" - Joe Scarborough.
It's going to get a lot worse. These people have sold their souls. 2024 is going to be insane.
That is bar none the worst fucking song I've ever heard.
It’s not a coincidence that this is getting worse as his legal troubles intensify.
Professor Mercieca works with Resolute Square, which is an offshoot of the Lincoln Project.
The language in their mission statement is a bit extreme. Some might call it warlike.
"Resolute Square will grow to be what it must be: a media platform built by warriors to go to war."
This connection is likely what got her quoted in the Times.
Why does hatred of Trump lower people's IQ?
HIS vicious attacks?!
Laughable from the NYT.
The irony in using subversive appeals to authority in journalism with a rhetorical flourish for empathetic sympathy. That said, nothing will change, because nothing has changed. So monotonic.
Remember when the liar collective left seized upon the word "Target" and smeared Sarah Palin for using it on her website. yeah - the word "target"!
The liar left also promoted the notion that the Gabby Giffords shooter (who was obsessed with Gabby Giffords) - was a Sarah Palin supporter.
There was never ANY evidence of that. none. Not one drop. they just made it up. but because she had the word "target" on her web-page - the liar left - including Hanoi Jane, lied and lied and lied some more about it.
for the liar left - any lie will do to sell the narrative.
Same with the Russian collusion BS. Tho - Trump should never have fired Comey. Comey was an a-hole - but Trump's ardent supporters forget that Comey went after Hillary during the 2016 election and the left hated Comey for it.
Trump should have kept his promise to go after Hillary - and kept his enemy Comey by his side. The entire trajectory of the Russia Russian Hillary/Maddow lie would possibly - have NOT taken hold.
Biden and his family money laundered millions of Ukrainian and Chinese insider deals- during his stint as Obama's VP - and the media just look away. AUTHORITARIAN.
Surprised this didn't get the coveted Civility Bullshit tag.
Trump exposes them. He says something, they lose all regulation of their emotions and then they expose themselves, at least those who have the ability to stop and think. The young college credentialed have been conditioned not to stop and think so they fall for the schtick. But the more they go on, the more those with the ability to become educated start overcoming their schooling.
Trump lays out a very specific list of groups people become part of by choice and says the "live like vermin" and Democrats far and wide decry "Hey, he's talking about us!"
DONALD TRUMP: We pledge to you that we will root out the communists, Marxists, fascists and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country.
And he could have only been saying the radical left thugs live like vermin.
Leftists are using the excuse that the reason Trump didn't go all Hitler from 2017 through 2021 is because he had rational, mature RINOS keeping from being authoritarian. Now he won't or something.
George carlin on the contrast between baseball and football. Especially the warlike language of football.
From 40 years ago but he had probably been doing it for 20 years by this time.
https://youtu.be/0TOIRv5fA1k?si=f-cDdZKFfNYJkgdp
John Henry
I went looking for Trump's quote for my last comment. Then I read more of this NPR hit piece
KURTZLEBEN: All of which has renewed the conversation over Trump as authoritarian. Ruth Ben-Ghiat is a professor of history at NYU and author of the book "Strongmen." She defined authoritarianism.
RUTH BEN-GHIAT: It's when the executive branch and the leader find ways to take away checks and balances so they have a degree of power that they don't have in a democracy.
KURTZLEBEN: She points to a New York Times report that Trump is looking for potential appointees who will not stymie his attempts at greater executive power. Authoritarianism, in fact, has been found to be key to Trump's political success.
https://www.npr.org/2023/11/17/1213684506/former-president-trump-faces-criticism-for-using-language-reminiscent-of-hitler
It is authoritarianism to look for potential appointees which wont' work against your administration?
The audacity of journolistic jingoism with academic affrontery in a fit of color cotery with dreams of democratic gerrymandering.
I would think that calling some of your students Hitler-lovers would carry some academic consequences at Texas A&M.
One would like to think so
"Researched political rhetoric?" "Worries among autocracy experts?"
We can only hope to have an opportunity to study the works of these authorities on our way to enlightenment in a Hillary Clinton Reeducation Camp.
We have evidence that a sitting President and his family may have raked in $10s of millions in graft money - some from America's enemies - yet we are reading about Trump's unexceptional political rhetoric.
Makes you wonder how much the NYT is grifting from the CCP and others doesn't it? Regardless, it is fake news that speaks volumes about the pinched minds that patronize the Times other than to poke fun at the silo.
I’ll see if Aggie shows up, but as one myself, it has been a bad 7 days for my old school. I don’t suppose we can fire this professor by giving them $70 million to not teach.
I remember when I first heard a trial balloon that Trump used fighting words (I think this was during the general against Hillary), and the quotes seemed like a standard stump speech from any politician. It was more pathetic than the notion of Sarah Palin’s survey mark on a map being crosshairs. Yet, Biden talks candidly of using F15s to suppress civilians, and it is treated as just a figure of speech. Ok, but why even give that speech?
Occupy this; some, select [black] lives matter; anti-that and the other; medical mandates; redistributive change; bitter clingers; deplorables; diversity; congruence; take a knee; toxic people... persons; selective viability; sociopolitical scientific consensus... a tisket, a tasket, a viable "burden". Jennifer, you jest.
Talk about UNHINGED RHETORIC...all while spewing his hate to the RACIST Al Sharpton.
Kyle Becker
@kylenabecker
"[Trump] will imprison, he will execute whoever he's allowed to imprison, execute, drive from the country... just look at his past."
This may be one of the most unhinged MSNBC segments yet.
"Look at his past"...
Yeah, let's look back at the Trump years.
The historic prosperity, the energy independence, the peaceful foreign policy, the border control, law and order...
... All while being sabotaged by the Clinton Collusion Hoax, the Corrupt Media & Covid hysteria lockdowns in blue states... conveniently tanking the economy before an election...
...Only to be framed by the Fed-manufactured J6 rioting... which had taken place after the feds allowed a bunch of unarmed redneck extremists on their radar to disrupt the election objections... then he was mass censored in a coordinated Big Tech takedown after calling for protesters to 'go home,' but still stepped down after election certification on January 7... some "coup"
... Then was hit with a SECOND failed impeachment, raided by the FBI, slammed with political prosecutions — only after announcing his run for re-election — and persecuted with contrived investigations courtesy of "special" counsel Jack Smith.
Morning Joe's incendiary rhetoric follows upon ex-White House flack Jen Psaki similarly sounding alarms about Trump imprisoning political enemies.
But what if his political enemies are committing crimes? What if they are the ones weaponizing a justice system for partisan political gain? What if they deserve retribution?
This is all setting up to incite riots ahead of the 2024 election. Just like the BLM riots the Corrupt Media recklessly promoted, it may wind up getting people killed.
Desperation is not a good look, MSNBC. It only makes people want to vote for Donald Trump MORE.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1726994109766775287
Talk about UNHINGED RHETORIC...all while spewing his hate to the RACIST Al Sharpton.
Kyle Becker
@kylenabecker
"[Trump] will imprison, he will execute whoever he's allowed to imprison, execute, drive from the country... just look at his past."
This may be one of the most unhinged MSNBC segments yet.
"Look at his past"...
Yeah, let's look back at the Trump years.
The historic prosperity, the energy independence, the peaceful foreign policy, the border control, law and order...
... All while being sabotaged by the Clinton Collusion Hoax, the Corrupt Media & Covid hysteria lockdowns in blue states... conveniently tanking the economy before an election...
...Only to be framed by the Fed-manufactured J6 rioting... which had taken place after the feds allowed a bunch of unarmed redneck extremists on their radar to disrupt the election objections... then he was mass censored in a coordinated Big Tech takedown after calling for protesters to 'go home,' but still stepped down after election certification on January 7... some "coup"
... Then was hit with a SECOND failed impeachment, raided by the FBI, slammed with political prosecutions — only after announcing his run for re-election — and persecuted with contrived investigations courtesy of "special" counsel Jack Smith.
Morning Joe's incendiary rhetoric follows upon ex-White House flack Jen Psaki similarly sounding alarms about Trump imprisoning political enemies.
But what if his political enemies are committing crimes? What if they are the ones weaponizing a justice system for partisan political gain? What if they deserve retribution?
This is all setting up to incite riots ahead of the 2024 election. Just like the BLM riots the Corrupt Media recklessly promoted, it may wind up getting people killed.
Desperation is not a good look, MSNBC. It only makes people want to vote for Donald Trump MORE.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1726994109766775287
Normally, a president would use war rhetoric to prepare a nation for war against another nation, but Trump didn't start any wars so...
Battleground states on mainstream fringe nightly news.
"How could you be a specialist in political rhetoric and not realize that war rhetoric is very common in political speech about domestic matters? There's the war on poverty, the war on drugs, the war on crime, and we're endlessly fighting and battling in political campaigns and in governing after the victories have been won in battleground states."
Whataboutism!!
Just because all that war rhetoric is used in innumerable other domestic ways doesn't meant that Trump isn't unique in applying war rhetoric to domestic issues. Clearly.
The democratic/dictatorial duality... take a knee, minorities.
War on women... revisited.
Throw granny off the cliff... or in a clinic.
#LoveTrumpsHate? #HateLovesAbortion
Before Hitler became Hitler, who did he accuse of being Hitler?
"Hopefully, this political candidate will be imprisoned before he can become a threat to democracy."
Trump should use lawfare instead…
Classic Carlin, John, and just as hilarious today.
“Battleground states”? OMG get me some smelling salts!
"Normally, a president would use war rhetoric to prepare a nation for war against another nation."
Either Jennifer Mercieca hasn't done as much research on political rhetoric as implied, or having done it faithfully she reached a conclusion similar to that reached by Althouse, that presidential "war rhetoric" is most commonly used completely outside the context of actual war, at least since the advent of the Cold War. Realizing the historical facts didn't support the rhetoric she had in mind to attack Donald Trump, I believe Professor Mercieca just gave the NYT the red meat it craved, relying on credential bias as a foundation.
Unfortunately for American academia, inflated claims and incomplete or sloppy research has become widespread and even the norm is some disciplines. The journals are full of it nowadays. Enterprising reformers have tried to embarrass the academic press by submitting nonsense and then seeing it published as genuine and legitimate with much unintended comedy and foolishness exposed. So far the periodicals have proven immune to such inventive criticism because they help unqualified, lazy, or agenda-driven scholars gain teaching positions and even tenure. This is not to say Mercieca is unqualified for her position, but as a professor of Humanities & Critical/Cultural Studies she operates in virtually unadulterated atmosphere of leftist hostility and grievance-mongering. The field of "Critical/Cultural Studies" is quite new and occupies the same moral ground as "Aryan studies" in Nazi Germany -- politically motivated scholarship regarding politically motivated categories. Frankly, this shit is antithetical to scholarship and honest intellectual discourse. If Mercieca and everyone else in that absurd excuse for an academic field of study were ordered to clean out their desks, honest Americans would be the better for it.
The job of preparing the nation for war is a slippery and perhaps unconstitutional ground for presidential rhetoric. By giving the exclusive power to declare war and to finance it to Congress, the Framers plainly intended war rhetoric to belong primarily to the Senators and Representatives who must persuade their colleagues to support military action against a foreign power. However, political realities soon fogged that particular vision of the national destiny. Our first military action against a foreign power, the Quasi-War with France of 1798 to 1800, was merely "authorized" by Congress, no formal declaration of war was even brought to a vote. There was no need to gin up some sort of war fever. The financial interests of the citizens was directly threatened by French privateers operating off our shores, consequently war rhetoric flowed upward from the voters to Congress. The Adams Administration favored war, but remained outwardly reticent. In fact, the only heated rhetoric was antiwar and came mainly from Thomas Jefferson and his allies, who brought suit against the war policies of John Adams, citing the absence of an enabling declaration of war from Congress. The Supreme Court found in favor of the government by ruling that Congressional ascent to military action by the President is sufficient, which still leaves war rhetoric primarily to legislative debate.
Anyway, she doesn't "not realize"; as a good prog, she just targets warlike rhetoric selectively. It's different when deplorables do it.
You're a racist.
Also, you're under arrest.
The Spanish word "murcielagos" means "bats".
Just saying.
Do unto others as they have done unto you.
Age we back to putting targets on maps again?
As long as they keep that bellicose speaking out of the war room.
Trump is clearly guilty of political . . . campaigning.
Look that one up in your Funk and Wagnalls.
Trump isn't the only one using the language of wat these days and yet the language of war is used for everything but war even though real war is coming closer. We're involved in several actual wars, (Ukraine, Israel) as a supplier of arms and many fear that we may be drawn in deeper. Meanwhile, the Army is missing its recruiting targets because it has been using the Dylan Mulvaney outreach strategy in its recruitment efforts. It has been trying to attract those who like Dylan Mulvaney as recruits and naturally it is now failing to attract either warriors or The Friends of Dylan Mulvaney. The shortage is so bad that the Army is inviting those it flung out in disgrace during Covid for not vaccinating to come back with back pay. But all the while .gov never ceases to war on Donald Trump and all his supporters, seemingly unable to understand how ridiculous it looks to war on half the country as un-American troglodytes while simultaneously desperately trying to recruit these trogs to fight as heroic defenders of America (via defending the Ukraine, the EU, Israel, Gaza, Taiwan, Armenia, Finland, Sweden, the Philippines ... Needless to say the left is not enlisting in the real Army for any real wars. They're only good for the occasional anti-Trump or antisemitic mob.)
"How could you be a specialist in political rhetoric and not realize that war rhetoric is very common in political speech about domestic matters?"
Aww, c'mon. What makes you think she doesn't realize that? It's beside the point - she's got a job to do, she's a credentialed expert in speech rhetoric and Trump must be stopped to save Decmocracy. The Decmocrat war drums are pounding away in the distance, and the natives are getting stirred up - right on schedule.
Welp, it's too bad and too late. Liberals have built a very efficient police state, as witnessed by the demands to jail Trump so he can't run. This is backed by violence, per the pro Hamas Jew hating riots and intimidation. Violence works.
If you can see a peaceable way out of this, that would be great. I don't.
The list of post-WWII political speeches that do not invoke either militarism or moonshots is remarkably short.
“I’ll see if Aggie shows up, but as one myself, it has been a bad 7 days for my old school. I don’t suppose we can fire this professor by giving them $70 million to not teach.”
It’s not all bad in Aggieland. From a friend (Aggie prof) last Sat:
“Aggies win 38 to 10 over Abilene Christian. Bowl bound ...”
11/21/23, 11:33 AM
Blogger Gusty Winds said...
Before Hitler became Hitler, who did he accuse of being Hitler?
Excellent Question! Hopefully I answer before Crack and rcocean.
Answer: The Jews
Hitler's hatred was heavily influenced by his personal experiences. Failing as a young artist in Vienna, he associated Jews with his own setbacks, believing they held too much power in certain areas such as art and economics. Additionally, he was further incensed by the B'nai B'rith, a Jewish fraternal charity, which he saw as a secretive and powerful force.
Moreover, Hitler found inspiration in obsessive ideologies like racial eugenics and a distorted version of Nietzsche's theory of Übermensch. He constructed his world view, one that prioritized Aryan racial purity and ruthless competition, leading him to consider Jews as a racial threat to the German nation. Search for an easy target, Hitler seized on the Jews as scapegoats, falsely blaming them for Germany's problems, such as the nation's defeat in World War I and the subsequent economic hardships. In doing so, he redirected the German public's attention away from the real issues and onto the Jewish community.
Gee. If we only had a four-year sample size of all these evil things Trump might do if he were elected President.
If only ...
saying war Trumps starting war
Like Rep. Goldman saying Trump '...should be eliminated'?
Now do Biden: https://www.cnn.com/media/sites/cnn/video-placeholder.svg
It’s a rare politician who doesn’t campaign on the promise “I will fight for you!” I don’t want them to fight for me; I want them to WORK for me.
Too bad for my old school (MS Statistics) A&M is a big house with small weevils. Everyone is welcome in the Dixie Chicken.
Assent, dammitt.
"Rep. Daniel Goldman (D-N.Y.) apologized Monday for his "poor choice of words" when he said former President Trump must be "eliminated" to protect democracy."
Shouldn't this post have the "civility bullshit" tag?
Truth is she knows, but also knows that her words will stick in the brains of the zombie audience.
Post a Comment