Said Joe Rogan, on his #2370 podcast, transcript and audio, here, at Podscribe.
August 27, 2025
"Unfortunately, when you have a society where you do have ubiquitous crime, you do need some kind of an authoritarian leadership."
"Not saying you need tyranny, not saying you need a dictator, but you need fucking laws and you need rule of law. And sometimes those people come off very harsh and very uncaring and unloving and you know, the total opposite for, like, the reason why people voted for Jimmy Carter, I think, 'cause Jimmy Carter represented like a, like, a genuinely sweet good guy. Right. But, like, look how that presidency was a disaster 'cause they were all working against him for sure. And on top of that, it's, like, hard to, like, you gotta gotta be a bit of a hard ass if you wanna run the world...."
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180 comments:
Dave Smith is a moral juvenile.
I am a libertarian. Unfortunately in order to be a libertarian you require a minimum level of moral development in a critical mass of citizens in your society and most people in the world do not have that level of moral development.
In order for libertarian ideas to be implemented and have a functioning society incompatible elements must be killed or incarcerated.
Yes you will have freedom and high trust in society. You will also have a large prison population and some graveyards.
He defends the Palestinians. This is absolutely incompatible with libartarianism in any practical application.
Law and Order are codependent. Oppressive laws can be conducive to disorder, disorder can lead to oppressive laws. The trick is to balance laws and the order/ disorder in society. The best way ever devised to do this is the US constitutional system of individual rights limiting the power and restraining the authoritarianism of government. Get the individual rights protected and the rest of the law and order issues pretty much flow naturally.
Crime control requires a willingness to enforce just laws and to commit the resources to do so. Democrats and other whiners grouse about the cost of courts, police and prisons without regard for the cost of crime to innocent victims. Government’s major obligation is the safety of its citizens - the essence of the social contract. Neither party can be trusted to keep the contract. Maybe Trump, like Bukele, can.
The left wanted crime to spike. The rich white left live behind guarded walls and safe wealthy enclaves - they do not care at all as our cities are destroyed with vagrants, drugs, drug transients, thugs and out of control crime.
The left love Soros money, more.
Althouse trolling…
Yep… Smith is one of those “often wrong, never in doubt” thinkers. I watched half of that broadcast yesterday, before focusing on the F-all I had to take care of.
Jimmy Carter represented like a, like, a genuinely sweet good guy.
Not everyone who actually met him thought so. Mitch Snyder, s headline-chasing advocate for the homeless once said of him "Don't ever get between Jimmy Carter and something he wants. He'll tear your arm off".
"Comedian and podcaster Dave Smith has been a guest on the Joe Rogan Experience 16 times."
"Bob Hope was the most frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, appearing 131 times."
I knew Bob Hope, Bob Hope was a friend of mine. Dave Smith is no Bob Hope.
Moderation. "Cruel to be kind, in the right measure."
Rogan doesn't understand the term authoritarian. No authoritarian means are required to enforce the established laws.
“Lately, I let things slide.”
"Sometimes the law defends plunder and participates in it. Sometimes the law places the whole apparatus of judges, police, prisons and gendarmes at the service of the plunderers, and treats the victim - when he defends himself - as a criminal."
- Frederic Bastiat
We are never trapped in society with criminals. They are trapped in society with us, and woe to them when they rudely remind society of that fact.
Carter wasn't a "sweet guy". He was weak and indecisive. He let the ragheads humiliate our country. The correct action was would have been the immediate arrest of every member of the Iranian UN delegation including their wives and the confiscation of every Iranian-owned asset in the United States. Carter was also an epic-scale hypocrite. He made a big show of his Southern Baptist religiosity, but his moral scruples didn't prevent him revealing a major military secret in a bid to convince the voters he wasn't an incompetent C-in-C.
hombre said...
"Crime control requires a willingness to enforce just laws and to commit the resources to do so. Democrats and other whiners grouse about the cost of courts, police and prisons without regard for the cost of crime to innocent victims."
Good point. My guess is they don't care about the cost of crime to innocent victims because that isn't something on their budget. To reduce crime, you have to pay for cops, judges, and jails. Someone else has to pay from the costs of the crimes. Plus, a lot of Democrat politicians are criminals themselves, so having good law enforcement isn't in their best interests.
The main thing is to boil down the thicket of laws to a 40-page pamphlet on which every high school senior is tested before getting a diploma, and is well aware that they will be diligently and rigorously enforced.
The government that tries to do everything for everybody ends up doing all of it poorly. The government that concentrates on defending our borders, controlling crime that has actual victims, and balancing its budget succeeds wildly.
"Unfortunately, when you have a society where you do have ubiquitous crime, you do need some kind of an authoritarian leadership."
The Democrat party platform, 2020-2024, encapsulated in one sentence. They unleashed the ubiquitous crime so they could perpetuate their authoritarian leadership.
RR
JSM
At some point the Democrats are going to have instigate a murder spree in D.C. even if they have to contract it out to another NGO.
Authoritarianism or law enforcement? Left or right, respectively.
Lem: "Bob Hope was the most frequent guest on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, appearing 131 times."
I was recently gifted a used Vizio smart TV. Among other channels, it has a 24-hour Johnny Carson Channel. Just fantastic.
RR
JSM
If only Dave Smith was the libertarian dictator of the world. All of our problems would be solved.
Jimmy Carter represented like a, like, a genuinely sweet good guy.
first i freaked on this.. i was like, haven't these people EVER seen Jimmy Carter?
then i carefully reread it, and saw it was completely True!
Jimmy Carter represented like a, like, a genuinely sweet good guy.
yep! he definitely DID that! he represented like he was a genuinely sweet good guy.
of course, he WASN'T genuine or sweet or good..
but he DID represent like he was all that.
This is what is known as, a charade.. or, more simply; LYING
I found the economic discussion that followed even more interesting. What sounded like strange fringe views in my youth now seems prescient.
Deep thoughts from Captain Obvious.
Actually, Nixon was given a mandate by the people to put a stop to the abuse of both legal and illegal drugs and also street crime and domestic terrorism. At that point, legal prescriptions were killing a lot of people, as were street drugs. Rogan is a sweet guy, but factual and political history often elude him.
Carter is so often maligned for his stupidity, it tends to be forgotten that he was also self-righteous, incompetent, and backstabbing. - Ann Coulter
Actually Carter was quite authoritarian and widely unliked for it in both Georgia and among members of the executive branch. And he played a large role in abetting Jim Jones when Jones was in phase 1 of his cult -- stealing government support checks like welfare. It took one courageous Congressman, Leo Ryan, a graduate of Creighton University, to investigate conditions in Jonestown. He was murdered on the runway.
The LEFT(D) label cracking down on crime as -> "Tyranny!"
"and they are never going to stop."
Crime control requires a willingness to enforce just laws and to commit the resources to do so. Democrats and other whiners grouse about the cost of courts, police and prisons without regard for the cost of crime to innocent victims.
The first sentence shouldn't need to be said, but it does. As well as the other comment up-thread that no authoritarianism is needed to enforce the law - only the actual will to enforce the law.
But the second sentence - I'd say Democrats used to complain about costs of incarceration, et cetera - I doubt because they were actually concerned about those costs, but at least they used cost as a pretext. But it's been quite a white since they've used that pretext. Now they go straight to, oh, racism, disparate impact, root causes, poverty breeds crime and therefore more government aid is necessary to "fight" poverty... and even, as we've seen in recent weeks, "The victims were asking for it," crime as reparations.
When you see crime, even violent crime, as "deserved," why would you get in the way of those giving the oppressors their just deserts? They're like Batman, right?
Read a book "At Ease in the White House" written by a Colonel who served through 7 Presidents' terms as a Senior White House aide. Betty Ford was one of the kindest First Ladies. The Carter's were unbelievably cheap. No alcohol at WH events - only OJ and some sort of fruity wine. Guests left early, probably by design. They weren't very nice people.
Everyone loves "law and order" until the FBI is raiding *their* mansion.
The problem with Jimmy Carter is he was supposed to be a "Populist" and he wasn't. He deregulated business, he let Volcker "Wring inflation out of the economy" which led to double digit unemployement and inflation. He appointed hard core liberals to the Judiciary. IOW, he was an elitist - socially liberal and economically conservative.
Ted Kennedy's run was based on a personal dislike of Carter, not because Carter was too "centrist".
If Carter hadn't been such a big Business stooge, the "misery Index" would've been lower, and he might have gotten re-elected.
Carter called Reagan a racist because blahblahblah. He refused to have more then one debate. As someone else said, He wasn't a "Nice sweet guy", he was the exact opposite of that.
Off topic question for Althouse: What happened to the rule regarding avoiding unnecessary spaces and extraneous lines in commenters' posts? For example, what contribution does the four extra lines taken up by the "RR" and "JSM" added to every Mosby post offer, other than stroking the commenter's vanity? Would it be time to restate that rule?
Jaime said…
“I'd say Democrats used to complain about costs of incarceration, et cetera - I doubt because they were actually concerned about those costs, but at least they used cost as a pretext. But it's been quite a white since they've used that pretext. Now they go straight to, oh, racism, disparate impact, root causes, poverty breeds crime and therefore more government aid is necessary to "fight" poverty... and even, as we've seen in recent weeks, "The victims were asking for it," crime as reparations.”
And when the current set of buzz words loose their luster, they will drop these pretexts and move on to the next set of bromides.
Joseph Smith was asked once about how he "governed" a large religious body. He said "I teach correct principles and let the people govern themselves."
For society to function, there has to be government. It can, and ideally should, be self government. If most or all people can control themselves, the role of actual government is small: traffic laws, establishing rules of the road so everyone knows the appropriate things, etc. Politicians, government is small and of no real importance. That is ideal.
But if the people cannot govern themselves, then someone else has to. That means big government, courts, prisons, etc. And Big Government people love it, because they get to rule over others... their entire goal. So Big Government loves Big crime. And the loss of self control, because then there is a need for big government... and the people who like to be in charge. The Eichmanns.
Jimmy Carter was a true believer in mid-century progressivism, with ideological roots not that far from (now right-of-center) Jordan Peterson. Both have different takes on European Protestantism, but a generation removed from some church teachings. Carter/Peterson-style politics seems to have dominated North America until the 1980s (i.e., when the religious "Moral Majority" stood out as no longer the majority vs. purely secular NYC/Hollywood culture).
I have no doubt that Carter believed in what he said, but he saw the world as a religious peanut farmer who once had "lust in his heart." As with many 20th century agrarians-cum-politicians, he was attracted to big, broad brush cartoonish ideologies. Lump him in with his equally wishful and naive contemporaries, to include the Soviets, Maoists, etc.
Jimmy Carter had that throbbing vein in his temple when he got angry but didn't want to show it. It made one think just exactly how and against whom he would eventually take out his anger.
--------
Apparently it's not possible to be a Randian Objectivist and have any sympathy with Palestinians, but that's not true of libertarians. The Middle East now is the result of decades of decisions that libertarians wouldn't have made. We've helped to create the current situation and the ungovernable nature of the place. Dave Smith isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he does provide a counterbalance to conventional opinion. Libertarianism is itself impractical, but it can serve as a critique of the existing state of things and how we got to where we are now.
According to this DNC Summer Meeting speaker Joe Rogan is out of touch with the American people.
Reddit video: “Don’t take the bait talking about migrant crime, or carjackings, or the things that actually don’t matter to that many Americans.”
Back in college, I read most of Hobbes' The Leviathan. Most people only pay attention to book one of the Leviathan. But there's four parts to that book. Book four is all about Hobbes' idea of religion. Why is that?
I think Hobbes knew that his idea of the State has to be combined with the right belief system so the people are all of one mind.
Incidentally, that was, I think, the true revolution in thought that Jesus and Christianity introduced: namely, the importance of people choosing to follow the faith rather than be forced to do it by the local city/state complex. When western civilization finally flourished with the Renaissance, it was because people became free to choose for themselves. "Convert or die" like Islam does, tends to be stagnant. And "Convert or die" regardless of whether it's Islam or the climate change cult never leads to civilizational success.
Let's see how everyone feels when someone like Pete Buttigeg is putting NG troops everywhere.
Buttigeig will be using his troops to enforce mandatory flying of the rainbow flag while they tear down Catholic churches and so forth. We all know that.
So Rogan dips his toe in the authoritarian waters but pulls it back — we need authoritarian leadership when crime is high — then quickly hedges: not a dictator, not tyranny.
It’s a familiar pattern: float the strongman solution, cushion it with caveats, and leave it dangling for others to carry forward. It sounds “open-minded,” but it’s really a kind of wishy-washiness that normalizes the idea without ever taking responsibility for it.
We’ve seen this movie before. People lean on the strongman when they’ve been convinced the sky is falling. Capone sold himself as the man who kept Chicago “safe” — as long as you accepted crime on his terms. Mussolini promised order, even won praise for “making the trains run on time.” Putin justifies crackdowns as necessary to hold Russia together.
The problem is that “law and order” in the hands of an authoritarian usually means order for them, law for everyone else. What feels like strength in the moment ends up eroding the very freedoms that make real justice possible.
Howard said, "Let's see how everyone feels when someone like Pete Buttigeg is putting NG troops everywhere."
Where I'm from, the NG has more to fear from my community than we have to fear from them. Not only are they not needed (not to mention most of them would are neighbors), but they're gonna need the Air Force.
And in today's school shooting news- a transgender male identified as Robin Westman (formerly Robert) was the shooter. And according to reports had "Kill Donald Trump" written on the weapon's magazine..
Not even half a day and we have this information? Not even an attempt as obfuscation? What's up with that?
The problem is that “law and order” in the hands of an authoritarian usually means order for them, law for everyone else.
Lois Lerner laughs at your naivete.
I met Jimmah on several occasions. He liked dogs. That was his only redeeming quality. I hope he's not in dog heaven, screwing that up.
"The problem is that “law and order” in the hands of an authoritarian usually means order for them, law for everyone else.
Lois Lerner laughs at your naivete."
Naive? Isn't Lerner Exhibit A.
When citizens demand answers as problems consume their cities, when they press elected and appointed officials to disclose their plans, to outline their policies to provide remedies to these situations, this is defined as 'baiting'.
Because these poor, beleaguered dedicated public servants bring honesty to their services, and need protection from these confrontations. And that whole 'transparency' thing, about how the situations are being addressed, how is crime being measured, where do these numbers come from, who is making policy..... all those are 'baiting' exercises, too. We have badges, but.... we don' need no stinkin' badges.
The authority they wear as a cloak used to provide invisibility and invincibility, but increasingly they have neither, and deserve none. Accountability is the order of the day, and it's almost never on a voluntary basis where elected / appointed officials are involved.
"Trump is just acting like [Lois Lerner, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, etc. etc. etc.]" is not as persuasive as you clowns think it is.
Regarding the cost of crime, every time my serial rapist was caught again, they shelved dozens of cases and just tried one. This is entirely normal and why we still have so many prolific offenders on the streets. We need to multiply our state justice systems by ten, and that will be expensive. We lack the will to do it, so people like me, a victim willing to use DNA and testify, is still denied justice. I ask: where is the outrage over my denial of justice? If you give me your "better 100 guilty men go free pandering, please include you real name and home address." Tit for tat, as it were.
Sorry to go off topic. Just yesterday I listened to audio clips of Biden, Wray, and Garland unequivocally state white supremacy is the biggest terrorist threat to our country. Today we have a tranny shooter, who hates Trump, mowing down Catholic school children.
Let’s also forget Wray’s FBI was spying on the Catholic Church.
Aging includes watching new generations learn ancient laws, often too late, because you "never trust anyone over 30", one of the dumbest of many boomer innovations.
Lois Lerner's lawless overreach had nothing to do with law or order. It was just oppression and attempted to be unseen, so it doesn't even fit the analogy. Trump does what he does out in the open and even advertises it in advance, because he's not trying to pull anything. If you think it's tyranny, there are legal ways to deal with that, but that's only possible when it's transparently done. Trump is the most transparent President in history. So much so that his own dedication to transparency is the number one media sensation on virtually all sources.
I did not have sexually perplexed murderous SSRI-addled hormone junkies on my 21st century bingo card. Perhaps I've made a mistake all these years not taking Vice News more seriously.
"NG troops everywhere."
You see, THIS is why we can't have nice things. The NG has been judiciously deployed in two very specific circumstances. Two places is almost the exact opposite of "everywhere." But since you've set the marker out so far I guess it's no big deal to roll into NYC and Chicago now, since that also is far short of the new Everywhere Standard.
In fact I'm starting to cotton to the idea of the Everywhere Standard. Why next to that damned near everything sounds reasonable.
If Trump did what Lerner did, he would have told you about the need for it for weeks before doing it, and then announced it happening, and then celebrated the "benefits" afterward.
That's a long way from denials and taking the 5th over and over.
Democrat leaders are openly demanding that crime be allowed to continue rather than let Trump help in any way other than sending them money. That tells you what you need to know about why we have these problems and who is to blame. They don't give a shit about the people they represent. They don't care if you get killed in the street, because "TRUMP!" Some in here agree with that stance for the same dumb reason.
What I found particularly humorous was Jabba Pritzker cavorting around downtown Chicago in the daytime with his security detail talking about how safe he felt in Chicago. Why didn't he take his cellphone and go to Englewood alone and do a podcast at night on the street?
We need a strongman, but one who doesn't hurt anybody's feeling or ever brag about success. In fact, he should avoid success so leaders who have failed the voters who elected them don't feel bad. We need a strongman, but a weak one.
of couese this brazil style authoritanianism, we find in the UK or France is very selective, no protecting scottish school girls, but yes to thought crime,
wasn't there someone been held up on the other side of the river,
Achilles: huh, I did not know that.
"Pimp needs a firm hand."
https://thepostmillennial.com/minneapolis-mayor-dismisses-thoughts-and-prayers-after-children-killed-during-catholic-school-shooting different for st floyd though,
government was instituted to save us from the 'state of nature'
everything else is a secondary concern, we see how life has become 'nasty brutish and short' in Gotham in the Capital, and points West,
as I recall, nice squirrel move, they had issued a subterfuge about how only the cincinatti office of the IRS, was targeting everyone in the tea party, this was part of a threadbare IG report, that left out more than the facts,
same with the ATF, and the shooting therein with weapons provided to the Sinaloa Cartel,
they never came to a conclusion in the vegas shooting, and because the pulse shooters father was an FBI informant they kept the authorities off the multiple islamist ties he had, I put them together in an erstwhile blog post, A similar thing happened with the parkland shooter, who was shuffled from school to school, with the knowledge of the DOJ and the FBI
they finally removed the supervisory agents on that project,
part of the Obama minilove, was the urban police departments were targeted by the so called civil rights divisions for keeping law and order,
Well, if Joe Rogan says it.....
this was along with the community resource service, that just set fires all over the country, incited violence
with tampon tim and his friendship with school shooters, honestly are these people from Remulak
it hard not to conclude, they want power to destroy cities, as they have done to many institutions, to poison relations between men and women, between black and white, rich and poor,
government was instituted to save us from the 'state of nature'
Jean-Jacque smiles. However, government is our state of nature. Neither Hobbes nor Rousseau ever witnessed our nearest relatives in their state of nature. Whether it's Donald Trump signing and executive order to deploy the Guard against DC carjackers or a silverback flashing his canines, government is always with us and always will be.
Anyone calling Trump authoritarian is just a fucking idiot.
This country has laws. Everyone living in this country is free to live here as long as they follow those laws. If you choose to break those laws we have punishments written into those laws that include imprisonment.
Basic societal order requires enforcement of laws. The jurisdictions like DC and Chicago have leaders that are breaking their oaths as elected officials. If you don’t like a law then repeal it. But selectively not enforcing laws is itself criminal.
There are many city mayors and a few governors who are purposely not enforcing laws that are on the books and worse they are criminally responsible for manipulating crime data.
There is nothing authoritarian about taking these criminals who are responsible for the deaths of mostly black people and putting them in jail for the laws they are violating and oaths they are breaking.
They are complicit in every murder and every theft they refuse to prosecute. They should be charged with aiding and abetting every crime committed by the thugs who belong in jail.
The "Trans Community" has a lot to answer for.
Another reminder for our lefty friends. Dwight Eisenhower nationalized the Arkansas National Guard to protect little black children on their way to school.
I'm getting the impression that our lefty friends don't like black people very much.
https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking-fbi-whistleblowers-garret-oboyle-and-steve-friend-reinstated
https://dailycaller.com/2025/08/27/cnn-already-spewing-ignorant-talking-points-about-guns-following-minnesota-school-shooting/
Authoritarian is making up a false intelligence report and using it to lie to the FISA court to get a warrant to spy on the president of the US because he is your political opponent.
Enforcing the laws we all live under is not.
https://dailycaller.com/2025/08/27/cnn-dana-bash-klobuchar-minneapolis-mayor-christians-prayers/
The Democrat-radical left sure did unleash the trans-rage.
Among your "tags" for this post was "right wing ideology." Could someone please tell me when law enforcement in a society governed by elected representatives as well as state and national constitutions became "right wing"? Unless, that is, we have come to the point where failure to enforce laws is considered "left wing," which, given recent events, seems to be a likelihood.
Ronald J. Ward said...
So Rogan dips his toe in the authoritarian waters but pulls it back — we need authoritarian leadership when crime is high — then quickly hedges: not a dictator, not tyranny.
It’s a familiar pattern: float the strongman solution, cushion it with caveats, and leave it dangling for others to carry forward. It sounds “open-minded,” but it’s really a kind of wishy-washiness that normalizes the idea without ever taking responsibility for it.
This characterization is what one would expect from a dishonest intellectual coward. You can’t debate this topic honestly.
Right now democrat mayors are allowing criminals to attack, rob and murder citizens. You support this.
You are responsible for all of the crime that these politicians who are refusing to prosecute criminals. You and all of these democrats are aiding and abetting criminals.
Nobody should pretend you are any better than the murderers and thieves.
Everyone loves "law and order" until the FBI is raiding *their* mansion.
Law and order isn't a pleonasm. It's two things.
“Let's see how everyone feels when someone like Pete Buttigeg is putting NG troops everywhere”
Deploying them geographically or just in every orifice?
"Trump is just acting like [Lois Lerner, Joe Biden, Barack Obama, etc. etc. etc.]" is not as persuasive as you clowns think it is.
Um, maybe because he isn't acting like those people?
Howard said...
Let's see how everyone feels when someone like Pete Buttigeg is putting NG troops everywhere.
If buttigeg deployed the NG where I live I would have some people to talk to every now and then and they would be bored off their ass because the elected officials and police around here do their job.
The only reason Trump has to do this is because democrats are purposely ignoring their duties and turning their little fiefdoms into 3rd world shitholes.
https://dailycaller.com/2025/03/27/exclusive-irs-official-involved-obama-era-tea-party-scandal-quietly-running-key-tax-division/
"Authoritarian is making up a false intelligence report and using it to lie to the FISA court to get a warrant to spy on the president of the US because he is your political opponent.
Enforcing the laws we all live under is not."
Agree with all of this. But, "more than one thing" can be authoritarian. Using the *military* to enforce street crime is authoritarian. Bullying a private company into "donating" 10% of its value to Uncle Sam is authoritarian. Forcing Wisconsin property owners into selling their homes so that you can give their property to Taiwanese conmen is authoritarian. Using the CDC to prohibit law abiding taxpaying landlords from evicting deadbeat tenants is authoritarian.
More than one thing can be authoritarian. The authoritarians that believe in the greatness of the Federal government and insist that we law down and submit to it are running both sides right now.
I would prefer they didn't give monies to companies like intel, but you didn't complain did you, about the CHIPS act, of course did John Gill sign it, or was it another holder of the autopen,
"Agree with all of this. But, 'more than one thing' can be authoritarian."
Shorter D.D. Driver: Anything I choose to be authoritarian is authoritarian.
Italics off
Off
red queen rules,
Jaydub: Bloody hell, mate. - RR/JSM. Happy?
https://twitchy.com/dougp/2025/08/27/msnbc-natsec-analyst-speculates-video-games-may-have-radicalized-the-leftist-shooter-who-has-been-idd-n2418007 um no
I'm quite sure that Trump has complete command of the numerical details of the election fraud that occurred -- but like in everything else he abhors coming off like an egghead. He was well aware of the stats concerning bellwether districts which he won and how he still lost the election. He was well aware of the timing of certain key districts shutting down their counting and the dramatic shift in the votes when they restarted. Not to mention all the testimony given at various legislatures by veteran poll workers about the presence of fake ballots, etc.
The problem is that even if Trump went into granular detail -- none of this would matter if it is not entered as evidence in court. What would be the benefit of dragging the country into a massive exposé of this, even if he could get a court to hear it?
Proving that our elections were/are a massive scam actually would hurt the USA more than it would help him. He's back in the White House and that's what matters.
Bad URL, narciso
https://twitchy.com/dougp/2025/08/27/msnbc-natsec-analyst-speculates-video-games-may-have-radicalized-the-leftist-shooter-who-has-been-idd-n2418007
School shooter video…
https://x.com/JoshWalkos/status/1960740372184805819
dave smith, also has a simplistic understanding of foreign policy,
should we not know that the elections are carried out in a transparent fashion, I have a little bit of insight on this,
With the unhinged bullshit that Jazz Hands Walz and all the other sick fuck Democrat politicians have been spewing, is it any wonder this kind of heinous shit is ongoing.
absolutely not ferret frey is at the epicenter of this, why he might be beat by the pirate brother (from captain phillips)
yes thats the guy
https://twitchy.com/justmindy/2025/08/27/lieutenant-governor-protect-trans-kids-shooter-n2418006
Trump is the middle of the road position, why does the left want chaos, because it is evil, essentially,
Achilles @ 2:26 PM, thanks for proving my point so vividly. When I talk about the dangers of “strongman” thinking, this is what I mean: the reflex to dismiss disagreement as cowardice, to equate criticism with siding with criminals, and to reduce every issue to “you’re either with us or you’re with the murderers.”
I get it — nuance isn’t nearly as exciting as outrage. But calling me responsible for violent crime is about as honest as me blaming you personally for every January 6 rioter. Neither one holds up.
My argument was simple: when commentators like Rogan flirt with authoritarian “solutions,” even while hedging, it normalizes a mindset that history shows can go very wrong. If you can respond to that idea without branding me a criminal accomplice, we might actually have a debate.
john mosby,
How long have you been commenting here, and you still haven't noticed that blogger inherently and unavoidably prints your screen name right over your comment? Just get rid of the pointless and redundant signature entirely; this isn't email or Usenet!
Ronald Ward argued that enforcing the law against criminals is authoritarian.
Which means the only "non-authoritarian" solution is to not enforce the law. Give criminals free reign.
What else could that mean? If Democrats refuse to enforce the laws, and Trump does it for them, that's authoritarian? And that's bad? We should just condemn every city to a sentence of pure, utter lawlessness and crime? That's the Democrat position? Sure seems like it.
Greg Price
@greg_price11
Catholic children get murdered while attending Mass by a trans person and this loser Mayor's [Frey] first instinct is to a) criticize peoples' prayers and b) demand they stop being mean to trans people.
"My argument was simple: when commentators like Rogan flirt with authoritarian “solutions,” even while hedging, it normalizes a mindset that history shows can go very wrong."
The point is that Trump is not doing that. He's doing his Constitutionally prescribed job. Making sure the law is enforced. He isn't going outside the law to do it, or doing it with partisan aims. People are breaking the law and in some cases at an unprecedented level of corruption. What would be the correct response for a President if not this, in this manner with these people and methods?
Real authoritarianism is using your power to prevent your political opponents from competing for power, bringing false charges, in kangaroo courts. Not arresting carjackers and preventing murders. The argument simply does not apply to Trump.
"Real authoritarianism is using your power to prevent your political opponents from competing for power, bringing false charges, in kangaroo courts. Not arresting carjackers and preventing murders."
Just another example (as if more are needed) of the left accusing others of what the left itself is doing.
For starters, I never argued that enforcing the law is authoritarian. That’s Vance’s invention, not my position.
My point was narrower: when Rogan (or anyone) frames “authoritarian leadership” as the answer to crime, then immediately backpedals — “not tyranny, not dictatorship” — it’s a rhetorical game that normalizes strongman thinking. Law enforcement isn’t the issue. The issue is when “law and order” becomes a cover for concentrating power in one man’s hands and threatening anyone who crosses him.
There’s a long historical record showing that distinction. Regular enforcement of laws is democracy. Rule by intimidation and selective punishment is authoritarianism.
That’s the difference.
Bagoh20, you’re playing the same straw man while conflating two very different things: law enforcement and authoritarian normalization. My critique isn’t about Trump enforcing the law — it’s about the rhetoric that frames “strongman” solutions as acceptable and hedges them in ways that make threats seem casual.
That’s my point- rhetoric and framing. When commentators like Rogan casually flirt with “authoritarian solutions,” even while hedging, it normalizes a mindset where threats and concentration of power seem acceptable.
Trump’s law enforcement actions are one thing; the concern I raise is about the language used to justify strongman instincts, the idea that “harshness = competence,” and the signaling that critics or jokers could face consequences. That’s the part history shows can go very wrong.
this is exactly what they mean, except a 69 year old praying outside an abortion clinic, throw the book at her,
when that chattering jackass declared us to be a threat,
My fear is that Trump wants a National Police Force (Gestapo) operating in every city that doesn't agree with him politically, and using that armed police force for his revenge and political power. God help us if he tries to do this. The good news is that there are over 500 million firearms owned by private citizens in this country, both on the right and the left. God help us also, if we are ever in the situation where we have to resort to them.
Ronald J. Ward said...
For starters, I never argued that enforcing the law is authoritarian.
Yeah, you just argued whatever Trump does is authoritarian. It is pathetic, but that's you in a nutshell. Disagree?
Rule by intimidation and selective punishment is authoritarianism.
What do you call Letitia James office prosecuting Trump, and only Trump in the history of NY, on a civil charge of defrauding banks, if not selective punishment meant?
In the news today, the DOJ employee that assaulted a federal officer was no billed, despite hundreds of Americans being indicted and convicted by DC federal courts for simply being in the vicinity of an assault on federal officers.
The Biden Administration forced social media companies to censor speech on multiple platforms that they selectively disagreed. That's selective enforcement and they did it by intimidating the social media companies.
"My fear is that Trump wants a National Police Force (Gestapo) operating in every city that doesn't agree with him politically, and using that armed police force for his revenge and political power."
Your fear is that this won't happen.
I thought “Gaslighting Prick Wednesday” was the first Wednesday of each month. My mistake.
lonejustice… ever the quivering quim of a Quimby.
well they rotate every month,
I think Obama made some remarks to that extent regarding security apparatus, I could search for it,
Leland, I realize I’m sounding like a broken record, but these strawmen aren’t changing what I’ve argued. Once again: my critique isn’t about enforcing the law — it’s about rhetoric that normalizes authoritarian instincts. Threats, hedged “strongman” solutions, and signaling consequences for critics are very different from legitimate law enforcement or policy debates. That distinction is what history shows can go very wrong.
Tina Trent said...
Actually Carter was quite authoritarian and widely unliked for it in both Georgia and among members of the executive branch.
My friend’s dad was at Annapolis with Carter. He said Carter was universally disliked there, too.
US civilians own significantly more guns than the U.S. military. Estimates suggest that there are around 500 million civilian-owned firearms in the United States, while the military possesses approximately 4.5 million. So let's see what happens if Trump tries to establish a police state in America.
and biden threatened to send F-16s after them, well it was his metamucil speaking,
Jeez DNFTT people.
el manisero, was one of the worst choices, the people picked,
thankfully, the did correct their error,
but he seemed to haunt us like jacob marley for the better part of the next 50 years,
My fear is that Trump wants a National Police Force (Gestapo) operating in every city that doesn't agree with him politically, and using that armed police force for his revenge and political power.
That's because you're an alarmist idiot who creates these wild scenarios to justify your Trump hate.
If Trump was going to do any of these things, don't you think he would've already done it during the nearly five years he's been President?
Your bigger fear should be IF crime doesn't get under control, the rest of us will reach a point to where we take matters into our own hands. You know, the 500 million guns and all that.
Ever think of that?
Ronald J. Ward said...
For starters, I never argued that enforcing the law is authoritarian. That’s Vance’s invention, not my position.
That is because you are dishonest.
Normally at this point I would ask you to define Authoritarian.
I don't expect an honest definition. But we will give you a chance to engage despite your pathetic past attempts.
there seems to be a high ingestion of lds
And just to get to the point because I am tired of the lies and bullshit.
The reason Ronald J Ward will not engage is because there is no honest definition of Authoritarian that can be applied to Trump and not applied to leaders of the Democrat party.
He will just be a dishonest intellectual coward like he always does.
which explains the delusional thinking I call it velshi syndrome
(after the guy who said the burning mcdonald was mostly peaceful)
in a world where they burnt lincoln's church or attempted to, in 2020, but the reaction was the story,
https://x.com/MaryMargOlohan/status/1960777048294875636
Why waste time argueing about "authoritarianism". What the fuck does it even mean? Its vague and expansive and can mean ANYTHING.
I don't remember anyone in the MSM denouncing anything biden did as "Authoritarian". He had 20,000 NG troops in 2021 in DC to "protect the capital" and from who? The American people!
Crime in the USA is a class issue. The well-to-do don't care about it, and think its "Tiresome" to enforce the law, because they've insulated themselves from crime. And the libtards just follow the "Party line". When the "party line" was "We need to hang those J6ers" they loved that "swift and sure punishment". Now, that its average crooks and killers, its back to "Gosh, will it really solve the problem? Gosh, isn't this authoritarian?"
Achilles, if you think I argued that enforcing the law is authoritarian, point to the exact words where I said that. Otherwise, generously speaking, it’s just a misinterpretation. And who exactly is the “we” you keep invoking — are you trying to create a consensus that doesn’t exist?
My point remains: this isn’t about normal law enforcement. It’s about rhetoric that normalizes authoritarian instincts — threats, hedged “strongman” solutions, and signaling consequences for critics. History shows that approach doesn’t work, and that’s been my point all along.
Ronald J. Ward said...
Leland, I realize I’m sounding like a broken record, but these strawmen aren’t changing what I’ve argued. Once again: my critique isn’t about enforcing the law — it’s about rhetoric that normalizes authoritarian instincts. Threats, hedged “strongman” solutions, and signaling consequences for critics are very different from legitimate law enforcement or policy debates. That distinction is what history shows can go very wrong.
Yeah. So if anyone says something you don't like or is politically opposed to you you will apply some vague concept you will not define to what they said even though you will not actually quote them and you use your own bullshit summary.
You are just an ass clown.
Ronald J. Ward said...
Achilles, if you think I argued that enforcing the law is authoritarian, point to the exact words where I said that. Otherwise, generously speaking, it’s just a misinterpretation. And who exactly is the “we” you keep invoking — are you trying to create a consensus that doesn’t exist?
My point remains: this isn’t about normal law enforcement. It’s about rhetoric that normalizes authoritarian instincts — threats, hedged “strongman” solutions, and signaling consequences for critics. History shows that approach doesn’t work, and that’s been my point all along.
Bullshit.
You don't want the laws enforced.
You don't want people here illegally deported.
You don't want criminals put in jail.
So you make up some vague references to rhetoric that you will not define and you never use any actual quotes.
you see that the priority about frey and walsh are not christian children
just as they are concerned about law abiding citizens
lonejustice said, "God help us..."
No, God help you. Millions of us will be just fine.
Crime is down over the last 30 or so years. While it spiked during covid, is has dropped since. Other than DC, the highest violent crime rates are in Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, and New Mexico. Three are red states. Why no action against them?
Your bigger fear should be IF crime doesn't get under control, the rest of us will reach a point to where we take matters into our own hands. You know, the 500 million guns and all that.
Ever think of that?
------------------------
Yes I do, and the Left have been buying guns at a record pace. The idea that only people on the right have guns and are willing to use them, is sadly mistaken. My hope is that no side resorts to firearms to resolve their political differences.
Joe Rogan, born libtard, can always be counted on to puke up something from the Democrat Party hymnal... Jimmy Carter was just a great guy who wanted to be nice to everyone, but THEY wouldn't let him... JFC, he's got to be the stupidest millionaire in the world.
like the shooter in Butler for example, or the one in Alexandria,
Achilles, you seem to be arguing with someone who doesn’t exist, because I’ve never said I oppose law enforcement, deportations, or criminal prosecutions. If you think otherwise, point to the words — I’ll gladly address them. That’s your straw man, not my position. My critique — and yes, I’ll repeat it — is about rhetoric that normalizes authoritarian instincts: threats, hedged “strongman” solutions, and signaling consequences for critics. History shows it’s that mindset that goes wrong, not enforcing the law. Pretending I said otherwise doesn’t change that reality.
My hope is that no side resorts to firearms to resolve their political differences.
You're the only one who's referring to political differences. I'm talking about enforcing existing law.
If the authorities won't do their jobs, don't be surprised if the citizenry steps up and does it for them.
You're so blinded by your Trump hate, you fail to see he's the one taking action to avoid that scenario.
since ferguson where obama lit the match then baltimore 'room to destroy' on to the police shootings in baton rouge in houston in 2016, on to the Summer of Love in 2020
these are just 'sign posts up ahead'
Owning a gun and knowing how to use it, especially with others, are two entirely different things, lil J. Then there's organization, engineering, logistics, support, knowledge of how to make and use your own heavy weapons...etc. Many communities have been thinking about this for years.
But please keep buying as many guns as you want if it helps you sleep at night. It won't help you, but it does help my defense companies portfolio.
Jim at -
-for the win.
Stephen said...
Crime is down over the last 30 or so years. While it spiked during covid, is has dropped since. Other than DC, the highest violent crime rates are in Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, and New Mexico. Three are red states. Why no action against them?
Crime isn't down in most democrat controlled cities.
They merely redefined or reclassified crime so they didn't have to count it.
Nobody is putting up with these lies anymore.
Ronald J. Ward said...
Achilles, you seem to be arguing with someone who doesn’t exist, because I’ve never said I oppose law enforcement, deportations, or criminal prosecutions. If you think otherwise, point to the words — I’ll gladly address them. That’s your straw man, not my position. My critique — and yes, I’ll repeat it — is about rhetoric that normalizes authoritarian instincts: threats, hedged “strongman” solutions, and signaling consequences for critics. History shows it’s that mindset that goes wrong, not enforcing the law. Pretending I said otherwise doesn’t change that reality.
But you never post any actual quotes.
Post quotes or shut the fuck up.
"If the authorities won't do their jobs, don't be surprised if the citizenry steps up and does it for them."
Yep. It happens. Vigilance committees are not a new idea.
Achilles said...
Crime isn't down in most democrat controlled cities.
They merely redefined or reclassified crime so they didn't have to count it. Nobody is putting up with these lies anymore.
-------------------------
So what is your factual evidence for this? The mere fact that you state this is not truth.
Let me help you Ronald.
"Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic."
"There’s no question that the Republican Party today is dominated, driven and intimidated by Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans. And that is a threat to this country."
"This MAGA threat is a threat to the brick and mortar of our democratic institutions. It's also a threat to the character of our nation that gives our Constitution life, that binds us together as Americans, a common cause."
"Let there be no question: Donald Trump and his MAGA Republicans are determined to destroy American democracy."
"These MAGA voices who know the truth about Trump on January 6 have abandoned the truth and abandoned democracy. They made their choice. Now the rest of us... need to make our choice."
"The MAGA Republicans don’t just threaten our personal rights and economic security. They’re a threat to our very democracy."
That is how you point out that Joe Biden is an authoritarian piece of shit.
"Crime is down over the last 30 or so years."
When people don't call the police to report a crime because they know nothing will be done about it, does that mean there is no crime?
lonejustice said...
Achilles said...
Crime isn't down in most democrat controlled cities.
They merely redefined or reclassified crime so they didn't have to count it. Nobody is putting up with these lies anymore.
-------------------------
So what is your factual evidence for this? The mere fact that you state this is not truth.
Grok supplied this about Police Union Allegations:
### Allegations by the DC Police Union Regarding Crime Reclassification in Washington, DC
The Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the union representing officers in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Police Department (MPDC), has alleged that department supervisors and command staff have systematically manipulated crime statistics by reclassifying serious violent felonies as lesser offenses or non-crimes. This practice, according to the union, creates a false impression of declining crime rates, particularly in violent categories like homicides, robberies, and assaults, which do not align with officers' on-the-street experiences. These claims, led by FOP Chairman Gregg Pemberton, emerged prominently in July 2025 amid an internal MPD investigation into 3rd District Commander Michael Pulliam, who was suspended in May 2025 for allegedly altering data in his district. The union has described this as a broader, directive-driven issue from leadership, potentially incentivized by promotions, political pressure, or to downplay crime amid a post-2023 spike. Below, I detail the key allegations based on Pemberton's statements and union reports, with specific examples.
ctd:
#### Core Allegations
- **Directive from Command Staff**: The union claims that MPD leadership has issued informal directives to adjust crime classifications over time to keep overall stats low. Pemberton stated, "What we've heard through our members and through members of management... is that this is a directive from the command staff... that they wanna make sure that these classifications of these reports are adjusted over time to make sure that the overall crime stats stay down." This allegedly involves supervisors reviewing and retroactively changing reports in police databases, avoiding inclusion in MPD's daily crime stats or the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) program.
- **On-Scene Pressure on Officers**: When officers respond to felony-level incidents, supervisors (lieutenants or captains) arrive and instruct them to file reports for lesser offenses. Pemberton explained, "When our members respond to the scene of a felony offense where there is a victim reporting that a felony occurred, inevitably there will be a lieutenant or a captain that will show up on that scene and direct those members to take a report for a lesser offense." This is said to be widespread, based on evidence gathered from officer reports and management sources across all seven police districts.
- **Skepticism of Reported Declines**: The union disputes MPD's claims of a 35% drop in violent crime in 2024 and an additional 25–26% in 2025 (cumulatively over 60% from 2023 peaks), calling it "preposterous" and not reflective of reality. Pemberton noted, "We go call to call to call out on the streets at night, going from robbery to carjacking to stabbing to shooting... Crime is ubiquitous, and it’s all in every quadrant of the city." They acknowledge a possible modest decline from 2023 highs but argue the reported figures are inflated due to manipulation, potentially tied to the 2020 Justice Reform Act, which they say created an officer shortage and reduced enforcement.
#### Specific Examples of Reclassification
The union provided concrete instances of how felonies are allegedly downgraded to misdemeanors or non-reportable incidents, excluding them from "Part 1" violent crime categories (e.g., those tracked by MPD and the FBI):
- **Shootings or Stabbings**: Reclassified as "injured person to the hospital" reports (a non-crime incident) if the victim is uncooperative, rather than "assault with a dangerous weapon" (ADW) or felony assault. Pemberton highlighted that "felony assault is not a category of crime that's listed on the department's daily crime stats" and isn't required for FBI reporting, allowing it to evade tracking.
- **Robberies**: Downgraded to simple "theft" instead of robbery, removing them from violent crime stats.
- **Carjackings**: Allegedly reclassified as theft or "taking property without right" (TPWOR), a non-tracked category, especially in cases involving uncooperative victims.
- **Burglaries**: Changed to "unlawful entry" or theft, which aren't included in crime reports.
- **Historical Precedent**: The union references a 2020 whistleblower lawsuit by former Sgt. Charlotte Djossou, settled in August 2025, where MPD was accused of a "long history of trying to distort crime statistics," including downgrading domestic violence (e.g., a deep facial cut from "assault with a dangerous weapon" to "sick person to the hospital") and thefts to untracked categories for competitive district reductions leading to promotions. Districts allegedly "compete against each other to get the largest reduction in the crime statistics."
get F'd lonejustice:
#### Broader Context and Responses
- **Union's Evidence Gathering**: The FOP has been collecting reports from officers citywide, including database audits and interviews, to document the pattern. Pemberton supports federal intervention, including Trump's August 2025 takeover, as a way to address the issues.
- **MPD and City Response**: Chief Pamela Smith stated she does not condone reclassifying offenses outside policy and that irregularities are handled internally, expressing confidence in leadership. Mayor Muriel Bowser described Pulliam's case as isolated to one district after a review, not implicating many cases, and emphasized overall declines.
- **External Investigations**: The allegations prompted a U.S. Attorney's Office probe (led by Jeanine Pirro) into potential fraud or false statements by MPD and city officials, announced in August 2025. The House Oversight Committee also launched an inquiry into "widespread" manipulation. Independent experts (e.g., Council on Criminal Justice, AH Datalytics) confirm declines in violent crime (e.g., 19% homicide drop in early 2025) but note possible overstatement due to classification differences, though homicides are "very reliable."
""Hard times create strong men..."
The Dems demanded this with open borders, lawfare, election fraud, and putting takers ahead of makers at every opportunity.
If I were walking down the street in DC - and I saw police and our National Guard - I'd wave hello - shake some hands if I could. Thank them.
"If I were walking down the street in DC - and I saw police and our National Guard - I'd wave hello - shake some hands if I could. Thank them."
Some here would throw a sandwich at them.
https://x.com/BigSteve207/status/1960717895614304416
not a local story,
It bears repeating, narciso:
“My favorite part about the Obama era is all the racial healing.”
—— Jon Gabriel
Achilles, thanks for proving my point again: you want this to be about me or about side tangents, when my critique is about rhetoric that normalizes authoritarian instincts. You dump Biden quotes, but those are partisan criticisms — not examples of authoritarian governing. You paste union allegations, but that’s a dispute about crime classification, not about threats against critics. And your “shut up” routine is just bluster. If you want to argue my actual point, address the difference between enforcing the law and cultivating a strongman posture. Everything else is just noise
Imagine hiring people to protect you from bad guys and instead they just tell you the bad guys all left town and crime is just a figment of your imagination.
What do they call that? It's a term I've been hearing a lot lately related to some old movie.
I still have scars from that iman
Who is the authoritarian, Robespierre or Napoleon? Batman or the Joker? Nations are societies that work to guide the irrational human creature into a stream that allows an optimal maximum of freedom of self while minimizing losses to others. We expect noise in the system. We expect crime. But a good and generous society provides sufficient counter effects to keep to a defined center course. Different nations can have different centerlines.
There is tremendous inertia. Like steering a great ship corrections to deviations from a set point of behavior can take a generation. We oscillate between the rights of criminals and victims. It’s a problem in control theory. Often victims have few rights. Often criminals have their hands cut off.
We have mostly eliminated the kin law. Our families don’t take vengeance for us to deter, we have secular law, society is supposed to deter in our stead. I hope society continues in this duty.
The evil doers are those that use response to crime for politics. To reward criminals who support them.
In short, there must be a defined centerpoint of law that is fixed. Politicians should not use their power to move the line of law without supermajority. Correction to enforcement should be based on society’s deviation from the norm.
After David Simon (former crime beat writer for local paper) said the Baltimore mayor in season 3 of the Wire was based on O'Malley, who went on to run for the D nomination for POTUS, who was never asked about juking the crime stats while running. Even in debating with other candidates. I concluded that they're ALL juking the crime stats. Maybe even some Rs too. If you want me to believe, you need to 'purple thumb' it. Release DAILY stats with receipts. For a few years. Then we can talk.
I know that my relative in a major California city has told me that to her certain knowledge from dealing with officers, the crime statistics there are juked.
Is no one going to point out that for this entire thread, Ronald Chuck Ward has gotten away with conflating "strongman" with "strong governance"?
But every time he's called on his excruciatingly obvious inference that "'Rogan is excusing strongman tactics' equals 'Trump is an authoritarian,'" he claims he's... wait for it... Just Asking Questions.
Well, not quite. He's Just Talking About Rhetoric. Words hurt, people!
The only countervailing force to juking the stats is a press that investigates such things and reveals the truth or falsity of what a police chief, mayor, or city council claims about the frequencies of different criminal acts. Of course, Democrats run almost 100% of the cities with populations above 200,000 people. Also, the "journalists" in these cities are 90%+ Democrats by open declaration, and the ratio is almost certainly higher the younger those in the profession are. Who is going hold the politicians feet to the fire on this? The voters could, I suppose, but they just elect a different Democrat.
Jamie, it is human nature to lie to make ones self look good. I go into this trusting no self-reported stats- I know the routine- if the numbers are bad when you take the job and you can't change budge values through work, then lie just a little to create a favorable trend- then lie a little bit more to keep the trend going. This works until you either can't hide the truth by lying or someone rats you out. Then you claim mistakes were made that you are now fixing (see Jake Tapper's book for an example outside of crime reporting).
"crime is down 30%."
But people are still getting robbed and murdered.
"CRIME IS DOWN 30%!!!!"
Leland, I realize I’m sounding like a broken record, but these strawmen aren’t changing what I’ve argued.
If they were strawmen, you’d burn them down. Instead, you didn’t engage in them. In fact, you continued your game of just saying what Trump is doing is authoritarian, without evidence or example, but what others have done just don’t matter.
You are not a broken record. Just a liar. People care about broken records, because they once were something pleasant.
Mrs. X: it remains a mystery in Georgia how Jimmah got elected president. When I was 21, I used to walk across the street to a bar called Manuel's, a Democrat watering hole for legislators and lobbyists. The Carter Center was a few blocks away. I didn't have a tv, so I went there to watch baseball games, especially the Braves and Mets. Nobody sat with him. Nobody acknowledged him, except some tourists and one hilarious (wealthy, of course) hard-core Marxist who tortured him verbally, and was very good at it. It was odd. Everyone hated him across the political spectrum. It would be like Hillary or Kamala won the presidency. Pissing people off was his super-power. I almost pitied him.
By the way, per rational orders, the National Guard is sticking to tourist sites so the city police can focus on high-crime areas, where they are familiar with the circumstances and blight. This is an A+ move. It frees up the cops familiar with crime-ridden areas to have more manpower in those areas while providing visitors to the city attractions a sense of safety, without disturbing the ecosystem of criminality.
Smart.
A contrarian view on Iraq.
1. The Congressional Authorization on Iraq listed 23 reasons for the war. 23 paragraphs in Part 1 starting with "Whereas..."
2. AP estimates 120,000 Iraqi deaths, perhaps 30,000 of those being insurgents.
3. From 2003 to 2009, Iraq population increased 15.1%. During this period, US population increased 5.7%. According to UN data reported in the World Almanac, the death rate and infant mortality rates improved, all during the war.
4. 16 years later Iraq is, according to Grok, one of the 4 democracies in the Middle East along with Israel,, Tunisia, and Lebanon. Sunni and Shia, Arabs and Kurds, living in peace.
5. Arguably, Iraq may be the best result by the US military since 1945, along with Grenada and Panama. Afghanistan and Vietnam ended as a loss, with 2 million civilian deaths each. Korea ended with a tie and 2 million civilian deaths.
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