The inability to see what is right in front of us

1. 87

   My Esotericposted 7 days ago

   I asked Google to find this "Fox news - Trump won't use contingency funds to feed Americans"
   
   Not surprisingly, it returned crickets.
   
   https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/24/politics … ember-snap

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2. 76

   GoldenRod LMposted 7 days ago

   I think this may tangentially apply. So much evidence here that I cannot list it all.
   https://www.thepricer.org/how-much-does … vice-cost/

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3. 60

   Willowarborposted 6 days ago

   Does it  shock anyone  to learn that the people who talked for years about Hunter Biden have nothing to say about the rampant self-dealing of the Trump sons, Jared Kushner, and of course Trump himself...which is at a scale so incomprehensible and brazen it apparently warrants no notice?

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   1. 84

      Sharlee01posted 6 days agoin reply to this

      There are many differences in what Hunter Biden has been accused of, and making the point would require attacking his character, which I’m not willing to do. That said, when I look at Jared Kushner and Trump’s children, I see people with far more character and integrity than Hunter. Thus far, I’ve read nothing untoward about how they conduct business, nor have they been charged with anything. You seem to always be ready to accuse people without any real evidence of a crime.

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      1. 60

         Willowarborposted 6 days agoin reply to this

         Oh I see, because Trump's spawn and Jared kushner appear to have some sort of superior character means the grift is a-ok?  Got it ...lol we're supposed to believe Don Jr got a lucrative pentagon contract all on his own huh?  I'd say that he is worthy of an investigation.... Using the same exact grounds as Comer / Jordan rolled out for Hunter..."influence peddling schemes to financially benefit the Biden family"  Folks would have to have their heads pretty deep in the sand to not suspect influence pedaling by the Trump crew...

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4. 60

   Willowarborposted 6 days ago

   The White House is a 24/7 pay-to-play enterprise.
   
   The latest? Trump is pardoning Changpeng Zhao, who built a company that allowed terrorists and sex predators to launder money.
   
   Why? Because Zhao made a huge investment in Trump's corrupt crypto business.
   
   Pay-to-play..... This is the most corrupt Administration in history

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   1. 84

      Sharlee01posted 6 days agoin reply to this

      "The White House is a 24/7 pay-to-play enterprise.
      
      The latest? Trump is pardoning Changpeng Zhao, who built a company that allowed terrorists and sex predators to launder money.
      
      Why? Because Zhao made a huge investment in Trump's corrupt crypto business.
      
      Pay-to-play..... This is the most corrupt Administration in history" Willow
      
      
      Where is your evidence?  Is there any reaction from Congress to your concerns? Is there any current investigation into your accusations?   I see your post is thus far misinformation.

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      1. 79

         Readmikenowposted 6 days agoin reply to this

         Might want to consider some facts. 
         
         From the BBC
         
         Trump pardons Binance founder Changpeng Zhao
         
         White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called Zhao's prosecution under the Biden administration part of a "war on cryptocurrency", pushing back on critics who said the pardon appeared motivated by Trump's personal financial interests.
         
         "This was an overly prosecuted case by the Biden administration," she said, adding that the case had been "thoroughly reviewed". "So the president wants to correct this overreach of the Biden administration's misjustice and he exercised his constitutional authority to do so."
         
         Binance had spent nearly a year pursuing a pardon for its former boss, who completed his four-month prison sentence in September 2024, the WSJ reported on Thursday.
         
         https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly1qrl9l1qo

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   2. 72

      Ken Burgessposted 6 days agoin reply to this

      Yes it is... that is how it has operated for decades (or longer)... 1913 is where it began... Woodrow Wilson was the single biggest traitor to the American people and the Nation that there ever was, he sold us out and there hasn't been much anyone has been able to do about it since.
      
      You need a different perspective to what is going on in our government and the world... you rely on the garbage our media shovels...
      
      Trump Goes West, Leaving the Modern British Empire to WRECK Itself
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVytAb_S0ug
      
      There you go, what a different take on things, aye?

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   3. 68

      IslandBitesposted 6 days agoin reply to this

      This should be a big scandal. But half the population is sheeple, the other half is numb.
      
      In less than a year, he more than double his net worth. The whole family is making money.
      
      Corruption in plain sight...

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      1. 72

         Ken Burgessposted 6 days agoin reply to this

         The corruption has been in plain sight long before the Trump family.
         
         The Clinton's were destitute...and now they are worth what?
         
         Obama was worth nothing and now he is worth what?
         
         They own what properties where?
         
         Their 'non-profits' have how many millions?
         
         No one on the Left dare say much because they all sold out long before Trump came along.

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         1. 79

            Readmikenowposted 5 days agoin reply to this

            Ken,
            
            Let us not forget Nancy Pelosi and the tens of millions she has accumulated over the years on a Congresswoman's salary.
            
            Wonder how the wealth of Maxine Waters occurred?
            
            These are but a few examples.
            
            These people have been extremely corrupt for decades.  Using their political positions for personal gains.  It's always been part of being a democrat.

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         2. 60

            Willowarborposted 5 days agoin reply to this

            Why are you ignoring Trump's corruption??

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            1. 84

               Sharlee01posted 5 days agoin reply to this

               What corruption?  One-liners give little idea of what one refers to.

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            2. 72

               Ken Burgessposted 5 days agoin reply to this

               Bill and Hillary Clinton's Combined Net Worth
               Based on the most recent reliable estimates from financial outlets and disclosures (as of mid-2025):
               
               Estimated combined net worth: $120 million.
               This figure is consistently cited by sources like Celebrity Net Worth, Finance Monthly, and The Tradable, factoring in post-presidency earnings.
               
               In addition:
               The Clinton Foundation's Assets (Non-Profit)
               Total assets (as of December 31, 2023, latest audited filing): Not explicitly stated in public summaries, but net assets (after liabilities) were ~$200–250 million based on prior IRS Form 990 data and reports.
               
               Bill Clinton left the Oval Office on January 20, 2001
               
               Estimated combined net worth: Negative $2–16 million (effectively "dead broke," as Hillary described).
               
               Key factors:
               Legal debts: The Clintons faced $2–16 million in legal fees from scandals like Whitewater, Monica Lewinsky, and related investigations. Estimates vary due to partial settlements and attorney billing disputes (e.g., $8.5 million cited by The New York Times, up to $16 million by other reports).
               
               Pretty good... the Clinton's went from -$16 million in the hole to worth (combined with their Non-Profit) well over $300 million.
               
               If I were to do the same for Obama the figures would be similar.
               
               There is your answer.

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               1. 87

                  My Esotericposted 3 days agoin reply to this

                  She asked "why are you ignoring Trump's corruption" and not how much other people are worth.

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         3. 87

            My Esotericposted 5 days agoin reply to this

            Once again, wild, baseless accusations with no proof. You make a great propagandist.

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            1. 72

               Ken Burgessposted 5 days agoin reply to this

               Here is some propaganda for you:
               
               Man Disguises Self As Illegal To Get Free Healthcare
               https://x.com/TheBabylonBee/status/1982937977430126663

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5. 60

   Willowarborposted 6 days ago

   This is a hatch act violation... Tell me more about the rule of law lol...
   
   

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   1. 79

      Readmikenowposted 6 days agoin reply to this

      You might want to ask someone well-versed in the law to explain how the Hatch works.  I don't think you understand.

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      1. 60

         Willowarborposted 6 days agoin reply to this

         So you claim I don't understand huh?
         
         And how do you come up with that assumption?   You have absolutely no idea what my profession is...

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6. 60

   Willowarborposted 6 days ago

   At this point, Americans are suffering and quite frankly sick of hearing pompous ass, out of touch Republicans tell them that they're okay...
   https://x.com/SpencerHakimian/status/19 … 2451511707
   
   Bessent the billionaire should be kept hidden...he is one of the worst optics in this regime and that's saying a lot.

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7. 60

   Willowarborposted 6 days ago

   Why on Earth would they let this man go on the morning shows LOL he is flailing and stammering...
   
   https://x.com/atrupar/status/1982452664706175335

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   1. 79

      Readmikenowposted 6 days agoin reply to this

      He is just stunned by how stupid and ridiculous her questions are.  She has no idea what she is talking about and is conflating.  We've come to not be surprised by the games played by the left wing media.
      
      There IS no reason for President Donald Trump to be involved.  This is an issue for the leaders of the house to address.

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      1. 60

         Willowarborposted 6 days agoin reply to this

         What do you mean she doesn't know what she's talking about? She asks him very simple, point blank, straightforward questions and he stammers and stumbles....

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         1. 79

            Readmikenowposted 6 days agoin reply to this

            He is just stunned by how stupid and ridiculous her questions are.

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            1. 87

               My Esotericposted 5 days agoin reply to this

               OMG!

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8. 84

   Sharlee01posted 6 days ago

   Millions Could Lose Food Aid if Government Shutdown Continues
   
   "The bill has failed 12 times so far, as Democrats demand any spending package include extensions of Obamacare subsidies and the repeal of certain Medicaid cuts from earlier this year’s legislation."
   
   Millions of Americans who rely on federal food programs could be facing disruptions as the government shutdown drags on. Around 42 million people who use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) could see their benefits stop by November 1, when the program’s current funding is expected to run out, according to a USDA memo obtained by news outlets.
   
   More than two dozen states have already warned residents about possible interruptions in aid. Virginia’s Governor Glenn Youngkin even declared a state of emergency over SNAP benefits on Thursday.
   
   Rev. Eugene Cho, president of the hunger advocacy group Bread for the World, explained that the impact will vary from state to state. “It takes about $8 billion a month to fund SNAP nationwide. When that funding stops, it doesn’t just affect a few areas; it affects people across the country,” Cho said. “States each handle SNAP a little differently, so the effect is uneven depending on the state.”
   
   The shutdown is also putting pressure on the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program, which serves nearly 7 million vulnerable women and children under five.
   
   Politically, the shutdown could spell trouble for Democrats, who have been resisting Republicans’ federal funding proposals for more than a month, demanding concessions on healthcare before agreeing to reopen the government.
   
   A USDA spokesperson warned, “We’re approaching a critical point. Senate Democrats need to decide whether to continue holding out for expanded healthcare for immigrants or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable can get WIC and SNAP benefits on time.”
   
   While the House passed a seven-week extension of FY2025 funding back in September, progress has stalled in the Senate. The bill has FAILED 12 TIMES so far, as Democrats demand that any spending package include extensions of Obamacare subsidies and the repeal of certain Medicaid cuts from earlier this year’s legislation.
   
   Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., chair of the House Agriculture Committee, criticized Democrats: “Millions of families are about to lose access to food assistance because Democrats refuse to reopen the government, seemingly out of fear of their far-left base. We need to put Americans first, making sure families can eat and farmers are supported.”
   
   The Trump administration does have some short-term OPTIONS. Earlier this month, it reallocated $300 million from TARIFF REVENUES to support WIC and moved Pentagon R&D funds to cover military paychecks. But these measures only provide temporary relief. The USDA’s SNAP contingency fund, with about $5 billion available, is not enough to cover an entire month of benefits.

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9. 60

   Willowarborposted 6 days ago

   I am really tired of the personal insults and attacks from right wingers on this forum...

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10. 60

    Willowarborposted 6 days ago

    "Zhao, pardoned by Trump,  invested in a crypto venture linked to the Trump family.  Specifically, an investment fund backed by the UAE used a stablecoin created by the Trump family's World Liberty Financial to purchase a stake in Binance, with Binance quietly administering the stablecoin's blockchain. This deal generated significant paper wealth for the Trump family's venture....
    
    Oh sure.. nothing to see here... Trumpsters, you'd be better off just saying you don't give a shit rather than trying to defend this garbage...
    
    https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/crypto/bin … rcna239371

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    1. 79

       Readmikenowposted 6 days agoin reply to this

       Nothing unless you want to discuss the corruption of the biden administration.
       
       From your article.
       
       "President Trump exercised his constitutional authority by issuing a pardon for Mr. Zhao, who was prosecuted by the Biden Administration in their war on cryptocurrency," Leavitt said. "In their desire to punish the cryptocurrency industry, the Biden Administration pursued Mr. Zhao despite no allegations of fraud or identifiable victims."

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       1. 60

          Willowarborposted 5 days agoin reply to this

          Like I said, Maga folks are better off saying they don't give a shit than trying to defend what is clearly out in the open... Americans aren't that stupid.  Maga looks really foolish continually flip-flopping all over the place on issues... Well let me clarify, trumpers look foolish.   Maga has some sort of ideology as misguided as it is but Trump is on the other hand have nothing but slavish blind loyalty to Mango Mussolini.

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          1. 84

             Sharlee01posted 5 days agoin reply to this

             What is in the " out in the open"?  Trump has been doing the work that he was sent to do.  He works daily on numerous issues, making it hard to keep up.  Your posts are very vague.

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       2. 87

          My Esotericposted 5 days agoin reply to this

          The corruption is that Trump will benefit financially from pardoning Zhao. Everybody knows that.
          
          We also know that Leavitt has a habit of lying whenever she can to protect or deflect for Trump. in this case, it is lying by omission. While there were no criminal allegations of fraud, there were civil ones. While he wasn't found guilty of fraud, he WAS found guilty of violating the Bank Secrecy Act. While we might not know the names of the people killed by the terrorists he helped fund, clearly people have been hurt.
          
          Zhao was a corrupt individual who was pardoned by a corrupt president who is sucking the life's blood out of America.

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    2. 68

       IslandBitesposted 2 days agoin reply to this

       Yup.
       
       READ
       
       Binance Boosted Trump Family’s Crypto Company Ahead of Pardon for Its Billionaire Founder
       Giant crypto exchange facilitated $2 billion purchase of World Liberty’s stablecoin and built its technology

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11. 87

    My Esotericposted 3 days ago

    I relearned a word last night while reading a book that explains why people are so drawn into the fantasy worlds of people like Hitler, Stalin, Putin, and Trump - its tile is Politics, Lies, and Conspiracy Theories: A Cognitive Linguistic Perspective. That word in "mendacious" - the condition of being untruthful.
    
    That fits this report to a "T".
    
    "An investigation into FEMA didn’t fit Trump’s narrative. His DHS ordered a new probe that did"
    
    https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/29/politics … probe-noem

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12. 87

    My Esotericposted 39 hours ago

    This is where Trump, the enemy of the People, has taken us - The head of the FBI, a Trump lapdog, writes that the FBI stopped a Halloween terrorist attack. His lack of creditability has gotten SO BAD, that I need to wait for corroboration to see if he is telling the truth or lying again.
    
    https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/31/us/michi … verted-fbi

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    1. 84

       Sharlee01posted 38 hours agoin reply to this

       "This is where Trump, the enemy of the People, has taken us - The head of the FBI, a Trump lapdog, writes that the FBI stopped a Halloween terrorist attack. His lack of creditability has gotten SO BAD, that I need to wait for corroboration to see if he is telling the truth or lying again." ECO
       
       I'm not sure what you mean. Are you upset that a terror plot was foiled? I live in Michigan, and our news, as well as AP, is reporting that the group has ties to ISIS and Al-Qaida.  Lying?   Why post a comment such as this before you know anything? The raid just took place this morning. 
       
       AP   https://apnews.com/article/michigan-hal … 1dfad72535

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       1. 87

          My Esotericposted 33 hours agoin reply to this

          No, I am upset that because of his past history of lying I can't count on the Director of the FBI to tell the truth. Before I believe it, I need corroborating evidence.

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          1. 87

             My Esotericposted 29 hours agoin reply to this

             I just checked, there is still no independent sources that corroborate Patel's story that this was an ISIS inspired terrorist plot being carried out by 16 tp 20 year olds.

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             1. 81

                wildernessposted 29 hours agoin reply to this

                Which independent source would you wish to ask?  The Tampa Fl. PD?  Bend Or. high school resource officer?  Security at the Paducah Ky. college?
                
                The FBI makes an arrest of an ISIS inspired goup plotting a Halloween outburst and you immediately demand an independent corroboration.  I really do believe you have more sense...making me wonder why you would post such a foolish comment.

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                1. 87

                   My Esotericposted 27 hours agoin reply to this

                   My skepticism is based on having observed who Patel acts. If this were Wray or Comey, I would take it as truth. But Patel does not have their integrity and moral fiber.
                   
                   So, how do you know they aren't lying about that or at least exaggerating to look good. Patel has done it before, so why not now?
                   
                   It very well may be true and we have a 16 year-old terrorist out there, but until there is other evidence, I will take it with the grain of salt it deserves.

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       2. 72

          Ken Burgessposted 32 hours agoin reply to this

          Its pretty simple once you understand today's Democrats have nothing in common with your Parent's Democrats.
          
          The Democratic Party is made up of Marxist Feminists, Open Border Globalists, those in support of the Islamic faith... the Hope and Change promised long ago by Obama coming to fruition.
          
          The Democrat Party is anti-Nationalist, anti-Citizenship, anti-Property-Rights, anti-1st and 2nd Amendment... it is the Down with America Party.

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          1. 87

             My Esotericposted 29 hours agoin reply to this

             To understand how such a preposterous view spreads online, read Politics, Lies, and Conspiracy Theories: A Cognitive Linguistic Perspective. That short book shows how repetition of identity-coded slogans, us-vs-them, and moral framing such as what Trump is famous for, can and does condition susceptible audiences to accept this stuff as plausible and treat partisan slogans as facts.

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          2. 84

             Sharlee01posted 29 hours agoin reply to this

             Ken,  you’ve summed up the transformation of the Democratic Party very well. What once stood for the working man and middle-class values has evolved into a movement driven by global ideology and identity politics. I’d only add that many of today’s Democrats seem to view government as the solution to every problem, no matter how personal or local, which strips away individual accountability and freedom. They’ve replaced patriotism with shame, hard work with dependency, and free thought with conformity.
             
             And to make matters worse, they thrive on stirring up controversy and feeding nonsensical conspiracies to attempt to keep people distracted and divided. Instead of focusing on real issues like the economy, border security, and national strength, they amplify outrage and drama, anything to keep Americans at odds with each other.

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             1. 87

                My Esotericposted 27 hours agoin reply to this

                You mean non-sensical conspiracies like Trump's Deep State or Trump's big lie about the 2020 election being rigged or Obama wiretapped Trump Tower or Climate change is a hoax invented by the Chinese or, this is a really good one, windmills cause cancer.
                
                I listed a few from the Right-wing, which conspiracies from the left might you be referring to?

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                1. 72

                   Ken Burgessposted 23 hours agoin reply to this

                   I am going to offer you this absolutely magnificent discussion to watch...
                   
                   For the past half decade or more, conservative intellectuals have tried to answer the question: Where did woke come from?
                   
                   Some believe it is rebranded cultural Marxism. Others say it came from academia with the postmodern rejection of objective truth ultimately leading to the weaponization of culture. Maybe it came from the global corporations because woke is the ideology of the new managerial elite in late-stage neo-liberalism.
                   
                   But perhaps “woke” and its offspring like “cancel culture” came from something called “The Great Feminization.”
                   
                   Helen Andrews, author of “Boomers: The Men and Women Who Promised Freedom and Delivered Disaster,” recently wrote an essay called “The Great Feminization,” a term borrowed from the pseudonymous online writer J Stone, that explains how “woke” is “an epiphenomenon of demographic feminization.”
                   
                   “We had a big fight called feminism in the 1970s over whether or not we thought women could be lawyers. And we decided that they could, and that's great,” Andrews explained. “But it took a long time to go from token representation of the kind that was achieved in the heyday of second wave feminism to what we have now.”
                   
                   [For my part, I have explained in the past my perspectives on Marxist Feminism, and it being at the core of what we have seen transpire the last decade+ ... the explosion into all things Woke didn't manifest until the Biden Administration, and was likely much to do with what began in earnest during the Obama Admin]:
                   
                   There's a Revolution Happening You've Never Heard Of. It's Called "The Great Feminization"
                   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6DAKy9jjzc

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13. 87

    My Esotericposted 38 hours ago

    The Democrats are in a bind - they have no obvious leader at the moment. Normally, that person would be the next nominee for President, but that is a long way off and they need a leader NOW.
    
    Biden clearly is not that person anymore and the two leading contenders for the nomination, Newsom and Pritzker, aren't in a position to really assert themselves, I think, as apparently he is beginning to, that former President Obama (and an equally gifted orator, Michelle) needs to step up and fill the void.
    
    It would really be great to see them criss-cross the country holding rallies and making stark what REAL leadership is.
    
    https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/31/politics … nald-trump

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14. 87

    My Esotericposted 34 hours ago

    This is Trump, the enemy of the People, in action destroying the White House as he is America. Very SAD.
    
    

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