A more balanced evaluation would put your comments in better perspective. The use of inflammatory adjectives suggests this is more of an emotional evaluation than a factual evaluation and a bitter response to the recent election results, That is understandable, as there is great passion displayed by many these days.
Dear Bret: To put this another way “you said it!” I’m also going to put this in Jazz terms for a moment (because it reaches all the way back to Africa and the evolution of human consciousness). Your description here of our dilemma in political America is as fresh as Bird, as pure as Monk, as timeless as Miles, and as liberating as Ornette Coleman.
Thank you so much for your truth about the state of America. It gives me hope!
Bret, you have a good heart and good intentions, but a profound misunderstanding of the current world we’re living in.
First of all, “right wing media” machine and talk radio were not the drivers of the MAGA movement. Long form podcasts and alternative online journalism on YouTube and Rumble are where people seek info now (unless you’re talking about old baby boomers).
Also, the law fare and general corruption of the judicial system is one of the issues that fueled the republican resurgence, and also the walk away movement (from the democrat party), by people who had traditionally been solid blue voters. So Merrick Garland is THE PROBLEM but not the whole problem, and certainly not because he didn’t do a good enough job.
As I’ve said before, as long as democrats can only focus on Trump hate, there will be no more wins any time soon. The party was utterly tone deaf to the REAL concerns of Americans, and for that matter their own party. That’s why they steamrolled Bernie and Biden, who actually were preferred by the rank and file, in favor of the coronated candidates that were picked by donors and the elite.
The majority of Americans also understand that limits on free speech, and increased censorship are the antithesis of democracy. Democrats (not everyone) seem to be all in on shutting people up, branding them with terms like racist/nazi, and/or locking them up because of their differing views. America voted a resounding NO to this in 2024. If the Democrat party fails to recognize this for what it is, again there will be no wins any time soon.
One other thing that seems to elude many democrats is that Trump has surrounded himself with a diverse group of advisers in his admin that includes democrats, women and people of color. This makes all the screaming about him being a racist and misogynist rather hollow, and it further reinforces the idea of “fake media”.
There are better sources of info out there, Bret. I encourage you to check out Jimmy Dore, Glenn Greenwald, Matt Taibbi, Max Blumenthal, Briana Joy Gray and a whole world of amazing alternative journalists who come from the left but are interested in real journalism and truth in media.
You are one of the democrats who invite respectful debate, and you do a great service to the causes you believe in by doing so. Your work in promoting and archiving jazz is vital for our music. Keep up the great work, and thank you.
I’ll have to check out, I never saw it. Greatly appreciate you taking the time to share your perspective. Your responses always trigger interesting dialogue.
"Remember, Trump suggested people should inject bleach. He backed away from that, but never admitted to his lethal mistake that caused many frantic calls to poison control centers. Would you work with somebody who never admitted to one of hundreds of mistakes he or she made?" --- Ralph Nader
Really good insight. As a more centrist conservative, I find the extremes at both sides totally horrific and a missed opportunity to put our country's resources to work for humanity as opposed to what you have aptly described.
Joe Rogan is an idiot. He basically says: "Well, maybe now the country can come together and agree to the other side's views." Yeah, fat chance of that!
Awesome. I would like to dedicate listening to John Coltrane in 2025. If you have suggestions that would be great! I think trying to start at the beginning and work my way through slowly might be good for me, I have tended to hunt and peck through his history. Maybe not gained as much as I could in terms of his genius and how it evolved.
"You can understand why Republicans do what they do. If your only source of news is the White House (Trump), Breitbart, Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, there's no reason to believe anything is happening with the climate, there's no reason to trust the scientists, they're all liars, if those media sources are your total intellectual universe, you don't think climate change is very serious, it's a plot carried out by George Soros or somebody to control you. That's all you hear." --- Noam Chomsky, MIT, University of Arizona.
"Some semantic hygiene is useful. There's really no conservatives in the United States. The people who are called conservative are radical statists for the most part. There are a few genuine conservatives, like classical liberals, but not many." --- Noam Chomsky, MIT, University of Arizona.
"There is little surprise in the victory of a billionaire TV star with substantial media backing, direct backing from the leading cable channel, Rupert Murdoch's Fox, and from highly influential right-wing talk radio, indirect but lavish backing from the rest of the major media, which was entranced by Trump's antics and the advertising revenue that poured in." --- Noam Chomsky, MIT, University of Arizona.
Oh, that is beautiful, Bret. That's what it is. I'm saving this. I can add this from Ralph Nader: "All the Republicans need to have to defeat the Democrats are the creeps like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Michael Savage. They have a massive soliloquy, day, after day, after day, with no rebuttal." Multiply that by 100 in the right-wing media ecosystem.
"The economy and political system has been rigged by Wall Street to benefit the wealthiest Americans in this country at the expense of everyone else." --- Bernie Sanders
The day after his acquittal by the Republican Party in a trial that banned witnesses, the unhinged Donald Trump gloated for over an hour on all the television networks. Trump flattered his courtiers, one by one. Oh, btw, you know where Wall Street is, being a New Yorker. lol.
Never give up hope. No doubt. Despite that during the last 12 out of 16 years we have been alive, there has been a democrat in the Whitehouse (and congress was split)... I love statistics.
Been listening to any good music lately, man? Be nice to spread some positive vibes for a change.
A more balanced evaluation would put your comments in better perspective. The use of inflammatory adjectives suggests this is more of an emotional evaluation than a factual evaluation and a bitter response to the recent election results, That is understandable, as there is great passion displayed by many these days.
Excellently put Bret. So glad Merrick Garland saved us from Hunter Biden though.
Rock on, Brett. Analysis is right on. Thanks for looking at the Big Picture.
Dear Bret: To put this another way “you said it!” I’m also going to put this in Jazz terms for a moment (because it reaches all the way back to Africa and the evolution of human consciousness). Your description here of our dilemma in political America is as fresh as Bird, as pure as Monk, as timeless as Miles, and as liberating as Ornette Coleman.
Thank you so much for your truth about the state of America. It gives me hope!
Thanks, it’s getting difficult to keep hope alive, but that flame still burns within.
In a year or less there will be a huge amount of buyer's remorse. My conscience is clear. I voted for Harris/Walz.
Bret, you have a good heart and good intentions, but a profound misunderstanding of the current world we’re living in.
First of all, “right wing media” machine and talk radio were not the drivers of the MAGA movement. Long form podcasts and alternative online journalism on YouTube and Rumble are where people seek info now (unless you’re talking about old baby boomers).
Also, the law fare and general corruption of the judicial system is one of the issues that fueled the republican resurgence, and also the walk away movement (from the democrat party), by people who had traditionally been solid blue voters. So Merrick Garland is THE PROBLEM but not the whole problem, and certainly not because he didn’t do a good enough job.
As I’ve said before, as long as democrats can only focus on Trump hate, there will be no more wins any time soon. The party was utterly tone deaf to the REAL concerns of Americans, and for that matter their own party. That’s why they steamrolled Bernie and Biden, who actually were preferred by the rank and file, in favor of the coronated candidates that were picked by donors and the elite.
The majority of Americans also understand that limits on free speech, and increased censorship are the antithesis of democracy. Democrats (not everyone) seem to be all in on shutting people up, branding them with terms like racist/nazi, and/or locking them up because of their differing views. America voted a resounding NO to this in 2024. If the Democrat party fails to recognize this for what it is, again there will be no wins any time soon.
One other thing that seems to elude many democrats is that Trump has surrounded himself with a diverse group of advisers in his admin that includes democrats, women and people of color. This makes all the screaming about him being a racist and misogynist rather hollow, and it further reinforces the idea of “fake media”.
There are better sources of info out there, Bret. I encourage you to check out Jimmy Dore, Glenn Greenwald, Matt Taibbi, Max Blumenthal, Briana Joy Gray and a whole world of amazing alternative journalists who come from the left but are interested in real journalism and truth in media.
You are one of the democrats who invite respectful debate, and you do a great service to the causes you believe in by doing so. Your work in promoting and archiving jazz is vital for our music. Keep up the great work, and thank you.
PS: it’s pretty clear that Dr Fauci is no hero. Watch Dallas Buyers Club. He’s been evil for decades.
I’ll have to check out, I never saw it. Greatly appreciate you taking the time to share your perspective. Your responses always trigger interesting dialogue.
"Remember, Trump suggested people should inject bleach. He backed away from that, but never admitted to his lethal mistake that caused many frantic calls to poison control centers. Would you work with somebody who never admitted to one of hundreds of mistakes he or she made?" --- Ralph Nader
Really good insight. As a more centrist conservative, I find the extremes at both sides totally horrific and a missed opportunity to put our country's resources to work for humanity as opposed to what you have aptly described.
Thanks for not keeping quiet!
Word.
Joe Rogan is an idiot. He basically says: "Well, maybe now the country can come together and agree to the other side's views." Yeah, fat chance of that!
Awesome. I would like to dedicate listening to John Coltrane in 2025. If you have suggestions that would be great! I think trying to start at the beginning and work my way through slowly might be good for me, I have tended to hunt and peck through his history. Maybe not gained as much as I could in terms of his genius and how it evolved.
"You can understand why Republicans do what they do. If your only source of news is the White House (Trump), Breitbart, Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, there's no reason to believe anything is happening with the climate, there's no reason to trust the scientists, they're all liars, if those media sources are your total intellectual universe, you don't think climate change is very serious, it's a plot carried out by George Soros or somebody to control you. That's all you hear." --- Noam Chomsky, MIT, University of Arizona.
"Some semantic hygiene is useful. There's really no conservatives in the United States. The people who are called conservative are radical statists for the most part. There are a few genuine conservatives, like classical liberals, but not many." --- Noam Chomsky, MIT, University of Arizona.
"There is little surprise in the victory of a billionaire TV star with substantial media backing, direct backing from the leading cable channel, Rupert Murdoch's Fox, and from highly influential right-wing talk radio, indirect but lavish backing from the rest of the major media, which was entranced by Trump's antics and the advertising revenue that poured in." --- Noam Chomsky, MIT, University of Arizona.
Oh, that is beautiful, Bret. That's what it is. I'm saving this. I can add this from Ralph Nader: "All the Republicans need to have to defeat the Democrats are the creeps like Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, and Michael Savage. They have a massive soliloquy, day, after day, after day, with no rebuttal." Multiply that by 100 in the right-wing media ecosystem.
"The economy and political system has been rigged by Wall Street to benefit the wealthiest Americans in this country at the expense of everyone else." --- Bernie Sanders
The day after his acquittal by the Republican Party in a trial that banned witnesses, the unhinged Donald Trump gloated for over an hour on all the television networks. Trump flattered his courtiers, one by one. Oh, btw, you know where Wall Street is, being a New Yorker. lol.
Never give up hope. No doubt. Despite that during the last 12 out of 16 years we have been alive, there has been a democrat in the Whitehouse (and congress was split)... I love statistics.
Been listening to any good music lately, man? Be nice to spread some positive vibes for a change.
I've got some music only posts coming hope which I hope you'll enjoy.
As always, provocative thoughts for us to absorb and figure out how we can find hope and peace.