Don't click on the "CC" there is a icon that looks like a page to the left. If your mouse is off the screen for a while the shite line will disappear. move your mouse over the video part and it will reappear.
Agree -but if you just read the transcript you would miss out on Norm saying "this execrescence by any name". That alone made it worth watching the video!
*Please* provide transcripts. I don't care whether or not the transcripts have perfect grammar or spelling or punctuation--I can read past all that, and reading fir me is *much* faster than listening. Thanks so much, and I'm so glad you're putting out The Contrarian.
Also, thank you for NOT putting these conversations on the Substack app. The screen on my cell phone is too small to watch and I can never find them in time anyway!
Please take his shenanigans seriously. He has the wealthiest man on earth on his side. He has a fervent religious group on his side. He has billionaire tech moguls on his side. He won the election. He effectively stalled the courts and most of his legal complications are behind him.
Maybe I’m wrong but he seems smarter and more effective than anyone else.
Hard to say. Makes me ill. But looks that way to me.
He is not smart. No way. He can't complete a sentence. He harps on things like Hannibal Lecter, giant valves feeding water to California, raking forest floors, injecting or ingesting bleach to cure COVID, etc., etc. -- this does not reflect a particularly high level of intelligence. However, he does have "strategic" and "clever" minions (e.g., the Project 2025 crowd and Stephen Miller) who have his ear. "Effective"... we'll see. He did manage to get elected again as a convicted felon. So there is that...
I totally agree re Trump’s overall lack of intelligence. However, he is very instinctive and clever in how he manipulates people while being “charming” and intimidating. He is like a cobra, weaving here and there, mesmerizing some, allowing others to swoop in
Yes, and there is no way he wrote a word of those Executive Actions he signed. They were prepared by people far more intelligent than 45 (he will always be that for me and I do not say his name, nor will I call him 47--that's just me).
How long did it take you to realize Biden wasn't completely there mentally? I tried to ignore for the first two years but it became harder as time wore on.
You described him and his actions to the point. Thank you. He has found ways to study a focused area of his strongest desire and how to use people, while unknowingly being used by them. Using people and studying a particular area or getting people to create 2025 is not a mark of intelligence, but his actions are a great danger to many people. I still question various aspects of yhstvrkection. Based on actions he has taken already,,I believe there are several reasons he could be put out of office already.
He rules by fear. Intimidation and fear. That is what kept him from being convicted in his first impeachment. Republican Senators who hated him voted to not convict because they feared retaliation. Not only non-violent retaliation by the Trump administration in various ways, but in violent ways by unhinged members of Trump’s base, which deadly force Trump does nothing to discourage.
Mitt Romney, who can afford to pay $5,000 a day for protection from Trump’s addled thugs, said most senators can’t afford that, and so vote whatever way Trump wants. We see that in the hearings for Trump nominees. Advice and consent has been perverted. Crackpots and persons with severe mental health problems and demonstrated bad judgment are sailing through, because senators fear retribution from Trump if they vote the way they know they should. There seems to be a severe lack of leadership in the GOP Senate. They could have been rid of this unqualified person in January 2020, and saved tens of thousands of Covid deaths as well.
Not only is Trump stupid and ignorant, but apparently his minions are also handicapped in the same way. One of his puzzling "executive orders" levied a 100% tariff on Spain. What did Spain ever do to us? Well, the order said it was because Spain is a member of BRICS. But it isn't. BRICS stands for "Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (and 5 other nations), none of which is Spain (which is a member of the EU). Maybe the"S" fooled" them, but they could have picked Sweden, Swaziland, Sudan, etc. which also start with the letter "S" but are also not part of BRICS. What about the other countries that are members of BRICS (like Russia, China, and India) which he did not put any tariffs on? Clearly our government has passed through the Looking Glass.
Hitler wasn't smart, nor was Mussolini. Intelligence is not required to become a successful despot. Ruthlessness against opposition, a cadre of followers who fear you as much as they identify with your lust for power (a sort of identification with the aggressor) and a certain charisma are required. Ignorance and intelligence are irrelevant as most of the population are ignorant if intelligent and are frightened enough to want a savior to make "sense." of it all. The lesson a minority of us learn is that truth is neither pure nor simple but the comfort of purely or simply stated "truth." is addictive for most of us.
He has been successful by: 1] pandering to the ideologues-- e.g. White Nationalist Christians 2] intimidating weak politicians and cowardly media outlets 3] bribing gluttonous members of the billionaires club. It's nauseating. For him, it's about staying out of jail, making more money, and winning the Nobel Peace prize-- I'm not kidding about that last point.
I’m sure Trump thinks ending the Ukraine/Russia war will win him the Peace Prize. It must really gall Trump that the cowardly MAGAs couldn’t figure out a way to impeach Biden. As Nancy Pelosi said, Trump “will always be impeached.”
I so very much agree with this. He has everything in his control - the very DOJ that would have to hold him to the rule of law and these are headed by his "yes" men with no legal backgrounds.
He certainly has studied intensely as to how to fulfill his goals, such as they are, aunt has had four years to examine every aspect of our society to line up support he wants and needs, whether or not it is legal. We still must find ways to counteract what is wrong and to save our country.
I don’t think Trump is smart enough to have studied anything. However, the Heritage Foundation and others have done the footwork and supplied the “legal” means to do the unthinkable to our country. I used to think that at least Pence as VP could take over if Trump died, etc. and do the *mostly* right thing for America. I suffer no illusions about Vance.
As an annual subscriber to your totally new source for insightful analysis, let me just say that I have such a strong preference for WRITTEN pieces over videos. Just some input as you design your service…
"Dictatorial Decree" -- perfect. ChatGPT (for what it's worth) says "Such decrees are often viewed as a hallmark of oppressive regimes and are criticized for undermining democratic principles and the rule of law." Sounds about right.
He wants it to sound final and to claim it as all his own so nobody will question it, and this is only the beginning. Let’s hang onto our hats and think sharply!
Definitely, we love it. Although I do love to read, your videos are blessings because vision seems to be changing. Also, I feel like I’m included in the visit, and I appreciate you making me feel that way. Thank you. Redponding is also a challenge due to vision, but this is so important! Thank you!
OY. That’s it for me now. I’m exhausted just listening. My father and his peers all worked for the US government. This was in the 1950,1960,1970,and into the early 1980s. I grew up in DC and Silver Spring, MD (way before the beltway and the metro). Many of my friends went on to work for the government. What Trump is doing is against the rule of law.
Please, take Norm's advice seriously, push back on any legal way possible from day one. We have to secure the midterm election and the next presidential election and I don't mean secure in the sense of winning only but also secure that the elections are going to happen. That's the state of our country. Very sorry.
The Contrarian has to be the best news of an otherwise dismal week, huh? Jen & Norm, you are providing a wonderful service for those of us who still believe strongly in democracy. And, I gotta tell you, I'm a plugged-in observer of the body politic and the machinations of government, but I am learning things at The Contrarian and I am extremely grateful for the boost in my education at this late stage of my life!
Now that Trump has, in no uncertain and very clear terms, given aide and comfort to convicted insurrectionists, is there now a means to remove him since having done so disqualifies as being viable to even run for the office?
Nothing that felon 34 would do from now on it's going to be illegal or criminal as per the corrupt SCOTUS. Invest your time in battles we can winn or supporting others people battles.
For environmental advocacy, the Center for Biological Diversity is experienced in these lawsuits and is already pushing back on the 2025 destruction of our ecosystems. https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/
I'm so glad you started The Contrarian and quit Bezos' propaganda outlet. I've always appreciated your insights and analysis and now it's a necessity. Keep up the great work!
Is there any way you or your contributors can light a fire in the bellies of our Dem Senators and representatives? I'm tired of looking at their pathetic faces. That was a close, very close election. It wasn't like there was some massive defeat. Every time I write to my congresswoman, she always writes back about how proud she is of her work "across the aisle" .
Dear Jen and Norm, I really don't have the time to watch videos. Can you provide transcripts. I am quite interested in your thoughts.
Ditto and I just prefer reading anyway.
There is a transcript. There's a little icon next to the CC icon on the bottom of the screen.
Thanks for pointing that out. I do think that something that opens in its own screen and has better foreground/background distinction would be ideal.
My screen doesn't have this little icon, alas.
I found it by hovering over the bottom right side of the screen. It's on a line that pops into view.
Going to Full Screen may help too.
I am not seeing the icon…please help!
Is your icon line at the bottom hidden? On auto pop up? It's on the same line as the Play/Pause icons.
My pause and play are embedded in play screen-hard to explain-no icon line at bottom. I will play with it. Thanks so much for trying to help!
That just gave me closed captions and not a full transcript to read
Don't click on the "CC" there is a icon that looks like a page to the left. If your mouse is off the screen for a while the shite line will disappear. move your mouse over the video part and it will reappear.
Thanks!
And on my screen, there is a Read in App… which when I click just takes me back to the video. OK, I’ll try clicking around.
OMG, I also wish for the text. Ok, I’ll start clicking around…
transcripts would be awesome
There is a transcript. There's a little icon next to the CC icon on the bottom of the screen.
Agree -but if you just read the transcript you would miss out on Norm saying "this execrescence by any name". That alone made it worth watching the video!
*Please* provide transcripts. I don't care whether or not the transcripts have perfect grammar or spelling or punctuation--I can read past all that, and reading fir me is *much* faster than listening. Thanks so much, and I'm so glad you're putting out The Contrarian.
There is a transcript. There's a little icon next to the CC (Close Captioned) icon on the bottom of the screen.
Thank you so much, Glenna!
Also, thank you for NOT putting these conversations on the Substack app. The screen on my cell phone is too small to watch and I can never find them in time anyway!
Please take his shenanigans seriously. He has the wealthiest man on earth on his side. He has a fervent religious group on his side. He has billionaire tech moguls on his side. He won the election. He effectively stalled the courts and most of his legal complications are behind him.
Maybe I’m wrong but he seems smarter and more effective than anyone else.
Hard to say. Makes me ill. But looks that way to me.
He is not smart. No way. He can't complete a sentence. He harps on things like Hannibal Lecter, giant valves feeding water to California, raking forest floors, injecting or ingesting bleach to cure COVID, etc., etc. -- this does not reflect a particularly high level of intelligence. However, he does have "strategic" and "clever" minions (e.g., the Project 2025 crowd and Stephen Miller) who have his ear. "Effective"... we'll see. He did manage to get elected again as a convicted felon. So there is that...
I totally agree re Trump’s overall lack of intelligence. However, he is very instinctive and clever in how he manipulates people while being “charming” and intimidating. He is like a cobra, weaving here and there, mesmerizing some, allowing others to swoop in
Yes, and there is no way he wrote a word of those Executive Actions he signed. They were prepared by people far more intelligent than 45 (he will always be that for me and I do not say his name, nor will I call him 47--that's just me).
That might be true. Same regarding Biden. His senility started getting the best of him.
Yeah, let’s talk about President Biden while a horse runs loose in a hospital
How long did it take you to realize Biden wasn't completely there mentally? I tried to ignore for the first two years but it became harder as time wore on.
How that horse managed to beat the GOAT Kamala is a mystery to me. Do you think Musk used his satellites to switch the votes?
Hear! Hear!
You described him and his actions to the point. Thank you. He has found ways to study a focused area of his strongest desire and how to use people, while unknowingly being used by them. Using people and studying a particular area or getting people to create 2025 is not a mark of intelligence, but his actions are a great danger to many people. I still question various aspects of yhstvrkection. Based on actions he has taken already,,I believe there are several reasons he could be put out of office already.
Yes, but somehow he managed to outsmart our smartest minds...
He uses the oldest trick in the book, deception. Look over there! not what we're doing over here, nothing to see hear! Voter suppression!!
Yep, oldest trick in the book and they were dumb enough to fall for it. Imagine that.
He rules by fear. Intimidation and fear. That is what kept him from being convicted in his first impeachment. Republican Senators who hated him voted to not convict because they feared retaliation. Not only non-violent retaliation by the Trump administration in various ways, but in violent ways by unhinged members of Trump’s base, which deadly force Trump does nothing to discourage.
Mitt Romney, who can afford to pay $5,000 a day for protection from Trump’s addled thugs, said most senators can’t afford that, and so vote whatever way Trump wants. We see that in the hearings for Trump nominees. Advice and consent has been perverted. Crackpots and persons with severe mental health problems and demonstrated bad judgment are sailing through, because senators fear retribution from Trump if they vote the way they know they should. There seems to be a severe lack of leadership in the GOP Senate. They could have been rid of this unqualified person in January 2020, and saved tens of thousands of Covid deaths as well.
I agree.
The last poor senator who Trump knocked off knows this to be true.
Not only is Trump stupid and ignorant, but apparently his minions are also handicapped in the same way. One of his puzzling "executive orders" levied a 100% tariff on Spain. What did Spain ever do to us? Well, the order said it was because Spain is a member of BRICS. But it isn't. BRICS stands for "Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (and 5 other nations), none of which is Spain (which is a member of the EU). Maybe the"S" fooled" them, but they could have picked Sweden, Swaziland, Sudan, etc. which also start with the letter "S" but are also not part of BRICS. What about the other countries that are members of BRICS (like Russia, China, and India) which he did not put any tariffs on? Clearly our government has passed through the Looking Glass.
Hitler wasn't smart, nor was Mussolini. Intelligence is not required to become a successful despot. Ruthlessness against opposition, a cadre of followers who fear you as much as they identify with your lust for power (a sort of identification with the aggressor) and a certain charisma are required. Ignorance and intelligence are irrelevant as most of the population are ignorant if intelligent and are frightened enough to want a savior to make "sense." of it all. The lesson a minority of us learn is that truth is neither pure nor simple but the comfort of purely or simply stated "truth." is addictive for most of us.
He has been successful by: 1] pandering to the ideologues-- e.g. White Nationalist Christians 2] intimidating weak politicians and cowardly media outlets 3] bribing gluttonous members of the billionaires club. It's nauseating. For him, it's about staying out of jail, making more money, and winning the Nobel Peace prize-- I'm not kidding about that last point.
I’m sure Trump thinks ending the Ukraine/Russia war will win him the Peace Prize. It must really gall Trump that the cowardly MAGAs couldn’t figure out a way to impeach Biden. As Nancy Pelosi said, Trump “will always be impeached.”
I know! He and Bill Clinton. What a club.
The difference is for what each was impeached.
I so very much agree with this. He has everything in his control - the very DOJ that would have to hold him to the rule of law and these are headed by his "yes" men with no legal backgrounds.
Unfortunately Julia, I have to agree with you. I’m ill too. 🤮
He certainly has studied intensely as to how to fulfill his goals, such as they are, aunt has had four years to examine every aspect of our society to line up support he wants and needs, whether or not it is legal. We still must find ways to counteract what is wrong and to save our country.
I don’t think Trump is smart enough to have studied anything. However, the Heritage Foundation and others have done the footwork and supplied the “legal” means to do the unthinkable to our country. I used to think that at least Pence as VP could take over if Trump died, etc. and do the *mostly* right thing for America. I suffer no illusions about Vance.
They will not have learned their lesson and will elect Vance four years from now.
As an annual subscriber to your totally new source for insightful analysis, let me just say that I have such a strong preference for WRITTEN pieces over videos. Just some input as you design your service…
A transcript is available. Click on the link to the item, then scroll to the bottom right. You should see an icon for it (among a few others).
"Dictatorial Decree" -- perfect. ChatGPT (for what it's worth) says "Such decrees are often viewed as a hallmark of oppressive regimes and are criticized for undermining democratic principles and the rule of law." Sounds about right.
He wants it to sound final and to claim it as all his own so nobody will question it, and this is only the beginning. Let’s hang onto our hats and think sharply!
We couldn't be happier that you two are HERE!! Please keep at it. We all have this!
Definitely, we love it. Although I do love to read, your videos are blessings because vision seems to be changing. Also, I feel like I’m included in the visit, and I appreciate you making me feel that way. Thank you. Redponding is also a challenge due to vision, but this is so important! Thank you!
OY. That’s it for me now. I’m exhausted just listening. My father and his peers all worked for the US government. This was in the 1950,1960,1970,and into the early 1980s. I grew up in DC and Silver Spring, MD (way before the beltway and the metro). Many of my friends went on to work for the government. What Trump is doing is against the rule of law.
Yes, absolutely, and it must be stopped pronto!
Please, take Norm's advice seriously, push back on any legal way possible from day one. We have to secure the midterm election and the next presidential election and I don't mean secure in the sense of winning only but also secure that the elections are going to happen. That's the state of our country. Very sorry.
So right you are!
The Contrarian has to be the best news of an otherwise dismal week, huh? Jen & Norm, you are providing a wonderful service for those of us who still believe strongly in democracy. And, I gotta tell you, I'm a plugged-in observer of the body politic and the machinations of government, but I am learning things at The Contrarian and I am extremely grateful for the boost in my education at this late stage of my life!
Now that Trump has, in no uncertain and very clear terms, given aide and comfort to convicted insurrectionists, is there now a means to remove him since having done so disqualifies as being viable to even run for the office?
Sadly with the current supreme court full of corrupt members I wouldn't count on this at all.
I know, we must not loose track though. I expect it would be called an official act by our corrupt supreme justices. Its all so sickening.
Nothing that felon 34 would do from now on it's going to be illegal or criminal as per the corrupt SCOTUS. Invest your time in battles we can winn or supporting others people battles.
That is extremely sad, but I hope enough of them will develop enough conscience to do the right thing. I’m certain two of them will not.
You can bet something very valuable to you about a couple of them reaching consistently the wrong decision. Bet big, no risk of losing.
Wouldn't eliminating birthright citizenship require that Don and Melania be banished as they are both birthright citizens?
Well, such a decree would, of course, NOT be retroactive.
Thank you both for all you are doing.
Canceling the medicare prescription drugs pricing is going to hurt seniors that are MAGA too. Sickening.
For environmental advocacy, the Center for Biological Diversity is experienced in these lawsuits and is already pushing back on the 2025 destruction of our ecosystems. https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/
Aside from shock and awe, Trump will clog the courts. Is it true that his executive order will stay until the courts decide?
I'd like to know that too.
I'm so glad you started The Contrarian and quit Bezos' propaganda outlet. I've always appreciated your insights and analysis and now it's a necessity. Keep up the great work!
Is there any way you or your contributors can light a fire in the bellies of our Dem Senators and representatives? I'm tired of looking at their pathetic faces. That was a close, very close election. It wasn't like there was some massive defeat. Every time I write to my congresswoman, she always writes back about how proud she is of her work "across the aisle" .