183 Comments

I am a disabled vet....though you might not see the wounds. Rich, fat and coddled, trump has never served and has shown great disdain for those of us who answered our nations call.

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rich, fat, draft-dodger Trump

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What you say, according to his family, is the least of it. And he is getting much richer with his Bit coin meme that is grifting millions.

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Kathleen, we might not see your wounds because they run too deep. Thanks for your service and because you are still fighting.

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I wonder how veterans who voted for him will feel about benefit cuts?

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He thinks that veterans are losers, remember?

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I am sorry about your injuries. The ones that are invisible are the worst.

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“Captain” Bone Spurs. It is deplorable what he is trying to do

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Please look into this. I heard a member of the Pentagon say something I had not thought of before. 600,000 workers are veterans and some were wounded in service. The Diversity Equity and Inclusion program means things like a workspace that can be altered so they can work from a wheelchair. Seems like the GOP going after veterans wounded in service as well as the huge percentage that work there is a very bad thing. Veterans I know voted GOP because they think Republicans have a record of being good to the military. Sure isn’t looking like it.

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I have never understood why the military and the police are so deluded by Trump. And now they act surprised by everything he’s doing, which he told everybody he was going to do. The trouble is, the good suffer with the bad through no choice of their own.

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They bought the GOP line. Never, every forget that there is an undercurrent of racism in this country, and that shows up in the military and law enforcement.

Haven't we learned from thr George Floyd case, and other instances of Black people being victimized by poorly trained, or corrupt police?

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News flash Trump team hid negative items in FBI report created for senate about Hegseth. Second wife talked about through scary times with a mean nasty drunk.

In normal times this would have disqualified him from any leadership role in military.

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yeah, the FOP called me the other day looking for a donation. I said get it from trump who you endorsed.

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make sure he's not standing next to a guy with a flag pole first...

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The FOP and other LE organizations only woke up yesterday after seeing The Felon issue pardons to even the most violent cop beaters on J6th. Sadly, deluded veterans fell for a phony republican sales pitch about 'supporting our troops™️'. Now, they too are about to find out.

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Just what is being talked about - Trump wants to use Oath Keepers and Proud Boys as his gestapo - possibly training with Michael Flynn in his military compound in Venice Florida. Where is the once highly visible Flynn these days anyway? Something about this story is making my nose tingle and headache. Dont want to believe it, but it whiffs a little of truth.

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Private militias are illegal in every state in the country. But since Flynn and his republican guard will be training in FL I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for DeSantis to enforce the law.

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De Santis is very busy destroying state Universities - just named new president of West. Florida Univ. a christian nationalist from OKLA who says women should not be doctors, lawyers or really anything professional - should stay home and have babies - gods truth, he said this to Maga folks in OKLA - another loony man who is going to hurt others with fake religion and misogyny.

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I find it hard to believe that even die-hard DeSantis supporters had this kind of crap in mind when they voted for him.

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Your " sniffer" has 20/20 vision.!

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I think it's partly that Fox news is on the television in most common areas like mess halls, etc.

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Fox News is a Pox on our nation. Rupert Murdoch and his issue are horrendous human beings (with at least one semi-decent son). I LARGELY blame Fox for a lot of the problems we have because they have brainwashed much of the nation. Their lying is atrocious, and their TV personalities are despicable. This shit started on radio talk programs, one notable host being responsible for a lot of this who is gratefully deceased, but his legacy lives on. Rush Limbaugh, and his copycats was one of the first.

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Limbaugh - if there is a hell, hope he has found his spot - evil man just like Alex Jones - They are like traveling preachers scamming old ladies for every nickel

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Amen. Heaven may have many mansions, but hell has a lot of chambers…

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but maybe not enough for the new batch of flimflam men - trump is an old man and he really should start considering his future - he cant take bitcoin money with him to pay God off.

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Fox and similar “news” is on TVs all over Indian country including tribal health clinics. Fox and similar are accessible from most TV APPs whereas MSNBC is not. Most people have access to Fox and similar. PBS needs our financial support.

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Accidently saw Megan Kelly ranting about Trans kids - like they should be burned at stake - what happened to this lady- she tried to be decent for awhile when she was out at Fox.

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She breathed the K$$L AID. She was making more money by being a nasty MAGAT and saw the LIGHT.

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I sent the statement above to my NC GOP Senators. I like to let them know what this little old Democrat is thinking every few days 😁

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Plese sen notes about wacko Nancy Mace.... she is as dangerous as MTG.

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The only Military the GOP is good to is the Military Industrial Complex. They sure love them some expensive weapons! Servicemen (and especially women) not so much.

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Eisenhower in farewell speech warned about exactly that.... go figure, he was a republican with integrity - where have they all gone?

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😔

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Thar is a very logical connection, esp given that Trump despises anyone that is disabled or challenged in any way, and even more so our military. This is beyond frightening.

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....simply disposable humanity??? The musk melon plainly revealed their position on that subject!😥

Michelle, thank you for your enlightening words!

Forewarned is forearmed.

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They are already removing all DEI posters on bases and the website for the Defense Equality Opportunity Management and social media sites have been taken down.

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😥

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Michael Steele was GOP chair not too long ago. He said last week that it took the GOP a generation to get us where we are today: Supreme Court, citizens united, gerrymandering, but above all, degradation of our public school system. Loss of funds, preventing CRITICAL THINKING, science, civics and history from being taught. Our citizens are ill equipped to sus out ‘alternate’ facts from actual facts. Where were noble Republicans while their party planned and strategized this?

What can we do now to help citizens learn about critical thinking and how to apply that to their world today?

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As a black man in leadership role in GOP, Michael Steele has had a very bad, horrible, miserable and shocking rude awakening with Trump and is a better man for it.

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I hope so.

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As a manager who hired lots of folks - I had Maga types apply who hated blacks, latinos and women and showed it openly sometimes - I couldn't hire them and never did, but know how ignorant, hateful and dangerous they are in the workplace. There will be no protections for the vulnerable under Trump.

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I heard Trump wants to get rid of Civil Rights Act of 1965 under LBJ. This affects millions of disabled, women and many others....

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The GOP is now DOA.

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Um. I think they forgot to read the news during the past 10 years.

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Thank you. As the wife of a Navy vet who served for 27+ years he earned his benefits—every single one!

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That any veteran cast a vote for Donald J TrumpMusk is difficult to understand. His contempt for veterans is obvious and outrageous. With TrumpMusk at the helm and Hegseth in the top chair at Defense…..veterans will be savaged even more. The folks of whom we should be most supportive and to whom most grateful , do not deserve this disrespectful treatment. Write your Senator today, Hegseth must not be confirmed.

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It’s ironic to read your post as I look out on our VA Clinic waiting room which has an assortment of Trump or MAGA-hatted folks, plus various ultra-right wing screeds which I collect at the end of the day. I’ve been proudly serving these folks for over 30 years, trying twice as hard to be perceived as half as good by the private sector, a sector most of my patients despise. If they want to shut us down then let them come in here and try.

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This is a leopards eating faces moment if I've ever seen one.

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I was in a DNC discussion group that included Fred Wellman, on Meidastouch, Vote Vets and On Democracy. We thought that many Trump 2016 & 2020 military and vets had flipped. We got thousands of video testimonials to that effect.

Unfortunately, because hate Trumps locic, Russian psy ops worked.

The miliary has it down to a science. E.G. Go Army. https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/specialty-careers/special-ops/psychological-operations

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychological_operations_(United_States)

Add election interference. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_interference_in_the_2024_United_States_elections#:~:text=The%20Russian%20government%20interfered%20in,support%20for%20Ukraine%20aid%20and

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Russian psyops? Or Elon Musk-paid hacking?

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Both! And the military is easy prey. The majority of enlisted that stay in past one tour of duty like to be told what to do. That mindset involves not thinking for yourself and is easily manipulated not only into being a good team player but follow the leader without question. Which when your leader is a charismatic con man equals cult.

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They are always first in line, yelling, "Its mine, I earned it." to anyone who will listen.

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He already cut cost reduction measure of Bidens to lower costs of older drugs to a max of $2.00 - this would have helped many - they don't care who they hurt - Vets are old baggage that needs to be discarded - My husband is disabled vet and we are scared and mad that people voted for him some will be hurt badly this.

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I would think that all members of the military are paying close attention to what Trump is doing to the vets. If he wants their support he is going about it all wrong.

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Problem is they're not paying attention and only listen to fake news lies.

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See my comment - Trump team removed bad stuff from FBI report on Hegseth before sending to Senate. 2nd wife said he was a scary big time, all the time drunk. Trump team (Steven Cheung) should lose his job.

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Sadly....very sadly...have several in.my own family who think

that mans word is gospel. Good family men in every other way, no question! Heartbreaking...but its like talking to a wall.😔

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As a veteran I know many fellow veterans who voted for Trump out of a sense that "the system" had failed them. They're very sensitive to any changes to their benefits and typically hostile to anyone who tries to mess with them. However, the past 9 years has taught me that once you're in the MAGA cult you'll eat shit and call it chocolate ice cream rather than admit you were wrong. We'll see which side wins out in this case.

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No winners, just lost country - grew up in Jamestown, NY where people for the most part were tolerant - favorite memory of Memorial Day March every year - Back then I was very young and it was the early sixties - there were 3 ancient Spanish American war soldiers in wheelchairs wearing their medals stuck in my mind forever - Seeing what is happening now, heart breaking.

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Republicans - The party quickest to drive us into wars, and the party that's the most parsimonious when it comes to taking care of the veterans of these wars. Trump merely expands the inhumanity that the GOP has foisted on our veterans for decades (see defund and privatize).

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Yup - that what they do, and they are always the first to get their son like Trump, a deferment from duty for bogus injuries or conditions, like left -handed shinsplints... just kidding.

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My opinion, if you served in the military, you should receive every benefit offered. You “fought “ for the USA. All of us!!!

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I worked for the VA years ago as a physician and it was my job to triage all of the veteran’s care coming from private practice back into the VA healthcare system. Here we go again.

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Which sucks because they just finally got the system working efficiently. And from what I've seen Drs are being underpaid so where is the cost overrun coming from? 99.9% chance it's VA management issues.

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Thank your addressing veterans' issues. I called the Armed Service committee (majority and minority) to politely argue against Hegseth. Also called my Democratic senators. I identify myself as a registered Independent, Ret. RN, MPH, and USArmy Reserve medical officer. My new employee, Rep Jeff Hurd (the excreble Boebert carpetbagged to another district) has a V.A. hospital in our district (Grand Junction, CO, CD3). It's the only VA on the huge Western Slope. I'll be watching.

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Just wrote a comment about trump team taking negative stuff out of FBI report before sending to Senate - New report containing information has been sent and some senators are now concerned.

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He would absolutely take illegal orders and execute them. He is awful.

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I just emailed Sen Lisa Murkowski to thank her for declining his nomination. She's not my senator and she's a Republican but her statement was sober and well reasoned. I Think we should remember to contact not only our reps but others who we want to thank.

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Courage comes in all shapes and sizes, however Men in GOP lack what is known as GUTS -to stand up to protect our men who ask for little and sacrifice so much.

They deserve better than the leadership of a lazy drunken wannabe warrior who abuses women, cheats on wives and leaves broken homes for his children. Stand up, America we will have to fight these people who are truly the rot that will destroy us.

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Go, little Arundel!

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We hang together - Dems always get to pick up the pieces. Thank God for Lisa Murkowski. I am witnessing things I never thought would happen here, I lived in Chile in Colombia in tough times, but Trump beats all. I am too old to worry about future so I will call it exactly as it is - Trump is a very mad bad man and is going to horrendous stuff before it is over.

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I too am too old to worry about the future but I do. My granddaughters are engaged, but I really wonder about the young people who seem to care more about TikTok bans than the terrible things that are happening in our government. I was active in the late 60s early 70s, we protested and marched and got into positions to make sure the politicians who got their jobs were looking out for people. Where is the concern and further of those days now? Too bad the influencers aren’t trying to influence all of this. I think I sound like an old lady hollering from her porch to get off my lawn but I really want those young people to get on my lawn and start yelling and screaming outwards that all this is so wrong for our country.

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We have momentarily lost our way. But the road is still open , God Bless you for caring so much - I am too old too but am fired up at the chance to spit on these buzzards ripping the guts out of America because they think we are dead. They don't know us, don't know how much we fought to survive in the early years. DEI was to ensure that women and minorities got fair wages to support their families -Men got angry because women could not only do male jobs but do them better - and we will continue to do so. Now days, men can't pay mortgage without help from wives so they best remember that they brought this evil man into power when the bills stack up again.

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Sorry, it’s: Lillie Arundel 😊

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The Felon has looked down his silver spoon at those who served this country ever since his daddy paid a doctor to falsify his medical records so he could avoid service in Vietnam. IMO, that's what was behind his hatred of John McCain, who was a hero of that war after demonstrating the kind of grit and personal character Trump can't even fake. He's called our military dead 'suckers and losers'; he dodged visiting a military cemetery in France because the rain would mess up his hair. No president has ever shown as much callous disregard for veterans than the current one. Why any veteran voted for him is beyond my comprehension, but they're about to enter their Finding Out era along with every other vet.

I hope every veterans organization has their lawsuits ready to file.

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He hated McCain because he was a hero who was captured and held by Viet Cong for years. My vet husband didnt vote for him and almost threw up watching Trump team trampling graves and pushing elderly caretaker aside to get photo of Trump at Arlington Cemetary last year.

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He also hated McCain because McCain, too, could have used his family connections to get out of active duty, but McCain's family has a long history of military service so John McCain stepped up while The Felon hid behind a phony medical excuse.

I know a lot of vets who didn't vote for him and wouldn't after he called our honored dead 'suckers and losers.'

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I hear you loud and clear, Jane!

Your words are a balm to my aching heart.

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Thanks, Allison, for keeping an eye on the bastards, and exposing their every evil move.

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Allison, have you heard anything on the Pact Act and settlements with veterans impacted by the poisoning of the water at Camp Lejeune? I have a family member who lived on base with multiple myeloma and there are thousands of others in limbo and worried about this never coming to fruition.

Thanks

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As a current employee of VA in the research division, we have already felt the hammer drop with the cancelling of grants for DEI, and the removal of all DEI content. Thank you for this "preview" of what we can expect in other quarters. It's heartbreaking to think that I will probably not retire from a job I have had and loved for the past 16 years. My sister, brother, and two nephews are all Veterans, and to think that they will suffer from the whims of a bunch of narcissistic dude-broligarchs and their feckless leader is again, heartbreaking.

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I was manager for healthcare company - I know for a fact that HR classified many people who were gay, black, female, over 65, disabled or whatever, as DEI hires because company got tax breaks. People didn't even know about it and may lose jobs now. So ridiculous and hurtful.

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My dear lady...feel your heartbreak. Understand and wish you peace and solace.

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How do I convey to my MAGA loving/voting/Fox/ Navy/Rush Limbaugh relatives this message? They hang up on me if I call them. I cannot enter their home without being screamed at and my medical knowledge being discounted (after all I am a female MD). They are about to lose a life line and my retirement is at risk if I throw a float to them (which I have many many many many times). I will forward this missive (which they will not read), I will try to summarize it in a text which will meet the same fate, i will try to speak to them about it (they will not hear or worse, essentially hang up on me by calling me worse names than i sometimes call them). Then I just revert to ignoring them. We will die without having meaningfully interacted for years. I hope the felon disappears soon and we all know that will only be by death. His sycophants will go on but they will be hopefully greatly diminished (hopefully being the operative word).

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I'm dealing with the same problem with brainwashed MAGA cult friends. And don't know the answer.

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APR& Marie...

....a retired, antique RN myself...had to accept no mortal words would disuade them... Elizabeth Kubler Ross taught me well. We ( almost) never discuss " the unmentionable" at all...but being Welsh...my Celtic tongue

engages...seemingly on its own???? Am 90 but still...only human ! Don't expect miracles!

Dioch yn fawr.!.( Thank you very much!)

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Bendith. I love kubler-Ross. I play a small harp and gave up the big one a few years ago. Your island is magic. You are so lucky.

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MAGA membership is an addiction. We have broken with family members on both sides - sorry to hear yours are so crazy - perhaps it will pass but I think they will cling to it forever as they feel valued. I would not throw good money after bad - as they wont change and it could jeopardize your future retirement. Let them go invest in Trump's new Bitcoin scam which experts say is going to hurt millions as only top investors will make anything.

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Start reading about cults! You need to take care of you! It is tragically sad but they will destroy you without a second thought. There are too many wonderful people in the world to waste another minute on them. Expand your circle of friends, cut off the charity to these "takers". They may save themselves someday or not but you need to move on. Blessings.

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Thank you. Takers, entitled, etc, my family is full of them. I appreciate your precious advice and will take it to heart. Just re connected with an old friend. Out to breakfast soon. Am I on the right path? All the best.

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Years ago, read book by American Philosopher, Eric Hoffer, who wrote "The True Believer." His thesis was all fanatics, cult members cut from same cloth and looking for attention and validation - if cult leader dies, they will replace him with anyone who makes them feel good, even if new politics are opposite of those they once embraced with such fervor. They are dangerous because they are highly unstable volatile people. To think that America is in their hands at this moment is the saddest scariest thing I have ever faced.

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Thank you. Sorry it took so long to respond, I just learned about this feature on Substack. Thank you for taking time to arrange advice. Barring any unforeseen problems, I am on track for helping until I am not. Believe me, I am grateful to the very people who need so much now because they have given so much to me so I could go to school and escape the nightmare of my upbringing. In a way, I owe them everything. BUT, in that sense, they afforded me the education that dictates I owe them what I can give them. What a circle, eh?

I hope, despite the felon, you have a new year full of wonder. May our digital paths continue to cross, I feel they will:) All the best.

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Thank you for keeping an eye - not supporting veterans is beyond despicable but expected given the cowardly grifter in charge now. Hopefully lots of people will bring this to the forefront - I would think even the most devoted MAGA people have to see how wrong this is.

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And even more outrageous it that a large number of the magas are military veterans! smh

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True - I guess that's what they voted for ...... but what about all the people that are getting hurt through no fault of their own?

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7dEdited

A man elected, who has no Ethics, Values or Morales =

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And the term “man” here has a loose definition indeed….

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Spot On, Cathlynn!

You've clearly got his number!

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