The Iowa Caucuses

[Copernicus]

How long ago would it have seemed utterly unfathomable to you that someone facing 91 criminal indictments attracts the votes of so many evangelical Christian would win 51% of the vote (with 70% of those evangelicals supporting)?

It is still largely unfathomable to me, but Trump has essentially turned the Republican Party into a cult circus performance, where people seeking public office have to endure humiliation continually and perform stupid pet tricks for their master. It has been an educational experience for those of us with long memories.

On the other hand, incumbent Republicans in Iowa win 70% of the vote or more, so how exciting is 51% by someone who is -- in effect -- the incumbent?

Donald Trump is not really an incumbent. He is a cult leader that has alienated some elements of the Republican base. He was the incumbent in 2020. Biden is now the incumbent, and he is not doing at all well in the polls.

I will be bringing these questions and more up in a new post tomorrow. There is something altogether new going on, and it's time we all started investigating what it is.

I think that Donald Trump has brought us years of unprecedented behavior. They've been calling it the "new normal" for a few years now, but it still doesn't seem all that normal to many of us. We keep blinking in surprise at what ought to have stopped being a surprise long ago. We used to look down on autocracies in countries like Germany, Russia, Italy, Spain, Argentina, Venezuela, and other dictatorships around the world. Now we are seeing how a democracy can stumble itself into tyranny. We aren't totally alone. It has been happening in other countries for years, but it wasn't supposed to happen here.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

Population of Iowa: almost 3.2 million
Number of registered Republicans in the state: about 570,000
Number who participated in caucuses: about 110,000

participants accounted for about 3.4 percent of the state...admittedly among the most motivated of the Republicans
The registered make up about 5 times that number, or about 18 percent of the population.

So just about 1.7 percent supported Trump, while slightly less favored the other candidates...

Shouldn't Trump, as the "incumbent" with all the flash and publicity around him, have polled better in a deep red state?

Still shows and confirms the Republicans are now a party of fascists.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Shouldn't Trump, as the "incumbent" with all the flash and publicity around him, have polled better in a deep red state?

Not necessarily. The Trump-DeSantis-Ramaswami cohort garnered roughly 80% of the vote on a brutally cold day in a race that everyone assumed Trump would win whether they turned out or not.

 

[Colt]

Projection is a psychological phenomenon where feelings directed towards the self are displaced towards other people.

Psychoanalysts regard projection as a defence mechanism of alterity concerning "inside" content mistaken to be coming from the "outside" Other.[1] In psychoanalytic thought, it forms the basis of empathy by projecting personal experiences to understand someone else's subjective world.[1] In its malignant forms, it is a defense mechanism in which the ego defends itself against disowned and highly negative parts of the self by denying their existence in themselves and attributing them to others, breeding misunderstanding and causing untold interpersonal damage.[2] Projection incorporates blame shifting and can manifest as shame dumping.[3] Projection has been described as an early phase of introjection.[4]


IMOP and my experience, as we can see on this page, Left leaning people of all classes are some of the most stuck-up, arrogant people in society!

 

[Colt]

Still shows and confirms the Republicans are now a party of fascists.

Contents of the Fascist Manifesto​

The Manifesto (published in Il Popolo d'Italia on June 6, 1919) is divided into four sections, describing the movement's objectives in political, social, military and financial fields.[2]

Politically, the Manifesto calls for:

• Universal suffrage with a lowered voting age to 18 years, and voting and electoral office eligibility for all ages 25 and up;
• Proportional representation on a regional basis;
• Voting for women;
• Representation at government level of newly created national councils by economic sector;
• The abolition of the Italian Senate (at the time, the Senate, as the upper house of parliament, was by process elected by the wealthier citizens, but were in reality direct appointments by the king. It has been described as a sort of extended council of the crown);
• The formation of a national council of experts for labor, for industry, for transportation, for the public health, for communications, etc. Selections to be made of professionals or of tradesmen with legislative powers, and elected directly to a general commission with ministerial powers.

In labor and social policy, the Manifesto calls for:

• The quick enactment of a law of the state that sanctions an eight-hour workday for all workers;
• A minimum wage;
• The participation of workers' representatives in the functions of industry commissions;
• To show the same confidence in the labor unions (that prove to be technically and morally worthy) as is given to industry executives or public servants;
• Reorganization of the railways and the public transport sector;
• Revision of the draft law on invalidity insurance;
• Reduction of the retirement age from 65 to 55.

In military affairs, the Manifesto advocates:

• Creation of a short-service national militia with specifically defensive responsibilities;
• Armaments factories are to be nationalized;
• A peaceful but competitive foreign policy.

In finance, the Manifesto advocates:

• A strong extraordinary tax on capital of a progressive nature, which takes the form of true partial expropriation of all wealth;
• The seizure of all the possessions of the religious congregations and the abolition of all the bishoprics, which constitute an enormous liability on the Nation and on the privileges of the poor;
• Revision of all contracts for military provisions;
• The revision of all military contracts and the seizure of 85 percent of the profits therein.

These early positions reflected in the Manifesto would later be characterized by Mussolini in "The Doctrine of Fascism" as "a series of pointers, forecasts, hints which, when freed from the inevitable matrix of contingencies, were to develop in a few years time into a series of doctrinal positions entitling Fascism to rank as a political doctrine differing from all others, past or present."[3]

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Rather than imagining some silver lining, we damn well better give more thought to forging a decent response -- a task easier said than done given Biden and today's Democratic Party.

 

[Revoltingest]

I was not surprised, just shocked to see how much ignorance, is within US

Ignorance is just part of the problem.
Tribalism, ie, joining the Maga cult is the biggie.
This shuts down ability to see a bigger picture,
to keep one's fundamental values, & to reason.
Notice how all 3 are abandoned when love for
Trump infects the mind.

 

[F1fan]

Projection is a psychological phenomenon where feelings directed towards the self are displaced towards other people.

Psychoanalysts regard projection as a defence mechanism of alterity concerning "inside" content mistaken to be coming from the "outside" Other.[1] In psychoanalytic thought, it forms the basis of empathy by projecting personal experiences to understand someone else's subjective world.[1] In its malignant forms, it is a defense mechanism in which the ego defends itself against disowned and highly negative parts of the self by denying their existence in themselves and attributing them to others, breeding misunderstanding and causing untold interpersonal damage.[2] Projection incorporates blame shifting and can manifest as shame dumping.[3] Projection has been described as an early phase of introjection.[4]


IMOP and my experience, as we can see on this page, Left leaning people of all classes are some of the most stuck-up, arrogant people in society!

Which explains why so many American conservatives must loathe themselves, because why else are they willing to support a man who targets minorities and creates enemies out of their fellow citizens? The whole republican party has adotped this behavior of vilification of other categories of fellow citizens over petty grievance. Look how many conservatives still believe the election fraud lie from Trump and other anti-American right wing sicko's. These days I'm actually surprized when a conservative admits the election was secure and Trump got fired.

How about You, @Colt, do you accept the last election results? Do you concede the American citizens fired Trump in 2020?

Let's observe that Trump still claims the Big Lie, and he is facing charges for acting through this lie.

 

[metis]

Contents of the Fascist Manifesto​

The Manifesto (published in Il Popolo d'Italia on June 6, 1919) is divided into four sections, describing the movement's objectives in political, social, military and financial fields.[2]

Politically, the Manifesto calls for:

• Universal suffrage with a lowered voting age to 18 years, and voting and electoral office eligibility for all ages 25 and up;
• Proportional representation on a regional basis;
• Voting for women;
• Representation at government level of newly created national councils by economic sector;
• The abolition of the Italian Senate (at the time, the Senate, as the upper house of parliament, was by process elected by the wealthier citizens, but were in reality direct appointments by the king. It has been described as a sort of extended council of the crown);
• The formation of a national council of experts for labor, for industry, for transportation, for the public health, for communications, etc. Selections to be made of professionals or of tradesmen with legislative powers, and elected directly to a general commission with ministerial powers.

In labor and social policy, the Manifesto calls for:

• The quick enactment of a law of the state that sanctions an eight-hour workday for all workers;
• A minimum wage;
• The participation of workers' representatives in the functions of industry commissions;
• To show the same confidence in the labor unions (that prove to be technically and morally worthy) as is given to industry executives or public servants;
• Reorganization of the railways and the public transport sector;
• Revision of the draft law on invalidity insurance;
• Reduction of the retirement age from 65 to 55.

In military affairs, the Manifesto advocates:

• Creation of a short-service national militia with specifically defensive responsibilities;
• Armaments factories are to be nationalized;
• A peaceful but competitive foreign policy.

In finance, the Manifesto advocates:

• A strong extraordinary tax on capital of a progressive nature, which takes the form of true partial expropriation of all wealth;
• The seizure of all the possessions of the religious congregations and the abolition of all the bishoprics, which constitute an enormous liability on the Nation and on the privileges of the poor;
• Revision of all contracts for military provisions;
• The revision of all military contracts and the seizure of 85 percent of the profits therein.

These early positions reflected in the Manifesto would later be characterized by Mussolini in "The Doctrine of Fascism" as "a series of pointers, forecasts, titling Fascism to rank as a political doctrine differing from all others, past or present."[3]

There was very much a difference in what the European fascists said they would do versus what they did do. Ever hear of the "Holocaust"? Or what Mussolini had done to political dissidents sent to Ethiopia? Etc.

Trump clearly is a self-centered neo-fascist.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Still shows and confirms the Republicans are now a party of fascists.

Show me one single Republican at any time that is yelling, "FASCISM WINS"!

I can easily show you a Democrat yelling, "SOCIALISM WINS"!

So it's your turn now to put the money where your mouth is, as per your accusation.

 

[Colt]

There was very much a difference in what the European fascists said they would do versus what they did do. Ever hear of the "Holocaust"? Or what Mussolini had done to political dissidents sent to Ethiopia? Etc.

Trump clearly is a self-centered neo-fascist.

In general, every politician that the Left doesn't like they call a "fascist" or a "Nazi" or a "dictator"! What's funny is that the recent developments in Israel have revealed just how much real antisemitism there is on the Left! And I would say that most people who want to be the most powerful person in the world have big ego's!

 

[Colt]

Show me one single Republican at any time that is yelling, "FASCISM WINS"!

I can easily show you a Democrat yelling, "SOCIALISM WINS"!

So it's your turn now to put the money where your mouth is as per your accusation.

My experience has been that Leftist are themselves everything that they hate others for!

 

[metis]

In general, every politician that the Left doesn't like they call a "fascist" or a "Nazi" or a "dictator"! What's funny is that the recent developments in Israel have revealed just how much real antisemitism there is on the Left! And I would say that most people who want to be the most powerful person in the world have big ego's!

Nope, plus I personally don't get into stereotypes or associate with people who do.

Let me recommend you buy and read an excellent book written by a well-known expert on the history of fascism, historical and present: "Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present" by Ruth Ben-Giat, who's a poli sci professor at NYU. All one has to do is to listen to Trump, even at a rally, and one should very easily hear the fascism spewing from his lips.

 

[Twilight Hue]

My experience has been that Leftist are themselves everything that they hate others for!

Yep. Modern Democrats know who they are and not even hiding their true colors that they absolutely endorse socialist governments, and are factually pro-socialists themselves.

Yet they have the sheer gaul to say Republicans are fascists and yet cannot even prove anything of the sort in the slightest.

However I can easily prove what Democrats are because they provide their own confirmations that they are indeed socialist oriented.

 

[Quintessence]

Shouldn't Trump, as the "incumbent" with all the flash and publicity around him, have polled better in a deep red state?

No, because Iowa isn't really a "deep red state." I'm not really that surprised by the results, as someone who lives here.

 

[fantome profane]

Show me one single Republican at any time that is yelling, "FASCISM WINS"!

I can easily show you a Democrat yelling, "SOCIALISM WINS"!

So it's your turn now to put the money where your mouth is, as per your accusation.

You have the leading Presidential candidate for the Republican party saying repeatedly "I am going to be a dictator".

 

[JIMMY12345]

I've been watching the run-up to the Iowa Caucus returns, so let me start this thread with a rant:

<rant>

As I watch, I feel increasingly tempted to ban/cancel any candidate or pundit that begins a statement with: "Let me be [or I have been] perfectly clear -- the American people know|want ..." I just wish Tom Lehrer would reprise one of his old songs and come out with "The Talking Points Rag."​

​

</rant>

Thanks.

Now, turning to the Iowa Caucus, at issue is whether it matters at all. My guess is "not much," save for a couple of caveats.

1. Whatever the outcome, it will come with an asterisk. If Trump performs as expected or exceeds expectations, he will portray it as an historic victory in the face of historic weather conditions. If it underperforms, weather conditions will be blamed.
2. Meanwhile, many suggest that today's weather is most likely to suppress the Halley vote. This could mean (a) that DeSantis could live on to fight another day, and that Halley, unable to boast of a narrowing Trump-Haley gap, would find herself weakened going into New Hampshire.

Back on December 21st, News4 ran a piece under the headline: "Colorado court's Trump decision risks blunting Haley Momentum." The solar vortex now threatens to do the same.

In any event, quoting abcNEWS/538:

Long story short, DeSantis's best-case scenario is a result that earns him the "Comeback Kid" moniker that Bill Clinton famously gave himself after finishing second in the 1992 New Hampshire primary. Even though beating Trump looks outside the realm of possibility, beating expectations (and Haley) with a clear runner-up performance in the mid-20s is feasible.​

So, given that there's no multiverse in which the GOP anoints DeSantis over Trump, we're left with Trump as uber-winner no matter what. Yes?

Any potential presidential candidate who refuses to take part in future debates undermines democracy.
Squawk,Squawk,Squawk. Chicken and should automatically be eliminated as unfit - why go to school,university if the presidential candidates are to scared to show mentally rivals are fitter and better.

 

[metis]

Modern Democrats know who they are and not even hiding their true colors that they absolutely endorse socialist governments, and are factually pro-socialists themselves.

Some of us have studied fascism and know what we're talking about.

Yet they have the sheer gaul to say Republicans are fascists and yet cannot even prove anything of the sort in the slightest.

Most Republicans are not fascists, imo, but it's obvious that Trump is without a doubt if you know what to look for.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

Most Republicans are not fascists, ...

But they embrace appeasement.

 

[metis]

But they embrace appeasement.

... and more.