Today in Fascism

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Worth the full read:

“I have also been thinking about something I explored in that book: why Donald is the way he is, why he is so enamored with authoritarian dictatorial monsters, why he is so damaged, so needy, and so grasping. The first of those is probably the easiest to answer. My grandfather was a patriarchal authoritarian sociopath. But something happened recently that had me thinking about the other issues about Donald’s neediness, his grasping nature, his unending thirst for recognition.

Last week, the president of FIFA, (International Federation of Association Football), Gianni Infantino, gave Donald a fabricated and meaningless honor for reasons that should be obvious. Because Donald keeps murdering people on boats in the Caribbean Sea and starving children, he will always be ineligible for the Nobel Peace Prize that he so desperately craves. So the powers that be at FIFA came up with the “FIFA Peace Prize.” When Infantino bestowed Donald with the prize saying, “This is your peace prize. There is also a beautiful medal for you that you can wear everywhere you want to go,” Donald grabbed the medal and said:
“I’m going to wear it right now. This is truly one of the great honors of my life.”

If Donald had any self-awareness at all, which of course he does not, he’d be embarrassed and ashamed. He would know what we know—that he is being mocked. So the question remains, why does Donald need even meaningless gestures like that to make him feel better about himself? I don’t typically go around quoting myself, but this incident reminded me of something I wrote in the introduction to my first book which I think still has some explanatory power. I also think it’s an analysis we can build on.

A quick preface: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley wrote Frankenstein, one of the great novels of the nineteenth century which, In 1994, Kenneth Branagh turned into a film. There’s a quote in the movie that isn’t in the book. Frankenstein’s monster says:
“I do know that for the sympathy of one living being, I would make peace with all. I have love in me, the likes of which you can scarcely imagine, and rage, the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge the other.”

After referencing that quote, Charles Pierce wrote in Esquire Magazine:
“Donald Trump doesn’t plague himself with doubt about what he’s creating around him. He’s proud of his monster. He glories in its anger and its destruction, and while he cannot imagine its love, he believes with all his heart in its rage. He is Frankenstein without conscience.”

Here is what I wrote:
‘That could more accurately have been said about Donald’s father, my grandfather, Fred, with this crucial difference. Fred’s monster, the only child of his who mattered to him, would ultimately be rendered unlovable by the very nature of Fred’s preference for him. In the end, there would be no love for Donald at all, just his agonizing thirsting for it.’

We are here because the one thing Donald most desperately needs, and has never gotten, and will never get because of how damaged and depraved his own father rendered him, is love.

That is why Donald constantly needs more of everything else, believing that that will somehow fill the void. More money, more power, a bigger ballroom, more fake medals, more fake prizes, more fake honors. Maybe, he desperately hopes, someday that void will be filled. Maybe receiving more compliments, having more people grovel and degrade and debase themselves for him will finally make him feel whole.

On some very dark level, Donald knows that’s impossible because as much as my grandfather wanted to convince Donald, and his other children, and his grandchildren that money is the only thing that matters, it can stand in for everything else, that isn’t true and never can be.

Nothing can replace kindness, empathy, or compassion. Nothing, certainly, can replace love. In his most terrified moments, Donald knows that. And all of us are paying the price for that knowledge

I’ve been thinking recently, and it’s a fairly depressing thought, that my first book, Too Much and Never Enough, that was publiched in July of 2020, could just as easily have been published for the first time this coming summer and the information in it would still be relevant. Perhaps it would be even more relevant because, much like the summer of 2020, we find ourselves on a knife’s edge, and there is no way to know on which side of that knife we are going to fall. #MaryTrump
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kickingandscreaming said:
I was on a plane last weekend, and the young lady next to me was wearing a mask - she was very pleasant. She politely told me that she wasn't wearing it because she was sick, but was trying to avoid what was going around. I politely responded, "No worries". Of course, she took it off to eat and drink :rolleyes:.

The Leftist authoritarians have succeeded in striking irrational fear into people. Those people become their "weapons" - subtly, such as those who enforce/encourage meaningless masking, and not so subtly with those who impede law enforcement and harass and assassinate those they disagree with. The Left will do everything possible to erode an individual's sense of independence and pit the fearful ones against those who do not fear. It's also why the Left hates traditional Christian religion so much. The Leftists can't survive among people who believe in traditional Judeo-Christian values. The Left is fine with lying to achieve whatever ends they deem necessary. Remember when CNN obviously posted misinformation and I pointed it out to @dad4? He responded that it was OK since they were trying to get people to wear masks. Leftists share this approach with Muslim teachings. This shared belief is why they partner so well now. Bearing "false witness" is a sin for Christians, and a way of life for Leftists and Islamists.

Internationally, there is some room for optimism among those who believe in the values that made our country great. The past few years have given me a deep appreciation for the raw courage of the Iranian women standing up to their evil leaders. If only we had more people like that here in the US to stand up to the vile, authoritarian Leftists. It is also encouraging to see many Venzuelans standing up and speaking out against the fools on the Left here in the US and abroad who support Maduro. Of course, you'd see little of this on the captured MSM. Praise God for X and Musk.
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The more I see liberal women... the more I appreciate that mask.
 
Alright, let’s deal with this one, because this is peak dumb-fuck internet energy.

Some MAGA dullard DMs me with, “You should shut your mouth about America and Donald Trump. You’re just a dumb Aussie. Without America you’re nothing. We protect you.”

Oh yeah? Do ya, champ? Do ya really?

First of all, calm down there, Captain Freedom. You’re acting like America personally stands outside everyone’s house every night with a rifle and a bald eagle, going, “Sleep tight world, Daddy’s here.”

Let’s get one thing straight. America is not the sole maker and breaker of global peace. That’s Hollywood bullshit you grew up mainlining with your popcorn.

NATO alone, NATO, meaning a bunch of countries who can actually organise a meeting without screaming at each other like toddlers, absolutely dwarfs the American military. Not just in manpower, but in combined capability, logistics, intelligence, tech, and industrial output. America is a big piece of the puzzle, sure, but it’s not the whole bloody table.

Now let’s spice it up.

Add Japan. One of the most technologically advanced militaries on the planet. Add South Korea. Add Australia. Add New Zealand. Add Taiwan, who’ve been staring down a giant authoritarian neighbour for decades without shitting themselves. Add half of Europe. Suddenly this idea that “without America you’re nothing” starts to look like something written on the back of a Monster Energy can.

Here’s the part that really seems to fry your circuits.

The world is waking up. Rapidly. Not because of Aussies mouthing off, but because the Trump administration showed everyone exactly how unstable relying on one country can be. Allies get threatened. Trade deals get torched. Tariffs fly around like drunken punches. Longstanding partnerships get treated like optional subscriptions.

So now everyone’s going, “You know what? Maybe we shouldn’t put all our chips on one bloke who changes his mind every four hours.”

And guess what? The deck chairs are already moving.

China’s been actively decoupling from reliance on the US market. Europe’s doing the same. Supply chains are being rerouted. New trade blocs are forming. America didn’t get “abandoned”. America did this to itself by swinging at everyone in the room and then acting shocked when people step back.

And here’s the real kicker, the bit no one waving a flag likes to talk about.

The United States is sitting on the highest debt levels in the history of mankind. Not American history. Human history. A house of cards stacked so high it makes a Jenga tower look stable. Trillions in interest. Trillions more in borrowing. All while screaming at the very countries that buy its bonds, prop up its currency, and keep the whole thing from tipping over.

So when you say, “Without America, you’re nothing,” maybe take a breath and flip that sentence around.

Because at the end of the day, the only fucking thing holding the United States together right now is the rest of the world it’s busy picking fights with.

Careful what you wish for, mate.

You don’t get to threaten everyone, insult everyone, destabilise everything, and then assume they’ll just keep turning up forever explaining how grateful they are.

That’s not strength. That’s delusion. If Mango Mussolini keeps pushing the globes buttons pretty soon it'll push back.
 
Hüsker Dü said:
Alright, let’s deal with this one, because this is peak dumb-fuck internet energy.

Some MAGA dullard DMs me with, “You should shut your mouth about America and Donald Trump. You’re just a dumb Aussie. Without America you’re nothing. We protect you.”

Oh yeah? Do ya, champ? Do ya really?

First of all, calm down there, Captain Freedom. You’re acting like America personally stands outside everyone’s house every night with a rifle and a bald eagle, going, “Sleep tight world, Daddy’s here.”

Let’s get one thing straight. America is not the sole maker and breaker of global peace. That’s Hollywood bullshit you grew up mainlining with your popcorn.

NATO alone, NATO, meaning a bunch of countries who can actually organise a meeting without screaming at each other like toddlers, absolutely dwarfs the American military. Not just in manpower, but in combined capability, logistics, intelligence, tech, and industrial output. America is a big piece of the puzzle, sure, but it’s not the whole bloody table.

Now let’s spice it up.

Add Japan. One of the most technologically advanced militaries on the planet. Add South Korea. Add Australia. Add New Zealand. Add Taiwan, who’ve been staring down a giant authoritarian neighbour for decades without shitting themselves. Add half of Europe. Suddenly this idea that “without America you’re nothing” starts to look like something written on the back of a Monster Energy can.

Here’s the part that really seems to fry your circuits.

The world is waking up. Rapidly. Not because of Aussies mouthing off, but because the Trump administration showed everyone exactly how unstable relying on one country can be. Allies get threatened. Trade deals get torched. Tariffs fly around like drunken punches. Longstanding partnerships get treated like optional subscriptions.

So now everyone’s going, “You know what? Maybe we shouldn’t put all our chips on one bloke who changes his mind every four hours.”

And guess what? The deck chairs are already moving.

China’s been actively decoupling from reliance on the US market. Europe’s doing the same. Supply chains are being rerouted. New trade blocs are forming. America didn’t get “abandoned”. America did this to itself by swinging at everyone in the room and then acting shocked when people step back.

And here’s the real kicker, the bit no one waving a flag likes to talk about.

The United States is sitting on the highest debt levels in the history of mankind. Not American history. Human history. A house of cards stacked so high it makes a Jenga tower look stable. Trillions in interest. Trillions more in borrowing. All while screaming at the very countries that buy its bonds, prop up its currency, and keep the whole thing from tipping over.

So when you say, “Without America, you’re nothing,” maybe take a breath and flip that sentence around.

Because at the end of the day, the only fucking thing holding the United States together right now is the rest of the world it’s busy picking fights with.

Careful what you wish for, mate.

You don’t get to threaten everyone, insult everyone, destabilise everything, and then assume they’ll just keep turning up forever explaining how grateful they are.

That’s not strength. That’s delusion. If Mango Mussolini keeps pushing the globes buttons pretty soon it'll push back.
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Yeah... the globe curled up into a ball and quietly watches Ukraine take a beating, doesn't it? Terrifying.
 
Hüsker Dü said:
MAGA: Worlds dumbest voters.

Here’s the thing about these so-called “freedom fighters,” right. These people are always screaming, “I need my guns to protect myself from a tyrannical government.” Oh yeah? Really? Because the second the government actually breaks the law, ignores court rulings, stomps on civil liberties, suddenly you are out here polishing the boots like it is your second job.

You do not want guns to defend yourself from the government. Stop lying. If you did, you would be furious when the government overreaches. You would be losing your mind when agencies act like they are above the law. Instead, you are cheering. You are clapping like seals at SeaWorld. Why? Because it is not about freedom. It is about fear.

You are terrified. You are weak. You are hiding under the bed from a world that has moved on without you. You are not afraid of tyranny, you are afraid of change. You are afraid of women with opinions, men with emotions, and anyone who dyes their hair a color you cannot pronounce. So you outsource your courage to Big Daddy Trump and a squad of heavily armed dudes with badges.

And here is the best part. You claim to hate big government, but you absolutely love big government when it is wearing tactical gear. You love it when it is armed to the teeth. You love it when it is kicking doors, cracking skulls, and screaming orders. That is your safe space. That is your blankie.

You will chant “Don’t tread on me” while actively begging the government to tread harder, just not on you. Tread on them. Tread on the poor. Tread on protesters. Tread on anyone who looks different. You will watch videos of government agents killing American citizens over traffic stops and defend it like it is your cousin on trial.

“Oh, well, they should’ve complied.” Yeah? Funny how compliance only matters when the boot is not on your neck.

You are not rebels. You are not patriots. You are not freedom lovers. You are bootlickers with cosplay fantasies. You do not want liberty. You want permission. You want authority to hurt the people you do not like while telling yourself you are the good guy.

That is the joke of it all. The loudest people screaming about tyranny are the ones begging for it, as long as it comes wrapped in a flag and tells them they are special.
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You're getting closer and closer to a straightjacket, dipshit.
 
Hüsker Dü said:
NATO alone, NATO, meaning a bunch of countries who can actually organise a meeting without screaming at each other like toddlers, absolutely dwarfs the American military. Not just in manpower, but in combined capability, logistics, intelligence, tech, and industrial output. America is a big piece of the puzzle, sure, but it’s not the whole bloody table.
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The above quote shows how misinformed this guy is. The rest of the stuff you quoted also has the same or similar factual issues.

The Euro Nato forces are a shell of what the used to be. They cannot project force or sustain operations.
Many European militaries face significant capability gaps, lacking the sustained logistics, ammunition, modern equipment (like air defense), and unified command for large-scale, high-intensity conflict, relying heavily on the US for critical support; issues stem from post-Cold War underinvestment and fragmented procurement, leaving them unprepared for prolonged, out-of-area operations despite existing hardware.
Key Weaknesses
  • Logistical Deficiencies: Europe struggles with military mobility and the ability to sustain forces far from home, lacking repair infrastructure and robust supply chains.
  • Ammunition Shortages: There are acute shortages of artillery shells, anti-aircraft missiles, and drones, hindering readiness.
  • Outdated Equipment & Gaps: Many European forces lack sufficient modern infantry vehicles, aircraft, and advanced air defense systems compared to potential adversaries.
  • Fragmented Structure: Lack of a unified command, separate procurement, and differing defense spending (many below NATO's 2% GDP target) limit effectiveness and increase costs.
  • Dependence on the US: Europe lacks the space-based intelligence, refueling, and specialized air assets to conduct complex operations without significant American contributions.
Consequences
  • Limited Operational Reach: Most European militaries can't sustain prolonged, out-of-area combat operations, struggling to project power effectively.
  • Slow Mobilization: Smaller nations are late to crises, and overall deployment is hampered by mobility and readiness issues.
  • Vulnerability to Modern Warfare: Without US support, Europe would struggle to achieve air dominance or effectively execute complex maneuvers against peer adversaries, as seen in the demands of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
In essence, while Europe possesses substantial equipment, integrating it into a cohesive fighting force capable of independent, high-intensity war remains a major challenge, with current readiness often limited to a few weeks of intense combat without substantial external (US) help.
And

Fighting without the tools to win​

From British Paratroopers to Poland’s GROM, from Eurofighters to German howitzers, Europe fields some of the finest professional forces and most sophisticated weapon systems; the problem is, they just don’t have enough of them. It is not that Europeans do not know how to fight. The problem is, what do they actually have to fight with? For years, defence budgets and industries have been allowed to wither away. Without the United States, European NATO members face crippling shortfalls in trained personnel, ammunition stocks, and critical military assets. Although this has already impeded European operations in the past, it would prove fatal in a peer-to-peer conflict.

Without U.S. stockpiles and equipment depots, Europe would face an immediate logistical challenge from the very outbreak of hostilities. Ammunition shortages would be catastrophic. The war in Ukraine has demonstrated that European stockpiles cannot sustain modern, high-intensity combat. Stocks of artillery shells, precision munitions, and armoured vehicle replacements would be exhausted within weeks, with no immediate means of replenishment.

Dwindling reserves and slow production​

Unlike the United States, which maintains vast prepositioned stockpiles, European nations have allowed their war reserves to dwindle. Decades of underinvestment and fragmentation across national borders have meant Europe’s defence industries are too slow and unresponsive to meet wartime demand. Peacetime procurement cycles stretch across years, not weeks. The very munitions that define NATO’s battlefield superiority – smart bombs, guided rockets, and cruise missiles – are produced too slowly and in far too small quantities. In a war with Russia, Europe’s current production capacity would be overwhelmed within days.

To make matters worse, Europe lacks the military mobility to move what it currently has to where it is needed. Equipment losses would mount rapidly without a resilient battlefield repair and maintenance infrastructure. Damaged tanks, Infantry Fighting Vehicles, and aircraft would be difficult to restore to combat readiness, and many would be lost for the duration of the war.

This is not just a logistical issue; it directly impacts Europe’s ability to dictate the course of the war. When its reserves run out and production fails to keep pace, Europe will be unable to effectively shape the strategic environment.
 
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