Friends, I don't know if you've been following the absurd, anti-democratic persecution of Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's former president, and indeed many other members of the opposition, by the socialist government of "Lula", the country's new (and also old) gangster-president, but you should be. It's providing a road map for how to undermine democratic institutions in the name of "democracy" that so-called progressives in this country will be sorely tempted to follow. The key difference is that, in Brazil, the Left controls the (very assertive, even dictatorial) courts, whereas in the U.S. there is still, for now, a conservative majority on the Supreme Court, and Democrats, for now, obey the high court's rulings. In any case, perhaps the only card that freedom-loving Brazilians have left to play is mass action. Possibly, the current rulers of Brazil will hesitate to stifle an opposition that is clearly popular. Possibly, they would be afraid to trample the people of Brazil and their rights openly and brazenly. And, in the end, we may come to a similar pass in the United States as well. How to counter leftist "lawfare" against conservatives and dissidents? Massive public rallies, like the one we saw in Brazil this past weekend, would go a long way. So far we haven't seen any big demonstrations in defense of Trump or other victims of lawfare. Maybe we should, and maybe we must.
And this article poses a most intriguing question: could Tulsi Gabbard, former Democrat, become Donald Trump's running mate in '24? The author makes a strong case for Tulsi, and she may even be angling for consideration. Personally, though, I consider it unlikely, because, above all, I suspect Trump will be looking for someone predictable and loyal. Tulsi has shown great independence and courage in the past, which is to her credit in many ways, but those qualities don't necessarily recommend her as a running mate.
https://spectator.org/will-tulsi-gabbard-be-donald-trumps-vp-pick/
It's no surprise that Trump and Bolsonaro are big fans for one another. They have the same attitude. Lost the election and try to overturn the results.
ReplyDeleteBTW, 750,000 people protesting seems like an impressive number until you realize Sao Paolo has 12.5 million people. Basically, 750,000 people is lunchtime traffic.
Hey there Rod Man!
DeleteDon't worry about Brazil. When the Army down there gets tired of the Left, they will simply take over again, and take care of their opponents by dropping them from planes, into The Atlantic Ocean, at night, at high altitudes, without parachute.
If that turdie birdie Lula escapes, maybe he can come up here to the U.S. and apply for a government job under the Bidenista regime, and with instant U.S. citizenship, could become our VP.
So no worries Rod, no worries.
Dr. Waddy from Jack: Perhaps our demonstration for now is this election, that is, if we deny the antiamerican left four more years in our White House. I think the reason we have far fewer mass expressions of outrage on the part of America is because America is busy working and leading constructive lives. But antiamerica always seems to have the time and the means for "community organizers" to work instant reaction to insolent opposition. Should the increasingly not so incipient totalitarians deny us the redeeming return of an ever so much wiser DJT, the time for America to get up on its hindlegs and howl may be at hand, since the intensely relieved antiamericans would launch their culminating offensive. Brazilians are relearning the by now historically proven lesson about trusting the far left with executive power. Like a restless sleeper changing sides at night, so many unfortunate peoples understandably conclude that any change is an improvement. But this has, starting with the French Revolution, gone to show how very much worse than bad things can get. I agree, Brazil sets us an example to which we must pay close attention. Antiamerica, in full dudgeon and vindictiveness, openly intends to make things as bad as bad can be and Dear Leader is among us already.
ReplyDeleteFROM RAY
ReplyDeleteEven if Trump becomes president again, the opposition of Leftist sewer rats will make sure (again) that his four years are marked with as much sabotage as possible. The same bullshit as his first term, but more of it.
In a way, four more years of The Bidenistas might be preferable. At least they are consistent and predictable in fucking the nation up beyond all recognition (FUBAR), we can count on it.
And those Bidenists who are already brain dead won't know the difference anyway. Nothing like more of the same woke, DEI, CRT, and cancel culture pig slop is there? While miserable for many Americans, another Biden term should certainly make Russia and PRC China happy with the possibility of getting all of Ukraine and Taiwan respectively.
I say bring it on! If Biden can't run things, his handlers certainly will, which they are doing anyway. How about a continued Biden presidency followed by a Gavin Newsom presidency?
Dr. Waddy from Jack: Tulsi Gabbard is an intriguing possibility. I admire her military record and her moral courage in rejecting the shamefully compromised dem party. She has of course been the recipient of the excoriation always accorded apostates but especially from a dem party which considers any opposition not only sadly mistaken but reprehensible too. If this has motivated in her a grim determination to combat a far left captured dem party, the totalitarian intent of which she now fully realizes, then she could be a solid soldier and a dutiful Lieutenant for Pres. Trump in this final battle . IF so, she could be a prime candidate to inherit his mantle; IF! But my gut bids me have some reservations; why was she ever a dem and does she retain some of the consequent convictions? Black conservatives are the most heroic individuals in our polity; I am going to guess that they endure especially intense pain from the calumny and excoriation directed at them. DJT's travails confirm the savage lengths the antiamerican left willingly reaches in order to win all. It takes guts to face that and Sen. Scott has that virtue in great measure. I see no reason to doubt his conservative bonafides. Too, I think Gov. DeSantis has earned our full, unreserved confidence. Either one, paired with DJT would do us well and faithfully. And the prospect of either as President would be most reassuring.
ReplyDeleteFROM RAY
DeleteDeep in your heart you know that Oprah Winfrey is the right choice as DJT's running mate.
Rod is right that Bolsonaro and Trump have a lot in common, and both might justifiably be called sore losers. Of course, complaining, last time I checked, was free speech.
ReplyDeleteRod, if you think a crowd of 750,000+ is no big whoop, then should we assume that Dear Leader Biden will attract significantly more people at his next rally? Silly question -- he doesn't do rallies. He's above all that.
Yes, Jack, America is busy being American, i.e. fat and depressed (which replaced "fat and happy" a while back), but that just goes to show you that most citizens don't even begin to comprehend the extremity of our situation.
I share Ray's pessimism about the likely course of a second term for Trump. The Left has shown it knows how to contain him -- and even profit politically from his, uhh, controversial persona. Trump, for his part, has shown that he knows how to appoint Supreme Court Justices, and how to tell conservatives what they want to hear, but not how to govern (despite Deep State sabotage) or how to outwit his enemies. Having said all that, a second term for Biden risks losing the Supreme Court, either legitimately, by giving him the chance to appoint awful Justices, or illegitimately, by giving him and Congress the chance to pack or otherwise circumvent the Court. Then we really would be up the creek without a paddle!
Yes, Tulsi has shown courage in defying leftist orthodoxy. Either she is doing so out of principle, or out of ambition. Actually there is a third possibility, and it parallels Musk's situation. Tulsi may be drifting right by default, simply because the Left won't accept in its ranks anyone who thinks independently or critically. I guess that counts as acting on "principle", but it might be more accurate to call someone like her, or RFK, Jr., or Musk, a political drifter, abandoned by the Dems and not truly embraced by the GOP either. What about a No Labels run for Tulsi? That wouldn't do Biden any favors, I suspect.
THIS IS RAY
DeleteI wrote the below, and a correction in the last sentence should read "in various forms."
Could be that BOTH Trump and Biden are poor choices. In any event, even with someone strong on the right, other than Trump, the Left still has tight control of higher education, the media, and the entertainment industry, plus large slices of high tech. There is also the deeply entrenched federal bureaucracy. In order to deal with the aforementioned, it would take a dictatorship (American style) to deal with those powerful entities on the Left. Clearly, that won't happen, and most churches will offer no solace, since they too have been infiltrated by Leftism in various formed.
ReplyDeleteFROM RAY TO DR. WADDY (ALSO KNOWN AS NICK)
ReplyDeleteJust a note of appreciation for your site. Thanks for what you do. Also, I appreciate Jack's comments, although he probably doesn't think so. Wish more people were posting. Thanks to Rod Carveth as well, seriously.
Ray, unfortunately there is a good possibility that Lula will be smart enough to purge the Brazilian military of Bolsonarians. Maybe he already has. I would think that, in Brazil as in the U.S., the loyalties of the armed forces are uncertain, at best, and more Bolshevist than right-wing, at worst.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the kind words, Ray! We all do what we can. Let's face it: at the end of the day, God and (much worse) the American people will decide on the direction this country takes -- not us.
I agree -- Biden and Trump are both poor choices. Biden is...Biden. Trump is a megalomaniac who, sorry to say, isn't that good at concealing it OR carrying it out. Probably the winner this Fall will be whomever is marginally less idiotic. C'est la vie.