As a person who was, myself, a debater in public schools, I do so appreciate the skill you have, Mehdi. Researching facts, organizing them, presenting them in clear unambiguous language--these are all skills that 'ordinary people' like ourselves can learn and hone. If there's a single point to emphasize about 'the Mehdi message,' it's that a person can learn how to get their point across by learning how to argue, not vainly or hysterically, but effectively. You are a model to be emulated, not just 'followed.' Many thanks.
The memory hole has a screen over it that catches everything Biden does wrong while letting Trump's crimes pass through and become forgotten. As Eric Alterman keeps asking, "what liberal media?"
It’s fine if you vote for her in a blue or red state, but if you vote for her in a purple state, then Trump will win, taking the rights of women and throwing them under the bus; starting wars and escalating them where they already are; and further dividing us as a nation. Jill Stein is not the answer, but putting pressure on representatives and Administrations from local to federal levels! The people’s voice, when bounded together, will succeed! Let’s make sure that stupidity and Trump do not win!
Neither of these two candidates and their parties are for the American people’s interest. They both supported israeli genocide and still competing as to who loves criminal state Israel more than the other.
AOC and other "squad" members need to jettison the Democratic Party. Their main function is to provide left cover for imperialism, including support to Zionist oppression and expansionism.
You know, Bob, your points are well-taken, valid, important to grasp--but this national election is not the forum for taking them on, you see? Fascism is the issue here and now. The Democrats are, indeed, in the pockets of corporate jerk imperialists and corrupt lobbyists--cynical and blind. Muckrakers have been pointing to these failings for a century and we do need to take it on--but not with voting for Jill at this moment, OK?
AOC is a Nazi who tried to keep Joe Biden in power. She has no other purpose than getting left wingers to vote for literal Genocide against their interest. It would be one thing if she was pretending to change the party from within but now AOC saying nobody is allowed to vote for non-Nazis. AOC is a pathetic career politician.
question for Mehdi who I respect very much as an investigative journalist. Which is worse, and why.... A liar (Trump obviously, lies are so easy to spot), or a hypocrite (Harris, hypocrisy is strategically insidious). So, lies or hypocrisy. Which is worse?
Things are really screwed up in the US when folks are considering voting for a man who encouraged an insurrection, then casually stood by and watched whilst his fellowman was being beaten and killed. Then there’s the constant mockery and degradation of his fellowman (veterans, disabled journalists, non-Republicans, non-right wingers, etc). He has shown he only cares for himself and will do anything to advance his own needs .
Lies are worse, at this moment of choice. Hypocrisy is old hat, harder to address, but vital to take on as well. 'Which is worse?' isn't just a 'flavor of the day' choice, however, not when it comes to taking over governmental platforms. I do hope you see that is what's involved here. And these issues aren't going to be solved by just not letting Trump win this time. This displacement of democratic institutions is a long-time goal of those who fund it, going back to feudalism, really. Despotic disregard for others is a disease. It is a result of thinking--believing--that we are disconnected from each other. That's not true, but those that feel it's true are desperately lonely and afraid, and seeking to make themselves secure, thus acting out in all these many ways that only make their situations worse while injuring the rest of us and damaging the planet. Perspective really matters.
I happen to think hypocrisy is worse because you don't see it coming. It is the most sinister of played objectives. Sadly, it makes a population cynical instead of hopeful. It's pretty impossible to believe the sentiments of the hypocrite. I also think of the two, hypocrisy is the most dangerous because of its predatory nature.... slow, steady, deliberate. I believe repeated hypocrisy gave us Donald Trump. It birthed a population that quit believing, because they were had more times than they were helped.
On that note, I'm either staying home or voting for Jill Stein. I gotta stick with morality.
All true, but not relevant to election voting! There really is no choice involved in a system that's rigged from both ends, but fascism is an end to civil society, to being able to step back, speak out . . . and not vote ever again. That's a genuine result of getting too burned out to care.
Truth is, I care too much. As far as fascism, I think it's pretty evident we are already there. The last thing I would call American society is "civil".
The solution? Total upheaval of course. But that won't happen. The population... through hypocrisy, and lies... has adapted to being quite comfortable in its servitude. The dumbing down of the population has been slow and steady and at this point, is pretty much mission accomplished. Did it backfire to some extent on the hypocritical side of the monied elites? Probably.
if you dont want trump to win. go tell the people voting for him to stop. go tell the corporations that fund his campaigns to stop. oh wait....we are still voting for those same corporations and super PACs to interfere by sticking to the 2 party system. "For the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house". Asking for people to vote hypocrisy is preach to others to vote for what benefits you without actually inconveniencing yourself to fight for whole.
I'm not advocating choosing hypocrisy. It's a null option. I'm advocating keeping hope a possibility, which is what staying in the picture (i.e., continuing to vote at all) means in this context that we can't choose not to count. It isn't relevant, to try to discuss 'what's best' in this forum. Preventing 2025 plan isn't the same thing as making a meaningful difference, just not lapsing into being swept along like dross.
Post WWII, the US ultra-right has manipulated US, going back to Truman (1945.) Most people have real lives to lead, thus don't pay attention to what the government is doing, not until it hits them in the gut as it does with this Zionist horror show no one can not see as the bodies of small children pile up, dismembered amid rubble. The class of people who are setting policy are 'giant fur-armed insects' (William Burroughs metaphor), creatures who have lost their sense of being human beings in a living network of our fellows, interconnected by ideas, by feelings, thoughts, by goals and needs. Think about how lost that is! And fearful. It is a prospect hard to face. These very sick critters have atom bombs and armies, money enough to own the media and means of transportation, resources and utilities.
Thank you, Mehdi. I knew all of these things already, but I have no platform and my friends were never fooled by the Orange Bomber. Jacobin and other leftist publications have done good pieces about these issues separately, but you just summarized it so well in this video. I really hope someone will pass this to the idiots out there who actually believe the crap about Trump being less of a hawk. Those people shouldn’t be allowed to vote.
Thank you for those many facts. Many I didn't know. But I need no persuading in not voting for Trump or Biden for that matter. It's Green party up and down the ballot for me. Will not vote in any duopoly candidates ever again. The 2 main issues why:
1. Our forever wars and MIC need stopping and funding.
2. Both parties are eroding our civil liberties almost on a daily bases. We need to put an end to the hemorrhaging our civil liberties.
I have to agree with most of what you say, but the Green party has never gotten off the ground. I voted for Nader, which accomplished nothing; we got Bush and everything that has come after. Even if, by shear chance, Jill Stein rose up from near-anonymity to win the presidency in the two months left in this campaign, she would still face a legislature with no allies and a rigidly pro-empire Supreme Court (the actual thief of civil liberties). So a principled vote is wasted, not voting is irresponsible, and a vote for either major party is endorsing an unacceptable status quo. What to do?
I fix the blame on the overwhelming influence of money in politics; this has to be fought before anything else can get done. Of those in a position to do anything about it, almost all of them are Democrats or caucus with them (Sanders). It's not much, but it's all we've got; the best we can do is to try and swell their ranks. Harris/Walz do undoubtedly support labor, like Joe Biden has, so they look better for our ideals than the only alternative.
Thank you Medhi. Without giving away my age , I can tell you that many Muslims for many years believe that Republicans are on their side. So unfortunately, this the as been a long standing myth - I heard this all through my college days from Muslims. I happily married one that did not agree with that line of thinking.
Thanks for the debunk, and of course so happy to have you explain in no uncertain terms. Perfect reporting.
I do believe that if Americans were less incurious and knew the full extent of what their government does in their name, they would be outraged and half this crap wouldn't take place. Living next door in Canada, I get the impression that most Americans are clueless when it comes to knowing the rest of the world. For that I blame the useless mainstream media. Not that the media is much better where I live, but I don't believe we are as brainwashed as our neighbours.
"But barely three hours later, Mr. Trump had changed his mind. Without consulting his vice president, secretary of state or national security adviser, he reversed himself and, with ships readying missiles and airplanes already in the skies, told the Pentagon to call off the airstrikes with only 10 minutes to go. When Vice President Mike Pence and other officials returned to the White House for what they expected would be a long night of monitoring a military operation, they were stunned to learn the attack was off."
And Trump is the one who withdrew from Afghanistan. Also Yemen has a lower death toll than Gaza right now.
If Democrats didn't start doing literal Genocide too this would be a far easier choice to make.
So you prefer the hyper-violent Trump who lies about EVERYTHING rather than the candidate who is good or excellent on JUDICIARY issues (they’re our actual rulers) and the domestic platform generally…this is why we’re in such trouble overall.
I would argue that they, liars and hypocrites are one and the same. They both start with a lie — in Chump’s case it’s a knowing projection, whereas a hypocrite will make a statement like “thou shall not kill”, then proceed to do just that. Both start with a lie, knowingly or subconsciously, then act in contradiction to that statement.
Sure, Trump might be a fool, but Biden's “Genocide Joe”, Obama was “DroneBama”, and Harris? She's on track to be “Holocaust Harris”.
As Mehdi pointed out:
- Yemen War - DroneBama
- Libya War - DroneBama
- Syria War - DroneBama
And let's not forget, “DroneBama” kept the Afghan and Iraqi genocides going strong.
If a Nobel Peace Prize winner like “DroneBama” can out-war a buffoon like Trump, then I'd rather roll the dice with Trump than back an opportunistic genocide supporter and enabler like “Holocaust Harris”.
This is the best & clearest summary of this subject I have ever seen - congrats Mehdi - will be spreading this around to select friends
As a person who was, myself, a debater in public schools, I do so appreciate the skill you have, Mehdi. Researching facts, organizing them, presenting them in clear unambiguous language--these are all skills that 'ordinary people' like ourselves can learn and hone. If there's a single point to emphasize about 'the Mehdi message,' it's that a person can learn how to get their point across by learning how to argue, not vainly or hysterically, but effectively. You are a model to be emulated, not just 'followed.' Many thanks.
The memory hole has a screen over it that catches everything Biden does wrong while letting Trump's crimes pass through and become forgotten. As Eric Alterman keeps asking, "what liberal media?"
Liberal media? Like Ministry of Information or Ministry of Love?
Harris backs Gaza genocide and likeky participated in excluding Palestinian voices from the DNC. Jill Stein gets my vote.
It’s fine if you vote for her in a blue or red state, but if you vote for her in a purple state, then Trump will win, taking the rights of women and throwing them under the bus; starting wars and escalating them where they already are; and further dividing us as a nation. Jill Stein is not the answer, but putting pressure on representatives and Administrations from local to federal levels! The people’s voice, when bounded together, will succeed! Let’s make sure that stupidity and Trump do not win!
"Jill Stein gets my vote." Haha. How did you manage to even say that in your head without laughing? Christ...
Neither of these two candidates and their parties are for the American people’s interest. They both supported israeli genocide and still competing as to who loves criminal state Israel more than the other.
If you’re supporting Jill Stein then you really should listen to AOC. https://x.com/qondintini/status/1830491284126966266?s=46&t=h-_jsnBBy_4gktbBp20naA
AOC and other "squad" members need to jettison the Democratic Party. Their main function is to provide left cover for imperialism, including support to Zionist oppression and expansionism.
You know, Bob, your points are well-taken, valid, important to grasp--but this national election is not the forum for taking them on, you see? Fascism is the issue here and now. The Democrats are, indeed, in the pockets of corporate jerk imperialists and corrupt lobbyists--cynical and blind. Muckrakers have been pointing to these failings for a century and we do need to take it on--but not with voting for Jill at this moment, OK?
Democrats in 2020: If you don't like this policy use your vote to change it
Democrats in 2024: Noooo you can't use your vote to change policies that doesn't work keep voting for Democrat!!!
AOC is a Nazi who tried to keep Joe Biden in power. She has no other purpose than getting left wingers to vote for literal Genocide against their interest. It would be one thing if she was pretending to change the party from within but now AOC saying nobody is allowed to vote for non-Nazis. AOC is a pathetic career politician.
is your voting for Trump or Harris
look at the genoside they have been supporting.
Don't be an enabler of genocide, a crime against humanity.
Thank you, Medhi. This couldn't be clearer.
question for Mehdi who I respect very much as an investigative journalist. Which is worse, and why.... A liar (Trump obviously, lies are so easy to spot), or a hypocrite (Harris, hypocrisy is strategically insidious). So, lies or hypocrisy. Which is worse?
Things are really screwed up in the US when folks are considering voting for a man who encouraged an insurrection, then casually stood by and watched whilst his fellowman was being beaten and killed. Then there’s the constant mockery and degradation of his fellowman (veterans, disabled journalists, non-Republicans, non-right wingers, etc). He has shown he only cares for himself and will do anything to advance his own needs .
Lies are worse, at this moment of choice. Hypocrisy is old hat, harder to address, but vital to take on as well. 'Which is worse?' isn't just a 'flavor of the day' choice, however, not when it comes to taking over governmental platforms. I do hope you see that is what's involved here. And these issues aren't going to be solved by just not letting Trump win this time. This displacement of democratic institutions is a long-time goal of those who fund it, going back to feudalism, really. Despotic disregard for others is a disease. It is a result of thinking--believing--that we are disconnected from each other. That's not true, but those that feel it's true are desperately lonely and afraid, and seeking to make themselves secure, thus acting out in all these many ways that only make their situations worse while injuring the rest of us and damaging the planet. Perspective really matters.
I happen to think hypocrisy is worse because you don't see it coming. It is the most sinister of played objectives. Sadly, it makes a population cynical instead of hopeful. It's pretty impossible to believe the sentiments of the hypocrite. I also think of the two, hypocrisy is the most dangerous because of its predatory nature.... slow, steady, deliberate. I believe repeated hypocrisy gave us Donald Trump. It birthed a population that quit believing, because they were had more times than they were helped.
On that note, I'm either staying home or voting for Jill Stein. I gotta stick with morality.
All true, but not relevant to election voting! There really is no choice involved in a system that's rigged from both ends, but fascism is an end to civil society, to being able to step back, speak out . . . and not vote ever again. That's a genuine result of getting too burned out to care.
Truth is, I care too much. As far as fascism, I think it's pretty evident we are already there. The last thing I would call American society is "civil".
The solution? Total upheaval of course. But that won't happen. The population... through hypocrisy, and lies... has adapted to being quite comfortable in its servitude. The dumbing down of the population has been slow and steady and at this point, is pretty much mission accomplished. Did it backfire to some extent on the hypocritical side of the monied elites? Probably.
What you are doing is utterly immoral.
if you dont want trump to win. go tell the people voting for him to stop. go tell the corporations that fund his campaigns to stop. oh wait....we are still voting for those same corporations and super PACs to interfere by sticking to the 2 party system. "For the master's tools will never dismantle the master's house". Asking for people to vote hypocrisy is preach to others to vote for what benefits you without actually inconveniencing yourself to fight for whole.
I'm not advocating choosing hypocrisy. It's a null option. I'm advocating keeping hope a possibility, which is what staying in the picture (i.e., continuing to vote at all) means in this context that we can't choose not to count. It isn't relevant, to try to discuss 'what's best' in this forum. Preventing 2025 plan isn't the same thing as making a meaningful difference, just not lapsing into being swept along like dross.
Well, Trump has been convicted of many many felonies—so hypocrisy trumps Trump in this instance!
Genocide is the crime of crimes. If you care more about fraud with campaign funds than Genocide there's a moral problem.
Sadly Trump is all for genocide as well. Don't see how it could get worse than it is now however. There definitely is a moral problem in this country.
This is moronically simplistic.
US is a warmongering country ...
It encourages and enables aggression towards other countries or groups.
This is so seriously depressing to watch...
Post WWII, the US ultra-right has manipulated US, going back to Truman (1945.) Most people have real lives to lead, thus don't pay attention to what the government is doing, not until it hits them in the gut as it does with this Zionist horror show no one can not see as the bodies of small children pile up, dismembered amid rubble. The class of people who are setting policy are 'giant fur-armed insects' (William Burroughs metaphor), creatures who have lost their sense of being human beings in a living network of our fellows, interconnected by ideas, by feelings, thoughts, by goals and needs. Think about how lost that is! And fearful. It is a prospect hard to face. These very sick critters have atom bombs and armies, money enough to own the media and means of transportation, resources and utilities.
Thank you, Mehdi. I knew all of these things already, but I have no platform and my friends were never fooled by the Orange Bomber. Jacobin and other leftist publications have done good pieces about these issues separately, but you just summarized it so well in this video. I really hope someone will pass this to the idiots out there who actually believe the crap about Trump being less of a hawk. Those people shouldn’t be allowed to vote.
Thank you for those many facts. Many I didn't know. But I need no persuading in not voting for Trump or Biden for that matter. It's Green party up and down the ballot for me. Will not vote in any duopoly candidates ever again. The 2 main issues why:
1. Our forever wars and MIC need stopping and funding.
2. Both parties are eroding our civil liberties almost on a daily bases. We need to put an end to the hemorrhaging our civil liberties.
I have to agree with most of what you say, but the Green party has never gotten off the ground. I voted for Nader, which accomplished nothing; we got Bush and everything that has come after. Even if, by shear chance, Jill Stein rose up from near-anonymity to win the presidency in the two months left in this campaign, she would still face a legislature with no allies and a rigidly pro-empire Supreme Court (the actual thief of civil liberties). So a principled vote is wasted, not voting is irresponsible, and a vote for either major party is endorsing an unacceptable status quo. What to do?
I fix the blame on the overwhelming influence of money in politics; this has to be fought before anything else can get done. Of those in a position to do anything about it, almost all of them are Democrats or caucus with them (Sanders). It's not much, but it's all we've got; the best we can do is to try and swell their ranks. Harris/Walz do undoubtedly support labor, like Joe Biden has, so they look better for our ideals than the only alternative.
Thank you Medhi. Without giving away my age , I can tell you that many Muslims for many years believe that Republicans are on their side. So unfortunately, this the as been a long standing myth - I heard this all through my college days from Muslims. I happily married one that did not agree with that line of thinking.
Thanks for the debunk, and of course so happy to have you explain in no uncertain terms. Perfect reporting.
Thanks Mehdi for straightening out that batch of lazy thinking that Trump is some kind of peace dove. It needs saying, again and again and again.
I do believe that if Americans were less incurious and knew the full extent of what their government does in their name, they would be outraged and half this crap wouldn't take place. Living next door in Canada, I get the impression that most Americans are clueless when it comes to knowing the rest of the world. For that I blame the useless mainstream media. Not that the media is much better where I live, but I don't believe we are as brainwashed as our neighbours.
As much I don't expect Trump to be better on israel, he did stop his warhawk cabinet from escalating to full war with Iran before: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/21/us/politics/trump-iran-decision.html
"But barely three hours later, Mr. Trump had changed his mind. Without consulting his vice president, secretary of state or national security adviser, he reversed himself and, with ships readying missiles and airplanes already in the skies, told the Pentagon to call off the airstrikes with only 10 minutes to go. When Vice President Mike Pence and other officials returned to the White House for what they expected would be a long night of monitoring a military operation, they were stunned to learn the attack was off."
And Trump is the one who withdrew from Afghanistan. Also Yemen has a lower death toll than Gaza right now.
If Democrats didn't start doing literal Genocide too this would be a far easier choice to make.
Agree but still not voting for Kamala
Lynne Resch. How right you are. Lies or hypocrisy. Lies anytime. Hypocrites can never be trusted.
So you prefer the hyper-violent Trump who lies about EVERYTHING rather than the candidate who is good or excellent on JUDICIARY issues (they’re our actual rulers) and the domestic platform generally…this is why we’re in such trouble overall.
These people are profoundly stupid.
In its way, hypocrisy is a form of lying.
I would argue that they, liars and hypocrites are one and the same. They both start with a lie — in Chump’s case it’s a knowing projection, whereas a hypocrite will make a statement like “thou shall not kill”, then proceed to do just that. Both start with a lie, knowingly or subconsciously, then act in contradiction to that statement.
My vote's for Jill Stein.
Sure, Trump might be a fool, but Biden's “Genocide Joe”, Obama was “DroneBama”, and Harris? She's on track to be “Holocaust Harris”.
As Mehdi pointed out:
- Yemen War - DroneBama
- Libya War - DroneBama
- Syria War - DroneBama
And let's not forget, “DroneBama” kept the Afghan and Iraqi genocides going strong.
If a Nobel Peace Prize winner like “DroneBama” can out-war a buffoon like Trump, then I'd rather roll the dice with Trump than back an opportunistic genocide supporter and enabler like “Holocaust Harris”.
Trump may be a pathological liar but I do believe him when he says he'll use the military to crush peaceful protests!
Good one man. Good one.
The best thing that mainstream media ever did in the last 11 months is fire you.
Perfect repky. Could not agree with you more!
Though Mehdi has made clear he wasn't fired. They tried to silence him and take his show away. He showed them.