General Discussion

malaise

(278,056 posts)

2. Indeed

Thu Nov 14, 2024, 05:19 PM

Nov 14

I, like many of you, have been contemplating our predicament since election night.

We are in a losing war for our democracy and I'm not sure we collectively know who our true adversary is.

It's not the voting blocks...white women, Latinos, Gen X. It's not MAGA. It's not even Trump.

It's an insidious power that has been hiding in the shadows for some time...and when the stakes were at their highest in this election, it fully revealed itself.

The American Oligarchy.

They control our Supreme Court, much of Congress, and the flow of information to the masses via legacy, mainstream and social media.

They decide the national conversation, how to keep us at each other's throats while they continue to amass wealth and power completely unchecked.

They put their thumbs on the scale of justice and poured billions into this election. They chose Trump because he was desperate and would capitulate to their demands. They chose a running mate to replace him in case he became too unhinged to control.

Consider how many disqualifying facts about Trump never saw the light of day...or didn't get the attention they deserved...or got drowned out by propaganda. They took a mentally spent buffoon and presented him as a hero to the masses.

Despite Biden successfully steering us out of a global recession and strengthening our economy, they maintained the national tone about the price of groceries being too high. Despite Trump's obvious mental decline, their media outlets remained reticent to press the issue.

We struggle to unite as a nation because they're too good at keeping us divided. We are drowning in disinformation because they control all of it.

They have successfully created imaginary villains for us to fight...each other.

It seems like we are a democracy careening towards fascism, when the reality is they're using the specter of fascism to keep us on edge while they turn America into a compliant oligarchy.

Whether you are a democrat, republican, independent or MAGA, we have a common foe.

Some of us just don't know it yet.

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Highlight:

Jack E Smith! - not Jack L Smith [View all] malaise Nov 14 OP

Wow. That's frankly terrifying. Easterncedar Nov 14 #1

Indeed malaise Nov 14 #2

Thanks for transcribing that Malaise so we don't have to go to x Clouds Passing Nov 14 #23

For the visually oriented: usonian Nov 14 #38

Perfect malaise Nov 14 #53

JOHN LUMAN SMITH,.... You know about the name discrepancy,... correct ? magicarpet Nov 14 #102

Dickeylee Dickeylee Nov 14 #103

Jack E Smith is not the special counsel kkmarie Nov 15 #117

Oh,.. excellent post by Malaise, absolutely no question. magicarpet Nov 15 #131

Regular Jack E Smith posts catchnrelease Nov 15 #138

Oligarchy is fascism on steroids. They've got us by the cojones. brush Nov 14 #72

Exactly what I have been saying for the better part of a decade... orwell Nov 14 #44

Thanks! 2naSalit Nov 14 #80

I've never seen 53 recs on a sub post before Uncle Joe Nov 14 #99

MoneyPOWER. Bluethroughu Nov 15 #123

The best line malaise Nov 14 #3

Putin and many others bdamomma Nov 14 #54

Depends on whether he succeeds in purging military leadership or not. Karasu Nov 14 #67

He nailed it. CentralMass Nov 14 #4

And then some malaise Nov 14 #9

I'm not terrified NJCher Nov 14 #5

just the facts stillcool Nov 14 #11

yo, Jack NJCher Nov 14 #6

The same post is here at Bluesky ananda Nov 14 #22

Thanks! ShazzieB Nov 14 #46

Thanks blueseas Nov 14 #78

Thanks malaise Nov 14 #98

It's a parody account, not the Jack Smith in the avatar. femmedem Nov 14 #24

Oh well, it's extremely well written, that's for sure. ShazzieB Nov 14 #49

Thanks! I was scrolling down the comments... reACTIONary Nov 14 #60

speaks for me as well markie Nov 14 #7

Could you post this as its own OP, for visibility, and so we can rec it? niyad Nov 14 #17

Agree malaise Nov 14 #21

Wow wonderful poster. Thanks and I agree with malaise's suggestion to post as its own OP. c-rational Nov 14 #88

Yes and so many Americans will respond to this message when our side takes this on in full force. Passages Nov 15 #120

K & R Emile Nov 14 #8

Not really Jack Smith J-9 Nov 14 #10

Who cares malaise Nov 14 #12

okay, what? Brenda Nov 14 #29

No, it's a parody account...nt Wounded Bear Nov 14 #32

maybe ok Brenda Nov 14 #35

It's a parody account Babajida Nov 14 #45

I would love it to be but the comments are spot on malaise Nov 14 #51

What difference does that make to the validity of the posted material? niyad Nov 14 #56

I care. There is clearly a different weight and implication based on source credibility. Gore1FL Nov 14 #37

Exactly what diffference does that make to what was posted? niyad Nov 14 #57

I would think that Jack Smith would carry more weight than rando-person on internet. nt Gore1FL Nov 14 #84

So the words change meaning, based on who presents them? Got it. niyad Nov 14 #104

The literal title of the thread is "Jack E Smith!" When it is presented as "Jack E Smith!" I expect "Jack E Smith!" Gore1FL Nov 14 #108

The fact that it is Jack "E." Smith should have been the giveaway, since Special niyad Nov 14 #110

Now THAT made me laugh for the first time since 11/6! n/t Cheezoholic Nov 15 #112

Happy to help! niyad Nov 15 #113

FFS. Why? Why? Why are you continuing this subthread. Gore1FL Nov 15 #121

ohhhh myyyy. The irony. niyad Nov 15 #125

And the coppery, and aluminumy. Please harass someone else over unimportant bullshit. I'm busy. nt Gore1FL Nov 15 #127

. . . niyad Nov 15 #128

Goodbye forever. nt Gore1FL Nov 15 #130

I imagine the real Jack Smith cares about his name and photo being associated with words he didn't write. onenote Nov 14 #43

This particular account has been around for quite some time now. I don't notice niyad Nov 14 #47

?? J-9 Nov 14 #66

It is interesting that you thought that the OP needed to be informed of that fact. niyad Nov 14 #81

There are no charges J-9 Nov 14 #87

J-9 hasn't posted again since this exchange. femmedem Saturday #140

Malaise J-9 Nov 14 #75

We all know that, thank you. niyad Nov 14 #19

It doesn't look to me as if all the posters know that. femmedem Nov 14 #28

It's pretty clear "all" don't know that. onenote Nov 14 #42

Looks like a whole bunch of us don't know that. Iggo Nov 14 #76

No, we DON'T "all know that." nt LAS14 Nov 14 #91

Okay, J-9 sagetea Nov 14 #25

Correct, and welcome to DU. femmedem Nov 14 #26

Thanks. I've been lurking daily J-9 Nov 14 #68

Yeah, some of those replies were uncalled for. femmedem Nov 14 #90

Thanks. I missed that. Easterncedar Nov 14 #101

It matters to me! I sent this out to my family! ALBliberal Nov 14 #105

It's the last chance for the world's elite to steal everything of value before climate chaos really hits. CrispyQ Nov 14 #13

Bet Leonard Leo is feeling oh so proud of himself these days. Scum! SheilaAnn Nov 14 #14

My hero and there are not many left imo. FDR would agree with Smith 100%. Passages Nov 14 #15

It's not your hero, unless your hero is a parody writer. nt LAS14 Nov 14 #92

A parody writer who acknowledges the power and corruption of the oligarchs. Passages Nov 14 #96

Wow! spicysista Nov 14 #16

And what created these oligarchs? Farmer-Rick Nov 14 #18

There were oligarchies under feudalism as well malaise Nov 14 #33

Yes, unbridled capitalism always leads to oligarchy and fascism...nt Wounded Bear Nov 14 #34

Speaks for me as well! niyad Nov 14 #20

The French oligarchy FAFO'ed in 1793 Zorro Nov 14 #27

Just recc malaise Nov 14 #30

This message was self-deleted by its author Blue_Roses Nov 15 #115

This may be the most important thing that you read today, especially so, considering the source. EarnestPutz Nov 14 #31

The source is a parody site, not Jack Smith. onenote Nov 14 #40

He's absolutely right, and if Biden were smart... infullview Nov 14 #36

The problem with your post is that Biden is smart as are the people advising him onenote Nov 14 #41

Like you are.... infullview Nov 15 #119

And some people called Smith Superman lol Sewa Nov 14 #39

so much for "we" all knowing this was a parody account. thebigidea Nov 14 #55

Jack Smith will save democracy how fucking funny Sewa Nov 14 #59

Thank you. Six117 Nov 14 #48

Um, yeah relayerbob Nov 14 #50

We are in predicament. Manage as well as you can. cachukis Nov 14 #52

Wow! Powerful. Thank you so much for posting, malaise. wordstroken Nov 14 #58

So, these tariffs that Shitler keeps talking about, exactly where would all of the $$ be going? OMGWTF Nov 14 #61

Nazi Germany had its oligarchs too even if they were called industrialists bucolic_frolic Nov 14 #62

They work hand in hand malaise Nov 14 #65

Oh Yeah. We've know it..without lot of power and money, we also know... chouchou Nov 14 #63

Captain Jack has spotted the iceberg we are about to hit Blue Owl Nov 14 #64

It's a parody. nt LAS14 Nov 14 #93

I considered making this an OP soldierant Nov 14 #69

I think this should be its own OP, for wider visibility. niyad Nov 14 #106

Well, Mark Cuban and Warren Buffet and... Justice matters. Nov 14 #70

That's not a parting shot, that's Prairie_Seagull Nov 14 #71

It's not a parting shot. It's a parody. Not the Jack Smith in the avatar. nt LAS14 Nov 14 #89

American Oligarchy blueseas Nov 14 #73

But I can't see it! 2naSalit Nov 14 #74

See post #2 malaise Nov 14 #77

Excellent Nululu Nov 14 #79

The Gnomes of Zurich Jrsygrl96 Nov 14 #82

Blueprints for guillotines are readily available online Orrex Nov 14 #83

A landlord with gold toilets Puppyjive Nov 14 #85

We need a new rule. So we can alert posts that the poster should have... LAS14 Nov 14 #86

Out of curiosity, have you asked the same of the other parody and satire niyad Nov 14 #109

I'm collecting examples in preparation for making an OP on the subject. LAS14 Nov 15 #124

Very much looking forward to it. niyad Nov 15 #126

Thanks Jack, you nailed it. republianmushroom Nov 14 #94

Meh. Mosby Nov 14 #95

I totally agree with Jack, but I would suggest that's it's not just American, Uncle Joe Nov 14 #97

No, it is the stupid motherfuckers. TheKentuckian Nov 14 #100

malaise, I believe you should make it clear in your OP that this is a fake account you are linking us to. nt DontBelieveEastisEas Nov 14 #107

Most people here already know that padah513 Nov 14 #111

And no matter who said it, the post is valid. GoodRaisin Nov 15 #114

No we don't... Blue_Roses Nov 15 #116

The truth, the whole truth, nuthin but the truth. Magoo48 Nov 15 #118

I've known this for decades. I've been watching how our oligarchs have manipulated the economy to benefir themselves. SharonAnn Nov 15 #122

I don't know about the rest of you, but... Omnipresent Nov 15 #129

My sentiments exactly. sop Nov 15 #132

No Sh*t Beowulf42 Nov 15 #133

I'm surprised he gets away with using Jack L. Smith's picture. Sogo Nov 15 #134

I followed him fir a while on Twitter Catherine Vincent Nov 15 #135

Thank you for the edit to the OP to clarify which Jack Smith. n/t Ms. Toad Nov 15 #136

The name difference does not discount or discredit the value of the message conveyed. magicarpet Nov 15 #137

Precisely n/t malaise Nov 15 #139