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The American ruling class imagines itself as the reincarnation of the Versailles royal court, the most brilliant and exalted demigods to walk the earth, born to rule over a country of stupid smelly peasants ...which makes sense because if we dug up the corpse of Louis XIV and slapped one of his old perukes on him, he'd be the spitting image of Barbara Ferrer.

Coincidence?!?!

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Imagining Versailles, in reality emulating Caligula and Heliogabalos.

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Having just looked up “Heliogabalus,“ I notice various parallels with Biden & Obama, either actual or symbolic. The most clear symbolic parallel was lighting up the White House with rainbow colors after “Obergefell” was announced, and no comparable celebration after “Dobbs” (Gerber baby in lights) or “Bruen” (grandma walking confidently down an NYC street).

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Tru dat!

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On a 2 wk business trip to Paris, I visited Versailles over the weekend. It is magnificent – at a distance. But get close – especially to the interior, and “shabby” is the first word that comes to mind. Much like left-wing governments the world over.

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You have to wonder which will come first, their "success" at killing the First Amendment or the Second. They are clearly strenuously pushing for both and you can be sure their thinking is that when they have "removed" those Rights, along with the others, they will have "won".

What they don't realize is there is nothing so dangerous as a man denied his God given Rights. If his existence alone makes him a criminal, then he may as well make that existence count by removing as many of those "denying" him of those Rights.

If it lasts until the next election, take careful note of those who post "biden" signs in their yards. And since they seem to be ready to throw him over for a less reviled candidate who shares the same agenda, take not of those supporters as well. Having a map with their addresses clearly marked will come in really handy when push comes to shove.

I have my doubts we will make it until the election and if we do, precisely zero chance of the favored candidate being allowed to take office. If that is the case, make their supporters pay dearly. After all, they want a reduced human population, make them go first.

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If the Second goes, 375 million of America's 400 million guns will be lost in tragic boating accidents, so. The First is already on the bubble.

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No, if the 2nd goes, you will see probably 40 million guns being used to solve the problem the politicians created.

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Dueling would bring a marked improvement to public discourse. If nothing else it would clear out the dross. The sharp retort of firearms would also be more meaningful than the noises emitted by the current crop of officials.

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Regardless of what hole Kerry speaks from, the same idiocy/hypocrisy emits.

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to walk the walk as he talks the talk, he needs one of those methane control diapers They want to put on cows.

but if he went that far he'd also have to limit himself to zoom meetings about climate change instead of flying his family's pervert jet and helicopters around everywhere (yes, I'm aware of the connotations of the typo-looking word in front of jet.)

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I saw a piece that cataloged 4-5 Democrat farts, and one Republican – Rudy Giuliani at a state election process hearing. Hilarious. I’d say they got the ratios correct.

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Objection guv'nah! Guns make it too easy, and deprives the constituency of sport.

Axes or swords, and a shield each.

To appease the woke, one could allow "ethnic" weaponry only. Might be a bit harsh on cultures what never discovered metalworking of course but them's the breaks. On the other hand, an aztec war-club set with obsidian shards would make most people think twice before mouthing off.

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I've always been partial to holmgang. The disputants tied to one another by a rope, and each given a knife. What could be more fair?

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How exactly did we go from robust, earthly, but intelligent political discourse to a people who are afraid of the wrong words?

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Progressive Era ------>

The wise people who decided to fix America.

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The Long March through the Institutions marched its way to total victory is how...

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...all while people with a brain were busily going about their business of business and family, assuming things were as they had been.

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A great question. The descent of our political discourse into the depths of mindless tribal shrieking and shallow posturing is particularly evident if one goes and watches old videos of Firing Line episodes or Vidal v. Buckley DNC coverage, for example. Vigorous political differences expressed with adult vocabulary and cogent reasoning! What country was that?! Even the public access cable TV shows in the 1970s featured more mature and thoughtful political discussions than what passes in the public fora today (prank calls notwithstanding). Our political discourse today simply reflects who we are as a people and a nation, and that is deeply disheartening.

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Baby boomers & their parents.

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The New Left. A late stage in the project, but an important one.

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Nope.

We were taught sticks and stones, not words.

Soccer moms

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Incrementalism.

Remember all the stink over online bullies.

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100 years of public education.

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“Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge William Fahey faces re-election in 2025.”

Now that’s what I call subtle! Wish I could vote in California.

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Why can’t you? They’re letting illegals vote in California. Why should the be the only non-Californians allowed to vote? Californians vote outside of California as well. I’ve seen a few brag about it locally as well.

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Well we all know there is no such think as a border.

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*thing.

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Then there is no such thing as an United States of America and why the hell aren’t those people paying into the system that I do, yet reap rewards that I would never in million years be eligible for? Should I not have redress?

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Bring back dueling.

Live on TV, internet, mobile devices, whatever. Not guns though, that's for sissies.

Holmgång. The real deal. Two men (or women or woman vs man, let's be inclusive) naked, on a skerry.

One sword or axe each, one shield each. First blood or first death, anyone wanting to yield just needs to throw weapon and shiled and jump in the water.

Can't say fairer than that, no?

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OMG, the advertising dollars for something like that! Only the elitist of corporations could afford fees that high..."brought to you by Pfizer".

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I don’t think freedom of speech squares with a 50% chance of being killed. Who prevails will no longer by guided by the better argument but rather by the better shot.

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“An armed society is a polite society.”

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110% agreed, but the direction of the conversation was about all content, rather than just manners. “I’m voting for Joe Biden” makes you an asshole, but shouldn’t make you dead.

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While true, your comment is a matter of degree. Realizing that Biden can’t figure out his way off a stage, it’s past-obvious a vote for him is a vote for someone intentionally destroying America while using “Joe Biden” as a mask. At what point, exactly, is a vote for an existential enemy of the country not the act of an enemy?

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I’m sure some of the great political philosophers have noodled on this question. As we all know, the premise of our system is that the collective will of the people carries the day. If the voters go nuts, there is no higher authority, especially since almost all technical experts have become virulent partisans. Mark Twain had a great aphorism: “Never argue with a fool; onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.” My point being the difficulty that proving that Course A will be disastrous, while Course B will be tougher in the beginning but far better in the long run.

All of this said, we can revolt. That’s an all or nothing proposition. You win or you die. Frequently, you win and die anyway.

Our civilization has the greatest access to historical info in history. So I’m having growing difficulty rationalizing dying to save lazy assholes who won’t read. (Of course, I’m in the middle of a COVID infection and feel exhausted, so perhaps in a week or so I’ll pick up the armor again.😂)

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I’m not at all concerned with low-info idiots. My concern is for my kids & theirs.

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No guns allowed (or bows or crossbows or mongwangas or franciscas or...).

It is 100% freedom to speak. It's just you have to own your words for real too - no mouthpieces, no hired fighters - the challenger and the challenged, no interference.

Imagine Katherine Saint-Pierre vs Alex Berenson if you like, or Kamala Harris vs Nikki Haley.

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Add: no think tank, beaurocrats or lobbiests. No hiding in the basement. Up in front of the people.

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Just do not hand out leaflets opposing conscription at an induction location, then you shout fire in the crowded theater and go to jail.

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If Woodrow Wilson wants a war, Woodrow Wilson GETS a war

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Especially if he ran on a promise to keep America out of the war.

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I can't wait to die for Lockheed Martin's investors! This is what the founding fathers wanted all those centuries ago!

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Like Zelensky

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Y’all get that we’re in a replay of ‘63-‘64, right?

In ‘64, my mom was told if she voted for Goldwater we’d end up in a war. She voted for Goldwater & whaddya know?

In ‘24 we’re gonna be told if we vote for Trump, we’ll end up in a war...

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"We must love one another, or we will go into the dark."

-- LBJ, trying not to laugh out loud

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Very nice analogy

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The beginning of the end of Western Civ, right there in one anti-Constitution academic package…

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The Supreme Court ruled in West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette. The majority opinion's available at the link: https://www.law.cornell.edu/supremecourt/text/319/624

A quote:

"We can have intellectual individualism and the rich cultural diversities that we owe to exceptional minds only at the price of occasional eccentricity and abnormal attitudes. When they are so harmless to others or to the State as those we deal with here, the price is not too great. But freedom to differ is not limited to things that do not matter much. That would be a mere shadow of freedom. The test of its substance is the right to differ as to things that touch the heart of the existing order."

This was in 1943, when the existing order nationally was in much greater doubt than it was in Los Angeles County in 2022.

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Does America have enough tumbrels, should the occasion arise? Or did we offshore that, too? Necessity is the mother of invention, anyway...

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There will be no need for a dump cart, it will serve a good purpose to just dispose of them where they are found and then leave the evidence there to serve as a reminder to those also fleeing who have not been rounded up yet.

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Cambodia might have some laying around.

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Again, our pike inventory is much too low.

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Halberds maybe?

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Actually, “pike”, as in “heads on pikes.” Not to say halberds don’t make excellent implements.

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I fear we haven’t seen anything yet in regards to censoring/criminalizing speech as we head into 2024. If the ruling class can’t get pathetic and ignorant judges to give them the “cover” of judicial authority they will just ignore that little nicety and just do it anyway. Besides what are YOU going to do about it?

On a related note I am waiting for Tucker to be arrested for the high crime of talking to Alex Jones and posting it to X. They might even make it a two for and grab Elon at the same time.

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'Democracy in America' is one of the first books I ever read about America. How could De Tocqueville be so perceptive?

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Walking around. A lot of walking around. It works!

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I walk around a lot and still can't be that perceptive.

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"your highness, the people are revolting."

"no doubt, counselor. completely revolting. and they're standing up against Us, too."

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"Yes, and the smell...."

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I can’t help but be reminded of this exchange from early in the underrated 90’s fantasy film “Dragonheart.”

Prince Einon: The peasants are revolting!

Lord Brok: They’ve always been revolting, Prince. Now they’re rebelling.

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And at the same time, I read this: https://www.nysun.com/article/elise-stefanik-tells-the-sun-she-predicts-an-earthquake-in-higher-education-as-congress-prepares-antisemitism-probe-of-the-heads-of-harvard-penn-and-mit?lctg=1435166277&newsletter-access&utm_source=MG&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Evening%20Sun%20%202023-12-08.

I might wish for a change in the government of Venezuela or Argentina, but I do not call for the elimination of these nations. But apparently, responding to what amounts to death threats against an entire nation and its inhabitants requires a "nuanced" response. However complaining with manly firmness the board's invasions on the rights of the people is unacceptable to a judge or board of health whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant is unacceptable.

No doubt he would prefer to send hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out our substance. Oh wait, wouldn't that be the county's department of health?

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One thing that is being under-reported in the alternative media (and of course not reported at all in mainstream) is the way the illiberal practices of the Washington Dems has trickled down to the state and local level.

For example, here in Colorado last month we had a referendum to repeal TABOR, the law that limits tax revenues and refunds any collections over a certain threshold back to taxpayers. The Dems have been dreaming of getting rid of this law for decades. The referendum got defeated soundly, 70% opposed.

What did the Dems do? First, the very next day after the election they blamed it on "right-wing misinformation," then the Dem legislature passed the referendum as a bunch of separate bills anyway. The Repub minority leader asked, if you were going to ignore the voters why did you bother having a referendum? And the Dem leader said, we know the people actually wanted this anyway.

And this wasn't a culture war issue or something to do with Bad Orange Man, their usual excuse for authoritarianism. It's a tax issue. But these days they reflexively ignore anything "the people" want.

We need more of these stories so I can use them to pummel the Dem voters I know, to show that a vote for these people isn't a vote for representation; it's a vote for a LACK of representation.

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Infuriating.

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The technical term for what you describe is [Demokratur], a cojoining of "demokrati" and "diktatur"; democracy and dictatorship. The origin is either german or swedish - it's kind of a prize neither wants but doesn't want the other to have either, sort of.

It means that all the niceties of democracy are adhered to, such as voting, free elections and so on - but that voting, elections and so on doesn't matter because the elected are in no way compelled to respect the will of the people, and that the people have no recourse.

(It's a bit more detailed, and is close to corporatism but collusion between state, civil society and private capital isn't a requirement.)

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What a useful term!

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Very useful indeed! As the powers that be experiment with new forms of authoritarianism our political language, based on the events of the 20th century, don't quite fit anymore. We need new terms to describe what's happening so we can get through to people.

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