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| Jon Stewart |
Joe Biden needs you, Jon Stewart. The comedian used strong language coupled with righteous indignation against Republicans who rejected the PACT Act, which provides benefits to veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq who suffered health consequences from exposure to burn pits.
The GOP had originally supported the PACT Act but reversed their position in a snit over the deal between Joe Manchin and Chuck Schumer on the Inflation Reduction Act.
“I’m used to their hypocrisy but I’m not used to their cruelty,” said Stewart on July 28 in front of the Capitol.
He said of the vets:
“These people thought they could finally breathe. You think their struggles end because the PACT Act passes? All it means is they don’t have to decide between their cancer drugs and their house. Their struggle continues.”
He shot down the lie from Ted Cruz that the PACT Act was riddled with “pork.”
Stewart tweeted that the PACT Act is a stand alone bill with no pork. “There is no budget maneuver that then allows Dems to backfill with whatever they want.”
The Senate passed the PACT Act on August 2 by an 86 to 11 margin.
White House communications director Kate Bedingfield reversed her decision last month to step down from her job.
She should change her mind once again. Stewart would be perfect for the post.
Speak up for democracy before it is too late. Steven Luckert, senior curator at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, sees parallels between the Nazi messaging of the 1920s and 1930s to that of the Jan. 6 insurrectionists.
Both the Nazis and Capitol Hill rioters aimed their propaganda at disillusioned, frustrated and angry citizens who felt they suffer at the hands of a rigged system.
Both trade in lies and misinformation.
Hitler set up Jews as part of a global conspiracy aimed to steal Germany’s riches.
The insurrectionists speak of a “stolen election” that deprived Donald Trump of the presidency.
Luckert, who spoke today at a webinar co-sponsored by the Museum of PR and the Rand Corp., noted that the Nazis were only one of 30 political parties in Germany in the aftermath of the end of WWI.
They used radio, which was high-tech in the 1930s, to expand their reach.
The Jan. 6 insurrectionists represent various small right-wing groups that use social media to build their base.
Luckert said the Nazis rose to power through the branding of Adolf Hitler as a strong leader—though he hadn't yet held public office—and the powerful swatzika imagery.
Trump, who led various businesses into Chapter 11 and failed as president, somehow has a persona as a tough guy. It might be his scowl or his constant attacks on perceived enemies.
The Nazis pitched themselves as “outsiders” who were blameless for Germany’s economic malaise.
They marketed themselves as problem-solvers and aimed different pitches to appeal to workers, women and students.
The Nazi party promised to “Make Germany Great Again” by uniting all ethnic Germans into a single movement.
Trump promises to "Make America Great Again" by uniting all his believers against “enemies of the people.”
Luckert said Hitler didn’t play up his “anti-Semitism” until he became chancellor in 1933 and the Nazis became Germany’s sole political party.
Hitler then demonized Jews as greedy outsiders who were part of an international conspiracy aiming to destroy Germany.
The Nazis depicted Jews as an existential threat to Germany, calling for radical measures to eliminate them. He justified concentration camps and the resulting Holocaust as harsh measures required to save the country.
Luckert said the Nazi rise to power was also enabled by its ability to foster “a culture of indifference.”
Germans failed to speak up when they saw Jewish neighbors were being arrested and hauled away to concentration camps.
The attitude was "it's none of my business" or “let the state take care of it.”
Germans excused the excesses of Hitler by saying things like he created a lot of jobs or ran a good foreign policy.
Trump got multiple free passes when he sat in the White House.
Luckert wants Americans to speak up against the anti-democracy wave that currently threatens this country.
It can happen here.
Zuck gets exposed. Nick Clegg, president of global affairs at Meta, has decided to split his time between the company's Menlo Park, CA, corporate headquarters and London.
The former deputy prime minister of the UK and leader of the Liberal Democrats, has served as the public face of Facebook, shielding CEO Mark Zuckerberg from the harsh glare of public scrutiny and governmental watchdogs.
Clegg is moving to London for personal reasons. The Financial Times reported that he wants to spend time with his elderly parents.
He may also sense a comeback opportunity in the unsettled UK political scene in the aftermath of prime minister Boris Johnson’s resignation.
One thing is for certain: Clegg will find life much sweeter once he has settled in 5,000 miles from Meta’s headquarters.
Southern governors claim they know what's best for their working class, and it's not pay raises... A Ukrainian human rights group played a key role in convincing House Speaker Mike Johnson to hold a vote to send arms to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan... Trump Media & Technology Group blames short-selling and not lousy outlook for its stock slump.
The techniques deployed by OJ Simpson's defense team in the 'trial of the century' served as a harbinger for those used by Donald Trump... People worry about the politicization of medical science just as much as they fret about another pandemic, according to Edelman Trust Barometer... Book bans aren't restricted to red states as deep blue Illinois, Connecticut and Maryland challenged at least 100 titles in 2023.
The NBA, which promotes legalized gambling 24/7, seems more than hypocritical for banning player for placing bets... Diocese of Brooklyn promises to issue press release the next time one of its priests is charged with sexual abuse... Truth Social aspires to be one of Donald Trump's iconic American brands, just like Trump University or Trump Steaks or Trump Ice Cubes.
Publicis Groupe CEO Arthur Sadoun puts competition on notice... Macy's throws in the towel as it appoints two directors nominated by its unwanted suitor... The Profile in Wimpery Award goes to the Ford Presidential Foundation for stiffing American hero and former Wyoming Congresswoman Liz Cheney.
JPMorgan Chase chief Jamie Dimon's "letter to shareholders" is a must-read for PR people and others interested in fixing America and living up to its potential... Get ready for the PPE shortage when the next pandemic hits... Nixing Netanyahu. Gaza carnage turns US opinion against Israel's prime minister.
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Aug. 5, 2022, by Joe Honick
Virtually all of above plus commentary right here have reflected the reality of what I call the "So What?" party of Republicans who could not care less what is uncovered by the J6 Committee....the same as it successfully undermined the Special Counsel Mueller Report a few years ago.
Of course Jon Stewart has greater impact to a politically noise weary public, but not to those millions of loyal FOX News folks who would not have even seen the J6 hearings.
The right wing has been carrying on a smart almost stand back response to the exposures. What they have planned is what should strike fear in the public mind for when they unleash another well financed and organized action.