The people are doing their part right now by protesting but we need the Democrats to set up a spokesperson to do a news conference same time everyday covered by the news media pointing out the tyrants recent cruel acts. Somebody on the Democrats side please wake up!!!
Austen, ya think? In dictatorships chaos is the disrupter, intimidation and threats are the tactics and you and me ceding all-rule of law, protests etc. is the strategy! Ask Navalny; he was taken out by Putin because he was gaining followers and winning elections, but his recent Memoir - Navalny, Patriot, much of which was written while he was in prison, details the road to perdition we are on if we don’t fight back with all our might! WAKE UP AMERICA!
Austen, after writing my reply at 5:13 pm I want to apologize. It was using your comment to express my extreme frustration and anger and at how this could be happening in America, the country I was born in, love and fought for in a civil war in which we were conned into believing we were saving the world from communism. Now we are trying to save it from fascism and I saw this fool coming a long time ago, but no one believed me. So please accept my apology for a snarky comment that was not aimed at you personally, and forgive me for it.
You are perfectly fine. I didn't take it as aimed at me & I share your frustration. I have never supported Trump & I was told in 2016 that I was over reacting when I said that he would be our downfall. No offense taken and thank you for your service.
Bob and Austen...it gives me hope that there are people in the world like you both. Understanding and civility is missing in our country. We need to take it back by calling out all the MAGAs who trample on it. By the way, I totally get your frustrations. My husband and I live in Florida. Most of our friends are Trumpers. We're not and they all know it. They're basically decent people, but their blind ignorance is so frustrating to us. Although it seems they're becoming much quieter about it now.
I absolutely understand what you're going through. My husband and I live in SW Missouri (Springfield. I specify the town I live in because, while Missouri is a Red state, Kansas City & St Louis are Blue & things are different up there) and the majority of our friends & coworkers are Trump supporters as well. They, also, know that we're not.
I'm very vocal on my Facebook account with my posts because I'm of the belief that our lack of effective messaging is a large part of why we lost the election. We Democrats tend to like to avoid confrontation (especially if we live in Midwest or Southern states & still retain the politeness we had ingrained into us from a young age). I'm one of the admins for Adam's Country 1st organization private Facebook group & I've noticed that a lot of people post in the group but not outside of it. Many of them have admitted they only post about political issues on BlueSky or in private, friendly groups.
I understand that people are concerned about posting about political matters because of work or family etc but .... the other side doesn't hold back. What I've noticed is that swing/non engaged voters & even a couple of Democrats I know have seen their posts & come to believe what they see in those posts, even if not completely.
For example, my best friend, who is gay, even said that maybe Democrats shouldn't focus so intensely on transgender issues. I had to point out that they didn't! That, actually, if he had listened to all of Harris', & other Democrats' who were running speeches, they didn't talk about these issues at all. It's Fox that focused more on immigration, & transgender people, & "DEI", & "wokeness", & every other non kitchen table issue (except inflation for which they never said how they'd fix it)! It's been Red states who have spent their time in office passing bills pertaining to these issues, not Blue states. It's MAGA Republicans who are talking about these issues in their campaign ads & rallies, not Democrats!
However, it's social media posts that the non engaged & swing voters see & they see posts pertaining to those topics when they scroll through social media posted by MAGA & relating the subjects to Democrats.
Now, as far as immigration, what is happening now I absolutely do believe we should be speaking out about. This isn't just immigration though, this is the opening of the door to... I don't want to inappropriately make comparisons to 1940's Germany but.. the comparisons are hard to deny.
In regards to civility, I ensure that I am always civil to those who comment on my posts. I feel like the way each one of us behaves reflects on all of us. I keep in mind that it's not the person I'm debating with who I'm trying to reach. I recognize that I'm unlikely to get through to them, especially on social media.
So, I welcome their comments because it boosts my post in the algorithm so that it's seen & then, I make it my goal to draw as big of a contrast as possible between myself (or my "side") & theirs. Some of them can get down right nasty from behind their keyboards. I just stick to the facts & don't even acknowledge the name calling or hateful tone. I address each of their points with counter points & provide source links to support my information.
The people I'm trying to reach are the people I know are reading my posts & reading through the comments but don't comment or "like" anything on it. I do this on public posts as well, like on KY3 (our local news station Facebook page).
I found out at work one night, during lunch, that many of my coworkers get notifications when I comment on KY3 posts & they go & read them. This was in, like, 2017 & I had no idea they were notified when I did that! At lunch, all 9-10 women at the table with me chimed in that when they'd get this notification they would click on it & scroll through until they found my comment on the post & read through the conversation underneath! One woman said, "I don't actually 'agree' with you on most of these issues but when I read your comments, I think, 'Well now, I can see that perspective too.'".
I've had other people mention to me that they read my posts as well, but they never let me know they do. They don't want the notifications or to get involved or... They are in agreement but don't want their Republican family & friends to know they agree.
These are the people we need to be reaching. However, these people aren't going to watch podcasts or read articles... They're not going to look stuff up on their own. Many of them don't want to actively engage. So, I feel like we have to meet them where they're at. If they're scrolling through Facebook & one of my posts comes up & it shows 20+ comments underneath it, many can't help themselves. If the writing is right there, or a quick meme with information on it, or a video that just automatically plays... They'll read/watch. Or they'll see a lot of people have engaged with the post & they won't be able to help themselves, they'll be curious what it is that so many people have something to say in response to.
We all have people who see our posts & comments who don't say anything. The people who can be reached aren't on BlueSky, or Truth Social, or in our friendly private groups. They are on Facebook (or Tik Tok but that's a whole different issue... I finally got on Tik Tok but I only use it for Tik Tok Live where you can go onto platforms & talk to people verbally & it's live. There are actually platforms with people from all over the world so it can get really interesting).
Another thing I was going to mention in response to your comment. I've recently had people I've spoken to through customer service depts for various companies or agencies who have actually thanked me for being nice to them! This has happened twice in 1 day with Verizon, I've had it happen several times with the IRS (calling about a situation with doing my taxes regarding my insurance), also thanked by the representative through the ACA Marketplace, & some others.
I have a lot of thoughts on this. While I'm glad that I come across as friendly (I am actually friendly), I find it sad that this is apparently a rare enough occurrence that it's noticed as unique when encountered!
I want to be friendly, first off.. why not be? But also, it's typically me calling them wanting assistance with something. I'm the one asking for their help so, why would I, or anyone, think that being rude is going to accomplish the goal of receiving the assistance I need with my issue? "Catch more flies with honey..." Mindset but also, I like talking to actual humans! But there will be less & less humans willing to work those jobs if they only deal with rude, hateful people all day everyday. Who would want that job? Which is something I actually tell them when they thank me. I tell them it was my pleasure, that I appreciate their help & for being available to assist me with my issue instead of trying to work through an automated program.
It's sad that so many people are apparently rude to customer service personell. You'd think we'd all be appreciative when we're actually able to speak to an actual person that we'd try our best to convince them with kindness to continue working their job rather than add to the reason they want to quit. That's my perspective anyway.
It's sad though, I've actually heard the deep breath & hesitation from the person I'm talking to before they tell me they need to connect me to a different dept or put me on hold for a moment... It makes me sad, it's just sad that they instinctively prepare themselves to be yelled at in those moments! I always respond by saying, "That's perfectly fine, I appreciate your help. Take whatever time you need" because if they're putting you on hold again, it means they're actually working. They're actually trying to help resolve the issue.
Anyway, just wanted to share this to say, in agreement with you, yes.. people have become unnecessarily abrasive & mean. It's really unfortunate. I may not be able to change everyone's behavior but I can do my part to be cognizant of mine & hopefully brighten another person's day or at least improve it. I can also share my experiences in places where other people see them & hopefully inspire them to the same & maybe it starts getting paid forward. 🙂
Hi Austen. Just read your reply to my comment. It was long, but I did read it all. Lol! Seriously, I agree with a lot of what you said. I'm an Independent voter. Always have been. I didn't vote against a "party" I voted against a madman who is mentally unfit for the Office of the Presidency. I got off of Twitter because I realized that there are probably more manipulative "bots" than genuine people on it. Didn't want to continue giving evil people my money to do more evil. Decided to join and follow sane groups and listen more to independent thinking people. There's no balance to anything anymore. It's either extremely one way or the other. Anyway, nice hearing from you and keep up the good work you do! Enjoy each moment, too!
Thanks Adam! What a great way to emphasize the completely irresponsible administration we have running our government. Would you please run for President in 2028!?!?!?
Hi Adam, Today is a special day for me. I am celebrating the life of my favorite human being. "Franciscus," the Pope. Please continue to help all Americans remember that we are all connected by the philosophy of "Humanitas". Being Human. A philosophy that Washington and Jefferson believed in when seeking an American vision.
Franciscus's vision of brotherhood will always outlast any politics that denigrate a person's dignity. This is the core of America's true greatness. Continue to keep the torch burning.
Hegseth has a reputation for poor decision-making and reckless behavior. He's obviously drunk with power and preening for his friends and associates. "Look at me - Look what I'm doing."
Funny and not funny at the same time. I have to believe our enemies are continuously chuckling in disbelief at the scope and scale of this administration's incompetence.
GREAT VIDEO and, sadly, much of it is only too true. Glad I wasn't drinking my hot tea when I listened to it because my keyboard would be soaked. You go, Adam!
Pretty funny, although discouraging at the same time... especially since I feel like the latest finding won't make a difference.
I was in a group text conversation with friends recently, where not everyone knew each other. When someone asked, "who are the people here in this group text?", we were waiting for Pete Hegseth's name to pop up...
That video needs a trigger warning. I just snorted tea all over my iPad. Well done.
Seriously. "Keep your hands inside the vehicle and ensure you have no food or drink in your mouth. "
The people are doing their part right now by protesting but we need the Democrats to set up a spokesperson to do a news conference same time everyday covered by the news media pointing out the tyrants recent cruel acts. Somebody on the Democrats side please wake up!!!
I tried to suck my lunch into my lungs.
Thanks, Adam. That’s great. Can you fwd to Kegseth, too? 😉
This is getting insane! It feels like there's no order or control or rule of law within this administration. It's very unsettling.
Austen, ya think? In dictatorships chaos is the disrupter, intimidation and threats are the tactics and you and me ceding all-rule of law, protests etc. is the strategy! Ask Navalny; he was taken out by Putin because he was gaining followers and winning elections, but his recent Memoir - Navalny, Patriot, much of which was written while he was in prison, details the road to perdition we are on if we don’t fight back with all our might! WAKE UP AMERICA!
There was a perfect meme I saw earlier today: "Can we please stop living like we're in an "The Onion" article? ;-)
Austen, after writing my reply at 5:13 pm I want to apologize. It was using your comment to express my extreme frustration and anger and at how this could be happening in America, the country I was born in, love and fought for in a civil war in which we were conned into believing we were saving the world from communism. Now we are trying to save it from fascism and I saw this fool coming a long time ago, but no one believed me. So please accept my apology for a snarky comment that was not aimed at you personally, and forgive me for it.
You are perfectly fine. I didn't take it as aimed at me & I share your frustration. I have never supported Trump & I was told in 2016 that I was over reacting when I said that he would be our downfall. No offense taken and thank you for your service.
Bob and Austen...it gives me hope that there are people in the world like you both. Understanding and civility is missing in our country. We need to take it back by calling out all the MAGAs who trample on it. By the way, I totally get your frustrations. My husband and I live in Florida. Most of our friends are Trumpers. We're not and they all know it. They're basically decent people, but their blind ignorance is so frustrating to us. Although it seems they're becoming much quieter about it now.
I absolutely understand what you're going through. My husband and I live in SW Missouri (Springfield. I specify the town I live in because, while Missouri is a Red state, Kansas City & St Louis are Blue & things are different up there) and the majority of our friends & coworkers are Trump supporters as well. They, also, know that we're not.
I'm very vocal on my Facebook account with my posts because I'm of the belief that our lack of effective messaging is a large part of why we lost the election. We Democrats tend to like to avoid confrontation (especially if we live in Midwest or Southern states & still retain the politeness we had ingrained into us from a young age). I'm one of the admins for Adam's Country 1st organization private Facebook group & I've noticed that a lot of people post in the group but not outside of it. Many of them have admitted they only post about political issues on BlueSky or in private, friendly groups.
I understand that people are concerned about posting about political matters because of work or family etc but .... the other side doesn't hold back. What I've noticed is that swing/non engaged voters & even a couple of Democrats I know have seen their posts & come to believe what they see in those posts, even if not completely.
For example, my best friend, who is gay, even said that maybe Democrats shouldn't focus so intensely on transgender issues. I had to point out that they didn't! That, actually, if he had listened to all of Harris', & other Democrats' who were running speeches, they didn't talk about these issues at all. It's Fox that focused more on immigration, & transgender people, & "DEI", & "wokeness", & every other non kitchen table issue (except inflation for which they never said how they'd fix it)! It's been Red states who have spent their time in office passing bills pertaining to these issues, not Blue states. It's MAGA Republicans who are talking about these issues in their campaign ads & rallies, not Democrats!
However, it's social media posts that the non engaged & swing voters see & they see posts pertaining to those topics when they scroll through social media posted by MAGA & relating the subjects to Democrats.
Now, as far as immigration, what is happening now I absolutely do believe we should be speaking out about. This isn't just immigration though, this is the opening of the door to... I don't want to inappropriately make comparisons to 1940's Germany but.. the comparisons are hard to deny.
In regards to civility, I ensure that I am always civil to those who comment on my posts. I feel like the way each one of us behaves reflects on all of us. I keep in mind that it's not the person I'm debating with who I'm trying to reach. I recognize that I'm unlikely to get through to them, especially on social media.
So, I welcome their comments because it boosts my post in the algorithm so that it's seen & then, I make it my goal to draw as big of a contrast as possible between myself (or my "side") & theirs. Some of them can get down right nasty from behind their keyboards. I just stick to the facts & don't even acknowledge the name calling or hateful tone. I address each of their points with counter points & provide source links to support my information.
The people I'm trying to reach are the people I know are reading my posts & reading through the comments but don't comment or "like" anything on it. I do this on public posts as well, like on KY3 (our local news station Facebook page).
I found out at work one night, during lunch, that many of my coworkers get notifications when I comment on KY3 posts & they go & read them. This was in, like, 2017 & I had no idea they were notified when I did that! At lunch, all 9-10 women at the table with me chimed in that when they'd get this notification they would click on it & scroll through until they found my comment on the post & read through the conversation underneath! One woman said, "I don't actually 'agree' with you on most of these issues but when I read your comments, I think, 'Well now, I can see that perspective too.'".
I've had other people mention to me that they read my posts as well, but they never let me know they do. They don't want the notifications or to get involved or... They are in agreement but don't want their Republican family & friends to know they agree.
These are the people we need to be reaching. However, these people aren't going to watch podcasts or read articles... They're not going to look stuff up on their own. Many of them don't want to actively engage. So, I feel like we have to meet them where they're at. If they're scrolling through Facebook & one of my posts comes up & it shows 20+ comments underneath it, many can't help themselves. If the writing is right there, or a quick meme with information on it, or a video that just automatically plays... They'll read/watch. Or they'll see a lot of people have engaged with the post & they won't be able to help themselves, they'll be curious what it is that so many people have something to say in response to.
We all have people who see our posts & comments who don't say anything. The people who can be reached aren't on BlueSky, or Truth Social, or in our friendly private groups. They are on Facebook (or Tik Tok but that's a whole different issue... I finally got on Tik Tok but I only use it for Tik Tok Live where you can go onto platforms & talk to people verbally & it's live. There are actually platforms with people from all over the world so it can get really interesting).
Another thing I was going to mention in response to your comment. I've recently had people I've spoken to through customer service depts for various companies or agencies who have actually thanked me for being nice to them! This has happened twice in 1 day with Verizon, I've had it happen several times with the IRS (calling about a situation with doing my taxes regarding my insurance), also thanked by the representative through the ACA Marketplace, & some others.
I have a lot of thoughts on this. While I'm glad that I come across as friendly (I am actually friendly), I find it sad that this is apparently a rare enough occurrence that it's noticed as unique when encountered!
I want to be friendly, first off.. why not be? But also, it's typically me calling them wanting assistance with something. I'm the one asking for their help so, why would I, or anyone, think that being rude is going to accomplish the goal of receiving the assistance I need with my issue? "Catch more flies with honey..." Mindset but also, I like talking to actual humans! But there will be less & less humans willing to work those jobs if they only deal with rude, hateful people all day everyday. Who would want that job? Which is something I actually tell them when they thank me. I tell them it was my pleasure, that I appreciate their help & for being available to assist me with my issue instead of trying to work through an automated program.
It's sad that so many people are apparently rude to customer service personell. You'd think we'd all be appreciative when we're actually able to speak to an actual person that we'd try our best to convince them with kindness to continue working their job rather than add to the reason they want to quit. That's my perspective anyway.
It's sad though, I've actually heard the deep breath & hesitation from the person I'm talking to before they tell me they need to connect me to a different dept or put me on hold for a moment... It makes me sad, it's just sad that they instinctively prepare themselves to be yelled at in those moments! I always respond by saying, "That's perfectly fine, I appreciate your help. Take whatever time you need" because if they're putting you on hold again, it means they're actually working. They're actually trying to help resolve the issue.
Anyway, just wanted to share this to say, in agreement with you, yes.. people have become unnecessarily abrasive & mean. It's really unfortunate. I may not be able to change everyone's behavior but I can do my part to be cognizant of mine & hopefully brighten another person's day or at least improve it. I can also share my experiences in places where other people see them & hopefully inspire them to the same & maybe it starts getting paid forward. 🙂
Hi Austen. Just read your reply to my comment. It was long, but I did read it all. Lol! Seriously, I agree with a lot of what you said. I'm an Independent voter. Always have been. I didn't vote against a "party" I voted against a madman who is mentally unfit for the Office of the Presidency. I got off of Twitter because I realized that there are probably more manipulative "bots" than genuine people on it. Didn't want to continue giving evil people my money to do more evil. Decided to join and follow sane groups and listen more to independent thinking people. There's no balance to anything anymore. It's either extremely one way or the other. Anyway, nice hearing from you and keep up the good work you do! Enjoy each moment, too!
😂🤣😂 It’s funny because we knew this was going to be stupid, as all heads of every dept., but this guy is a complete moron.
Thanks Adam! What a great way to emphasize the completely irresponsible administration we have running our government. Would you please run for President in 2028!?!?!?
I did’t expect to really laugh—so much is so grim. But, this was, all at one, unexpected, really funny, and really tragic. Perfect for the season,
I see posts about Congress looking for his replacement. Please be true
When I think about the people who will be choosing his replacement, I can't hold out hope for better, sadly.
Fantastic video! I really needed a laugh today and this was spot on! Thanks, Adam
Hi Adam, Today is a special day for me. I am celebrating the life of my favorite human being. "Franciscus," the Pope. Please continue to help all Americans remember that we are all connected by the philosophy of "Humanitas". Being Human. A philosophy that Washington and Jefferson believed in when seeking an American vision.
Franciscus's vision of brotherhood will always outlast any politics that denigrate a person's dignity. This is the core of America's true greatness. Continue to keep the torch burning.
Hegseth has a reputation for poor decision-making and reckless behavior. He's obviously drunk with power and preening for his friends and associates. "Look at me - Look what I'm doing."
Drunk with power, flattery from troomp, booze, recognition…
The situation is so pathetic that it’s funny. I love this video! 🤣
Funny and not funny at the same time. I have to believe our enemies are continuously chuckling in disbelief at the scope and scale of this administration's incompetence.
GREAT VIDEO and, sadly, much of it is only too true. Glad I wasn't drinking my hot tea when I listened to it because my keyboard would be soaked. You go, Adam!
Very nice! Disgusting in the truth of it, but well done presentation.
How much will it cost? $5 million?
Yes, at least, all in bitcoin (which I really don’t understand nor care anything about!). 🤬🤬
Pretty funny, although discouraging at the same time... especially since I feel like the latest finding won't make a difference.
I was in a group text conversation with friends recently, where not everyone knew each other. When someone asked, "who are the people here in this group text?", we were waiting for Pete Hegseth's name to pop up...