Think about it.

Democrats have so little to offer, and their message is so drowned out by fringe special interest groups that Trump, foibles and all, was able to win handily because people saw something worth voting for.

Instead of just tearing down opponents, maybe next time Democrats should ask why they keep turning people off. Stop doubling down on what's not working. Start listening to what mainstream America actually wants and not just making promises of more free stuff to buy votes.

They need to accept blame, take responsibility for their defeat, and actually learn from it.

Or maybe the real problem is...Democrats just don't have anything left that mainstream America wants.

Zed,

"You aren't allowed to monetize political office. It's not just basic ethics and common sense, it's even in the Constitution."

Are you outraged when politicians cash in after leaving office with book deals, consulting gigs, and board seats because of their political connections.

If you're going to preach ethics, apply the standard across the board.

Were you just as vocal when the Clintons raked in millions from foreign speeches, or when Obama bought a mansion off of book deals?

Spare me the selective outrage.

Dan,

"Are you outraged when politicians cash in WHILE IN office..."

You're absolutely right to ask because it happens more often than people are willing to admit.

There are plenty of examples.

Hunter Biden landing foreign deals while his dad was VP.

Nancy Pelosi's husband making timely stock trades near key legislation...strong hints of insider trader.

Trump holding office while his properties hosted lobbyists and foreign dignitaries.

And it's not limited to one party. Outrage shouldn't depend on who's in charge.

Corky,

"Ya gotta love the, 'But Mommy, Little Hunter did it, too!' defense / Whataboutism from BJ."

Pointing out double standards isn't evasion or whataboutism. It's exposing selective outrage.

If your side wants to claim the moral high ground, then the rules need to apply both ways.

Otherwise, it's not about ethics at all. It's just exposing your side's hypocrisy, too.

Donner,

"Don't you think?"

But accountability doesn't work if it's just used as a weapon instead of a principle.

We can't just go after people we don't like and ignore the rest.

Cbob,

I've yet to nail down what a MAGA even is. It's like a Rorschach test for politics.

I don't much go for labels so I don't consider myself one, whatever that is.

Labels are so limiting. Once you have a label then you're stuck living up to it or down to it.

Donner,

"How does any of that justify the looting of America by its CURRENT President?"

I've watched the last several years democrats weaponizing the courts against Trump.

When I start seeing democrats play fair, maybe I'll give a ----.

Red,

"It's unsettling how you earnestly protect that nasty, vulgar man."

This has nothing to do with Trump.

You're missing the bigger picture.

America is under attack from both within and abroad.

It's not about one man. It's about the erosion of the values that once held this country together.

There's another war being fought and the front line is our minds.

Even now, the posts referencing me are getting more personal. That tells me I'm touching a nerve.

When people run out of arguments, they reach for insults.

I'm not here to make anyone comfortable.

I'm here to speak plainly about what I see happening to this country.

Truth,

January 6? Isn't it time to move on?

We've got real problems now, open borders, inflation, global instability and some folks are still obsessing over a protest turned riot from years ago.

Laura,

"No we will NOT move on BillJohnson."

You're gonna have to if Democrats stand a chance of getting in the White House.

People want to hear about your plans for the future.

People are getting sick of revenge politics and recycling the past.

At ease..I'm done.

Donner,

"It will take decades (if we ever can) to recover from the Trump Error."

That kind of rhetoric is exactly your problem.

Moving on doesn't mean forgetting. It means focusing on the future instead of rehashing the past every chance you get.

You say you're facing reality, but blaming Trump for Iran? What a stretch.

If that's the depth of the Democratic argument, Republicans won't have much trouble next election.

How about offering real solutions instead of endlessly circling January 6?

Jpw,

"I wonder how normal Bill appears in real life and whether one could guess from his outward appearance and day to day demeanor that the disturbing display of unawareness, gullible stupidity and pompous self-righteousness shown on this thread is what's going on in his head."

I get it. I'm a bit of an enigma. My entire life I've lived in my own orbit. I'm sure I'm naive about certain aspects of life.

For what it's worth, I scored high enough in the military entrance exam to qualify for nearly any speciality only completing 10th grade, passed the GED cold without studying, and later tested in the top 2% on an IQ test. I may not know everything, but gullible and stupid? Not even close. I just don't buy into the same narrative anymore and that seems to be the real issue here.

Yav,

"Intelligence is routinely overridden by idiocy, by faith, by refusal to see, by dogma, by bigotry, by prejudice, by tradition.
I have no idea what point you're trying to make. That you're intelligent? Super intelligent by your telling of events?
Certainly not on display here or in your posting history.
One thing you aren't is an enigma."

Let me clarify then.

Jpw called me gullible, stupid, and self-righteous. That's what I was responding to.

Ironically, I've lived most of my life struggling with a poor self-image. So self-righteousness is the last thing that fits. I don't follow dogma or blind faith, and I don't pretend to have all the answers.

But I've come to see the world differently than many here. That doesn't make me stupid, just independent.

And judging by some of the reactions, that independence seems to really get
under people's skin.

That's all I have to say.

.

Jpw,

I didn't realize what I said sounds like "super intelligent" like yav said. Who knew?

I didn't lie about one thing.

Just curious, you say, "You're all over everyone but Trump"

I think you're mistaken. I've attacked the previous administration but I've never praised Trump as a businessman or his ethics.

Jpw,

My youngest memory of living in my own orbit was kindergarten.

We were outside playing at recess. Apparently we were called in and I didn't hear it. I'm doing my own thing and next thing I know another kid came up and said I'm in trouble for not coming in.

I looked around and everyone was gone. So I casually went in and was jumped on for disobeying.

I was thinking...what? Why am I in trouble? I didn't know we were done playing outside.

That stuck with me because I probably got in trouble at home.

I embarrassed my parents I guess and they spanked every chance they got.

Another story. When I was in class A school in the Navy I went to class with everyone else. I'm sitting in the room and the teacher calls out someone for wearing white socks. Someone turned around and pointed at me. I remember looking down at my shoes and around the room. I was wearing white socks in a room full of dark socks.

Yea...a whole other orbit.

I've spent a lifetime stumbling along being told I was wrong when I was just...elsewhere. Not rebellious. Not clueless. Just wired differently. And over time, I stopped apologizing for orbiting the world on my own terms.

Laura,

I'm not saying I don't criticize things.

My point is I don't carry Trump's water, as was suggested.

Jpw,

Jan 6....I'm not defending Trump.

I simply don't buy into the whole "coup" routine.

Jpw,

Poorly planned coup if that's what it was.

And how were they going to hang on after taking over?

It's absurd that anyone thought it was anything but a riot that got out of hand.

Like I said...I dont follow the crowd. I decide for myself.

And that's what I decided.

Its just time liberals move on and deal with current events.

Jpw,

Do you think I care who thinks I'm smart?

I gave up pursuing approval long time ago.

My career was mostly going into companies that had dysfunctional accounting systems or barely there acct systems.

They were mostly dysfunctional due to owners and workers who didnt know what they were doing. Many times I had to endure anger and hatred by poorly trained employees or owners sons. Sometimes even theft.

No...I gave up crumbling under disapproval years ago

Jpw.

Best story.

This one woman who disliked me and gave me crap.

One day I'm working at her desk when she was at lunch. I installed and maintained all the pcs so it could be any number of things I was working on.

Her purse was sitting on the floor next to her desk. Closed up but for a opening on top.

I bumped an open can of softdrink off her desk. It flipped over and went headlong into her purse.

I wasn't about to reach in so I left iy.

She never said a word.

Donner,

Mass deportation is a pretty sad thing.

I said before id like to see them find a way to cut thru the red tape.

Should have never got this far.

Don't you think Biden opening the flood gates was stupid?

Donner,

More than stupid, it was cruel.

Throw out the carpet knowing it would eventually be withdrawn. Give people false hope.

Donner,

umm...roll out the carpet.....