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Drudge Retort: The Other Side of the News
Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Paul Krugman: After reading the letter that Trump just sent to the prime minister of Norway (Jonas Gahr Støre has confirmed that it's genuine) there should be no doubt that we have a president who is suffering a real detachment from reality ...

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On Greenland, and how the President has actually undermined American leverage.[image or embed]

-- Justin Wolfers (@justinwolfers.bsky.social) Jan 19, 2026 at 12:46 PM

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How did a great, sophisticated nation, one of the world's longest-standing republics, end up so fragile that it can be undone by one man's dementia?

Great question.

#1 | Posted by reinheitsgebot at 2026-01-20 09:36 AM | Reply

FTA: "Trump is so deeply unwell that it's time to stop blaming him for all the terrible things he's doing. He is what he is. Responsibility for the catastrophe overtaking America now rests with his enablers--people who have to know that he's a sick man but continue to support his depredations."

At some point you have to blame the family and friends, or in this case the Republicans in Congress, for not taking away the car keys, in this case the nuclear codes, from senile grampa.

#2 | Posted by Gal_Tuesday at 2026-01-20 09:43 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 3

A functioning democracy requires an educated electorate. We're seeing the fruits of 30+ years of Republicans' war on public education.

#3 | Posted by qcp at 2026-01-20 09:43 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 4

Mad King Donald is past the point of reclamation. Time to put the old bull to pasture.

#4 | Posted by lee_the_agent at 2026-01-20 09:49 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

#3

A moral and educated electorate. We're not much of either.

#5 | Posted by lee_the_agent at 2026-01-20 09:50 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 2

"How did a great, sophisticated nation, one of the world's longest-standing republics, end up so fragile that it can be undone by one man's dementia?"

Donald Trump's insanity has been exploited by those hungry for power and money, as if surfers riding a wave.

And a lot of public figures we counted on to protect us just have yellow streaks.

#6 | Posted by Zed at 2026-01-20 09:57 AM | Reply

We don't need the protection of politicians. We need these elected political cowards to do their jobs per the constitution.

#7 | Posted by Hickory at 2026-01-20 10:26 AM | Reply

"How did a great, sophisticated nation, one of the world's longest-standing republics, end up so fragile that it can be undone by one man's dementia?"

Corporate America has screwed over the workers so badly the remnants of the middle class are so desperate for their lives to improve they will believe a compulsive lying billionaire when he says he will make it better for them.

Since 1970 wages have stagnating and all productivity has gone upward to the 1%.
Not only have wages been stagnating, defined benefit plans have pushed onto the employees as 401k plans, health care insurance has become pushed more and more onto the back of employees, dental and vision insurance eliminated, profit sharing eliminated. So hell yes they're desperate. Meanwhile food, energy and housing prices have shot up. Desperate people will do desperate things. Like believe a compulsive liar billionaire will take care of them.

Not only did they fall for his lies once, they fell for them twice. That is the result of the dumbing down of the education system and the billionaire propaganda network pushing the 1% agenda as "news".

It's easy to blame the immigrants who will work three minimum wage jobs for "stealing" the good paying jobs away from the middle class. When it is regurgitated 24/7/365 it becomes a perceived reality.

Texas has 2 million undocumented immigrants, Florida has 900,000. Minnesota has 130,000. Why is ICE making a theatrical farce there?

It's all reality tv from the appresident.

#8 | Posted by Nixon at 2026-01-20 10:33 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

They aren't "Cowards" they are Complicit in undermining the Republic.

Malice Not Fear is the Motivation.

They Want ONE Party dictatorship if THEY are in Charge.

Trump is their Vehicle to achieve the Death of the Republic and a new Dispensation of Arbitrary and Unaccountable Powers.

IE. A Republican one Party REGIME.

#9 | Posted by Effeteposer at 2026-01-20 10:35 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

Oh sure, rich having Dems talk about dementia of Trump while being silent about Biden. But they came around when they saw he couldn't get elected. Shocker! Trump is doing what he was elected to do. So as Obama said to those who didn't vote for him "STFU, elections have consequences."
The left is just running scared since their massive fraud is being exposed. And remember, what this is exposing is leaders on the right voted to help out those in need, the Dems stole the help before it could get to them.

#10 | Posted by fishpaw at 2026-01-20 10:37 AM | Reply | Funny: 1

Texas has 2 million undocumented immigrants, Florida has 900,000. Minnesota has 130,000. Why is ICE making a theatrical farce there?
It's all reality tv from the appresident.
#8 | Posted by Nixon at 2026-01-20 10:33 AM | Reply | Flag:
(Choose)

I'll give you a f-in hint, how about 9 billion so far.

#11 | Posted by fishpaw at 2026-01-20 10:39 AM | Reply | Funny: 1

#11 The entire world ("about 9 billion") is in the USA?

No wonder housing is so expensive.

#12 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-01-20 10:40 AM | Reply

#10 Find a dime, buy a clue.

Biden isn't president now.

Pedodent Trumpf is.

You're welcome.

#13 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-01-20 10:41 AM | Reply

Fishpud, the brain dead orange pedo is so far gone he can't tell his rape victims apart from his ex-wives.

#14 | Posted by reinheitsgebot at 2026-01-20 10:42 AM | Reply

"Find a dime, buy a clue."

Due to inflation a clue now costs $2.32.

Thanks Obama!

-:)

#15 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-01-20 10:48 AM | Reply | Funny: 1

I'll give you a f-in hint, how about 9 billion so far. ICE has no jurisdiction in fraud investigations. The leader and first person convicted and sentenced to prison was a white woman. But MAGA ignores that.

#16 | Posted by mattm at 2026-01-20 10:49 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

#15 LOL!!!

#17 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-01-20 10:52 AM | Reply

dementia of Trump

#10 | POSTED BY FISHPAW

Trump has dementia super-imposed on a pre-existing, and major, psychological disorder.

If you loved him, you'd get him help.

But no one loves Donald trump. Not really.

#18 | Posted by Zed at 2026-01-20 11:11 AM | Reply

www.tickcounter.com

#19 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-01-20 11:17 AM | Reply

I have always felt that keeping people scared and stupid they are more likely to vote rep.

It seems to be working.

#20 | Posted by bat4255 at 2026-01-20 11:28 AM | Reply | Newsworthy 1

#18 Zed says, "But no one loves Donald trump. Not really."

That's why he spent Christmas Eve and Christmas morning "Truthing," instead of being surrounded by loved ones.

No one really likes, loves or respects the Trumpf.

I suppose he just substitutes fear for all those other, normal, loving feelings.

#21 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-01-20 11:30 AM | Reply

Meanwhile... Joe Biden is enjoying his retirement... hanging with the grans... wife and family... having lived a full, successful, and controversial political life. He served with the first Black President and with the first woman elected to high office in the US. He changed the political landscape to be more representative and inclusive.

Meanwhile... back at the pig pen... a drugged up senile frat feck of a nepo baby pedophile and into degredatioin sex with minors... young girls in particular... is set to leave office in disgrace for the second time in a row.

It's how the pigs wallow...

#22 | Posted by RightisTrite at 2026-01-20 11:30 AM | Reply

"All the Dachaus must remain standing. The Dachaus, the Belsens, the Buchenwalds, the Auschwitzes " all of them. They must remain standing because they are a monument to a moment in time when some men decided to turn the earth into a graveyard, into it they shoveled all of their reason, their logic, their knowledge, but worst of all their conscience. And the moment we forget this, the moment we cease to be haunted by its rememberance. Then we become the grave diggers."

~Rod Serling, "Death's HeadRevisited" (1961)

#23 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2026-01-20 11:36 AM | Reply

I'll give you a f-in hint, how about 9 billion so far.

#11 | Posted by fishpaw

0 evidence of any actual fraud.
0 investigations thus far.
0 even conversations thus far with those centers.

That's Fishpaw for you.

#24 | Posted by Sycophant at 2026-01-20 11:38 AM | Reply

'Too stupid even for him': Trump's niece reacts after US letter links Greenland demand to Nobel snub
timesofindia.indiatimes.com

... Mary L Trump, the niece of Donald Trump, weighed in on a letter sent by the US president to Norway's prime minister, in which the GOP leader linked America's bid to annex Greenland to his failure to win the Nobel Peace Prize.

Posting on X[1], Mary Trump said: "When I saw this letter, I literally thought, This is too stupid even for him.' I should have known better." ...


=====
1 - x.com

#25 | Posted by LampLighter at 2026-01-20 11:41 AM | Reply

-I have always felt that keeping people scared and stupid they are more likely to vote rep.

Really?

Who gets scared more.....rednecks in trailer parks who attend evangelical churches?

or.......homosexuals, minorities, disabled, elderly, etc?

I think we have a lot of voters who vote against that which they are afraid of? Where the political rhetoric works the best.

Do a lot of GOP voters not trust/fear the Democratic party? absolutely. Is it based on irrational fear of them? again, absolutely.

But that's how people work.....not just republicans. The democrats will rail on about how the GOP scares the ---- out of their base but there is no question both sides do this effectively.

Why do you think both sides are so adamantly against a 3rd party? Their fear strategies turn to ---- in a heartbeat if a 3rd party successfully emerged.

#26 | Posted by eberly at 2026-01-20 11:44 AM | Reply

#23 Since visiting Dachau in the Spring of 2024, every day I wear a Never Again pin on my lapel, emblazoned with this image

Thanks for posting that, Alex.

#27 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-01-20 11:45 AM | Reply

#26 Not exactly correct, Eb ("Why do you think both sides are so adamantly against a 3rd party?").

In the strictly binary political system we have in this country, any votes for a 3rd party will siphon away votes from the very candidates those voters would normally vote for, while giving the other candidates (who they may abhor) a stronger chance at victory.

See also: Ralph Nader

See also: Internecine warrior

#28 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-01-20 11:49 AM | Reply

Texas has 2 million undocumented immigrants, Florida has 900,000. Minnesota has 130,000. Why is ICE making a theatrical farce there?
It's all reality tv from the appresident.
#8 | Posted by Nixon

Nixon is one stupid person.

It has to do with consequences of policies, how many of the 2 Million in Texas are criminals, pretty close to 0?

Being a sanctuary state/city is why ICE is going into neighborhoods, because thats where the criminals are.

You invite clowns to your towns and then complain it's a circus when they gotta leave.

#29 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-01-20 11:50 AM | Reply

28

You're saying the Democratic party doesn't use fear tactics to scare their base away from 3rd party candidates?

both sides have 2 enemies. The opposite party and anybody from a 3rd party.

#30 | Posted by eberly at 2026-01-20 11:54 AM | Reply

#29 | POSTED BY ONEIRONAUT

Donald Trump doesn't want ICE to do their "work" in Texas because even Texans will quickly learn to hate them.

By all accounts and observations, the Minnesotans love their immigrants. That could not happen if they were bad people.

You're the criminal. I hope that your papers are in order.

#31 | Posted by Zed at 2026-01-20 11:54 AM | Reply

#29 onepigironheadedsmoothbrainaut (25 26 plonks) refuses to take responsibility for his lies.

So, he arrives to lie, lie again.

No surprise.

#32 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-01-20 11:55 AM | Reply

I think we have a lot of voters who vote against that which they are afraid of?

I don't imagine fear is why people vote for things. Immigration became a big issue, because people could see it in their home towns. All the MSM doesn't reach most Americans, you like to think it does, but it doesn't.

Do you? Do you vote out of fear? Who here votes out of fear? Or are you arguing its only others that vote out of fear?

Its a poor argument to make, as its illogical no supported by evidence. What you could say from a psychological perspective, is those claiming others vote out of fear are the ones afraid (projection), because its what they do.

#33 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-01-20 11:55 AM | Reply

how many of the 2 Million in Texas are criminals
#29 | Posted by oneironaut

How many of two million illegal immigrants are criminals?
The Republican answer is: Two million.

#34 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-01-20 11:57 AM | Reply

Immigration became a big issue, because people could see it in their home towns.

33 | POSTED BY ONEIRONAUT

We all know that the migrants are here, in my Texas city.

No one has ever really given a sh--.

How you square this with a national emergency only people like you know.

#35 | Posted by Zed at 2026-01-20 11:58 AM | Reply

You're saying the Democratic party doesn't use fear tactics to scare their base away from 3rd party candidates?

What is a fear tactic? Claiming Trump is the devil? This doesn't move 80-90% of the Democrats. Its only Lumpers here spurging on the piss yellow background that get excited about it.

I suspect, people can vote against something, but average people see through all the noise and vote for things that they want to see happen (more taxes, better schools, etc etc)

I am not a voter yet, but I will vote for things that in my opinion make things better for me and my community.

#36 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-01-20 11:59 AM | Reply

"Do you vote out of fear? Who here votes out of fear? Or are you arguing its only others that vote out of fear?"

I'm arguing most people do.

Some here are admitted loyalists to a party and will spin, defend, etc. everything done.

I myself voted against Donald Trump 3 times.

But we have folks here who are in a protected class and they are scared to death of any republican.....and those folks scream at me constantly for not being scared enough.

#37 | Posted by eberly at 2026-01-20 12:01 PM | Reply

#30 I've not known you utilizing the Straw Man fallacy before, Eb ("You're saying the Democratic party doesn't use fear tactics to scare their base away from 3rd party candidates?").

Why'd you start now?

"both sides have 2 enemies. The opposite party and anybody from a 3rd party."

That's almost what I said in my #28.

It isn't just "anybody from a 3rd party"

It is anybody from a 3rd party who takes votes away from their candidate, thereby helping the other party's candidate.

There's a difference there other than just "anybody from a 3rd party".

#38 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-01-20 12:01 PM | Reply

The conservative Washington Examiner: Trump's deranged text on Greenland is damaging and dangerous

archive.ph

#39 | Posted by lee_the_agent at 2026-01-20 12:02 PM | Reply


How many of two million illegal immigrants are criminals?
The Republican answer is: Two million.
#34 | POSTED BY SNOOFY

Its interesting you don't comment on Krugman, you raise a point again and again and Krugman's position is you're completely wrong.

Anything to own the Republicans I guess.

#40 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-01-20 12:02 PM | Reply

#37 And those people fail to realize (or refuse to acknowledge) that you live in a closed-primary state, Eb.

#41 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-01-20 12:02 PM | Reply

What is a fear tactic? Claiming Trump is the devil?
#36 | Posted by oneironaut

^
You are so pathetically obvious.
Alex Jones: Sources Confirm Clinton and Obama Are Smelly Demons From Hell
nymag.com

#42 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-01-20 12:03 PM | Reply

ouuuuuuuuuuu

sundowning in america

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA says another midget ala riech.....

is that some gay sex term ?

#33 | Posted by oneironaut

just this ridiculous headline is proof that it's not the right doing the fear mongering

--watch 5 mins of fb for instance and dem after dem is telling THEIR FOOLS the same

thing and worse....

let's see what comes next

THE END IS NEAR / THE SKY IS FALLING / KISS AMERICA GOODBYE

the only thing dumber I"ve read all day is noted liar / a whole keith ellison

said the terrorists had a first amendment right to terrorize people at worship.

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA....try that at his mosque and the 2 faced hypocritical

terrorist supporting punk will throw you in the goat pen out back.

#43 | Posted by shrimptacodan at 2026-01-20 12:03 PM | Reply

but average people see through all the noise

Willy Horton.

#44 | Posted by Alexandrite at 2026-01-20 12:03 PM | Reply

#39 | POSTED BY LEE_THE_AGENT

That source is not allowed here. This is an opposite opinion free, website, aka a safe space.

#45 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-01-20 12:03 PM | Reply

#27 I visited Dachau in the Winter or 1996-97.

Depressing Place: made more so by bleak weather and Atmosphere.

I had vivid Nightmares of Nazis Dancing by a Blazing Fire. Of the March of Invisible Armies.

A sacrifice to Moloch.

The thing is Dachau was Tiny compared to the Big Camps in Poland.

Does Trump want Foreign Territories for Big Camps?

A place to Hide Massive Atrocities against the American People?

Who Knows.

#46 | Posted by Effeteposer at 2026-01-20 12:04 PM | Reply

#40 onepigironheadedsmoothbrainaut (2526 plonks) refuses to take responsibility for his lies.

He/she is keeping his/her batting average at 1.0.

#47 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-01-20 12:04 PM | Reply

What is a fear tactic?
#36 | Posted by oneironaut

Here you go:

said the terrorists had a first amendment right to terrorize people at worship.
#43 | Posted by shrimptacodan

#48 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-01-20 12:04 PM | Reply

#46 Sadly, Effete... what you posted is very plausible.

Unfortunately, way too plausible.

#49 | Posted by A_Friend at 2026-01-20 12:05 PM | Reply


Willy Horton.

#44 | POSTED BY ALEXANDRITE

Who? only political people would state this hurt someone running a poor campaign. They will state over and over again its the messaging.

But IMO thats not how the average person thinks.

IF you claim "willy horton" affected peoples votes, then you have to admit all the "Trump is Hitler", "Trump is a felon" is BS as well and just say it to scare people.

Is this the case?

#50 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-01-20 12:06 PM | Reply

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