Rescuing Faith from Capitalism: A Theological Response to Project 2025 - by Mike Rivage-Seul

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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This tarot card-reading "theologian" wants to tell us what the authentic Christian faith is. Really. Amazingly, while proclaiming another Jesus, he is somehow able to simultaneously determine when someone is being heretical. His theology is identical to the Left's political agenda, and his presentation is brain dead bumper sticker Leftist slogans.

As is typical for Leftists, the author does not write to inform or explain, he writes to serve The Agenda, which is the overthrow of the system. It has nothing to do with any form of Christianity, because it is a political agenda, not a faith agenda.

Thus, as far as a "theological response," there isn't one.

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Why We Urgently Need a Progressive Policy Infrastructure - By Rob Kall

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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This author seems to believe that the 80-plus years of Leftist political domination didn't happen, that the wrecking ball of leftist policies is non-existent, and that the installation of Leftist politics at every level of government isn't actually there. The leftist control of the news media, Hollywood, public education, and corporations is near total, but not according to the author.

He thinks that the Left lacks the infrastructure to compete with the Right.

Astonishing.

The unstated truth is, the Left thought it had a lock on the power structure, but the walls of the Leftist citadel have been cracking. Conservative ideas have been seeping in, and there became more and more avenues to obtain a right-leaning perspective. Regular America has always been in varying degrees politically Right, despite American institutions tracking Leftward. 

Within the last 40 or so years prominent conservative voices began arising, like Rush Limbaugh, who articulated the things mainstream America knew in their bones to be true but never heard from the media voices. When leftist agitprop is all people see and hear, the conservative message is like a breath of fresh air.

The Leftist citadel had never been challenged before, so they didn't know what to do. But being authoritarians, dissent cannot be permitted. So rather than develop rhetorical skills or logical arguments, they simply turned to personal attacks, deplatforming, and censorship, strategies which continue to be utilized with impunity by the Left even today.

So the author wants a leftist infrastructure built to compete with the Right. He appears to have forgotten that the Left has made many abortive attempts to compete with the conservative media. Air America, Thom Hartmann, Mike Malloy, Randi Rhoads, Al Franken... None of them has gained any traction in terms of popular appeal. 

No one wants to listen to the Leftist message. 

True to form, Leftists attribute their failures to packaging, presentation, or any other reason besides the message itself. They don't understand (or refuse to admit) that their message, unless camouflaged in euphemisms and feel-good language, is just not popular. People don't like the Leftist worldview. Period.

We hope the author gets his wish, and we will witness the inevitable demise of this latest leftist enterprise, accompanied with the excuse-making as to why it failed that will inevitably follow.

It should be entertaining.

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Gallatin County Health Department - Happy pride month

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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This is a very odd Faceborg post from our county health department. It's really nothing more than pandering, a simpering show of support, with tobacco usage being used as the excuse.

Apparently gays are at higher risk because they smoke more. Do they smoke more? Well, yes. But Gallatin County wants to place blame, and the blame is 100% on external factors. Discrimination, stress, targeted advertising. Why? We don't know, except for the County's clear desire to virtue signal.

As much as they want to blame society and intolerant straights, discrimination is simply a questionable reason for higher tobacco use:

...if tobacco use is conceptualized as a coping behavior resulting from psychological distress associated with social rejection and stigmatization—as is the case in the Minority Stress Model26—then what accounts for the greater disparities in use among sexual minority women compared to sexual minority men?

Indeed, Since lesbians have a higher rate of tobacco use, are they subject to more discrimination than gay men? Of course not, blaming discrimination is nonsense. 

14% of people age 18 and above use tobacco products in Gallatin County. There are 126,000 people in the county, which equals 18,000 tobacco users. We will generously grant that 5% of Gallatin County residents are gay, which is 882 people. We will round that off to 1000 because we are so charitable. 

That is 0.8% of the population. This is what we mean by pandering. 

And because of this supposed stress, Gallatin County believes it's harder for gays to quit than it is for straights. They face "unique challenges." However, there is no evidence that quitting very addictive tobacco products is harder for one category of people than it is for another. Again, Gallatin County is simply trying to ingratiate themselves.

How are gays not offended by this?

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Letter to the editor: Use of term 'illegal alien' diminishes fellow human beings - by Julia Shaida

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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This letter writer regurgitates the typical leftist slogans, but she clearly hasn't thought about the issue past what she's read on some leftist website. A little bit of independent investigation might perhaps lead her to more relevant and correct information, such as

Longstanding Supreme Court precedent recognizes Congress as having “plenary” power over immigration, giving it almost complete authority to decide whether foreign nationals ( “aliens,” under governing statutes and case law) may enter or remain in the United States.

We don't wish to be disrespectful, but Ms. Shaida simply doesn't know what she's talking about.
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Letter to the editor: What would Jesus say of those who shun diversity, inclusion? - by Alfred Hanna

Found here. Our comments in bold.
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This is a confused and ignorant letter, full of leftist prescriptions masquerading as Christianity. The leftist starts with his politics, then looks to justify his politics with half-remembered Bible stories. That's what the Left does, dress up their pernicious beliefs with Jesus, using innocuous language and half-truths.

The idea that Jesus would condone any government policy is preposterous on its face. That we would approve of DEI in particular as a government policy is even more preposterous: 

Jn. 18:36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

Jn. 6:15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

The letter writer wants his Jesus in his own image. That is a dangerous position to be in.

We will mostly answer the letter writer with what Jesus Himself said. That's the best way to determine what Jesus would do.

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"I'm a liberal" - essay by Lori Gallagher Witt, attributed to Actor Ron Howard

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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This poor woman thinks she's being sensible and thoughtful when in fact she's superficial and trite. Regurgitating bumper sticker slogans, the author is so self unaware that it almost causes one to laugh out loud at her.

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Letter to the editor: Depths of MAGA hypocrisy knows no bounds - letter by Cara Wilder

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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What Ms. Wilder doesn't seem to understand is that she and her leftist friends tried all this. They called Trump names, prosecuted and persecuted him relentlessly, hammered and hammered on him, yet he still was elected. None of it worked. They lost.

Yet Ms. Wilder keeps right on going.

This is because leftists like Ms. Wilder aren't creative thinkers. They are told what to think by Central Command, and they dutifully repeat the same bumper sticker slogans and tired talking points day after day. They don't have the ability to do anything else, even in the face of failure. 

Their entire ideology is constructed this way. It's simply a series of religious mantras repeated endlessly until the leftist is swept away into mind-numbed oblivion. It's a mystical reality, built on verbal formulas, reflexively offered when properly stimulated. Or, triggered.

So Ms. Wilder offers her bilge as self-evident truth even though it's a blue-pill simulation. None of it is real.

Lastly, Ms. Wilder will be unable to cite any instance of MAGA people being hypocritical. 

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Letter to the editor: Christian Nationalists trying to control all our lives - Jack Davis

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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This letter is so incoherent it almost defies rebuttal. 

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Letter to the editor: Trump inauguration will make a mockery of Constitution - by Kenneth Allen

Found here. Our comments in bold.
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It's rather astonishing to us that the Left persists in their narrative no matter what. They get refuted every day but this does not dissuade them. They are proved wrong at every point but the very next day they repeat the same old bumper sticker slogans. Even though they lost the election using this blather they keep it up. Trump still must be blasted as an authoritarian, a fascist, a threat to democracy... and, an insurrectionist.

This is The Narrative, the daily talking points regularly disseminated to the faithful, the sole purpose of which is to further The Agenda. The Agenda is the overthrow of The System to make way for the people's utopia, Socialism.

So, Kenneth Allen's letter to the editor appeared in the local paper, in service to The Narrative. He is gravely concerned about supposed violations of the Constitution, you know, the document written by old white guys, misogynists, and imperialistic xenophobes. 

In actual fact the author doesn't care a bit about the Constitution, except for the momentary value it has to impugn Trump. He even quotes it, which likely puts his Google search into the FBI terrorist database. 

The author is correct that the Constitution forbids those who have engaged in insurrection to hold federal office. In the author's mind this disqualifies Trump. Because The Narrative. 

However, insurrection is a crime. So first, there must be an insurrection, and there wasn't. Second, one must be tried and convicted of insurrection to be an insurrectionist. Didn't happen. 

For a long time we thought the Left was simply being cynical, tossing around their accusations but not really believing them. It seems, though, that the author really believes this claptrap. A sobering situation, indeed.

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Letter to the editor: How could this man possibly become president again? - letter to the editor by Gary Peterson

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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Let's answer the author's question. Democracy. That's how Trump became president again.

The author apparently really believes the leftist narrative. For nearly ten years the Left has unrelentingly attacked Trump. Invented dossiers, fake controversies, endless name-calling, malicious prosecutions, and repeated false claims that Trump would be a dictator... This has been the war waged against Trump, an onslaught of regurgitated talking points, bumper sticker slogans, and outrageous rhetoric designed for a single purpose: Destroy the man. 

No, not get him out of office or keep him from being re-elected. Destroy the man. Make him destitute. Strip from him his reputation, his freedom, his wealth, his family. This is not a political strategy, it is a hate campaign, very personal, that justifies any statement, any action, any behavior, that hurts Trump. Including assassination. 

No limits.

The foundation of the violent offensive against Trump is raw, unrestrained, vindictive, irrational hate. Interestingly, that's partly why Trump ended up being elected: the sheer magnitude of increasingly ridiculous rhetoric used against him. At some point a sane person comes to the conclusion that a man being called Hitler needs to at some point do or say something Hitler-like. Such a thing never happened. It didn't happen when he was last president. It hasn't happened since he's left office. 

That's when peoples' opinions start turning,  when politics as a rough sport turns into something way beyond that.

The fact that the author believes so much that isn't true doesn't speak well for his thinking skills.

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How to stop Musk - by Robert Reich

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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**Update** Dr. Reich complains about lies told by Musk as the reason to cancel him. What does he think about Alexa informing people that Trump wasn't shot? Will he call for Google's cancellation?***

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This is a truly astounding article. Dr. Reich has an ax to grind with Elon Musk, solely on the basis of opinions. Does Dr. Reich want to persuade? No. Does the case he presents carry a thoughtful, considered objective? Negatory. Is he interested in discourse and give and take? Not on your life.

Dr. Reich wants to punish Musk. Punish him for lying (actually, for expressing opinions Dr. Reich doesn't like.) He wants to bring the full weight of government down on him. Hit him hard. Because he doesn't like Musk. 

That's it.

This is the current state of the political Left. Having long abandoned 60s tolerance, love and peace, opposing the Man, and doing your own thing, these people have become what they opposed. In fact, they have became the worst parts of the Man themselves: Wielding power to silence dissent, maliciously prosecuting political enemies, punishing unapproved thoughts and speech, and instilling fear in law-abiding citizens.

Utterly lacking in self-awareness, Dr. Reich happily embraces Gestapo tactics and Fascist language, hiding behind something called the "public interest." That is, one man, Musk, is a serious danger by expressing ideas contrary to the ficticious collective interest of hundreds of millions of Americans.

Dr. Reich is a man that you should avoid at all costs.

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Social Security is not insurance: Faceborg conversation

A Faceborg friend posted this:

A conversation ensued:

Me: Not insurance.

Letter to the editor: Several questions for a 'pro-Trump' conservative - by Robert Loftis

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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This is simply bad writing. Usually there is at least a superficial level of coherence in a typical leftist diatribe, but not today. The letter writer is simply copy and pasting slogans from leftist websites. And these slogans don't even make sense.

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Republican senatorial candidate Tim Sheehy’s online ads (but not his on-air ads) describe him as a “pro-Trump conservative.” As such, I have a few questions for Mr. Sheehy. (The letter writer is apparently unacquainted with the idea of calling Sheehy's office and asking his questions.

But in actual fact, the letter writer is not interested in obtaining information. His questions are designed to further The Narrative, which is the daily talking points and slogans promulgated throughout the media landscape.

He uses the obvious and based rhetorical techniques of the Left, with the intent to reframe and obscure the issues he raised. But he's a clumsy propagandist. Most leftists are.)

Has Montana really solved its housing crisis? - Susan Shain High Country News

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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The Chronicle reprinted this agendized "news" article and also posted it on Faceborg. A exchange of comments, found at the bottom, ensued. Our commentary appears after.

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Some people use the word "woke" as if it's supposed to be an insult... Faceborg meme

A leftist friend posted this: 

Leftists created this term for the purpose of allowing themselves to brag about their superior morality. Then they are surprised when they get mocked for it. Then they are offended by the blow-back. They respond to this by doubling down on their moral preening and insulting those who mock them. 

Why They Love Donald Trump -By Bob Passi

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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One can be sure that if a leftist is going to explain something, it will not be accurate, it will not clarify, and it will not be intended to impart information.

That's because leftists like the author are only interested in The Narrative, that is, the talking points and bumper sticker slogans promulgated by Central Command. The Narrative is circulated throughout the media landscape every day, and writers, commentators, and news operations dutifully regurgitate it.

So the author pretends to be a truth teller, but he's simply doing his duty to repeat The Narrative, spouting agitprop in service to The Agenda. The Agenda is the dismantling of the system. The system, being racist, unfair, and hurtful to the worker and minorities, must be replaced. 

But in actual fact, none of these issues are actually important to the Left. They are simply excuses for advancing the leftist dream. So, nothing you will read below will be true, accurate, logical, or helpful. 

This article is The Narrative, which facilitates The Agenda. The reader should keep this in mind at all times.

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Letter to the editor: Political balance has long been missing from Montana - Jerrold E. Johnson

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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Dr. Johnson doesn't write letters to the editor as often as he used to. So today's letter gives us more insight into someone who would represent himself as a moderate. It is a scattershot letter without focus or coherence, designed solely for the purpose of bashing Trump and furthering the false narrative of Jan 6th.

Dr. Johnson will advocate for "balance," whatever that means, but doesn't seem to understand that each and every elected official was put in place by the voters of Montana. There is no such thing as "balance," there is only the result of elections.

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True patriotism is the opposite of Trump’s White Christian Nationalism Thoughts on July 4th - by obert Reich

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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Dr. Reich wouldn't know true patriotism if it came up and punched him in the face. Patriotism is Love of one's country; the passion which moves a person to serve his country, either in defending it from invasion or in protecting its rights and maintaining its laws and institutions. He will do his level best to redefine the term. No surprise, since the Left has been devoted to changing the meaning of words.

Continuing his obsession with Trump, Dr. Reich engages in Mountain Man's Law with impunity, accusing Trump of everything that the Left is actually doing.

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Misinformation obscures standards guiding gender-affirming care for trans youth - by Helen Santoro KFF Health News

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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This is presented as a news article but it's an opinion piece, replete with biased phraseology, leftist talking points, and deceptive characterizations. What a dismal piece of journalism.

The actual Florida legislation is easily located on the internet. It only 10 pages long, and is succinct and specific. The alarmist reaction to it indicates an obsessive desire to mutilate children and monkey with potentially dangerous medicines and shows a callous disregard for a child's long-term health and well-being. 

All in the name of tolerance, diversity and inclusion.

Also, one of the principle claims of the author is the careful protocol involved in gender transition. Perhaps she might explain this Portland "doctor" chopping up pre-pubescent children.

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The five elements of fascism. And how Trump and much of today’s Republican Party embrace them - ROBERT REICH

Found here. Our comments in bold.

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Yet another Republicans-are-fascist article. It is with certainty we can assert that these leftists get their marching orders from Central Command, and today's topic is, surprise, fascism. Again. 

The thing is, repeatedly calling someone a fascist is not designed to inform or explain. It is to agitate, to get the troops moving, to inflame and create animosity. There is no constructive purpose to call everyday Americans fascist.

Further, the charge is preposterous. There is no fascism from the side of the political spectrum known for its individualism and quiet, moral living. There are no authoritarians or dictators or mass slaughters on the Right. Fascism (i.e., National Socialism) contains all the features found on the extreme Left: Oppression, violence, censorship of ideas, speech codes, redefining language, isolating and attacking political enemies, fixing elections, and purging of opposition political figure by prosecution, harassment, and character assassination.

In addition, we are absolutely certain that Dr. Reich has no idea what a real fascist is. Trump most certainly isn't a fascist. Remember, he was President for four years? And we have a new President now? How could an "fascist" simply leave office when his time was up? And really, what "fascist" things did Trump do? We all lived through his presidency and experienced his leadership. What exactly did he do to expand his power, curtail civil rights, free assembly, religious freedom, or property rights?

Nothing? Oh. 

Well, he must be the worst authoritarian to ever walk the face of the planet.

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