Well, he can create any power for himself that he feels like, if he just does it & nobody stops him.

Reply to Well, he can create any power for himself that he feels like, if he just does it & nobody stops him. on Sat, 18 Jul 2026 14:13:09 GMT

jwcph@helvede.net — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 14:13:09 GMT

@thegaffer @Kiernian I do feel compassion, but it wanes when I see those people still just standing by as the fire rages around them, letting the arsonist arson away as they discuss why somebody else isn't stopping him. The fire brigade isn't on its way & the neighbors' houses are on fire, too - help yourself, no outside help is coming.

Reply to Well, he can create any power for himself that he feels like, if he just does it & nobody stops him. on Sat, 18 Jul 2026 14:04:17 GMT

thegaffer@hobbitwhispers.social — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 14:04:17 GMT

@jwcph @Kiernian

While we're engaging in stupid metaphors, please do go on with your blaming of the people trapped in the burning house with an arsonist for not putting out the fire. Thanks for the help. ‍️

Reply to Well, he can create any power for himself that he feels like, if he just does it & nobody stops him. on Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:58:29 GMT

jwcph@helvede.net — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:58:29 GMT

@thegaffer @Kiernian You know exactly what to do. It's in every single history book. You just don't want to, as much as you want to make up reasons why things are different for you & therefore you don't have to feel responsible as the ship sinks with you in it.

Reply to Well, he can create any power for himself that he feels like, if he just does it & nobody stops him. on Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:37:00 GMT

thegaffer@hobbitwhispers.social — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:37:00 GMT

@jwcph @Kiernian

And even the people seemingly being sent back in time from the future to fix the timeline have been doing a really crappy job of it so far.

Reply to Well, he can create any power for himself that he feels like, if he just does it & nobody stops him. on Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:31:38 GMT

thegaffer@hobbitwhispers.social — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:31:38 GMT

@jwcph @Kiernian

And even the courts are powerless to stop him if he decides to ignore the courts.

The only legitimate way we have to effect change is by protesting and voting, and even that's hard when so many people are being fed crap by well-funded media campaigns from those in power and controlling power.

Would love to hear suggestions on what else we can do that's not just inviting ICE to kill us in the street.

(2/2)

#USPol

Reply to Well, he can create any power for himself that he feels like, if he just does it & nobody stops him. on Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:25:58 GMT

thegaffer@hobbitwhispers.social — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:25:58 GMT

@jwcph @Kiernian

Our system of representative government has been utterly and perhaps irreparably broken.

The people we elected that have the responsibility and authority to stop him... won't. They have been bought by the same people who have bought the presidency.

The agencies that were set up to protect and serve the people have been thoroughly co-opted and weaponized against the people.

The courts (not SCOTUS) are the last, thin line of defense.

(1/2)

#USPol

Reply to Well, he can create any power for himself that he feels like, if he just does it & nobody stops him. on Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:07:56 GMT

kiernian@infosec.exchange — Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:07:56 GMT

@jwcph I strongly suspect that the primary reason that the populace at large hasn't "figured this out" yet is that our main news networks keep softening, minimizing, and sane-washing everything those in power are doing right now.

The secondary reason is that the populace at large is getting colossally, consistently, mind-blowingly, street-magicians-could-learn-a-thing-or-two, misdirected on a daily basis.

Even if most people don't actually buy that "the other of the moment" is doing whatever ridiculous, unlikely, or impossible thing they're being told about, it's STILL causing them to look anywhere but where the otherwise-obvious "trick" is being "performed".

I think we grossly underestimate how accustomed we are to being fed absolute balderdash on a regular basis and at how effective it is on multiple levels, whether it be distraction, sensory overload, or any of the other myriad psychological effects a constant deluge of it has on us.

As a populace, we're still stuck looking at the television like it's a cross between "alien autopsy" and "when animals attack" no matter what's on.