"The Cruelty Is the Point" is, in fact, the title of an essay that The Atlantic's brilliant Adam Serwer wrote way back in 2018, and it defines Trump's bond with his MAGAts better than anything else written before or since – he nailed it. This was his concluding paragraph:
"Trump’s only true skill is the con; his only fundamental belief is that the United States is the birthright of straight, white, Christian men, and his only real, authentic pleasure is in cruelty. It is that cruelty, and the delight it brings them, that binds his most ardent supporters to him, in shared scorn for those they hate and fear: immigrants, black voters, feminists, and treasonous white men who empathize with any of those who would steal their birthright. The president’s ability to execute that cruelty through word and deed makes them euphoric. It makes them feel good, it makes them feel proud, it makes them feel happy, it makes them feel united. And as long as he makes them feel that way, they will let him get away with anything, no matter what it costs them."
Yes, hard to believe but ... personal friends, law school roommates at UVA, specific issues with Rhode Island’s health care system that apparently
need regulatory flexibility from HHS. (that hasn’t been enough of an issue to shift the state’s senior senator, Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), who remains firmly opposed to Kennedy’s nomination.)
Yes, hard to believe, but ...Sanders has not ruled out supporting Gabbard, who was a top House ally in her past political life as an antiestablishment Democrat and nominated him at the Democratic Convention.
Yes, Serwer's article was chilling; I can still vaguely recall how I marveled at his insight when I first read it 6 years ago. BUT ... as is the case with pretty much every article, every investigation/indictment/guilty verdict, both impeachments, NOT ONE WORD OF IT changed the minds of nearly 50 percent of the electorate. SO, what now?
Yes, Trump got 49.8% and Harris 48.3% (the 1.5% margin of victory being the smallest for a presidential election in 56 years) among *people who voted*.
But also consider this:
• 36.1% of the *registered electorate*, more than one-third, DIDN'T vote.
• Of the remaining 63.9%, the *actual electorate that DID vote*, Trump received 31.82%, to Harris's 30.86%, a margin of less than 1 percentage point (0.96%).
• So the real "winner" – a clear plurality – in 2024? APATHY.
Obviously, when MAGAts talk about a "mandate" or a "landslide," it's rubbish.
What the facts tell us is that the margin was razor-thin. And that there's hope.
It was not apathy that caused voters to stay home. Nor the 48% who voted for Trump. It was Black. It was Woman. It was Married to a Jew. I asked and this was the answer. Trump was bad, but It was "worse".
Exactly - thanks for breaking down the percentages among all eligible voters and demonstrating that the apathetic were the real deciding factor! So maybe what we need is to focus on encouraging the apathetic to be less so?
We must work on apathy but most importantly the Democratic party needs to run a white male for president. A black woman was a lethal combination for the population that carries racism and sexism.
Why did 8M Biden voters not vote for Harris? None of the arguments about messaging, short campaign, lack of a primary, softness on Palestine, etc could possibly add up to 8M missing votes, in my opinion.
The fact that most Americans don't understand the term "fascism" means we need to use other terms that will be understood. However, the treatment of immigrants, and this is brown and black-skinned immigrants, is both a pretext to get rid of anyone non-White, and also our immigrants were the Nazi's Jews. We should be careful to be on the right side of history, which Trump is not!
Perhaps only marginally helpful for reaching the ignorant, but at least to train our newbies, I recommend the following. Just an hour long, with a brilliant, crisp cold opening. “Rick Steve’ The Story of Fascism in Europe” https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JU1IVW6uqM0
What the “base” hasn’t figured out yet is Trump doesn’t give damn about them. The election is over and he’s in his second term. The tech bros are useful because it’s clearly pay for play via Trumps crypto token. Plenty of grist for the cartoon mill. I’m glad to be along for the ride!!
Have the MAGAts noticed the price of eggs lately? I'm sure they are told any reason but the truth as to why that's happening under the reign of Agent Orange.
Reminds me of those old pictures of the white crowd picnicking at a lynching.
Me, too.
These people are sick and mean!
The cruelty IS the point.
"The Cruelty Is the Point" is, in fact, the title of an essay that The Atlantic's brilliant Adam Serwer wrote way back in 2018, and it defines Trump's bond with his MAGAts better than anything else written before or since – he nailed it. This was his concluding paragraph:
"Trump’s only true skill is the con; his only fundamental belief is that the United States is the birthright of straight, white, Christian men, and his only real, authentic pleasure is in cruelty. It is that cruelty, and the delight it brings them, that binds his most ardent supporters to him, in shared scorn for those they hate and fear: immigrants, black voters, feminists, and treasonous white men who empathize with any of those who would steal their birthright. The president’s ability to execute that cruelty through word and deed makes them euphoric. It makes them feel good, it makes them feel proud, it makes them feel happy, it makes them feel united. And as long as he makes them feel that way, they will let him get away with anything, no matter what it costs them."
ThankYou.
Capturing the ugly so fiercely beautifully.
Ann Telnaes unchained. Exactly what we need right now. To keep in front of our eyes why we find ways to resist everyday.
CALL Senators to VOTE NO ON VOUGHT
Trump's most dangerous nominee.
Please watch Democratic Sen.Patty Murray question Vought on impoundment.
Find Your Senator
.https://youtu.be/Qv_lF0q7rbI?si=MaKNU5Mpb9TeIZzj.
.https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm.
Russell Vought, Director, Office of Management and Budget
Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs
Chair: Rand Paul
202-224-4343
Ranking Member: Gary Peters
(202) 224-6221
Democrat of Concern: John Fetterman
(202) 224-4254
And don't forget:
Schedule of Senate Hearings
Thursday, 30 January Triple Header
1. Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Secretary of Health and Human Services
.https://www.help.senate.gov/.
Chair Bill Cassidy
.https://www.cassidy.senate.gov/contact/.
(202) 224-5824
Ranking Member Bernie Sanders
.https://www.sanders.senate.gov/.
202-224-5141
Committee Member
Susan Collins
(202) 224-2523
*Democrat of Concern: Sheldon Whitehouse
.https://www.whitehouse.senate.gov/contact/.
(202) 224-2921
Yes, hard to believe but ... personal friends, law school roommates at UVA, specific issues with Rhode Island’s health care system that apparently
need regulatory flexibility from HHS. (that hasn’t been enough of an issue to shift the state’s senior senator, Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI), who remains firmly opposed to Kennedy’s nomination.)
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/dems-worry-sen-whitehouse-considering-vote-for-rfk-jr.
2. Intelligence
Tulsi Gabbard
Director of National Intelligence
.https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/.
Chair Tom Cotten
.https://www.cotton.senate.gov/contact.
(202) 224-2353
Ranking Member Mark Warner
.https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/
202-224-2023
Committee Member
Susan Collins
(202) 224-2523
*Democrat of Concern: Bernie Sanders
.https://www.sanders.senate.gov/.
202-224-5141
Yes, hard to believe, but ...Sanders has not ruled out supporting Gabbard, who was a top House ally in her past political life as an antiestablishment Democrat and nominated him at the Democratic Convention.
.https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/01/23/senators-watch-trumps-nominees-come-vote/.
3. Judiciary
Kashyap Patel
Director FBI
.https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/.
Chair Chuck Grassley
.https://www.grassley.senate.gov/.
(202) 224-3744
Ranking Membet Dick Durbin
.https://www.durbin.senate.gov/.
202.224.2152
https://anntelnaes.substack.com/p/trump-tosses-red-meat/comments
Peters and Fetterman will vote AYE.
Yes, Serwer's article was chilling; I can still vaguely recall how I marveled at his insight when I first read it 6 years ago. BUT ... as is the case with pretty much every article, every investigation/indictment/guilty verdict, both impeachments, NOT ONE WORD OF IT changed the minds of nearly 50 percent of the electorate. SO, what now?
re "nearly 50 percent of the electorate":
Yes, Trump got 49.8% and Harris 48.3% (the 1.5% margin of victory being the smallest for a presidential election in 56 years) among *people who voted*.
But also consider this:
• 36.1% of the *registered electorate*, more than one-third, DIDN'T vote.
• Of the remaining 63.9%, the *actual electorate that DID vote*, Trump received 31.82%, to Harris's 30.86%, a margin of less than 1 percentage point (0.96%).
• So the real "winner" – a clear plurality – in 2024? APATHY.
Obviously, when MAGAts talk about a "mandate" or a "landslide," it's rubbish.
What the facts tell us is that the margin was razor-thin. And that there's hope.
It was not apathy that caused voters to stay home. Nor the 48% who voted for Trump. It was Black. It was Woman. It was Married to a Jew. I asked and this was the answer. Trump was bad, but It was "worse".
Exactly - thanks for breaking down the percentages among all eligible voters and demonstrating that the apathetic were the real deciding factor! So maybe what we need is to focus on encouraging the apathetic to be less so?
We must work on apathy but most importantly the Democratic party needs to run a white male for president. A black woman was a lethal combination for the population that carries racism and sexism.
Why did 8M Biden voters not vote for Harris? None of the arguments about messaging, short campaign, lack of a primary, softness on Palestine, etc could possibly add up to 8M missing votes, in my opinion.
Counterarguments welcome.
Meanwhile, we normals are cringing, horrified knowing the suffering that comes with any obedience of the twisted dictator forced upon us.
Here is a discussion of the Musk Sieg Heil salute in The Guardian that is saying something important about this moment in our history. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jan/26/elon-musk-far-right-antisemitism?utm_term=679631f97a9063a144823d6fd46e3eb7&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayUS&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=GTUS_email
It ties together with this article about the rise of the Neo-Nazi's and immigration. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/26/neo-nazis-trump-extremism?utm_term=679631f97a9063a144823d6fd46e3eb7&utm_campaign=GuardianTodayUS&utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&CMP=GTUS_email
The fact that most Americans don't understand the term "fascism" means we need to use other terms that will be understood. However, the treatment of immigrants, and this is brown and black-skinned immigrants, is both a pretext to get rid of anyone non-White, and also our immigrants were the Nazi's Jews. We should be careful to be on the right side of history, which Trump is not!
Perhaps only marginally helpful for reaching the ignorant, but at least to train our newbies, I recommend the following. Just an hour long, with a brilliant, crisp cold opening. “Rick Steve’ The Story of Fascism in Europe” https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=JU1IVW6uqM0
Throwing chum to his chumps.
Let me upgrade my comment. Pulitzer Prize, Ann. Pulitzer Prize.
Upgrade no. 2. SECOND PULITZER PRIZE!
As a sociopath and malignant narcissist, Trump is devoid of conscience – and ruining our country.
You do understand MAGA?? They are primates that love this cruelty. That is who and what they are.
Big Pig feeding the Piglets. Not that I mean to insult farm pigs.
The Porcine Antidefamation League appreciates your sensitivity. We suggest cannibalism.
Brutal and brilliant.
Ann unleashed!
We are left with making what we can of madness, absurdity and atrocity. How many cartoons per day can you generate?
Pure gold, Ann.
Brutal, and brilliant. Pulitzer worthy.
OH my GOD. This is powerfully true.
Oh my god. You nailed it. Things are getting crazy scary. I'm spending a lot of time with my dogs. They are good.
What the “base” hasn’t figured out yet is Trump doesn’t give damn about them. The election is over and he’s in his second term. The tech bros are useful because it’s clearly pay for play via Trumps crypto token. Plenty of grist for the cartoon mill. I’m glad to be along for the ride!!
Just wait until he starts tossing the MAGATs to the billionaire tech bros, hedge funds, and corporations.
Oh wait. He already is.
MAGATS are too stupid and ignorant to realize that they may soon be in serious dogdo…
It will allow the cognitively challenged MAGA mouth breathers to feel so much better about themselves
Have the MAGAts noticed the price of eggs lately? I'm sure they are told any reason but the truth as to why that's happening under the reign of Agent Orange.